Giorgia Cannici

Ph.D. in Biological System engineering 2024 (expected)

MSc Biomedical Engineering Tufts University (2021)

Master in Liberal Art, Biology, Harvard University (2018)

MArch II Rensselaer Polytechnic (2012)

MSc Architecture Milan Polytechnic (2005)

I am a Ph.D. student working under the supervision of Professor Anna Duraj-Thatte in the SMART Living Material Lab. Currently, the majority of materials used in building construction are non-renewable, limited in their recyclability and produced by energy-intensive and environmentally damaging means. For instance, the world’s total cement production generates ~2.2 billion tons of CO 2 annually - equivalent to 8% of the global total (EPA, 2019). By contrast, in nature, different nucleating proteins are responsible for the nucleation and growth of different mineral crystals producing biominerals displaying mechanical properties - such as toughness and stiffness - which often surpass their manmade counterparts including the ubiquitous reinforced concrete.

I am interested in obtaining viable bioceramics at low energetic expenditure for large-scale implementation such as architecture and product design. More specifically, my aim is to devise a production process for ceramics which operates at, or close to, body temperature. This I aim to achieve by molecular engineering of the biological mechanism of biomineralization; control of the molecular architecture of the material will in addition make tunable its mechanical and optical properties.

With any given material, a trade-off exists between its production process, life cycle, and its desired properties. Whether these be mechanical, chemical, tactile, visual, or other, they largely come down to material chemistry and, therefore, molecular makeup. With this in mind, it seems plausible that bioengineering can provide us with an unprecedented opportunity to tailor the ideal material to a particular set of needs, mitigating many compromises that previously would have heavily influenced the process, and, thereby, redefining the very way we design and construct buildings.

Water-Processable, Biodegradable and Coatable Aquaplastic from Engineered Microbial Biofilms

Duraj-Thatte A, Avinash MB, N. M. D. Courchesne, G. Cannici, A. Sánchez-Ferrer, B. P. Frank, L. van 't Hag, S. K. Cotts, D. H. Fairbrother, R. Mezzenga, Joshi NS

Nature Chemical Biology, 2021, 17, 732-738