Structural DNA Nanotechnology: Complex Self-Assembly and Applications

A key challenge in nanotechnology is to design and fabricate nanostructures and nanodevices. Such systems can serve as platforms for basic science research (structural biology, molecular biology, for instance) at nanoscale, and for practical applications. Rational-designed self-assembly, particularly structural DNA nanotechnology has attracted significant attentions due to its programmability and its precise control of matter at nanoscale.

I am excited to have this opportunity to share some of our most recent research results (ke-lab.gatech.edu/publication.html). The seminar will open with a brief introduction of structural DNA nanotechnology, followed by discussing our recent progress in making massive DNA nanostructures with complex shapes. In 2012, we invented a modular assembly strategy for constructing complex 3D shapes, up to 8 megadalton in size, using short synthetic DNA oligos — “DNA bricks”. Here, we will discuss this method and how a quantum leap in term of structure size and complexity was made recently. The next part of this talk will focus on reconfigurable DNA structures, particularly a new system that demonstrated controlling information transfer at molecular level using a DNA-based molecular network. The system’s transformation can be initiated at specific locations, and then propagate through prescribed pathways.