The 29th edition of the International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (µTAS 2025) was held from November 2 to 6, 2025, at the Adelaide Convention Centre in Australia. The conference took place in the southern hemisphere for the first time of its history, a great occasion to share the floor with a new audience of the microfluidics community, in a new geographical and cultural setting.
This year’s conference was chaired by Michael Breadmore (University of Tasmania), Rosanne Guijt (Deakin University), and Craig Priest (University of South Australia). The opening ceremony paid tribute to the indigenous peoples of the region through a Djridou performance and an invocation of the ancestors, setting a meaningful tone for the event!
This edition was also a milestone for our Paris-based Elveflow team, who travelled to Adelaide for the very first time. The journey was an opportunity to connect directly with researchers from across Australia, share our expertise in pressure-based flow control, and better understand the local scientific landscape. It was also a moment of discovery on a more personal level, with a chance to meet some of the unique Australian wildlife that was brought to the convention centre during the event.
The Chemical and Biological Microsystems Society (CBMS), the non-profit organization behind the MicroTAS series, demonstrated their ongoing support to the community, including funding travel grants for more than 200 students to attend the 2025 meeting in Adelaide.
A few announcements were also shared about upcoming editions:
µTAS (Micro total-analysis systems) is widely recognized as a central forum for advances in microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip systems, organ-on-chip technologies, BioMEMS, microfabrication, nanotechnology, 3D printing, and their applications across chemistry, life sciences, medicine, environmental monitoring, energy, agriculture, and food science.
The 2025 edition highlighted four major thematic areas through its Hot Topic sessions:
Beyond its scientific focus, the conference also emphasized sustainability. The venue, the Adelaide Convention Centre, has maintained EarthCheck Master status for more than 15 years, reflecting long-term commitments to environmentally responsible practices.
In this µTAS 2025 edition, a diversity of themes were explored but also a diversity of community with a lot of traction in this south hemisphere localization! The Elveflow team noted:
The scientific tone of µTAS 2025 was set early through a series of keynote lectures that highlighted how rapidly microfluidics is evolving across scales, materials, and applications. Among plenary sessions and keynote presentations, researchers explored the fundamental advances in microfabrication and the increasing translation of lab-on-chip technologies into biological modelling, diagnostics, and therapeutic applications.
A recurring theme emerged: miniaturization is no longer the objective on its own, it is a gateway to biological relevance, predictive modelling, and clinically actionable science. Speakers illustrated how microscale systems achieve what traditional platforms cannot: single-cell resolution, dynamic microenvironments, multimodal readouts, and high-throughput studies that still reflect physiological reality.
To illustrate this shift, we highlight three plenaries, each representing a different frontier of the field. From microfluidics translating into clinical diagnostics, to material science designed for extreme environments such as microgravity, and finally an ethical reminder of what happens when innovation advances faster than validation. Together, they reflect where microfluidics stands today, and where it must proceed responsibly tomorrow.
Cather Simpson – University of Auckland, New Zealand
Cather Simpson opened µTAS 2025 with an impactful plenary illustrating how centrifugal microfluidics can bring laboratory-grade diagnostics to the point-of-care, using Hepatitis B as a case study. More than 250 million of individuals are infected worldwide with most unaware of their status emphasizing the need for accessible, rapid, and high-quality blood testing.
Her team demonstrated a system capable of detecting HBV antigen and two relevant antibodies from a single finger-prick sample in under 30 minutes, positioning the platform as a compact “nespresso-like” diagnostic unit: fast, simple, and high-performance. The key innovation lies in transferring reactions onto a 1–2 mm bead inside a rotating microfluidic chamber, where controlled oscillating accelerations drive rapid mixing, uniform mass transfer, and precise assay timing. This enables reliable readout even in low-volume, field-deployable formats. [1]
Moran Bercovici — Technion, Israel Institute of Technology (Israel)
Moran Bercovici introduced fluidic shaping, a manufacturing approach where liquid interfaces and surface tension are used to form optical components without traditional machining. His talk traced the evolution of the method from neutral-buoyancy experiments on Earth to lens fabrication aboard the International Space Station during the Ax-1 mission. These in-orbit tests achieved exceptionally smooth polymer lenses, while also revealing microgravity-specific challenges in polymer curing.
