GUARDIAN: Genetic Utilization for Advanced Regulation and Defense of Indigenous and Native Species

Invasive species pose a significant and growing threat to global economies and ecological stability.

To address this challenge, DARPA is launching the GUARDIAN program, which aims to develop innovative, safe, and rapid deployment methods for mitigating the risk of invasive species impacting U.S. agriculture and ecosystems. GUARDIAN will focus on creating and testing advanced engineering tools to target specific invasive species, such as the New World Screwworm (NWS) and the Brown Tree Snake (BTS).

Unlike current reactive methods, GUARDIAN seeks to develop proactive, long-term solutions for protecting agricultural resources and native species to safeguard U.S. agriculture and ecosystem health while prioritizing safety and responsible innovation.