Ligand-Gated Nanopores for the Autonomous Control of Molecular Transport
Biological materials often sense and subsequently, automonomosly respond to the presence of specific molecular cues in a process that couples the two at the physico-chemical level. We are exploring the design principles underlying such materials, the availability of which would allow, for example, the fabrication of materials that respond to the presence of specific chemical threats or opportunities by releasing the relevant countermeasure without requiring operator intervention.
Chemical amplification is a key characteristic of biological systems enabling superior sensitivity. For example, a single photon is amplified by series of chemical cascades in the photoreceptors of the retina providing unrivaled sensitivity, enabling vision in the dimmest settings. This motif is repeated in most biological sensors from odor to hearing. Inspired by this motif we propose a class of materials capable of chemical amplification, where a low concentration of a target molecule is converted to a high concentration of a secondary molecule. This can be repeated in series providing a detectable signal for even the tiniest chemical concentration present. These materials would enable the development of superior sensing devices, threat responsive materials and chemomechanical materials.
