The Sixth International Conference on Miniaturized Chemical and Biochemical Analysis Systems, known as /JTAS2002, will be fully dedicated to the latest scientific and technological developments in the field of miniaturized devices and systems for realizing not only chemical and biochemical analysis but also synthesis. The first /JTAS meeting was held in Enschede in 1994 with approximately 160 participants, bringing together the scientists with background in analytical and biochemistry with those with Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) in one workshop. We are grateful to Piet Bergveld and Albert van den Berg of MESA Research Institute of the University of Twente for their great efforts to arrange this exciting first meeting. The policy of the meeting was succeeded by late Prof. Dr. Michael Widmer in the second meeting, /JTAS'96 held in Basel with 275 participants. The first two meetings were held as informal workshops. From the third workshop, /JTAS'98 (420 participants) held in Banff, the workshop had become a worldwide conference. Participants continued to increase in /JTAS2000 (about 500 participants) held in Enschede and /JTAS2001 (about 700 participants) held in Monterey. The number of submitted papers also dramatically increased in this period from 130 in 1998, 230 in 2000 to nearly 400 in 2001. From 2001, /JTAS became an annual symposium. The steering committee meeting held in Monterey, confrrmed the policy of former /JTAS that quality rather than quantity would be the key-point and that the parallel-session format throughout the 3.

The Sixth International Conference on Miniaturized Chemical and Biochemical Analysis Systems, known as IlTAS2002, will be fully dedicated to the latest scientific and technological developments in the field of miniaturized devices and systems for realizing not only chemical and biochemical analysis but also synthesis. The first IlTAS meeting was held in Enschede in 1994 with approximately 160 participants, bringing together the scientists with background in analytical and biochemistry with those with Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) in one workshop. We are grateful to Piet Bergveld and Albert van den Berg of MESA Research Institute of the University of Twente for their great efforts to arrange this exciting first meeting. The policy of the meeting was succeeded by late Prof. Dr. Michael Widmer in the second meeting, IlTAS'96 held in Basel with 275 participants. The first two meetings were held as informal workshops. From the third workshop, IlTAS'98 (420 participants) held in Banff, the workshop had become a worldwide conference. Participants continued to increase in IlTAS2000 (about 500 participants) held in Enschede and IlTAS2001 (about 700 participants) held in Monterey. The number of submitted papers also dramatically increased in this period from 130 in 1998, 230 in 2000 to nearly 400 in 2001. From 2001, IlTAS became an annual symposium. The steering committee meeting held in Monterey, confirmed the policy of former IlTAS that quality rather than quantity would be the key-point and that the parallel-session format throughout the 3.

This collection of invited and contributed papers represents the state of the art in devices and microsystems for chemical and biochemical applications. These proceedings will be a valuable tool for the researches in MEMS, nanotechnology, chemical/biochemical, medical, and pharmaceutical fields.

The Fifth International Conference on Micro Total Analysis Systems, also known as JlTAS 2001, will highlight the latest exciting events in the world ofminiaturized devices and systems for performing chemical and biochemical experimentation This conference has become mandatory for those of us working in this field as it is indeed helping to define our discipline. We are grateful to the people of the MESA Research Institute of the University of Twente, particularly Piet Bergveld and Albert van den Berg, for starting this meeting in 1994. Their original intention was for the JlTAS meeting to be a small informal workshop. This workshop flavor was sustained through the second meeting held in Basel in 1996, but already in 1998 at the third meeting in Banff it was clear that the "workshop" had become a conference with 420 attendees. It was due to this clearly growing interest in microchemical systems that it was decided we should consider gradually moving toward an annual format and prepare for the possibility that the meeting would increase in popularity. Albert van den Berg was still yearning for a workshop at the JlTAS 2000 meeting and planned a single session format. Again there was a large increase in submitted abstracts (more than 230 total) and a further increase in attendance. The JlTAS steering committee again agreed that we would have to prepare to address the demand the meeting was receiving.

This book covers all the steps in order to fabricate a lab-on-a-chip device starting from the idea, the design, simulation, fabrication and final evaluation. Additionally, it includes basic theory on microfluidics essential to understand how fluids behave at such reduced scale. Examples of successful histories of lab-on-a-chip systems that made an impact in fields like biomedicine and life sciences are also provided. This book also: · Provides readers with a unique approach and toolset for lab-on-a-chip development in terms of materials, fabrication techniques, and components · Discusses novel materials and techniques, such as paper-based devices and synthesis of chemical compounds on-chip · Covers the four key aspects of development: basic theory, design, fabrication, and testing · Provides readers with a comprehensive list of the most important journals, blogs, forums, and conferences where microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip news, methods, techniques and challenges are presented and discussed, as well as a list of companies providing design and simulation support, components, and/or developing lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic devices.