Changeable Self-Assembling Nanodevices

Nanodevices have been created from self-assembling DNA which can be programmed to move and change shape. They are made up of a single stranded DNA molecule combined with many short complimentary DNA pieces. The DNA self-assembles to form a predetermined 3D structure which distributes tensile and compressive forces making the structure strong and stable. The nanodevices are good for medical purposes because they are composed of DNA which makes them biocompatible and biodegradable. The team at Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who created these nanodevices believe they could be used in nanoscale medical devices, in drug delivery systems, and even to reprogram human stem cells to regenerate injured organs.

I thought this article was interesting because it reminded me of my team’s device design project. I think it is amazing that it can self-assemble and is able to change based on demand. The nanodevices are also already prepared to enter the human body because it’s compatible. Nothing has to be worked out to have them brought into the system and then to tell the body not to reject them. This a great blend of engineering and biology which can have several applications in the medical world.

Source:
http://insciences.org/article.php?article_id=9205