Professor Matthew Gibson, of the University of Warwick, has been awarded the prestigious McBain Medal for 2021 for his research in harnessing polymer, interface, and colloid science to further biomaterials and biotechnology development.
SCI’s Colloid & Surface Chemistry Group and RSC’s Colloid & Interface Science Group present this award annually to an early career researcher (within 15 years of receiving a PhD) for outstanding achievements in colloid and interface science.
Matthew holds a joint professorship between the University of Warwick’s Department of Chemistry and Warwick Medical School. The Gibson Group laboratory investigates ways to use biomaterials and bioengineering approaches to address global healthcare challenges such as new, non-traditional antimicrobials, new diagnostic tools, and nanotechnology.
He is the co-founder and chief technical officer of Cryologyx, a University of Warwick spin-out that develops next-generation cryo-preserved cells for the biomedical, drug discovery, toxicology and affiliated industries. He also leads the industrial Collaborative Awards in Science and Engineering (iCASE) Scheme in the Medical Research Council-funded Doctoral Training Centre and holds an ERC Consolidator grant.
Like those before him, Matthew received the Medal for both achievement and evidence of future promise. Each previous winner since the award’s establishment in 2006 has advanced the science or technology in this field in a significant way – much like James William McBain, after whom the award was named. The Canadian colloid chemist produced groundbreaking work on the use of soap solutions, especially in electrolytic converters.