Researchers at the University of California San Diego have made a breakthrough in creating Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) that combine living microbes with synthetic polymers. ELMs have the potential to remove pollutants from water, release oxygen into wounds, and self-heal after damage. The team, consisting of engineers and biologists, discovered a new method of introducing living cells into a polymer after it has been formed, using a temperature-sensitive polymer that can “shape-shift”. This approach allows for the use of a wider variety of polymers, including those that were previously off-limits due to their toxicity to living cells. The researchers used cyanobacteria, which can be genetically engineered to produce chemicals or clean pollutants, and found that they can soften and change the shape of the polymer. This discovery has the potential to lead to sustainable materials that can harness the sun’s energy, and could become a game-changer in the construction industry. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrates the value of interdisciplinary research and could pave the way for the development of new, sustainable materials.
Engineers and biologists have found that living materials can be created seamlessly in a sustainable manner.
