Project description
Building nanomachines from DNA
Miniaturised mechanical devices, including motion sensors and inkjet printers, have significantly influenced contemporary technology. Nevertheless, conventional fabrication techniques often involve substantial costs and energy consumption. DNA nanotechnology offers a potential alternative by enabling the precise construction of intricate structures at the nanoscale. The ERC-funded DNA4RENOMS project employs DNA-based frameworks to create a new class of nano-opto-mechanical devices that can be reconfigured using light. This research integrates DNA assembly methods, nanophotonics and colloidal architecture to fabricate force sensors suitable for integration into living tissues. The proposed strategy is sustainable as it facilitates the disassembly and reconstruction of devices instead of their disposal after use.
Objective
Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS, NEMS) have enabled highly successful technologies, encompassing acceleration sensors, inkjet cartridges, digital mirror projectors, and more. However, despite decades of chip development in the semiconductor industry, fabrication and energy costs remain high with poor materials utilisation and we lack devices that are reconfigurable on the nanometer scale. In contrast to these top-down approaches, DNA nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful bottom-up approach to assemble sophisticated structures in solution with molecular precision. This project adopts DNA architectures to develop functional nano-opto-mechanical devices (NOMS), which can be reconfigured in-situ. Rather than electronics which is less compatible with DNA origami, we harness optics as it allows both global and local addressing, as well as ultrasensitive single nanostructure readout. The many challenges involved demand a concerted programme with different expertise combining DNA assembly, colloidal architecture, nanostructuring, and photonics. The project is based on new ideas to produce optical forces, new concepts in mechanically-bistable DNA constructs, and new hierarchical interactions between nanocomponents, with the goal to build sensors embedded in living tissue that cover wide force regimes, metasurfaces producing opto-switchable near- and far-fields, mechanical amplified single-molecule sensor arrays, and artificial muscles. Current tech devices are atom inefficient, discarded after use, and cannot be efficiently recycled. A radically new approach is required in the long term, which is atom efficient. Our objective is a new generation of general nanomachines and devices that are reconfigurable and reconstructable, capable of disassembly before rebuilding alternatives. It will generate a viable route to nanomachinery stimulating a host of scientific and technological endeavours, while being compatible with a sustainable future manufacturing.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- engineering and technology nanotechnology
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
- natural sciences physical sciences electromagnetism and electronics semiconductivity
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-SYG - HORIZON ERC Synergy Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-SyG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.