(6w) 3D-Engineering of Functional Living Composite Materials

Seunghyun Sim, Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellow, California
Institute of Technology

Ph.D. Research (Advisor: Takuzo
Aida, The University of Tokyo):

Protein Nanostructure
Engineering. My Ph. D. research focuses on the design of nanostructures using
protein as a building block and their biomedical application. Combinations of
genetic engineering, implementing rationally designed chemical moiety, and
interdisciplinary solutions such as utilizing magnetic field made it possible
to control protein self-assembly structure in multiple dimensions.

Postdoctoral Research (Advisor: David A.
Tirrell, California Institute of Technology):

Engineered Living Materials. My current postdoctoral research in the Tirrell
lab at Caltech is developing strategies to include “living” bacterial entities
as an active ingredient of smart materials. Two novel living materials have
developed: (1) artificial protein network produced by cells in situ and (2) 3D-printable material
encasing engineered bacterial cells and spores. During the postdoctoral
training, I have broadened my skill set in the areas of molecular biology and
characterization of soft matter.

Research Interests:

3D-Engineering of Functional Living Composite
Materials. The research program I propose to implement
centers on developing smart 3D living composite materials. Bacterial cells possess ideal qualities for
generating emergent materials: they can assemble, communicate, synthesize
biomolecules, and adapt to the various conditions. The first outcome of this research will be a
functional library of 3D-printable living composite materials using different
combinations of chemical scaffolds and engineered microorganisms. The interaction of the chemical matrix and
bacterial cells will be studied in various length scales– from the molecular
level to macroscopic tensile testing –to engineer them for specific goals. Bacterial cells will be genetically
engineered to produce artificial proteins or effector molecules for mechanical
reinforcement, cellular communications, and therapeutic applications using a
variety of tools in synthetic biology.
In particular, we will aim to accomplish controlled mechanical
actuation, chemical conversion, and biologics delivery with these materials.

Teaching Interests:

Majoring both chemistry and biology as an
undergraduate and later earning Ph. D. from the school of engineering, I would
be comfortable teaching a wide range of subjects in chemistry, chemical
engineering, biology, bioengineering, and materials science. Also, I have a special
interest in developing interdisciplinary courses with an emphasis on introducing
the recent scientific trend.

Research Funding:

Merit
Fellowship (2013–2015), JSPS
Fellowship for Young Scientists (2015–2017), Helen Hay Whitney Fellowship (2019–current).

Publications:

·      S. Sim, Y. Kim, T. Kim, S.
Lim, M. Lee, “Directional Assembly of α-Helical Peptides Induced by
Cyclization”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 20270-20272.

·      S. Sim, D. Miyajima, T. Niwa, H. Taguchi, T.
Aida, “Tailoring Micrometer-Long High-Integrity 1D Array of Superparamagnetic
Nanoparticles in a Nanotubular Protein Jacket and Its Lateral Magnetic
Assembling Behavior”, J. Am. Chem. Soc.
2015, 137, 4658–4661.

·      S. Sim, T. Niwa, H. Taguchi, T. Aida, “Supramolecular Nanotube of
Chaperonin GroEL: Length Control for
Cellular Uptake Using Single-Ring GroEL Mutant as End-Capper”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 11152−11155.

·      S. Sim, T. Aida,
“Swallowing a Surgeon: Toward Clinical Nanorobots”, Acc. Chem. Res. 2017, 50, 492–497.

·      D.
Kashiwagi, S.
Sim, T. Niwa, H. Taguchi, T. Aida*, “Protein
Nanotube Selectively Cleavable with DNA: Supramolecular Polymerization of
“DNA-Appended Molecular Chaperones”, J.
Am. Chem. Soc. 2018, 140, 26−29.

o  
Publication as a corresponding author

o  
Featured as the journal’s cover

o  
Featured in JACS Spotlights, “DNA, Proteins
Combine to Yield Highly Stable Nanotubes”

·      S. Sim, D. Miyajima, N. Nitta, I. Aoki, T. Aida, “Novel Approach for
High-Performance T1 MRI Contrast Agent:
Effect
of Adjacent Charged Groups to the Metal Oxide Nanoparticle Surface (tentative
title)”, To be submitted.

·      S. Sim, P. K. Hashim, K. Okuro, Y. Anraku, K. Kataoka, T. Aida, “Functional Design of de novo
RNA Virus based on Chaperonin GroEL (tentative title)”, To be submitted.

·      D.
Kashiwagi, S.
Sim, T. Niwa, H. Taguchi, T. Aida,
“Supramolecular Lamellar Assembly of DNA-appended Janus GroEL via AND Logic
Gate (tentative title)”, To be submitted.

·      S. Sim, Y. Hui, D. A.
Tirrell, “Engineered living film reinforced by artificial protein assembly in
situ (tentative title)”, To be submitted.

·      S. Sim, Y. Hui, D. A.
Tirrell, “3D-printable living composite materials of B. subtilis for portable
therapeutic protein delivery (tentative title)”, To be submitted.

Selected Awards:

·      Award
for Academic Excellence, Seoul National University, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

·      The
Rising Star Award, CEMS ISSC&FM, 2013.

·      BASF
PhD Rising Star Award, BASF, 2014.

·      PMSE
Future Faculty Scholars, ACS PMSE Division, 2018.

·      Global
Outstanding Student Award in Polymer Science and Engineering, ACS PMSE Division,
2019.