title: Lab-on-a-chip technologies for single-molecule studies.
abstract: Recent developments on various lab-on-a-chip techniques allow miniaturized and integrated devices to perform on-chip single-molecule studies. Fluidic-based platforms that utilize unique microscale fluidic behavior are capable of conducting single-molecule experiments with high sensitivities and throughputs, while biomolecular systems can be studied on-chip using techniques such as DNA curtains, magnetic tweezers, and solid-state nanopores. The advances of these on-chip single-molecule techniques lead to next-generation lab-on-a-chip devices, such as DNA transistors, and single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology for rapid and low-cost whole genome DNA sequencing. In this Focus article, we will discuss some recent successes in the development of lab-on-a-chip techniques for single-molecule studies and expound our thoughts on the near future of on-chip single-molecule studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: Yanhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Danqi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hongjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Jarrod B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rufo
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Benkovic
authors.forename: Tony Jun
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D008280:Magnetics; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D008904:Miniaturization; D058608:Nanopores; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D004265:DNA Helicases