Thermally responsive partitions for devices and systems and methods of using same

A method for detecting the presence of viral analyte comprising:

• i) contacting a sample suspected of containing the viral analyte with a plurality of magnetic beads having a plurality of capture molecules attached thereto, wherein the capture molecules have a specific affinity for the analyte to form complexes, each complex comprising the analyte bound to the capture molecule;
• ii) heating a first solid aliphatic partitions to a temperature of 35° C. to 45° C., such that the first solid aliphatic partition liquefies;
• iii) selectively moving the complexes through the liquefied aliphatic partition via application of a magnetic field;
• iv) contacting the complex with a protease such that viral genomic material is released from the viral analyte;
• v) heating the complex, the protease, and a second solid aliphatic partition to a temperature greater than or equal to 50° C., such that the protease deactivates and the second aliphatic partition liquefies;
• vi) contacting the viral genomic material with genomic amplification reagents;
• vii) amplifying the viral genomic material;
• viii) contacting the amplified viral genomic material with a detectable molecule;
• and
• ix) detecting and optionally quantifying a signal generated from the detectable molecule,
• wherein the presence of a detectable signal is indicative of the presence of the viral analyte and the magnitude of the signal is indicative of the amount of the viral analyte in the sample.