{"667659":{"#nid":"667659","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Scurrying Centipedes Inspire Many-Legged Robots That Can Traverse Difficult Landscapes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECentipedes are known for their wiggly walk. With tens to hundreds of legs, they can traverse any terrain without stopping. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWhen you see a scurrying centipede, you\u0027re basically seeing an animal that inhabits a world that is very different than our world of movement,\u201d said \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, the Dunn Family Professor in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. \u201cOur movement is largely dominated by inertia. If I swing my leg, I land on my foot and I move forward. But in the world of centipedes, if they stop wiggling their body parts and limbs, they basically stop moving instantly.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIntrigued to see if the many limbs could be helpful for locomotion in this world, a team of physicists, engineers, and mathematicians at the Georgia Institute of Technology are using this style of movement to their advantage. They developed a new theory of multilegged locomotion and created many-legged robotic models, discovering the robot with redundant legs could move across uneven surfaces without any additional sensing or control technology as the theory predicted.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThese robots can move over complex, bumpy terrain \u2014 and there is potential to use them for agriculture, space exploration, and even search and rescue. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe researchers presented their work in the paper\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Es,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.ade4985\u0022\u003EMultilegged Matter Transport: A Framework for Locomotion on Noisy Landscapes\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d in \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E in May and \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2213698120\u0022\u003ESelf-Propulsion via Slipping: Frictional Swimming in Multilegged Locomotors\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d in \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMarch.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA Leg Up\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFor the \u003Cem\u003EScience \u003C\/em\u003Epaper, the researchers were motivated by mathematician Claude Shannon\u2019s communication theory, which demonstrates how to reliably transmit signals over distance, to understand why a multilegged robot was so successful at locomotion. The theory of communication suggests that one way to ensure a message gets from point A to point B on a noisy line isn\u2019t to send it as an analog signal, but to break it into discrete digital units and repeat these units with an appropriate code.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe were inspired by this theory, and we tried to see if redundancy could be helpful in matter transportation,\u201d said Baxi Chong, a physics postdoctoral researcher. \u201cSo, we started this project to see what would happen if we had more legs on the robot: four, six, eight legs, and even 16 legs.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA team led by Chong, including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E postdoctoral fellow Daniel Irvine and Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.google.com\/site\/grrigg\/\u0022\u003EGreg Blekherman\u003C\/a\u003E, developed a theory that proposes that adding leg pairs to the robot increases its ability to move robustly over challenging surfaces \u2014 a concept they call spatial redundancy. This redundancy makes the robot\u2019s legs successful on their own without the need for sensors to interpret the environment. If one leg falters, the abundance of legs keeps it moving regardless. In effect, the robot becomes a reliable system to transport itself and even a load from A to B on difficult or \u201cnoisy\u201d landscapes. The concept is comparable to how punctuality can be guaranteed on wheeled transport if the track or rail is smooth enough but without having to engineer the environment to create this punctuality.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWith an advanced bipedal robot, many sensors are typically required to control it in real time,\u201d Chong said. \u201cBut in applications such as search and rescue, exploring Mars, or even micro robots, there is a need to drive a robot with limited sensing. There are many reasons for such sensor-free initiative. The sensors can be expensive and fragile,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eor the environments can change so fast that it doesn\u2019t allow enough sensor-controller response time.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo test this, Juntao He, a Ph.D. student in robotics, conducted a series of experiments where he and Daniel Soto, a master\u2019s graduate in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, built terrains to mimic an inconsistent natural environment. He then tested the robot by increasing its number of legs by two each time, starting with six and eventually expanding to 16. As the leg count increased, the robot could more agilely move across the terrain, even without sensors, as the theory predicted. Eventually, they tested the robot outdoors on real terrain, where it was able to traverse in a variety of environments. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s truly impressive to witness the multilegged robot\u0027s proficiency in navigating both lab-based terrains and outdoor environments,\u201d Juntao said. \u201cWhile bipedal and quadrupedal robots heavily rely on sensors to traverse complex terrain, our multilegged robot utilizes leg redundancy and can accomplish similar tasks with open-loop control.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENext Steps\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe researchers are already applying their discoveries to farming. Goldman has co-founded a company that aspires to use these robots to weed farmland where weedkillers are ineffective. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThey\u2019re kind of like a Roomba but outside for complex ground,\u201d Goldman said. \u201cA Roomba works because it has wheels that function well on flat ground. Until the development of our framework, we couldn\u2019t confidently predict locomotor reliability on bumpy, rocky, debris-ridden terrain. We now have the beginnings of such a scheme, which could be used to ensure that our robots traverse a crop field in a certain amount of time.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe researchers also want to refine the robot. They know why the centipede robot framework is functional, but now they\u2019re determining the optimal number of legs to achieve motion without sensing in a way that is cost-effective yet still retains the benefits.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIn this paper, we asked, \u2018How do you predict the minimum number of legs to achieve such tasks?\u2019\u201d Chong said. \u201cCurrently we only prove that the minimum number exists, but we don\u0027t know that exact number of legs needed. Further, we need to better understand the tradeoff between energy, speed, power, and robustness in such a complex system.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECITATION: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBaxi Chong\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E et al.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E, \u003Cspan\u003EMultilegged matter transport: A framework for locomotion on noisy landscapes.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EScience\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E380\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E509-515\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(2023).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDOI:\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.ade4985\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E10.1126\/science.ade4985\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIntrigued to see if the many limbs could be helpful for locomotion in this world, a team of physicists, engineers, and mathematicians at the Georgia Institute of Technology are using this style of movement to their advantage. They developed a new theory of multilegged locomotion and created many-legged robotic models, discovering the robot with redundant legs could move across uneven surfaces without any additional sensing or control technology as the theory predicted.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers developed a new theory of multilegged locomotion and created many-legged robotic models, discovering the robot with redundant legs could move across uneven surfaces without any additional sensing or control technology as the theory predicted."}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2023-05-05 14:41:48","changed_gmt":"2023-05-10 20:47:13","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670781":{"id":"670781","type":"image","title":"Centipedes are known for their wiggly walk. With tens to hundreds of legs, they can traverse any terrain without stopping.  ","body":null,"created":"1683751523","gmt_created":"2023-05-10 20:45:23","changed":"1683751523","gmt_changed":"2023-05-10 20:45:23","alt":"Centipedes are known for their wiggly walk. With tens to hundreds of legs, they can traverse any terrain without stopping.  ","file":{"fid":"253709","name":"0A6A7294.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/10\/0A6A7294.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/10\/0A6A7294.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":47280,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/05\/10\/0A6A7294.jpg?itok=o-h_WJAN"}},"670782":{"id":"670782","type":"image","title":"The research team with their robots.","body":null,"created":"1683751552","gmt_created":"2023-05-10 20:45:52","changed":"1683751552","gmt_changed":"2023-05-10 20:45:52","alt":"The research team with their robots.","file":{"fid":"253710","name":"0A6A7322[53] copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/10\/0A6A7322%5B53%5D%20copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/10\/0A6A7322%5B53%5D%20copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":593108,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/05\/10\/0A6A7322%5B53%5D%20copy.jpg?itok=JliOCuZg"}}},"media_ids":["670781","670782"],"related_files":{"253683":{"fid":null,"name":"Centipede Robot","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/05\/0A6A7294.jpg","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/05\/0A6A7294.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":286641,"description":null},"253684":{"fid":null,"name":"Goldman lab","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/05\/0A6A7322%20%281%29.jpg","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/05\/0A6A7322%20%281%29.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":20916986,"description":null}},"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["tess.malone@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667350":{"#nid":"667350","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Want Better Kimchi? Make It Like the Ancients Did ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFermented foods like kimchi have been an integral part of Korean cuisine for thousands of years. Since ancient times, Korean chefs have used onggi \u2014 traditional handmade clay jars \u2014 to ferment kimchi. Today, most kimchi is made through mass fermentation in glass, steel, or plastic containers, but it has long been claimed that the highest quality kimchi is fermented in onggi. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKimchi purists now have scientific validation, thanks to recent research from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech, and Soohwan Kim, a second-year Ph.D. student in Hu\u2019s lab.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/doi\/10.1098\/rsif.2023.0034\u0022\u003Ecombined experimental and theoretical study\u003C\/a\u003E, Hu and Kim measured carbon dioxide levels in onggi during kimchi fermentation and developed a mathematical model to show how the gas was generated and moved through the onggi\u2019s porous walls. By bringing the study of fluid mechanics to bear on an ancient technology, their research highlights the work of artisans and provides the missing link for how the traditional earthenware allows for high quality kimchi.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETheir research was published in the\u003Cem\u003E Journal of the Royal Society Interface\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe wanted to find the \u2018secret sauce\u2019 for how onggi make kimchi taste so good,\u201d Hu said. \u201cSo, we measured how the gases evolved while kimchi fermented inside the onggi \u2014 something no one had done before.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe porous structure of these earthenware vessels mimics the loose soil where lactic acid bacteria \u2014 known for their healthy probiotic nature \u2014 are found. While previous studies have shown that kimchi fermented in onggi has more lactic acid bacteria, no one knew exactly how the phenomenon is connected to the unique material properties of the container.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFirst, Kim obtained a traditional, handmade onggi jar from an artisan in his hometown in Jeju, South Korea, a region famous for onggi. Back at Georgia Tech, Hu and Kim first tested the permeability of the onggi by observing how water evaporated through the container over time. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENext, they installed carbon dioxide and pressure sensors into both the onggi and a typical, hermetically sealed glass jar. They prepared their own salted cabbage and placed it in both containers. They then used the sensors to measure and compare the change in carbon dioxide \u2014 a signature of fermentation. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHu and Kim also developed a mathematical model based on the porosity of the onggi. The model allowed them to infer the generation rate of carbon dioxide, since the onggi lets carbon dioxide out gradually. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThey concluded that the onggi\u2019s porous walls permitted the carbon dioxide to escape the container, which accelerated the speed of fermentation. The onggi\u2019s porosity also functioned as a \u201csafety valve,\u201d resulting in a slower increase in carbon dioxide levels than the glass jar while blocking the entry of external particles. Their data revealed that the carbon dioxide level in onggi was less than half of that in glass containers. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThey also found that the beneficial bacteria in the onggi-made kimchi proliferated 26% more than in the glass counterpart. In the glass jar, the lactic acid bacteria became suffocated by their own carbon dioxide in the closed glass container. It turns out that, because the onggi releases carbon dioxide in small rates, the lactic acid bacteria are happier and reproduce more. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cOnggi were designed without modern knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, or fluid mechanics, but they work remarkably well,\u201d Kim said. \u201cIt\u2019s very interesting to get these new insights into ancient technology through the lens of fluid dynamics.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOnggi\u2019s semiporous nature is unique compared to other forms of earthenware. A clay container that leaks, but only slightly, is not easy to make. Terra cotta containers, for example, quickly leak water. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s amazing that, for thousands of years, people have been building these special containers out of dirt, but in many ways, they are very high tech,\u201d Hu said. \u201cWe discovered that the right amount of porosity enables kimchi to ferment faster, and these onggi provide that.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKim said that some artisans still use ancient methods when making onggi, but their numbers are decreasing. Now, the market is flooded with inauthentic versions of the vessels.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe hope this study draws attention to this traditional artisan work and inspires energy-efficient methods for fermenting and storing foods,\u201d he said. \u201cAlso, the onggi are quite beautiful.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECitation: Kim Soohwan and Hu David L. Onggi\u2019s permeability to carbon dioxide accelerates kimchi fermentation. \u003Cem\u003EJ. R. Soc. Interface\u003C\/em\u003E. 2023.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDOI: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsif.2023.0034\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsif.2023.0034\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis material was supported by the Woodruff Faculty fellowship and the NSF Physics of Living Systems student network.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Researchers explain why kimchi enthusiasts are right when they say the highest quality fermented cabbage is made in traditional earthenware onggi."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EToday, most kimchi is made through mass fermentation in glass, steel, or plastic containers, but it has long been claimed that the highest quality kimchi is fermented in onggi. Kimchi purists now have scientific validation, thanks to recent research \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Emeasuring carbon dioxide levels in onggi during kimchi fermentation, and developing a mathematical model to show how the gas was generated and moved through the onggi\u2019s porous walls.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers explain why kimchi enthusiasts are right when they say the highest quality fermented cabbage is made in traditional earthenware onggi."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2023-04-14 15:04:51","changed_gmt":"2023-05-23 19:11:13","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670550":{"id":"670550","type":"image","title":"A cross-sectional view of onggi showing fermenting cabbage. Credit: Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA cross-sectional view of onggi showing fermenting cabbage. Credit: Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1681484721","gmt_created":"2023-04-14 15:05:21","changed":"1681484721","gmt_changed":"2023-04-14 15:05:21","alt":"A cross-sectional view of onggi showing fermenting cabbage. Credit: Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.","file":{"fid":"253431","name":"cross-sectional views (copyright, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korean Culture)[87].jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/14\/cross-sectional%20views%20%28copyright%2C%20Ministry%20of%20Culture%2C%20Sports%20and%20Tourism%20and%20Korean%20Culture%29%5B87%5D.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/14\/cross-sectional%20views%20%28copyright%2C%20Ministry%20of%20Culture%2C%20Sports%20and%20Tourism%20and%20Korean%20Culture%29%5B87%5D.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":31343,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/14\/cross-sectional%20views%20%28copyright%2C%20Ministry%20of%20Culture%2C%20Sports%20and%20Tourism%20and%20Korean%20Culture%29%5B87%5D.jpg?itok=ojAs0zCn"}},"670551":{"id":"670551","type":"image","title":"David Hu (right), professor of mechanical engineering, and Soohwan Kim, a second-year Ph.D. student, with the onggi they used in fermentation experiments.","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDavid Hu (right), professor of mechanical engineering, and Soohwan Kim, a second-year Ph.D. student, with the onggi they used in fermentation experiments.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1681484755","gmt_created":"2023-04-14 15:05:55","changed":"1681484755","gmt_changed":"2023-04-14 15:05:55","alt":"David Hu (right), professor of mechanical engineering, and Soohwan Kim, a second-year Ph.D. student, with the onggi they used in fermentation experiments.","file":{"fid":"253432","name":"IMG_9232.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/14\/IMG_9232.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/14\/IMG_9232.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1029851,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/14\/IMG_9232.jpg?itok=SnJxKL9U"}}},"media_ids":["670550","670551"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ECatherine Barzler\u003C\/a\u003E, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"666975":{"#nid":"666975","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Rising Temperatures Alter \u2018Missing Link\u2019 of Microbial Processes, Putting Northern Peatlands at Risk","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIf you\u2019re an avid gardener, you may have considered peat moss \u2014 decomposed \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESphagnum\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E moss that helps retain moisture in soil \u2014 to enhance your home soil mixture. And while the potting medium can help plants thrive, it\u2019s also a key component of peatlands: wetlands characterized by a thick layer of water-saturated, carbon-rich peat beneath living \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESphagnum\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E moss, trees, and other plant life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThese ecosystems cover just 3% of Earth\u2019s land area, but \u201cpeatlands store over one-third of all soil carbon on the planet,\u201d explains\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, professor and associate chair of Research in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis carbon storage is supported in large part by microbes. Two microbial processes in particular \u2014 nitrogen fixation and methane oxidation \u2014 strike a delicate balance, working together to give \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESphagnum\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E mosses access to critical nutrients in nutrient-depleted peatlands.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe coupling of these two processes is often referred to as the \u201cmissing link\u201d of nutrient cycling in peatlands. Yet, how these processes will respond to changing climates along northern latitudes is unclear.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThere are tropical peatlands \u2014 but the majority of peatlands are in northern environments.\u201d notes \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECaitlin Petro\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, a research scientist who works with Kostka in Biological Sciences at Tech. \u201cAnd those are going to be hit harder by climate change.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKostka and Petro recently led a collaborative study to investigate how this critical type of ecosystem (and the \u201cmissing link\u201d of microbial processes that support it) may react to the increased temperature and carbon dioxide levels predicted to come with climate change. The team, which also includes researchers from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Florida State University, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, just published their work in the scientific journal \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/gcb.16651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGlobal Change Biology\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBy testing the effects of increasing temperature and carbon dioxide on the growth of \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESphagnum\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E moss, its associated microbiome, and overall ecosystem health, Kostka and Petro say computational models will be better equipped to predict the effects of climate change.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cDown the road,\u201d Kostka added, \u201cwe hope the results can be used by environmental managers and governments to adaptively manage or geoengineer peatlands to thrive in a warmer world.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaising the heat\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo see how northern peatlands will react to climate change, the team, which also included School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Associate Professor \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJennifer Glass\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, turned to the ORNL \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/temperate-glimpse-warming-world\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESpruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experiment\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u2014 a unique field lab in northern Minnesota where the team warms peat bogs and experimentally changes the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStarting in 2016, the team exposed different parts of SPRUCE\u2019s experimental peatlands to a gradient of higher temperatures ranging from an increase of 0\u00b0C to 9\u00b0C, capturing the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ipcc.ch\/report\/ar6\/wg1\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E models\u2019 predicted 4\u00b0C to 6\u00b0C increase in northern regions by 2100.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe moss\u2019s reaction was significant. Although nearly 100% of the bog\u2019s surface was covered in moss at the beginning of the experiment, moss coverage dropped with each increase in temperature, plummeting to less than 15% in the warmest conditions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECritically, the two microbial processes that had previously been consistently linked fell out of sync at higher temperatures.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cPeatlands are extremely nutrient-poor and microbial nitrogen fixation represents a major nitrogen input to the ecosystem,\u201d Kostka explained. Fixing nitrogen is the process of turning atmospheric nitrogen into an organic compound that the moss can use for photosynthesis, while methane oxidation allows the moss to use methane released from decomposing peat as energy. \u201cMethane oxidation acts to fuel nitrogen fixation while scavenging a really important greenhouse gas before it is released to the atmosphere. This study shows that these two processes, which are catalyzed by the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESphagnum\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E microbiome, become disconnected as the moss dies.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThese processes occurring together are really important for the community,\u201d Petro explained. Yet many microbes that are able to both fix nitrogen and oxidize methane were absent in the mosses collected from higher temperature enclosures. And while elevated carbon dioxide levels appeared to offset some of the changes in nitrogen cycling caused by warming, the decoupling of these processes remained.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThese treatments are altering a fairly well-defined and consistent plant microbiome that we find in many different environments, and that has this consistent function,\u201d Petro explained. \u201cIt\u0027s like a complete functional shift in the community.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThough it\u2019s not clear which of these changes \u2014 the moss dying or the altered microbial activity \u2014 is driving the other, it is clear that with warmer temperatures and higher carbon dioxide levels comes a cascade of unpredictable outcomes for peat bogs.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIn addition to the direct effects of climate warming on ecosystem function,\u201d Petro adds, \u201cit will also introduce all of these off-shooting effects that will impact peatlands in ways that we didn\u0027t predict before.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis work was supported by the National Science Foundation (DEB grant no. 1754756). The SPRUCE project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy\u0027s Office of Science, Biological, and Environmental Research (DOE BER) and the USDA Forest Service.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDOI:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/gcb.16651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/gcb.16651\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECitation:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E Petro, C., \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eet al.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E Climate drivers alter nitrogen availability in surface peat and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Edecouple N2 fixation from CH4 oxidation in the Sphagnum moss microbiome. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGlobal Change Biology. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(2023).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAerial Photo:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Hanson, P.J., M.B. Krassovski, and L.A. Hook. 2020. SPRUCE S1 Bog and SPRUCE Experiment Aerial Photographs. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TES SFA, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3334\/CDIAC\/spruce.012 (UAV image number 0050 collected on October 4, 2020).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers show that rising temperatures in northern regions may damage peatlands: critical ecosystems for storing carbon from the atmosphere \u2014 and could decouple vital processes in microbial support systems.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers show that rising temperatures in northern regions may damage peatlands: critical ecosystems for storing carbon from the atmosphere \u2014 and could decouple vital processes in microbial support systems."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2023-03-31 13:54:55","changed_gmt":"2024-02-13 20:45:26","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670399":{"id":"670399","type":"image","title":"An aerial view of the SPRUCE enclosures.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn aerial view of the SPRUCE enclosure.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1680287765","gmt_created":"2023-03-31 18:36:05","changed":"1680287765","gmt_changed":"2023-03-31 18:36:05","alt":"An aerial view of the SPRUCE enclosure.","file":{"fid":"253239","name":"aerial_spruce-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/03\/31\/aerial_spruce-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/03\/31\/aerial_spruce-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4339456,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/03\/31\/aerial_spruce-3.jpg?itok=VDiapso6"}},"670396":{"id":"670396","type":"image","title":"Sphagnum mosses were taken from different SPRUCE enclosures and incubated in glass jars for the study (Photo Jennifer Glass).","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESphagnum mosses were taken from different SPRUCE enclosures and incubated in glass jars for the study (Photo Jennifer Glass).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1680287566","gmt_created":"2023-03-31 18:32:46","changed":"1680287566","gmt_changed":"2023-03-31 18:32:46","alt":"Small glass jars containing sphagnum moss.","file":{"fid":"253235","name":"Sphagnum_incubations-Summer2019-JenniferGlass.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/03\/31\/Sphagnum_incubations-Summer2019-JenniferGlass_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/03\/31\/Sphagnum_incubations-Summer2019-JenniferGlass_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3054698,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/03\/31\/Sphagnum_incubations-Summer2019-JenniferGlass_0.jpg?itok=3FOxgRpd"}},"670398":{"id":"670398","type":"image","title":"A closeup of a member of the research team holding Sphagnum moss, one of the key drivers of carbon sequestration in peatlands. (Photo Jennifer Glass).","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA closeup of a member of the research team holding Sphagnum moss, one of the key drivers of carbon sequestration in peatlands. (Photo Jennifer Glass).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1680287647","gmt_created":"2023-03-31 18:34:07","changed":"1680287647","gmt_changed":"2023-03-31 18:34:07","alt":"A closeup of a member of the research team holding Sphagnum moss","file":{"fid":"253238","name":"Sphagnum_plants-Summer2019-JenniferGlass.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/03\/31\/Sphagnum_plants-Summer2019-JenniferGlass_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/03\/31\/Sphagnum_plants-Summer2019-JenniferGlass_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2365609,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/03\/31\/Sphagnum_plants-Summer2019-JenniferGlass_0.jpg?itok=0UiOON_E"}}},"media_ids":["670399","670396","670398"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joel-kostka-awarded-32-million-keep-digging-how-soils-and-plants-capture-carbon-and-keep-it-out","title":"Joel Kostka Awarded $3.2 Million to Keep Digging into How Soils and Plants Capture Carbon \u2014 And Keep It Out of Earth\u2019s Atmosphere"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/maryville-marsh-restoration","title":"Community Collaborations: Researchers and Alumni Aid in $2.6 Million Effort to Restore Salt Marshes in Historic Charleston"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/temperate-glimpse-warming-world","title":"Temperate Glimpse Into a Warming World"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/salt-marsh-grass-georgias-coast-gets-nutrients-growth-helpful-bacteria-its-roots","title":"Salt Marsh Grass On Georgia\u2019s Coast Gets Nutrients for Growth From Helpful Bacteria in Its Roots"}],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"191359","name":"Sphagnum"},{"id":"182974","name":"peat bogs"},{"id":"179076","name":"peat moss microbiome"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EAudra Davidson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II, College of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor\u003C\/strong\u003E: Jess Hunt-Ralston\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications, College of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"666472":{"#nid":"666472","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Creative Destruction: Williams Lab Probes the Evolution of Proteins","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProteins have been around a lot longer than we have \u0026ndash; as building blocks of biological evolution, our existence depends on them. And now, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are applying a 20\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E-century theoretical concept to study how proteins evolve, and it might lead to the answer of one of humanity\u0026rsquo;s oldest questions: How did we become us?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInside a typical human cell are tens of thousands of proteins. We need so many because proteins are the skilled laborers of the cell with each one performing a specific job. Some lend firmness to muscle cells or neurons. Others bind to specific, targeted molecules, ferrying them to new locations. And there are others that activate the process of cell division and growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA protein\u0026rsquo;s specific function depends on its shape, and to achieve its functional shape \u0026ndash; it\u0026rsquo;s native state \u0026ndash; a protein folds.\u0026nbsp; A protein begins its life as a long chain of amino acids, called a polypeptide. The sequence of amino acids determines how the protein chain will fold and form a complex, 3D structure that allow the protein to perform an intended task.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/williams.