An editorial in Buzzle.com explains how DNA research can also serve as a platform for next-gen computers:
Abstract
"Human cells and computers process and store information in much the same way. Computer stores data in strings made up of the numbers 0 and 1. Living things store information with molecules represented the letters A,T,C and G." – Adleman
Introduction
Reading James Watson’s textbook " Modecular Biology of the Gene" (1953), Adleman , Univiersity of Southern California computer scientist found a way towards DNA computing.
Dr. Adleman an "Inventor of DNA computers" published details of DNA computing in issue of Journal Science in 1994 first time and made world wondering on living computer.
Check out the article - it's worthwhile reading. Last year, Israeli scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot devised a computer running on DNA capable of performing 330 trillion operations per second (more than 100,000 times the speed of the fastest PC). At the heart of the machine, instead of silicon microchips, enzyme and DNA molecules perform all operations. This microscopic computing device not only relies on DNA for input data, but also as the fuel to keep it going.