A compelling example of fabrication beyond Earth for optical systems designed in microgravity rather than despite it.
Learn more about their work here: https://www.fluidic.technology/
Erika Cheung – Ethics in Entrepreneurship, USA
Another plenary that we wanted to highlight diverged from research and technology and focused instead on ethics, responsibility, and the consequences of failed integrity in diagnostics, through the perspective of Erika Cheung, one of the key whistleblowers who exposed the Theranos scandal.
Cheung recounted her experience inside the company during a period when Theranos claimed to revolutionize blood testing with only a finger-prick sample. What she observed, however, were scientific inconsistencies, unreliable data, and a culture that prioritized valuation and secrecy over validation and patient safety. Her testimony helped dismantle the illusion surrounding the company and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes.
Erika delivered a framework for ethical vigilance in biotech and point-of-care innovation, reminding researchers and entrepreneurs to question results, challenge authority when needed, and build systems where transparency outweighs hype. Her message served as a reminder that breakthrough diagnostics must not only be fast, compact, or elegant, they must be true. If you are interested in learning more of her story you can watch her Ted Talk: Full TedTalk
In addition to the core scientific program, thematic directions structured much of the technical discussion at µTAS 2025. These hot topics acted as gravitational centers for conversation: in the auditorium, at poster sessions, and even informally between coffee cups.
Organoids and MPS were dominant throughout the week as we now see for many years, towards more predictive in vitro models of human physiology. Vascular networks and tumor microenvironments were still a big topic and multiple teams illustrated how microfluidics is a backbone for tissue maturation, long-term perfusion, and controlled exposure to drugs, or mechanical cues. If you are interested in this specific topic you can have a look at our previous conference report about the MPS World Summit in Brussels this year.
Qi Gu – Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Qi Gu presented advances in bioinspired materials for microphysiological systems, highlighting how developmental principles can guide the construction of tissues that behave more like living organs. His recent review work [2] describes smart biomaterials and cell-laden or cell-free scaffolds that actively interact with their microenvironment, moving beyond static supports toward dynamic, regenerative platforms.
We also noticed his recent work on microgel–hydrogel hybrid matrices for liver tissue engineering, showing how 3D printing, nanomaterials, and personalized design strategies help recreate complex architecture and function. This work points to a future where materials are engineered not simply to host biology, but to grow, adapt, and mature with it [3].
Kristopher Kilian – University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia
Kristopher Kilian shared recent advances in microengineered biomaterial matrices for organotypic and tumor microenvironment modelling, focusing on a 3D cancer–stroma co-culture system that enables controlled study of cell behaviour. This platform demonstrates how defined extracellular architectures can support mechanistic discovery and drug testing, extending toward high-content in vitro screening for therapeutic development. [4]
Kilian also contributed to a recent review on precision nanomedicine, highlighting how nanodrug translation continues to face challenges like toxicity, limited targeting, poor clinical predictability, and how more human-relevant preclinical pipelines are needed. Here, microphysiological systems and organ-on-chip platforms emerge as a key solution, offering dynamic flow, barrier interfaces, and scalable architectures that better reflect human tissue complexity [5].
Overall, the bridge between discovery and clinical relevance is still in construct, positioning engineered microenvironments as the future of drug development and disease modelling.
