European Microfluidics Consortium Working to Grow and Simplify the Market for Microfluidics
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The pan-European MF-1 Consortium, organized by CfBI, includes a wide range of microfluidics stakeholders such as: BASF, Boehringer Ingelheim; Eppendorf; Sanger/Wellcome Trust; Philips; Laboratory of the Government Chemist; Micronit; Epigem; Cyclofluidic, University College London; Dolomite; IMT, Forensic Science Service (UK); Lionix; Aquamarijn; Dutch Forensic Science Service, University of Cambridge and TNO. Its goal is to facilitate the growth of the microfluidics market across a wide range of sectors in Europe.
Members of the consortium meet at locations across Europe to build relationships, learn from each other, align interests and share the cost/effort of activities which will help to grow the market for microfluidics.
The work of MF-1 so far has focused on DNA Analysis, Point of Care/Crime, Flow Chemistry, Technology Integration and Droplet Handling.
Meeting in closed session, the group is specifically looking at ways in which it can support the uptake of standards in areas such as: interconnects, functional specification and CAD/simulation environments. The consortium is also working on White Papers and a stakeholder database to help its members find and do business with partners more efficiently.
Dr. Peter Hewkin for CfBI (an industry neutral body which runs this consortium together with multinational consortia in areas such as Open Innovation; Novel Printing and Inclusive Design) says: “The microfluidics industry is still fragmented with many solutions being generated from a white sheet of paper in isolation from successes achieved by other players in other sectors. The MF-1 consortium is building a trusting group of stakeholders who can see and grasp the opportunity to collaborate for the greater good of the industry, while retaining their individual commercial/competitive edge and keeping their costs down.”
The MF-1 consortium will move into the second year of its work in March of this year. (Codename MF-2) at that point there will be an opportunity for new organizations to join.
Members of the consortium meet at locations across Europe to build relationships, learn from each other, align interests and share the cost/effort of activities which will help to grow the market for microfluidics.
The work of MF-1 so far has focused on DNA Analysis, Point of Care/Crime, Flow Chemistry, Technology Integration and Droplet Handling.
Meeting in closed session, the group is specifically looking at ways in which it can support the uptake of standards in areas such as: interconnects, functional specification and CAD/simulation environments. The consortium is also working on White Papers and a stakeholder database to help its members find and do business with partners more efficiently.
Dr. Peter Hewkin for CfBI (an industry neutral body which runs this consortium together with multinational consortia in areas such as Open Innovation; Novel Printing and Inclusive Design) says: “The microfluidics industry is still fragmented with many solutions being generated from a white sheet of paper in isolation from successes achieved by other players in other sectors. The MF-1 consortium is building a trusting group of stakeholders who can see and grasp the opportunity to collaborate for the greater good of the industry, while retaining their individual commercial/competitive edge and keeping their costs down.”
The MF-1 consortium will move into the second year of its work in March of this year. (Codename MF-2) at that point there will be an opportunity for new organizations to join.
