Genomics
Genomics integrates rapid sequencing, metagenomics, transcriptomics and pharmacogenomics to identify pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and host-risk profiles. In military medicine it enables point-of-injury pathogen ID, vaccine and therapeutic design, population surveillance for outbreaks, and tailored medication strategies where delayed evacuation and austere care complicate treatment.
Technical Challenges
High-quality specimen collection, stabilization and extraction in austere, contaminated, or delayed-evacuation settings.
Field-deployable, rapid sequencing and sample-to-answer workflows that meet clinical turnaround requirements.
Real-time bioinformatics, variant interpretation and clinically actionable reporting suitable for non-specialist clinicians.
Integration of genomic data with electronic health records while maintaining DoD cybersecurity, privacy and chain-of-custody.
Regulatory, ethical and logistics barriers for genomic surveillance, sample sharing and cross-jurisdictional data access.
Emerging Opportunities
Robust, low-power nucleic acid extraction and stabilization kits optimized for battlefield/environmental samples.
Validated, point-of-care genomic assays that deliver pathogen ID, AMR markers and host biomarkers within clinically relevant windows.
Curated reference databases and military-relevant pathogen/strain catalogs for accurate metagenomic interpretation.
Automated clinical decision-support tools that translate genomic findings into treatment recommendations for medics in prolonged care.
Current and Emerging Technologies in Genomics
Portable and rapid sequencing
Nanopore and other portable sequencers enable near-real-time whole-genome and targeted sequencing for pathogen ID and outbreak tracking at forward-deployed sites.
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS)
Unbiased mNGS identifies bacteria, viruses, fungi and novel agents from complex samples, critical for unknown febrile illnesses and biodefense surveillance.
Targeted panels and rapid PCR-based genomics
Amplicon and hybrid-capture panels rapidly detect resistance genes, virulence factors, and known pathogenic strains with streamlined workflows for point-of-care use.
CRISPR-based diagnostics & isothermal assays
SHERLOCK/DETECTR and other CRISPR diagnostics offer sensitive, rapid detection with minimal instrumentation—suitable for austere settings and field screening.
Single-cell and transcriptomic host-response profiling
Host transcriptomic signatures distinguish bacterial vs viral infections, predict sepsis risk, and inform triage and tailored therapeutics in prolonged-field-care scenarios.
AI-driven bioinformatics and clinical decision support
Machine learning accelerates variant interpretation, AMR prediction and phenotype inference, producing actionable, clinician-friendly reports at the point of care.
Importance to Military Medicine
Rapid battlefield diagnostics and outbreak control
Genomic tools identify pathogens and variants in near real-time, enabling targeted containment, force-preservation, and faster therapeutic selection in forward environments.
Precision pharmacology and trauma care
Pharmacogenomic profiling reduces adverse drug events, optimizes analgesia and antimicrobial therapy in polytrauma and prolonged care where evacuation is delayed.
Readiness and population-level surveillance
Genomic surveillance supports force health monitoring, vaccine strain selection, and anticipatory mitigation of infectious threats that degrade readiness.
Support for prolonged and distributed care
Portable genomic assays and decision-support extend diagnostic capability into austere, far-forward settings, improving outcomes when definitive care is delayed.
Alignment with the MTEC Mission
Accelerates translation of genomic innovations to operational use, consistent with MTEC’s DoD-focused mission to field technologies faster for Warfighters.
Promotes cross-disciplinary collaboration—biotech, clinical labs, informatics and defense stakeholders—required to validate and deploy genomic solutions.
Supports dual-use outcomes: military-readiness improvements with downstream civilian public-health and biodefense benefits.
Dual-Use (Military + Civilian) Applications
Pathogen detection and antimicrobial-resistance surveillance for force health protection and public-health integration.
Pharmacogenomics and host-response profiling to personalize drug selection and predict complications after polytrauma or TBI.
Vaccine and therapeutic development informed by genomic surveillance and strain characterization.
