A method of electrically processing a liquid within a microfluidic device, the liquid containing one or more microorganisms; the microfluidic device including: a fluidic channel having an upper channel surface, a lower channel surface, a side wall, and a thickness on a submillimeter scale; an upper electrode on the upper channel surface; and a lower electrode on the lower channel surface; wherein the method includes: flowing the liquid into the channel; and applying a series of bipolar voltage pulses between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, the series of voltage pulses having a sub-second duration, characterized in that the series of voltage pulses are provided such that: an electric field generated across the thickness of the fluidic channel is between 2 kV/cm and 30 kV/cm; and the liquid is heated with a heating rate of at least 250 degrees per second; wherein the amplitude, and pulse width of the voltage pulses are further controlled such that the liquid is heated to an elevated temperature sufficient to flash heat the liquid and irreversibly electroporate at least one microorganism within the liquid by electrical lysing, thereby releasing at least one macromolecule from the at least one microorganism. the microfluidic device including: a fluidic channel having an upper channel surface, a lower channel surface, a side wall, and a thickness on a submillimeter scale; an upper electrode on the upper channel surface; and a lower electrode on the lower channel surface; a fluidic channel having an upper channel surface, a lower channel surface, a side wall, and a thickness on a submillimeter scale; an upper electrode on the upper channel surface; and a lower electrode on the lower channel surface; wherein the method includes: flowing the liquid into the channel; and applying a series of bipolar voltage pulses between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, the series of voltage pulses having a sub-second duration, characterized in that the series of voltage pulses are provided such that: an electric field generated across the thickness of the fluidic channel is between 2 kV/cm and 30 kV/cm; and the liquid is heated with a heating rate of at least 250 degrees per second; flowing the liquid into the channel; and applying a series of bipolar voltage pulses between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, the series of voltage pulses having a sub-second duration, characterized in that the series of voltage pulses are provided such that: an electric field generated across the thickness of the fluidic channel is between 2 kV/cm and 30 kV/cm; and the liquid is heated with a heating rate of at least 250 degrees per second; an electric field generated across the thickness of the fluidic channel is between 2 kV/cm and 30 kV/cm; and the liquid is heated with a heating rate of at least 250 degrees per second; wherein the amplitude, and pulse width of the voltage pulses are further controlled such that the liquid is heated to an elevated temperature sufficient to flash heat the liquid and irreversibly electroporate at least one microorganism within the liquid by electrical lysing, thereby releasing at least one macromolecule from the at least one microorganism.