The Defense Sciences Office (DSO)
of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is conducting a workshop
to explore innovative concepts to develop novel engineering devices and systems
based on bio-molecular motors (BMM). Biomolecular motors are nature's nanomachines
that convert chemical energy into mechanical work with performance and scale
unparalleled by any man made motors or machines.
The ongoing BMM program at DARPA
is developing a fundamental understanding of the operating principles of biomolecular
motors in order to exploit this knowledge to harvest, modify, and integrate
these macromolecular assemblies into useful devices from the nano to macro scale.
The BMM program is focusing on extracting these protein motors from biological
cells and incorporating them into synthetic/engineered environments and characterizing
their performance in terms of efficiency (of power conversion), force densities,
robustness/stability and scaling properties.
The goal of the workshop is to help
define the next step, i.e., to explore novel architectures of devices and systems
that could potentially use bio-molecular motors as the basic engines for operation.
The workshop will:
- Bring together leading international
experts/researchers in areas of molecular biology, molecular devices, nano-fabrication,
nano/micro-fluidics, drug delivery systems, etc. for 2 days of oral presentations,
poster sessions and breakout group discussions.
- Focus on novel and innovative device and system applications for bio-molecular
motors that have significant relevance to DoD. High risk device/system ideas
with revolutionary potential may be considered for inclusion into the ongoing
BMM program to fabricate, and evaluate several prototypes and determine relative
figures of merit based on performance and potential military impact.
- Identify research talent in groups or individuals that may lack the
specific track record in BMM, but whose device/system concepts show promise
of enabling revolutionary applications for bio-molecular motors.
See Workshop Agenda | Apply to Attend
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