The first annual workshop, held in Princeton April, 1995, featured eight invited talks presenting much of the work stimulated by Adleman's seminal paper in its first five months. A citation of the proceedings of the first workshop, entitled DNA Based Computers, can be found in the DNA bibliography of J. H. M. Dassen. The DNA2 and DNA3 proceedings will also appear in print in the DIMACS series.

The second annual workshop, held in Princeton June, 1996, featured an expanded agenda covering aspects of splicing systems, DNA computer design, and algorithms for DNA computers. An extensive informal summary of the second workshop was prepared by John-Thones Amenyo.

The third annual workshop, was held at the University of Pennsylvania June, 1997. Clear advances in feasibility were evident with many laboratory demonstrations of techniques for DNA computing. Issues on hybridization of DNA were addressed in several papers. Important theoretical advances demonstrated universal computational capability using a number of models of DNA computing operations.

Most participants attended at least one of the two tutorials: Computer Science for DNA Computers, and Biolab Techniques for DNA Computers.