Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for simultaneously analyzing DNA and RNA from the same cell using sequencing methodologies. Methods and compositions provided herein are useful for cell characterization at the transcriptome and genomic levels, cell screening, and lineage tracing, for example. Also provided herein are kits for simultaneously analyzing DNA and RNA.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to devices for assaying a biomolecule from a plant sample including: a microfluidic cartridge for assaying a biomolecule from a plant sample, including: a top layer; and a bottom layer spaced apart from the top layer in a generally parallel orientation with respect to the top layer, the bottom layer defining a plurality of wells therein that protrude from a surface of the bottom layer; and a filter module for filtering the plant sample, including a filter body defining: an upper portion including an inlet structure forming an inlet channel; and a bottom portion configured to accept and secure a filter membrane. The filter body is configured to accept a microvolume aliquot of the plant sample, the bottom structure includes an outlet structure forming an outlet channel on an outlet side of the filter membrane, and at least one of the plurality of wells includes an assay reagent solution.

Abstract: A microfluidic system includes a microfluidic chip including a channel layer and a fluid control layer operatively connected to the channel layer, the channel layer having one or more fluid channels. The one or more channels are configured to contain a plurality of droplets. A valve control system is provided to control flow of fluid through the one or more fluid channels in the channel layer. The microfluidic system also includes a droplet impedance detection and feedback control system operatively connected to the valve control system. The droplet impedance detection and feedback control system is configured to detect at least a position of at least one droplet in a fluid channel and to send a signal to the valve control system to operate a particular valve at a particular time based on the detected position of the at least one droplet.

Abstract: Devices for assaying a biomolecule from a sample, including: a cartridge assembly structured to accept and secure a magnetofluidic cartridge to be used for the assaying, and a magnetic particle manipulation assembly arranged proximate the cartridge assembly, the magnetic particle manipulation assembly having a pair of magnets arranged to be on opposing sides of said magnetofluidic cartridge and which are substantially aligned along a line that will be transverse to the magnetofluidic cartridge such that the line can be aligned with a well in the magnetofluidic cartridge, and methods of using and assembling such devices.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a microfluidic system comprising a microfluidic chip and a method of performing a chemical assay wherein a sample is processed into multiple daughter droplets and said daughter droplets are incubated with varying reagents. The properties of these droplets can be detected to provide assay data.

Abstract: A continuous throughput microfluidic system includes an input system configured to provide a sequential stream of sample plugs; a droplet generator arranged in fluid connection with the input system to receive the sequential stream of sample plugs and configured to provide an output stream of droplets; a droplet treatment system arranged in fluid connection with the droplet generator to receive the output stream of droplets in a sequential order and configured to provide a stream of treated droplets in the sequential order; a detection system arranged to obtain detection signals from the treated droplets in the sequential order; a control system configured to communicate with the input system, the droplet generator, and the droplet treatment system; and a data processing and storage system configured to communicate with the control system and the detection system.

Abstract: A microfluidic system includes a microfluidic chip including a channel layer and a fluid control layer operatively connected to the channel layer, the channel layer having one or more fluid channels. The one or more channels are configured to contain a plurality of droplets. A valve control system is provided to control flow of fluid through the one or more fluid channels in the channel layer. The microfluidic system also includes a droplet impedance detection and feedback control system operatively connected to the valve control system. The droplet impedance detection and feedback control system is configured to detect at least a position of at least one droplet in a fluid channel and to send a signal to the valve control system to operate a particular valve at a particular time based on the detected position of the at least one droplet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method to fabricate silica nanostructures on thin polymer films based on silica deposition and self-wrinkling induced by thermal shrinkage. These micro- and nano-scale structures have vastly enlarged the specific area of silica, thus the silica nanomembranes can be used for solid phase extraction of nucleic acids. The inventive silica nanomembranes are suitable for nucleic acid purification and isolation and demonstrated better performance than commercial particles in terms of DNA recovery yield and integrity. In addition, the silica nanomembranes have extremely high nucleic acid capacity due to its significantly enlarged specific surface area of silica. Methods of use and devices comprising the silica nanomembranes are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method to fabricate silica nanostructures on thin polymer films based on silica deposition and self-wrinkling induced by thermal shrinkage. These micro- and nano-scale structures have vastly enlarged the specific area of silica, thus the silica nanomembranes can be used for solid phase extraction of nucleic acids. The inventive silica nanomembranes are suitable for nucleic acid purification and isolation and demonstrated better performance than commercial particles in terms of DNA recovery yield and integrity. In addition, the silica nanomembranes have extremely high nucleic acid capacity due to its significantly enlarged specific surface area of silica. Methods of use and devices comprising the silica nanomembranes are also provided.

