HOW TO BIODESIGN AUDIO RECAP

Yeasts are part of the fungi kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and as of today we know at least 1,500 species. How can we adapt the metabolism of yeasts to make them perform better? Alongside hosts Emma van der Leest and Mark Slegers, experts Peter Sseguya (Team GENAB), Hilla van der Kaa (Those Vegan Cowboys) join the conversation.

Natural fibers will replace many synthetic materials and bioneers throughout the Netherlands are looking for methods to separate lignin and cellulose. By using enzymes, many polluting catalytic processes can be replaced. How can cell technology be used to make new materials? Enzymes are very expensive, although they are produced by nature itself: the mycelium of mushrooms contains many active enzymes. Can we use enzymes as one of the building blocks of the future biodesigner: in this meet-up...

Biomaterials like mycelium and kombucha leather are often not water-resistant and therefore need a coating. Biopolymers like beeswax or natural rubbers provide solutions, yet fungi can also provide an interesting coating for biomaterials. How can designers apply these innovations, and how do you choose or develop a coating? This episode’s speakers Host: Yophi Ignacia Co-host: Anna Wetzel (15fingers.online) Experts: Studio CarbonPaperInnovator THANKS TO The How to Biodesign meetups are...

Traditional cosmetics can be harmful for nature and your skin. Natural cosmetics are an alternative that uses ingredients available in nature. But it can even go further than that, by enlisting the help of microbes to create sustainable alternatives to polluting ingredients. How do we design a production & usage system for these natural bio cosmetics? Let's find out with host Yophi Ignacia, co-host Yeliz Mert, and experts: Karin Berkoudt (Kusala) & Shara Ticku (C16 Biosciences). THANKS...

Lab equipment is often expensive and there's already a lot of machines out there that, with a little modification, can perform the function needed to support your experiment. How and where can you find tips & tricks to make those modifications - and most importantly - how do you do this safely? Let's find out with hosts Emma van der Leest and Andes Vreeken and experts Daniel Grushkin (Biodesigned & Genspace) and Kuang-Yi Ku (TW BioArt). THANKS TO The How to Biodesign meetups are made...

🦞An invasive species is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and negatively alters its new environment. Although their ability to multiply quickly is often seen as a negative property, there might be instances where we could benefit from this. How can we use these unwanted guests as raw materials for circular solutions and add value to their vigor? Let's find out with: Host Yophi Ignacia, Co-host Marit Scheulderman and speakers: Alexandra Fruhstorfer & Erik van...

🌿 CO2 absorbing materials: a claim that more and more producers connect to their product. Most of the time this refers to a product’s entire life cycle, but can it also be circular? Various designers, scientists and entrepreneurs work on such materials. And in this meet-up we higlight two of them: one made from longlasting wood, and the other made from a fast-growing crop. With: Host Natasha Hulst & Co-host Sven Jense (Co-founder of the Climate Cleanup) Rik Ruigrok: Circulair Executive...

🌿 For the insulation of our houses, natural materials are often forced to have exactly the same properties as the fossil variant. However, old crafts and new materials often require a different approach. How, for example, can we use mycelium and biomimicry to look at challenges such as insulation? Lets find out with: Mark Slegers, Jennifer de Jonge, Thomas Pijnenborgh & Arnoud Hanenburg. THANKS TO The How to Biodesign meetups are made possible with the support of the creative industries...

☀️During this meetup we will talked about what it means to have a regenerative mindset towards design and what that entails. And we will looked at Permaculture as the base of a family of regenerative design methods like Biomimicry together with: Natasha Hulst, Ellie Banwell and Daniel Christian Wahl. THANKS TO The How to Biodesign meetups are made possible with the support of the creative industries fund NL/Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie.

☀️When focussing on solar energy, we can list the possibilities from nature. How do bioneers use these possibilities in their designs and how to tackle challenges like durability and storage when using living materials to harvest solar energy? Listen back to the stories of: Huub de Groot: Professor of Biophysical organic chemistry & PhD. Miguel Mayorga: CEO of @greenfluidics, a Mexican startup, developing revolutionary solar biopanels that use microalgae and nanofluids. THANKS TO The How...

