Breakthrough Biological and Medical Technologies
Abstract
(U) This program seeks to yield revolutionary advances across several key areas of biology and biomedical technologies of critical importance to the DoD. The overarching principle is to apply microsystem technology (electronics, microfluidics, photonics, micromechanics, etc.) to create leapfrog advances ranging from manipulation of single cells through soldier-worn protective and diagnostic instruments. Microsystem technologies have reached a state of maturity that they can be deployed as enablers to solving complex problems, the biological applications being particularly high-leverage. On the cell-level of the scale, the aim is to be able to increase by several decades the speed with which we sequence, analyze and functionally edit cellular genomes. With microsystem approaches, a prime goal is to be able to address large populations of cells, select as few as one, capture it, make specific edits to its DNA, and examine or replicate the cell as needed. Such capability will be applicable to a wide variety of problems including biological weapons countermeasures and understanding the underpinnings of human cancers. At an intermediate scale, new insights into the interactions of photons with the nervous system tissues of mammals will allow the development of mm-scale microphotonic implants that have the potential to restore sensory and motor function to individuals with traumatic spinal injury, for example. On the other end of the size scale, a primary goal is to apply microsystem techniques to soldier-protective biomedical systems. One example is an in-canal hearing protection device that will provide enhanced hearing capabilities in some settings, but be able to instantly muffle loud sounds of weapons fire. This one example will improve inter-personnel communications and at the same time drastically reduce the incidence of hearing loss in combat situations. For these examples and many more, the goal is to bring exceptionally potent technical approaches to bear on biological and biomedical applications where their capabilities will be significant force multipliers for the DoD.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Source ID
- f21ddcb1aa7d2624166c47c227322ee5