Skip to main content
NC State Home
Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)
Biopolymer Engineering and Nanotechnology Laboratory

Research

The Biopolymer Engineering and Nanotechnology Laboratory focuses on designing and engineering self-assembling molecular materials using biopolymers, particularly DNA and proteins, as programmable building blocks. Leveraging molecular recognition principles from biology, the group creates artificial materials with nanometer-scale precision for applications in nanomedicine, molecular materials, and biomimetic nanoelectronics. Their research spans biopolymer engineering, soft matter nanofabrication to overcome scaling limits of electronics, and developing bionanotechnology tools for medical therapeutics, such as enzyme inhibitors and targeted cell receptor modulation. This interdisciplinary work integrates principles from structural DNA nanotechnology and protein engineering to advance cutting-edge materials science. The lab focuses on designing and engineering self-assembling molecular materials using biopolymers, particularly DNA and proteins, as programmable building blocks. Leveraging molecular recognition principles from biology, the group creates artificial materials with nanometer-scale precision for applications in nanomedicine, molecular materials, and biomimetic nanoelectronics. Their research spans biopolymer engineering, soft matter nanofabrication to overcome scaling limits of electronics, and developing bionanotechnology tools for medical therapeutics, such as enzyme inhibitors and targeted cell receptor modulation. This interdisciplinary work integrates principles from structural DNA nanotechnology and protein engineering to advance cutting-edge materials science.

Biopolymer Engineering

We use biopolymers, especially DNA and proteins, as programmable building blocks with which to create self-assembling, molecular materials. Making use of the same molecular recognition principles used in biology to construct living tissue, we design, synthesize, and test artificial materials with micrometer-scale dimensions and nanometer-scale feature resolution. This research has evolved from the areas of structural DNA nanotechnology and protein engineering.

Biomimetic Nanofabrication

Conventional processes for fabrication of electronics and photonics devices made from hard matter (metals, oxides, semiconductors) are approaching intrinsic scaling limits. To push the dimensions of these devices down into the low nanometer range, we are developing soft matter processes for applications in nanofabrication. We are developing bimolecular self-assemblies to template, functionalize, and organize inorganic, functional materials for programmable, artificial biomineralization.

Bionanotechnology for Medicine

We are also developing medical applications for our bionanotechnology materials and methods. We have created enzyme inhibitors for use as anticoagulants, as well as metabolic activators for targeted thrombolysis. An ongoing project is aimed at the programmed activation of cell surface receptor clustering for controlling the developmental fate of particular cells.