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Micromachines
Special Issues
Microfluidic Devices for Biomedical Applications
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Microfluidic Devices for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "B：Biology and Biomedicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2023) | Viewed by 4530

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhen Cheng

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: microfluidics; biosensors; biomedical engineering; flow cytometry; bioinformatics
Dr. Tao Yue

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Interests: micro/nano robotics and manipulation; microfluidics; bio-MEMS/NEMS

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, microfluidic devices have emerged as a promising technology with the potential to revolutionize biomedical applications and clinical diagnostics by providing more accurate, efficient, and cost-effective methods. The representative cases include microarray chips, which allow for the simultaneous detection of thousands of genes or proteins; next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms, integrating various steps of library preparation and amplification; as well as numerous cassettes for rapid and accurate diagnosis of pathogens, such as HIV, tuberculosis, and COVID-19. Given the significant advantages over traditional systems, droplet-based microfluidic and organ-on-a-chip devices also enable high-throughput analysis of single cells for antibody discovery and screening of potential candidates for drug testing. The biomedical applications of microfluidic devices will surely achieve even brighter prospects with new concepts and commercial products continuing to be witnessed. This Special Issue seeks to showcase research articles and review articles that focus on the latest advancements in the design, fabrication, and biomedical applications of microfluidic devices, including but not limited to:

  • lab-on-a-chip devices for medical and POCT diagnostics;
  • droplet-based microfluidic for high-throughput analysis and screening;
  • organ-on-a-chip devices and 3D structures for drug discovery and tissue engineering;
  • microfluidics for drug delivery and flexible electronics. 

Dr. Zhen Cheng
Dr. Tao Yue
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microfluidic device
  • biomedical application
  • medical diagnosis
  • pathogen detection
  • lab-on-a-chip
  • point-of-care testing/POCT
  • organ-on-a-chip
  • droplet-based microfluidic
  • micro total analysis system/μTAS
  • cell analysis and sorting
  • drug delivery
  • flexible electronics

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 4073 KiB  
Article
Effect of Flow Rate Modulation on Alginate Emulsification in Multistage Microfluidics
by Yudan Whulanza, Rithwik Chandur Nathani, Klaugusta Adimillenva, Ridho Irwansyah, Retno Wahyu Nurhayati, Muhammad Satrio Utomo and Abdul Halim Abdullah
Micromachines 2023, 14(10), 1828; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14101828 - 26 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1153
Abstract
The encapsulation of stem cells into alginate microspheres is an important aspect of tissue engineering or bioprinting which ensures cell growth and development. We previously demonstrated the encapsulation of stem cells using the hanging drop method. However, this conventional process takes a relatively [...] Read more.
The encapsulation of stem cells into alginate microspheres is an important aspect of tissue engineering or bioprinting which ensures cell growth and development. We previously demonstrated the encapsulation of stem cells using the hanging drop method. However, this conventional process takes a relatively long time and only produces a small-volume droplet. Here, an experimental approach for alginate emulsification in multistage microfluidics is reported. By using the microfluidic method, the emulsification of alginate in oil can be manipulated by tuning the flow rate for both phases. Two-step droplet emulsification is conducted in a series of polycarbonate and polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic chips. Multistage emulsification of alginate for stem cell encapsulation has been successfully reported in this study under certain flow rates. Fundamental non-dimensional numbers such as Reynolds and capillary are used to evaluate the effect of flow rate on the emulsification process. Reynolds numbers of around 0.5–2.5 for alginate/water and 0.05–0.2 for oil phases were generated in the current study. The capillary number had a maximum value of 0.018 to ensure the formation of plug flow. By using the multistage emulsification system, the flow rates of each process can be tuned independently, offering a wider range of droplet sizes that can be produced. A final droplet size of 500–1000 µm can be produced using flow rates of 0.1–0.5 mL/h and 0.7–2.4 mL/h for the first stage and second stage, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidic Devices for Biomedical Applications)
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16 pages, 7496 KiB  
Article
Microfluidic Droplet-Generation Device with Flexible Walls
by Sajad Yazdanparast, Pouya Rezai and Alidad Amirfazli
Micromachines 2023, 14(9), 1770; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14091770 - 15 Sep 2023
Viewed by 916
Abstract
Controlling droplet sizes is one of the most important aspects of droplet generators used in biomedical research, drug discovery, high-throughput screening, and emulsion manufacturing applications. This is usually achieved by using multiple devices that are restricted in their range of generated droplet sizes. [...] Read more.
Controlling droplet sizes is one of the most important aspects of droplet generators used in biomedical research, drug discovery, high-throughput screening, and emulsion manufacturing applications. This is usually achieved by using multiple devices that are restricted in their range of generated droplet sizes. In this paper, a co-flow microfluidic droplet-generation device with flexible walls was developed such that the width of the continuous (C)-phase channel around the dispersed (D)-phase droplet-generating needle can be adjusted on demand. This actuation mechanism allowed for the adjustment of the C-phase flow velocity, hence providing modulated viscous forces to manipulate droplet sizes in a single device. Two distinct droplet-generation regimes were observed at low D-phase Weber numbers, i.e., a dripping regime at high- and medium-channel widths and a plug regime at low-channel widths. The effect of channel width on droplet size was investigated in the dripping regime under three modes of constant C-phase flow rate, velocity, and Capillary number. Reducing the channel width at a constant C-phase flow rate had the most pronounced effect on producing smaller droplets. This effect can be attributed to the combined influences of the wall effect and increased C-phase velocity, leading to a greater impact on droplet size due to the intensified viscous force. Droplet sizes in the range of 175–913 µm were generated; this range was ~2.5 times wider than the state of the art, notably using a single microfluidic device. Lastly, an empirical model based on Buckingham’s Pi theorem was developed to predict the size of droplets based on channel width and height as well as the C-phase Capillary and Reynolds numbers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidic Devices for Biomedical Applications)
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Review

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13 pages, 1437 KiB  
Review
Microfluidic Chips: Emerging Technologies for Adoptive Cell Immunotherapy
by Yishen Tian, Rong Hu, Guangshi Du and Na Xu
Micromachines 2023, 14(4), 877; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi14040877 - 19 Apr 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2023
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a personalized therapy that has shown great success in treating hematologic malignancies in clinic, and has also demonstrated potential applications for solid tumors. The process of ACT involves multiple steps, including the separation of desired cells from patient [...] Read more.
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) is a personalized therapy that has shown great success in treating hematologic malignancies in clinic, and has also demonstrated potential applications for solid tumors. The process of ACT involves multiple steps, including the separation of desired cells from patient tissues, cell engineering by virus vector systems, and infusion back into patients after strict tests to guarantee the quality and safety of the products. ACT is an innovative medicine in development; however, the multi-step method is time-consuming and costly, and the preparation of the targeted adoptive cells remains a challenge. Microfluidic chips are a novel platform with the advantages of manipulating fluid in micro/nano scales, and have been developed for various biological research applications as well as ACT. The use of microfluidics to isolate, screen, and incubate cells in vitro has the advantages of high throughput, low cell damage, and fast amplification rates, which can greatly simplify ACT preparation steps and reduce costs. Moreover, the customizable microfluidic chips fit the personalized demands of ACT. In this mini-review, we describe the advantages and applications of microfluidic chips for cell sorting, cell screening, and cell culture in ACT compared to other existing methods. Finally, we discuss the challenges and potential outcomes of future microfluidics-related work in ACT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidic Devices for Biomedical Applications)
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