The Power of Samsung Support... Professor Nam Jwamin's Team Achieves World's First 'DNA Computing Artificial Neural Network Implementation'

Dr. Seon-ki Kim (first author, from the left), Professor Jwa-min Nam (corresponding author), and student Jin-young Seo (co-author)

[Photo by Samsung Electronics Newsroom]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] A research team led by Professor Nam Jwa-min of the Department of Chemistry at Seoul National University, supported by Samsung's Future Technology Development Project, has succeeded in the world's first implementation of a nanoparticle artificial neural network using DNA computing architecture.

The research results of Professor Nam Jwa-min's team were published online on the 26th (local time) in the world-renowned American academic journal Science Advances. Science Advances selected this research as one of the cover images on its homepage, giving it significant attention.

This research was selected and supported as a Samsung Future Technology Development Project in December 2015 and is an example of convergence among nanotechnology (NT), biotechnology (BT), and information and communication technology (IT). DNA computing holds great promise due to its fast speed, small size, and ability to operate inside the human body; however, unlike conventional computers, its components are not modularized, and it is difficult to construct a stable architecture, which has slowed its application.

Professor Nam Jwa-min's team proposed a solution to this problem by utilizing a nanoparticle-based artificial cell membrane platform. Computation is performed using a solution containing DNA particles, nanoparticles, and DNA molecules arranged on an artificial cell membrane chip, where the DNA in the solution is controlled to reliably obtain the desired results.

The configuration separates the roles so that DNA particles and nanoparticles serve as hardware, while the DNA in the solution acts as software, thereby implementing a general computer architecture. The research team introduced that this approach opens the way to reliably integrate DNA computing into various IT technology fields.

This research is also significant in that it is the first to implement an artificial neural network, one of the core technologies of artificial intelligence, through nanoparticle technology. Professor Nam Jwa-min's team is developing applied technologies such as ▲ biosensors for disease diagnosis ▲ new drug screening chips ▲ DNA nanorobots equipped with artificial intelligence.

Professor Nam Jwa-min stated, "It is now possible to actively utilize nanoparticles based on DNA computing architecture, and by integrating various functions of nanoparticles into deep learning and other areas, a path has opened to apply them to biosensors or molecular and nanorobots with artificial intelligence."

The Samsung Future Technology Development Project has been supporting research projects aimed at fostering domestic science and technology since 2013, with a fund of 1.5 trillion KRW. So far, it has executed 772.9 billion KRW for 603 projects, and a total of 1,246 papers have been published in international academic journals.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.