Tianjin University Scientists Boost DNA Data Storage Reliability

A research team from Tianjin University, led by Professor Wu Huaming, has achieved a major breakthrough in DNA data storage. Their study, published in Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64230-3), introduces a novel framework called DNA StairLoop, which significantly improves data recovery accuracy in high-error synthesis environments.

With data demands soaring into the zettabyte era, which is equivalent to one trillion gigabytes, DNA is increasingly recognized as a potential ultra-dense, durable, and eco-friendly medium for long-term data storage. High nucleotide error rates in scalable synthesis methods such as electrochemical synthesis have long hindered its practical application.

The StairLoop system addresses these challenges by combining a step-interleaved structural design with an iterative soft-decision decoding mechanism. This innovation effectively corrects insertion, deletion, and substitution errors without relying on complex multi-sequence alignment and supports parallel decoding for faster data retrieval.

In experiments, the team successfully encoded and restored oracle bone inscription images, one of the earliest forms of human writing, using electrochemically synthesized DNA. Even with error rates exceeding 6% and sequence loss over 30%, the system accurately reconstructed the original data, demonstrating exceptional fault tolerance.

The study marks a significant advance toward the industrialization of DNA-based data storage, offering strong technical support for high-throughput, low-cost synthesis methods and paving the way for the next generation of sustainable information technologies.

By: Qin Mian