Changjiang Scholar Lecture Professor,Ministry of Education of China (2017)

Email: mao@purdue.edu
Education

· Postdoctoral Fellow, 2001~2002, Harvard University

· Postdoctoral Fellow, 1999~2000, New York University

· Ph.D., 1999, New York University

· B.S., 1986, Peking University

Research Interests

Biochemical nanotechnology:

Fabrication of desired nanostructures is the key for nanotechnology. It promises great potential for technological applications and a necessary platform for the basic nano science. Currently there is no general method for parallel fabrication of structures with feature sizes of 5-100 nm. To meet this challenge, we will use self-assembled DNA structures as templates and use soft lithography as the primary tool to develop novel nanofabrication methods, such as the general fabrication of nanowire networks.

Higher ordered DNA structure:

How is DNA duplex organized in cell? Our understanding of this issue is far from complete. There are at least three features about DNA organization:

1. DNA is highly condensed to allow long linear DNA molecules to reside in a very tiny space, the nucleus.

2. DNA adopts dynamic structure to facilitate DNA replication, RNA transcription, etc.

3. DNA is highly ordered to avoid random tangling between DNA molecules.

To address this problem, we will fabricate nano/microstructured systems to mimic the nuclear environment of the cell and develop experimental and theoretical methods for structural analysis.

DNA nanotechnology applied in biosystem:

DNA nanostructures with functionalized group can be applied to many interactions in biosystem. The specific organized multicovalent functional molecules were investigated to bind to the cancer cell for delivery.

Major techniques in our group include:

DNA/RNA manipulation (gel electrophoresis, labeling, hybridization, PCR and footprinting), soft lithography, atomic force microscopy (AFM), electron microscopy (EM), cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM), fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, microfluidics, cell culture, and chemical synthesis.

Selected Publications

Chengde Mao, "DNA Gets a Little Cagey", Nature Nanotechnology. 3, 75-76 (2008).

Chuan Zhang & Chengde Mao, "DNA Nanotechnology: Bacteria as Factories", Nature Nanotechnology. 3, 707-708 (2008).

Yu He, Tao Ye, Min Su, Chuan Zhang, Alexander E. Ribbe, Wen Jiang & Chengde Mao, "Hierarchical Self-Assembly of DNA into Symmetric Supramolecular Polyhedra", Nature 452, 198-201 (2008).

Jianping Zheng, Jens J. Birktoft, Yi Chen, Tong Wang, Ruojie Sha, Pamela E. Constantinou, Stephan L. Ginnell, Chengde Mao & Nadrian C. Seeman, "The Rational Design and Structural Analysis of a Self-Assembled Three-Dimensional DNA Crystal", Nature 461, 74-77 (2009).

Seung Hyeon Ko, Min Su, Chuan Zhang, Alexander E. Ribbe, Wen Jiang & Chengde Mao, "Synergistic Self-Assembly of RNA and DNA Molecules", Nature Chemistry 2, 1050-1055 (2010).

Eugen Stulz, Guido Clever, Mitsuhiko Shionoya & Chengde Mao, "DNA in a Modern World", Chem. Soc. Rev. 40, 5633-5635 (2011).

Nadrian C. Seeman, Chengde Mao & Hao Yan, "Guest Editorial: Nucleic Acid Nanotechnology", Acc. Chem. Res. 47, 1643-1644 (2014).

Hua Zuo, Siyu Wu, Mo Li, Yulin Li, Wen Jiang & Chengde Mao, “A Case Study of the Likes and Dislikes of DNA and RNA in Self-Assembly”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 54, 15118-15121 (2015). (Selected as Inside Cover).

Jiemin Zhao, Arun Richard Chandrasekaran, Qian Li, Xiang Li, Ruojie Sha, Nadrian C. Seeman & Chengde Mao, “Post-Assembly Stabilization of Rationally Designed DNA Crystals”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 54, 9921-9925 (2015).

Yulin Li, Chen Tian, Zhiyu Liu, Wen Jiang & Chengde Mao, “Structural Transformation: Assembly of An Otherwise Inaccessible DNA Nanocages”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 54, 5990-5993 (2015).

Yulin Li, Zhiyu Liu, Weng Jiang & Chengde Mao, “Self-Assembly of Molecule-Like Nanoparticle Clusters Directed by DNA Nanocages”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 137, 4320-4323 (2015).

Jinwen Yu, Zhiyu Liu, Wen Jiang, Guansong Wang & Chengde Mao, “De Novo Design of an RNA Motif That Self-Assembles into Homo-Octameric Nanoprism”, Nat. Commun. 6:5724 | doi:10.1038/ncomms6724 (2015).

Zhiyu Liu, Cheng Tian, Jinwen Yu, Yulin Li, Wen Jiang & Chengde Mao, “Self-Assembly of Responsive Multi-Layered DNA Nanocages”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 137, 1730-1733 (2015).