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A device for conducting a chemical reaction comprises a body having at least first and second channels formed therein. A reaction vessel extends from the body. The reaction vessel has a reaction chamber, an inlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an inlet channel, and an outlet port connect

A device for conducting a chemical reaction comprises a body having at least first and second channels formed therein. A reaction vessel extends from the body. The reaction vessel has a reaction chamber, an inlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an inlet channel, and an outlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an outlet channel. The inlet port of the vessel is connected to the first channel in the body, and the outlet port of the vessel is connected to the second channel in the body.

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1. A device for conducting a chemical reaction, the device comprising:a) a body having at least first and second channels formed therein; andb) a reaction vessel extending from the body, the reaction vessel having:i) a rigid frame defining side walls of a reaction chamber;ii) first and second polyme

1. A device for conducting a chemical reaction, the device comprising:a) a body having at least first and second channels formed therein; andb) a reaction vessel extending from the body, the reaction vessel having:i) a rigid frame defining side walls of a reaction chamber;ii) first and second polymeric films attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form opposing major walls of the reaction chamber;iii) an inlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an inlet channel; andiv) an outlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an outlet channel;wherein the inlet port of the vessel is connected to the first channel in the body and wherein the outlet port of the vessel is connected to the second channel in the body. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the major walls is sufficiently flexible to conform to a respective thermal surface. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein at least two of the side walls are optically transmissive and angularly offset from each other. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the width of the reaction chamber to the thickness of the reaction chamber is at least 4:1, and wherein the reaction chamber has a thickness less than 2 mm. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the body further includes a vent in fluid communication with the second channel for venting gas from the second channel. 6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a differential pressure source for forcing fluid in the first channel in the body to flow through the inlet port of the vessel and into the reaction chamber. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the body further includes a mixing chamber for mixing nucleic acid with amplification reagents, the mixing chamber being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel. 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the body has formed therein:i) a sample flow path; andii) a separation region in the sample flow path for separating a desired analyte from a fluid sample, the separation region being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel. 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the separation region in the body comprises:a) a lysing chamber in the sample flow path for lysing cells or viruses in the sample to release material therefrom; andb) at least one solid support positioned in the lysing chamber for capturing the cells or viruses to be lysed. 10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:a) at least first and second thermal surfaces for contacting the first and second films, respectively;b) means for increasing the pressure in the reaction chamber, wherein the pressure increase in the chamber is sufficient to force the first and second films to conform to the first and second surfaces, respectively; andc) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surfaces to induce a temperature change within the chamber. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein at least two of the side walls are optically transmissive and angularly offset from each other, and the device further comprises an optics system having at least one light source for transmitting light to the reaction chamber through a first one of the optically transmissive side walls and having at least one detector for detecting light emitted from the chamber through a second one of the optically transmissive side walls. 12. A device for conducting a chemical reaction, the device comprising:a) a body having:i) a sample flow path; andii) a separation region in the sample flow path for separating a desired analyte from a fluid sample;b) a reaction vessel extending from the body, the reaction vessel having:i) a reaction chamber;ii) an inlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an inlet channel; andiii) an outlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an outlet channel;wherein the body further has at least first and second channels formed therein, the separation region being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel in the body, and the outlet port of the vessel be ing connected to the second channel in the body. 13. The device of claim 12, wherein the separation region comprises:a) a lysing chamber in the sample flow path for lysing cells or viruses in the sample to release material therefrom; andb) at least one solid support positioned in the lysing chamber for capturing the cells or viruses to be lysed. 