Soft Lithography and Bio Microfluidics

The BioMicrofluidics and Soft Lithography cluster comprises two research laboratories. The first, the "Soft-Lithography" laboratory, is dedicated to the manufacture and characterisation of micro-devices, mainly in flexible polymers such as PDMS. A digitally controlled milling machine is used to machine aluminium and Plexiglas parts in particular, which are then used as moulds for the soft polymers. A range of soft lithography equipment is used to formulate polymer mixtures until the final micro-device is created. These custom-made devices are then used in the BioMicrofluidics laboratory to address various research themes, including cancer and diabetes. This "BioMicrofluidics" laboratory offers, in the same space, an L2 biology laboratory combined with a range of microfluidic equipment, as well as a microscopy area. In this cell biology laboratory, the microfluidic equipment enables microfluidic devices to be perfused, while the microscopy area enables cells to be imaged inside these same devices for real-life imaging of biological mechanisms. Today, there is a strong demand for the development and use of lab-on-chip in many research areas. Microfluidics has become an essential part of biology, and the BioMicrofluidics and Soft Lithography cluster offers a complete working environment to meet this demand.