Abstract: Disclosed is a biological sample receiver (100) comprising: a planar substrate (10) for receiving a biological sample including a surface area (11) for accepting a biological sample; an envelope (25) substantially surrounding the substrate, said envelope including an opening (34) for facilitating the deposit of a biological sample onto said surface area (11); and a protective cover (40,50,60) formed around the envelope said protective cover including a closure panel (60) moveable at least to a first position where the opening (34) of the envelope is at least partially concealed, and to a second position where the opening (34) is exposed at least sufficiently to allow said deposit, the protective cover (40,50,60) being arranged further to allow the slidable separation of the envelope from the cover; the device being characterised in that said envelope and said cover are formed from a single sheet (15) of folded material.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for cutting a sample piece, having a shape and an outer dimension, out of a porous substrate, comprising: a puncher having an outermost dimension at a punch head; a stripping sleeve; a die having an innermost dimension that is larger than the outermost dimension of the punch head; and a fixture that holds the die in a fixed position relative to the puncher and stripping sleeve.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lidded magazine (100) for holding plural generally flat sample collection cards (10) in spaced parallel relation, the magazine is open at its top and includes upstanding opposed side walls (110,120), each wall (110,120) further including plural opposed pairs of inwardly extending wall ribs (112,122) spaced along each wall (110,120) to provide therebetween card accepting slots, a first slot dimension (W) being defined by the spacing between an interior face (154) of each wall, the magazine being characterised in that the walls (110,120) at the top (152) of each slot (150) are tapered outwardly such that the first dimension (W) is greatest at the top of the slot (150).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the recovery of nucleic acids from a solid support, the method comprising the steps, in any suitable order, of: a) providing a solid support at least a region of which is absorbent and impregnated with a chaotropic agent; b) combining a biological sample, possibly including nucleic acids, with the region; c) washing the region in a washing buffer solution; d) simultaneously heating and agitating the region in a further buffer solution; e) separating the region from the further buffer solution; f) extracting at least a portion of any remaining further buffer solution from the region to provide an extracted buffer solution; g) combining the further buffer solution and the extracted buffer solution portion; and h) subsequently processing the combined buffer solutions in order to amplify any nucleic acids in said combined solution. Hardware suitable for implementing the above method and a kit of parts is disclosed also.

Abstract: A biometric device, comprising a solid support suitable for receiving biological material and for dry storing that material at room temperature the device further comprising a circuit including means for two way radio frequency communication and including writable data storage. A processing method for such biometric devices, the method including the steps of: a) identifying said device by means of RF communication; b) extracting at least a portion of the biological material from the solid support of the identified device; c) analysing the extracted biological material to obtain biometric data indicative of the biological material; and d) writing said biometric data to the data storage of the biometric device.