A system and method for automated single cell capture and processing is described, where the system includes a deck supporting and positioning a set of sample processing elements; a gantry for actuating tools for interactions with the set of sample processing elements supported by the deck; and a base supporting various processing subsystems and a control subsystems in communication with the processing subsystems. The system can automatically execute workflows associated with single cell processing, including mRNA capture, cDNA synthesis, protein-associated assays, and library preparation, for next generation sequencing.

An expandable array and methods of maintaining a biological sample within an expandable array are provided. The expandable array includes a plurality of receptacles configured to receive a biological sample and a plurality of beams comprising a programmable material. Each beam of the plurality of beams is located between and connects at least two receptacles. The programmable material can be a shape-memory polymer or a magnetoactive material that transitions the plurality of beams from an extended state to a contracted state upon application of a stimulus.

A carrier plate for inserting containers filled with a medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic substance into a freeze dryer, wherein the carrier plate comprises a plurality of receptacles that are configured to each receive a container. Furthermore, the present application relates to a carrier plate arrangement having a plurality of such carrier plates. Furthermore, the present application relates to a loading system for a freeze dryer, wherein the loading system comprises one or more handling devices and one or more such carrier plates or the carrier plate arrangement. Furthermore, the present application relates to a loading system and to a freeze-drying system having such a loading system.

An adapter for connecting an array of pipette tips having through bores with conical upper ends to a multichannel air displacement pipettor having a plurality of ports with compliant internal sealing surfaces. The adapter comprises a planar base with an array of openings extending between its top and bottom surfaces. Sealing tubes project upwardly from the top surface, and tip mounting tubes project downwardly from the bottom surface, with pairs of sealing tubes and tip mounting tubes being arranged coaxially and in communication with respective ones of the openings in the base. The tip mounting tubes are externally dimensioned and configured for insertion into the conical upper ends of the pipette tips, and the sealing tubes are externally configured and dimensioned for insertion into the ports of the pipettor and into sealing interengagement with their compliant internal sealing surfaces.

A reaction vessel comprises a lower chamber with a first volume, and an upper chamber with a second volume greater than the first volume. A thermocycling system for heating the reaction vessel includes a lower heating zone to heat the lower chamber, an upper heating zone to heat the upper chamber, and a lid heater to heat an opening of the upper chamber. A method comprises loading a sample into a lower chamber of a reaction vessel, thermocycling the lower chamber using a lower heating zone of the thermo cycler, combining an additive into the sample to produce a combination filling the lower chamber and at least partially filling an upper chamber of the reaction vessel, and incubating the upper and lower chambers using the lower heating zone and an upper heating zone. The lower and upper chambers can have different wall thicknesses to facilitate heat transfer.

A pipette tip system for use with a plurality of pipette tips is disclosed that includes a support card connected to a base, wherein the base comprises an interlocking structure constructed to mate with an adjacent base. This unique base can be used with the several embodiments disclosed herein.

A thermal cycler system for use with a sample holder configured to receive a plurality of samples includes a sample block having an upstanding peripheral side wall and being configured to receive the sample holder and an adaptor having an upstanding peripheral side wall configured to be positioned about the peripheral side wall of the sample block. When the peripheral side wall of the adaptor is positioned about the peripheral side wall of the sample block and the sample holder is received in the sample block, the peripheral side wall of the adaptor extends in an upward direction toward the sample holder.

A droplet discharge device for discharging a droplet into one or more droplet storage parts of a storage vessel; the droplet discharge device including: a droplet discharge part configured to discharge the droplet in a predetermined amount from a nozzle hole of the droplet discharge part; a storage vessel holding part configured to hold the storage vessel; a mover part configured to move the droplet discharge part relative to the storage vessel that is held by the storage vessel holding part; and a detecting part configured to detect a shape of a surface of the storage vessel that is held by the storage vessel holding part.

Embodiments can provide a test tube vacuum retainer system, comprising an outer body comprising a midline plate; one or more side walls, a bottom wall, and a top plate comprising an access hole; a test tube holder comprising a sealant ring; a base; and a vacuum tube comprising an external outlet; wherein the test tube holder is secured within the outer body to the base, which in turn is secured to the midline plate; wherein the vacuum tube is connected to the test tube holder at a first end, and the external outlet is configured to be connected to a vacuum pump configured to apply a vacuum force to the test tube holder when a test tube is inserted into the access hole and placed onto the test tube holder.

A pipette tip family includes a plurality of pipette tips each including a tip cylinder, each of the plurality of pipette tips further includes a hollow body including a bottom end and a top end such that the bottom end defines a tip opening and the top end defines a mounting opening, a seating region is configured to clamp to the spigot and a cylindrical plunger travel path is defined between the tip opening and the seating region, a tip plunger includes a plunger guided along the plunger travel path and a plunger rod comprising a top end, the plurality of pipette tips of each subfamily are configured to be used for pipetting with pipettes of a pipette type matched thereto and are not configured to be used with pipettes of a pipette type not matched thereto.