Date of Award

Summer 8-16-2019

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Engineering

Advisor

Karissa Tilbury

Second Committee Member

Michael Mason

Third Committee Member

Paul Millard

Additional Committee Members

Robert Bayer

Abstract

Two-photon microscopy (TPM) is a powerful, versatile imaging modality for the study of biological systems. This thesis overviews the relevant physics involved in TPM, design considerations and process of constructing a home-built, two-photon microscope, and provides a set of procedures to operate the system. Furthermore, this work explores several applications of TPM through the study of single-cell metabolism and imaging the cellular-material interface. Explored in particular depth was the imaging of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) materials, with the goal of understanding the three-dimensional nature of fibroblast cell growth when embedded within the materials. This work uncovered several optical properties of CNF, and resulted in the creation of a novel method for imaging three-dimensional cellular growth into CNF materials; resolving fine material and biological structures without perturbing the native environment.

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