The final paper of Susanne Eisenhuth has been produced at the research group "Instrumental Analytics" led by Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinz Feller. The new installed MSc course "miniaturized biotechnology" is non-consecutive hat means a previous undergraduate course as a bachelor on this field is not nessessary. A specialised previous knowledge is not required. However, a university degree is a prerequisite. The study course has been developed in a collaboration between the University of Applied Sciences Jena, the Technical University of ilmenau as well as the Institute of Bioprocess and Analytical Measuring (iba) Heiligenstadt.

The microfluidic deals with the handling of liquids and gases in smallest areas. The mini labs are called Lab-on-a-chip. Their seize is only a few centimeters. On them cells were bred. However, in microfluidic chip systems shearing forces can develop which lead to cellular stress and metabolic as well as morphological alterations in the cells.

The students´ insights can be used in further developments of such kind of test systems which can be used investigation the effects
of substances on cultivated cells as a possible replacement method to animal tests.

More information (in german): http://www.idw-online.de/pages/de/news461003