Microsoft, 2016: “we can program complex behaviors using DNA”. 3-strand DNA confirmed

“Imagine a biological computer that operates inside a living cell” – Dr. Andrew Phillips, head of bio-computation at Microsoft Research. “The problem we’re pursueing to solve is really pursueing to have a more sophisticated diagnosis that can occur automatically inside cells… In this project, we’re pursueing to use DNA as a programmable material” according to Dr. Neil Dalchau, a scientist at Microsoft Research.

The most striking part in this video is the confirmation that they are after the three-stranded DNA technology that Anthony Patch brought up in that sensational 2014 interview, which also earned a ban from Youtube.

“[Microsoft] are essentially pursueing to sense, analyze and control molecular information” – Georg Seelig, Associate Professor at the Gates-funded University of Washington.

Moderna described mRNA as “an information molecule” and even trademarked the name “mRNA OS” – meaning ‘operating system’, according to bigtechtopia.com.

The Moderna’s head honcho was describing the mRNA vaccine as “information therapy”: “Molecular devices made of nucleic acids show great potential for applications ranging from bio-sensing to intelligent nanomedicine. They allow computation to be performed at the molecular scale, while also interfacing directly with the molecular components of living systems. They form structures that are stable inside cells, and their interactions can be precisely controlled by modifying their nucleotide sequences. However, designing correct and robust nucleic acid devices is a major challenge, due to high system complexity and the potential for unwanted interference between molecules in the system. To help address these challenges we have developed the DNA Strand Displacement (DSD) tool, a programming language for designing and simulating computational devices made of DNA. The language uses DNA strand displacement as the main computational mechanism, which allows devices to be designed solely in terms of nucleic acids. DSD is a first step towards the development of design and analysis tools for DNA strand displacement, and complements the emergence of novel implementation strategies for DNA computing.”

yogaesoteric
February 27, 2022