January 2002, Vol. 18, No. 2 DNA, YOU'RE ON THE AIR: MIT research could lead to biomolecular computing The Jan. 10 issue of Nature reports that researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Mass.; www.mit.edu) can "communicate" with DNA molecules using radio waves. Joseph M. Jacobson, associate professor at the MIT Media Lab and head of the Lab's Molecular Machine group, worked with fellow researchers from MIT's Center for Biomedical Engineering to attach metal nanoclusters to DNA. Acting as an antennae, the nanocluster picks up a radio-frequency magnetic field and transfers the energy into the DNA. The researchers were able to use this technique to make DNA dehybridize unwind their double strand formation. This response happened in a matter of seconds, was reversible and did not effect neighboring molecules. The study's findings could eventually be applied to molecular-level computing devices. These radio-controlled biomolecular machines may be used for circuitry, component assembly and actual computation. Such technology could one day augment or replace current computer chip manufaturing, which some say is approaching its limits in both scale and computing power. Other uses for radio-controlled biology include the creation of nano-machines and the control of genes in living systems. Regardless of the applications, the findings will lead to further understanding of biomolecular interaction. Along with Jacobson the study's authors include Shuguang Zhang, associate director of MIT's Center for Biomedical Engineering; Kimberly Hamad-Schifferli, a postdoctoral associate in the MIT Media Lab; John J. Schwartz, a former postdoctoral associate in MIT's Center for Biomedical Engineering who now works for a company called engeneOS in Waltham, Mass.; and MIT student Aaron Santos. Jacobson and Zhang also are affiliated with engeneOS, which designs and builds programmable biomolecular devices consisting of natural and non-natural materials for commercial applications. This work is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Things That Think consortium at the MIT Media Lab. Table of Contents Web Site © Copyright 2002 by Lionheart Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Lionheart Publishing, Inc. 2555 Cumberland Parkway, Suite 299, Atlanta, GA 30339 USA Phone: 770-431-0867 | Fax: 770-432-6969 E-mail: lpi@lionhrtpub.com Web: www.lionheartpub.com