Abstract: A serum-free culture media for expansion of the number of cells and related method of use are disclosed. The disclosed media can be for use in cultured food applications. The disclosed media can include a baseline serum-free and animal component-free culture media and a plant protein composition. The plant protein composition can comprise unhydrolyzed plant proteins. The plant protein composition can comprise plant proteins that are 3 kDa in size or greater. The plant protein composition can be present in the serum-free cell culture media at a final concentration of 0.05 g/L to 1 g/L. The baseline media, in use, provides a baseline growth capability for expansion of the numbers of muscle satellite cells for use in cultured food applications. The disclosed media, in use, provides an improved growth capability for expansion of the number of muscle satellite cells. Methods of making and using the disclosed media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides, among other things, powerful new tools for therapeutic and research uses in the central and/or peripheral nervous system. The present invention provides, inter alia, compositions including a plurality of human nerve cells, a plurality of glial cells, and silk fibroin, as well as methods for making and using such compositions.

Abstract: Coated silk fibroin articles having variable active agent release rates and methods of making and using the same are disclosed. The coating can have variable water permeability. In some cases, the variable permeability is temperature-dependent. In these cases, the release rate of the active agent can be controlled by adjusting the water permeability by raising and lowering the temperature, so long as the temperature is maintained below a melting point of the coating. Elevating the temperature above the melting point causes loss of a portion of the coating, thereby permanently increasing the release rate.

Abstract: A microneedle or microneedle device includes a microneedle body extending from a base to a penetrating tip formed from a silk fibroin based material, which is easy to fabricate and highly biocompatible. The microneedle device can include one or more microneedles mounted to a substrate. The silk fibroin can include active agents to be transported into or across biological barriers such as skin, tissue and cell membranes. The silk fibroin microneedles can be fully or partially biodegradable and/or bioerodible. The silk fibroin is highly stable, affords room temperature storage and is implantable. The silk fibroin structure can be modulated to control the rate of active agent delivery.

Abstract: Capture membranes for lanthanide metal ions can be made from fusion proteins having at least one lanthanide metal binding sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1-4) covalently bound to a silk-elastin-like polymer (SELP). Capture membranes can be made from silk nanofibrils that are surface-modified with a lanthanide metal binding molecule. The capture membranes can have a layered structure or can contained cross-linked peptides in a hydrogel.

Abstract: Methods, spray devices, and kits for the in situ formation of silk fibroin fibers and/or aerosols are disclosed. Rapidly mixing a silk fibroin solution and a beta sheet initiation solution forms a mixed solution, which is rapidly expanded to form the silk fibroin fibers and/or aerosols. The beta sheet initiation solution includes a hygroscopic polymer having a molecular weight of between 7.5 kDa and 15.0 kDa. The rapid mixing and rapid expanding occur within one second of one another. Silk fibroin aerosols are formed when a molecular weight distribution of fragments in the silk fibroin solution is below an aerosol-fiber threshold. Silk fibroin fibers are formed when the molecular weight distribution is below the aerosol-fiber threshold.

Abstract: A composition is disclosed including a composite microbead that has one or more animal cells embedded therein. The composite microbead has a material matrix composed of silk fibroin and a mixture of modified and unmodified alginate. The composite microbead has reduced disintegration by ion exchange when compared with material lacking the modified alginate. The material matrix is ionically and covalently crosslinked. The animal cells can be on-demand released by contact with a calcium chelator and a reducing agent. The microbeads can be made by introducing droplets of a pre-hydrogel solution including the cells into a crosslinking solution. The resulting microbeads provide the animal cells with an enhanced ability to survive elevated pressures, immunocamouflaging, permselectivity against higher molecular weight molecules, protection from harsh chemical environments, and protection from UV radiation.

Abstract: The present application relates to amphiphilic polypeptide materials, methods for making and using the same. Provided amphiphilic polypeptide materials are water-based and manufactured using all aqueous processing. Provided materials exhibit a capacity to encapsulate and store biologically active molecules or macromolecules. Such biologically active molecules or macromolecules retain their structure and the biological activity so that these biologically active molecules or macromolecules are not materially degraded, reduced, and/or inhibited by processing steps or exposure. Provided materials possess unique mechanical and structural properties, including size, density, moldability and machinability.

Abstract: The present application relates to silk fibroin-based hydrogels, methods for making and using the same.

Abstract: Saccharide-substituted silk fibroin compositions as well as methods for making and using the same are provided. The compositions can include at least one saccharide coupled to silk fibroin. The coupling can be via various residues on the silk fibroin.

