DVIDS – News – Army Scientists Use Biotechnology to Identify Toxins in the Field

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD – The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) has expanded the biological identification capability of one of its handheld biological detectors. Dial-a-Threat (DaT): Antigen provides warfighters in the field the capability to identify various toxins and human health markers on the same device.

DaT: Antigen is an unpowered, credit card-sized device containing materials that, when rehydrated with DNA “instructions,” make the components for a toxin identification test onsite. These devices rely on lysates, which are freeze-dried, non-living, but still active components of a cell. These lysates can perform biological processes and are usually pre-embedded in a lateral flow test. With this method, the test can be decided at the point-of-use, which prevents the need to stockpile multiple different tests.

“We take the guts of bacterial cells that perform various biological processes, freeze dry them down and put customized instructions – via DNA – into these assays. The customized instructions then direct the assay to make antibody-like binders, called nanobodies, to identify specific chem-bio threats – in the case of DaT: Antigen, toxins,” said Caitlin Sharpes, a senior scientist at the Center.

DaT: Antigen provides the warfighter with customized technology for in-the-field use while decreasing reliance on supply chains and cold-chain storage needed to store these tests. Freeze-drying the components reduces the need for climate-controlled storage and extends shelf life, and warfighters can activate the assay components at any time when encountering a potential threat.

The assay can be reprogrammed by rehydrating the freeze-dried components with a new set of DNA instructions in the field, which means it can test for more than just toxins. A warfighter could use the same “blank” test used to identify a harmful toxin and reprogram it to detect a human health marker, further minimizing supply chain logistics or improving diagnostics in austere settings.

“A critical commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) diagnostic test with a three-week shelf life set by the manufacturer could require continuous resupply if the point-of-need is two weeks away, which could result in waste if the diagnostics aren’t used,” said Dan Phillips, a CBC research biologist. “By modifying a DaT: Antigen to detect that human health marker, units made at the point-of-need could save the time, cost, and fuel needed to resupply these COTS diagnostics because you could make them at the point-of-need by reprogramming a DaT: Antigen toxin identification device for this purpose.” 

The team has refined this concept and technology through various operational analysis events and advanced technical demonstrations (ATDs) around the country, which put prototypes into the hands of Soldiers for further direct feedback. ATDs, such as the

Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Chemical and Biological Operational Analysis, held at Fort Dix, New Jersey in June, provide DaT: Antigen scientists with the ability to gather direct end-user feedback and incorporate warfighter-centric refinements into prototypes.

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