Engineered living materials: pushing the boundaries of materials sciences through biological engineering

Abstract

Biological engineering is enabling disruptive innovations in biopharmaceutical research, in the bio-based and sustainable production of chemicals, in decarbonization, energy production, or bioremediation. Recently, the transfer of technologies from biological engineering and synthetic biology to materials sciences established the concept of engineered living materials (ELMs). ELMs are defined as materials composed of living cells that form or assemble the material itself or modulate the functional performance of the material. ELMs enable the sustainable production of materials as well as the design of novel material properties and functions that have so far been beyond the realm of technical materials. In this contribution, we give an overview of how ELMs can offer innovative and sustainable solutions to overcome current boundaries in materials science.