Dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM Materials research group leader, participated in an episode of the Under the Microscope Podcast, where she discussed the emerging field of Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) and their potential to transform architecture.

In the episode, titled “Bio-Inspired Design: Self-Healing Buildings and Fungal Coatings”, Dr. Sandak explores how Engineered Living Materials could transform architecture by enabling more adaptive, regenerative and sustainable building surfaces. She discusses research carried out within the ARCHI-SKIN and REMEDY projects, focusing on innovative approaches such as fungal biofilms and high-resolution bioprinting. These technologies could give building surfaces new functionalities, including self-healing properties, air-pollution remediation and natural UV protection through melanin.

The discussion also highlights the concept of “living tattoos” for architecture, the potential of fungal biofilms to withstand challenging environments such as microgravity and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing innovative research.

Listen to the podcast episode to learn more about Engineered Living Materials and their potential applications in architecture.