Deok-Ho Kim – Johns Hopkins University, USA
As we know, quantifying 3D cell cultures remains challenging as most of the technologies are still adapted for 2D cell culture. In cardiac organoid technology, Deok-Ho Kim presented a major step forward introducing shape-adaptive shell microelectrode arrays (MEA) that wrap around a beating organoid to capture its full 3D electrophysiological activity. Unlike traditional 2D MEAs, these programmable, organoid-specific shells record electrical propagation across the entire tissue surface, enabling high-resolution 3D isochrone and conduction-velocity mapping. The platform also integrates complementary readouts, such as calcium imaging and pharmacological response profiling, to deliver a comprehensive view of cardiac function. Beyond applications in disease modelling and drug screening, the relevance of such automated, high-content systems will stand out for space biology, where understanding cardiac adaptation to microgravity is a growing prior [6].
Lena Smirnova – Johns Hopkins University, USA
Lena Smirnova emphasized how human-relevant microphysiological systems are particularly important in developmental neurotoxicology where traditional animal models often lack mechanistic fidelity. Her work with iPSC-derived brain organoids is aiming to design models that not only mimic human tissue structure but also capture long-term functional behaviour.
A highlight of her recent collaborations is a comprehensive review positioning MPS as a central pillar of the Human Exposome Project [7], which seeks to understand how lifelong environmental exposures influence health. Here, organoids and organ-on-chip systems offer a mechanistic bridge between epidemiological patterns and cellular-level responses, enabling more predictive assessment of pollutants, endocrine disruptors, contaminants, and nanomaterials. Smirnova and colleagues argue that coupling MPS with omics, AI, and digital twin modelling could transform exposure science and support more preventive, personalized public health strategies.
Yi-Chin Toh – Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Yi-Chin Toh focused on a central question for the organ-on-chip community: how can we design OOC platforms that truly match their biological and experimental context of use? Her µTE (Micro Tissue Engineering) lab develops multi-scale human tissue models by integrating microtechnologies with tissue engineering, aiming to capture complex, multicellular interactions that lie between simplified single-cell assays and animal studies.
A highlight of her recent work is the Localized Microenvironment Well-Insert (LM-Well), a customizable 3D-printed tool that enables precise patterning of multiple hydrogel niches within a standard multi-well plate. Using capillary-guided structuring, the LM-Well can organize diverse hydrogel formulations, including natural matrices, photocrosslinkable hydrogels, and synthetic click chemistries, allowing researchers to construct coexisting
microenvironments that support different cell types or functions in a single, accessible platform. Toh showcased applications ranging from oxygen-modulated tumor growth to liver–tumor co-culture models, where drug metabolism by hepatocytes altered therapeutic responses in adjacent cancer cells [8].
Her team also contributes to broader efforts demonstrating how 3D-printed unibody devices can retrofit existing laboratory equipment for OOC workflows, improving experimental adaptability. Collectively, the work underscores a clear message: effective OOC systems should be designed as practical, modular, and customizable design that matches real research needs [9].
Wai Yee Yeong – Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Wai Yee Yeong’s presentation stood out because of a topic that is not often presented in additive manufacturing: bioelectronics printing. She presented advances at the intersection of 3D printing, bioelectronics, and microfluidic engineering. Her recent work outlines strategies for printing metallic structures via in situ reduction processes, enabling conductive pathways and bioelectronic interfaces to be integrated directly into complex geometries [10].
If you are interested in emerging bioprinting approaches for fabricating biomimetic tissues and organ-like constructs, she participated in the redaction of the recent review [11].
The talks in this Hot Topic section highlighted organoids, engineered biomaterials, and microphysiological systems, but MicroTAS 2025 also showcased how the reach of microfluidics extends well beyond biomedical science. The same tools used to model tissues and diseases are increasingly being applied to address global challenges in sustainability, environmental monitoring, and resource management. As we move to the next Hot Topic, the focus broadens from human physiology to the wider ecological and industrial systems.
