Welcoming Remarks

Advances in research related to single molecule detection, biomarker discovery, and bio-separations using electrokinetics are promising a grand future for rapid point of care diagnostics. Utilization of customized microfluidics and nanoscale geometric features are enabling unprecedented techniques for sample processing. These advances are great for proof-of-concept hypothesis testing in academia, but translating these devices to the clinic is a major challenge. Designing for economical large scale manufacturing is not considered in the research lab. This critical step in the productization and commercialization process has left many great laboratory based advances not translatable to the clinic. Understanding the requirements, challenges, and techniques available for large-scale manufacturing and the quality control procedures and incorporating them early in the hypothesis testing phase of academic research will guarantee a better chance of productization and translation to the clinic.