Search by tag «Spider silk» 8 results

  • ITMO Researchers Produce Magnetic Spider Silk-Based Structures for Implantology and Targeted Drug Delivery

    Scientists from ITMO University have created a magnetic material capable of promoting tissue regeneration by utilizing silk of the Linothele fallax spiders, which holds promise for implantology and tissue regeneration. In the material, the silk makes up a scaffold for cell growth, while the medications, which reach the target under the influence of the magnetic field, accelerate recovery. The drug was successfully tested in vitro – and described in International Journal of Biological Macromolecules.

    09.11.2023

  • ITMO’s Monday Science Roundup #10

    Welcome to the jubilee installment of our science news digest! Let us blow out the candles and dig into the cake of knowledge: we’ll start with layers of research breakthroughs, move on to generous dollops of educational opportunities, and savor the toppings of other cool news from ITMO’s scientific world.

    18.07.2022

  • ITMO Scientists Develop Novel Hybrid Material to Prevent Post-Surgical Infection

    Even though medicine has made huge strides in recent years, around 10-20% of all patients still fall victim to infection-related postoperative complications caused by sterilization issues or overly resistant bacteria in hospitals. Since infection sites are typically hard to detect, researchers from ITMO’s SCAMT Institute have created a new suture material that will make it possible to track the spread of infection in real time. 

    12.07.2022

  • First Time in Such Detail: Researchers Analyze Surface Properties of Spider Web

    PhD students and researchers from ITMO’s SCAMT Institute and their collaborators from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) have analyzed the surface properties of the Linothele fallax spider’s silk and how they affect the properties of the material as a whole. The study demonstrates that spider web can be used in both surgery and food packaging. 

    25.11.2021

  • Picture of the Week: Human Neuroblastoma Cells on Spider Silk Fibers

    The image was taken during an experiment devised to test the use of spider silk in the creation of biocompatible materials – a promising medium for targeted drug delivery and nerve tissue regeneration.

    01.02.2021

  • Picture of the Week: Spider Web Through a Microscope Lens

    It’s believed that if it was  possible to create a spider’s web as wide as  a pencil, it would be strong enough to stop a train. Thanks to its unique properties, this material can find many applications in biomedicine.

    18.01.2021

  • Picture of the Week: Spinneret of Linothele Fallax Spider

    Various species of spiders use silk from their spinnerets to produce threads for their webs. In science, these threads can serve as a multifunctional natural material for drug delivery and other medical applications.

    07.12.2020

  • Russian and Swedish Scientists Work Together on New Biomedical Product

    ITMO University scientists in collaboration with their colleagues from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU University), Uppsala, Sweden, have developed biocomposites made of proteins based on natural spider silk and optically active nanoparticles. What is remarkable about the new material is that it combines the properties of natural silk fiber and synthetic particles. The biocomposite has unique mechanical characteristics and can give a detectable optical response when exposed to infrared radiation, which makes it a potential candidate for biomedical applications. This article was published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

    23.08.2019