Project description
Biofilm-inspired surface coatings: sustainable, self-healing and eco-friendly
The use of coatings and surface treatments to protect materials from environmental conditions is ubiquitous in engineering. Many of these treatments involve harsh chemicals and/or energy intensive processes while consuming large volumes of increasingly precious water. The EU-funded ARCHI-SKIN project will turn to nature for inspiration, developing a bioactive protective coating system for engineered materials based on fungal biofilms known more for the harm than good they can do. Harnessing a combination of experimental and mathematical methods to characterise the mechanisms of biofilm formation and the structure and performance of the biofilms, the team will develop a sustainable optimised biofilm capable of self-healing and bioremediation to protect many surface types.
Objective
Biofilms, an assemblage of surface-associated microbial cells that is enclosed in an extracellular polymeric substance matrix, are recognised as one of the most stable biological systems on earth. The beneficial use of biofilms for protection is nearly unexplored since up-to-date research is focused on the prevention of its formation. In the ARCHI-SKIN project, we will explore the design principles underlying fungal biofilm to bridge the knowledge gap on the chemistry-structure-properties of the biological systems’ interface. Mechanisms of biofilm formation, its structure, function, quorum sensing, and performance will be understood at multiple scales following the best practices of materiomics. It will be achieved by advancing state-of-the-art in-situ laboratory routines and use the latest mathware solutions in combination with the design-build-test-learn approach for the experimental work.
In the following step, we will develop a bioactive protective coating system working in conjunction with nature. We will benefit from the synergic strength of living fungal cells, bio-based ingredients, and bioinspired concepts for materials protection. Advanced in-silico methods will be used for the integration of active ingredients and modelling of optimal and long-lasting nutrient sources compatible with the enzymatic profile of selected fungal strains. We will design and create technically applicable, controlled, and optimized biofilm built by the yeast-like ubiquitous and widespread oligotroph fungus, Aureobasidium pullulans, that will effectively protect the surfaces of biomaterials, concrete, plastics, and metals, among others, assuring optimal service life performance and remarkable functionalities including self-healing and bioremediation.
Our pioneering approach for materials protection will push the boundaries of traditional materials concepts toward the development of engineered living materials capable to interact, adapt, and respond to environmental changes.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
- engineering and technology environmental biotechnology bioremediation
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- engineering and technology materials engineering coating and films
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology biomaterials
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics mathematical model
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2021-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
6310 Izola
Slovenia
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.