Biophysicist / Biochemist
Applied Nanotech, Inc., (Austin TX) is looking for a Biophysicist / Biochemist to help start a project in DNA electronics, sensors or similar applications. This could include using DNA scaffolding for self-assembly of devices or systems. Will require building a team, which may include collaborative efforts with university or other organizations or companies. Require writing proposals to help acquire funding support.
Education: PhD or equivalent required. Candidate should demonstrate good verbal and written command of the English language. US citizen or Green Card desired. Please send resumes to Jsoptick@appliednanotech.net
http://www.nano-proprietary.com/ANI/EmploymentANI.asp
The next frontier for information processing may lie at the interface of nanoelectronics and biotechnology.
DNA scaffolding
Special report: Minnesota's Digital Dynasty
An interdisciplinary team led by electrical and computer engineering professor Richard Kiehl is exploring the use of DNA as a programmable scaffolding for the self-assembly of nanoscale electronic components. As a model for fabricating and designing semiconductor devices and circuits, DNA offers two key advantages: size scale and programmability.
Most industry experts believe that within the next 10 to 15 years the ability to scale down conventional technologies will reach its limit. At that point, the operating principles of conventional devices—and the techniques used to fabricate them—will break down. The basic elements of the DNA molecule are at just the right scale, says Kiehl.
Self-assembly uses bio-recognition, a natural process in which one molecule is attracted to and binds with another to form small structures. In the case of DNA, the attraction can be programmed so that the molecules will spontaneously assemble in solution to achieve a desired result.
“It's possible to synthesize small versions of DNA molecules in the laboratory and program in whatever code you want,” says Kiehl. “And because the two strands of DNA have complementary codes that match up, you can design one strand of DNA in a certain way so it will match another strand and assemble a nanoscale structure this way."
The matched segments form a scaffolding on which nanoparticles are affixed at highly selective attachment points. It's an approach that offers the programmability and precision needed for assembling electronic circuitry on the nanoscale.
“We have to make a real paradigm shift,” Kiehl says. “Not only do we have to keep improving performance, but we also must look at the kinds of devices we can make at those scales and how we want to use them to process information."
To that end, the researchers are turning to the human brain for inspiration. They envision devices whose electrical characteristics resemble those of neuron-like electrical waveforms in the brain. Like certain regions of the brain, the devices would process information based on pattern recognition rather than on individual bits of information. It's a more sophisticated level of information processing than can be achieved using conventional computers.
Kiehl predicts there will be a wide range of applications for this technology, including signal processing, communications systems, and computer systems. “The higher end of this [work] will be things that computers can't do very well today because the operations they use are too restrictive. One is the ability to recognize a pattern, such as identifying a letter as being an 'A' or a 'B', or being able to identify a face.
“It won't be just making things faster and faster in the conventional way,” he says. “It will really be opening up new ways to process information in machines."
http://www.it.umn.edu/news/inventing/2000_Fall/nano_dnascaffold.html
3/26/2007 7:10:17 AM
US Department of Defense grant gives $6M to team of 9 scholars for the study of quantum electronic arrays
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a team of nine scholars from six universities a grant of $6 million over five years to exploit precise biological assembly techniques for the study of quantum physics in nanoparticle arrays. This research will produce a fundamental understanding of quantum electronic systems that could impact future electronics.
Leading the effort is electrical and computer engineering professor Richard Kiehl of the University of Minnesota, who has wide experience in investigating the potential of novel fabrication techniques, physical structures and architectures for electronics. Kiehl has brought together a multidisciplinary team to develop biological strategies combining DNA, proteins and peptides with chemical synthesis techniques to construct arrays of nanoparticles and to systematically characterize the resulting quantum electronic systems.
Interactions between precisely arranged nanoparticles could lead to exotic quantum physics, as well as to new mechanisms for computing, signal processing and sensing. But even basic studies of such nanoparticle arrays have been hampered by the need to fabricate test structures with extreme control and precision. "By exploiting biology to precisely control size, spacing and composition in the arrays, we will be able to examine electronic, magnetic and optical interactions at much smaller scales than before," said Kiehl. "Our project blends some really fascinating science at the edges of biology, chemistry, materials science and physics. And, I'm excited about the chance to impact how electronic circuits could be engineered in the future."
The team members are UCLA professors Yu Huang (materials science), Kang Wang (electrical engineering) and Todd Yeates (biochemistry); New York University professors Andrew Kent (physics) and Nadrian Seeman (chemistry); University of Texas at Austin professor Allan MacDonald (physics); University of Pennsylvania professor Christopher Murray (chemistry & materials science); and Columbia University professor Colin Nuckolls (chemistry).
Kiehl and Seeman have previously collaborated in the first demonstrations of metallic nanoparticle self-assembly by DNA scaffolding, which will be central to this project. Seeman will exploit DNA nanotechnology to construct 2-D and 3-D scaffolding, while Huang and Yeates will use peptides and proteins to make nanoparticle clusters for assembly onto the scaffolding. Murray and Nuckolls will synthesize metallic and magnetic nanoparticles with organic shells that will self-assemble onto the scaffolding and control the interparticle coupling. Kent, Kiehl and Wang will carry out experiments to characterize the electronic, magnetic and optical properties of the arrays. MacDonald will provide theoretical guidance for the studies and analysis of the experimental results.
The award was made by the Army Research Office (Marc Ulrich, research topic chief) and is one of 36 recently made under the highly competitive DoD Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI).
http://nanotechwire.com/news.asp?nid=4466&ntid=&pg=51
Re Seeman - NANS - his company was ~$1 then - it is now a shell and sits at $0.012
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NANS.OB
NANS Annual Report - 8-Jan-2008
ITEM 6. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OR PLAN OF OPERATION
The following information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this Form 10-KSB. We have determined on December 1, 2007 to cease operations immediately and, at the request of our principal creditor appointed a director designated by such creditor to our Board of Directors. Immediately following such appointment, our existing directors resigned effective immediately and terminated their association with us. Accordingly, such creditor may be deemed to control us at the date of the filing of this Report. As a result of our cessation of operations and the termination of the License Agreement, we became a "blank check" or "shell company" whose sole purpose at this time is to locate and consummate a merger or acquisition with a private entity.
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Certainly not greatly encouraging! Looks like the future is in the hands of the DOD grants and perhaps ANI - who knows!! I'm looking forward to my first DNA scaffold assembled....whatever - TV? ;-)
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