Project Aims & Overview

The versatility, biocompatibility, and mechanical utility of naturally-derived, bioinspired materials in recent times underscores their applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine as they facilitate advances in healthcare technology, while driving innovation in biomedical research. One such polymer fiber biomaterial that has achieved prominence is silk fibroin derived from silk: a unique material with high superior mechanical properties, desirable hydrophilicity, and optimal biodegradability.

  Silk is a functional biomaterial composed of two coaxial proteins: silk fibroin (inner) and sericin (outer), that account for silk’s high tensile strength, hydrophilicity, and biodegradability (Liu et al., 2013). Through my enrollment in the Fulton Undergraduate Research Imitative (FURI) in the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters, I explored silk synthesized from the Bombyx mori silkworm.  In the Fall 2023 semester, I developed a laboratory controlled, Bombyx mori silkworm farm to obtain a naturally derived source of silk and investigated the degradation profile of natural silk through enzymatic degradation using Protease XIV upon the application of appropriate post-processing of Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons. To further my efforts in understanding sericin, my FURI research for the Spring 2024 semester entails the production of domestically farmed, lab grown Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons from which sericin will be extracted from the silk fibers using the appropriate degumming process

Research Aims:

1. Production of 3D Nanoscaffolds Using Naturally-Derived Bombyx mori Sericin Polymer

2.  Evaluation of Biocompatibility Assessment of  Electrospun Sericin Scaffolds

3. Determination of Cell Proliferation Rates and Cell Adhesion from Cells Seeded Onto  3D Sericin Nanoscaffolds

Summary of Experiments conducted:

While literature deemed Bombyx mori sericin protein as a by-product, I was drawn to explore the discrepancy between this practice and its theorised exceptional biocompatibility. To decipher this seemingly unanswered question, I established a Taguchi L9 orthogonal array using the Design of Experiments to systematically determine optimal electrospinning parameters for the fabrication of a 3D sericin nanoscaffold. By designing experiments, drafting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and comprehensively documenting observations, I became increasingly appreciative of the structured process of research and reinforced my interest in investigating the use of biomaterials in orthopedic medicine.

Connection to GCSP Theme: Health

One of the aspects that I wanted to explore by pursuing the Grand Challenges Theme of Health was to delve into academic research in biomedical engineering and get connected with faculty and experts in the field. Having been awarded this research grant, I was able to continue exploring my interest in the application of biomaterials in the field of orthopedic medicine. With about 200 million experiencing bone fractures annually, the need for the establishment of tunable and degradable orthopedic implants is prevalent to prevent the need for recurrent surgeries, infections, and enhanced medical costs for patients. The prominence of this occurrence in medicine is significant, encouraging me to apply my engineering background on a research product focused on innovative biomaterial-based solutions. This experience directly connected to my Theme by supporting me in investigating the use of the proteins of silk for innovating novel therapies in orthopedic tissue repair and regeneration. While this project highlighted to me the impact of interdisciplinary correlation of engineering and healthcare, it also made me appreciate the iterative nature of research and become inquisitive about discovery and insight. 

Value Created

Being involved in this project as a freshman quickly exposed me to technical skills like reagent preparation, enzyme degradation methods, and SOP generation and implementation, and electrospinning; I could use in my coursework like BME 318: Biomaterials and BME 467: Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. My commitment to pursuing biomedical research stems from the opportunity in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering to work on innovative, novel technologies that improve patient care while also exploring multiple disciplines of engineering. Through the Grand Challenges Research Stipend program, I was able to deepen my understanding of the intricacies of biomedical research and upgrade my skills of literature review and proposal writing while all working towards my passion for contributing to patient-centered technologies in the productive environment of the BioICAS Lab and the Mayo Clinic.

Research Poster & Fulton Forge Presentation