710801Innovative, upscalable and ecological process to produce wildtype silk protein solutionsClosedGRD Proof of ConceptInnovate UKThis 12 months project aims at developing a new economically viable process to produce nonmulberry silk solutions and to offer scaffolds with increased tissue regenerative potential. Silk solutions extracted from the domesticated Bombyx mori can be assembled into a wide range of materials, from hydrogels, films to sponges and composites, all particularly suited to biomedical applications due to their protein composition. Several varieties of wildtype (or nonmulberry) silkworms have a range of mechanical properties closer to native tissues as well as cellular adhesion motives naturally occuring in their protein sequence, both significantly enhancing the potential to repair or replace damaged tissue. However the exploitation of their protein solutions has been limited so far, as extracting the proteins from their highly crosslinked fibres requires extensive and hazardous chemicals treatments, preventing future manufacture. Under this proof of concept project, OBM will develop a new, ecological process to produce non-mulberry silk solutions, with potential for upscale and commercialisation.