LABS, cells and organs on chip: Technologies and biomedical applications

摘要

Over the past few decades both micro/nanofabrication and microfluidics technologies have been crucial for the rapid development of Lab on a Chip systems. Here we present a few examples of this. Firstly, a capillary electrophoresis system on chip for blood analysis will be presented. Secondly, we show how nanostructures enable new chemical sensors and how they can be exploited to obtain highly sensitive and uniform SERS surfaces, enabling sensitive biomolecule detection and allowing simultaneous electrochemical experimentation. Then we present a microfluidic device in which we can trap and electroporate individual cells to study gene transfection. Finally, we show how Lab on a Chip systems can be used to realize so-called "Organs on Chip" that mimic functional organ behavior. In particular a Blood Brain Barrier ("BBB chip") is presented to study behavior of tight junctions, while we also demonstrate a microfluidic chip mimicking atherosclerosis, and show how thrombus formation around narrowing in the artificial blood vessel takes place. These examples clearly demonstrate the power and future potential of such microsystems for biomedical applications.