Jonathan Halverson

We developed a design scheme for nanoparticles (NPs) to bring about their  self-assembly into finite mesoscopic structures or architectures. Single-stranded DNA is grafted to the surface of the particles endowing them with highly selective, directional interactions through the hybridization of complementary strands. We have demonstrated in silico the successful formation of cubes, pyramids, boxes and even a model of the Empire State Building. We are currently working with experimentalists on closely related systems.

• B.S.: University of Massachusetts
  • Major: Chemical Engineering; Minor: Chemistry&Mathematics
• M.S.: U. Of Wisconsin
• PhD: City University of New York
  • Dissertation Title: Molecular simulations of surfactant-enhanced wetting

• Postdoctoral Research: Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
  • Theory group
  • Project: Molecular dynamics simulation of ring polymer melts; development of a simulation software package for soft matter systems

J. D. Halverson and A. V. Tkachenko, DNA-Programmed Mesoscopic Architecture, Phys. Rev. E 87, 062310 (2013).

J. D. Halverson, T. Brandes, O. Lenz, A. Arnold, S. Bevc, V. Starchenko, K. Kremer, T. Steuhn and D. Reith, ESPResSo++: A Modern Multiscale Simulation Package for Soft Matter Systems, Computer Physics Communications 184, 1129 (2013).

J. D. Halverson, A. Y. Grosberg and K. Kremer, Comparing the Results of Lattice and Off-Lattice Simulations for the Melt of Nonconcatenated Rings,  Journal of Physics A 46, 065002 (2013).