The project seeks to understand and steer light and mass transport within photobiocatalytic multi-species biofilms to achieve higher chemical production rates. Advanced porous hydrogel scaffolds, inspired by the extracellular polymeric substance of natural microbial mats, will be engineered to guide light penetration and nutrient diffusion throughout deep biofilm layers.

Within these materials, cooperative microbial partners — engineered Synechocystis sp., wild-type Rhodopseudomonas palustris, and Pseudomonas taiwanensis — will form spatially organized consortia with complementary metabolic functions. By analyzing and directing their spatiotemporal metabolic interactions, we aim to optimize both biofilm architecture and overall biocatalytic performance.

The project will demonstrate enhanced photobiocatalytic production of 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid from cyclohexanone, a key precursor for the biodegradable polymer polycaprolactone. Ultimately, we will establish a model framework for designing material-assisted, cooperative biofilms that unify light management, mass transport, and microbial synergy to advance sustainable biomanufacturing.