Characterisation

What citric acid reveals about bacterial cellulose

Role overshadowing: when the job we assign an ingredient is correct, and its correctness is what stops us looking any further.

Aug 18, 2026

•

5 min read

Locating the carrier: what a living material asks of you

A framework for designing with living and biological materials. Name the property you care about, find what actually carries it, and you'll know what the material asks of you: to keep it, preserve it, or tend it.

Jul 21, 2026

•

9 min read

Stronger Than Steel is the Wrong Thing to Know

The number might be true. It's also not the property you need. How to turn a gut doubt about a strength promise into something you can write into a design brief.

Jun 30, 2026

•

6 min read

Self-Healing Is Not One Promise

"Self-healing mycelium" is several promises wearing one word. How to tell them apart before you build.

Jun 9, 2026

•

5 min read

From Working to Holding in AI Biodesign

Why experimental validation doesn’t guarantee structural reliability in protein design

Apr 30, 2026

•

6 min read

Bit-Perfect, Materially Broken: Trustworthy Biodesign Challenges in DNA Data Storage

Bridging the gap between digital recovery and molecular integrity.

Mar 27, 2026

•

15 min read

Designing Bacterial Cellulose from the Inside Out

How proteins shape texture, colour, smell etc., and how AI helps you edit them

Jun 15, 2025

•

6 min read

Is Your Biodesign ACTUALLY Sustainable?

Opening up a can of worms, AI, animal ethics, and more

Nov 8, 2024

•

10 min read