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Elab of Loren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E, researchers are using \u0026ldquo;creative destruction\u0026rdquo; as a model for protein fold evolution and innovation. The term, coined by Austrian economist and political scientist Joseph Schumpeter in the 1940s, describes the deliberate dismantling of an established thing, like the wired telephone, to develop a new thing, like the smart phone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have protein structures that have evolved over almost four billion years, and we don\u0026rsquo;t really understand where they came from or how they came to be what they are,\u0026rdquo; said Claudia Alvarez-Carre\u0026ntilde;o, a postdoctoral researcher in the Williams lab, which is called the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/williams.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for the Origin of Life, or COOL.\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a very complex process forming these structures, and there are many hypotheses on how they could have emerged in early evolution.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOut with the Old, In with the New\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlvarez-Carre\u0026ntilde;o is the lead author of the paper, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2207897119\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Creative Destruction: New Protein Folds from Old,\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E published recently in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E, or \u003Cem\u003EPNAS\u003C\/em\u003E. She and her co-authors (Williams, Rohan Gupta, and Anton Petrov) excavated the deepest evolutionary history found within the translation machinery \u0026ndash; which resides within all cells in the ribosome and is the birthplace of all proteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers provide evidence supporting the common origins of some of the simplest, oldest, and most common protein folds. It suggests a form of creative destruction at work, explaining how simple protein folds spawn more complex folds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey discovered that once a protein can fold and achieve its 3D structure, when it is combined with another protein which has folded into a different 3D structure, that combination can easily become a new structure. \u0026ldquo;So maybe it\u0026rsquo;s not as difficult as we thought to go from one structure to another,\u0026rdquo; said Williams, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;And maybe this can explain the diversity of protein structures that we see today.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Schumpter\u0026rsquo;s creative destruction model, developing \u0026ldquo;daughter products\u0026rdquo; involves the destruction of ancestral products. \u0026ldquo;Daughter products can inherit features of ancestors but can in essence be different from them,\u0026rdquo; they write in the paper. In the smart phone example ancestral wired phones, computers, cameras, global positioning, and other technologies that are merged to create a daughter, i.e. the smart phone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe daughter inherits many features of the ancestors. These features, which interact in specific ways in the daughter, create new functional niches that were not accessible, or even possible, in the ancestors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;So, the creative destruction of protein folds might account for a lot of the diversity we see,\u0026rdquo; Williams said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMolecular Mergers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEver since the simplest and most ancient protein folds emerged on Earth billions of years ago, the number of folds has expanded to form the universe of protein function we see in modern biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut the origins of protein folds and the evolutionary mechanisms at play pose central questions in biology that Williams and his team considered. For instance, how did protein folds arise, and what led to the diverse set of protein folds in contemporary biological systems, and why did nearly four billion years of fold evolution produce fewer than 2,000 distinct folds?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers believe that creative destruction can be generalized to explain a lot of this.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn creative destruction, they explain, one open reading frame \u0026ndash; the span of DNA sequence that encodes a protein \u0026nbsp;\u0026ndash; merges with another to produce a fused polypeptide. The merger forces these two ancestors into a new structure. The resulting polypeptide can achieve a form that was inaccessible to either of the independent ancestors, before the merger. But these new folds are not totally independent of the old. That is, a daughter fold inherits some things from the ancestral fold.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis, broadly speaking, is what Williams and his team observed, and they think their creative destruction model has some application in studying disease \u0026ndash; proteins that fold improperly can impact the health of the cells and the human comprised of those cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;For example, we think this process is important in the biology of cancer \u0026ndash; there are many, many proteins that have fused and, we believe have refolded, in cancers,\u0026rdquo; said Williams. \u0026ldquo;And there\u0026rsquo;s the world of protein aggregation diseases, like Parkinson\u0026rsquo;s or Alzheimers, and proteins that have not folded correctly, or have refolded.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut right now, Williams and his team are most interested in how their creative destruction model helps them understand some of the deepest questions of our evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Like, where did we come from,\u0026rdquo; Williams said. \u0026ldquo;Creative destruction could help us understand where the proteins in our body came and how we came to be what we are.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E Claudia Alvarez-Carre\u0026ntilde;o, Rohan J. Gupta, Anton S. Petrov and Loren Dean Williams. \u0026ldquo;Creative destruction: New protein folds from old.\u0026rdquo; \u003Cem\u003EPNAS Journal\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2207897119\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2207897119\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers apply an economics theory to study the building blocks of biological evolution"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers apply an economics theory to study the building blocks of biological evolution\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers apply an economics theory to study the building blocks of biological evolution"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2023-03-06 19:07:06","changed_gmt":"2023-03-20 16:24:08","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"666471":{"id":"666471","type":"image","title":"Claudia and Loren","body":null,"created":"1678129294","gmt_created":"2023-03-06 19:01:34","changed":"1678129294","gmt_changed":"2023-03-06 19:01:34","alt":"Claudia and Loren","file":{"fid":"251992","name":"Claudia and Loren.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Claudia%20and%20Loren.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Claudia%20and%20Loren.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":359232,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Claudia%20and%20Loren.jpg?itok=qRjFPjaR"}}},"media_ids":["666471"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"173581","name":"go-COS"},{"id":"14825","name":"protein folding"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"192289","name":"creative destruction"},{"id":"136661","name":"origins of life"},{"id":"12663","name":"ancestral proteins"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"666363":{"#nid":"666363","#data":{"type":"news","title":"BioSpark Labs Igniting Innovation for Biotech Startups","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERyan Lawler realized early on in her academic career that a scientist with a great idea can potentially change the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBut I didn\u2019t realize the role that real estate can play in that,\u201d said Lawler, general manager of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biosparklabs.com\/\u0022\u003EBioSpark Labs\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 the collaborative, shared laboratory environment taking shape at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sciencesquareatlanta.com\/\u0022\u003EScience Square at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESitting adjacent to the Tech campus and formerly known as Technology Enterprise Park, Science Square is being reactivated and positioned as a life sciences research destination. The 18-acre site is abuzz with new construction, as an urban mixed-use development rises from the property.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, positioned literally on the ground floor of all this activity is BioSpark Labs, located in a former warehouse, fortuitously adjacent to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gcmiatl.com\/\u0022\u003EGlobal Center for Medical Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E. It\u2019s one of the newer best-kept secrets in the Georgia Tech research community.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBioSpark exists because the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/realestate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Real Estate Office\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026nbsp;led by Associate Vice President Tony Zivalich, recognized the need of this kind of lab space. Zivalich and his team have overseen the ideation, design, and funding of the facility, partnering with Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, as well as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E, and the core facilities of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EPetit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are in the middle of a growing life sciences ecosystem, part of a larger vision in biotech research,\u201d said Lawler, who was hired on to manage the space, bringing to the job a wealth of experience as a former research scientist and lab manager with a background in molecular and synthetic biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearchers\u2019 Advocate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBioSpark was designed to be a launch pad for high-potential entrepreneurs. It provides a fully equipped and professionally operated wet lab, in addition to a clean room, meeting and office space, to its current roster of clients, five life sciences and biotech startup, a number certain to increase \u2013 because BioSpark is undergoing a dramatic expansion that will include 11 more labs (shared and private space), an autoclave room, equipment and storage rooms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to provide the necessary services and support that an early-stage company needs to begin lab operations on day one,\u201d said Lawler, who has put together a facility with $1.7 million in lab equipment. \u201cI understand our clients\u2019 perspective, I understand researchers and their experiments, and their needs, because I have first-hand proficiency in that world. So, I can advocate on their behalf.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECO2 incubators, a spectrophotometer, a biosafety cabinet, a fume hood, a -80\u00b0 freezer, an inverted microscope, and the autoclave are among the wide range of apparatus. Plus, a virtual treasure trove of equipment is available to BioSpark clients off-site through the Core Facilities of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience on the Georgia Tech campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the unique things about us is, we\u2019re agnostic,\u201d Lawler said. \u201cThat is, our startups can come from anywhere. We have companies that have grown out of labs at Georgia State, Alabama State, Emory, and Georgia Tech. And we have interest from entrepreneurs from San Diego, who are considering relocating people from mature biotech markets to our space.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGround Floor Companies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley\u0022\u003EMarvin Whiteley\u003C\/a\u003E wants to help humans win the war against bacteria, and he has a plan, something he\u2019s been cooking up for about 10 years, which has now manifested in his start-up company, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.generalinception.com\/synthbiome\u0022\u003ESynthBiome\u003C\/a\u003E, one of the five startups based at BioSpark Labs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe can discover a lot of antibiotics in the lab but translating them into the clinic has been a major challenge \u2013 antibiotic resistance is the main reason,\u201d said Whiteley, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech. \u201cSomething might work in a test tube easily enough and it might work in a mouse. But the thing is, bacteria know that mice are\u0026nbsp;different -\u0026nbsp;and and so bacteria act differently in mice than in humans.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESynthBiome was built to help accelerate drug discovery. With that goal in mind, Whiteley and has team set out to develop a better, more effective preclinical model. \u201cWe basically learned to let the bacteria tell us what it\u2019s like to be in a human,\u201d Whiteley said. \u201cSo, we created a human environment in a test tube.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhiteley has said a desire to help people is foundational to his research. He wants to change how successful therapies are made. The same can be said for Dr. Pooja Tiwari, who launched her company, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arnavbiotech.com\/\u0022\u003EArnav Biotech\u003C\/a\u003E, to develop mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines. Arnav Biotech also serves as a contract researcher and manufacturer, helping other researchers and companies interested in exploring mRNA in their work.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are only a handful of people who have deep knowledge of working in mRNA research, and this limits the access to it\u201d said Tiwari, a former postdoctoral researcher at Georgia Tech and Emory. \u201cWe\u2019d like to democratize access to mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines by developing accessible and cost-effective mRNA therapeutics for global needs\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EArnav \u2013 which has RNA right there in the name \u2013 in Sanskrit means \u2018ocean.\u2019 An ocean has no discernible borders, and Tiwari is working to build a biotech company that eliminates borders in equitable access to mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccines.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith this mission in mind, Arnav is developing mRNA-based, broad-spectrum antivirals as well as vaccines against pandemic potential viruses before the next pandemic hits. Arnav has recently entered in a collaboration with Sartorius BIA Separations, a company based on Slovenia, to advance their mRNA pipeline. While building its own mRNA therapeutics pipeline, Arnav is also helping other scientists explore mRNA as an alternative therapeutic and vaccine platform through its contract services.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think of the vaccine scientist who makes his medicine using proteins, but would like to explore the mRNA option,\u201d Tiwari posits. \u201cMaybe he doesn\u2019t want to make the full jump into it. That\u2019s where we come in, helping to drive interest in this field and help that scientist compare his traditional vaccines to see what mRNA vaccines looks like.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe has all the equipment and instruments that she needs at BioSpark Labs and was one of the first start-ups to put down roots there. So far, it\u2019s been the perfect partnership, Tiwari said, adding, \u201cIt kind of feels like BioSpark and Arnav are growing up together.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELocated in the 18-acre Science Square campus, BioSpark is designed to be a launch pad for high-potential entrepreneurs. It provides a fully equipped and professionally operated wet lab, in addition to a clean room, meeting and office space, five life sciences and biotech startups \u2014 and more.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Located in the 18-acre Science Square campus, BioSpark is designed to be a launch pad for high-potential entrepreneurs."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2023-03-02 15:34:40","changed_gmt":"2024-02-13 20:44:22","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-03-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-03-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"666358":{"id":"666358","type":"image","title":"BioSpark Trio","body":null,"created":"1677770803","gmt_created":"2023-03-02 15:26:43","changed":"1677790719","gmt_changed":"2023-03-02 20:58:39","alt":"","file":{"fid":"251966","name":"BioSpark Trio.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BioSpark%20Trio.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BioSpark%20Trio.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":852615,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/BioSpark%20Trio.jpg?itok=CWsR-e0K"}},"666360":{"id":"666360","type":"image","title":"Ryan Lawler","body":null,"created":"1677770875","gmt_created":"2023-03-02 15:27:55","changed":"1677770875","gmt_changed":"2023-03-02 15:27:55","alt":"","file":{"fid":"251958","name":"Ryan4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ryan4.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ryan4.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":689675,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Ryan4.jpg?itok=22EHRn1w"}},"666361":{"id":"666361","type":"image","title":"Marvin Whiteley","body":null,"created":"1677770912","gmt_created":"2023-03-02 15:28:32","changed":"1677770912","gmt_changed":"2023-03-02 15:28:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"251959","name":"Marvin.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Marvin.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Marvin.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":315378,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Marvin.jpg?itok=QqbQ6AlZ"}},"666362":{"id":"666362","type":"image","title":"Pooja Tiwari","body":null,"created":"1677770944","gmt_created":"2023-03-02 15:29:04","changed":"1677770944","gmt_changed":"2023-03-02 15:29:04","alt":"","file":{"fid":"251960","name":"Pooja.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Pooja.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Pooja.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":662046,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Pooja.jpg?itok=AJOlaEI4"}}},"media_ids":["666358","666360","666361","666362"],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"id":"191647","name":"BioSpark Labs"},{"id":"166994","name":"startups"},{"id":"9565","name":"biotech companies"},{"id":"985","name":"mRNA"},{"id":"176629","name":"antibiotic resisistance"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"651073":{"#nid":"651073","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Jennifer Glass, Chris Reinhard Join Scialog Colleagues in the Search for \u2018Signatures of Life in the Universe\u2019","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo associate professors in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;are among 20 scientists nationwide sharing $1.1 million in funding for the inaugural year of a new initiative in the search for signs of extraterrestrial life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003EJennifer Glass\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/reinhard-dr-chris\u0022\u003EChris Reinhard\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;are in the first class of grant winners in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rescorp.org\/scialog\/signatures-of-life-in-the-universe\u0022\u003EScialog: Signatures of Life in the Universe\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;program, sponsored by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rescorp.org\/\u0022\u003EResearch Corporation for Science Advancement\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hsfoundation.org\/\u0022\u003EHeising-Simons Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E. Additional sponsorship comes from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003ENASA\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kavlifoundation.org\/\u0022\u003EKavli Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScialog\u0026reg;, short for \u0026ldquo;science + dialog,\u0026rdquo; was formed in 2010 \u0026ldquo;to bring together early career scientists to advance basic science in areas of global importance, and to write proposals for high risk, high reward collaborative research projects,\u0026rdquo; according to the organization\u0026rsquo;s website. The Signatures of Life program first met virtually this June with the founding organizations providing facilitators from a variety of disciplines: Earth and planetary science, chemistry and physics, astronomy and astrobiology, microbiology and biochemistry, and data science.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEight teams of researchers \u0026mdash; a total of 20 scientists \u0026mdash; are the result of that June brainstorming session, proposing research projects \u0026ldquo;with the potential to transform our understanding of the habitability of planets, of how the occurrence of life alters planets and leaves signatures, and of how to detect such signatures beyond Earth, both within our solar system and on exoplanets,\u0026rdquo; according to a Scialog\u0026reg;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rescorp.org\/news\/2021\/09\/8-projects-win-funding-in-1st-year-of-scialog-signatures-of-life-in-the-universe\u0022\u003Enews release\u003C\/a\u003E. Each of the 20 scientists receives an individual award of $55,000.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Glass: Methane and False Biosignature Positives\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026nbsp;am thrilled to start working on a new problem related to my favorite molecule (methane),\u0026rdquo; says Glass. \u0026ldquo;I am excited to have a Georgia Tech student, Camille Butkus, who has already made great headway helping with this project. This is great timing because the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.jwst.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003EJames Webb Space Telescope\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is launching this December and will be able to detect methane in exoplanet atmospheres.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGlass\u0026rsquo;s research proposal is \u0026ldquo;Methane from Nontraditional Abiotic Sources and Potential for False Biosignature Positives\u0026rdquo; and her team includes colleagues from the University of Chicago and University of California, Los Angeles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Methane is one of the only gases with a dominant biological source on Earth that can be readily detected in exoplanet atmospheres with the new generation of space telescopes,\u0026rdquo; Glass explains. As space telescopes begin to characterize exoplanet atmospheres, scientists are looking to firm up what can confidently be termed a biosignature gas \u0026mdash; and rule out false positives in the imminent findings of methane-containing rocky exoplanets within the habitable zone of their solar system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A common assumption in previous models of methane production from abiotic sources (nonliving parts of an environment, like climate and chemistry) is that other rocky exoplanets have a crustal composition similar to Earth. Yet we now know that many rocky exoplanets will be richer in carbon than Earth,\u0026rdquo; Glass says. \u0026ldquo;How would more carbon in a planet\u0026rsquo;s crust affect abiotic methane production? Could it lead to production of false biosignature methane biosignatures?\u0026rdquo; Glass asks. \u0026ldquo;How can we rule these out to avoid false positive biosignatures, and to capture signs of methane-cycling life on exoplanets? These are the types of questions my group is excited to explore with this new funding.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChris Reinhard: Modeling Planetary Biosphere Evolution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReinhard says he is humbled and grateful to receive support from the inaugural year of the Scialog\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026reg;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;initiative. \u0026ldquo;The Scialog model for catalyzing novel interdisciplinary research is one of a kind \u0026mdash; and to be honest, just being involved in the initial workshop was an incredibly enriching and useful experience for me,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard says. \u0026ldquo;But I am very excited to have the opportunity to embark on the project in earnest and see where it leads.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat project, \u0026ldquo;Stochastic Simulation of Evolving Planetary Biospheres\u0026rdquo;,\u0026nbsp;is based on the premise that the metabolic networks that drive the large-scale impacts of a biosphere are in many ways path-dependent \u0026mdash; which is to say their development will depend on often random trajectories of environmental evolution and on the existing suite of metabolic pathways available at any given time. \u0026ldquo;Our goal is to systematically explore the likelihood and long-term viability of biospheres that are very different from our own, and the signatures they might leave behind in the local environment, or on the scale of a planetary atmosphere,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard notes. His project team includes scientists from the University of Chicago and the University of Oregon.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAGU Awards,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Honors, Appreciation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGlass and Reinhard also join School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences assistant professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/rivera-hernandez-dr-frances\u0022\u003EFrances Rivera-Hern\u0026aacute;ndez\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering associate professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/people\/faculty\/6021\/overview\u0022\u003EJingfeng Wang\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ein receiving annual American Geophysical Union (AGU) accolades.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReinhard is among those receiving the organization\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;highest honors for excellence in scientific research, education, communication, and outreach\u0026rdquo; and Glass is recognized for \u0026ldquo;meritorious work or service toward the advancement and promotion of discovery and solution science\u0026rdquo;:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eos.org\/agu-news\/congratulations-to-the-2021-agu-union-medal-award-and-prize-recipients\u0022\u003E2021 AGU Union Medal, Award, and Prize Recipients\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJames B. Macelwane Medal\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nChristopher T. Reinhard\u003C\/strong\u003E, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eos.org\/agu-news\/2021-agu-section-awardees-and-named-lecturers\u0022\u003E2021 AGU Section Awardees and Named Lecturers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cem\u003EThomas Hilker Early Career Award for Excellence in Biogeosciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer B. Glass\u003C\/strong\u003E, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eos.org\/agu-news\/in-appreciation-of-agus-outstanding-reviewers-of-2020\u0022\u003EIn Appreciation of AGU\u0026rsquo;s Outstanding Reviewers of 2020\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nFrances Rivera-Hern\u0026aacute;ndez\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAndrew Dombard\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cem\u003EGeophysical Research Letters\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eos.org\/agu-news\/in-appreciation-of-agus-outstanding-reviewers-of-2020\u0022\u003EIn Appreciation of AGU\u0026rsquo;s Outstanding Reviewers of 2020\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJingfeng Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cem\u003EEarth and Space Science\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;editors\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cem\u003EEarth and Space Science\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The duo of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences associate professors are among 20 Scialog\u00ae winners of $1.1 million in funding. Glass and Reinhard are also among AGU\u2019s latest cohort of annual awardees. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe duo of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences associate professors are among 20 Scialog\u0026reg; winners of $1.1 million in funding from four organizations, including NASA, for new approaches that could transform our understanding of the habitability of planets. Glass and Reinhard are also among AGU\u0026rsquo;s latest cohort of annual awardees.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The duo of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences associate professors are among 20 Scialog\u00ae winners of $1.1 million in funding. Glass and Reinhard are also among AGU\u2019s latest cohort of annual awardees. "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-09-24 13:53:12","changed_gmt":"2021-09-24 19:51:26","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"651099":{"id":"651099","type":"image","title":"Scialog\u00ae announces winners of $1.1 million for \u0022Signatures of Life in the Universe\u0022 program.","body":null,"created":"1632511500","gmt_created":"2021-09-24 19:25:00","changed":"1632511500","gmt_changed":"2021-09-24 19:25:00","alt":"","file":{"fid":"247051","name":"space.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/space.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/space.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":922101,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/space.jpg?itok=TCLGIg4Z"}},"638763":{"id":"638763","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Glass ","body":null,"created":"1599157102","gmt_created":"2020-09-03 18:18:22","changed":"1599157102","gmt_changed":"2020-09-03 18:18:22","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242888","name":"Jennifer Glass.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jennifer%20Glass.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jennifer%20Glass.png","mime":"image\/png","size":195186,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Jennifer%20Glass.png?itok=MIpHjyGu"}},"627363":{"id":"627363","type":"image","title":"Chris Reinhard","body":null,"created":"1570623378","gmt_created":"2019-10-09 12:16:18","changed":"1570623378","gmt_changed":"2019-10-09 12:16:18","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238863","name":"Chris reinhard.SQ_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chris%20reinhard.SQ_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chris%20reinhard.SQ_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1252963,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Chris%20reinhard.SQ_.jpg?itok=mxCqxvjH"}}},"media_ids":["651099","638763","627363"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/eos.org\/agu-news\/congratulations-to-the-2021-agu-union-medal-award-and-prize-recipients","title":"Congratulations to the 2021 AGU Union Medal, Award, and Prize Recipients"},{"url":"https:\/\/eos.org\/agu-news\/2021-agu-section-awardees-and-named-lecturers","title":"2021 AGU Section Awardees and Named Lecturers"},{"url":"https:\/\/eos.org\/agu-news\/in-appreciation-of-agus-outstanding-reviewers-of-2020","title":"In Appreciation of AGU\u2019s Outstanding Reviewers of 2020"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/exploring-oceans-earth-and-beyond-reinhard-looks-skies-and-seas","title":"Exploring Oceans on Earth and Beyond: Reinhard Looks to the Skies and Seas"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/microbes-and-methane-unlocking-clathrate-crystal-cages-chilly-protein-cocktails-created-deep","title":"Microbes and Methane: Unlocking Clathrate \u0027Crystal Cages\u0027 with Chilly Protein Cocktails, Created from Deep Biosphere Bacteria"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/september-sciences-celebration-college-welcomes-new-faculty-honors-faculty-award-recipients-and","title":"September Sciences Celebration: College Welcomes New Faculty, Honors Faculty Award Recipients and Math Scholarship Winner"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/did-earths-early-rise-oxygen-support-evolution-multicellular-life-or-suppress-it","title":"Did Earth\u2019s Early Rise in Oxygen Support The Evolution of Multicellular Life \u2014 or Suppress It?"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-2-search-earth-20","title":"ScienceMatters - Season 3, Episode 2: The Search for Earth 2.0"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/12-proposals-achieve-college-sciences-strategic-goals-funded-sutherland-deans-chair","title":"12 Proposals to Achieve College of Sciences Strategic Goals Funded by Sutherland Dean\u0027s Chair"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/astrobiologists-aid-georgia-covid-19-test-initiative","title":"Astrobiologists Aid in Georgia Covid-19 Test Initiative"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/rivera-hernandez-wins-nasa-grant-aid-current-mars-rover-missions-and-find-martian-lakes-future","title":"Rivera-Hern\u00e1ndez Wins NASA Grant to Aid Current Mars Rover Missions \u2014 and Find \u2018Martian Lakes\u2019 for Future Rovers and Crews"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2021\/09\/21\/1039191137\/researchers-suggest-a-different-way-for-farmers-to-reduce-their-carbon-footprint","title":"Researchers Suggest A Different Way For Farmers To Reduce Their Carbon Footprint"},{"url":"https:\/\/astrobiology.gatech.edu","title":"Georgia Tech Astrobiology "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"79441","name":"jennifer glass"},{"id":"170504","name":"Chris Reinhard"},{"id":"184997","name":"Scialog"},{"id":"188915","name":"Signatures of Life"},{"id":"722","name":"Astrobiology"},{"id":"170602","name":"Planetary science"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"650214":{"#nid":"650214","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Mechanics of Pellet-Carrying Honey Bees","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research led by Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s College of Engineering finds that honey bees have developed a way to transform pollen particles into a viscoelastic pellet, allowing them to transport pollen efficiently, quickly, and reliably to their hive.