Columbia Technology Ventures

Self-assembling DNA polymer scaffolds with material templates

This technology is a method for integrating various metallic, metal-oxide, and semiconducting materials into self-assembled DNA frameworks for advanced nanolithography.

Unmet Need: Self-assembling DNA hybrid polymers incorporating inorganic materials

Self-assembling DNA polymers can provide unique templates for functional nanomaterial incorporation and design. However, there have been challenges in incorporating inorganic materials into self-assembling DNA frameworks, which has prevented their extension into relevant applications, including advanced nanolithography. With the onset of advanced photolithography for nanoelectronics, there is a growing need to extend this technology to incorporate various metallic templating of three-dimensional DNA-based frameworks.

The Technology: Method for inorganic templating of 3D DNA frameworks

This technology is a method for integrating various metallic, metal-oxide, and semiconducting materials into self-assembled DNA frameworks. The methodology produces 3D frameworks that contain nanoscale features giving this technology the potential to greatly increase the implementation of DNA-based self-assembling materials into relevant advanced nanomanufacturing processes.

This technology has been validated by the generation of composite framework prototypes.

Applications:

  • Advanced nanolithography
  • Neural computing
  • Nanomaterials
  • Water filtration
  • Drug delivery

Advantages:

  • Enables functionalization of DNA scaffolds with nanoscale properties, including mechanical, electrical, and optical
  • Provides method of inorganic templating for nanomanufacturing
  • Templates for synthesizing artificial nanoscale structures

Lead Inventor:

Oleg Gang, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending

Related Publications:

Tech Ventures Reference: