Advancing Microfluidic Technologies for Applications in Chemical Synthesis, Biosensing, & Microphysiological Systems

Abstract

Microfluidic technologies have transformed biomedical research by enabling precise control of small fluid volumes, supporting advances in diagnostics, chemical synthesis, and tissue modelling. This thesis investigates simulation-informed microfluidic strategies with a focus on chemical synthesis, passive biosensing, and biomimetic liver-on-a-chip design. Through experimentally validated and computationally supported studies, the work demonstrates how tailored microfluidic architectures can address key challenges in biomedical engineering.

The thesis begins with a critical review of microfluidic approaches in chemical synthesis, biosensing, and microphysiological systems, highlighting current trends and design considerations. Experimental investigations then examine droplet microfluidics for the controlled synthesis of gold microparticles, establishing a reproducible and scalable platform for generating uniform materials with potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This is followed by an investigation of inertial microfluidics, where channel geometry and flow optimisation enable passive, label-free particle focusing and separation, demonstrating the technique’s simplicity and suitability for high-throughput biological processing.

The final study presents a computationally guided liver-on-a-chip platform designed using full-scale COMSOL Multiphysics simulations to replicate physiological shear stress and solute gradients within the liver acinus. Experimental validation confirms the platform’s capability for drug screening, nanopaterial interaction studies, and metabolic profiling.

Collectively, this work advances microfluidic engineering by delivering scalable, biomimetic, and application-driven solutions, and concludes by outlining future directions toward integrated, multifunctional microfluidic systems with translational potential.