Shaping Matter Lab

Department                              Aerospace Structures and Materials

Principal investigator            Kunal Masania

E-mail address                       k.masania@tudelft.nl

Website                                      www.shapingmatterlab.com

 

DNA of things: DNA data storage in materials

Supervisor: Kunal Masania, k.masania@tudelft.nl

DNA storage offers substantial information density and exceptional half-life3. We devised a ‘DNA-of-things’ (DoT) storage architecture to produce materials with immutable memory. In a DoT framework, DNA molecules record the data, and these molecules are then encapsulated in nanometer silica beads, which are fused into various materials that are used to print or cast objects in any shape. Here we study the 3D printing and recovery of data to replicate some features found in dynamic storage systems.

Techniques

  • DNA synthesis
  • Sequencing
  • Additive manufacturing

Further reading

A DNA-of-things storage architecture to create materials with embedded memory

 

3D Printing of Cell-Based Wood

Supervisor: Ingo Nettersheim, i.h.m.s.nettersheim@tudelft.nl

Wood is an excellent, sustainable engineering material. However, it grows slowly and control over the micro- and macrostructure is limited. We propose that 3D printing of cell-based wood can overcome these limitations of traditional wood. This project tackles the following questions: Can we form artificial interconnected plant tissues within a 3D print? Can we genetically induce xylogenesis to form a structural macroscale material? If our endeavour is successful, we will not only give scientists new ways to study the growth and development of plant tissues in a controlled environment but also pave the way to revolutionise manufacturing with precise control over the microstructure in a sustainable manner.

Techniques

  • Plant cell culturing
  • Molecular cloning
  • Electron- and light microscopy
  • 3D printing

Further reading

Engineered living composite materials