Miao Chen – CSIRO Mineral Resources, Australia
In metal or mineral recovery, different strategies are developed to improve yield and sustainability of the process (as we described recently with Enhanced Oil recovery strategies with microfluidics). Interestingly, she focused on real-time analysis of sulfide mineral leaching, a process central to both traditional mining and emerging bioleaching strategies. Microfluidics, coupled with advanced analytical tools, enables in situ monitoring of dissolution dynamics, providing continuous insight into reaction fronts, microbial activity, and leaching efficiency. This work connects directly to her recent review on synchrotron-based X-ray methods for studying sulfide mineral (bio)leaching, a technique increasingly important as industry shifts toward environmentally viable metal extraction methods. Synchrotron imaging offers the spatial and temporal resolution needed to visualise mineral transformations as they occur [12].
For readers interested in understanding how microfluidics integrates into synchrotron workflows, we invite you to watch our recent interview with Gabriel David from Synchrotron Soleil.
Takehiko Kitamori – National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
Takehiko Kitamori presented a forward-looking vision for scaling microfluidics from laboratory devices to industrial chemical production, addressing one of the most persistent challenges in the field: how to preserve the precision of microscale flow manipulation while achieving industrially relevant throughput. A cornerstone of his recent work is the development of the microfluidic intermediate delivery reservoir (mIDR), a modular component designed to isolate fluid dynamics in serially interconnected microfluidic networks.
The mIDR incorporates a wedge-shaped open channel that improves liquid delivery efficiency, maintains consistent retention times, and provides built-in bubble removal and real-time sampling capabilities. Crucially, it allows each microfluidic unit to operate independently and reliably, preventing flow disturbances from propagating across a larger network. While demonstrated at the laboratory scale, the design principles are directly compatible with industrial parallelization, positioning the mIDR as a practical bridge between microfluidic precision and scalable manufacturing. Kitamori’s work highlights how modular microfluidic architectures may soon enable continuous, controllable, and resource-efficient chemical production at scales far beyond the single chip [13].
Yet the versatility of microfluidics extends even further. Beyond environmental monitoring and sustainable production, µTAS 2025 highlighted how microscale systems can operate in conditions far outside conventional laboratory settings. But what do we consider an extreme environment? These include space and microgravity, deep-sea and underwater conditions, high-pressure geological settings, volcanic or high-temperature systems, and other contexts where standard tools cannot operate reliably.
This next Hot Topic explored precisely these domains, showing how microfluidics enables experimentation in space, underwater ecosystems, and other challenging environments where new scientific opportunities emerge once the technology is adapted to endure the extremes.
Tatsuhiro Fukuba – University of Tokyo, Japan
As a great example of an extreme environment, Tatsuhiro Fukuba discussed the role of microfluidics in in situ marine analysis, for chemical and biochemical measurements directly underwater. An environment where traditional sampling is difficult or impossible. His work sits at the intersection of microfluidics and oceanography, particularly within the fast-growing field of environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring. Fukuba highlighted recent developments in autonomous eDNA sampling technologies, which overcome the limitations of manual water collection by providing continuous, high-resolution genetic data capable of capturing transient ecological events and fine-scale biodiversity patterns [14].
Complementing this work, Fukuba presented microfluidic strategies for pressure-driven pumping and underwater pH measurement, demonstrating how compact and robust fluidic systems can operate reliably under high hydrostatic pressure [15].
Agnieszka Krakos – Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland
Through our different conference reports, we’ve definitely noticed that space research is a very hot topic and that brings conditions that can never be reproduced on earth. Agnieszka Krakos presented her work for biomedical research in microgravity through the development of highly integrated, miniaturized lab-on-chip systems designed for spaceflight. An interesting overview of the development of a miniaturized platform for a compact biological research station for nanosatellite missions. The platform incorporates glass microfluidic chips with 3D-printed components and a miniature Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) for optical detection system with adjustable focus, allowing real-time monitoring of individual biological objects during space exposure [16].
For Elveflow, µTAS 2025 was more than a conference, it was a moment of connection and exchange.Our team traveled from Paris to Adelaide to meet labs, understand the Australian scientific ecosystem, demonstrate our technology, and discuss upcoming research challenges directly with the community.
