| NSF Org: |
OIA OIA-Office of Integrative Activities |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | December 2, 2024 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | December 2, 2024 |
| Award Number: | 2429343 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Pinhas Ben-Tzvi
pbentzvi@nsf.gov (703)292-8246 OIA OIA-Office of Integrative Activities O/D Office Of The Director |
| Start Date: | February 1, 2025 |
| End Date: | January 31, 2027 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $300,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $300,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1 UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO ALBUQUERQUE NM US 87131-0001 (505)277-4186 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1151 S Forest Ave Tempe AZ US 85281-2001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fe |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.083 |
ABSTRACT
Programming the biological world is a significant grand challenge for science and engineering, which the field of DNA nanotechnology addresses by implementing computational functions using designed molecules. A key goal of research in this area is to enable practical applications of molecular information processing, such as biomedical diagnostics within living cells. The specific research goal of this fellowship project is to develop and experimentally validate computational tools for simulation-guided design of DNA nanostructures and molecular systems. The long-term vision of this EPSCoR fellowship project is to foster deeper collaborative relationships between the University of New Mexico (UNM) and the hosting Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) in the crucial research area of bioengineering. It aims to create new recruitment pathways for students graduating from UNM, including members of underrepresented groups, to pursue graduate work at ASU, a renowned institution for its research in DNA nanotechnology. Knowledge transfer from ASU to UNM will strengthen research and teaching capabilities at UNM in bioengineering, which is a strategic priority for the Albuquerque area. Thus, this EPSCoR fellowship project will enhance the ability of students to succeed in the biotechnology industry, thereby improving social and economic prospects.
A range of computational tools exists to assist designers of DNA-based molecular devices, including low-level models of molecular dynamics and high-level models of the kinetics of interactions between molecules. However, there has been relatively little work on integrating high-level models, which are less detailed but easier to run, with low-level models, which are more detailed but require more resources to simulate. This EPSCoR Research Fellows project will combine these approaches to develop novel and powerful multiscale modeling frameworks for DNA nanotechnology. The goal of this work is to harness the predictive power of low-level molecular dynamics models while combining it with the ease of simulation provided by higher-level models. This project will also further develop existing coarse-grained molecular dynamics models of DNA by parameterizing them to model ?heterochiral? DNA. This novel form of DNA is designed to resist degradation in the cellular environment by incorporating ?left-handed? chiral mirror-image DNA that is not recognized by cellular defenses. Previous work has shown that heterochiral molecules hold significant promise for developing robust engineered molecular devices for applications in living cells and organisms. Model predictions will be validated experimentally. Simulation models developed in this project will be integrated with existing software developed by the PI, enabling multiscale modeling of molecular interactions. Therefore, this project will advance the state of the art in tool support for computational biodesign, simplifying the design tasks facing future researchers in DNA nanotechnology.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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