Every time it rains,
I get microfluidics on the brain.

That's not entirely relevant to today's blog posting, but I thought it was true enough... plus, it rhymes, so, that's kind of neat.

Researchers at Harvard's SEAS have put together a new chip with some pretty fantastic measurement and detection capabilities.

The platform combines a high throughput microfluidic device with 62 high powered lenses to create a new kind of optical lab-on-a-chip device.

The researchers—including Dr. Crozier and Ethan Schonbrun a graduate student at SEAS—claim that the whole system has the sensitivity of a large microscope, describing it as a "massively parallel approach." On top of that, the device can test up to 200,000 drops per second... and Dr. Crozier hopes to be able to push that further.

The team is optimistic that the device could enhance microfluidic and lab-on-chip devices for use in applications such as in-the-field biological assays.

The work is described in full in Lab on a Chip (Issue 5, 2010).

2010 is proving to be an exciting year already for Biomicrofluidics (BMF). After closing out Volume 3 (2009) by nearly tripling the number of articles we published in Volume 2 (2008), we have started our first issue with a good number of high quality articles.It doesn't hurt that we have a new improved platform here on Scitation (dubbed C3, click to learn more).

The journal had healthy representation in Korea—specifically in Jeju—for the 2009 µTAS meeting, as well as China, where we had a chance to speak with Mais Jebrail at the 9th Asian-Pacific International Symposium on Microscale Separations and Analysis (APCE 2009) and the 1st Asian-Pacific International Symposium on Lab on Chip (APLOC 2009) held in Shanghai, on Oct 28-31, 2009. Take a listen to the Mais Jebrail interview and older podcasts.

There are more exciting things in store for the journal this year in terms of strategies, topical sections, conference coverage, etc., but I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there, to tell you about some of the exciting new stuff we've published so far in 2010.

Two articles in our new "Brief Communications" section: this new section is for the more-rapid publication (more rapid than our already speedy process, that is) of research in a fast moving field. Things move fast in the world of biomicrofluidics, and this is BMF's attempt to capture new research a little quicker.

Presentations from the 13th IACIS International Conference On Surface And Colloid Science And The 83rd Acs Colloid & Surface Science Symposium: Last year's meeting was held at nearby Columbia University, in New York City, and we're proud to support all the fine research that was presented. Our co-editors, Hseuh-Chia Chang and Leslie Yeo, were both in attendance and chose a few of the most intriguing talks and invited them to publish in Biomicrofluidics.

It isn't the standard modus operandi for this blog to act as a blower for BMF's horn, so don't expect to see The Flow turn into a discussion on new journal features. Do expect, however, a more dynamically (read: more frequently) updated and interesting environment here at The Flow. It's been a long time in the works, but it is ultimately our goal at AIP to create an environment where researchers and the general public feel comfortable having a conversation about microfluidics—a difficult task indeed, but we've seen glimpses of it here... now we can really get the ball rolling.