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Shaping the Future of Women’s Health Research

An undergraduate researcher turns personal history into pioneering advances for reproductive science.

Sadie in lab with microscope

Sadie Meyer’s lifelong interest in women’s health sparked a little before her birth. Conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) with her aunt as her mother’s egg donor, Meyer grew up knowing how complex and fragile fertility can be. The whole family’s grateful the procedure worked, but for many others, it hasn’t, or it’s too expensive to even try.

“There’s a growing need in today’s world for assistive fertility technologies,” says Meyer ’26, a biomedical engineering and mathematics major in Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) and College of Arts and Sciences.

Now, as a student researcher, she’s channeling that perspective into innovative approaches to women’s health. “I’ve always been interested in women’s health,” she says. “It was just the question of how I was going to get there.”

A Strong Start

Sadie Meyer in research lab
Sadie Meyer ’26, a biomedical engineering and mathematics major, studies biomaterials in the Henderson Lab at Syracuse University’s BioInspired Institute.

From her first day on campus, Meyer dove into research. She joined biomedical and chemical engineering professor James Henderson’s lab in the BioInspired Institute, where she spent three years studying biomaterials. “I wanted to come to Syracuse because I knew I could come onto campus in my first week of freshman year and find a position in a lab,” she says. “I was eager to learn and was supported from the beginning.”

In the Henderson Lab, Meyer worked on a project to eliminate the risk of infections on medical device surfaces using shape-memory polymers—3D printed materials that shift into a predetermined shape when exposed to heat or another external trigger. Typically, researchers grow cells in Petri dishes or flasks, but those conditions don’t reflect the body’s complex environments. The shape-changing platform can mimic lifelike conditions, allowing the lab to study how cells behave in more realistic environments—something that hasn’t been done before.

Cervical cell (yellow circle with black exterior)
In the Joseph Lab, Meyer cultures cervical and vaginal epithelial cells—like these cervical cells shown through a microscope—which she will later plate on the wrinkled platform she first experimented with in the Henderson Lab.

When coated with another polymer or protein, the change in shape causes the coating to wrinkle. Those wrinkles can help prevent bacteria from maturing into biofilms while creating a platform that supports cell growth.

That experience gave Meyer pointed direction. “I’m excited about taking what I’ve learned in biomaterials and applying it in women’s health applications,” she says.

Now, as a senior, she’s doing just that in Professor Andrea Joseph’s lab. Building on her earlier work with surface textures, Meyer is investigating how different surfaces influence the behavior of cervical and vaginal epithelial cells in the female reproductive tract (FRT). Researchers have limited models to study these cells, but the wrinkled platform opens the door to key questions: How does surface texture affect cell structure and function? Does growing them on a more lifelike material cause them to behave more like they do in the body—growing in layers, producing mucus and preventing the passage of pathogens? “It’s a huge collaboration that I’d never thought would be possible for me,” Meyer says.

Broadening the Lens

Sadie and Andrea Joseph in lab looking at iPad
Meyer (left) discusses the cultured cells with Andrea Joseph, assistant professor of biomedical and chemical engineering. “This level of collaboration and the interdisciplinary nature of the BioInspired Institute is pretty uncommon and really a strength of Syracuse,” Joseph says.

“For students, being part of research is another way of learning,” says Joseph, assistant professor of biomedical and chemical engineering in ECS.

The Joseph Lab is developing nanoparticle drug delivery systems for maternal, fetal and neonatal health, with a particular interest in the vaginal microbiome and preterm birth. “There’s no explanation for preterm birth,” says Joseph, who was born premature along with 10% of babies worldwide. “We don’t have a way to prevent it or effectively treat the long-term consequences, such as neurodevelopmental disorders and increased inflammation in the body.”

Infertility, endometriosis, preeclampsia and bacterial vaginosis are some other women’s health disorders we don’t know much about. “My lab is interested in developing more effective, more targeted therapeutics for this range of applications,” she says.

Certain therapeutics might be ineffective because, for example, the FRT is lined with mucus, which can block medications from reaching their target cells. Joseph’s lab is exploring the use of nanoparticles—engineered particles thousands of times smaller than a human hair—to “protect” the medications as they move through the body and improve their effectiveness.

