Gene Expression Computers

Bacteria make computers look like pocket calculators

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2009/jul/24/bacteria-computer

Biologists have created a living computer from E. coli bacteria that can solve complex mathematical problems

Computers are evolving – literally. While the tech world argues netbooks vs notebooks, synthetic biologists are leaving traditional computers behind altogether. A team of US scientists have engineered bacteria that could solve complex mathematical problems faster than anything made from silicon.

The research, published today in the Journal of Biological Engineering, proves that bacteria can be used to solve a puzzle known as the Hamiltonian Path Problem. Imagine you want to tour the 10 biggest cities in the UK – one route might start in London (number 1) and finish in Bristol (number 10), for example. The solution to the Hamiltonian Path Problem would be the route that takes in each city just once.
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I believe modeling gene expression as a response to certain perturbations to bacteria is a very convenient approach to understand biological systems. Around 4500 E. coli genes can be quantified in real-time as a response to the stimuli of interest. I believe fields of computer science, AI have a lot to learn from these studies.

The studies can be then extrapolated to more complex systems such as human neurons, etc, etc.

What do you think ?