A Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) Compatible Lightweight, Portable, In-field RNA/DNA Sequencing System

Biological weapons are a significant concern for the US and its allies, with potential for mass casualties, operational disruption, and societal impacts. Detecting and attributing biological attacks is challenging due to delayed effects and slow laboratory processing, resulting in ineffective responses. Uncertainty about the specific agent undermines force protection and operational effectiveness while generating fear among military personnel. A rapid "in-field" identification of a biological weapon agent and the communication of this information is crucial for enabling US and allied forces to operate in bio-weapon contested environments, providing timely response, tailored countermeasures, efficient resource allocation, improved situational awareness, and optimal decision-making. Communication of the identified agent enables a cohesive response strategy aligning efforts among units with collaborative decision-making and resource sharing. Our aim is to develop a prototype for a mobile in-field RNA/DNA bio-weapon identification system which we refer to as TABARD (TAK-enabler Analyzer of Biowarfare Agents using RNA/DNA-sequencing). We will achieve this by meeting two specific objectives. Our first objective is to identify a hardware and software solution for a mobile RNA/DNA sequencer that functions as a portable bio-weapon identification system. We will evaluate options like MinION, considering compatibility with hardware, sample preparation, and data analysis. Our second objective is to develop and demonstrate the integration of key technologies into TABARD. We will also demonstration the integration of the DTRA OI-CO BWA library and transition from a PC to a tablet for mobility. User interface, informatics, and potential deployment as an ATAK CBRN Plug-In (CBRNPI) will also be explored in this Phase I effort. The culmination of the project will be the delivery of the TABARD prototype. We will showcase its potential by conducting a live proof-of-concept sequencing run on known RNA/DNA samples using the prototype mobile in-field system. Successfully demonstrating the feasibility of these elements will establish the foundation for a mobile in-field RNA/DNA identification system. TABARD’s demonstration will highlight its ability to sequence RNA/DNA samples using lightweight, mobile components and a military-centric user interface. Additionally, we will explore deploying TABARD as an ATAK CBRN Plug-In (CBRNPI) within DTRA’s existing Chemical and Biological Alerting and Response Toolkit (CBART) ATAK system. The integration of TABARD with other DTRA TAK CBRNPI applications provides a platform for the real-time sharing of biological weapon sample analysis results with CONUS/OCONUS labs and JOC (Joint Operations Center) decision-makers.