The LignoMBB project was conceived in response to two challenges: the growing volume of recycled wood that cannot be reused in high-value applications, and the limited industrial utilisation of lignin, a by-product of the pulp and paper industry. Both materials represent significant resources within Europe’s circular bioeconomy. At the same time, the construction and materials sectors are under increasing pressure to replace fossil-based and energy-intensive materials with renewable and low-carbon alternatives.
The overall objective of the project was to explore how biological processes, namely fungal mycelium growth, could transform lignin and recycled wood into new types of mycelium-based biocomposites (MBBs). The idea was that fungi, through their enzymatic systems, can act as a natural biobinder, creating composites with no use of synthetic adhesives. By combining biological activity with waste valorisation, LignoMBB aimed to demonstrate a new model of material production that is environmentally sound. Beyond the research goal, the project also pursued training and career objectives for the researcher, including skill development in mycology, spectroscopy, neural-network modelling, and research management.
In the broader European context, LignoMBB directly supports the ambitions of the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan by addressing waste reduction, resource efficiency, and decarbonisation of materials.
By the end of the fellowship, the project demonstrated both technological feasibility and practical examples of bioprocessing at laboratory and pilot scale. These results provide a foundation for further research and potential transfer to industrial partners interested in sustainable and circular material production.
