Abstract: A system for isolating and enumerating cells or particles from a fluid are disclosed. The system includes a microfluidic chip and an impedance chip fluidly connected to the microfluidic chip. The microfluidic chip includes a substrate and a microfluidic channel disposed in the substrate between an inlet and an outlet. The microfluidic channel generates a vortex within the at least one expansion region in response to fluid flowing through the microfluidic channel.

Abstract: A system and method for the label-free analysis of cells includes a purification device configured to receive a heterogeneous population of cells, the purification device temporarily trapping therein a subpopulation of cells from the heterogeneous population of cells and a cell analysis device positioned downstream of the purification device and configured to measure one or more cellular parameters including cell count, measured cell size, and/or cell morphology. In an alternative embodiment, the subpopulation of cells is analyzed while they are trapped within the purification device.

Abstract: A microfluidic platform is disclosed that uses obstacles placed at particular location(s) within the channel cross-section to turn and stretch fluid. The asymmetric flow behavior upstream and downstream of the obstacle(s) due to fluid inertia manifests itself as a total deformation of the topology of streamlines that effectively creates a tunable net secondary flow. The system and methods passively creates strong secondary flows at moderate to high flow rates in microchannels. These flows can be accurately controlled by the numbers and particular geometric placement of the obstacle(s) within the channel.

Abstract: Microfluidic chips and cartridges and systems that include such chips are disclosed. In some embodiments, the chips include a microfluidic channel disposed in a substrate with the channel comprising at least one expansion region. The channel is configured to generate a vortex within the at least one expansion region in response to fluid through the microfluidic channel to trap cells or particles. The substrate in which the channel is formed may be relatively rigid to resist deformation.

Abstract: A system and method for the label-free analysis of cells includes a purification device configured to receive a heterogeneous population of cells, the purification device temporarily trapping therein a subpopulation of cells from the heterogeneous population of cells and a cell analysis device positioned downstream of the purification device and configured to measure one or more cellular parameters including cell count, measured cell size, and/or cell morphology. In an alternative embodiment, the subpopulation of cells is analyzed while they are trapped within the purification device.

Abstract: A particle sorting system includes an inlet and an inertial focusing microchannel disposed in a substrate and having a downstream expanding region at a distal end, wherein the inlet is connected to an upstream end of the microchannel. A source of different shaped particles is connected to the inlet, wherein the source of different shaped particles are configured for continuous introduction into the inlet. A plurality of outlets is connected to the microchannel at the downstream expanding region. Fluidic resistors are located in the respective outlets. Different resistances may be used in the outlets to capture enriched fractions of particles having particular particle shape(s).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for sampling blood by capillarity for separating a plasma phase of the blood from the cell phase. The device is a strip and includes a filter having a membrane with no clumping agents, a prefilter for spreading blood over the surface of the membrane; and an absorbent paper downstream from the filter. The membrane is dimensioned to cover only a part of the surface of the prefilter and the migration of blood by capillarity within the prefilter takes place essentially lengthwise relative to the strip before blood comes into contact with the membrane.

Abstract: A device for extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the device being characterized in that it comprises: a main duct for conveying a flow of said suspension, the duct being of a length that is sufficient to enable a layer of said suspension to develop that is depleted in solid phase; flow disturbance means for disturbing the flow of said suspension, said means being provided in the main duct and being adapted to cause at least one recirculation vortex to form so as to increase locally the thickness of said depleted layer; and liquid extraction means disposed in a region of the device where said suspension is enriched in liquid phase as a result of said recirculation vortex. A method of extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the method comprising injecting said suspension into such a device at a flow rate suitable for causing at least one recirculation vortex to be formed, and extracting a fraction of said suspension that is enriched in liquid as a result of said vortex.

Abstract: A method of extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the method comprising: injecting said suspension into a duct presenting a first section that is straight and a second section that is curved; and at the outlet from said curved section of the duct, extracting a liquid-enriched fraction of said suspension that is spatially separated from a particle-enriched fraction of the suspension; the method being characterized in that the injection flow rate of the suspension and the geometry of the duct are selected in such a manner that: in the straight section, lift forces cause particles to be superconcentrated in a ring around the longitudinal axis of the duct; and in the curved section, Dean secondary flows deform said ring and give rise to spatial separation between said liquid-enriched fraction and said particle-enriched fraction. A device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: A microfluidic platform is disclosed that uses obstacles placed at particular location(s) within the channel cross-section to turn and stretch fluid. The asymmetric flow behavior upstream and downstream of the obstacle(s) due to fluid inertia manifests itself as a total deformation of the topology of streamlines that effectively creates a tunable net secondary flow. The system and methods passively creates strong secondary flows at moderate to high flow rates in microchannels. These flows can be accurately controlled by the numbers and particular geometric placement of the obstacle(s) within the channel.

Abstract: A particle sorting system includes an inlet and an inertial focusing microchannel disposed in a substrate and having a downstream expanding region at a distal end, wherein the inlet is connected to an upstream end of the microchannel. A source of different shaped particles is connected to the inlet, wherein the source of different shaped particles are configured for continuous introduction into the inlet. A plurality of outlets is connected to the microchannel at the downstream expanding region. Fluidic resistors are located in the respective outlets. Different resistances may be used in the outlets to capture enriched fractions of particles having particular particle shape(s).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for taking blood by capillarity and incorporating a filter and downstream therefrom, an absorbent material for separating a plasma phase of the blood from a cell phase. The device is characterized in that the filter comprises in succession: a prefilter (6) for spreading the blood over the surface of a first membrane (2) having pores of dimension lying in the range 0.1 ?m to 5 ?m, said membrane having no clumping agent; and said first membrane (2).

Abstract: A method of extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the method comprising: injecting said suspension into a duct presenting a first section that is straight and a second section that is curved; and at the outlet from said curved section of the duct, extracting a liquid-enriched fraction of said suspension that is spatially separated from a particle-enriched fraction of the suspension; the method being characterized in that the injection flow rate of the suspension and the geometry of the duct are selected in such a manner that: in the straight section, lift forces cause particles to be superconcentrated in a ring around the longitudinal axis of the duct; and in the curved section, Dean secondary flows deform said ring and give rise to spatial separation between said liquid-enriched fraction and said particle-enriched fraction. A device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: A device for extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the device being characterized in that it comprises: a main duct for conveying a flow of said suspension, the duct being of a length that is sufficient to enable a layer of said suspension to develop that is depleted in solid phase; flow disturbance means for disturbing the flow of said suspension, said means being provided in the main duct and being adapted to cause at least one recirculation vortex to form so as to increase locally the thickness of said depleted layer; and liquid extraction means disposed in a region of the device where said suspension is enriched in liquid phase as a result of said recirculation vortex. A method of extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the method comprising injecting said suspension into such a device at a flow rate suitable for causing at least one recirculation vortex to be formed, and extracting a fraction of said suspension that is enriched in liquid as a result of said vortex.