Biology and Bioengineering
Unlocking the power of biology and bioengineering for biodefense and biosecurity
We work to measure, understand, and harness biological systems and processes to drive innovation and enable new capabilities to address critical challenges to national security and human health. Our expertise spans the domains of biochemistry, molecular biology, virology, microbiology, plant biology, marine biology, genomics, bioinformatics, microfluidics, and computational biology.
Related Projects
Reversing the Loss of Coral Reefs
Recognizing the need to safeguard America’s coastlines and the value natural structures play in their protection, APL researchers are finding ways to use materials science to support coral reef growth and restoration.
Enlisting eDNA to Understand Ecosystems
APL researchers are using genetic information to observe animals, plants, and microbes in their natural environments, and pioneering environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis methods to study marine ecosystems that the world relies on as the foundation of global food webs.
Neuroscience-Inspired Artificial Intelligence
Developing next-generation algorithms and computing substrates that leverage neurobiology to revolutionize intelligent systems
Biological Threat Analysis
APL is developing innovative ways to evaluate biological threats in a natural environment.
Related News
News
Mar 2, 2026
Researchers Engineer Cold-Tolerant Proteins to Give U.S. an Arctic Edge
Researchers at Johns Hopkins APL, inspired by biomolecules found in cold-tolerant organisms, are developing novel materials that can control ice formation. Their breakthroughs could lead to new technologies for the U.S. military, from advanced materials for construction to medical treatments that can prevent frostbite and preserve sensitive biological samples.
News
Jan 27, 2026
Johns Hopkins APL-Supported Researchers Turn Biological Innovation Into a New Startup
With support from APL, former staff members John Sittmann and Tom Curtis have launched Deep Root Biolabs, a startup advancing a patent-pending biological platform. By applying plant- and microbial-based systems, the company aims to tackle real-world challenges in agriculture, environmental remediation, and the bio-mining of critical minerals.
News
Sep 3, 2025
Provisions From Pond Water? Researchers Leverage Biomanufacturing to Produce Food
Johns Hopkins APL researchers are exploring ways to produce food on demand by using readily available water to grow edible microbial products — an effort that could have significant implications for deployed military.
News
Jul 3, 2025
Johns Hopkins APL Develops Innovative Platform for Traumatic Brain Injury Research
A team of researchers from APL and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is developing next-generation brain organoid platforms to better understand the effects of mild blast-induced traumatic brain injuries caused by repeated low-level blasts.
News
Oct 29, 2024
Johns Hopkins Teams Poised to Create Transformative Technologies
Cheap and plentiful hydrogen harvested from water. Lightning-fast biocomputers running on brain-like substrates. Widely available noninvasive brain scans for early detection of neurological disease. A visual prosthesis in the form of glasses that returns sight to people with previously incurable vision loss. These are the four boundary-pushing proposals funded in this year’s cycle of the SURPASS initiative.