Project REMEDY (Archibiome tattoo for resistant, responsive, and resilient cities), coordinated by Dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE, UP IAM researcher, was featured in the newly published EU-IN Horizon Scanning Report – Engineered living materials for in situ production of therapeutics by the European Medicines Agency.
The project was presented as one of the relevant examples from the ongoing EIC Pathfinder Challenge on Engineered Living Materials (ELMs), launched by the European Innovation Council (EIC).
The REMEDY project aims to develop an archibione tattoo that uses living microbes for functional decoration, biotherapeutic effects and sustainability benefits such as carbon sequestration and bioremediation. Remedy brings life to materials.
The 3rd Annual Meeting of the EIC Engineered Living Materials (ELM) Portfolio was held 1-2 October 2025, at the University of Primorska, InnoRenew CoE in Izola. The event brought together all projects within the ELM Portfolio, along with their collaborating researchers and industry partners, as well as external experts from across Europe.
The meeting started with opening remarks from Dr. Anna Sandak, REMEDY project coordinator, and Dr. Orsolya Symmons, European Innovation Council (EIC) Programme Manager in Health and Biotechnology.
Dr. Anna Sandak said: “I am honored to welcome you all here at InnoRenew CoE and to have the opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas about our projects dealing with engineered living materials.”
The EIC ELMs Portfolio is connecting projects funded under the Engineered Living Materials Pathfinder Challenge by the EIC, which began in November 2022. Through this initiative, the EIC aims to strategically position Europe at the forefront of the emerging Engineered Living Materials field.
Over the two days, coordinators and researchers presented progress updates on 10 ELMs portfolio projects – SUMO, BioRobot-MiniHeart, PRISM-LT, Bio-HhOST, Bioaction, ISOS, NextSkins, LoopOfFun, Fungateria, and REMEDY. Supported by 31.75 million euros from the European Commission, they are working on advanced solutions for diverse applications. This session was chaired by Dr. Barbara Gerratana, project officer for the ELMs Portfolio at the EIC.
The working group sessions covered topics of environment & sustainability, technology, path to market, communication, and regulation, providing space for progress reporting and open brainstorming with participants. There was also an important opportunity for early-career researchers, PhD students and postdocs to share their work in the flash talks and poster session. Moreover, the Ethical, legal and social aspects (ELSA) School was announced which will take place in July 2026 in Glasgow. All ELM Portfolio projects also recorded testimonials that will enrich the ELM Portfolio’s communication and promotion activities, helping to showcase the portfolio’s impact and reach a broader audience.
The annual meeting focused on important challenges in the translation of ELMs, such as regulatory and commercialization aspects of emerging technologies, societal and users acceptance and evolving ELMs within an ethical framework with the ELSA school and the training on effective communication, which was led by Rebeca Williams, a public speaking, storytelling, and presentation expert. Further it highlighted the unprecedented path to market, learning from early pioneers how to handle business challenges and gain support from investors for such special products.
The meeting concluded with updates from the EC Technology Council for Advanced Materials, a training session on MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, including testimonials from current fellows Dr. Karen Butina Ogorelec and Dr. Wojciech Pajerski, and an announcement of the 4th EIC ELMs Annual Meeting, which will be held 30th September – 1st October 2026.
The two-day event offered a rich program of scientific presentations, training, discussions, and networking opportunities, strengthening collaboration within the ELMs community.
Four engineered living materials (ELMs) projects were presented at the NextGen Materials 2025 conference, held 23-25 September 2025 in Hamburg, Germany.
Dr. Anna Sandak delivered an oral presentation about the progress of the ERC ARCHI-SKIN project, and presented both a poster and a pitch on the EIC Pathfinder project REMEDY.
Dr. Wojciech Pajerski joined virtually, presenting the Biolumicoat and Livemat projects during the online poster session.
NextGen Materials 2025 brought together experts in materials science, engineering, computer science, and physics from both academia and industry to explore cutting-edge advancements in materials science.
This event is organized by the German Society for Materials Science (DGM), which is the largest scientific and technical society in the field of materials science and engineering in Germany.
The REMEDY project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme (European Innovation Council), held its 1st progress meeting.
All project partners gathered online to discuss key project activities of each work package, discuss common challenges and plan for the project’s next tasks. Additionally, the financial aspects and reporting was presented.
The project REMEDY aims to achieve a breakthrough in fundamental research in microbiology and synthetic biology, transfer the know-how to materials science in the form of engineered living materials, and develop compatible biofabrication processes that allow personalised design in the architectural context.
