UWE Bristol secures funding to develop computers made from proteins

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) has been awarded a £812,000 research grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), to investigate a radically different approach to computing: using networks of biological proteins instead of conventional silicon circuits.

The four-year research project, Computing with Actin Network, led by Professor Andrew Adamatzky at UWE Bristol’s Unconventional Computing Laboratory, will explore whether networks of actin filaments can be used to process information, perform logical operations and develop new types of computing devices

Actin is one of the most abundant proteins in living cells. It forms microscopic filaments that support cellular structure, movement and internal transport. These filaments can assemble into complex networks and conduct electrical and ionic signals. Researchers believe that these properties could be exploited to create computing systems at molecular and microscopic scales.

Professor Adamatzky said: “We are exploring the possibility of making computers from the same proteins that form the internal skeleton of living cells. Instead of manufacturing every component, we want to investigate whether networks of protein filaments can grow into structures capable of processing information. This is fundamental research, but it could open entirely new directions in computing technology.”

The project will investigate how actin networks can be grown, organised and controlled to perform computational tasks. Researchers will develop experimental prototypes of electronic components made from actin filaments, including resistors, capacitors and transistor-like devices. They will also explore whether these networks can implement logical circuits, store information, recognise patterns and perform analogue computations.

Professor Adamatzky added: “Unlike conventional computers, which rely on precisely manufactured semiconductor circuits, actin-based systems could exploit the natural ability of biological materials to self-assemble, reorganise and respond to their environment.”

The research builds on earlier theoretical studies of computation in actin networks and preliminary laboratory observations of electrical activity in actin filament assemblies. The new EPSRC funding will allow researchers to move from theoretical models towards experimental computing devices.

Potential long-term applications include biodegradable electronics, molecular-scale information processing, unconventional computing architectures and hybrid systems combining biological materials with conventional electronics. The project may also contribute to understanding how electrical signals and information are processed within the cytoskeleton of living cells.

The research will bring together expertise in unconventional computing, molecular biology, polymer chemistry, nanotechnology and electronic engineering. Its findings, experimental methods and prototype designs will be shared with the wider scientific community.

The project is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Professor Andrew Adamatzky’s new book Weirdware: Touchable Unconventional Computers, published by World Scientific, reveals how living organisms, chemical reactions and unusual materials can process information, solve problems and challenge our understanding of what a computer can be. The book takes readers into a world where computers are not necessarily built from silicon chips, electronic circuits or conventional software. Instead, they can emerge from slime moulds, fungal networks, crystals, chemical reactions, droplets and liquid metals.