Process for manufacturing a microfluidic device, wherein a sacrificial layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate; a carrying layer is formed on the sacrificial layer; the carrying layer is selectively removed to form at least one release opening extending through the carrying layer; a permeable layer of a permeable semiconductor material is formed in the at least one release opening; the sacrificial layer is selectively removed through the permeable layer to form a fluidic chamber; the at least one release opening is filled with non-permeable semiconductor filling material, forming a monolithic body having a membrane region; an actuator element is formed on the membrane region and a cap element is attached to the monolithic body and surrounds the actuator element.

A tubing-free, sample-to-droplet microfluidic system includes a tubing-free, sample-to-droplet microfluidic chip; a valve control system connected to the tubing-free, sample-to-droplet microfluidic chip; a vacuum system fluidly connected to the tubing-free, sample-to-droplet microfluidic chip; and a droplet formation pressure system fluidly connected to the tubing-free, sample-to-droplet microfluidic chip. A microfluidic chip for a tubing-free, sample-to-droplet microfluidic system includes a tubing-free, sample-to-droplet interface section; a droplet mixing section in fluid connection with the tubing-free, sample-to-droplet interface section to received droplets therefrom; an incubation section in fluid connection with the droplet mixing section to receive droplets therefrom; and a detection section in fluid connection with the incubation section to receive droplets therefrom.

Certain embodiments are directed to finite step emulsification device and/or methods that combine finite step emulsification with gradients of confinement for the formation of a 2D monolayer array of droplets with low size dispersion.

A centrifugal microfluidic technique for heat treating emulsion-divided independent reaction volumes (IRVs) within a centrifugal microfluidic chip, and displacing the emulsion into a monolayer presentation chamber (pc) for imaging. A deep treatment chamber (tc) is provided for the heat treatment, a nozzle having a hydrodynamic radius for forming the IRVs is provided for injecting a sample for the IRVs into the tc filled with a dense immiscible medium. The tc is adjacent a heat controlled element for collectively heat treating the IRVs within the tc, where the IRVs form a 3d packing arrangement. The tc is coupled to a presentation chamber (pc) by an opening through which the IRVs can be selectively displaced without collapsing. The pc is adjacent a window transparent to a wavelength for inspecting the pc.

Compositions and methods for identifying antigen-specific T cells, including determining paired T cell receptor sequences for a specific antigen, are described. Compositions and methods for identifying neoantigen-specific T cells are also described. Microfluidic devices useful for identifying antigen-specific T cells, and methods of using the same, are also described.

(Object) To improve the accuracy of the placement of liquid droplets. (Means of Achieving the object) A liquid droplet discharging method is performed by a liquid droplet discharging apparatus configured to discharge a liquid droplet from a nozzle hole formed in a film-like member, the liquid droplet discharging method including positioning the nozzle hole inside a recessed portion provided in a container; and discharging the liquid droplet from the nozzle hole positioned inside the recessed portion.

An apparatus for processing biological material includes a supporting structure, provided with a seat and with a rotation device supplied with constraining means, and a container for biological material, provided with a shaped body, with a base, shaped to match the seat of the supporting structure, with at least one valve (24a) for extracting the biological material, and with movable cutting means equipped with coupling means for coupling to the constraining means of the rotation device, in such a way as to acquire a relative motion relative to the container.

A droplet generating method includes the steps of providing a micro-pipe having an outlet end; providing a liquid driving device to generate a flow of a first liquid; locating and positioning the micro-pipe which extends along a vertical longitudinal axis; connecting the liquid driving device with the micro-pipe so that the first liquid flows and is emitted out from the outlet end; providing a container, which is positioned at least in-part below the micro-pipe and adapted to contain a second liquid including a liquid surface disposed at a position located between a highest and a lowest positions; and either vertically or horizontally vibrating the micro-pipe, and thereby forming a plurality of droplets of the first liquid emitted from the outlet end at a position below the liquid surface of the second liquid.

An apparatus and method are provided for rapid and precise manipulation and transfer of tiny liquid droplets. by dynamically introducing microstructures with relatively high surface energy to a non-wettable surface, which surface has in-situ switchable adhesion to liquid droplets. By penetrating microstructures on the background surface, the chemical property of the surface is locally modified. Capillary bridges will form between microstructures and liquid droplets which lead to high adhesive forces. When the microstructures are retracted, the capillary bridges either pinch-off or recede, which drastically reduces the adhesion. With proper chemical modification, the surface can either manipulate a liquid droplet in air or in an immiscible carrier liquid. Tiny droplets with volumes down to nanoliter scale can be prepared and dispensed by using the surface.

This invention relates to methods, systems, and computer program products for verifying dispensing of a fluid from a pipette.