Research in the Weizmann group is based on a multidisciplinary field interfacing biology, chemistry, nanotechnology, and materials science. This exciting frontier offers unparalleled opportunities for designing groundbreaking advances in medical diagnostics and research platforms. The iconic double helical structure of DNA has excited the imagination of both scientists and non-scientists for more than six decades. In recent times, the programmable nature of DNA has re-established its use as a powerful building material for the construction of precisely defined 2D and 3D nanoscale assemblies. My group focuses on new ways of manipulating nucleic acid structures by understanding the interactions and folding of basic nucleic acid-based building units and thereby designing and constructing nucleic acid nanostructures in either a simpler or more controllable manner. My research is concerned with the application of plasmonic nanoparticles and nucleic acids with the aim of exploring and exploiting nanoscale advantages in the world of material chemistry, to address significant chemical, biochemical, and technological problems. By approaching nanoscience from a multidisciplinary perspective, integrating biomaterials, inorganic materials, and small molecules via noncovalent and covalent interactions, we can develop new hybrid materials with emergent properties.
Yossi Weizmann
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry
The University of Chicago
