Amyloid-Based Biomaterials: Addressing Global Health, Food Security and Environmental Challenges

Abstract

The growing pressures of population expansion, resource depletion, and climate change are intensifying global challenges in health, food security, and environmental sustainability. Amyloid-based materials offer valuable and sustainable solutions for addressing these issues to achieve a healthier planet due to their controllable structure, exceptional adhesion stability, high mechanical robustness, and excellent environmental compatibility. This review summarizes recent advances in amyloid-based biomaterials with relevance to global health, food, agriculture, and environmental systems. We first discuss the structural characteristics and fabrication strategies of conventional amyloid fibrils and their derived materials. We then introduce a superfast amyloid-like protein aggregation strategy that enables rapid formation of robust protein films and higher-order architectures. Applications of these materials include wound healing and tissue regeneration, stabilization and protection of food systems, enhanced utilization of fertilizers and pesticides, and removal of pollutants from water. Together, these developments highlight the growing potential of amyloid-inspired assemblies as sustainable and scalable platforms for promoting human well-being and environmental resilience.