Heart muscle cells can generate and pass on electrical signals with little energy loss. When these cells are engineered to connect in specific ways, they can work together to handle and remember complex information—sometimes more efficiently and flexibly than modern computers.
In a project funded with a competitive National Science Foundation Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) award, researchers at the University of Notre Dame aim to leverage heart muscle cells’ natural ability to carry electrical signals to build next-generation biological hardware and biocomputing systems.
“Biological hardware has certain advantages, such as the potential for massively parallel structures, low energy needs, and interfacing with living tissues,” said Pinar Zorlutuna, Roth-Gibson Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Notre Dame and lead investigator on the project. “These biocomputing systems, unlike traditional computers, can process many tasks simultaneously, making them highly efficient for parallel processing.”
The team’s biocomputing systems are modeled on Hopfield neural networks, which are designed to store and retrieve complex patterns of information. Heart cells, acting as tiny rhythmic oscillators, are connected by fibroblast cells that not only provide structural support but also form electrical pathways. Together, these components create a novel, low-energy computing system that can process many tasks at the same time.
In addition to advancing fundamental science, this project could revolutionize the design of synthetic biocomputing circuits and drive innovations in next-generation computing applications. The research holds promise for advancing biorobotics, developing treatments for muscle disorders, and deepening our understanding of how muscle cells communicate electrically.
The multi-institutional, cross-disciplinary team, which includes researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Virginia, will also address biocomputing’s significant ethical, legal, and social implications.
Collaborators explore “systems capable of displaying aspects of intelligence.” Instead of focusing on traditional regulatory ethics, the project delves into cultural, philosophical, and metaphysical questions, such as: What makes a computing device or system an “entity,” “living,” or “intelligent”? It also addresses historical and future perspectives on biocomputing, especially using living cells—questions previously unexplored in this context.
“Biocomputing is a rapidly evolving field with tremendous potential,” said Meghan Sullivan, the Wilsey Family College Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, director of the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good, and project co-investigator. “Notre Dame is committed to engaging with the fundamental ethical questions generated by this type of timely, cutting-edge research.”
The team plans to share their research through publications and conferences, as well as outreach to students from middle school to university levels. They will focus on increasing diversity in engineering by encouraging the participation of underrepresented groups.
— Karla Cruise, Notre Dame Engineering
Hero photo shows biocomputing fabric made of micropatterned heart muscle and fibroblast networks.