\u0026nbsp;The study also suggests the insects remove pollen from their bodies at speeds 2-10 times slower than their typical grooming speeds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo collect and transport pollen, honey bees mix pollen particles with regurgitated nectar and form it into a pellet, which clings to each of their hind legs. The honey bees then deposit the pellets into a cell within the hive by carefully scraping them off using their other legs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, from the lab of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, sought to better understand the mechanics of this process which could inspire new ways to manufacture and manipulate soft materials. Hu holds a joint appointment in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper, \u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/royalsocietypublishing.org\/doi\/abs\/10.1098\/rsif.2021.0549?af=R\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBiomechanics of Pollen Removal By the Honey Bee\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026rdquo; is published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026ldquo;We measured the viscoelastic material properties of a pollen pellet,\u0026rdquo; said Marguerite Matherne, a recent Georgia Tech mechanical engineering Ph.D. graduate who now teaches at Northeastern University. \u0026ldquo;We found that the pellets have a really long relaxation time, which means they remain mostly in a solid form during the transport process. This is good because it keeps the pellet from melting or falling apart from vibration during flight.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMatherne and the Georgia Tech research team also tried to replicate how honey bees remove the pellets from their hind legs in the lab. They built a device that scraped adhered pollen pellets from bee legs. The invention produced two discoveries. The first was that the honey bees were much more efficient in removing the pellet than the scraping device they built (the device left much more pollen residue on the leg). They also found that slower removal speeds reduce the force and work required to remove pellets under shear stress.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you remove it slowly, you can avoid applying the excessive force required to remove it quickly,\u0026rdquo; said Hu, Matherne\u0026rsquo;s former Georgia Tech advisor. \u0026ldquo;Removing a pollen pellet is like the opposite of ripping off a Band-Aid.\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMatherne said that there are two key components to the efficiency of the honey bees transporting these pellets. First, the pellets are gooey, allowing them to stick to the hind legs. But, she said, the bees also have a special structure on their legs called the corbicula. It\u0026rsquo;s fringed with long, curved hairs and becomes embedded into the pellet, allowing for adhesion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, honey bees can collect pollen particles in various shapes and sizes, while also developing a way to transport them. This is different from other species of bees, which only collect and carry specific types of pollen that are similar in size. They also use different transport techniques.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Honey bees collect from flowers miles and miles away,\u0026rdquo; said Hu. \u0026ldquo;The pollen can change in size by a factor of 10. They must collect all these individual particles and bring it back to one place. And they must do a dozen foraging trips each day, all while keeping their bodies clean. They solve it all by this special method they created to exploit the pellet\u0026rsquo;s soft material properties.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team believes further studies could lead to new developments in medical patches or fastener applications for soft materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s kind of like smart gooey Velcro for soft materials,\u0026rdquo; said Hu. \u0026ldquo;It could be a fastener and it knows when you\u0026rsquo;re trying to remove it so that you don\u0026rsquo;t have to use an excessive amount of force.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMatherne suggests that it\u0026rsquo;s also important to understand the pollinating process since 35% of the world\u0026rsquo;s crop production depends on pollinators.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Honey bees are really important pollinators,\u0026rdquo; said Matherne. \u0026ldquo;If we want to create a world where we can keep up our pollinators, I think it\u0026rsquo;s important to understand exactly what they\u0026rsquo;re doing.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECITATION: Matherne, M., et.al., \u0026quot;Biomechanics of pollen pellet removal by the honey bee.\u0026quot; (Journal of the Royal Society Interface)\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsif.2021.0549\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsif.2021.0549\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Understanding how honey bees transport pollen pellets to their hive may inspire new ways to manufacture and manipulate soft materials"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research led by Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s College of Engineering finds that honey bees have developed a way to transform pollen particles into a viscoelastic pellet, allowing them to transport pollen efficiently, quickly, and reliably to their hive.\u0026nbsp;The study also suggests the insects remove pollen from their bodies at speeds 2-10 times slower than their typical grooming speeds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Honey bees have developed a way to transform pollen particles into a viscoelastic pellet."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2021-08-30 16:17:02","changed_gmt":"2021-08-31 02:47:05","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-08-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-08-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"650215":{"id":"650215","type":"image","title":"Honey Bee Pollen Pellet","body":null,"created":"1630340340","gmt_created":"2021-08-30 16:19:00","changed":"1630340340","gmt_changed":"2021-08-30 16:19:00","alt":"Honey bee on flower","file":{"fid":"246793","name":"1024px-Godvor.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/1024px-Godvor.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/1024px-Godvor.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":164785,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/1024px-Godvor.jpeg?itok=aQh8ZqdY"}}},"media_ids":["650215"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/news\/2017\/03\/28\/hair-spacing-keeps-honeybees-clean-during-pollination","title":"Hair Spacing Keeps Honeybees Clean During Pollination"}],"groups":[{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"167936","name":"Soft materials"},{"id":"215","name":"manufacturing"},{"id":"20121","name":"biologically inspired design"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECandler Hobbs\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Enigneering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\ncandler.hobbs@coe.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["candler.hobbs@coe.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"650028":{"#nid":"650028","#data":{"type":"news","title":"3-2-1, InQuBATE: T32 Training Takes Off with Three Grad Students","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story is an update to the July 2021 announcement of this program:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/inqubate-training-program-integrates-modeling-and-data-science-bioscience-phd-students\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EInQuBATE Training Program Integrates Modeling and Data Science for Bioscience Ph.D. Students\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThree Ph.D. students \u0026mdash; two from the College of Sciences \u0026mdash; have been announced as the inaugural cohort for a new Georgia Tech training program designed to give biomedical researchers a deeper dive into quantitative, data-intensive studies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe trainees for the 2021 class of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/inqubate\/\u0022\u003EIntegrative and Quantitative Biosciences Accelerated Training Environment (InQuBATE)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;program, areas of study, and their advisors are:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EKathryn (Katie) Wendorf MacGillivray, Quantitative Biosciences Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EGabriella Chebli, Biological Sciences (advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/julia-kubanek-named-vice-president-interdisciplinary-research\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EMaxfield (Max) Comstock, Computational Science and Engineering (advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/elizabeth-cherry\u0022\u003EElizabeth Cherry\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs noted in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/inqubate-training-program-integrates-modeling-and-data-science-bioscience-phd-students\u0022\u003Esummer announcement of the program\u003C\/a\u003E, the three students are part of a new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/project-details\/10270517\u0022\u003Efive-year, $1.27 million grant from the National Institutes of Health\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(NIH) that creates the InQuBATE program to help transform the study of quantitative- and data-intensive biosciences at Georgia Tech. InQuBATE is designed to train a new generation of biomedical researchers and thought leaders to harness the data revolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We want to improve and enhance the training of students to focus on biological questions while leveraging modern tools, and in some cases developing new tools, to address foundational challenges at scales from molecules to systems,\u0026rdquo; noted\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair in the School of Biological Sciences, in that announcement. Weitz is co-leading the program with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Peng-Qiu\u0022\u003EPeng Qiu\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiology is undergoing a transformation, added Weitz and Qiu, requiring a new educational paradigm that integrates quantitative approaches like computational modeling and data analytics into the experimental study of living systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our intention is to develop a training environment that instills a quantitative, data-driven mindset, integrating quantitative and data science methods into all aspects of the life science training pipeline,\u0026rdquo; added Weitz, founding director of Tech\u0026rsquo;s Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences (QBioS).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet the inaugural InQuBATE cohort\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKathryn (Katie) Wendorf MacGillivray\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nQuantitative Biosciences Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ratclifflab.biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/\u0022\u003EKatie Wendorf MacGillivray\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;received a Master\u0026rsquo;s in Biology from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nyu.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENew York University\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;where she worked on phenotypic heterogeneity of antibiotic susceptibility in the lab of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.evophys.org\/KussellLab\/Research.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEdo Kussell\u003C\/a\u003E. She is now a Ph.D. student in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EQuantitative Biosciences program\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech. In the Ratcliff Lab, she is interested in engineering yeast that can switch between life cycles \u0026ndash; unicellular, clonal, and aggregative. Outside of the lab, she likes to knit, garden, and take road trips with her husband Ian. \u0026quot;I have a biology and chemistry background, and believe strongly that all biosciences research could benefit from the addition of computational modeling and\/or data science approaches. That\u0026#39;s why I chose QBioS for my PhD program in the first place,\u0026quot; she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGabriella Chebli\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBiological Sciences (advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/julia-kubanek-named-vice-president-interdisciplinary-research\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kubanek.biosci.gatech.edu\/elementor-1975\/\u0022\u003EGabriella Chebli\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;graduated from Agnes Scott College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry. While an undergraduate, she conducted research under the direction of Chemistry professor Thomas Morgan to revise the structure of a class of natural products called \u0026ldquo;hyloins\u0026rdquo; that are found in the frog species\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EBoana punctata\u003C\/em\u003E. Chebli also worked in the lab of Biology professor, Iris Levin, studying telomere length in adult barn swallows. Chebli first joined the Kubanek Lab as an REU participant, working on a metabolomics-based project on harmful algal blooms. After graduating from Agnes Scott, she took a gap year, where she volunteered with ecotourism kayak tours with Seaside Adventure in Kachemak Bay, Alaska and interned at the Lammi Biological Station in Lammi, Finland. In the Kubanek Lab, Chebli is researching chemical ecology and assisting with an algal biofuel ponds project and maintenance of phytoplankton cultures.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaxfield (Max) Comstock\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nComputational Science and Engineering (advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/elizabeth-cherry\u0022\u003EElizabeth Cherry\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EComstock, originally from Seattle, Washington, received his undergraduate degrees in Math and Computer Science from Harvey Mudd College. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026#39;m honored to be part of the inaugural InQuBATE cohort, and am looking forward to working with all the amazing people involved with the program,\u0026quot; he says. \u0026quot;I\u0026nbsp;hope to gain experience collaborating with researchers from different backgrounds who may approach problems from a different perspective, and to learn new ways to apply computational techniques to important biomedical problems. I intend to continue tackling medical problems using these skills throughout the rest of my career.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Comprised of three Georgia Tech graduate students, the inaugural Integrative and Quantitative Biosciences Accelerated Training Environment (InQuBATE) class is part of new National Institutes of Health grant to boost quantitative, data-rich biosciences"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThree Ph.D. students \u0026mdash; two of them from the College of Sciences \u0026mdash; will make up the inaugural cohort of a new Georgia Tech training program designed to give biomedical researchers a deeper dive into quantatitive data sciences.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Comprised of three Georgia Tech graduate students, the inaugural Integrative and Quantitative Biosciences Accelerated Training Environment (InQuBATE) class is part of new National Institutes of Health grant to boost quantitative, data-rich biosciences "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-08-24 17:03:26","changed_gmt":"2021-08-27 18:05:37","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"650148":{"id":"650148","type":"image","title":"Kathryn (Katie) Wendorf MacGillivray","body":null,"created":"1630010638","gmt_created":"2021-08-26 20:43:58","changed":"1630010638","gmt_changed":"2021-08-26 20:43:58","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246771","name":"Kathryn-768x768.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kathryn-768x768.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kathryn-768x768.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":116406,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Kathryn-768x768.jpg?itok=968SQ4pd"}},"650149":{"id":"650149","type":"image","title":"Gabriella Chebli","body":null,"created":"1630010716","gmt_created":"2021-08-26 20:45:16","changed":"1630010716","gmt_changed":"2021-08-26 20:45:16","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246772","name":"GChebli_photo-scaled-ov7tnom486xasi3m30j2o836xlz35xy2so0rhhmwm8.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/GChebli_photo-scaled-ov7tnom486xasi3m30j2o836xlz35xy2so0rhhmwm8.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/GChebli_photo-scaled-ov7tnom486xasi3m30j2o836xlz35xy2so0rhhmwm8.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":28307,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/GChebli_photo-scaled-ov7tnom486xasi3m30j2o836xlz35xy2so0rhhmwm8.jpg?itok=yZaNOnKO"}},"650181":{"id":"650181","type":"image","title":"Maxfield Comstock (Photo Harvey Mudd College)","body":null,"created":"1630080130","gmt_created":"2021-08-27 16:02:10","changed":"1630080130","gmt_changed":"2021-08-27 16:02:10","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246778","name":"Maxfield (Max) Comstock.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Maxfield%20%28Max%29%20Comstock_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Maxfield%20%28Max%29%20Comstock_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3191088,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Maxfield%20%28Max%29%20Comstock_0.png?itok=WyU_5Hy7"}},"650030":{"id":"650030","type":"image","title":"Peng Qiu and Joshua Weitz, co-leaders of the the Integrative and Quantitative Biosciences Accelerated Training Environment (InQuBATE) program","body":null,"created":"1629825189","gmt_created":"2021-08-24 17:13:09","changed":"1629825189","gmt_changed":"2021-08-24 17:13:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246725","name":"Peng Qiu and Joshua Weitz, InQuBATE Co-directors.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Peng%20Qiu%20and%20Joshua%20Weitz%2C%20InQuBATE%20Co-directors.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Peng%20Qiu%20and%20Joshua%20Weitz%2C%20InQuBATE%20Co-directors.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1929807,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Peng%20Qiu%20and%20Joshua%20Weitz%2C%20InQuBATE%20Co-directors.png?itok=twNgtPyO"}}},"media_ids":["650148","650149","650181","650030"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/inqubate-training-program-integrates-modeling-and-data-science-bioscience-phd-students","title":"InQuBATE Training Program Integrates Modeling and Data Science for Bioscience Ph.D. Students"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"188716","name":"the Integrative and Quantitative Biosciences Accelerated Training Environment"},{"id":"188225","name":"InQuBATE"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"2270","name":"National Institutes of Health"},{"id":"92021","name":"data sciences"},{"id":"175571","name":"Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"650027":{"#nid":"650027","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joshua Weitz Named Blaise Pascal International Chair of Excellence ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA key member of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Covid-19 response team will continue his research on viruses in the fall of 2021, but will be conducting those studies from Paris, France, thanks to receiving a prestigious award designed to foster more collaboration among international scientists.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, and co-director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E, is one of four 2021 recipients of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chaires-blaise-pascal.ens.fr\/?lang=fr\u0022\u003EBlaise Pascal International Chair of Excellence\u003C\/a\u003E. Weitz will be based at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ibens.ens.fr\/?lang=en\u0022\u003EInstitute of Biology at the \u0026Eacute;cole Normale Sup\u0026eacute;rieure (IBENS)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Paris. Previous winners of the Pascal Chair of Excellence include several Nobel Prize recipients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz\u0026rsquo;s work in Paris, which will last one year, will involve research and educational components that will bring attention to Georgia Tech in the global science community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Altogether, this integrative research and educational program will help connect initiatives developed in the College of Sciences with a broad, international community,\u0026rdquo; Weitz says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The central aim of my project is to deepen understanding of the entangled fates of viruses and their hosts. In doing so, my research program spans viral ecology, evolution, and epidemiology. It will also be shaped by necessity, as a significant amount of my time \u0026mdash; and that of my group \u0026mdash; remains directed towards developing mathematical models, real-time dashboards, and public health-centered intervention tools to understand and mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2.\u0026ldquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBackground on rapid testing, Covid-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz came up with the concept for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECovid-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool\u003C\/a\u003E, which measures the risk that one or more individuals infected with COVID-19 are present in an event of various sizes. Weitz, along with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/clio-andris\u0022\u003EClio Andris\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Design\u003C\/a\u003E, and researchers from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.abil.ihrc.com\/\u0022\u003EApplied Bioinformatics Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E, Duke University, and Stanford University developed the Tool\u0026rsquo;s website and dashboard. Weitz says the tool has helped more than 8 million visitors make tens of millions of risk estimates since its July 2020 launch.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz is also part of the team that developed a rapid saliva-based asymptomatic surveillace testing program for the Georgia Tech community \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2020\/10\/12\/broad-based-asymptomatic-testing-program-helps-control-covid-19\u0022\u003Ea program credited with keeping infection levels low on campus\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am proud of having served, along with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/gregory-gibson\u0022\u003EGreg Gibson\u003C\/a\u003E, and many faculty and staff colleagues, as part of an interdisciplinary team to implement an asymptomatic testing program in the 2020-21 academic year in support of the Institute\u0026rsquo;s response efforts to protect the safety of our community \u0026ndash; and support ongoing efforts to ensure that science and public health evidence shapes response policy at Georgia Tech and throughout the University System of Georgia,\u0026rdquo; Weitz says. Gibson is also a Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair, and was recently named a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/news\/2021\/08\/17\/12-georgia-tech-faculty-members-receive-regents-recognition\u0022\u003ERegents\u0026rsquo; Professor\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for his service in research and teaching.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Moving ahead, the ongoing spread of the Delta variant, and potential spread of variants to come, necessitates a sustained response, bridging fundamental models with public-facing interventions,\u0026rdquo; Weitz adds. \u0026ldquo;To this end, I look forward to continuing to work with a network of colleagues to advance a rigorous, data-driven, and open approach to pandemic response, mitigation, and prevention. This will be a long-term effort and I have already begun the process to engage with international colleagues to share approaches and lessons learned.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoining international scientists in researching viruses \u0026mdash; and how to beat them\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Blaise Pascal Research Chair award will aid in that effort. According to its\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chaires-blaise-pascal.ens.fr\/news\/?lang=en\u0022\u003Ewebsite\u003C\/a\u003E, the program \u0026ldquo;is intended to bring international researchers to French institutions in the Ile de France region (Paris and nearby) for year-long research stays, to facilitate research collaboration with French-based teams, and to support the training of the next generation of France-based junior researchers.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz was selected as part of the 2019 cohort, which includes scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Glasgow. The 2020 cohort was postponed due to the pandemic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz will work with his colleagues at the Institute of Biology at the \u0026Eacute;cole Normale Sup\u0026eacute;rieure to advance foundational understanding of viral infections of single cell microbes, including the study of infections that don\u0026rsquo;t necessarily lead to the death of the infected cell. \u0026ldquo;Latent (or chronic) infections of single-celled microbes can paradoxically provide benefits to both viruses and infected cells, yet the relationship can be tenuous,\u0026rdquo; Weitz says. \u0026ldquo;Understanding virus-microbe interactions on a continuum from antagonistic to mutualistic has implications for improving human health and the health of the environment.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn the human health side, Weitz will be collaborating with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.pasteur.fr\/en\/team\/bacteriophage-bacterium-host\/\u0022\u003ELaurent Debarbieux\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pasteur.fr\/en\u0022\u003EInstitut Pasteur\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Paris to advance the use of bacteriophage for therapeutic treatment of antibiotic resistant bacterial infections. Bacteriophages (also called phages) are viruses that exclusively infect and eliminate bacteria, and they are increasingly being used in therapeutic contexts given the potential for elimination of targeted pathogens. \u0026ldquo;I am currently the principal investigator, along with Professor Debarbieux, of a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Institutes of Health\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;R01 grant on phage treatment of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eacute\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Erespiratory infections caused by bacterial pathogens. In the coming year, I intend to explore the potential to utilize phage to target pathogens that persist in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Echronic \u003C\/em\u003Einfections as part of complex microbiomes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEnvironment and education round out Weitz\u0026rsquo;s work in France\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe environmental aspect of Weitz\u0026rsquo;s work in France will see him build on his group\u0026rsquo;s existing relationship with a global network of researchers to advance understanding of viral impacts on surface ocean ecosystems. This work, supported by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.simonsfoundation.org\/\u0022\u003ESimons Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E, aims to understand how viral infections of key bacteria in surface ocean ecosystems modulates the fate of microbes and ecosystem functioning, including global carbon and biogeochemical cycles.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Collaborations with researchers in Israel and in France will help expand study sites for our ongoing work to integrate mathematical models of viral dynamics, along with time-series observations collected in ocean-going research expeditions,\u0026rdquo; he says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe educational component revolves around two major initiatives, one of which could end up on Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s campus. In the fall, Weitz will be co-teaching a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.enseignement.biologie.ens.fr\/spip.php?article230\u0026amp;lang=fr\u0022\u003Eshort course on quantitative viral dynamics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;as part of an effort to characterize how viral infections at cellular scales transform the fate of cells, organisms, and populations. I hope to bring this course back to Georgia Tech as part of an effort to introduce short-form summer courses affiliated with the Quantitative Biosciences Ph.D. Program, and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz is also in the process of developing a larger winter school and workshop for spring 2022, part of a joint project with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psl.eu\/en\/university\u0022\u003EQ-Life Institute of Paris Sciences et Lettres University (PSL)\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;In many ways, the Q-Life Institute shares some of the same guiding principles of the Quantitative Biology Ph.D. program at Georgia Tech, and I look forward to learning more of their approach to integrate mechanisms, models, and data analytics into the principled study of living systems across scale.\u0026rdquo; The planned theme for the winter school\/workshop will be viral dynamics, with more information to come later this fall.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair heads to France to hold Blaise Pascal International Chair of Excellence, continue virus research, and teach "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJoshua Weitz, School of Biological Sciences professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair heads to France to hold Blaise Pascal International Chair of Excellence, continue virus research, and teach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair heads to France to hold Blaise Pascal International Chair of Excellence, continue virus research, and teach "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-08-24 15:46:12","changed_gmt":"2021-08-25 12:49:59","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"649057":{"id":"649057","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz (Photo Joshua Weitz)","body":null,"created":"1627320683","gmt_created":"2021-07-26 17:31:23","changed":"1627320683","gmt_changed":"2021-07-26 17:31:23","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246425","name":"Joshua Weitz - headshot copy 2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz%20-%20headshot%20copy%202.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz%20-%20headshot%20copy%202.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5686084,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz%20-%20headshot%20copy%202.jpg?itok=Z6qzN3lq"}}},"media_ids":["649057"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/648646\/inqubate-training-program-integrates-modeling-and-data-science-bioscience-phd-students","title":"InQuBATE Training Program Integrates Modeling and Data Science for Bioscience Ph.D. Students"},{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/647519\/cmdi-mighty-microbial-dynamics-healthier-people-and-planet","title":"CMDI: Mighty Microbial Dynamics for a Healthier People and Planet"},{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/641930\/tension-between-awareness-and-fatigue-shapes-covid-19-spread","title":"The Tension Between Awareness and Fatigue Shapes Covid-19 Spread"},{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/637100\/asymptomatic-spread-could-make-covid-19-pandemic-longer-and-worse","title":"Asymptomatic Spread Could Make the Covid-19 Pandemic Longer and Worse"},{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/635137\/immunity-recovered-covid-19-patients-could-cut-risk-expanding-economic-activity","title":"Immunity of Recovered COVID-19 Patients Could Cut Risk of Expanding Economic Activity"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/fiscal-year-2021-roundup-college-sciences-continues-research-pandemic-year","title":"Fiscal Year 2021 Roundup: College of Sciences Continues Research in Pandemic Year"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biological-sciences-and-chemistry-faculty-receive-trio-2020-2021-institute-research-awards","title":"Biological Sciences and Chemistry Faculty Receive Trio of 2020-2021 Institute Research Awards"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/fierce-collaboration-competitions-drive-innovation","title":"Fierce Collaboration: The Competitions that Drive Innovation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"188715","name":"Blaise Pascal International Chair of Excellence"},{"id":"4292","name":"virus"},{"id":"184289","name":"covid-19"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"649214":{"#nid":"649214","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Add One More Weapon to Cholera\u2019s Deadly Arsenal","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E, the pathogenic bacterium that causes cholera, has killed millions worldwide, and is still found in countries where infrastructure doesn\u0026rsquo;t support clean water. Cholera patients can suffer from severe vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to fatal dehydration.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne factor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EV. cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;uses to cause disease is a toxin-loaded \u0026ldquo;nano-harpoon,\u0026rdquo; in the words of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Many pathogenic bacteria, including\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EV. cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E, are successful in the environment and human body because they compete for food and space by lancing their neighbors with that harpoon. The harpoon\u0026rsquo;s toxic \u0026lsquo;contact-antibiotics\u0026rsquo; kill bacteria from the inside. Thwarting human pathogens will require an understanding of these arsenals.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, Hammer is on a team of scientists from Georgia Tech who have found a previously unknown weapon in the arsenal of cholera bacteria: a toxin that impairs a cell\u0026rsquo;s membrane and looks like none described prior \u0026mdash; hence the title of the team\u0026rsquo;s research study:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/10.1128\/mSphere.00318-21\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;A New Contact Killing Toxin Permeabilizes Cells and Belongs to a Broadly Distributed Protein Family\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026rdquo; published July 21 in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/journal\/msphere\u0022\u003EmSphere\u003C\/a\u003E, part of the American Society of Microbiology Journals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETeam members include Hammer (the study\u0026rsquo;s corresponding author), his graduate student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/cristian-crisan\u0022\u003EChristian Crisan\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(the study\u0026rsquo;s lead author), and undergraduate researcher Catherine Everly; along with assistant professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and his postdoctoral student Gabi Steinbach of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E; and professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/lieberman\/raquel\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and her postdoctoral student Shannon Hill in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. Hammer and Yunker are members of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection\u003C\/a\u003E; and Hammer, Lieberman, and Yunker are also members of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe technical term for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EV. cholerae\u0026rsquo;s\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;nano-harpoon\u0026rdquo; is a Type 6 Secretion System, (T6SS). \u0026ldquo;While many microbiologists have focused their efforts on a few toxins made by\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EV. cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;obtained from patients, we sequenced the DNA of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EVibrios\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;from non-human environmental sources and developed computational tools to find new contact-antibiotic toxin genes,\u0026rdquo; Hammer says of his lab\u0026rsquo;s work. \u0026ldquo;In doing so, my student Cristian Crisan, who just defended his Ph.D., discovered a new T6 toxin that doesn\u0026#39;t look like any other protein characterized prior. He showed this toxin\u0026rdquo; \u0026mdash; which the team named TpeV (type VI permeabilizing effector\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EVibrio\u003C\/em\u003E) \u0026mdash; \u0026ldquo;kills competitors by altering their cell membranes.