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Open research questions in Silk-based biomaterials and applications

139 gap statements mined from Silk-based biomaterials and applications papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 991 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • The lack of high-throughput screening assays for structural proteins. The need for labour-intensive material fabrication and testing to validate computational designs.

    A diversified approach to the design of recombinant silk proteins for biomaterials · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of biodegradable materials that combine adequate initial strength with controlled degradation and favorable host response. The need for materials that promote gradual replacement with native tissue. The limitation of current materials, including autologous vein patches and synthetic patches.

    Biodegradable Vascular Patches for Arterial Reconstruction: In Vitro Study and Long-Term Implantation in a Sheep Model · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective treatments for chronic wounds, which are notoriously difficult to treat and often become recalcitrant. The need for multifunctional wound dressings with antimicrobial and regenerative properties to address the complex challenges associated with chronic wounds.

    Biological Evaluation of Silver-Treated Silk Fibroin Scaffolds for Application as Antibacterial and Regenerative Wound Dressings · 2025 · DOI

  • The lack of bioactive natural fabrics with strong antioxidant and antibacterial activities for healthcare and medical applications. The need for innovative approaches to develop such fabrics. The potential of Origanum vulgare L. extract for biofunctionalizing fabrics is underexplored.

    Development of Bioactive Cotton, Wool, and Silk Fabrics Functionalized with Origanum vulgare L. for Healthcare and Medical Applications: An In Vivo Study · 2025 · DOI

  • The need for sustainable and biocompatible materials for nanoparticle production. The lack of efficient methods for fabricating silk fibroin particles with uniform distributions and size stability.

    Efficient and Rapid Microfluidics Production of Bio-Inspired Nanoparticles Derived from Bombyx mori Silkworm for Enhanced Breast Cancer Treatment · 2025 · DOI

  • The optimal treatment content and duration of Rapamycin treatment need to be established. The molecular changes in silk gland replication after Rapamycin treatment need to be characterized. The role of Rheb in regulating mTORC1 signaling pathway activity needs to be further analyzed.

    The Rheb-mTORC1 Coordinates Cell Cycle Progression and Endoreplication in Bombyx mori · 2025 · DOI

  • The roles of specific 20E-response factors in silk gland development remain poorly characterized. The transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of BmHR3 are not well understood.

    BmHR3 Is Essential for Silk Gland Development and Silk Protein Synthesis in Silkworms (Bombyx mori) · 2025 · DOI

  • The need for a comprehensive review of protein-based hydrogels and their applications in regenerative medicine. The lack of understanding of the structure, gelation mechanism, and properties of protein-based hydrogels. The need for further research on the challenges and limitations of using protein-based hydrogels.

    Advancements in the Field of Protein-Based Hydrogels: Main Types, Characteristics, and Their Applications · 2025 · DOI

  • The need for biomaterials with programmable functionality and advanced applications. The gap in current biomaterials design, which lacks a framework for functional precision.

    Molecular Engineering of Recombinant Protein Hydrogels: Programmable Design and Biomedical Applications · 2025 · DOI

  • Current wound healing solutions often lack multifunctionality and sustainability. There is a need for innovative solutions that can combine haemostatic and antimicrobial activity. The production of aerogel beads with silk fibroin and sodium alginate using supercritical drying is a novel approach.

    Silk Fibroin–Alginate Aerogel Beads Produced by Supercritical CO2 Drying: A Dual-Function Conformable and Haemostatic Dressing · 2025 · DOI

  • While most silk-based inks/bioinks rely primarily on silk fibroin (SF) for structural integrity, the use of silk sericin (SS) as a cell-supportive component remains comparatively underexplored in bioprinting.

    Silk proteins for 3D bioprinting: Integrating fibroin structural support with sericin cell-supportive capability · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective treatments for intervertebral disc degeneration. The need for novel biomaterials for intervertebral disc tissue engineering. The limited understanding of the secondary structure and mechanical properties of silk fibroin hydrogels.

    Evaluation of Colombian silk fibroin hydrogels functionalized with recombinant LSECtin for intervertebral disc tissue engineering · 2026 · DOI

  • The use of silk waste as a sustainable source of regenerated silk fibroin for biomedical applications has not been thoroughly investigated. There is a lack of understanding about the physicochemical properties and biological performance of silk fibroin from silk waste. The potential of silk waste as a functionally equivalent alternative to traditional silk sources is unknown.

    Silk fibroin from production wastes, a new raw material for biomaterial applications: physicochemical properties and biological performance · 2026 · DOI

  • The textile industry lacks sustainable alternatives to plastic-based fibers. Current methods for producing artificial spider silk fibers are not efficient.