“It’s clear that the vaginal microbiome is associated with women who have adverse pregnancy and reproductive outcomes,” Joseph says. “We know certain bacteria are linked to healthier pregnancies, while others are associated with complications. But we don’t know exactly why. We’re missing a link of biological understanding.”

Finding Her Focus

Syringe putting cells into plate
Plating the cultured cells on the wrinkled platform allows researchers to study how the cells behave in more realistic environments.

That unknown sets the stage for Meyer’s project. She is culturing cervical and vaginal epithelial cells and plating them onto the wrinkled platforms she first encountered in the Henderson Lab. Next, she will perform functional experiments.

Confident in lab techniques, experimental methods and writing, Meyer says she’s never been this excited about a project. “This is the first time I can see the connection to research I could pursue in my career—something I’d be proud having a role in,” she says.

Joseph takes an individualized approach to mentorship. “The idea of being at the very front of discovery was exciting to me at a young age, and I think undergraduate students are more successful when they have ownership over their projects,” she says. She guides their interests and scope of work, checks in when experiments fail and helps them plan what comes next: poster symposiums, publications, graduate school applications.

Beyond the Lab

Sadie at microscope and Andrea at computer
Meyer and Joseph want to use Meyer’s work in biomaterials to advance women’s health applications. “This is all at the root of wanting to support women through different complications,” Meyer says. “It is so hard to be told that you can’t do something or that something is wrong—that it’s out of your control.”

Meyer credits much of her growth at Syracuse to this mentorship and the resources that have propelled her forward. In 2024, she earned a Goldwater Scholarship, one of the most prestigious awards for undergraduate researchers in the United States. Jolynn Parker, director of the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising, worked closely with Meyer to help her articulate her research ambitions and the experiences that set her apart.

Meyer has also learned the global scope of her field through professional experiences. She studied nanotechnology in a National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates at Northwestern University, completed an internship at the National Institute for Materials Science in Tsukuba, Japan, and assisted in data analytics for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. “It’s been so inspiring to watch Sadie clarify her goals and gain experience in research directly related to her interests,” Parker says, “and it’s motivating to know that the resources we provide here at Syracuse University have supported her in that development.”

Looking Ahead

Sadie and Matty Lesko looking at notebook in front of computer in lab.
Meyer works alongside biomedical engineering graduate student Matthew Lesko in the Henderson Lab. She says his mentorship helps her connect the dots between her work in both labs.

Meyer plans to pursue medical school, specialize in OB-GYN and focus on reproductive endocrinology. This path would allow her to combine clinical care with research on fertility and IVF technologies.

“There’s such a need for women’s health research in both understanding the biology that’s specific to women and these disorders and developing targeted treatment approaches,” Joseph says. “My hope for the lab is to be at the front of both of those arms. We need more engineering technologies and devices to make progress in this field—and that’s where Sadie’s work fits in.”

Meyer shares similar sentiments. “Most of the basis of medicine is representative of male patients,” she says. “Knowledge is power when deciding what’s best for you and your body, and if science doesn’t show you what you want to know, where else are you going to find it?”

She adds: “It’s incredible to be in my position and have some sort of potential role in advancing women’s health. There’s so much we don’t know yet.”

Yeast Proteins Reveal Mysteries of Drought Resistance

Some proteins can survive drying out, returning to function when water is re-introduced. Revealing the chemical rules behind this ability could lead to longer-lasting medicines and drought resistant crops.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dry spell recovery: In yeast cells, small proteins carrying negative charges are more resilient and can revive after water loss, while other proteins clump and lose their function.
  • Protein survival trick: After extreme drying, the proteins that produce the cell’s building blocks become enriched by having protective surface chemistry. Proteins that are energy consumers tend to lose their function because of a mismatched surface chemistry.
  • Medicine and crop engineering: If scientists copy these strategies, they could make drugs with extremely long shelf life, or design genetically modified crops that can survive extreme drought events.

Our bodies are made up mostly of water. If this water is removed, our cells cannot survive, even when water is reintroduced. But some organisms can completely dry out yet return to life when rehydrated.

