Today, the department was visited by Marina Losieva – a well-known designer, founder of the Ukrainian Fashion Education Group, and author of the book series “The Theory of Fashion.” Associate Professor Dmytro Hospodaryov and the head of the department, Professor Maria Baiak, discussed the prospects of biotechnological approaches in creating new materials and design elements. Maria Baiak shared information about the department’s biotechnological areas, including the production of films from bacterial cellulose and microclonal plant propagation. Dmytro made a trial planting of mushroom mycelium, which is currently gaining popularity among entrepreneurs specializing in bio-design. Specifically, mushroom mycelium is being considered as an alternative to leather.
Since its inception, the department has led a number of biotechnological projects, including optimizing the cultivation of edible mushroom mycelium, microclonal plant propagation, cultivating nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, melanin production by microorganisms, and the optimization and study of the bacterial-fungal symbiosis of kombucha, among others. The department staff has also consulted on entrepreneurial initiatives that have now become successful business projects. One such example is the company Mycelia Tech, founded by Marta Kondryn. The department’s cooperation with designers has proven mutually beneficial. For instance, Marta Kondryn left a lasting impression with her captivating presentations on producing leather from mushroom mycelium at our Young Biochemist Schools.