A cell membrane observation and analysis device includes at least: a microscope; and a substrate which has a plurality of holes, in which a cell membrane is placed on each hole of the substrate to be placed on the substrate, the cell membrane is immersed into a buffer solution while the cell membrane is suctioned through the hole, and the buffer solution is sealed, thereby observing and analyzing the cell membrane. Using the above-mentioned device, a substrate is prepared; a cell membrane is dispersed in a buffer solution, thereby preparing a suspension; the suspension is dripped onto a face of the substrate; the cell membrane is sucked through each hole to be placed on each hole; the cell membrane is immersed into a second buffer solution while the cell membrane is sucked; the second buffer solution is sealed; and the cell membrane is observed and analyzed with a microscope.

Systems, methods, and compositions are provided for low volume liquid handling.

An automated molecular operating system includes at least one centrifuge tube carrying module, a transport module, a plurality of temperature control modules, a capping module, a magnetic field module and an automated processing module. The automated processing module is electrically connected to the transport module, the temperature control modules, the capping module and the magnetic field module, and controls the transport module to move the centrifuge tube carrying module, so that a centrifuge tube contained in the centrifuge tube carrying module makes a reaction in the temperature control modules, and the magnetic field module or the capping module is provided to the centrifuge tube according to requirements, such that a specimen in the centrifuge tube can be automatically subjected to nucleic acid extraction, nucleic acid amplification, primer labeling, reverse transcription or a combination thereof, thereby reducing manual operation errors and increasing the ease of operation.

Multi-stage sample-recovery systems, including automated 2-stage and 3-stage sample-recovery systems, are provided. Such systems enable the rapid screening and recovery of samples, including viable cell-based samples, from high-throughput screening systems, including systems utilizing large-scale arrays of microcapillaries. In specific screening systems, each microcapillary comprises a solution containing a variant protein, an immobilized target molecule, and a reporter element. Immobilized target molecules may include any molecule of interest, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and other biomolecules. The association of a variant protein with a molecular target is assessed by measuring a signal from the reporter element. The contents of microcapillaries identified in the assays as containing variant proteins of interest can be identified and recovered using the multi-stage systems disclosed herein.

Provided herein are systems and methods for pooling samples from separated sub-arrays in multi-well devices into collection wells of a multi-well sample collection device (e.g., allowing samples in a 100 well sub-array in a 9600-well chip to be pooled into a single collection well of a 96-well plate). In certain embodiments, the systems are composed of: i) a multi-well device, ii) an extraction device; and iii) an extraction device gasket. Also provided herein are dual barcoding (e.g., X-Y barcoding), pooling (e.g., dual pooling), RNA amplification methods (e.g., for single cell analysis), that may employ the extraction devices described herein.

A composition, including a substrate having a planar array of depressions each defined by concave walls and a moat disposed around each depression of said array of depressions.

Disclosed herein are apparatuses and methods for conducting multiple simultaneous micro-volume chemical and biochemical reactions in an array format. In one embodiment, the format comprises an array of microholes in a substrate. Besides serving as an ordered array of sample chambers allowing the performance of multiple parallel reactions, the arrays can be used for reagent storage and transfer, library display, reagent synthesis, assembly of multiple identical reactions, dilution and desalting. Use of the arrays facilitates optical analysis of reactions, and allows optical analysis to be conducted in real time. Included within the invention are kits comprising a microhole apparatus and a reaction component of the method(s) to be carried out in the apparatus.

The invention generally relates to microfluidic devices that include channels that are slidable relative to each other and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a microfluidic device that includes a first channel having an open end, and a second channel having an open end. The first and second channels are slidable relative to each other such that when the open end of the first channel and the open end of the second channel are aligned with each other, fluid flows from the first channel into the second channel.

The invention provides mechanical devices that can be used to combine reagents and discover their effects on living cells. A device of the invention holds liquids in open-ended channels and transfers liquids from one channel to another by bringing a second channel into proximity and alignment with an open end of a first channel. Channels of the device can include fluid partitions (e.g., water-oil-water emulsions) that include living cells. The device includes a mechanical system the operation of which causes a receiving channel to pass among supply channels, aligning with each in turn, to pick up chemicals from those channels and make new combinations within the receiving channel. The device then presents those new chemical combinations to the living cells within their respective partitions, thereby allowing for the determination of the effects of those combinations on living cells.

Systems and methods for optical power distribution within an integrated device, in a substantially uniform manner, to a large number of sample wells and/or other photonic elements. The integrated device and related instruments and systems may be used to analyze samples in parallel. The integrated device may include a grating coupler configured to receive light from an excitation source and optically couple with multiple waveguides configured to couple with sample wells. Vertical extents of optical modes of individual waveguides may be modulated to adjust confinement of light within the waveguides. This modulation may enable more uniform distribution of excitation light to the sample wells, improve excitation efficiency, and prevent overpower on regions of the integrated device.