Descripción del proyecto
Materiales vivos artificiales a base de hongos con propiedades controlables
Los hongos comprenden aproximadamente cien mil especies descritas hasta ahora. Se calcula que la cifra real es de millones. Se trata de fábricas asombrosas, que producen muchos metabolitos bioactivos con interés terapéutico. El equipo del proyecto LoopOfFun, financiado con fondos europeos, ha reconocido su potencial en otro ámbito innovador: en el marco de los materiales vivos artificiales, con control en bucle abierto y cerrado de las propiedades mecánicas y estructurales. En el proyecto se identificarán hongos dotados de capacidades superiores para la síntesis de materiales y se aprovecharán para la programación basada en la biología sintética. La programación se realizará a través de una novedosa plataforma automática robotizada que desarrollará los hongos en materiales vivos artificiales, basándose en ciclos iterativos de diseño, construcción, prueba y aprendizaje. Los resultados servirán para el diseño racional de dichos materiales.
Objetivo
In an interdisciplinary approach, LoopOfFun will develop a conceptual and technological framework for the efficient and effective development of fungal-based living materials with open- and closed-loop control of mechanical and structural properties. This framework is based on four pillars: (i) the development of genetically encoded sensors and actuators for reading and writing mechanical and structural material properties as well as the assembly of these modules to open- and closed-loop control circuits, (ii) the identification of filamentous fungi with naturally evolved superior properties for material synthesis as well as accessing them for synthetic biology-based programming, (iii) the development of the 4D Explorer, an automated, robotized platform for the efficient and effective development of engineered living materials based on iterative design-build-test-learn cycles, and (iv) a holistic approach for designing the final products based on the novel opportunities of LoopOfFun advances. Following this framework, LoopOfFun will produce materials featuring open- and closed-loop control of mechanical and structural properties. The intrinsic control features make the materials robust towards environmental fluctuations while aligning material properties with usage characteristics. The development and applicability of the novel materials will be shown by producing two different demonstrator materials at cm-m scale, one as structural material and the other one for pollutant degradation. The framework developed here as well as its underlying routines can generically be applied for the design and optimization of ELMs made of other organisms and matrices. LoopOfFun has an effective strategy for IP protection as well as for dissemination and interaction with commercialization partners. LoopOfFun will comprehensively address its stakeholders and establish a communication strategy designed at promoting ELMs as a sustainable contribution to the EU technology field.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Convocatoria de propuestas
HORIZON-EIC-2021-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaRégimen de financiación
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinador
66123 Saarbruecken
Alemania