\u0026rdquo; Doing so results in cell damage or death.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHunting through a database, Crisan also discovered that hundreds of other bacteria, including pathogens like\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ESalmonella\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EProteus,\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;also carry this novel toxin. \u0026ldquo;Our current work is studying exactly how this contact-antibiotic works, and ways that bacteria can adapt to become resistant to it and other T6 toxins,\u0026rdquo; Hammer says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECholera remains a well-studied disease since it touches many disciplines including microbiology, epidemiology, aquatic ecology, and water resource management, Hammer says. Outbreaks still occur in places such as Bangladesh, Yemen, and Haiti.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELearning more about\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EV. cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026rsquo;s toxins, and their antimicrobial abilities, could mean more effective ways to deal with antibiotic resistance, now an area of concern for microbiologists.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We demonstrate that TpeV has antimicrobial activity by permeabilizing cells, eliminating membrane potentials, and causing severe cytotoxicity,\u0026rdquo; the team writes in its study. \u0026ldquo;We propose that TpeV-like toxins contribute to the fitness of many bacteria. Finally, since antibiotic resistance is a critical global health threat, the discovery of new antimicrobial mechanisms could lead to the development of new treatments against resistant strains.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe School of Biological Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation, and the German National Academy of Natural Sciences Leopoldina contributed to this research study.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Interdisciplinary researchers discover a new membrane-dissolving toxin that V. cholerae injects into cells, giving science a possible new direction for battling the pathogen"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team of interdisciplinary scientists from Georgia Tech led by Brian Hammer has found a previously unknown tool in the arsenal of cholera bacterium \u0026mdash; a toxin that impairs a cell\u0026rsquo;s overall membrane and looks like none described prior.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Interdisciplinary researchers discover a new membrane-dissolving toxin that V. cholerae injects into cells, giving science a possible new direction for battling the pathogen"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-08-03 14:39:39","changed_gmt":"2021-08-06 00:31:10","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-08-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-08-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"649213":{"id":"649213","type":"image","title":"Vibrio cholerae bacteria (Photo Wikimedia Commons)","body":null,"created":"1628000792","gmt_created":"2021-08-03 14:26:32","changed":"1628000792","gmt_changed":"2021-08-03 14:26:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246489","name":"Vibrio cholerae electron microscope.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Vibrio%20cholerae%20electron%20microscope.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Vibrio%20cholerae%20electron%20microscope.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4100674,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Vibrio%20cholerae%20electron%20microscope.png?itok=f-vCP_vI"}},"604636":{"id":"604636","type":"image","title":"Brian Hammer","body":null,"created":"1522767251","gmt_created":"2018-04-03 14:54:11","changed":"1522767251","gmt_changed":"2018-04-03 14:54:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230515","name":"Brian Hammer.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Brian%20Hammer.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Brian%20Hammer.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":71622,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Brian%20Hammer.tall250.jpg?itok=J8jKqNeq"}}},"media_ids":["649213","604636"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/cmdi-mighty-microbial-dynamics-healthier-people-and-planet","title":"CMDI: Mighty Microbial Dynamics for a Healthier People and Planet"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/hammer-and-kostka-named-distinguished-lecturers","title":"Hammer and Kostka Named Distinguished Lecturers"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/zebrafish-cholera-bacterium-sets-surprising-flush","title":"In zebrafish, the cholera bacterium sets off a surprising flush"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/small-things-considered-suddath-symposium","title":"Small Things Considered at Suddath Symposium"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-mit-team-wins-15-million-nsf-grant","title":"Georgia Tech, MIT Team Wins $1.5 Million NSF Grant"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"},{"id":"171897","name":"Vibrio cholerae"},{"id":"170084","name":"cholera"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"649291":{"#nid":"649291","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Simple Linking of Units Gives Legged Robots New Way to Navigate Difficult Terrain","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAt the opening ceremony of this summer\u0026rsquo;s Tokyo Olympics, a fleet of 1,824 drones flew above the stadium, illuminating the night with an environmentally friendly light show. Such displays of reconfigurable, floating lights have one important common factor: a crash- and stumble-free navigable area in which to perform. The success of robotic swarms in aerial, aquatic, and land-based environments can be attributed to ease of navigation in a homogenous or highly controlled space.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut, what about more complex terrain? The capability that would allow land-based search-and-rescue robot swarms to navigate buildings and other disaster areas does not yet exist. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are working to develop simple, low-cost, legged robots capable of linking and unlinking to accomplish tasks, such as gap traversal, stair climbing, and object transport over uneven terrains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWorking with Daniel Goldman, Dunn Family professor in the School of Physics at Georgia Tech, Yasemin Ozkan-Aydin, a former postdoc in Goldman\u0026rsquo;s lab and now an assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame, developed \u0026ldquo;quadruped\u0026rdquo; robots using easily acquired off-the-shelf technology. Each unit has a 3D-printed, two-segmented chassis and body, four flexible legs, a \u0026ldquo;passive tail\u0026rdquo; appendage for additional balance and directional control, touch and light sensors, and a central-body-mounted microprocessor. A magnetic connector allows for docking and cooperative behaviors. The research team recently published its work in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/robotics.sciencemag.org\/content\/6\/56\/eabf1628.abstract\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience Robotics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReconfigurable swarm robots have been used in prior research into terrain solutions. But these units have limited motive abilities, require human intervention, and lack the desired ease of scale-up for manufacturing and use in a timely and cost-effective manner. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new research takes advantage of enhanced mobility in multi-legged robots, mechanical intelligence (passive flexible legs and tail), and simple cooperative effect.\u0026nbsp; Individualrobots perform simple or small tasks, but if the task is beyond the capability of the one unit, a team of robots physically connect to each other and form a larger multi-legged system to collectively overcome issues.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, the team\u0026rsquo;s use of widely available technologies \u0026ndash; like 3D printers \u0026ndash; could lead to cost-effective and rapid development of terrestrial robotic teams that can collaboratively move heavy or dangerous objects. They could also be used for search-and-rescue operations, environmental monitoring, or even space exploration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOzkan-Aydin sees the work as a starting point in the development of land-based robot swarms with the ability to climb hills, overcome obstacles, and move on rough terrain by maintaining stability in a truly autonomous fashion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The development of physical connection between individual robot units can improve the mobility of an entire terrestrial collective system, and help prevent failures when attempting a task,\u0026rdquo; said Ozkan-Aydin. \u0026ldquo;Furthermore, the minimalist and modular robotic approach taken in this study can provide a low-cost platform for testing or generating new hypotheses for biological research.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;Self-reconfigurable multilegged robot swarms collectively accomplish challenging terradynamic tasks\u0026rdquo;, Ozkan-Aydin and Daniel I. Goldman, Science Robotics; 28 Jul 2021: Vol. 6, Issue 56, eabf1628, DOI: 10.1126\/scirobotics.abf1628\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E***\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology, or Georgia Tech, is a top 10 public research university developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute offers business, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts, and sciences degrees. Its nearly 40,000 students representing 50 states and 149 countries, study at the main campus in Atlanta, at campuses in France and China, and through distance and online learning. As a leading technological university, Georgia Tech is an engine of economic development for Georgia, the Southeast, and the nation, conducting more than $1 billion in research annually for government, industry, and society.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVIDEO\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESee the robot in action \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ct7T5wlFcL4\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehere\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers are working to develop simple, low-cost, legged robots capable of linking and unlinking to accomplish tasks, such as gap traversal, stair climbing, and object transport over uneven terrains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New research from lab of Dan Goldman takes advantage of enhanced mobility"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2021-08-05 19:05:03","changed_gmt":"2021-08-05 21:16:09","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-08-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-08-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"649288":{"id":"649288","type":"image","title":"Linked Robots","body":null,"created":"1628189600","gmt_created":"2021-08-05 18:53:20","changed":"1628189600","gmt_changed":"2021-08-05 18:53:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246517","name":"Robots.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Robots.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Robots.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":294812,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Robots.jpg?itok=mR5yAvFv"}}},"media_ids":["649288"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"649140":{"#nid":"649140","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Fostering Happiness ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor almost a year and a half, the pandemic has affected how most people work, play, and generally conduct their lives. Now people are emerging from their social bubbles, re-engaging with colleagues, and, very likely, trying to increase their happiness during a period of prolonged stress. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEric Schumacher, professor in the School of Psychology, taught a course this summer on stress and happiness. In his class he discusses how students can learn better study habits, learn to overcome disappointment, and improve their general well-being. They also learn about the science of the stress response, what it\u0026rsquo;s good for, and the negative effects of chronic stress.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe teaches that, with intentional practice, people can improve their happiness level regardless of the circumstances and their individual predisposition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In this course, especially given what has happened over the last year, I was interested in discussing the science behind the physiological stress system and then what can we do beyond that to increase our happiness,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;We can work to reduce our stressors, and then can we do more to improve our happiness.\u0026rdquo; The course is not a substitute for seeing a therapist or taking prescribed medication.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We often think that happiness is largely determined by external forces,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Some of us might be stressed about how to pay the rent or mortgage this month or how to pay for school or a trip. So people think, \u0026lsquo;If I just had more money I would be happier.\u0026rsquo; But the research shows that for most people who end up with a change in their financial status, it produces only a short-term increase in their level of happiness.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchumacher said there are techniques to help adjust how you frame the way you think about stress. That\u0026rsquo;s why Madeline Berns, a third-year neuroscience major, took the class.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve struggled with depression and anxiety for a long time and thought the class could teach me new outlooks and skills for handling stress,\u0026rdquo; Berns said. \u0026ldquo;I learned that stress is a very \u003Cem\u003Ephysical \u003C\/em\u003Eproblem. Even when it\u0026rsquo;s not a life-or-death situation, your body is acting like it is; it\u0026rsquo;s trying to protect you via fight, flight, or freeze. So, stress is the body trying to help you out, and sometimes you can trick it into calming down through physical activity.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBerns believes the class was particularly meaningful in teaching long-lasting strategies for viewing and treating stress.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It didn\u0026rsquo;t just focus on one happiness-inducing activity,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Instead, it actually taught us meaningful activities like paced breathing, forgiveness prompts, mindfulness and meditation, and others that we can use over and over again, often with little to no effort at all \u0026mdash; but a large payoff.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEric Schumacher, professor in the School of Psychology, teaches that, with intentional practice, people can improve their happiness level regardless of the circumstances and their individual predisposition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Eric Schumacher, professor in the School of Psychology, teaches that, with intentional practice, people can improve their happiness level regardless of the circumstances and their individual predisposition."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-07-29 17:33:33","changed_gmt":"2021-07-29 21:17:35","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-07-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-07-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"648812":{"id":"648812","type":"image","title":"Fostering Happiness","body":null,"created":"1626379694","gmt_created":"2021-07-15 20:08:14","changed":"1627415376","gmt_changed":"2021-07-27 19:49:36","alt":"Student outside the Kendeda Building","file":{"fid":"246291","name":"N21C10001 WW_P1_163.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/N21C10001%20WW_P1_163.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/N21C10001%20WW_P1_163.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":475029,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/N21C10001%20WW_P1_163.JPG?itok=iyfTpjbE"}}},"media_ids":["648812"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2021\/07\/08\/back-campus-tips-re-engaging","title":"Back to Campus: Tips for Re-engaging "},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2019\/07\/19\/classroom-learning-be-happy","title":"In the Classroom: Learning to Be Happy"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"98731","name":"Eric Schumacher"},{"id":"167710","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"188273","name":"Madeline Berns"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1304","name":"neuroscience"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EVictor Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648935":{"#nid":"648935","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New \u0027Vibrant Pack Energy Harvesters\u0027 to Harness Big Bridge Vibrations","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story by Craig McManamon \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hw.ac.uk\/news\/articles\/2021\/bridge-energy-to-be-harvested-in-pioneering.htm\u0022\u003Efirst appeared\u003C\/a\u003E in the Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, Scotland) newsroom and has been tailored for Georgia Tech audiences.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETraffic and wind regularly cause low frequency vibrations to ripple through bridge building materials such as steel and concrete. This energy would normally travel away from its source before dissipating \u0026mdash; but academics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh alongside colleagues from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gsu.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia State University\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E in the US have recognized an opportunity. They intend to capture and recycle this untapped source by using the principles of physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey have received \u0026pound;340,000\u0026nbsp;(about $463,000) from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gow.epsrc.ukri.org\/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP\/V034391\/1\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEngineering and Physical Sciences Research Council\u0026nbsp;(EPSRC)\u003C\/a\u003E, part of UK Research and Innovation,\u0026nbsp;and $443,000 from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E (NSF) to research and develop a revolutionary vibro-impact energy harvesting device.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDaniil Yurchenko, Ph.D., from Heriot-Watt University, has created a prototype called a \u0026lsquo;vibrant pack energy harvester\u0026rsquo; that can be fitted at multiple locations on a bridge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese autonomous devices, measuring around 5 \u0026ndash; 10cm in length, do not require wiring to an electrical power source and are relatively cheap to manufacture. They work by holding a small ball housed within a tube that rolls back and forth as the device absorbs low frequency vibrations. As the ball moves, it impacts on non-conductive materials, known as dielectric membranes, located at either end of the tube. When the membrane is stretched, a brief electrical charge is applied but once it returns to its undeformed state, the generated excessive electrical charge can be harvested.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis electrical energy is stored in a battery and used to power a sensor capable of monitoring the structural integrity of a bridge. Engineers can then record multiple measurements, such as vibrations, traffic load, wind and temperature, all at the same time but without the need for specialist infrastructure to be installed at significant cost.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYurchenko, from the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, explains that while dielectric elastomer technology has been tried in wave energy, nothing has been done on this centimetre scale before.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;What we are doing is creating a more efficient and cost-effective solution by harvesting energy that would otherwise be lost,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s something that has never been done before in this way.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a technology that can be used on any bridge anywhere in the world. There are plenty of places where these devices can be fitted to a bridge structure such as on cables, on the pillars, other side of the bridge deck, there really aren\u0026rsquo;t any limits.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The biggest problem in energy harvesting is that the absolute amount of energy produced by a typical device is very small due to the low available level of vibrations. In fact, for the past 100 years scientists have been fighting adverse vibrations to ensure that bridges are safe. So, through this work we will try to optimise the performance of our vibro impact energy harvesting device tuning it to the bridge application.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team is working alongside Wenzel Consult, an independent company that specialises in bridge sensor technology in Austria and Turkey.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs the project advances, the scientists say they intend to carry our real-life testing of their prototype on a 32-meter long highway bridge in northern Austria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe multidisciplinary project, entitled, Stochastic Nonsmooth Analysis For Energy Harvesting, is due to complete in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/rkuske7-home\/\u0022\u003ERachel Kuske\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and chair of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, said: \u0026ldquo;While the device has nonlinear behaviour, which is beneficial in generating more energy than is used to power the device, the same nonlinearity can result in a range of complex responses to the vibrations. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We will use dynamical analyses to predict the different types of responses, as well as to select design choices for responses that optimise energy output. As the bridge vibrations are also inherently noisy, the analysis will also identify how to leverage noise sources that are beneficial and mitigate effects from detrimental noise sources.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Igor Belykh, co-investigator from Georgia State University, adds: \u0026ldquo;This project seeks to provide guidelines for designing power supplies that can harvest energy from bridge oscillations. These energy harvesters can be used in bridge damage sensors thereby minimising sensor maintenance\/battery replacement and decreasing the associated risks to service personnel on high suspension bridges. Moreover, this project is synergistically connected to another project supported by NSF grant (2019-2022) \u0026lsquo;Modern approaches to modelling and predicting bridge instabilities\u0026rsquo; that will inform the design of energy harvesters by offering a dynamical characterisation of bridge oscillations and external perturbations to be harvested.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe scientists say that in the future the same technology could be adapted and used to harvest energy from other vibrating man-made structures and machines.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERelated news coverage: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com\/education\/vibrations-from-forth-bridge-and-queensferry-crossing-could-be-harvested-and-turned-into-electrical-power-3313475\u0022\u003EEdinburgh Evening News\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scottishconstructionnow.com\/article\/and-finally-good-vibrations\u0022\u003EScottish Construction Now\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/futurescot.com\/bridge-energy-to-be-harvested-in-pioneering-research-project-led-by-scottish-university\/\u0022\u003EFutureScot\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.heraldscotland.com\/news\/homenews\/19453629.heriot-watt-scientists-say-bridge-vibrations-used-improve-safety\/\u0022\u003EThe Herald Scotland\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/digit.fyi\/bridge-energy-gathered-heriot-watt-project\/\u0022\u003EDigit\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETraffic and wind regularly cause low frequency vibrations to ripple through bridge building materials such as steel and concrete. This energy would normally travel away from its source before dissipating \u0026mdash; but School of Mathematics\u0026#39; Rachel Kuske is joining colleagues at\u0026nbsp;Georgia State University and Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh to capture and recycle this untapped energy source by using the principles of physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Traffic and wind regularly cause low frequency vibrations to ripple through steel and concrete in bridges. This energy would normally travel away from its source before dissipating \u2014 but Rachel Kuske has joined an effort to capture and recycle this energy"}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-07-20 19:07:23","changed_gmt":"2021-07-21 14:08:08","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-07-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-07-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"648936":{"id":"648936","type":"image","title":"Queensferry Crossing from Port Edgar Maria (Credit: Transport Scotland)","body":null,"created":"1626808364","gmt_created":"2021-07-20 19:12:44","changed":"1626808364","gmt_changed":"2021-07-20 19:12:44","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246359","name":"36246225504_af6d3632bc_k.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/36246225504_af6d3632bc_k.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/36246225504_af6d3632bc_k.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":832820,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/36246225504_af6d3632bc_k.jpg?itok=oOljozzJ"}},"595289":{"id":"595289","type":"image","title":"Rachel Kuske, School of Mathematics professor and chair","body":null,"created":"1504101520","gmt_created":"2017-08-30 13:58:40","changed":"1504101520","gmt_changed":"2017-08-30 13:58:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226868","name":"Rachel Kuske.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Rachel%20Kuske_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Rachel%20Kuske_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":40048,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Rachel%20Kuske_0.jpg?itok=TnvpWuF9"}},"648955":{"id":"648955","type":"image","title":"Daniil Yurchenko, associate professor in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University","body":null,"created":"1626875943","gmt_created":"2021-07-21 13:59:03","changed":"1626876475","gmt_changed":"2021-07-21 14:07:55","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246373","name":"DDY.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/DDY.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/DDY.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":237517,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/DDY.jpg?itok=6QePh1x9"}},"648956":{"id":"648956","type":"image","title":"Igor Belykh, professor in the Department of Math and Statistics with a joint appointment at Neuroscience Institute in the College of Arts \u0026 Sciences at Georgia State University","body":null,"created":"1626876172","gmt_created":"2021-07-21 14:02:52","changed":"1626876172","gmt_changed":"2021-07-21 14:02:52","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246374","name":"igor.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/igor.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/igor.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":46959,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/igor.jpg?itok=xMB8SAV8"}}},"media_ids":["648936","595289","648955","648956"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"179355","name":"Building Construction"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"173361","name":"Rachel Kuske"},{"id":"188303","name":"vibro-impact energy harvesting"},{"id":"213","name":"energy"},{"id":"188304","name":"suspension bridges"},{"id":"1400","name":"Construction"},{"id":"188305","name":"bridge oscillations"},{"id":"188306","name":"energy harvesters"},{"id":"960","name":"physics"},{"id":"256","name":"math"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648646":{"#nid":"648646","#data":{"type":"news","title":"InQuBATE Training Program Integrates Modeling and Data Science for Bioscience Ph.D. Students","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/project-details\/10270517\u0022\u003Efive-year, $1.27 million grant from the National Institutes of Health\u003C\/a\u003E (NIH) will help transform the study of quantitative- and data-intensive biosciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe grant will create the Integrative and Quantitative Biosciences Accelerated Training Environment (InQuBATE) Predoctoral Training Program at Georgia Tech. InQuBATE is designed to train a new generation of biomedical researchers and thought leaders to harness the data revolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to improve and enhance the training of students to focus on biological questions while leveraging modern tools, and in some cases developing new tools, to address foundational challenges at scales from molecules to systems,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair in the School of Biological Sciences. Weitz is co-leading the program with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Peng-Qiu\u0022\u003EPeng Qiu\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiology is undergoing a transformation, according to Weitz and Qiu, requiring a new educational paradigm that integrates quantitative approaches like computational modeling and data analytics into the experimental study of living systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur intention is to develop a training environment that instills a quantitative, data-driven mindset, integrating quantitative and data science methods into all aspects of the life science training pipeline,\u201d added Weitz, founding director of Tech\u2019s Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences (QBioS).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe roots of InQuBATE go back to the fall of 2016, shortly after QBioS was launched. Weitz saw an opportunity to augment what he was teaching in his cornerstone course, Foundations of Quantitative Biosciences, in which students model living systems from the molecular level up through cells, organisms, populations, and ecosystems. In doing so, students \u201cgot a brief introduction to implementing high-dimensional data analytics, visual analytics, clustering, and modern machine learning methods. But we couldn\u2019t cover allthose topics in detail,\u201d Weitz said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo, he reached out to Qiu, who was teaching data analytic methods in his Machine Learning in Biosciences course: \u201cInstead of us developing that class, we started strongly encouraging QBioS students to take Peng\u2019s class,\u201d Weitz said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor me, this was a great opportunity to work with students from the biology side who had real interests in learning data mining and machine learning, as well as students from the engineering side,\u201d said Qiu, principal investigator in the Machine Learning and Bioinformatics Lab in Coulter BME. \u201cWe could see that it was a great learning environment and the QBioS students really excelled in the class. That gave us confidence. Now we\u2019re building this [InQuBATE] training program, and hope it will foster even greater cross pollination.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe training program is designed to do exactly that, bringing together students and faculty from three Georgia Tech colleges: computing, engineering, and sciences. That combination of expertise is reflected in the leadership team. In addition to principal investigators Weitz (College of Sciences) and Qiu (College of Engineering), the faculty leadership team includes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/elizabeth-cherry\u0022\u003EElizabeth Cherry\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Computational Science and Engineering, College of Computing), \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Eva-Dyer\u0022\u003EEva Dyer\u003C\/a\u003E (Coulter BME, College of Engineering and Emory School of Medicine), and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley\u0022\u003EMarvin Whiteley\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe InQuBATE program will ultimately support 15 Ph.D. students over five years. The first cohort \u2014 prioritizing second-year Ph.D. students \u2014 will be selected in August. Next spring, the program will begin soliciting applications from first-year Ph.D. students.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe program will extend the breadth of student training without adding time to the Ph.D.,\u201d Weitz said. \u201cFor students on the engineering or computing side, InQuBATE will augment their living systems research experience. For students on the living systems side, the program will augment their training in modeling and data analytics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz, Qiu, and their collaborators also are developing a series of semester-long and short-form (a week or less) courses that will be available to other graduate students, in addition to the InQuBATE cohorts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe intend to make programmatic offerings available to a broader community,\u201d Weitz said. \u201cIn the long term, we hope InQuBATE takes on a central role in shaping the culture of integrative approaches in the study of living systems at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe NIH-funded program is designed to train a new generation of biomedical researchers and thought leaders to harness the data revolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The NIH-funded program is designed to train a new generation of biomedical researchers and thought leaders to harness the data revolution."}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2021-07-08 18:54:06","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 20:28:06","author":"Joshua Stewart","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-07-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-07-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"648644":{"id":"648644","type":"image","title":"Peng Qiu \u0026 Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1625769462","gmt_created":"2021-07-08 18:37:42","changed":"1625769462","gmt_changed":"2021-07-08 18:37:42","alt":"Peng Qiu, left, and Joshua Weitz are leading a new National Institutes of Heath-funded training program that will help transform the study of quantitative- and data-intensive biosciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. (Photo: Allison Carter)","file":{"fid":"246229","name":"Qui-Peng-Weitz-Joshua-By-Allison-Carter-h.