A method for separating motile organisms from other organisms. The method comprises controlling a fluid delivery unit to provide a fluid flow to a sample separating device (302). The fluid flow has a sample introduction flow velocity set so that a sample may be introduced into a sample introduction zone of the device. The sample introduction flow velocity is sufficiently high such that an organism in the sample is unable to exit the sample introduction zone. The method comprises controlling the fluid delivery unit to reduce the fluid flow velocity from the sample introduction flow velocity to an operational flow velocity lower than the sample introduction flow velocity (303). The operational flow velocity is selected such that motile organisms in the sample are able to swim against the fluid flow and enter a sample collection zone of the device.

A cell sorter includes a base for holding a cell culture plate containing a fluorescently labeled sample of cells, a fluorescence imager for viewing the cell culture plate, through bottom of the cell culture plate, to capture one or more fluorescence images of the fluorescently labeled sample of cells, and a cell extraction module for extracting a cell selected based on the one or more fluorescence images. The cell extraction module includes a needle for hydraulically removing the selected cell from the cell culture plate, and a motorized translation stage for translating the needle in a z-dimension to reach the selected cell from above. The cell sorter further includes a motorized translation stage for translating one of the needle and the cell culture plate in x- and y-dimensions, relative to the other one of the needle and the cell culture plate, to position the needle over selected first cell.

A method of improving volumetric productivity from a cell culture includes filtering a cell culture through an ultrafilter or a microfilter operating in tangential flow filtration mode or alternating flow filtration mode, and filtering the cell culture concurrently or intermittently through a tangential flow depth filtration system to remove cellular debris and/or to harvest cell product. A system for filtering biological materials includes a primary filtration system, and a secondary filtration system, where the secondary filtration system comprises a tangential flow depth filtration filter.

The invention features a substrate and compositions, kits, devices, and methods employing the substrate that produces an isolated population of cells from a general population. The isolated population is enriched for one or more target populations. Substrate is can be liquefied and allows recovery of unlabeled, viable, and functional cells.

Provided is a method for producing a cell contained base, the method being capable of providing a cell contained base highly accurately controlled in number of nucleic acid molecules contained in a low-concentration nucleic acid standard sample, the method including a liquid droplet discharging step of discharging a cell suspension in the form of a liquid droplet with a liquid droplet discharging unit onto a base including at least one cell contained region; a cell number counting step of counting a number of cells contained in the liquid droplet with a plurality of sensors from two or more directions while the liquid droplet is flying into the cell contained region; and a liquid droplet landing step of landing the liquid droplet in the at least one cell contained region in a manner that a predetermined number of cells are located in the at least one cell contained region.

Beads with functionalized material applied to them are exposed to an acoustic field to trap, retain or pass the beads. The beads may include or be free of ferro magnetic material. The beads may be biocompatible or biodegradable for a host. The size of the beads may vary over a range, and/or be heterogenous or homogenous. The composition of the beads may include high, neutral or low acoustic contrast material. The chemistry of the functionalized material may be compatible with existing processes. The acoustic field may be generated, for example, in an acoustic angled wave device or in an acoustic fluidized bed.

The invention relates to a method for culturing and detecting microorganisms, comprising the steps of providing a liquid sample (S) in a barrel (10) of a device (1) for culturing and detecting microorganisms, passing the liquid sample (S) through a first filtering membrane (40) such that microorganisms contained in the liquid sample (S) are retained at a first side (41) of the first filtering membrane (40), contacting said first side (41) with a first growth medium (210) capable of supporting growth of microorganisms, incubating the first filtering membrane (40) and the first growth medium (210) at an incubation temperature, arranging a sensing surface (51) of a gas sensor (50) in fluid connection with a second side (42) of the first filtering membrane (40), detecting a metabolic gas released by the microorganisms by means of the gas sensor (50). The invention further relates to a device (1) for culturing and detecting microorganisms, comprising a barrel (10) enclosing a barrel compartment (13) for receiving a liquid sample (S), a first piston (20) which (20) is movable in said barrel (10), wherein said barrel compartment (13) is configured to be brought in fluid communication via a first filtering membrane (40) with a sensing surface (51) of a gas sensor (50) configured to detect a metabolic gas released by microorganisms, wherein the first filtering membrane (40) is configured to retain microorganisms contained in the liquid sample (S) at the first side (41) of the first filtering membrane (40). Furthermore, a sensor cartridge (4) and a kit of parts comprising the device (1) are provided.

Disclosed herein are platforms, systems, and methods including a cell culture system that includes a cell culture container comprising a cell culture, the cell culture receiving input cells, a cell imaging subsystem configured to acquire images of the cell culture, a computing subsystem configured to perform a cell culture process on the cell culture according to the images acquired by the cell imaging subsystem, and a cell editing subsystem configured to edit the cell culture to produce output cell products according to the cell culture process.

A contactless selection device, a light triggering structure thereof, and a biological particle selection apparatus are provided. The light triggering structure includes a first substrate, a first electrode layer formed on the first substrate, a photodiode layer formed on the first electrode layer, and an insulating layer that covers the photodiode layer. The photodiode layer has a thickness within a range from 1 .Math.m to 3 .Math.m, and includes a first doped layer, an I-type layer, and a second doped layer, which are sequentially stacked from the first electrode layer. The second doped layer includes a plurality of triggering pads spaced apart from each other. Each of the triggering pads has a width within a range from 3 .Math.m to 7 .Math.m, and a distance between any two of the triggering pads adjacent to each other is less than or equal to 2 .Math.m.

Disclosed are a microfluidic system and method for isolating target cells or vesicles in a fluid. The system of the present invention comprises a fluid passageway having an inlet and an outlet; one or more ultra-high frequency acoustic resonator capable of generating bulk acoustic waves in the fluid passageway at a frequency of about 0.5-50 GHz; a power regulator which adjusts the power of the bulk acoustic waves generated by the ultra-high frequency resonator; and a flow rate regulating device that regulates the velocity of the solution flowing through the bulk acoustic wave region. Adjusting the power of the generated bulk acoustic waves by means of the power regulator and/or adjusting the velocity of the solution flowing through the bulk acoustic wave region by means of the flow rate regulating device allow cells or vesicles to stay in a bulk acoustic wave-affected region. The system and method of the present invention can capture and release cells or vesicles in a solution, and further process and analyze the obtained cells or vesicles.