A system for detecting analytes in a test sample, and a method for processing the same, is provided. The system includes a cartridge reader unit that has a control unit and a pneumatic system, and a cartridge assembly that prepares the samples with mixing material(s) through communication channels. The assembly has a memory chip with parameters for preparing the sample and at least one sensor (GMR sensor) for detecting analytes in the sample. The assembly is pneumatically and electronically mated with the reader unit via a pneumatic interface and an electronic interface such that the parameters may be implemented via the control unit. The pneumatic system is contained within the unit and has pump(s) and valve(s) for selectively applying fluid pressure to the pneumatic interface of the assembly, and thus through the communication channels, to move the sample and mixing material(s) through and to sensor. The control unit activates the pneumatic system to prepare the sample and provide it to the sensor for detecting analytes, and also processes measurements from the sensor to generate test results.

Devices and methods for molecule detection using such devices are disclosed herein. A molecule detection device comprises at least one fluidic channel configured to receive molecules to be detected, a sensor comprising a spin torque oscillator (STO) and encapsulated by a material separating the sensor from the at least one fluidic channel, and detection circuitry coupled to the sensor. At least some of the molecules to be detected are labeled by magnetic nanoparticles (HNPs). A surface of the material provides binding sites for the molecules to be detected. The detection circuitry is configured to detect a frequency or frequency noise of a radio-frequency (RF) signal generated by the STO in response to presence or absence of at least one MNP coupled to one or more binding sites associated with the sensor.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting superparamagnetic material. The method comprises applying, by an excitation coil, a magnetic field during a first period to an object to modulate a magnetization of the superparamagnetic material, the magnetic field comprising a first component with a first frequency; positioning a sensing device at a first position from the excitation coil receiving a first signal by a first detection sub-coil in the sensing device and a second signal by a second detection-sub-coil in the sensing device; determining a sensor signal from the first signal and the second signal; determining a detection signal based on the sensor signal; determining a parameter indicating an amount of superparamagnetic material by dividing the detection signal by the first signal, and repeating steps to at at least one different position in order to determine a location where the parameter has a maximal value.

In a system for affinity selection by mass spectrometry, wherein a plurality of drug candidates in solution are separated based on affinity, a method is provided comprising introducing a solid-phase device having binding affinity for a selected protein into the solution, binding at least one of the plurality of drug candidates to the solid-phase device as a selected drug candidate, washing the solid-phase device and selected drug candidate to separate unbound material, sampling the selected drug candidate in capture fluid flowing through a sampling region of an open port sampling interface and directing the sampled selected drug candidate and capture fluid to an ionization source.

There is provided a method of detecting a change of a state of a liquid comprising the steps of: •providing a liquid detection medium (12) comprising a liquid and having a plurality of anisotropic magnetic particles suspended therein; •applying a modulated magnetic field across at least a portion of the liquid detection medium (12), wherein the magnetic field induces an alignment of the magnetic particles; •introducing electromagnetic radiation (22) into the liquid detection medium (12); •detecting a variable which is modulated by the applied magnetic field, wherein the variable is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation (22) with the magnetic particles and wherein the change in the state of the liquid causes a variation in the detected variable; and •correlating the variation in the detected variable with the change in the state of the liquid.

The current invention relates to the method and apparatus to magnetically separate biological entities with magnetic labels from a fluid sample. The claimed magnetic separation device removes biological entities with magnetic labels from its fluidic solution by using a soft-magnetic center pole with two soft-magnetic side poles. The claimed device further includes processes to dissociate entities conglomerate after magnetic separation.

A kit and a method for capturing a molecule contained in a sample utilizing at least one magnetic layer including a, possibly repeated, juxtaposition of at least one first and one second region, the first region including magnetic particles polarized in a first direction and the second region including magnetic particles that are non-polarized or polarized in a second direction different from the first direction of polarization of the magnetic particles of the first region, so as to generate a magnetic field having at least one variation in intensity of at least 0.1 mT at a distance of at least 1 μm from the at least one magnetic layer, the variation defining a maximum of the standard of the intensity of the magnetic field and level therewith a zone for capturing magnetic nanoparticles on the capture support.

Devices and methods for analysing extracellular vesicle glycans are described. According to an embodiment, a microfluidic device comprises an inlet portion configured to receive a fluid sample; a mixing portion fluidically coupled to the inlet portion and configured to facilitate mixing between the fluid sample and magnetic nanoparticles functionalized to bind with extracellular vesicles and aggregate to vesicle glycans in the fluid sample; a magnetic separation portion fluidically coupled to the mixing portion and configured to separate clusters of magnetic nanoparticles from the fluid sample; and a magnetic sensor configured to measure magnetic properties of the fluid sample after it has passed through the magnetic separation portion. The magnetic nanoparticles may configured to aggregate in the presence of respective lectins when bound with extracellular vesicles carrying target glycans. In a specific embodiment, the magnetic particles comprise a magnetic polycore coated with polydopamine.

A device for the quantification of cellular and non-cellular components in a blood sample including detection electrodes including a first electrode connected with a first input to receive a first signal in input and a second electrode, reference electrodes including a first electrode connected with a second input configured to receive a second signal in input of opposite polarity to the first input signal and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of said detection electrodes, in a common point wherefrom an output signal is picked up, a ferromagnetic concentrator that cooperates with an external magnetic field external to effectuate concentration of said components on said detection electrodes, a substrate configured to house said detection electrodes, reference electrodes, and concentrator; a support configured to collect a blood sample, and a spacer element to confine in the substrate plane the blood sample and to distance said substrate from said support.

A microfluidic device for and methods of using surface-attached posts and capture beads in a microfluidic chamber is disclosed. For example, the microfluidics device includes a pair of substrates separated by a gap and thereby forming a reaction (or assay) chamber therebetween. A field of actuatable surface-attached posts (e.g., magnetically responsive microposts) is provided on one or both of the substrates. The surface-attached posts are functionalized with capture beads. Additionally, methods are provided of functionalizing the surface-attached posts with the capture beads. Additionally, methods are provided of using the surface-attached posts that are functionalized with capture beads in a microfluidics device for binding a target of interest. Further, a bead spraying system and method is provided for spraying magnetically responsive and/or non-magnetically responsive beads atop and/or among a field of surface-attached microposts for use in a microfluidic device.