Simulation of Biomolecular Nanomechanical Systems
Abstract
This report documents results from the BioNEMS project. Computer simulation methods and theoretical tools that can be applied to guide the design of microdevices relying on the concept of translating biomolecular binding to mechanical forces were developed. These computational tools were applied, in synergy with experiments, to define the important factors that determine device performance. One important result is that molecular-level self assembly of probe molecules determines microdevice performance, and this has had a big impact on the design of cantilever-based microdevices. These findings were used to establish design guidelines and utilized in the fabrication of a prototype device that is being transitioned in to a commercial product. Efforts to translate mechanical signals to electronic ones are also described in this context. New discoveries regarding how T lymphocytes of the immune system detect pathogens can be exploited to create synthetic pathogen detectors that exhibit extraordinary sensitivity and selectivity were examined. Computer simulations exploring T cell signaling were completed as part of this research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA459897
Entities
People
- Arun Majumdar
- Arup K. Chakraborty
Organizations
- University of California Regents