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Silk-Chromophore Composite Materials for In Situ Oxygen Sensing
Silk-based Materials for Oxygen Sensing (T002586)
Background
Monitoring tissue oxygenation in vivo is critical for wound healing, organ transplants, and oncology. However, current sensors face two major hurdles:
Most sensors require secondary surgery for removal, increasing patient risk and healthcare costs.
Traditional materials can trigger...
Published: 3/13/2026
Inventor(s): David Kaplan, Thomas Falcucci, Kayla Presley, Jack Ly, Matthew Dalton, Tod Grusenmeyer
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Device, Diagnostic, Nanotechnology: sensors
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Silk-fibroin hydrogels, methods of forming, and uses thereof
Elastic transparent silk-fibroin hydrogelsThe present invention provides transparent, elastic silk hydrogels for applications, including corneal reshaping to restore visual acuity and photolithography. The present invention also provides methods of photocrosslinking silk fibroin protein using riboflavin as a photoinitiator and exposing such riboflavin...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, David Kaplan, Matthew Applegate
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Water-Based Silk Monoliths
Water-Based Silk MonolithsThe present application relates to amphiphilic polypeptide materials, methods for making and using the same. Provided amphiphilic polypeptide materials are water-based and manufactured using all aqueous processing. Provided materials exhibit a capacity to encapsulate and store biologically active molecules or macromolecules....
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, Benedetto Marelli, David Kaplan
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Materials
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Protein-Protein Nanoimprinting of Silk Fibroin Films
Protein-Protein Nanoimprinting of Silk Fibroin FilmsSummaryTufts researchers have developed novel protein-protein imprinting methods for rapid, high-fidelity, and/or high-throughput fabrication of nanoscale structures in silk films, through controlled manipulation of heat and/or pressure. BackgroundNanoimprinting is a lithography technique for fabricating...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, David Kaplan, Mark Brenckle
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Water-based, highly tunable and biocompatible silk-based bioink
SUMMARYTufts investigators have developed biopolymer-based ink formulations that are useful for inkjet printing and other applications.PROBLEMPreparation of water-based, highly-tunable and biocompatible bioinks remains a challenge. It often requires complicated multistep manufacturing process that is time-consuming, energy-intensive and...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, David Kaplan, Hu Tao, Benedetto Marelli, Miaomiao Yang
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Method for making silk inverse opal structure
Method for making silk inverse opal structureThe present invention relates to silk-based engineering of structural colors and encompasses the recognition that photonic crystals made from silk fibroin can be used to enhance a wide array of light-induced phenomena. Among other things, the present application provides evidence that silk-based photonic...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, David Kaplan, Sunghwan Kim
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Electronic components on paper-based substrates
Electronic components on paper-based substratesThe present disclosure relates to paper-based substrates and apparatus comprising such substrates. The apparatus may include a patterned conductive structure coupled to the paper-based substrate, wherein the patterned conductive structure responds to electromagnetic radiation. Since paper-based substrates...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, David Kaplan, Hu Tao
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Diagnostic
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Piezoelectric Silk-Based Materials for Biomedical Applications
Piezoelectric Silk-Based Materials for Biomedical ApplicationsAmong other things, the present invention encompasses the recognition that silk materials can exhibit oscillatory behavior via piezoelectricity, much like quartz. When mechanical stress is applied, silk is capable of generating electric charge, which may then be captured. This property, coupled...
Published: 1/22/2026
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, David Kaplan, Tuna Yucel
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Silk Based Bioresorbable, Implantable Optical Devices
Silk Based Bioresorbable, Implantable Optical DevicesThe invention provides for compositions and process for fabricating an optical reflector constructed from biocompatible and bioresorbable silk fibroin proteins. For example, the silk retroreflectors may be built based on millimeter size microprism arrays to rotate the image plane of imaged cortical...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, David Kaplan
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Hot and Room Temperature Nanoimprinting of Silk Fibroin Thin Films for Biological Applications
Hot and Room Temperature Nanoimprinting of Silk Fibroin Thin Films for Biological ApplicationsThe present invention provides for photonic nanoimprinted silk fibroin-based materials and methods for making same, comprising embossing silk fibroin-based films with photonic nanometer scale patterns. In addition, the invention provides for processes by which...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, David Kaplan, Jason Amsden
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
