Diagnostics as Deterrence: Modernizing Biosecurity with Aptamer Technology

The policy brief advocates for a transition from traditional antibody-based and PCR diagnostics to aptamer-based technology to improve outbreak response and biosecurity. It highlights that aptamers—synthetic nucleic acid sequences—can be developed in weeks, produced without animal cells, and digitally distributed for local manufacture, thereby reducing supply chain vulnerabilities. The author argues that this capability enables 'deterrence by denial' by signaling to potential perpetrators that engineered bioweapons would be detected rapidly. The brief recommends that US agencies including ARPA-H, DARPA, ASPR, NIH, FDA, and USDA fund rapid-response platforms, establish regulatory pathways, and integrate these diagnostics into agricultural biosecurity.

• Aptamer-based diagnostics offer significant advantages over traditional PCR and antibody-based tests in terms of speed, cost, and supply chain resilience. While PCR is slow and infrastructure-reliant, and antibody tests depend on animal-based production that can take months, aptamers can be developed in weeks and produced chemically without living cells.
• The synthetic nature of aptamers allows for decentralized manufacturing and improved stability. They can be digitally stockpiled and produced at the point of need using oligonucleotide synthesis, and they do not require cold storage, making them more suitable for long-term storage in the Strategic National Stockpile than antibodies.
• Implementing aptamer technology enhances biosecurity through 'deterrence by denial,' as the ability to rapidly detect engineered pathogens reduces the incentive for perpetrators to use biological weapons.
• The document proposes a multi-agency US government strategy to advance aptamers, including funding for rapid-response platforms via ARPA-H and DARPA, regulatory guidance from the FDA, clinical validation by the NIH, and the integration of diagnostics into agricultural surveillance by the USDA to protect food supply chains from agroterrorism.
• Aptamer-based lateral flow assays are estimated to cost under $2.50 to manufacture at scale, while aptamer-based ELISAs currently cost between $12 and $35 per test.

APA

The Council on Strategic Risks (2026). Diagnostics as Deterrence: Modernizing Biosecurity with Aptamer Technology. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2026/01/06/diagnostics-as-deterrence-modernizing-biosecurity-with-aptamer-technology/

Chicago

The Council on Strategic Risks. Diagnostics as Deterrence: Modernizing Biosecurity with Aptamer Technology. 2026. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2026/01/06/diagnostics-as-deterrence-modernizing-biosecurity-with-aptamer-technology/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=The Council on Strategic Risks |title=Diagnostics as Deterrence: Modernizing Biosecurity with Aptamer Technology |date=6 January 2026 |url=https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2026/01/06/diagnostics-as-deterrence-modernizing-biosecurity-with-aptamer-technology/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{thecouncilonstrategicrisks2026diagnostics, author = {{The Council on Strategic Risks}}, title = {{Diagnostics as Deterrence: Modernizing Biosecurity with Aptamer Technology}}, institution = {The Council on Strategic Risks}, year = {2026}, month = jan, url = {https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2026/01/06/diagnostics-as-deterrence-modernizing-biosecurity-with-aptamer-technology/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }