Opportunities and Challenges of DNA Materials toward Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable development represents a significant and pressing challenge confronting the global community at present. A wide variety of macroscopic engineering systems has been developed to promote sustainable development. Recent advancements in DNA materials have showcased their substantial contributions toward achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). Compared to nonbiological materials, DNA materials possess exceptional properties such as genetic functionality, molecular programmability, recognition capabilities, and biocompatibility. These unique characteristics enable DNA materials to serve as general and versatile substrates beyond their genetic role. Consequently, they can be used to develop DNA-based engineering systems that offer versatile solutions to support sustainable development. In this Perspective, we critically examine the opportunities that DNA-based engineering systems present in contributing to the achievement of the SDGs within various real-world scenarios. We establish direct relationships between DNA-based engineering systems and the SDGs, highlighting their inherent merits in accelerating sustainable development. Furthermore, in order to successfully achieve SDGs, we address the challenges associated with these systems and emphasize the urgent need for developing multifunctional, reliable, biosafe, and intelligent DNA-based engineering systems to overcome these challenges.