The discussions on microfluidics in space, deep-sea environments, and other extreme conditions created a natural bridge to our own contribution at µTAS 2025. Building on this momentum, Elveflow delivered a dedicated TechTalk exploring how pressure-driven microfluidics enables research where conventional tools fail. Extreme environments impose constraints that fundamentally shape experimental design (gravity and pressure to
temperature control and visualisation challenges) and our aim was to show how microfluidic precision brings these environments within reach of the laboratory.
During the presentation, our expert highlighted real applications developed by our users working across radically different regimes:
The talk demonstrated how pressure-based flow control, precise sensing, and robust instrumentation support researchers pushing experiments into new physical regimes. And for those who could not attend, the full TechTalk was recorded and is available for replay, offering a deeper look at how microfluidics is powering scientific exploration in the most challenging environments.
In addition to our TechTalk, Elveflow also co-hosted a workshop with Microfluidic ChipShop titled “Create Your Microfluidic Platform: Use Case About Droplets and Particles Generation.” This hands-on session introduced participants to the practical advantages of pressure-driven microfluidics for achieving stable, tunable droplet formation and precise particle generation. We also highlighted why PDMS microfluidic chips remain a versatile and accessible platform for rapid prototyping, enabling researchers to iterate designs quickly while maintaining excellent optical properties and channel fidelity. The workshop provided an opportunity for attendees to translate theory into practice, compare operating modes, and better understand how instrumentation and materials choice directly impact droplet-based workflows.
We showcased our expertise in pressure-based flow control, real-time feedback-loop regulation, droplet manipulation, organ-on-chip perfusion, flow sensing, and microfluidic automation. Conversations throughout the week highlighted the same need expressed repeatedly by researchers: stable, responsive, pulsation-free flow is becoming essential for next-generation biology.
Elveflow was also present throughout the conference with both a booth and a scientific poster titled “Improved Flow Control with Pressure-Driven Microfluidics.” Our booth became a lively meeting point where we discussed projects with researchers discovering our systems for the first time as well as long-time users seeking upgrades and extensions to their existing setups (discover our upgrade options!).
We were delighted to share our booth with our Australian partner, Klein Scientific, who kindly transported their microscope all the way to Adelaide, allowing us to run live demonstrations of droplet generation directly on-site. If you are curious to learn more, you can also watch the webinar we co-hosted with them earlier this year: Live cell imaging with microfluidics.
These interactions helped us understand the challenges faced across diverse applications and explore how precise, pressure-driven flow control can help resolve them. It was a pleasure meeting so many of you, exchanging ideas, and working together to deconstruct fluidic problems into actionable, high-performance solutions.
Before closing, we also want to congratulate the µTAS 2025 awardees whose work reflects the ambition of our field. Hnin Yin Yin Nyein (HKUST) received the CBMS Young Innovator Award for her ultrastable wearable platform enabling long-term monitoring of sweat electrolytes and hydration. The Biomicrofluidics Best Paper Award went to Callum Vidler and colleagues (University of Melbourne) for introducing Dynamic Interface Printing, an acoustically driven method that rapidly produces complex, biocompatible 3D structures. Finally, the Microsystems & Nanoengineering Best Oral Award was awarded to Lucy-May Young (QUT) for developing a 3D-printed, compartmentalised coculture chip that captures dynamic immune responses during airway infection. Together, these contributions highlight the diversity and impact of microfluidic innovation showcased at this year’s conference.
µTAS 2025 offered a snapshot of where the microfluidics community stands today and where it is heading. The majority of research around microfluidics remains on organoids and microphysiological systems but increases toward sustainable resource management and experimentation in extreme environments. For Elveflow, this edition was a unique opportunity to meet researchers of the southern hemisphere, share our expertise in pressure-driven flow control, and support scientific projects ranging from space biology to subsurface fluid dynamics and advanced droplet applications.
