# DNA and colloids ## expand\_more Short, custom-designed DNA molecules can be used to create "programmable" interactions between colloidal particles, meaning that we can control how the particles self-assemble through the DNA sequences. Currently we are trying to create colloids with programmable *dynamic* behavior. Using DNA, we make colloidal "motors" that move in a directed (non-random) way and colloidal suspensions that organize into patterns that change with time. ## Publications Download 12 citations download- [BibTeX](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=30&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchareas%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=14676&&&format=bibtex) - [EndNote X3 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=30&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchareas%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=14676&&&format=endnote8) - [EndNote 7 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=30&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchareas%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=14676&&&format=endnote7) - [Endnote tagged](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=30&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchareas%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=14676&&&format=tagged) - [Marc](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=30&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchareas%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=14676&&&format=marc) - [PubMedId](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=30&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchareas%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=14676&&&format=pubmed_id) - [RIS](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=30&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchareas%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=14676&&&format=ris) ### 2022 Gehrels, E. W.; Rogers, W. B.; Zeravcic, Z.; Manoharan, V. N. [Programming Directed Motion With DNA-Grafted Particles](/publications/programming-directed-motion-dna-grafted-particles). *ACS Nano* **2022**, *16* (6), 9195-9202. Gehrels, E. W.; Rogers, W. B.; Zeravcic, Z.; Manoharan, V. N. [Programming Directed Motion With DNA-Grafted Particles](/publications/programming-directed-motion-dna-grafted-particles). *ACS Nano* **2022**, *16* (6), 9195-9202. - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.2c01454) - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.2c01454) ### 2021 Neophytou, A.; Manoharan, V. N.; Chakrabarti, D. [Self-Assembly of Patchy Colloidal Rods into Photonic Crystals Robust to Stacking Faults](/publications/self-assembly-patchy-colloidal-rods-photonic-crystals-robust-stacking-faults). *ACS nano* **2021**, *15* (2), 2668-2678. Neophytou, A.; Manoharan, V. N.; Chakrabarti, D. [Self-Assembly of Patchy Colloidal Rods into Photonic Crystals Robust to Stacking Faults](/publications/self-assembly-patchy-colloidal-rods-photonic-crystals-robust-stacking-faults). *ACS nano* **2021**, *15* (2), 2668-2678. - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.0c07824) - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsnano.0c07824) ### 2018 Gehrels, E. W.; Rogers, W. B.; Manoharan, V. N. [Using DNA Strand Displacement to Control Interactions in DNA-Grafted Colloids](/publications/using-dna-strand-displacement-control-interactions-dna-grafted-colloids). *Soft Matter* **2018**, *14* (6), 969-984. Gehrels, E. W.; Rogers, W. B.; Manoharan, V. N. [Using DNA Strand Displacement to Control Interactions in DNA-Grafted Colloids](/publications/using-dna-strand-displacement-control-interactions-dna-grafted-colloids). *Soft Matter* **2018**, *14* (6), 969-984. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C7SM01722G) - [ picture\_as\_pdfGehrels et al. - 2018 - U...](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/gehrels_et_al._-_2018_-_using_dna_strand_displacement.pdf) Grafting DNA oligonucleotides to colloidal particles leads to specific, reversible interactions between those particles. However, the interaction strength varies steeply and monotonically with temperature, hindering the use of DNA-mediated interactions in... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C7SM01722G) - [ picture\_as\_pdfGehrels et al. - 2018 - U...](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/gehrels_et_al._-_2018_-_using_dna_strand_displacement.pdf) ### 2017 Zeravcic, Z.; Manoharan, V. N.; Brenner, M. P. [Colloquium: Toward Living Matter With Colloidal Particles](/publications/colloquium-toward-living-matter-colloidal-particles). *Reviews of Modern Physics* **2017**, *89* (3), 031001. Zeravcic, Z.; Manoharan, V. N.; Brenner, M. P. [Colloquium: Toward Living Matter With Colloidal Particles](/publications/colloquium-toward-living-matter-colloidal-particles). *Reviews of Modern Physics* **2017**, *89* (3), 031001. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.89.031001) - [ picture\_as\_pdfZeravcic et al. - 2017 - ...](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/zeravcic_et_al._-_2017_-_colloquium_toward_living_matter_with_colloidal_pa.pdf) A fundamental unsolved problem is to understand the differences between inanimate matter and living matter. Although this question might be framed as philosophical, there are many fundamental and practical reasons to pursue the development of synthetic... