Topology imprinting of nonlinear metasurfaces is a new concept that enables replication and manipulation of structured light fields while preserving their topological characteristics across new frequencies. In a new study, researchers review this novel paradigm, discussing key experimental demonstrations, current limitations, and future research directions. The study highlights this concept as key for next-generation photonic platforms and its potential impact in different fields.  

SUTD researchers have turned minimally processed rice and lentil flours into 3D-printable pastes that cook into distinctly textured foods, offering a route to complete-protein vegetarian meals that do not depend on refined protein isolates.

The Smart Materials research unit, coordinated by Athanassia Athanassiou, Deputy Scientific Director of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa (Italy), has developed a new method to make wood flexible in a controlled way and therefore easier to shape. Unlike current approaches, which are more energy-intensive or less sustainable, IIT’s treatment could offer a green alternative. Published in Communications Materials, a Nature Portfolio journal, the proposed technology shows promise for a range of sectors that require curved wood, including furniture, interior design, musical instrument making and toys.

Cu(111) exhibits great activity and selectivity toward aromatic products, favoring methoxy cleavage to produce phenol and methanol. Cu(111)/(111) grain boundary preserves deoxygenation activity while suppressing aromatic ring hydrogenation, significantly enhancing aromatic selectivity and offering an effective strategy for the development of tailored catalysts for selective guaiacol HDO.

Researchers compressed the Fe-N bond in uniform Fe₁-N₄single-atom catalysts from 2.03 to 1.93 Å without changing their coordination structure. This 0.1 Å change promoted electron accumulation at Fe centers, enhanced peroxide activation and increased C-H bond oxidation activity nearly 23-fold. The study establishes a direct relationship between bond distance, electronic structure and catalytic performance, extending precise catalyst design to the subangstrom scale.

Fungi represent a cornerstone of industrial biotechnology, serving as indispensable platforms for the production of enzymes, organic acids, and high-value pharmaceuticals. In the era of synthetic biology and green manufacturing, the engineering of fungal cell factories offers unparalleled opportunities to address global challenges in sustainability, human health, and the circular bioeconomy. This article collection aims to capture the cutting-edge advances in fungal biomanufacturing, ranging from foundational metabolic engineering to the development of robust industrial strains.

Filamentous fungi and yeasts are powerful platforms for sustainable chemical production. As industries shift away from petrochemical-based processes, engineered fungal cell factories offer a renewable route to high-value compounds—from therapeutic alkaloids to biodegradable polymers. By integrating cutting-edge tools like CRISPR-Cas9, biosensors, and dynamic pathway regulation, we can overcome long-standing bottlenecks in titer, rate, and yield. Furthermore, linking fungal biomanufacturing with medicinal plant biomass valorization directly supports the circular bioeconomy, reduces agricultural waste, and enables the sustainable production of bioactive natural products that are otherwise difficult to source.

This collection will serve as a platform for presenting innovative strategies that bridge the gap between laboratory-scale design and industrial-scale application, emphasizing the critical role of fungi in shaping a sustainable manufacturing future. We invite contributions that explore the full spectrum of fungal biotechnology, with a focus on leveraging the unique metabolic versatility of yeast and filamentous fungi. Topics of interest include the design and optimization of fungal cell factories for the sustainable production of biofuels, biopolymers, and high-value natural products. We particularly welcome studies that integrate systems biology, CRISPR-based genome editing, and process engineering to overcome current bottlenecks in titers, yields, and rate of products. Additionally, given the growing significance of traditional medicine and functional foods, this issue will highlight the role of fungal systems in the herb bioprocessing to produce bioactive compounds.

Topics of Interest in details:

Development and optimization of Saccharomyces, Yarrowia, and non-conventional yeasts for industrial applications.

Pathway construction, flux optimization, and dynamic regulation in fungal hosts.

Development of genetic parts, CRISPR-Cas9/12 tools, and biosensors for fungal systems.

Heterologous biosynthesis of terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, polyketides, and fungal secondary metabolites.

Biotransformation, valorization, and sustainable production of bioactive compounds from medicinal plant biomass.

Morphology engineering and harnessing Aspergillus, Trichoderma, and Basidiomycetes for enzyme and chemical production.

Bioprocess design, scaling-up strategies, and techno-economic analysis for fungal-based manufacturing.

 keywords:

Yeast cell factories

Metabolic engineering

Synthetic biology

Natural products

Herb bioprocessing

Filamentous fungi

CRISPR-Cas9

Sustainable bioprocesses

Adoptive T cell therapy works well in some blood cancers but remain less effective against solid tumors. Researchers developed T-FOLactis, a probiotic–T cell chimera that links engineered bacteria directly to T cells. In colorectal cancer models, the platform improved tumor localization, strengthened local immune coordination, and produced greater antitumor activity than conventional T cell therapy.