Abstract

3D and 4D Printing with Silk Proteins

David L. Kaplan, Stern Family Endowed Professor of Engineering, Professor & Chair -- Dept of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University

Silk is a natural polymer that has been extensively investigated for biomedical applications due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable mechanical properties. It is an extremely versatile material that can be processed into a number of formats, including sponges, films, hydrogels, and nanoparticles. 3D and 4D printing allows silk to be deposited into more intricate designs, increasing its potential applications. We will examine some of these approaches and applications, from bioinspired molecular assembly to freeform printing of self-standing structures, and the development of silk-based materials for patient-tailored bone and cartilage tissue engineering.