latest research paper on dna computing

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals

DNA computing articles from across Nature Portfolio

DNA computing is a branch of biomolecular computing concerned with the use of DNA as a carrier of information to make arithmetic and logic operations.

Latest Research and Reviews

Molecular robotic agents that survey molecular landscapes for information retrieval

Various methods, using DNA, have been reported for the recording of biomolecular interactions, but most are either destructive in nature or are limited to reporting pairwise interactions. Here the authors develop DNA-based motors, termed ‘crawlers’, that roam around and record their trajectories to allow the examination of molecular environments.

• Sungwook Woo
• Sinem K. Saka

Efficient DNA-based data storage using shortmer combinatorial encoding

• Inbal Preuss
• Michael Rosenberg

Pattern recognition in the nucleation kinetics of non-equilibrium self-assembly

Examination of nucleation during self-assembly of multicomponent structures illustrates how ubiquitous molecular phenomena inherently classify high-dimensional patterns of concentrations in a manner similar to neural network computation.

• Constantine Glen Evans
• Jackson O’Brien
• Arvind Murugan

Generation of DNA oligomers with similar chemical kinetics via in-silico optimization

Networks of interacting DNA oligomers have various applications in molecular biology, chemistry and materials science, however, kinetic dispersions during DNA hybridization can be problematic for some applications. Here, the authors reveal that limiting unnecessary duplexes using in-silico optimization can reduce in-vitro kinetic dispersions by as much as 96%.

• Michael Tobiason
• Bernard Yurke
• William L. Hughes

DNA-based programmable gate arrays for general-purpose DNA computing

Generic single-stranded oligonucleotides used as a uniform transmission signal can reliably integrate large-scale DNA integrated circuits with minimal leakage and high fidelity for general-purpose computing.

• Chunhai Fan

A temporally resolved DNA framework state machine in living cells

The heterogeneous and compartmentalized environments within living cells make it difficult to deploy theranostic agents with precise spatiotemporal accuracy. Zhao et al. demonstrate a DNA framework state machine that can switch among multiple structural states according to the temporal sequence of molecular cues, enabling temporally controlled CRISPR–Cas9 targeting in living mammalian cells.

• Shuting Cao

News and Comment

Unlocking the potential of DNA-based tagging: current market solutions and expanding horizons

The commercialization of DNA tagging is a growing trend that demonstrates the increasing practicality of this novel approach. This interdisciplinary technology is based on the distinctive characteristics of DNA as a molecule that can remain stable in varying environmental conditions and store data following appropriate preparation. Moreover, newly developed technologies could simplify DNA synthesis and the encoding of data within DNA. The implementation of DNA tagging presents distinctive benefits in comparison to conventional labelling techniques, including universal product code (UPC) barcoding, radio-frequency identification (RFID), quick response (QR) codes, and Bluetooth technologies, by surmounting the limitations encountered by these systems. The discourse pertains to extant DNA-tagging mechanisms along with prospective implementations in a wide range of domains, including but not limited to art, the metaverse, forensics, wildlife monitoring, and the military. The potential of DNA labelling in various contexts underscores the importance of continued research and development in this rapidly evolving field.

• Adam Kuzdraliński
• Marek Miśkiewicz
• Bogdan Księżopolski

Non-complementary computation

Molecular computing programmed with complementary nucleic acid strands allows the construction of sophisticated biomolecular circuits. Now, systems with partially complementary strands have been shown to enable more compact and faster molecular circuits, and may illuminate biological processes.

• Philip Petersen
• Grigory Tikhomirov

In vitro convolutional neural networks

Neural networks can be implemented by using purified DNA molecules that interact in a test tube. Convolutional neural networks to classify high-dimensional data have now been realized in vitro, in one of the most complex demonstrations of molecular programming so far.

• William Poole

Spatially localized DNA domino

Fast and scalable molecular logic circuits have been constructed by spatially localizing DNA hairpins on DNA origami scaffolds.

• André Estevez-Torres
• Yannick Rondelez

Programmed communication

Autocatalytic nanoparticles activated and deactivated by DNA 'programs' can trigger through-space molecular communication and give rise to collective particle behaviours.

• Kristiana Kandere-Grzybowska
• Bartosz A. Grzybowski

Nothing more than DNA

• Bryden Le Bailly

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

• You are here:
• American Chemical Society
• Discover Chemistry

Recent advances in DNA computing

For immediate release, acs news service weekly presspac: november 17, 2021.

DNA molecules encode the instructions for life itself. They make up the genes responsible for everything from hair color to disease risk. And as if that weren’t enough, DNA can also perform calculations and compute! The molecules are fully programmable and can perform calculations very quickly in parallel, making them ideal for complex and time-consuming operations. Below are some recent papers published in ACS journals that report on innovations in DNA computing. 

“Advances in Applications of Molecular Logic Gates” ACS Omega Nov. 6, 2021 This review discusses recent advances in molecular logic gates, including those that incorporate DNA. The researchers describe how the gates are being used to monitor water quality, test food safety, and diagnose and treat diseases.  

