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Biomaterials

Fungal architecture is a thing, and it’s eye-catching

Nature Biotechnology volume 41, page 1037 (2023)Cite this article

Montalti, whose background is in engineering and design, learned the tools and techniques for growing fungal agents in the Netherlands, in the microbiology lab of Han Wösten at Utrecht University. Experimenting with wood-rotting fungi of the Basidiomycota, he witnessed the decomposing powers of fungi. At first, enzymes secreted by the mycelium break down the plant cell walls — mainly cellulose, lignocellulose and pectin — into different types of sugars. This decomposition allows the fungal biomass to grow, a process that can be guided and shaped into 3D networks with varying mechanical strength. Such transformation ushers in the opportunity to upcycle organic waste from agriculture or manufacturing industries, for example, to create innovative materials and products: “From low-value residues into high-value products,” says Montalti.

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  1. Nature Biotechnology https://www.nature.com/nbt

    Lisa Melton

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Melton, L. Fungal architecture is a thing, and it’s eye-catching. Nat Biotechnol 41, 1037 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-01903-8

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