A new study in Cell Systems helps explain how organisms can come back from desiccation (the removal of water or moisture) while others fail by looking at the cell’s proteins. In the first survey of its kind, a team of researchers profiled thousands of proteins at once for their ability to survive dehydration and rehydration.

“We are figuring out the rules of what makes a protein tolerant or intolerant to extreme water stress, also known as desiccation,” says Shahar Sukenik, lead author and assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at Syracuse University. His lab led the study in close collaboration with labs led by co-corresponding authors Stephen D. Fried of Johns Hopkins and Alex Holehouse of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and with labs at University of Wyoming and University of Utah.

Some proteins appear innately more tolerant to water loss, while others are more fragile, the researchers found. The team used yeast as their model system. The team used mass spectrometry to profile how proteins withstand drying and rehydration. They also deployed AI-driven tools to identify the shapes, chemistries and features of these proteins, revealing the rules of their dehydration tolerance.

In this artist rendering of a rehydrated droplet of yeast proteins, blue producer proteins float in the solution allowing them to carry out their function, while the orange energy-guzzling proteins remain in an inactive aggregate.

“Most proteins will lose over three-quarters of their copies following a dehydration-rehydration cycle,” says Sukenik, “but some proteins do much better, with a large majority of their copies surviving the process.”

The proteins that survived water loss tended to be smaller, tightly folded, with fewer interactions and distinct surface chemistry. One key trait was a high number of negative charges on the surface of tolerant proteins, which seems to protect them during drying and after rehydration.

The team then used these chemical rules to increase the dehydration tolerance of a protein. They focused on the Green Fluorescent Protein—GFP—which in its original form is not tolerant to dehydration. By introducing targeted mutations, the researchers managed to increase the dehydration tolerance of GFP such that nearly 100% of the proteins remained active following rehydration. The team is currently applying this strategy to design novel, dehydration resistant proteins.

Protecting producer proteins

The study also revealed a pattern in the function of proteins that survived and those that did not.

“The most tolerant proteins not only have a specific surface chemistry, but also happen to have very specific functions,” says Sukenik.

Resilient proteins were typically ones that are responsible for creating small molecules, the essential building blocks of the cells.

“Everything starts from these small building blocks, which are then used to create larger biomolecules, including other proteins,” says Sukenik. “If the cell runs out of these small building blocks for whatever reason, that’s it. The cell is stuck. It’s like a car running out of gas.”

Dehydration sensitive proteins, by contrast, were typically involved in energy-costly jobs, such as making ribosomes, which are the cell’s protein factories.

Yeast cells appear to gain an evolutionary advantage during dehydration by protecting the proteins that produce their building blocks. At the same time, they get rid of the proteins that consume these building blocks at a rapid pace. This differentiation allows yeast cells to slowly return to an optimal resource balance when water returns.

“We think these ‘producer’ proteins have evolved to develop the specific chemistry that allows them to rehydrate, so when water hits the dehydrated cell they kick into action and enrich the environment with the building blocks they produce,” Sukenik says.

Language of survival

This work could reframe current thinking about biological survival strategies. Dehydration tolerance may not be limited to a few hardy species. Instead, this ability could reflect an underlying “grammar” written into the chemistry of proteins, the researchers note. By revealing that grammar, the team is not only explaining how life adapts to stress, but also using those strategies towards novel protein design.

The researchers envision potential applications in biotechnology, such as engineering proteins for longer shelf life in therapeutics and food. Protein-based medicines—such as insulin or antibodies—could be stored and transported without refrigeration, significantly extending their shelf life and making them easier to distribute, especially in areas where cold storage is difficult. This approach could make protein therapeutics more accessible and reliable.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were problems in cold chain delivery which hindered access to vaccines,” says Sukenik. “But when your product is dehydrated, you won’t have to keep it cold. The shelf life of medicines, food, or other protein-based products could be extended by months or even years.”

