Workshop Goals

The 2024 Foresight Institute Nanomachine Design Workshop will bring together leading scientists, technologists, and funders to advance the field of Functional Nanomachines. Building an ecosystem of companies and organizations to solve real-world problems with the power of nanomachines requires a diverse set of reliable and open methods for designing, constructing, controlling, operating, and validating nanomachines. 

While progress in emerging nanotechnologies is being made, a concerted effort is needed to accelerate progress. We need an interdisciplinary research and development effort dedicated to supporting the field of nanomechanics, starting with a roadmap to guide future development. We invite you to help develop this roadmap during the two-day workshop.

What to Expect

• Explore existing nanomachine development techniques spanning physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering disciplines.
• Learn about emerging approaches in micro and nano electromechanical systems, vacuum SPM fabrication of quantum systems, SPM manipulation in 3d, DNA/RNA nanotech, and small molecule nanomachines.
• Evaluate the operational challenges necessary to construct functional nanomachines including speed, precision, accuracy, and potential for integration.
• Develop a prioritized research roadmap that outlines key challenges and potential solutions in nanomachine development.

Background and Format

This workshop is the 2024 edition of Foresight Institute’s annual Molecular Machines Workshops, building on and expanding the work of prior workshops in this series. The workshop is chaired by Jeremy Barton, who is working on the roadmap and R&D institution to realize the roadmap and support efforts in this growing field. 

The workshop format includes presentations, working groups, and project development, as well as ample social time to allow you to connect with other scientists, technologists, and funders in the field. We invite you to join us to explore new opportunities for progress, form lasting collaborations, and further cooperation toward shared nanotechnology goals.