Systems and methods for determining a chemical state

A system for performing an assay for determining a biological condition in a mammalian subject, the system comprising:

• a. a self-contained stationary cartridge for receiving a specimen from said mammalian subject, the cartridge comprising:
• i. at least one storage element for storing at least one liquid composition;
• ii. a bellows configured to provide at least one pressure force to said at least one composition to fluidly transfer said at least one composition to induce mixing with at least a part of said specimen to form a treated sample, wherein said at least one pressure force comprises a negative pressure force;
• b. a cartridge handling unit (CHU) for receiving said cartridge;
• c. a reader optics assembly adapted to impinge radiation via a dichroic filter and a focusing lens via a first optical path on said treated sample to form a plurality of spectrally distinct signals, said reader optics assembly further configured to detect said plurality of spectrally distinct signals using a multiple emission detector through said first optical path, said plurality of spectrally distinct signals being associated with at least one reporter functionality, said at least one reporter functionality adapted to report formation of said treated sample;
• d. an actuator adapted to crush said at least one storage element and activate said bellows;
• e. a forward scatter detector for detecting forward scatter from cells in said treated sample;
• and
• f. a processor configured to process signals outputted from said multiple emission detector and from said forward scatter detector to provide a result associated with said signals outputted to determine said biological condition.