Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors







Heifer International

Wikipedia Affiliate Button


Home > Press > EU-funded team drives biocomputing advances

Abstract:
EU-funded scientists have succeeded in demonstrating the feasibility of components for a kind of 'biocomputer', paving the way for new advances in the field of bioengineering. The scientists, from the Chemistry Department at the University of Liège in Belgium and the Institute of Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, set out the details of their work in an article in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

EU-funded team drives biocomputing advances

EU | Posted on June 1st, 2010

EU support for the research came from the MOLOC ('Molecular logic circuits') project, which received just over EUR 2 million of its EUR 2.67 million budget from the 'Information and communication technologies' (ICT) Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

For the study, led by Professor Itamar Willner of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the researchers theoretically developed and experimentally demonstrated that artificial catalytic nucleic acids known as DNAzymes and their substrates can form a viable platform for the logic operations that are key to computational processes.

The work could aid in the development of applications in nanomedicine, for example, where the ability to carry out logic operations at the molecular level could facilitate the analysis of a disease and trigger the response of therapeutic agents.

'Biological systems that are capable of performing computational operations could be of use in bioengineering and nanomedicine, and DNA [deoxyribonucleic acid] and other biomolecules have already been used as active components in biocomputational circuits,' the researchers write.

'However, for biocomputational circuits to be useful for applications it will be necessary to develop a library of computing elements, to demonstrate the modular coupling of these elements, and to demonstrate that this approach is scalable.'

The Belgian-Israeli team created a DNA-based computational platform that draws on two libraries of nucleic acids, one of which is made up of subunits of DNAzymes. The second library comprises the DNAzymes' substrates.

'We demonstrate that the library of DNAzymes, designed and synthesised by Professor Willner's team, allows for the realisation of a complete ensemble of logic gates which can be used to compute any Boolean function,' explained Françoise Remacle of the University of Liège, who is also the MOLOC project coordinator.

'We also show that [the] dynamic assembly [of these gates] into circuits can be directed by selective inputs. Moreover, the design allows for the amplification of outputs.'

The MOLOC project got underway at the beginning of 2008 and is scheduled to draw to a close at the end of this year. The aim of the initiative is to design and demonstrate the feasibility and advantages of logic circuits in which the basic element is a single molecule (or assemblies of atoms or molecules) acting as a logic circuit. These systems differ from those that use a molecule as a switch.

In addition to the University of Liège and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, MOLOC's project partners are the Institute of Solid State Research (IFF) at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, the Department of Chemistry at Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, the Institute of Applied Optics at the Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany, all based in Germany, and the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.

For more information, please visit:

University of Liège: www.ulg.ac.be

Nature Nanotechnology: www.nature.com/nnano/index.html

MOLOC project: www.moloc.ulg.ac.be/

Funding for ICT research under FP7: cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ict/

Document Reference: Elbaz, J., et al. (2010) DNA computing circuits using libraries of DNAzyme subunits. Nature Nanotechnology (in press), published online 30 May. DOI: 10.1038/NNANO.2010.88

####

For more information, please click here

Copyright © CORDIS

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Aspen Aerogels Announces $22.5 Million Private Placement May 18th, 2013

NanoInk, Inc. Assets To Be Sold May 18th, 2013

Beautiful "flowers" self-assemble in a beaker: Elaborate nanostructures blossom from a chemical reaction perfected at Harvard May 17th, 2013

Scientists capture first direct proof of Hofstadter butterfly effect May 17th, 2013

Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy

Beautiful "flowers" self-assemble in a beaker: Elaborate nanostructures blossom from a chemical reaction perfected at Harvard May 17th, 2013

Artificial Forest for Solar Water-Splitting: Berkeley Lab Researchers Report First Fully Integrated Artificial Photosynthesis Nanosystem May 17th, 2013

Moth-Inspired Nanostructures Take the Color Out of Thin Films May 17th, 2013

NIA Public Briefing: Nanotechnology and the Council of Europe May 17th, 2013

Possible Futures

Lifeboat publishes its first book: The Lifeboat Foundation has published its first book, "The Human Race to the Future: What Could Happen -- and What to Do" May 14th, 2013

UC Santa Barbara History Professor's Book Elucidates, Celebrates ‘Visioneers' May 14th, 2013

Conceptual Nanomedical Lipofuscin Removal Strategy April 29th, 2013

The Global Desalination Market 2013-2023 April 24th, 2013

Nanomedicine

Nanotechnology could help fight diabetes: Injectable nanogel can monitor blood-sugar levels and secrete insulin when needed May 16th, 2013

Nanobiotix Revenue for the 1st quarter of 2013 May 15th, 2013

Pitt Chemists Demonstrate Nanoscale Alloys So Bright They Could Have Potential Medical Applications: “Think about a particle that will not only help researchers detect cancer sooner but be used to treat the tumor, too.” May 15th, 2013

Using clay to grow bone: Researchers use synthetic silicate to stimulate stem cells into bone cells May 15th, 2013

Announcements

Aspen Aerogels Announces $22.5 Million Private Placement May 18th, 2013

NanoInk, Inc. Assets To Be Sold May 18th, 2013

NIA Public Briefing: Nanotechnology and the Council of Europe May 17th, 2013

Scientists capture first direct proof of Hofstadter butterfly effect May 17th, 2013

Nanobiotechnology

Artificial Forest for Solar Water-Splitting: Berkeley Lab Researchers Report First Fully Integrated Artificial Photosynthesis Nanosystem May 17th, 2013

Glowing Plant Kickstarter Project Retains Digital Marketing Agency, Command Partners: Glowing Plant brings on top Charlotte-based digital marketing firm to assist in crowdfunding campaign May 16th, 2013

DNA-Guided Assembly Yields Novel Ribbon-Like Nanostructures: Approach could be useful in fabricating new kinds of materials with engineered properties May 16th, 2013

Advancements and developments of solid-state nanopores sensors May 16th, 2013

Research partnerships

Advancements and developments of solid-state nanopores sensors May 16th, 2013

Imec and Renesas collaborate on ultra-low power short range radios: Collaboration will develop robust wireless solutions for future electronics May 16th, 2013

Silex Microsystems Joins ENIAC Project PROMINENT To Bring Flexible and Cost Effective Inkjet Technologies to the MEMS Manufacturing Process: Silex Will Develop New Solutions for Through-Silicon Via Manufacture and Hermetic Wafer Bonding May 13th, 2013

Cold atoms for quantum technology May 12th, 2013

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE





  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoTech-Transfer
University Technology Transfer & Patents
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More












ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project








abbigliamento uomo
Computer Accessories
© Copyright 1999-2013 7th Wave, Inc. All Rights Reserved PRIVACY POLICY :: CONTACT US :: STATS :: SITE MAP :: ADVERTISE