Dr. Kevin Land

Microsystems Technology Platform Leader

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, South Africa

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Dr Kevin Land is the Platform Leader: Microsystems Technology at the CSIR. Kevin established the BioMEMS and microfluidics technology capabilities at CSIR and has worked extensively on micromanufacturing applications with laser technology at the National Laser Centre. He completed an MSc Physics degree at the University of Pretoria, focussing on the development of nonlinear eye-safe laser systems for range finding. He obtained a PhD in Microsystems Engineering through the Institute for Microsystems Technology (Imtek), University of Freiburg, Germany. Capabilities and projects in the platform include centrifugal microfluidics, cartridge based microfluidic systems, rapid bacterial detection utilising paper based microfluidics, mobile diagnostic point of care (POC) applications, and printed electronics and biosensors.

Kevin has a passion to develop equipment free or minimally instrumented low cost diagnostics solutions utilising printed functionality and paper substrates - particularly for developing countries where such solutions would have massively transformative impact and have the opportunity to reach billions of people.

What will make your time feel well spent?

  • New collaborations/collaboration opportunities - both local and international
  • More concrete ways to fund activities, as this is a particular issue at present
  • Understanding of new technologies which have the chance to transform diagnostics (health/environment/agriculture/veterinary etc etc)
  • Formation of multi disciplinary teams to tackle problem

What would you like to share during the meeting?

  • Main thing from my side is to create awareness for engineering platforms available on which to implement biological/chemical etc solutions. Critical for long term success, but often overlooked.
  • In this regard, be in a position in forums to share the benefits of developing paper based platforms for limited resource settings
  • Discussion of WHO ASSURED criteria, and how the new technologies have the opportunity to address these and other important criteria for developing products for developing world.