Disclosed are methods for trapping and barcoding discrete biological units in a hydrogel. Also disclosed are methods for analyzing gene expression, genotype, haplotype or epigenome in discrete biological units, as well as kits for implementing the methods of the present disclosure.

Disclosed are methods for trapping and barcoding discrete biological units in a hydrogel. Also disclosed are methods for analyzing gene expression, genotype, haplotype or epigenome in discrete biological units, as well as kits for implementing the methods of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure relates to a method including exposing a composition comprising a wax-microsphere matrix to a first melt-condition, wherein said wax-microsphere matrix comprises a wax component and a plurality of lyophilised microspheres, wherein said plurality of lyophilised microspheres comprise one or more reagent, whereby exposing said composition comprising said wax-microsphere matrix to said first melt-condition melts the wax component; exposing said composition to a first release-condition to rehydrate at least one lyophilised microsphere; and exposing said at least one rehydrated lyophilised microsphere to a separation-condition to separate said wax component from said at least one rehydrated lyophilised microsphere. Also disclosed are methods of preparing a wax-microsphere matrix and releasing one or more reagent from a wax-microsphere matrix as well as compositions. Also disclosed are cartridges with a reagent reservoir including the compositions described herein. Also disclosed are systems for controlling release of one or more reagent including the compositions described herein.

The present disclosure relates to a method including exposing a composition comprising a wax-microsphere matrix to a first melt-condition, wherein said wax-microsphere matrix comprises a wax component and a plurality of lyophilised microspheres, wherein said plurality of lyophilised microspheres comprise one or more reagent, whereby exposing said composition comprising said wax-microsphere matrix to said first melt-condition melts the wax component; exposing said composition to a first release-condition to rehydrate at least one lyophilised microsphere; and exposing said at least one rehydrated lyophilised microsphere to a separation-condition to separate said wax component from said at least one rehydrated lyophilised microsphere. Also disclosed are methods of preparing a wax-microsphere matrix and releasing one or more reagent from a wax-microsphere matrix as well as compositions. Also disclosed are cartridges with a reagent reservoir including the compositions described herein. Also disclosed are systems for controlling release of one or more reagent including the compositions described herein.

A portable diagnostic device has a lysate stage (167) with a port for receiving a sample and containing magnetic beads with a probe, and an outlet port. A series of assay stages (161-164) are linked with the lysate vessel, each with a reservoir linked by channels. The final stage (164) has a sensor (169) for detecting beads attached to analyte molecules which have been conveyed according to attachment to probes on beads. Larger transport beads cause reporter beads which are tethered by target NA and probes to be transported to the final sensor stage, where they are released and detected when the transport beads have been removed.