Because of its brilliant transformational properties, squid’s and octopus’ skin is currently the subject of serious scientific study. They can transform themselves into the epitome of coral and rock, and become so indiscernible that it’s almost uncanny. And now they’ve caught the eye of Leila Deravi, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University.
Her research focuses on creating electronic screens whose colour-changing technology is inspired by squids. In Deravi’s interdisciplinary approach, researchers in chemistry, materials science, mechanical engineering, and physics work together to investigate the proteins that drive complex biological systems and then build materials in the lab that replicate those systems. “Practical applications down the road include textiles and electronic screens that change colour by incorporating a squid’s ability to slip from, say, white-yellow to brown to merge with the environment,” says Deravi.
“I’ve always been really interested in replicating natural systems but using advanced technologies to do so,” says Deravi. She and her colleagues study organs called chromatophores that lie just beneath the skin of these animals and contain a sac full of pigment that may be black, brown, orange, red or yellow. The animals’ skin colour changes as the distribution of the pigments shifts to reflect, absorb or transmit light.
“We have developed a specific extraction protocol that enables us to isolate these pigments,” says Deravi. “Our goal now is to understand how they and other protein-based structures in the chromatophore contribute to the adaptive colour in cephalopods such as squids.” Her research also revealed that these pigments also behave like organic semiconductors—they are able to conduct small amounts of electricity. “Does this mean that a squid or octopus is essentially an underwater electronic display?” Deravi asks.
“My appointment is in chemistry, but I work at the interface of chemistry, biology, engineering, and materials science,” says Deravi. Her research could lead to various mind-opening questions. Will someday the pigments which her team extracts from the animals but also makes in the lab, be integrated into natural or synthetic fabrics and will the production of colour-changing textiles be possible?
Anisha Naidu