Press release submitted on behalf of Blueprint Biosecurity.

Blueprint Biosecurity, Washington, D.C., has announced a new Request for Proposals (RFP) titled DEMIST (Determining Mycobacterial Inactivation via Surrogate Testing), offering up to $600,000 in total funding to support research on how airborne Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) and its surrogates respond to far-UVC light.

This work will support interpretation of a major human-to-animal TB transmission study already underway — and help determine whether far-UVC is a viable defense against a broader range of airborne pathogens. By generating standardized, cross-comparable aerosol inactivation data, the DEMIST RFP aims to help bridge real-world outcomes with laboratory insights. This effort directly supports Recommendation 1 from the Blueprint for Far-UVC, which calls for real-world and mechanistic data collection to resolve the question of efficacy. We’re eager to make progress on these recommendations — follow this Substack for more of our thoughts and upcoming announcements in this space.

The call is open to academic, government and private-sector laboratories. Funding of up to $150,000 per project is available, and multiple awards are anticipated. Studies may be conducted in both BSL-3 and BSL-1/2 environments.

The DEMIST RFP includes two research tracks:
– Primary Research: Testing aerosolized virulent TB, BCG, and Staphylococcus aureus
– Complementary Research: Testing BCG, additional TB surrogates, and S. aureus

Studies must include robust experimental detail and standardized reporting. Results will support future clinical trial design, pathogen extrapolation, and deployment strategies for far-UVC in real-world settings.

Abstracts are due April 28, 2025.

For more information and RFP details, visit https://blueprintbiosecurity.org/calls-for-proposals/DEMIST.

Contact: DEMIST@blueprintbiosecurity.org