PhotoBioLEAP; Biobased photon upconverting living hydrogel platforms for photosynthesis enabled technologies

Photosynthesis is foundation of our biosphere. Beyond its natural function to convert light energy into chemical energy that fuels most of the life forms and production of oxygen that we breath, humanity is now creatively repurposing photosynthesis to address modern challenges, from developing photosynthetic cell factories for sustainable chemical production to engineering life-support systems for survival in space. Many of these technologies use photosynthetic microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria and microalgae, often immobilized in dense hydrogels to save space, water, and energy. Two primary bottlenecks limit these technologies. The first is a fundamental limitation of photosynthesis itself: chlorophyll uses only a narrow band of the light spectrum (photosynthetically active radiation or PAR), wasting nearly 50% of the solar spectrum, which is rich in infrared light. The second is a technical challenge: high cell concentrations lead to self-shading and inefficient light distribution.The PhotoBioLEAP project offers an ambitious solution to these problems; a hydrogel platform that converts inactive near-infrared (NIR) light into active visible light through a process called photon upconversion, hence broadens the spectral utilization. This unique design leverages the high penetration of NIR radiation to generate light directly inside the hydrogel, improving light distribution and efficiency. The project is a highly interdisciplinary effort, carefully designed to maximize feasibility by combining the expertise of the researcher and the host, and contributes to the EU's goals of boosting biotechnology and biomanufacturing for a more sustainable future.