Emmy Hsiung '23, a fiber science major in the Department of Human Centered Design, is the first co-author on a recent paper using nanofibrous webs for fast-disintegrating drug delivery. She has been working in Prof. Tamer Uyar’s NanoFibers and NanoTextiles Lab since her first year at Cornell.

“Research is rewarding when things work out but there are definitely challenges to get there,” said Hsiung.

Ondansetron is an antinausea drug. By embedding the drug first in cyclodextrin, a starch that captures the drug molecule and makes it more soluble and then weaving it into a nanofibrous web that offers further solubility, Hsiung and the Uyar team created a quick dissolving medication that is dispensed on the tongue.

This is the second paper that Hsiung has co-authored. She also explored using tetracycline, an antibiotic, in a the same medium. Fast-dissolving medication on the tongue, assists pediatric and geriatric patients who are unable to swallow pills, as well as those who cannot digest certain medications.

“I am very grateful to Asli Celebioglu, who was a post-doc in the Uyar Lab. Asli was a great mentor and really guided me in how to do the research and writing,” said Hsiung.

Hsiung plans to work for Nike as a material developer after graduation.