Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD – Future battlefields require an on-the-go approach to the identification of whatever biological threat our warfighters may come across. One such approach — Far-Forward Advanced Sequencing Technology, or F-FAST – uses rapid DNA and RNA sequencing systems for biothreat identification in far-forward environments.

While these types of tests normally require a degree of scientific know-how, researchers at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) are working to make F-FAST’s rapid testing methods quicker and simpler than ever to address all potential biothreats – including those that are emerging and genetically modified.

As opposed to the previous forms of assays (e.g., COVID-19 type tests), there is a need for DNA/RNA sequencing capability – the next frontier in pathogen identification – as the threat of modified pathogens can obfuscate traditional methods. According to CBC Research Biologist Dr. Cory Bernhards, F-FAST’s technology to perform rapid sequencing in the field, reach-back genome assembly can then be the catalyst to create countermeasures such as therapeutics or vaccines.

“The big thing is that most operators are not laboratory trained,” said Bernhards. “We’ve greatly simplified the sample preparation process for DNA and RNA sequencing in the field. We’ve moved to using syringes instead of pipettes, scaled up liquid volumes and reduced time and steps that are needed. As a result, we have developed the fastest DNA and RNA sequencing systems in the world, where military operators can go from sample to result in under 30 minutes.”

F-FAST is sponsored by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and the program recently transitioned the warfighter-focused systems to the Far-Forward Biological Sequencing (FFBS) Program of Record at the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense.

Other F-FAST partners include the Naval Research Laboratory and United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. While these partners focus on targeted sequencing, DEVCOM CBC have their sights set towards untargeted, whole genome sequencing.

“We obtain direct feedback from military operators during field tests on all aspects of our sequencing systems,” said Bernhards. “Then we immediately incorporate the feedback to develop the next iteration of the system. Using this approach, frequent field testing has enabled rapid development of these sequencing systems which are specifically designed to meet operator needs.”

F-FAST’s “quick and dirty” method of sequencing is its biggest attractor – good enough to identify a biothreat while also generating the sequencing data for further analysis. Getting warfighters the information they need quickly is critical in a field/combat setting.

“Even though we’ve simplified the sample preparation process for DNA/RNA sequencing drastically, operators would still prefer an automated sample preparation device to reduce their burden in the field,” said Bernhards. “So, this is what we are currently working toward.”

The F-FAST team has participated in field exercises as often as every three months during development, with each new challenge breeding even more innovation. F-FAST has been pushed to show its prowess in harsh environmental conditions such as Dugway Proving Ground, Utah in the summer (up to 100 ºF) and Fairbanks, Alaska in the winter (down to 0 ºF). In the few months left of the F-FAST program, the team is looking forward to additional field experiments at Beholder’s Gaze 24 in Oahu, Hawaii and Dragon Spear RDAX 24 in Perry, Georgia.

After F-FAST was tested at a prior exercise, SOCOM operators were asked what was further needed. Their response was simple: “We want F-FAST tomorrow.”