14. The device of claim 12, wherein the vessel includes a plurality of walls defining the reaction chamber, at least one of the walls comprises a flexible sheet or film, and the device further comprises:a) at least one thermal surface for contacting the sheet or film;b) means for increasing the pressure in the reaction chamber, wherein the pressure increase in the chamber is sufficient to force the sheet or film to conform to the thermal surface; andc) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surface to induce a temperature change in the reaction chamber. 15. The device of claim 12, wherein the vessel includes two opposing major walls and sidewalls connecting the major walls to each other to form the reaction chamber, at least two of the side walls are optically transmissive and, angularly offset from each other, and the device further comprises an optics system having at least one light source for transmitting light to the reaction chamber through a first one of the optically transmissive side walls and having at least one detector for detecting light emitted from the chamber through a second one of the optically transmissive side walls. 16. The device of claim 12, wherein the body further includes a vent in fluid communication with the second channel for venting gas from the second channel. 17. The device of claim 12, further comprising a differential pressure source for forcing fluid in the first channel in the body to flow through the inlet port of the vessel and into the reaction chamber. 18. The device of claim 12, wherein the vessel includes:i) a rigid frame defining side walls of the reaction chanber; andii) first and second polymeric films attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form opposing major walls of the reaction chamber. 19. The device of claim 18, wherein each of the major walls is sufficiently flexible to conform to a respective thermal surface. 20. The device of claim 18, wherein at least two of the side walls are optically transmissive and angularly offset from each other. 21. The device of claim 12, wherein the ratio of the width of the reaction chamber to the thickness of the reaction chamber is at least 4:1, and wherein the reaction chamber has a thickness less than 2 mm. 22. The device of claim 12, wherein the body further includes a mixing chamber for mixing the analyte with amplification reagents, the mixing chamber being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel. 23. A device for conducting a chemical reaction, the device comprising:a) a body having at least first and second channels formed therein; andb) a reaction vessel extending from the body, the reaction vessel having:i) a plurality of walls defining a reaction chamber, at least one of the walls comprising a flexible sheet or film;ii) an inlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an inlet channel; andiii) an outlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an outlet channel, wherein the inlet port of the vessel is connected to the first channel in the body, and wherein the outlet port of the vessel is connected to the second channel in the body;c) at least one thermal surface for contacting the sheet or film;d) means for increasing the pressure in the reaction chamber, wherein the pressure increase in the chamber is sufficient to force the sheet or film to conform to the thermal surface; ande) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surface to induce a temperature change in the chamber. 24. The device of claim 23, wherein the walls defining the reaction chamber include two opposing major walls and sidewalls connecting the major walls to each other, at least two of the side walls are optically transmissive, and the device further comprises an optics system having at least one light source for transmitting light to the reaction chamber through a first one of the optically transmissive side walls and having at least one detector for detecting light exiting the chamber through a second one of the optically transmissive side walls. 25. The device of claim 23, wherein the body further includes a vent in fluid communication with the second channel for venting gas from the second channel. 26. The device of claim 23, further comprising a differential pressure source for forcing fluid in the first channel in the body to flow through the inlet port of the vessel and into the reaction chamber. 27. The device of claim 23, wherein the walls defining the reaction chamber include two opposing major walls and sidewalls connecting the major walls to each other, and wherein the vessel includes:i) a rigid frame defining the side walls; andii) first and second polymeric films attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form the opposing major walls. 28. The device of claim 27, wherein at least two of the side walls are optically transmissive and angularly offset from each other. 29. The device of claim 23, wherein the ratio of the width of the chamber to the thickness of the chamber is at least 4:1, and wherein the chamber has a thickness less than 2 mm. 30. The device of claim 23, wherein the body further includes a mixing chamber for mixing nucleic acid with amplification reagents, the mixing chamber being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel. 31. The device of claim 23, wherein the body has formed therein:i) a sample flow path; andii) a separation region in the sample flow path for separating a desired analyte from a fluid sample, the separation region being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel. 32. The device of claim 31, wherein the separation region in the body comprises:a) a lysing chamber in the sample flow path for lysing cells or viruses in the sample to release material therefrom; andb) at least one solid support positioned in the lysing chamber for capturing the cells or viruses to be lysed. 