Engineered Living Materials For Sustainability

Recent advances in synthetic biology and materials science have given rise to a new form of materials, namely engineered living materials (ELMs), which are composed of living matter or cell communities embedded in self-regenerating matrices of their own or artificial scaffolds. Like natural materials such as bone, wood, and skin, ELMs, which possess the functional capabilities of living organisms, can grow, self-organize, and self-repair when needed. They also spontaneously perform programmed biological functions upon sensing external cues. Currently, ELMs show promise for green energy production, bioremediation, disease treatment, and fabricating advanced smart materials. This review first introduces the dynamic features of natural living systems and their potential for developing novel materials. We then summarize the recent research progress on living materials and emerging design strategies from both synthetic biology and materials science perspectives. Finally, we discuss the positive impacts of living materials on promoting sustainability and key future research directions.

Automated summary

Engineered living materials (ELMs) are a new form of materials composed of living matter or cell communities embedded in self-regenerating matrices or artificial scaffolds. Similar to natural materials like bone and skin, ELMs possess the functional capabilities of living organisms, including the ability to grow, self-organize, self-repair, and perform programmed biological functions upon sensing external cues. ELMs show promise in areas such as green energy production, bioremediation, disease treatment, and fabricating advanced smart materials.