Nucleic Acid EngineeringContributors:

Dr. Adolf Beyer-leinRetired Chair and Professor EmeritusDept. of ChemistryClemson University

Dr. Wusi MakiResearch ProfessorCenter for Advanced Microelectronics and Bio-molecular ResearchUniversity of Idaho

Dr. Hua Helen WangAssistant ProfessorDept. o Food Science & TechnologyThe Ohio State University

Dr. Dan LuoAssistant ProfessorDept. of Biological and Environmental EngineeringCornell University

Background and Rationale

• Nucleic acid engineering is a bottom-up nanotechnology approach.

• Nucleic acid engineering is focusing on creating novel materials by intelligent design at the nano scale.

• Nucleic acid engineering is a platform of technology that can be applied to a myriad of applications in the agriculture and food system.

• Nucleic acid engineering is an evolving new field of study.

• Nucleic acid engineering is a multidisciplinary technology, encompassing: molecular biology, chemistry, microelectronics, polymer sciences, etc.

• Knowledge and technology developed from health sciences (e.g., from NIH) and plant could be borrowed and adapted to animals and other agricultural system by nucleic acid engineering (analogy: similar road signs)

• Nucleic acid engineering can be combined with microelectronics, chemistry, polymers and biomolecular research to yield more potential building block at the nanoscale. Examples: chemically modified nucleic acids, DNA molecule doping (DNA conductor, Dr. Alocilja, Biosystems Engineering, Michigan State Univ.), polymer-DNA hybrids, etc.

Background and Rationale

• Nucleic acid engineering is a platform technology that can find a myriad of applications for the agriculture and food systems, examples (in no particular order):• Signal amplification• Bio-separation/Bio-films• DNA delivery (gene therapy/vaccination/Disease

prevention)• Vet. Medicine• Bioprobes• Biosensor• Nanomaterials for agriculture and food

Background and Rationale

Specific opportunities in theme area• Novel nanomaterials by design

• DNA nanowires

• DNA-microelectronic hybrids

• Molecular recognition and/or molecular probes for pathogen detection

• DNA delivery for value added animal/plant products

• Veterinarian medicine (gene therapy, DNA vaccination, disease diagnosis and prevention)

• Transgenic/cloning research

• Bioseparation/biofilms

• Bioselective surfaces (different molecules to DNA; DNA pattern at the surface, porous metal with DNA, controlled pore size of DNA film, controlled molecular structure for filtration (example: protein separation from corn, Cargill), etc.)

• Nanoprocessing: DNA resist/DNA photolithography (DNA is a good sacrificial materials), DNA nanocircuits

• Biosecurity (DNA sensing for specificity? Multi-probes? DNA barcoding?)

• Environmental processing (?)

• Sustainable Agriculture (?)

Specific opportunities in theme area

Priorities for CSREES

• Obesity, Human Nutrition, and Food Science

• Genomics and Future Food and Fiber Production and Quality

• Agricultural Security

• Food Safety

Potential outcomes and impacts of the research• We can build nano-electronic products and devices that combines both

organic and inorganic components for agricultural applications• More control in scale (carbon nanotubes)• More specific• More quantitative

• We can create nano-materials that can be designed and controlled at the nanoscale

• We can detect, with high specificity and multi-functionalities, pathogens for food safety and in the veterinarian medicine (diagnosis).

• We can develop DNA delivery systems for value added agricultural products (animals and plants) and other applications (transgenic, cloning, assisted reproduction, etc.)

• We can design new separation methods and/or novel DNA films with more sophisticated and controllable microstructure for agricultural applications (e.g., protein separation from agriculture products).

• We can impact veterinarian medicine (diagnosis, therapy, disease prevention, etc.)

• We can demonstrate bottom-up approach in agriculture and food systems, thus impact nanotechnology in general.

• We can achieve other impacts!

Potential outcomes and impacts of the research

Input for recommended budget priorities• Rationale:

• 30 million total (NSEAFS)• 3.6 million for nucleic acid engineering

• On average, $200k/grant/year• 11 Fund. Research projects• 3 Exploratory projects• Center for challenge: 1-(2) might be needed for

NSEAFS− Will contribute 200k

• 300k for infrastructure (2-3 awards)• 320k for education

− 1 REU (contribution)− 4 graduate fellowships (for 4 years)