Two level branching model for virus population under cell division

Abstract: In this paper we study a two-level branching model for virus populations under cell division. We assume that the cells are carrying virus populations which evolve as a branching particle system with competition, while the cells split according to a Yule process thereby dividing their virus populations into two independently evolving sub-populations. We then assume that sizes of the virus populations are huge and characterize the fast branching rate and huge population density limit as the solution of a well-posed martingale problem. While verifying tightness is quite standard, we provide a Feynman-Kac duality relation to conclude uniqueness. Moreover, the duality relation allows for a further study of the long term behavior of the model.