The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is in need of research teams for the development of a scent-based technology to lower mosquito attraction through the temporary alteration of skin microbiome. The four-year ReVector project seeks to repel mosquitoes through the mediation of skin microbiome interaction and body metabolites to reduce the instances of disease transmission, DARPA said Friday.
“DARPA wants to apply the tools of biological engineering to create a new protective approach that is optimized for troops in the field,” said Christian Sund, program manager for ReVector.
The selected researchers under the project are required to study the variability between individual microbiomes and create a product that will function on a range of varying microbiome types. Interested researchers may present their plans for the project and are required to have worked with the Food and Drug Administration as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.
The agency noted that it aims to use the planned technology in other medical applications including wound and infection treatments.