Forensic and environmental genomics for contamination assessment, biothreat attribution and mission-area biosafety.
Explore MTEC Members with Genomics Capabilities
MTEC members bring clinical laboratories, sequencing platform developers, bioinformatics innovators and translational researchers who can validate, scale and operationalize genomic solutions for DoD needs.
Members offer regulatory, clinical-trial, and field-evaluation expertise to navigate approval, deployment and sustainment in austere and secure environments.
Explore member profiles to identify partners with sequencing hardware, reagent engineering, AI-driven analytics and military clinical experience ready to co-develop and transition genomics capabilities into operational use.
102 Members with Genomics capabilities.
The University of Texas System is a leading public university system in the United States, dedicated to improving lives through education, health care, and research. With over 256,000 students enrolled across 14 institutions, the UT System is committed to providing affordable access to higher education and producing a skilled workforce to drive Texas's economy.
Georgia Southern University is a vibrant institution with over 26,100 students across three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, and Hinesville. The university offers 132 degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels, emphasizing student success, community impact, and research excellence. With a commitment to inclusivity and engagement, Georgia Southern fosters a supportive environment for diverse learners, including military-affiliated and adult students. The university is dedicated to transforming lives through education and community engagement, aligning its programs with regional needs. Additionally, Georgia Southern provides accelerated pathways for students to fast-track their master's degrees, enhancing educational opportunities. The university also emphasizes career readiness and public impact research, preparing students for successful careers and contributing to community development.
CRI Genetics, part of the Cellular Research Institute, aims to unlock complex genetic information and present it in an engaging and useful manner. Their mission is to enhance human life and advance the understanding of the human genome through consumer genetic reports and active participation in scientific research. They believe genetic analysis is the future of medicine and are committed to solving complex medical problems. The company ensures the privacy and security of customer data, offering an 8-week efficiency guarantee for delivering genetic reports.
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research, teaching, and community engagement. As a premier public research university, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a catalyst for socioeconomic development, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
Auburn University Research & Economic Development is dedicated to advancing research and economic growth through a collaborative effort among its various colleges and departments. The organization focuses on fostering innovation, supporting faculty and student research, and facilitating partnerships with industry and government to address societal challenges and enhance the quality of life. Recent initiatives include the launch of the Team Science Series to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of the Gulf Coast Engineering Research Station to address coastal environmental challenges.
Seek Labs is a biotechnology company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and delivering universal healthcare solutions. The company specializes in next-generation point-of-care molecular diagnostics and programmable CRISPR-based therapeutics, aiming to bridge the gap between disease outbreak and intervention. Powered by its proprietary AI discovery engine, BioSeeker™, Seek Labs is building a modular, full-stack system that enables rapid response to emerging pathogens, scalable precision treatments, and accessible diagnostics. The company is committed to global health innovation, sustainability, and community engagement, and is a proud member of Utah's BioHive life sciences ecosystem. Seek Labs' mission is to empower individuals with healthcare solutions tailored to their specific needs, revolutionizing the detection and treatment of diseases for both human and animal health.
The Institute for Integrative & Innovative Research (I³R) at the University of Arkansas is dedicated to pioneering solutions to wicked problems and societal challenges through convergence research. With a mission to advance research excellence and stimulate economic development, I³R focuses on deploying innovations at scale through collaboration across various sectors, including academia, industry, and government.
UTMB is dedicated to supporting research, education, and scholarly endeavors, with a focus on creating the future of healthcare through innovative research and community engagement.
Vindhya Data Science is a women-owned small business headquartered in North Carolina, USA, with a presence in RTP and Boston. We specialize in bioinformatics, genomics, artificial intelligence, and data engineering, cheminformatics, evidence-based medicine, epidemiology and related disciplines. Vindhya partners with federal government agencies, leading academic medical centers, and pharma/biotech organizations to transform large datasets into informed decisions using advanced data science technologies. With over 100 years of combined experience, 150+ publications, and 73+ successful projects, Vindhya is committed to delivering impactful solutions in the life sciences sector.
