Themed collection Focus on Canada

Guest Editors David Juncker, David Sinton and Aaron Wheeler highlight the contribution of Canadian research to microfluidics.

Contributors to the Canada issue.

The historical background of microfluidics research within Canada is discussed from the personal perspective of the author, D. Jed Harrison.

We review recent developments in microfluidics-based chemotaxis studies and discuss the new trends in this field.

This article reviews recent advances in microfluidic techniques for single-cell biophysical characterization. The advantages and limitations of the techniques are discussed.

This critical review examines developments in the on-chip implementation of nanohole array based sensors, examining relevant fabrication methods and operation schemes.

We demonstrate a rechargeable membraneless redox battery integrated in a microfluidic chip.

Both 6 and 8-channel integrated microfluidic sample pretreatment devices capable of performing “in space” sample fractionation, collection, preconcentration and elution of captured analytes via sheath flow assisted electrokinetic pumping are described.

This paper reports the development of microfluidic oxygenator (MFO) units designed for a lung assist device (LAD) for newborn infants.

We have developed a proof-of-concept electrochemical Lab-on-a-CD system for fast and parallel whole blood analysis.

Miniature gate valve for actively controlling liquid flow in a scalable manner at a footprint of less than one square millimetre.

A method for measuring the equilibrium GOR (gas–oil ratio) of reservoir fluids using microfluidic technology is developed.

We present an integrated thermoplastic elastomer based multilayer microfluidic device with an embedded peristaltic micropump and through-holes membrane for high throughput particle sorting and separation.

A new type of magnetically-driven valves capable of counting the time and controlling fluid flows accordingly in paper-based microfluidic devices.

We present a LOC approach to quantitatively determine the Young's modulus of the Camellia pollen tube cell wall based on a whole cell bending test.

A bilayer membrane microfluidic device incorporating a cell-seeded hydrogel is developed to model the 3D microenvironment of blood vessels and heart valves, enabling study of heterotypic cardiovascular cell communication in physiologically-relevant environments.

A self-contained cassette tests 16 patients for multi-sample, multi-target PCR, with integrated quality controls.

10⁻⁷ refractive index unit bulk index change resolution achieved monitoring transmission intensity changes through elliptical nanohole arrays with symmetric index substrate in an atomically flat gold film.

We present a lab-on-a-chip approach to study pore-scale salt precipitation dynamics during CO₂ sequestration in saline aquifers—a challenge with this carbon management strategy.

We present the application of carbon nanotubes for low-voltage cell electroporation performed in a microfluidic device.

Optical trapping of a single protein followed by co-trapping of its antibody is demonstrated using a double nanohole.

A microfluidic origami device comprising a two-plate-to-one-plate digital microfluidic interface and mass spectrometry emitter.

Templated electrodeposition of high-performance nanostructured microelectrodes is studied in depth, and an optimal set of materials for cost-effective, reproducible biosensor chips are identified.

In this work, we introduce an integrated, electrospray mass spectrometry-coupled microfluidic chip that supports the complete workflow for ‘bottom up’ hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) pulse labelling experiments.

We explore the application of the “direct injection” method for the preparation of microgels.

Single cell transport in microfluidic devices is a topic of interest as their utility is becoming appreciated by cell and molecular biologist.