Darpa wants to genetically engineer soldiers' skin bacteria to protect them from mosquitoes

[sl8]

From https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/darpa-wants-to-genetically-engineer-soldiers-skin-bacteria-to-protect-them-from-mosquitoes/3010506.article

Darpa wants to genetically engineer soldiers’ skin bacteria to protect them from mosquitoes


BY REBECCA TRAGER
17 MAY 2019

A new project to provide long-term protection from mosquito-borne illnesses by genetically engineering people’s skin bacteria has been launched by the US Department of Defense (DOD). The goal of the programme is to give US soldiers lasting defence against a range of serious mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya that can rundown a unit’s fighting fitness.

Mosquitoes are able to find their next meal by sniffing out certain chemicals released by a person. Bacteria living on a person’s skin consume their metabolites and turn them in chemicals that, depending on the strains present, can make the person smell more attractive to mosquitoes.

Dubbed ReVector, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) launched the four-year initiative earlier this month. Its goal is to create easily delivered treatments, such as topical solutions, that confuse or repel mosquitos within hours and keeps them away for at least two weeks. ReVector participants have to demonstrate a safe, precise treatment that delivers a 100-fold reduction in mosquito feeding within the four years of the project’s lifespan. Full proposals in response to Darpa’s announcement are due by 11 July.

‘Mosquitoes are attracted to the products of humans’ microbial metabolism,’ explains ReVector programme manager Chris Sund. ‘Darpa is asking the teams proposing to ReVector to identify the specific molecular and microbial features that differentiate attraction levels, model those molecular networks and identify leverage points for reducing attraction, and design strategies and methods to alter microbiomes to reduce mosquito attraction and feeding.’

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More at link.

[keithbvadu2]

1. Why am I suspicious of side effects and long term effects of messing with body chemistry?

Why am I suspicious of side effects and long term effects of messing with body chemistry?

[rampartc]

2. what could possibly go wrong?

adding sickle cells to the blood might work with the added benefit that troops so treated would not have long expensive retirements.

more seriously, malaria has had more effect on warfare than you might think. many of the inion troops at vicksburg were weakened or killed by malaria and yellow fever. in vuetnam we took orange pillls with side effects so debilitating that many were thrown away.

[harumph]

3. Uh.., this is a bad idea. Interactions between our skin bacteria and secretions/sebum

while making us attractive for mosquitos, may actually benefit us in some way we don't yet understand. We're still learning that we know so little about the microbiome. Moreover, we need healthy skin staph to protect us from colonization from other
pathological organisms. Changing the local bacteria may degrade the ability of friendly microbes to
keep away (read "out-compete&quot pathogens. If this story is substantially true, such an
undertaking is mind mindbogglingly stupid and
risky.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3535073/

But clearly, there's a lot of PhDs that are like "Sure - we can do it - show me the $$!"
Seems like it's e-v-e-r-y f-u-c-k-i-n-g
day now I read some really crazy shit people are seriously pursuing.

[SMC22307]

4. As someone who gets eaten alive by mosquitoes...

this both terrifies and fascinates me.

[DFW]

5. There is another solution, though it might be too radical for the Trumpanzees

Just don't send our soldiers on some useless mission to a country where there are a lot of mosquitoes.