DESMA 9 Blog Summary

DESMA 9 Week 4

Despite my major not having anything to do with biology, a lot of what I have learnt in classes in UCLA is associated to medical technologies. One such example would be DNA origami, in which DNA strains are manipulated into different shapes. Normally, DNA strains are akin to a dust bunny, in which random strains are mixed together to form a tumbleweed-like mesh. However, by assigning specific alkyl groups to the strain, one can manipulate the shape of the DNA strains. One practical use of this technology is in allowing science to deploy targeted medicine. By creating a DNA box surrounding the medicine and creating a lock that only opens when in the presence of the target, the medicine can be delivered straight to the target without interacting with any other entities. Evidently, this technology holds much promise in helping humanity’s battle against cancer, where most techniques deployed are untargeted, like chemotherapy. Natural Structure of Multiple DNA Strains Examples of DN

DESMA 9 Week 7

I have always been interested in perception and how easily it can be changed. The classical example of the ambiguous picture of a duck or rabbit is evidence of the volatility of perception. If you were told it was a rabbit, you would naturally see the rabbit first. Similarly, if you were told it was a duck, you would see a duck. Optical illusion in which the drawing can be either a duck or a rabbit Thus, Aldous Huxley’s “The Door of Perception”, in which he details his experience taking a psychedelic substance, piqued my interest. It reminded me of shows like “Alice in Wonderland” or “The Wizard of Oz” where the main characters experienced an entirely different world only to discover that it was all but a figment of their own imagination. Disney's adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic tale Having watch these films when I was in pre-school, it made me question if my life was part of a story book and I would wake up in a different world once the story was over. I

DESMA 9 Week 3

Growing up, I developed an interest in robots. To me they were smart, immortal, and efficient beings capable of great feats of strength and intelligence. Movies such as The Iron Giant, and the entire Star Wars franchise further reinforced my perception of robots. This love for robotics lead me to read books written by the great science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke. Arthur C. Clarke's Most Iconic Work Hence, I was unsurprised to learn that the modern concept for robots was inspired by a play written by a Czech writer, Karel Capek. In many ways, Sir Clarke had a similar impact on the scientific world as Mr Capek. An apt example would be the artificial intelligence computer named HAL 9000, in Sir Clarke’s book entitled “2001: A Space Odyssey”. In the book and the similarly named movie, HAL 9000 is an on-board computer for a spacecraft, responsible for maintaining ship functions and to act as a companion for human crew. However, due to a series of events, HAL malfunction

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