Inline classification of a biological specimen including mammalian cells can include generating an alternating current (AC) electrical stimulus to an electrode structure. The electrode structure can be electrically coupled with a flow cell. A response, elicited by the electrical stimulus, can be received when a model specimen class traverses the flow cell. Using the received response, a corresponding impedance parameter value can be determined, the value indicative of a specified biophysical characteristic corresponding to the model specimen class. The first impedance parameter can be translated to a value corresponding to the specified biophysical characteristic.

The present disclosure provides, inter alia, a device for capturing and unfolding a polymeric species (e.g., a misfolded protein) or disrupting aggregates of a polymeric species, the device including: a thin support and a plurality of nanopore structures piercing through the support, each nanopore structure having an inner surface and a void running the length of the structure, an outer boundary of the void being defined by the inner surface of the nanopore structure, the inner surface comprising hydrophobic regions capable of capturing and facilitating the unfolding of the misfolded polymeric species. Also provided are methods of separating and unfolding polymeric species, methods of treatment using these devices, and systems for measuring biomolecule transport, disaggregation and refolding in a liquid sample.

The present invention relates to the rapid and electricity-free, point-of-care, multiplexed detection and quantification of at least one or more nucleic acid sequences from nucleic acids corresponding to a plurality of pathogens or biomarkers using a micropatterned lateral flow device. Rapid and molecular-level sensitive differential diagnosis of a disease condition may be enabled without the need for a delayed laboratory test so that timely treatment can be administered.

In certain embodiments, the disclosure provides an inflatable bladder lid that configures with a cartridge configured for assay testing. The inflatable bladder provides substantially uniform pressure to the cartridge. The pressure is substantially distributed across the one or more regions of the cartridge to extend pressure over a wide cartridge surface. At least a portion of the bladder lid may comprise a flexible membrane material that inflates and stretches over at least a portion of the cartridge to conformally contact its first/top surface.

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 microchip is provided, which includes a substrate including a fluid channel structure. The fluid channel structure includes a first fluid introduction channel and a second fluid introduction channel configured to meet so as to allow merging of a first fluid introduced from the first fluid introduction channel and a second fluid introduced from the second fluid introduction channel. A tapered portion is configured to be positioned after merging the first fluid and the second fluid so as to suppress a spiral flow field generated after the merging.

An example system includes an input channel having a first end and a second end to receive particles through the first end, a sensor to categorize particles in the input channel into one of at least two categories, and at least two output channels Each output channel is coupled to the second end of the input channel to receive particles from the input channel, and each output channel is associated with at least one category of the at least two categories. Each output channel has a corresponding pump operable, based on the categorization of a detected particle in a category associated with a different output channel, to selectively slow, stop, or reverse a flow of particles into the output channel from the input channel.

An apparatus for microfluidic flow cytometry analysis of a particulate containing fluid An apparatus for microfluidic flow cytometry analysis of a particulate containing fluid comprises a hydrodynamic focussing apparatus for providing a focused stream of particulate containing fluid; and a microfluidic chip. The chip has a plurality of layers and comprises a microfluidic channel that extends through the chip substantially orthogonal to a plane of the layers of the chip, and is in fluid communication with the hydrodynamic focusing apparatus for receipt of a focused steam of particulate containing fluid. The chip also comprises a detection zone comprising at least one pair of electrodes in electrical communication with the microfluidic channel. At least one pair of electrodes comprise an excitation electrode coupled to an AC signal source and a detection electrode configured to detect AC impedance changes in the microfluidic channel between the electrodes resulting from particles passing between the electrodes in the microfluidic channel. Methods of sorting mammalian sperm cells according to sex is also described.

A method of rapid functional analysis of cells is provided. A body fluid sample is introduced into a reservoir of a measurement instrument. A living cell is loaded directly from the body fluid sample into a channel of the measurement instrument in the absence of long-term cell culturing, cell passaging, and application of long-term drug pressure to cells. A functional biomarker of the living cells is measured while the living cell flows through the channel. The functional biomarker measured may be mass accumulation rate (MAR) or mass change. The measurement instrument may be a suspended microchannel resonator (SMR).

A single disposable cartridge for performing a process on a particle, such as particle sorting, encapsulates all fluid contact surfaces in the cartridge for use with microfluidic particle processing technology. The cartridge interfaces with an operating system for effecting particle processing. The encapsulation of the fluid contact surfaces insures, improves or promotes operator isolation and/or product isolation. The cartridge may employ any suitable technique for processing particles.