Biomicrofluidics: recent trends and future challenges

Biomicrofluidics is an active area of research at present, exploring the synergy of microfluidics with cellular and molecular biology, biotechnology, and biomedical engineering. The present article outlines the recent advancements in these areas, including the development of novel lab-on-a-chip based applications. Particular emphasis is given on the microfluidics-based handling of DNA, cells, and proteins, as well as fundamental microfluidic considerations for design of biomedical microdevices. Future directions of research on these topics are also discussed