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Qui-Peng-Weitz-Joshua-By-Allison-Carter-h.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Qui-Peng-Weitz-Joshua-By-Allison-Carter-h.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":262417,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Qui-Peng-Weitz-Joshua-By-Allison-Carter-h.jpg?itok=KD6ubjH_"}},"648645":{"id":"648645","type":"image","title":"Marvin Whiteley, Eva Dyer, Elizabeth Cherry","body":null,"created":"1625769915","gmt_created":"2021-07-08 18:45:15","changed":"1625769915","gmt_changed":"2021-07-08 18:45:15","alt":"The core faculty leadership team of the new NIH-funded InQuBATE program includes, from left, Marvin Whiteley, professor in the School of Biological Sciences; Eva Dyer, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering; and Elizabeth Cherry, associate professor in the School of Computational Science and Engineering.","file":{"fid":"246230","name":"Whiteley-Dyer-Cherry-composite.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Whiteley-Dyer-Cherry-composite.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Whiteley-Dyer-Cherry-composite.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":309080,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Whiteley-Dyer-Cherry-composite.jpg?itok=9bdb51mE"}}},"media_ids":["648644","648645"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/project-details\/10270517","title":"Integrative and Quantitative Biosciences Accelerated Training Environment"},{"url":"https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz","title":"Joshua Weitz"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Peng-Qiu","title":"Peng Qiu"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/elizabeth-cherry","title":"Elizabeth Cherry"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Eva-Dyer","title":"Eva Dyer"},{"url":"https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley","title":"Marvin Whiteley"}],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"169835","name":"Peng Qiu"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"2270","name":"National Institutes of Health"},{"id":"188225","name":"InQuBATE"},{"id":"7043","name":"biosciences"},{"id":"177810","name":"Quantitative Biosciences program"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommunications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648107":{"#nid":"648107","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Temperate Glimpse Into a Warming World","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor the past six years, multidisciplinary researchers from across the world have been probing northern Minnesota peat bogs in an unprecedented, long-range study of climate change supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. They set out to answer complex questions, including one big one \u2013 will future warming somehow release 10,000 years of accumulated carbon from peatlands that store a large portion of earth\u2019s terrestrial carbon?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) partnered with the USDA Forest Service to develop a one-of-its-kind field lab in the Marcel Experimental Forest, where below and above ground heating elements are gradually warming the bog in greenhouse-like enclosures big enough to include trees. The enclosures are roofless so that rain and snow can get in.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s called the SPRUCE (Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments) experiment, and it was designed as a window into what would happen to peat bogs in a warmer world. A recent study, headed by Georgia Institute of Technology microbiologist Joel Kostka and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/118\/25\/e2004192118.short?rss=1\u0022\u003Epublished June 14 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EPNAS\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, provides a sobering outlook.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe real concern and one of the major conclusions of this paper is that the ecosystem we\u2019re studying is becoming more methanogenic,\u201d said Kostka, professor and associate chair of research in the School of Biological Sciences, who holds a joint appointment in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and focuses on microbial ecology. \u201cIn other words, the warmed bog is enhancing the rate of methane production faster than that for carbon dioxide. This is what we think is going to happen in a warming world, based on our results.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETesty Little Process\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMethanogens are microbes that produce methane, a harmful greenhouse gas that traps up to 30 times more heat than carbon dioxide. Warming the peatland, the researchers found, basically creates a methane production line.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis occurs because the plant community changes in response to warmer temperatures \u2013 mosses decrease and vascular plants increase,\u201d said the paper\u2019s lead author, Rachel Wilson, a researcher with Florida State University\u2019s Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, where she works in the lab of professor Jeff Chanton, co-author and co-principal investigator of the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe process forms a complete cycle: Vascular plants \u2013 shrubs and grass-like plants \u2013 produce more simple sugars, which are broken down by fermentative bacteria, and the breakdown products then fuel methane-producing microbes use to produce more methane.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile peatlands comprise just 3 percent of the Earth\u2019s landmass, they store about one-third of the planet\u2019s soil carbon. The thinking goes, as global temperatures rise, microbes could break into the carbon bank and the resulting decomposition of the ancient, combustible plant biomass would lead to increased levels of carbon dioxide and methane being released into the atmosphere, accelerating climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMethane is a stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide,\u201d said Wilson. \u201cWarming the climate stimulates methane production, which will contribute to more warming in a positive feedback loop.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s a scenario that Chanton called, \u201ca critical ecosystem shift. Peat soils that have been stable for thousands of years are giving up the ghost, so to speak. It\u2019s a testy little process.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDelayed Response\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat unpleasant outcome is being delayed somewhat by the extreme conditions found in many peat bogs around the world, including at the SPRUCE experiment site.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAlthough most peatlands are in northern regions undergoing some of the most rapid warming on the planet, we\u2019re talking about generally cold, acidic soils where there\u2019s no oxygen,\u201d Kostka noted. \u201cMethanogens grow really slowly under these extreme conditions. We do see their activity increasing with warming, but they\u2019re not yet growing that fast.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe has a good idea of what could happen, though. Several years ago, Kostka took soil samples from the Minnesota site and tested them in his lab at Georgia Tech, exaggerating the temperature to a much greater degree than would be possible in a large-scale experiment like SPRUCE.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERaising the temperature by 20 degrees Celsius, about twice the temperature range used in the field experiment, \u201cwe saw huge increases in methane and large changes in the microbes that break down soil carbon into greenhouse gases,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s a sped-up version of what they\u2019re seeing in the field where the research team, Kostka explained, \u201cand it is just beginning to scratch the surface of the changes we\u2019re seeing in this ecosystem.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENext Chapter\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe SPRUCE site experiment involves two kinds of treatment, warming and also elevated carbon dioxide. The warming treatment started in 2014. All of the data sets for the PNAS paper are from 2016. The elevated carbon dioxide treatment began in the final days of data collection, so it wasn\u2019t particularly relevant for this study. \u201cGoing forward, we\u2019re thinking the effects of elevated carbon dioxide will be one potential future story to tell,\u201d Kostka said. \u201cThis is a long-term experiment and many of these large scale climate change field experiments do not observe substantial changes to microbial communities until 10 years after they start.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, SPRUCE experimental activity is designed and intended to develop a quantitative mechanistic understanding of carbon cycling processes, according to Paul Hanson, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientist leading the long-range project as principal investigator.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSPRUCE\u0026nbsp;provides experimental insights for a broad range of plausible future warming conditions for an established peatland ecosystem, combined with or without elevated carbon dioxide,\u201d Hanson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo far, the evidence is pointing to a grim possibility: Warming enhances the production of carbon substrates from plants, stimulating microbial activity and greenhouse gas production, possibly leading to amplified climate-peatland feedbacks. Think, gasoline on a fire.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat would be the worst case scenario,\u201d Kostka said. \u201cWe don\u2019t really know yet how plants and microbes will exchange carbon and nutrients in a warmer world. Will that carbon be locked up by the plants and stored in the soil? Will it be respired by microbes and released as a gas?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;We are just beginning to see major changes in the microbes and plants at the SPRUCE peatland.\u0026nbsp; Although the first few years of the experiment indicate that a lot more methane will be released to the atmosphere, we will be looking to see if these changes are sustained over the long term.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATIONS: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Rachel M. Wilson, Malak M. Tfaily, Max Kolton, Eric Johnston, Caitlin Petro, Cassandra A. Zalman, Paul J. Hanson, Heino M. Heyman, Jennifer E. Kyle, David W. Hoyt, Elizabeth K. Eder, Samuel O. Purvine, Randy K. Kolka, Stephen D. Sebestyen, Natalie A. Griffiths, Christopher W. Schadt, Jason K. Keller, Scott D. Bridgham, and Jeffrey P. Chanton, and Joel E. Kostka.\u0026nbsp; \u201cSoil metabolome response to whole ecosystem warming at the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments experiment\u201d (\u003Cem\u003EPNAS\u003C\/em\u003E, June 2021) https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2004192118\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAERIAL PHOTO:\u003C\/strong\u003E Hanson, P.J., M.B. Krassovski, and L.A. Hook. 2020. SPRUCE S1 Bog and SPRUCE Experiment Aerial Photographs. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TES SFA, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3334\/CDIAC\/spruce.012 (UAV image number 0050 collected on October 4, 2020).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERELATED LINKS: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/\u0022\u003E\u201cSoil metabolome response to whole ecosystem warming at the Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments experiment\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/118\/25\/e2004192118\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.joelkostka.net\/\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka \u2013 Microbial Ecology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mnspruce.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003ESPRUCE Experiment\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/features\/shaking-sleeping-bog-monster\u0022\u003E\u201cShaking a Sleeping Bog Monster\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E (\u003Cem\u003EResearch Horizons\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/nsf-supports-research-microbes-peat-moss\u0022\u003ENSF Supports Research on the Microbes in Peat Moss\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-8-digging-climate-clues-peat-moss\u0022\u003EScienceMatters Podcast: Digging Up Climate Clues in Peat Moss\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"SPRUCE experiment study shows elevated levels of greenhouse gases emerging from carbon-rich peatlands"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESPRUCE experiment study shows elevated levels of greenhouse gases emerging from carbon-rich peatlands\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"SPRUCE experiment study shows elevated levels of greenhouse gases emerging from carbon-rich peatlands"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2021-06-14 19:22:28","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 20:26:43","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-06-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-06-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"648105":{"id":"648105","type":"image","title":"Aerial SPRUCE","body":null,"created":"1623697776","gmt_created":"2021-06-14 19:09:36","changed":"1623697776","gmt_changed":"2021-06-14 19:09:36","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246029","name":"Aerial SPRUCE.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Aerial%20SPRUCE.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Aerial%20SPRUCE.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4339456,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Aerial%20SPRUCE.jpg?itok=czEb3FzQ"}},"648106":{"id":"648106","type":"image","title":"SPRUCE - Joel Kostka","body":null,"created":"1623698456","gmt_created":"2021-06-14 19:20:56","changed":"1623698507","gmt_changed":"2021-06-14 19:21:47","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246030","name":"Joel Kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3198839,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joel%20Kostka_2.jpg?itok=5OUsNeU6"}}},"media_ids":["648105","648106"],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173581","name":"go-COS"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"},{"id":"791","name":"Global Warming"},{"id":"182974","name":"peat bogs"},{"id":"12800","name":"methane"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648192":{"#nid":"648192","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Subterranean Investigations","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news.ucsb.edu\/2021\/020333\/subterranean-investigations\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBy Sonia Fernandez (UC Santa Barbara)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0026rsquo;ve seen robots take to the air, dive beneath the waves and perform all sorts of maneuvers on land. Now, researchers at UC Santa Barbara and Georgia Institute of Technology are exploring a new frontier: the ground beneath our feet. Taking their cues from plants and animals that have evolved to navigate subterranean spaces, they\u0026rsquo;ve developed a fast, controllable soft robot that can burrow through sand. The technology not only enables new applications for fast, precise and minimally invasive movement underground, but also lays mechanical foundations for new types of robots.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The biggest challenges with moving through the ground are simply the forces involved,\u0026rdquo; said Nicholas Naclerio, a graduate student researcher in the lab of UC Santa Barbara mechanical engineering professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.ucsb.edu\/people\/elliot-hawkes\u0022\u003EElliot Hawkes\u003C\/a\u003E and lead author of a paper on the cover of the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/robotics.sciencemag.org\/content\/6\/55\/eabe2922\u0022\u003EScience Robotics\u003C\/a\u003E. Whereas air and water offer little resistance to objects moving through them, he explained, the subterranean world is another story.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you\u0026rsquo;re trying to move through the ground, you have to push the soil, sand or other medium out of the way,\u0026rdquo; Naclerio said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFortunately, the natural world provides numerous examples of underground navigation in the form of plants and fungi that build underground networks and animals that have mastered the ability to tunnel directly through granular media. Gaining a mechanical understanding of how plants and animals have mastered subterranean navigation opens up many possibilities for science and technology, according to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family Professor of Physics at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Discovery of principles by which diverse organisms successfully swim and dig within granular media can lead to development of new kinds of mechanisms and robots that can take advantage of such principles,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;And reciprocally, development of a robot with such capabilities can inspire new animal studies as well as point to new phenomena in the physics of granular substrates.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers had a good head start with a vine-like soft robot designed in the Hawkes Lab that mimics plants and the way they navigate by growing from their tips, while the rest of the body remains stationary. In the subterranean setting, tip extension, according to the researchers, keeps resisting forces low and localized only to the growing end; if the whole body moved as it grew, friction over the entire surface would increase as more of the robot entered the sand until the robot could no longer move.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBurrowing animals, meanwhile, serve as inspiration for an additional strategy called granular fluidization, which suspends the particles in a fluid-like state and allows the animal to overcome the high level of resistance presented by sand or loose soil. The southern sand octopus, for instance, expels a jet of water into the ground, and uses its arms to pull itself into the temporarily loosened sand. That ability made its way onto the researchers\u0026rsquo; robot in the form of a tip-based flow device that shoots air into the region just ahead of the growing end, enabling it to move into that area.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The biggest challenge we found and what took the longest to solve was when we switched to horizontal burrowing, our robots would always surface,\u0026rdquo; Naclerio said. Whereas gases or liquids evenly flow over and under a traveling symmetric object, he explained, in fluidized sand, the distribution of forces is not as balanced, and creates a significant lift force for the horizontally travelling robot. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s much easier to push the sand up and out of the way than it is to compact it down.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo understand the robot\u0026rsquo;s behavior and the largely unexplored\u0026nbsp; physics of air-aided intrusions, the team took drag and lift measurements as a result of different angles of airflow into from the tip of a solid rod shoved horizontally into sand.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Frictional force response in granular materials greatly differs from that of Newtonian fluids, as intruding into sand can compact and stress large swaths of terrain in the direction of motion due to high friction,\u0026rdquo; said Andras Karsai, a graduate student researcher in Goldman\u0026rsquo;s lab. \u0026ldquo;To mitigate this, a low-density fluid that lifts and pushes grains away from an intruder will often reduce the net frictional stress it has to overcome.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnlike with gas or liquid, where a downward fluid jet would create lift for the travelling object, in sand the downward air flow reduced the lift forces and excavated the sand below the robot\u0026rsquo;s growing tip. This, combined with inspiration from the sandfish lizard, whose wedge-shaped head favors downward movement, allowed the researchers to modulate the resisting forces and keep the robot moving horizontally without rising out of the sand.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA small, exploratory, soft robot such as this has a variety of applications where shallow burrowing through dry granular media is needed, such as soil sampling, underground installation of utilities and erosion control. Tip extension enables changes in direction, while also allowing the body of the robot to modulate how firmly anchored it is in the medium \u0026mdash; control that could become useful for exploration in low gravity environments. In fact, the team is working on a project with NASA to develop burrowing for the moon or even more distant bodies, like Enceladus, a moon of Jupiter.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We believe burrowing has the potential to open new avenues and enable new capabilities for extraterrestrial robotics,\u0026rdquo; Hawkes said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch for this paper was conducted also by Mason Murray-Cooper, Yasemin Ozkan-Aydin and Enes Aydin at Georgia Institute of Technology. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding: \u003C\/strong\u003EThis work is supported by the NSF (grant nos. 1637446, 1915445, 1915355, and 1935548), the Army Research Office (grant no. GR10005043), the Packard Foundation, and by an Early Career Faculty grant from NASA\u0026rsquo;s Space Technology Research Grants Program. The work of Nicholas D. Naclerio is supported by a NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship. \u003Cstrong\u003ECompeting interests:\u003C\/strong\u003E Nicholas D. Naclerio and Elliot W. Hawkes are authors of international patent application WO2020060858A1, related to this work. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/scirobotics.abe2922\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Physicists at Georgia Tech and engineers at UC Santa Barbara are exploring the shallow underground world with a burrowing soft robot"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0026rsquo;ve seen robots take to the air, dive beneath the waves, and perform all sorts of maneuvers on land. Now, physicists at Georgia Tech and engineers at UC Santa Barbara are exploring the shallow underground world with a fast, steerable, burrowing soft robot.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Physicists at Georgia Tech and engineers at UC Santa Barbara are exploring the shallow underground world with a burrowing soft robot"}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-06-17 18:23:53","changed_gmt":"2021-06-24 18:59:59","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"648193":{"id":"648193","type":"image","title":"Researchers have developed a fast, steerable, burrowing soft robot (Photo: UC Santa Barbara)","body":null,"created":"1623954918","gmt_created":"2021-06-17 18:35:18","changed":"1623954918","gmt_changed":"2021-06-17 18:35:18","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246067","name":"DSC00508 2.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/DSC00508%202.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/DSC00508%202.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":450082,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/DSC00508%202.JPG?itok=vl6P1JMV"}},"648195":{"id":"648195","type":"image","title":"A small, exploratory, soft robot such as this has a variety of applications where shallow burrowing through dry granular media is needed, such as soil sampling, underground installation of utilities and erosion control (Photo: UC Santa Barbara)","body":null,"created":"1623955405","gmt_created":"2021-06-17 18:43:25","changed":"1623955405","gmt_changed":"2021-06-17 18:43:25","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246069","name":"IMG_1370.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1370.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1370.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":463559,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_1370.jpeg?itok=M-kt6YCf"}},"648194":{"id":"648194","type":"image","title":"Science Robotics, June 2021 Online Cover: Groundbreaking Soft Robot (Credit: Sicheng Wang)","body":null,"created":"1623955296","gmt_created":"2021-06-17 18:41:36","changed":"1623955296","gmt_changed":"2021-06-17 18:41:36","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246068","name":"Science Robotics cover June 2021.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Science%20Robotics%20cover%20June%202021.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Science%20Robotics%20cover%20June%202021.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":423338,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Science%20Robotics%20cover%20June%202021.jpg?itok=e4kDQesr"}}},"media_ids":["648193","648195","648194"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.news.ucsb.edu\/2021\/020333\/subterranean-investigations","title":"UCSB The Current: Subterranean Investigations"},{"url":"https:\/\/crablab.gatech.edu\/","title":"Daniel Goldman: CRAB Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"12040","name":"Daniel Goldman"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"186871","name":"soft robotics"},{"id":"188095","name":"burrowing robot"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"7688","name":"biomimicry"},{"id":"188096","name":"UC Santa Barbara"},{"id":"188097","name":"Elliot Hawkes"},{"id":"188098","name":"Science Robotics"},{"id":"188099","name":"granular substrates"},{"id":"188100","name":"air-aided intrusions"},{"id":"188101","name":"Andras Karsai"},{"id":"188102","name":"soil sampling"},{"id":"188103","name":"underground installation of utilities"},{"id":"188104","name":"erosion control"},{"id":"188105","name":"burrowing for the moon"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"},{"id":"188106","name":"ARO"},{"id":"171847","name":"Army Research Office"},{"id":"363","name":"NSF"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESonia Fernandez\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSenior Writer, Science and Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPublic Affairs and Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nUC Santa Barbara\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n(805) 893-4765\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nsonia.fernandez@ucsb.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n(404) 385-5207\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\njess@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"647928":{"#nid":"647928","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How An Elephant\u2019s Trunk Manipulates Air to Eat and Drink","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story by Jason Maderer first appeared on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/647914\/how-elephants-trunk-manipulates-air-eat-and-drink\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Horizons\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDavid Hu, professor of fluid mechanics in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, holds a joint appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENew research from the Georgia Institute of Technology finds that elephants dilate their nostrils in order to create more space in their trunks, allowing them to store up to 5.5\u0026nbsp;liters of water. They can also suck up three liters per second \u0026mdash; a speed 30 times faster than a human sneeze (150 meters per second\/330 mph).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech College of Engineering study sought to better understand the physics of how elephants use their trunks to move and manipulate air, water, food and other objects. They also sought to learn if the mechanics could inspire the creation of more efficient robots that use air motion to hold and move things.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile octopus use jets of water to move and archer fish shoot water above the surface to catch insects, the Georgia Tech researchers found that elephants are the only animals able to use suction on land and underwater.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper, \u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rsif.2021.0215\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022\u003ESuction feeding by elephants\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026rdquo; is published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;An elephant eats about 400 pounds of food a day, but very little is known about how they use their trunks to pick up lightweight food and water for 18 hours, every day,\u0026rdquo; said Georgia Tech mechanical engineering Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2020\/10\/elephant-researcher-never-forgets\u0022\u003EAndrew Schulz\u003C\/a\u003E, who led the study. \u0026ldquo;It turns out their trunks act like suitcases, capable of expanding when necessary.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchulz and the Georgia Tech team worked with veterinarians at Zoo Atlanta, studying elephants as they ate various foods. For large rutabaga cubes, for example, the animal grabbed and collected them. It sucked up smaller cubes and made a loud vacuuming sound, or the sound of a person slurping noodles, before transferring the vegetables to its mouth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about suction, the researchers gave elephants a tortilla chip and measured the applied force. Sometimes the animal pressed down on the chip and breathed in, suspending the chip on the tip of trunk without breaking it. It was similar to a person inhaling a piece of paper onto their mouth. Other times the elephant applied suction from a distance, drawing the chip to the edge of its trunk.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;An elephant uses its trunk like a Swiss Army Knife,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, Schulz\u0026rsquo;s advisor and a professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;It can detect scents and grab things. Other times it blows objects away like a leaf blower or sniffs them in like a vacuum.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy watching elephants inhale liquid from an aquarium, the team was able to time the durations and measure volume. In just 1.5 seconds, the trunk sucked up 3.7 liters, the equivalent of 20 toilets flushing simultaneously.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn ultrasonic probe was used to take trunk wall measurements and see how the trunk\u0026rsquo;s inner muscles work. By contracting those muscles, the animal dilates its nostrils up to 30 percent. This decreases the thickness of the walls and expands nasal volume by 64 percent.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;At first it didn\u0026rsquo;t make sense: an elephant\u0026rsquo;s nasal passage is relatively small and it was inhaling more water than it should,\u0026rdquo; said Schulz. \u0026ldquo;It wasn\u0026rsquo;t until we saw the ultrasonographic images and watched the nostrils expand that we realized how they did it. Air makes the walls open, and the animal can store far more water than we originally estimated.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBased on the pressures applied, Schulz and the team suggest that elephants inhale at speeds that are comparable to Japan\u0026rsquo;s 300-mph bullet trains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchulz said these unique characteristics have applications in soft robotics and conservation efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;By\u0026nbsp;investigating\u0026nbsp;the mechanics and physics behind trunk muscle movements, we can\u0026nbsp;apply the physical mechanisms \u0026mdash; combinations of suction and grasping \u0026mdash; to find new ways to build robots,\u0026rdquo; Schulz said. \u0026ldquo;In the meantime, the African elephant is now listed as endangered because of poaching and loss of habitat. Its trunk makes it a unique species to study. By learning more about them, we can learn how to better conserve elephants in the wild.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe work was supported by the US Army Research Laboratory and the US Army Research O\ufb03ce 294 Mechanical Sciences Division, Complex Dynamics and Systems Program, under contract number 295 W911NF-12-R-0011. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the sponsoring agency.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research from Georgia Tech finds that elephants dilate their nostrils in order to create more space in their trunks, allowing them to store up to 5.5 liters of water. They can also suck up three liters per second \u0026mdash; a speed 30 times faster than a human sneeze. Researchers share that the animal\u0026#39;s \u0026ldquo;Swiss Army Knife\u0026rdquo; could help build better robots.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New Georgia Tech research finds that elephants dilate their nostrils in order to create more space in their trunks, allowing them to store up to 5.5 liters of water. They can also suck up three liters per second \u2014 a speed 30 times faster than a human."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-06-03 21:54:37","changed_gmt":"2021-06-03 21:57:11","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-06-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-06-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"647916":{"id":"647916","type":"image","title":"Andrew Schulz","body":null,"created":"1622733848","gmt_created":"2021-06-03 15:24:08","changed":"1622733848","gmt_changed":"2021-06-03 15:24:08","alt":"Andrew Schulz standing in front of an elephant.","file":{"fid":"245953","name":"andrew_schulz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/andrew_schulz.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/andrew_schulz.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":177282,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/andrew_schulz.jpg?itok=wD4V9ajP"}},"647921":{"id":"647921","type":"image","title":"An elephant grabbing apples underwater","body":null,"created":"1622735570","gmt_created":"2021-06-03 15:52:50","changed":"1622735653","gmt_changed":"2021-06-03 15:54:13","alt":"An elephant uses its trunk to grab apples underwater.","file":{"fid":"245954","name":"elephant_trunk_-_apples.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/elephant_trunk_-_apples.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/elephant_trunk_-_apples.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":69829,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/elephant_trunk_-_apples.jpg?itok=g1_I3Eo3"}},"647922":{"id":"647922","type":"image","title":"An elephant picks up a tortilla chip","body":null,"created":"1622735616","gmt_created":"2021-06-03 15:53:36","changed":"1622735616","gmt_changed":"2021-06-03 15:53:36","alt":"An elephant uses suction to pick up a tortilla chip.","file":{"fid":"245955","name":"elephant_tortillachip.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/elephant_tortillachip.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/elephant_tortillachip.