SEMINAR: Development of Transgenic Silkworm Strains and Silk Gland-derived Cell Lines for Biomanufacturing Spider Silk as an Alternative to Synthetic Fibers
Guest: Onur Hastürk
Title: Development of Transgenic Silkworm Strains and Silk Gland-derived Cell Lines for Biomanufacturing Spider Silk as an Alternative to Synthetic Fibers
Date/Time: February 24, 2026, 09:40
Location: FENS L062 (Hybrid)
Abstract: Non-biodegradable, petroleum-based fibers dominate the global textile market, raising concerns regarding toxic manufacturing processes and pollution after disposal. Spider silks exhibit extraordinary mechanical properties and represent promising green alternatives to synthetic fibers. Beyond conventional textiles, their potential applications extend to lightweight composites for aerospace and automotive industries, as well as implants and tissue engineering scaffolds in biomedicine. Industrial-scale production of spider silk proteins, however, has remained a challenge over the last two decades. My research focuses on the design and biomanufacturing of spider dragline silk-like fibers with tunable mechanical properties and functional peptide motifs, for the fabrication of sustainable, biodegradable and biocompatible materials. Two complementary objectives are pursued to achieve scalable production of spider dragline silk-like fibers: 1) genetic engineering of the domesticated silkworm (Bombyx mori) using CRISPR/Cas9 for the sericulture of silk fibers incorporating domains derived from the dragline silk proteins of Darwin’s bark spider (Caerostris darwini), and 2) development of novel silkworm cell lines, particularly from posterior silk gland epithelial cells, using a combination of piggyBac transposition mediated integration and Cas9 genome editing for ex vivo production of recombinant silk proteins that can be spun into fibers or processed into other material formats. This research aims to generate biosynthetic silk materials with tailored mechanical and biochemical properties for applications ranging from fashion and sportswear textiles to advanced uses such as ballistic and wound-care fabrics, as well as biomedical scaffolds for tendon/ligament, muscle and nerve tissue engineering. The proposed work and its future directions are expected to contribute to the expansion of silk research and development further in Türkiye, including the establishment of start-up companies translating fundamental research into products such as smart fabrics, composites, implants or pharmaceuticals. In parallel, it is envisioned to establish a center of excellence in silk and silkworm research, with a focus on silk biochemistry, the use of silkworms as animal models for genetic and metabolic diseases, and the engineering of endemic strains -such as Bursa White and Hatay Yellow- for enhanced disease resistance, silk quality and yield.
Bio: Onur Hasturk is currently a project leader supported by the TUBITAK 2232-B International Fellowship for Early-Stage Researchers at Izmir Institute of Technology, Department of MBG. He earned his B.Sc. in MBG in 2013 with a double major in Chemistry in 2014 and completed his M.Sc. in Biotechnology in 2016 at Middle East Technical University under the supervision of Prof. Vasif N. Hasirci. Awarded a Fulbright Fellowship, he pursued his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University, working with Prof. David L. Kaplan on genetically and chemically modified silk proteins. In his doctoral research, he pioneered the use of silk fibroin to construct cytoprotective shells around human stem and progenitor cells, conserving cell survival and differentiation under physical and biochemical stress during 3D bioprinting and injection-based cell delivery. After completing his PhD in 2021, Dr. Hasturk continued as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Kaplan’s group, leading and contributing to multiple collaborative projects with MIT and Columbia University. His work included the design, bacterial expression, and purification of stimulus-responsive silk-elastin-like peptides; development of bacterial surface-display libraries for silk-metal binding peptide hybrids; and the immortalization of bovine and insect cells for cell line development and cellular agriculture applications. Motivated by a desire to advance silk and silkworm research in Türkiye, Dr. Hasturk returned to establish research programs focused on sustainable, biodegradable next-generation fibers for textile, ballistic and biomedical applications. As of January 2026, he has authored 27 peer-reviewed publications with over 1200 citations and holds five international patents.