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Viruses begin to do nanotechnology construction at MIT

By Christine Peterson, on October 9th, 2006

From the Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards for 2006, MIT’s Angela Belcher and colleagues are using viruses to build at the molecular level:

VIRAL MANUFACTURING
Innovators: Angela Belcher, Yet-Ming Chiang, Paula Hammond

MIT scientists reached a major nanotech milestone: re-engineering a virus to create a self-assembling product.

THE GOAL OF nanofabrication is to make tiny machines build themselves using molecules they grab from their surroundings. It’s easy to dismiss the concept as science fiction — or hype. Until you hear what’s been going on in the lab of MIT materials scientist Angela Belcher, a star in nanotechnology circles.

Working with colleagues Paula Hammond and Yet-Ming Chiang, Belcher genetically altered a virus, the M-13 bacteriophage, inducing it to grab a pair of conductive metals — cobalt oxide and gold — from a solution. As the viruses rearrange themselves, they form highly aligned organic nanowires that can be used as a lithium-ion battery electrode — one so densely packed it can store two or three times the energy of conventional electrodes of the same size and weight.

Angela Belcher gets a great deal of attention, but also check out her chemical engineering colleague Paula Hammond’s list of awards. Materials scientist Yet-Ming Chiang may have a similar list but it’s not on his home page. However, his work has resulted “in the discovery of a way for structures to make incremental adjustments—essentially, to morph—on demand.” Cool.

Using nature’s nanotechnology to move toward a general capability for atomically-precise manufacturing has been a pathway of interest at MIT since the earliest days of nanotech in the late ’70s. Good to see it moving forward! —Christine

October 9th, 2006 | Category: Bionanotechnology, Molecular Nanotechnology, Molecular manufacturing, Nanobiotechnology, Nanotechnology

6 comments to Viruses begin to do nanotechnology construction at MIT

  • marc manspeaker
    December 4th, 2007 at 2:28 PM

    After reviewing by notation on nano-tech, I think we should consider the use of silicone technology instead of or perhaps including this product in atomic sculpturing. I have notice the development of silicon in nano-tech and I think we need to consider the use of silicone. Please inform your organization of this correction.

    Marc Manspeaker

    12-04-07

  • shrinivas
    March 4th, 2007 at 5:49 AM

    i am really delighted to hear about such an invention and i heartily congratulate Angela Belcher, Paula Hammond and Yet-Ming Chiang for their hardwork for the welfare of mankind. i am eager to know more about this subject. and i’m sure that this will change the whole perspective of re-engineering and nanofabrication. I Wish whoever is dedicated to this field.

  • Marc MANSPEAKER
    December 18th, 2006 at 1:21 PM

    I have been writing on blogger.com/ and have mentioned nano-tech as a viable product for the development of the brain. Possibly using silicon with nano-tech to improve the brain or repair the brain damage. Cloning the brain or the entire body with rapid gentic engineering in and under laboratory conditions for the use of what I call a total body transplant. Full Body cloning. transfering your energy, which is molecular into a blank tablet clone. Actually transfering your self into a new body. Improving the brain with atomic sculptering and nano-tech.

    Marc Manspeaker
    12-18-06
    Spacing Association
    MBM

  • Anonymous
    October 20th, 2006 at 2:32 AM

    This is great stuff indeed!
    Maybe she could use this technique with other materials for self-assembly (carbon prehaps).
    This would probably help see in which direction to go with the materials that would have higher strength, and be lighter then normally produced materials!

  • Marc Manspeaker
    October 19th, 2006 at 10:22 PM

    I’m very excited about this discovery that stops the bleeding. It will be very valuable in medicine and may some day save my own life. The discovery of and the development of nano batteries is very interesting considering the many possible uses. I am wondering, though, would it be dangerous to use electronic nano batteries in the body? I have epilepsy and have found that floricent light bulbs that flicker have been the spark that will litterally cause a grand mall seizer. Slight electronics can cause that problem with me. I am interested in the use and development of nano medicines. I think that this may repair the brain damage that I have from the years of medications. The last MRI that I have, shows that I have extensive brain damage on the top of my brain. The neurologist said that the damage was caused by dilantin. I am fifty three and have used dilantin since I was seventeen. Now I am using Keppra. With great success. Do you think that nano technology will be able to solve the damage that has been done?

    Marc Manspeaker
    10-19-06

  • Andrew
    October 13th, 2006 at 1:50 AM

    Congratulations to Angela Belcher, Paula Hammond and Yet-Ming Chiang for this step forward, these are the people who in the future will be hailed as the pioneer of the new self-assembly era. It is good to know that there are dedicated professional people doing this research.