A chromatography column pre-heating apparatus comprising: a heater assembly having a thermally conductive base and a heater in thermal communication with the base; and a fluidic block, comprising: a thermally conductive body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body having a cutout portion formed therein between the first and second ends, the cutout portion partitioning the body into a first region, a second region, and a thin region between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2), the thin region having a cross sectional area that is less than a cross sectional area of the first region and a cross sectional area of the second region, the cutout portion producing a thermal break between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2), the thermal break operating to guide a heat flow between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2) through the thin region, the body having a hole extending from a first side of the body through to an opposite, second side of the body; a thermally conductive tube extending through the first, second, and thin regions (70-1, 70-2, 70-3) from the first end to the second end of the body, the tube being in thermal communication with the body; and a retention mechanism including: a lever portion movably abutting the first side of the body; a shaft coupled to the lever portion, the shaft extending through the hole in the body; and a plunger portion coupled to the shaft on the second side of the body, wherein the lever portion has a first position that extends the plunger portion from the hole and a second position that retracts the plunger towards the hole. a heater assembly having a thermally conductive base and a heater in thermal communication with the base; and a fluidic block, comprising: a thermally conductive body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body having a cutout portion formed therein between the first and second ends, the cutout portion partitioning the body into a first region, a second region, and a thin region between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2), the thin region having a cross sectional area that is less than a cross sectional area of the first region and a cross sectional area of the second region, the cutout portion producing a thermal break between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2), the thermal break operating to guide a heat flow between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2) through the thin region, the body having a hole extending from a first side of the body through to an opposite, second side of the body; a thermally conductive tube extending through the first, second, and thin regions (70-1, 70-2, 70-3) from the first end to the second end of the body, the tube being in thermal communication with the body; and a retention mechanism including: a lever portion movably abutting the first side of the body; a shaft coupled to the lever portion, the shaft extending through the hole in the body; and a plunger portion coupled to the shaft on the second side of the body, wherein the lever portion has a first position that extends the plunger portion from the hole and a second position that retracts the plunger towards the hole. a thermally conductive body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the body having a cutout portion formed therein between the first and second ends, the cutout portion partitioning the body into a first region, a second region, and a thin region between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2), the thin region having a cross sectional area that is less than a cross sectional area of the first region and a cross sectional area of the second region, the cutout portion producing a thermal break between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2), the thermal break operating to guide a heat flow between the first and second regions (70-1, 70-2) through the thin region, the body having a hole extending from a first side of the body through to an opposite, second side of the body; a thermally conductive tube extending through the first, second, and thin regions (70-1, 70-2, 70-3) from the first end to the second end of the body, the tube being in thermal communication with the body; and a retention mechanism including: a lever portion movably abutting the first side of the body; a shaft coupled to the lever portion, the shaft extending through the hole in the body; and a plunger portion coupled to the shaft on the second side of the body, wherein the lever portion has a first position that extends the plunger portion from the hole and a second position that retracts the plunger towards the hole. a lever portion movably abutting the first side of the body; a shaft coupled to the lever portion, the shaft extending through the hole in the body; and a plunger portion coupled to the shaft on the second side of the body, wherein the lever portion has a first position that extends the plunger portion from the hole and a second position that retracts the plunger towards the hole.