Protein ENGineering (PENG)
DARPA will fund research to develop a multifunctional, programmable platform for precise editing and rewriting of endogenous proteins, validated through cellular and organoid demonstrations.
⚑ DARPA solicitation; federal contract-style applicant restrictions may apply · High-risk, milestone-driven platform development with validation in organoids/cellular models · Not a clinical service or human-subjects program
This is a DARPA wet-lab protein-engineering/biomedical platform program, which is far outside IPPRA’s social-behavioral portfolio. The team’s strengths are public opinion, risk communication, education policy, and hazard/emergency studies, so this would not plausibly be pursued by any roster member as PI-level research.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-08-22
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 90 strong | technical depth: central; funds applied research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
| IPPRA | 40 partial | outside portfolio topics; social/behavioral work is none; funds applied research; biomedical core — IPPRA health lane is communication/crisis/policy (capped) |
Description
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals for the development of a multifunctional, target-agnostic platform for precise, programmable editing of endogenous proteins. The goal of the Protein ENGineering (PENG) program is to transition proteome engineering from a collection of isolated, bespoke tools into a universal, software-defined discipline. The PENG program will establish a comprehensive, integrated platform composed of modular targeting, generalizable effector chemistries, and multiplexed control systems. Rather than developing isolated, target-specific tools, performers will integrate novel splicing, ligation, and co-translational techniques to directly recognize, modify, and rewrite endogenous proteins within complex biological architectures. Performers may explore multiple technical paths, progressively advancing their approaches from foundational validation to robust demonstrations of efficacy. Ultimately, this integrated platform will be validated in high-fidelity cellular models (e.g., organoids), to provide an integrated proof-of-concept at the tissue level.
Eligibility
Applicant restrictions (federal contract). Set-aside: . Notice type: Solicitation. Organization: DEPT OF DEFENSE / DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA) / DEF ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGCY.
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