The benefits
In a world in which we were able to create many of our materials, or almost all of them, through biofabrication, we could enjoy considerable environmental and social benefits.
For example, if we used plants or microbes to produce fabrics, we could create more sustainable materials that require far less energy to produce than synthetic methods.
Through biofabrication, we could also produce new types of fabrics that do not currently exist, such as synthetic silk or even edible fabrics. By using biological materials to create textiles, we could make new sustainable fabrics, suited to specific applications and far more resource-efficient.
Types of biofabricated materials
Yes, you read that right: edible fabrics. Some researchers are studying the use of plants and fungi to create food-grade fabrics that could be used for food packaging and clothing.
But that is not all that captures our imagination. Several research groups are, for example, exploring ways to create new types of cement through biofabrication. The idea is to use biofabrication to create concrete that is stronger and more sustainable than the kind we use today.
And then there is the very promising field of synthetic meat: it is produced in a laboratory and resembles meat, but is more sustainable and eco-friendly.
In healthcare
Healthcare is another sector in which biofabrication can be used: for example, to create new types of medical implants and surgical materials. It could also be used in the delivery of drugs and vaccines.
Perhaps the most striking example in this field is the patent for ‘Electrospider’, the 3D bioprinter capable of recreating biological tissues compatible with the human body by printing innovative hydrogels loaded with the patient’s own cells.
The challenges and limits of biofabrication
Although biofabrication is an exciting technology with many potential applications, it is still a relatively new field of research. There are a number of challenges that this technology will have to overcome before it can begin to realise its full potential.
For example, its efficiency needs to be improved, more sustainable sources of biological materials must be found, and a way must be found to scale up production. To produce commercial quantities of materials, a way will have to be found to automate the cultivation process at industrial levels.
There is also the challenge of educating potential customers about these new materials. The current confusion over the meaning of the term and its boundaries does not help. More funding in this sector and greater collaboration between researchers are probably needed to overcome the current difficulties.
