Microelectronics meets biology: Challenges and opportunities for functional integration in lab-on-a-chip

In recent years, there has been a great effort in biology, chemistry and engineering to pursue the advantages of miniaturization for cheaper, better, faster sample analysis. So far, the aim has been mainly the speed-up of DNA amplification and detection and other molecular analyses from preprocessed samples. To attain the pervasiveness enjoyed today by electronic devices, a much higher degree of functional integration will be required, for the new goal of sample-to-answer systems. This paper discusses the main challenges and unmet needs to seize the opportunities existing for cheap and ubiquitous bioanalytical devices, and how microelectronic technology could play a leading role.