Many thanks to Prof. Khalid Salaita and the Center on Probes for Molecular Mechanotechnology (CPMM) at Emory University for inviting to present at the Forces at Play seminar series! The Youtube video for this seminar is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj4tPSL6_JI.
I'm also delighted to share the sketchnotes of the seminar by Mathis Riehle, which are available on his blog, TalksAsDoodles.
Many thanks to Prof. Kate Adamala and rest of the steering committee for the Build-a-Cell Seminar Series for inviting me to present our lab's work! Youtube video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43V869pteQk.
This exciting synthetic cell research community aims to build artificial life by reconstituting cellular functions from the bottom up. We hope that our team's efforts on engineering cellular interfaces and transport mechanisms at the microscale may be used to address open challenges and opportunities in creating synthetic cells and systems thereof.
Logan Carpenter (soon-to-be-postdoc) and PhD student Abraham Polanco have joined the lab! Welcome!!
Congrats to AJ on his paper Generative design-enabled exploration of wireframe DNA origami nanostructures that was just published in Nucleic Acids Research!
In this paper, AJ, who is co-advised by Prof. Jonathan Cagan, introduces a generative design framework for generating sets of wireframe DNA origami nanostructures without the need for a predefined mesh. This tool, for the first time, supports multi-objective optimization inputs, which represent critical tradeoffs in effective nanostructure design.
Further details can be found in Phys.org piece and article on the Diversifying DNA Origami on the CMU Engineering website.
Taryn's paper "Complex Assemblies of Colloidal Microparticles with Compliant DNA Linkers and Magnetic Actuation" was published in Advanced Materials Technologies.
Congratulations to Taryn on this massive advance to enable the templated assembly of DNA nanostructure-linked microrobots that are modular, complex and flexible. Congrats also go to undergraduate extraordinaire and second author, Nicholas Chung.
This was a fun collaborative effort with additional co-authors Utku Sonmez, Prof. Matthew Travers and Taryn's co-advisor, Prof. Sarah Bergbreiter.
Ph.D. Candidate Taryn Imamura has been awarded a Seeman Student Travel Award to attend DNA30.
As described on the DNA30 travel awards website, awardees were selected "based on a combination of quality, novelty and importance of research, diversity of scientific areas, and connection to Nadrian C. Seeman’s vision broadly defined as “controlling matter with chemical information”.
This Fall semester we are excited to welcome new Ph.D. Candidate Lainie Beauchemin and new Undergraduate Researcher Shriya Sivakumar to the lab!
Today Dr. Bolutito Babatunde successfully defended her thesis entitled "Investigating a flexible framework for automating structural multi- layer DNA origami designs". Congratulations and fantastic work, Tito!
Tito's thesis committee included Co-advisors Prof. Rebecca Taylor and Prof. Jonathan Cagan, along with Prof. Phil LeDuc (MechE) and Prof. Jim McCann (RI).
Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Characterization Facility (MCF) are searching for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join their team. This is a unique opportunity for someone who wants to explore high-throughput structural assessment of DNA nanotechnology while also engaging the broader research community as the small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) specialist in the MCF. In the Taylor Lab, you will investigate approaches for high-throughput synthesis as well as SAXS-based characterization of DNA origami nanostructures. As the SAXS specialist, you will be the primary point of contact for the Xenocs Xeuss 3.0 SAXS instrument by supporting users through leading training sessions, providing guidance on techniques and data analysis, and running samples on behalf of external/remote users.
Apply through the Careers @ Carnegie Mellon (posting #2021872)
Design, synthesize and characterize a variety of nucleic acid nanostructures and machines
Collaborate effectively to provide nanostructures to collaborating researchers
Communicate findings in weekly meetings, at conferences, and in journal publications.
Engage the SAXS user base by providing training and interacting with and providing assistance to internal and external users, including changing configurations as needed.
Maintain and coordinate the maintenance of the SAXS with the Xenocs team and also support troubleshooting on the instrument
As needed, train junior Taylor lab members in essential research skills such as the design, synthesis and analytical techniques used for DNA origami.
Other duties as assigned
Flexibility, excellence, and passion are vital qualities within Carnegie Mellon University. Inclusion, collaboration and cultural sensitivity are valued competencies at CMU. Therefore, we are in search of a team member who is able to effectively interact with a varied population of internal and external partners at a high level of integrity. We are looking for someone who shares our values and who will support the mission of the university through their work.
PhD in materials science, chemistry, engineering, physics or related discipline is required.
Graduate level research experience with SAXS is required.
Prior experience with DNA nanotechnology is preferred.
Expertise with one or more SAXS analysis programs (RAW, XSACT, SAXSUtilities, SAXSview, TVIEW, etc.) is preferred.
Also OriginPro, Powerpoint, Excel are valuable software skills.
Strong verbal and written communication skills and a passion for research are required.
Must possess an eagerness to learn new techniques and lead projects independently.
Start date: As early as September 2024 and we will be reviewing applications throughout the summer and fall until the position is filled.
To begin the conversation with Prof. Taylor and the MMBL about this position, please email "joinmmbl@gmail.com".
This summer we are excited to welcome 4 summer researchers to the lab: Jaren Hubal, Elsa Schleicher, Nicholas Chung and Arianna LeDuc!
And if we were playing a game of training background BINGO, this team would win because they span the full gamut: masters, post-bac, undergrad and high school!