Maynooth University develops first‑of‑its‑kind renewable DNA computer

Maynooth University researchers, led by Dr Abeer Eshra, have demonstrated a “first of its kind” DNA computer that can perform a range of calculations using renewable molecular circuits.

Dr Eshra, a principal investigator and assistant professor in the Hamilton Institute and the computer science department, explained that the scaffolded DNA computer uses a long DNA strand as a scaffold together with shorter DNA “tiles” that encode both program and input. By heating and cooling the system, the tiles bind, unbind and replace each other, allowing the most energetically favourable arrangement to represent the answer.

The team reported successful execution of 10 different programs and more than 700 individual computations, including multiplication, division, parity detection and the addition of two 25‑bit numbers (equivalent to 100 bits of computation). Small calculations were completed in under a minute.

Focus on renewability

Dr Eshra highlighted that the DNA circuits are designed to be renewable and reusable, a principle she has pursued since her PhD work with DNA systems. The aim is to embed renewability into the core design of molecular computing rather than treating it as an after‑thought.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Pavel Danilyuk / Pexels.