Ahead of the Storage and Computing with DNA Conference (SCDNA26), members of the DigNA Portfolio gathered in Rome on 26 May 2026 to discuss progress, collaboration opportunities and future priorities for the DNA data storage and molecular computing community.
As part of the meeting, the chairs of the four DigNA Working Groups (WGs) were interviewed and asked about the concrete outcomes they would like their groups to deliver for the broader community.
The DigNA Portfolio brings together nine European projects working on different aspects of DNA data storage. The WGs address common challenges and opportunities across these projects, helping to align efforts and maximise impact.
WG 1, focused on synergies, aims to identify and address challenges shared across the nine DigNA projects. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, the group seeks to strengthen connections between projects and support portfolio-wide progress.
WG 2, dedicated to public engagement and outreach, is working to increase the visibility of DNA data storage technologies at both European and global levels. Its objectives include raising awareness of the technology’s durability, scalability and sustainability benefits, addressing ethical concerns and misconceptions, and supporting future commercial adoption through outreach activities and events such as SCDNA26.
WG 3 focuses on metrics and standardisation. A key outcome will be a peer-reviewed publication defining common metrics, measurement approaches and benchmarking methods for DNA data storage technologies. This work is expected to represent an important first step towards greater standardisation across the field.
WG 4 addresses intellectual property, protection and exploitation. The group has been working on IP landscape analysis, stakeholder and market mapping, joint exploitation strategies and awareness-raising activities. Through webinars and other initiatives, it aims to strengthen understanding of intellectual property management and support the future commercialisation of DNA-based innovations.
For PEARL-DNA, participation in these WGs provides an opportunity to contribute to portfolio-wide initiatives that extend beyond individual project objectives. By collaborating on topics such as standardisation, public engagement, synergies and exploitation, PEARL-DNA helps support the development of a stronger and more coordinated DNA data storage ecosystem in Europe.
The perspectives shared during the interviews demonstrated a common ambition across the DigNA Portfolio: to deliver practical outcomes that will accelerate research, support innovation and create the foundations for the wider adoption of DNA data storage technologies.