Faculty Research Highlight
Research Spotlight: Biology
Researchers Explain Spider Web Stickiness
Todd Blackledge, Department of Biology (far left in photo), and a team of UA researchers have recently unraveled the mysteries behind the glue spiders use to spin their webs.
This path breaking illustration of knowledge production will have a powerful impact on the development of future bio-adhesives, result in multiple commercial applications, and marks another achievement in a field where UA is taking a leadership role in collaboration with regional partners and the medical community.
The research, “Viscoelastic Solids Explain Spider Web Stickiness,” will appear in Nature Communications (May, 2010). Learn More
Biology Department News
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Chiari research team draws crowd to Akron
The Conquer Chiari Research Center at UA — the first of its kind — opens its doors for an open house. -
Donation of wetlands to UA honored with national award
The Environmental Law Institute is honoring Steve and Jerry Panzner for their gift of 104 acres of restored wetlands to The University of Akron for use as a living laboratory. -
Graduate student endeavors to answer a whale of a question
Leptin is the "fat hormone" that tells the brain when to stop eating. Whales have the hormone too, so why doesn't it work? -
One Glue, Two Functions
While the common house spider may be creepy, it may be the key to developing adhesives for human applications, such as wound healing and industrial-strength tape. -
The new skinny on leptin
Obesity hormone linked to hearing and vision problems in new research study.
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