Rapid 3D Bioprinting of Engineered Bionic Corals towards Scalable Biofuel Manufacturing

藻类被认为是生产生物柴油最有前途的能源之一。然而，目前的藻类培养技术效率低，成本高，这限制了其可伸缩性到有意义的生产水平。在自然界，珊瑚礁是最具生产力的生态系统之一，由珊瑚和藻类共生的高光合作用效率提供动力。但藻类自我遮蔽是目前阻碍商业化藻类养殖扩张的关键限制因素。该项目的目标是研究一种新的制造方法，以生产具有仿生光管理策略的工程珊瑚，以培养活的藻类，从而实现基于可伸缩藻类的生物燃料制造。如果成功，这项研究将为珊瑚组织的快速三维生物打印奠定基础。这项工作将定义一类能够与生物相互作用的新的仿生材料。三维仿生珊瑚系统的高空间效率特别适合于在密集的城市地区设计用于藻类生长的紧凑型生物反应器，或作为太空旅行的生命支持系统。因此，这项研究将对包括先进制造业和生物燃料生产在内的不同行业产生变革性的影响，并直接影响美国的经济福利和国家安全。在教育和推广方面，该项目将提供令人兴奋的跨学科培训，内容从纳米材料、生物材料到生物制造。这个项目将培训不同的学生群体，特别是研究生、本科生和K-12年级的女性和少数民族学生。该项目的研究目标是了解材料组成和结构设计如何影响仿生珊瑚结构的制造和珊瑚支架上藻类细胞的增殖。为了实现这一目标，将使用一种快速的3D生物打印方法来制造具有自然灵感的光学可调支架，以微尺度精确地模拟珊瑚组织来培养藻类。将进行解析分析，模拟光在珊瑚支架中的传播机理。这些模拟结果将指导设计和3D生物打印过程。将进行实验，研究仿生珊瑚结构的机械、化学和生物学特性。这将是该领域首次尝试将3D生物打印用于藻类生物燃料的制造，因此风险很高。但如果成功，这项工作将改变生物燃料研究和制造领域。PI是3D生物打印的先驱，在3D生物打印、生物材料和纳米光子学领域的研究出版物方面有着出色的记录。他的实验室和机构拥有出色的资源和设施来支持这项工作。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Algae has been identified as one of the most promising sources of energy for biodiesel production. However, current algae cultivation techniques are inefficient and costly, which limits its scalability to meaningful production levels. In nature, coral reefs stand among the most productive ecosystems, powered by the high photosynthetic efficiency of the coral-algae symbiosis. But algae self-shading is currently a key limiting factor prohibiting expansion of commercial algae cultivation. The goal of this project is to investigate a novel manufacturing method to produce engineered corals with biomimetic light management strategies to cultivate living algae towards scalable algae-based biofuel manufacturing. If successful, this research will lay the foundation for rapid three-dimensional bioprinting of coral tissues. This work will define a new class of bionic materials capable of interacting with living organisms. The high spatial efficiency of the bionic coral system in three dimensions is particularly suitable for the design of compact bioreactors for algae growth in dense urban areas or as life support systems for space travel. Therefore, this research will have transformative impact to diverse sectors including advanced manufacturing and biofuel production, and directly impacts the economic welfare and national security of the United States. In education and outreach, the project will offer exciting interdisciplinary training that integrates contents from nanomaterials, biomaterials, to biomanufacturing. A diverse group of students, especially women and minority students at graduate, undergraduate, and K-12 levels will be trained in this project.The research objective of the project is to understand how material composition and structure design affect the manufacture of the biomimetic coral construct and the proliferation of algae cells on the coral scaffold. To achieve this objective, a rapid 3D bioprinting method will be employed to manufacture optically-tunable scaffolds with nature inspired geometry to mimic coral tissue with microscale precision to cultivate algae. Analytical analysis will be carried out to simulate light propagation mechanism in the coral scaffolds. These simulation results will guide the design and 3D bioprinting process. Experiments will be conducted to study the mechanical, chemical, and biological properties of the biomimetic coral structure. This will be the first attempt in the field to use 3D bioprinting for algae biofuel manufacturing, therefore it will be high risk. But if successful, this work will transform the field of biofuel research and manufacturing. The PI is a pioneer in 3D bioprinting with an outstanding track record of research publications in the areas of 3D bioprinting, biomaterials, and nanophotonics. His laboratory and institution have excellent resources and facilities to support this work.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.