Funding: IMDEA Materials Institute and UPM
Region: National
Project period: 2010 – 2012
Partners: Collaboration between IMDEA Materials Institute and the Polytechnic University of Madrid (Biologic Materials y Biomaterials Group of the Materials Science Department)
Principal Investigator: Prof. Javier Llorca (javier.llorca@imdea.org)

The unique mechanical properties of reprocessed silk fibroin fibres (Bombyx Mori) as well as the biocompatible characteristics (cell attachment and growth comparable to collagen film) have rejuvenated significant interest in these materials in the field of tissue engineering.The main goal of the project is the production of fibroin membranes and yarns along with their mechanical and biomedical characterization obtained either from natural fibres or by genetic engineering. The Multifuctional Nanocomposites Group of IMDEA Materials Institute is carrying out the production of nanofibres and their tuning by electrospinning techniques to find the ideal processing parameters for each of the proposed solutions.