Tufts University

Spider silk is among the strongest known materials. While some researchers are pursuing synthetic spider silk, scientists at MIT have taken another approach … they've devised a method of using silkworm silk to produce fibers that are almost as stiff as spider silk.

The Two Headed Worm From Space! It certainly sounds like a good pulpy science fiction story from the 1950s, but in fact, when researchers from Tufts university sent a bunch of flatworms up to the International Space Station, that's exactly what they wound up with.

Eye transplants are yet to become a reality as scientists have not figured out how to reconnect them to the brain. However, a new study, in which blind tadpoles were able to use transplanted eyes on their tails to see, suggests there might be another way to restore sight in humans.

Scientists say they've devised a way to create "programmable" silk-based forms that have a variety of optical, chemical or biological functions. Imagine pins or other mechanical components that change color when they near a breaking point, or solids that can deliver drugs, among other possible uses.

A team of researchers from Tufts University has taken flexible electronics to their next logical step, embedding them in sutures that can monitor the body from the site of the stitching and broadcast their findings to a Bluetooth-enabled device.​

A new study shows that the protein AMPK regulates the neurons in the brain responsible for making you feel hungry. The findings may have implications in the treatment of obesity.

Researchers have discovered that they can preserve blood at higher temperatures by storing it amongst silk proteins, a development that could mean big things for health care in places where cooling facilities are scarce.​

​How often do you end up throwing out fruit that spoiled before you could eat it? Well, it may soon be happening a lot less, thanks to a new silk-based coating. Strawberries treated with the substance remained fresh and juicy for up to a week without refrigeration.

Biologists have successfully induced flatworms of a specific species to grow the head and brain you'd expect to find on another species. The breakthrough adds to our understanding of exactly what governs the growth of anatomy.

Researchers at Tufts University School of Engineering and the University of Pavia (Italy) have developed a three-dimensional tissue made from porous silk, that’s capable of producing platelets for clinical use. The development is expected to have a significant impact on treatment of blood diseases.

Scientists have developed infection-treating implants that simply dissolve into the body once they've served their purpose. Depending on how they're made, they can be tweaked to last anywhere from a matter of minutes up to a few weeks.

When bridges are inspected for cracks and other defects that could lead to their collapse, engineers must either hang beneath those bridges on lines, or view them from elevated platforms. In the future, however, unmanned aircraft may be able to more quickly and thoroughly check out bridges.