From 2013.igem.org

Revision as of 08:45, 19 July 2013

<script src="https://2012.igem.org/Team:Cornell/javascripts/foundation.min?action=raw&ctype=text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://2012.igem.org/Team:Cornell/javascripts/app?action=raw&ctype=text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> $(window).load(function() { $('#homepage-slideshow').orbit({ animation : 'horizontal-push', // fade, horizontal-slide, vertical-slide, horizontal-push animationSpeed : 800, // how fast animtions are timer : true, // true or false to have the timer resetTimerOnClick : false, // true resets the timer instead of pausing slideshow progress advanceSpeed : 8000, // if timer is enabled, time between transitions pauseOnHover : false, // if you hover pauses the slider startClockOnMouseOut : false, // if clock should start on MouseOut startClockOnMouseOutAfter : 1000, // how long after MouseOut should the timer start again directionalNav : true, // manual advancing directional navs captions : false, // do you want captions? captionAnimation : 'fade', // fade, slideOpen, none captionAnimationSpeed : 400, // if so how quickly should they animate in bullets : true, // true or false to activate the bullet navigation bulletThumbs : false, // thumbnails for the bullets bulletThumbLocation : , // location from this file where thumbs will be afterSlideChange : function() { }, // empty function fluid : true // or set a aspect ratio for content slides (ex: '4x3') }); $('li.pg-home').addClass('active'); });

Abstract

The unique properties of silk have provided it with a utility that goes far beyond that of any other natural fibers known to man. Its amazing mechanical properties, 'silky smooth' softness, and bio-compatibility, has led to applications ranging from from simple clothing to high tech biomedical devices.

The industry from which silk is obtained, however, is less than ideal. Scientists have therefore begun to design silk-producing micro-organisms. The 2012 iGEM team from Utah have indeed successfully designed BioBricks for this very purpose. However, these micro-organisms remain inadequate in the secretion of silk, which is a major limiting factor on the range of potential biosynthetic designs and applications.

Our goal is to solve the secretion issue and to use it for the formation of a silk biofilm. The beauty of such a biofilm can be attributed to the properties of silk, and to the fact that any imaginable shape of seamless silk could be created since the biofilm grows in such a way as to fit its mold. We will be exploiting these properties to coat biomedical prosthetic devices, with the goal to prevent infections, and hence to prevent the required operations in dealing with such infections.