Key Takeaways:
- DARO Systems LLC, an agtech startup, is applying pathogen detection methods used during the COVID-19 pandemic to the swine production industry.
- Kristen Bernhard, the founder and CEO, has extensive experience in disease surveillance and pathogen genomics.
- The startup aims to prevent outbreaks in pig populations, addressing diseases like African swine fever.
- DARO Systems has developed a provisional patent for a full-barn pathogen collection system.
Introduction of DARO Systems and Its Mission
Agtech startup DARO Systems LLC is adapting a method proven effective during the COVID-19 pandemic for detecting pathogens across populations to the swine production industry. The company’s goal is to eliminate the threat of outbreaks that can devastate herds and cost billions in lost livestock.
Leadership and Expertise
Kristen Bernhard, the founder and CEO of DARO Systems, brings a wealth of experience to the company. Bernhard holds a master’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Iowa State University and has managed an Evolution and Population Genetics Laboratory. Most recently, she served as operations manager of the Pathogens Genomics laboratory at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Department of Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational Health, College of Public Health. Bernhard has been involved in a variety of global disease surveillance programs, including Sars-Co-V2 wastewater surveillance and measles surveys in the Congo.
Proven Value of Wastewater Surveillance
Bernhard notes that the UNMC lab was among the first to pilot wastewater surveillance, a method that gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is a valuable way to detect pathogens because viruses move through populations,” she says. “The data is accurate and can be obtained well in advance of individual clinic data.”
Bernhard emphasizes the effectiveness of wastewater surveillance. “This is a system that needs to be put out to all communities, including animal production,” she asserts.
Economic Importance of Pig Production
The production of pigs in the United States plays a significant role in the economy. According to the National Pork Producers Council, in 2023, more than 60,000 U.S. pork producers marketed over 149 million hogs, valued at $27 billion in gross cash receipts. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture reports there are more than 3.8 million pigs in the state.
Addressing Swine Disease Threats
Bernhard highlights the importance of disease mitigation in swine production. In addition to known swine diseases in the U.S., emerging threats like African swine fever pose significant risks. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), African swine fever is a contagious and deadly viral disease affecting domestic and feral swine of all ages. “Although it is not a direct threat to human health, its deadly nature in swine could result in pork product shortages, disruptions to trade, and economic impacts,” the USDA states. The disease, while never found in the U.S., has been detected in nearby Caribbean countries, increasing the threat of an outbreak.
Bernhard stresses prevention as the best defense against African swine fever, noting that there is no treatment or vaccine available. This is the goal of DARO Systems, whose mission is “bettering systems for bettering lives.”
Innovative Pathogen Collection System
DARO Systems has developed a provisional patent for a full-barn collection system that allows producers to obtain reliable pathogen information across their entire herd, rather than a small sample of individual pigs. Producers can conduct collections weekly or bi-weekly and send them to the DARO Systems lab at the Biotech Connector on the Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln.
Support and Collaboration
Bernhard’s advisory team includes multidisciplinary experts, and she has collaborated with Josh Nichol-Caddy, director of the Innovation and Technology program at the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC), and Quentin Farley, NBDC APEX Accelerator consultant. They have provided guidance on Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and other government funding opportunities. Additionally, DARO Systems has been discussing with the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Business Development Center to further support its growth and innovation efforts.
Inspiration Behind DARO Systems
Founded in 2023, DARO Systems is named after the ancient city Mohenjo Daro in Sindh, Pakistan. Bernhard explains that the name pays homage to the site of the world’s first urban wastewater sanitation system, reflecting the company’s mission of “bettering systems for bettering lives.”
