Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

The School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

With the continued growth of the biopharmaceutical industry, the demand for scalable, robust, and resource-efficient platforms for large-scale mammalian cell culture is amplified. Recent developments in microfluidic technology, such as precise control of the microenvironment, showed the potential to improve the performance of cell culture systems. However, constrained by scalability and operational efficiency, applying such approaches to large-scale cell culture and biopharmaceutical production presents challenges. This dissertation addresses these challenges through three independent but conceptually related technological developments. First, a roll-to-roll (R2R) fabrication process was developed for the scalable production of hollow microcarriers (HMCs). HMCs provide three-dimensional microenvironments suitable for culturing shear-sensitive cells in stirred-tank bioreactors. The continuous R2R process enables high-throughput fabrication of HMCs, achieving significantly enhanced production rate for successful commercialization. Second, a dialysis rolled scaffold (RS) bioreactor was developed to support long-term adherent cell culture with reduced medium consumption. Compared with conventional perfusion systems, which continuously remove secreted products along with the culture medium, dialysis enables selective exchange of nutrients and metabolites while retaining large biomolecules such as monoclonal antibodies (mAb). This enables sustained mAb production with improved resource efficiency. Third, the RS platform was adapted for exploratory exosome production. A dual-bottle RS bioreactor was developed to support cell expansion and transition to a serum-free production phase, while a tangential flow filtration (TFF) system with a pressurized feed reservoir was evaluated for exosome isolation. Dynamic light scattering analysis supported the possibility of the presence of exosome in the cell conditioned media. Together, these developments demonstrate strategies for extending the advantages of microfluidic technologies to scalable biomanufacturing applications.

Date

3-20-2026

Committee Chair

Park, Kidong

LSU Acknowledgement

1

LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment

1

Download

Share

COinS