Rational Design and Scalable Production of De novo Autogenic Engineered Living Materials

Rational Design and Scalable Production of De novo Autogenic Engineered Living Materials Hoda Mohsen Youssef Hammad General Audience Abstract This work introduces a new approach to creating "engineered living materials" that combine biology with advanced protein engineering to form dynamic, self-assembling structures. By harnessing the natural abilities of bacteria, the research demonstrates how these microorganisms can be reprogrammed to produce protein fibers that serve as the foundation for creating larger, customizable biomaterials. The study develops a specialized platform that allows bacteria to secrete and assemble protein building blocks with well-defined structures, enabling control over the physical and mechanical properties of the final material. Key innovations include the design of protein architectures inspired by naturally occurring systems and the use of advanced computational tools, such as molecular dynamics simulations and structural prediction artificial intelligence tools, to fine-tune these designs. By modifying the core structure of these proteins, the research shows how one can systematically influence how the material forms at a larger scale, leading to a diverse range of materials—from soft hydrogels to more robust films and plastics. Moreover, the work addresses the challenge of scaling up production. A novel vesicle-based secretion strategy streamlines the manufacturing process by enabling the simultaneous production and purification of these protein fibers, eliminating many of the complex steps typically involved in biomaterial production. This scalable process promises to bridge the gap between laboratory research and real-world applications, potentially impacting fields such as construction, biomedicine, and sustainable manufacturing. In summary, this research represents a significant step forward in the design and production of engineered living materials, offering a versatile platform that merges synthetic biology with materials science to create eco-friendly, programmable, and scalable materials for future technologies.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biological Systems Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Biological Systems Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Hammad, Hoda Mohsen Youssef

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Duraj-Thatte, Anna

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Senger, Ryan S.
• Chen, Juhong
• Deshmukh, Sanket A.

• engineered living materials
• curli nanofibers
• protein hydrogels
• functional amyloids
• protein structure prediction
• Curli
• CsgA
• amyloid nanof
• rational design
• protein engineering

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:42318

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/124764