Synthetic biology holds great promise for addressing global needs. However, most current developments are not immediately translatable to ‘outside-the-lab’ scenarios that differ from controlled laboratory settings. Challenges include enabling long-term storage stability as well as operating in resource-limited and off-the-grid scenarios using autonomous function. Here we analyze recent advances in developing synthetic biological platforms for outside-the-lab scenarios with a focus on three major application spaces: bioproduction, biosensing, and closed-loop therapeutic and probiotic delivery. Across the Perspective, we highlight recent advances, areas for further development, possibilities for future applications, and the needs for innovation at the interface of other disciplines.

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Engineered living materials (ELMs) combine living cells with polymeric matrices to yield unique materials with programmable functions. While the cellular platform and the polymer network determine the material properties and applications, there are still gaps in the ability to seamlessly integrate the biotic (cellular) and abiotic (polymer) components into singular materials, then assemble them into devices and machines. Herein, the additive-manufacturing of ELMs wherein bioproduction of metabolites from the encapsulated cells enhanced the properties of the surrounding matrix is demonstrated. First, aqueous resins are developed comprising bovine serum albumin (BSA) and poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) with engineered microbes for vat photopolymerization to create objects with a wide array of 3D form factors. The BSA-PEGDA matrix afforded hydrogels that are mechanically stiff and tough for use in load-bearing applications. Second, the continuous in situ production of l-DOPA, naringenin, and betaxanthins from the engineered cells encapsulated within the BSA-PEGDA matrix is demonstrated. These microbial metabolites bioaugmented the properties of the BSA-PEGDA matrix by enhancing the stiffness (l-DOPA) or resistance to enzymatic degradation (betaxanthin). Finally, the assembly of the 3D printed ELM components into mechanically functional bolts and gears to showcase the potential to create functional ELMs for synthetic living machines is demonstrated.

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Engineered living materials (ELMs) have broad applications for enabling on-demand bioproduction of compounds ranging from small molecules to large proteins. However, most formulations and reports lack the capacity for storage beyond a few months. In this study, we develop an optimized procedure to maximize stress resilience of yeast-laden ELMs through the use of desiccant storage and 10% trehalose incubation before lyophilization. This approach led to over 1-year room temperature storage stability across a range of strain genotypes. In particular, we highlight the superiority of exogenously added trehalose over endogenous, engineered production in yielding robust preservation resilience that is independent of cell state. This simple, effective protocol enables sufficient accumulation of intracellular trehalose over a short period of contact time across a range of strain backgrounds without requiring the overexpression of a trehalose importer. A variety of microscopic analysis including µ-CT and confocal microscopy indicate that cells form spherical colonies within F127-BUM ELMs that have variable viability upon storage. The robustness of the overall procedure developed here highlights the potential for widespread deployment to enable on-demand, cold-chain independent bioproduction.