Lecture: Biomineralisation with Dr. Filipe Natalio, NOVA University of Lisboa

Biomineralisation describes the ability of biological systems to form inorganic structures such as bones, mussel shells or diatom shells and to build up solid, mineral structures through living cells. The results are so-called biominerals, which consist of a mineral component and a small but crucial amount of organic biomolecules. This combination gives the structures unique properties – they are tough, flexible or light-conducting – and are therefore often superior to their purely mineral counterparts. The structure is built up at nano level through precise control in specialised cells, such as the osteoblasts in bone. One remarkable example is the skeleton of deep-sea sponges, whose glass needles conduct light more efficiently than modern glass fibres. The interplay of structure, biochemistry and function is what makes biominerals so fascinating. In the introductory lecture, Filipe Natalio (head of the research laboratory at NOVA Lisboa) explained the differences between organic and inorganic biominerals. Inorganic biominerals are mainly composed of minerals such as calcium phosphate, while organic biominerals also contain small amounts of organic biomolecules that reinforce the structure and give the materials special properties such as flexibility. This combination of inorganic and organic components makes biominerals functionally superior and opens up the potential for the development of new, bio-inspired materials.