Ginkgo Is Trying to Detect Future Man-Made Biological Threats

Synthetic biology firm Ginkgo Bioworks has developed tools that US intelligence agencies can use to detect engineered DNA at scale, a milestone that could better protect the nation from human-made biological threats. The new software could be used to provide an early warning of bioweapons, such as a new deadly bacteria, or a modified virus that thwarts existing vaccines.

As biological engineering becomes cheaper and more accessible, the US government has doubled down on efforts to detect and prevent both accidental and deliberate threats. Through a partnership with the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, a high-risk research agency within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Ginkgo has created software that will help the US determine when biological organisms, such as viruses, plants or animals, have been genetically engineered.