In science fiction movies, some amputees are equipped with incredibly efficient bionic prostheses that enable them to accomplish everyday gestures as any valid person would. Presently, the very best equipment that can be offered to amputees is still far from meeting their expectations or those seen in the movies.

We decided to create a universal biological interface that would be able to connect the residual nerves from the amputees’ limbs to the prostheses. We came up with the idea of coating the implants with a genetically engineered biofilm. Bacteria secreting neurotrophins (e.g. proNGF) from the interface will help the nerves grow back towards the prosthesis.

This opened our minds to a huge challenge with orthopedic implants: infectious biofilms. They frequently develop around implants and cause heavy infections, very resistant to antibiotics. Our strategy concentrates efforts on fighting against S. aureus, by disturbing the quorum sensing. This mechanism regulates and coordinates the biofilm’s architecture and the production of toxins and virulence factors.

We designed this interface as something that could become the new standard, something that would then be connected to any bionic prosthesis, and that would allow a much greater control of movements. We mixed synthetic biology with disciplines like physics and industrial design to come up with the following prototype.