Developing DNA-Based Molecular Robots
Project Number1R16GM145671-01
Most medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures depend on invasive methods and sophisticated tools. These medical practices are non-convenient for the patients, are expensive, are time-consuming, and require intensive use of equipment and professional resources. Therefore, there exists a critical need for medical devices and procedures that minimize the inconvenience, cost, and resource allocation. Our long-term goal is to develop intelligent molecular robots that detect diseases and treat them by providing appropriate responses that are timely, inexpensive, and convenient. The overall objectives for the proposed project are to construct a prototype of the envisioned robot, produce the preliminary data that will support submitting a targeted R01 grant at NIH, and establish a translational research program with support from his team. The PI’s team will build a programmable DNA-based robot that aims at i) detecting specific RNA molecules and ii) generating amplified signals and select gene products.