De Novo Cellular Design & Architecture
This area focuses on using chemical tools to build the structural and functional complexity of a cell from scratch.
Cytosol-Programmed Biocatalytic Compartments Harnessing cell-free lysates within polymeric chassis to create functional microreactors that mimic complex cellular metabolism.
Hierarchical Internal Compartmentalization Developing multi-layered synthetic architectures to enable spatial segregation of incompatible enzymatic cascades and metabolic pathways.
Autopoietic Synthetic Chassis via bioPISA Engineering artificial cells capable of autonomous membrane synthesis and self-replication using bio-induced Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly.
Selected literature
- Belluati, A.; Jimaja, S.; Chadwick, R. J.; Glynn, C.; Chami, M.; Happel, D.; Guo, C.; Kolmar, H.; Bruns, N. Artificial Cell Synthesis Using Biocatalytic Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly. Nature Chemistry 2024, 16 (4), 564–574.
- Belluati, A.; Bloch, A.; Koynov, K.; Müller Nieva, M.; Bagherabadi, M.; Andrieu‐Brunsen, A.; Kolmar, H.; Bruns, N. Characterization and Optimization of Vesicle Properties in bioPISA: From Size Distribution to Post‐Assembly Loading. Advanced Biology 2024, 2400483.
Bio-Hybrid Interfaces & Synthetic Symbiosis
Interfacing living organisms with synthetic macromolecules to augment biological functionality.
Molecular Cell Surface Engineering Direct covalent and non-covalent decoration of living cell membranes with functional polymers to steer immune evasion and environmental resilience.
Engineered Endosymbiosis: Single-Cell Nano-Coating Creating artificial symbiotic systems by encapsulating individual bacteria in protective synthetic shells for energy transduction and bioprduction.
Selected literature
- Belluati, A.; Harley, I.; Lieberwirth, I.; Bruns, N. An Outer Membrane‐inspired Polymer Coating Protects and Endows Escherichia Coli with Novel Functionalities. Small 2023, 19 (46), 2303384.
- Belluati, A.; Happel, D.; Erbe, M.; Kirchner, N.; Szelwicka, A.; Bloch, A.; Berner, V.; Christmann, A.; Hertel, B.; Pardehkhorram, R. Self-Decorating Cells via Surface-Initiated Enzymatic Controlled Radical Polymerization. Nanoscale 2023, 15 (48), 19486–19492.
Phase-Separated Biomaterials
Exploiting liquid-liquid phase separation for adaptive molecular recruitment and delivery.
Metastable Coacervation for Stimuli-Responsive Delivery Designing membrane-less liquid compartments for the sequestration and triggered release of therapeutic payloads in complex biological environments.
Selected literature
- Sharma, S.; Belluati, A.; Kumar, M.; Dhiman, S. Enzymatic Reaction Network‐Driven Polymerization‐Induced Transient Coacervation. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2024, e202421620.
Funding sources
Emmy Noether Programme: “Polymer-Induced Engineered Symbioses”.
Athene Young Investigator prize
DFG Priority Program (SPP 2451): “Engineered Living Materials with Adaptive Functions”.
MSCA COFUND trainLSE
DAAD Scholarship
MSCA Individual Fellowship (Grant No. 101032493)