SEMINAR 1. Title : Generation of Nucleic Acid Biopolymers with Complex Functionalities 2. Speaker : Prof. Seung Soo Oh (Department of Materials Sci. and Eng. at POSTECH) 3. Time : 16:00 – 17:00, Thursday, March 31, 2016 4. Place : e+ Lecture Hall (room 83188), 2nd Research Building, Sungkyunkwan University 5. Summary : Over the last few decades, nucleic acids (e.g., DNAs and RNAs) have proven to be an exceptionally versatile material beyond genetic information storage. As a sequence controlled polymer, they fold into a unique structure and create a variety of functionalities including molecular recognition, catalysis, construction of complex patterns, and even nanomechanical motions. Importantly, these synthetic constructs can be programmed to perform a wide range of molecular functions in a controlled manner—this is a powerful feature that cannot be easily realized in other macromolecules. Furthermore, when combined with other functional materials, they offer unique capabilities with regards to the creation of molecular machines that can perform complex functions in the right order at the right time. To fully realize this potential, my work has focused on the development of novel methodologies to generate nucleic acid-based multi-functional biopolymers and their applications. Specifically, I will introduce an innovative in vitro selection strategy enabling the discovery of functional DNA nanostructures that undergo binding-induced structure-switching. I will subsequently show that the generated synthetic allosteric regulators perform useful molecular functions for diagnostics, imaging and targeted therapy applications. Furthermore, I will demonstrate a unique catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) that recognize and polymerize the targeted short RNAs by processive ligation events. Finally, I will describe a novel synthetic method to create hybrid materials capable of performing complex, multi-step molecular processes by integrating targeting nucleic acids (aptamers) with other materials (e.g. engineered polymers) and demonstrate directly their applications in targeted drug delivery. 6 Background : Education 2012 Ph.D. in Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara 2007 M.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea 2005 B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea Work 2016~Present Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, POSTECH 2014-2016 Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 2012-2014 Postdoc, University of California, Santa Barbara 7. Questions : (☏ 031-299-4115)