Discover how science surprises us with doctors on a microscopic scale!

Hello, curious teens of the STEAM world! Today we are going to dive into a topic that sounds like science fiction, but in reality, it is happening here on our beloved planet Earth. Imagine a world where scientists are creating artificial creatures, as if they were playing gods of science. But fear not, they are not slimy monsters or adorable alien pets! Our protagonist is Professor Chenguang Lou, a true genius from the University of Southern Denmark, together with his colleague, Professor Hanbin Mao from Kent State University, are making magic in the world of science.

They have invented something called “peptide-DNA hybrid nanostructures.” Sounds like an odd mix of words, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it’s an exciting new technology that’s only a few years old. The idea of these scientific brains is to use these nanostructures to create amazing things, such as vaccines against viruses and even artificial life, just imagine if we could have creatures that act as personal guardians against viruses. Think about this: some diseases have no natural enemies, they are like those rivals in a competition where they have no opponents. Well, these scientists are working on creating some sort of ‘special equipment’ in the form of artificial life to combat them. Doesn’t it sound great?

Now, here’s the interesting part, these creatures are not green giants or furry aliens. They are artificial hybrid molecules that combine DNA and peptides. DNA is like the language of life, and peptides are like the pieces of the puzzle that make it all work. Together, they are like a super duo of science. Other scientists around the world are also playing with DNA and peptides, some at Oxford University have created a tiny machine that can open doors in cells. It’s like creating a lock and key for the human body! Others at Arizona State University have made 2D and 3D structures, such as building blocks, and at Northwest University, they have formed microfibers that are like huge skyscrapers in the world of the tiny.

But the most exciting thing is that at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, they have created a kind of magic onion filled with anti-cancer drug, this could be a super weapon in the fight against cancer. Imagine that! So what does the future hold? Professor Lou thinks that in about 10 years we could have artificial viral vaccines and at some point, we could even create artificial life. It’s like we’re in a science fiction movie, but in real life!