Victor Pan

PhD Proposal Presentation

Date: Monday October 30, 2017

Time: 8:00 AM

Location: Emory University HSRB E160

Committee Members:

Yonggang Ke, PhD (Advisor, BME)

Zuhong Lu, PhD (Co-Advisor, Peking University)

Khalid Salaita, PhD (BME, Emory University)

Cheng Zhang, PhD (Peking University)

Bryan Wei, PhD (Tsinghua University)

DNA origami molecular carriers as versatile tools for biomolecule sensing using solid state nanopores

Solid-state nanopores have gained popularity in the past decade as an emerging technology for biomolecule detection. Although capable of high throughput and highly sensitive detection without expensive chemical labels or modifications, nanopores suffer from various drawbacks. As the measured output from translocation events is a simple current trace based on molecule size, any two biomolecules roughly the same size will produce indistinguishable drops in current.

Nucleic acid nanotechnology has emerged as a technique to assist in nanopore mediated biomolecule detection. Nucleic acid structures, with their nanoscale programmability, can be designed to carry modifications at precise locations on the nanostructure.  Such precise control over the target capturing position allows for the design of nanostructures that can interact with biomolecules to exhibit altered translocation characteristics. This study will focus on target-induced conformational change of dynamic DNA origami, competitive aptamer displacement, and nanostructure-nanopore interaction. By using such strategies to influence individual translocation events, the proposed work will aim to use DNA origami structures to assist in the detection and identification of various biomolecules during solid state nanopore scanning.