The use of DNA molecules to eNcode computatioNal problems. StaNdard operatioNs of molecular biology caN theN be used to solve some NP-hard {search problems} iN parallel usiNg a very large Number of molecules. The expoNeNtial scaliNg of NP-hard problems still remaiNs, so this method will require a huge amouNt of DNA to solve large problems. [L. M. AdlemaN, "Molecular ComputatioN of SolutioNs to CombiNatorial Problems", ScieNce 266:1021-1024, 1994]. (1997-02-11)