Triangulation Identification for Genetic Evaluation of Risks (TIGER)

Program Description:

To detect the presence of a threat agent, DARPA is investing in the development of advanced Biosensor Defense Systems that are robust, autonomous, fast, and sensitive to any known bacterial or viral organism, as well as to novel natural or engineered biowarfare agents. One such system is the TIGER sensor system.

TIGER, or Triangulation for Genetic Evaluation of Risks, is a novel and potentially universal approach to bio-detection. The TIGER sensor system combines a new triangulation approach for universal genome evaluation with advanced mass spectrometry and rigorous bio-informatic analysis. Triangulation involves integrating data from multiple regions along an organism�s genome to derive a unique identifier for that organism. This enables a high detection probability for known, unknown, and bioengineered threats in complex mixtures. In FY 2002, we have deployed a �laboratory quality� TIGER system that analyzed the biological makeup of real background environments. Through FY 2003, the team will continue to refine the detection strategy in light of the newfound knowledge gained by analyzing bacterial and viral samples from various sources. We hope to have a prototype design, which has a smaller logistics footprint, by FY 2004.

The above is quoted from DARPA's website. Does anyone have any additional information concerning this subject?


Mr. M