Spider silk, celebrated for its remarkable strength and flexibility, has generated significant excitement in the biomanufacturing sector as companies seek cost-effective methods to scale up production for various applications ranging from tactical gear to medical sutures and textiles. Nonetheless, an in-depth study reveals that the spider silk industry faces numerous challenges.
In today’s world, entrepreneurship thrives in every field, including science. Engineers and researchers frequently transform their studies into products or services to launch startups. The bioproduction sphere—where living cells and organisms are leveraged to manufacture goods—is particularly promising for entrepreneurial efforts. Biomaterials play a crucial role in producing pharmaceuticals and vaccines, and they also find utility in sectors like packaging, textiles, agriculture, and food production.
Spider silk has always been valued for its incredible strength and elasticity, captivating the biomanufacturing community as companies strive to develop affordable production techniques for this versatile material. However, a detailed investigation led by a group of students from various universities, including Ghita Guessous from the University of California San Diego, indicates that the spider silk industry is grappling with several obstacles. The findings, authored solely by students, were published in ACS Biomaterials and Engineering.
The research team, who collaborated effectively despite never meeting face-to-face, was formed through a nonprofit organization named Nucleate. This global initiative aims to democratize biotech education by providing open-access programming, events, and resources. Many group members were eager to explore innovation trends in biotechnology, which led them to focus on spider silk production.
“Our methodology, which integrated resources from scholarly articles, patents, market analyses, and experts, enabled us to create a data-informed perspective, distanced from the industry’s hype cycles,” remarked lead author Guessous, who completed her Ph.D. in physics last spring.
As part of their research, the team scrutinized numerous academic articles in fields such as microbiology, genetics, and materials science to gather relevant information for their case study. They also analyzed extensive market data to assess the performance of startups in this domain over the years.
Keeping an entrepreneurial mindset, the group examined patents, which offer a wealth of scientific insights. To their surprise, they uncovered more than 2,400 patents associated with spider silk production.
The researchers reached out to industry experts, which included not only academics but also professionals from established corporations, startups, and venture capitalists who have invested in spider silk firms.
“At the start of our research, there was considerable enthusiasm about spider silk potentially being the next major breakthrough,” shared Anthony Bui, a co-author of the study who recently earned his Ph.D. in microbiology from Cornell University. “However, discussing the topic with various individuals deeply involved in the field provided us with a more sobering perspective.”
Challenges of Large-Scale Production
A significant hurdle in spider silk manufacturing is the challenge of scaling up production. This difficulty arises because spiders are known to be territorial and cannibalistic, posing challenges (and fears) for large spider farms.
To address this issue, researchers have explored genetically modifying other organisms to harbor the silk-producing gene, a technique referred to as heterologous expression. Some innovators have even integrated spider-silk genes into goats, allowing them to produce silk in their milk. Others are investigating plants like alfalfa, organisms such as silkworms, yeast, and even bacteria, although the silk can be harmful to its hosts. Research is ongoing to mitigate this toxic effect.
This study aimed to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of various potential host organisms while striking a balance between quality and cost. Ultimately, the future may follow the path set by another industrial sector.
“Much like the pharmaceutical sector’s transition to using microbial organisms that can be cultured efficiently in laboratories and large bioreactors, many are now looking to employ microbes and bacteria for spider silk production,” noted Guessous.
Although the team’s findings were initially discouraging, identifying these challenges reaffirmed the purpose of their research: to showcase the areas where scientific inquiry can help resolve issues plaguing the industry.
The conclusion of the paper examined potential markets and the trade-offs to consider when entering a specific sector. The fashion industry is a clear target since silk from silkworms is already widely used. However, breaking into a market dominated by inexpensive polyester, plastics, and other materials is notoriously tough. Even in high-end fashion—where traditional silk is a staple—spider silk is currently much more costly to produce.
A more promising avenue might be utilizing spider silk in advanced materials where lightweight strength is essential, like ballistic vests and automotive panels. Additionally, spider silk could find its way into personal care items like shampoo or lotion, enhancing shine and smoothness.
Although the journey of conducting this case study has broadened their outlook, the team remains hopeful about potential future ventures in biomanufacturing.
“I entered this research with immense excitement, but having learned about all the obstacles, I now feel somewhat more cautious,” expressed Bui. “I remain optimistic yet grounded.”
“I share that sentiment,” added Guessous. “What I’ve learned underscores the necessity of weighing a product’s scalability before diving into such endeavors. Our study offers a framework for insights that can guide both academic research efforts and entrepreneurial exploration. We hope it becomes a valuable resource for anyone daring enough to embark on the next groundbreaking startup!”
The full list of authors: Ghita Guessous, Gabriel Manzanarez (both of UC San Diego), Lauren Blake (Tufts University), Anthony Bui (Cornell University), and Yelim Woo (Boston University).
