Over the past decade, scientists have proved that engineered microbes are capable of exhibiting a range of sense-and-response functions. They can be programmed to convert input signals into detectible outputs, such as a change in colour when they encounter specific toxins.
They can sense and respond to physical stimuli such as light or magnetic fields. They can even produce an electric current to actuate a tiny gear.
Microbe-based sensing technologies
Draper is looking to test the boundaries of microbe-based sensing technologies.
In partnership with the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Draper is heading a diverse team of experts to explore the development of an interactive, platform methodology for the rapid design of microbe-based sense-and-respond devices for monitoring Department of Defence-relevant environments.
Robust, reliable, and durable microbial sensors
DARPA seeks to establish the range of chemical and physical signals that microbial devices can detect
Specifically, DARPA seeks to establish the range of chemical and physical signals that microbial devices can detect, the environmental conditions they can tolerate, and the types of output signals that can be generated.
To this end, Tellus will focus on developing the methodology to enable the rapid design of agile, robust, reliable, and durable microbial sensors for environmental monitoring, the agency said.
Design-build-test process
"Microbes have the potential to be developed as biological sensors that can collect vital information about the environments they naturally inhabit," said Chris Vaiana in Draper's Biotechnology business.
"Our goal is to support DARPA in mapping the modular design of microbe-based sensors, develop a standardized design-build-test process analogous to the hardware development processes, and determine the environmental conditions in which these sensors operate."
Environmental monitoring
DARPA's Tellus programme is to develop a complementary monitoring system
Current approaches to environmental monitoring rely on distributed sensor networks on the ground, in the water, and on satellites and autonomous systems, such as drones.
The goal of DARPA's Tellus programme is to develop a complementary monitoring system composed of microbial devices that can translate detected signals into a variety of physical or chemical output signals that can then be measured by conventional receiver systems, such as photonic, photoelectronic, or imaging systems.
Microbe-based sensing system
One way this solution might look, according to DARPA, is a dashboard or interface where a user will dial in features of their environment, along with the inputs they want to detect, the output signals that are useful to them, and the system would design a safe, effective microbial device to meet those needs.
Applications vary depending on the configuration. A microbe-based sensing system could be used to detect pesticides, toxins, and contaminants in the soil and water. It could also be used to detect harmful agents like heavy metals, organic pollutants, explosives, chemical warfare agents, and poison gases.
Microbial sense-and-respond devices
Draper scientists will develop six unique microbial sense-and-respond devices that will function in a range of environments
Draper scientists will develop six unique microbial sense-and-respond devices that will function in a range of environments, according to Kevin Remillard, Draper's Director for the DARPA Tellus programme team.
"Monitoring emerging conditions in the environment using microbe-based sensing requires a flexible, multidisciplinary engineering approach. Draper will draw on expertise in areas including synthetic biology and bioinformatics to do just that," Remillard said.
Biothreat detection technologies
Draper is fortunate to be partnering with a team of experts from Boston University, MIT, North Carolina State, University of Colorado at Boulder, and RTX BBN. Draper's work on the Tellus programme is part of a growing portfolio of capabilities directly supporting national security needs.
Some of these capabilities include biothreat detection technologies developed for IARPA's Finding Engineering-Linked Indicators (FELIX) and DARPA's Detect It with Gene Editing Technologies (D [IGET) programmes.