SEAS Microfluidics Lab Set To Open

A new microfluidics teaching lab—designed to bring cutting-edge research to the classroom—will open its doors to undergraduates and faculty affiliates at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences this semester.

Microfluidics is the study of the flow of fluids at extremely small volumes, with functions ranging from inkjet printheads to DNA microtechnology. The science relies on building devices called microfluidic chips to study those fluids.

The lab is meant to foster a hands-on approach to learning and has been a long-term vision of Anas Chalah, director of undergraduate teaching labs at SEAS. Chalah, who cited Harvard as the birthplace of microfluidic studies, hopes that the facility will expose undergraduates to research at the cutting edge.

“The sky is the limit in this field, and we are excited to bring this technology to the teaching labs so that undergrads can gain experience before joining a research lab,” Chalah said. “This is really rare, and Harvard is a magnificent place for students to be exposed to these technologies.”

Chalah called microfluidics a field that addresses every discipline in the engineering sciences. He also noted that the facility seeks to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue between biological and physical science concentrators. For example, students interested in mechanical engineering can build microfluidic chips that monitor fluid dynamics, while those following a bioengineering track can use the same devices to analyze blood samples.

“People are excited from both ends, whether they’re mechanical engineers or bioengineers,” said Chalah. “We’re really proud of this lab because we can support many classes.”

In addition to studying fluid samples, students will also be given the opportunity to build their own microfluidic chips. Chalah said that while a simple commercial chip can cost up to $600, his devices—developed by Joe Childs, a high school physics instructor at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School—can cost as little as $10.

The lab has already been incorporated as an experimental component of Engineering Sciences 123: “Introduction to Fluid Mechanics and Transport Processes.”

Chalah said that the collaboration has generated excitement among faculty affiliates.

“It’s a very concrete illustration of the class—and a way for students to connect to the cutting edge,” said Daniel Needleman, assistant professor of applied physics and instructor of ES 123.

Undergraduates in the class echoed Needleman’s comments.

“Microfluidics is a very useful device—there are many applications to many fields, especially in biomedical engineering,” said Nan R. Du ’12, an engineering concentrator currently enrolled in ES 123. “There’s going to be a lot of interesting research that Harvard undergraduates can do.”

—Staff writer Radhika Jain contributed to the reporting of this article.

—Staff writer Amy Guan can be reached at guan@fas.harvard.edu.