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Novel High-Yield Bioprocess Production for a Rare Natural Sugar
SUMMARYMany industrially-relevant enzymes are active, but are severely limited by thermodynamic, kinetic, or stability issues. A Tufts University investigator and their research team has developed an isomerization protocol using a novel biocatalyst to overcome thermodynamic issues in the conversion of galactose into tagatose. This protocol has demonstrated...
Published: 6/7/2022
Inventor(s): Nikhil Nair, Joseph Bober
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Biomaterial-Based Sensing Inks for Printing
SUMMARYThe present disclosure provides, among other things, biopolymer-based ink compositions for printing applications and the converting inert substrates into interactive and responsive interfaces.BACKGROUNDScreen-printing and inkjet printing are two techniques that are simple, robust, and allow contemporary deposition and patterning of inks onto...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Silk Wrinkles: Tuning Structural Protein Coformation for Dynamic, Responsive, Multifunctional Micropatterns
PROBLEM Protein micropatterning and nanopatterning have long provided sophisticated strategies for a wide range of applications including biointerfaces, tissue engineering, optics/photonics, and bioelectronics. In recent years, various micro- and nanofabrication technologies have been utilized to transform a water-based suspension of silk protein into...
Published: 1/23/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, Yu Wang
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Silk Mussel Glue
Silk mussel glueHere we report a new biomaterial composed by silk fibroin, polydopamine and Fe3+ with tunable adhesive properties superior to any bioinspired adhesive and some commercial glues. This material exhibits astonishing adhesion even underwater, mimicrying natural mussel byssus. Moreover, it is a completely biodegradable and atoxic (potentially...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, Gianluca Farinola, Marco Lo Presti
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Bio-Reactive Objects Based on Chemical Inks
Bio-Reactive Objects Based on Chemical InksThe present disclosure provides, among other things, biologically-based ink compositions for ink-jet printing applications, methods of making the biocompatible ink compositions, as well as articles, objects, devices, and apparatuses that comprise or are manufactured from comprise the biocompatible ink composition....
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto, Laia Soldevila, Giuseppina Matzeu
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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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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Biomimetic, Mechanical Tension-Driven Fabrication of Nanofibrillar Architecture
Biomimetic, Mechanical Tension-Driven Fabrication of Nanofibrillar ArchitectureThis invention provides methods for utilizing such forces in when generating nanofibrillar constructs with engineered morphology from the nano- to macro-scales. Using for example, a biopolymer silk fibroin as a base material, patterns of an intermediate hydrogel were generated...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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Patterned Photonic Crystals: Large Scale Silk Inverse Opals with Tunable, Geometrically Defined Structural Color
Patterned Photonic Crystals: Large Scale Silk Inverse Opals with Tunable, Geometrically Defined Structural ColorSummaryTufts researchers have developed large-scale, macro defect-free, and highly flexible patterned silk inverse opal photonic crystals with tunable, geometrically defined structural color. BackgroundSilk fibroin, collected from the domesticated...
Published: 1/15/2025
Inventor(s): Fiorenzo Omenetto
Keywords(s):
Category(s): Biomaterials
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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
