CAREER: DNA Directed Self-Assembly of Multicomponent Nanoarchitectures

职业生涯：多组分纳米结构的DNA定向自组装项目概述本项目旨在开发通过定向分子自组装构建功能纳米材料的高效方法。具体而言，PI建议开发使用自组装DNA纳米结构作为支架的方法，将纳米颗粒（NP）和纳米线（NW）组织成具有可调物理特性的合理设计的整体。设计师DNA纳米支架正在成为创建具有对称和不对称甚至非周期性结构的复杂纳米粒子的首选材料。纳米粒子和纳米线，当组织成由DNA nanoscaffolds定义的明确的几何形状时，可以产生频率选择性响应，该响应可以作为其高阶结构的函数进行调谐，用于广泛的技术应用，从纳米级波导到小型化生物电子传感设备。DNA纳米支架与功能纳米材料的整合尚未得到系统的探索。在这个新兴的年轻领域，机遇和挑战并存。需要协同努力来解决这些紧迫的问题。智力优势：从纳米级构建块（如NP和NW）中合理定义的纳米架构的程序化和高效的自组装是目前纳米技术的突出挑战之一。该项目的主要研究目标是证明使用DNA纳米技术可以实现合理设计的多组分纳米结构的编码自组装。PI旨在全面解决开发DNA纳米结构作为NP/NW集成的空间可寻址模板中最紧迫的问题。这些问题包括：（i）在NP/NW定点吸附到DNA超晶格上的过程中优化对非特异性聚集的控制;（ii）将DNA的编程能力扩展到对称性降低和复杂性增加的2D纳米结构的设计;（iii）设计NP/NW系综，其集体物理性质可以作为NP/NW维度和晶格几何形状的函数来调节，以及（iv）以合理定义的方式制造NP/NW系综，在构建纳米电子和光学器件方面具有独特的应用。更广泛的影响：所提出的DNA定向自组装路线将潜在地为基于纳米电子组件、纳米级光学网络和高密度和可寻址传感器阵列的未来集成电路的生产提供革命性的能力。i）PI提出了一种新颖实用的机制，以利用基于DNA的纳米生物技术研究向高中生的推广。PI实验室和钱德勒高中之间建立了合作伙伴关系，通过为大量高中学生提供基于DNA的纳米生物技术的有趣和令人兴奋的科学实验模块，并为教师提供课堂支持，以支持科学传播。如果成功，这项推广活动将扩大到更大的高中生群体。ii）PI认为，目前本科教育的问题之一是学生在早期阶段没有接触到前沿研究课题。这最终影响了学生读研做科学的积极性。因此，PI建议将目前教授的纳米生物技术课程带给本科生和研究生，并全面介绍这一新领域令人兴奋的发展。（iii）研究所认为，一个领域的进步不仅取决于创造新想法的能力，还取决于吸引更多人从事该领域的工作的能力。目前，制造自组装DNA纳米结构的方法在世界范围内只能由少数人完成。这部分是由于这个研究课题的多学科性质。DNA纳米技术的影响可以通过将拟议的研究与互补的知识转移机制相结合来充分发挥其潜力。为此，PI建议编写一本网络手册，以宣传基于DNA的纳米生物技术研究中使用的协议和方法。

ABSTRACTCareer: DNA Directed Self-assembly of Multicomponent NanoarchitecturesProject SummaryThis proposal aims to develop highly effective methods for constructing functional nanomaterials by directed molecular self-assembly. Specifically, the PI proposes to develop methods to use self-assembled DNA nanoarchitectures as scaffolds to organize Nanoparticles (NPs) and Nanowires (NWs) into rationally designed ensembles with tunable physical properties. Designer DNA nanoscaffolds are emerging as the material of choice for creating sophisticated nanopatterns with both symmetric and asymmetric or even aperiodic structures. NPs and NWs, when organized into well-defined geometries defined by DNA nanoscaffolds, can produce frequency-selective responses that can be tuned as a function of their higherorder structure for a broad range of technological applications, ranging from nanoscale waveguides to miniaturized bio-electronic sensing devices. The integration of DNA nanoscaffolds with functional nanomaterials has not been systematically explored. Both opportunities and challenges exist in this emerging young field. Synergetic efforts are needed to address these pressing issues.Intellectual merit:The programmed and efficient self-assembly of rationally defined nanoarchitectures from nanoscale building blocks, such as NPs and NWs is presently one of the outstanding challenges in nanotechnology. The main research goal of this project is to demonstrate that encoded self-assembly of rationally designed multicomponent nanostructures can be achieved using DNA nanotechnology. The PI aims to comprehensively address the most pressing issues in developing DNA nano-architectures as spatially addressable templates for NP/NW ensembles. These issues include: (i) optimizing control over nonspecific aggregation during the site-directed adsorption of NP/NW onto DNA superlattices; (ii) extending the programming capacity of DNA toward the design of 2D nanostructures of reduced symmetry and increased complexity; (iii) designing NP/NW ensembles whose collective physical properties can be tuned as a function of the NP/NW dimensions and lattice geometry, and (iv) fabricating NP/NW ensembles in a rationally defined manner with unique applications in constructing nanoelectronic and optical devices.Broader impact:The proposed DNA directed self-assembly routes will potentially provide revolutionary capabilities in production of future integrated circuits based on nanoelectronics assemblies, nanoscale optical networks, and high-density and addressable sensor arrays.The educational impact of this proposal is articulated in three parts. i) The PI proposes a novel and practical mechanism to leverage the outreach of DNA based nanobiotechnology research to high school students. A partnership has been established between the PIs lab and Chandler High School to support science dissemination by bringing fun and exciting scientific experimental modules in DNA-based nanobiotechnology to a large number of high school students and providing classroom support to teachers. If successful, this outreach activity will be extended to a larger group of high school students. ii) The PI believes that one of the problems in current undergraduate education is that the students are not exposed to the cutting edge research topics in an earlier stage. This eventually affects the students enthusiasm to attend graduate school to do science. Therefore, the PI proposes to bring a currently taught class in nanobiotechnology to both undergraduate and graduate students and comprehensively introduce exciting developments in this novel field to them. iii) The PI believes that the advancements of a field not only depends on the ability to create new ideas, it will also depend on the ability to attract more people to work on it. At present, the methodologies for creating self-assembled DNA nanostructures can only be performed by a handful of people worldwide. This is, in part, due to the multidisciplinary nature of this research topic. The impact of DNA nanotechnology can be brought to its full potential by integrating the proposed research with a complementary knowledge transfer mechanism. For this purpose, the PI proposes to write a web-based handbook to publicize the protocols and methods used in DNA-based nanobiotechnology research.