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":80001,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/elephant_tortillachip.jpg?itok=dOUSTOET"}}},"media_ids":["647916","647921","647922"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"297","name":"David Hu"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"647784":{"#nid":"647784","#data":{"type":"news","title":"ASPIRE-ing to Find Fast Solutions to the Opioid Health Crisis ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers are already hard at work trying to find fast scientific solutions to the national opioid public health crisis, which the Department of Health and Human Services says was responsible for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/opioids\/about-the-epidemic\/opioid-crisis-statistics\/index.html\u0022\u003Etwo out of three drug overdose deaths\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in 2018.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETwo School of Biological Sciences researchers have joined the effort to find answers to the crisis.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jeffrey-skolnick\u0022\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u0026rsquo; Professor, Mary and Maisie Gibson Chair, and GRA Eminent Scholar in Computational Systems Biology; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/hongyi-zhou\u0022\u003EHongyi Zhou\u003C\/a\u003E, Senior Research Scientist in the school, are on a team that recently captured top honors in a recent\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Institutes of Health\u003C\/a\u003E-sponsored competition to find novel, outside-the-box approaches to the opioid problem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETheir plan, \u0026ldquo;Development of a Comprehensive Integrated Platform for Translational Innovation in Pain, Opioid Abuse Disorder and Overdose\u0026rdquo; \u0026mdash; which will use artificial intelligence, data and molecular analysis, cloud computing, and predictive algorithms in the search for new drugs \u0026mdash; was one of five winning applications in a November 2020 competition. The results were announced April 26.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESkolnick and Zhou have now won two stages of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ncats.nih.gov\/aspire\/funding\/2020ChallengeWinners#c4\u0022\u003ENational Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) ASPIRE Challenge\u003C\/a\u003E, part of the NIH\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/heal.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003EHEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-Term)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;program. (ASPIRE stands for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ncats.nih.gov\/aspire\u0022\u003EA Specialized Platform for Innovative Research Exploration.\u003C\/a\u003E)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESkolnick\u0026rsquo;s group includes Andre Ghetti with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/anabios.com\/\u0022\u003EANABIOS Corporation\u003C\/a\u003E, and Nicole Jung with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kit.edu\/english\/index.php\u0022\u003EKarlsruhe Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Germany.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re extremely grateful,\u0026rdquo; Skolnick says. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re very excited about this. The problem of opioid addiction and chronic pain is a real plague in America and for most of the world, and there aren\u0026rsquo;t a lot of real, good answers, so this is motivating us to get people to think of novel solutions. We really appreciate the chance to put this team together.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERapidly translating scientific advances into immediate help for patients\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENCATS defines translational science as \u0026ldquo;the process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic, and community, into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public \u0026mdash; from diagnostics and therapeutics, to medical procedures and behavioral changes.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ncats.nih.gov\/aspire\/funding\/challenges\u0022\u003E2018 NCATS ASPIRE Challenge\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;involved design competition in four component areas: integrated chemistry database, electronic synthetic chemistry portal; predictive algorithms, and biological assays (strength\/potency tests.) Skolnick and Zhou were also part of a winning team in that stage.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESkolnick calls his group\u0026rsquo;s predictive algorithms \u0026ldquo;our unfair competitive advantage\u0026rdquo; \u0026mdash; data programs that can predict in advance the probability of a drug\u0026rsquo;s success. \u0026ldquo;In principle you could screen every molecule under the sun if you had infinite resources. You could test everything, but that\u0026rsquo;s very expensive and time-consuming. We can go through this list and prioritize them and say, this one has an 80 percent probability it will work.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESkolnick\u0026rsquo;s group added Ghetti and June for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ncats.nih.gov\/aspire\/funding\/2020ChallengeWinners\u0022\u003E2020 ASPIRE Reduction-to-Practice Challenge\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;The goal of this Challenge is to combine the best solutions and develop a working platform that integrates the four component areas. The Reduction-to-Practice Challenge consists of three stages: planning; prototype development and milestone delivery; and prototype delivery, independent validation, and testing,\u0026rdquo; notes the NCATS website.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESkolnick says his team\u0026rsquo;s application is designed to be accessed digitally as part of a cloud service. It will use artificial intelligence and machine learning to investigate molecules that could be turned into new drugs, as well as explore undiscovered uses for existing drugs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Andre\u0026rsquo;s company is going to do the testing of the molecules, and Nicole Jung will organize all the data and store it so we can have a platform that is used not just by us, but by the (scientific) community,\u0026rdquo; Skolnick explains. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re looking for novel mechanisms for drugs that relieve pain and treat addiction. The goal is to do this at high throughput, rather than one at a time. This is really designed to test the ideas at scale. You can get it to people a lot quicker.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESkolnick hopes to have a robust working platform built within a year. Given the extent of the opioid crisis in the U.S. alone, the faster new non-addictive pain management drugs can be found and tested, the better, he adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The need is critical. It\u0026rsquo;s one of these horrible societal problems that really require novel solutions, which means you want to understand all the mechanisms of pain, but do we understand the gears you want to turn to alleviate it?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences\u2019 Jeffrey Skolnick and Hongyi Zhou are part of an award-winning NIH effort to create innovative, AI-powered platforms for discovering new pain management drugs \u2014 and identify immediate solutions"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u0026rsquo; Jeffrey Skolnick and Hongyi Zhou are part of an award-winning NIH effort to create innovative, AI-powered platforms for discovering new pain management drugs \u0026mdash; and identify immediate solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences\u2019 Jeffrey Skolnick and Hongyi Zhou are part of an award-winning NIH effort to create innovative, AI-powered platforms for discovering new pain management drugs \u2014 and identify immediate solutions"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-05-27 15:14:23","changed_gmt":"2021-06-01 14:52:46","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"647811":{"id":"647811","type":"image","title":"(Credit: CDC)","body":null,"created":"1622208995","gmt_created":"2021-05-28 13:36:35","changed":"1622208995","gmt_changed":"2021-05-28 13:36:35","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245912","name":"cdc.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cdc.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cdc.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":240779,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cdc.jpg?itok=9a40OKK9"}},"647785":{"id":"647785","type":"image","title":"Hongyi Zhou and Jeffrey Skolnick (Photo School of Biological Sciences) ","body":null,"created":"1622128722","gmt_created":"2021-05-27 15:18:42","changed":"1622128722","gmt_changed":"2021-05-27 15:18:42","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245904","name":"Hongyi Zhou Jeffrey Skolnic.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Hongyi%20Zhou%20Jeffrey%20Skolnic_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Hongyi%20Zhou%20Jeffrey%20Skolnic_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3127731,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Hongyi%20Zhou%20Jeffrey%20Skolnic_0.png?itok=61Iquu-D"}}},"media_ids":["647811","647785"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/origin-lifes-handedness-and-protein-biochemistry","title":"Origin of Life\u2019s Handedness and Protein Biochemistry"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/7-georgia-tech-faculty-members-receive-regents-recognition","title":"7 Georgia Tech Faculty Members Receive Regents Recognition"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/jeffrey-skolnick-2018-sigma-xi-sustained-research-award","title":"Jeffrey Skolnick: 2018 Sigma Xi Sustained Research Award"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"11937","name":"Jeffrey Skolnick"},{"id":"187859","name":"Hongyi Zhou"},{"id":"187949","name":"NCATS"},{"id":"187950","name":"opioid addiction"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"647322":{"#nid":"647322","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Did Earth\u2019s Early Rise in Oxygen Support The Evolution of Multicellular Life \u2014 or Suppress It? ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists have long thought that there was a direct connection between the rise in atmospheric oxygen, which started with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/nai\/articles\/2019\/3\/5\/clues-of-earths-early-rise-of-oxygen\/index.html\u0022\u003EGreat Oxygenation Event\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;2.5 billion years ago, and the rise of large, complex multicellular organisms.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat theory, the \u0026ldquo;Oxygen Control Hypothesis,\u0026rdquo; suggests that the size of these\u0026nbsp;early multicellular organisms was limited by the depth to which oxygen could diffuse into their bodies. The hypothesis makes a simple prediction that has been highly influential within both evolutionary biology and geosciences: Greater atmospheric oxygen should always increase the size to which multicellular organisms can grow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s a hypothesis that\u0026rsquo;s proven difficult to test in a lab. Yet a team of Georgia Tech researchers found a way \u0026mdash; using directed evolution, synthetic biology, and mathematical modeling \u0026mdash; all brought to bear on a simple multicellular lifeform called a \u0026lsquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.quantamagazine.org\/lifes-secrets-sought-in-a-snowflake-20151103\/\u0022\u003Esnowflake yeast\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026rsquo;. The results? Significant new information on the correlations between oxygenation of the early Earth and the rise of large multicellular organisms \u0026mdash; and it\u0026rsquo;s all about exactly how much O\u003Csub\u003E2\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/sub\u003Ewas available to some of our earliest multicellular ancestors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The positive effect of oxygen on the evolution of multicellularity is entirely dose-dependent \u0026mdash; our planet\u0026#39;s first oxygenation would have strongly constrained, not promoted, the evolution of multicellular life,\u0026rdquo; explains\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/gonensin-bozdag\u0022\u003EG. Ozan Bozdag\u003C\/a\u003E, research scientist in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the study\u0026rsquo;s lead author. \u0026ldquo;The positive effect of oxygen on multicellular size may only be realized when it reaches high levels.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-021-23104-0\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Oxygen suppression of macroscopic multicellularity\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E is published in the May 14, 2021 edition of the journal \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/ncomms\/\u0022\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003EBozdag\u0026rsquo;s co-authors on the paper include Georgia Tech researchers\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/reinhard-dr-chris\u0022\u003EChris Reinhard\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/people\/Rozenn%20Pineau\u0022\u003ERozenn Pineau\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D. student in the School of Biological Sciences and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences (QBioS)\u003C\/a\u003E; along with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.umu.se\/en\/staff\/eric-libby\/\u0022\u003EEric Libby\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor at Umea University in Sweden and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.santafe.edu\/people\/profile\/eric-libby\u0022\u003ESanta Fe Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in New Mexico.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDirecting yeast to evolve in record time\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We show that the effect of oxygen is more complex than previously imagined. The early rise in global oxygen should in fact strongly\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Econstrain\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethe evolution of macroscopic multicellularity, rather than selecting for larger and more complex organisms,\u0026rdquo; notes Ratcliff.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;People have long believed that the oxygenation of Earth\u0026#39;s surface was helpful \u0026mdash; some going so far as to say it is a precondition \u0026mdash; for the evolution of large, complex multicellular organisms,\u0026rdquo; he adds. \u0026ldquo;But nobody has ever tested this directly, because we haven\u0026#39;t had a model system that is both able to undergo lots of generations of evolution quickly, and able to grow over the full range of oxygen conditions,\u0026rdquo; from anaerobic conditions up to modern levels. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe researchers were able to do that, however, with snowflake yeast, simple multicellular organisms capable of rapid evolutionary change. By varying their growth environment, they evolved snowflake yeast for over 800 generations in the lab with selection for larger size.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results surprised Bozdag. \u0026ldquo;I was astonished to see that multicellular yeast doubled their size very rapidly when they could not use oxygen, while populations that evolved in the moderately oxygenated environment showed no size increase at all,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;This effect is robust \u0026mdash; even over much longer timescales.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESize \u0026mdash; and oxygen levels \u0026mdash; matter for multicellular growth\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nIn the team\u0026rsquo;s research, \u0026ldquo;large size easily evolved\u0026nbsp;either when our yeast had no oxygen or plenty of it, but not when oxygen was present at low levels,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff says. \u0026ldquo;We did a lot more work to show that this is actually a totally predictable and understandable outcome of the fact that oxygen, when limiting, acts as a resource \u0026mdash; if cells can access it, they get a big metabolic benefit. When oxygen is scarce, it can\u0026#39;t diffuse very far into organisms, so there is an evolutionary incentive for multicellular organisms to be small \u0026mdash; allowing most of their cells access to oxygen \u0026mdash; a constraint that is not there when oxygen simply isn\u0026#39;t present, or when there\u0026#39;s enough of it around to diffuse more deeply into tissues.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff says not only does his group\u0026rsquo;s work challenge the Oxygen Control Hypothesis, it also helps science understand why so little apparent evolutionary innovation was happening in the world of multicellular organisms in the billion years after the Great Oxygenation Event. Ratcliff explains that geologists call this period the \u0026ldquo;Boring Billion\u0026rdquo; in Earth\u0026rsquo;s history \u0026mdash; also known as the Dullest Time in Earth\u0026#39;s History, and Earth\u0026#39;s Middle Ages \u0026mdash; a period when oxygen was present in the atmosphere, but at low levels, and multicellular organisms stayed relatively small and simple.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBozdag adds another insight into the unique nature of the study. \u0026ldquo;Previous work examined the interplay between oxygen and multicellular size mainly through the physical principles of gas diffusion,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;While that reasoning is essential, we also need an inclusive consideration of principles of Darwinian evolution when studying the origin of complex multicellular life on our planet.\u0026rdquo; Finally being able to advance organisms through many generations of evolution helped the researchers accomplish just that, Bozdag adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported by\u0026nbsp;National Science Foundation grant no.\u0026nbsp;DEB-1845363 to W.C.R, NSF\u0026nbsp;grant no. IOS-1656549 to W.C.R., NSF grant no. IOS-1656849 to E.L., and a Packard Foundation Fellowship for Science and Engineering to\u0026nbsp;W.C.R. C.T.R. and W.C.R. acknowledge\u0026nbsp;funding from the NASA Astrobiology Institute.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A new study is taking the air out of a hypothesis linking early Earth\u2019s oxygenation to larger, more complex organisms. Georgia Tech researchers report a more complex effect"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDespite a long-held hypothesis that oxygen determined the size of large, complex multicellular organisms during the early Earth, researchers have found\u0026nbsp;the early rise in global oxygen, should have, \u0026ldquo;in fact strongly constrain[ed] the evolution of macroscopic multicellularity, rather than selecting for larger and more complex organisms.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study is taking the air out of a hypothesis linking early Earth\u2019s oxygenation to larger, more complex organisms. Georgia Tech researchers report a more complex effect"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-05-10 18:30:09","changed_gmt":"2021-05-25 15:30:58","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"647326":{"id":"647326","type":"image","title":"Artist rendering of early Earth (Photo credit: NASA)","body":null,"created":"1620673125","gmt_created":"2021-05-10 18:58:45","changed":"1621619796","gmt_changed":"2021-05-21 17:56:36","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245866","name":"earlyearthnasa.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/earlyearthnasa.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/earlyearthnasa.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":652000,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/earlyearthnasa.jpg?itok=Y0QrWf1s"}},"647324":{"id":"647324","type":"image","title":" G. Ozan Bozdag, Georgia Tech research scientist and the study\u2019s lead author  (Photo credit: Georgia Tech) ","body":null,"created":"1620671676","gmt_created":"2021-05-10 18:34:36","changed":"1621619772","gmt_changed":"2021-05-21 17:56:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245864","name":"ozan-photo-landscape.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ozan-photo-landscape.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ozan-photo-landscape.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":221289,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ozan-photo-landscape.jpg?itok=U7B7gP7i"}},"647353":{"id":"647353","type":"image","title":"Will Ratcliff (Photo credit: Rob Felt, Georgia Tech) ","body":null,"created":"1620753300","gmt_created":"2021-05-11 17:15:00","changed":"1621619829","gmt_changed":"2021-05-21 17:57:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245788","name":"Will Ratcliff.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Will%20Ratcliff.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Will%20Ratcliff.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2589543,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Will%20Ratcliff.jpg?itok=9ZKu6fzW"}},"647354":{"id":"647354","type":"image","title":"Chris Reinhard (Photo credit: Ben Brumfield, Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1620753362","gmt_created":"2021-05-11 17:16:02","changed":"1621619817","gmt_changed":"2021-05-21 17:56:57","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245789","name":"Chris Reinhard.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chris%20Reinhard.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chris%20Reinhard.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1082694,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Chris%20Reinhard.png?itok=SOEGs-uh"}}},"media_ids":["647326","647324","647353","647354"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/harnessing-power-evolution","title":"Harnessing the Power of Evolution"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/coffee-leads-collaboration","title":"Coffee Leads to Collaboration"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/specialized-cells-or-multicellular-multitaskers-new-study-reshapes-early-economics-and-ecology","title":"Specialized Cells or Multicellular Multitaskers? New Study Reshapes Early Economics and Ecology Behind Evolutionary Division of "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/nasa-exobiology-grant-chris-reinhard","title":"NASA Exobiology Grant to Chris Reinhard"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/laughing-gas-may-have-helped-warm-early-earth-and-given-breath-life","title":"Laughing Gas May Have Helped Warm Early Earth and Given Breath to Life"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/exploring-oceans-earth-and-beyond-reinhard-looks-skies-and-seas","title":"Exploring Oceans on Earth and Beyond: Reinhard Looks to the Skies and Seas"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/sigma-xi-recognizes-reinhard-sigma-xi-2020-young-faculty-award-three-sciences-students-research","title":"Sigma Xi Recognizes Reinhard with Sigma Xi 2020 Young Faculty Award; Three Sciences Students with Research Honors"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187819","name":"early oxygenation"},{"id":"12661","name":"Early Earth"},{"id":"187820","name":"multicellular organisms"},{"id":"187821","name":"Ozan Bozdag"},{"id":"177585","name":"William Ratcliff"},{"id":"170504","name":"Chris Reinhard"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"647065":{"#nid":"647065","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Simple Robots, Smart Algorithms: Meet the BOBbots","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnyone with children knows that while controlling one child can be hard, controlling many at once can be nearly impossible. Getting swarms of robots to work collectively can be equally challenging, unless researchers carefully choreograph their interactions \u0026mdash; like planes in formation \u0026mdash; using increasingly sophisticated components and algorithms. But what can be reliably accomplished when the robots on hand are simple, inconsistent, and lack sophisticated programming for coordinated behavior?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/dana-randall\u0022\u003EDana Randall\u003C\/a\u003E, ADVANCE Professor of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EComputing\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family Professor of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPhysics\u003C\/a\u003E, sought to show that even the simplest of robots can still accomplish tasks well beyond the capabilities of one, or even a few, of them. The goal of accomplishing these tasks with what the team dubbed \u0026quot;dumb robots\u0026quot; (essentially mobile granular particles) exceeded their expectations, and the researchers report being able to remove all sensors, communication, memory and computation \u0026mdash; and instead accomplishing a set of tasks through leveraging the robots\u0026#39; physical characteristics, a trait that the team terms \u0026quot;task embodiment.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0026#39;s simple BOBbots, or \u0026quot;behaving, organizing, buzzing bots\u0026quot; were named for granular physics pioneer Bob Behringer,\u0026quot; explains Randall. \u0026quot;Their cylindrical chassis have vibrating brushes underneath and loose magnets on their periphery, causing them to spend more time at locations with more neighbors.\u0026quot; The experimental platform was supplemented by precise computer simulations led by Georgia Tech physics student \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crablab.gatech.edu\/pages\/people\/index.html#\u0022\u003EShengkai Li\u003C\/a\u003E, as a way to study aspects of the system inconvenient to study in the lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite the simplicity of the BOBbots, the researchers discovered that, as the robots move and bump into each other, \u0026quot;compact aggregates form that are capable of collectively clearing debris that is too heavy for one alone to move,\u0026quot; according to Goldman. \u0026quot;While most people build increasingly complex and expensive robots to guarantee coordination, we wanted to see what complex tasks could be accomplished with very simple robots.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETheir work, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/advances.sciencemag.org\/content\/7\/17\/eabe8494\/tab-article-info\u0022\u003Eas reported April 23, 2021 in the journal \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/advances.sciencemag.org\/content\/7\/17\/eabe8494\/tab-article-info\u0022\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/em\u003E was inspired by a theoretical model of particles moving around on a chessboard. A theoretical abstraction known as a self-organizing particle system was developed to rigorously study a mathematical model of the BOBbots. Using ideas from probability theory, statistical physics and stochastic algorithms, the researchers were able to prove that the theoretical model undergoes a phase change as the magnetic interactions increase \u0026mdash; abruptly changing from dispersed to aggregating in large, compact clusters, similar to phase changes we see in common everyday systems, like water and ice.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;The rigorous analysis not only showed us how to build the BOBbots, but also revealed an inherent robustness of our algorithm that allowed some of the robots to be faulty or unpredictable,\u0026quot; notes Randall, who also serves as a professor of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ecomputer science\u003C\/a\u003E and adjunct professor of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Emathematics\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe collaboration is based on experiments and simulations also designed by Bahnisikha Dutta, Ram Avinery and Enes Aydin from Georgia Tech, as well as on theoretical work by Andrea Richa and Joshua Daymude from Arizona State University, and Sarah Cannon from Claremont McKenna College, who is a recent Georgia Tech graduate.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work is part of a Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) funded by the Army Research Office (ARO) to study the foundations of emergent computation and collective intelligence.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: This work was supported by the Department of Defense under MURI award no. W911NF-19-1-0233 and by NSF awards DMS-1803325 (S.C.); CCF-1422603, CCF-1637393, and CCF-1733680 (A.W.R.); CCF-1637031 and CCF-1733812 (D.R. and D.I.G.); and CCF-1526900 (D.R.).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story was first published on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eurekalert.org\/pub_releases\/2021-04\/giot-srs042321.php\u0022\u003EEurekAlert!\u003C\/a\u003E by Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EInspired by a theoretical model of particles moving around on a chessboard, new robot swarm research led by Georgia Tech shows that, as magnetic interactions increase, dispersed \u0026ldquo;dumb robots\u0026rdquo; can abruptly gather in large, compact clusters to accomplish complex tasks. Researchers report that these \u0026ldquo;BOBbots\u0026rdquo; (behaving, organizing, buzzing bots) are also capable of collectively clearing debris that is too heavy for one alone to move, thanks to a robust algorithm.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Inspired by a theoretical model of particles moving around on a chessboard, new robot swarm research shows that, as magnetic interactions increase, dispersed \u201cdumb robots\u201d \u2014 dubbed BOBbots \u2014 can gather in compact clusters to accomplish complex tasks."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-04-29 18:33:03","changed_gmt":"2021-06-28 15:18:33","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"647117":{"id":"647117","type":"image","title":"A collection of \u0022BOBbots\u0022 in motion (Credit: Shengkai Li, Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1620059861","gmt_created":"2021-05-03 16:37:41","changed":"1620059861","gmt_changed":"2021-05-03 16:37:41","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245680","name":"bobots.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bobots.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bobots.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":550430,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bobots.jpg?itok=OWOlQWve"}},"647113":{"id":"647113","type":"image","title":"When sensors, communication, memory and computation are removed from a group of simple robots, certain sets of complex tasks can still be accomplished by leveraging the robots\u0027 physical characteristics (Credit: Shengkai Li, Georgia Tech) ","body":null,"created":"1620059371","gmt_created":"2021-05-03 16:29:31","changed":"1620059371","gmt_changed":"2021-05-03 16:29:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245676","name":"bobotsjpg.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bobotsjpg.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bobotsjpg.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":106207,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bobotsjpg.jpeg?itok=IpvEZzUM"}},"647116":{"id":"647116","type":"image","title":"Shengkai Li, a graduate student in physics at Georgia Tech, with two BOBbots (Credit: Shengkai Li)","body":null,"created":"1620059725","gmt_created":"2021-05-03 16:35:25","changed":"1620059925","gmt_changed":"2021-05-03 16:38:45","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245679","name":"20210423_150721 Shengkai Li BOBbots.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/20210423_150721%20Shengkai%20Li%20BOBbots.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/20210423_150721%20Shengkai%20Li%20BOBbots.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":575380,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/20210423_150721%20Shengkai%20Li%20BOBbots.jpg?itok=LSA-2WuA"}},"647115":{"id":"647115","type":"image","title":"Dana Randall, Daniel Goldman, and Bahnisikha Dutta work together on creating magnetic robots. This photo was taken in 2019 at Georgia Tech as part of a previous research study (Credit: Allison Carter, Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1620059565","gmt_created":"2021-05-03 16:32:45","changed":"1620059565","gmt_changed":"2021-05-03 16:32:45","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245678","name":"19C10200-P34-015.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/19C10200-P34-015.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/19C10200-P34-015.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":404260,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/19C10200-P34-015.jpg?itok=8OnbpP1t"}},"647114":{"id":"647114","type":"image","title":"Bahnisikha Dutta, a graduate student at Georgia Tech, is part of an interdisciplinary research team that creates and studies magnetic robots (Credit: Allison Carter, Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1620059504","gmt_created":"2021-05-03 16:31:44","changed":"1620059504","gmt_changed":"2021-05-03 16:31:44","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245677","name":"19C10200-P34-006.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/19C10200-P34-006.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/19C10200-P34-006.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":463229,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/19C10200-P34-006.jpg?itok=5LqG1AUd"}},"647118":{"id":"647118","type":"image","title":"Sarah Cannon, Georgia Tech alumna and assistant professor in the Mathematics Department of Mathematical Sciences at Claremont McKenna College, with Dana Randall (Credit: Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1620060846","gmt_created":"2021-05-03 16:54:06","changed":"1620060846","gmt_changed":"2021-05-03 16:54:06","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245681","name":"Headshot-credit-Georgia-Tech-from-left-Sarah-Cannon-and-Dana-Randall.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Headshot-credit-Georgia-Tech-from-left-Sarah-Cannon-and-Dana-Randall.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Headshot-credit-Georgia-Tech-from-left-Sarah-Cannon-and-Dana-Randall.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":78599,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Headshot-credit-Georgia-Tech-from-left-Sarah-Cannon-and-Dana-Randall.jpg?itok=QSUl5bqM"}}},"media_ids":["647117","647113","647116","647115","647114","647118"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.eurekalert.org\/pub_releases\/2021-04\/giot-srs042321.php","title":"EurekAlert!: Simple Robots, Smart Algorithms "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"147","name":"Military Technology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"10467","name":"Dana Randall"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"7448","name":"aggregate"},{"id":"187723","name":"Shengkai Li"},{"id":"187724","name":"BOBbots"},{"id":"2352","name":"robots"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"187725","name":"robot swarm"},{"id":"187726","name":"mobile granular particles"},{"id":"187727","name":"self-organizing particle system"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"},{"id":"187023","name":"go-data"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communicaitons\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/tracey.reeves@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ETracey A. Reeves\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAssociate Vice President for Research and Academic Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nInstitute Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"646878":{"#nid":"646878","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Finding and Connecting Ocean Ecoregions \u2014 to Find and Conserve Marine Species","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA map of any ocean or sea looks like a big, blue, basic body of water. Within that body of water, though, are distinct marine ecological regions, or ecoregions \u0026mdash; distinct areas defined by their \u0026ldquo;biogeographic\u0026rdquo; characteristics.