DMREF/Collaborative Research: Architecting DNA Nanodevices into Metamaterials, Transducing Materials, and Assembling Materials

由纳米级积木自组装而成的软结构材料可能在传感、软机器人、能源、信息存储和医学方面有着深远的应用。由生物构件构建的材料是有吸引力的，因为它们可以整合生物分子系统的优点，例如响应于外部刺激的适应性，与其他材料动态相互作用的能力，以及在化学或机械降解后自我修复的能力。DNA自组装提供了一种有前途的方法，用于创建这样的纳米结构的材料，由于其能够产生精确的纳米结构的前所未有的几何复杂性，可调的机械性能，和动态重构。这个设计材料革命和工程我们的未来（DMREF）奖支持基础研究，重点是开发从DNA构建的自组装材料，具有适应性结构和独特的机械性能，信号处理能力，以及从单个可重构构建块形成各种材料的能力。该研究与材料基因组计划密切相关，该计划旨在通过整合计算，实验和数据驱动的进步来加速材料的发现和部署。此外，该奖项将为研究生和本科生提供DNA纳米技术，生物化学，分子模拟，机器学习和多尺度建模方面的独特培训。所有的培训机会将被利用，以造福于代表性不足的群体的学生。此外，该项目的成果将通过研讨会进行传播，这将吸引更广泛的研究社区。该研究项目将通过整合独特的机械，信号转导和形状变形特性来提高构建的DNA材料的功能特性。这些材料将由纳米级DNA构建块构建，具有精确设计的结构和定制的机械和动态特性。这些单元将组装成更大的材料，由许多相互作用的设备组成，以协调材料的结构和机械响应，并实现转换信号等功能。将使用分子模拟和机器学习方法为这些材料建立设计原则，以快速识别纳米器件和按需材料特性的组装设计。该团队采用高度协作的方法，结合了DNA纳米材料、单分子测量、分子和介观建模以及机器学习方面的专业知识。利用这些能力，该团队将专注于三个目标：设计，构建和实现（i）从顺应性DNA折纸纳米结构自组装的机械超材料，（ii）基于动态DNA器件的信号转导材料，以及（iii）来自可重构多臂DNA折纸纳米器件组装的多态网络。该项目由工程局（ENG）的土木、机械和制造创新部（CMMI）和数学和物理科学局（MPS）的材料研究部（DMR）支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Soft architected materials self-assembled from nanoscale building blocks could have far-reaching applications in sensing, soft-robotics, energy, information storage, and medicine. Materials constructed from biological building blocks are attractive because they can integrate the advantages of biomolecular systems such as adaptability in response to external stimuli, capacity to dynamically interact with other materials, and ability to self-heal after chemical or mechanical degradation. DNA self-assembly provides a promising approach for creating such nano-architected materials due to its ability to produce precise nanostructures of unprecedented geometric complexity, tunable mechanical properties, and dynamic reconfiguration. This Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) award supports fundamental research focused on developing self-assembled materials constructed from DNA with adaptable structures and unique mechanical properties, signal processing capabilities, and the ability to form a variety of materials from a single reconfigurable building block. The research is closely aligned with the Materials Genome Initiative, which seeks to accelerate materials discovery and deployment through integration of computational, experimental, and data-driven advances. In addition, the award will provide unique training for graduate and undergraduate students in DNA nanotechnology, biochemistry, molecular simulations, machine learning, and multi-scale modeling. All training opportunities will be leveraged to benefit students from underrepresented groups. Additionally, the results of the project will be disseminated through workshops that will engage broader research communities.This research project will advance the functional properties of architected DNA materials by integrating unique mechanical, signal-transducing, and shape-morphing properties. These materials will be constructed from nanoscale DNA building blocks with precisely designed structure and tailored mechanical and dynamic properties. These units will be assembled into larger materials consisting of many devices that interact with each other to coordinate the structure and mechanical response of the materials and achieve functions like transducing signals. Design principles will be established for these materials using molecular simulation and machine learning approaches to rapidly identify nanodevice and assembly designs for on-demand material properties. The team has a highly collaborative approach that combines expertise in DNA nanomaterials, single-molecule measurements, molecular and mesoscopic modeling, and machine learning. Using these capabilities, the team will focus on three goals: design, construct and implement (i) mechanical metamaterials self-assembled from compliant DNA origami nanostructures, (ii) signal transducing materials based on dynamic DNA devices, and (iii) polymorphic networks from assembly of reconfigurable multi-arm DNA origami nanodevices. This project is supported by the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI) of the Directorate for Engineering (ENG) and the Division of Materials Research (DMR) of the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.