Biological Technologies

archived

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative research proposals of interest to the Biological Technologies Office (BTO). Proposed research should investigate leading edge approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, technologies, or systems at the intersection of biology with engineering and the physical and computer sciences. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of the art. BTO seeks unconventional approaches that are outside the mainstream, challenge assumptions, and have the potential to radically change established practice, lead to extraordinary outcomes, and create entirely new fields. BTO is seeking novel approaches that will build technical communities that tap into sources of innovation both inside and outside traditional DoD performer communities. BTO encourages efforts that are creative and agile both in terms of the technologies proposed and in the structure of the approach. BTO is interested in submissions related to the following areas: . Developing radical new techniques and technologies to optimally restore and maintain the health and abilities of military service members. . Discovering and leveraging novel insights from neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science and related disciplines to advance treatment and resilience in neurological health and optimize human aptitude and performance. . Understanding and improving interfaces between humans and the physical and biological world to enable optimal performance in complex environments. . Developing and leveraging a fundamental understanding of the underlying design rules that govern biological system behavior. . Developing new tools and techniques for forward engineering of biological systems (cells, tissues, organs, and organisms) to both develop new products and functional systems as well as to gain new insights into underlying mechanisms. . Leveraging new computational techniques from computer science, big data, and biology to enable investigation and generation of knowledge from biological data at scale. . Developing and validating new theories and computational models that identify factors and explain principles underlying collective and interactive behaviors of biological organisms at all scales from individual cells to the warfighter to global ecosystems. . Understanding where there are inflection points in population and ecosystem behavior in order to preserve equilibrium, provide strategic opportunity, or avoid catastrophe. . Developing and leveraging new insights into non-human biology across and between populations of microbes, plants, marine life, and other non-human biologic entities. . Understanding how social, environmental, and biological factors converge to generate violence and conflict or lead to deterrence and influence. . Radical new approaches towards countermeasure development for biological, chemical and/or radiological threats. . Other biological technology topic areas which fit the scope of BTO's mission. See attached DARPA-BAA-14-38.

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