New materials and techniques have made it possible to perform microfabrication with a modest investment in money and space. This has opened up the possibility of the Division of Bioengineering and Physical Sciences supplying intramural investigators with custom made micro components to perform capillary electrophoresis, capture and detection of antibodies, selection and sorting of cells, patterning of proteins and many other functions. Integration of many of these functions is the ultimate goal. When developed, these components will enable processing to be done with smaller sample sizes, smaller reagent volumes, higher speeds, more accuracy, and less human intervention. The initial phases of this initiative have involved literature studies, determination of potential users here at NIH, and determining the equipment and other resources needed to manufacture the new devices. In addition, collaborations with other institutions in the area are being aggressively pursued to minimize the startup time. Designs for very simple devices are in progress, and concepts for more advanced devices are being explored.
