Tulip Biosciences Team

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It all started with a question: How does the body coexist with trillions of microbes without constant infection? 

Over the course of more than a decade of resesarch conducted by our team at MIT, that question evolved into a new understanding of one of biology’s most underappreciated materials: mucus. Far from being just a barrier, mucus is a dynamic biochemical system that protects every surface of the body. Its key components, mucin glycans, don’t kill microbes. Instead, they teach them to coexist, calming pathogens while supporting beneficial communities. This insight into mucus biology has profound implications for health. 

That discovery sparked a powerful idea to translate the millions of years of evolution encoded in mucus into novel biomaterials that protect and restore balance across surfaces. 

From that idea grew Tulip Biosciences, a platform company developing mucus-inspired biomaterials that hydrate, buffer, and guide microbial ecosystems through chemistry, not toxicity. These materials are tunable, scalable, and microbiome-friendly, offering a new foundation for products that work with biology rather than against it. 

Tulip builds where consumer and clinical needs converge—creating safe, effective, and sustainable solutions that meet the rigor of healthcare while delivering the accessibility of consumer products. From restoring microbial balance in women's health to preventing biofilms in agriculture and industry, we’re unlocking nature’s blueprint for resilient living systems. 

What began as a question in the lab has become our shared mission: to turn mucus into medicine and beyond.