RESEARCH

"Wet molecular robotics" encompasses design of microscopic agents that exploit self-assembly to sense, compute, and actuate; we explore molecular implementations of biologically inspired "robotic" functions.

Applications of interest include: low-cost, ultrasensitive digital detection, high-throughput, single-molecule identification and structure determination via mechanical interrogation, control over immune polarization for more effective vaccines via nanoparticle adjuvants, nanofabrication via remotely controlled or nonequilibrium self-assembly pathways.

image credit Shelley Wickham

DNA-Based Architectures

Structural DNA nanotechnology, a field launched by Ned Seeman in 1982, provides the foundation for most of our research efforts. Over the last four decades, the field has sustained exponential increases in the achievable complexity of DNA nanostructures. more>

Single-Molecule Analysis Tools

Molecular identification methods can either be affinity-based (e.g. ELISA) or non-affinity-based (e.g. mass spectrometry). We are pursuing extension of affinity and non-affinity identification and characterization to single-molecule analysis. more>

image credit Jaesung Hahn

Active Devices

An important domain of molecular robotics encompasses devices that can cycle through different states to create behaviors such as locomotion and computation. This requires systems that work out-of-equilibrium. more>

image Credit: (claire) Yang Zeng

Therapeutic Vehicles

DNA nanostructures have enjoyed wide interest for their potential as diagnostic and/or therapeutic platforms. One attractive feature is the precise geometric control over shape and site-specific decoration with ligands. more>