🐠Biodiversity loss asks for drastic solutions… or should we just leave nature alone again for some healthy rewilding – and is that even possible nowadays with so many people on our planet? Listen back to the stories of: Product designer Anouk van der Poll (initiator the Embassy of Water) Max Dijkstra: founder of Reefsystems innovation & Paul Peters: environmental engineer at the Hydronamic Engineering Department of Royal Boskalis Westminster. THANKS TO The How to Biodesign meetups are...

🌿Fungi can provide solutions where plants cannot: Like sustainable pigments, packaging and construction materials. Yet how can we work with these solutions when a large part of the fungi has been patented? Listen back to the stories of: Nick van Biezen: Senior scientist, fermentation specialist and owner of Bio-aNAlytiX. Jan Berbee: Co-Founder and entrepreneur at Grown.bio and Mark Slegers Co-Founder of Rotterzwam. THANKS TO The How to Biodesign meetups are made possible with the support...

🌿How do we strengthen existing ecosystems through diversity, in the lab and on the streets? An interesting trend from last year’s How To Biodesign meetups was that many bioneers prefer “wild” microbes for their processes over genetic modified ones. In biotech, this preference is unusual to work with polycultures rather than standard model organisms, while nature has no monoculture: there is always a symbiosis. Listen back to the stories of: Ivan Henriques, scientist, artist, and student...

👜The product many biodesigners all over the world are working on is a replacement for animal leather. This conversation is about how choices are made in these new production chains. How local can these “leathers” be produced, what kind of resources do they need and what are the pittfalls to avoid? And when is a good time to go to market? Listen back to the stories of: David Breslauer , PHD, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder at Bolt Threads & Mira Nameth, Founder & CEO of Biophilica...

Biomaterials like mycelium and kombucha leather are oftentimes not water resistant and therefore need a coating. Biopolymers like beeswax or natural rubbers provide solutions, yet also fungi can give an interesting coating for biomaterials. How can designers apply these innovations, and how do you choose or develop a coating? Listen back to the stories of: Stephanie Rensink (Microbiologist and researcher at Xylotrade BV) & Ward Groutars (Designer and researcher from TU Delft, the Caradt...

By using enzymes, many polluting catalytic processes can be replaced. How can cell technology be used to make new materials? Can we use enzymes as one of the building blocks of the future? In this meetup we talked about how we can use these beauties and how to avoid high costs researching them. Listen back to the stories of: Amanda Cattermole: head of the Cattermole Consulting & Maria Cuellar-Soares: Science and Technology Officer at Planet B.io. THANKS TO The How to Biodesign meetups are...

The city as a living organism is a metaphor that is far from the truth in our cities. Biodiversity is a grant topic, yet how can we bring nature back when there is so little soil left for nature to thrive? What do bioneers encounter when contributing to the living metabolism of our cities? We will investigate creative and structural ways to stimulate nature in the concrete jungles that are our cities in this How To Biodesign meetup. Listen back to the stories of: Dr Nadina Galle: An...

Fungi are the future, yet there are different cultivation methods. It matters where you get your fungus from, what kind of bioreactor you use, and if you work with a wild culture or a known safe version. How do you know whether it is dangerous or not? What knowledge and equipment are required to carry out first tests? Let’s talk about fermenting fungi with: Iris Houthoff from Mylium B.V., And Maurizio Montalti from Mogu and Officina Corpuscoli.

How can we grow wood to build our wooden skyscrapers that have grown in a nature-enhancing way without damaging communities or ecosystems? Lets find out with: Architect Mo Smit, one of the initiators of Bouwtuin: a place where #flax, #hemp #wood and other construction materials are grown for local use & Mark Compeer - developer at Nice developers B.V. and one of the two initiators of Rotterdam based wooden skyscraper Sawa, which is planned to rise this year.