Projects in Microscale Engineering for the Life Sciences
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this project-based introduction to manipulating cells and biological molecules with microfabricated tools, aimed at first-year undergraduates. In the first half of the term, lab exercises cover designing and manufacturing microfluidic channels, techniques for sorting and manipulating cells and biomolecules, and quantitative measurement through optical detection and fluorescent labeling. In the second half, students work in small groups to design and test a microfluidic device addressing a real-world problem they choose themselves. The course folds in written and oral communication practice and team-building exercises alongside the technical content. Materials come from MIT's OpenCourseWare archive under a Creative Commons license, free to access, with no certificate offered. It suits students wanting hands-on exposure to lab techniques bridging electrical engineering and life sciences before committing to a specialization.