Welcome to the Comparative Biomaterials Lab at Chapman University led by Dr. Douglas Fudge. We study a wide range of materials made by animals, including nano-scale filaments within cells, slimes secreted to ward off predators, and large structures like the keratinous plates of baleen whales. Recent research on the biology of hagfishes took us to the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador.
We are committed to applying what we learn from the study of biomaterials to real-life challenges, such as how we can make high performance materials for industry that are more eco-friendly in their manufacture and disposal. Animals make outstanding materials for a wide variety of functions without the benefit of petroleum and without fouling their environment, and we believe that humans could do the same if we listen to the lessons biology has to teach.
To explore current research in the Comparative Biomaterials Lab, click on the links below and check out our Publications.
Fudge Lab News
Dr. Fudge interview in Big Biology
Dr. Fudge was interviewed by Marty Martin and Art Woods in the podcast Big Biology about all things hagfish in an episode sponsored by the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Fudge Lab receives Faculty Opportunity Fund award
Dr. Fudge received a Faculty Opportunity Fund award from Chapman University for his proposal "Bio-inspiration for the Next Generation of Firefighting Technologies." The award will allow the Fudge Lab to carry out a pilot study exploring the use of bio-inspired...
Research on hagfish slime mucus published in Langmuir
The Fudge Lab published a paper in Langmuir on the biophysical properties of mucous vesicles from hagfish slime. This was work that was started by Shannon Ferraro and Andre Hupe at the University of Guelph, and finished by Sara Siwiecki and Dr. Gaurav Jain at Chapman...
NSF RET Award!
The Fudge Lab, in collaboration with Tara Barnhart, received a Research Experience for Teachers (RET) award from the National Science Foundation to work with two local high school biology teachers in the summer of 2021. These teachers will have the opportunity to work...
Galápagos Take 2
Dr. Fudge returned to the Galápagos in January 2020 with collaborator Michael Mincarone to continue their research there on hagfishes. They finished a whole bunch of data collection and also collected hi-res video of four species of hagfishes at depth. Below is a...
Research Projects in the Fudge Lab
