Engineering droplets at microscale, for high-throughput single cell analysis

Integrated droplet microfluidics is an emerging technology capable of performing real-time, high-throughput analysis and manipulation of droplets at microscale to decipher their biochemical and biophysical characteristics. This has allowed a deeper look into a multitude of high-throughput quantitative studies including single cell analysis, transcriptomics, immunology, intercellular interactions etc. and has also given rise to many new technologies like Drop-Seq, Droplet digital PCR, High-throughput droplet screening etc. In this talk, I will discuss some recent advances in integrated droplet microfluidics technology towards multiparametric, high-resolution and high-throughput screening platforms along with associated challenges and proposed solutions. These challenges include compromised resolution due to fluorescence crosstalk, lack of label-free modalities for droplet signal acquisition, stochastic droplet packaging, lack of automation etc. in addition to the limited economic feasibility of such systems restricting their widespread use. Finally, I will discuss the future prospects of integrated droplet microfluidics that include its technical advancements and applications in life science research.