ABSTRACT This project explores the use of optogenetic control to encode spatial structure into bacterial cellulose (BC) during growth. Recent advances in engineered Komagataeibacter rhaeticus have demonstrated that gene expression can be patterned within growing pellicles using projected light. However, current approaches primarily focus on pigment production, which is limited in practical textile applications and suffers from low contrast and background expression. This project addresses the need for new fabrication strategies in biomaterials that move beyond surface decoration toward material-level control, which is highly relevant for applications such as textile and bag production.