Ben Rogers

Associate Professor of Physics

Departments/Programs

Physics

Degrees

University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D.
University of Pennsylvania, M.S.
University of Delaware, B.S.

Expertise

DNA nanotechnology; RNA secondary structure and interactions, colloidal phase transitions; programmable self-assembly of soft materials; active matter; optical trapping, TIR microscopy, and single-molecule science

Profile

Ben and his research group aim to develop quantitative tools and design strategies to understand and control self-assembly at the colloidal length scale. Together they employ a strategy combining concepts from dynamic DNA nanotechnology, detailed measurements of emergent colloidal interactions, and simple models through which they seek to unravel and then reprogram self-assembly. Their current interests include elucidating the role of specificity in complex self-assembly, designing responsive nanoscale materials by controlling phase transitions in colloidal suspensions, and understanding how coupled chemical reactions give rise to active materials, which can move, organize, repair, or replicate. To achieve these goals, the group utilizes techniques from synthetic chemistry, optical microscopy, optical tweezers, statistical mechanics, and computer simulations.

Visit our group webpage to learn more: www.rogers-lab.com

Courses Taught

PHYS	18a	Introductory Laboratory I
PHYS	18b	Introductory Laboratory II
PHYS	20a	Waves and Oscillations
PHYS	40a	Introduction to Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
PHYS	91g	Introduction to Research Practice

Awards and Honors

Provost's Research Award (2019)

Smith Family Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research (2018)

Provost's Research Award (2017)

Teaching Innovation Award (2016)

3M Graduate Research Fellowship (2005)

H. Ted Davis Fellowship (2005)

Industrial Sponsors Undergraduate Research Award (2005)

National Starch and Chemical Company Undergraduate Award (2004)

Scholarship

Alexander Hensley, William M. Jacobs, W. Benjamin Rogers. "Classical nucleation and growth of DNA-programmed crystallization." (2021). (forthcoming)

Huang Fang, Michael F. Hagan, W. Benjamin Rogers. "Two-step crystallization and solid–solid transitions in binary colloidal mixtures." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117. 45 (2020): 27927-27933.

Janna Lowensohn, Alex Hensley, Michael Perlow-Zelman, W. Benjamin Rogers. "Self-Assembly and Crystallization of DNA-Coated Colloids via Linker-Encoded Interactions." Langmuir 36. 25 (2020): 7100-7108.

Mengqi Xu, W. Benjamin Rogers, Wylie W. Ahmed, Jennifer L. Ross. "Comparison of different approaches to single-molecule imaging of enhanced enzyme diffusion." arXiv (2020): arXiv:2012.15424.

Simon Merminod, John R. Edison, Huang Fang, Michael F. Hagan, W. Benjamin Rogers. "Direct Measurements and Modeling of Avidity and Surface Mobility in Multivalent Ligand-Receptor Binding." arXiv (2020): arXiv:2008.07017.

W. Benjamin Rogers. "A mean-field model of linker-mediated colloidal interactions." The Journal of Chemical Physics 153. 12 (2020): 124901.

Anna Wang, Johannes Zwanikken, David M. Kaz, Ryan McGorty, Aaron Goldfain, W. Benjamin Rogers, Vinothan N. Manoharan. "Before the breach: Interactions between colloidal particles and liquid interfaces at nanoscale separations." Physical Review E 100. 4 (2019): 042605.

Janna Lowensohn, Bernardo Oyarzun, Guillermo Narvaez-Paliza, Bortolo M. Mognetti, W. Benjamin Rogers. "Linker-mediated phase behavior of DNA-coated colloids." Physical Review X 9. (2019): 041054.

Emily W. Gehrels, W. Benjamin Rogers, Vinothan N. Manoharan. "Using DNA strand displacement to control interactions in DNA-grafted colloids." Soft Matter 14. (2018): 969-984.

Anna Wang, W. Benjamin Rogers, Vinothan N. Manoharan. "Effects of contact-line pinning on the adsorption of nonspherical colloids at liquid interfaces." Physical Review Letters 119. (2017): 108004.

Jin-Gyu Park, W. Benjamin Rogers, Sofia Magkiriadou, Tom Kodger, Shin-Hyun Kim, Young-Suk Kim, Vinothan N. Manoharan. "Photonic-crystal hydrogels with a rapidly tunable stop band and high reflectivity across the visible." Optical Materials Express 7. (2017): 253-263.

W. Benjamin Rogers, William M. Shih, Vinothan N. Manoharan. "Using DNA to program the self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticles and microparticles." Nature Reviews Materials 1. (2016): 16008.

W. Benjamin Rogers, Vinothan N. Manoharan. "Programming colloidal phase transitions with DNA strand displacement." Science 347. (2015): 639-642.

W. Benjamin Rogers, John C. Crocker. "A tunable line optical tweezers instrument with nanometer spatial resolution." Review of Scientific Instruments 85. (2014): 043704.

W. Benjamin Rogers, Madeline Corbett, Sofia Magkiriadou, Philippe Guarillof, Vinothan N. Manoharan. "Breaking trade-offs between translucency and diffusion in particle-doped films." Optical Materials Express 4. (2014): 2621-2631.

W. Benjamin Rogers, John C. Crocker. "Kinetics and non-exponential binding of DNA-coated colloids." Soft Matter 9. (2013): 6412-6417.

Marie T. Casey, Reynaldo T. Scarlett, W. Benjamin Rogers, Ian Jenkins, Talid Sinno, John C. Crocker. "Driving diffusionless trans- formations in colloidal crystals using DNA handshaking." Nature Communications 3. (2012): 1209.

W. Benjamin Rogers, John C. Crocker. "Reply to Mognetti et al.: DNA handshaking interaction data are well described by mean-field and molecular models." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109. (2012): E380.

W. Benjamin Rogers, John C. Crocker. "Direct measurements of DNA-mediated colloidal interactions and their quantitative modeling." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108. (2011): 15687-15692.

Robert F. Meyer, W. Benjamin Rogers, Mark T. McClendon, John C. Crocker. "Producing monodisperse drug-loaded polymer microspheres via cross-flow membrane emulsification: the effects of polymers and surfactants." Langmuir 26. (2010): 14479-14487.

Rohit Vijay, Reed J. Hendershot, Sindia Rivera, W. Benjamin Rogers, Benjamin J. Feist, Christopher M. Snively, Jochen Lauterbach. "Noble metal free NOx storage catalysts using cobalt discovered via high-throughput experimentation." Catalysis Communications 6. (2005): 167-171.

Reed J. Hendershot, W. Benjamin Rogers, Christopher M. Snively, Jochen Lauterbach. "Development and opti- mization of NOx storage and reduction catalysts using statistically guided high-throughput experimentation." Catalysis Today 98. (2004): 375-385.