The Traverso lab develops devices that implant in or pass through the body. Such devices present difficult engineering challenges, since they need to make contact with soft, bendable tissues. 

The researchers look in unexpected places for solutions—in this case, the gourami. By taking high resolution images, researchers discovered structures in the fish scales with surprising properties, such as the ability to deflect parasites or help the fish sense water flow and drag. 

These structures inspired new approaches for developing a universal platform for drug delivery and monitoring in the gastrointestinal tract.