Descrizione del progetto
Materiali viventi ingegnerizzati a base di funghi con proprietà controllabili
I funghi comprendono circa 100 000 specie descritte fino ad oggi, ma il numero effettivo è stimato in milioni. Sono fabbriche sorprendenti, che producono numerosi metaboliti bioattivi di interesse terapeutico. Il progetto LoopOfFun, finanziato dall’UE, ha riconosciuto il loro potenziale in un’altra area innovativa: come parte di materiali viventi ingegnerizzati, con controllo ad anello aperto e chiuso delle proprietà meccaniche e strutturali. Il progetto identificherà i funghi dotati di capacità superiori per la sintesi dei materiali e li sfrutterà per la programmazione basata sulla biologia sintetica. La programmazione avverrà tramite un’innovativa piattaforma automatizzata e robotizzata che svilupperà i funghi in materiali viventi ingegnerizzati, basandosi su cicli reiterati di progettazione-costruzione-test-apprendimento. I risultati supporteranno la progettazione razionale di tali materiali.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Invito a presentare proposte
HORIZON-EIC-2021-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoMeccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinatore
66123 Saarbruecken
Germania