The doctoral research investigates bio-fabrication strategies for Martian habitats using mycelium-based composites grown in situ. Addressing the constraints of transporting materials from Earth, the project proposes a system combining Martian regolith with low-biomass mycelium and leveraging both biological and architectural self-assembly. Mycelium acts as a binding agent while jamming-based aggregation enables structural formation in reduced gravity. Developed in collaboration with NASA’s Myco-Architecture Off-Planet project, the research advances a system-based methodology for living materials in space architecture, demonstrating how adaptive, self-growing structures could support resilient extraterrestrial habitats.

* Davies, J. A. (2014). Life Unfolding. How the human body creates itself.

Supervisors: Martyn Dade-Robertson, Magdalini Theodoridou, Lynn Rothschild
The research was funded by Northern Bridge Consortium, Arts and Humanities Council