\u0026nbsp;Individual ecoregions contain specific water masses, have generally similar environmental resources in terms of quantity and quality, and may also host unique marine species.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut experts have long run into choppy waters when trying to precisely define these ecoregions and how they relate to each other. A lack of data for regions that are not adjacent to coastal areas exacerbates the issue, along with the large-scale dispersal potential of ocean currents, which can impact factors like species migration from one region to the next. Ocean currents and water characteristics also change in space and time on scales of just a few months, and tens of kilometers \u0026mdash; and biological communities can respond to these changes\u0026nbsp;in similar scales of time and space.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-021-87711-z\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;researchers, published this month in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-021-87711-z\u0022\u003ENature\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.googleadservices.com\/pagead\/aclk?sa=L\u0026amp;ai=DChcSEwjcwteqkpzwAhXwbW8EHXdhBSoYABAAGgJqZg\u0026amp;ae=2\u0026amp;ohost=www.google.com\u0026amp;cid=CAASE-RoUNAHUdVZlWDjOtoq0BXYRRw\u0026amp;sig=AOD64_398p7oY4rXYbkbiyF66N2QtvBGHw\u0026amp;q\u0026amp;adurl\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwigytCqkpzwAhVHZM0KHfDZA4cQ0Qx6BAgKEAE\u0026amp;dct=1\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScientific Reports\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is charting a new path to help scientists create\u0026nbsp;tools to locate ecoregions and predict community susceptibility to those changes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-021-87711-z\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Uncovering marine connectivity through sea surface temperature\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E suggests a new way to find these ecoregions and then connect them, thanks to\u0026nbsp;recent advances in\u0026nbsp;more than 40 years of satellite data that tracks surface temperatures that are indirectly related to ocean currents \u0026mdash; as well as progress with computer science algorithms.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We are now poised to define ecoregions that meaningfully delimit marine biological communities based on their connectivity, and to follow their evolution through time,\u0026rdquo; write the co-authors: professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/bracco-dr-annalisa\u0022\u003EAnnalisa Bracco\u003C\/a\u003E, graduate student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/falasca-fabrizio\u0022\u003EFabrizio Falasca\u003C\/a\u003E, and one of Bracco\u0026rsquo;s visiting students, Ljuba Novi from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.igg.cnr.it\/en\/\u0022\u003EInstitute of Geosciences and Earth Resources\u003C\/a\u003E (part of the National Research Council in Pisa, Italy).\u0026nbsp;\u2028\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThrough a time-dependent complex network framework applied to a 30-year dataset of sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea, Bracco says she and her team provide compelling evidence that ocean \u0026ldquo;ecoregionalization\u0026rdquo; based on connectivity can be achieved at space and time scales relevant to conservation management and planning.\u0026nbsp;\u2028\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers note that that\u0026rsquo;s particularly important for any future sustainable uses of oceans, since their resources require protection, conservation, and restoration of marine species biodiversity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;To achieve this goal, the identification of ecoregions and their connectivity in time and space is a key first step to developing effective strategies for targeted management \u0026mdash; for example, figuring out where to implement marine protected areas,\u0026rdquo; Bracco explains. \u0026ldquo;The potential of a marine protected area to retain biodiversity and restock species abundance beyond its border is inherently linked to some form of regional discretization and population connectivity, such as larval and juvenile dispersal, or seeding across ecoregions.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, the framework the study proposes allows for looking at ecoregions across time. \u0026ldquo;We can easily figure out if changes in currents are affecting regions where there is a high biodiversity, or check quickly how currents help or block invasive species.\u0026rdquo; Bracco\u0026rsquo;s team found that in the Mediterranean Sea, the invasion of the lionfish was halted by the fragmentation of the ecoregions in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and that it has also been helped by ocean currents since 2011.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBracco and her researchers discovered the lionfish data thanks to new and higher resolution sea surface temperature data products that were previously unavailable to scientists.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the analysis and the identification of ecoregions and their links, Bracco\u0026rsquo;s team also adapted a complex network methodology developed at Georgia Tech by a group led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/constantine-dovrolis\u0022\u003EConstantine Dovrolis\u003C\/a\u003E, who serves as a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computer Science\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;within the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Computing\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe authors write that future studies of ecoregionalization should be an interdisciplinary approach involving physical, biological, and ecological oceanographers, since \u0026ldquo;ecoregions are essential units of comparative analysis in the assessment, management and solution of ecosystems problems.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/faculty-development-grants\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Faculty Development Grant\u003C\/a\u003E assisted with funding for this research (Novi, L., Bracco, A. \u0026amp; Falasca, F. Uncovering marine connectivity through sea surface temperature. Sci Rep \u003Cstrong\u003E11, \u003C\/strong\u003E8839 (2021). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41598-021-87711-z)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe world\u0026#39;s oceans are made up of various \u0026quot;ecoregions,\u0026quot; but experts have had trouble connecting them. A new look at existing satellite data by researchers from the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences could provide a new way to link those regions, which may\u0026nbsp;help scientists\u0026nbsp;protect endangered marine species.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"An Earth and Atmospheric Sciences research team led by Annalisa Bracco is applying new technology to decades-old data to help with marine species preservation, and to better locate and define protected areas "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-04-26 14:28:12","changed_gmt":"2021-06-28 15:19:53","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-04-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-04-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"646982":{"id":"646982","type":"image","title":"Mediterranean Sea region (Credit: European Environment Agency)","body":null,"created":"1619625992","gmt_created":"2021-04-28 16:06:32","changed":"1619625992","gmt_changed":"2021-04-28 16:06:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245608","name":"mediterranean.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mediterranean.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mediterranean.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":441581,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mediterranean.jpg?itok=0X0fcp7A"}},"638117":{"id":"638117","type":"image","title":"Annalisa Bracco","body":null,"created":"1597869883","gmt_created":"2020-08-19 20:44:43","changed":"1597869883","gmt_changed":"2020-08-19 20:44:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242691","name":"Annalisa Bracco headshot 2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Annalisa%20Bracco%20headshot%202.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Annalisa%20Bracco%20headshot%202.png","mime":"image\/png","size":149029,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Annalisa%20Bracco%20headshot%202.png?itok=sdfiiGW4"}},"646981":{"id":"646981","type":"image","title":"Fabrizio Falasca, graduate student in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences ","body":null,"created":"1619624856","gmt_created":"2021-04-28 15:47:36","changed":"1619624856","gmt_changed":"2021-04-28 15:47:36","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245606","name":"ocean.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ocean.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ocean.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":108964,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ocean.jpg?itok=UVB4Tkgs"}}},"media_ids":["646982","638117","646981"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/making-earth-system-models-match-speed-climate-change","title":"Making Earth System Models That Match the Speed of Climate Change"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/earth-and-atmospheric-sciences-students-offer-colorful-deep-ocean-adventures-younger-generation","title":"Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Students Offer Colorful Deep Ocean Adventures for Younger Generation"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/ecogig-ocean-discovery-zone","title":"ECOGIG Ocean Discovery Zone"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/using-data-mining-make-sense-climate-change","title":"Using Data Mining to Make Sense of Climate Change"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"171968","name":"Annalisa Bracco"},{"id":"187640","name":"Fabrizio Falasca"},{"id":"187641","name":"Ljuba Novi"},{"id":"187642","name":"ocean ecoregions"},{"id":"187023","name":"go-data"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"644761":{"#nid":"644761","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Neha Garg Receives NSF CAREER Award to Fight Coral Reef Disease ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThere\u0026rsquo;s a relatively new disease quickly sweeping parts of the world, but it\u0026rsquo;s not the one that\u0026rsquo;s dominated headlines for a year, and it doesn\u0026rsquo;t focus on humans. This threat has been around since 2014, and it\u0026rsquo;s infected more than 20 species of corals off the coast of Florida and throughout the Caribbean.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/floridakeys.noaa.gov\/coral-disease\/disease.html\u0022\u003EStony Coral Tissue Loss Disease\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;is spreading really, really fast,\u0026rdquo; says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/garg\/neha\u0022\u003ENeha Garg\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u0026ldquo;Florida has 45 species of corals and more than 20 have already been impacted\u0026rdquo; by the disease. \u0026ldquo;It started in Florida, and the next we heard it had spread to the U.S. Virgin Island and other islands in the Caribbean \u0026mdash; and the latest I heard is it has spread to the Cayman Islands.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe cause is not known. \u0026ldquo;We know we can treat it with antibiotics, so bacteria does play a role,\u0026rdquo; Garg says, \u0026ldquo;and it can be transmitted by physical and water contact, which also tells us an infectious agent is likely at play.\u0026rdquo; Despite rising ocean temperatures, scientists don\u0026rsquo;t believe that\u0026rsquo;s the culprit behind Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, or SCTLD.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s an all hands on deck situation for marine biologists and the science community as they work to contain the spread and try to rejuvenate infected reefs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd now, Garg\u0026rsquo;s research to date into SCTLD has earned her a 2021\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503214\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (NSF CAREER) Award\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for her project to study the disease currently roaring through the reefs off Florida\u0026rsquo;s west coast.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe disease adds another threat to beleaguered\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/search\/node\/coral\u0022\u003Ecoral reefs\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;around the globe. Climate change-related warming has already led to bleaching of reefs, chasing away organisms that use them for shelter and food. \u0026ldquo;Coral reefs generate carbon sources to support 20 percent of life in the oceans,\u0026rdquo; Garg says. \u0026ldquo;Then there\u0026rsquo;s the economic impact on coastal areas, with recreation, fishing. It can impact the livelihoods of coastal populations. If we lose them, it can cause imbalance in various ocean ecosystems.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn early 2020, Garg and Georgia Tech received an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-researchers-receive-epa-south-fl-initiative-award\u0022\u003EEnvironmental Protection Agency grant\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to study biomarkers of coral reef disease. Her NSF CAREER award project will allow her to continue examining the changing chemical and microbial makeup of coral reefs experiencing outbreaks of SCTLD.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs Garg shares in the project\u0026rsquo;s abstract, despite the disease\u0026rsquo;s rapid spread, \u0026ldquo;the understanding of chemical changes that accompany the onset of disease, the changes in bacterial inhabitants, and the disruption of the coral-algal symbiosis remain poorly known. Elucidating chemical changes and their symbiotic or pathogenic contributors is challenging and necessitates the use of state-of-the art multiomic and data analytic strategies.\u0026rdquo; (Multiomics combines data from several \u0026ldquo;omic\u0026rdquo; strategies including\u0026nbsp;genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and microbiomics)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe adds that \u0026ldquo;through the use of advanced multiomic approaches, knowledge gained from this research will provide understanding of the chemical and organismal signatures that define health or disease status of coral holobionts,\u0026rdquo; referring to an ecological symbiosis created by a host \u0026mdash; in this case a coral \u0026mdash; and the organisms that live in and around it.\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;Holobionts represent\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;multipartite symbiosis between the coral animal, the endosymbiotic dinoflagellate, resident microbiota (bacteria and archaea), as well as the fungal, protistan, and viral associates,\u0026rdquo; she explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA key component of any NSF CAREER Award is how it can enhance educational opportunities for high school and college students. Garg\u0026rsquo;s proposal will include teaching modules to train K-12 teachers through Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/gift\u0022\u003EGeorgia Intern Fellowship for Teachers (GIFT)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;program. She says introducing high school students to the effects of climate change on coral reefs and the role of STEM in understanding disease mechanisms will enhance student participation in STEM fields. \u0026ldquo;Their participation in environmental science through training in biology and chemistry will serve as a strong scientific foundation for these students, and foster a future generation that cares for the environment and understands the role of science in creating a healthy future,\u0026rdquo; writes Garg.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe educational portion of her CAREER project will also involve the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.georgiaaquarium.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Aquarium\u003C\/a\u003E. Garg reached out to researchers there, knowing that many aquariums in the U.S. maintain samples of corals behind the scenes for restoration purposes. \u0026ldquo;They are keeping an inventory of these corals so, in the future, we can go back to the ocean and replant them.\u0026rdquo; Students can take coral tissue samples in non-destructive ways to get them started on research methods, she adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s one way we are thinking we can motivate high school students from low-income families to pursue and promote higher education in STEM fields,\u0026rdquo; Garg says. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll be participating in the GIFT program to get high school students to spend the summer in our\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.garglab-microbiomegt.com\/\u0022\u003Elab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGarg\u0026rsquo;s lab has already bought two tanks to serve as salt water aquariums, so students can isolate coral reef bacteria in the lab. She has also partnered with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/naturalhistory.si.edu\/staff\/valerie-paul\u0022\u003EValerie Paul\u003C\/a\u003E, Smithsonian researcher and head scientist of the National Museum of History, for samples of corals with SCTLD. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll run some phenotypic tests, and teach the students metabolomics.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStony Coral Tissue Loss Disease is ravaging Florida\u0026#39;s coral reefs, with 20 out of 45 coral species in the state\u0026#39;s waters\u0026nbsp;already infected. School of Chemistry and Biochemistry assistant professor\u0026nbsp;Neha Garg has received an NSF CAREER Award to help battle this rapidly spreading disease.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease is ravaging Florida\u0027s coral reefs, with 20 out of 45 coral species in the state\u0027s waters already infected. School of Chemistry and Biochemistry assistant professor Neha Garg has received an NSF CAREER Award to battle it."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-02-26 19:59:53","changed_gmt":"2021-05-03 20:22:42","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"633200":{"id":"633200","type":"image","title":"\u0022Big Momma\u0022 Coral Before Disease. Credit: Dr. Dave Gilliam Nova Southeastern University","body":null,"created":"1583172962","gmt_created":"2020-03-02 18:16:02","changed":"1583173018","gmt_changed":"2020-03-02 18:16:58","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240926","name":"stony coral tissue big-mamma-alive-400.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stony%20coral%20tissue%20big-mamma-alive-400.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stony%20coral%20tissue%20big-mamma-alive-400.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":39064,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/stony%20coral%20tissue%20big-mamma-alive-400.jpg?itok=D3NhbrSE"}},"633201":{"id":"633201","type":"image","title":"\u0022Big Momma\u0022 Coral After Disease. Credit: Florida Department of Environmental Protection","body":null,"created":"1583173007","gmt_created":"2020-03-02 18:16:47","changed":"1583173007","gmt_changed":"2020-03-02 18:16:47","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240927","name":"stony coral tissue big-mamma-dead-400.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stony%20coral%20tissue%20big-mamma-dead-400.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stony%20coral%20tissue%20big-mamma-dead-400.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":27407,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/stony%20coral%20tissue%20big-mamma-dead-400.jpg?itok=qTsEiLzM"}},"633205":{"id":"633205","type":"image","title":"Dr. Neha Garg","body":null,"created":"1583174334","gmt_created":"2020-03-02 18:38:54","changed":"1583174334","gmt_changed":"2020-03-02 18:38:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240928","name":"neha garg.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/neha%20garg.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/neha%20garg.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":33150,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/neha%20garg.jpg?itok=yOpXJWQS"}}},"media_ids":["633200","633201","633205"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/floridakeys.noaa.gov\/coral-disease\/disease.html","title":"NOAA Stone Coral Tissue Loss Disease Map"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-researchers-receive-epa-south-fl-initiative-award","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Receive EPA South FL Initiative Award"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.garglab-microbiomegt.com","title":"Garg Microbiome@Georgia Tech Lab:"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/maths-mayya-zhilova-gets-early-career-boost-national-science-foundation","title":"Math\u2019s Mayya Zhilova Gets Early CAREER Boost from NSF "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"187129","name":"Neha Garg"},{"id":"187130","name":"Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease"},{"id":"100711","name":"coral reefs"},{"id":"481","name":"florida"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"646598":{"#nid":"646598","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Julia Kubanek Named Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJulia Kubanek, professor of biological sciences and chemistry and biochemistry, and associate dean for Research in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s College of Sciences, has been named vice president for Interdisciplinary Research (VPIR). Kubanek will assume the role on July 1.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am very pleased to announce Julia Kubanek as the next vice president for Interdisciplinary Research,\u0026rdquo; said Chaouki T. Abdallah, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech. \u0026ldquo;In her long and lauded career at Tech, she has proven herself an exemplary educator and leader who is committed to excellence in scholarship, and to building partnerships that grow collaborative research across the Institute.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKubanek joined Georgia Tech as an assistant professor in the School of Biology and the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry in 2001. She was named an associate professor in 2006, and professor in 2011. In that time, she also served as the associate chair of the School of Biology from 2009 to 2011. Kubanek has served as the associate dean for Research in the College of Sciences since 2014.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn her role as associate dean for Research, Kubanek was part of the leadership team that helped shepherd substantial research growth in the College of Sciences, including the enhancement of research opportunities and infrastructure for faculty and students. Kubanek supported the collaborative interests of faculty and students by organizing and hosting cross-disciplinary workshops, including with the Oak Ridge National Lab. Her work also included career development workshops for early career academic and research faculty; guidance to faculty looking to launch new collaborative projects; and one-on-one mentoring of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;With 20 years at Tech, I know this institution is filled with faculty, staff, and students who want to drive life-changing research in ways they cannot achieve alone,\u0026rdquo; Kubanek said. \u0026ldquo;In a supportive, collaborative, and interdisciplinary environment, I believe the creative, promising research visions of our Georgia Tech researchers can grow to international prominence and improve people\u0026rsquo;s lives and the health of our planet.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe VPIR is responsible for ensuring the effective and strategic administration of interdisciplinary research and activities, including the Interdisciplinary Research Institutes, the Interdisciplinary Research Centers, the Pediatric Technology Center, the Georgia Center for Medical Innovation, and the Novelis Innovation Hub. The role has been filled on an interim basis since February by Devesh Ranjan, associate chair for Research, Ring Family Chair, and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Devesh Ranjan, who has expertly served in the role of interim VPIR and will continue to do so until June 30, providing critical continuity and leadership,\u0026rdquo; Abdallah said. \u0026ldquo;Thank you, too, to our search chair Rob Butera, professor of electrical and computer engineering and biomedical engineering, and vice president for Research Development and Operations, and the search committee who reviewed an exceptional field of candidates.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKubanek\u0026rsquo;s publications and grants have been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, industry, and national labs, as well as state agencies and foundations. Her educational and scientific contributions have seen her recognized for teaching excellence and mentoring by her students and colleagues, as well as accolades from national boards and associations. She is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, as well as the National Science Foundation CAREER award, among many others.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKubanek\u0026rsquo;s research focus has included aquatic chemical ecology, chemical signaling, chemical communication, chemoreception, chemical biology, marine natural products chemistry, secondary metabolism, drug discovery, and metabolomics. She has mentored and advised more than 90 students and postdocs and has published more than 100 papers in journals and conferences. Kubanek received a B.Sc. in chemistry from Queen\u0026#39;s University and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of British Columbia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJulia Kubanek, professor of biological sciences and chemistry and biochemistry, and associate dean for Research in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s College of Sciences, has been named vice president for Interdisciplinary Research, effective\u0026nbsp;July 1.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Julia Kubanek, professor of biological sciences and chemistry and biochemistry, and associate dean for Research in Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Sciences, has been named vice president for Interdisciplinary Research, effective July 1."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-04-19 14:06:53","changed_gmt":"2021-04-19 17:41:56","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"646583":{"id":"646583","type":"image","title":"Julia Kubanek","body":null,"created":"1618834138","gmt_created":"2021-04-19 12:08:58","changed":"1618834138","gmt_changed":"2021-04-19 12:08:58","alt":"Julia Kubanek","file":{"fid":"245442","name":"KUBANEK.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/KUBANEK.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/KUBANEK.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":127873,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/KUBANEK.jpg?itok=xlCBrGNM"}}},"media_ids":["646583"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:susie.ivy@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESusie Ivy\u003C\/a\u003E, Director\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOrganizational, Academic, and Research Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["susie.ivy@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"646119":{"#nid":"646119","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Methylation Matters: Exploring Evolution and Effects on Human Brain Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt may not be a process that most people are familiar with, but DNA methylation is very important to brain evolution. It\u0026rsquo;s viewed as a critical regulatory mechanism implicated in cognitive development, learning, memory, and disease. That regulation includes gene expression, which happens when DNA instructions are converted into a functional product, namely messenger RNA molecules, which provide templates for proteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;professor who specializes in molecular and genomic evolution has uncovered some new information about how DNA methylation evolved in the human brain \u0026mdash; and how that compares to brains of some of our primate relatives. She and a global team of researchers have published their findings,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-021-21917-7\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Evolution of DNA methylation in the human brain\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/ncomms\/\u0022\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The large and complex brain is a distinguishing trait of the human lineage,\u0026rdquo; explains\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/soojin-yi\u0022\u003ESoojin Yi\u003C\/a\u003E, who directs the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/yilab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EYi Lab of Comparative Genomics and Epigenomics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech. \u0026ldquo;Scientists have been very interested in finding genetic and gene expression changes that are associated with the evolution of human brains.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDNA methylation is a biological process by which methyl groups \u0026mdash; organic compounds made up of three hydrogen atoms and a carbon atom \u0026mdash; are added to DNA, which in turn sets off molecular processes to help regulate gene expression and other genetic factors that are necessary in healthy brains and nervous systems. When something goes wrong with DNA methylation, it can lead to certain diseases, including cancer and neuropsychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;To understand the contribution of DNA methylation to human brain-specific gene regulation and disease susceptibility, it is necessary to extend our knowledge of evolutionary changes in DNA methylation during human brain evolution,\u0026rdquo; Yi says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScience has long known about the DNA methylation connection to certain conditions, but the evolutionary aspect has so far been largely unexplored. \u0026ldquo;Previous studies used bulk tissues, while DNA methylation is known to vary substantially between cell types,\u0026rdquo; Yi shares, so her team, including the paper\u0026rsquo;s co-corresponding author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.konopkalab.org\/\u0022\u003EGenevieve Konopka\u0026rsquo;s lab\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.utsouthwestern.edu\/\u0022\u003EUT Southwestern Medical Center\u003C\/a\u003E, focused on the search for cell-type-specific epigenetic (gene-activity-changing) marks, including DNA methylation and histone (basic protein) modifications. Those are implicated in cell-type-specific gene expression and disease susceptibility in humans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Data from bulk tissues can be biased toward specific cell types and consequently, underpowered to detect cell-type-specific evolutionary changes,\u0026rdquo; Yi explains. \u0026ldquo;Therefore, to fully understand the role of DNA methylation in human brain evolution, it is necessary to study cell-type-specific changes of DNA methylation.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYi and her team found suitable samples for chimpanzees and macaques in the specimen archives of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.yerkes.emory.edu\/\u0022\u003EYerkes National Primate Research Center\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.emory.edu\/home\/index.html\u0022\u003EEmory University\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;We also separated neurons and oligodendrocytes (which forms the protective sheaths for neural transmission) from bulk brain samples, so that we can study cell-type specific patterns of DNA methylation,\u0026rdquo; Yi says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We found that the human brains are particularly heavily methylated compared to chimpanzee and rhesus macaque brains \u0026mdash; both in neurons and oligodendrocytes.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYi and her team found that some positions that have unique patterns of DNA methylation in human brains were previously implicated in neuropsychiatric diseases including schizophrenia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our work extends the knowledge of the unique roles of . . . methylation in human brain evolution, and offers a new framework for investigating the role of the epigenome evolution in connecting the genome to brain development, function, and diseases.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EYi\u0026rsquo;s research team included colleagues from the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and the Department of Pathology, at Emory University; the Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Spain; The Department of Neuroscience at UT Southwestern Medical Center;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;the Center for Medical Research and Education, Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Japan; the Schizophrenia Research Project, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Japan; and the College of Nursing, The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, South Korea.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFor human samples, UT Southwestern Medical Center Institutional Review Board (IRB) has determined that as this research was conducted using post-mortem specimens, the project does not meet the definition of human subjects research and does not require IRB approval and oversight. Non-human primate samples were obtained from archival, post-mortem brain tissue opportunistically collected from subjects that died from natural causes, and following procedures approved by the Emory Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and in accordance with federal and institutional guidelines for the humane care and use of experimental animals. No living great apes were used in this study.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences professor Soojin Yi and her global team have uncovered new findings on the evolution of DNA methylation"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026#39;s one of the most important processes for the development of the human brain, but science is still learning about DNA methylation. A School of Biological Sciences professor and her research team have uncovered some new information about how this process evolved in humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences professor Soojin Yi and her global team have uncovered new findings on the evolution of DNA methylation"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-04-05 14:28:33","changed_gmt":"2021-04-12 12:39:05","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-04-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-04-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"646182":{"id":"646182","type":"image","title":"\u0022Charles Bell Anatomy of the Brain, c. 1802\u0022 (Wikimedia Commons, Shaheen Lakhan)","body":null,"created":"1617733112","gmt_created":"2021-04-06 18:18:32","changed":"1617733112","gmt_changed":"2021-04-06 18:18:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245305","name":"Charles_Bell_Anatomy_of_the_Brain,_c._1802_(3138247450).jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Charles_Bell_Anatomy_of_the_Brain%2C_c._1802_%283138247450%29.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Charles_Bell_Anatomy_of_the_Brain%2C_c._1802_%283138247450%29.