Integrated heater and magnetic separator

A method of extracting nucleic acids using a rack and an integrated separator and heater, the integrated separator and heater comprising a plurality of heater units aligned collinearly along a horizontal first axis, the integrated separator and heater further comprising one or more magnets disposed on a first side of the plurality of heater units and aligned along a second axis parallel to the first axis, the method comprising:

• inserting a plurality of holders in the rack, each holder comprising a single process tube of a plurality of process tubes;
• inserting the rack into the integrated separator and heater such that at least a portion of rack is removably received on a second side of the plurality of heater units opposite the one or more magnets on the first side, wherein a portion of each process tube of the plurality of process tubes is received in a single heater unit of the plurality of heater units when the rack is inserted into the integrated separator and heater;
• moving all of the one or more magnets backwards and forwards together in a vertical direction perpendicular to the second axis while maintaining proximity to an exterior side of each of the process tubes received in the integrated separator and heater;
• during at least a portion of the motion, moving magnetic particles contained in the process tubes;
• and
• independently controlling each heater unit of the plurality of heater units to apply heat to the plurality of process tubes received in the integrated separator and heater.