Silk is one of the strongest natural fibers on earth. Spider silk is stronger, but extremely hard to produce commercially. We learned about the first bulletproof vest that was made of silk and failed because it was biodegradable, but that very property makes silk a great tool for medical care, like sutures that do not have to be removed. Scientists have figured out how to purify silk down to its essential fibroin protein that can be reshaped for many uses.
Imagine a vaccine that could be delivered in a simple patch. The underside contains many tiny needles made of silk protein that pierce only the very top layers of the skin, and these remain after the patch is removed. Those tiny silk needles are embedded with the vaccine, which is released into the body as the silk degrades. Furthermore, embedding the medicine into the silk protein preserves it, so these vaccine patches can be stored at room temperature for years until they are needed. Larger silk needles can be used to deliver cancer drugs to a tumor without affecting the healthy tissue around it.
Silk can also be used to make support mesh used in surgery that never has to be removed after the patient heals. It can even be used as a biodegradable wrapper to keep food fresh. There are a host of other possible uses for purified silk protein you can read about at Works In Progress. -via Strange Company
(Image credit: RG72)