Professor Shikha Nangia Named as the Milton and Ann Stevenson Endowed Professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering

The College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Shikha Nangia as the Milton and Ann Stevenson Endowed Professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering. Made possible by a gift from the late Milton and Ann Stevenson, this endowed professorship was established to support the teaching and research of biomedical and chemical engineering faculty.

Shikha Nangia

Professor Nangia chairs the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering (BMCE) and is a leading expert in developing computational methods for studying biological interfaces. Her research spans from mapping the molecular architecture of the blood–brain barrier – critical for advancing treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases – to discovering new biomaterials that prevent infections associated with implantable medical devices, including hip and knee implants.

Over her career, Nangia has earned widespread recognition for her contributions to both scholarship and teaching. Her honors include the Chancellor’s Citation Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Student Experience and University Initiatives, the Chancellor’s Citation for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction, the American Chemical Society (ACS) Women Chemists Committee’s Rising Star Award, the Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award, the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education, and the Meredith Teaching Recognition Award.

She received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2015 and continues to lead research funded by NSF and the National Institutes of Health. In addition to her academic leadership, Nangia serves as Associate Editor of ACS Applied Bio Materials, where she helps shape advances in biomaterials research worldwide.

Nangia excels at fostering collaborative learning environments and integrating different perspectives into her scholarship. She is affiliated with the BioInspired Institute, serves as faculty co-director of Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE), and led the NIH-funded ESTEEMED program, which prepared undergraduate students for careers in Ph.D.-level biomedical research. Recently, Nangia was named a Syracuse University Art Museum Faculty Fellow. Through this fellowship, students in her ECS 326 Engineering Materials, Properties and Processing course will utilize AI tools to analyze museum artifacts.

Before joining SU as a faculty member in 2009, Nangia earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and completed postdoctoral research at Pennsylvania State University.

“Professor Nangia has excelled in all facets of her role at Syracuse University. She embodies the principle that excellence in research supports excellence in the classroom and vice versa,” says ECS Dean J. Cole Smith. “Her leadership has been impactful and timely in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering. It is so rare, and so valuable, to have an energetic and talented faculty member who can truly do it all. She is eminently deserving of this professorship.”

This endowed professorship honors the legacy of Milton and Ann Stevenson, who met as students at SU and later founded Anoplate Corporation, a surface engineering and metal finishing company. The Stevensons were dedicated alumni supporters of the university; in addition to this endowment, both Milton and Ann served on SU’s Board of Trustees, and their generous support established the Stevenson Biomaterials Lecture Series.

“I am deeply honored to be named the Milton and Ann Stevenson Endowed Professor,” says Nangia. “This recognition affirms the impact of our research and teaching, but more importantly, it reflects the incredible students, colleagues, and collaborators who make this work possible. I am inspired by the Stevensons’ legacy of innovation and generosity, and I look forward to advancing discoveries that improve human health while training the next generation of engineers and scientists.”

Protein Droplets: A New Way to Understand Disease

Syracuse University scientists are exploring how our cells use tiny, temporary droplets to gather, fix or degrade damaged proteins in a new multidisciplinary research effort that could have implications in treating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and ALS.

Key Takeaways:

  • Powerful protein droplets: Our cells use tiny droplets to manage broken or damaged proteins. When this system does not work well—such as when we get older—proteins can pile up and may lead to brain disorders like Alzheimer’s and ALS.
  • Acting on Damaged Proteins: Droplets show up in cells when needed depending on stress, temperature or other signals. Scientists want to learn how these droplets know when to form and which proteins to fix or discard.
  • Developing Droplets: Syracuse University scientists are building artificial droplets in the lab and watching real droplets in cells to better understand how they work—and how they might help stop diseases.

When we are young and healthy, our cells successfully monitor and manage our worn-out or damaged proteins, keeping things working properly. But as we age, this cleanup system can falter, leading to protein clumps linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Now Syracuse University scientists are diving deep to understand how these tiny, temporary droplets–known as condensates–work, which could lead to new ways of treating or preventing several brain disorders.

Aging is tough on protein management in our cells. “The mechanisms that we call protein quality control do not work as well anymore,” says Carlos Castañeda, associate professor of biology and chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences. Castaneda has been awarded a five-year, $2 million National Institutes of Health R35 MIRA award to study the link between protein quality control and “biomolecular condensates.”

