Fascination: Fiorenzo Omenetto

Fiorenzo ‘Fio’ Omenetto, a physicist turned bioengineer at Tufts University, takes a few minutes to explain his fascination with silk. Not your typical fiber artist, Fio is actually using the silk proteins as a material for building bio-compatible sensors that could be safely implanted in humans. Silk may seem like a strange material to use, however it has properties that allow biochemical components that are mixed into it to remain active. As a bonus, it can also be produced using a green, non-toxic and neutral pH process.

Fio’s interview is the latest installment in our Fascination series of interviews with notable scientists and technologists.