DNA-Fast light dRiven data technologY with multiplexed optical encoding and readout

Modern society has an ever-increasing need for long-term, high density data encoding and storage.

DNA technology allows to store data at unprecedented density, and functionalized DNA integrates digital bits placed along a single strand to encode information, which is available at low cost with natural (not-synthetic) DNA.

DNA-FAIRYLIGHTS will raise this concept of functionalized natural DNA for data encoding and storage to a completely new level by decorating DNA carriers with a precise sequence of metallic nanomaterials with well-defined optical responses.

These hybrid DNA structures will allow for direct optical readout, and the different resonance wavelengths will allow to go far beyond (0,1) encoding.

In DNA-FAIRYLIGHTS we will design ultrasmall plasmonic and light-emitting particles with at least 9 different distinct optical responses that will enable multiplexed data encoding.

We will develop concepts for linking/unlinking and orientational reconfiguration by external stimuli that will allow for reconfigurable memories and computation.

The DNA-FAIRYLIGHTS project will provide: (i) a revolutionary technology that utilizes the DNA to arrange metallic nanomaterials in sequences with with nm precision; (ii) a novel approach to fabricate functionalized DNA that allows for integration of metal nanomaterials for data storage and manipulation; (iii) a next-generation model to encode and store information along the DNA; (iv) an optoelectronic/microfluidic system to modulate the arrangement of the metallic nanostructures along the DNA in order to dynamically control the information content; (v) readout devices with single particle sensitivity with fast response and decoding of the stored information in one functional unit.

Each result of DNA-FAIRYLIGHTS will provide mile stones for novel technologies in next generation biomolecular synthesis, hybrid solid-state / biological systems, bioimaging, nanoplasmonics, DNA data storage, steganography and bio-optoelectronics.