Microchimica Acta (MCA) publishes articles on truly novel methods of modern chemical, biochemical and biological analysis based on the use of advanced (non-routine) micro/nano-materials. Coverage includes all kinds of micro- and nano-shaped particles, upconversion particles, quantum dots, micro/nano-wires, molecular frameworks, meso- and nanoporous materials, nano-sized/structured imprints, thin films, hybrid materials, and related nanosized matter. Coverage also includes methods for modification and (bio)functionalization of respective surfaces, and the characterization of the materials used. It is essential, though, that (bio)analytical applicability is being demonstrated. Typical applications include chemical assays, bioassays, imaging, and preconcentrations, for example to the analysis of environmental or clinical samples, of waters, food and feed, pharmaceuticals, cells, tissue, or of gases. On the other hand, MCA hardly publishes (a) articles on optical assays (UV-vis; luminescence; IR; Raman; SPR), on electroanalysis, molecular imprinting, chromatography, (zone) electrophoresis, extraction, preconcentration, (b) articles on the application of flow-injection analysis, on microsystems (including microchips) unless they describe innovative (bio)analytical uses of micro/nano-material; (c) articles on syntheses of micro/nano-materials without demonstration of analytical (chemical or biochemical) performance; (d) articles on methods for preconcentration and microextraction unless they display distinct advantages over existing ones; (e) articles on the analysis of species in simple matrices such as water, dosage forms (drugs, injections) or spiked samples unless superiority over other methods is demonstrated; (f) articles of mainly theoretical or statistical nature; (e) articles on the characterization of objects or arts unless new methods of wider analytical scope are being presented.