1
: the application of computer science to biological research
The 140 sequenced bacterial genomes and 1600 sequenced viral genomes, comprising potentially over 400,000 encoded proteins, already exceed by 10-fold the complexity of the human genome, which less than 3 years ago was seen as a major challenge for biocomputing. Rino Rappuoli and Antonello Covacci, Science, 24 Oct. 2003
2
: the practice of using biocomputers to perform calculations
Further variations in biocomputing use proteins instead of nucleic acids, or DNA hairpin formation … Estonian Journal Of Engineering, June 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of biocomputing was in 1965

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Cite this Entry

“Biocomputing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biocomputing. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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