Engineered Living Materials (ELM) are dynamic, self-organized and functional materials that integrate living cells in order to react to environmental stimuli and regenerate themselves. The integrated cells can change the chemical and physical properties of the material in response to external stimuli.

As part of the DFG-SPP 2451 “Engineered Living Materials with Adaptive Functions”, I am specifically researching adaptive biomaterials using mechano-modulating bacteria. I want to integrate modified E. coli bacteria into hydrogels in order to produce functional (2D) and multidimensional (3D/4D/xD) printed structures that change adaptively when deformed. The focus of my research is on the modification of existing hydrogel systems in order to integrate and permanently anchor larger organisms. The hydrogels are to be chemically modified and then subjected to careful characterization.