Events
Abstracts Return to main listing
SPONSOR: NSF NIRT Nanomanufacturing Program – DMI – 0303950 and DMI-0422724
PI Prof. Constantinos Mavroidis, Robotics / Mech. Eng., Northeastern University
Co-PI Prof. Martin Yarmush, Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, MGH & Shriners Hospital
Co-PI: Prof. Silvina Tomassone, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University
Co-PI: Prof. Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos, Chemistry, University of Connecticut
Other Authors: Atul Dubey, Gaurav Sharma and Ummat Ajay
Presenter: Atul Dubey
Primary Contact: Prof. Dinos Mavroidis, mavro@coe.neu.edu, 617-373-4121
NIRT: Bio-Nano-Robotic Systems Using Viral Protein Nano Motors
A multidisciplinary team from Northeastern University, Rutgers University, Massachusetts General Hospital and the Shriners Hospital for Children, (Harvard Medical School affiliated hospitals) and The University of Connecticut has been assembled to study the development of protein-based nano-motors and nano-robots, in response to the NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Program announcement, in the category Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT). Our team in composed of experts in many different disciplines and fields that include: a) Robotics, Design and Mechanical Engineering; b) Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; c) Biomedical Engineering; d) Chemistry and Materials Science; e) Physics and Molecular Dynamics.
The long term goal of this project is to develop novel and revolutionary biomolecular machine components that can be assembled and form multi-degree of freedom nanodevices that will be able to apply forces and manipulate objects in the nanoworld, transfer information from the nano to the macro world and also be able to travel in the nanoenvironment. These machines are expected to be highly efficient, economical in mass production, work under little supervision and be controllable. The vision is that such ultra-miniature robotic systems and nano-mechanical devices will be the biomolecular electro-mechanical hardware of future manufacturing, biomedical and planetary applications. Some proteins, due to their structural characteristics and physicochemical properties constitute potential candidates for this role.
The specific aims of this project are:
a) To identify proteins that can be used as motors in nano / micro machines and mechanisms. We are focusing our studies on the mechanical properties of viral proteins to open or close depending on the pH level of environment. Thus, a new, powerful, linear biomolecular actuator type is obtained that we call: Viral Protein Linear (VPL) motor. Various viral proteins will be studied and from them different VPL motors will be produced.
b) To develop dynamic models and realistic simulations / animations to accurately predict the performance of the proposed VPL motors.
c) To perform a series of biomolecular experiments to demonstrate the validity of the proposed concept of VPL motors.
d) To study the interface of the proposed protein motors with other biomolecular components such as DNA joints and carbon-nanotube rigid links so that complex, multi-degree of freedom machines and robots powered by the VPL motors are formed.