Liquid bridge and system

A system for processing a biological sample, the system comprising:

• a droplet generation assembly comprising:
• a plurality of wells configured to contain an aqueous sample comprising biological sample and polymerase chain reaction reagent and primers,
• a microfluidic substrate comprising a plurality of microfluidic channels respectively fluidically coupled to the plurality of wells,
• a plurality of reservoirs configured to contain a carrier fluid immiscible with the aqueous sample,
• wherein the plurality of wells and the plurality of reservoirs are arranged to be in respective flow communication in well-reservoir pairs, each well-reservoir pair comprising a well of the plurality of wells and a reservoir of the plurality of reservoirs,
• a cradle configured to hold the microfluidic substrate,
• a flow control system comprising a manifold configured to be in fluidic communication with the plurality of wells and the plurality of reservoirs and to control a pressure in the plurality of well-reservoir pairs so as to generate a flow of a series of reaction volumes of the aqueous sample separated by the carrier fluid in the plurality of microfluidic channels, and
• a gasket configured to seal one or more interfaces between the microfluidic substrate and the manifold;
• and
• a thermocycling system configured to receive and perform temperature cycling of the reaction volumes to conduct a polymerase chain reaction.