| Topic: | Life-like machines powered by artificial metabolism |
|---|---|
| Speaker: | Dr Shogo Hamada Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering Cornell University |
| Date: | Tuesday, 30 July 2019 |
| Time: | 10.30am to 11.30am |
| Venue: | Seminar Room EA-06-02 (Block EA, Level 6) (map of NUS can be found at http://map.nus.edu.sg/) |
| Host: | Prof Phan-Thien Nhan |
Abstract
Recent advancements in nano-bioengineering enabled the construction of dynamic systems using biomolecules. Notably, DNA nanotechnology achieved the bottom-up design of systems from the molecular level. From reconfigurable nanostructures to biofunctional hydrogels, various systems have been created across scales. The systems lead to the construction of robots made by biomolecules, a new interdisciplinary field called molecular robotics.
In this talk, I will present the result of our latest DNA-based system at the mesoscale. The system was developed by realizing “artificial metabolism”. Metabolism is one of the most significant characteristics of life. Materials of life are hierarchically generated from a flux of matter and energy by using metabolism. By mimicking this mechanism, our system achieved a dynamic generation and regeneration of mesoscale DNA materials. Biochemical synthesis/decomposition and dissipative assembly were coupled as one system. Anabolism achieved the dynamic and hierarchical generation of mesoscale patterns from nanoscale building blocks. By integrating catabolism, the system further achieved autonomous degeneration and regeneration. Cyclic growth and decay of the material were implemented by applying a built-in feedback mechanism. A novel class of machines was created based on this system. Two types of machines, locomotion and racing, were programmed by using Finite State Automata. A continuous generation at the head of the body and the degeneration at the tail realized the emergent locomotion behavior. An expansion of the program by a simple interference between tracks achieved the racing behavior. The machines could be used as a locomotive element of molecular robots. Artificial metabolism could open a new route to creating robots with life-like characteristics.
About the Speaker
Dr. Shogo Hamada is a Lecturer and Research Associate in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University. Dr. Hamada received his degree (Dr. Eng.) at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan) in 2011. After working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering and Robotics at Tohoku University (Japan) between 2011 and 2013, he became a Kavli Postdoctoral Fellow in the Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science at Cornell University (USA). He was appointed as a Research Associate in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University in 2016 and then also appointed as a Lecturer in 2018. His research interest lies at the intersection between robotics and nano-bioengineering. In particular, he is focusing on the development of molecular robots and machines based on DNA nanotechnology.