Micro- and Nanosystems meet biology: artificial life on a chip

Abstract

We highlight recent reviews and reports on the use of micro and nanosystems to solve biological problems. The matching length scale allows micro- and nanotechnology to create tools for engineering biological systems at molecular and cellular levels. Simple microdevices such as reactors, microchannels and concentration generators with features on the order of micrometers make the implementation of artificial life on a chip possible. These new tools allow for the investigation of complex gene expression dynamics and tissue or organ-level physiology. The next step will be the use of these tools as models for both health and disease for drug discovery.