Seminars

Abstract:


DNA plays a critical role in living organisms as the carriers and also the regulators of genetic information. In addition to its powerful biological functions, DNA possesses amazing physical and chemical properties. Our research is focused on engineering DNA as both genetic (bio) and generic (nano) materials. In more details, by treating DNA as a true polymer and employing a variety of enzymatic and physical tools, we can flexibly control DNA into different topologies and precisely engineering DNA at the nanoscale, achieving unprecedented structures and materials that are not easily attainable without using DNA. We have since developed, all in bulk scale, DNA materials including dendrimer-like DNA, DNA hydrogels, DNAsomes, and DNA-nanoparticle hybrid assemblies. With these novel DNA materials, we are exploring real-world applications in diagnostics, cell-free protein production, drug delivery, cell culture and optoelectronics.  For more information, please refer to our relevant publications:

-

(in revision) (2012)
Nature Nanotechnology
- Nature Communications 2, 578, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1587 (2011)
- Chemical Society Reviews DOI: 10.1039/C1CS15162B (2011)
- Nature Nanotechnology 6, 268-276 (2011)
- Angew Chem Int Ed. 49, 380-384 (2010)
- Nature Protocols, 4, 1759-1770 (2009)
- Nature Nanotechnology, 4, 430-436 (2009)
- Nature Materials (Article) 8, 519-525 (2009)
- Nature Materials (Article) 8, 432-437 (2009)
- Nature Nanotechnology (Article) 3, 682-690 (2008)
- Nature Materials 5, 797-801 (2006)
- Nature Protocols 1, 995-1000 (2006)
- Nature Biotechnology 23, 885-889 (2005)
- Nature Materials, 3, 38-42 (2004)