Falko Schmidt

Thanks to my wonderful collaborators @rquidant.bsky.social, Carlos, Emilio, Raul, Marc and Jaime for this successful project, sponsored by a PostDoctoral Fellowship of @snsf.ch within the lab @quidantsnsl.bsky.social

🚀 Our light-powered, reconfigurable #microfluidics opens the door to multifunctional, adaptive devices, which are ideal for lab-on-chip chemical synthesis, diagnostics, cell and analyte handling. These feedback-tuned thermal landscapes could transform compact experimental workflows. #optothermal

🎯📏 Arrays sort particles by size similar to a microscopic version of a Galton board 🎲 using only light & heat 🌞💧. Larger ones deflect differently than smaller ones, enabling precise, programmable sorting with no pumps or any moving parts.

💡🎛️ Projected patterns via a spatial light modulator form barriers that steer ↩️, split ✂️, merge ➕, or trap 🌀 particles. Designs switch in <100 ms ⚡ enabling real-time reconfiguration for complex microfluidic tasks.

Brief summary: 🔬✨ Using structured light, we created 3D thermal barriers 🌡️💧 in microchannels without requiring any walls! Barriers reshape flow & move particles 🎯 on-demand, enabling fast, contact-free control for lab-on-chip systems.

Three-dimensional optofluidic control using reconfigurable thermal barriers - Nature Photonics A fluidic system with spatially reconfigurable hot spots generated by optical pumping of plasmonic nanorods is demonstrated, creating virtual barriers by generating local heating via photothermal conv...

It's out & hot 🔥 Not only because it just went online but since we show that engineered heat patterns are super effective in manipulating fluid flows & particles.
If you work in microfluidics, or need reconfigurable environments in your experiments, give it a read!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
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Can robots in a swarm act like the cells of an organism? Thanks to Sedeer El-Showk for the new article in @nature.com, which highlights the work of a number of research groups, including our own, on how “Robots demonstrate principles of collective intelligence”. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Dr. Falko Schmidt - Online Webinar of Falko Schmidt at BPPB Seminar Falko Schmidt is sharing a novel optofluidic toolbox for the precise manipulation of local fluid flows and particle movement with the BPPB community. It's a ...

You can now see my recorded presentation of our recent work on reconfigurable #Optofluidics on my website.

It will give you a brief overview of how you can leverage heat 🔥 to let particle ☄️follow predefined paths in #microfluidics 🚿

activematter.research.st/posts/4106-o...

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First three images on this news post are from our lab 🥼

Check it out, you can see we had fun 🤩

Very happy to have seen so many people from the general public having a look at our #photonic and #activematter experiments @ #longnightofscience @unileipzig.bsky.social

We made slimy monsters 👾, cats 🐈 appear&disappear, 🌈 and propel mini rafts in water driven by soap 🧼

#scienceoutreach

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It you are interested in anything related to biological physics or physical biology, have a look at this webinar series @bppbseminar.bsky.social

Topics are super broad so there will be sth of your interest!

Highly recommended!

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🧪 Registration for #OptofluidiX 2025 is still open! 🌊✨
Join top experts presenting the frontiers of optofluidics.

Designed for early career researchers — with interactive sessions & career opportunities.

👥 Limited spots – secure yours now:
🔗 home.uni-leipzig.de/~physik/site...

I'm excited to announce a conference that I have co-organized #OptoFluidiX2025

Join us to explore the latest in optofluidics research and have the opportunity to present your work! Register here:

📅 Sept 16–18, 2025
📍 Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

#optofluidics #microfluidics #optics

CLA Building of ETH in a rainy day

My last days @ETH came to an end. Very grateful for the opportunity to drive new research frontiers at @quidantsnsl.bsky.social

Big thanks to @rquidant.bsky.social for the opportunity and the @snf-fns.ch for support me with a fellowship.

On to new projects @unileipzig.bsky.social

Seit dem Dürrejahr 2018 ist der deutsche Wald eine CO2-Quelle, weil mehr abstirbt und verrottet als nachwächst.

