Clinical Microfluidics Group – Russom Lab
We develop and apply micro- and nanofluidic technologies to study disease mechanisms and enable diagnostics and therapeutic strategies, spanning cancer, nanomedicine, and global health.
We are a multidisciplinary research team working at the interface of microfluidics, nanobiotechnology, and biomedical engineering, with a strong focus on health applications. Our research aims to develop and apply micro- and nanoscale technologies to better understand disease mechanisms and enable improved diagnostics and therapeutic strategies, both in advanced clinical settings and in resource-limited environments.
A central theme of our work is microfluidic control and manipulation of biological particles and systems, ranging from cells and pathogens to extracellular vesicles, nanoparticles, and lipid-based nanocarriers. We advance inertial and elasto-inertial microfluidic approaches to enable efficient, label-free separation and enrichment of clinically relevant nano- and microscale entities, with applications in exosome-based diagnostics and nanomedicine development.
Our research spans several interconnected application areas. In global health, we coordinate the EU–Africa project HOLICARE , where we develop and evaluate point-of-care diagnostic technologies tailored for respiratory and infectious diseases in resource-limited settings, in close collaboration with clinical and public-health partners in Africa and Europe. In cancer research, we contribute to diagnostics and therapy through the Fiber for Life initiative, exploring fiber-based and microfluidic technologies for localized sensing, treatment, and monitoring. We are also developing organ-on-chip and microphysiological models to study the tumor microenvironment and its interaction with diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic agents.
Across these domains, our group emphasizes translation-oriented research, combining microfluidic design, bioengineering, and system integration with clinical relevance and real-world constraints. We collaborate closely with academic, clinical, and industrial partners and contribute to interdisciplinary training of students and researchers at the intersection of engineering, biology, and medicine.
Group leader
