Living Manufacture Engineered Living Fabrication (ELF) for Next-Gen Biomaterials
The Living Manufacture project introduces a novel approach to fabricating biologically derived materials through an Engineered Living Fabrication (ELF) system. By integrating genetically engineered microbes, customised hardware, and advanced computational software, the project aims to produce cellulose materials with tunable properties. The ELF system leverages bacterial cellulose as a fundamental building material, which is grown and modified through synthetic biology, facilitating a bio-manufacturing process that is both innovative and sustainable.
The essence of this approach lies in "printing" functions directly into the material rather than simply shaping it. This is achieved through controlled self-assembly at multiple optimisation levels: wetware (biological engineering), hardware (custom bioreactors), and software (computational control and simulation). Each aspect plays a distinct role in enhancing and refining the growth and functionalisation of cellulose. Wetware focuses on the biological component, involving the cultivation and genetic engineering of bacteria to enhance cellulose production and modify its characteristics. These optimisations allow for the possibility of tailoring the mechanical and functional properties of the cellulose to suit specific needs.
Genetic engineering also enables the co-culturing of different bacterial strains, which can potentially introduce multiple functionalities into the final material, such as increased strength, hydrophobicity, or responsiveness to environmental stimuli. Hardware encompasses the design and development of custom bioreactors or fermentation vessels tailored to optimise the growth and modification of bacterial cellulose. The bioreactors are specifically engineered to support the self-assembly of the living material, enabling the production of thick pellicles of cellulose that can be altered as they develop. These fermenters are integrated with modules to introduce external stimuli—such as light or chemical signals—that guide the growth process, allowing precise control over the shape, structure, and functional properties of the cellulose.
Software plays a critical role in the computational design, prediction, and control of the entire ELF system. The computational environment allows researchers to simulate various fabrication scenarios, enabling visualisation and testing before actual production. It also supports the development of a feedback system that monitors the cellulose growth in real time. This feedback mechanism ensures that any external stimuli applied to the system—whether chemical or optogenetic—are optimally timed and calibrated to achieve the desired material properties. The ELF system enables the creation of biologically fabricated materials with unique, programmable functionalities.
The Living Manufacture project envisions diverse applications, such as tailored tissue scaffolds, wound dressings, and drug delivery systems in biomedicine. It also offers opportunities for developing complex composites with tunable mechanical properties for high-performance manufacturing, and consumer products featuring self-healing, biodegradability, or environmental responsiveness. In essence, the project shifts material fabrication from traditional manufacturing to a living, responsive system. By combining genetically engineered bacteria, custom bioreactors, and computational control, it offers a sustainable and efficient pathway to next-generation biomaterials with encoded functional properties.
Team:
Dr. Katie Gilmour, Liv Tsim, Dr. Thora Arnardottir, Prof. Meng Zhang & Prof. Martyn Dade-Robertson
Living Construction Group, Northumbria University, UK
More Info:
website
@livingconstruction.hbbe
