Nanoscale Communication: Energy and Information Tap the existing world of biological nanotechnology by constructing molecular level, functional interfaces between living systems and synthetic technology Domesticate life at the molecular and cellular level Develop design and fabrication principles that enable the construction of synthetic devices, with capabilities that rival those of living systems Bottom-up design and construction

Two Nanoscale Revolutions

Technology, by human design Nanoscale dimensions beginning to be achieved Nanoscale properties harnessed in isolated examples Very limited capabilities compared with living systems Self-evolving Scientific understanding by discovery Intrinsically nanoscale Innumerable unique properties Capabilities generally can not be harnessed TechnologyBiology

Existence is Established What is it about living systems that enables them to perform such tasks? –What is the technology? Can similar levels of functionality be engineered into synthetic systems? –Can these functionalities be harnessed? Can living and nonliving be integrated? All aspects of life are naturally emergent physical properties

Nanoscale Communication: Energy and Information 5.1Interfacing biological and nonbiological 5.2Nano-macro junctions 5.3Energy transduction at the nanoscale 5.4Functional nanoscale systems and colonies

5.1 Integrating living and nonliving Actively communicate with and direct cellular behavior –Real-time two-way communication as in living organism –Decode biological communication principles –Establish synthetic (molecular-level) communication with living cells Develop minimal self-sustaining (living or nonliving) organism –Bottom-up synthetic cell –Top-down minimal cell

Electronic Logic

Biological Logic

Breaking the Living-Nonliving Barrier Carbon nanotube Synthetic cell membrane Solidstate electronics Living cell Living receptor protein Synthetic receptor protein

5.2 Nano-macro junctions Photonic –Plasmonics and subwavelength light control Electrical/Magnetic –Molecular wirebonds Mechanical –Chemomechanical motor drive Combining different approaches

Photon/Electron transduction Nanotube LED with tunable junction location Electron/Photon transduction at quantum limit Nanowire optoelectronics

5.3 Energy Transduction at the Nanoscale Photonic, electronic, and chemical transitions –Photon – electron/ion coupling –Photon - chemical coupling –Etc. Stochastic processes, signals and noise –Biological signal transduction and information processing –Molecular motors

Molecular Motor

Molecular Motor Function: Capturing Fluctuations

5.4 Functional nanoscale systems and colonies Building nanoscale assemblies Self-regulating adaptive interactive systems –Metabolism –Information replication –Self-replicating life Ad-hoc networking among nanoscale devices

Bacteria quorum sensing: nano to micro

PNAS October 4, 2005 vol. 102 no –14184 Quorum sensing: nano to mega Self-organiation on the megameter scale

Conceptual Origins Maxwell: control randomnessMendel: use randomness

Conceptual Origins Maxwell: control randomnessMendel: use randomness Random biological evolution has developed technology that controls randomness