Chemical engineers are able to fabricate tiny, electrically conductive polyfibers (top) with nerve cells grown on them (bottom) to create electrical connections between biomedical devices and living tissue. Photo by Caitlyn Gertz and Joseph Corey, MD. Courtesy University of Michigan, Department of Neurology.
Groundbreaking collaboration between the chemical engineering and biomedical communities has resulted in the advancement of microfluidic devices. These extremely small—some are the size of a dime—analytical devices are often called lab-on-a-chip assemblies.
They are able to carry out various chemical, biomedical, and thermal reactions, measurements, and analyses with greater specificity, speed, and reliability than larger, more conventional devices.
From bio research to crime-scene investigation
Novel lab-on-a-chip assemblies are currently being developed for an array of applications in biomedical research, clinical diagnoses, and genomic studies. These analytical devices are being created to quickly and accurately identify microbes and pathogens in water, soil, and food. They are also being adapted as field-ready devices for forensic use in criminal investigations to allow for faster DNA testing. “Point of care” ion analysis of body fluids can help both criminal and medical diagnosis.
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