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Nucleic Acid Engineering. Contributors: Dr. Adolf Beyer-lein Retired Chair and Professor Emeritus Dept. of Chemistry Clemson University Dr. Wusi Maki Research Professor Center for Advanced Microelectronics and Bio-molecular Research University of Idaho Dr. Hua Helen Wang
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Nucleic Acid Engineering Contributors: Dr. Adolf Beyer-lein Retired Chair and Professor Emeritus Dept. of Chemistry Clemson University Dr. Wusi Maki Research Professor Center for Advanced Microelectronics and Bio-molecular Research University of Idaho Dr. Hua Helen Wang Assistant Professor Dept. o Food Science & Technology The Ohio State University Dr. Dan Luo Assistant Professor Dept. of Biological and Environmental Engineering Cornell University
Background and Rationale • Nucleic acid engineering is a bottom-up nanotechnology approach. • Nucleic acid engineering is focusing on creating novel materials by intelligent design at the nano scale. • Nucleic acid engineering is a platform of technology that can be applied to a myriad of applications in the agriculture and food system. • Nucleic acid engineering is an evolving new field of study.
Background and Rationale • Nucleic acid engineering is a multidisciplinary technology, encompassing: molecular biology, chemistry, microelectronics, polymer sciences, etc. • Knowledge and technology developed from health sciences (e.g., from NIH) and plant could be borrowed and adapted to animals and other agricultural system by nucleic acid engineering (analogy: similar road signs) • Nucleic acid engineering can be combined with microelectronics, chemistry, polymers and biomolecular research to yield more potential building block at the nanoscale. Examples: chemically modified nucleic acids, DNA molecule doping (DNA conductor, Dr. Alocilja, Biosystems Engineering, Michigan State Univ.), polymer-DNA hybrids, etc.
Background and Rationale • Nucleic acid engineering is a platform technology that can find a myriad of applications for the agriculture and food systems, examples (in no particular order): • Signal amplification • Bio-separation/Bio-films • DNA delivery (gene therapy/vaccination/Disease prevention) • Vet. Medicine • Bioprobes • Biosensor • Nanomaterials for agriculture and food
Specific opportunities in theme area • Novel nanomaterials by design • DNA nanowires • DNA-microelectronic hybrids • Molecular recognition and/or molecular probes for pathogen detection • DNA delivery for value added animal/plant products • Veterinarian medicine (gene therapy, DNA vaccination, disease diagnosis and prevention) • Transgenic/cloning research • Bioseparation/biofilms
Specific opportunities in theme area • Bioselective surfaces (different molecules to DNA; DNA pattern at the surface, porous metal with DNA, controlled pore size of DNA film, controlled molecular structure for filtration (example: protein separation from corn, Cargill), etc.) • Nanoprocessing: DNA resist/DNA photolithography (DNA is a good sacrificial materials), DNA nanocircuits • Biosecurity (DNA sensing for specificity? Multi-probes? DNA barcoding?) • Environmental processing (?) • Sustainable Agriculture (?)
Priorities for CSREES • Obesity, Human Nutrition, and Food Science • Genomics and Future Food and Fiber Production and Quality • Agricultural Security • Food Safety
Potential outcomes and impacts of the research • We can build nano-electronic products and devices that combines both organic and inorganic components for agricultural applications • More control in scale (carbon nanotubes) • More specific • More quantitative • We can create nano-materials that can be designed and controlled at the nanoscale • We can detect, with high specificity and multi-functionalities, pathogens for food safety and in the veterinarian medicine (diagnosis). • We can develop DNA delivery systems for value added agricultural products (animals and plants) and other applications (transgenic, cloning, assisted reproduction, etc.)
Potential outcomes and impacts of the research • We can design new separation methods and/or novel DNA films with more sophisticated and controllable microstructure for agricultural applications (e.g., protein separation from agriculture products). • We can impact veterinarian medicine (diagnosis, therapy, disease prevention, etc.) • We can demonstrate bottom-up approach in agriculture and food systems, thus impact nanotechnology in general. • We can achieve other impacts!
Input for recommended budget priorities • Rationale: • 30 million total (NSEAFS) • 3.6 million for nucleic acid engineering • On average, $200k/grant/year • 11 Fund. Research projects • 3 Exploratory projects • Center for challenge: 1-(2) might be needed for NSEAFS • Will contribute 200k • 300k for infrastructure (2-3 awards) • 320k for education • 1 REU (contribution) • 4 graduate fellowships (for 4 years)