Microfluidics and Their Biomedical Applications

Bio-micro-electro-mechanical-systems and microfluidic technologies combining knowledge from biology, analytical chemistry and miniaturization techniques have proven to be a promising approach to realize the concept of lab-on-a-chip, which perform a total analysis of a small amount of samples on a single chip. In this keynote paper, I am going to briefly introduce our previous works regarding several crucial microfluidic technologies including microfluidic focusing/switching and micro/nano-droplets formation. These technologies have been popular recently for microfluidic devices and systems. Several examples will be demonstrated, including micro flow cytometers for cell counting and sorting, and droplet formation chips for emulsion applications. The development of these technologies may be promising for biomedical applications.Copyright © 2007 by ASME