Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for serial femtosecond crystallography for reducing the vast amount of waste of injected crystals practiced with traditional continuous flow injections. A micrometer-scale 3-D printed water-in-oil droplet generator device includes an oil phase inlet channel, an aqueous phase inlet channel, a droplet flow outlet channel, and two embedded non-contact electrodes. The inlet and outlet channels are connected internally at a junction. The electrodes comprise gallium metal injected within the 3-D printed device. Voltage across the electrodes generates water-in-oil droplets, determines a rate for a series of droplets, or triggers a phase shift in the droplets. An external trigger generates the droplets based on the frequency of an XFEL utilized in droplet detection, thereby synchronizing a series of droplets with x-ray pulses for efficient crystal detection. The generated droplets can be coupled to an SFX with XFEL experiment compatible with common liquid injector such as a GDVN.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for a microfluidic immunoassay for in situ mass spectrometry analysis of intracellular protein biomarkers in tissue. In some embodiments, the tissue may comprise human brain tissue. In some embodiments, the protein biomarkers may comprise A? species comprising monomers and oligomers of A?1-42, A?1-40, A?1-39, A?2-43, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the systems and methods may comprise laser capture microdissection (LCM) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for serial femtosecond crystallography for reducing the vast amount of waste of injected crystals practiced with traditional continuous flow injections. A micrometer-scale 3-D printed water-in-oil droplet generator device includes an oil phase inlet channel, an aqueous phase inlet channel, a droplet flow outlet channel, and two embedded non-contact electrodes. The inlet and outlet channels are connected internally at a junction. The electrodes comprise gallium metal injected within the 3-D printed device. Voltage across the electrodes generates water-in-oil droplets, determines a rate for a series of droplets, or triggers a phase shift in the droplets. An external trigger generates the droplets based on the frequency of an XFEL utilized in droplet detection, thereby synchronizing a series of droplets with x-ray pulses for efficient crystal detection. The generated droplets can be coupled to an SFX with XFEL experiment compatible with common liquid injector such as a GDVN.

Abstract: A single-piece hybrid droplet generator and nozzle component for serial crystallography. The single-piece hybrid droplet generator component including an internally-formed droplet-generation channel, an internally-formed sample channel, a nozzle, and a pair of electrode chambers. The droplet-generation channel extends from a first fluid inlet opening to the nozzle. The sample channel extends from a second fluid inlet opening to the droplet-generation channel and joins the droplet-generation channel at a junction. The nozzle is configured to eject a stream of segmented aqueous droplets in a carrier fluid from the droplet-generation channel through a nozzle opening of the single-piece component. The pair of electrode chambers are positioned adjacent to the droplet-generation channel near the junction between the droplet-generation channel and the sample channel.

Abstract: A single-piece hybrid droplet generator and nozzle component for serial crystallography. The single-piece hybrid droplet generator component including an internally-formed droplet-generation channel, an internally-formed sample channel, a nozzle, and a pair of electrode chambers. The droplet-generation channel extends from a first fluid inlet opening to the nozzle. The sample channel extends from a second fluid inlet opening to the droplet-generation channel and joins the droplet-generation channel at a junction. The nozzle is configured to eject a stream of segmented aqueous droplets in a carrier fluid from the droplet-generation channel through a nozzle opening of the single-piece component. The pair of electrode chambers are positioned adjacent to the droplet-generation channel near the junction between the droplet-generation channel and the sample channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing serial crystallography by providing an aqueous suspension of a crystal sample to a T-junction at a first flow rate and providing an immiscible oil fluid to the T-junction at a second flow rate. The aqueous suspension and the oil are combined at the T-junction to produce a co-flow output fluid including a parallel co-flow of the aqueous suspension and the oil in the same output channel. The co-flow output fluid is ejected as a jet stream through a nozzle and the sample flow rate in the crystal sample in the jet stream is adjusted by adjusting the first flow rate of the aqueous suspension and the second flow rate of the oil. By combining the aqueous sample and the oil in this manner, the output of the jet stream can be regulated for compatibility with X-ray free electron laser serial crystallography.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for serial femtosecond crystallography for reducing the vast amount of waste of injected crystals practiced with traditional continuous flow injections. A micrometer-scale 3-D printed water-in-oil droplet generator device includes an oil phase inlet channel, an aqueous phase inlet channel, a droplet flow outlet channel, and two embedded non-contact electrodes. The inlet and outlet channels are connected internally at a junction. The electrodes comprise gallium metal injected within the 3-D printed device. Voltage across the electrodes generates water-in-oil droplets, determines a rate for a series of droplets, or triggers a phase shift in the droplets. An external trigger generates the droplets based on the frequency of an XFEL utilized in droplet detection, thereby synchronizing a series of droplets with x-ray pulses for efficient crystal detection. The generated droplets can be coupled to an SFX with XFEL experiment compatible with common liquid injector such as a GDVN.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for serial femtosecond crystallography for reducing the vast amount of waste of injected crystals practiced with traditional continuous flow injections. A micrometer-scale 3-D printed water-in-oil droplet generator device includes an oil phase inlet channel, an aqueous phase inlet channel, a droplet flow outlet channel, and two embedded non-contact electrodes. The inlet and outlet channels are connected internally at a junction. The electrodes comprise gallium metal injected within the 3-D printed device. Voltage across the electrodes generates water-in-oil droplets, determines a rate for a series of droplets, or triggers a phase shift in the droplets. An external trigger generates the droplets based on the frequency of an XFEL utilized in droplet detection, thereby synchronizing a series of droplets with x-ray pulses for efficient crystal detection. The generated droplets can be coupled to an SFX with XFEL experiment compatible with common liquid injector such as a GDVN.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing serial crystallography by providing an aqueous suspension of a crystal sample to a T-junction at a first flow rate and providing an immiscible oil fluid to the T-junction at a second flow rate. The aqueous suspension and the oil are combined at the T-junction to produce a co-flow output fluid including a parallel co-flow of the aqueous suspension and the oil in the same output channel. The co-flow output fluid is ejected as a jet stream through a nozzle and the sample flow rate in the crystal sample in the jet stream is adjusted by adjusting the first flow rate of the aqueous suspension and the second flow rate of the oil. By combining the aqueous sample and the oil in this manner, the output of the jet stream can be regulated for compatibility with X-ray free electron laser serial crystallography.

Abstract: A single-piece hybrid droplet generator and nozzle component for serial crystallography. The single-piece hybrid droplet generator component including an internally-formed droplet-generation channel, an internally-formed sample channel, a nozzle, and a pair of electrode chambers. The droplet-generation channel extends from a first fluid inlet opening to the nozzle. The sample channel extends from a second fluid inlet opening to the droplet-generation channel and joins the droplet-generation channel at a junction. The nozzle is configured to eject a stream of segmented aqueous droplets in a carrier fluid from the droplet-generation channel through a nozzle opening of the single-piece component. The pair of electrode chambers are positioned adjacent to the droplet-generation channel near the junction between the droplet-generation channel and the sample channel.