Guidance

IFA041 – Revolutionizing Biosensing: Instant Detection within Aerosol Collector Substrates

Updated 23 April 2024

1. Revolutionizing Biosensing: Instant Detection within Aerosol Collector Substrates

Unique Identifier: IFA041

This IFA is now closed.

2. Background

Timely detection and identification of airborne pathogens or hazardous materials is crucial for an integrated systems-based response to a malicious release. This allows for quick implementation of measures to ensure safety. One common method for collecting airborne materials is via the capture of air samples onto filters, followed by removal and the specific detection of nucleic acids or surface antigens (e.g. PCR, ELISA). However, the downstream (i.e. off filter) processing step(s) increase burden for the user and delays actionable response, such as donning respiratory protection or taking medical countermeasures. Specific identification to species level is therefore critical to ensure timely intervention. Capacity to perform the assay while the sample is still on the filter would be a significant step-change in capability.

The vision of UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Security Partners Across Government (PAG) is to develop Generation-After-Next^{[footnote 1]} biological sensing capabilities that will sustain strategic advantage and contribute a decisive edge. The MOD is currently investing in several projects developing future platforms for which filter-based collection of airborne material will remain a favourable technology option. This Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Innovation Focus Area (IFA) is supporting efforts to leverage novel advances and techniques in the fields of sensing and filtration to understand and open the exciting potential to integrate biological sensing assays onto filters for UK defence and security applications.

Alongside experts from the UK, subject matter experts from across our International Research Collaboration (IRC) community in the USA, Canada and Australia will be invited to review the proposals. IRC interactions will be under relevant Memorandum of Understanding between UK MOD and US Department of Defense.

3. Scope

This IFA is seeking proposals that present novel solutions that facilitate detection and identification of biological threat materials on or within a filter substrate. The solution must:

• provide specific detection on or within the filter substrate to species level (i.e. via detection of specific macromolecules).
• be focused on sensing biological material from the aerosol phase
• be TRL 1 to 4
• projects are expected to be for 12 months including reporting within a budget of £50k to £150k

In addition, we are also interested in solutions that, alongside the above, will consider and overcome identified challenges in sensing on filters during bioaerosol collection. Examples include but are not limited to:

• the challenge of reagents desiccating on filters,
• ensuring relevant orientation of reagents on or within the filter material,
• humidity ranges experienced across day and night cycles,
• rapid and sensitive detection of pathogens on the filter (i.e. <60 min),
• multiplexed assays to cover broader species range,
• the diversity of non-biological material collected during real-world aerosol sampling that may inhibit the sensing assay.

The primary focus of proposals must be on bioaerosol sensing in the presence of an airstream and this will be a priority for success. However, we recognise that the complexity of the request, low technology readiness level (TRL) and time-scales are stretching. Approaches that support detection of biological material in liquid will be considered, providing the application supports overcoming some of the technical challenges expected with aerosols. Any liquid-based proposals must provide a clear and credible route to future integration of the bioassay onto or within filters supporting detection of captured bioaerosol. This must be clearly outlined in both the application and final report.

The proposal should contain comprehensive details of practical experimentation to be conducted. The applicant may wish to use microorganisms and assays of their own choice, and if they do, this should be clearly described within the proposal. If required, The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will provide ACDP Hazard Group 1 simulant material (e.g. Bacillus atrophaeus spores, Escherichia coli or bacteriophages). Similarly, small amounts of reagents to support nucleic acid and protein-based assessments of simulants can be provided as Government Funded Equipment (GFE; e.g. antibodies and PCR primer and probe sequences). Proposals need to include required quantities of GFE.

This IFA will run for a minimum of two cycles. Successful applicants will provide the following deliverables:

• Monthly progress presentations via MS Teams
• Quarterly progress report
• Final technical report and presentation on project completion
• On-site demonstration of experimental system

Multidisciplinary collaboration is encouraged to allow for all factors to be considered during the projects. It is not mandatory to adopt an interdisciplinary approach but suppliers must recognise that proposals will be scored higher for approaches that support experimental bioaerosol assessment.

4. Clarification

This IFA differs from previous calls by focusing on a specific biosensing technical challenge. It encompasses the collection and specific detection of airborne biological hazards on or within the collector with positive signal generation at the point of collection. This upholds the significant advantage of removing the requirement for down-stream sample processing.

We are interested in solutions that integrate a biological sensing assay(s) onto or within a filter substrate. The selected assay(s) will be chosen by the supplier and must be detailed in the proposal with evidence provided of why the approach should be successful for filter-based aerosol collection.
We are seeking proposals that:

• demonstrate evidence of an innovative and unique approach with practical experimentation
• incorporate assays supporting species level specificity with good sensitivity (detect at concentration of 100 microbes per litre of air)
• use microbe(s) to demonstrate functionality (preferably in aerosol phase)
• reduce downstream processing burden for filter-based collection techniques
• provide a readily discernible signal to a positive event in a rapid time frame (preferably equal to or less than 60 min)
• reach between Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1 and 4 by the end of contract
• consider at onset the real world challenges to prototyping concepts across TRL 5 to 7
• have project values of ideally between £50k to £150k
• have a project duration of no more than 12 months including reporting

We are not seeking proposals that:

• solely focus on application of liquid (though liquid will be considered providing a comprehensive future plan to progress to aerosol assessment is in evidenced).
• solely focus on novel filter materials without combining bio-sensing assay(s)
• focus on methods that do not offer specificity to species level. For example, methods that provide generic classification such as classifying bacteria from pollen will not be supported.
• propose to exceed past TRL 4 by end of contract
• are solely literature reviews
• offer demonstrations of off-the-shelf products requiring no experimental development (unless applied in a novel way)
• offer no real long-term prospect of integration into defence and security capabilities
• offer no real prospect of out-competing existing technological solutions

If you are unsure whether your innovation is within scope of the IFA please discuss this with your regional Innovation Partner

5. Exploitation

We anticipate successful funded proposals will lead to further exploitation within defence and security to increase TRL from 4 to 7 to develop the concept into a prototype. The extension of invitation to review proposals to our IRC partners may provide additional avenues for exploitation.

Promising solutions may be applicable to other areas of defence and security such as chemical and explosive sensing. Solutions that are applicable to biological sensing in the defence domain will also have application to challenges in airborne sensing in the public and medical health (e.g. SARS-CoV-2), environmental monitoring (for example, endotoxin exposure levels from landfill sites) and agricultural or livestock industries (such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus or avian influenza).

This IFA is now closed.

1. Generation-After-Next definition: A capability that does not presently exist and contributing technology is not fully understood. Concepts will be ‘leap ahead’ and world-leading to challenge the boundaries of current knowledge and emerging understanding ↩