Digital microfluidics for bioanalysis

This chapter outlines the status quo of digital microfluidic (DMF) from the aspects of theoretical background, chip fabrication, device integration, and biological applications. As a rapidly developing field, DMF is expected to have a wide influence in bioanalysis. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a popular technique for the identification and quantification of various analytes for bioanalysis. As of detection methods, optical detection, electrochemical detection, MS, and field-effect transistor have been integrated with DMF devices, allowing diverse signal readout for further applications. As integrated DMF techniques mature rapidly in recent years, they show great promise for portable bioanalysis development for commercial applications beyond academic fields. DMF presents many dramatical advantages, which make it an attractive and promising candidate for various applications. The biggest challenge of using DMF in biological systems is biofouling because nucleic acids and proteins tend to adsorb on the chip surface, which may cause sample loss or cross-contamination.