Last but not least, a big shoutout to the organizing team and especially Craig Priest for his availability. We return from Adelaide inspired by the quality of the discussions, impressed by the creativity of the community, and motivated to continue building tools that help scientists push the boundaries of microfluidics. We look forward to meeting many of you again at future editions and to supporting your innovations, wherever your microfluidic journey takes you.
Louise FOURNIER, PhD, Scientific content manager at Elveflow
Written and reviewed by Louise Fournier, PhD in Chemistry and Biology Interface and Marine Daïeff, PhD. For more content about Microfluidics, you can have a look here.
[1] David E. Williams et al., “Lab on a bead with oscillatory centrifugal microfluidics for fast and complete mixing enables fast and accurate biomedical assays,” Scientific Reports, 2025, doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-58720-5
[2] Qi Gu et al., “Future Frontiers in Bioinspired Implanted Biomaterials,” Advanced Materials, 2025, doi.org/10.1002/adma.202506323
[3] Xinhuan Wang et al., “A Microgel–Hydrogel Hybrid for Functional Compensation and Mechanical Stability in 3D Printed Cell-Dense Vascularized Liver Tissue,” Advanced Materials, 2025, doi.org/10.1002/adma.202413940
[4] Sara Romanazzo et al., “A biofabricated 3D cancer-stroma tumor microenvironment model,” Biofabrication, 2025, doi.org/10.1088/1758-5090/ae0a82
[5] Giulia Silvani et al., “Precision Nanomedicine: A Necessary Convergence of Nanodrug Development, Organotypic Models and Microphysiological Systems,” ACS Nano Medicine, 2025, doi.org/10.1021/acsnanomed.5c00019
[6] Soo Jin Choi et al., “3D Spatiotemporal Electrophysiology of Cardiac Organoids Using Shell Microelectrode Arrays,” Advanced Materials, 2025, doi.org/10.1002/adma.202506793
[7] Fenna C.M. Sillé et al., “Microphysiological systems as a pillar of the Human Exposome Project,” JCB, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110782
[8] Laura A. Milton et al., “Building multiple microenvironmental niches using a customizable 3D printed well insert,” Lab on a Chip, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1039/D5LC00753D
[9] Louis Jun Ye Ong et al., “3D-Printed Unibody Microfluidic Devices for Organ-on-Chip Applications” Advanced Materials Technologies, 2025, doi.org/10.1002/admt.202501056
[10] Guo Liang Goh et al., “Printing 3D metallic structures through reduction processes: principle, approaches, and applications,” Progress in Material Science, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2025.101610
[11] Wei Long Ng et al., “Advanced bioprinting strategies for fabrication of biomimetic tissues and organs,” International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, 2025, 10.1088/2631-7990/adeee0
[12] Yi Yang et al., “A Review of Application of Synchrotron-Based X-Ray Techniques in Sulfide Mineral (Bio)leaching,” Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2025, doi.org/10.1080/08827508.2025.2507874
[13] Kao-Mai Shen et al., “A versatile microfluidic intermediate delivery reservoir for isolating fluid dynamics in serially interconnected microfluidic networks,” Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2025.106389
[14] Kevan M. Yamahara et al., “A State-Of-The-Art Review of Aquatic eDNA Sampling Technologies and Instrumentation: Advancements, Challenges, and Future Prospects,” Environmental DNA, 2025, doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70170
[15] Tatsuhiro Fukuba et al., “Application of Ambient Pressure-Driven Pumping Technology for Underwater pH Measurement,” IEEE Xplore, 2025, 10.1109/UT61067.2025.10947281
[16] Patrycja Śniadek et al., “Autonomous, miniature research station (lab-payload) for the nanosatellite biological mission: LabSat,” Scientific Reports, 2025, doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-16044-y
OtherUpgradeSupportAdvanced RangeOEMServices / Training / Installation / RentalsMicrofabricationEssential RangeAccessories
Get in Touch
Need customer support?
Name*
Email*
Serial Number of your product*
Support Type AdviceHardware SupportSoftware Support
Subject*
Message
I hereby agree that Elveflow uses my personal data Newsletter subscription