The science
behind the models

Silk4B's models rest on more than 20 years of research into the bone marrow niche, validated across peer-reviewed publications. The technology is protected by patents granted in the United States and Europe, with further applications under review. The science below shows how faithfully the models reproduce human bone marrow biology, and where it has already been put to use.

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Publication highlights

Cover of the journal 'Advanced Science' featuring a green microscopic image of cells or biofilms, with article title 'Developing a Silk-Based Bioink' by Alessandra Balduini, and publisher information.

Advanced Science - 2024

Bioprinting Soft 3D Models of Hematopoiesis using Natural Silk Fibroin-Based Bioink Efficiently Supports Platelet Differentiation.

Cover image of a scientific journal showing a colorful, stained cell with a purple nucleus, green and red cytoplasm, and a black background. The journal is Blood, volume 141, issue 4, from January 2023.

Blood - 2023

Novel variants in GALE cause syndromicmacrothrombocytopenia by disrupting glycosylation and thrombopoiesis

Cover of a scientific journal titled 'Thrombosis and Haemostasis' featuring a colorful microscopic image of green and blue cells, with smaller text listing article topics and the publisher's logo.

Thrombosis and Hemostasis - 2020

A Gold Standard Protocol for Human Megakaryocyte Culture Based on the Analysis of 1,500 Umbilical Cord Blood Samples

Cover of Blood journal featuring an abstract, colorful microscopic image of blood cells or tissue with red, pink, and purple hues and a list of featured articles on various blood health topics.

Blood - 2019

Loss-of-function mutations in PTPRJ cause a new form of inherited thrombocytopenia.

Colorful microscopic image of nerve cells with green axons, blue cell bodies, and red synaptic connections, on the cover of Blood journal.

Blood - 2015

Programmable 3D silk bone marrow niche for platelet generation ex vivo and modeling of megakaryopoiesis pathologies.

Cover of Haematologica journal, December 2011 issue, featuring a microscopic image of cells in red and blue colors.

Haematologica - 2011

A A386G biallelic GPIbα gene mutation with anomalous behavior: a new mechanism suggested for Bernard-Soulier syndrome pathogenesis

Blood - 2011

Megakaryocyte-matrix interaction within bone marrow: new roles for fibronectin and factor XIII-A

Blood - 2007

The May-Hegglin anomaly gene MYH9 is a negative regulator of platelet biogenesis modulated by the Rho-ROCK pathway

Other Publications

Small - 2026

Thermo-Chemically Modified Silk Scaffolds Reveal Niche-Driven Regulation of Hematopoiesis and Fibrosis

Blood Advances - 2025

In vitro studies of human erythropoiesis using a 3D silk-based bone marrow model that generates erythroblastic islands.

Blood Vessel Thromb Hemost - 2025

Dose-dependent effects of eltrombopag iron chelation on platelet formation

Blood - 2025

Defective neutrophil clearance in JAK2V617F myeloproliferative neoplasms drives myelofibrosis via immune checkpoint CD24.

American Journal of Hematology - 2024

Newly Identified Roles for PIEZ01 Mechanosensor in Controlling Normal Megakaryocyte Devolpement and in Primary Myelofibrosis

eLife - 2021

Miniaturized 3D bone marrow tissue model to assess response to Thrombopoietin-receptor agonists in patients.

Methods in Molecular Biology - 2018

Three-Dimensional Tissue Models for Studying Ex Vivo Megakaryocytopoiesis and Platelet Production.

Biomaterials - 2018

Multi-channel silk sponge mimicking bone marrow vascular niche for platelet production. 

Biomaterials - 2017

Modular flow chamber for engineering bone marrow architecture and function.