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Nano-Bio: Synergy of Biology, Physics and Chemistry. Yehiam Prior Dean, Faculty of Chemistry. November 2011. Nano-Bio: Synergy of Biology, Physics and Chemistry.
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Nano-Bio:Synergy of Biology, Physics and Chemistry Yehiam Prior Dean, Faculty of Chemistry November 2011
Nano-Bio:Synergy of Biology, Physics and Chemistry Import and Integrate insights, tools and methodologies from Biology, Physics and Chemistry- to understandmaterial systems on the nano scale and develop new conceptsand functionalities
Henry Moore Top Down
Microelectronics Top Down
Gordon Moore Top Down Fabrication Difficult Smaller
Molecules PG5 - The largest molecule synthesized (30 nm diameter) Fullerene Water Bottomup 0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000 100000 Nanometers
LivingThings May have started “top down” : “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis, chapter 2, verse 6 But eventually we (i.e. science) adopted the ‘central dogma’ of molecular biology: DNARNAProteins….. ….cells organisms (or is it “top” down?) Bottomup
X1000 times actual size 0.001 inch Diameter
Electrical Engineering Mechanics Nano-Bio
The Challenges of Nano-Bio Research: How can we study this regime? What is it there – Chemistry?Physics?Biology? ? Molecules Bulk Matter Living things
The Challenges of Nano-Bio Research: In microelectronics, complex systems are routinely fabricated Can we fabricate complex biological entities outside the cell and study them on a chip ?
The Challenges of Nano-Bio Research: Biological recognition is very well adapted and extremely specific. • Can we adopt the biological methodology for specific functionalities? • Bio sensors? • Sensors for Hazardous materials ? • Disease early detection?
The Challenges of Nano-Bio Research: • Molecular specificity using biological recognition : • Integrate the electronics and the biological functions into the Nano scale: • Remote sensing • Independent monitoring
The Challenges of Nano-Bio Research: • Further miniaturization is more and more difficult, can we develop molecular computers? • Can we study the transition from the classical everyday world to the quantum regime, in particular in biological systems? • How can we learn from Nature’s approach to the assembly of living creatures and apply it to other complex structures?
What is needed? • Knowledge of scaled up molecular and biological processes • Exchange of ideas and concepts • Integrated programs to educate Students and scientists • Teach - “Biology to non-biologists” - “Chemistry to non-chemists” - …....... • Infrastructure to fabricate and measure on the 10-100 nm scale
Why at Weizmann? • Excellent scientists from the different disciplines • A culture of no boundaries between departments • Dedication to Basic Science • Flexible hiring and readiness to change
What is the plan ? • Establish a state of the art facility, with a wide variety of instrumentation, and the support of highly trained staff scientists • Make it available to biologists, physicists, and chemists both within and outside the Institute • Invite and encourage collaborations • Wait…
NMR • AFM • XPS • …….