Abstract: The invention relates to a device for preparing and/or treating a biological sample including an assembly (2) of storage chambers (3) and/or reaction chambers intended for receiving a fluid and means arranged to move an amount of fluid from and/or to at least one of the chambers (3) of the assembly (2) of chambers (3), the chambers (3) being separated by walls (5) so as to form an assembly of adjacent chambers (3) aligned in a given direction.

Abstract: During droplet operations in a droplet actuator, bubbles often form in the filler fluid in the droplet operations gap and interrupt droplet operations. The present invention provides methods and systems for performing droplet operations on a droplet in a droplet actuator comprising maintaining substantially consistent contact between the droplet and an electrical ground while conducting multiple droplet operations on the droplet in the droplet operations gap and/or reducing the accumulation of electrical charges in the droplet operations gap during multiple droplet operations. The methods and systems reduce or eliminate bubble formation in the filler fluid of the droplet operations gap, thereby permitting completion of multiple droplet operations without interruption by bubble formation in the filler fluid in the droplet operations gap.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for reducing or preventing droplet pinning as the droplet is transported across a boundary between a ground electrode region and a non-ground electrode region on a droplet actuator. The invention also provides a method for reducing or preventing droplet super-movement as the droplet is transported across a boundary between a ground electrode region and a non-ground electrode region on a droplet actuator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for collecting and concentrating biological or chemical targets with a view to detecting same, wherein the device comprises a reaction chamber (1) in which functionalized magnetic beads (2) are placed, an ultrasonic agitation system (3), a magnetic field (4) that can be activated (ON position) or inactivated (OFF position), and a fluid movement system (5) for feeding (51) and discharging (52) a portion or the entirety of the contents of the reaction chamber. The present invention also relates to a method for capturing biological or chemical targets using said device.

Abstract: An agitator by vibrations includes an annular resonator to which is applied a vibratory stress by piezoelectric transducers. A preferred stress shape is a bending of the ring perpendicularly to its plane to excite inherent modes at relatively low frequencies. Use of a solid annular transmitter enables the vibrations to be satisfactorily controlled to maintain satisfactory transmission to the sample to be agitated, and to focus them on it. Excitation frequencies are frequencies inherent to the ring or to the tank.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for collecting and concentrating biological or chemical targets with a view to detecting same, wherein the device comprises a reaction chamber (1) in which functionalized magnetic beads (2) are placed, an ultrasonic agitation system (3), a magnetic field (4) that can be activated (ON position) or inactivated (OFF position), and a fluid movement system (5) for feeding (51) and discharging (52) a portion or the entirety of the contents of the reaction chamber. The present invention also relates to a method for capturing biological or chemical targets using said device.

Abstract: The method for controlling the progression of a fluid, from upstream to downstream, in a microfluidic component comprising for example a plurality of microchannels each comprising a plurality of successive reaction or detection zones and a plurality of passive valves, controls the progression of the fluid in the microchannels by controlling the increase of a pressure difference between upstream and downstream of the component. The method controls the pressure difference increase discontinuously in the form of enabling pulses so as in particular to synchronize passing of the corresponding passive valves of the microchannels. The pressure difference is advantageously adjusted to a zero value between two successive enabling pulses.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for preparing and/or treating a biological sample including an assembly (2) of storage chambers (3) and/or reaction chambers intended for receiving a fluid and means arranged to move an amount of fluid from and/or to at least one of the chambers (3) of the assembly (2) of chambers (3), the chambers (3) being separated by walls (5) so as to form an assembly of adjacent chambers (3) aligned in a given direction.

Abstract: A microfluidic device comprising first and second substrates respectively including first and second hydrophobic layers based on polysiloxane, said hydrophobic layers each comprising an assembly area. The substrates are assembled with each other at said assembly areas by means of an adhesive based on silicone.

Abstract: The present invention relates especially to a process for the localized distribution of drops of a liquid of interest on an active surface. The process comprises the following steps: an introduction of liquid of interest into a box containing the said active surface, and an extraction of liquid of interest from the said box, the said active surface and also the other surfaces inside the box being substantially non-wetting with respect to the liquid of interest, with the exception of several uptake areas localized on the said active surface, which are each suitable for taking up a drop of liquid of interest. The uptake areas may surround working areas. The present invention also relates to processes for the electrochemical and optical detection of at least one analyte in a liquid of interest, and to an electropolymerization process.

Abstract: A method for successively functionalizing a substrate whose surface is provided with at least two areas (1, 2) made up of different materials, with at least one chemical substrate, characterized in that the functionalization is carried out without masking and consists (a) in functionalizing a first area (1) without masking the second area (2) or possible successive areas by transforming the substrate with the aid of a chemical substance X1, wherein the first area material reactivity is greater with respect to the reactivity of the substance X1 than the reactivity of the other possible successive areas with respect thereto, and (b1) in treating the second area (2) or the other possible successive areas with a chemical substance Y1 for removing reaction products deposited on said areas during the functionalization from the areas of the substance X1 and/or the possible successive areas without damaging the functionalized surface of the first area.

Abstract: The method for controlling the progression of a fluid, from upstream to downstream, in a microfluidic component comprising for example a plurality of microchannels each comprising a plurality of successive reaction or detection zones and a plurality of passive valves, controls the progression of the fluid in the microchannels by controlling the increase of a pressure difference between upstream and downstream of the component. The method controls the pressure difference increase discontinuously in the form of enabling pulses so as in particular to synchronize passing of the corresponding passive valves of the microchannels. The pressure difference is advantageously adjusted to a zero value between two successive enabling pulses.

Abstract: The present invention relates especially to a process for the localized distribution of drops of a liquid of interest on an active surface. The process comprises the following steps an introduction of liquid of interest into a box containing the said active surface, and an extraction of liquid of interest from the said box, the said active surface and also the other surfaces inside the box being substantially non-wetting with respect to the liquid of interest, with the exception of several uptake areas localized on the said active surface, which are each suitable for taking up a drop of liquid of interest. The uptake areas may surround working areas. The present invention also relates to processes for the electrochemical and optical detection of at least one analyte in a liquid of interest, and to an electropolymerization process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an operating device characterized in that it comprises an active surface that is substantially non-wetting with respect to a liquid of interest; at least one zone for the localized capture of a drop of said liquid formed on said active surface; at least one operating zone arranged with a capture zone in such a way that the operating zone is at least partially covered by the drop of the liquid when said drop is captured by said capture zone; and means for leaving a drop of said liquid on said capture zone. This device makes it possible in particular to form high-density arrays of drops of said liquid on a surface, with the aim in particular of carrying out chemical and/or biochemical reactions and/or of analysing the liquid of interest in each drop. It finds, for example, an application in biological chips.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a work device (1) comprising work zones. It can be used to obtain a matrix of drops on a surface, using a liquid of interest (E). It comprises a work box (Bo) provided with means (o, s) for introducing and extracting the liquid respectively into and from the box; a substrate (S) comprising an active surface that is substantially non-wetting for said liquid of interest contained in said box; distinct work zones (Zt) formed on said active surface and each surrounded by a border (b) formed on said active surface, the borders not touching one another and having no common edge and having a geometry such that when the liquid of interest is extracted from the box, a drop (g) of the liquid of interest remains imprisoned by each border and in contact with the work zone that it surrounds.