Abstract: A microfluidic apparatus, method, and associated applications utilize and apply to a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample and performing a liquid-liquid extraction to remove the paraffin from the tissue sample prior to a nucleic acid purification step. A microfluidic device includes a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, and a nucleic acid amplification reactor. A liquid-liquid extraction and nucleic acid purification kit includes a microfluidic device capable of performing both a liquid-liquid extraction process and a nucleic acid purification process, including a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, an immiscible liquid or a precursor phase thereof disposed in the vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, a nucleic acid amplification reactor fluidically, and a supply of reagents suitable to enable the liquid-liquid extraction process and the nucleic acid purification process.

Abstract: A channel-less microfluidic pump includes a cartridge including a substrate and an actuatable film layer disposed on the substrate, and a manifold having at least three actuatable void volumes separated by a plurality of wall sections and an actuatable flexible layer disposed on the manifold interfacing the actuatable film layer. In operation, the pump can be in an unactuated state wherein the actuatable film layer is disposed against the surface of the substrate or an actuated state wherein at least a portion of the flexible layer and a corresponding portion of the actuatable film layer are deflected into a corresponding void volume thus forming a fluidic volume between the deflected portion of the actuatable film layer and the surface of the substrate. In the actuated state, there is a fluidic gap between immediately adjacent void volumes formed by a thinned region of the flexible layer at a point of contact with a top surface of a wall section.

Abstract: A channel-less microfluidic pump includes a cartridge including a substrate and an actuatable film layer disposed on the substrate, and a manifold having at least three actuatable void volumes separated by a plurality of wall sections and an actuatable flexible layer disposed on the manifold interfacing the actuatable film layer. In operation, the pump can be in an unactuated state wherein the actuatable film layer is disposed against the surface of the substrate or an actuated state wherein at least a portion of the flexible layer and a corresponding portion of the actuatable film layer are deflected into a corresponding void volume thus forming a fluidic volume between the deflected portion of the actuatable film layer and the surface of the substrate. In the actuated state, there is a fluidic gap between immediately adjacent void volumes formed by a thinned region of the flexible layer at a point of contact with a top surface of a wall section.

Abstract: A microfluidic apparatus, method, and associated applications utilize and apply to a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample and performing a liquid-liquid extraction to remove the paraffin from the tissue sample prior to a nucleic acid purification step. A microfluidic device includes a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, and a nucleic acid amplification reactor. A liquid-liquid extraction and nucleic acid purification kit includes a microfluidic device capable of performing both a liquid-liquid extraction process and a nucleic acid purification process, including a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, an immiscible liquid or a precursor phase thereof disposed in the vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, a nucleic acid amplification reactor fluidically, and a supply of reagents suitable to enable the liquid-liquid extraction process and the nucleic acid purification process.

Abstract: A microfluidic apparatus, method, and associated applications utilize and apply to a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample and performing a liquid-liquid extraction to remove the paraffin from the tissue sample prior to a nucleic acid purification step. A microfluidic device includes a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, and a nucleic acid amplification reactor. A liquid-liquid extraction and nucleic acid purification kit includes a microfluidic device capable of performing both a liquid-liquid extraction process and a nucleic acid purification process, including a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, an immiscible liquid or a precursor phase thereof disposed in the vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, a nucleic acid amplification reactor fluidically, and a supply of reagents suitable to enable the liquid-liquid extraction process and the nucleic acid purification process.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a target nucleic acid using the quantitative capabilities of real-time nucleic acid amplification systems and the multiplexing capabilities of hybridization systems, comprising: identifying a conservative sequence and a distinctive sequence within each target nucleic acid sequence; simultaneously amplifying the conservative region and the distinctive region; monitoring the amplification of the conservative region in real-time; identifying the distinctive region amplicon via multiplexed identification; and performing quantitative multiplexing analysis of the target by combining the real-time monitoring information with the multiplexed identification of the target nucleic acid.

