Welcome to the Core Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) Facility!
The idea of rescaling biochemical processes typically performed in a lab onto a small chip—known as "Lab-on-a-Chip"—gave rise to microfluidics, a research field focused on controlling the movement of tiny amounts of liquid in channels as narrow as a human hair.This field brings together scientists from diverse disciplines to develop and utilize chips for biological, biophysical, and biomedical applications, unlocking unique capabilities. Microfluidic chips can analyze thousands of cells per second while preserving individual cell information. Another key feature is their ability to closely mimic physiological environments and conditions. This capability enables the study of how specific conditions affect cell and organ function, enhancing our understanding of living systems and opening up exciting possibilities for new diagnostics, therapeutic methods, and personalized medicine.
With a wide variety of technologies, materials and methods available, the Core LOC facility provides access to cutting-edge instruments and supports researchers at MPZPM in developing advanced microfluidc chips and micro-tools. We assist scientists throughout the entire process—from initial ideas and design to prototype production and functionality testing— helping to identify the most suitable microfabrication technologies and materials for each specific application.
Our Service
The Core LOC facility leverages expertise in materials science, microfabrication technologies, and microfluidics to provide solutions for manufacturing, characterizing, and testing microfabricated materials and microfluidic chips. We assist researchers in identifying the most effective approaches to transforming ideas into ready-to-test prototypes. Our facility offers access to state-of-the-art microfabrication technologies housed in a clean room, along with a wide range of processing services. Researchers can receive training in performing various tasks themselves. Think of us as your reliable partner in the pursuit of scientific innovation, ready to tackle any challenge, one small chip at a time! Let’s think big and make it small!
Our services include:
- Comprehensive user training
- Consultation on microfluidic chip design and fabrication
- Microstructuring of organic and inorganic materials using photolithography, wet etching, soft lithography, and hot pressing
- Plasma-activated and thermal bonding of glass and polymeric elements
- Photopatterning for biomolecule micropatterning
- Uniform coating deposition with a spin coater
- Roughness and step height measurement using a 3D optical profiler
- Testing of microfluidic chip performance (with fast microscopes, pressure pumps, and flow sensors)
- Production of microdroplets (water-in-oil and oil-in-water microemulsions)
- 2D imaging of the produced microstructured materials via optical microscopy (fluorescent, brightfield, darkfield, and C-DIC)
Our Team
Contact
Core LOC facility
Dr. Salvatore Girardo
Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin
Kussmaulallee 2
91054 Erlangen, Germany
Core facility leader Dr. Salvatore Girardo
"Our goal is to enable the creation of novel micro-tools that help scientists explore how physical parameters influence living systems, advancing models that inspire innovative diagnostics and medical treatments."
Our portfolio
As a result of previous collaborations and research projects, we offer a selection of optimized processes, quality-tested microfluidic chips, and cell-mimicking microgel beads for experimental use. Explore these resources in the scrolling gallery below.
- Master Template with microstructured photoresist on 4” and 6” Silicon Wafers
- Microstructured Polymeric replicas on various materials: PDMS, THV, FlexdymTM
- RT-DC (Real-Time Deformability Cytometry) and soRT-DC (Sorting RT-DC) chips for analyzing and sorting cells based on their physical properties
- Progressive Mechanoporation (PM) chip for high-throughput delivery of cargos into the cell cytosol
- Microfluidic Microcirculation Mimetic (MMMs) chip to simulate physiological cell circulation in vitro
- Hyperbolic Channel (HC) chip for cell deformation under a constant extensional stress
- Droplet Microfluidic (DM) chips for producing monodisperse water-in-oil and oil-in-water microemulsions
- Standardized Microgel Beads mimicking the size and elasticity of cells, including functionalization with active groups, fluorophores and proteins.
