Lincoln Laboratory and National Strategic Research Institute team up to address biothreats through student research program

A joint announcement from MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the National Strategic Research Institute was recently issued.

Teaming up, MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) at the University of Nebraska (NU), a DoD-designated university research center, have initiated a collaborative student research initiative.

The primary objective is to leverage the scientific knowledge, advanced capabilities, and student resources of NU and MIT to address critical issues in global health and agricultural security. The aim is to foster innovative solutions for the detection and mitigation of emerging biological threats.

“Our partnership with NSRI to develop essential biotechnologies for enhancing national security is a thrilling prospect,” stated Catherine Cabrera, who heads Lincoln Laboratory’s Biological and Chemical Technologies Group. “This collaboration underscores our joint dedication to protecting America through scientific excellence.”

“In a swiftly changing landscape of threats, continuous innovation is necessary to stay one step ahead,” said David Roberts, the NSRI research director for special programs. “This collaboration amalgamates the unique strengths of two prominent academic institutions and research centers to pioneer new approaches in biological defense.”

Supported by a DoD agency, the partners conducted a pilot within the MIT Engineering Systems Design and Development II course. The objective for students was to devise swift screening methods for detecting novel biosynthetic capacities. Traditional methods are currently constrained by the absence of standardized, high-throughput devices for cultivating traditionally “uncultivable” microorganisms, limiting the diversity of cells available for bioprospecting or biomanufacturing.

Under the guidance of Todd Thorsen, a member of Lincoln Laboratory’s Biological and Chemical Technologies Group, MIT students designed the “Bioprospecting Experimentation Apparatus with Variable Environmental Regulation” project. The focus was on creating uncomplicated high-throughput tools with integrated environmental control systems to broaden the spectrum of environmental testing.

“This program, which accentuates engineering design and prototyping, challenges students to apply their theoretical classroom knowledge to real-world issues,” Thorsen explained. “The hands-on nature of this course provides an exciting platform for students to demonstrate their abilities in developing functional and user-friendly products. The students’ integration of diverse expertise into the design and prototyping of biomedical devices was particularly impressive, drawing on backgrounds in fields like fluid mechanics, controls, and solid mechanics.”

A total of 12 mechanical engineering students participated in the program, producing and validating a gas gradient manifold prototype and a droplet-dispensing manifold capable of creating custom pH gradients in standard 96-well plates used for biomedical research. These devices will significantly streamline and expedite the microculture of complex mixtures of organisms, such as bacterial populations with unknown growth conditions, enabling users to adjust environmental parameters effectively without the need for cumbersome anaerobic chambers typically used in microbiology research.

“This class introduced me to the world of microfluidics and biotechnology, and thanks to our supporters, I have gained the confidence to pursue a biotech career,” remarked Rachael Rosco, a graduate student in MIT’s mechanical engineering program. “The project’s significance is evident, and I am optimistic that our efforts will have a meaningful impact. Perhaps our work could lead to the cultivation of extremophile bacteria on extraterrestrial bodies in the future!”

The collaboration aims to secure additional DoD research funding to create opportunities for workforce development among top scientific talent and expose students to enduring challenges within the DoD. Projects will span various facilities at NSRI, NU, Lincoln Laboratory, and MIT across the country.