Inaugural of Tom Ellis

In his inaugural lecture, Professor Tom Ellis explores how synthetic biology is allowing researchers to rewrite DNA and programme microbes to grow sustainable materials.
Living Code, Living Materials looks at the emerging field of Engineered Living Materials, including the use of engineered cells to create sustainable fabrics, functional bio-composites and self-repairing materials. Professor Ellis also considers how programming nature could support more sustainable approaches to manufacturing, food production and infrastructure.
Professor Tom Ellis is Professor of Synthetic Genome Engineering in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London. His research focuses on synthetic biology, genome engineering, and developing biological systems to address challenges in health, sustainability, and manufacturing.
Recorded at Imperial College London on 4 November 2026 as part of Imperial’s Inaugural Lecture series.