The universality–diversity paradigm (UDP) is the analysis of biological materials based on the universality and diversity[disambiguation needed] of its fundamental structural elements and functional mechanisms.
For example, proteins constitute the elementary building blocks of a vast variety of biological materials such as cells, spider silk or bone, where they create extremely robust, multi-functional materials by self-organization of structures over many length- and time scales, from nano to macro.
In contrast, other features are highly specific to tissue types, such as particular filament assemblies, beta-sheet nanocrystals in spider silk or tendon fascicles.
This coexistence of universality and diversity is an overarching feature in biological materials and a crucial component of materiomics.
It might provide guidelines for bioinspired and biomimetic material development, where this concept is translated into the use of inorganic or hybrid organic-inorganic building blocks.