A New Classification System for Living Materials
2026/08/19
In a new forum article, TU professor Andrea Belluati explores engineered living materials. In it, he presents a classification scheme for materials that originate from or utilize biological systems and that may rely on living cells to perform functions such as self-healing, environmental sensing, or adaptation. Examples include concrete that repairs its own cracks with the help of embedded bacteria, and surfaces that can detect toxins and respond to them.
The article titled “Material Agency: Operationalizing the Living/Non-Living Interface in Engineered Materials” has now been published as a “Forum article” in the renowned journal *Trends in Biotechnology*.
The rapidly growing field of research on engineered living materials (ELMs) lies at the intersection of synthetic biology and materials science. A central problem is that currently very different systems—such as lab-grown leather or self-healing bacterial concrete—are grouped under the same term. In his article, Belluati therefore proposes an operational classification system that divides ELMs into four classes. The decisive criterion is whether the material requires sustained biological activity to fulfill its intended function during use. The overarching goal is to provide the scientific community with a uniform and precise vocabulary.
Belluati is a professor in the Department of Chemistry at TU Darmstadt and a member of the Center for Synthetic Biology.
