< (From left) KAIST Professor Yeongjae Choi, GIST MS/PhD Student Woojin Kim, KAIST Researcher Taehoon Kim, Researcher Sangeun Jeong, Researcher Sion Kim, GIST Master's Student Junho Sim >
Until now, molecular-level DNA circuits have mainly been used for simple tasks, such as detecting the presence of cancer-related substances. However, these systems have faced a key limitation: once a reaction occurs, the circuits cannot be reused. Overcoming this challenge, the research team has developed a DNA-based molecular computer that operates at a much smaller scale than conventional semiconductor devices, enabling both computation and memory within the same system. This advancement opens up new possibilities for future computing technologies in bio and medical applications, including disease diagnosis.
KAIST announced on April 22 that a research team led by Professor Yeongjae Choi from the Graduate School of Engineering Biology has developed a DNA-based bio-transistor—a molecular analogue of a key semiconductor component that receives signals and performs computations—and used it to implement a new molecular circuit capable of both information processing and storage.
As semiconductor technology approaches the 2-nanometer (nm) scale, widely considered to be nearing its physical limits, researchers are increasingly exploring alternative computing paradigms that operate beyond traditional silicon-based systems. DNA has emerged as a promising candidate due to its unique properties. By leveraging complementary base pairing, DNA can be precisely programmed to respond to specific inputs. Moreover, the distance between adjacent bases is only 0.34 nanometers, making DNA an attractive material for ultra-high-density information processing.
Despite this potential, conventional DNA circuits have been limited by their "one-time use" nature. Once a reaction occurs, the system is consumed, making it difficult to perform continuous or complex information processing.
To address this issue, the research team designed DNA molecules that change their binding configurations in response to input signals while maintaining those configurations over time. In this system, the resulting molecular configuration effectively stores information and influences subsequent operations. In other words, the researchers implemented a reset-free circuit capable of real-time information processing without requiring an external initialization step, while preserving previously processed information.
< Illustration of a DNA-based nanoscale bio-memory circuit capable of low-power operation >
This study is significant in that it demonstrates transistor-like functionality—the fundamental building block of semiconductor devices—at the level of DNA molecules. It provides a foundation for programmable molecular systems in which molecules can both process and store information, moving beyond simple chemical reactions.
Professor Yeongjae Choi stated, "This research advances the feasibility of implementing molecular computers using DNA," adding, "It has the potential to open new directions in both bio-computing and medical technologies."In this study, Professor Sung Sun Yim, Researcher Taehoon Kim, Researcher Sangeun Jeong, and Researcher Sion Kim from the KAIST Graduate School of Engineering Biology, and MS/PhD integrated student Woojin Kim and Master's student Junho Sim from GIST participated as co-authors, and Professor Yeongjae Choi served as the corresponding author.
Professor Sung Sun Yim, Researcher Taehoon Kim, Researcher Sangeun Jeong, and Researcher Sion Kim from the KAIST Graduate School of Engineering Biology, and MS/PhD integrated student Woojin Kim and Master's student Junho Sim from GIST participated as co-authors, and Professor Yeongjae Choi served as the corresponding author. The research results were published in the international academic journal 'Science Advances' on April 1, 2026.
※ Paper Title: Reset-free DNA logic circuits for real-time input processing and memory. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aeb1699
This research was conducted with support from the Future Promising Convergence Technology Pioneer Program supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Basic Research Program supported by the Ministry of Education, and the KAIST Quantum+X Convergence R&D Project.
