Seeman Student Travel Awards at FNANO 2025
Emily Helm, Johns Hopkins University, USA
Inspired by M. C. Escher’s woodcut Depth, where seemingly infinite fish float in a crystalline formation, Ned Seeman envisioned a future where repeating nanostructures could be rationally programmed with DNA sequences. I am working towards creating nucleic acid circuits that process multiple transient inputs simultaneously, thereby generating an RNA molecule output that is a result of the current environment; due to an autonomous resetting mechanism integrated into the circuit, distinct outputs are released as the environment changes. Thus, instead of simply having a static structure of “fish crystals”, this type of system could emit RNA signals that direct the fish to move, or even metamorphosize into butterflies, as the environment requires it. My proposed circuit will add another dimension to addressable nanostructures, enabling them to adapt to ever changing environmental cues in real time.
Kyounghwa Jeon, Seoul National University, South Korea
Ned Seeman pioneered the concept of programming molecular self-assembly using chemical information, enabling the rational design of DNA nanostructures. Our research extends this vision by leveraging a generative diffusion model to automate the design of truly free-form DNA origami structures, transcending traditional lattice-based constraints. By encoding spatial information into three-dimensional point clouds that map directly to base-pair coordinates, our framework transforms design inputs—such as hand-drawn sketches or pictograms—into chemically programmable DNA architectures. This represents a new paradigm in algorithmically driven molecular fabrication, where machine-learning-based design tools empower researchers to create highly complex and biomimetic DNA nanostructures. Ultimately, our work advances Seeman’s goal by expanding the scope of programmable matter, offering a powerful computational approach to controlling molecular self-assembly with unprecedented freedom and precision.
Lanshen Zhao, Arizona State University, USA
I am drawn to nanoscience because it addresses a major challenge in medicine: the lack of control over how drugs interact with our bodies. Treatments like chemotherapy or antibiotics often harm healthy cells while targeting harmful ones because their chemicals are not programmable. Nanoscience offers a solution by leveraging the programmable nature of DNA and RNA. My work focuses on developing conditional allosteric shRNA (CAshRNA), a system designed to function differently in healthy versus diseased cells. The CAshRNA remains inactive in healthy cells but activates in diseased cells by detecting specific disease RNA sequences. This aligns with Nadrian Seeman’s vision of “controlling matter with chemical information.” In my work, the CAshRNA acts as an “information reader,” using disease RNA sequences as chemical information to decide whether to activate. By reading and responding to these sequences, the system ensures precise gene regulation, reducing side effects and improving treatment accuracy. This moves us closer to therapies as precise and programmable as the molecules they are built from.
Syuan-Ku Hsiao, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Germany
Seeman’s vision—”controlling matter with chemical information”—has profoundly inspired my research. In my doctoral studies, we extended this vision to regulate living systems, such as cells and tissues. We demonstrated the use of DNA-crosslinked hydrogels as programmable matrices for three-dimensional culture of cells and organoids. The mechanical properties of these matrices are governed by DNA crosslinkers. Altering the crosslinker’s sequence by just a few nucleotides enabled matrix plasticity adjustments spanning four orders of magnitude, ultimately facilitating the investigation of cellular mechanosensing timescales. Furthermore, switchable crosslinkers were engineered using toehold-mediated strand displacement. By introducing DNA signaling strands into the culture medium, the mechanical properties of the matrix can be modulated in situ, allowing precise control over cellular morphology. Overall, this study uses DNA as a carrier of chemical information to encode mechanical cues and guide the behavior of biological systems.
