Stokes Bio Limited

Julie Garvey

Kieran Curran

Mark Davies

Tara Dalton

Damian Michael Curtin

David McGuire

Damian Curtain

A multi-port liquid bridge () adds aqueous phase droplets () in an enveloping oil phase carrier liquid () to a draft channel (). A chamber () links four ports, and it is permanently full of oil () when in use. Oil phase is fed in a draft flow from an inlet port () and exits through a draft exit port () and a compensating flow port (). The oil carrier and the sample droplets () ('aqueous phase') flow through the inlet port () with an equivalent fluid flow subtracted through the compensating port (). The ports of the bridge () are formed by the ends of capillaries held in position in plastics housings. The phases are density matched to create an environment where gravitational forces are negligible. This results in droplets () adopting spherical forms when suspended from capillary tube tips. Furthermore, the equality of mass flow is equal to the equality of volume flow. The phase of the inlet flow (from the droplet inlet port () and the draft inlet port () is used to determine the outlet port () flow phase.

Microfluidic droplet queuing network

The present invention generally relates to devices, systems, and methods for acquiring and/or dispensing a sample without introducing a gas into a microfluidic system, such as a liquid bridge system. An exemplary embodiment provides a sampling device including: a sampling member for acquiring or dispensing a sample; and a supply of a fluid that is immiscible with the sample; in which the device is configured to provide a continuous flow of immiscible fluid enveloping the sampling member.

Sampling device with immiscible fluid supply tube in counter-flow arrangement

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Ballinasloe, Ireland

Julie Garvey