Scott Fan

A primary focus of my research has been the fundamental investigation and engineering of electromicrofluidics (EMF), specifically electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) and associated electrokinetic phenomena. By characterizing bioparticle and biofluid dynamics across physical scales, from millimeter droplets to nanometer molecules, my laboratory established a framework integrating EWOD, dielectrophoresis (DEP), and liquid DEP (LDEP). This unified multi-force paradigm enables precise spatial and temporal control over diverse physical phases (solid, liquid, gas, plasma), complex matrices (saline, oil, prepolymer hydrogels), and target scales (cells, proteins, nucleic acids). To translate these physical principles into biomedical tools, we developed integrated EMF chips, multi-channel microelectrode arrays, and automated instrumentation incorporating on-chip electrochemical and paper-based sensing. These platforms automate labor-intensive assay protocols, enabling rapid blood/plasma separation, high-sensitivity protein assays, micro-scale nucleic acid amplification, and dynamic 3D/4D cell/hydrogel bioprinting.