What is it about?
This article describes a new type of computer—one built not from silicon chips but from biological molecules such as DNA. These biomolecule-based processors can store, process, and display information much like conventional computers. Instead of relying on electricity and metal circuits, these processors perform computations using chemical reactions between DNA strands. This article describes the conceptual design of these biocomputers and explains how they can solve complex problems by working in parallel—performing multiple operations simultaneously.
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Why is it important?
Silicon-based computers are reaching their physical limits—they're fast but consume a lot of energy and generate heat. DNA-based computing is incredibly efficient: it uses far less energy and can perform trillions of operations simultaneously. These biological processors could be used in medicine, environmental monitoring, and even to make decisions based on biological signals inside living cells. This approach could lead to greener, faster, and more compact computing systems, particularly for tasks that traditional computers struggle to handle.
Perspectives
This research opens exciting possibilities: revolutionizing computing beyond silicon and electricity; creating intelligent biological devices that can operate inside the human body; and developing new problem-solving tools for fields like genetics, chemistry, and artificial intelligence. It also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration—bringing together engineers, biologists, and computer scientists to build the next generation of computing systems.
Professor Jian-Jun SHU
Nanyang Technological University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Programmable Biomolecule-Mediated Processors, Journal of the American Chemical Society, October 2023, American Chemical Society (ACS),
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04142.
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