Engineering biology

We are harnessing the self-assembly of biomolecules alongside advanced soft materials fabrication and formulation technologies to engineer functional biomaterials that underpin our development of novel, sustainable solutions for major societal challenges.

Example project areas include:

We are unravelling the design rules that underpin the convergent evolution of pyrenoids across algal species to engineer by design carbon dioxide fixation efficiency.

We are engineering all-enzyme hydrogels to create responsive materials for biocatalysis and biosensor applications.

We are exploiting directed evolution and protein engineering to create more sustainable and ethical plant derived biomaterials constructed from proteins which exploit selective chemical cross-linking to enable tuneable porosity and viscoelastic properties.

We merge lessons from nature and soft matter physics to improve our ability to recognise cells and tissues with high selectivity, for medical diagnostics and targeted delivery

We are exploring how to enhance the solar energy-absorbing proteins from photosynthesis, using nanotechnology and self-assembly approaches.

MNP academics working in this area:

• Evolution of pyrenoids in algae and carbon dioxide fixation efficiency (Charley Schaefer)
• Engineering responsive functional biomaterials (Lorna Dougan, Steve Evans)
• Sustainably sourced plant-based biomaterials (Simon Connell, Lorna Dougan)
• Superselective targeting of cells and tissues (Ralf Richter) 
• Nanotechnology of photo-active proteins (Peter Adams)