3 ms·

It's neat, but are there any practical applications for this?

sliverstorm 15y ago
Obviously not at the moment, but the reason research like this happens is because as you develop the process it gets easier and faster, and who knows, in a few years it might get close enough to other processes to suddenly open new doorways you haven't even thought of. As I understand it, plenty of research happens with no clear goal in mind, and plenty of research winds up good for something other than the original goal. See the Post-it note. This is, in my opinion, because you can't fully understand the technology until it actually exists!
ricree 15y ago
Various biomolecules, including DNA, RNA, enzymes, and small molecules, could all potentially be used as inputs. And it should be possible to link the outputs into relevant biological functions, including gene expression. This would suggest, perhaps smart medicines capable of changing their active makeup based on logic in response to the actual conditions in the body. Heck, given a lot of advancement it isn't that terribly outlandish to imagine simple turing complete computers capable of outputting different dna or even proteins. If that were possible, the benefits should be obvious. Of course, that's a rather large extrapolation from the limited results in the article.
- rcthompson 15y ago
  But we can already build a small computer with some sensors and medicine dispensers and implant it like a pacemaker to accomplish more or less the same thing. However, upon further consideration, I can think of a few areas where DNA-based logic circuits could plausibly beat silicon-based ones: * Self-inactivating medicine. For example, insulin that stops working after blood glucose levels return to normal, so that insulin shock does not occur. Also, one could make a medicine that automatically inactivates if its own concentration goes too high, thus preventing overdose. Quicker inactivation can also limit the opportunity for side-effects. * More precise targeting. One could custom design a medicine such that ot only becomes active at the desired site. For example, an antiviral drug that only activates in areas with high concentrations of virus. Again, this would help limit side-effects.

Obviously not at the moment, but the reason research like this happens is because as you develop the process it gets easier and faster, and who knows, in a few years it might get close enough to other processes to suddenly open new doorways you haven't even thought of. As I understand it, plenty of research happens with no clear goal in mind, and plenty of research winds up good for something other than the original goal. See the Post-it note. This is, in my opinion, because you can't fully understand the technology until it actually exists!

ricree 15y ago

Various biomolecules, including DNA, RNA, enzymes, and small molecules, could all potentially be used as inputs. And it should be possible to link the outputs into relevant biological functions, including gene expression. This would suggest, perhaps smart medicines capable of changing their active makeup based on logic in response to the actual conditions in the body. Heck, given a lot of advancement it isn't that terribly outlandish to imagine simple turing complete computers capable of outputting different dna or even proteins. If that were possible, the benefits should be obvious. Of course, that's a rather large extrapolation from the limited results in the article.

rcthompson 15y ago
But we can already build a small computer with some sensors and medicine dispensers and implant it like a pacemaker to accomplish more or less the same thing. However, upon further consideration, I can think of a few areas where DNA-based logic circuits could plausibly beat silicon-based ones: * Self-inactivating medicine. For example, insulin that stops working after blood glucose levels return to normal, so that insulin shock does not occur. Also, one could make a medicine that automatically inactivates if its own concentration goes too high, thus preventing overdose. Quicker inactivation can also limit the opportunity for side-effects. * More precise targeting. One could custom design a medicine such that ot only becomes active at the desired site. For example, an antiviral drug that only activates in areas with high concentrations of virus. Again, this would help limit side-effects.