Homework
Weekly homework submissions:
Week 1 HW: Principles and Practices
First, describe a biological engineering application or tool you want to develop and why. This could be inspired by an idea for your HTGAA class project and/or something for which you are already doing in your research, or something you are just curious about. I want to develop an animal-free, bioengineered nacre-inspired cosmetic material that can replicate the most valued functions of traditional concha nácar (mother-of-pearl powder) without harvesting oyster shells. The core idea is to replace an animal-derived ingredient with a designed, renewable system that delivers comparable or improved benefits while reducing ecological impact and improving consistency. This application would combine (1) a biomimetic mineral structure designed to recreate nacre’s optical properties that contribute to visible “radiance,” and (2) microbially produced bioactive molecules, such as peptides or postbiotic compounds, intended to support skin recovery after irritation and help the skin return to baseline. I am interested in this because it sits at the intersection of biomaterials, synthetic biology, and ethical design, and it reframes “luxury skincare ingredients” as something that could be produced more sustainably and transparently through engineered biology rather than extraction.