The invention relates generally to the field of automated collection and deposition of fluid, semi-solid, and solid samples of biological or chemical materials. More specifically, the invention relates to the field of microarrayers, which are devices for autonomously depositing minute droplets of biological or chemical fluid samples in ordered arrays onto substrates. The invention also relates to tissue arrayers, which are devices for the collection and deposition of solid and semi-solid tissue samples in ordered arrays. Other aspects of the invention relate to fluidics robots, which are devices for the autonomous collection, dispensing and processing of biological or chemical fluid samples. The invention improves the throughput of microarrayers, tissue arrayers, and fluidics robots by providing methods and apparatuses to precisely and repeatably load supplies into the machines.

A variety of elastomeric-based microfluidic devices and methods for using and manufacturing such devices are provided. Certain of the devices have arrays of reaction sites to facilitate high throughput analyzes. Some devices also include reaction sites located at the end of blind channels at which reagents have been previously deposited during manufacture. The reagents become suspended once sample is introduced into the reaction site. The devices can be utilized with a variety of heating devices and thus can be used in a variety of analyzes requiring temperature control, including thermocycling applications such as nucleic acid amplification reactions, genotyping and gene expression analyzes.

A stamp for making a microarray of biomolecules, wherein the stamp has a stamp body having a stamping surface for stamping the biomolecules onto a substrate, a plurality of reservoirs for liquids having the biomolecules, wherein each of the reservoirs has a bottom wall and a plurality of channels extending between each of the bottom wall and the stamping surface, wherein each of the reservoirs and the channels has a macroporous hydrogel and wherein the stamping surface is provided with a hydrophobic coating.

A stamp for making a microarray of biomolecules, wherein the stamp has a stamp body having a stamping surface for stamping the biomolecules onto a substrate, a plurality of reservoirs for liquids having the biomolecules, wherein each of the reservoirs has a bottom wall and a plurality of channels extending between each of the bottom wall and the stamping surface, wherein each of the reservoirs and the channels has a macroporous hydrogel and wherein the stamping surface is provided with a hydrophobic coating.

Compositions, methods and systems are provided for isolating DNA having a modified or unnatural base. Circular DNA fragments, each comprising a double stranded DNA central region and single stranded regions on the ends of the double stranded regions, are obtained. Some of the fragments have one or more modified or unnatural base. The DNA fragments are treated with a primer and a polymerase such that the polymerase extends the primer to copy at least one of the strand of the double stranded region. This results in rendering the other strand single stranded. A binding protein or antibody that is specific to the modified or unnatural base is then used to isolate strands containing the modified or unnatural bases. Methods for loading such complexes onto substrates and for single molecule sequencing of such complexes are also provided.

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.

A device capable of synthesizing a plurality of selected peptides by automatically mixing various amino acids, solvents, and activators and adding these to resins contained in a plurality of individual reaction vessels. A plurality of amino acids are contained in vessels within a carousel which is rotated into position where a syringe is inserted into a selected vessel to transport the amino acid within to a pre-reaction vessel for mixing with other selected amino acids which were previously drawn from the carousel. The mixture of amino acids is then transported to a reaction vessel containing the resin balls for growth of the selected peptide. The device includes a computer, controllable valves, at least one pump, pressurized gas such as nitrogen for transporting fluids, various vessels containing amino acids, solvents, activators, resins, and tubing connecting these elements. The computer is programmable to sample, mix selected components, and apply the mixture to resins for growing peptides.

The invention pertains, at least in part, to a method for forming an ordered structure of amphiphilic molecules, such as proteins. The method includes contacting a population of amphiphilic molecules with an interface; compressing said population laterally to an appropriate pressure, such that an ordered structure at the interface is formed. The invention also pertains to the two- and three-dimensional ordered structures that are formed using the planar membrane compression method of the invention.

The invention relates to a reaction vessel, a device and a method for detecting specific interactions between molecular target and probe molecules. The present invention especially relates to a reaction vessel which has a shape and size typical of a laboratory reaction vessel and in which a supporting element with probe molecules immobilised thereon on predetermined regions is arranged on its base surfaces.

Selectively controllable cleavable linkers include electrochemically-cleavable linkers, photolabile linkers, thermolabile linkers, chemically-labile linkers, and enzymatically-cleavable linkers. Selective cleavage of individual linkers may be controlled by changing local conditions. Local conditions may be changed by activating electrodes in proximity to the linkers, exposing the linkers to light, heating the linkers, or applying chemicals. Selective cleaving of enzymatically-cleavable linkers may be controlled by designing the sequences of different sets of the individual linkers to respond to different enzymes. Cleavable linkers may be used to attach polymers to a solid substrate. Selective cleavage of the linkers enables release of specific polymers from the solid substrate. Cleavable linkers may also be used to attach protecting groups to the ends of growing polymers. The protecting groups may be selectively removed by cleavage of the linkers to enable growth of specific polymers.