Overview

• Dr. Congrui Grace Jin's team has created a synthetic lichen system that enables concrete to self-repair by combining cyanobacteria and filamentous fungi.
• The system uses cyanobacteria to convert sunlight and air into energy and fungi to produce crack-sealing minerals, functioning without external nutrient inputs.
• Laboratory tests confirmed the microbes thrive in concrete's harsh conditions and effectively seal cracks, marking a significant advancement over previous methods.
• The research, published in *Materials Today Communications*, addresses a major limitation of earlier self-healing concrete technologies that required manual nutrient delivery.
• Ongoing studies are exploring societal, ethical, and regulatory implications of integrating living organisms into construction materials to ensure public acceptance and safe deployment.