plant-derived-materials
Plant-derived materials refers to the extraction and utilization of biological compounds, fibers, polymers, and other substances sourced directly from plant tissues for industrial, medical, or technological applications. Understanding how plants synthesize and store these materials—from cellulose and lignin to oils and resins—is central to plant biology, as it connects metabolic pathways, cell wall architecture, and secondary metabolism. Research in this area drives advances in sustainable biomaterials and bioenergy while deepening our knowledge of how plants allocate resources and build structural complexity.
PubMed · 2026-04-02
Scientists used gut bacteria fed on sugarcane and soybean byproducts to manufacture brain-active medicines at scale, cutting production costs by 90% and carbon emissions by 95% compared to conventional lab media — all without any animal-derived ingredients.
Three gut bacterial strains each produced a different neurosteroid isomer with high stereospecificity, eliminating the need for costly chiral separation steps.
Using a plant-derived medium made from sugarcane molasses and enzymatically treated okara (soybean pulp), researchers achieved over 95% conversion of progesterone into target neurosteroids.
Compared to standard lab growth media, the plant-based medium reduced production costs by 90% and carbon footprint by 95% in multigram-scale batch trials.
