Biochips

Biochips are microfabricated devices that perform biological analyses by integrating microfluidics, biosensors, and biochemical recognition elements on a compact substrate. They automate the handling of small sample volumes and can process many assays in parallel, contributing to faster experimentation and diagnostics.

Biochips cover several technologies, including DNA microarrays, protein microarrays, and lab-on-a-chip devices. DNA microarrays fixedly attach thousands of nucleic acid probes to a surface to detect hybridization with target sequences, enabling gene expression profiling, genotyping, and mutation detection. Protein microarrays use immobilized antibodies or other capture molecules to study proteomes, interactions, and biomarker panels. Lab-on-a-chip systems integrate microfluidic channels, reservoirs, valves, pumps, and sensors to automate routines such as sample preparation, mixing, separation, and detection within a single small device.

The development of biochips began in the late 1980s and gained prominence in the 1990s with DNA microarrays, while the broader lab-on-a-chip concept matured through advances in microfabrication and microfluidics. Advances in surface chemistry, electronics, and nanomaterials have expanded capabilities and integration with traditional laboratory workflows.

Applications span research, medicine, and industry. In research, biochips enable genomics, proteomics, and cell-based studies. In diagnostics, they support point-of-care testing, infectious disease screening, and personalized medicine approaches. In industry, they are used for drug discovery, environmental monitoring, and food safety testing.

Key advantages include reduced reagent use, lower costs per test at scale, and faster, high-throughput analysis. Challenges involve reproducibility and standardization, data management and interpretation, integration of complex sample types, regulatory considerations, and manufacturing costs.