Revolution Biomanufacturing Inc. (RBIx) is expanding beyond traditional CDMO Process/Analytical Development and Manufacturing services to pioneer distributed molecular manufacturing. A new class of digital biomanufacturing that enables the autonomous design, manufacture, quality verification, and deployment of Nucleic Acid therapeutics and molecular diagnostics at the point of need. By integrating AI-driven sequence optimization, enzymatic nucleic acid synthesis, Nanoparticle design and manufacturing (LNP & EV), closed-loop quality control, and field-deployable manufacturing platforms, RBIx is creating adaptive biological infrastructure capable of responding to emerging diseases, national security threats, and personalized medicine with unprecedented speed and flexibility.
The University of Chicago is a prestigious urban research university committed to rigorous inquiry and intellectual freedom. Founded in 1890, it has produced numerous Nobel laureates and is known for its transformative education and groundbreaking research across various fields. The university fosters an inclusive and diverse learning environment, encouraging participation from all community members.
Boston University is a major research institution committed to leading breakthroughs across various disciplines. The Office of Research supports and advances research excellence, fostering collaboration among researchers, industry partners, and government leaders to address significant societal challenges.
Cooper University Health Care is a regional academic health system recognized for comprehensive clinical services, advanced multidisciplinary care, specialized surgery, and robust research in South Jersey. It provides integrated healthcare across general and specialty domains, including cancer, neurosciences, cardiology, trauma, genetics, addiction medicine, and complex surgical procedures, supported by leading technologies and a network of modern facilities.
Baylor University is a preeminent Christian research university committed to addressing the world's most meaningful challenges through top-tier research and scholarship. Recognized as an R1 research institution, Baylor focuses on infusing its distinct Christian mission into its research initiatives, fostering a commitment to excellence and innovation.
TIMSER S.A.P.I. de C.V. is a biomedical company in Mexico developing accessible and non-invasive blood-based screening solutions for early detection of cervical cancer and its precursor lesions. The company leverages more than a decade of research to advance clinically validated molecular diagnostics using protein biomarkers identified through proteomics and molecular biology approaches. These technologies address barriers to traditional screening and are backed by extensive national and international patent coverage and clinical trial validation involving hundreds of participants.
Base Pair Biotechnologies specializes in custom aptamer discovery and development for research, diagnostics, therapeutics, and industrial applications. The company leverages proprietary multiplex selection, advanced bioinformatics, and chemical modification techniques to develop high-affinity and selective nucleic acid aptamers. Base Pair enables affinity reagent development, biosensor design, and molecular detection for a broad range of targets and partners across academia and industry.

NIRSense
Rugged Physiological Monitoring for the Modern Warfighter: NIRSense
Under MTEC-21-10-NavyMultiTopic, NIRSense is advancing its tactical jet physiological monitoring technology for broader Navy applications. The project focuses on ruggedized, wireless physiological sensors that can provide reliable, real-time insight into warfighter health and performance in demanding operational environments.
Safi Biotherapeutics
Next-Generation Manufactured Red Blood Cells for Extended Battlefield Blood Supply: Safi Biotherapeutics
Safi Biotherapeutics is developing manufactured red blood cells (mRBCs) with extended shelf life to improve battlefield transfusion readiness and emergency trauma care.
Non-Invasive Glymphatic (GF) Monitoring and Recovery Optimization for Warfighter Cognitive Readiness
Applied Cognition is developing non-invasive glymphatic monitoring and recovery technologies to enhance warfighter cognitive readiness, resilience, and sleep recovery.
Moberg Analytics
Moberg Analytics – Advanced Brain Monitoring & Critical Care Informatic
Moberg’s platform unifies brain monitoring data for faster, precise treatment of severe brain injuries in military and civilian care.