Soldiers on gene doping. New DARPA project

Last drop

Every year the loss of a well-trained soldier on the battlefield costs the state more expensive. Kip financial guarantees that have to pay for the defense departments of different countries, as well as the inevitable reputational loss from the deaths of soldiers forced to look for new approaches to warfare. On the one hand, flirting with robotics – not coincidentally, unmanned aerial vehicles have become a mainstream in recent years. Still training a good pilot is very expensive, and "inhuman" the device is much cheaper than a manned – lose it not so pathetic. Despite the progress in robotics technology heaven, the ground system is far for universal automation, or at least the transition on the remote control. Therefore, infantry will try to improve by other means – that he fought more effectively from bullets dodged, not tired and not hurt. Initially in this case assistants must become different exoskeletons, but they are under the current energy accumulation technologies can perform their functions for a limited time. Besides, it is unclear how long will be able to work with such an exoskeleton, for example, at temperatures below minus 20 degrees. Anyway, the most efficient fighter is well-trained, physically strong and healthy man. But now, most optimal training mode and military power, it seems, stared at the ceiling of human ability. And, if we ignore all the medical stuff that turns soldiers into addicts, it seems, the only way to "advanced settings" of the body becomes an upgrade genotype.

General Electric Research, one of the project participants Measuring Biological Aptitude

In January 2019 DARPA, the forge, all the new in the military sphere Americans launched MBA program (Measuring Biological Aptitude, "the Measurement of biological abilities"). Estimated project implementation period is limited to four years. It attracted a distinguished MBA office: research cluster giant General Electric — GE Research, Florida Institute for human and machine cognition (Institute for Human Machine Cognition) and Livermore the lab to them. Lawrence.

At the moment, DARPA is very vaguely explains the main areas of work of the team. It is clear that GE Research is working on a special miniature eagle with sensors that read the weight parameters of the body at different points in the life of a soldier. The second analytical tool is developed in Institute for Human Machine Cognition dental pad. Lawrence Livermore laboratory coordinates the work units and analyzes and summarizes results. A set of microneedles, which, it seems, Americans will fill their fighters will allow you to remotely monitor the physiological status of soldiers. And in the most crucial moments of the battle the commander of the unit based on the readings of the sensors will decide whom to throw into the attack, and who better to temporarily withdraw to the rear for recovery. Most likely, the human mind will not be able to promptly work with such data stream, so recommendations to the commander on the nature of warfare will give still artificial intelligence. That is, indirectly, to manage human resources.

The Lawrence Livermore laboratory im. Lawrence

In a lengthy reasoning about the goals of the DARPA stands out especially the analysis of human genotype and phenotype (the external manifestation). That is, the Americans are trying to develop mechanisms for more effective implementation inherent in the person's genetic potential – enhance expression of the desired genes to the fighter. For this purpose, according to representatives of DARPA, 70 subjects will take into account all the nuances of the body during periods of physical activity, stress and rest. Psychologists will be test subjects for intelligence, memory, attention and learning ability. Of course, pre-all carefully scan the genome and correlate it with phenotypic traits. In case of detection of a useful "fighting" genes that for some reason "sleep", that is, not Express, researchers will find a way to make it work. Here DARPA, it seems, are swung on fundamental research into the complex mechanisms of information transfer from genes to external phenotypic characteristics. Can the three institutions will solve this problem? The question remains open. Still, for decades the leading geneticists of the world are grappling with varying degrees of success. As you know, with the same set of genes in the phenotype of different individuals can experience a huge variety of external signs.


In the first phase of work, scientists will be looking for useful "design" the perfect soldier. For this, sensors will have the most successful fighters of the US army, to highlight the most characteristic features (for example, reduced heartbeat in a stressful situation) and after the analysis will begin to search the genetic prerequisites of the phenomenon. Special attention will be given to highly specialized professionals-snipers, sappers, pilots, intelligence officers and operators of complex equipment. As a bonus program Measuring Biological Aptitude will be a universal career guidance programme of work with new recruits of the US army. Here, for example, came a young man to enter flight school. All are very good: health excellent, smart, and psychologicallysustainable but here are a couple of genetic markers shows that much more successful future cadet will manifest itself in the case of the operator of the UAV or a sniper. Remains only to convince the military of the future that he was no "flyer."

This Whole story looks very nice from the outside, however, given the rich history of military pharmacy of the USA, there is the idea that DARPA still considers different development scenarios of the program. Separate products of the project can be as chemicals that enhance the performance of individual groups of genes, and outright genetic doping. The benefit of sports medicine has accumulated a sufficient competence in this regard.

Gene doping

Technology of improving the physical performance of athletes and accelerate rehabilitation after the competition has long moved from a purely chemical doping on the rails of genetic improvement. One important advantage of genetic doping is its almost complete secrecy from the officers of WADA. The first and only case of the use in sport of this kind of doping was the use in 2003 of the drug repoxygen pharmaceutical company Oxford BioMedica. He was tried on their children's coach Thomas Springstein, for which he incurred criminal liability. Drug repoxygen, by the way, was not intended for gene doping, and was a cure for anemia containing gene (enclosed in a viral vector) of erythropoietin. Now on the sports horizon is no scandalous news about the exposure of another athlete messing with the injection of foreign genes. All because to expose it is actually impossible in some cases doctors have learned to build individual bundles of muscles by local injections of genetic material. But in order to track this, the officer WADA is required to take a blood sample from the place of injection, and this, of course, impossible. In all self-respecting sports powers accumulated considerable genetic banks data of outstanding athletes, which are stored, naturally, not only as a legacy to posterity. Therefore, sports genetics and pharmacology, as well as the completion of the resonance project "human Genome" has created all conditions for the further modification of the military.

On the hand playing and a progressive reduction in the cost of screening the human genome. Now we know about 200 genes responsible for physical abilities, which with proper level of desire can be a good to overclock on a specific individual. Yes, of course, the military requires more genes for cognitive activities, but their track a couple of years of studies is enough. Just list some of the most important biomarkers, which are factors in the success of an athlete: gene ACE or "the sports gene", different forms of which are responsible for endurance and speed-power qualities; the gene ACTN3 is an important factor in the success of physical training, responsible for the structure of muscle fibers; gene UCP2 regulates fat and energy metabolism, that is, allows the body to more efficiently burn fuel; HTR2A and 5HTT genes responsible for the serotonin in the body – the hormone of happiness. In General, the nature and scale of the sporting achievements of genetics allows to draw the following conclusions. First, it seems that the ceiling in the sports gene doping is if not achieved, then it's going to be. And researchers with pharmaceutical companies need new markets. Second, the U.S. military in connection with the initiative Measuring Biological Aptitude are the ideal consumers of the technologies of gene doping. Rather, the study of the processes of gene expression in the phenotype of the person just discusses the adaptation of sports technology to the military. And microneedle sensors here can be very helpful.

Of Course, nobody talks about the widespread invasion of genetically modified combat cyborgs armed with the stars and stripes, but a qualitative strengthening of the combat capabilities of the US army may well take place in the foreseeable future.