“CRISPR-Powered DNA Computing and Digital Display” ACS Synthetic Biology Oct. 27, 2021 In this paper, the researchers developed a microfluidic chip with CRISPR reactions freeze-dried onto it that can perform and display the results of several different types of mathematical calculations, such as obtaining the square root of a number. They say the chip could someday be used to encrypt and conceal messages.

“Programmable DNAzyme Computing for Specific  In Vivo  Imaging: Intracellular Stimulus-Unlocked Target Sensing and Signal Amplification” Analytical Chemistry Aug. 27, 2021 Some biomarkers of cancer are present in both healthy and tumor tissues, just at slightly different levels. To distinguish these types of cells in living mice, the authors of this paper used programmable DNAzyme computing, which also could image the tumors, making them visible with fluorescent light.

“DNA Computing: NOT Logic Gates See the Light” ACS Synthetic Biology June 18, 2021 Researchers have used DNA to perform Boolean “AND” and “OR” functions, but it’s been difficult to construct “NOT” gates, in which the absence of an input is converted into an output. And premature execution of a “NOT” function can produce erroneous results. So, for greater control, this group created a novel photoactivatable “NOT” gate that responds to microRNA sequences.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS’ mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News . ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive press releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org .

Note: ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Media Contact

ACS Newsroom newsroom@acs.org

Discover Chemistry  —Menu

• News Releases
• ACS in the News

Accept & Close The ACS takes your privacy seriously as it relates to cookies. We use cookies to remember users, better understand ways to serve them, improve our value proposition, and optimize their experience. Learn more about managing your cookies at Cookies Policy .

1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA |  service@acs.org  | 1-800-333-9511 (US and Canada) | 614-447-3776 (outside North America)

• Terms of Use
• Accessibility

Copyright © 2024 American Chemical Society

[The current status and future prospects of DNA computing]

Affiliations.

• 1 Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China.
• 2 State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing 100071, China.
• PMID: 33973429
• DOI: 10.13345/j.cjb.200408

Abstract in English, Chinese

As the demand for high-performance computing continues to grow, traditional computing models are facing unprecedented challenges. Among the many emerging computing technologies, DNA computing has attracted much attention due to its low energy consumption and parallelism. The DNA circuit, which is the basis for DNA computing, is an important technology for the regulation and processing of the molecular information. This review highlights the basic principles of DNA computing, summarizes the latest research progress, and concludes with a discussion of the challenges of DNA computing. Such integrated molecular computing systems are expected to be widely used in the fields of aerospace, information security and defense system.

随着高性能计算需求的不断增长，传统计算模式面临着前所未有的巨大挑战。在众多新兴计算技术中，DNA计算系统以其低能耗、并行化等特点而广受关注。DNA电路 (DNA circuit) 是实现DNA计算的基础，也是该领域重要的分子信息调控和处理技术。文中重点介绍了DNA计算的基本原理，并总结了最新的研究进展，最后讨论了基于DNA计算所面临的挑战。此类集成的分子计算系统有望广泛应用于航空航天、信息安全及国防建设等领域。.

Keywords: DNA chip; DNA circuit; DNA computing; DNA strand replacement technology; gene circuit.

Publication types

• DNA* / genetics

April 16, 2024

A ‘Computer’ Built from DNA Can Find Patterns in Photographs

Artificial DNA sorts images like a neural network does

By Allison Parshall

Thomas Fuchs

Brains are the quintessential decision-makers, gathering and weighing information before choosing a path forward. But in the natural world, many simpler systems accomplish similar tasks. Cells use networks of chemical signals to determine when to reproduce or die. Even water could be said to “decide” whether it will freeze into a snowflake or a hailstone , given the transformation’s exceedingly complex physics, says Erik Winfree, a molecular computing researcher at the California Institute of Technology.

Winfree has long been intrigued by the physical world’s hidden information-processing abilities. For a recent study in Nature , he and his collaborators designed a group of artificial DNA strands that, together, can recognize patterns and categorize information. The system bears key similarities to the “ neural network” algorithms that underpin many artificial-intelligence models.

To build computerlike circuits with biological machinery, researchers often turn to self-assembling DNA molecules. These customized strands (or “tiles”) of DNA, when combined in a test tube and cooled, assemble into predictably shaped mosaics that can convey information.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing . By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

The scientists wanted to know whether that type of setup could recognize patterns—such as by sorting grayscale photographs into categories. To represent images in a test tube, the scientists created a code in which each image pixel corresponded to a particular “shape” of DNA tile. The lighter a pixel, the more of its corresponding DNA tile would be present in the solution.

When cooled, the tiles snapped together like a self-assembling jigsaw puzzle into one of three possible shapes, depending on the balance of DNA tile shapes in the mixture. Each shape represented a category, explains co-author Constantine Glen Evans, a molecular computing researcher now at Maynooth University in Ireland.

