A system, methods, and apparatus are described to collect and prepare single cells, nuclei, subcellular components, and biomolecules from specimens including tissues. The system can perform enzymatic and/or physical disruption of the tissue to dissociate it into single-cells or nuclei in suspension or subcellular components including nucleic acids. In some embodiments, the titer of dissociated cells is monitored at intervals and the viability determined. In some embodiments, the processing is adjusted according to the measurements of the titer and viability. In some embodiments, the single-cells or nuclei in suspension are washed and resuspended in the buffer or media of choice. In some embodiments, the conditions are chosen to produce nuclei. In other embodiments, the single-cells or nuclei are purified by affinity paramagnetic bead processing. In some embodiments, matched bulk nucleic acid to the single-cells is produced. In other embodiments, single-cell libraries, or nuclei libraries, or matched bulk libraries, or bulk libraries are produced. The single cells or nuclei can then be further processed by FACS, DNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, fluorescence, or other methods. In other embodiments, the tissue processing is integrated with an analytical system to produce a sample-to-answer system such as a tissue-to-genomics system.

Described herein is an antibacterial filtering system. The system includes at least one microstructure disk contained in a housing through which there is a fluid flow containing the cells to be eliminated. The microstructure disk includes a plurality of raised microstructures. The microstructures are positioned to form inlet channels and outlet channels for the fluid flow to pass through. The microstructures are coated with an antimicrobial material that is bonded to the microstructures. The antimicrobial material includes at least one quarternary ammonium salt (QAS) and/or at least one siliylated polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) quarternized salt.

A device for processing a biological sample includes a first substrate having a first cavity, a second substrate having a second cavity, a filter element having a plurality of perforations, and an electrically conductive structure. The first cavity forms a first chamber segment of a chamber for accommodating the biological sample. The second cavity forms a second chamber segment of the chamber for accommodating the biological sample. The filter element is formed between the first cavity and the second cavity in order to hold back a plurality of organic cells of the biological sample on the plurality of perforations when the biological sample moves between the first cavity and the second cavity through the filter element. The electrically conductive structure is arranged on the filter element and is configured to cause lysis of the organic cells and/or to duplicate and/or detect defined segments of exposed DNA.

A system for treating a biologically contaminated water stream to lyse pathogens within the biologically contaminated water stream is provided. The system can include a flash vessel configured to receive a biologically contaminated water stream and to separate steam from liquid in the biologically contaminated water stream, a blower configured to receive the separated steam from the flash vessel and compress the separated steam for reintroduction into the biologically contaminated water stream, a circulation pump configured to receive the separated liquid from the flash vessel and to pressurize the separated liquid into a circulation stream, a preheater exchanger configured to receive treated water from the circulation stream and preheat the biologically contaminated water stream, and a pressure drop device configured to lower the pressure of the biologically contaminated water stream prior to receipt by the flash vessel.

Some embodiments are directed to planning treatment of an area of interest on a tissue section with a motorized treatment tip. The planning may include computing for each pixel in the area of interest a distance to the nearest pixel in the tissue section outside the area of interest or in the background, and selecting a position for a treatment area from the result of the distance transform.

The current invention relates to a method for obtaining one or more target biomolecules from cells cultured in a fixed bed bioreactor, said method comprises: the addition of a lysis solution to the bioreactor, thereby lysing the cells in the bioreactor, and prior to, simultaneous with, and/or after lysing said cells, applying one or more mechanical actions to said bioreactor, after which the one or more target biomolecules are recovered from said bioreactor. The invention further relates to a system for obtaining one or more target biomolecules from cells cultured in a fixed bed bioreactor.

Contemplated methods and devices are drawn to preparation and analysis of analytes from biological samples. In a preferred embodiment the analytes are nucleic acids that are both released from biological compartments present in the sample and fragmented through the use of a voltage potential applied to a pair of electrodes. The nucleic acids thus prepared are subsequently characterized.

The present invention provides for lysing systems and methods to rapidly lyse bugs, bacteria, viruses, cells and/or algae in an efficient manner in addition to fragmenting DNA and/or RNA onto smaller pieces. Solutions or gases containing the biological material to be lysed are introduced or pumped (flow) between two or more apexes of metallic triangles with microwave energy focused at the apexes. Subsequently, the rapid heating of fluid between the apexes lyses cells allows for increased collection of the lysate, the inner genetic materials or other components for further purification or isolating thereafter.

Method and apparatus for transmitting acoustic energy to a sample for treatment by employing a phase change couplant at least adjacent a sample vessel. The phase change couplant may be solid before and after treatment, but liquid during treatment to improve acoustic energy transmission charactersitics.

A method includes disposing a solution including a microbe or a virion on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a trench extending from the surface to a region within the semiconductor substrate; wherein the the microbe or the virion is trapped within the trench of the semiconductor substrate.