For more information about REMEDY, visit the LinkedIn profile.
Dr. Wojciech Pajerski, InnoRenew CoE researcher, is attending the 50th World Chemistry Congress (50WCC), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
He is presenting the InnoRenew CoE’s sustainable research vision and bioinspired approach to materials science. Specifically, Dr. Pajerski is showcasing the institute’s efforts in developing Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) through the following projects:
REMEDY (Archibiome Tattoo for Resistant, Responsive, and Resilient Cities) – funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC)
ARCHI-SKIN (Bioinspired living skin for architecture) – funded by the European Research Council (ERC)
Biolumicoat (Bioluminescent microbial coating for architectural surfaces) – MSCA Seal of Excellence project supported by ARIS
REMEDY has received €50,000 in funding through the BOOST program – Bringing financial support to innOvation and pOrtfolio activitieS increasing impact, to enhance its involvement in EIC-supported research.
This funding supports REMEDY’s participation in PATH2ELMs, a strategic initiative aimed at aligning with the goals of the ELMs Strategic Plan. Through this initiative, REMEDY will actively contribute to key portfolio activities and help advance innovative technologies in the ELMs field. The PATH2ELMs consortium comprises four partners from three EU countries- Slovenia, Austria, and the Netherlands – including: InnoRenew CoE, Tiger Coatings, Graz University of Technology, and Xylhotrade. The initiative is structured into four key phases and will run until March 31, 2027.
Dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE Deputy director, was a featured speaker for the May edition of the INL Colloquia Series 2025, held in Braga, Portugal.
In her talk »Designing with life: engineering the next generation of building materials« she shared her visionary work on Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) — a new class of bio-integrated materials that bring adaptability, self-regeneration, and environmental responsiveness into the built environment.
She highlighted the groundbreaking research from two major EU-funded projects: ARCHI-SKIN, which develops living coating systems for buildings using fungal biofilms, and REMEDY, a new initiative exploring bespoke, living layers for architecture — so-called archibiome tattoos — that blend aesthetics with functionality.
The INL Colloquia Series 2025 is an inspiring monthly event that delves into cutting-edge science and engineering. It brings together high-level, visionary researchers who are pushing the boundaries of their fields. Each month explores a new theme, sparking fresh perspectives and lively discussions.
Watch the video of Dr. Anna Sandak’s presentation bellow.
Dr. Anna Sandak at the Advanced Innovative Materials for Health workshop
Dr. Anna Sandak, REMEDY project coordinator, attended the Advanced Innovative Materials for Health workshop, held in Braga, Portugal. The event brought together researchers and innovators to explore the future of healthcare technologies, emphasizing the crucial role of new innovative materials such as Engineered Living Materials (ELMs). REMEDY project was presented as part of the EIC ELMs portfolio, highlighting its contribution to shaping the future of healthcare, which lies in smart, safe, and sustainable innovation. The workshop was organized by the European Commission’s Technology Council for Advanced Materials and INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, and was a great opportunity to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Dr. Anna Sandak and Dr. Anja Černoša, InnoRenew CoE researcher, attended the EIC Summit 2025, held 2 April 2025 in Brussels.
The EIC Summit is Europe’s prime event where deeptech meets policy. The event started with the opening speech of Michiel Scheffer, EIC Board President. Following where several workshops where participants could learn about innovation, investment, and business growth in sustainable and deep-tech industries. Key topics included leveraging research infrastructures, the role of intellectual property in scaling businesses, and AI innovation and regulatory challenges. Workshops also covered the benefits of EIC’s Business Acceleration Services and transitioning from technology to market, among others.
Attending the EIC Summit 2025 was a great opportunity to present the Remedy project to a vast audience while fostering new connections for future collaborations.
Dr. Anna Sandak, InnoRenew CoE Deputy director and EIC project REMEDY coordinator, and Dr. Anja Černoša, InnoRenew CoE researcher, attended the EIC Women Leadership Programme »A leadership journey for women shaping the future of deep-tech«, held 1 April 2025 in Brussels.
The European Innovation Council (EIC), in partnership with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), is offering a skills enhancement and networking programme for women researchers and entrepreneurs, in order to support the role of women in innovation and tech.
Participants benefited from a tailored programme following a needs assessment, including specific training sessions with interactive exercises and discussions, networking events, personalised mentorship, and business-coaching schemes.
Dr. Anna Sandak and Dr. Anja Černoša attended the event in the framework of the EIC Pathfinder REMEDY project.
