OPEN-SPACE MICROFLUIDICS
Govind Kaigala, IBM Research Zürich, SWITZERLAND
Patrick Misun, ETH Zürich, SWITZERLAND
Tomaso Zambelli, ETH Zürich, SWITZERLAND
Workshop Description:
- Open-space microfluidics: concepts, implementations and applications
- Format-1: Hanging drop
- Format-2: FluidFM
- Format-3: Microfluidic probe
- Demo and hands-on experience
Overview of Material to Be Covered and What Attendees Can Expect to Take Away From the Workshop:
The goal of this workshop is to consolidate the views and latest developments on an emerging topic - open-space microfluidics - that enables chemical processes on or near surfaces.
The vast majority of microfluidic devices currently uses networks of sealed microchannels (with four walls) and chambers that are linked to various inputs/outputs to provide a "chip-to-world" interface. In such devices, samples need to be either passed through, for example a biological sample potentially containing circulating tumor cells, or seeded in the device before sealing, for example by depositing adherent cells in microchambers. The emerging area of open-space microfluidics, eliminates the need for closed channels, thereby providing new opportunities for handling, analyzing and interacting with biological samples and also give a lot of freedom to end-users for new class of experiments by removing the need for full containment of chemicals and liquids. They also allow direct usage of standard biological substrates like microscope slides, Petri dishes and microtiter plates.
Who Should Attend:
This workshop would provide an overview on open-space microfluidic approaches and could benefit a range of individuals:
- graduate students and post-docs working in microfluidics and the broader area of life-sciences.
- academicians would also benefit from this course, and we would encourage them to include open-space microfluidics as a teaching topic in their respective courses.
- representatives from the industry will as well be exposed to new microfluidic technology that has very practical use.