Event
BIOE Seminar: Multimodal DNA Channels: A Minimalist Design for Host-Microbiome Communication
Friday, April 10, 2026
9:00 a.m.
A. James Clark Hall, Room #2121
Ian White
ltadesse@umd.edu
Leopold Green
Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering
Purdue University
Multimodal DNA Channels: A Minimalist Design for Host-Microbiome Communication
Abstract:
Nucleic acids are emerging as highly programmable materials that enable precise design and efficient assembly of nanoscale structures. Their biocompatibility makes them suitable for integration into living cells, where they maintain robust functionality by incorporating biological functional groups, such as cholesterol. The simplicity of Watson-Crick base pairing and relatively low production costs make nucleic acid-based platforms an affordable and scalable technology for various biomedical applications. In this work, we present a minimalist design of a DNA nanocage to serve as a synthetic channel for the selective transport of biomolecules across prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell membranes. Our DNA cages facilitate the transfer of biomolecules from single ions to large proteins, bypassing natural cellular pathways. We demonstrate effective transport across various cell types, including single-ion translocation in live neurons and transfer of larger biomolecules, such as green fluorescent protein and fibroblast-activating proteins, across brain cancer and stem cell membranes. The versatility of this nanocage design opens promising avenues for synthetic biology with targeted drug delivery, biosensing, and orthogonal intercellular communication.
Bio:
Dr. Green is a Synthetic Biologist working at the convergence of DNA nanotechnology, microbiome engineering, and biological control. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Hampton University in 2011. Dr. Green is a Merck Science Fellowship and NSF GRFPrecipient while pursuing his doctoral studies in Bioengineering at UC Riverside. There, he developed self-assembling DNA and RNA coupling to genetic circuits. He joined Caltech as a Post-doctoral Fellow, developing population controllers in microbiome systems. In the Fall of 2021, Dr. Green joined Purdue University's Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. His research centers on designing biological controllers using living cells decorated with nucleic acid motifs.
