AMR Future Brief| Microfluidics: How Has This Innovative Technology Brought Innovations in Prominent Fields?
Microfluidics has emerged as a transformative technology that has developed various beneficial solutions in leading industries including medicine, healthcare, the environment, and many others. It involves the study of the behavior of liquids moving through channels in micro-sized devices. Microfluidics monitors small volumes of fluids, in femtoliters, which is one quadrillionth of a liter. The goal of this study is to identify the unique behavior of fluids that are significantly different from those that are observed in larger volumes. This phenomenon allows researchers to manipulate fluids to develop innovative solutions in various fields, especially in biological and chemical analysis.
A brief on microfluidic devices
Microfluidic devices utilize the physical and chemical properties of liquids and gases at the microscale. They offer notable benefits compared to conventional-sized systems. These devices are useful for analyzing and utilizing smaller volumes of samples including reagents and chemicals, reducing global fees of various applications. Nowadays, researchers are developing a variety of microfluidic chips that are incorporated with automation, allowing them to generate a lot of functionalities.
The rise of organ-on-a-chip devices helps replicate the functioning of various organs including kidneys, livers, lungs, and hearts in a lab setting. Similarly, the development of tumor-on-a-chip platforms monitors cancer progression and tests the effectiveness of specific therapies. Recently, Dr. Dhall, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, has developed a dental implant-on-a-chip mainly designed to combat oral infections.
Why is microfluidics beneficial for various disciplines?
The study of liquid flow states has played a key role in various scientific discoveries that have transformed several industries. Microfluidics has created precise automated processes that offer high-yield results in real time. Moreover, these innovative systems are cost-effective for performing large-scale studies with minimal sample volume while handling precious fluids such as human blood. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these devices were used to detect viruses in the bloodstream. Moreover, they are also useful in identifying contaminants in drinking sources, tracking biothreats in national defense, and monitoring the quality of perishables in the food and beverage sector.
Microfluidics in biomarker detection, drug discovery, and environmental safety
The microfluidics industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent times because of its greater penetration in notable applications. This technology powers many point-of-care tests that are used to detect important biomarkers. It enables rapid analyses of the bloodstream to monitor patient’s glucose levels and detect whether a patient has acquired an infectious disease. Furthermore, advanced microfluidic devices are used in blood chemistry panels to offer an update on organ functionalities and help find abnormalities.
Furthermore, researchers use this technology in an efficient drug discovery process. They break up biopsy samples into individual cells and then place them in microfluidic chips. These devices imitate in-vivo conditions and help them launch a treatment plan by understanding how cell types interact with certain drugs. This further helps design effective drugs for patients dealing with chronic diseases.
Furthermore, microfluidics is also used in cell culture and tissue engineering where this technology is mainly used to stimulate an in vitro environment for applications. This approach promotes ingrown tissue development to build artificial structures. Modern microfluidic devices offer a more accurate model for drug development, personalized medicine, and disease modeling compared to traditional methods. In addition, this advanced technology also helps automate gene-editing workflow. Its compact, droplet-based mechanisms put gene-editing materials directly into a cell. This further allows researchers to insert, replace, or delete parts of a DNA sequence with greater precision and accuracy. Nowadays, microfluidics is also widely used in water and air quality analysis by detecting pollutants, microorganisms, bacteria, and various other contaminants in real time.
Allozymes and Adisseo’s innovative collaboration for sustainable animal feed production
In August 2024, Allozymes, a leading biotechnology company announced its partnership with Adisseo, a renowned animal nutrition company. With this agreement, the companies aimed to develop groundbreaking processes for animal feed ingredient production. This collaboration indicates a prominent step toward a sustainable future for the animal feed industry. Allozymes envisioned designing and optimizing enzymes aligning with the production goals and needs of Adisseo. The company has utilized technology that has engineered enzymes to create more efficient and eco-friendly manufacturing processes. Unlike conventional processes that mostly rely on much slower protein engineering, the firm has made use of an exclusive microfluidics platform to design custom enzymes with enhanced functionalities within a few seconds. This cutting-edge system develops, screens, and optimizes millions of enzymes simultaneously, allowing researchers to pick the superior one in a simple way. Peyman Salehian, the CEO of Allozymes, said that by joining hands with Adisseo, the company has envisioned expanding its portfolio across Europe by offering the best solutions in animal feed production.
Final words
Microfluidics has showcased notable applications in various sectors by offering a unique approach to fluid management. Its potential to integrate complicated laboratory functions into compact systems has helped researchers bring innovations in diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and drug development. Moreover, continuous integration of modern technologies such as 3D models, smartphone-based systems, and wearable devices is expected to create lucrative opportunities for the industry in the years to come.
To gain more insights into the emerging applications of microfluidics, contact our esteemed analysts today. For any further assistance, you can also chat with them here.
✍ **𝑨𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓: Rosy Behera