Molecular Systems Engineering with DNA

It is notoriously difficult to observe, let alone control, the position and orientation of molecules because of their small size and the constant thermal fluctuations that they experience in solution. Molecular self-assembly with DNA provides a route for placing molecules and constraining their fluctuations in user-defined ways and with up to Angstroem-scale precision. These positioning options open attractive and unprecedented avenues for scientific and technological exploration, in particular with respect to the creation of artificial molecular machines. In my talk I will introduce some of the key concepts and methods, and highlight a number of recent developments.