Multimedia Gallery
3D rendering of genetically targeted chemical assembly of functional materials
The golden color in this 3D rendering depicts biocompatible materials attached to neurons, materials deposited using a process called genetically targeted chemical assembly (GTCA). In GTCA, researchers use genetic information to target cells and precisely deposit polymers, sparing the neighboring cells. By selectively targeting where the polymer deposits, using materials that either conduct electricity or insulate from it, researchers can precisely guide cell properties in living tissues and animals. The blue particles represent small fragments of the material diffusing through the tissue without depositing, as GTCA enables researchers to target precisely which cells incorporate polymers.
Learn more about NSF's investment in advanced manufacturing research in this awards announcement story; or in this NSF "Science Matters" blog post and Fact Sheet. (Date originally posted to NSF Multimedia Gallery: Sept. 30, 2020)
Credit: Ella Maru Studio and Yoon Seok Kim/Jia Liu, Deisseroth/Bao laboratories, Stanford University
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