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

The GUARDIAN program seeks to develop Gene Drive Technologies (GDT) that can reach fieldablilty in 24 months targeting the controllable elimination of the Brown Tree Snake from Guam (BTS, located in Guam only).

Eradicating invasive species is a critical imperative for homeland security and agricultural resilience. Invasive species have already inflicted over $2.2 trillion in global damage in the past six decades. To combat this, the GUARDIAN project aims to develop and deploy advanced genome editing tools to precisely and controllably eliminate the invasive Brown Tree Snake (BTS) from Guam, while adhering to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulatory standards.

This adaptable toolkit will provide the Department of War and interagency partners with a vital resource for defending ecosystem health, potentially extending to a wide range of invasive species threats, focused on vertebrate control.

Guam Snake Controls

Current methods for BTS control on Guam, e.g., trapping and toxic baiting, have not significantly reduced the snake population despite significant investment. These controls are often only effective on small islands or before an invasive population becomes fully established, underscoring the need for new, more effective strategies.

GUARDIAN's innovative approach focuses on developing highly precise and controllable GDT that are more cost-effective and sustainable than current methods. 

Technical Areas for Gene Drive Technologies

GUARDIAN will focus on three key Technical Areas (TAs):

• TA1: GDT Precision
• TA2: GDT Control
• TA3: Fielding

By focusing on the penetrance and permanency of the genetic effect, TA1 aims to minimize off-target effects and resistance evolution through a systems engineering approach. 

Key elements include: 

• Creating rapid genome sequencing and annotation pipelines for non-model species
• Identifying effective target genes
• Rigorous modeling of off-target effects and resistance mechanisms
• Developing innovative methods for transgenics

TA2 aims to develop control systems, such as immunizing gene drives or Element Reversing the Autocatalytic Chain Reaction (ERACR) drives, leveraging insights from DARPA's Safe Genes program to focus on reversing a drive as needed.

TA3 will focus on field trial design and what regulators will need to launch an effective field trial, including methods for tagging GDT organisms to trace the population.

While the GUARDIAN program is focused on BTS, experience in vertebrate gene drives and snake and reptile cell culture and transgenics are welcome, and participation in Industry Day is encouraged. Teams that provide complete solutions are preferred; however, funding of specific tasks may be considered.