Microfluidics for singe-cell analysis

By creating fluid filled channels on the cellular scale, the field of microfluidics provides a range of new techniques to manipulate and interrogate living cells. The fluid behaviour at the microscale can be very well controlled, providing accurately defined chemical and physical environments for single cells within which precise forces can be applied to probe the cell. This, combined with compatibility with microscopy and the low cost of developing the technologies, make an ideal platform for a wide array of studies. In this talk I will cover some of our work in using microfluidics for single-cell analysis and manipulation.