The system was built to sort 18 photos into three arbitrary categories, but it could also classify images it had never seen before, such as distorted versions of the same pictures. Like a neural network, it recognized general similarities in images “rather than looking for an exact match,” says co-author Arvind Murugan, a physicist at the University of Chicago.

The research is intended not to be an alternative to neural networks themselves but instead to reveal the computational abilities “that matter already has,” Murugan says. The scientists hope to find similar computational abilities within other systems in nature; such abilities “could be hidden in all kinds of things that we don’t notice,” Murugan says.

“It’s just intrinsically interesting,” says biomolecular engineer Rebecca Schulman of Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in the new research. The fact that information can be stored implicitly through the interactions of large groups of molecules, similarly to how it’s stored in large groups of neurons in a neural network, “is something that I have never seen before,” she says.

The findings are like a first, fleeting glimpse at an “exotic” deep-sea ecosystem, Schulman adds. “It’s maybe a calling to go back and look harder.”

DNA Computing

New Computing Paradigms

• © 1998
• Gheorghe Păun 0 ,
• Grzegorz Rozenberg 1 ,
• Arto Salomaa 2

Institute of Mathematics of Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania Research Group on Natural Computing, Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Sevilla University, Sevilla, Spain

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands

Turku centre of computer science, turku, finland.

• The first book about DNA computing, a revolutionary new paradigm with great promise
• On massively parallel molecular computing using DNA
• Extremely well known and prolific authors
• An introductory text with views on fundamental theory

Part of the book series: Texts in Theoretical Computer Science. An EATCS Series (TTCS)

5057 Accesses

369 Citations

4 Altmetric

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (12 chapters)

Front matter, introduction: dna computing in a nutshell.

• Gheorghe Păun, Grzegorz Rozenberg, Arto Salomaa

Background and Motivation

Dna: its structure and processing, beginnings of molecular computing, mathematical theory, introduction to formal language theory, sticker systems, watson—crick automata, insertion-deletion systems, splicing systems, universality by finite h systems, splicing circular strings, distributed h systems, splicing revisited, back matter.

• Berechenbarkeit
• Berechnungsmodelle
• DNA computing
• DNA-Rechnen
• Paralleles Rechnen
• Watson-Crick-Komplementarität
• formal language

About this book

Authors and affiliations, institute of mathematics of romanian academy, bucharest, romania.

Gheorghe Păun

Research Group on Natural Computing, Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Sevilla University, Sevilla, Spain

Grzegorz Rozenberg

Arto Salomaa

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : DNA Computing

Book Subtitle : New Computing Paradigms

Authors : Gheorghe Păun, Grzegorz Rozenberg, Arto Salomaa

Series Title : Texts in Theoretical Computer Science. An EATCS Series

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03563-4

Publisher : Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

eBook Packages : Springer Book Archive

Copyright Information : Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1998

Hardcover ISBN : 978-3-540-64196-4 Published: 15 September 1998

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-642-08388-4 Published: 07 December 2010

eBook ISBN : 978-3-662-03563-4 Published: 09 March 2013

Series ISSN : 1862-4499

Series E-ISSN : 1862-4502

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : IX, 400

Topics : Theory of Computation , Computation by Abstract Devices , Mathematical Logic and Formal Languages , Biotechnology , Microbiology

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

DNA Computing and Its Applications

Ieee account.

• Change Username/Password
• Update Address

Purchase Details

• Payment Options
• Order History
• View Purchased Documents

Profile Information

• Communications Preferences
• Profession and Education
• Technical Interests
• US & Canada: +1 800 678 4333
• Worldwide: +1 732 981 0060
• Contact & Support
• About IEEE Xplore
• Accessibility
• Terms of Use
• Nondiscrimination Policy
• Privacy & Opting Out of Cookies

A not-for-profit organization, IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. © Copyright 2024 IEEE - All rights reserved. Use of this web site signifies your agreement to the terms and conditions.

dna cryptography Recently Published Documents

Total documents.

• Latest Documents
• Most Cited Documents
• Contributed Authors
• Related Sources
• Related Keywords

DNA Cryptography using DNA Fragment Assembly and Fragment Key Expansion for Genomic Data

This research proposes a tweaked scheme based on DNA fragment assembly to improve protection over insecure channel. The proposed procedure utilizes binary coding to change over an underlying plaintext into a reference DNA arrangement to deal with the fragmentation. DNA fragment key expansion is applied over the reference DNA sequence to make the short-chain fragments. The redundancy in the long-chain of reference DNA is removed using DNA fragment assembly. A look-up table is generated to store the binary values of overlapped fragments to be reassembled during the encryption and decryption processes to prevent artefacts. Also, it is used in an overlapped sequence to counteract cipher decomposition. The results and comparisons demonstrate that the proposed scheme can balance the three most important characteristics of any DNA masking scheme: payload, capacity, and BPN. Moreover, the potential for cracking the proposed tweaked method is more complex than the current strategies.

