Engineering Biology & Materials Science

Technical Themes

Technical Themes of Engineering Biology & Materials Science

The roadmap consists of four technical themes that encompass the tools and technologies that are envisioned to enable materials from engineering biology. Construction of the technical roadmap is accomplished through delineation of milestones at 2, 5, 10, and 20 years and each milestone is elaborated by anticipated or imagined bottlenecks and creative potential solutions. The 2-year and 5-year milestones are intended to signify objectives that can be reached with current or recently implemented funding programs, as well as existing infrastructure and facilities resources. The 10-year and 20-year milestones are expected to be more ambitious achievements that may require (and thus, result in) significant technical advancements and/or increased funding and resources and new and improved infrastructure. The breakthrough capabilities therefore represent the visionary 20+ year aspirations for the technical themes.

  • Synthesis

    Synthesis considers the primary production or creation of material components via engineered biology.

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  • Composition & Structure

    Composition & Structure considers the design or control over the components of a material through engineering — either via biological activity or through engineering of the biological component.

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  • Processing

    Processing considers the engineering of biology to conduct “unit operations” to build or destroy materials through polymerization and degradation, templating, patterning, and printing.

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  • Properties & Performance

    Properties and Performance considers the engineering of dynamic characteristics and activities of materials through the incorporation or activation of biocomponents.

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Last updated: January 19, 2021
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