Starting a new biomaterials startup is harder than you think

To combat this, scientists have turned to genetically modifying other living organisms to carry the silk-producing gene – a process called heterologous expression. Some scientists have even linked spider silk genes to goats, which produce silk in their milk. Others consider alfalfa, silkworms, yeast and even bacteria as potential producers, although silk can be toxic to hosts. Reducing this toxicity remains an active area of ​​research.

One of the goals of the study was to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of potential host organisms and find a balance between quality and cost. Ultimately, the way forward may follow in the footsteps of another industry.

“Just as the pharmaceutical world has largely moved to using single-celled organisms that can be grown in the laboratory and in large bioreactors, many have turned to using microbes and bacteria to produce spider silk,” Guessous said.

While it may have been discouraging at first, the team says discovering these challenges underlined the goal of their case study: to highlight all the white spaces where academic research could contribute to solving some of the unaddressed issues facing the industry.

The final section of the article discusses the potential applications and trade-offs that should be considered when entering a specific market. The most obvious market is fashion, where silk from silkworms is already widely used; However, it is extremely difficult for new textiles to break into an industry where polyester, plastics and other materials can be produced so cheaply. Even in luxury fashion, where silk is the basis, spider silk is much more expensive to produce at this stage.

A more likely endeavor is to use spider silk in high-quality materials that prioritize lightness and durability – from bulletproof vests to car panels. Spider silk can also be found in a shampoo bottle or body lotion, providing the desired shine and smoothness.

Working on this case study was an eye-opener, although the team is not entirely discouraged from working in the bio-manufacturing field in the future.

“I was very excited, but after learning about all the challenges, I would say I feel a little more conservative now,” Bui said. “Still optimistic, but more cautious.”

“I feel the same way,” Guessous agreed. “I’ve learned that it’s important to consider the scalability potential of any product before bringing it to market for these types of ventures. Our study provides a model for the kinds of insights that can inform both academic research programs and entrepreneurial decisions. We hope this will be a useful resource for anyone who dares to launch the next revolutionary startup!”

Full list of authors: Ghita Guessous and Gabriel Manzanarez (both UC San Diego), Lauren Blake (Tufts University), Anthony Bui (Cornell University), and Yelim Woo (Boston University).