134. Bio-Logic in Living Designs: bioMATTERS’ Nancy Diniz on Crafting with Biology

Karl and Erum are joined by Nancy Diniz, Co-Founder of bioMATTERS LLC, to explore the future of biodesign and sustainable materials. Drawing on her background in architecture and digital fabrication, Nancy unpacks how bioMATTERS is creating novel mycelium- and microbe-based materials that are not only biodegradable but alive. The conversation traverses speculative design, the challenge of scaling living materials, and the cultural shift needed to embrace biology as a partner in production. With humor and insight, Nancy shares how her work sits at the intersection of art, science, and ecology—and why the next generation of materials must be rooted in systems thinking.

Grow Everything brings the bioeconomy to life. Hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories and interview the leaders and influencers changing the world by growing everything. Biology is the oldest technology. And it can be engineered. What are we growing?

Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.messaginglab.com/groweverything⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - From Kitchen Experiments to Living Systems: Nancy’s DIY Biodesign Spark
• 00:00:28 - Protests, Purpose, and Speaking Up in a Wild World
• 00:02:10 - The Future Is Biotech: From AI in Pharma to Bio-powered Skin Care
• 00:04:32 - L’Oreal Meets Nvidia: The Unexpected Longevity Alliance
• 00:08:17 - Meet Nancy Diniz: Architect Turned Biodesign Trailblazer
• 00:15:22 - Clay, Craft, and Mycelium: Where Earth Meets Engineered Biology
• 00:21:13 - Breaking the Mold: How Nancy Navigates the Unknown in Biodesign
• 00:23:45 - Happy Accidents: Why Biodesign Thrives on Trial and Error
• 00:25:10 - New Frontiers: Biomanufacturing Takes Center Stage
• 00:25:50 - When Design Dreams Collide with Biological Reality
• 00:27:00 - The Ethics of Growing with Care in Biodesign
• 00:29:44 - Meet Symbi: Nancy’s Living Material with a Message
• 00:32:10 - From Petri Dish to Production: The Real Challenge of Scale
• 00:34:48 - What Ancient Pottery Can Teach Us About Tomorrow’s Materials
• 00:37:08 - Future Tools: What’s Next in the Biodesign Toolkit
• 00:40:00 - Dreaming Out Loud: Nancy’s Vision for Biofuturistic Design
• 00:42:24 - Start in the Kitchen: Nancy’s Call to the Next Generation of Biodesigners
• 00:44:25 - Final Reflections: Staying Curious in a Biotech World

Links and Resources:

• bioMatters founded by Nancy Diniz and Frank Melendez
• Central Saint Martins MA Biodesign course
• Ancient Futures Exhibit, featuring bioMatters work
• ROMANIA or HUNGARY Mushroom cap
• Merck Digital Sciences Studios
• L’Oréal teams up with Nvidia
• Nucleus Genomics offers to optimize embryos
• NSCEB Roadshow Summer 2025
• BioDesign Challenge 
• Genspace⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Topics Covered: 

biomanufacturing, cell free biomanufacturing, enzymes, nutraceuticals, biotech, pharmaceuticals, AI, spinouts

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Email: groweverything@messaginglab.com

Music by: Nihilore

Production by: Amplafy Media