Agree with this. A slide showing an outline with introduction results A results B is redundant if one simply tells the story along the way. Unfortunately many ppl still do that. In these moments my brain already switches off.

Interesting effect indeed, of which I do not a have a better explanation. Also wondering why it keeps rotating. But must be a symmetry breaking constantly happening between the charges on the surface and the response of the fluid around it.

PhD Position Advanced Thermofluidic Manipulation of Single Molecules and Nanoparticles at University of Leipzig on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - PhD Position Advanced Thermofluidic Manipulation of Single Molecules and Nanoparticles at University of Leipzig, listed on FindAPhD.com

A great group by F Cichos in Leipzig 🇩🇪 is looking for a motivated PhD student to work on novel techniques in thermofluidics incl. manipulation w #plasmonics 🌕, #qdots, and #ML

A collaboration between @unileipzig.bsky.social @princetonupress.bsky.social @illinoispress.bsky.social

Apply here 👇

Hey Photonics folks 💡 🔬 if you know someone looking for a Master of Science Program to join, ours "Lasers and Photonics" accepts applications for one more week*

*Non-EU deadline: May 15th
EU-deadline: July 15th
More info: www.lap.rub.de
Directly to application portal: www.lap-application.rub.de

If you're working in or curious about optofluidics, mark your calendar.
We’re looking forward to insightful talks, meaningful exchange & new collaborations.
Hope to see you in Leipzig!
#OptoFluidiX2025

We’ve also planned a special career & panel discussion—featuring top voices from science, industry & policy. Especially valuable for students exploring career paths in & beyond academia.

Together with @optica.org we have invited recent Ambassadors to share their insights.

#STEMcareers

The conference brings together people from across physics, biology & engineering—focusing on microfluidics, biosensing, imaging & lab-on-a-chip systems. We do our best to provide a great forum for sharing new ideas! We have fantastic food and accommodation organised, allowing intense exchanges.

I'm excited to announce a conference that I have co-organized #OptoFluidiX2025

Join us to explore the latest in optofluidics research and have the opportunity to present your work! Register here:

📅 Sept 16–18, 2025
📍 Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

#optofluidics #microfluidics #optics

💬 Featuring exciting panelists

Prof. Muyinatu Bell (JHU)
Dr. Javier Jo (U. of Oklahoma)
Dr. Shalin Mehta (CZ Biohub)
Dr. Kyle Quinn (U. of Arkansas)

Don't miss it! See you all in San Diego!
#BiophotonicsCongress2025 #OPTICA

Explore how AI & ML are transforming imaging, data analysis, and biomedical optics.

🍷 Light refreshments
🤝 Co-hosted by Optical Trapping, Microscopy/OCT & Tissue Imaging groups
Let’s talk tech + connect!

#Optica2025 #Biophotonics #AIinScience #OpticalTrapping

🎉 Attending Optica Biophotonics Congress in Coronado? Join us for an in-person panel on ML & AI in Biophotonics!
🗓️ April 21 | 🕡 6:45 PM | 📍 Loews Coronado (Britannia Room)
With experts from JHU, CZ Biohub, U. of Oklahoma & more!
RSVP: Link down

@optica.org @opticaltrapping.bsky.social

Pollen peril: how heat, thunder and smog are creating deadly hay fever seasons Scientists say a complex mix of factors are making seasonal allergies worse for longer in many parts of the world – but why is it happening and is it here to stay?

As allergy season is upon us, for those who suffer there is increasing evidence on their causes and the impact on climate change predicting a dire future with longer and more intense pollen exposure.

#climatecrisis

April fools?

Still 13min time to join my talk today 👆

You have the chance tomorrow 4pm to listen to me show our latest results on #optofluidics.
In short, how can we provide effective, tunable and reconfigurable micromanipulation tools to the #softmatter and #lifescience communities.
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umsystem.zoom.us/j/9639632045...
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