Research
We combine three disciplines to unlock biology's potential for materials chemistry: synthetic organic chemistry, to design and make new semiconductor building blocks; DNA nanotechnology, to program biological assembly into precise molecular architectures; and ultrafast spectroscopy, to measure quantum properties at the nanoscale. By programming DNA to assemble organic semiconductors with nanometre precision, we can create libraries of thousands of quantum materials in parallel, accelerating the discovery of materials for quantum sensors, LEDs, photovoltaics and quantum information systems.
Excitonics
We synthesise organic semiconductors and precisely control their intermolecular distance using DNA. By tailoring how excited molecules communicate, we aim to create next-generation materials for energy conversion, sensing, and quantum information technologies.
We create organic spin centres from dye molecules. By leveraging DNA (opens in a new tab), we control their self-assembly with sub-nanometre precision, which lets us engineer spin dynamics (opens in a new tab) in ways that are impossible with traditional chemistry. We synthetically install dyes with phosphoramidite groups (opens in a new tab), so large aromatic systems can be built directly into DNA by solid-phase synthesis, overcoming hydrophobicity challenges and giving unprecedented control over intermolecular interactions.
Key achievements
- First observation of two-triplet, four-electron spin quintet states on DNA
- Programmable exciton arrays on DNA origami nanostructures
- Single-molecule control of energy flow in excitonic systems
Photochemistry
We are interested in using light to unlock new modes of organic reactivity. Our research explores how energy transfer, electron transfer, and spin dynamics can be combined to control reaction pathways, enabling selective transformations that are difficult or impossible to achieve using conventional thermal chemistry.
Current projects include photoredox catalysis, screening the triplet activity of photoredox catalysts, and the synthesis of new organic photosensitisers.
Why use DNA?
Programmable assembly
- Robust self-assembly
- 0.35 nm spatial resolution
- Chemically editable (e.g. semiconductor)