The invention is a cap for a pathogen sample tube, the tube having an open end and the cap being configured to secure the open end of the tube to prevent spillage of any sample stored in the tube. The cap includes a first pierceable protective film section configured to enable an automated pipette or other sample withdrawal system to pierce the protective film section and to aspirate at least some of the sample. The cap also includes a second pierceable protective film section lying underneath the first pierceable protective film section; the film sections are separated by an air gap, that is approximately 2 mm in depth. The film sections are made from a thin aluminium foil that is approximately 25 microns thick, with a thin lacquer coating on its upper side and a co-extrusion coating, such as a polymer coating, on the lower side.

Provided is a genome extraction device including a safety clip combined with an inner chamber, more particularly a genome extraction device to which the above-described dual chamber structure is applied so that the genome extraction device can be stored stably for a long time without the risk of reagent leakage and an inner chamber is moved up and down by way of vibration generated during a production and distribution process of a product so that a sealing member for sealing upper openings and lower openings of the inner chamber can be prevented from being perforated.

A microdevice includes a first substrate; and a second substrate that is joined to the first substrate, and that includes at least one groove that forms at least one microchannel with the first substrate and recesses that form closed spaces with the first substrate. When viewed from above, the closed spaces are disposed sandwiching the least one microchannel.

A cartridge for use with chemical or biological analysis systems is provided. The cartridge may include a floating microfluidic plate that is held in the cartridge using one or more floating support brackets that incorporate gaskets that may seal against fluidic ports on the microfluidic plate. The floating support brackets may include indexing features that may align the microfluidic plate with the seals.

A microfluidic device comprises upper and lower spaced apart substrates defining a fluid chamber therebetween; an aperture for introducing fluid into the fluid chamber; and a fluid input structure disposed over the upper substrate and having a fluid well for receiving fluid from a fluid applicator inserted into the fluid well. The fluid well communicates with a fluid exit provided in a base of the fluid input structure, the fluid exit being adjacent the aperture. The fluid well comprises first, second and third portions, with the first portion of the well forming a reservoir for a filler fluid; and the second portion of the well being configured to sealingly engage against an outer surface of a fluid applicator inserted into the fluid well. The third portion of the well communicates with the fluid exit and has a diameter at the interface between the third portion and the second portion that is greater than the diameter of the second portion at the interface between the third portion and the second portion.

A method is provided for testing for presence of a particulate selected from the group consisting of: a microorganism, a fungus, a bacteria, a spore, a virus, a mite, a biological cell, a biological antigen, a protein, a protein antigen, and a carbohydrate antigen. The method includes (a) collecting, in a tube (22), fluid that potentially contains the particulate, (b) using a plunger (24) to push the fluid through a filter (26) disposed at a distal portion of the tube or at a distal end of the plunger, and subsequently, (c) while the filter is inside the tube, ascertaining if any of the particulate was trapped by the filter by applying a particulate-presence-testing-facilitation solution to the filter. Other embodiments are also described.

Disclosed herein is a system to detect and characterize individual particles and cells using at least either optic or electric detection as the particle or cell flows through a microfluidic channel. The system also provides for sorting particles and cells or isolating individual particles and cells.

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.

The invention relates to a sealed container (1) comprising a container body (2) having a through-hole (8) that is delimited by a flange and is closed by a removable door (7) mounted on the flange and an annular seal located between the flange and the door (7), characterized in that the flange consists of two separate concentric sleeves, one of the sleeves defining an outer flange body (5) arranged to allow a connection of the container body (2) to a flange having a complementary shape on an enclosure, the other sleeve defining an inner flange body (6) arranged to allow a connection of the door (7) to the flange, the outer flange body (5) being made entirely or partially of a resistant plastic material selected from plastics that are resistant to autoclave sterilization cycles, while the inner flange body (6) is made of a metal alloy.

A culture device comprising an oxygen sensitive luminophore, typically an oxygen sensitive phosphor, such as a porphyrin, and methods of use for culturing and enumerating microorganisms