Non-Optical Methods for High Speed Protein Control

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Biological Technologies Office is utilizing the Expedited Research Innovation System marketplace to identify innovative, awardable solutions for a new class of rapidly switchable, non-optogenetic protein domains. The objective is to develop bio-compatible, modular protein domains for real-time cellular control that utilize massless, non-optical external signals, such as magnetic fields or focused ultrasound, to enable information transfer across cell membranes. Technical requirements for these solutions include activation and deactivation kinetics of two seconds or less, robust performance across at least 300 repetitions within a living cell, and proven functionality in both split-protein and allosteric protein configurations. This shopping notice, identified as DARPA-SN-26-89, is open from June 8, 2026, through December 31, 2026. Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the government may make one or more awards prior to the closing date, with an anticipated 12-month period of performance. Interested providers must submit video solutions via the ERIS portal or flag existing solutions through the designated email process. Evaluation is based on the provider's ability to define the problem relative to the current state of the art, the degree of technical innovation, the team's expertise in synthetic biology and biophysics, and the potential impact on defense and commercial applications such as biomanufacturing and cell-based therapeutics.