Creating first-of-kind fibres
Grouse Fibre is building a lab-in-the-loop for protein-based materials design. It has built the capability to rapidly spin novel proteins into fibres, revealing properties that emerge when proteins are assembled and put under force - a critical step in understanding how a protein could become a useful material.
By making this testing fast and accessible, Grouse Fibre generates the first prototype fibres and the experimental data to test predictions and help train better protein design models, shortening the loop between designing a promising protein and understanding what it can do in the physical world.
Protein building blocks
We convert everyday proteins into designer building blocks and create unique fibres.
Advanced optics
Grouse Fibre is developing advanced hollowcore optical fibres from protein templates.
First-of-kind materials
Taking new and unusual materials to make novel first fibres.
ARIA Glass Noodle
Hollow core optical fibres
The Glass Noodle project develops protein fibres as a scaffold for silica to create hollow-core optical fibres (HCFs).
STFC BioBIC Project
Protein fibre development
Develop new cross-linkers and methods for proteins from sustainable chemistry. With support from the STFC and BBSRC.
α, β- and κ-casein extraction
Feedstock development
Casein micelles are built from four distinct proteins, αs1-, αs2-, β- and κ-casein, which have near-identical molecular weights. With the support of Scottish Enterprise we are using those differences to isolate each fraction, plus calcium-binding casein phosphopeptides.
Fibre production technology
Abundant and programmable proteins
At Grouse Fibre we believe that existing proteins can be modified to provide the building blocks we need. Our research into casein from waste milk led to our first breakthrough in producing designer protein fibres.
Polymer preparation
Creating fibres from proteins requires more understanding of how these chains interact and unfold to create linear structures. We are working on programmable proteins that can best create linear networks. Starting with abundant proteins, we engineer our materials to control the micro and macro properties of our materials.
Fibre creation
Advanced fibres are incredibly useful. The way they form, along with the macrostructures created, is as crucial as the materials they originate from, such as biodegradable materials like casein fibre. Our expertise in novel materials, particularly in technical casein and wet spinning processes, is driving breakthroughs in materials that are difficult to process.
Downstream processing
Our interest also extends into the downstream processing of advanced fibres and biodegradable materials. The methods we use to cool, heat, and dry our fibres, including casein fibre and technical casein, significantly affect the crystal formation and final properties of the fibre, especially in wet spinning.
Unique structures with proteins.
Experimenting with casein we have formed hollow-core tubular structures. Proteins, in the right geometry can provide the building blocks to create novel devices. This is where it gets interesting.
Functional properties
We are using proteins in applications that add most value. For example, for templating silica to create novel optical and waveguiding constructs.
Our Partners
