Xinyue Liu, an assistant professor in the Michigan State University Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the U.S. National Science Foundation.
NSF CAREER Awards support early-career faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research and education. The award is among NSF’s most prestigious national honors.
Liu will use a $666,729 NSF grant over five years to support the project, “CAREER: Network Topology Design in Polypeptide Hydrogels for Tough and Transparent Biomaterials.”
The project will investigate how polypeptide molecules can be organized and connected into three-dimensional hydrogel networks that are both mechanically tough and optically transparent. By uncovering new design principles for creating tough and transparent materials, Liu's research will advance next-generation biomaterials for bioimaging, tissue regeneration, and personalized diagnostics.
Liu’s research group focuses on understanding how polymer network structures govern physical behaviors such as phase separation, degradation, adhesion, fracture, swelling, and molecular transport. While polymer science has traditionally focused on the impact of chemical structures, the role of network architecture remains comparatively underexplored.
The CAREER project builds on Liu’s broader vision of using material innovations to address major challenges in sustainability and health.
"This award will allow us to establish network topology as a new design space for biomaterials," Liu said. "By understanding how molecular sequence and network topology work together, we hope to create materials that combine strength and optical clarity, two properties that have traditionally been difficult to achieve at the same time."
The project also includes support for graduate students and participant support activities, connecting advanced materials research with education and training opportunities.
“This award reflects the strength and promise of Dr. Liu’s research,” said John Papapolymerou, dean of the College of Engineering. “Her work in polypeptide hydrogels and advanced biomaterials brings together fundamental materials research with applications that can support health, sustainability and future engineering innovation. We are proud to see this important work recognized and supported by the National Science Foundation.”
Liu joined MSU in 2023. She earned a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2021 and a bachelor’s degree in polymer science and engineering from China’s Sichuan University in 2015.
Liu’s previous honors include the ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award in 2025, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia in 2020, and the Materials Research Society Graduate Student Award in 2020.
Written by Austin Witt.
MSU College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page