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Mine Remediation
We are developing a long-lasting, nature-based solution to control fugitive dust from tailings storage facilities. Our approach focuses on minimizing environmental impact and cost by leveraging native microorganisms isolated from tailings and engineered to overexpress calcium carbonate, a process known as biocementation. As these microbes proliferate, biocementation can significantly reduce or even eliminate dust erosion at both active and legacy mine sites.
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Construction
We are developing mycelium-based biocomposites that can be further integrated with microalgae, which convert atmospheric CO₂ into high yields of sugars, and with engineered bacterial strains capable of enhanced biocementation. The coexistence of these microorganisms enables the formation of hybrid living materials (HLMs) that not only actively sequester atmospheric CO₂ but also possess load-bearing properties for structural applications.
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Aquaculture
We will explore a sustainable biomass production platform that combines a photobioreactor with a new protein-rich microalgae isolate. The isolate grows quickly and consistently in large volumes, overcoming scale-up barriers that hinder many sustainable bioproduction efforts and can be induced to overproduce important cofactors like B-complex vitamins and antioxidants.