Scientists Harness Spider Silk for Advanced Drug Delivery and Wound Healing

Spider silk, composed of large spidroin proteins, combines stiff and flexible segments to give it both high tensile strength and energy-absorbing toughness, surpassing many synthetic fibers on a volume basis. Spiders convert liquid silk proteins into solid fibers at room temperature through a natural extrusion process, a feat that inspires biomaterials research. Scientists now embed silk genes into bacteria or other cells, producing recombinant silk that can be shaped into particles, films, gels, or three-dimensional scaffolds.

In laboratory settings, such silk-based particles have delivered small-molecule drugs at a steady rate for weeks, and silk gels have been explored for protein therapeutics like insulin. Scaffold forms have been applied to cover burn wounds in animal models and to guide nerve regeneration, while the author’s own team uses 3D-printed silk-like structures to promote bone healing and vascular growth. Although fully replicating a spider’s control over silk remains elusive, the material’s versatility is driving innovative medical prototypes.