Engineered living actuator with cyanobacteria

Engineered living materials (ELMs) integrate polymeric matrices as scaffolds materials with living organisms to convert it into a functional material that responses to specific stimuli.  In ELM  system, the scaffold must both sustain cellular viability and enable biological activity. In this research, we work on the development of ELM powered by filamentous cyanobacteria, which are long, flexible, and self-propelled photoautotrophic microorganisms that respond to light stimuli.

Cyanobacteria offer adaptability, and direct responsiveness to light. Their filamentous structure enables the formation of highly entangled networks capable of self-actuation. Inspired by natural behaviors such as aggregation, contraction, and dispersal, the project aims to harness the bacteria’s gliding motility to create materials that can change shape and function on demand through patterned light stimulation. Self-contracting cyanobacterial rings can generate internal stresses strong enough to detach from surfaces, suggesting their potential as biological actuators. To realize this concept, we design scaffold materials that support bacterial movement, force transfer, alignment, and deformation, while also developing light-based control strategies.