NIH-funded Postdocs & Graduate student positions available
Our Science
Biomolecular Mechanics
"Everything in biology is mechanical." – Julio Fernandez
The overarching research objective of the BIONICS LAB is to uncover the fundamental physical forces that govern how cells generate, detect, and respond to mechanical forces at the molecular level. We have developed a set of DNA nanotechnology, super-resolution microscopy, biophysics, protein engineering and molecular analytic tools that empower us to achieve our goals.
Biomolecular Nanotechnology
"What I cannot create, I do not understand." – Richard Feynman
Our lab is using DNA nanostructures to reconstruct mechanically-functional biomolecular systems while capturing their spatial and mechanical contexts.
These biologically, spatially, and mechanically-relevant reconstituted systems are amenable to mathematically-rigorous, physically-sound, and highly-predictive modeling.
The Mechanobiology of Malaria Parasite Invasion
The initial theme of our lab will focus on the mechanical interactions that power and guide malaria parasite invasion. Malaria, an infectious disease caused by deadly Plasmodium parasites, is a global health concern. In 2013, malaria was responsible for ~200 million cases and claimed >500,000 lives, which is equivalent to ~1 death per minute.
Low-Cost Single Molecule Nanoarray for Democratizing Digital Diagnostics
Finally, our lab will put this knowledge to work. From the biomedical translational standpoint, we will also develop lithography-free cm-scale DNA origami nanoarrays for high-throughput single-molecule biophysics and low-cost digital diagnostics that target minuscule concentrations of biomarkers.
Rapid agnostic platform to limit viral infection
Viral infectious diseases have plagued human history and they continue to pose as a major threat to global health and economy. Our vision is to develop a novel anti-viral platform that can rapidly neutralize viral infections by limiting viral diffusion. By interfacing DNA nanotechnology and peptide engineering, we want to construct modular molecular scaffolds that incorporates attractive features like multivalency and superior specificity in targeting viral particles. The ultimate goal of this work is to transition this platform for therapeutical application.
The origins of life
"All of us who study the origin of life find that the more we look into it, the more we feel it is too complex to have evolved anywhere." – Harold Urey
The most fundamental principle of the living system could have been concealed within the secret recipe to initiate life itself. Our lab combines various branches of science from organic chemistry, fluid mechanics, into geophysics and astrophysics to develop and test a protocell model that emerged from hydrodynamic forces acting on oil slicks trapped by an ancient ocean gyre. The oil slicks are light and water-insoluble organic materials made out of micrometeorite kerogen.
Low-cost, bottom-up fabrication of large-scale single-molecule nanoarrays by DNA origami placement
Rishabh M Shetty, Sarah R Brady, Paul WK Rothemund, Rizal F Hariadi, Ashwin Gopinath
Autonomous dynamic control of DNA nanostructure self-assembly
LEOPOLD N. GREEN, HARI K.K. SUBRAMANIAN, VAHID MARDANLOU, JONGMIN KIM, RIZAL F. HARIADI, ELISA FRANCO
Determining hydrodynamic forces in bursting bubbles using DNA nanotube mechanics
RIZAL F HARIADI, ERIK WINFREE, AND BERNARD YURKE
PNAS 2015, 112 (45), E6086-E6095
"And so he looked at a tiny bubble
bursting on the surface of an infinite ocean.
Within it, molecules, their world torn asunder.
And in that vigor,
and in that endless churning,
the origin of life.
We followed him deep into this vision."
– Erik Winfree
Mechanical coordination in motor ensembles revealed using engineered artificial myosin filaments
RIZAL F HARIADI, RF SOMMESE, AS ADHIKARI, RE TAYLOR, S SUTTON, JA SPUDICH, ANAD S SIVARAMAKRISHNAN
Nature Nanotechnology 2015, 10 (8), 696-700
Myosin lever arm directs collective motion on cellular actin network
RIZAL F HARIADI, MARIO CALE, AND SIVARAJ SIVARAMAKRISHNAN
Cellular chirality arising from the self-organization of the actin cytoskeleton
YEE H TEE, TOM SHEMESH, VISALATCHI THIAGARAJAN, RIZAL F HARIADI, KAREN L ANDERSON, CHRISTOPHER PAGE, NIELS VOLKMANN, DORIT HANEIN, SIVARAJ SIVARAMAKRISHNAN, MICHAEL M KOZLOV, AND ALEXANDER D BERSHADSKY
BAM! POW!
Band of Super Heroes
These people (minus Rizal) are the real super heroes of the lab.
Swarup Dey
Ph.D. student
(co-advised with Hao Yan)
ASU – Chemistry
Swechchha "Sway" Pradhan
Ph.D. student
ASU – Biological Design
Gde Bimananda Mahardika Wisna
Graduate student
ASU – Physics
Dhanush Gandavadi
Incoming graduate student
Isadonna Tengganu
Postbac Researcher
B.Sc – Surya University
Tal Sneh
Undergraduate Researcher
ASU – Physics
2020 Goldwater Scholar
Sritharini "Esha" Radhakrishnan
Remote Undergraduate Researcher
ASU – Biology & Math
Daria
Sukhareva
Undergraduate Researcher
ASU – Biochemistry
Neil
Karerakattil
Undergraduate Researcher
ASU – Physics
Sapto
Cahyono
Graphic designer
Honorary lab member
2020 & 2017 Victorinox
Award Winner
Collaborators
"Bernie" Yurke
Boise State University
Carter Swanson
formerly at University of Michigan
Douglas Shepherd
ASU
Lab Alumni
"Come as trainees, leave as friends...
Graduate students
Rishabh M. Shetty (2017–2019): Now a postdoc @ MIT (PI: Ashwin Gopinath). [Linkedin]
Post-docs
Tunjung Mahatmanto (2016–2018) – Now the Head of Biotechnology Study Program @ Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia.
Undergraduate students
Visiting postdocs, summer undergraduate researchers, postbacs (last sighted)
High school student
Where we are
The Biodesign Institute A (BDA), Arizona State University
Copyright © 2020 Rizal Hariadi. All rights reserved.