Confinement, Dynamics, and Orientation of DNA at Nano-interfaces

DNA分子是遗传密码的组成部分，经常被检测到以诊断从癌症到感染的一系列疾病。 了解DNA在生物传感器表面的组织方式对于开发更好、更灵敏和更特异的诊断分析非常重要。 本项目将通过理论和实验相结合的方法来获得这样的理解。技术说明：本项目将联合收割机的实验和理论相结合的努力来研究DNA螺旋与金纳米颗粒的相互作用。纳米粒子由于其独特的表面化学性质和纳米尺度下的形状对纳米粒子与DNA相互作用的影响，成为实验生物学和纳米医学的新工具。 该合作项目旨在通过将实验光谱和生物物理研究与原子级理论模拟相结合来填补现有的数据空白。 具体的努力将被应用到系统的表面化学，DNA序列和DNA纳米粒子的相互作用和结合的离子的存在下的影响的调查。 实验研究将为理论模型提供必要的反馈。总之，这些研究将提供DNA-纳米界面的基础知识，从而进一步开发纳米生物传感器，基于DNA的材料和基因治疗的新方法，最终有助于提高生活质量。

DNA molecules are building blocks of the genetic code and are detected frequently to diagnose a range of diseases from cancer to infections. Understanding of how DNA organizes on the surface of the biosensor is important in order to develop better, more sensitive and specific diagnostic assays. This project will gain such understanding through a combination of theory and experiments.Technical description:This project will combine experimental and theoretical efforts to study interactions of DNA helices with gold nanoparticles. Nanoparticles emerge as promising new tools for experimental biology and nanomedicine because of the unusual surface chemistry and effect of shape at the nanoscale on the nanoparticle-DNA interactions. This collaborative project is designed to fill the existing void of data by combining experimental spectroscopic and biophysical studies with atomistic-level theoretical simulations. Specific efforts will be applied to systematic investigation of the effects of surface chemistry, DNA sequence, and presence of ions on DNA-nanoparticle interactions and binding. The experimental studies will provide an essential feedback for the theoretical models. Taken together, these studies will provide fundamental knowledge of DNA-nano-interface thus, enabling further development of nano-biosensors, DNA-based materials, and novel approaches for gene therapy, ultimately, contributing to improving quality of life.