Davidson School of Chemical Engineering doctoral student Sydney Hollingshead has received the Baxter Young Investigator Award for her research related to soft tissue surgical adhesives.

Hollingshead is a graduate student of Chemical Engineering Associate Professor Julie C. Liu.

Sponsored annually by Baxter Healthcare Corporation, the Young Investigator Award recognizes researchers whose discoveries make an impact on critical care therapies and the development of medical products that save and sustain patients’ lives.

Hollingshead’s research project is titled Elastomeric Proteins for Soft Tissue Wet Adhesion. In her research, Hollingshead formulates protein-based adhesives that are flexible and can adhere in a wet environment. Her material is inspired by proteins found in skin and adhesive molecules used by mussels to stick to rocks underwater. To compare formulations, Hollingshead measures the strength of her adhesives on biosimilar surfaces as well as testing their stiffness, elasticity, and viscosity. Hollingshead combines multiple binding mechanisms in her material in order to create an adhesive that can be used to close wounds inside the body without the need for stitches.

Hollingshead was selected to receive the award in the program’s highest category, which includes an honorarium of $2,000 and travel expenses to the awards program at Baxter Healthcare Corporation on October 18 in Round Lake, Illinois. The ceremony will conclude with presentations by Hollingshead and the other Baxter Young Investigators.

Hollingshead is passionate about applications-focused research, and is excited for the opportunity to interact with Baxter employees and other award recipients and see how their work might inspire her research.