Project Grant 2323968

The Ohio State University was awarded a $200,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Materials Research under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049). The award supports fundamental research to develop self-assembled materials constructed from DNA with adaptable structures, unique mechanical properties, signal processing capabilities, and the ability to form a variety of materials from a single reconfigurable building block. The research aims to advance the functional properties of architected DNA materials by integrating mechanical, signal-transducing, and shape-morphing properties. This work will establish design principles for these materials using molecular simulation and machine learning approaches to rapidly identify nanodevice and assembly designs for on-demand material properties. The project will provide training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, including those from underrepresented groups, in DNA nanotechnology, biochemistry, molecular simulations, machine learning, and multi-scale modeling. The award period is from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2027.