Lyon College Undergraduate Students Co-Author Peer-Reviewed Research Publications

BATESVILLE, Ark. — Four Lyon College undergraduate students have co-authored peer-reviewed research publications in leading scientific journals, highlighting the college’s commitment to undergraduate research and academic scholarship.

Dr. Mengfan Zhu, assistant professor of chemistry, collaborated with students Chase Orf of Oxford, Allison Byars of Fayetteville, Whitney Mitchell of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and Nathan Fuller of Ash Flat on research projects in biomaterials, polymer nanotechnology, and sustainable food and agriculture, resulting in three peer-reviewed publications in prestigious scientific journals.

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During the fall 2024 semester, Dr. Zhu guided Orf and Byars, students in the Advanced Biomaterials course, in conducting research as part of their Honor Fellows contracts. Their work focused on the development of pH- and temperature-responsive core-shell nanofibers—an emerging class of nanomaterials designed to deliver drugs precisely to lesion sites while minimizing side effects. This research was incorporated into a manuscript that was subsequently published in the Journal of Applied Polymer Science, a highly cited journal in the field of polymer science. Read the publication here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/app.56806

Mitchell contributed to another research initiative in Dr. Zhu’s Advanced Biomaterials course, focusing on the role of polymer nanomaterials in sustainable food and agriculture. The project explored novel polymer nanocoatings and their applications in food-quality monitoring, biomass extraction, pathogen detection, antimicrobial packaging and irrigation water purification. This research has been submitted for publication in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a leading journal in the field. Read the article here:  https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c01820

Meanwhile, Fuller, a student in Dr. Zhu’s General Chemistry class, collaborated on a research project examining nanostructure fabrication technologies. Their work was published in February in ACS Macro Letters, a top-tier journal in polymer science. Read the publication here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsmacrolett.4c00793

“These students demonstrated remarkable initiative, curiosity and dedication to research,” Dr. Zhu said. “I am incredibly proud of their achievements and grateful for the opportunity to mentor them through these projects.”

Lyon College continues to support undergraduate research opportunities that provide students with invaluable experience in scientific inquiry, critical thinking and academic publishing. Through hands-on projects and faculty mentorship, students gain essential skills that prepare them for graduate studies and careers in scientific research.

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