Partnership

Focus Review on Spider Silk Protein LLPS

Excited to share a new focus review just published in Polymer Journal in collaboration with Thomas Scheibel’s group at the University of Bayreuth! https://fiberlab.deOver the past decade, our lab at SDSU has been investigating the structure, storage state, and assembly mechanisms of native spider silk proteins (spidroins), while the Scheibel group has led the way in producing and characterizing recombinant silk systems.This review brings those threads together!We highlight:Our joint NMR work revealing silk protein dynamics and assemblyKey differences and parallels between native and recombinant systemsA unifying framework that connects micelle formation, liquid crystal ordering, and liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) as a concerted, transitional process in silk fiber formation.We also discuss the practical implications of this new model for biomimetic silk spinning and future material design.Huge thanks to AFOSR for supporting this work!Check out the review: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41428-025-01039-3 ...