The GEMSilk Project – Pioneering Medical-Silk Biopolymers

The next generation of medical adhesives: silk that heals

Gluing things together inside the human body is not easy. Anyone who has tried to stick a plaster on wet skin knows how frustrating it can be. In surgery, doctors often need to reconnect tissues or seal internal wounds in moist environments, but existing medical glues struggle to hold. Stitches and staples are still the standard, but wouldn’t a glue be quicker, gentler, and more adaptable?

Unfortunately, many current surgical adhesives are far from ideal. Some are strong but toxic to tissues and don't bond well to wet surfaces. Others are safer but weak and unreliable. The consequences can be serious. For instance, after abdominal surgery, internal leaks at the surgical site affect up to one in five patients. Clearly, better medical adhesives are urgently needed.

Nature may already hold the answer. Some animals produce waterproof silk that works like underwater tape. These natural glues are strong, fast-setting, and highly effective on wet surfaces, exactly what surgeons are looking for. The challenge is that these insects are small and cannot be farmed to harvest their sticky silk in useful quantities. What if we could equip silk-producing insects to do the job?

This is the goal of GEMSilk, Genetically Engineered Medical Silk. Funded by Horizon Europe through a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, one of the EU’s flagship funding schemes for researchers, GEMSilk takes an innovative approach: genetically modifying the domestic silkworm to produce a new kind of silk that acts as a biocompatible glue for medical use. The project builds on the researcher’s earlier doctoral experience, funded through a Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral training programme, which focused on the genetic engineering of silkworms to promote sustainable commercial sericulture. Guided by Prof. Philipp Seib, whose research bridges biopolymers and healthcare innovation, the project brings together genetic engineering and materials science to develop next-generation silk adhesives. The project is also supported by PhD candidate Franziska Lai and MSc. student Srinithi Kirubakaran.

Applying the principles of biomimetics, the science of learning from nature to solve human challenges, the team aims to create a sustainable and scalable source of medical adhesive. This work blends biology, biotechnology and materials science to address a long-standing clinical need.

Inside the Cocoon: Giving Silkworms a New Skill

Creating silk that sticks requires a rewrite of the silkworm’s genetic code. The GEMSilk team uses a technology called CRISPR/Cas9. This method allows scientists to make precise edits to DNA. Think of it as molecular surgery: cutting the DNA at exactly the right point and inserting a new set of instructions.

Dr. Brady designed a stretch of DNA carrying the genetic blueprint for adhesive protein segments. With the help of CRISPR/Cas gene editing technology, this DNA will be incorporated into the silkworm’s genome. The result is a hybrid gene that still tells the silkworm to produce silk, but now includes added glue-like properties.

This edit is made at the earliest stage of the silkworm’s development. Female moths lay tiny eggs, each smaller than a matchstick head. These eggs are injected under a microscope using a fine glass needle. The injection delivers the CRISPR components and the donor DNA into the embryo just hours after the egg is laid. This stage is delicate and precise.

To identify which silkworms, carry the modified gene, a small fluorescent marker is also included. Under the microscope, hatchlings with the new gene will have a red glow in their eyes. These individuals are bred and screened to establish a new, stable strain of silkworms that consistently produce the adhesive silk. Once established, this strain becomes a living production line for the new biomaterial. Unlike many other model insects, including Drosophila, silkworm eggs can be stored as eggs for up to a year, meaning perpetual rearing is not required.

Growing a New Kind of Silk

When the genetically modified silkworm line is established, the next step is testing the silk they produce. The silkworms are reared in controlled conditions at Fraunhofer IME Gießen’s insect biotechnology facility. After the larvae spin their cocoons, the silk will be harvested and analysed.

The most important question is simple: does it stick? Using mechanical testing, microscopy and tissue models, Dr. Brady will assess the glue-like performance of the new silk, and how well it bonds to moist tissue surfaces, how much force it can withstand and how it behaves under strain.

Equally important is safety. Medical adhesives must be biocompatible. They must not cause inflammation, allergic reactions or toxicity. Natural silk already has an excellent safety record, and the modifications introduced in GEMSilk are designed to maintain this profile. The new silk glue is protein-based and biodegradable, meaning it could dissolve harmlessly in the body as healing progresses.

This silk glue could be processed into patches, tapes or gels depending on the intended medical use. For example, a strip of adhesive silk might be pressed over a surgical incision, sealing it in place without stitches. In future versions, the glue could even be sprayed into the body through a scope or syringe for hard-to-reach areas.

Looking ahead, the potential benefits are clear. A reliable, biocompatible adhesive that works on wet tissues could improve outcomes for patients and reduce complications after surgery. Surgeons might one day have a new tool that closes wounds faster and more safely. For patients, this could mean fewer stitches, less scarring and quicker recovery.

GEMSilk also shows what can happen when scientists take inspiration from nature, borrowing one insect’s solution and placing it into another, to create something entirely new. The silk of the future may not just be for textiles. It may one day help seal wounds, repair organs and speed healing. In doing so, it could help healthcare stick together in more ways than one.