Carolyn Ren, PEng, Tier I Canada Research Chair in Microfluidic Technologies (She/Her)

Carolyn Ren is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering and director of Waterloo Microfluidics Laboratory. She currently holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Microfluidic Technologies. She was recently named one of WXN Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women (2021). She is also a Member of the Royal Society of Canada College (2018) and a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering (2012). She was recognized as one of 20 leading innovators in Women of Innovation: The Impact of Leading Engineers in Canada. Dr. Ren is also an entrepreneur and her microfluidic innovations have spurred the launch of four start-up companies with her students (Advanced Electrophoresis Solutions, Alphaxon, QuantWave Technologies, and Air Mircrofluidics Systems.

Current research programs focus on developing microfluidics enabled wearable technologies and products such as active knee sleeve and edema sleeve, instrumentation for protein fractionation, water quality monitoring and infectious disease diagnosis such as the COVID-19 and enabling tools for automated high-throughput single particle or single cell analysis using active droplet microfluidic platform technologies.

Carolyn Ren is a member of Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology (https://uwaterloo.ca/institute-nanotechnology/people-profiles/carolyn-ren),
Water Institute (https://uwaterloo.ca/water-institute/about/people/c3ren),
Center for Bioengineering and Biotechnologies (https://uwaterloo.ca/bioengineering-biotechnology/about/people/c3ren),
Waterloo Centre for Microbial Research (https://uwaterloo.ca/waterloo-centre-microbial-research/about/people/c3ren).

• Microfluidics
• Droplet Microfluidics
• Soft Robots
• Microwave Sensing
• Protein Fractionation
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Soft lithography
• Bacterial Detection
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Connectivity and Internet of Things
• Water

Research Interests: My research interests focus on developing fundamental understanding of microfluidics and translational enabling technologies that are impactful to a wide range of areas such as life science research, material synthesis, disease diagnosis, drug screening and assistive systems for therapeutical treatment. Current research programs include: 1) Truly wearable soft robotic assistive systems such as lymphedema sleeve, prosthetic socket for amputees, prosthetic hand, and associated sensing and control methods 2) Microfluidic systems for point-of-care diagnosis such as COVID-19 virus, post-surgery anastomotic leakage, and plastics/metal/bacteria in water. 3) Active control of droplet microfluidics towards modular platform that can be widely adopted by end-users such as biologists and material scientists. 4) Microfluidics enabled protein fractionation methods

I work with various industrial companies such as Advanced Electrophoresis Solutions for protein fractionation, FluidAI for detection of post-surgery anastomotic leakage, Air Microfluidic Systems for soft robotic assistive technology and City of Abbotsford for robotic harvesting.

• 2004, Doctorate Mechanical Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
• 1995, Master's Thermal Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, China
• 1992, Bachelor's Thermal Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, China

• 1) 2022 - 2029, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Microfluidic Technology – given to outstanding researchers acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their fields. CRCs receive reduced
• teaching load from their host university.
• 2) 2022, Paper on “Investigating Peak Dispersion in Free-Flow Counterflow Gradient Focusing”, Electrophoresis, 43 (2022) 776-784 received an Honorable Mention in the best student paper award for
• the month of March 2022 by Electrophoresis.
• 3) 2021, Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award – given to women who have made groundbreaking achievements in advancing our economic and social health; demonstrated resiliency when
• faced with personal and professional challenges; meaningfully influenced change in the boardroom and in society; crashed through barriers, standing up for what's right and just; and an unwavering
• commitment to lead the way for the next generation of emerging leaders, who will, in turn, champion and change the country, and indeed the world, for the betterment of all.
• 4) 2021, Falcons’ Fortunes Pitch Competition – given to the next generation of great company and innovation working in the oncology sector for the $50,000 Ernsting Entrepreneurship Award.
• 5) 2021, Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision (faculty and university level) – given to a faculty member who serves as a mentor, advisor, role model, humanist and strategist and who exemplifies
• a high level of energy and ingenuity.
• 6) 2018, Member of RSC College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists – recognition for the emerging generation of Canadian intellectual leadership.
• 7) 2017, Recognized as one of the 20 leading female innovators in Canada documented in a peer-reviewed publication, Women of Innovation, and 2017 Conference of Metallurgy in Vancouver.
• 8) 2014 - 2019, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Droplet Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip Technology – given to emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. CRCs received reduced teaching load from their host university.
• 9) 2012, Fellow of Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering – given to outstanding mechanical engineers who have made significant contributions to the society.
• 10) 2010, Engineering Research Excellence Award – given to faculty members who made outstanding research accomplishments.
• 11) 2009 - 2014, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Lab-on-a-Chip Technology – given to emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. CRCs received reduced teaching load from their host university.
• 12) 2007, Early Researcher Award – given to promising, recently-appointed Ontario researchers to help build their research programs.
• 13) 2005-2008, Dean’s award at the University of Waterloo – given to faculty members who are excellent in recruiting Canadian permanent residents as graduate students.

