1. We have developed new pH feedback mechanisms using different activator/dormant deactivator pairs and have successfully coupled them to the self-assembly and materials level and have shown time-programmed photonic gels, time-programmed conformational switches for the DNA i-motif and time-programmed i-motif-based DNA hydrogels that feature also programmable lag times. (Adv. Mater. 2017, 29, 1521; Chem. Sci. 2017, 8, 4100; Nano Letters 2017, 17, 4989; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60, 22537 (2021); Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60, 22537 (2021))
2. We have established the ATP-fueled dynamic covalent bond system for the antagonistic reaction scheme of the T4 Ligase and restriction enzymes. This has allowed us to not only program the lifetimes of the corresponding systems, but also allowed us to manipulate the properties and the dynamics of the dynamic steady state in the fueled non-equilibriums state. Sci. Adv., 5, eaaw0590, (2019).
3. We have identified the nucleobase-dependent phase segregation behavior of ssDNA and coupled this to the formation of unconventional non-equilibrium morphologies, such as protocells. (Nature Nanotechnology, 2018,13, 730).
5. We have established autonmous metabolic adaptation scenarios inside of such protocells using a combination of artificial metalloenzymes and chemical downstream reactions (Nat. Nanotechnol. 1856 (2020)).
4. We have generated mechanosensing DNA hydrogels that can sense forces and open pathways towards actutators, soft robotics and for artificial mechanosensing matrices to study cellular traction forces and control mechanobiology. (Nature Communications, 2019,10, 529).
5. We have been extending the building block scope to 3D DNA Origami to make more complex self-regulating self-assemblies. (Sci. Adv. 7, eabj5827 (2021); Nanoscale 12, 16995 (2020); Small 17, 2005668 (2021); Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 5515 (2020).)
6. We have been working on metabolic type reaction networks of pH-modulating enzymes to increase the chemical reaction network complexity, implement new feedback mechanisms and orient towards logic gates. (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 60, 22537 (2021))
7. We have been developing synthetic schemes for DNA-polymer hybrids (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 142, 16610 (2020).).
8. We have been developing complex ATP-driven DNA systems, including self-sorting systems, as well as transient multivalency to bridge hierarchcial length scales, light-switchable ATP fuels, and several examples of pathway complexity. (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 12084 (2020). J. Am. Chem. Soc. 142, 685, (2020).
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59, 18161 (2020), Nat. Commun. 11, 3658 (2020), J. Am. Chem. Soc. 142, 21102 (2020), Chem 6, 3329 (2020), Nat. Commun. 14, 5132 (2021).)
