Basic DNA Computing

CISC 449 / 649, Fall 1999

Three Credits

Monday and Wednesday 1:25 to 2:40


Instructor

Prof. David Harlan Wood
Office: 407 Smith Hall, Hours: by arrangement (just call or email me)
Phone: 831-3184, Email: wood@cis.udel.edu


Textbooks

  • Basic DNA Computing, draft lecture notes by David Harlan Wood (provided at cost of reproduction). You can view the Preface, or the Abbreviated Table of Contents. (These notes have also been used in courses at three other universities.)

  • Recombinant DNA (2ed), by James D. Watson, Michael Gilman, Jan Witkowski, Mark Zoller
    Scientific American Books, distributed by W. H. Freeman and Company


    Syllabus

    Brief Course Description

    DNA Computing starts with information encoded into DNA molecules, which can be made to order commercially. These molecules are manipulated with laboratory processes to produce DNA that represents solutions to problems, such as finding a path through a maze.

    In 1994 Adleman demonstrated the first DNA computation when he solved a version of the Traveling Salesman Problem (finding the cheapest way to visit a set of cities without any backtracking.) See Adleman's Scientific American article about this in the August 1998 issue. The main part of this course is organized around recent additional DNA computing approaches to TSP. An overview of additional problems and techniques rounds out the course.

    Each student makes one or two presentations summarizing and comparing published results. Two term papers are required, and two mid-term exams plus a final. The course does not involve any laboratory work.

    Prerequisites:

    The course develops BOTH of these two different types of knowledge:
  • Problem solving like: crossword puzzles, wining tic-tack-toe, escaping a maze, etc.
  • The nature of DNA including how it can be: cut by enzymes, amplified by polymerase chain reaction, physically separated by length, etc.
    Prior coursework in ONE of these two aspects is sufficient background, because both aspects are thoroughly covered.


    CISC 449 / 649 DNAS Computing Homepage, http://www.cis.udel.edu/~wood/courses/449
    Last revised February 27, 1999