DNA origami gets into the fold of drug delivery

Using DNA building blocks that can be manipulated into many complex shapes, scientists are hoping to develop 'nanorobots' that could potentially deliver drugs to target cancer cellsFor centuries, Japanese craftsmen have been practising the art of origami by folding paper into cranes, flowers and other intricate shapes. Since 2006, scientists have been doing something similar with DNA.While scientists have long been reading and manipulating DNA, they are now using it as a construction material. By folding the famous "molecules of life" into intricate contortions, they can build sculptures just nanometres in size. "We use DNA the way a carpenter uses wood," says Paul Rothemund from the California Institute of Technology, who invented the technique, and gave it its name: DNA origami. Although still in its infancy, this practice is already providing scientists with custom-made tools for biological research. Eventually, it might even be used to create containers for packaging and...

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