Request for Information: Biomolecule Purification

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) seeks information on novel methods for the purification of large complex molecules that will enable the creation of a universal purification platform capable of separating and recovering multiple large and complex molecules with high specificity, purity, and yield from complex feedstock. It is anticipated that such a platform will decrease the time and complexity of purification and eliminate the need for multistep chromatography processes, which DARPA believes to be the state of the art. In addition, this RFI seeks to understand a) the current advances and challenges in the purification of biologically produced proteins, as well as of other critical biologically produced molecules that could benefit from a novel purification approach, and b) new operational capabilities enabled by novel purification approaches. Responses to this RFI will be used to inform the development of a new program.