Development of single-molecule assays with solid-state nanopores using computational tools and DNA nanostructures

Solid-state nanopores are versatile nanoscale sensors to electrically characterize a range of biomolecules at the single-molecule level. When combined with DNA nanotechnology (nanostructures self-assembled via specific base pairing of DNA), solid-state nanopores can enable the specific and sensitive detection of disease biomarkers, opening exciting opportunities in clinical diagnostics. Yet challenges remain to improve the performance of such single-molecule assays. To that end, tools and methods through which to design ultra-sensitive, target-specific assays are critical to advancing these digital schemes.