Emerging DNA Cryptography based Encryption Schemes: A Review

Data security and privacy using dna cryptography and aes method in cloud computing, a modified rsa algorithm using machine learning and dna cryptography techniques, a comparison based approach on mutual authentication and key agreement using dna cryptography, dna cryptography-based speech security system, framework for data security using dna cryptography and hmac technique in cloud computing, dna computing using cryptographic and steganographic strategies.

Information protection and secrecy are major concerns, especially regarding the internet’s rapid growth and widespread usage. Unauthorized database access is becoming more common and is being combated using a variety of encrypted communication methods, such as encryption and data hiding. DNA cryptography and steganography are used as carriers by utilizing the bio-molecular computing properties that have become more common in recent years. This study examines recently published DNA steganography algorithms, which use DNA to encrypt confidential data transmitted through an insecure communication channel. Several DNA-based steganography strategies will be addressed, with a focus on the algorithm’s advantages and drawbacks. Probability cracking, blindness, double layer of security, and other considerations are used to compare steganography algorithms. This research would help and create more effective and accurate DNA steganography strategies in the future.

An Information Security Using DNA Cryptography along with AES Algorithm

Securing information is the most important need of not only the business world but also it’s highly essential in all the other major sectors. The secured data storage capacity along with security during data transit is also an important factor. In this paper DNA based security technique is proposed as an information carrier, the new data securing method can be adopted by harnessing the advantages of DNA based AES. This technique will provide multilayer security. The proposed system aims to secure transactional data during communication as it is required when message or data transfer between sender and receiver should be confidential along with integrity and availability.AS the data hiding needs a carrier to hold the data, therefore in order to enhance data security and make the data more confidential effective encryption algorithm is proposed using DNA cryptography. DNA molecules, holds an ability to store, process and transfer data, stimulates the notion of DNA cryptography. This amalgamation of the chemical features of genetic DNA structures along with cryptography confirms the non-vulnerable communication. The current features with reference to DNA cryptography are reviewed and presented here.

Application of DNA Cryptography in Securing Confidential Information

Export citation format, share document.

share this!

April 17, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

peer-reviewed publication

trusted source

Researchers uncover human DNA repair by nuclear metamorphosis

by Erin Howe, University of Toronto

Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered a DNA repair mechanism that advances understanding of how human cells stay healthy, and which could lead to new treatments for cancer and premature aging.

The study, published in the journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology , also sheds light on the mechanism of action of some existing chemotherapy drugs.

"We think this research solves the mystery of how DNA double-strand breaks and the nuclear envelope connect for repair in human cells," said Professor Karim Mekhail, co-principal investigator on the study and a professor of laboratory medicine and pathobiology at U of T's Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

"It also makes many previously published discoveries in other organisms applicable in the context of human DNA repair, which should help science move even faster."

DNA double-strand breaks arise when cells are exposed to radiation and chemicals, and through internal processes such as DNA replication. They are one of the most serious types of DNA damage because they can stall cell growth or put it in overdrive, promoting aging and cancer.

The new discovery, made in human cells and in collaboration with Professor Razqallah Hakem, a researcher at University Health Network and professor at Temerty Medicine, extends prior research on DNA damage in yeast by Mekhail and other scientists.

In 2015, Mekhail and collaborators showed how motor proteins deep inside the nucleus of yeast cells transport double-strand breaks to "DNA hospital-like" protein complexes embedded in the nuclear envelope at the edge of the nucleus.

Other studies uncovered related mechanisms during DNA repair in flies and other organisms. However, scientists exploring similar mechanisms in human and other mammalian cells reported little to no DNA mobility for most breaks.

"We knew that nuclear envelope proteins were important for DNA repair across most of these organisms, so we wondered how to explain the limited mobility of damaged DNA in mammalian cells," Mekhail says.

The answer is both surprising and elegant.

When DNA inside the nucleus of a human cell is damaged, a specific network of microtubule filaments forms in the cytoplasm around the nucleus and pushes on the nuclear envelope. This prompts the formation of tiny tubes, or tubules, which reach into the nucleus and catch most double-strand breaks.

"It's like fingers pushing on a balloon," says Mekhail. "When you squeeze a balloon, your fingers form tunnels in its structure, which forces some parts of the balloon's exterior inside itself."

Further research by the study authors detailed several aspects of this process. Enzymes called DNA damage response kinases and tubulin acetyltransferase are the master regulators of the process, and promote the formation of the tubules.

Enzymes deposit a chemical mark on a specific part of the microtubule filaments, which causes them to recruit tiny motor proteins and push on the nuclear envelope. Consequently, the repair-promoting protein complexes push the envelope deep into the nucleus, creating bridges to the DNA breaks.

"This ensures that the nucleus undergoes a form of reversible metamorphosis, allowing the envelope to temporarily infiltrate DNA throughout the nucleus, capturing and reconnecting broken DNA," says Mekhail.

The findings have significant implications for some cancer treatments.

