Research Projects

Cytomorphic engineering is an emerging smart platform for understanding the dynamics of living systems, focusing on the development of low-power cell-inspired electronics circuits and systems. This approach uses bio-mimicking methods to create electrical systems or models based on the functionality and unique characteristics of bio-molecular interactions and biochemical processes involved in a cell. The project aims to build synthetic models of different biological networks based on basic biochemical processes such as cascade, fan-in, fan-out, and dissociation. Large-scale simulations are required to uncover different biochemical pathways and their associated cell function, as well as predict and prevent diseases. The problem can be solved using hardware accelerators parallelized with CPU, GPU, FPGA, and AsIC. FPGA provides a real-time reconfigurable hardware accelerator in soC form with extremely high data processing and interfacing speeds, while AsIC provides a microchip designed for special applications like miniaturization of size, optimization of power, faster performance, and IP (Internet Protocol) protection. The project aims to develop an FPGA/AsIC-based subset library of arbitrary biochemical reactions, providing a universal platform for users to use the set of modules as an IP (Internet Protocol). The project also aims to design digitally cytomorphic systems of proteins based on their synthesis and degradation mechanism, integrating proteins blocks based on popular enzymatic dynamics Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The equivalent electrical circuits will be implemented using ultra-low-power CMOs devices and simulations to study the stochastic activity of the pathway within a cell.