The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)’s research institute, the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) has officially opened the SIMTech Microfluidics Foundry (SMF) on September 21, 2011.
SMF provides an integrated range of competencies for the development and production of inexpensive and innovative microfluidic devices for applications in the fields of chemical processing, water quality monitoring, energy, pharmaceutical, biomedical and healthcare.
By using its expertise in conducting research across multiple disciplines such as biomedical, engineering and physical sciences, A*STAR’s main objective is to explore new opportunities in the microfluidics field. SMF offers the evolving microfluidic market an integrated range of capabilities from simulation, design and prototyping to development of scalable technology for large-scale manufacturing of polymer-based microfluidic devices.
Companies can harness SMF’s integrated range of services to decrease cost and enhance efficacy as well as cost-effectively launch their prototypes or laboratory concepts into the market within the shortest market-reach time by using the current competencies of microfluidic research in Switzerland and Singapore.
SIMTech has also signed three research contracts with Molbot, CAMTech Management and Rhodia Asia Pacific to devise high-output microfluidic instruments for applications and product innovation in gene cloning, water quality monitoring and pharmaceuticals, respectively. In addition, it has inked a memorandum of understanding with Clearbridge Biomedics and CAMTech Innovations (UK) to join forces in the development of production technologies for microfluidic devices for prospective commercial applications and in the development of design and production technologies of microfluidic tools for life science companies, respectively.
Source: http://www.simtech.a-star.edu.sg