Abstract

This unique introduction to the growing field of microfluidics applied to genomics provides an overview of the latest technologies and emphasizes its potential in answering important biological questions. Written by a physicist and a biologist, it offers a more comprehensive view than the previous literature. The book starts with key ideas in molecular biology, developmental biology and microtechnology before going on to cover the specifics of single cell analysis and microfluidic devices for single cell molecular analysis. Review chapters discuss the state-of-the art and will prove invaluable to all those planning to develop microdevices for molecular analysis of single cells. Methods allowing complete analysis of gene expression in the single cell are stressed - as opposed the more commonly used techniques that allow analysis of only a few genes at a time. As pioneers in the field, the authors understand how critical it is for a physicist to understand the biological issues and questions related to single cell analysis, as well for biologists to understand what microfluidics is all about. Aimed predominantly at graduate students, this book will also be of significant interest to scientists working in or affiliated with this field.
After graduating from the Ecole Polytechnique, Nathalie Bontoux completed her MSc and PhD at the Paris VI University. She also carried out graduate research at the Laboratory of Photonics and Nanostructures, in Marcoussis and the Laboratory of Neurobiology at the ESPCI in Paris. In addition to her research, she has also held teaching posts at the LycÚe Saint Louis, Ecole Polytechnique and Orsay University. Currently, she is working as a product specialist on bioconsumables, including Lab-on-a-Chip kits, at Agilent Technologies. Marie-Claude Potier is recognized as a world expert in Down's syndrome and gene expression. She started as a Staff Scientist CNRS in 1991 before completing a PhD in Molecular Neuropharmacology and three years postdoctoral research at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the MRC in Cambridge. Her work focuses on the characterization of Down's syndrome phenotypes and the development of therapeutic approaches in mouse models. For the past decade, she has also been working on high throughput gene expression technologies using microarrays which have revealed gene expression modifications in Down's syndrome. More recently, using microfluidics, she has been involved in the development of a breakthrough method for gene expression profiling in single cells that has been used to study specific neuronal populations in the brain. For the past 6 years, she has led a research team and is currently the Vice Director of the CNRS unit.