Amend Tissue Tape™ for Oral Wound Care

Jamie Shaikoski, PhD | Director of R&D, Amend Surgical

How did you get into/ what drew you to this field/ role?

As a materials engineer, I had a desire to work with biomaterials and polymers from the start of my undergraduate studies, and I continued to pursue these interests in my doctorate dissertation work. At the end of my PhD, I had the opportunity to intern at Amend Surgical and apply my knowledge and expertise to the research and development of medical devices. At Amend and overall in med device, I enjoy problem solving and working to create devices to improve patient care and quality of life.

What excites you about your work?

Working at a small company allows me to be creative in my work and allows me to work and gain experience in many different areas including R&D, quality, and manufacturing. It’s exciting to continually learn, and I am constantly learning at Amend. There is a lot to achieve while working quickly at a small company, and it is even more rewarding when these goals are accomplished. I am excited for the impact that my work will have when we achieve FDA approval and to further work on future iterations of our products.

What advice would you give to those who are considering getting involved in translational research/ product development?

Be willing to work hard and be open to learning. You have to be motivated and you have to want it to really excel within research and product development. Look at failure positively – if you aren’t failing, then you aren’t trying hard enough! More often than not, you will have to run through many iterations and trials before achieving success.

If you weren’t in your current career, what other profession would you like to try?

If I was not in my current career, I would be interested in becoming a medical doctor. Previously, I was interested in pursuing this path and enjoyed watching devices implanted in surgeries and watching surgeries be performed. This interest led me to where I currently am.

Jamie Shaikoski, PhD | Director of R&D, Amend Surgical