DNA pattern-assembly: introduction and recent breakthroughs

Abstract:
Self-assembly is a process through which disorganized, relatively simple components autonomously coalesce according to local rules to form more complex target structures, in the absence of orders from an external global conductor. DNA self-assembly can produce various nanoscale structures experimentally, including regular arrays, fractal structures, simley faces, logic circuits, and molecular robots. In particular, pattern-assembly aims at allocating molecular components on a 2D-array according to a given layout called pattern. A long-standing open problem (PATS) is about the complexity of optimizing the design of DNA self-assembly system that self-assembles a given pattern. In this talk, an overview is given about DNA pattern-assembly, a mathematical model for that, and PATS. Recent breakthroughs on PATS are also reported, including a computer-assisted proof for the open problem.

Short-bio:
Shinnosuke Seki is a postdoctoral researcher  at Aalto University. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Western Ontario (Canada) in 2010, and has been postdocs in Kyoto University, and Aalto University. Since September 2013, he has been a PI of the Academy of Finland, 3-year project "Practical designs of molecular self-assembly systems and their optimization" (Grant No. 13266670/T30606).