SCL Online Seminar by Nataša Adžić
You are cordially invited to the SCL online seminar of the Center for the Study of Complex Systems, which will be held on Thursday, 3 November 2022 at 14:00 on Zoom. The talk entitled
DNA-based dendrimers: from a single molecule to the new state of matter
will be given by Dr. Nataša Adžić (SCL, Institute of Physics Belgrade). Abstract of the talk:
In this talk we will present a joint theoretical-experimental study of a novel class of macromolecules composed of short DNA segments joined together to form tree-like structures [1]. To model various generations of these DNA-based dendrimers in ionic solution at room temperature, we will employ a bead-spring model and show the obtained equilibrium characteristics of a single molecule [2]. These results classify DNA-dendrimers as good candidates for nanocarriers due to their robustness, regular voids, and high resistance to stimuli - responsiveness. The second part of the talk will be dedicated to the self-assembling of the second generation of DNA-based dendrimers. We will demonstrate how the method of effective interactions can be used to study organization of the molecules in dense solutions and test our results with fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and experiments. Both computational and experimental results show an anomalous liquid-like behavior for wide range of DNA-dendrimers concentrations. Finally, we will analyze the system composed of two dendritic DNA segments connected by a polymer chain and show that solutions of these molecules undergo crystallization to the new state of matter. They form soft cluster crystals, periodic structure with sites occupied by several overlapping molecules [3].
[1] Y. Li, Y. Tseng, and D. Luo, Nat. Mater. 3, 38 (2004).
[2] C. Jochum, N. Adžić, E. Stiakakis et al., Nanoscale 11, 1604 (2019).
[3] E. Stiakakis, N. Jung, N. Adžić et al., Nat. Commun. 12, 7167 (2021).
DNA-based dendrimers: from a single molecule to the new state of matter
will be given by Dr. Nataša Adžić (SCL, Institute of Physics Belgrade). Abstract of the talk:
In this talk we will present a joint theoretical-experimental study of a novel class of macromolecules composed of short DNA segments joined together to form tree-like structures [1]. To model various generations of these DNA-based dendrimers in ionic solution at room temperature, we will employ a bead-spring model and show the obtained equilibrium characteristics of a single molecule [2]. These results classify DNA-dendrimers as good candidates for nanocarriers due to their robustness, regular voids, and high resistance to stimuli - responsiveness. The second part of the talk will be dedicated to the self-assembling of the second generation of DNA-based dendrimers. We will demonstrate how the method of effective interactions can be used to study organization of the molecules in dense solutions and test our results with fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and experiments. Both computational and experimental results show an anomalous liquid-like behavior for wide range of DNA-dendrimers concentrations. Finally, we will analyze the system composed of two dendritic DNA segments connected by a polymer chain and show that solutions of these molecules undergo crystallization to the new state of matter. They form soft cluster crystals, periodic structure with sites occupied by several overlapping molecules [3].
[1] Y. Li, Y. Tseng, and D. Luo, Nat. Mater. 3, 38 (2004).
[2] C. Jochum, N. Adžić, E. Stiakakis et al., Nanoscale 11, 1604 (2019).
[3] E. Stiakakis, N. Jung, N. Adžić et al., Nat. Commun. 12, 7167 (2021).
