The Defense Sciences Office (DSO) of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is hosting an Proposers' Day Workshop that will provide critical information on the program vision, the program objectives, and opportunities associated with the development of an interdisciplinary proposal to respond to an anticipated Broad Agency Announcement. This solicitation will be specifically for innovative multidisciplinary research proposals in the area of recombinant butyrylcholinesterase expression. The vision of the Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants program is to develop and demonstrate that recombinant butyrylcholinesterase can be expressed using a plant made pharmaceutical platform in Nicotiana benthamiana plants for a bioscavenger prophylaxis. The Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants program seeks the development and demonstration of technologies to include enzyme stabilization strategies that will result in human butyrylcholinesterase that has the properties equivalent to plasma-derived human butyrylcholinesterase in terms of pharmacokinetic stability and enzyme activity. The Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants Proposers' Day will introduce interested researchers to the details of the program, provide a forum to facilitate interaction and encourage collaboration between researchers with expertise in relevant disciplines.

The Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants Proposers' Day Workshop will be held at the Executive Conference Center, Suite 300, 4075 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22203. The goals of the workshop are to: (a) introduce the research community (academia and industry) to the Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants program vision and its goals; (b) explain the mechanics of a DARPA program and the objectives and milestones of this particular anticipated effort; and (c) encourage and promote collaborative arrangements among potential organizations that have the relevant expertise, facilities and capabilities for executing a research and development program responsive to the Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants program goals. The Proposers' Day Workshop will include overview presentations by government personnel describing the specific metrics for butyrylcholinesterase production, an information session to respond to questions from participants, a poster session to facilitate interaction and collaboration among the session participants and private sidebars that can be scheduled beforehand. Additionally, an information and teaming website will be provided to facilitate these interactions and can be found at https://team.sainc.com/rBuChE.

Potential participants should note that formation of research teams with sufficient expertise to address the objectives described in the anticipated BAA will be critical to the success of Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants program.

Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants Proposers' Day Workshop participants are encouraged to prepare posters describing areas of capabilities in order to facilitate communications, interactions, and collaboration discussions during the poster session. Workshop details including registration, poster session, meeting location and lodging are given on the registration website at is http://www.sa-meetings.com/DARPArBuCHE. The user name is DARPA and the password is Arlington (case sensitive).

There is no registration fee for the Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants Proposers' Day Workshop. Registration is limited (maximum 45 people) by the venue capacity. The registration cutoff date is 4:00PM ET, January 17, 2011, and early registration is strongly recommended.

Further administrative questions should be addressed to Ms. Jameel Bennett,
[email protected]. Please refer to the Butyrylcholinesterase Expression in Plants Proposers' Day Workshop (DARPA-SN-12-21) in all correspondence. This announcement is not a request for proposals; any so sent will be returned.

Point of Contact
Dr. Alan Magill, Program Manager, DARPA/DSO
Email: [email protected]

Bid Protests Not Available