Abstract: The present invention generally pertains to a system for performing droplet inflation, and methods and kits comprising the same. The system comprises at least one microfluidic channel comprising one or more droplets flowing therein, one or more fluid reservoirs, one or more inflators, one or more inflator nozzles, and at least one mechanism for disrupting an interface between a droplet and a fluid. The present invention provides for the inflation of a relatively controlled volume of fluid into a droplet resulting in an increase in the volume of the droplet relative to its volume prior to inflation and, accordingly, dilution of the concentration of species, if any, previously present and emulsified in the droplet.

Abstract: The present invention generally pertains to methods for detecting the presence or absence of a particular nucleic acid sequence. The present invention generally relates to incorporating a detector into a target nucleic acid, adding an oligonucleotide probe, polymerase enzyme and an inhibitor to the reaction, and detecting interference of the oligonucleotide probe with the inhibitor as an indication of the presence of a particular target nucleic acid sequence as well as kits encompassing the same.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling fluid flow through a cartridge for use in an assay of a fluid sample for detection of a target analyte. In one aspect, the cartridge includes a microfluidic device having a network of microfluidic channels, one or more reservoirs and one or more actuatable valves for controlling fluid flow from the reservoirs through the microfluidic channels. In some embodiments, the valve includes a deformable membrane movable between a closed configuration in which the membrane seals against the microfluidic device inhibiting fluid flow and an open configuration moved away from the microfluidic device to allow fluid flow through the microfluidic channels. Other valve embodiments utilize frangible membranes or user-removable membrane.

Abstract: The present invention generally pertains to a system for performing injection of multiple substantially controlled volumes into or out of a droplet, and methods and kits comprising the same. The system of the present invention comprises at least one microfluidic channel, one or more injection channels, an injection inlet associated with each of the one or more injection channels, and a mechanism for disrupting an interface between a droplet and a fluid and/or emulsion, wherein the at least one microfluidic channel comprises one or more droplets are flowing therein, and wherein each of the one or more injection channels comprises at least one fluid and/or emulsion therein.

Abstract: The present invention generally pertains to a system, method and kit for the detection and measurement of spectroscopic properties of light from a sample, or the scalable detection and measurement of spectroscopic properties of light from each sample present among multiple samples, simultaneously, wherein the system comprises: an optical train comprising a dispersing element; and an image sensor. The light detected and measured may comprise light scattered from a sample, emitted as chemiluminescence by a chemical process within a sample, selectively absorbed by a sample, or emitted as fluorescence from a sample following excitation.

Abstract: The present invention generally pertains to a system which utilizes floating thermal contact to enable PCR, in a thermal management device. Comprised of multiple thermal zones attached to a framework, each zone an individually actuated, isolated sub-assembly. The actuation of each zone ensures physical contact with an uneven, yet flat microfluidic chip to achieve effective, conductive heat transfer. The isolation of each zone serves to insulate the thermal zones from each other and minimize undesired heat transfer between adjacent zones, so that each zone is at a proper, uniform temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for maintaining heterogeneous concentrations of transitory target molecules in emulsion droplets by using one of a number of means to associate them to other, non-transitory molecules within the emulsion droplets contained in a microfluidic device. The present invention further provides a method for ensuring that the concentration and speciation of molecules will remain constant when stored in emulsion droplets. This results in emulsion droplets having heterogeneous concentrations of molecules, thereby improving the performance and applicability of droplet-based microfluidics.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microfluidic system, method and kit for performing assays. The system may comprise a microfluidic device and a detector, wherein the assay yields results that may be read by a detector and analyzed by the system. The assay may comprise one or more chemical or biological reaction against, or performed on, a sample or multiple samples. The sample(s) may become larger and/or smaller during the performance of the assay. The sample(s) may be present within a vehicle, or on a carrier within a vehicle, in the microfluidic device, and wherein the vehicle may become larger and/or smaller during the performance of the assay. The assay may be a cascading assay comprising a series of multiple assays, wherein each assay may be the same or different, and wherein each assay in the series of multiple as says may further comprise one or more process or step.

Abstract: The present invention generally pertains to methods and kits for managing the variation in spectroscopic intensity measurements through the use of a reference component. The reference component may comprise a reference spectroscopic substance and may be contained together with a sample of interest in a sample to be tested, wherein the sample of interest may comprise a sample spectroscopic substance. Each sample to be tested may be uniquely identified and, hence, “barcoded” by combinations of different colors and concentrations of spectroscopic substances, contained therein.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining a velocity or an inflation rate of a droplet in a microfluidic channel. The droplet is exposed to two or more temporally separated flashes of light, each flash including light of one wavelength band, and imaged using a detector configured to distinguish light in the wavelength bands. Two or more images of the droplet are acquired, each corresponding to one of the flashes, and all within a single video frame or photographic exposure. The images can be processed separately and the position or size of the droplet in each image is calculated. A velocity or inflation rate is then determined by dividing the change in position or size by the amount of time allowed to pass between the flashes.

Abstract: The present invention generally pertains to a system, method and kit for the detection and measurement of spectroscopic properties of light from a sample, or the scalable detection and measurement of spectroscopic properties of light from each sample present among multiple samples, simultaneously, wherein the system comprises: an optical train comprising a dispersing element; and an image sensor. The light detected and measured may comprise light scattered from a sample, emitted as chemiluminescence by a chemical process within a sample, selectively absorbed by a sample, or emitted as fluorescence from a sample following excitation.

Abstract: The present invention generally pertains to methods for detecting the presence or absence of a particular nucleic acid sequence. The present invention generally relates to incorporating a detector into a target nucleic acid, adding an oligonucleotide probe, polymerase enzyme and an inhibitor to the reaction, and detecting interference of the oligonucleotide probe with the inhibitor as an indication of the presence of a particular target nucleic acid sequence as well as kits encompassing the same.