Picture of Carlos Castañeda
Carlos Castañeda

“Losing protein quality control is related to some neurodegenerative disorders,” says Castañeda. “We are trying to understand those mechanisms so we can see why cells are not able to take care of proteins as they did earlier in life.”

Storage Closets and Trash Dumps

Scientists are discovering that cells contain tiny droplets that function like liquid storage closets, gathering, fixing, recycling or removing dysfunctional proteins. But as we age or respond to stress, our cells can lose effectiveness in cleaning up and managing these proteins.

When repair and recycling systems are lacking, damaged proteins can accumulate, forming clumps that may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and ALS. The droplets themselves can harden into sticky protein clumps, leaving long-term trash dumps in the brain.

In recent years, scientists have learned that droplet compartments are not rigid, permanent parts of the cell. Instead, they are membrane-less gatherings of specialized proteins that cluster together under certain conditions. These droplets appear and disappear when needed, helping cells adapt. Droplets gather and disperse based on stress, temperature and cellular signals.

Cellular chart

The Castañeda team aims to learn more about what causes droplets to form, what droplets are made of, and how droplets decide which proteins are problematic and need fixing, recycling or removing.

Forces at Work

The research team will use a dual approach. They will perform molecular experiments to learn about changes to protein structure and dynamics, and cell biology-based approaches to observe living processes.

In molecular work, they will construct artificial droplets outside of cells to watch how changes in protein combinations or stress signals change their behavior, such as their ability to recruit different proteins or mediate different downstream outcomes (protein degradation or not).

The team will also perform studies of living cells. The researchers want to know more about how droplets manage damaged proteins when cells are stressed. They will study cellular signals that form these droplets and how different protein combinations can affect droplet behavior.

“We make a droplet in a test tube to see how the organization of these components change with different conditions and take components apart so we can understand how they come together,” says Castañeda. “Think of it as understanding a car engine by both building and dismantling it.”

These basic scientific investigations could have transformative long-term impacts, such as identifying critical points where intervention might prevent or treat protein clumps. It could potentially illuminate similar mechanisms across different neurodegenerative disorders and other diseases such as cancer.

Syracuse University’s collaborative and supportive research ecosystem (e.g., the Bioinspired Institute, the Bioimaging Center, high-field NMR at SUNY-ESF) has been crucial to the development of this study, allowing scientists in different fields to share techniques and insights, access specialized equipment and develop more comprehensive research strategies, Castañeda notes.

“This field requires scientists from multiple fields—biology, chemistry, physics and engineering—working together,” says Castañeda. “This work would not have been possible without the many talented postdocs, graduate students, undergraduates, and high school students that have gone through our lab. A special thanks to our lab manager and senior scientist Dr. Thuy Dao. I am deeply appreciative of our key collaborators at SU (e.g., Heidi Hehnly, Shahar Sukenik, Heather Meyer, Li-En Jao) and beyond (Dan Kraut at Villanova, Jeroen Roelofs at KUMC). Finally, I am very grateful to A&S and the VPR office for their support over the years.”

–John H. Tibbetts

Quiet Campus, Loud Impact: Syracuse Research Heats Up Over Summer

While summer may bring a quiet calm to the Quad, the drive to discover at Syracuse University never rests. The usual buzz of students rushing between classes may fade, but inside the labs of the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), the hum of collaboration is in full swing. Undergraduate and graduate students dedicate their summer to tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges alongside faculty mentors, from advancing healthcare solutions to driving technological breakthroughs.

This transformative research is fueled by a variety of funding sources, including prestigious federally funded programs like the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). Through REU, students from Syracuse University and other institutions gain immersive, hands-on experience in fields ranging from science to engineering to mathematics, working side-by-side with faculty mentors on projects that have the potential to shape industries and improve lives.

The University also champions student research through initiatives like the SOURCE (Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement). These programs empower students to contribute meaningfully to faculty-guided research and creative endeavors, equipping them with the skills to produce original, timely and significant work. From developing new materials to advancing environmental solutions, discover how summer research is driving real-world change and shaping a better future.

