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Machine Learning-enabled Computational Discovery of Self-assembling Biocompatible Nanoaggregates

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Electronically active organic molecules have demonstrated great promise as novel soft materials for energy harvesting and transport. Self-assembled nanoaggregates formed from p-conjugated oligopeptides composed of an aromatic core flanked by oligopeptide wings offer emergent optoelectronic properties within a water-soluble and biocompatible substrate. Deep representational learning and Bayesian optimization were used to guide a course-grained molecular dynamics simulation to effectively screen and traverse molecular space. The virtuous feedback between the data and domain science tools enabled identification of new molecules capable of self-assembling biocompatible nanoaggregates with emergent electroelectronic functionality. This work establishes new understanding of oligopeptide assembly, identifies  promising new candidates for experimental testing, and presents a computational design platform that can be generically extended to other peptide-based and peptide-like systems.

Additional Materials

U.S. National Science Foundation and NSF DMREF, Materials for Our Future

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation Award No. 2015237. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation. This site is maintained collaboratively by principal investigators with NSF DMREF awards, independent of the NSF.