News
Tuesday 22 May 2007
Weaving more uses for spider silk fusion
Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have joined forces with two prestigious US universities to pioneer collaborative research in protein fusion. Their study, which explores innovative ways of combining the toughness of spider silk with the intricate structure of silica, is being undertaken in an enterprising partnership with Tufts University, one of the premier research institutions in the States and the University of Washington.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) in America has recognised the enormous potential of this work and the Nottingham Trent University team has secured grant aid worth more than $425,000 over five years. Scientists from the University’s Biomolecular and Materials Interface Research Group, led by Professor Carole Perry, are now focusing on how this fusion of proteins - and the resulting novel nanocomposites - could be used for dental implants and repairs.
Both silica and silk are cleverly constructed and incredibly versatile. Silks form into fibres with remarkable mechanical properties. Silica is widespread in biological systems and serves different functions including support and protection in single-celled organisms through to plants and animals. The team believes that the proteins in these two natural products can be genetically tailored, with enormous potential for future applications.
Tufts University has been researching silks for more than a decade and took the lead in the funding bid to the NIH. It is extremely rare for a UK institution to receive funding from the NIH and Nottingham Trent University’s share of the $1.3 million allocation will help fund a postdoctoral post and a PhD studentship as well as running costs and travel between the two research centres.
Professor Perry said: “We are very excited about this new grant. We’ve worked with both Tufts University and the University of Washington over the last year to prepare the new nanocompsites, and now, through this funding, we have the real possibility of revolutionising the medical industry through its application.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
There has been widespread interest in the research ever since the original findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA.
For the Nottingham Trent University team, the recognition from the US builds on a strong track record in groundbreaking research. Since 2004, Professor Perry and her colleagues have published more than 40 peer reviewed articles and have presented at numerous conferences worldwide. They have also secured funding from a wide range of bodies including the Royal Society, the EU, the American Air Force, Unilever, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
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