Computational, Chemical and Biotechnology Solutions to Improved DNA Data Storage: from In-Product Information and Cryptography to Long-Term Archiving

Introduction

Modern information-based society largely relies on trusted information storage in a large variety of setups, ranging from long-term digital archiving to embedding information into products. DNA is a promising future storage medium for such diverse applications as it offers sustainable and robust long-term information storage at extraordinary information density. DNA will also never become obsolete.

Challenges in DNA Archival Storage

However, long-term DNA archival storage is still very expensive. In DiDAX, we will develop new approaches to DNA storage based on novel encoding and decoding algorithms, new reduced-cost synthesis approaches, and new embedding technologies.

Objectives of DiDAX

Specifically, we will provide:

1. Synthesis, encoding, and decoding methods for efficient reduced-cost archiving using standard and composite DNA.
2. In-product information storage technologies, including encapsulation and embedding, as well as tailored coding and reconstruction approaches.
3. Methods for efficient labeling and cryptographic authentication.
4. Efficient and new approaches to photolithography-based synthesis and composite synthesis of DNA, to enable reduced-cost DNA storage.

Demonstration of Solutions

We will demonstrate end-to-end proof-of-concept (PoC) systems for:

• Reduced-cost archival storage.
• In-product information storage.
• DNA-based authentication protocols.

Impact and Interdisciplinary Approach

The DiDAX project will expand the long-term applicability of archival DNA-based data storage through significant improvements in cost. Furthermore, DiDAX will broaden the range of DNA-based information technologies and lead to applications realizable in the short term by developing in-product information storage solutions and DNA-based authentication protocols.

DiDAX methodology is highly interdisciplinary, building on expertise in computer science, engineering, chemistry, material science, and in building complete DNA-based storage systems. DiDAX's impact spans applications and technology domains and will be disseminated and exploited to benefit European society and industry.