Matthew Patitz Receives CAREER Award to Advance Work on DNA-Self Assembly Systems

Matt PatitzUniversity of Arkansas computer scientist Matt Patitz has received a $500,000 Faculty Early Career Development Program grant - known as a CAREER grant - from the National Science Foundation.  The award enables Patitz, an assistant professor of computer science and computer engineering to continue developing a suite of software that automates the design and analysis of DNA-based self-assembling systems.  The software modules will include a variety of molecular simulators that capture the dynamics of DNA-based self-assembly and will help researchers design, model, and verify the molecular components of complicated systems before they make expensive investments, in time and money, for physical experiments.

Self-assembly is a process in which individual, disordered molecules spontaneously combine into ordered aggregates without human intervention.  A variety of self-assembling systems exist in nature and are responsible for the formation of may inorganic structures, such as crystals and numerous biological structures, including cellular membranes and viruses.  Inorganic self-assembly systems include snowflakes and other crystals.

Patitz's interdisciplinary research incorporates physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, and biochemical engineering.  As part of the project, he will develop a new interdisciplinary course, Introduction to DNA Nanotechnology, and will host interdisciplinary workshops for students, as well as experienced researchers.

Faculty Early Career Development Program grants - known as CAREER grants - are among the National Science Foundations' most prestigious awards for junior faculty.  Research activities supported by CAREER awards build the foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.