Research


Overview - Programmable molecular systems
Our mission is to enable precision and personalized approaches to medicine via the development of molecular and nanoscale technologies that are amenable to rational design (i.e. programmable). Our current efforts largely focus on engineering immune-based therapies to treat cancer and cellular diagnostics. We are an interdisciplinary research laboratory working at the intersection of nanotechnology, molecular engineering, immunology, and computational biology.
Overview - Programmable molecular systems
Immune-therapeutics and personalized vaccines
In defense of a vast border, our immune system has evolved intricate mechanisms to recognize pathogenic microbes such as viruses and bacteria. Using a range of techniques - DNA nanotechnology, molecular engineering, materials chemistry - we can engineer biosynthetic nanotechnologies that recapitulate the signals presented by these pathogens. We are using this capability to develop therapeutic strategies that direct powerful immune responses against complex diseases such as cancer.
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Immune-therapeutics and personalized vaccines
Molecular and single-cell technologies
Much of what happens inside the body is hidden to us, but are collectively encoded by incredible cell-type diversity and cell-cell interaction networks. We combine seemingly distant fields - DNA nanotechnology, machine learning, imaging, and microfabrication - to develop assays with unprecedented abilities to unravel this complexity of biological systems, dissect cell phenotypes, and diagnose diseases.
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Molecular and single-cell technologies

Latest News

Our article on rewireable DNA computing building blocks has been published online today in JACS

Ryan’s work on combining PCR synthesis, solid-phase immobilization, and microfluidics to create DNA computers from reusable building blocks is now published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. A big thanks to Prof. Nadanai Laohakunakorn and his lab at University of Edinburgh for help with microfludics. Congratulations Ryan!