Work

A programmable fungal platform for engineered living textiles

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: A central challenge in engineered living materials (ELMs) is the seamless integration of macroscopic structural assembly with sustained cellular viability and programmable function. Here, we report a fungal-based living material that addresses this challenge by preserving the metabolic activity of Cordyceps militaris mycelia within macroscale, cohesive films fabricated via a low-energy process. These living textiles retain the capacity for environmental response, demonstrated by nutrient-induced aerial hyphal growth that enables surface renewal. The native mycelial architecture further allows for volumetric integration of engineered microbial partners, exemplified by coculture with pigment-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae for in situ patterning and melanized Aspergillus niger for built-in ultraviolet shielding. This modular design decouples bulk structural fabrication from genetic functionalization, offering a plug-and-play platform for synthetic biology. Environmental assessments confirm near-complete morphological degradation within 41 days. Our work establishes a scalable and sustainable chassis for functional ELMs, bridging a critical gap between structural integrity and biological programmability.

Source: Science Advances

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aed6937