Abstract: A channel-less microfluidic pump includes a cartridge including a substrate and an actuatable film layer disposed on the substrate, and a manifold having at least three actuatable void volumes separated by a plurality of wall sections and an actuatable flexible layer disposed on the manifold interfacing the actuatable film layer. In operation, the pump can be in an unactuated state wherein the actuatable film layer is disposed against the surface of the substrate or an actuated state wherein at least a portion of the flexible layer and a corresponding portion of the actuatable film layer are deflected into a corresponding void volume thus forming a fluidic volume between the deflected portion of the actuatable film layer and the surface of the substrate. In the actuated state, there is a fluidic gap between immediately adjacent void volumes formed by a thinned region of the flexible layer at a point of contact with a top surface of a wall section.

Abstract: A channel-less microfluidic pump includes a cartridge including a substrate and an actuatable film layer disposed on the substrate, and a manifold having at least three actuatable void volumes separated by a plurality of wall sections and an actuatable flexible layer disposed on the manifold interfacing the actuatable film layer. In operation, the pump can be in an unactuated state wherein the actuatable film layer is disposed against the surface of the substrate or an actuated state wherein at least a portion of the flexible layer and a corresponding portion of the actuatable film layer are deflected into a corresponding void volume thus forming a fluidic volume between the deflected portion of the actuatable film layer and the surface of the substrate. In the actuated state, there is a fluidic gap between immediately adjacent void volumes formed by a thinned region of the flexible layer at a point of contact with a top surface of a wall section.

Abstract: A system and method for strain typing without need for isolation in pure form and subsequent longitudinal strain tracking. The method includes the steps of locating one or more genetic regions present in a target. The genetic regions contain genetic loci that vary among two or more variants (i.e., strains) of the target. A device detects a unique sequence of each of the genetic loci. After a sample of biological material having the genetic loci is obtained, the device generates an amplicon for the genetic regions present in the target. The amplicons are hybridized to complimentary probes, resulting in hybridized probes and non-hybridized probes, which are detected. The detected hybridized probes are assigned an identifier. The device transforms the identifiers into a pattern. The pattern is recorded and compared to one or more other patterns recorded to determine if the pattern is different from the one or more other patterns.

Abstract: Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps.

Abstract: A microfluidic apparatus, method, and associated applications utilize and apply to a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample and performing a liquid-liquid extraction to remove the paraffin from the tissue sample prior to a nucleic acid purification step. A microfluidic device includes a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, and a nucleic acid amplification reactor. A liquid-liquid extraction and nucleic acid purification kit includes a microfluidic device capable of performing both a liquid-liquid extraction process and a nucleic acid purification process, including a dedicated liquid-liquid extraction process vessel, an immiscible liquid or a precursor phase thereof disposed in the vessel, a nucleic acid purification process component, a nucleic acid amplification reactor fluidically, and a supply of reagents suitable to enable the liquid-liquid extraction process and the nucleic acid purification process.

Abstract: Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps.

Abstract: Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps.

Abstract: A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing.

Abstract: A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a target nucleic acid using the quantitative capabilities of real-time nucleic acid amplification systems and the multiplexing capabilities of hybridization systems, comprising: identifying a conservative sequence and a distinctive sequence within each target nucleic acid sequence; simultaneously amplifying the conservative region and the distinctive region; monitoring the amplification of the conservative region in real-time; identifying the distinctive region amplicon via multiplexed identification; and performing quantitative multiplexing analysis of the target by combining the real-time monitoring information with the multiplexed identification of the target nucleic acid.

Abstract: A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing.

Abstract: Methods and systems for detecting a target nucleic acid using the quantitative capabilities of real-time nucleic acid amplification systems and the multiplexing capabilities of hybridization systems, comprising: identifying a conservative sequence and a distinctive sequence within each target nucleic acid sequence; simultaneously amplifying the conservative region and the distinctive region; monitoring the amplification of the conservative region in real-time; identifying the distinctive region amplicon via multiplexed identification; and performing quantitative multiplexing analysis of the target by combining the real-time monitoring information with the multiplexed identification of the target nucleic acid.

Abstract: A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing.

Abstract: A method is provided for purifying nucleic acid from a sample in a microfluidic device. The method can be used to purify nucleic acids from any source known in the art that comprises nucleic acids, such as prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms, viruses, cell, tissues, organs, etc. In a specific example, the tissue is whole blood. The method for purifying nucleic acid may run fully automated in the microfluidic device.