A Recent Discovery in Biological Coding Theory

I’ve been astonished by recent developments in the field of biological coding theory. One breakthrough that has stood out to me was the construction of an error-correcting code for DNA, developed by Press et. al. Extensively detailed in the research article titled “HEDGES error-correcting code for DNA storage corrects indels & allows sequence constraints,” an algorithm that applied convolutional & block error-correcting codes for the recovery of error-free DNA data was adeptly created & tested. The HEDGES algorithm, also known as the Hash Encoded, Decoded by Greedy Exhaustive Search, emits a stream of DNA characters when given a message of bits. The algorithm not only applies mathematical principles of coding theory & cryptology to create a code, but it administers it in such a way that DNA synthesis & sequencing platforms can potentially utilize it.

Error correction is a major constraint in biology, especially when considering the extent to which DNA repair can effectively identify mutations & then fix them. Homopolymer runs, imbalanced GC content, & dropout errors, in addition to the general chromosomal & base-pair mutations, are very common & problematic. Through this novel algorithm, mathematics is applied to a tested & simulated algorithm that has the potential to correct insertions & deletion (indels) in DNA as well as other deleterious mutations.

The HEDGES development perfectly bridges various fields into one. It truly encompasses my belief that at the intersection of mathematics, biology, & computation, comes life-changing innovation. As this recently born intersectionality blooms, I hope to apply my expertise & learn from peers to create new breakthroughs.