Microfluidics and Nanofluidics - Interviews with Associate Editors
Dr. Qiao Lin
Please tell us briefly about yourself, your background/experience, and research interests.
Qiao Lin is a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Columbia University. He received the Ph.D. degree in robotics in 1998 from Caltech, where he also conducted postdoctoral work on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). He was on the Mechanical Engineering faculty at Carnegie Mellon from 2000 to 2005. Professor Lin has been directing the Columbia BioMEMS Laboratory since 2005. His research centers on micro- and nanoscale devices as applied to biological sensing and manipulation, with an emphasis on controlling, sensing and characterizing biological systems by integrating MEMS transducers with microfluidic capabilities. Specific research thrusts in his laboratory include micro- and nanobiosensors, aptamer-based microfluidic systems, and microfluidic manipulation and control of biomolecules and cells.
What ongoing or recent projects have you been most excited about? Any recent publications?
We recently started a research project in therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), focusing on rapid measurement of antibiotics in critical care settings. In this NIH-funded project, our team of biomedical and engineering researchers at Columbia aim to enhance TDM technology for precision medicine applications. We will develop streamlined TDM protocols utilizing nucleic acid chemistry, as well as nanobiosensing and microfluidic technologies, to provide real-time drug concentration data in critically ill patients. This approach will allow personalized drug dosing adjustments, thereby minimizing adverse effects and improving treatment outcomes. We are excited about the potential of the approach to revolutionize therapeutic drug monitoring in critical care and look forward to publishing results from this project.
How would you describe Microfluidics and Nanofluidics to fellow researchers and academics? What, in your opinion, sets the journal apart from other journals in the field?
Microfluidics and Nanofluidics distinguishes itself by focusing on advancing microfluidic and nanofluidic understanding and applications and featuring cutting-edge developments in these advancements. The journal also notably requires the inclusion of experimental validation of theoretical and numerical studies in submitted manuscripts.
Which papers published in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics in recent years are of greatest interest to you?
I have come across numerous papers published in "Microfluidics and Nanofluidics" that well align with my research interests in microfluidic biological manipulation and micro/nanobiosensing. For example, I hold a keen interest in continuous and real-time measurement of biomarkers in both physiological and synthetic contexts, with the aim of advancing clinical therapeutics. In this regard, I am intrigued by papers such as “Real‑time sensors for live monitoring of disease and drug analysis in microfluidic model of proximal tubule” by A. Asif et al. (Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 24, 43, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-020-02347-1 (this opens in a new tab)).
Dr. Nam-Trung Nguyen
Please tell us briefly about yourself, your background/experience, and research interests.
I’m a professor and director of Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. I have been in Australia for 10 years. Before that, I’ve worked as a faculty member of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. I received my education, doctoral and professional degree (Dr. Ing. Habil.) from Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany. My research interests span across all areas of microfluidics, from fundamental flow phenomena to device development to Lab-on-a-chip applications.
What ongoing or recent projects have you been most excited about? Any recent publications?
Recently, I have been awarded with the Australian Laureate Fellowship 2023, the most prestigious research fellowship in Australia to focus in the next 5 years on the emerging field of micro elastofluidics. The research field utilises flow/structure interactions in molecular and device scales to address current challenges in wearable and implantable devices. I’ve coined the terns of micro elastofluidics in an editorial for the journal Micromachines a few years ago and now have a change to make it reality.
How would you describe Microfluidics and Nanofluidics to fellow researchers and academics? What, in your opinion, sets the journal apart from other journals in the field?
Microfluidics and Nanofluidics is a journal that bridges fundamental flow phenomena with practical applications. It is a journal that publishes fundamental microscale flow physics, and not only applications of microfluidics and nanofluidics.
Which papers published in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics in recent years are of greatest interest to you?