33. A device for conducting a chemical reaction, the device comprising:a) a body having at least first and second channels formed therein; andb) a reaction vessel extending from the body, the reaction vessel having:i) a rigid frame defining side walls of a reaction chamber;ii) first and second polymeric films attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form opposing major walls of the reaction chamber; wherein at least two of the walls of the reaction chamber are optically transmissive;iii) an inlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an inlet channel; andiv) an outlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an outlet channel, wherein the inlet port of the vessel is connected to the first channel in the body and wherein the outlet port of the vessel is connected to the second channel in the body; andc) optics for optically interrogating the reaction chamber, the optics comprising at least one light source for transmitting light to the reaction chamber through a first one of the optically transmissive walls and at least one detector for detecting light exiting the chamber through a second one of the optically transmissive walls. 34. The device of claim 33, wherein the body further includes a vent in fluid communication with the second channel for venting gas from the second channel. 35. The device of claim 33, further comprising a differential pressure source for forcing fluid in the first channel in the body to flow through the inlet port of the vessel and into the reaction chamber. 36. The device of claim 33, wherein the at least two optically transmissive walls comprise at least two of the side walls, and wherein the at least two optically transmissive side walls are angularly offset from each other. 37 . The device of claim 33, wherein the ratio of the width of the chamber to the thickness of the chamber is at least 4:1, and wherein the chamber has a thickness less than 2 mm. 38. The device of claim 33, wherein the body further includes a mixing chamber for mixing nucleic acid with amplification reagents, the mixing chamber being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel. 39. The device of claim 33, wherein the body further has formed therein:i) a sample flow path; andii) a separation region in the sample flow path for separating a desired analyte from a fluid sample, the separation region being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel. 40. The device of claim 33, wherein the separation region in the body comprises:a) a lysing chamber in the sample flow path for lysing cells or viruses in the sample to release material therefrom; andb) at least one solid support positioned in the lysing chamber for capturing the cells or viruses to be lysed. 41. The device of claim 33, further comprising:a) at least one thermal surface for contacting at least one of the films; andb) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surface to induce a temperature change in the chamber. 42. A device for conducting a chemical reaction, the device comprising:a) a body having:i) a sample flow path; andii) a separation region in the sample flow path for separating a desired analyte from a fluid sample;b) a reaction vessel extending from the body, the reaction vessel having:i) a reaction chamber defined by two opposing major walls and side walls connecting the major walls to each other, at least two of the walls defining the reaction chamber being optically transmissive;ii) an inlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an inlet channel; andiii) an outlet port connected to the reaction chamber via an outlet channel, wherein the body further has at least first and second channels formed therein, the separation region being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel in the body, and the outlet port of the vessel being connected to the second channel in the body; andc) optics for optically interrogating the reaction chamber, the optics comprising at least one light source for transmitting light to the reaction chamber through a first one of the optically transmissive walls and at least one detector for detecting light exiting the chamber through a second one of the optically transmissive walls. 43. The device of claim 42, wherein the body further includes a vent in fluid communication with the second channel for venting gas from the second channel. 44. The device of claim 42, further comprising a differential pressure source for forcing fluid in the first channel in the body to flow through the inlet port of the vessel and into the reaction chamber. 45. The device of claim 42, wherein the vessel includes:i) a rigid frame defining the side walls; andii) polymeric films attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form the two opposing major walls. 46. The device of claim 42, wherein the at least two optically transmissive walls comprise at least two of the side walls, and wherein the at least two optically transmissive side walls are angularly offset from each other. 47. The device of claim 42, wherein the ratio of the width of the chamber to the thickness of the chamber is at least 4:1, and wherein the chamber has a thickness less than 2 mm. 48. The device of claim 42, wherein the body further includes a mixing chamber for mixing nucleic acid with amplification reagents, the mixing chamber being connected to the inlet port of the vessel via the first channel. 49. The device of claim 42, wherein the separation region in the body comprises:a) a lysing chamber in the sample flow path for lysing cells or viruses in the sample to release material therefrom; andb) at least one solid support positioned in the lysing chamber for capturing the cells or viruses to be lysed. 50. Th e device of claim 42, wherein at least one of the major walls comprises a flexible sheet or film, and the device further comprises:a) at least one thermal surface for contacting the sheet or film; andc) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surface to induce a temperature change in the chamber.