Nature-Inspired Innovation

In biology Professor Austin Garner’s lab, A&S students Nathan Bailey and Sadie Heidemann received support from the SOURCE to pursue hands-on research projects exploring how animals adapt to environmental challenges.

Biology undergraduates Sadie Heidemann (left) and Nathan Bailey (center, green shirt) have spent the summer conducting research in the lab of Professor Austin Garner. (right).

Bailey’s research focuses on the impact of climate change on sea urchins, specifically examining how their ability to grip surfaces changes with varying salinity levels. Sea urchins are key players in marine ecosystems. As ocean temperatures rise, understanding how sea urchin populations respond is critical: overpopulation in kelp forests can devastate this key food and habitat source for other organisms by creating barren seascapes, while population decline in coral reefs can lead to unchecked algal growth, disrupting biodiversity.

Heidemann’s work investigates how geckos use their tails to navigate complex terrain. By analyzing tail-assisted movement across different surfaces, her research sheds light on how species evolve to meet environmental demands. This knowledge not only deepens our understanding of animal biomechanics but also informs the development of bio-inspired technologies such as advanced robotics designed for search and rescue missions in rugged, unpredictable environments.

Improving Cancer Treatment

Naomi Nance spent her summer working on peptide synthesizers in chemistry professor Robert Doyle’s lab. As part of her work, Nance helped develop a peptide antagonist targeting the GFRAL receptor in the central nervous system—an area linked to nausea and vomiting, especially in chemotherapy patients—offering hope for improved symptom management. A chemistry undergraduate at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, she joined Doyle’s lab through the chemistry REU program and found the hands-on research both enlightening and inspiring, offering a glimpse into the impact scientific discovery can have on real-world health challenges.

Naomi Nance calibrates the peptide synthesizer as part of her REU-funded research.

Unraveling the Mysteries of Fertility

In Professor Melissa Pepling’s lab, students are exploring how egg cells (called oocytes) develop in the ovaries and how hormones influence this process. Using mice, they study how tiny structures called follicles form and how the body decides which ones to keep—an essential process that helps determine a female’s reproductive potential. This summer, Lauren Erickson, a biochemistry and neuroscience major in A&S, focused on insulin signaling in the ovary to better understand its role in infertility. Jaelyn Anderson, an undergraduate student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and participant in the Department of Biology’s REU program, also investigated how insulin impacts female fertility, especially in conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) a hormonal disorder that can disrupt ovulation and make it harder to conceive. Both students found the experience eye-opening, offering them a deeper understanding of reproductive biology.

Jaelyn Anderson examines a vial during fertility research in Professor Pepling’s lab.

Mining Precious Metal Insights

Emerson Long, a senior geology major in A&S, spent the summer conducting research in Earth and environmental sciences Professor Jay Thomas’ lab. Her work focused on making fluid inclusions, which are tiny pockets of fluid trapped in minerals. Long synthesized these inclusions at extreme pressures and temperatures to better understand how copper partitions between aqueous fluids and silicate melts at conditions equivalent to magmatic source regions in the lower continental crust. Her research has broader implications for locating copper deposits higher in the Earth’s crust, which is crucial for sourcing critical minerals needed in clean energy technologies. Funded by support from the SOURCE, she gained valuable lab skills and a glimpse into graduate-level research, aligning with her aspiration to pursue graduate studies after completing her undergraduate degree.

Emerson Long (left) operating the Cameca SXFive electron microprobe with Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Jay Thomas during her SOURCE summer research fellowship.

–Dan Bernardi

Biologist Reveals New Insights Into Fish’s Unique Attachment Mechanism

On a wave-battered rock in the Northern Pacific Ocean, a fish called the sculpin grips the surface firmly to maintain stability in its harsh environment. Unlike sea urchins, which use their glue-secreting tube feet to adhere to their surroundings, sculpins manage to grip without a specialized adhesive organ like tube feet or the suction cups of octopuses.

