A temperature control element for a microfluidic device, the microfluidic device comprising first and second substrates (372,336) spaced apart from another to define a fluid gap extending in a plane between the first substrate and the second substrate; wherein the temperature control element comprises: a controllable heating and/or cooling element; and a plurality of contact elements; wherein the temperature control element further comprises a thermally resistive layer (352, 452, 454) for restricting heat flow between neighbouring contact elements, the thermally resistive layer (352, 452, 454) being disposed or the heating and/or cooling element, and the contact elements being discrete contact elements disposed on the thermally resistive layer (352, 452, 454) and being spaced apart from one another; wherein the contact elements are arranged to be disposed, in use, in physical and thermal contact with an external surface of a first substrate of the microfluidic device so as to provide thermal transfer between the heating/cooling element and the first substrate of the microfluidic device at a plurality of discrete contact regions whereby thermal transfer between the temperature control element and the first substrate of the microfluidic device occurs preferentially at the contact regions; and wherein the thermally resistive layer (352, 452, 454) comprises a first thermally resistive material (352, 452) having a thermal conductivity of less than 5 W/mK, the first thermally resistive material disposed between the heating and/or cooling element and at least some of the contact elements; and wherein the contact regions are so shaped, sized and/or distributed so as to provide, in use, a pre-defined spatial temperature profile within the microfluidic device. a controllable heating and/or cooling element; and a plurality of contact elements; wherein the temperature control element further comprises a thermally resistive layer (352, 452, 454) for restricting heat flow between neighbouring contact elements, the thermally resistive layer (352, 452, 454) being disposed or the heating and/or cooling element, and the contact elements being discrete contact elements disposed on the thermally resistive layer (352, 452, 454) and being spaced apart from one another; wherein the contact elements are arranged to be disposed, in use, in physical and thermal contact with an external surface of a first substrate of the microfluidic device so as to provide thermal transfer between the heating/cooling element and the first substrate of the microfluidic device at a plurality of discrete contact regions whereby thermal transfer between the temperature control element and the first substrate of the microfluidic device occurs preferentially at the contact regions; and wherein the thermally resistive layer (352, 452, 454) comprises a first thermally resistive material (352, 452) having a thermal conductivity of less than 5 W/mK, the first thermally resistive material disposed between the heating and/or cooling element and at least some of the contact elements; and wherein the contact regions are so shaped, sized and/or distributed so as to provide, in use, a pre-defined spatial temperature profile within the microfluidic device.