Breakthrough tech makes bone and dental implants from human urine

Scientists from the University of California, Irvine, in collaboration with U.S. and Japanese researchers, have developed a synthetic yeast system that converts human urine into hydroxyapatite (HAp), a biocompatible calcium phosphate mineral widely used in bone and dental implants. This innovative process addresses two significant challenges simultaneously: it helps mitigate environmental pollution caused by excess nutrients in wastewater and produces a valuable medical material projected to reach a $3.5 billion market by 2030. The engineered yeast, dubbed “osteoyeast,” mimics natural bone-forming cells by breaking down urea to increase pH, facilitating the crystallization and secretion of HAp outside the cell, yielding up to 1 gram per liter of urine. The process is scalable, cost-effective, and accessible globally, as it uses yeast fermentation techniques similar to those in beer production, requiring relatively low temperatures and minimal infrastructure. This makes it particularly suitable for deployment in developing regions lacking advanced manufacturing capabilities, potentially broadening access to advanced