Arun Richard

Our group focusses on using DNA as a material to design and build synthetic nanostructures and functionalizing them for different applications. We currently work on developing strategies to enhance the biostability of DNA nanostructures so that they can survive in physiological conditions (for example, withstand degradation by nucleases), to attach drug molecules at specific sites of the nanostructure (eg: click chemistry) and to release drugs by external stimuli (eg: biological stimuli such as other nucleic acids or physical stimuli such as light). Working with biological and clinical collaborators, we are currently developing DNA nanostructures that can act as drug delivery platforms for different types of drugs, specifically focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and myotonic dystrophy. We are also interested in rationally designing DNA motifs that can assemble into 3D DNA crystals. These crystals will contain cavities that can accommodate other guest molecules, acting as a scaffold for X-ray based structure determination. Some of our other interests are in designing DNA devices that can perform logic operations and act as short-term information storage devices.

Madhanagopal Barathraj

Postdoctoral Associate

mbarathraj [at] albany.edu

Madhan completed his PhD on supramolecular assemblies of polyproline peptides and peptide nucleic acids (PNA) under the guidance of Prof. Krishna N Ganesh in Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune. As a postdoc, he studied the self-assembly of branched PNAs and the biophysical properties of bimodal PNAs in Prof. Ganesh’s lab at IISER Tirupati. He was involved in designing and constructing DNA nanodevices in the Krishnan lab at the University of Chicago for about a year before his current position at the RNA institute. He is currently developing DNA-based nanostructures for targeted delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics.

Arlin rodriguez

Research Support Specialist

arodriguez23 [at] albany.edu

Arlin is a recent alumni of UAlbany and a former undergraduate researcher in the lab. Arlin is currently a full time research associate in the lab working on all things DNA.

BS, Biological Sciences | University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA.

Hannah talbot

Undergraduate Researcher

htalbot [at] albany.edu

Biochemistry, Class of 2024 | University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA.

Abigail Tsuji

Undergraduate Researcher

atsuji [at] albany.edu

Abigail Tsuji is an Upstate Accelerated Scholar, Honors College Human Biology major with a minor in Public Health.   

Human Biology, Class of 2026 | University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA. 

List of DNA nanotechnology labs

Events:

Foundations of DNA nanotechnology (FNANO)

International Conference on DNA Computing and Molecular Programming (DNA29)

DNA nanotech in action (Monthly webinar series organized by the Dunn group at The University of Edinburgh)