Chemistry PhD Graduate Max Wamsley featured in MSU’s Our People series

A graduate of Mississippi State University's Ph.D. program in Chemistry, Max Wamsley leveraged the foundation and mentorship received from his advisor - Professor Dongmao Zhang - and his alma mater to launch Clarus Labs LLC, a biotech startup that developed a portable device capable of delivering fast and accurate meat oxidation testing in under 10 minutes, filling a critical industry need in pet food quality control. Supported by MSU’s entrepreneurial ecosystem—the E‑Center’s startup training, MCITy incubator assistance in Vicksburg, and his MBA program—Wamsley transformed lab research into real‑world innovation; Clarus Labs won the $10,000 Mississippi Made prize at MSU’s 2025 Startup Summit and placed second in the Dawg Tank competition, using the prize funds to advance research and technology development—all while contributing back to MSU’s innovation economy through his ongoing graduate assistant role assisting small businesses.