What we do
Understanding and engineering the basic principles of life
Our mission is to advance the understanding of the physics of living systems across scales to bring solutions to some of the world’s most pressing bioengineering and health issues. To achieve this, we combine novel physics-centered experimental methods, system-level computational approaches, and conceptual bottom-up theory to decipher the physical laws governing the dynamic organization of life from molecules to cells. We re-engineer life-like processes and systems by employing state-of-the-art technologies and by developing novel life-inspired approaches. Our initiative is jointly supported by the LMU Center for NanoScience, the LMU Gene Center, and the LMU Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics.
Engineering Life Seminar (hybrid)
May 19 at 5.00 pm CEST
Hao Yan
Arizona State University
Designer Nucleic Acid Architectures for Programmable Self-assembly
DNA and RNA has emerged as an exceptional molecular building block for nano-construction due to its predictable conformation and programmable intra- and inter-molecular base pairing interactions. A variety of convenient design rules and reliable assembly methods have been developed to engineer DNA nanostructures of increasing complexity. The ability to create designer DNA architectures with accurate spatial control has allowed researchers to explore novel applications in many directions, such as directed material assembly, structural biology, biocatalysis, DNA computing, nano-robotics, disease diagnosis, and drug delivery. In this talk I will discuss some of our work in the field of structural nucleic acid nanotechnology, and present some of the challenges and opportunities that exist in DNA and RNA based molecular design and programming. Specifically, I will discuss some of the new designs for 3D DNA crystals and the use of the crystals as host to organize guest molecules and visualize their atomic level structures. I will discuss the use of DNA template to organize dye molecules for long range energy transfer over sub-micron distances for potential light harvesting applications. I will also discuss our progress in using DNA and RNA nanotechnology for biomedical applications.
Upcoming seminars
May 19, 2022
Hao Yan, Arizona State University
Designer Nucleic Acid Architectures for Programmable Self-assembly
June 30, 2022
Ebbe Sloth Andersen, Aarhus University
RNA origami: The art of folding an RNA strand to create nanoscale shapes
Past seminars
Joachim Spatz
MPI for Medical Research Heidelberg
Matter to Life: Bottom-Up Assembly of Synthetic Cells
Stirling Churchman
Harvard Medical School
The dynamics of gene expression, from the nucleus to mitochondria
Donald E. Ingber
Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University
Human Organ Chips: Reverse Engineering Human Biology for Medical Applications
Jochen Guck
MPI for the Science of Light
Erlangen
Physical states of cells somewhere between life and death
Alena Khmelinskaia
University of Bonn
Expanding the repertoire of de novo protein assemblies
Steffen Rulands
MPI for the Physics of Complex Systems
Understanding collective processes in the cell nucleus using single-cell genomics
Cameron Myhrvold
Princeton University
CRISPR-based technologies for detecting and destroying RNA viruses
Cathleen Zeymer
TU München
Design and engineering of lanthanide-binding proteins: from de novo metal coordination to catalysis
Irene Chen
University of California at Los Angeles
Emergent by-products of RNA evolution
Stephan W. Grill
MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Condensation of proteins on and with DNA
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