Zhenan Bao and Bao Lab featured in series about chemistry contributions

by Stanford News Service Staff

ZHENAN BAO, the K. K. Lee Professor in the School of Engineering, and members of her lab are featured in a film series from the Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation that highlights contributions being made by leading contemporary chemists.

Zhenan Bao from the film Under the Skin

The short film Under the Skin follows the chemical engineers in the Bao Lab as they created a synthetic skin that can stretch like rubber, carry electricity and self-heal. The film is part of a series called Chemistry Shorts.

Also featured in the film are MARK CUTOSKY, the Fletcher Jones Chair in the School of Engineering, and PAIGE FOX, assistant professor of surgery.

“Our skin is constantly helping us interact with the world. How do we know how tightly to hold objects so that they do not slip out of our hands; or whether a surface is too hot to touch; or even how to enjoy our comfortable pajamas? Our skin helps us determine sensations such as temperature, texture, vibration and pressure,” said Bao, who is also a senior fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy.

“It is constantly regenerating, protecting our internal organs from the outside environment and automatically healing wounds. Besides helping us perform necessary tasks every day, skin provides us feedback that enriches our lives.”

Watch Under the Skin.