Nucleic acid engineering: Using DNA as a generic material
2006 Impact statement- Luo, Dan
abstract
We are engineering DNA as a generic instead of a genetic material. In particular, DNA is used as a polymer for applications in many areas, including biotechnology, biomedicine, diagnosis, environmental monitoring, food safety, and others.
submitted by
- Luo, Dan | Associate Professor
issue being addressed
We are driven by a curiosity and desire to integrate molecular and cellular biology with engineering. Novel materials and devices, many of them at the nanoscale, can be created, which in turn may be employed to further advances in molecular and cellular biology.
response
We have created DNA nanobarcodes for multiplexed molecular detection. We have also generated a hydrogel that was made entirely from DNA.
impact assessment
We published two papers in high impact journals (Nature Biotechnology and Nature Materials). I won the National Science Foundation`s Faculty Early Career Award. The company utilizing our research won the second prize in a business plan competition with $20,000 (donated to Cornell). My laboratory now employes and supports six postdoctoral students, nine graduate students and about 12 undergraduate students. During 2006, I presented 32 invited lectures and seminars around the world.
has funding source
- National Institutes of Health | federal non-USDA
- National Research Initiative | instructional
- National Science Foundation | federal non-USDA
- New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets | state municipal
- Unrestricted funds | private
funding source description
- Keck Foundation
- Juvenille Diabetes Research Foundation
key personnel
- Mike Campolongo; (graduate student in BME)
- James Lee (graduate student in AEP)
- Hisakage Funabashi; Nokyoung Park; Wenlong Cheng; Yajun Wang; Jay Xu; Liang Ding (all postdocs in BEE)
department, unit, division
- Biological and Environmental Engineering (BEE) | Cornell department
From CALS annual faculty reporting. Imported on June 21, 2007