Microfluidics And Lab On A Chip

Responding to the need for an affordable, easy-to-read textbook that introduces microfluidics to undergraduate and postgraduate students, this concise book will provide a broad overview of the important theoretical and practical aspects of microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip, as well as its applications.

Microfluidic technology is revolutionising a number of scientific fields, including chemistry, biology, diagnostics, and engineering. The ability to manipulate fluids and objects within networks of micrometre-scale channels allows reductions in processing and analysis times, reagent and sample consumption, and waste production, whilst allowing fine control and monitoring of chemical or biological processes. The integration of multiple components and processes enable “lab-on-a-chip” devices and “micro total analysis systems” that have applications ranging from analytical chemistry, organic synthesis, and clinical diagnostics to cell biology and tissue engineering. This concise, easy-to-read book is perfectly suited for instructing newcomers on the most relevant and important aspects of this exciting and dynamic field, particularly undergraduate and postgraduate students embarking on new studies, or for those simply interested in learning about this widely applicable technology. Written by a team with more than 20 years of experience in microfluidics research and teaching, the book covers a range of topics and techniques including fundamentals (e.g. scaling laws and flow effects), microfabrication and materials, standard operations (e.g. flow control, detection methods) and applications. Furthermore, it includes questions and answers that provide for the needs of students and teachers in the area.

This book covers all the steps in order to fabricate a lab-on-a-chip device starting from the idea, the design, simulation, fabrication and final evaluation. Additionally, it includes basic theory on microfluidics essential to understand how fluids behave at such reduced scale. Examples of successful histories of lab-on-a-chip systems that made an impact in fields like biomedicine and life sciences are also provided. This book also: · Provides readers with a unique approach and toolset for lab-on-a-chip development in terms of materials, fabrication techniques, and components · Discusses novel materials and techniques, such as paper-based devices and synthesis of chemical compounds on-chip · Covers the four key aspects of development: basic theory, design, fabrication, and testing · Provides readers with a comprehensive list of the most important journals, blogs, forums, and conferences where microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip news, methods, techniques and challenges are presented and discussed, as well as a list of companies providing design and simulation support, components, and/or developing lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic devices.

Microfluidic biochips have gained prominence due to their versatile applications to biochemistry and health-care domains such as point-of-care clinical diagnosis of tropical and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, toxicity analysis, and for the mitigation of the global HIV crisis, among others. Microfluidic Lab-on-Chips (LoCs) offer a convenient platform for emulating various fluidic operations in an automated fashion. However, because of the inherent uncertainty of fluidic operations, the outcome of biochemical experiments performed on-chip can be erroneous even if the chip is tested a priori and deemed to be defect-free. This book focuses on the issues encountered in reliable sample preparation with digital microfluidic biochips (DMFBs), particularly in an error-prone environment. It presents state-of-the-art error management techniques and underlying algorithmic challenges along with their comparative discussions. Describes a comprehensive framework for designing a robust and error-tolerant biomedical system which will help in migrating from cumbersome medical laboratory tasks to small-sized LOC-based systems Presents a comparative study on current error-tolerant strategies for robust sample preparation using DMFBs and reports on efficient algorithms for error-tolerant sample dilution using these devices Illustrates how algorithmic engineering, cyber-physical tools, and software techniques are helpful in implementing fault tolerance Covers the challenges associated with design automation for biochemical sample preparation Teaches how to implement biochemical protocols using software-controlled microfluidic biochips Interdisciplinary in its coverage, this reference is written for practitioners and researchers in biochemical, biomedical, electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering, especially those involved in LOC or bio-MEMS design.

Lab-on-a-chip technology permits us to make many important discoveries that can only be observed at the microscale or the nanoscale. Using this technology, biological and biochemical analyses translate into greater sensitivity, more accurate results, and more valuable findings. Authored by one of the field’s pioneering researchers, Fundamentals of Microfluidics and Lab on a Chip for Biological Analysis and Discovery focuses on all key aspects of microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technologies to offer an exceptionally cohesive overview of the science, its limitations, breakthroughs made over the years, and currently emerging advances. The book emphasizes analytical applications of microfluidic technology and offers in-depth coverage of micromachining methods, microfluidic operations, chemical separations, sample preparation and injection methods, detection technology, and various chemical and biological analyses. Other topics of interest include the use of polymeric chips, fluid flow valve and control, single-cell analysis, DNA and RNA amplification techniques, DNA hybridization, immunoassays, and enzymatic assays. The book includes more than 300 figures that depict novel chip functions and breakthroughs and 16 tables summarize materials and refer readers to additional resources. An appendix compiles extensive analytical applications from emerging and established research groups. Beginners in the field will find the book useful for navigating the vast literature related to the technology, while experienced researchers will rely on the compiled information for easy comparison and references for further study. Derived from the highly popular Microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip for Chemical and Biological Analysis and Discovery (2006), this volume is also readily adaptable for classroom use. Problem sets in each chapter help students test their assimilation of the material and clarify challenging concepts. The book contains a comprehensive glossary, a complete index, and extensive references. A solutions manual is available with qualifying course adoption.

Multidisciplinary Microfluidic and Nanofluidic Lab-on-a-Chip: Principles and Applications provides chemists, biophysicists, engineers, life scientists, biotechnologists, and pharmaceutical scientists with the principles behind the design, manufacture, and testing of life sciences microfluidic systems. This book serves as a reference for technologies and applications in multidisciplinary areas, with an emphasis on quickly developing or new emerging areas, including digital microfluidics, nanofluidics, papers-based microfluidics, and cell biology. The book offers practical guidance on how to design, analyze, fabricate, and test microfluidic devices and systems for a wide variety of applications including separations, disease detection, cellular analysis, DNA analysis, proteomics, and drug delivery. Calculations, solved problems, data tables, and design rules are provided to help researchers understand microfluidic basic theory and principles and apply this knowledge to their own unique designs. Recent advances in microfluidics and microsystems for life sciences are impacting chemistry, biophysics, molecular, cell biology, and medicine for applications that include DNA analysis, drug discovery, disease research, and biofluid and environmental monitoring. Provides calculations, solved problems, data tables and design rules to help understand microfluidic basic theory and principles Gives an applied understanding of the principles behind the design, manufacture, and testing of microfluidic systems Emphasizes on quickly developing and emerging areas, including digital microfluidics, nanofluidics, papers-based microfluidics, and cell biology

The necessity of on-site, fast, sensitive, and cheap complex laboratory analysis, associated with the advances in the microfabrication technologies and the microfluidics, made it possible for the creation of the innovative device lab-on-a-chip (LOC), by which we would be able to scale a single or multiple laboratory processes down to a chip format. The present book is dedicated to the LOC devices from two points of view: LOC fabrication and LOC application.

Labs on Chip: Principles, Design and Technology provides a complete reference for the complex field of labs on chip in biotechnology. Merging three main areas— fluid dynamics, monolithic micro- and nanotechnology, and out-of-equilibrium biochemistry—this text integrates coverage of technology issues with strong theoretical explanations of design techniques. Analyzing each subject from basic principles to relevant applications, this book: Describes the biochemical elements required to work on labs on chip Discusses fabrication, microfluidic, and electronic and optical detection techniques Addresses planar technologies, polymer microfabrication, and process scalability to huge volumes Presents a global view of current lab-on-chip research and development Devotes an entire chapter to labs on chip for genetics Summarizing in one source the different technical competencies required, Labs on Chip: Principles, Design and Technology offers valuable guidance for the lab-on-chip design decision-making process, while exploring essential elements of labs on chip useful both to the professional who wants to approach a new field and to the specialist who wants to gain a broader perspective.