| This thesis details the development of a continuous perfusion platform capable of more closely mimicking in vivo cell-virus dynamics, while surpassing the experimental control and flexibility of standard cell culture. First, a microfluidic flow through acoustic device is optimized to enable efficient and controllable separation of cells and viruses. Repeatable isolation of cell and virus species is demonstrated with both a well-characterized virus, Dengue Virus (DENV), and the novel Golden Gate Virus. Next, a platform is built around this device to enable controllable, automated, continuous cell culture. Beads are used to assess system performance and optimize operation. Subsequently, the platform is used to culture both murine hybridoma (4G2) and human monocyte (THP-1) cell lines for over one month, and demonstrate the ability to manipulate population dynamics. Finally, we use the platform to establish a multispecies culture with THP-1 cells and Sindbis Virus (SINV). This work integrates distinct engineering feats to create a platform capable of enhancing existing cell virus studies and opening the door to a variety of high-impact investigations. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.). |
