Group photo of BioINSP 2024's attendees

At the „7^th International School and Conference on Biological Materials Science", BioINSP 2024, the scientific project accompanying the BMBF funding measure took an initial snapshot of the status of bioinspired concepts in materials science and engineering. Many developments for the synthesis of so-called "engineered living materials" (ELM) were presented, which provide for a combination of cell organisms with non-living materials so that materials become adaptable to external influences or achieve higher functionality. A number of hierarchical structures, such as spider silk, snake skin or bamboo, were also demonstrated in order to determine the biological material properties or to use their concept for the production of superior materials. Depending on the concept, the extension of functionality is very diverse: in addition to the adaptation of damping and deformation properties, electrical and optical properties can be influenced or magnetic and acoustic signals can be used as stimuli. 

As a project accompanying the BMBF funding measure, BioTrans took the opportunity to assess the current research priorities and at the same time promote the measure as an extension of the specialist community. "We want to address various target groups, including researchers, because we want to create a transdisciplinary network and promote cooperation between science and industry," said Andreas Abel from DGM e.V., who presented the funding measure to the conference participants.  

The foundation of a sustainable research culture is good networking with one another in order to further develop findings and potentials for biological principles. Bioinspiration has also experienced an ever-increasing diversification of its subject areas in recent years, meaning that interdisciplinary communication has gained enormous importance. In this respect, BioTrans was particularly interested in finding out how effective knowledge and technology transfer can be organized in the community. The presentation of the funding measure also emphasized the importance that efficient and sustainable concepts based on bioinspiration could have for various industries.