The topic of this book is the development of automated and inexpensive tools that transfer medical tests from a specialized clinical laboratory directly to the point of care, using biochip technology. Immediate access to medically relevant biochemical information for doctors and nurses promises to revolutionize patient care and dramatically lower costs. The miniaturization and automation of medical tests are made possible by biochip technology, that integrates advances in integrated circuits, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microfluidics, and electronics. The target audience for this book includes engineering and biomedical researchers who would like to develop or apply biochip technology. They can use this book as a review of the field and as a guide for the development of novel biochip technology for point of care medicine. This book can also be used as a teaching tool for engineering and biomedical students, as as well as a reference for physicians and health professionals.

Inhalt
Part I: Motivation.- Introduction to BioChips.- The Context and the Potential Impact for Improved Point of Care Diagnostics.- An Introduction to Contemporary Clinical Laboratory Medicine.- PART II: Fluid Handling.- Ultra Low Cost Passive Microfluidics.- Active Microfluidics - Pumps, Gates, Valves, and Heaters.- Digital Microfluidics - Electrowetting on Printed Circuit Boards.- Hybrid Integrated Circuit / Microfluidic Chips.- Part III: Detection.- Nanoparticle Based Medical Diagnostics.- Miniaturized Fluorescence Based Flow Cytometry.- Holographic Cell Imaging on a Chip.- Single Molecule Detection with Optical Sensing Arrays.- Dielectric Detection of Biochemical Assays.- Radio Frequency Dielectric Flow Cytometry.- Diagnostic Magnetic Resonance for Disease Detection.- Mass-Based Detection and Characterization of Biochemistry and Living Cells.