The concept and development of miniaturized total chemical analysis systems (m-TAS) or lab-on-the chip systems is an emerging field in chemistry. I assume that a lot of scientists appreciate this review article, because it shows a rather complete overview of on-chip microfluidic separation devices together with a comprehensive list of applications at the time point of publication.

The application areas of on-chip analytical devices are numerous. Due to the reduced analysis times compared with traditional separation systems, such as HPLC and capillary electrophoresis, and the nearly unlimited possibilities for parallel sample processing, it is expected that microfabricated separation devices will be used in situations with a need for ultrahigh throughput. So far, most of the applications have been in the field of DNA analysis (sequencing, genotyping). However, the main application areas will probably shift in other directions in the near future. For instance, the demonstrated ability to couple microfabricated systems with mass spectrometers will be the driving force in the important field of proteomics.

  Can you give us some background on this research?

Since the introduction of the m-TAS concept in the early nineties by Andreas Manz and the late Michael Widmer, both working at Ciba-Geigy (now Novartis) in that time, the field develops at an exponential rate. It has been shown during the last five years that chips with various integrated steps for sample preparation, separation, chemical reactions and detection and chips designed to handle multiple samples can be used for very different analytical applications, such as PCR-CE, enzyme and immunoassays, ultrahigh throughput analysis, protein analysis, environmental monitoring, single molecule detection etc, etc. The relatively fast introduction of commercial instrumentation and the strong increase in research activities, both in academic institutions and in industry, demonstrate the interest and importance of this field of chemistry.

A lot of work summarized in this review is devoted to the integration of the different steps of an analytical process, such as sample pretreatment, separation and detection, into a single miniaturized flow system. This creates the right conditions for analytical systems with better analytical performance, better process control and higher throughput. This technology can be used to carry out biological and clinical analyses, to perform combinatorial chemistry and to perform full-scale analyses from sample introduction to chemical separation and detection, on a single, miniaturized device. The increasing use of automated, miniaturized devices will certainly simplify the job of the analyst in the laboratory.

Gerard Bruin, Ph.D.
Preclinical Safety Europe
Novartis Pharma AG Basel,
Switzerland