Women in Lab on a Chip Technologies

Women remain underrepresented across the STEM research and innovation ecosystems that underpin lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technologies. As UNESCO reports women account for 35% of STEM graduates worldwide and represent just over 30% of researchers globally [1]. The gender gaps are reinforced by structural barriers such as uneven access to mentoring and leadership opportunities, limited visibility of role models, and work–life balance constraints. Advancing gender equality is essential for fairness and representation and for accelerating LOC innovations that improve health, environmental monitoring, and sustainability outcomes.Frontiers in Lab On A Chip Technologies is proud to spotlight the contributions of women scientists across the journal’s full scope. This Research Topic welcomes high-quality work spanning micro- and nano-fluidics, µTAS, micro/nanofabrication, imaging and detection, medical diagnostics, organ-on-a-chip, and LOC-enabled approaches for environmental sensing and net-zero objectives.We encourage submissions that strengthen the pathway from proof-of-concept devices to solutions that are validated, reproducible, and deployable, including benchmarking and calibration, robustness studies, QA/QC, manufacturability and scale-up, workflow integration, and clinical or field evaluation (including low-resource settings).Without being restrictive, we encourage contributions aligned with the following journal sections:1. Environmental Sensors, Sustainability and Reaching Net-ZeroField-ready sensing for air/water/soil; low-power/low-waste systems; validation in real matrices; life-cycle and sustainability considerations.2. Imaging and DetectionIntegrated optical/electrochemical/acoustic/impedance detection; imaging workflows; calibration, reference standards, and robust analysis.3. Medical DiagnosticsSample-to-answer LOC diagnostics; nucleic acid and immunoassays; multiplexing; usability; clinical performance studies and implementation contexts.4. Micro- and Nano-Total Analysis Systems (µTAS)End-to-end integrated workflows; automation and control; reproducibility and standardization; inter-lab benchmarking.5. Micro- and Nano-fabricationScalable fabrication (thermoplastics, additive manufacturing); bonding/surface modification; sustainable and low-cost routes; QC for production.6. Micro- and Nano-fluidicsTransport and control across micro/nanoscales; droplet/digital microfluidics; electrokinetics; inertial/capillary flows; modeling and optimization.7. Organ on a ChipMicrophysiological models; multi-tissue integration; readouts and validation; interoperability, standardization, and translation.By showcasing outstanding work led by women scientists, this collection aims to amplify visibility, strengthen networks, inspire future generations, and support a more inclusive lab-on-a-chip community.To be considered for this collection, the first or last author should be a researcher who identifies as a woman.References:[1] UNESCO (2025) Status and trends of women in science: new insights and sectoral perspectives. Paris: UNESCO. Available at: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000393768 (Accessed: 24 February 2026). Topic editors: Angeliki Tserepi, Lydia Sohn, Panagiota Petrou Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79000/women-in-lab-on-a-chip-technologies