3D Printed Mycelium

Living feedstocks for additive manufacturing.

Working Group: Engineered Living Material

In partnership with the UBC Biogenic Architecture Lab and Advanced Biocarbon 3D, a versatile hydrogel formulation was designed and evaluated, composed of readily sourced, food-grade nutrients, thickeners, and gelling agents, establishing a reproducible workflow for infusing the hydrogel with Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) liquid culture to support 3D bioprinting of intricate structures composed of living mycelium. Changes in height, mass, and hardness were characterized throughout mycelium growth to assess print fidelity and structural development over time. This workflow does not require a sterile bioprinting environment to achieve successful prints, and the same mycelium-infused hydrogel can be supplemented with additives such as sawdust to generate mycelium biocomposite objects. These findings position 3D bioprinting from mycelium-based feedstocks as a promising biofabrication strategy for engineered living materials, with applications spanning mushroom cultivation, food preparation, and construction within the built environment.

Publications:
Lin, N., Taghizadehmakoei, A., Polovina, L., McLean, I., Santana-Martínez, J. C., Naese, C., Moraes, C., Hallam, S. J., & Dahmen, J. (2024). 3D Bioprinting of Food Grade Hydrogel Infused with Living Pleurotus ostreatus Mycelium in Non-sterile Conditions. ACS Applied Bio Materials. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.4c00048