Monthly Archives: January 2010

Wikipedia list of academic microfluidics research

By Lily | Published: January 23, 2010
It turns out that Wikipedia has an extensive list of academic microfluidics/bioMEMS research groups worldwide. Although the list is long, there are probably many groups missing. I know this because when I first found the page, only one group from MIT was mentioned (there are at least nine). I’ve since remedied that situation — my [...]
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Starting with the solution vs. the problem

By Lily | Published: January 20, 2010
Two approaches to technology research: starting with the solution or starting with the problem. Both work, and many academic research groups use a combination. But they’re different ways of thinking. In grad school our group started with a solution (microfluidic technology) and looked for ways to apply it. Sometimes this could get frustrating. You can [...]
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Recent clinical trials of microfluidic devices

By Lily | Published: January 19, 2010
After I heard about a clinical trial for a microfluidic device that detects circulating cancer cells, I started wondering how many other microfluidic devices are in clinical trials.  A quick search turned up only seven studies (and two of those were withdrawn). Interestingly, five of the seven trials have some connection to the University of [...]
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Microfluidics for studying cancer metastasis

By Lily | Published: January 17, 2010
What causes cancer cells to become metastatic, moving beyond their local environment to infiltrate other parts of the body? Some researchers have called metastasis “the most dangerous event in cancer,” and many believe that a better understanding of metastasis could lead to new cancer treatments. Microfluidics researchers have long been investigating metastasis, because metastasis is all [...]
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Natural technology evolution vs. failed innovation

By Lily | Published: January 13, 2010
I loved David Rotman’s recent Technology Review article “Shoveling Water” on why the commercialization of microfluidics has been so slow. (I wrote about it here.) Later I realized it reminded me of an article I read earlier this year by Michael Mandel of Business Week on “The Failed Promise of Innovation in the US.”  [...]
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A new era for DIY science

By Lily | Published: January 8, 2010
Lately DIY science seems to be everywhere. A few weeks ago Nature Biotechnology published an article on the DIYbio movement, while Technology Review wrote about how to take pictures of the earth from space for $150. And don’t forget the rise of O’Reilly’s Make Magazine. Although people have been programming (and building!) computers at home [...]
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What’s microfluidics? Why blog about it?

By Lily | Published: January 3, 2010
To ring in the New Year, I’ve added a new page to the site (see the “What’s Microfluidics?” link at the top of the screen) briefly explaining what microfluidics is and why I write about it. Even though the field has been around for decades, microfluidics and bioMEMS haven’t yet penetrated the mainstream. Hopefully this [...]
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