Abstract: The inventions provided herein relate to compositions, methods, delivery devices and kits for repairing or augmenting a tissue in a subject. The compositions described herein can he injectable such that they can be placed in a tissue to be treated with a minimally-invasive procedure (e.g., by injection). In some embodiments, the composition described herein comprises a compressed silk fibroin matrix, which can expand upon injection into the tissue and retain its original expanded volume within the tissue for a period of time. The compositions can be used as a filler to replace a tissue void, e.g., for tissue repair and/or augmentation, or as a scaffold to support tissue regeneration and/or reconstruction. In some embodiments, the compositions described herein can be used for soft tissue repair or augmentation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to cultured tissue, methods for production of self-sufficient modified cells for producing cultured tissue. Further, the disclosure provides methods of generating cultured meat products without exogenous addition of growth hormones.

Abstract: The present invention provides an in vitro model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) comprising human induced neuronal stem cells (hiNSCs) infected with herpes simplex 1 that develop an Alzheimer's disease phenotype. The invention further provides AD model comprising genetically modified HSV infected hiNSCs. The use of these in vitro AD models for high throughput screening and phenotypic analysis are also provided.

Abstract: Tyramine-substituted silk fibroin compositions as well as methods for making and using the same are provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides certain silk-fibroin compositions with particular characteristics and/or properties. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides low molecular weight compositions. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides silk fibroin compositions that comprise an active (e.g., a biological) agent or component. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides low molecular weight silk fibroin compositions that comprise an active (e.g., a biological) agent or component. In some embodiments, an active agent is stabilized in a silk composition, e.g., for a period of time and/or against certain conditions or events. In some embodiments, a component present in a silk fibroin composition may be subject to analysis and/or characterization. In some embodiments, a component present in a silk fibroin composition may be recovered from the composition.

Abstract: A serum-free and animal-component-free culture media for expansion of muscle satellite cells is disclosed. The disclosed media can be for use in cultured food applications. The disclosed media can include a baseline serum-free and animal component-free culture media and a recombinant version of albumin. The baseline media, in use, provides a baseline growth capability for expansion of the muscle satellite cells for use in cultured food applications. The disclosed media, in use, provides an improved growth capability for expansion of the muscle satellite cells. The improved growth capability is at least 50% greater than the baseline growth capability. Methods of making and using the disclosed media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to cultured adipose tissue. In one embodiment, the cultured adipose tissue is produced by culturing adipose cells in a culture media in vitro, harvesting the adipose cells after a desired amount of adipose cells are produced, and aggregating the harvested adipose cells to provide the cultured adipose tissue. In some embodiments, aggregating the harvested adipose cells comprises mixing the harvested adipose cells with a hydrogel or binder in a three-dimensional (3D) mold. In other embodiments, aggregating the harvested adipose cells comprises cross-linking the harvested adipose cells in a 3D mold. The cultured adipose tissue have a defined 3D shape and a size on the macroscale. In some embodiments, the cultured adipose tissue may be a food product.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides compositions including silk fibroin and a phenol-containing polymer, wherein at least one tyrosine group of the silk fibroin is covalently crosslinked to at least one phenol group of the phenol-containing polymer. In some embodiments, the present invention also provides methods including the steps of providing silk fibroin, providing a phenol-containing polymer, associating the silk fibroin with the phenol-containing polymer to form a mixed solution, and crosslinking at least one tyrosine group in the silk fibroin and at least one phenol group of the phenol-containing polymer via at least one enzymatic reaction, wherein the crosslinking comprises covalent bonding between at least one tyrosine group of the silk fibroin and at least one phenol group of the phenol-containing polymer to form a crosslinked composition.

Abstract: Coated silk fibroin articles and methods of making and using the same are disclosed. The articles have a reduced water uptake and improved mechanical properties when compared with uncoated comparable articles. The article includes a silk fibroin article core and a biodegradable hydrophobic polymer layer substantially encompassing the silk fibroin article core. The article has either: (i) at least one mechanical property that is at least 50% greater than a reference mechanical property of the silk fibroin article core in the absence of the biodegradable hydrophobic polymer layer, wherein the at least one mechanical property includes a three-point bending flexural strain; or (ii) a water uptake that is at least 50% lower than a reference water uptake of the silk fibroin article core in the absence of the biodegradable hydrophobic polymer layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides transparent, elastic silk hydrogels for applications, including corneal reshaping to restore visual acuity and photolithography. The present disclosure also provides methods of photocrosslinking silk fibroin protein using riboflavin as a photoinitiator and exposing such riboflavin doped silk fibroin to light resulting in the formation of a transparent, elastic hydrogel.