Hostname: page-component-76d6cb85b7-vdhp9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-07-22T10:16:16.949Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français
Accepted manuscript

Practices at the intersection of waste, biotechnology, and materials design: insights from the Biodesign Challenge project database

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2026

Alejandra Ruiz Open the ORCID record for Alejandra Ruiz [Opens in a new window]  and
Elena Comino
Alejandra Ruiz*
Affiliation:
Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Torino, Italy
Elena Comino
Affiliation:
Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Torino, Italy
*
*Author for correspondence. Email: alejandra.ruiz@polito.it
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Accessibility of Accepted Manuscripts

Accepted Manuscripts are early, peer-reviewed versions that have not yet been copyedited, typeset, or formally published and may not meet all accessibility standards. A fully formatted accessible version will follow.

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the 'Save PDF' action button.

Using the Biodesign Challenge as a representative corpus of early-stage exploratory work in biodesign, this paper analyzes 843 student-led projects presented between 2016 and 2025 to identify correlations between waste engagement, technological strategies, and project outcomes. The study proposes a Map of Practices at the intersection of waste, biotechnology, and materials design, grouping projects according to their level of involvement with waste, living systems, and material production. Results reveal the relevance of waste as both a driver and a material input in waste-driven biodesign, identifying recurring strategic approaches to waste, innovative biological strategies that merge materials design with waste management, and critical tensions, such as the predominance of degradable waste streams over more recalcitrant forms. Based on these findings, a decision-making tool is proposed to support problem definition, technology integration, and outcome positioning in waste-driven biodesign practices. In response to the growing urgency of waste as a pervasive socio-ecological challenge, this research addresses conceptual and methodological gaps concerning the integration of waste into biodesign and contributes analytical and practical tools for supporting more circular and regenerative material futures.

Keywords

biodesignmaterials designwaste managementBiodesign Challengematerials from waste

Information

Type
Full Paper: Biodesign Conference
Information
Biotechnology Design , Accepted manuscript , pp. 1 - 42
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press