"According to the program's stated goals, DARPA is looking to "engineer red blood cells to contain novel biological features that can safely and reliably modify human physiology." In the short term, DARPA wants these bio-engineered red blood cells to improve human performance (think faster recovery times, more resistance to lactic acid buildup that causes muscle soreness, improved cardiovascular fitness, and the like) and "enhanced hemostasis," i.e., better blood clotting."
"Last week, the Pentagon's research arm posted a special notice for what it's calling the Smart-Red Blood Cells (Smart-RBC) program. Designed to generate interest among researchers, this release precedes a formal request for proposals, which the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) told us may come in the next few weeks. There are good reasons for the secrecy, as a read of the special notice makes the program goals pretty clear"
DARPA posted a special notice for the Smart-Red Blood Cells (Smart-RBC) program to engineer red blood cells with additional biological features capable of safely and reliably modifying human physiology. Near-term goals include faster recovery, greater resistance to lactic acid buildup, improved cardiovascular fitness, and enhanced hemostasis. Longer-term aims include improved temperature regulation in extreme environments, better altitude acclimation, creation of universal blood, and more resilient blood products. Details about implementation remain scarce because the agency declined to answer questions, and the available description provides only abstract indications of intended engineering approaches.
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