Sphere Fluidics Limited

Cambridge Enterprise Limited

Smithkline Beecham Corporation

Sdix, LLC

Clive Adrian Smith

Xin Li

Frank F Craig

Xin Liu

Graeme Whyte

Alexandra Clay

Karine Enesa

Michael Stuart Hazell

Christopher Abell

Richard Francis Day

Carol Robinson

Wilhelm T S Huck

Marian Rehak

David Holmes

Ross Stewart Chambers

Colin Pilkington

Robert Frank Marchington

Timothy Sharpe

Todd Mize

Tony R Joaquim

Lewis Joe Stafford

Brian Henry Furlong

Giuseppe Benazzi

Vinayaka Pawate

Ben Mackworth

Vinayaka C Pawate

Wilhelm TS Huck

A surfactant of formula (I):A-(L)-(C)-(L)-X  (I) wherein A is a perfluoropolyether; Lis CONR', wherein R' is selected from H and Calkyl; a is 0 or 1; b is 0 or an integer between 1 and 10; Lis a linking group; c is 0 or 1; and X is a charged group.

Surfactant

The present invention provides a surfactant having a formula selected from the group consisting of: B&#x2014;((X)&#x2014;(CH)-A)(VI), (A-(CH)&#x2014;(X)&#x2014;B&#x2014;(X)&#x2014;(CH)-A)(IV), (A-(CH)&#x2014;(X)&#x2014;B)(V), and (B)&#x2014;(X)&#x2014;(CH)-A (VII), wherein A is a perfluoropolyether; a is a positive integer; X is either a covalent bond or a linking group; x is a positive integer; B is a polyalkylene oxide unit; n is a positive integer greater than 1 and, in compounds comprising more than one A, B, X, a and x, each may be the same or different. The present invention also relates to methods of making such surfactants, uses of such surfactants and emulsions comprising such surfactants.

Fluorosurfactants

A method for aligning sequences of droplets in streams of an emulsion comprising target droplets and tag droplets, a tag droplet comprising first and second tags. A target droplet is split into first and second target droplets and a tag droplet is split into first and second tag droplets. Each of the first and second tag droplets comprise the first and second tags. The first target droplet and first tag droplet are in a first stream of droplets, and the second target droplet and second tag droplet are in a second stream of droplets. The method detects the first tag droplets and first target droplets in the first stream and the second tag droplets and second target droplets in the second stream, determines a first sequence of droplets in the first stream and a second sequence of droplets in the second stream, and compares these to align the sequences.

Droplet sorting based on ionization mass spectrometry

Instruments and cartridges for processing droplets in emulsions containing biological entities such as cells. A method of such processing comprises providing a plurality of the entities in a fluid; preparing a droplet from the fluid; determining whether the droplet contains one or more entities of said plurality of entities, or whether said droplet does not contain a said entity; sorting said droplet dependent on an outcome of the determination; and dispensing the sorted droplet into a reservoir. The dispensing may comprise identifying and extracting the sorted droplet from a first fluidic flow path of said fluid by transferring the sorted droplet from into a second fluidic flow path and then ejecting the sorted droplet into a reservoir by applying pressure to the second fluidic flow path. The droplet contents may be tracked so that the contents of an individual droplet can be sorted, selectively dispensed, and retrieved.

Methods for processing droplets containing biological entities

We describe a method comprising: providing a droplet comprising a plurality of constituents, splitting said droplet into a first droplet and a second droplet, wherein said first droplet comprises a first fraction of said plurality of constituents and said second droplet comprises a second fraction of said plurality of constituents, analysing said constituents of said first fraction of said plurality of constituents in said first droplet, and sorting said second droplet dependent on an outcome of said analysis.

A method of label-free cell or particle sorting in a microfluidic device includes providing a stream of aqueous droplets in oil in a channel of the microfluidic device, wherein at least some of the droplets include cells or particles and illuminating the stream from a first direction. Then, one detects scattered light from cells or particles within said aqueous droplets in a second direction. Next, one determines a number of the cells or particles in each droplet from the scattered light and sorts the aqueous droplets into differentiated streams. Notably, the refractive index of said oil is modified to closely match a refractive index of the aqueous droplets to reduce light scattered from boundaries of the droplets. A volume of the droplets can also controlled.

Microfluidic devices and systems

The present invention provides an emulsion for sorting droplets in a microfluidic device, the emulsion comprising:

Emulsion

Systems that employ microdroplets are used in embodiments for Microdroplet Electrospray Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (ESI MS). Thus, a method of detecting an analyte includes providing an oil composition comprising oil and an aqueous microdroplet comprising the analyte, the oil composition comprising a surfactant to stabilise the aqueous microdroplet in the oil composition; and performing ionisation mass spectrometry analysis of the oil composition.

Microdroplet ionisation mass spectrometry

A flow cell for a microfluidic device can include a chamber, first microfluidic entry and exit channels, second microfluidic entry and exit channels, a first electrode, and a second electrode. A microfluidic device can include a microfluidic channel, a laser to excite fluorescent material, and a detector to detect fluorescence emission. Methods of merging a droplet from an emulsion in to a second stream of fluid and of detecting a content of a droplet in a stream are further disclosed.

Microfluidic systems

A combined laboratory condenser and vessel connector having a conduit with an inlet/outlet adjacent its upper end with a condenser jacket around the lower part of the conduit, an upper part of the jacket formed into or provided with a connector to enable the apparatus to be mated with a vessel with at least part of the jacket extending into the vessel. The device is useful in chemical laboratory operations.

Combined laboratory condensor and vessel connector

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Hertford, United Kingdom

Clive Adrian Smith