The Lab on a Chip Industry Workshop –Microfluidic Applications was successfully held on August 2-3, 2014, in Dalian, China. This workshop was co-organized by Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), CAS and Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). The co-chairs of this workshop were Prof. Jianhua Qin from DICP, CAS and Dr. Harpal Minhas, the chief editor of Lab on a Chip from RSC. Prof. Jinghua Qin chaired the opening ceremony. Prof. Shengli Yang and Prof. Xueming Yang from DICP delivered the opening remarks and welcome address, respectively.
This workshop focused on the innovative developments in Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) technology and applications of microfluidics in diagnostics, biological, material, pharmaceutical, and environmental sciences. In addition, the state-of-art technology and the technical barriers that have to be overcome to address the challenging were discussed as well. This meeting also highlighted the industrial developments, processes and insights from the companies associated with the manufacture of microfluidics and LOC technologies.
Almost 180 participants from 10 countries worldwide attended the workshop and presented the new advances on micro/nanofluidics and LOC technologies from the academia and industry. During the two-day meeting, industry exhibitions and poster presentations were arranged. In addition, the industry roundtable was made as a special session to discuss the topics of Point of Care (POC) issues associated with LOC technologies and translation of academic ideas to industry developments.
It demonstrated that this workshop provided a good platform for communication, exchange and share the ideas between academia and industry in the area of microfluidics and LOC technology. It exhibited as an intellectually stimulating and rewarding event to accelerate the LOC activities in China and promote the collaboration between China and international regions. (Text by Jingyun Ma /Photo by Wansheng Liu)
