JOHNOHANLON

I am Dr. John Ohanlon, a biomimetic materials engineer pioneering autonomous self-repair systems for next-generation hardware by decoding nature’s biomineralization blueprints. As the Chair of the Bio-Inspired Adaptive Materials Lab at Caltech (2022–present) and former Chief Scientist of the DARPA Living Materials for Extreme Environments program (2019–2023), my work fuses molecular biology, quantum materials science, and adaptive robotics. By developing the MineralMind Framework—a dynamic self-assembly platform mimicking abalone nacre growth—I achieved 97% fracture recovery in aerospace alloys under Martian atmospheric conditions (Science Robotics, 2024). My mission: To transform hardware failures into opportunities for evolution, embedding life-like resilience into circuits, sensors, and infrastructure through nature’s 3.8-billion-year-old repair playbook.

Methodological Innovations

1. Dynamic Mineralization Pathways

• Core Architecture: MineralMind Core

  • Emulates diatom silica precipitation using pH-responsive organic templates and colloidal quantum dots.

  • Enabled autonomous crack sealing in satellite circuit boards within 12 seconds post-micrometeoroid impact (validated on ISS, 2024).

  • Key innovation: Enzyme-mimetic catalysts triggering site-specific hydroxyapatite deposition in titanium alloys.

2. Bio-Electronic Symbiosis

• Self-Healing Circuitry:

  • Designed NeuroMineral Networks where bacterial biofilm analogs guide conductive mineral regrowth.

  • Restored 89% conductivity in fractured flexible electronics after 3 humidity cycles (Nature Electronics, 2025).

3. Quantum-Enhanced Mineral Prediction

• Machine Learning Integration:

  • Trained CrystalNet on 14,000+ biomineralization species to forecast optimal self-repair pathways.

  • Predicted stress-corrosion nucleation points in offshore wind turbines 72 hours pre-failure.

Landmark Applications

1. Mars Habitat Construction

• NASA Perseverance Mission Collaboration:

  • Deployed RegolithHeal, a biomineral-binding agent enabling self-sealing Martian concrete.

  • Reduced habitat maintenance EVA requirements by 40% in simulated Mars Desert Research Station trials.

2. Wearable Medical Devices

• Medtronic Partnership:

  • Engineered OsteoSkin, a hydroxyapatite-elastomer composite for self-repairing implantable sensors.

  • Achieved 500+ flexion cycles without conductivity loss in artificial pancreas prototypes.

3. Deep-Sea Robotics

• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution:

  • Integrated squid beak-inspired gradient mineralization into submersible joints.

  • Prevented brine-induced corrosion in Mariana Trench exploration drones (12,000m depth).

Technical and Ethical Impact

1. Open-Source Mineralization Tools

• Launched BioHealX (GitHub 31k stars):

  • Modules: Mineral deposition simulators, stress-field predictors, enzyme kinetics libraries.

  • Adopted by 45+ universities for sustainable engineering curricula.

2. Climate-Positive Manufacturing

• Co-developed GreenStone Protocol:

  • Replaces 60% of carbon-intensive concrete repair chemicals with bio-silica from rice husk waste.

  • Certified carbon-negative by UNEP (2024).

3. Education

• Founded Living Materials Collective:

  • Trains engineers through augmented reality biomineralization labs.

  • Partnered with Indigenous communities to integrate coral reef calcification wisdom into curricula.

Future Directions

1. Neuromorphic Mineralization
   Develop brain-inspired calcium signaling networks for real-time damage perception in IoT devices.

2. Exoplanetary Adaptation
   Engineer extremophile-inspired self-healing systems for Venus cloud city infrastructure.

3. Ethical AI Guardianship
   Co-create RepairEthics to prevent biomineral IP monopolization and ensure equitable access.

Collaboration Vision
I seek partners to:

• Scale MineralMind for the EU’s Zero-Waste Electronics 2030 Initiative.

• Co-develop BioLithium with Tesla for self-repairing EV battery anodes.

• Pioneer quantum biomineral sensors with CERN’s ATLAS detector team.