Cooperative Extension Service Communications and Technology Department 3354 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071 (307) 766-6342 • fax (307) 766-3998 • www.uwyo.edu

 

For Immediate Release

 

 

Contact: Steven L. Miller, Senior Editor

Phone: (307) 766-6342

E-mail: slmiller@uwyo.edu

Archived News Site www.uwyo.edu/agadmin/news/news.htm

 

Date: Jan. 24, 2007

Photograph available of goat milk processing

 

UW professor’s spider silk research presentation earns international honor

 

            A presentation about research into spider silk proteins by University of Wyoming molecular biology Professor Randy Lewis was selected as a Top 5 hot talks/cool paper during the Materials Research Society’s (MRS) international fall meeting in Boston, Massachusetts.

            Nearly 5,000 oral and poster presentations were featured and, of them, the Top 5 were selected.

            In addition, a news article about Lewis, who is in the College of Agriculture, describing spider silk structural mysteries was published in the January 15 Chemical & Engineering News.

             The presentation by Lewis was “Spider Silk Proteins as Biomaterials” DD7.1, Spider Silk Proteins as Biomaterials and was rated number four. His paper discussed genetically modifying E. coli bacteria, which live inside humans and help with digestion, to produce spider silk proteins. These proteins can be spun into fibers with tailored mechanical properties.

            Criteria for Top 5 selection included research that translates to general public interest or application. Potential hot talks/cool papers were identified by the fall meeting organizers and attendees. The Top 5 were selected by the MRS Public Outreach Committee.

            MRS is a not-for-profit scientific association that promotes interdisciplinary, goal-oriented research on materials of technological importance.

            The Chemical & Engineering News article http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/85/8503sci1.html#3 titled “Untangling spider silk’s structural mysteries” discusses processing milk containing spider silk proteins obtained from genetically modified goats.

            The proteins could be spun for superior surgical sutures and for bulletproof vests that are lighter yet stronger than Kevlar.

            More than 6,000 pounds of the goat milk has been received by Lewis.

                        On the Web:   http://uwacadweb.uwyo.edu/uwmolecbio/Faculty/R_Lewis.asp

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