What We Do » Our Research

The ELMI is a collaborative hub for basic science, technology development, and education related to materials built of and/or by engineered, non-mammalian, living organisms. We aim to revolutionize technology for society through reimagined large-scale infrastructure and human-scale products; while at the same time enabling society’s expansion through off-world exploration and habitation made possible with materials and structures that are grown from renewable resources, rather than manufactured.

Our Research
Our Impact

Individual

Imagine clothing that adapts to your needs. The “individual” research thrust is all about human wearable technology that improves quality of life and enables exploration of inhospitable environments. We work on both biological and hybrid synthetic/biological materials. Biological components can sense both the external environment and the status of the person and adapt their state according to built-in ionic, electrical and/or biological logic circuits.

Contributing
Faculty: Ilana Brito, Alyosha Molnar, Robert Shepherd, Meredith Silberstein, Rong Yang, JJ Yeo

Projects:Sensing-based adaptable wearables, Radiation protection

Attribution: Top – Conceptualization by Robert Kurcoba
Bottom left – Soft glove multimodal sensor. Bai et. al, Science (2020). Image courtesy of Shepherd lab.
Bottom right – Polymeric thin film mediating biofilm growth. Franklin et. al, Biomacromolecules (2021). Image courtesy of Yang lab.

Select Publications: Bergman, M. R.; Hernandez, S. A.; Deffler, C.; Yeo, J.; Deravi, L. F. Design and Characterization of Model Systems That Promote and Disrupt Transparency of Vertebrate Crystallins In Vitro. Adv. Sci. 2023, 10 (35), 2303279.
doi.org/10.1002/advs.202303279
van Wijngaarden EW, Goetsch AG, Brito IL, Hershey DM, Silberstein MN. Engineering Bacterial Biomanufacturing: Characterization and Manipulation of Sphingomonas sp. LM7 Extracellular Polymers. Soft Matter. 2024, 20, 6399-6410.
doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00712C

Habitat

Imagine creating an inviting livable space from a lunar lava tunnel. The “habitat” research thrust is all about using biology to transform an inhospitable structure into a comfortable environment for people. Bacteria, plant, and fungi-based coatings will be able to process air so that its breathable, provide temperature control, and luminesce to provide light. By working with biology, rather than fighting against it, we can achieve this transformation sustainably.

Contributing
Faculty:Nikolaos Bouklas, Andrea Giometto, Maria Harrison, Sarah Kreps, Sijin Li, Adrienne Roeder, Jenny Sabin, Meredith Silberstein, Rong Yang, Jingjie Yeo

Projects:Surface protective biofouling, Air hazard sense and mitigate, Water biocontamination sensing

Attribution: Top – Conceptualization by Robert Kurcoba
Middle left – Polymer coated yeast. Image courtesy of Li and Yang labs.
Middle right – PolyTile 2.0: Programmable Microtextured Ceramic Architectural Tiles Embedded with Environmentally Responsive Biofunctionality. Zhang et. al. International Journal of Architectural Computing (2020). Image courtesy of Sabin Design Lab in collaboration with Luo Labs.
Bottom – Simulation of biofilm growth. Image courtesy of J² (Yeo) lab.

Select Publications:Zhai, H.; Yeo, J. Controlling Biofilm Transport with Porous Metamaterials Designed with Bayesian Learning. J. Mech. Behav. Biomed. Mater. 2023, 147, 106127.
doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2023.106127
Farajollahi S, Dennis PB, Crosby MG, Slocik JM, Pelton AT, Hampton CM, Drummy LF, Yang SJ, Silberstein MN, Gupta MK, Naik RR. Disulfide crosslinked hydrogels made from the Hydra stinging cell protein Minicollagen-1, Frontiers in Chemistry, 2020, 7, 950.
doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2019.00950

Colony

Imagine growing all your buildings and energy sources. The “colony” research thrust is all about a new, comprehensive, approach to how we live collectively. We will use environmental stimuli and engineering to accelerate and direct growth of living elements in order to directly establish the structure we live and work in. Rather than burning fossil fuels, we will piggy back on the ability of biology to convert light and organic molecules (including what we consider waste products) into electrical and chemical energy.

Contributing
Faculty:Buz Barstow, Nikolaos Bouklas, Eric Dufresne, Laura Gunn, Lori Huberman, Sijin Li, Adrienne Roeder, Jenny Sabin, Meredith Silberstein

Projects:Controlling biological growth, Biomining, Bio-based energy conversion and utilization

Attribution: Top – Conceptualization by Robert Kurcoba
Middle left – Working with bacteria. Image courtesy of Barstow lab.
Middle right – Sepal growth. Image courtesy of Bella Burda in the Roeder lab.
Bottom – Ada by Jenny Sabin Studio for Microsoft Research Artist in Residence Program, 2019. Image courtesy of Microsoft Research by Jake Knapp.

Select Publications:Ji Yoon Bae, Jenny Sabin. “Neobrick: Environmentally Informed 3D-Printed Lattice Brick for Modulating Indoor Thermal Comfort.” In: Faircloth, B., Pedersen Zari, M., Thomsen, M.R., Tamke, M. (eds) Design for Climate Adaptation. UIA 2023, Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham.
doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36320-7_47
Specht DA, Sheppard TJ, Kennedy F, Li S, Gadikota G, Barstow B. Efficient Natural Plasmid Transformation of Vibrio Natriegens Enables Zero-Capital Molecular Biology. PNAS Nexus 2024, 3 (2), pgad444.
doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad444

What We Do » Our Research

Individual

Habitat

Colony

Thank you to the following for supporting ELMI research initiatives.