At VUB’s new cleanroom MICROLAB, microfluidic chips etched with chip-manufacturing techniques are enabling new ways to test for diseases, from diabetes to Alzheimer’s. In particular the experiments with glass, as an alternative to silicon, are cutting-edge science. Thanks to recent strategic collaborations with two pharmaceutical companies, the lab is also helping shape the future of drug production.
The challenge: Time-consuming, less reliable diagnostics
Diabetes is a growing global health concern. While glucose meters allow patients to self-monitor at home, full evaluations still require hospital visits and sophisticated laboratory testing. The current gold standard HPLC analysis, is complex, time-intensive, and not always reliable. Certain populations, such as individuals of African, Mediterranean, or Southeast Asian descent, may have hemoglobin variants that skew test results. Women’s test outcomes can also be influenced by hormonal fluctuations and body composition. Reliable, accessible, and inclusive alternatives are urgently needed.
The solution: Microfluidic chips built in a cleanroom
Enter MICROLAB, a state-of-the-art 300 m² cleanroom at VUB, led by Prof. Wim De Malsche and supported by business developer Filip Legein. This high-tech facility uses manufacturing techniques borrowed from the semiconductor industry traditionally used for making computer chips, to etch microfluidic chips, tiny lab-on-a-chip systems that manipulate fluids like blood at the micrometer scale. These chips can separate proteins from a drop of blood, enabling more accurate testing of e.g. long-term glucose levels in diabetic patients. The goal? Replace bulky, lab-bound analysis with pocket-sized, point-of-care diagnostic devices for a range of chronic and complex conditions.
The impact: From better diagnostics to smarter drug development
MICROLAB’s ambitions extend well beyond diabetes. The chips are being used in fundamental research into diseases like Alzheimer’s, where they help study how protein condensates form and behave. This is a crucial step in understanding disease progression. They are also being applied in organoid research: miniaturized organs used to test drug responses in lab conditions, potentially reducing reliance on animal testing.
But some of MICROLAB’s most promising results come from collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. In one project, a company sought a method to remove oversized crystals from powdered medication which is a critical quality issue in drug formulation. Another company needed to gently isolate yeasts and microorganisms used in vaccine production, a task traditional filters couldn’t do without damaging the samples. MICROLAB’s acoustic separation technology, which uses precise ultrasonic vibrations to sort particles in fluid, offered both companies novel, effective solutions.
"Acoustic separation only works when the chip’s channels are engineered to extreme precision, often within micrometers, with perfectly vertical walls. It’s challenging, especially in glass, but that's where MICROLAB excels."
Prof. Wim De Malsche, Head research group µFlow and Director MICROLAB
Innovation through infrastructure and collaboration
Unlike most labs, MICROLAB doesn't just stop at silicon. The team is also pioneering microfluidic chip fabrication in glass, a unique capability in Europe. Glass is chemically stable, optically transparent, and better suited to biochemical applications. This opens new doors for medical diagnostics, where visibility and reactivity are critical. MICROLAB is also open to researchers from other institutions and companies, provided they complete training and pay a usage fee.
