Systems and methods for biological analysis

A method for performing biological reactions, the method comprising:

• configuring a chip including a substrate and a plurality of reaction sites with a coating material, wherein the coating material coats the substrate surface and each reaction site surface, the coated substrate surface has a water contact angle of 60-100 degrees, and the coated substrate surface has an advancing contact angle of 70-85 degrees;
• in a loader comprising a tip including a first blade and a second blade, depositing a liquid sample in a reservoir formed between the first blade and the second blade, wherein the tip is in fluid communication with the reservoir, and the liquid sample comprises at least one biological component or target;
• loading, with the loader, the plurality of reaction sites with the liquid sample, wherein each of the plurality of reaction sites is configured to include a volume of the liquid sample of at most one nanoliter, wherein loading further comprises contacting the tip to the chip such that the first blade and second blade of the tip are deflected;
• initiating biological reactions in the plurality of reaction sites;
• and
• detecting, with an optical system, a plurality of biological reactions on the chip.