Dolomite Microfluidics highlights of MicroTAS 2019
Another year of MicroTAS has passed us by, and we’d like to give you an update on our time spent at the 23rd International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences!
Our team were welcomed to Switzerland with a sunny autumn day, as they touched down in Basel to set-up the Dolomite Microfluidics booth. Ready for the doors to open on Monday 28th October, our booth and team welcomed 1,300 scientists and professionals from around the world! MicroTAS is one of the top international forums offering the latest research results in microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies, including: microfabrication, nanotechnology, integration, materials and surfaces, analysis and synthesis, and detection technologies for life science and chemistry. This annual event is a highlight of the year for Dolomite Microfluidics, it’s an opportunity for us to co-host event activities and many fun competitions!
First up, we co-hosted the Trivia Night with ETH Zurich on the first evening of the conference. This student mixer invited 250+ delegates from the conference to a fun, but very competitive(!), trivia night. The winning team received Dolomite Microfluidics sweatshirts – see pictures below of the winners! LOTS of Swiss chocolates were being passed around to non-winning teams…it looked like a win-win situation to us 😉 (ah, the benefits of being in Switzerland!).
Next, we presented the award for 14th Pioneers of Miniaturization Lectureship Competition, which we co-host with Lab on a Chip. This award recognises the talent of early to mid-career scientists who have made extraordinary or outstanding contributions to the understanding or development of miniaturised systems. Our winner this year, Hang Lu, is the Love Family Professor at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology. Hang Lu presented a short lecture during the conference on her pioneering work in microfluidics – work which included using microfluidic systems for imaging and performing genetic studies with small organisms, primarily the nematode C. elegans – after being awarded a certificate and prize by our CEO, Mark Gilligan. Well done, Hang Lu!
At our booth, we ran a Daily Dolomite competition, where attendees entered their name for the chance to win a Dolomite Microfluidics 100 µm Droplet Junction Chip. Check out our winners on Twitter. Our team were happy to meet with many interesting researchers and scientists working in different areas of microfluidics at the booth; it was great to meet so many people with a shared passion for microfluidics!
In addition to the above, the MicroTAS programme included lots of thought-provoking oral presentations and scientific posters. We had an awesome time and we’re already looking forward to the next MicroTAS in Palm Springs, California, 2020! 😊