The vision of this project is to produce a framework for the long-term expansion of manufacturable DNA-based electronics in society, leveraging advances in DNA nanotechnology, synthetic biology, and nanoscale electronics, in addition to developing a workforce appropriately trained to advance the field. The invention of DNA nanotechnology in the United States (US) nearly 40 years ago combined with the significant advances made in leading US universities over the last 15 years, has put DNA nanotechnology near a tipping point, similar to the state of semiconductor technology in the 1950’s and 60’s. To succeed in bringing DNA nanotechnology to a manufacturing threshold, several technological, fundamental, and human resource advances are required: (i) computer aided design (CAD) tools to model their folding and electronic properties in use-case environments, (ii) scalable methods for the placement of DNA nanostructures must be expanded; (iii) robust, stable, electrical contacts must be scaled to manufacturable levels; (iv) growth and assembly of DNA origami scaffolds must be optimized and scaled to production levels; and (v) groundwork for the development of a workforce that is trained with the interdisciplinary skills necessary to address challenges across a wide breadth of disciplines. This seed grant will focus on research topics related to defining the framework for these issues, developing processes for manufacturing these systems, developing a workforce for their implementation, and defining partnerships for moving forward. The development of a manufacturing framework for DNA-based electronic systems, and the knowledge gained from this transdisciplinary project will have a direct impact on a variety of fields. It will allow the development of new frontiers for DNA nanostructures in applications beyond electronics; enable new paradigms for the continued exponential growth of the semiconductor industry; open new applications and capabilities for US-based manufacturing; open new avenues for DNA nanostructures in biology, optics, and medicine; and help prepare a workforce inclusive of diverse backgrounds (community colleges, four-year colleges and research universities) to be able to work in this field.
This project presents a convergent, interdisciplinary approach to developing a foundation for manufacturing DNA-based electronics. This seed grant will use DNA-based cross-wire memory elements as the target device, and focus on addressing key roadblocks to manufacturing these systems. These include: (i) the development of CAD tools for designing memory element origami-based architectures, and modeling the electronic properties of DNA-based structures; (ii) the design of DNA nanostructures and their connection to lithographically defined contacts for readout via a combination of chemical and electronic attachment paradigms; (iii) the development of scalable methods for assembling DNA nanostructures at defined locations within a circuit by controlling surface interactions and using dielectrophoretic placement controls; and (iv) the development of a framework that will allow a workforce to be trained with sufficient background in synthetic biology, DNA nanotechnology, nanoscale electronics, and manufacturing to help move this field from a leading-edge research platform to a foundational manufacturing platform.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
