Recently, the journal Nature Reviews Bioengineering published online a review paper titled “DNA-based biocomputing circuits and their biomedical applications” by the team of Fei Wang and Chunhai Fan from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Zhangjiang Advanced Research Institute, and the Center for Frontier Science in Transformative Molecules. This work offers forward-looking perspectives on DNA molecular computing and its biomedical applications.

DNA-based biocomputing circuits are chemical reaction networks that leverage specific interactions between DNA molecules to achieve information processing capabilities. This liquid-phase biological computation inherently possesses high parallelism and biocompatibility, making it a promising candidate for extensive applications in the biomedical field.

In this review paper, researchers focus on exploring design and implementation strategies for biological computing circuits based on DNA molecules. They introduce the construction principles and functional realization methods of fundamental computational modules such as switches, logic gates, signal amplifiers, and neuron-like elements, demonstrating the potential of DNA molecules in information processing. Furthermore, the paper discusses various strategies for assembling computational units into complete DNA circuits and analyzes the temporal behavior regulation mechanisms of DNA circuits. The researchers also outlined the application prospects of DNA circuits in cellular imaging, biosensing and diagnostics, conditional therapeutics, and endogenous gene network reconstruction. They further projected the future potential of DNA circuits in these fields and proposed key directions for future research, including system integration, scalable manufacturing, and multifunctional co-design.

Original link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44222-025-00303-8

Authors: Wang Fei, Fan Chunhai Team

Contributing Institution: Center for Frontier Science in Transformative Molecules, DNA Storage Research Center