Researchers develop engineered honeybee silk for advanced wound dressings

Researchers from Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, and Adelaide University have developed biodegradable films from engineered honeybee silk that could serve as a foundation for next-generation wound dressings, according to a study published in the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials.

Recombinant honeybee silk is bioengineered in a laboratory, which allows scientists to modify its protein sequence. Unlike silk derived from spiders or silkworms, honeybee silk is a naturally occurring protein used by larvae to construct protective structures in hives. The material is strong, flexible, and lightweight, and its structure can be altered to potentially incorporate features such as targeted drug delivery or infection-sensing capabilities.

In laboratory tests conducted by Adelaide University using silk film produced by CSIRO, the material was found to be safe, well tolerated by the body, and non-disruptive to the natural healing process. The study also revealed that much of the film gradually broke down inside the wound, which researchers note could reduce the need for dressing removals that disturb newly formed tissue.

Dr Caitlin Johnston, lead researcher at CSIRO, stated that the film functions as a molecular building material that can be redesigned to actively respond to wound conditions rather than serving merely as a passive barrier.

Dr Anna Antipov of Adelaide University's Future Industries Institute noted that demonstrating the material is biodegradable and does not impede healing was a necessary first step before developing more complex functions. Dr Antipov added that individuals in rural and remote communities could benefit by requiring fewer dressing changes and specialist visits.

Chronic wounds affect an estimated 450,000 Australians each year and cost the healthcare system over $6 billion annually due to risks of infection, hospitalization, and clinical interventions. Following the study's findings, the research team received a Medical Research Future Fund grant to develop and test dressings designed to help prevent infections in chronic wounds.

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