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.89.031001) - [ picture\_as\_pdfZeravcic et al. - 2017 - ...](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/zeravcic_et_al._-_2017_-_colloquium_toward_living_matter_with_colloidal_pa.pdf) ### 2016 Rogers, W. B.; Shih, W. M.; Manoharan, V. N. [Using DNA to Program the Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanoparticles and Microparticles](/publications/using-dna-program-self-assembly-colloidal-nanoparticles-and-microparticles). *Nature Reviews Materials* **2016**. Rogers, W. B.; Shih, W. M.; Manoharan, V. N. [Using DNA to Program the Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanoparticles and Microparticles](/publications/using-dna-program-self-assembly-colloidal-nanoparticles-and-microparticles). *Nature Reviews Materials* **2016**. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2016.8) - [ picture\_as\_pdfRogers et al. - 2016 - Us...](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/rogers_et_al._-_2016_-_using_dna_to_program_the_self-assembly_of_colloidal_nanoparticles_and_microparticles.pdf) DNA is not just the stuff of our genetic code; it is also a means to design self-assembling materials. Grafting DNA onto nano- and microparticles can, in principle, ‘program’ them with information that tells them exactly how to self-assemble. Although... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2016.8) - [ picture\_as\_pdfRogers et al. - 2016 - Us...](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/rogers_et_al._-_2016_-_using_dna_to_program_the_self-assembly_of_colloidal_nanoparticles_and_microparticles.pdf) ### 2015 Garmann, R. F.; Sportsman, R.; Beren, C.; Manoharan, V. N.; Knobler, C. M.; Gelbart, W. M. [A Simple RNA-DNA Scaffold Templates the Assembly of Monofunctional Virus-Like Particles](/publications/simple-rna-dna-scaffold-templates-assembly-monofunctional-virus-particles). *JACS* **2015**, *137* (24), 7584–7587. Garmann, R. F.; Sportsman, R.; Beren, C.; Manoharan, V. N.; Knobler, C. M.; Gelbart, W. M. [A Simple RNA-DNA Scaffold Templates the Assembly of Monofunctional Virus-Like Particles](/publications/simple-rna-dna-scaffold-templates-assembly-monofunctional-virus-particles). *JACS* **2015**, *137* (24), 7584–7587. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b03770) - [ picture\_as\_pdfGarmann\_JACS\_2015.pdf](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/garmann_jacs_2015.pdf) Using the components of a particularly well-studied plant virus, cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV), we demonstrate the synthesis of virus-like particles (VLPs) with one end of the packaged RNA extending out of the capsid and into the surrounding... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b03770) - [ picture\_as\_pdfGarmann\_JACS\_2015.pdf](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/garmann_jacs_2015.pdf) Rogers, W. B.; Manoharan, V. [Programming Colloidal Phase Transitions With DNA Strand Displacement](/publications/programming-colloidal-phase-transitions-dna-strand-displacement). *Science* **2015**, *347* (6222), 639-642. Rogers, W. B.; Manoharan, V. [Programming Colloidal Phase Transitions With DNA Strand Displacement](/publications/programming-colloidal-phase-transitions-dna-strand-displacement). *Science* **2015**, *347* (6222), 639-642. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6222/639.abstract) - [ picture\_as\_pdfrogers-science-2015-postp...](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/rogers-science-2015-postprint.pdf) DNA-grafted nanoparticles have been called “programmable atom-equivalents”: Like atoms, they form three-dimensional crystals, but unlike atoms, the particles themselves carry information (the sequences of the grafted strands) that can be used to “program”... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6222/639.abstract) - [ picture\_as\_pdfrogers-science-2015-postp...](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/manoharan/files/rogers-science-2015-postprint.pdf) Schade, N. B. [Self-Assembly of Plasmonic Nanoclusters for Optical Metafluids](/publications/self-assembly-plasmonic-nanoclusters-optical-metafluids), 2015. Schade, N. B. [Self-Assembly of Plasmonic Nanoclusters for Optical Metafluids](/publications/self-assembly-plasmonic-nanoclusters-optical-metafluids), 2015. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/17467519) I discuss experimental progress towards developing a material with an isotropic, negative index of refraction at optical frequencies. The simplest way to make such a material is to create a metafluid, or a disordered collection of subwavelength, isotropic... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/17467519) ### 2014 Collins, J. [Self-Assembly of Colloidal Spheres With Specific Interactions](/publications/self-assembly-colloidal-spheres-specific-interactions), 2014. Collins, J. [Self-Assembly of Colloidal Spheres With Specific Interactions](/publications/self-assembly-colloidal-spheres-specific-interactions), 2014. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/12274201?show=full) In this thesis, I discuss engineering colloidal particles to have specific, isotropic interactions and studying their cluster geometries in equilibrium. I discuss light scattering experiments showing that a highly specific protein, Dscam, is unstable... