Design Automation and Simulation for Microfluidics

The domain of microfluidic biochips is a multidisciplinary field which deals with the precise control and manipulation of fluids in the micro-scale. Corresponding biochips, often also known as "Lab-on-a-Chip" (LoC), are used to realize experiments or operations in domains such as medicine, (bio-)chemistry, biology, pharmacology, etc. The main idea is to realize assays, which are originally conducted in bulky and expensive laboratories, on a minimized, integrated, and automated single device.

However, the design and layout of microfluidic devices have become considerably complex tasks. Channels must be properly dimensioned and connected, the used samples and chemicals must be injected into the chip at the right pressure, and mixing, heating, or incubation processes must be initiated at the right time. This requires dedicated expertise on a huge number of physical parameters and, additionally, is mainly conducted by hand thus far. Moreover, the slightest changes in the assay easily render an already existing design useless and require a re-design of the device.