Anindita (Dia) Das

CD4 project:

The Das Research Group is focused on developing nanocluster-based therapeutics with atomic precision to accurately map out “nano-bio interactions” at a molecular level. Since the advent of nanotechnology in the mid-1980s, metal and semi-conductor nanoparticles have attracted tremendous interest due to their unique properties which make them suitable for diverse applications. However, the inherent structural inhomogeneity associated with conventional nanoparticles has precluded an atomic-level understanding of their structure-property relationships (e.g., exact biological mechanisms). In our lab, we seek to use atomically precise metal clusters with well-resolved mixed-biological ligand shells to unravel accurate structure-activity correlations in biological studies. As a result, our group brings together researchers from different backgrounds to foster multidisciplinary interactions and provides unique opportunities for students to develop wide-ranging skills in inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry, and chemical biology.

Recent related publications:

M. Girard*, S. Wang*, J. S. Du*, A. Das*, Z. Huang, V. P. Dravid, B. Lee, C. A. Mirkin & M. Olvera de la Cruz. Particle analogs of electrons in colloidal crystals. Science, 2019, 364, 1174-1178 (* Equal author contribution).

B Du, X Jiang, A Das, Q Zhou, M Yu, R Jin & J Zheng “Glomerular barrier behaves as an atomically precise bandpass filter in a sub-nanometre regime” Nat. Nanotech. 2017, 12, 1096

Expertise:

Biocompatible Nanomaterials Synthesis

Materials Chemistry

Nanoparticle characterization techniques

Inorganic Chemistry

Catalysis

Facilities:

Synthetic lab including 4 fume hoods, 2 rotavaps, and 3 Schlenk manifolds

Electrochemical Workstation, CH instruments

UV-visible spectrophotometer, Agilent

Centrifuge, Fisher Scientific

JEOL 500 MHz NMR (in chemistry department)

Bruker 400 MHz NMR (in chemistry department)

Agilent GC/MS (in chemistry department)

Agilent HPLC (in chemistry department)