Normal cells use the nuclear envelope tubules to repair DNA, but cancer cells appear to need them more. To explore the mechanism's potential impact, the team analyzed data representing over 8,500 patients with various cancers. The need was visible in several cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer , which is highly aggressive.

"There is a huge effort to identify new therapeutic avenues for cancer patients, and this discovery is a big step forward," says Hakem, a senior scientist at UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Center and a professor in U of T's department of medical biophysics and department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology.

"Until now, scientists were unclear as to the relative impact of the nuclear envelope in the repair of damaged DNA in human cells. Our collaboration revealed that targeting factors that modulate the nuclear envelope for damaged DNA repair effectively restrains breast cancer development," Hakem says.

In the aggressive triple negative breast cancer, there are elevated levels of the tubules, likely because they have more DNA damage than normal cells. When the researchers knocked out the genes needed to control the tubules, cancer cells were less able to form tumors.

One medication used to treat triple negative breast cancer is a class of drugs called PARP inhibitors. PARP is an enzyme that binds to and helps repair damaged DNA. PARP inhibitors block the enzyme from performing repair, preventing the ends of a DNA double-strand break in cancer cells from reconnecting to one another.

The cancer cells end up joining two broken ends that are not part of the same pair. As more mismatched pairs are created, the resulting DNA structures become impossible for cells to copy and divide.

"Our study shows that the drug's ability to trigger these mismatches relies on the tubules. When fewer tubules are present, cancer cells are more resistant to PARP inhibitors," says Hakem.

Partnerships among researchers in distinct fields was essential for the findings in cancer cells. The study underscores the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration, Mekhail says.

"The brain power behind every project is crucial. Every team member counts. Also, every right collaborator added to the research project is akin to earning another doctorate in a new specialty; it's powerful," he says.

Mekhail notes the discovery is also relevant to premature aging conditions like progeria. The rare genetic condition causes rapid aging within the first two decades of life, commonly leading to early death.

Progeria is linked to a gene coding for lamin A. Mutations in this gene reduce the rigidity of the nuclear envelope. The team found that expression of mutant lamin A is sufficient to induce the tubules, which DNA damaging agents further boosted. The team thinks that even weak pressure on the nuclear envelope spurs the creation of tubules in premature aging cells.

The findings suggest that in progeria, DNA repair may be compromised by the presence of too many or poorly regulated tubules. The study results also have implications for many other clinical conditions, Mekhail says.

"It's exciting to think about where these findings will lead us next," says Mekhail. "We have excellent colleagues and incredible trainees here at Temerty Medicine and in our partner hospitals. We're already working toward following this discovery and using our work to create novel therapeutics."

Journal information: Nature Structural & Molecular Biology , Nature Structural and Molecular Biology

Provided by University of Toronto

Explore further

Feedback to editors

European XFEL elicits secrets from an important nanogel

3 hours ago

Chemists introduce new copper-catalyzed C-H activation strategy

Scientists discover new way to extract cosmological information from galaxy surveys

Compact quantum light processing: New findings lead to advances in optical quantum computing

Some plant-based steaks and cold cuts are lacking in protein, researchers find

4 hours ago

Merging nuclear physics experiments and astronomical observations to advance equation-of-state research

Which countries are more at risk in the global supply chain?

The Italian central Apennines are a source of CO₂, study finds

Dramatic burning of royal remains reveals Maya regime change

Accelerating the discovery of new materials via the ion-exchange method

Relevant physicsforums posts, if theres a 15% probability each month of getting a woman pregnant....

58 minutes ago

Can four legged animals drink from beneath their feet?

Apr 15, 2024

Mold in Plastic Water Bottles? What does it eat?

Apr 14, 2024

Dolphins don't breathe through their esophagus

Is this egg-laying or something else.

Apr 13, 2024

Color Recognition: What we see vs animals with a larger color range

Apr 12, 2024

More from Biology and Medical

Related Stories

Team shows how an anticancer drug kills cancer cells and damages healthy cells, paves way for improved treatment

Mar 20, 2024

Research uncovers how damaged cell nucleus reseals and repairs itself

Dec 8, 2021

Researchers discover intricate process of DNA repair in genome stability

Feb 5, 2020

The nuclear envelope and breast cancer metastasis

Oct 18, 2023

DNA repair discovery could improve biotechnology

Mar 2, 2023

Key clues to DNA repair mechanism might lead to new cancer treatments

Nov 13, 2023

Recommended for you

Light show in living cells: New method allows simultaneous fluorescent labeling of many proteins

12 hours ago

Seeing is believing: Scientists reveal connectome of the fruit fly visual system

6 hours ago

Why zebrafish can regenerate damaged heart tissue, while other fish species cannot

Uncovering key players in gene silencing: Insights into plant growth and human diseases

7 hours ago

Key protein regulates immune response to viruses in mammal cells

21 hours ago

RNA's hidden potential: New study unveils its role in early life and future bioengineering

Apr 18, 2024

Let us know if there is a problem with our content

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

Cooler transformers could help electric grid

Stampede2 simulations model transformer hot-spot temperature reductions.

