Rationale: the recent advances in genetic engineering and material science provide a unique opportunity to create materials that fuse the intelligence of living organisms and the robustness and designability of non-living matter. Such “living” materials provide us with the opportunity to redefine our relation to and use of materials, i.e. by replacing the traditional pre-programmed materials with ones that “grow” and adapt into their application. The research on smart living materials is still in its pioneering phase and the vision for their application is not completely ripe; living materials are too advanced for the established health and engineering industries, but very versatile and potentially impactful to be neglected.

Project aims: the aim of this project is to investigate whether it is possible to apply a specific approach to ‘open innovation’ – participatory design – in research on living materials by engaging a variety of stakeholders in their co-creation and in shaping their future applications. It does so by combining a collaborative physics project on fusing living bacteria with artificial membranes, science and technology studies’ work on Responsible Research and Innovation and public engagement, and insights from arts and humanities on creativity and public engagement.

Fellows: 

• Ms Alexandra Carr, MIT
• Professor Torben Elgaard Jensen, Aalborg University
• Dr Laura Forlano, Illinois Institute of Technology
• Professor Wilson Poon, University of Edinburgh
• Dr Suzie Protière. Institut Jean le Rond d’Alembert, Sorbonne University