Spider silk micro/nanostructuring
By manipulating droplets of soluble spider silk proteins on superhydrophobic surfaces it is possible to generate different forms of insoluble spider silk. This project highlights the formation of nanowires, micron sized coatings, and millimeter sized sheets. Using recombinantly produces spider silk proteins it it possible to functionalize all these structures to, for example, support cell growth or antibody detection.
A video highlighting the most resent results can be found in this link and more information about structuring spider silk can be found in this link.
By submerging a 3D-structure in soluble silk protein and letting the liquid evaporate it is possible to encapsulate the structure with spider silk. This project focuses on encapsulating 3D-structures with spider silk functionalized to support cell growth, i.e forming tube like structures where the 3D-structure supports the thin silk film to generate a tubular structure.