In.Bio 2025 
           

The challenge.  The rapid expansion of the global market for advanced electronics has introduced significant environmental challenges in three critical areas:

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• Mining: Extracting rare earth elements and other materials used in electronics releases heavy metals, threatening ecosystems and public health.

• Manufacturing: Semiconductor production requires enormous amounts of water and energy, while emitting significant greenhouse gases.

• E-Waste Accumulation: Improper disposal of electronic waste, often handled under unsafe conditions in developing countries, causes severe harm to local communities and the environment.

 

These challenges, driven by the increasing demand for consumer electronics, are recognized as major environmental and health risks. Urgent mitigation strategies are necessary to address these issues and ensure sustainable development.
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The science.  Protein Design—a breakthrough field in synthetic biology recently recognized with a Nobel Prize—uses computational approaches to create functional proteins. These designs leverage principles ranging from basic biochemical rules to cutting-edge deep learning models.

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Recent advancements in protein design have demonstrated the capacity to template semiconductor material growth into defined geometries. Once a biomineralization system and the target template protein are encoded into bacteria, the process can be scaled exponentially. Given the rapid replication rate of bacteria, a single engineered bacterium has the theoretical potential to cover the surface of the Earth with a 1-meter-thick layer in approximately 33 hours under ideal conditions. This scalability opens up groundbreaking possibilities for fabricating advanced electronics in microbial factories, presenting a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional manufacturing methods.
 

Aims.  InBio 2025 is dedicated to establishing a detailed roadmap for the fabrication of advanced electronics in microbial factories. The workshop will unite academic experts in protein design and semiconductor technology with government representatives, funding bodies, private-sector leaders, and investors. The workshop goals are:

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1. Community Building: Foster an active, interdisciplinary community focused on protein-semiconductor composite materials.

2. Collaborative R&D: Seed academia-industry collaborations to drive innovation.

3. Roadmap Development: Identify key milestones and challenges necessary to bring this vision to reality.

 

Key discussion topics. 

 

Mapping the Circular Raw Materials Landscape. The circular raw materials landscape for advanced electronics must harness underutilized resources such as e-waste, mining byproducts, and industrial residues. Efforts should focus on quantifying recoverable materials, pinpointing regional strengths in recycling, and implementing transparent traceability systems to ensure ethical and sustainable sourcing. By optimizing supply chains and utilizing overlooked streams, we can establish a resilient and eco-friendly flow of critical materials.

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Needs and Opportunities. Identifying low-hanging fruits and high-value applications is essential for driving impactful innovations in the next 5–10 years. Examples include efficient biosensors, quantum dot-enhanced solar cells, flexible electronics, and advanced energy storage solutions. These applications offer a clear pathway for initial market entry while laying the foundation for more transformative advancements.

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Scientific Challenges. The fabrication of advanced electronics using protein-semiconductor composites requires breakthroughs in sourcing suitable intermediates, advancing de novo protein modeling, and achieving reliable composite characterization. Overcoming integration challenges within microbial factories for sustainable production and scaling up manufacturing processes are critical steps toward industrial scalability and viability.

 

Financing. Strategic funding approaches are key to realizing the potential of protein-semiconductor technologies, including securing public grants, attracting venture capital, and forming partnerships with industry leaders. By targeting early revenue streams and showcasing environmental and market impact, these efforts could pave the way for a “unicorn” startup, driving both innovation and sustainability.