BABOTS

Genetically modified worms designed for collective pathogen detection and attack in agriculture.

Started on October 1st 2023, this project aims to establish a fundamentally new technology of Biological Animal roBots (BABots), consisting of small animals with a genetically modified nervous system, enabling the execution of a desired repertoire of behaviors beyond their natural abilities. We will implement the first BABot system in C. elegans, a 1 mm long nematode worm. These worms will be programmed to act as a collective, and to detect, locate and attack invading pathogens in an agricultural setting. Being 100% biological, BABots are highly compatible with the natural environment, self-producible, and fully degradable. They will also be agile and highly sensitive to surrounding signals. To control BABot behaviour, we will genetically insert specific new synaptic connections and synthetic gene circuits in C. elegans to produce artificial aggregation, dynamic sensorimotor switching and other functional building blocks. To ensure a safe and controlled deployment, we will genetically implement a multi-layered biocontainment apparatus. To gain tighter control over the BABot collective behaviour, we will exploit heterogeneity in the population, blending, for example, leader and follower BABots, based on their differential access to information. The science behind this innovative technology includes a synthetic neurobiological approach to modifying individual worm behaviour, the study of collective behaviour in engineered worms, and the development of a theory of heterogeneity-based swarm control. We also dedicate a substantial effort to establish a firm and effective safety, ethical and regulatory framework, under which current and future BABots can be developed. This project will generate a radically new approach to bio-robotics that could contribute to precision agriculture, industry and medicine. Improving over a previous proposal, we significantly enhanced (i) the methodology, (ii) the safety and ethical aspects, and (iii) the demonstration and exploitation by implementation in an agricultural setting.