News
Where design meets biology: an interview on SPIKA, a prototype for microbe-mediated architecture
Recently, researchers Ezgi Öğün Ramalhete, Işıl Yücel, and Jorge Barriuso were interviewed for a Q&A article in Nature Communications Biology about SPIKA, our prototype for microbe-mediated architecture, exhibited at the 23rd Milan Triennale 2025.
In the interview, they share what drew them to the project, the challenges of working at the intersection of microbiology, and design architecture, and what they learned from the public’s response.
Integrating electroactive microorganisms into active soil management strategies
Our partners at Sony CSL Paris, alongside Lenon Romano Modesto and Rachel Armstrong, recently published a review in Frontiers in Microbiology exploring how electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) could be integrated into agricultural soils as living, programmable components of regenerative farming systems.
NOGAN Task Force Uncovers Syndicate in “Impossible” Case: Was it Crime or the Future of Farming?
Following a mysterious, two-year surge of fresh fruits and vegetables on the black market, the NOGAN Task Force has unraveled a highly organised group of illegal growers. The suspects...
Online SPIKA Workshop at the Future Tech Week 2026, Jan 22
On January 22, an online workshop focusing on SPIKA will take place as part of Future Tech Week 2026. Running from January 19 to January 22, this series of webinars, workshops, panels, and networking sessions aims to unite Europe’s deep-tech...
Impact of oxygen availability on Escherichia coli metabolism to produce 2,3-butanediol from acetate
Our partners at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have recently published an exciting study exploring how acetate, a byproduct of CO2 capture and biomass pretreatment, can be used as a sustainable carbon source to produce 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO). With this research, they are finding ways to move away from food-based sugars and toward alternative feedstocks derived from industrial.
From simulation to reality: experimental analysis of a quantum entanglement simulation with slime molds as bioelectronic components
Our partner Biofaction, alongside Zeki Seskir and Eduardo R. Miranda, recently published a study in Frontiers in Soft Matter exploring whether slime mold (Physarum polycephalum) could serve as a biological component to simulate quantum entanglement.
The project was built on the premise that if slime mold behaves like a memristor (a resistor that “remembers” its past electrical charge), it could potentially be used to represent the complex states of quantum bits.
Mi-Hy at the UN World Food Forum 2025
We’re proud to share that our researcher Dr. Lenon Modesto represented the Mi-Hy project last week at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, during the World Food Forum – Flagship Event between October 10th -...
Mi-Hy at Science Night and Maker Faire in Liberec and Mladá Boleslav, Sep 26-27
On September 26th and 27th, the Mi-Hy project traveled through the Czech Republic for two back-to-back events. First, on the 26th, it was featured at Researchers' Night at the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation (CXI...
Electricity and fertiliser production using microbial fuel cell stacks for possible integration with hydroponics
Our project partners Dibyojyoty Nath and Ioannis Andrea Ieropoulos from the University of Southampton recently published a paper on how microbial fuel cells (MFCs) can produce electricity and liquid fertiliser directly from raw sewage. By stacking 40 ceramic MFCs into two plastic trays, the researchers processed raw sewage and synthetic urine to generate a dual output. Each MFC unit produced up to 1.02 mW of power and 1.2L of catholyte every 48 hours from 2.5L of feedstock.