Most people do not give the U.S. electric grid a second thought -- we flip a switch and the lights come on. Behind the scenes are thousands of power plants and utilities linked by millions of miles of transmission lines. And to make raw electricity useful, grid transformers convert high voltage to lower voltage that millions of households can plug into.

Transformers are aging and approaching an average of being 30 to 40 years old. Plus, they face more stress than ever before brought on by factors such as renewable energy and by extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heat waves, and winter storms. Case in point -- the 2021 event in Texas that left millions powerless.

That is when University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) researchers decided to look inside grid transformers to see if they could make them better. Grid transformers are filled with copper windings, other metallic components, and cellulose-based electrical insulation like kraft paper. The cellulose insulation is a great electrical insulator essential in the process of 'stepping down' voltage, but it also traps heat, which can lead to overheating.

"We've researched a new class of nanomaterials where we take conventional cellulose-based paper and dope it with high thermal conductivity nanometer and micrometer-sized particles," said Vaibhav Bahadur, an associate professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering, UT Austin. Bahadur is the corresponding author of a study that modeled the impact of high thermal conductivity paper on the performance and life of grid transformers published March 2024 in Cell Press journal Heliyon . This is the first study that predicts the extent to which tuning the thermal conductivity of paper can enhance transformer life.

Simulations on the Stampede2 supercomputer of the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) helped Bahadur and his collaborators engineer solutions to overheat of grid transformers -- a critical component of the electric grid.

Collaborators at the University of Maryland and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory fabricated the high thermal conductivity paper using nanoparticles of boron nitride. Bahadur's lab built a 3D model of the transformer to mimic an actual grid transformer taken apart and studied by study co-author Robert Hebner, also in the Cockrell School of Engineering.

"The experimental part of the study was critical in testing whether to invest in improving the transformer installation," Hebner said. "We had a transformer donated to The Center for Electromechanics, which was powered by UT Austin's one megawatt micro grid. We could connect it and run the temperatures up and down, and we could measure how the transformer behaved. The model and the measurements meshed very well," Hebner said.

"Our results indicate that if the thermal conductivity is increased by a few times using the engineered paper, the hotspot temperature inside a transformer can be reduced by between 5 to 10 °C," he added. "In most conditions that should be enough to double or triple the life of the transformer."

The Bahadur Research Group was awarded allocations on TACC's Stampede2 supercomputer, a National Science Foundation-funded computational workhorse for UT Austin researchers and thousands of other researchers in the U.S. open science community.

"This model was simulated using TACC resources to predict the thermal performance," Bahadur said. "We modeled the thermal conductivity as a varying parameter, and we figured out the extent of improvement needed in thermal conductivity to see a meaningful temperature reduction."

The main computational challenge was the shear immensity of modeling the details inside an actual transformer.

"To accurately estimate temperatures, we used a fine-sized mesh based on finite element methods and modeled the conduction through the diffusion heat transfer equation -- the computational costs are high in doing so," Bahadur said. "The main reason we used Stampede2 was to get simulations done in a matter of minutes/hours and not wait for days to get our results."

Next, the researchers will test a small-scale transformer prototype and add the thermal conducting paper to study how it behaves in an operating environment with fluctuating loads.

This research has the possibility to find applications in the real world, where new transformers could be made with improved nano and micro particle enhanced thermal insulating paper. Old transformers could be retrofitted with the new paper during routine refurbishment.

"We started not as a transformer project, but as a semiconductor project. This research aims to take a lot of the electronic devices that we have and make them operate better by operating cooler and more efficiently," Hebner added.

• Electricity
• Energy Technology
• Spintronics
• Nanotechnology
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Thermodynamics
• Distributed generation
• Engineering
• Battery electric vehicle
• Electric power
• Solar power
• Three-phase electric power

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Texas at Austin . Original written by Jorge Salazar. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• S. Bilyaz, A. Bhati, M. Hamalian, K. Maynor, T. Soori, A. Gattozzi, C. Penney, D. Weeks, Y. Xu, L. Hu, J.Y. Zhu, J.K. Nelson, R. Hebner, V. Bahadur. Modeling the impact of high thermal conductivity paper on the performance and life of power transformers . Heliyon , 2024; 10 (6): e27783 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27783

Cite This Page :

Explore More

• Puzzle Solved About Ancient Galaxy
• How 3D Printers Can Give Robots a Soft Touch
• Combo of Multiple Health Stressors Harming Bees
• Methane Emission On a Cold Brown Dwarf
• Remarkable Memories of Mountain Chickadees
• Predicting Future Marine Extinctions
• Drain On Economy Due to Climate Change
• 'Tube Map' Around Planets and Moons
• 'Bizarre' Evolutionary Pattern: Homo Lineage
• Largest Known Marine Reptile

Trending Topics

Strange & offbeat.

Spring 2024

The Tablet Takeover: Exploring tablets like iPads as a University Tool

Laptops have been the main device for students in university in recent years. Paper and pen are long outdated, but the advantages of writing remain relevant. Many university students are moving towards tablets such as iPads, which are a bridge between writing and computing.

