Vasileios Tsampallas

About me

PhD Student in the Sustainable Materials Chemistry (SUSMATCHEM) research group at the Department of Chemistry in Stockholm University, lead by Associate Professor Mika Sipponen. The researh topic is 'Lignin-based hybrid living materials' (LignoLife project, funded by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation). He obtained his master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering from University of Crete, in the year of 2022-2024 working with synthesis and functionalization of monodisperse lignin nanoparticles. He received his Bachelor's degree in Materials Science and Technology from University of Crete, in the year 2017-2021 working with the synthesis of carboxylated chitosan derivatives for tissue engineering applications.

Project title: Lignin-based hybrid living materials

Recent advancements in synthetic biology and materials science have led to the emergence of hybrid living materials which are formed by living cells or cell communities embedded in self-renewing, natural or synthetic scaffolds. These innovative materials hold great promise for sustainable energy, environmental remediation, healthcare, and smart materials. However, there is a gap in exploring affordable, bio-based solutions that can be applied on a large scale.

This project aims to develop lignin-based hybrid living materials by combining lignin -- an abundant yet underutilized by-product of industrial pulping processes -- with diverse microorganisms such as microalgae, yeast, and fungi. By utilizing lignin from various sources — including softwood, hardwood, and herbaceous plants, in various physical states, we seek to create functional, self-regenerating materials. These biohybrids will be explored for applications in sustainable chemistry, specifically focusing on photothermally activated enzyme production for water purification and carbon dioxide capture -- addressing critical global challenges.

Here our primary focus is to utilize lignin from renewable lignocellulosic biomass as a main macromolecular component of hybrid living materials. This approach differs from the mainstream research, which has predominantly focused on the microbial degradation of lignin.