Integrated Calendar

<p>In nature, sequence-specific biopolymers, such as peptides and nucleic acids, are essential to various biological systems and processes. These biopolymers are utilized in materials science to achieve precise property control. Typically, variations in amino acid sequences focus on functional regulation while nucleotides are used for structural control. This raises the question: How can we integrate peptide-based functionality with the spatial precision of DNA nanotechnology for innovative material design? Here, I will present examples illustrating the incredible properties of peptide self-assembly from my PhD, and the remarkable nanoarchitecture design achieved through DNA nanotechnology from my Postdoc. These two key elements establish a vision of utilizing and synergizing peptide functionality with structural control achieved by DNA nanotechnology.</p><p>Specifically, I will show how subtle changes in the molecular environment influence the morphology and behavior of peptide assemblies such as diphenylalanine crystals and enable control over their growth and disassembly processes, revealing insights into peptide-based material manipulation (Nat. Commun., 2016). Another example is that of the amorphous assemblies of tri-tyrosine peptides, where we linked the molecular arrangement to unique mechanical and optical properties of glass-like peptide structures (Nature, 2024).</p><p>Next, I will introduce the principles of DNA nanotechnology for advanced structural control. By designing DNA nano-frames capable of self-assembling into organized lattices, we created micron-scale 3D materials. We discovered that a minor modification in DNA linker length induces a crystalline phase transition, from simple cubic to face-centered cubic structures, altering lattice geometry. In addition, we established a method using acoustic waves to achieve scalable and morphologically controllable DNA assemblies at the millimetric scale (Nat. Commun., 2024). This approach highlights how DNA nanotechnology provides unparalleled spatial control, decoupling structural architecture from functional elements such as peptides and nanoparticles. Together, these projects illustrate how peptides and DNA nanotechnology can be potentially integrated to engineer novel materials and enhance our capacity to design materials with tailored properties across scales.</p>

<p>The study of dilute, strongly interacting quantum gases reveals</p><p>universal properties that transcend the specifics of individual</p><p>systems. These features arise from their short-range behavior</p><p>and are encapsulated in a key quantity called the “contact”, which</p><p>quantifies the probability of two particles being in close proximity.</p><p>In this talk, I will introduce the contact theory and its extension to</p><p>nuclear and molecular systems beyond the zero-range limit. I will</p><p>demonstrate its applicability in analyzing nuclear electron</p><p>scattering and photo absorption reactions.</p><p>Additionally, I will discuss how mean-field approximations, such as</p><p>the nuclear shell model, can effectively estimate the contact,</p><p>offering valuable insights into the underlying physics.</p>

Vizing's Theorem from 1964 states that any n-vertex m-edge graph of maximum degree Δ can be edge colored using at most Δ+1 different colors.

Vizing's original proof is algorithmic and implies that such an edge coloring can be found in O(mn) time.

In this talk, I'll present a randomized algorithm that computes a (Δ+1)-edge coloring in near-linear time -- in fact, only O(mlogΔ) time -- with high probability.

"In the 2004 Olympics, the US national basketball team failed to win the gold medal despite featuring superstars such as LeBron James. This event raises a fundamental question: Why do teams with highly skilled players sometimes underperform compared to teams with less skilled players? In this talk, I will explore situations where such an outcome can be attributed to a surge in free-riding behavior resulting from rational choices by self-interested players. Specifically, I will demonstrate how, under certain incentivizing schemes, improving individual efficiency can inadvertently promote excessive free-riding behavior, ultimately leading to reduced outcomes at both group and individual levels. I will illustrate this phenomenon through two simple games: one on group foraging and the other on workplace cooperation. In the foraging game, an increase in available food can paradoxically lead to a decrease in food consumption, while in the workplace model, replacing workers with more skilled individuals can worsen both individual payoffs and group performance."