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/12274201?show=full) ### 2013 Schade, N.; Holmes-Cerfon, M.; Chen, E.; Aronzon, D.; Collins, J.; Fan, J.; Capasso, F.; Manoharan, V. [ Tetrahedral Colloidal Clusters from Random Parking of Bidisperse Spheres ](/publications/tetrahedral-colloidal-clusters-random-parking-bidisperse-spheres). *Physical Review Letters* **2013**, *110* (14), 148303. Schade, N.; Holmes-Cerfon, M.; Chen, E.; Aronzon, D.; Collins, J.; Fan, J.; Capasso, F.; Manoharan, V. [ Tetrahedral Colloidal Clusters from Random Parking of Bidisperse Spheres ](/publications/tetrahedral-colloidal-clusters-random-parking-bidisperse-spheres). *Physical Review Letters* **2013**, *110* (14), 148303. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.148303) Using experiments and simulations, we investigate the clusters that form when colloidal spheres stick irreversibly to—or “park” on—smaller spheres. We use either oppositely charged particles or particles labeled with complementary DNA sequences, and we... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.148303) ### 2012 Wang, Y.; Wang, Y.; Breed, D.; Manoharan, V.; Feng, L.; Hollingsworth, A.; Weck, M.; Pine, D. [ Colloids With Valence and Specific Directional Bonding ](/publications/colloids-valence-and-specific-directional-bonding). *Nature* **2012**, *491* (7422), 51-55. Wang, Y.; Wang, Y.; Breed, D.; Manoharan, V.; Feng, L.; Hollingsworth, A.; Weck, M.; Pine, D. [ Colloids With Valence and Specific Directional Bonding ](/publications/colloids-valence-and-specific-directional-bonding). *Nature* **2012**, *491* (7422), 51-55. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11564) The ability to design and assemble three-dimensional structures from colloidal particles is limited by the absence of specific directional bonds. As a result, complex or low-coordination structures, common in atomic and molecular systems, are rare in the... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11564) ### 2011 Fan, J.; He, Y.; Bao, K.; Wu, C.; Bao, J.; Schade, N.; Manoharan, V.; Shvets, G.; Nordlander, P.; Liu, D.; Capasso, F. [DNA-Enabled Self-Assembly of Plasmonic Nanoclusters](/publications/dna-enabled-self-assembly-plasmonic-nanoclusters). *Nano Letters* **2011**, *11* (11), 4859-4864. Fan, J.; He, Y.; Bao, K.; Wu, C.; Bao, J.; Schade, N.; Manoharan, V.; Shvets, G.; Nordlander, P.; Liu, D.; Capasso, F. [DNA-Enabled Self-Assembly of Plasmonic Nanoclusters](/publications/dna-enabled-self-assembly-plasmonic-nanoclusters). *Nano Letters* **2011**, *11* (11), 4859-4864. - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nl203194m) DNA nanotechnology provides a versatile foundation for the chemical assembly of nanostructures. Plasmonic nanoparticle assemblies are of particular interest because they can be tailored to exhibit a broad range of electromagnetic phenomena. In this Letter... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nl203194m) ## Alumni [### Caroline Martin ](/people/caroline-martin-0) PhD Applied Physics 2024 Caroline was a PhD student in Applied Physics. She studied colloidal self-assembly by characterizing short-ranged interactions and designing DNA-mediated interactions. She has undergraduate degrees in physics and English, and spends her free time reading... ![Caroline](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/manoharan/files/screen_shot_2022-06-10_at_12.32.40_pm.png?itok=LrgcokaV) [### Ellen D. Klein ](/people/ellen-klein) PhD Physics 2019 Ellen Klein was a Ph.D. student in Physics who studied the self-assembly of colloidal clusters, with an emphasis on understanding what colloidal particles can tell us about entropy, phase transitions, and, possibly, biological systems. Ellen was a 2015... ![Headshot of Ellen Klein](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/manoharan/files/klein_photo.jpg?itok=jFJ8EXQw) [### Emily Gehrels ](/people/emily-gehrels) PhD Applied Physics 2018 Emily was a PhD student in Applied Physics studying the statistical mechanics of DNA-mediated colloidal interactions. She designed dynamic colloidal systems with precisely controlled and tunable binding strength and temperature dependence. She received... ![Emily](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/manoharan/files/emily2.png?itok=Eu-HiZ-I) [### Nicholas B. Schade ](/people/nicholas-b-schade)PhD Physics 2015 As a PhD student in Physics, Nick studied the self-assembly and optical properties of metal colloidal clusters. His research interests included metamaterial synthesis and characterization, as well as DNA as a tool for directing self-assembly. Before... ![Nick Schade](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/manoharan/files/img_1593_cropped.jpg?itok=eNJ6eP-_) [### W. Benjamin Rogers ](/people/w-benjamin-rogers)Former research associate Ben was a research associate in Applied Physics who studied a variety of problems in the area of soft and biologically-inspired materials, including colloidal self-assembly, light scattering and diffusion in nanoparticle films, and responsive photonic... ![Ben Rogers](/sites/g/files/omnuum4256/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/manoharan/files/ben-head.jpg?itok=x3FMVcdV) See also:- [ Previous research areas ](/research-projects/previous-research-areas) - [ DNA and colloids ](/research-areas/dna-and-colloids) - [ Project descriptions ](/page-categories/project-descriptions)