Computer-to-Gene Interface

Using a light-activated gene-system, researchers from the ETH Zurich and UCSF demonstrated that gene-expression can be controlled from the outside using a computer.

The approach is a comparatively simple means to take control of fantastically complex biochemical processes to achieve a desired result.

see the report in the BBC Science & environment section “‘Cyborg’ yeast genes run by computer” – Unfortunately the original article in Nature Biotechnology (doi:10.1038/nbt.2018, 2011 advance online publication) is not OpenAccess:

“In silico feedback for in vivo regulation of a gene expression circuit” (Andreas Milias-Argeitis et al.)

Probably belongs into the not-yet-existing category “Convergence of Life- and Information-Science”.

Shared via LinkedIn by Gary Johnson in Computational Biology