Lab on a Chip is so pleased to enter a new era of the Pioneers of Miniaturisation Lectureship with the announcement of ALine Inc. becoming our new sponsors!
ALine’s vision is a world where microfluidics-based diagnostic and research tools are widely available to promote better stewardship of our lives and our planet. ALine think rigorously, and focus on the “why”. Engineering programs are executed with transparency and urgency, and documented with clarity. Optimism and enthusiasm inform our day-to-day work, while ALine strategize to minimize the impact of potential roadblocks. ALine’s core values: make a difference, and continuously improve.
You can find both the Royal Society of Chemistry (Booth 61) and ALine Inc (Booth 17) teams at MicroTAS in Montréal in a few weeks’ time. We are looking forward to meeting you all!
ALine is also proud to sponsor the Women’s Evening again this year. 
We sat down with Dr Stefano Begolo – Director of Microfluidic Engineering at ALine – to find out more about why and how ALine are leading the charge in the commercialisation of microfluidic technology and their sponsorship of the Lectureship.
LOC: What is the mission of ALine and what value can you provide to the microfluidics community?
SB: ALine’s mission is to provide expert engineered solutions for commercial-ready microfluidic products & devices that realize our client’s dreams of impacting society with products that improve our health and the health of the planet. Over its 21 year history, ALine has built a reputation as a premier provider of microfluidic solutions over a large range of applications. Our team of experts have solved microfluidic design requirements for applications as diverse as ultra short pathlength cuvettes for real-time monitoring of oxygen exchange in red blood cells, single use IVD cartridges that operate without instrument support, to multiplexed fluid handling manifolds for long term cell culture, and wearables for industrial safety.
Our expert microfluidic solutions, which includes concept development and evaluation, engineered prototypes for functional evaluation and refinement, and pilot manufacture and assembly, has enabled our customers, in aggregate, to win 3.1$ billion in follow-on funding to support commercialization. This is a testament to the value ALine brings to the community in delivering commercially viable solutions for the complex requirements of microfluidic applications.
LOC: What do you value about Lab on a Chip / Pioneers of Miniaturization Lectureship and why you are happy to support us in this new partnership?
SB: ALine is a science and engineering based organization. Staying at the forefront of the field and understanding new approaches and capabilities impacts how well we are able to serve our clients and the microfluidics community. This is why we are happy to participate in supporting the Pioneers in Miniaturization Lectureship. For example, through our interactions with this community, we have expanded our offering to include not only our unique laminate fluid circuit technology, but also plastic micromilling, tool making for injection molding to achieve features at small as 5 microns, embossing, and the development of alternatives to PDMS-based devices.
LOC: What makes this community so special?
SB: This community is special because of the breadth of pioneering microfluidic applications and continued technological advancements that expand microfluidics into even more exotic applications. This reflects the diversity of the community and its embrace of researchers from all over the world.
Dr. Stefano Begolo is the Director of Microfluidic Engineering at ALine. His role is focused on structuring and managing ALine’s engineering and manufacturing programs, ensuring science and engineering meet product requirements. Since joining in 2015, Dr. Begolo and his team have expanded ALine’s product development offering by bringing in house CNC machining, injection molding, embossing and die cutting capabilities, in addition to expanding ALine’s laser cutting and lamination techniques. He has also driven the implementation of new program management and tracking tools that have streamlined operations and supported the expansion of ALine’s capabilities to support pilot manufacturing of commercial microfluidic products.
Prior to joining ALine, he completed postdoctoral training at the California Institute of Technology, where he leveraged the patented SlipChip technology for medical diagnostics application at the point of care. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics in 2011 from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI). He obtained a B.S. in Material Science and a M.S. in Material Science and Engineering from the University of Padua (Italy). His graduate work focused on the use of droplet microfluidics for detecting DNA and proteins, and on the development of innovative technologies for the production of microfluidic devices. Dr Begolo has expertise in the design and development of 3D printed microfluidic components, and specialized skills in embossing, lithography, and UV cure laminate devices. His materials expertise ensures the incorporation of surfaces compatible with a variety of biomolecular interactions and specialized fluidic functions. He is co-author of ten publications and seven patents.
Dr. Stefano Begolo, and Mr. Antonio Pineda will be at MicroTAS 2024 all week and look forward to meeting you!
