Project Mentor
Dr. Changchun Liu
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Description
| Project Description | Simple, rapid, and affordable disease detection is essential for effective disease management and routine health monitoring. In this summer project, we will develop and validate a fully portable diagnostic platform capable of operating a microfluidic chip and accurately interpreting its output signals. The project will also provide hands-on experience in device engineering, biosensing, and diagnostic assay development while advancing accessible point-of-care testing. Please find more detail on our current research through the website: https://smds.engr.uconn.edu/. |
| Project Direction | This summer research project will focus on designing, developing, and validating a portable diagnostic system for microfluidic applications. We will build a portable platform capable of controlling and incubating the microfluidic chips, while their optical signals will be accurately detected and analyzed |
| Mentorship and Supervision | The summer students will begin by working with me and our lab members to learn the fundamentals of microfluidic devices and disease diagnostic technologies. They will then be encouraged to independently design and develop their own portable diagnostic systems. Our lab members will assist them in testing and refining their devices. Students will also be invited to participate in our weekly lab meetings to discuss their progress, analyze experimental data, and present their findings. |
| Student Qualifications | Previous experience in microfluidics technology is not required, but the demonstrated experience in one of the following fields (e.g., smartphone app development, electrical circuit design, microprocessor, mechanical design (e.g., Solidworks), 3D printing) is desired. |
| Summer Schedule Options | Research Dates: May 18 – July 24, 2026 Schedule: M-F, 9:30am-5:00pm |
| Project Continuation | Fall 2026, Spring 2027 |
| Academic Year Time Commitment | 3 hours/week |
| Possible Thesis Project | No |
Application
Submit an online application for this research opportunity at https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/HRPSU26-22. The application deadline is Monday, February 16, 2026.
This application requires a cover letter, a resume or CV, and an unofficial transcript.