The history of biology is built on close-up observation. We use lasers to excite fluorescent proteins, then read them out under a microscope. We can engineer microbes to glow in response to almost any signal we want, but we can't see that glow from a distance because photons blend in with the background. This has kept biological sensing trapped at short range for decades.

Recent work from the Voigt lab at MIT has changed this. Chemla et al. (Nature Biotechnology, 2026) engineered bacteria that produce molecules with unique absorption signatures detectable by hyperspectral cameras mounted on drones and satellites. They demonstrated detection of bacterial gene expression from up to 90 meters away in a single image covering 4,000 square meters. This is the first time we can do long-range readouts of living cells, and it changes what's now possible with synthetic biology.

It means that, for the first time, we could plausibly build "continent-scale" biosensing networks, in which engineered microbes are used to sense signals, emit hyperspectral reporters, and be monitored continuously (without human sampling).

We are funding projects that build the scientific, technical, and practical foundations of this new field. And we are casting a wide net! Proposals might include simulations to find new hyperspectral molecules that are biologically compatible or have faster diffusion or higher spectral resolution. They might involve engineering microbes to detect and transduce new signals, or small-scale hardware experiments to build cheaper hyperspectral cameras. Literature reviews, historical analyses of hyperspectral technologies, proposals to host workshops or convenings around this space, work on open datasets or calibration standards, field protocols, educational tools, and regulatory analysis; all of that is fair game. The common thread is using many wavelengths of light to make biology more legible at a distance.

We are especially interested in work that would be hard to fund through conventional channels because it is too early, too cross-disciplinary, too tool-oriented, too field-based, or too weird. A small grant should make a real difference toward the applicant's goals; not be a small chunk of a much larger funding round.

Examples might include:

• Screening microbial pigments or metabolites for spectral signatures that stand out against soil, leaves, water, or tissue.
• Building an inexpensive hyperspectral imaging setup for classroom or community-lab biology.
• Developing a simple protocol for hyperspectral monitoring of microbial growth or fermentation.
• Testing whether biofilms, algae, fungi, seeds, corals, or biomaterials have useful spectral signatures without any additional genetic engineering.
• Creating an open dataset of molecular spectra that others can use to train detection algorithms. (Very few molecules have measured, hyperspectral spectra.)
• Designing a contained experiment with engineered cells that report a biological state through a non-visible optical signal.
• Exploring volatile or indirect spectral signals from processes hidden underground or inside living systems. (Federal regulations apply to even small-scale field releases of engineered organisms, so please get in touch with us beforehand.)

IMPORTANT NOTE: All applicants must complete this researcher survey to be considered for grant funding. 

To apply, start a project on Experiment.com and submit it to this program.

ELIGIBILITY: 

• Open to independent researchers, university labs, tribes, NGOs, individuals, and dedicated amateurs. 
• Researchers must submit a complete project via Experiment.com.  
• Work must be scoped to be completed within one year of funding received
• Projects must complete a survey upon completion of the Experiment.com project to be considered for the grant. 

FUNDING STRATEGIES:

For projects that are allocated grant funds, the award size will be between $2,500-$12,500, but researchers can raise additional funding on the Experiment.com platform. All projects are Experiment.com projects, which means they are also eligible for crowdfunding and run on an all-or-nothing funding model. We encourage every researcher to plan for and implement a crowdfunding campaign, as not all projects will receive grants, and not all grants will cover the full budget of a project. Projects that receive awards that only partially fund their target budget will need to crowdfund the remainder of their budget in order to receive any funding, in accordance with the Experiment.com all-or-nothing funding model. You may wish to consider the use of Stretch Goals in your project for a greater chance of meeting your minimum target budget and receiving any funding. Funding discretion rests with the Science Angel.