Abstract: A sample holder for collecting a liquid sample, such as blood. The holder can include a vessel, a conduit having a proximal end extending from the vessel and a distal end positioned in the vessel, and a cap configured to engage with the vessel and create pressure to move a liquid sample in the conduit to move from the proximal end to the distal end. The vessel can include a fluid pathway to vent fluid from the vessel as the liquid sample is moved from the conduit into the vessel, and the cap can seal the fluid pathway closed. A desiccant can be used to support the conduit in the vessel and dry a blood sample during storage.

Abstract: A sample holder for holding a liquid sample for laboratory processing, such as PCR thermal cycling. The sample holder includes at least one vessel having a bottom and sidewall defining an interior volume and a rim defining an opening to the interior volume. The vessel has a first portion that defines at least a part of the bottom and sidewall of the vessel and is made of a first material, and a second portion that defines the rim of the vessel and is made of a second material different from the first material.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing liquid from exterior surfaces of sample wells in a well plate. Wells that have water or other liquid on an exterior surface, e.g., after acoustic energy treatment in a water bath, may have the liquid removed by contacting the exterior surfaces of the sample wells with an absorbent material. A pad made of absorbent material may have a plurality of openings arranged to receive an array of sample wells inserted into the openings so that liquid can be removed from each of the sample wells.

Abstract: A sample holder for holding a liquid sample for laboratory processing, such as PCR thermal cycling. The sample holder includes at least one vessel having a bottom and sidewall defining an interior volume and a rim defining an opening to the interior volume. The vessel has a first portion that defines at least a part of the bottom and sidewall of the vessel and is made of a first material, and a second portion that defines the rim of the vessel and is made of a second material different from the first material.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for lysing and recovering released material, such as proteins or other biomolecules. Sample material including cells may be at least partially frozen, thawed, cells lysed and biomolecules recovered in a single conduit, e.g., as the sample flows through the conduit. The conduit may include different zones for sample treatment, including a freezing zone, thawing zone, lysing/disassociation zone, etc., and protein or other recovered material may be delivered directly from the conduit to analysis equipment, such as a mass spectrometer. This allows a flow-through type processing of cells that avoids handling and transfer of sample material between different sample holders.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing liquid from exterior surfaces of sample wells in a well plate. Wells that have water or other liquid on an exterior surface, e.g., after acoustic energy treatment in a water bath, may have the liquid removed by contacting the exterior surfaces of the sample wells with an absorbent material. A pad made of absorbent material may have a plurality of openings arranged to receive an array of sample wells inserted into the openings so that liquid can be removed from each of the sample wells.