The present invention generally relates to systems and methods to create stable emulsions with low rates of exchange of molecules between microdroplets.

A microfluidic chip for focussing a stream of particulate containing fluid comprises a sample microfluidic channel configured to receive the stream of particulate containing fluid, a guidance microfluidic channel having a polygonal cross-sectional area and configured to receive a stream of guidance fluid, and a common microfluidic channel having a polygonal cross sectional area formed by the merging of the sample microfluidic channel and the guidance 10 microfluidic channel at an oblique angle along only part of one or more sides of the guidance microfluidic channel, and a detection zone disposed in the common microfluidic channel having one or more sensors. The merging of the sample microfluidic channel and the guidance microfluidic channel is configured to provide a composite fluid stream containing a focussed beam of particulates that is disposed asymmetrically in the common microfluidic channel 15 adjacent a corner or side of the common microfluidic channel and wherein the one or more sensors are configured for sensing a characteristic of the focussed beam of particulates in the common channel.

Methods described herein provide a way to reduce or eliminate drag and adhesion of a substance flowing over a surface by creating a vapor cushion via evaporation of a phase-changing material of or on the surface or encapsulated within textures of the surface. The vapor cushion causes the flowing substance to be suspended over the surface, greatly reducing friction, drag, and adhesion between the flowing substance and the surface. The temperature of the flowing substance is above the sublimation point and/or melting point of the phase-changing material. The phase-changing material undergoes a phase change (evaporation or sublimation) upon contact with the flowing substance due to local heat transfer from the flowing substance to the material, generating a vapor cushion between the solid or liquid material and the flowing substance.

The present invention is related to a portable apparatus for performing uni-directional convective qPCR or qRT-PCR in a mixing reagent containing a target nucleic acid and a fluorescence dye including denaturation, annealing and extension processes. The apparatus includes at least a temperature controlling unit which comprises at least one heat source and one temperature sensor, a circulation-enabling container, a light source, a photo-detector, a filter, a set of optical elements, and a processor.

A fluid handling device has an introduction port, a first flow channel which is connected to the introduction port and in which a droplet can move when a fluid including the droplet is caused to flow therein, a first chamber for capturing the droplet moving through the first flow channel, and a second chamber through which the droplet captured by the first chamber can move via the first flow channel. The liquid handling device is capable of switching between a first state in which a droplet moving through the first flow channel is captured by the first chamber, and a second state in which the droplet captured by the first chamber moves to the second chamber via the first flow channel.

A microfluidic apparatus for forming one or more droplets of an aqueous fluid suspended in a non-aqueous fluid is described. The microfluidic apparatus includes a first microfluidic channel configured for flowing an aqueous fluid through the first microfluidic channel and a second microfluidic channel fluidically connected to the first microfluidic channel and adapted to flow a non-aqueous fluid through the second microfluidic channel into the first microfluidic channel. A microfluidic reservoir fluidically connected to the first microfluidic channel and configured to receive a plurality of droplets of the first aqueous fluid. The microfluidic apparatus further includes a first electrode and a second electrode positioned such that application of voltage to the first electrode moves one or more droplets of the aqueous fluid in a first direction and application of voltage to the second electrode moves one or more droplets of the aqueous fluid in a second direction.

A first aspect of the present invention provides a manipulating method of an organism including forming an air bubble in liquid where the organism is immersed, attaching the organism to the air bubble, and controlling an airflow by generating the airflow in the air bubble and manipulating a position of the organism with the airflow.

Methods and apparatus for driving flow in a microfluidic arrangement are provided. In one disclosed arrangement, the microfluidic arrangement comprises a first liquid held predominantly by surface tension in a shape defining a microfluidic pattern on a surface of a substrate. The microfluidic pattern comprises at least an elongate conduit and a first reservoir. The area of contact between the substrate and a portion of the first liquid that forms the elongate conduit defines a conduit footprint. The area of contact between the substrate and a portion of the first liquid that forms the first reservoir defines a first reservoir footprint. The size and shape of each of the conduit footprint and the first reservoir footprint are such that a maximum Laplace pressure supportable by the first liquid in the elongate conduit without any change in the conduit footprint is higher than a maximum Laplace pressure supportable by the first liquid in the first reservoir without any change in the first reservoir footprint. A delivery member having an internal lumen leading to a distal opening through which liquid can be delivered is provided. Liquid is pumped into the microfluidic pattern through the distal opening while the distal opening is held in a delivery position. The delivery position is such that the liquid enters the microfluidic pattern via the elongate conduit and drives a flow of liquid into the first reservoir.

Methods described herein provide a way to reduce or eliminate drag and adhesion of a substance flowing over a surface by creating a vapor cushion via evaporation of a phase-changing material of or on the surface or encapsulated within textures of the surface. The vapor cushion causes the flowing substance to be suspended over the surface, greatly reducing friction, drag, and adhesion between the flowing substance and the surface. The temperature of the flowing substance is above the sublimation point and/or melting point of the phase-changing material. The phase-changing material undergoes a phase change (evaporation or sublimation) upon contact with the flowing substance due to local heat transfer from the flowing substance to the material, generating a vapor cushion between the solid or liquid material and the flowing substance.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to microfluidic devices that allow for scalable on-chip screening of combinatorial libraries and methods of use thereof. Droplets comprising individual molecular species to be screened are loaded onto the microfluidic device. The droplets are labeled by methods known in the art, including but not limited to barcoding, such that the molecular species in each droplet can be uniquely identified. The device randomly sorts the droplets into individual microwells of an array of microwells designed to hold a certain number of individual droplets in order to derive combinations of the various molecular species. The paired droplets are then merged in parallel to form merged droplets in each microwell, thereby avoiding issues associated with single stream merging. Each microwell is then scanned, e.g., using microscopy, such as high content imaging microscopy, to detect the optical labels, thereby identifying the combination of molecular species in each microwell.