Meet the 2021-2022 Biodesign Challenge Team Representing Kent State at the BDC Summit

  
In Fall 2021, Kent State University once again offered its collaborative Biodesign Challenge course sponsored by the Environmental Science and Design Research Institute (ESDRI) in partnership with Design Innovation. The course culminates with a multidisciplinary team of KSU faculty, selecting one team to represent the university at the global Biodesign Challenge summit every year.  The chosen team -- named Innovasive -- consists of four graduate students and one undergraduate student from a variety of degree programs:

• Gabriela Allende '22 |  MSci; MArch, College of Architecture and Environmental Design

• Justin Byler '22  |  MArch, College of Architecture and Environmental Design

• Christian Tyler Mathes '22 |  MArch, College of Architecture and Environmental Design

• Celia Ohnmeis '23  |  BA in Fashion, College of the Arts

• Alyssa Skilton '22  |  MSci, College of Architecture and Environmental Design

Front (left to right): Alyssa Skilton, Gabriela Allende, Celia Ohnmeis. Back (left to right): Christian Tyler Mathes, Justin Byler.

Their project is titled "Innovasive: from Invasion to Innovasion Reactive Fabric from Phragmites".  The interdisciplinary project utilizes invasive plant species Phragmites australis -- often called  "common reed" -- to synthesize a hydrogel and develop a sustainable fabric.  Phragmites can be problematic because their excessive height blocks sunlight, thus they outcompete native flora and reduce biodiversity.  Locally, these plants are found in moisture-rich areas.  Team Innovasive is using a raw fiber extracted from these plants.
  

Through a six-step process, Innovasive explores sustainable reactive fabrics developed from invasive plants to reduce harmful textile waste and environmental issues. To achieve a sustainable product lifecycle, the team utilizes the plant in both the fabric and the reactive element applied to the fabric.  Currently, Innovasive has processed Phragmites australis into a moisture reactive hydrogel and is developing a process to extract fibers from Phragmites to create the fabric as well.  Innovasive’s goal is to integrate as many elements as possible of their invasive species into the fabric.  Thus, they are experimenting with the application of Phragmites based hydrogel on Phragmites based fabric.  Innovasive is passionate about following environmentally friendly processes, which is reflected in the creation of their products.  For more information and photos, please visit the team's website.

Additionally, congratulations to the three other teams enrolled in the Fall 2021 biodesign course, for their visionary ideas and designs!  The three other teams that came about from the biodesign course presented robust and varied projects.

• Farm Filtration consisted of Justin Allen (Architectural Studies), Aakriti Poudel (Biotechnology), Ethan Prodin (Architecture), and Priscilla Shrestha (Fashion Design).  The team created a sustainable system to filter water and prevent Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).
  
• MVP (Mushrooms Versus PPE) consisted of Hannah Haswell (Digital Sciences), Peixin Hong (Fashion Design), and Malik Porter (Neuroscience).  To tackle the rise of PPE (personal protective equipment) waste since the pandemic's onset, they harnessed the power of plastic-degrading fungi in medical facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, and laboratories.
  
• Mycotecture consisted of Matt Campbell (Biotechnology), Thomas Moore (Architecture), Dhruv Nakhwa (Biotechnology), and Abdur Rahman Pahlwan (Architecture).  The team envisioned temporary mycelium architectural biocomposites as a way of providing relief housing for victims of natural disasters.
     

2022's summit marks the largest number of participating schools with more than 50 international universities competing in the challenge.  In addition to the esteemed title of Biodesign Winner, many other prizes are awarded, such as the Community Choice Prize and the Outstanding Instructor Prize.  You may recall hearing about this cutting-edge challenge when team BioBlack brought home the Outstanding Science Prize from the Biodesign Challenge summit in 2020 after they created a sustainable black dye alternative.  

The summit will be held virtually from June 20 - 24, 2022.  Best of luck to team Innovasive representing the Golden Flashes!