WOODS HOLE – The Marine Biological Laboratory will host a lecture on Spider Silk on Friday, June 19 as part of the Friday Evening Lecture Series this summer.
Spider silk biologist Cheryl Hayashi will share results from the latest discoveries about the mysteries of silk synthesis that spiders have held secret for several hundred million years.
According to the research, spiders reign supreme in the diversity of silks they can spin and the extreme toughness of silk rivals some of the best manmade materials.
Her lecture, “The Science of Spider Silk: Amazing But True,” will be held at 8 p.m. at the MBL’s Lillie Auditorium and is free and open to the public.
Hayashi is a Professor of Biology at the University of California, Riverside where she serves as Vice-Chair for the Department of Biology and Graduate Advisor for the Joint Doctoral Program in Evolutionary Biology.
Hayashi explores spider silk’s genetic makeup, evolution and unique biomechanics in work that blurs the boundary between biology and materials science.
Hayashi’s research has been featured widely in media including The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Discover, Scientific American, NPR, BBC and Discovery Channel.
The Friday Evening Lecture Series will continue throughout the summer at the MBL.
