Biomanufacturing and Deployment of Engineered Living Materials in Challenging and Extreme Environments

Engineered living materials (ELMs) combine synthetic biology and polymer science to create a composite material composed of a cell and polymer components. These ELMs are uniquely positioned for deploying synthetic biology into challenging and extreme environments that would usually be inhospitable to microorganisms. In this review, we first highlight different approaches that are currently used to construct ELMs, specifically the bottom-up, top-down, and hybrid approaches. Next, we discuss specific challenging and extreme environments for ELM deployment such as for sense-and-respond capabilities, decentralized biomanufacturing, human health, and space. Finally, we consider the potential ethical, legal, and social implications associated with the use of ELMs within these environments.