Skip to main content

NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

DARPA Friend or Foe (FoF) – Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V)

Summary

The development of new platforms for characterization of complex microbial samples are hampered by lack of reproducibility and comparability across different laboratories. ​In an effort to improve measurements of complex microbial mixtures, NIST has joined the DARPA FoF program as the IV&V team to provide mock communities for FoF performers to benchmark their technologies. 

Description

Vision

Validate new measurement platforms for identifying commensal (friend) and pathogenic (foe) microorganisms 

Goal

Provide well-characterized, microbial community reference materials of increasing complexity 

Approach

Start with well-characterized pure cultures and scale up to complex consortia in simulated matrices

Deliverables

  1. Three distinct microbial consortia of increasing complexity (20 strains, 30 strains, and >50 strains) and 3 simulated matrices (e.g. soil) 
  2. Methods for systematic characterization of complex communities (e.g., next generation sequencing, growth, interactions) 
DARPA IV&V Workflow

Major Accomplishments

  1. More than 150 commensal and pathogenic bacterial strains
  2. Method development for engineering mixed species microbial consortia 
  3. Lyophilized communities that included pathogens and non-pathogens 
Created February 11, 2020, Updated March 27, 2025
Was this page helpful?