Research and applications of biochip technologies

Biochip as a new research field has enjoyed its rapid development in the past 10 years. Using microfabrication technology, thousands or hundred thousands of biological molecules can be assembled on a centimeter square microchip. Those chip-based devices can be used to analyze mutations, antigens, cells, etc. Compared with the traditional analytical instruments, chip-based micro total analytical systems have many advantages, such as reduced size, lower consumption of both reagents and energy, contamination-free, etc. Biochip technology is believed to revolutionize the future research in life sciences, disease diagnosis, drug discovery, forensic sciences and outer space exploitation in the coming century.