Abstract: Provided herein are methods and compositions for stabilization of active agents. The active agents are distributed, mixed or embedded in a silk fibroin matrix, thereby retaining the bioactivity of the active agents upon storage and/or transportation. In some embodiments, the storage-stable vaccine-silk compositions are also provided herein.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a metadevice including a substrate, a resonator loop coupled to the substrate. The resonator loop having a first gap in the resonator loop. The metadevice includes an organic electrochemical transistor positioned in the first gap, a gate electrode, and an electrolyte extending between the organic electrochemical transistor and the gate electrode.

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: 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: A plasmonic-photonic crystal hybrid nanostructure may include a protein-based inverse opal comprising at least 3 periodic inverse opal layers, the protein-based inverse opal having a opal face and a plasmonic face, wherein the plasmonic face is differentially etched between a first plasmonic region and a second plasmonic region, such that a top inverse opal layer of the at least 3 periodic inverse opal layers has a first etch phase in the first plasmonic region and a second etch phase in the second plasmonic region, wherein the first etch phase and the second etch phase are different. The nanostructure may include a plasmonic material layer deposited onto the plasmonic face.

Abstract: A solid form sensing article can have one or more silk fibroin matrix sensing units, each having a solid form sensing property. Each of the one or more silk fibroin matrix sensing units can include a silk fibroin matrix. A plurality of Cage proteins and a plurality of Key proteins can be entrained within the silk fibroin matrix. The Cage proteins can bind to an analyte of interest.

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: A host of new silk material formats are disclosed, all prepared from an initial liquid composition including both silk fibroin and xanthan gum. In some cases, particularly preferred material properties are achieved by the addition of glycerol. These various formats include liquids, whipped silk creams, silk meringues, and compressed/heat-compressed meringues. Among the useful end-uses for these materials is a silk leather, which mimics the feel of conventional leather. Other uses include thermal insulation, absorption/gas sensing, biological scaffolding, and the like. A material that has material properties unexpectedly similar to mycelium is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and a method for automated extraction of silk fibroin from silk cocoons. The silk extraction system can include a boiling tank, a rinsing tank, and a rinse bowl attached to a robotic arm. The rinse bowl has a porous bottom surface adapted to retain an extracted silk fibroin. The robotic arm can move the rinse bowl between the boiling tank and the rinsing tank for separate stages of processing. A silk processing algorithm is executed by a processor to automate the process.

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: The present disclosure provides an oral sampling device for chemical examination of an oral cavity. The oral sampling device includes an oral sampling support substrate, and a bioresponsive interface coupled to the oral sampling support substrate. The bioresponsive interface is composed of a biopolymer matrix comprising a sensing agent. In some aspects, the bioresponsive interface undergoes a color change in response to an environmental parameter (e.g., pH value) in the region of interest in the oral cavity.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a composition comprising a hierarchical opal that exhibits structural color when exposed to incident electromagnetic radiation. The hierarchical opal comprises nanoscale periodic cavities separated by a lattice constant, and includes a surface having grooves. The grooves may form a diffractive optical element on the surface of the hierarchical opal, such as a diffuser, a diffraction grating, a beamsplitter, a beam displacement opic, a Fresnel lens, and a micro lens, among others.

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.

Abstract: An adhesive composition and methods of making and using the same are disclosed. The composition includes a polymeric component and a metal cation or an oxidant. The polymeric component includes a silk fibroin protein and a catecholamine. The metal cation and/or the oxidant is present in an amount sufficient to initiate complexing and/or cross-linking of the adhesive composition.

Abstract: Silkworm silk, has been processed into a variety of new material formats including, hydrogels, ultrathin films, thick films, conformal coatings, 3D porous or solid matrices, fibers and many related material formats. Silk is processed in an all water-based, room temperature, neutral pH environment, is mechanically stable, edible, and biocompatible. Given the favorable material properties, the use of silk-based inks have been used in a variety of controlled chemical and biological material fabrication on the micro- and nano-scale. Tuning of the properties of silk-based inks has led to the utilization of more diverse printing techniques and has expanded the scale and function of the printed substrates.

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 method of making silk articles including preparing a silk fibroin solution including silk fibroin and microalgae, and introducing the silk fibroin solution into a solvent bath including a crosslinking agent. The method can incorporate 3D printing techniques to allow for easy fabrication of the articles into various forms. The silk articles can provide a cell-friendly matrix that allows 3D encapsulation of microalgae while maintaining normal cell proliferation and functions for an extended period of time.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to reversibly wrinkled silk-based compositions. The provided compositions are tunable and the reversible wrinkles are sensitive to water vapor, methanol vapor, and UV irradiation. The present disclosure also provides methods for making and using the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides, in some embodiments, multi-layer silk compositions including a first layer comprising silk fibroin and keratinocytes, a second layer comprising silk fibroin and fibroblasts, a third layer comprising silk fibroin and adipocytes, and a plurality of nervous system cells, wherein at least some of the plurality of nervous system cells span at least two layers, and methods of making and using the same. In some embodiments, provided methods and compositions further include immune cells and/or endothelial cells.