In 2006, Caltech’s Paul Rothemund — now research professor of bioengineering, computing and mathematical sciences, and computation and neural systems — developed a method to fold a long strand of DNA into a prescribed shape. The technique, dubbed DNA origami, enabled scientists to create self-assembling DNA structures that could carry any specified pattern, such as…
DNA Origami Creates the World’s Smallest Mona Lisa
DNA Robots Used to Sort Molecules
Imagine a robot that could help you tidy your home: roving about, sorting stray socks into the laundry and dirty dishes into the dishwasher. While such a practical helper may still be the stuff of science fiction, Caltech scientists have developed an autonomous molecular machine that can perform similar tasks — at the nanoscale. This…