Dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher, was featured in the scientific article “Biology Inspires Innovative Materials Science” by Mark Peplow (Engineering, 2025).

In the article, Dr. Sandak explained that the greatest advantage of bio-inspired design often lies in autonomy, as it involves materials that can self-develop, self-assemble and self-repair, which is often difficult to achieve with conventional materials. According to her, collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, bringing together materials scientists, engineers and biologists, is essential for advancing research and innovation in this field.

As a leader of the ARCHI-SKIN project (Bioinspired Living Skin for Architecture), Dr. Anna Sandak is developing a protective coating for buildings made from a living fungal biofilm. This innovative material prevents the growth of harmful fungi, self-heals and provides additional functionalities such as UV protection.

The article explains how studying living organisms inspires the creation of synthetic materials that transfer natural properties into high-tech applications, while advances in analytics, computing and teamwork drive their transition from the lab to real-world use.

Read more about innovative materials in the article “Biology Inspires Innovative Materials Science”, published in Engineering.