Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for performing a process on biological samples. An analysis of biological samples in multiple regions of interest in a microfluidic device and a timeline correlated with the analysis may be identified. One or more region-of-interest types for the multiple regions of interest may be determined; and multiple characteristics may be determined for the biological samples based at least in part upon the one or more region-of-interest types. Associated data that respectively correspond to the multiple regions of interest in a user interface for at least a portion of the biological samples in the user interface based at least in part upon the multiple identifiers and the timeline. A count of the biological samples in a region of interest may be determined based at least in part upon a class or type of data using a convolutional neural network (CNN).

Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids, fluid components, and reactions are provided. In one aspect, such structures and methods can allow production of droplets of a precise volume, which can be stored/maintained at precise regions of the device. In another aspect, microfluidic structures and methods described herein are designed for containing and positioning components in an arrangement such that the components can be manipulated and then tracked even after manipulation. For example, cells may be constrained in an arrangement in microfluidic structures described herein to facilitate tracking during their growth and/or after they multiply.

The present invention relates to a microfluidic device and method for providing emulsion droplets. The device comprising: a microfluidic section comprising one or more microfluidic units; and a well section comprising one or more groups of wells comprising one group of wells for each microfluidic unit; the well section and the microfluidic section forming a fixedly connected unit such that each group of wells forms a fixedly connected unit with a respective corresponding microfluidic unit, each microfluidic unit comprising a fluid conduit network comprising: a plurality of supply conduits comprising a secondary supply conduit and a primary supply conduit comprising a capillary structure having a volume of at least 2 μL; a transfer conduit; and a first fluid junction providing fluid communication between the primary supply conduit, the secondary supply conduit, and the transfer conduit; each group of wells comprising a plurality of wells comprising a collection well and one or more supply wells comprising a primary supply well, the collection well being in fluid communication with the transfer conduit of the corresponding microfluidic unit, the primary supply well being in fluid communication with the primary supply conduit and the secondary supply conduit of the corresponding microfluidic unit.

A method for providing quantitative information for targets and a device using the same according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure are provided. A quantitative information providing method for targets according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes flowing a plurality of microdroplets into a chamber or a channel including a detection region acquiring a single layer of microdroplets in which the plurality of microdroplets is present as a single layer, and providing quantitative data of targets based on the single layer image of the microdroplets, and the detection region has a height which is one time to about two times of a diameter of the plurality of microdroplets and is defined as a region in which the plurality of microdroplets is dispersed in a plurality of columns to fill the detection region.

A system (100) and a method for detecting fluorescence is disclosed. The system (100) essentially comprises a labelled sample wherein said labelled sample emits an electromagnetic radiation of a defined wavelength when irradiated by a LASER beam of a commensurate wavelength, a source (102) for emitting said LASER beam, oriented as to aim at said labelled sample, a chamber for holding said labelled sample during said LASER irradiation, a reflective layer (108) positioned to reflect said electromagnetic radiation, and a detector (112) positioned to detect and amplify said electromagnetic radiation. The method essentially comprises the steps of providing a labelled sample wherein said labelled sample emits an electromagnetic radiation of a defined wavelength when irradiated by a LASER beam of a commensurate wavelength, providing a source (102) for emitting said LASER beam, oriented as to aim at said labelled sample, providing a chamber for holding said labelled sample during said LASER irradiation, providing a reflective layer (108) positioned to reflect said electromagnetic radiation, providing a detector (112) positioned to detect and amplify said electromagnetic radiation, irradiating said sample with said LASER beam and analyzing said amplified electromagnetic radiation from said detector (112) with a signal processing block (114).

A rapid PCR detection device includes a body, a disposable microfluidic unit, a magnetron micro-fluid unit, a linear actuator, a PCR thermal cycling unit and an image recognition unit. The microfluidic unit is made of a transparent material, wherein a transparent film is arranged in the middle of the microfluidic channel and has at least one hole for a micro-fluid to flow in the microfluidic channel. The magnetron micro-fluid unit drives the micro-fluid, so that the micro-fluid is divided into a plurality of droplets each guided to a lower layer of the microfluidic channel. The linear actuator drives the disposable microfluidic unit to an amplification zone. The PCR thermal cycling unit performs PCR thermal cycling in the amplification zone. The image recognition unit illuminates the droplets with a fluorescent light and determines the number of DNA fragments in the droplets according to the detected fluorescent intensity.

A method of sample preparation for streamlined multi-step assays is provided. The method includes the step of providing a microfluidic device including a reservoir defined by a surface configured to repel an aqueous solution. A dried reagent is provided on a portion of the surface and the reservoir is filled with an oil. A first droplet formed from the aqueous solution is positioned on the dried reagent so to pick-up and re-dissolve the dried reagent therein so as to expose the portion of the surface. In addition, a second droplet of an aqueous solution may be deposited on a hydrophilic spot patterned on the surface. A magnetic force may be configured to interact magnetically with the paramagnetic beads within the first droplet to move the droplet through the oil in the reservoir or to move the paramagnetic beads from the first droplet, through the oil, into the second droplet.

Described herein are systems relating to a continuous-flow instrument that includes all necessary components for digital droplet quantification without the need to introduce key reagents or collect and transfer droplets between stages of instrument operation. Digital quantification can proceed without any additional fluid or consumable handling and without exposing fluids to risk of external contamination.

A method for manipulating a microdroplet of a reaction medium in an immiscible carrier medium with a target molecule bound to a solid support for the purposes of effecting a chemical transformation is provided. It is characterised by the steps of (a) bringing the microdroplet into contact with the solid support under conditions where the microdroplet and solid support are caused to combine, (b) allowing the reaction medium to react with the target molecule and (c) thereafter exerting a force to induce the reaction medium to become detached from the solid support and reform a microdroplet in the carrier fluid. In one embodiment the solid support is a particle, bead or the like.

A fluidic assembly comprising a fluid analysis apparatus (30), the fluid analysis apparatus (30) comprising: a fluid measurement device (34); a fluidic device including a flow cell (36) arranged in a measurement region of the fluid measurement device (34), the flow cell (36) constructed of at least one first fluoropolymer material, the flow cell (36) including a channel, the channel containing a sample segment (52) that is carried in a fluorinated fluid carrier (54), wherein the sample segment (52) and fluorinated fluid carrier (54) are immiscible.