From bench to chip: microfluidic integration for scalable DNA origami manufacturing and actuation

DNA origami is a nanofabrication technique where a long DNA scaffold is folded using locally complementary staple strands to create predesigned two- and three-dimensional structures with desired shapes, sizes, and surface functionalities. While many of these structures have been proposed for applications in biosensing, nanorobotics, and targeted therapeutic delivery, among others, translating this technology from the bench to clinical and industrial settings faces significant challenges, especially in reproducibility, process scalability, and control precision. Microfluidic platforms offer potential solutions to these limitations by providing accurate control, process automation, and easy integration of multiple workflow steps within lab-on-chip devices. This review examines the potential role of microfluidic technologies in DNA origami production, characterization and actuation, highlighting advantages and future directions.