Summary
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Biological Technologies (HR001124S0034) under its Biological Technologies Office (BTO). This initiative aims to leverage biology’s unique properties to enhance national security. DARPA is seeking innovative proposals that push the boundaries of biotechnology, impacting defense, medicine, materials science, and beyond.
The Scope of DARPA’s Biological Technologies Initiative
The BAA invites proposals in a wide range of biotechnological research areas, emphasizing breakthrough technologies that support warfighters and improve healthcare and biosafety. Submissions are encouraged in areas that align with DARPA’s national security mission, including machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), human performance optimization, advanced materials, environmental systems, biosecurity, and biomedical and biodefense technologies.
Key Research Focus Areas
1. Machine Learning (ML) & Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Groundbreaking ML/AI innovations that advance biological models and enhance warfighter decision-making by:
- Integrating biological data into foundational models to exceed state-of-the-art performance.
- Accelerating biological system simulations from the subcellular level to the organismal and environmental levels.
- Developing ML/AI tools to improve decision-making and predict human performance in complex environments.
2. Human Performance Optimization
Multidisciplinary solutions that optimize human performance and resilience by:
- Enhance neurological health, manage fatigue, cognition, and teamwork in extreme conditions.
- Leverage biotechnology, neuroscience, and psychology interventions to boost human performance.
- Develop technologies for continuous monitoring and integration to boost readiness and performance.
3. Bio-Inspired Materials, Sensors, and Processing
Innovations that integrate novel materials, predictive modeling, and advance sensor platforms to revolutionize system engineering and performance by:
- Developing bio-inspired materials, sensors, processes with scalable predictive tools.
- Creating platforms that are fusing biological principles with engineered systems.
- Engineering compact sensors with low SWaP, high performance, and remote detection.
4. Environmental & Ecosystem Technologies
Projects that secure resources, defend ecosystems, and restore environmental balance by:
- Using biotechnology to mitigate threats to food and water supplies.
- Developing and leveraging insights from non-human biology for tactical, operational advantages.
- Bioengineering solutions for cleanup, restoration, and sequestration.
5. Biosecurity & Biosafety
Solutions that can safeguard biological data, prevent pathogen threats, and enhance infectious disease detection and response by:
- Developing technologies and approaches that can ensure biosafety and biosecurity of biological hardware, data, and AI.
- Advancing tools that can characterize emerging pathogens to prevent spread and determine origin.
Creating technologies to treat, prevent, forecast, and detect infectious diseases that threaten health, economy, and society.
6. Biomedical & Biodefense Innovations
Biotechnological innovations that can protect warfighter health and strengthen biodefense by:
- Developing rapid manufacturing and resilient distribution of critical therapeutics.
- Creating next-generation cellular therapies and controlled delivery platforms.
- Advancing diagnostics, prophylactics, and therapeutics for austere environments.
Submission & Funding Details
- Rolling submissions: Abstracts and full proposals are accepted until September 10, 2025, at 4PM ET.
- Multiple awards are anticipated, including procurement contracts, cooperative agreements, and other transactions.
- Evaluation criteria: Scientific merit, relevance to DARPA’s mission, and cost realism
If your company has considered applying for DARPA funding, your federal funding journey starts here. EverGlade Consulting is a national firm that helps organizations win and manage federal awards. We offer services ranging from Pursuit, Proposal and Post-Award support to comply with federal regulations at agencies including BARDA, ASPR, NIH, DTRA, JPEO, DOD, DIU, DOE, and DARPA.