The bottom portion of the sculpins’ pectoral fin helps them grip onto surfaces and even walk. (Photo by Emily Kane)

So, why is this significant and why are scientists so keen to understand it? Marine organisms thriving in high-energy environments serve as excellent natural models for designing more efficient and effective human-engineered devices, such as robots, grippers and adhesives. Improved adhesives could have wide-ranging impacts, from enhancing medical devices to creating tires with better road grip.

A team of researchers from Syracuse University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who specialize in functional morphology—how the shape and structure of an organism helps it function—recently uncovered a new and surprising traction trait in sculpins. They found microscopic features on their fins, potentially allowing them to adhere strongly to surfaces underwater to fight currents and waves. Their results were published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

New research has uncovered a surprising microscopic feature on the fins of sculpins, potentially aiding their ability to grip their surroundings. (Photo by Emily Kane)

“In order to prevent being swept away, these sculpins need another way to keep themselves in position,” says Emily Kane, professor of biology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who co-authored the study with Austin Garner, a biology professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at Syracuse University. “One feature that sets this group apart is the modification of their pectoral fins such that the bottom portion has reduced webbing that allows the fin rays to poke out further than the fin. They can use these for holding onto rocks or other substrates, but some species have further modifications that allow for walking and sensory functions.”

Previous research has shown that sculpins use hydrodynamic mechanisms—like having a small, streamlined body and using their fins to create negative lift—to maintain balance and grip. Additionally, physical mechanisms, such as gripping the substrate with flexible fin rays on the bottom part of the fin (similar to having fingers), have been described. This study documents a new surface texture, suggesting that these bottom fin rays might also create friction or adhesion at a microscopic level, enhancing their grip even further.

Kane and her team first discovered these features during fieldwork in summer 2022 in Friday Harbor, Washington. While observing fins at a microscopic level using a scanning electron microscope, she immediately recognized the similarity between the sculpins’ features and the fine hairs on gecko feet. She then reached out to Garner, who is an expert in animal adhesion and attachment.

“My lab is interested in how animals interface with surfaces in their environment during both stationary and locomotory behaviors, particularly in those organisms that take advantage of adhesive or frictional interactions using specialized attachment organs,” says Garner, who is also a member of the BioInspired Institute at Syracuse, where researchers collaborate to develop and design smart materials to address global challenges. “Using a very similar framework to studies I have conducted in lizards and sea urchins, we worked together to design and execute this study.”

The team focused on traits such as density, area and length to outline the texture of the skin on the fin rays.

“We compared these measures to values in other animals with similar features that are known to produce a friction gripping force, like having sandpaper on the fins,” says Kane. “There are some similarities in sculpins that make us think they could be doing something similar.”

Garner notes that their work is the first description of these microstructures on the fin rays of sculpins. “We not only described the form and configuration of these structures in this work but also generated testable hypotheses that serve as strong intellectual foundations for us to continue probing in our future work on this topic,” he says.

So, what will this forthcoming research involve, and could studying these structures lead to the development of new bio-inspired adhesives for societal use?

Garner suggests that the form and function of sculpin fins could be effectively integrated into bio-inspired robots or grippers for underwater navigation and exploration. As the research progresses, their team anticipates that understanding the microstructures on sculpin fins will offer new possibilities for designing synthetic attachment devices that can attach securely yet detach easily, even underwater.

Who knows, maybe one day an underwater robot with sculpin-inspired grippers will be exploring the ocean depths and making waves in the world of bio-inspired technology.

BioInspired Director has Spotlight Conversation with LifeSciences NY

Listen in to LifeSciences NY’s discussion with Jay Henderson, Professor and Director of the BioInspired Institute at Syracuse University. Get a glimpse into the Institute, and how it is designed to bring together researchers and faculty from different disciplines to collaborate on their common interests and areas of focus. They are able to build an intellectual environment accessible to the larger University community, as well as beyond the “walls” of the campus.

At the Intersection of Research and Innovation: Biomedical Engineer Luiza Owuor ’26 Prepares for Career as a Medical Scientist

While many of her peers were enjoying the time off between high school graduation and starting college, Luiza Owuor ’26 was participating in the University’s Career Acceleration via Rigorous Educational Experiences in Research (CAREER) program, which introduces students to the research opportunities available to them on campus.

