Episode 045 | February 27, 2023 | 36:10
Guest: —
Published: February 27, 2023
Duration: 36:10
Description
Ayla Kiser is back and so is the topic of biomimicry. In this episode Lasse is back with Ayla diving deeper into examples of how to actually apply biomimicry in healthcare, sustainability and the world at large.
Full transcript
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Less attention has been given so far to the sustainability side of things. But there are people trying to think about how we can use biomimicry for sustainability.
Welcome back to the Sustainable Healthcare Podcast. Today we’re speaking again with Ayla Kiser, expert and researcher in biomimicry and nature-inspired innovation. We dive deeper into examples of applying biomimicry in healthcare.
Lasse: Could you give some examples of areas of application for biomimicry in the healthcare system — medicines, devices, delivery methods?
Ayla: Biomimicry can really be applied across most areas. All these functions we’re trying to accomplish — delivering medication, reinforcing bone structure — are found in nature. We can apply biomimicry for innovation AND mimic the aspects of nature that make nature sustainable.
Velcro example: Swiss engineer George de Mestral, 1940s. Hunting trip, burdock burrs stuck to his dog’s fur. Under microscope: the burr spikes have hooks that catch on the loop structure of fabric or fur. He patented it in the 1950s — billion-dollar company. Innovative product, but not sustainable — Velcro doesn’t biodegrade and uses chemicals that aren’t great for the environment. The next challenge is to incorporate nature’s sustainability principles too.
In 2021 Italian Institute of Technology scientists created the first prototype of a biodegradable Velcro inspired by the catchweed plant — micro-hooks on leaf surfaces that attach to other plants for support. 3D-printed using a sugar-like substance that degrades easily. Used as a delivery system for plants — micro-hooks enter the leaf vascular system delivering medications. Could inspire biodegradable patches for transdermal treatments in humans (similar to microneedle patches today).
Tissium (Paris, MIT research): surgical adhesives that function in a very wet, dynamic environment inside the body. Big challenge to create an adhesive that works underwater, biocompatible, doesn’t mix with blood, stays put. They sought inspiration from nature — adhesion underwater exists in many species. Studied snails, blue mussels, and the sandcastle worm (intertidal zone — builds tubes of sand grains underwater using a special adhesive). Created a synthetic bio-inspired polymer. They tested it sealing a hole in a pig’s beating heart. Use light at a specific wavelength to convert the viscous adhesive into a flexible solid that biodegrades and is absorbed by the body. On the market now.
Sharklet: mimics shark skin. Shark skin has dermal denticles — diamond-shaped “shingles” with ridges at the micro scale. Whales and sea turtles get algae and barnacles attached, but sharks don’t. Originally aimed at preventing fouling on ships. Then they realized: same pattern prevents bacteria from landing on surfaces and forming biofilms. Biofilms are a huge problem for catheters, implants and hospital surfaces. Once biofilms form they’re very hard to kill — even antibiotic-resistant. Sharklet inhibits Staph aureus, E. coli, MRSA without any chemical or antibiotic intervention. Reduces drug-resistant superbug risk. Strong potential for preventive care — the treatment you never have to make is the most sustainable.
Biomimicry for sustainability: most biomimicry to date has been for innovation, less for sustainability per se. But people are starting to think about it at a systems level — how can infrastructure be more sustainable? Everything has to be produced somewhere — factories replace ecosystems. The ecosystem services that land was providing before are not replaced. Nature is our ultimate benchmark for sustainability. Biological systems don’t create massive pollution and incorporate circular economy and biodiversity inherently.
Treating waste with bio-inspired methods — many species break down complex chemistries or nanoparticles. Better still: design products upstream that don’t create massive pollution in the first place. Prevention over treatment.
Two main barriers:
1. Nature is complex and we don’t always have the knowledge or tools to figure out how nature accomplishes some functions. Improving over time.
2. Cost. Biomimetic technologies are often more expensive than what’s done today. Process of taking an MVP and simplifying it into something scalable and cost-competitive. Cost happens across the product development cycle — sometimes both the fundamental research and the manufacturing capability need to change. Short-term thinking misses the cost of degrading the environment and losing ecosystem services. Companies thinking biomimetically may also be more sustainable in the long-term — license to operate, competitive on a different axis.
Looking ahead: more emphasis on sustainability and systems thinking — biomimicry is a fantastic tool for that. Can we take care of ourselves while taking care of the planet?
Closing thought: think about how nature would solve problems. Look around at the nature surrounding you — a city park, weeds growing up through cracks. When I started studying biomimicry I started seeing nature very differently — that tree is an oxygen-producing factory, a filtering machine, has an incredible pumping system. Every species has some kind of superpower we can learn from. Watch David Attenborough.
Thank you Ayla. Thank you for listening — visit greeninnovationgroup.com or reach out on LinkedIn.