Geneticists can store data in synthetic DNA as a
medium for long-term storage due to its density, ease of copy,
longevity and sustainability. Research in the field had recently
advanced with new encoding algorithms, automation, preservation and
sequencing. Nevertheless, the most challenging hurdle in DNA
storage deployment remains the write throughput, which can limit
the data storage capacity. In a new report, Bichlien H. Nguyen, and
a team of scientists in Microsoft Research and computer science and
engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.,
developed the first nanoscale DNA storage writer. The team intended
to scale the DNA write density to 25 x 106 sequences per square
centimeter, an improved storage capacity compared to existing DNA
synthesis arrays. The scientists successfully wrote and decoded a
message in DNA to establish a practical DNA data storage system.
The results are now published in Science Advances.
Storing information in DNA: Improving DNA storage with
nanoscale electrode wells