The program helps students like Owuor become involved with research efforts early on in their academic careers, and for Owuor, the experience, especially a presentation from BioInspired Institute Director and Professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Jay Henderson, ignited her passion for biochemical engineering.

Luiza Owuor

Once Owuor officially embarked on her journey in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, she wanted to contribute to the Henderson Lab, which strives to improve treatments for individuals living with an injury or disease. Through experimental and computational approaches, lab researchers study and apply mechanobiology in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

“I remember being especially drawn to Dr. Henderson’s presentation, and his work really sparked my interest in this field,” says Owuor, president of the Society of Women Engineers and a mentor with Catalyst Scholars, a new program for first-generation students.

“Being involved in his lab has been one of the most defining parts of my academic journey. I’ve co-authored two published papers through BioInspired [which examines complex biological systems], and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see our research make a real contribution to the field,” Owuor says. “I’ve built a strong, family-like bond with my lab members and that sense of support and collaboration has made the experience truly special.”

Owuor, a native of Kisumu, Kenya, was recently named as a 2025-26 Syracuse University Remembrance Scholar. She sat down with SU News to discuss her passion for biomedical engineering, her career goals, the important role of mentoring and how her time on campus has fueled her holistic development.

What sparked your interest in biomedical engineering and the STEM field?

I’ve always wanted to be part of the health care space, but not necessarily on the front lines. Biomedical engineering drew me in because it offers a way to make a real impact from behind the scenes, whether that’s through designing medical devices, developing therapeutic technologies or conducting research that leads to breakthroughs.

Once I got involved in research at Syracuse, I saw how engineering could be used to solve complex biological problems, and that solidified my passion for this field. I love that I get to blend innovation with purpose every day.

What are your career goals and ambitions?

To become a medical scientist and contribute to the development of innovative therapies that improve patient outcomes. I’m especially interested in translational research, taking discoveries from the lab and turning them into real solutions for people. Pursuing a Ph.D. is part of that path, and I hope to work at the intersection of research and innovation to help address some of the biggest challenges in health care.

What role has mentoring played in your development?

Mentorship has shaped so much of my growth. From research mentors in the Henderson Lab to peer leaders in student organizations like the Society of Women Engineers and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), I’ve been guided and supported by people who believed in my potential. Mentoring others—whether through Academic Excellence Workshops or Catalyst Scholar mentoring—feels like a full-circle moment. It’s my way of paying it forward.

How has your time at Syracuse University helped fuel your development?

Syracuse has been instrumental in my growth—academically, professionally and personally. Through leadership roles like serving as president of the Society of Women Engineers and alumni relations chair for NSBE, I’ve developed strong communication, organizational and interpersonal skills.

The Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) program has been a major support system, funding my research projects and giving me the platform to present my work. Syracuse has also connected me with the resources and guidance I needed to secure meaningful internships, including one for this upcoming summer. On top of that, my classes have equipped me with technical lab skills and data analysis that will directly apply to my field and my future career goals.

Magnetic Salad Dressing: Physicists Shake Up Emulsion Science

From shaking a bottle of salad dressing to mixing a can of paint, we interact with emulsions—defined as a blend of two liquids that typically don’t mix, such as oil and water—daily.

For a vast range of foods and other technologies, scientists have devised emulsifying agents which help stabilize mixtures. By incorporating small granular particles to certain foods, it can help prevent spoilage and extend shelf life, important for safeguarding our food supply. When added to chemical mixtures, emulsifying agents can reduce viscosity, making liquids such as petroleum easier to pump and transport through pipelines, potentially leading to energy savings.

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How Robotic Rehabilitation Devices Transform People’s Lives

Observing his father’s work in physical therapy research and cognition tests, Evan Tulsky’s ’24 interest in robotics and rehabilitation took shape at a young age. He recognized the crucial role that rehabilitation devices play in transforming people’s lives, motivating him to pursue research in this field while attending the College of Engineering and Computer Science. This path would lead him to the Bionics, Systems and Controls (BSC) Lab, an interdisciplinary research space centered around robotics and rehabilitation.

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