Functionalized Spider Silk Replica for Nerve Regeneration

Injuries to the peripheral nervous system are prevalent, affecting approximately 300,000 patients in Europe each year. Globally, estimates indicate that at least one million new cases occur annually. These injuries can have a devastating impact on patients quality of life, often leading to sensory and motor function impairments such as paralysis of the affected limb, loss of sensory perception, neuroma formation, or the development of neuropathic pain. Despite significant medical advancements in treatment, full restoration of motor function following peripheral nerve injuries remains rare. In cases of long-gap nerve defects, where a tension-free suture of both nerve ends is not possible, the transplantation of autologous nerve tissue is still considered the gold standard. However, this approach presents several drawbacks, including limited donor tissue availability, prolonged surgical times and donor site morbidity. To overcome these challenges, researchers in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine are searching for alternative solutions, with nerve guidance conduits emerging as a promising option, particularly for smaller nerve defects. Of particular interest are nerve conduits incorporating natural dragline silk of the spider genus Trichonephila as a luminal scaffold, which has demonstrated exceptional success in bridging long-gap nerve defects in in vivo studies. However, for clinical translation, it is essential to develop a silk alternative with exceptional regenerative potential for nerve repair, which can be produced under controlled and reproducible conditions on an industrial scale, without the natural variability and limited availability of native spider silk. Therefore, the goal of this project is to develop a bioactive synthetic silk that actively supports the regenerative properties of cells involved in the nerve regeneration and replicates the regenerative success observed with natural Trichonephila silk. Unlike natural spider silk, our functionalized and bioactive artificial silk will be the first of its kind to be produced under standardized, eco-friendly, and reproducible conditions, free from pyrogenic contamination. These innovative properties make it a promising candidate for clinical translation, with the potential to significantly enhance patients well-being. The project is led by Dr. Stadlmayr, who recently completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the Medical University of Vienna under the supervision of Univ.-Prof. Christine Radtke and Dr. Aida Naghilou. During the first 24 months of the project, she will perform research at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden in the Spider Silk Biology for Biomedical Applications Group led by Univ.-Prof. Anna Rising. She will then return to the Medical University of Vienna to continue the project in the laboratory of Univ.-Prof. Christine Radtke.