From Paper to Protocol: The Transformative Force of Smart Contracts in Blockchain:

Some 30 years ago, a graduate student from the University of Washington made a bold claim to mark the ‘digital revolution’ that slowly but surely, was redefining the world.

Research’s New Revolution: Edge Computing

In today's rapidly advancing digital landscape, the term "edge computing" has emerged as a key player in reshaping the way data is processed and utilized. But what exactly is edge computing, and why is it gaining so much attention?

Hook, Line, and Sinker: Don’t Get Reeled in by Phishing Scams!

Does Amazon want to give you a $1000 gift card? Did you apply for any jobs recently? Do you really have a package coming from UPS? Or is it a phishing attack?

3 Essential Technology Tools for Boosting Productivity in 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, staying ahead of the curve is essential. Whether you’re a student, faculty member, or staff, integrating innovative tools into your daily routine can significantly enhance your quality of life.

Unlocking the Power of ChatGPT: Your AI-Powered Personal Assistant

In the age of digital transformation, having a personal assistant isn’t limited to executives or celebrities. Meet ChatGPT—an AI language model that’s more than just a chatbot. It’s your virtual sidekick, your research companion, and your creative collaborator.

• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Fall 2024 CSCI Special Topics Courses

Cloud computing.

Meeting Time: 09:45 AM‑11:00 AM TTh  Instructor: Ali Anwar Course Description: Cloud computing serves many large-scale applications ranging from search engines like Google to social networking websites like Facebook to online stores like Amazon. More recently, cloud computing has emerged as an essential technology to enable emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Machine Learning. The exponential growth of data availability and demands for security and speed has made the cloud computing paradigm necessary for reliable, financially economical, and scalable computation. The dynamicity and flexibility of Cloud computing have opened up many new forms of deploying applications on infrastructure that cloud service providers offer, such as renting of computation resources and serverless computing.    This course will cover the fundamentals of cloud services management and cloud software development, including but not limited to design patterns, application programming interfaces, and underlying middleware technologies. More specifically, we will cover the topics of cloud computing service models, data centers resource management, task scheduling, resource virtualization, SLAs, cloud security, software defined networks and storage, cloud storage, and programming models. We will also discuss data center design and management strategies, which enable the economic and technological benefits of cloud computing. Lastly, we will study cloud storage concepts like data distribution, durability, consistency, and redundancy. Registration Prerequisites: CS upper div, CompE upper div., EE upper div., EE grad, ITI upper div., Univ. honors student, or dept. permission; no cr for grads in CSci. Complete the following Google form to request a permission number from the instructor ( https://forms.gle/6BvbUwEkBK41tPJ17 ).

CSCI 5980/8980 

Machine learning for healthcare: concepts and applications.

Meeting Time: 11:15 AM‑12:30 PM TTh  Instructor: Yogatheesan Varatharajah Course Description: Machine Learning is transforming healthcare. This course will introduce students to a range of healthcare problems that can be tackled using machine learning, different health data modalities, relevant machine learning paradigms, and the unique challenges presented by healthcare applications. Applications we will cover include risk stratification, disease progression modeling, precision medicine, diagnosis, prognosis, subtype discovery, and improving clinical workflows. We will also cover research topics such as explainability, causality, trust, robustness, and fairness.

Registration Prerequisites: CSCI 5521 or equivalent. Complete the following Google form to request a permission number from the instructor ( https://forms.gle/z8X9pVZfCWMpQQ6o6  ).

Visualization with AI

Meeting Time: 04:00 PM‑05:15 PM TTh  Instructor: Qianwen Wang Course Description: This course aims to investigate how visualization techniques and AI technologies work together to enhance understanding, insights, or outcomes.

This is a seminar style course consisting of lectures, paper presentation, and interactive discussion of the selected papers. Students will also work on a group project where they propose a research idea, survey related studies, and present initial results.

This course will cover the application of visualization to better understand AI models and data, and the use of AI to improve visualization processes. Readings for the course cover papers from the top venues of AI, Visualization, and HCI, topics including AI explainability, reliability, and Human-AI collaboration.    This course is designed for PhD students, Masters students, and advanced undergraduates who want to dig into research.

Registration Prerequisites: Complete the following Google form to request a permission number from the instructor ( https://forms.gle/YTF5EZFUbQRJhHBYA  ). Although the class is primarily intended for PhD students, motivated juniors/seniors and MS students who are interested in this topic are welcome to apply, ensuring they detail their qualifications for the course.

