Experts in small and micro-sized devices designed to solve healthcare challenges will come together for the first time in Europe during a workshop at the University of Bath this week.

Taking place on Wednesday 6 March, the Microsystems for Healthcare workshop will be hosted by Bath academics Professor Tianhong Cui, Professor Philip Ingham and Dr Despina Moschou.

It will strengthen Bath’s position as a centre of expertise in the growing research area, by bringing together experts from the University with colleagues from other UK universities and funding councils, and international counterparts.

Professor Tianhong Cui, who was a global chair at the University of Bath before taking up his current visiting professorship in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, and who is also a Distinguished McKnight University Professor at the University of Minnesota, said the workshop will solidify Bath’s status as a leader in the field. He said: “Microsystems, such as wearable sensors, or portable diagnostic devices, have the potential to truly revolutionise medicine and healthcare.

“Portable diagnostic devices on printed circuit boards, already in development at the University of Bath, could help detect diseases and conditions including cancer, without the need for time-consuming analysis in centralised laboratories. Likewise, wearable and non-invasive glucose monitors could help provide reactive and real-time information on insulin levels to people with diabetes – the possibilities are huge.

“This workshop will cross the boundaries of engineering and science, with the aim of fostering multidisciplinary collaboration on research, and further establishing Bath as a leader in this field with Europe and globally.”

A variety of cutting-edge devices will be showcased and detailed at the workshop, including ‘Lab on chip’ genetic testing devices. Developed by Bath researcher Dr Despina Moschou, who is co-chairing the workshop, the devices can provide low-cost, rapid, lab-quality diagnostic tests to detect pathogens, Covid-19 or even cancer.

External speakers at the event will include experts from the universities of Warwick, Cambridge, Surrey and Imperial College London, as well as from UKRI EPSRC, and Nature Biomedical Engineering.

The event is generously sponsored by the University of Bath and Microsystems & Nanoengineering Journal.