Self-assembly is a versatile and ubiquitous principle that holds great promise for advancing science and technology. To uncover new molecular self-assembly mechanism, pathway and morphology, we are currently pursuing a variety of novel approaches, including toning the basic amphiphilicity with oligopeptides, embracing crystallization into self-assembly curvature, as well as exploring dendrimers as artificial protein units. We are also interested in raising the self-assembly scale beyond molecules into the nano/micro higher-hierarchy regimes. The biomedical application of the DNA-based synthetic self-assembly system as promising gene vectors will also be discussed.

References:
1. Short Peptide Grafts onto Polybutadiene-block-poly(ethylene oxide): A New Platform for Self-assemblying Hybrid Amphiphiles� Yan Geng*, Dennis Discher, Justyna Justysca, Helmut Schlaad*, Angew. Chemie. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 7578-7581.
2. �DNA Packaging via Combinative Self-Assembly� Jennifer Haley, Xiaolin Li, Nick Marshall, Jason Locklin, Yan Geng*, Molecular BioSystems, special issue �Emerging Investigators�, 4, 515-519
3. �Visualizing Worm Micelle Dynamics and Phase Transitions of a Charged
Diblock Copolymer in Water�, Yan Geng, Fariyal Ahmed, Nishant Basil, Dennis Discher, J. Phys. Chem. B 2005,109 (9), 3772-3779.