Nanochemistry for Noobs and Photocleavage Controlled Nanoswitches Seminar

DNA-based switches are currently operated by manual, solution-phase addition of 'set-strands'. I will describe another operation method - sterically inaccessible 'set-strands', released from a surface into solution by spatially controlled photocleavage, that operates both stochiometric and catalytic set-strand controlled systems. This technique will enable microarrays of set-strands to operate many DNA-based switches in computational and diagnostic devices.

DNA Nanotechnology research is currently conducted in labs across the globe, primarily by Graduate students and Postdoctoral researchers; our lab consists solely of Undergraduates. This seminar will also outline our lab's training and mentoring program and the way we design research projects for our students. We believe that this methodology enables meaningful learning, a productive time at the bench and positively-formative experiences for Undergraduate and High-School students. We also surmise that the lessons we've learned port to a wide variety of other practical science research environments.