Functional materials for microscale genomic and proteomic analyses.

The design of functional materials for genomic and proteomic analyses in microscale systems has begun to mature, from materials designed for capillary-based electrophoresis systems to those tailored for microfluidic-based or 'chip-based' platforms. In particular, recent research has focused on evaluating different polymer chemistries for microchannel surface passivation and improved DNA separation matrix performance. Additionally, novel bioconjugate materials designed specifically for electrophoretic separations in microscale channels are facilitating new separation modalities.