Ko J, Lee J
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon-si, South Korea.
Biomicrofluidics. 2025 May 1;19(3):031301. doi: 10.1063/5.0251893. eCollection 2025 May.
Recent advances in microfluidic technology have shown the importance of precise temperature control in a wide range of biological applications. This perspective review presents a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art microfluidic platforms that utilize thermal modulation for various applications, such as rapid nucleic acid amplification, targeted hyperthermia for cancer therapy, and efficient cellular lysis. We detail various heating mechanisms-including nanoparticle-driven induction, photothermal conversion, and electrothermal approaches (both external and on-chip)-and discuss how they are integrated within lab-on-a-chip systems. In parallel, advanced multi-modal sensing methods within microfluidics, ranging from conventional integrated sensors to cutting-edge quantum-based techniques using nanodiamond nitrogen-vacancy centers and suspended microchannel resonators, are highlighted. By integrating advanced multi-modal sensing capabilities into these microfluidic platforms, a broader range of applications are enabled, including single-cell analysis, metabolic profiling, and scalable diagnostics. Looking ahead, overcoming challenges in system integration, scalability, and cost-effectiveness will be essential to harnessing their full potential. Future developments in this field are expected to drive the evolution of lab-on-a-chip technologies, ultimately enabling breakthroughs in precision medicine and high-throughput biomedical applications.
微流控技术的最新进展表明,精确的温度控制在广泛的生物应用中至关重要。这篇观点综述全面概述了利用热调制实现各种应用的先进微流控平台,如快速核酸扩增、用于癌症治疗的靶向热疗以及高效细胞裂解。我们详细介绍了各种加热机制,包括纳米颗粒驱动感应、光热转换和电热方法(外部和芯片上的),并讨论了它们如何集成到芯片实验室系统中。同时,还重点介绍了微流控领域中先进的多模态传感方法,从传统的集成传感器到使用纳米金刚石氮空位中心和悬浮微通道谐振器的前沿量子技术。通过将先进的多模态传感能力集成到这些微流控平台中,可实现更广泛的应用,包括单细胞分析、代谢谱分析和可扩展诊断。展望未来,克服系统集成、可扩展性和成本效益方面的挑战对于充分发挥其潜力至关重要。该领域的未来发展有望推动芯片实验室技术的演进,最终在精准医学和高通量生物医学应用方面取得突破。