On 9–10 April 2025, the city of Braga (Portugal) hosted the Advanced Innovative Materials for Health workshop, organised by the European Commission’s Technology Council for Advanced Materials in collaboration with the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory. The event brought together experts from across Europe to identify strategic research and innovation needs for the future of healthcare — from regenerative medicine to organ-on-a-chip systems and advanced diagnostics.

PRISM-LT was pleased to see growing recognition of Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) — a promising class of materials capable of functions far beyond traditional, non-living systems. ELMs were featured throughout the workshop as a key direction for health innovation in Europe.

Among the highlights:

• Wilfried Weber, coordinator of the EIC-funded LoopOfFun-ELMs project, delivered a keynote on the unique properties and health applications of ELMs.
• Jos Malda explored their potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
• Federica Zanca, EIC Programme Manager, introduced how ELMs are being considered for medical devices in her presentation on the EIC.

The session also benefited from the coordination efforts of Anna Sandak (REMEDY EIC and member of the EC Advanced Materials Council) and Orsolya Symmons (EIC Programme Manager for Health and Biotech), who are helping oversee the growing EIC ELMs portfolio — which includes BIOACTION alongside other pioneering projects such as Bio-HhOST, BioRobot-Miniheart, Fungateria, ISOS Project EU, LoopOfFun-ELMs, NextSkins, PRISM-LT, REMEDY EIC, and SUMO.

By contributing to the conversation around policy and regulation, these projects are helping put ELMs — and the future of smart, safe, and sustainable biomaterials — on the European innovation map.