Ice recrystallization: a novel approach to tune the pore structure of a silk fibroin scaffold

A PhD scholarship is available for developing silk fibroin scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. The candidate will have the opportunity to work with world leading scientists within the Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Australia.

Fibroin is the main protein of silkworm silk. It has excellent biocompatibility and has been approved by the FDA. Silk fibroin can be used to fabricate tissue scaffolds with various techniques. A scaffold will have sufficient pore size and inter-pore connectivity to allow cell infiltration, communication and tissue growth. However, to produce scaffolds with these structural features remains a challenge.

This project will explore a new method to control the porous structure of silk scaffolds. This method is based on the recrystallization behavior of ice, which is merging of small ice crystals into large ones, a common phenomenon occurred during storage of frozen foods. Ice recrystallization in a silk scaffold will modify its porous structure and performance in tissue regeneration.