Visualizations for Intelligent AR Systems

Meeting Time: 04:00 PM‑05:15 PM MW  Instructor: Zhu-Tian Chen Course Description: This course aims to explore the role of Data Visualization as a pivotal interface for enhancing human-data and human-AI interactions within Augmented Reality (AR) systems, thereby transforming a broad spectrum of activities in both professional and daily contexts. Structured as a seminar, the course consists of two main components: the theoretical and conceptual foundations delivered through lectures, paper readings, and discussions; and the hands-on experience gained through small assignments and group projects. This class is designed to be highly interactive, and AR devices will be provided to facilitate hands-on learning.    Participants will have the opportunity to experience AR systems, develop cutting-edge AR interfaces, explore AI integration, and apply human-centric design principles. The course is designed to advance students' technical skills in AR and AI, as well as their understanding of how these technologies can be leveraged to enrich human experiences across various domains. Students will be encouraged to create innovative projects with the potential for submission to research conferences.

Registration Prerequisites: Complete the following Google form to request a permission number from the instructor ( https://forms.gle/Y81FGaJivoqMQYtq5 ). Students are expected to have a solid foundation in either data visualization, computer graphics, computer vision, or HCI. Having expertise in all would be perfect! However, a robust interest and eagerness to delve into these subjects can be equally valuable, even though it means you need to learn some basic concepts independently.

Sustainable Computing: A Systems View

Meeting Time: 09:45 AM‑11:00 AM  Instructor: Abhishek Chandra Course Description: In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the pervasiveness, scale, and distribution of computing infrastructure: ranging from cloud, HPC systems, and data centers to edge computing and pervasive computing in the form of micro-data centers, mobile phones, sensors, and IoT devices embedded in the environment around us. The growing amount of computing, storage, and networking demand leads to increased energy usage, carbon emissions, and natural resource consumption. To reduce their environmental impact, there is a growing need to make computing systems sustainable. In this course, we will examine sustainable computing from a systems perspective. We will examine a number of questions:   • How can we design and build sustainable computing systems?   • How can we manage resources efficiently?   • What system software and algorithms can reduce computational needs?    Topics of interest would include:   • Sustainable system design and architectures   • Sustainability-aware systems software and management   • Sustainability in large-scale distributed computing (clouds, data centers, HPC)   • Sustainability in dispersed computing (edge, mobile computing, sensors/IoT)

Registration Prerequisites: This course is targeted towards students with a strong interest in computer systems (Operating Systems, Distributed Systems, Networking, Databases, etc.). Background in Operating Systems (Equivalent of CSCI 5103) and basic understanding of Computer Networking (Equivalent of CSCI 4211) is required.

• Future undergraduate students
• Future transfer students
• Future graduate students
• Future international students
• Diversity and Inclusion Opportunities
• Learn abroad
• Living Learning Communities
• Mentor programs
• Programs for women
• Student groups
• Visit, Apply & Next Steps
• Information for current students
• Departments and majors overview
• Departments
• Undergraduate majors
• Graduate programs
• Integrated Degree Programs
• Additional degree-granting programs
• Online learning
• Academic Advising overview
• Academic Advising FAQ
• Academic Advising Blog
• Appointments and drop-ins
• Academic support
• Commencement
• Four-year plans
• Honors advising
• Policies, procedures, and forms
• Career Services overview
• Resumes and cover letters
• Jobs and internships
• Interviews and job offers
• CSE Career Fair
• Major and career exploration
• Graduate school
• Collegiate Life overview
• Scholarships
• Diversity & Inclusivity Alliance
• Anderson Student Innovation Labs
• Information for alumni
• Get engaged with CSE
• Upcoming events
• CSE Alumni Society Board
• Alumni volunteer interest form
• Golden Medallion Society Reunion
• 50-Year Reunion
• Alumni honors and awards
• Outstanding Achievement
• Alumni Service
• Distinguished Leadership
• Honorary Doctorate Degrees
• Nobel Laureates
• Alumni resources
• Alumni career resources
• Alumni news outlets
• CSE branded clothing
• International alumni resources
• Inventing Tomorrow magazine
• Update your info
• CSE giving overview
• Why give to CSE?
• College priorities
• Give online now
• External relations
• Giving priorities
• Donor stories
• Impact of giving
• Ways to give to CSE
• Matching gifts
• CSE directories
• Invest in your company and the future
• Recruit our students
• Connect with researchers
• K-12 initiatives
• Diversity initiatives
• Research news
• Give to CSE
• CSE priorities
• Corporate relations
• Information for faculty and staff
• Administrative offices overview
• Office of the Dean
• Academic affairs
• Finance and Operations
• Communications
• Human resources
• Undergraduate programs and student services
• CSE Committees
• CSE policies overview
• Academic policies
• Faculty hiring and tenure policies
• Finance policies and information
• Graduate education policies
• Human resources policies
• Research policies
• Research overview
• Research centers and facilities
• Research proposal submission process
• Research safety
• Award-winning CSE faculty
• National academies
• University awards
• Honorary professorships
• Collegiate awards
• Other CSE honors and awards
• Staff awards
• Performance Management Process
• Work. With Flexibility in CSE
• K-12 outreach overview
• Summer camps
• Outreach events
• Enrichment programs
• Field trips and tours
• CSE K-12 Virtual Classroom Resources
• Educator development
• Sponsor an event