As　one　of　the　most　promising　lab-on-a-chip　systems,　flow-based　microfluidic　biochips　are　being　increasingly　used　for　automatically　executing　various　laboratory　procedures　in　biology　and　biochemistry,　such　as　enzymelinked　immunosorbent　assay,　point-of-care　diagnosis,　and　so　on.　As　manufacturing　technology　advances,　the　characteristic　dimensions　of　biochip　systems　keep　shrinking,　and　tens　of　thousands　of　microvalves　can　now　be　integrated　into　a　coin-sized　microfluidic　platform,　making　the　conventional　manual-based　chip　design　no　longer　applicable.　Accordingly,　computer-aided　design　(CAD)　of　microfluidics　has　attracted　considerable　research　interest　in　the　EDA　community　over　the　past　decade.　This　review　article　presents　recent　advances　in　the　design　automation　of　biochips,　involving　CAD　techniques　for　architectural　synthesis,　wash　optimization,　testing,　fault　diagnosis,　and　fault-tolerant　design.　With　the　help　of　these　CAD　tools,　chip　designers　can　be　released　from　the　burden　of　complex,　large-scale　design　tasks.　Meanwhile,　new　chip　architectures　can　be　explored　automatically　to　open　new　doors　to　meet　requirements　from　future　large-scale　biological　experiments　and　medical　diagnosis.　We　discuss　key　trends　and　directions　for　future　research　that　are　related　to　enable　microfluidics　to　reach　its　full　potential,　thus　further　advancing　the　development　and　progression　of　the　microfluidics　industry.