Biological fabrication, through 3D Bioprinting (3DBP) and nanotechnology, has opened many possibilities for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, with developments in engineered living materials and the increase in the interests of a broader community of engineers and designers, new application possibilities for biological fabrication have opened up - beyond tissue engineering. These include applications for novel products, architecture, apparel, and packaging as well as a fabrication method where resources are highly constrained including, for example, space exploration.

A broader definition of biological fabrication has been suggested by Natalio (2019) as ‘…combining the ability to design bioinspired molecules (chemistry) with nature’s complexity and ingenious paths (biology) in order to produce new composite materials with emergent properties while being able to tailor the said materials’ end-functionality or functionalities.” Biological fabrication may also allow for more sustainable industrial processes, transforming abundant raw materials and wastes into complex functional materials. This new “fabrication approach” will allow, in the future, to sustainably transform abundant raw materials into an innovative new class of composite functional materials.

In this collection, we would like to explore the latest developments in engineered biomaterials and explore their novel applications beyond tissue engineering and biomedical devices. We also would like to address the challenges for biological fabrication of those materials including understanding the complexity of biological material synthesis, the predictability and precision of the result, and the scale-up of processes observed at the nano and micro scales.

This Research Topic also provides an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to explore novel methodologies for interdisciplinary research. We aim to bring together leading biological fabrication research from across a range of fields addressing the future and state of the art for biological fabrication and its emerging applications.

This collection provides a peer-reviewed platform for the publications of research on the following topics:
- The synthesis and characterization of novel biomaterials or hybrid materials
- Novel fabrication technologies and bioprocesses for the manufacture and structure of biomaterials
- Functional biomaterials and biocomposites and their novel applications such as construction, biosensors, fashion, and packaging
- New methodologies in novel biomaterials design.

We welcome submissions of the following article types: Brief research report, original research articles, review, opinion, perspectives, and methods.

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Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

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