GRADUATE SEMINAR 1 (2026)

From DNA as Code to DNA as Construction: The Evolution and Future of Structural DNA Nanotechnology

SpeakerProfessor Hao Yan, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, USA
Date/TimeTuesday, 2 Jun, 10am
LocationLT27
ModeratorA/Prof Wang Zhisong

Abstract

Structural DNA nanotechnology has transformed DNA from a passive carrier of genetic information into a programmable material for building nanoscale architectures and devices. This seminar traces the field’s evolution from its conceptual origins to key experimental breakthroughs, including DNA tiles, origami, dynamic assemblies, and molecular machines. Emphasis will be placed on the milestones that established DNA nanotechnology as a rigorous chemical and engineering discipline, as well as its convergence with computation, materials science, and biomedicine. Looking forward, the talk will explore emerging directions, including intelligent nanosystems, in vivo applications, and the integration of sensing, actuation, and computation at the molecular scale, highlighting opportunities for graduate researchers to shape the next generation of programmable matter.

Biography

Hao Yan is the Regents Professor and Milton D. Glick Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Arizona State University, and Director of the Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics in the Biodesign Institute. His honors include elected Fellow of AAAS, NAI, AIMBE, and EurASc, as well as the Feynman Prize in Nanotechnology, Humboldt Research Award, Rozenberg Tulip Award in DNA Computing, and Sloan Fellowship etc. He serves as Associate Editor for Science Advances and ACS Applied Bio Materials. A pioneer of structural DNA nanotechnology, he has helped establish it as a chemical and engineering discipline. As former President of the International Society for Nanoscale Science, Computation and Engineering and currently General Chair of the Annual FNANO conference, he has played a central role in shaping the global biomolecular nanoscience community.