• ME 595 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
  • Taught in 2024
• ME 765 - Special Topics in Fluid Mechanics
  • Taught in 2024
• MTE 599 - Special Topics in Mechatronics Engineering: Mechanical Systems
  • Taught in 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• R Gao*, CL Ren, Synergizing Microfluidics with Soft Robotics: A Perspective on Miniaturization and Future Directions, Biomicrofluidics, 011392, 2021
• J Farnese*, P Zhao* and CL Ren, Effect of Surface Roughness on Bond Strength Between PCTE Membranes and PDMS Towards Microfluidic Applications, International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, 102800, 2021
• N Qin*, P Zhao*, E Ho, G Xin, CL Ren, Microfluidic Technology for Antibacterial Resistance Study and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing: review and perspective, ACS Sensors, 3, 2021
• Qin, Ning and Wen, John and Ren, Carolyn L, Hydrodynamic shrinkage of liquid CO 2 Taylor drops in a straight microchannel, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, , 2018
• Amstad, Esther and Chen, Xiaoming and Eggersdorfer, Max and Cohen, Noa and Kodger, Thomas E and Ren, Carolyn L and Weitz, David A, Parallelization of microfluidic flow-focusing devices, Physical Review E, 043105, 2017
• Chen, Xiaoming and Brukson, Alexander and Ren, Carolyn L, A simple droplet merger design for controlled reaction volumes, Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 34, 2017
• Chen, Xiaoming and Ren, Carolyn L, A microfluidic chip integrated with droplet generation, pairing, trapping, merging, mixing and releasing, RSC Advances, 16738, 2017
• Chen, Xiaoming and Ren, Carolyn L, Experimental study on droplet generation in flow focusing devices considering a stratified flow with viscosity contrast, Chemical Engineering Science, 1, 2017

• 1. RZ Gao*, PS Lee*, JM Kormylo, VNT Mai*, CR Dickerson, CL Ren, (2022) Microfluidic Valves and Channels and Minifluidic Valves and Channels Enabled Soft Robotic Device, Apparel, and Method. Filed Nov 14, 2022, International application number: PCT/CA/2022/051677.
• 2. RZ Gao*, PS Lee*, CL Ren, (2022) Layered Low-Profile Soft Fluidic Actuator Device and Method. Filed Oct 15, 2022, US, application number: 63416507.
• 3. W Kapadia*, N Qin*, P Zhao*, C-M Phan, L Haines, L Jones and CL Ren, Microfluidic viscometer for measuring the viscosity of microliter-volume liquid samples, May 2nd, 2022, Canada, Application number: 3154534
• 4. RZ Gao*, PS Lee*, JM Kormylo, VNT Mai*, CR Dickerson, CL Ren, (2021) Microfluidic Valves and Channels and Minifluidic Valves and Channels Enabled Soft Robotic Device, Apparel, and Method. Filed Nov 13, 2021, US, application number: 63279105.
• 5. T Zablotny*, J Huissoon, CL Ren, Lensless Sensing Device for Microdroplet Property Measurement for use in Control Applications, Filed May 26, 2021, US, application number: 63193554
• 6. P Zhao*, W Cui*, Jin Wang, N Qin, E Ho, CL Ren, A portable device integrated with a microfluidic platform, a microwave sensor, and a palm-sized VNA for detection of virus, antigen, and other pathogens, Filed April 26, 2021, US, application number: 63180045.
• 7. M Courtney*, T Glawdel, CL Ren, "A Method and Apparatus for Counterflow Gradient Focusing in Free-Flow Electrophoresis", Filed on March 7, 2021, US, application number: 63157791.
• 8. RZ Gao*, CL Ren, “Air Microfluidics and Air Minifluidics Enabled Active Compression Device”, Filed on Jun 24th, 2020, International application number: PCT/CA/2020/050874 (Entering USA, Germany and China, Dec 2021).
• 9. M Courtney*, T Glawdel, CL Ren, “A Method and Apparatus for Counterflow Gradient Focusing in Free-Flow Electrophoresis”, Filed on March 6th, 2020, Canada application number: 8208253; US, application number: 62986047.
• 10. J Farnese*, M Courtney*, CL Ren “pH Controlled Electrophoretic Concentration, Fractionation, and Elution of Proteins”, Filed on Oct 16th, 2019, Canada, application number: 3058923; US, application number: 62916109.
• 11. RZ Gao*, CL Ren, “Microfluidics Enabled Soft Robotic Clothing for Health Monitoring and Treatment”, Filed on Jun 24th, 2019, Canada, application number: 3047880; US, application number: 62865565
• 12. CL Ren, Shinong Mao*, Yulang Wang, Fei Chen, “A Microwave Sensing and Signal Processing System and Detection Method”, Filed on Oct 18th, 2019, China Invention Patent, application number: 201910188940.0.
• 13. CL Ren, Shinong Mao*, Yulang Wang, Fei Chen, “A Microwave Sensing and Signal Processing System”, Filed on Feb 3rd, 2019, China, Utility Model Patent, application number: 201920319870.3
• 14. S Mao*, CL Ren, Y Li, Y Wang and F Chen, “Systems and Methods for Microfluidic Sensing”, Filed on Jun 1st, 2018, US, application number: 62679208
• 15. DY Wong*, M Hebert*, C. L. Ren, “Active Pressure Control and Immobilization of Microdroplets”, filed on Feb 1st, 2017, Canada, application number: 2956470; US, application number: 62453048
• 16. G Yesiloz*, MS Boybay*, C. L. Ren, “Microwave Enabled Portable, Label-free, High-throughput Detection and Content Sensing System for Lab on a Chip Platforms”, filed on Apr 27th, 2017, Canada, application number: 2963807.
• 17. HC Chang, JH Wang, CC Chung*, IF Cheng, SC Chiang, C L Ren, T Glawdel*, “Dielectric Particle Controlling Chip, Method of Manufacturing The Same and Method for Controlling Dielectric Particles”, approved on Nov. 11th, 2015, Taiwan, No. 507803.
• 18. MS Boybay**, CL Ren, O Ramahi, “Microwave Heaters and Sensors for Microfluidic Systems and Lab-On-A-Chip” filed on Dec. 5, 2011, US, application number: 61566790.

• Engineering profs recognized by national academy
• Microwave Enabled Bio-Nano-Microfluidic Device for Point-of-Care Diagnosis of COVID-19: Detecting infection in under 30 minutes
• Three professors named to Canada Research Chairs
• Startup wins pitch competition for cancer innovations
• Outstanding faculty and staff honoured