CR16 — Molecular programming: Theory & wet-lab experiments

For 2025-26, lectures will take place on Wednesdays at 10:15-12:15 (classroom B1) and Fridays at 10:15-12:15 (classroom 027).

First lecture will be on Wednesday November 26th, 2025.

Presentation

In this lecture, we will overview the various approaches to the uprising field of Molecular programming where one uses algorithms to design real molecules that processes information algorithmically. We will explore in details the various theoretical models, their complexity and expressiveness, learn how to program them and survey their experimental realizations, in particular how to design algorithmically these molecules for real. We will have you take part to real wet-lab experiments where we will design molecules executing a (simple) program for us and observe the nanoscopic result of their execution (usually only about few 100nm large) thru atomic force microscope (DNA origami) and fluorescence microscopy (DNA circuit). Wet-lab experiments will be conducted in collaboration with the biology & physics departments.

Outline

Grading

This grading system ensures that you will work and train regularly for the final exam and get the best grade possible.

Related resources

Internship proposals

Mini-project

Files are available at: https://gitlab.aliens-lyon.fr/nschaban/miniproject2025

Lectures 2025

Past lectures in 2024