Military researchers eye project to control biological functions using microsystems and molecular catalysts
ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military researchers are ready to kick off a project that seeks to control biological functions using microsystems and molecular catalysts.
Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., issued a Future Program Announcement (DARPA-SN-25-19) on Monday for the upcoming Microsystem Induced Catalysis (MICA) project.
Sensing and self-repair
Military researchers may use this kind of research in future hopes of designing nonliving artificial cells able to carry out functions of living cells for sensing, information processing, and self-repair.
The aim could be creating machines that combine electronic, mechanical, and biological properties that ultimately could sense, reason, upgrade, and repair themselves.
Electron flow in transistors sometimes are similar to molecular flows in biochemical reactions in living cells, and their similarities suggest that cells and electronic components could interact in a predictable and controllable way.
The MICA program focuses on using microsystems to control biological functions, and will seek hardware demonstrations of molecular catalysts immobilized to microsystem surfaces and controlled by physical forces generated by the microsystem.
Additionally, the program focuses on modeling and simulation of such integrated molecular microsystems, with an emphasis on biomolecular catalysts.
Controlling molecules with microsystems
MICA centers on how microsystems can control molecules; how microsystem physics can drive catalyst function; and how co-design approaches can integrate microsystems and molecules.
Related: GE awarded DARPA grant to develop bio-inspired sensors
The MICA program's design and simulation portion will include ways to predict the dynamic performance of molecules integrated with microsystems. The project's fabrication portion will include ways to place and immobilize molecules at microsystem interfaces to help the microsystem control catalyst activity.
A major thrust is placing and attaching catalytic molecules to microsystems to drive biological function. The program will emphasize compatibility with standard microelectronics manufacturing.
Related: Advancements in Live Cell Imaging: Oblique Illumination, AI, and Big Data
Approaches should include how to predict molecule structure and function, and how to couple to a field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and CMOS digital logic circuits.
Teaming encouraged
The MICA program will form two kinds of performer teams: those with expertise in molecular design, microsystem design, and fabrication to integrate molecules with microsystems to control molecular function; and those with expertise in modeling and simulating the performance of microsystem and molecule performance to develop tools for predicting integrated system performance.
DARPA is not asking for abstracts or proposals yet. Email technical and contracting questions to DARPA at [email protected]. No classified information should be included in any response to this special notice. More information is online at https://sam.gov/opp/2de3760b212e484b8de88c54828d812c/view.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
