Design And Fabrication Of A Membrane Integrated Microfluidic Cell Culture Device Suitable For High Resolution Imaging

Malaria remains a serious concern for people living and traveling to warm climates in Africa, Asia, and some parts of America. Understanding the mechanism of the malaria parasite in the liver phase could lead to important discoveries for preventative and treatment therapeutics before the disease develops into the blood stage. While in vitro liver cell culture models have been explored, a device that mimics the liver cell architecture with the capability of high-resolution imaging has never been created. In this research, a cell culture microfluidic device was designed and fabricated with a membrane integrated design to mimic the architecture of a liver, cell chamber dimensions affable for high-resolution imaging, and fluidic port design for optical access to both sides of the membrane for the study of malaria parasite invasion.