Abstract: A device, system, and method are provided for thermally treating a fluid processing device. According to various embodiments, a system is provided that can include a thermal device and a fluid processing device holder. The thermal device can include a first block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 Watt per centimeter Kelvin (W/cm·K), a second block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 W/cm·K, and a heat-pump device disposed between the first block and the second block. The heat-pump device can transfer thermal energy from at least one of the first block and the second block to the other of the first block and the second block. The fluid processing device holder can hold a fluid processing device in a heat-transfer position with respect to the first block and the second block. The fluid processing device can be a microfluidic device.

Abstract: Methods for detecting G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) activity; methods for assaying GPCR activity; and methods for screening for GPCR ligands, G-protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) activity, and compounds that interact with components of the GPCR regulatory process are described. Included are methods for expanding ICAST technologies for assaying GPCR activity with applications for ligand fishing, and agonist or antagonist screening. These methods include: engineering seronine/threonine phosphorylation sites into known or orphan GPCR open reading frames in order to increase the affinity of arrestin for the activated form of the GPCR or to increase the reside time of arrestin on the activated GPCR; engineering mutant arrestin proteins that bind to activated GPCRs in the absence of G-protein coupled receptor kinases which may be limiting; and engineering mutant super arrestin proteins that have an increased affinity for activated GPCRs with or without phosphorylation.