Our research covers a broad range of activities in the general area of microfluidics and nanoscale science. Primary specialisations include the development of microfluidic devices for analytical and bio-analytical applications, ultra-sensitive optical detection techniques, nanofluidic reaction systems for chemical synthesis, segmented flow microfluidics for high-throughput biology, novel methods for nanoparticle synthesis and the exploitation of semiconducting materials in diagnostic applications. Our interest in multicellular organisms focuses on the use of microfluidic systems to process plants, fungi and nematodes in a rapid and/or highly controllable fashion. For example, life-imaging of C. elegans is essential for the study of conserved cellular pathways and morphogenesis in vivo. However, the usefulness of life imaging as a research tool has severely been limited by the need to immobilize worms prior to imaging. Conventionally immobilization is achieved by employing both physical and chemical interventions which are known to significantly affect many physiological processes. To those end we are developing an easy-to-use microfluidic platform for the long-term immobilization of viable, normally developing C. elegans, compatible with image acquisition at sub cellular resolution. In addition, we are interested in developing passive microfluidic strategies for sorting adult C. elegans nematodes on the basis of age and size. Separation takes advantage of phenotypic differences between ‘adult’ and ‘juvenile’ organisms and their behaviour in microfluidic architectures.