Researchers from North Carolina State University (NC State) and Johns Hopkins University have developed a groundbreaking technology that utilizes DNA for data storage and computing, enabling capabilities such as storing, retrieving, computing, and rewriting data.
The breakthrough is made possible by innovative polymer structures called dendricolloids, which enhance data density and preservation. This technology allows for functions similar to electronic devices, with the potential to secure data for millennia. The researchers demonstrated that their DNA-based technology can store, retrieve, compute, erase, or rewrite data, making it a promising foundation for the future of molecular computing.
According to project leader Albert Keung, “In conventional computing technologies, we take for granted that the ways data are stored and the way data are processed are compatible with each other… But in reality, data storage and data processing are done in separate parts of the computer…”
The new technology is made possible by recent techniques that have enabled the creation of soft polymer materials with unique morphologies. The researchers created polymer structures called dendricolloids, which start at the microscale but branch off from each other to create a network of nanoscale fibers.
This morphology creates a structure with a high surface area, allowing for DNA storage and computation without sacrificing data density. As Keung notes, “You could put a thousand laptops’ worth of data into DNA-based storage that’s the same size as a pencil eraser…”
The researchers demonstrated that their DNA- based technology can perform various functions similar to electronic devices, including copying DNA information directly from the material’s surface without harming the DNA, and rewriting targeted pieces of DNA.
In addition, they found that when depositing DNA on the dendricolloid material, the material helps to preserve the DNA. The researchers also showed that their technology could store data securely for thousands of years in commercially available spaces without degrading the information-storing DNA.
The team’s work has implications for the future of molecular computing and could inspire new developments in the field. As Keung notes, “We looked back at the history of computing and how the creation of ENIAC inspired the field… We wanted to develop something that would inspire the field of molecular computing.”
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/the-next-frontier-dna-emerges-as-a-powerhouse-for-data-storage-and-computing/