High Throughput Mechanical Phenotyping Using Custom IC Current Sensor

Khashayar Pirouzmand

EECS Department
University of California, Berkeley
Technical Report No. UCB/EECS-2025-23
May 1, 2025

http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2025/EECS-2025-23.pdf

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US and worldwide. Early diagnosis of cancer is vital for e↵ective treatment. There are various techniques for examining cells for diagnosing di↵erent types of cancer. These techniques consist of a range of methods from imaging diagnostic techniques that provide three-dimensional insights about tumors such as ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to commonly used techniques such as histopathology involving scrutinizing tissues under a microscope, to molecular testing techniques to analyze DNA, RNA and proteins such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry techniques such as biochemical assays that utilize antibodies to detect the presence or absence of proteins[18, 1]. Methods such as DNA sequencing and biochemical assays which require complex setups, sample preparation, data collection and analysis are relatively costly and time-consuming as compared to mechanical phenotyping which measures the physical properties of cells using proportionately simpler setups. Mechano-node-pore-sensing (Mechano-NPS) is a fully electronic microfluidic platform that enables label-free cell analysis and is used to measure the biophysical characteristics of cells. The inherent mechanical properties of individual cells hold great potential as biomarkers for understanding cellular conditions, functionality, and diseases. Being fully electronic, Mechano-NPS is capable of extracting high-content mechanical properties of cells with high throughput. This report focuses on using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) low-noise current sensor for cell mechanical phenotyping. Using ASIC current sensor enables us to have a miniaturized, portable, high-throughput system. Mechano-NPS system comprised of a microfluidic channel and a low-noise ASIC current sensor with four current sensing readout channels. The sensing channels in Mechano-NPS utilize a highly sensitive transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and bu↵er with minimal noise. This design allows for simultaneous data collection from four separate microfluidic channels. In comparison to previous methods, this advancement results in an average 19 dB enhancement in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Additionally, the updated approach o↵ers a more compact, energy-efficient, and easily expandable solution.

Advisor: Rikky Muller

"; ?>

BibTeX citation:

@mastersthesis{Pirouzmand:EECS-2025-23,
    Author = {Pirouzmand, Khashayar},
    Title = {High Throughput Mechanical Phenotyping Using Custom IC Current Sensor},
    School = {EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley},
    Year = {2025},
    Month = {May},
    URL = {http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2025/EECS-2025-23.html},
    Number = {UCB/EECS-2025-23},
    Abstract = {Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US and worldwide. Early diagnosis of
cancer is vital for e↵ective treatment. There are various techniques for examining cells for
diagnosing di↵erent types of cancer. These techniques consist of a range of methods from
imaging diagnostic techniques that provide three-dimensional insights about tumors such
as ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
to commonly used techniques such as histopathology involving scrutinizing tissues under a
microscope, to molecular testing techniques to analyze DNA, RNA and proteins such as polymerase
chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry techniques such
as biochemical assays that utilize antibodies to detect the presence or absence of proteins[18,
1]. Methods such as DNA sequencing and biochemical assays which require complex setups,
sample preparation, data collection and analysis are relatively costly and time-consuming as
compared to mechanical phenotyping which measures the physical properties of cells using
proportionately simpler setups. Mechano-node-pore-sensing (Mechano-NPS) is a fully electronic
microfluidic platform that enables label-free cell analysis and is used to measure the
biophysical characteristics of cells. The inherent mechanical properties of individual cells hold
great potential as biomarkers for understanding cellular conditions, functionality, and diseases.
Being fully electronic, Mechano-NPS is capable of extracting high-content mechanical
properties of cells with high throughput. This report focuses on using an application-specific
integrated circuit (ASIC) low-noise current sensor for cell mechanical phenotyping. Using
ASIC current sensor enables us to have a miniaturized, portable, high-throughput system.
Mechano-NPS system comprised of a microfluidic channel and a low-noise ASIC current
sensor with four current sensing readout channels. The sensing channels in Mechano-NPS
utilize a highly sensitive transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and bu↵er with minimal noise.
This design allows for simultaneous data collection from four separate microfluidic channels.
In comparison to previous methods, this advancement results in an average 19 dB enhancement
in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Additionally, the updated approach o↵ers a more
compact, energy-efficient, and easily expandable solution.}
}

EndNote citation:

%0 Thesis
%A Pirouzmand, Khashayar
%T High Throughput Mechanical Phenotyping Using Custom IC Current Sensor
%I EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley
%D 2025
%8 May 1
%@ UCB/EECS-2025-23
%U http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2025/EECS-2025-23.html
%F Pirouzmand:EECS-2025-23