Descrizione del progetto
Avvicinare i robot biologici alla realtà
I microrobot biocompatibili, in grado di eseguire movimenti autonomi, troveranno molte applicazioni biomediche, tra cui la somministrazione dei farmaci. Gli enzimi sono emersi come attraenti attuatori per l’autopropulsione di microrobot, considerata la loro capacità di convertire substrati in prodotti. Il progetto DNA-bots, finanziato dall’UE, è un’iniziativa guidata dalle nanotecnologie che propone lo sviluppo di nanorobot alimentati da enzimi. Questi robot si integreranno ulteriormente con i nanointerruttori di DNA, sensori soggetti a un cambiamento di conformazione predefinito al momento del legame con una sequenza bersaglio. L’idea è che questi dispositivi nanorobotici biocompatibili e biodegradabili siano in grado di rispondere specificatamente a determinati stimoli con grande efficacia e sensibilità e rilasciare il loro carico.
Obiettivo
WHY: Enzyme-powered nanorobotic devices are able to self-propel thanks to the conversion of a substrate into products, holding a great potential for biomedical applications. A step forward in the field would be the precise control and design over the structure and enzyme spatial configuration, as well as the integration of complex functions. WHAT: DNA-bots is an interdisciplinary approach in which enzyme-propulsion and DNA nanotechnology will be merged to develop a new class of biocompatible and biodegradable nanorobotic devices able to self-propel, sense and actuate in front of specific stimuli. To achieve this goal, I will undertake a high risk/high gain research approach at the forefront of nanotechnology. The leading idea is to design and fabricate DNA nanostructures which will be site-specifically functionalized with enzymes to generate self-propulsion. The enzyme-powered DNA nanorobots will be further engineered by integrating DNA nanoswitches able to sense and perform loading and release of cargoes upon specific stimuli. HOW: The challenge met by this Project is to provide a groundbreaking contribution to DNA nanotechnology and nanorobotics. To achieve these objectives, I will be trained at the Host group led by Prof. Francesco Ricci (University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy), which is a young and dynamic team at the vanguard of the use of DNA nanotechnology for sensing and drug-delivery applications. The Fellowship will proceed through a well-defined set of research and training tasks, organized into four work packages. Thanks to this MSCA Fellowship, I will continue expanding my scientific knowledge and acquiring cutting-edge skills (in synthetic biology, DNA nanotechnology, and nanorobotics), which will significantly impact my career as a researcher and help me to strenghten my position as an independent and mature researcher.
Campo scientifico
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinatore
00133 Roma
Italia