Abstract
Developments in High Throughput Screening aim at maximizing the number of samples per time and reducing the cost per sample, e.g., by applying very small sample volumes. The ultimate technological step in miniaturization is moving from microtiter plate wells to droplets, and from batch-wise characterization to the continuous preparation and analysis of samples. A range of drop-based microfluidic screening platforms has emerged that benefit from drop-formation rates of thousands per second, perfect drop size uniformity, plug-flow and compartmentalization, and the possibility of continuously analyzing a train of drops. However, after many years of intensive research, only few commercial applications have been developed and substantial development in the field is still required to make them reliable and broadly applicable. Can academic research achieve this, given that most of the fundamental concepts have been described already, making it hard to publish a big story? Can start-up companies raise enough money to overcome the technical issues of drop-based screening platforms? This contribution addresses the question, focusing on how the different stakeholders in the field should interact so that disillusionment will not put a premature end to the development of drop-based screening technologies.
Highlights
Microfluidics is defined as the science and technology associated with the flow of fluids in sub-millimetre channels [1]
Can academic research achieve this, given that most of the fundamental concepts have been described already, making it hard to publish a big story? Can start-up companies raise enough money to overcome the technical issues of drop-based screening platforms? This contribution addresses the question, focusing on how the different stakeholders in the field should interact so that disillusionment will not put a premature end to the development of drop-based screening technologies
We summarize the unique selling points of drop-based microfluidic screening and present specific examples from these subsets to illustrate the technological benefits and challenges, the key business models we see in the field, and the roles of the respective stakeholders in developing a technology to a commercially viable product
Summary
Microfluidics is defined as the science and technology associated with the flow of fluids in sub-millimetre channels [1]. The field of drop-based microfluidics addresses needs and offers specific value propositions in two main areas: The first of these aims at producing specialty materials. It is based on the capability of making precisely controlled drops and capsules in laminar flow. The presence of a second, immiscible phase—the continuous phase—will interfere with certain analytical methods It must be separated from the drop-phase of interest before performing the analysis—an operation that has been performed successfully in academic research ([15,16]). This is the case for the fractionated collection of samples to be analyzed by, e.g., chromatography and mass spectrometry
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