I work in a lab in university that experiments with DNA as a building material.
We focus on the following:
a) Make DNA nanoconstructions that are more robust with respect to temperature, pH and metal ion concentration -
allowing them to be used in a wider range of environments
b) Enable orthogonal chemical and physical stimuli to activate and deactivate DNA sequence-controlled switches -
enabling greater control of the design and operation of these systems
c) Develop systems that allow the control of multiple DNA switches without the addition of external reagents -
enabling the use of these switches in multiplexed self-contained sensing environments
d) Develop mesoscale DNA constructions that act as sensors
So far, the lab as created nanoswitches from DNA, controlled by shining light on it.
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2011/CC/C1CC10292C
We focus on the following:
a) Make DNA nanoconstructions that are more robust with respect to temperature, pH and metal ion concentration -
allowing them to be used in a wider range of environments
b) Enable orthogonal chemical and physical stimuli to activate and deactivate DNA sequence-controlled switches -
enabling greater control of the design and operation of these systems
c) Develop systems that allow the control of multiple DNA switches without the addition of external reagents -
enabling the use of these switches in multiplexed self-contained sensing environments
d) Develop mesoscale DNA constructions that act as sensors
So far, the lab as created nanoswitches from DNA, controlled by shining light on it.
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2011/CC/C1CC10292C