Department of Chemistry Seminar - Devleena Samanta

Approximately 10²⁰ chemical reactions occur in our bodies every second, most of which are facilitated by enzymes – nature's biocatalysts. Detecting enzymes in their active form, therefore, offers significant potential for early disease detection. Furthermore, by modulating the functional state of enzymes, new therapeutic strategies can be developed. Nanomaterials are uniquely positioned to interact with enzymes. Their comparable size enables extensive surface interactions, providing advantages over small molecules. Additionally, nanomaterials can be synthetically engineered to exhibit specific multifunctional properties that are often difficult to achieve with traditional proteins or small-molecule drugs. Our laboratory focuses on the development of DNA-based molecular tools and nanomaterial interfaces to establish programmable strategies for sensing, controlling, and enhancing enzyme function. Specifically, we are designing tools to detect proteases – a class of enzymes frequently dysregulated in diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and infectious diseases. Our goal is to create minimally invasive detection platforms that enable early diagnosis of these conditions. In addition to detection, we are focused on regulating enzyme behavior to develop next-generation precision therapeutics that minimize side effects. To achieve this, we are developing DNA-based molecular devices that bind to enzymes through non-covalent interactions. These devices undergo conformational changes in response to specific molecular cues, providing a programmable means of switching enzyme activity on or off. Beyond their biological roles, enzymes also play a pivotal role in the biotechnology industry, where their capacity to accelerate chemical reactions contributes to a market valued at ~$15 billion. We are investigating methods to enhance enzyme activity without altering their amino acid sequences, exploring how nanomaterial surface properties influence enzyme catalysis. These findings offer new insights into nano-bio interfaces and inform novel design principles for catalytic materials. Together, our work establishes a unified strategy for sensing, regulating, and enhancing enzymes, leveraging DNA nanotechnology and nanomaterial interfaces. These advances provide powerful new approaches for precision diagnostics, synthetic biology, and biocatalysis, with far-reaching applications in medicine, biotechnology, and industrial catalysis.