    Learning From Spiders: How Spider Silk Inspires Sustainable Clothing · 2026 · DOI

  • The antimicrobial potential of sericin-based biomaterials is also highlighted, though the evidence remains debated and further validation is needed, particularly for grafts and scaffolds used in CMF regeneration.

    Sericin-based biomaterial for craniomaxillofacial regeneration: Preclinical evidence and translational potential · 2026 · DOI

  • There is only limited literature available on how fibroin scaffolds manufactured by different methods compare to each other in terms of performance as cell carriers.

    Comparison of adipose derived stromal cells cultured on fibroin scaffolds fabricated by salt-leaching and by freeze-thawing · 2024 · DOI

  • Investigating the use of protein-based hydrogels in other applications, - Developing new methods to improve the mechanical integrity of protein-based hydrogels, - Exploring the potential of protein-based hydrogels in combination with other…

    Advancements in the Field of Protein-Based Hydrogels: Main Types, Characteristics, and Their Applications · 2025 · DOI

  • Maintaining long-term cell viability, - Achieving clinical scalability, - Meeting regulatory standards, - Limited ability to recover after injury or disease in the central nervous…

    Silk Fibroin-Derived Smart Living Hydrogels for Regenerative Medicine and Organoid Engineering: Bioactive, Adaptive, and Clinically Translatable Platforms · 2025 · DOI

  • Exploring CO2-induced gelation as an environmentally friendly and efficient way to create SF hydrogels, - Integrating conductive fillers to restore essential electrophysiological cues, - Developing SF-based hydrogels for neural regeneration, - Investigating the use of SF hydrogels for cancer…

    Silk Fibroin-Derived Smart Living Hydrogels for Regenerative Medicine and Organoid Engineering: Bioactive, Adaptive, and Clinically Translatable Platforms · 2025 · DOI

  • Limited bioavailability of curcumin - Need for improved gelling rates for silk hydrogels - Potential for chemoresistance and cancer recurrence with systemic…

    Extremely Rapid Gelling Curcumin Silk-Tyrosine Crosslinked Hydrogels · 2025 · DOI

  • The study did not show degradation of curcumin-silk tyrosine crosslinked hydrogels, - The study did not showcase the improved bioavailability of curcumin following encapsulation, - The study is limited to in vitro…

    Extremely Rapid Gelling Curcumin Silk-Tyrosine Crosslinked Hydrogels · 2025 · DOI

  • Information about the properties of the material, as well as its preparation and applicability, is limited - The literature lacks information on SS processing methods and the resulting physicochemical…

    Innovative Processing and Sterilization Techniques to Unlock the Potential of Silk Sericin for Biomedical Applications · 2025 · DOI

  • Applying SS in future applications - Developing SS-based biomaterials - Further studies on the properties and applicability…

    Innovative Processing and Sterilization Techniques to Unlock the Potential of Silk Sericin for Biomedical Applications · 2025 · DOI

  • Discarded silk sericin protein (SS) presents a high yet underexplored potential as a biomaterial for tissue engineering (TE).

    Biofunctional silk sericin hydrogels: A versatile platform with potential for tissue healing and regeneration · 2025 · DOI

  • Further investigation of the mechanical properties of the bioinspired fibers. Exploration of the potential applications of the bioinspired fibers in various fields. Development of new bioinspired materials with unique properties using the customizable microfluidic spinning system.

    Bioinspired nano-architecture for cellulose fibers with spider silk–like toughness · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Silk-based biomaterials and applications

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) The lack of high-throughput screening assays for structural proteins (“A diversified approach to the design of recombinant silk proteins for…”, 2026); (2) The lack of biodegradable materials that combine adequate initial strength with controlled degradation and favorable host response (“Biodegradable Vascular Patches for Arterial Reconstruction: In Vitro Study and…”, 2026); (3) The lack of effective treatments for intervertebral disc degeneration (“Evaluation of Colombian silk fibroin hydrogels functionalized with recombinant…”, 2026); (4) The use of silk waste as a sustainable source of regenerated silk fibroin for biomedical applications has not been thoroughly investigated (“Silk fibroin from production wastes, a new raw material for biomaterial…”, 2026); (5) The antimicrobial potential of sericin-based biomaterials is also highlighted, though the evidence remains debated and further validation is needed, particularly for grafts and scaffolds used in CMF regeneration (“Sericin-based biomaterial for craniomaxillofacial regeneration: Preclinical…”, 2026). 139 gap statements have been mined from Silk-based biomaterials and applications papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 991 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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