An image showing various schematics of an octahedron constructed of DNA. One is a digital reconstruction, one is a schematic showing how contents are loaded into the octahedron. One highlights the binding sites in the octahedron, and the last shows how the octahedrons can be connected to form a 3D lattice.

​Engineered Nanoscale Biomaterials

Novel approaches are required for generating new biologically and chemically active biomaterials. For example, it is advantageous to establish methods for organizing proteins into designed 2D and 3D arrays, which remains a challenge for traditional protein crystallization. The capability to design controllable protein supramolecular structures can allow accumulation of a wealth of information (e.g., structure, genetics, function) onto a single structure, leading to a broad spectrum of application in nanotechnology, biomimetics and nanomedicine.

We are developing methods for building complex nanoscale blocks that integrate DNA, proteins and enzymes for engineering functions, and exploring them in applications for bio-imaging, drug and gene delivery. We use these designed building bio-nano blocks for creating large-scale biomaterial systems with catalytic, sensing, and system regulation functions.