In this 5-day course, you can learn the basics of microfluidic technology and sample a range of applications in microbiology, chemistry, and material science, all through the presentation of experiments and recorded demos. Topics will cover fluid transport at small scales, design and fabrication of microfluidic devices, set up of a typical microfluidic experiment, flow visualization, data acquisition and analysis, and ‘troubleshooting at the microscale’.
Course Description
The course is designed for researchers interested in integrating microfluidics into their experiments, whether they are beginners or seeking to enhance their basic knowledge of the technology. By the end of the course, participants will gain the skills to design and optimize microfluidic experiments tailored to their scientific projects.
The course is registered as a summer school and is free of charge. Students from Swiss institutions are eligible to attend in person. The in-person sessions will take place at ETH Zurich, Campus Hönggerberg. An online option is also available, with morning lectures accessible remotely via Zoom.
- ETH students should enroll via the course catalog: (Enrollment is now closed)
- Summer School (in person) participants from Swiss universities can enroll (Enrollment is now closed)
- Online participants can register [here] (free of charge)
Course Program
| Monday 16/06 | Room | |
| 8.30-8.45 | Introduction to the Course | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 8.45-9.45 | Fundamentals of Fluid Dynamics in Microfluidics: An Introductory Lecture | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 10.00-12.30 | Microfabrication Techniques for Microfluidics | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 14.00-16.00 | Practical | HIF B92 |
| Tuesday 17/06 | ||
| 8.30-11.00 | Mastering Microfluidics: Tips and Tricks for Successful Experiments | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 11.15 – 12.00 | Data Acquisition in Microfluidics: Strategies and Techniques | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 14.00-16.00 | Practical | HIF B92 |
| Wednesday 18/06 | ||
| 8.30- 11.00 | Image Processing Applied to Microfluidics | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 11.15 – 12.00 | Microfluidics for Chemical Applications | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 14.00-16.00 | Group Activity | HIF E11 |
| Thursday 19/06 | ||
| 8.30-9.30 | Microfluidics for Microbial Ecology | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 9.45-10.15 | Exploring Chemotaxis with Microfluidics: Techniques and Applications | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 10.15-10.45 | Biofilms in Flow: When Microfludics Meets Rheology | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 11.00-12.00 | Droplet-based Microfluidics: Fundamentals and its Advanced Applications | HIF E11 (Online) |
| 14.00-16.00 | Group Activity | HIF D80.2 |
| Friday 20/06 | ||
| 8.30-12.00 | Students’ Presentations | HIF E11 |
In-person attendance: 16.05.2025 (now closed)
Online participation: open until 10.06.2025 – Register at https://forms.gle/h9JJgMwnmZ3rEp8b8
Organizers: Dr. E. Secchi and Dr. G. S. Ugolini (D-BAUG), Dr. S. Stavrakis (D-CHEM), Dr. A. Weiss (Eawag)
Contact: esecchi@ethz.ch