The developments reported in this paper: DOI: 10.1007/s10404-020-02371-1
Dr. Che-Hsin Lin
Please tell us briefly about yourself, your background, and research interests
See my full bio below:
Dr. Che-Hsin Lin received the BS degree in the Department of Chemical Engineering from National Taiwan University, Taiwan, in 1994. He received his MS and PhD degrees in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering from National Cheng Kung University in 1996 and 2002, respectively. During his Ph.D period, he worked in the Micromachine Group of National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC) from 1998 to 2000. He is currently a distinguished professor in the department of Mechanical and Electromechanical Engineering and Chair Professor of ASE group, Kaohsiung. He also serves as the Secretary General of ASME Taiwan Section since 2019. He has been served as the general chair of several conferences and the technical program committee (TPC) member for MicroTAS, IEEE MEMS and Transducers conferences for a couple of times.
What ongoing or recent projects have you been most excited about? Any recent publications?
Dr. Lin has published over 120 SCI journal papers, 200 conference papers, and filed 150 patents (129 patents granted) in the past 25 years. In Google Scholar, citations of all Dr. Lee’s papers are over 22,100 times with an h-index of 76. His research interests encompass a wide array of areas, including MEMS fabrication technologies, bio-MEMS, microfluidic systems, bio-photonics, semiconductor packaging technology, 3D printed bio-implants, and the applications of atmospheric plasma. For more detailed information on Dr. Lin's recent publications and other academic achievements, interested parties can refer to Google Scholar (this opens in a new tab) and Research Gate (this opens in a new tab) systems.
How would you describe Microfluidics and Nanofluidics to fellow researchers and academics? What, in your opinion, sets the journal apart from other journals in the field?
Microfluidic biochip technology has emerged as a transformative platform for advancing bioanalytical and industrial applications. This journal presents cutting-edge research on miniaturized fluid devices, fluid mechanics in micro/nano scales, novel fluid phenomena, and the manipulation of cells/particles within these miniaturized systems. The inclusion of experimental validation is of paramount significance for the acceptance and publication of submitted manuscripts, ensuring that the reported findings hold practical value and can be readily adopted in real-world applications.
Which papers published in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics in recent years are of greatest interest to you?
I find many papers published in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics intriguing and worthy of reading. It is hard to select a “greatest interesting” paper since the related knowledge cannot be summarized in a single journal paper. To stay updated with the latest scientific developments in the field, I believe it is essential to continue reading relevant journals, such as Microfluidics and Nanofluidics.
Dr. Pak Kin Wong
Please tell us briefly about yourself, your background/experience, and research interests.
I am a professor of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Surgery at the Pennsylvania State University. My research group develops precision diagnostic systems based on single-cell biosensors, microfluidics, and artificial intelligence strategies.
What ongoing or recent projects have you been most excited about? Any recent publications?
Our most recent projects include single-cell biosensors aimed at identifying biomarkers associated with collective cancer invasion and rapidly characterizing the microbial community in both health and disease conditions. As an example, a recent article (https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2305410120) from my group details the use of patient-derived 3D spheroids and a molecular biosensor targeting a long non-coding RNA to shed light on the invasion mechanism of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Presently, we are actively engaged in translating these findings into a microfluidic assay that could aid in bladder cancer prognosis.
How would you describe Microfluidics and Nanofluidics to fellow researchers and academics? What, in your opinion, sets the journal apart from other journals in the field?
Microfluidics and Nanofluidics is the hub of the latest development of microfluidics, nanofluidics, and lab-on-a-chip science and technology. We published articles spanning from fundamental microfluidic and nanofluidic sciences to the latest applications of lab-on-a-chip technology.
Which papers published in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics in recent years are of greatest interest to you?
I have come across some interesting articles in recent years that use 3D culture models and organ-on-chip technologies for tissue and disease modeling (e.g., Microfluidics and Nanofluidics volume 27, Article number: 50 (2023); Microfluidics and Nanofluidics volume 27, Article number: 21 (2023); Microfluidics and Nanofluidics volume 24, Article number: 43 (2020); Microfluidics and Nanofluidics volume 23, Article number: 99 (2019)). I believe these articles show the growing trend of applying microfluidics and nanofluidics in important biological and medical research, which will have a significant impact on our society. I'm excited to see that Microfluidics and Nanofluidics plays a vital role in disseminating these important breakthroughs.