Christabel Tan is an Associate Professor in Microengineering and the Deputy Head of the Department of Engineering within the School of Physics, Engineering & Computer Science (SPECS) at the University of Hertfordshire. She is a member of the Microfluidics and Microengineering Research Group and a Chartered Engineer specialising in microengineering and experimental research using microfluidic devices in engineering instrumentation. 

What are you working on as part of the Hub?

The Hub provides a unique platform for interdisciplinary researchers from multiple universities. As part of the Biodetection Hub, I am working on developing advanced diagnostic tools using lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic technologies. My main focus is on designing, fabricating, and creating innovative diagnostic tools that are portable and cost-effective by leveraging advanced and precision microfabrication and manufacturing technologies.

What is exciting you the most about your current research? 

Currently my collaborations and research activities have been focused on developing innovative healthcare diagnostics, particularly lab-on-a-chip technologies. The most exciting aspect is the ability to create rapid, accurate diagnostic tools that can detect severe diseases like dengue or devices that are used to analyse c.elegans models for muscular diseases, which has the potential to transform global healthcare by addressing critical diagnostic challenges.

What difference do you hope your research will make?

In my current research collaborations, I hope to improve healthcare diagnostics by making disease detection faster, more accurate, and more importantly, widely accessible. Leveraging advanced manufacturing technologies for lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic devices, I hope to address critical global health challenges, by bridging the gap in healthcare accessibility, particularly in underdeveloped regions.

What are you most proud of in your research career?

Working with a team of multidisciplinary researchers and partners across industry and other universities with shared goals for research. Working on projects that will make a difference to the potential range of the applications from bioaerosol detections to advanced detection methods for global health challenges.