Ricerc@Sapienza

Due to the very large number of applications, developments in DNA-coated colloids have been increasing in different branches of science including biomedicine, spectroscopy and material science. Undoubtedly, genetic engineering appears to be very promising today not only theoretically but also experimentally, sheding light on the next generation of new nanomaterials.
Multiple features of nanotechnology are involved when programmability and self-assembly properties of DNA and plasmonic optical properties of metallic nanoparticles are considered.
Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) or Tip-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (TERS) reveal to be ideal contenders for the copious procedures in specific DNA-sequencing or in gene detections, thanks to the high field amplification and sensitivity when light-matter interaction occurs.
The hybridization processes - programmed with single-stranded DNA - can trigger the creation of peculiar structures - in two and/or three dimensions - whose properties are controlled with extreme precision outside their biological environment.
Obtaining SERS signal of specific DNA-chains attached to different metallic nanoparticles is the first aim of this project; subsequently, the leading properties of more complex DNA-nanoparticle structures are attained. Studying the main characteristics of DNA-nanoparticle assemblies both theoretically - by means of computer simulations - and experimentally is the final purpose of this proposal.