Bioanalytical Microfluidics

Microfluidics or so called Lab-on-a-chip systems and to a large extent their analytical and bioanalytical applications have been an extensive field of research over the past two decades. Analytical applications of microfluidic systems have included detection of toxins, warfare agents and viruses, protein separation, DNA sequencing, and point-of-care devices to name but a few. In many instances, integration of (bio)chemical analyses onto microfluidic platforms has been inspired by existing, conventional techniques in the macro world and miniaturized, thanks to the advances in nano- and microfabrication, to lab-on-a-chip platforms. In contrast to this approach of downscaling existing analytical techniques, our major interest in microfluidics and its bioanalytical applications is to overcome current analytical challenges by developing analytical methods that can only be envisaged on the microchip platform. Our research will facilitate the analysis of disease causing biomolecules, provide novel ways to purify and separate organelles and biomolecules to improve their quantification and analysis, shine light on protein structure and their interaction with drugs and toxins and also provide novel methodology to investigate microplastic uptake and its implication in human health.