On September 18, the EIC Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) portfolio held its second annual meeting in Saarbrücken, Germany, alongside the 4th International Conference on Engineered Living Materials. The event brought together 140 participants, including 33 representatives from EIC ELMs projects—BioRobot-MiniHeart, Bio-HhOST, Fungateria, NextSkins, LoopOfFun, and Sumo. Indeed, members of the ELMs community, including awardees of the DFG’s Programme Priority in ELMs also attended.

Conference participants were invited to attend the symposium, which opened with a talk by Jamie Davies from the University of Edinburgh. He shared insights from the EIC Pathfinder Open project CyGenTiG. Laura Martinelli, of INsociety, and Massimo Vassalli, of the University of Glasgow, presented “3D Printed Symbiotic Materials for Living Tissues Manufacturing”. This presentation highlighted PRISM-LT’s innovative work in developing symbiotic materials using advanced 3D printing techniques.

These talks sparked discussions throughout the day, focusing on the latest advancements, knowledge exchange, and opportunities for collaboration. Finally, Chao Zhong, from the Shenzhen Institute, concluded the symposium on “Living Materials Programmed by Life.”

During the symposium attendees were able to meet witht Dr. Orsolya Symmons, the new EIC Biotech Programme Manager. Dr. Symmons’ introduction to the EIC ELMs projects and the ELMs community was an important first step in guiding these initiatives forward.

Meanwhile, the EIC stand at the conference showcased material, microfluidic samples, and videos about the portfolio and the Fungateria project. Brochures were distributed to provide attendees with additional information about the ongoing work and collaborations within the ELMs portfolio.

Organized by LoopOfFun with support from NextSkins, the event successfully highlighted the projects and connected the ELMs community. For PRISM-LT, this meeting was an opportunity to showcase its work and engage with stakeholders, industry representatives, and regulatory bodies. The project strengthened its position within the ELMs community and expanded its network of potential collaborators.