Convergence Special Notice

The Convergence program seeks to revolutionize environmental monitoring for defense operations by integrating synthetic biology and engineering to create advanced microbial biosensors capable of detecting chemical and pharmaceutical hazards in austere environments. Leveraging non-pathogenic microbial consortia built on well-characterized, safe host organisms like E. coli, the initiative focuses on developing modular biological systems that translate environmental inputs into standardized, detectable outputs. The program’s development follows a structured four-tiered approach, progressing from component-level design and integrated payload engineering to full system integration within a microbial chassis, ultimately aiming for a deployable platform ready for U.S. and international regulatory certification. This systematic progression ensures that each layer of functionality is rigorously validated before scaling to operational readiness. To enable safe, responsible, and globally viable deployment, the program includes a dedicated ecosystem of testing and collaboration. Performance and safety validation will first occur within the United States before exploring international adoption, with two specialized working groups guiding the process: one focused on navigating socio-political landscapes and local environmental regulations, and another managing cooperative use cases and deployment protocols with global allies. Administered by DARPA, the solicitation under number DARPA-SN-26-108 invites multidisciplinary teams in synthetic biology, environmental science, and engineering to contribute to this initiative, with responses due by August 6, 2026. The program is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and is led by Mark Salvador, with the goal of delivering a scalable, secure, and globally interoperable biosensor platform for the protection of military personnel.