Abstract: A continuous throughput microfluidic system includes an input system configured to provide a sequential stream of sample plugs; a droplet generator arranged in fluid connection with the input system to receive the sequential stream of sample plugs and configured to provide an output stream of droplets; a droplet treatment system arranged in fluid connection with the droplet generator to receive the output stream of droplets in a sequential order and configured to provide a stream of treated droplets in the sequential order; a detection system arranged to obtain detection signals from the treated droplets in the sequential order; a control system configured to communicate with the input system, the droplet generator, and the droplet treatment system; and a data processing and storage system configured to communicate with the control system and the detection system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a PCR-free, multiplexed ligation assay for miRNA expression analysis that produces highly quantitative, 10-100 plex miRNA profiling in a single reaction. The inventive methods use a 2-step ligation assay to generate an array of miRNA specific ligation products that can be decoded and quantified by a size discrimination method such as gel electrophoresis or single molecule separation. One embodiment is a low-cost assay that can be performed using standard tools available in nearly all molecular biology laboratories. This assay requires nothing more than a gel apparatus and reader for detection. Other embodiments include use of magnetic beads and other size exclusion apparatus which give increasingly higher sensitivity, lower sample consumption, and reduced processing steps.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method to fabricate silica nanostructures on thin polymer films based on silica deposition and self-wrinkling induced by thermal shrinkage. These micro- and nano-scale structures have vastly enlarged the specific area of silica, thus the silica nanomembranes can be used for solid phase extraction of nucleic acids. The inventive silica nanomembranes are suitable for nucleic acid purification and isolation and demonstrated better performance than commercial particles in terms of DNA recovery yield and integrity. In addition, the silica nanomembranes have extremely high nucleic acid capacity due to its significantly enlarged specific surface area of silica. Methods of use and devices comprising the silica nanomembranes are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a microfluidic system comprising a microfluidic chip and a method of performing a chemical assay wherein a sample is processed into multiple daughter droplets and said daughter droplets are incubated with varying reagents. The properties of these droplets can be detected to provide assay data.

Abstract: Provided is a sample processing cartridge. The sample processing cartridge can include a housing and a channel disposed in the housing. The housing can include a sample inlet for receiving at least one biological sample. The channel can in fluidic communication with the sample inlet and can be defined by an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface can include a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion. The lower surface can include a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion. The hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions of the upper and lower surfaces of the channel can be configured to isolate at least one aqueous reagent.

Abstract: A continuous throughput microfluidic system includes an input system configured to provide a sequential stream of sample plugs; a droplet generator arranged in fluid connection with the input system to receive the sequential stream of sample plugs and configured to provide an output stream of droplets; a droplet treatment system arranged in fluid connection with the droplet generator to receive the output stream of droplets in a sequential order and configured to provide a stream of treated droplets in the sequential order; a detection system arranged to obtain detection signals from the treated droplets in the sequential order; a control system configured to communicate with the input system, the droplet generator, and the droplet treatment system; and a data processing and storage system configured to communicate with the control system and the detection system.

Abstract: A microfluidic device for a confocal fluorescence detection system has an input channel defined by a body of the microfluidic device, a sample concentration section defined by the body of the microfluidic device and in fluid connection with the input channel, a mixing section defined by the body of the microfluidic device and in fluid connection with the concentration section, and a detection region that is at least partially transparent to illumination light of the confocal fluorescence detection system and at least partially transparent to fluorescent light when emitted from a sample under observation as the sample flows through the detection region.

Abstract: A system for producing microbeads includes a microfluidic device defining a supply channel and a shearing channel, a microbead precursor material disposed in the supply channel, a carrier fluid disposed in the shearing channel, and a pressure distribution system fluidly connected to each of the supply channel and the shearing channel to control at least relative pressures of the microbead precursor material and the carrier fluid. The supply channel includes a check valve adapted to be subjected to a bias pressure that is sufficient to close the check valve to flow of microbead precursor material when a supply pressure of the microbead precursor material is below a threshold pressure and is open to flow of the microbead precursor material when the supply pressure of the microbead precursor material is greater than the threshold pressure.

Abstract: Provided is a sample processing cartridge. The sample processing cartridge can include a housing and a channel disposed in the housing. The housing can include a sample inlet for receiving at least one biological sample. The channel can in fluidic communication with the sample inlet and can be defined by an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface can include a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion. The lower surface can include a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion. The hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions of the upper and lower surfaces of the channel can be configured to isolate at least one aqueous reagent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method to fabricate silica nanostructures on thin polymer films based on silica deposition and self-wrinkling induced by thermal shrinkage. These micro- and nano-scale structures have vastly enlarged the specific area of silica, thus the silica nanomembranes can be used for solid phase extraction of nucleic acids. The inventive silica nanomembranes are suitable for nucleic acid purification and isolation and demonstrated better performance than commercial particles in terms of DNA recovery yield and integrity. In addition, the silica nanomembranes have extremely high nucleic acid capacity due to its significantly enlarged specific surface area of silica. Methods of use and devices comprising the silica nanomembranes are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a PCR-free, multiplexed ligation assay for miRNA expression analysis that produces highly quantitative, 10-100 plex miRNA profiling in a single reaction. The inventive methods use a 2-step ligation assay to generate an array of miRNA specific ligation products that can be decoded and quantified by a size discrimination method such as gel electrophoresis or single molecule separation. One embodiment is a low-cost assay that can be performed using standard tools available in nearly all molecular biology laboratories. This assay requires nothing more than a gel apparatus and reader for detection. Other embodiments include use of magnetic beads and other size exclusion apparatus which give increasingly higher sensitivity, lower sample consumption, and reduced processing steps.