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Richard B. Fair

Lord-Chandran Distinguished Professor of Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Box 90291, Durham, NC 27708-0291
3519 CIEMAS, Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engrg., Durham, NC 27708
Office hours MWF 1:30-3:00pm  

Research Interests


Microfluidic systems for lab-on-a-chip applications based on electrowetting technology

Selected Grants


SHF: Medium: Microbiology on a Programmable Biochip: An Integrated Hardware/Software Digital Microfluidics Platform

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2017 - 2022

Collaborative Research: Development of a Digital Microfluidic Impactor For One Minute Measurements of Main Inorganic Aerosol Species

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2014 - 2018

CPS: Medium :Hardware/Software Co-Design for the Life Sciences: Towards a Programmable and Reconfigurable Lab-on Chip

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2011 - 2017

SAGE: Software Actuated Genome Engineering on a Droplet Transport Platform

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Stanford University · 2012 - 2015

Multidisciplinary Neonatal Training Grant

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2010 - 2015

Continuous Sequencing-By-Synthesis Based on a Digital Microfluidic Platform

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2007 - 2011

SGER: The initial phase of development of digital microfluidic impactor

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2008 - 2011

Collaborative Research on Electrowetting Microarray Printing System for Bioactive Tissue Construct Manufacturing

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2007 - 2010

Droplet-Based Digital Microfluidic Genome Sequencing

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2005 - 2007

ITR: Collaborative Research: Reconfigurable Architectures for Bio-Molecular Detection: Modeling, Experimentation, and Optimization

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2003 - 2006

Microdroplet-based PCR Platform for High-Throughout Genetic Analysis

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina · 2002 - 2005

Research in the Diffusion of Boron in Ultra Thin Silicon Dioxide Layers

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina · 1997 - 1998

External Relationships


  • Jones Day
  • Sidley and Austin

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.