Sandia's biodefense research integrates advanced technology with an understanding of human health and immune response so that our nation can anticipate and defend against emerging biological threats, such as biological weapons, acts of terrorism, and pathogens. This research is paving the way to new medical-diagnostics technology by advancing knowledge in cellular signaling, biomarker discovery and validation, advanced bioassays, and host-pathogen interactions.

Our bioenergy efforts aim to reduce the dependence of the United States on foreign oil by coordinating biofuel R&D with examinations of the sustainability and environmental impact of biofuel production. These projects are working toward a new understanding of biomass structure and decomposition, the enzymatic breakdown of molecular components, and the conversion of biomolecules to biofuels.

Key areas for biological scientists and bioengineers at Sandia

• Biofuels
• Biochemistry and carbohydrate chemistry
• Computational biology and chemistry
• Medical diagnostics
• Microfluidics and biomaterials design
• Photosynthetic microorganisms
• Proteomics and protein engineering
• Single-cell host–pathogen studies
• Therapeutics screening