معرفی
Sesilja Aranko is an Assistant Professor at Aalto University, affiliated with the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems. Her research focuses on protein engineering, biomolecular condensates, and sustainable materials derived from biological macromolecules.
- Research Groups: Cellular Engineering
- Email: sesilja.aranko@aalto.fi
Her work explores protein self-assembly mechanisms, particularly in spider silk and collagen systems, leveraging liquid-liquid phase separation for advanced biomaterial design. Recent studies investigate how polymer length and modular protein architecture control condensate properties, alongside developing bio-inspired adhesives from recombinant proteins and nanocellulose.
She has pioneered the use of Catcher/Tag click-reaction tools for protein engineering and developed sustainable methods for spider silk production with inherent functionalization potential. Collaborative projects span marine biology (sea cucumbers) and keratin waste upcycling for textile applications.
Key methodologies include intein-mediated protein splicing, segmental isotopic labeling, and structural characterization of protein ligation systems. Her research bridges fundamental biophysics with industrial applications in sustainable chemistry and biomimetic composites.
