In the summer of 2005, Jeffrey Karp, a bioengineer at Brigham and Women's Hospital [read an] article [detailing] how a group of researchers had created a new synthetic material by mimicking the properties of gecko feet - whose tiny, hair-like pillars allow the lizard to stick to and detach from apparently sheer surfaces with ease. His first thought was to use the material to create a new type of medical tape that could replace sutures and staples, which can damage sensitive tissue surrounding wounds. In 2008, MIT's Technology Review magazine named Karp one of the top innovators in the world under the age of 35. Karp, who is now 40 and runs his own lab ... is what is known in the business as a bioinspirationalist - a person who looks to nature for solutions to scientific problems. The gecko tape was Karp's first bioinspired invention. Karp's current projects include surgical staples inspired by porcupine quills, which create smaller punctures in the skin and prevent bacteria from entering wounds, and a new kind of surgical glue inspired by ... marine worms, which is strong enough to bind moving tissue inside major organs. This last invention has helped to cement Karp's reputation as a rising star in the world of bioengineering. Because he doesn't just invent cool stuff - he turns his creations into actual products. "When we look to solve problems, it's not so we can publish papers," said Nick Sherman, a research technician at Karp Lab. "It's more like, 'Is this work going to help patients?'"