Advancing theory and tools for molecular programming

分子编程是设计携带信息的分子的过程，这些分子以有目的的方式做出反应或执行指令。核酸-DNA和RNA分子-编程很有趣，因为它们的数字序列和动态结构特性，以及因为它们通过自然地与“湿”生物系统相互作用而扩展了计算设备的覆盖范围。分子编程领域的研究人员正在应对令人兴奋的工程挑战，例如利用DNA和RNA序列构建逻辑电路、纳米结构，甚至分子行走机器人。在接下来的几十年里，这些技术可以带来巨大的回报，改变我们监测和调节细胞内分子动力学的方式，或者开发可以评估疾病指标浓度并做出相应反应的“智能药物”。

Molecular programming is the process of designing information-carrying molecules that react, or execute instructions, in purposeful ways. Nucleic acids - DNA and RNA molecules - are interesting to program because of their digital sequences and dynamic structural properties, and because they extend the reach of computational devices by naturally interacting with "wet" biological systems. Researchers in the field of molecular programming are tackling exciting engineering challenges such as building logic circuits, nanoscale structures and even molecular walking robots, from DNA and RNA sequences. In the coming decades, these technologies can offer significant payoffs, in transforming the ways in which we monitor and mediate molecular dynamics within the cell, or in developing "smart drugs" that could assess concentrations of disease indicators and respond accordingly.