MIMESIS – Nature-Inspired Bioadhesives for Biomedical and Biotechnological Applications
- FAM Foundation
- Mar 17
- 3 min read
Many currently available synthetic adhesives, particularly petroleum-derived products such as cyanoacrylates and epoxy resins, do not simultaneously combine strong adhesion in aqueous environments with biocompatibility and biodegradability. This limitation is especially relevant in biomedical and biotechnological contexts, including tissue engineering, advanced cell culture systems, 3D organ printing, and emerging biofabrication fields .
Hosted by MARE, Coordinated by Romana Santos, the MIMESIS project was designed to address this challenge by developing marine-inspired recombinant bioadhesives based on the natural adhesive system of sea urchins. Through a multidisciplinary approach integrating marine biology, biochemistry, and molecular engineering, the project achieved laboratory-scale protein prototypes corresponding to early-stage technological validation (TRL 3–4) .a
By translating evolutionary solutions from marine organisms into engineered biomaterials, MIMESIS contributes to the development of environmentally responsible and application-oriented adhesive systems.
Recombinant Marine-Inspired Protein Development
During the project, the team successfully engineered and produced recombinant versions of a marine adhesive protein inspired by sea urchins, using a bacterial expression platform . Two design approaches were explored, enabling comparison between structural configurations and production behavior.
The results demonstrated the feasibility of producing structurally stable adhesive protein constructs outside their natural biological context. Despite being expressed in a heterologous system, the engineered proteins retained conformational features compatible with adhesive functionality.
Structural and stability assessments confirmed that the prototypes achieved appropriate folding behavior and resilience under laboratory conditions — key prerequisites for downstream application development .
Environmentally Responsive Self-Assembly
An important functional characteristic observed during the project was the responsiveness of the engineered proteins to environmental conditions. The prototypes displayed adaptive assembly behavior depending on ionic composition, revealing an intrinsic capacity for structural modulation .
Variations in surrounding conditions influenced aggregation dynamics and coating morphology, suggesting that adhesive performance can be environmentally tuned. This responsiveness introduces flexibility for potential use across distinct biomedical or biotechnological contexts, where controlled assembly is often desirable.
Rather than functioning as static materials, the prototypes exhibited dynamic behavior that may allow fine adjustment to specific operational environments.
Surface Interaction and Functional Feasibility
Preliminary surface interaction studies were conducted using substrates with different physicochemical characteristics . Under the tested laboratory conditions, the recombinant protein constructs demonstrated consistent adsorption behavior across distinct material types.
Microscopy observations confirmed the formation of stable surface coatings, supporting the practical feasibility of marine-inspired protein-based adhesives. While this phase did not include quantitative mechanical testing, the qualitative results indicate that recombinant marine proteins constitute viable candidates for continued development.
Overall, these findings establish a proof of concept that marine biomimetic proteins can be engineered, produced, and functionally expressed in laboratory systems while maintaining desirable structural and interaction properties.
Scientific Dissemination and Recognition
The project’s findings were presented at major international scientific conferences, including the International Marine Biotechnology Conference and the International Symposium on Protein Interactions and Self-assembly .
A project team member received the Best Oral Presentation award at the Marine Biotechnology Conference, reflecting the scientific quality and relevance of the research .
In addition, a peer-reviewed publication in Marine Drugs (2025) addressed structural features of marine adhesive proteins, further consolidating the project’s scientific contributions .
Future Perspectives
The prototypes developed within MIMESIS constitute an early-stage proof of concept for recombinant marine-inspired bioadhesives. Future research may explore performance optimization, scalability, and translational pathways, subject to institutional and strategic evaluation.
By bridging marine biomimicry, recombinant protein engineering, and sustainable materials science, MIMESIS establishes a solid foundation for continued development in environmentally conscious adhesive technologies.
Please find more information on the report above.
FAM Foundation is committed with the sustainable development goals, Blue Carbon in Algarve project impact the following SGD's.
MIMESIS contributes to multiple Sustainable Development Goals.
Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), it promotes the development of safer biomaterials that reduce reliance on petrochemical-based components .
Under SDG 14 (Life Below Water), it supports environmentally responsible material innovation inspired by marine biology, reducing ecological risks associated with synthetic adhesives .
Under SDG 4 (Quality Education), the project provided advanced laboratory training to MSc and PhD researchers, strengthening interdisciplinary scientific capacity .
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
