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Automated Approaches to Cellular Engineering and Biomanufacturing

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Contract: D14PC00005
Agency Tracking Number: D2-1251
Amount: $1,000,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: ST12B-003
Solicitation Number: 2012.0
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2012
Award Year: 2014
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2013-12-18
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2015-12-27
Small Business Information
1120 Atlantis Ave
Lafayette, CO 80026-1237
United States
DUNS: 000000000
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Brent Lutz
 President & CEO
 (720) 235-8217
 blutz@covitect.com
Business Contact
 Mr. Brent Lutz
Title: Dr.
Phone: (720) 235-8217
Email: blutz@covitect.com
Research Institution
 University of Florida
 Roslyn Heath
 
PO Box 116550 - 339 Weil Hall
Gainesville, FL 11655
United States

 (352) 392-9447
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

Genome-scale predictable cellular design and engineering of biomanufacturing systems is the overarching goal of DARPAs Living Foundries and 1000 Molecules programs and, if realized, will enable rapid engineering of living systems for a broad range of applications in biotechnology and pharmacology. However, constructing living cells with designed genome is an arduous task that is severely limited by inherent challenges in engineering biological systems reducibility and reproducibility. Parameters of the vast diversity of bioreactions networks (reaction pathways and kinetics) need to be established in well-controlled environments, in order to achieve robust predictability of design in the Living Foundries approach. To achieve such predictability, Covitect and its partners propose to use arrays of multiplexed in vitro membrane-microreactors interfaced with assays, which allow the rapid study of complex reaction networks in a controlled environment with excellent reproducibility, high throughput and low cost. The end goal of the proposed effort is to develop and commercialize an automated and scalable toolset for high-throughput in-vitro evaluation of parameters (i.e, transfer functions), as well as prototyping and testing/validation of performance screening of engineered pathways and devices, which will enable predictable and reproducible cellular design and engineering.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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