CBM Research Seminar – Thin-Film Transistor-Based Active-Matrix Digital Microfluidics

The College of Biomedicine was pleased to host Professor Hanbin Ma from Department of Laboratory Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), as a distinguished speaker on 30 March 2026. Professor Ma's research focuses on large-area electronics-based biosensing systems and the development of advanced life science tools.

In his talk entitled "Thin-film transistor-based active-matrix digital microfluidics", Professor Ma will address the design principles and transformative potential of active-matrix digital microfluidics (AM-DMF). He will highlight how this technology leverages semiconductor-derived electrode arrays to dynamically control thousands of micrometre-scale droplets, emerging as a transformative platform for the high-throughput and precise manipulation of liquid samples.

Professor Ma further discussed the design principles and transformative potential of AM-DMF in biomedical applications such as genomics, single-cell analysis, and drug discovery. He highlighted the integration of artificial intelligence to enhance the efficiency and reliability of complex AM-DMF workflows. In addition, he addressed ongoing technical challenges, including biofouling, reagent selectivity, and electrode stability, and outlined future directions for advancing AM-DMF as a versatile platform for next-generation droplet manipulation and workflow automation.

The seminar stimulated active discussion and underscored the growing importance of advanced microfluidic technologies in enabling innovative research and translational applications in the life sciences.