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":93723,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Charles_Bell_Anatomy_of_the_Brain%2C_c._1802_%283138247450%29.jpg?itok=_Epq0dNk"}},"289071":{"id":"289071","type":"image","title":"Soojin Yi","body":null,"created":"1449244274","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:51:14","changed":"1475894986","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:49:46","alt":"Soojin Yi","file":{"fid":"199182","name":"yi.soojin.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yi.soojin_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yi.soojin_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9253,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/yi.soojin_0.jpg?itok=GebnPFSs"}}},"media_ids":["646182","289071"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"168087","name":"Soojin Yi"},{"id":"187487","name":"DNA methylation"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"645773":{"#nid":"645773","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Audrey Duarte and Valerie Montgomery Rice","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story was first shared in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/breaking-glass-ceiling\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech News Center\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn celebration of Women\u0026#39;s History Month, Georgia Tech highlights the onward and upward trajectory of nine women across campus who are shattering the traditional \u0026quot;glass ceiling\u0026quot; \u0026mdash; carving a path for others and for equitable recognition, respect, and inclusion. Included in the feature are professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/audrey-duarte\u0022\u003EAudrey Duarte\u003C\/a\u003E and alumna \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/valerie-montgomery-rice-first-female-president-morehouse-school-medicine-receives-2020-gold-and\u0022\u003EValerie Montgomery Rice\u003C\/a\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EAudrey Duarte\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessor, School of Psychology; Director, Memory and Aging Lab\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDid you ever imagine yourself in this position?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDefinitely not. My parents weren\u0026rsquo;t academics or engineers, they didn\u0026rsquo;t have the kind of careers that many of my friends in graduate school had. But I always did well in school and got into a scholarship program for first-generation students and students from underrepresented backgrounds. It helped us learn about research opportunities to prepare us for graduate school, which is something I never would have done if I hadn\u0026rsquo;t done that program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow are you breaking the glass ceiling? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u0026rsquo;m bringing about change just by being visible. A person who\u0026rsquo;s Hispanic, who\u0026rsquo;s a woman, who\u0026rsquo;s a professor, who\u0026rsquo;s doing outreach and mentoring students \u0026mdash; just doing my daily job is how I do it, even without the conscious intention of \u0026ldquo;ceiling breaking.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow does doing your part to break the glass ceiling tie into Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca class=\u0022editor-gold-link\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/strategicplan.gatech.edu\/values\u0022\u003Estrategic values\u003C\/a\u003E? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI think the strategic value of diversity resonates with me the most. Even a lot of the research in psychology has been on largely white populations, so diversifying the samples of people we study is hugely important in my work. And it\u0026rsquo;s also important to me to mentor students who are from underrepresented backgrounds. That was me 20 years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn what ways do you try to lift other women up? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI mentor quite a few women in my lab, both undergraduate and graduate. I also give talks whenever I can. Earlier on, when I was in graduate school, \u0026ldquo;imposter syndrome\u0026rdquo; started for me. I didn\u0026rsquo;t share my background because I didn\u0026rsquo;t want people to see me as someone who didn\u0026rsquo;t belong there. Now I feel the opposite. I\u0026rsquo;m really transparent about that now. I made it through and here\u0026rsquo;s how I did it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat advice do you have for other women on the way up?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s better than it\u0026rsquo;s ever been for women in science, and that\u0026rsquo;s wonderful. So, I would say, if this is what you love, just keep doing the hard work. And seek out mentors for yourself \u0026mdash; they don\u0026rsquo;t have to be people in your field. That\u0026rsquo;s something I\u0026rsquo;ve done more as I\u0026rsquo;ve become more senior.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHistory Makers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWomen trailblazers making history at Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen \u003Cstrong\u003EValerie Montgomery Rice\u003C\/strong\u003E, CHEM 1983, was named the sixth president of the Morehouse School of Medicine in 2014, she became the first woman to hold that title there. Montgomery Rice, who earned a medical degree from Harvard and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Emory, also serves as dean of the Morehouse Medical School. A renowned infertility researcher, she was the founding director of the Center for Women\u0026rsquo;s Health Research at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/valerie-montgomery-rice-first-female-president-morehouse-school-medicine-receives-2020-gold-and\u0022\u003EAs she told Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Cem\u003EAlumni Magazine\u003C\/em\u003E in 2020\u003C\/a\u003E, she considers her greatest accomplishment \u0026ldquo;changing the paradigm of who can be trained in medicine.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETo learn more about all of the Georgia Tech women featured in this story, head over to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/breaking-glass-ceiling\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech News Center\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn celebration of Women\u0026#39;s History Month, Georgia Tech highlights the onward and upward trajectory of nine women across campus who are shattering the traditional \u0026quot;glass ceiling\u0026quot; \u0026mdash; carving a path for others and for equitable recognition, respect, and inclusion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In celebration of Women\u0027s History Month, Georgia Tech highlights the onward and upward trajectory of nine women across campus who are shattering the traditional \u0022glass ceiling\u0022 \u2014 carving a path for others and for equitable recognition, respect, inclusion."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-03-26 14:11:13","changed_gmt":"2021-03-26 14:18:08","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"645774":{"id":"645774","type":"image","title":"Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Audrey Duarte","body":null,"created":"1616768146","gmt_created":"2021-03-26 14:15:46","changed":"1616768264","gmt_changed":"2021-03-26 14:17:44","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245168","name":"Audrey-Duarte.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Audrey-Duarte.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Audrey-Duarte.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1182935,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Audrey-Duarte.jpg?itok=u7Fa76Nk"}},"637800":{"id":"637800","type":"image","title":"Audrey Duarte, Professor, School of Psychology ","body":null,"created":"1597255127","gmt_created":"2020-08-12 17:58:47","changed":"1597255127","gmt_changed":"2020-08-12 17:58:47","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242575","name":"Audrey Duarte.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Audrey%20Duarte.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Audrey%20Duarte.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":95662,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Audrey%20Duarte.jpg?itok=_ik1TkIu"}},"633002":{"id":"633002","type":"image","title":"Valerie Montgomery Rice, Georgia Tech alumna, President and Dean of Morehouse School of Medicine, and recipient of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association\u2019s Dean Griffin Community Service Award. (Photo Kaylinn Gilstrap, Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine.)","body":null,"created":"1582746153","gmt_created":"2020-02-26 19:42:33","changed":"1582746153","gmt_changed":"2020-02-26 19:42:33","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240856","name":"Valerie Montgomery Rice headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Valerie%20Montgomery%20Rice%20headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Valerie%20Montgomery%20Rice%20headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54615,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Valerie%20Montgomery%20Rice%20headshot.jpg?itok=K4hTicpM"}},"643833":{"id":"643833","type":"image","title":"Investiture of Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice as President of Morehouse School of Medicine (2014)","body":null,"created":"1612380093","gmt_created":"2021-02-03 19:21:33","changed":"1612380093","gmt_changed":"2021-02-03 19:21:33","alt":"Investiture of Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice as President of Morehouse School of Medicine (2014)","file":{"fid":"244444","name":"Augustine and Valerie_Square.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Augustine%20and%20Valerie_Square.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Augustine%20and%20Valerie_Square.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":178386,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Augustine%20and%20Valerie_Square.jpg?itok=YHKSMUD9"}}},"media_ids":["645774","637800","633002","643833"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/breaking-glass-ceiling","title":"Georgia Tech: Breaking the Glass Ceiling"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/colorful-explanation-how-we-remember-things","title":"A Colorful Explanation for How We Remember Things "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/catching-zs-capturing-data-researchers-create-diy-device-monitoring-sleep-patterns","title":"Catching Z\u2019s, Capturing Data: Researchers Create DIY Device for Monitoring Sleep Patterns "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/where-linguistics-french-and-psychology-intersect-zach-hopton-discusses-collaborative-time-tech","title":"Where Linguistics, French, and Psychology Intersect: Zach Hopton Discusses Collaborative Time at Tech "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/when-people-age-and-memory-fails-sciencematters-episode-8-starring-audrey-duarte","title":"When People Age and Memory Fails: ScienceMatters Episode 8, Starring Audrey Duarte"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/valerie-montgomery-rice-first-female-president-morehouse-school-medicine-receives-2020-gold-and","title":"Valerie Montgomery Rice, First Female President of Morehouse School of Medicine, Receives 2020 Gold and White Alumni Award"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"167710","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"644291":{"#nid":"644291","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Finds Alligator Hearts Keep Beating No Matter What ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMammals and cold-blooded alligators share a common four-chamber heart structure \u0026ndash; unique among reptiles \u0026ndash; but that\u0026rsquo;s where the similarities end. Unlike humans and other mammals, whose hearts can fibrillate under stress, alligators have built-in antiarrhythmic protection. The findings from new research were reported Jan. 27 in the journal Integrative \u003Cem\u003EOrganismal Biology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Alligator hearts don\u0026rsquo;t fibrillate \u0026ndash; no matter what we do. They\u0026rsquo;re very resilient,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFlavio Fenton\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology, researcher in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, and the report\u0026rsquo;s corresponding author. Fibrillation is one of the most dangerous arrhythmias, leading to blood clots and stroke when occurring in the atria and to death within minutes when it happens in the ventricles.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study looked at the action potential wavelengths of rabbit and young alligator hearts. Both species have four-chambered hearts of similar size (about\u0026nbsp; 3 cm); however, while rabbits maintain a constant heart temperature of 38 degrees Celsius, the body temperature of active, wild alligators ranges from 10 to 37 degrees Celsius. Heart pumping is controlled by an electrical wave that tells the muscle cells to contract. An electrical signal drives this wave, which must occur in the same pattern to keep blood pumping normally. In a deadly arrhythmia, this electrical signal is no longer coherent.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;An arrhythmia can happen for many reasons, including temperature dropping. For example, if someone falls into cold water and gets hypothermia, very often this person will develop an arrythmia and then drown,\u0026rdquo; Fenton said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring the study, the researchers recorded changes in the heart wave patterns at 38 C and 23 C. \u0026ldquo;The excitation wave in the rabbit heart reduced by more than half during temperature extremes while the alligator heart showed changes of only about 10% at most,\u0026rdquo; said Conner Herndon, a co-author and a graduate research assistant in the School of Physics. \u0026ldquo;We found that when the spatial wavelength reaches the size of the heart, the rabbit can undergo spontaneous fibrillation, but the alligator would always maintain this wavelength within a safe regime,\u0026rdquo; he added.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile alligators can function over a large temperature range without risk of heart trauma, their built-in safeguard has a drawback: it limits their maximum heart rate, making them unable to expend extra energy in an emergency. Rabbits and other warm-blooded mammals, on the other hand, can accommodate higher heart rates necessary to sustain an active, endothermic metabolism but they face increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia and critical vulnerability to temperature changes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe physicists from Georgia Tech collaborated with two biologists on the study, including former Georgia Tech postdoctoral fellow Henry Astley, now assistant professor in the Biomimicry Research and Innovation Center at the University of Akron\u0026rsquo;s Department of Biology.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I was a little surprised by how massive the difference was \u0026ndash; the sheer resilience of the crocodilian heart and the fragility of the rabbit heart. I had not expected the rabbit heart to come apart at the seams as easily as it did,\u0026rdquo; noted Astley.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELower temperatures are one cause of cardiac electrophysiological arrhythmias, where fast-rotating electrical waves can cause the heart to beat faster and faster, leading to compromised cardiac function and potentially sudden cardiac death. Lowering\u0026nbsp; the temperature of the body \u0026ndash; frequently done for patients before certain surgeries \u0026ndash; also can induce an arrhythmia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers agree that this study could help better understand how the heart works and what can cause a deadly arrhythmia \u0026ndash; which fundamentally happens when the heart doesn\u0026rsquo;t pump blood correctly any longer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe authors also consider the research a promising step toward better understanding of heart electrophysiology and how to help minimize fibrillation risk. Until December 2020, when Covid-19 took the top spot, heart disease was the leading cause of death in the United States and in most industrialized countries, with more people dying of heart disease than the next two causes of death combined.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAstley said the research provides a deeper understanding of the natural world and insight into the different coping mechanisms of cold- and warm-blooded animals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECo-author Tomasz Owerkowicz, associate\u0026nbsp; professor in the Department of Biology at California State University, San Bernardino, considers the findings \u0026ldquo;another piece of the puzzle that helps us realize how really cool non-human animals are and how many different tricks they have up their sleeves.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe expressed hope that more researchers will follow their example and use a non-traditional animal model in future research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Everyone studies mammals, fruit flies, and zebrafish. There\u0026#39;s such a huge wealth of resources among the wild animals that have not been brought to the laboratory setting that have such neat physiologies, that are waiting to be uncovered. All we have to do is look,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: C. Herndon, et al., \u0026ldquo;Defibrillate you Later, Alligator; Q10 Scaling and Refractoriness Keeps Alligators from Fibrillation.\u0026rdquo; (\u003Cem\u003EIntegrative Organismal Biology\u003C\/em\u003E, 2021)\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/iob\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/iob\/obaa047\/6120966?login=true\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/academic.oup.com\/iob\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/iob\/obaa047\/6120966?login=true\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Anne Wainscott-Sargent (404-435-5784) (asargent7@gatech.edu) John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Anne Wainscott-Sargent\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study reported by Georgia Tech researchers finds that an alligator heart will not fibrillate when exposed to drastic temperature changes, unlike a rabbit (mammal) heart, which is critically vulnerable to heart trauma under those conditions. The research could help\u0026nbsp; better understand how the heart works and what can cause a deadly arrhythmia \u0026ndash; which fundamentally happens when the heart doesn\u0026rsquo;t pump blood correctly any longer.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Both humans and alligators share a common four-chamber heart structure, but unlike mammals, alligators have built-in antiarrhythmic protection. "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-02-16 15:43:14","changed_gmt":"2021-02-17 00:11:48","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-02-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-02-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"644226":{"id":"644226","type":"image","title":"Alligator 1","body":null,"created":"1613398625","gmt_created":"2021-02-15 14:17:05","changed":"1613398625","gmt_changed":"2021-02-15 14:17:05","alt":"Close up of a baby alligator in the wild.","file":{"fid":"244584","name":"thumbnail_alligator head.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thumbnail_alligator%20head.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thumbnail_alligator%20head.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":111618,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/thumbnail_alligator%20head.jpg?itok=jJGonCnn"}},"644227":{"id":"644227","type":"image","title":"Alligator 2","body":null,"created":"1613398934","gmt_created":"2021-02-15 14:22:14","changed":"1613398934","gmt_changed":"2021-02-15 14:22:14","alt":"Alligator lurking in the water","file":{"fid":"244586","name":"thumbnail_IMG_4788.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thumbnail_IMG_4788.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thumbnail_IMG_4788.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":220808,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/thumbnail_IMG_4788.jpg?itok=cKa0P_Zu"}}},"media_ids":["644226","644227"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187033","name":"alligator"},{"id":"2583","name":"heart"},{"id":"180904","name":"arrhythmia"},{"id":"174315","name":"fibrillation"},{"id":"187034","name":"heart risk"},{"id":"187035","name":"heart rhythm"},{"id":"112191","name":"Flavio Fenton"},{"id":"172447","name":"Conner Herndon"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnne Wainscott-Sargent\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 435-5784\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["asargent7@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"644073":{"#nid":"644073","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Collective Worm and Robot \u201cBlobs\u201d Protect Individuals, Swarm Together","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIndividually, California blackworms live an unremarkable life eating microorganisms in ponds and serving as tropical fish food for aquarium enthusiasts. But together, tens, hundreds, or thousands of the centimeter-long creatures can collaborate to form a \u0026ldquo;worm blob,\u0026rdquo; a shape-shifting living liquid that collectively protects its members from drying out and helps them escape threats such as excessive heat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile other organisms form collective flocks, schools, or swarms for such purposes as mating, predation, and protection, the Lumbriculus variegatus worms are unusual in their ability to braid themselves together to accomplish tasks that unconnected individuals cannot. A new study reported by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology describes how the worms self-organize to act as entangled \u0026ldquo;active matter,\u0026rdquo; creating surprising collective behaviors whose principles have been applied to help blobs of simple robots evolve their own locomotion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, supported by the National Science Foundation and the Army Research Office, was reported Feb. 5 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. Findings from the work could help developers of swarm robots understand how emergent behavior of entangled active matter can produce unexpected, complex, and potentially useful mechanically driven behaviors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollective Behavior in Worms\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe spark for the research came several years ago in California, where \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/people\/saad-bhamla\u0022\u003ESaad Bhamla\u003C\/a\u003E was intrigued by blobs of the worms he saw in a backyard pond.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We were curious about why these worms would form these living blobs,\u0026rdquo; said Bhamla, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;We have now shown through mathematical models and biological experiments that forming the blobs confers a kind of collective decision-making that enables worms in a larger blob to survive longer against desiccation. We also showed that they can move together, a collective behavior that\u0026rsquo;s not done by any other organisms we know of at the macro scale.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESuch collective behavior in living systems is of interest to researchers exploring ways to apply the principles of living systems to human-designed systems such as swarm robots, in which individuals must also work together to create complex behaviors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The worm blob collective turns out to have capabilities that are more than what the individuals have, a wonderful example of biological emergence,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, a Dunn Family Professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, who studies the physics of living systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy the Worms Form Blobs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe worm blob system was studied extensively by Yasemin Ozkan-Aydin, a research associate in Goldman\u0026rsquo;s lab. Using bundles of worms she originally ordered from a California aquarium supply company \u0026ndash; and now raises in Georgia Tech labs \u0026ndash; Ozkan-Aydin put the worms through several experiments. Those included development of a \u0026ldquo;worm gymnasium\u0026rdquo; that allowed her to measure the strength of individual worms, knowledge important to understanding how small numbers of the creatures can move an entire blob.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe started by taking the aquatic worms out of the water and watching their behavior. First, they individually began searching for water. When that search failed, they formed a ball-shaped blob in which individuals took turns on the outer surface exposed to the air where evaporation was taking place \u0026ndash; behavior she theorized would reduce the effect of evaporation on the collective. By studying the blobs, she learned that worms in a blob could survive out of water 10 times longer than individual worms could.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;They would certainly want to reduce desiccation, but the way in which they would do this is not obvious and points to a kind of collective intelligence in the system,\u0026rdquo; said Goldman. \u0026ldquo;They are not just surface-minimizing machines. They are looking to exploit good conditions and resources.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUsing Blobs to Escape Threats\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOzkan-Aydin also studied how worm blobs responded to both temperature gradients and intense light. The worms need a specific range of temperatures to survive and dislike intense light. When a blob was placed on a heated plate, it slowly moved away from the hotter portion of the plate to the cooler portion and under intense light formed tightly entangled blobs. The worms appeared to divide responsibilities for the movement, with some individuals pulling the blob while others helped lift the aggregation to reduce friction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs with evaporation, the collective activity improves the chances of survival for the entire group, which can range from 10 worms up to as many as 50,000.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;For an individual worm going from hot to cold, survival depends on chance,\u0026rdquo; said Bhamla. \u0026ldquo;When they move as a blob, they move more slowly because they have to coordinate the mechanics. But if they move as a blob, 95% of them get to the cold side, so being part of the blob confers many survival advantages.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Worm Gymnasium\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers noted that only two or three \u0026ldquo;puller\u0026rdquo; worms were needed to drag a 15-worm blob. That led them to wonder just how strong the creatures were, so Ozkan-Aydin created a series of poles and cantilevers in which she could measure the forces exerted by individual worms. This \u0026ldquo;worm gymnasium\u0026rdquo; allowed her to appreciate how the pullers managed to do their jobs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When the worms are happy and cool, they stretch out and grab onto one of the poles with their heads and they pull onto it,\u0026rdquo; Bhamla said. \u0026ldquo;When they are pulling, you can see the deflection of the cantilever to which their tails were attached. Yasemin was able to use known weights to calibrate the forces the worms create. The force measurement shows the individual worms are packing a lot of power.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESome worms were stronger than others, and as the temperature increased, their willingness to work out at the gym declined.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApplying Worm Principles to Robots\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOzkan-Aydin also applied the principles observed in the worms to small robotic blobs composed of \u0026ldquo;smart active particles,\u0026rdquo; six 3D-printed robots with two arms and two sensors allowing them to sense light. She added a mesh enclosure and pins to arms that allowed these \u0026ldquo;smarticles\u0026rdquo; to be entangled like the worms and tested a variety of gaits and movements that could be programmed into them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Depending on the intensity, the robots try to move away from the light,\u0026rdquo; Ozkan-Aydin said. \u0026ldquo;They generate emergent behavior that is similar to what we saw in the worms.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe noted that there was no communication among the robots. \u0026ldquo;Each robot is doing its own thing in a decentralized way,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Using just the mechanical interaction and the attraction each robot had for light intensity, we could control the robot blob.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy measuring the energy consumption of an individual robot when it performed different gaits (wiggle and crawl), she determined that the wiggle gait uses less power than the crawl gait. The researchers anticipate that by exploiting gait differentiation, future entangled robotic swarms could improve their energy efficiency.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding What Robot Swarms Can Do\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers hope to continue their study of the collective dynamics of the worm blobs and apply what they learn to swarm robots, which must work together with little communication to accomplish tasks that they could not do alone. But those systems must be able to work in the real world.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Often people want to make robot swarms do specific things, but they tend to be operating in pristine environments with simple situations,\u0026rdquo; said Goldman. \u0026ldquo;With these blobs, the whole point is that they work only because of physical interaction among the individuals. That\u0026rsquo;s an interesting factor to bring into robotics.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong the challenges ahead are recruiting graduate students willing to work with the worm blobs, which have the consistency of bread dough.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The worms are very nice to work with,\u0026rdquo; said Ozkan-Aydin. \u0026ldquo;We can play with them and they are very friendly. But it takes a person who is very comfortable working with living systems.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project shows how the biological world can provide insights beneficial to the field of robotics, said Kathryn Dickson, program director of the Physiological Mechanisms and Biomechanics Program at the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This discovery shows that observations of animal behavior in natural settings, along with biological experiments and modeling, can offer new insights, and how new knowledge gained from interdisciplinary research can help humans, for example, in the robotic control applications arising from this work,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under grants CAREER 1941933 and 1817334 and the Army Research Office under grant W911NF-11-1-0514. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Yasemin Ozkan-Aydin, Daniel I. Goldman, and M. Saad Bhamla, \u0026ldquo;Collective dynamics in entangled worm and robot blobs. (\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E, 2021). \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2010542118\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2010542118\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIndividually, California blackworms live an unremarkable life eating microorganisms in ponds and serving as tropical fish food for aquarium enthusiasts. But together, tens, hundreds, or thousands of the centimeter-long creatures can collaborate to form a \u0026ldquo;worm blob,\u0026rdquo; a shape-shifting living liquid that collectively protects its members from drying out and helps them escape threats such as excessive heat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research into \u0022blobs\u0022 formed by worms and robots could help developers of swarm robots better utilize emergent behavior."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2021-02-10 17:50:47","changed_gmt":"2021-02-10 17:52:29","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"644063":{"id":"644063","type":"image","title":"Worm blobs create collective behavior","body":null,"created":"1612977380","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 17:16:20","changed":"1612977380","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 17:16:20","alt":"Blobs of California blackworms in bottles","file":{"fid":"244530","name":"worm-blobs_3202.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/worm-blobs_3202.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/worm-blobs_3202.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":523457,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/worm-blobs_3202.jpg?itok=QsIOzfiF"}},"644064":{"id":"644064","type":"image","title":"Closeup of smart active particle (smarticle)","body":null,"created":"1612977504","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 17:18:24","changed":"1612977504","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 17:18:24","alt":"Closeup of robotic smarticles","file":{"fid":"244531","name":"smarticle_2917.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/smarticle_2917.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/smarticle_2917.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":247973,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/smarticle_2917.jpg?itok=oCYX9M85"}},"644067":{"id":"644067","type":"image","title":"Group of smart active particles (smarticles)","body":null,"created":"1612977805","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 17:23:25","changed":"1612977805","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 17:23:25","alt":"Group of smart active particles (smarticles)","file":{"fid":"244533","name":"smarticle-blob_2976.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/smarticle-blob_2976.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/smarticle-blob_2976.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":589131,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/smarticle-blob_2976.jpg?itok=shqiCTTC"}},"644069":{"id":"644069","type":"image","title":"Daniel Goldman and smarticle","body":null,"created":"1612977934","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 17:25:34","changed":"1612977934","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 17:25:34","alt":"Dan Goldman holds smart active particle robot","file":{"fid":"244534","name":"smarticle-goldman_3146.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/smarticle-goldman_3146.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/smarticle-goldman_3146.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":398887,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/smarticle-goldman_3146.jpg?itok=GTZ6wAn0"}},"644066":{"id":"644066","type":"image","title":"Robot blob and worm blob","body":null,"created":"1612977688","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 17:21:28","changed":"1612977688","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 17:21:28","alt":"Robot blob and worm blob compared","file":{"fid":"244532","name":"smarticle-worm-blob_2963.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/smarticle-worm-blob_2963.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/smarticle-worm-blob_2963.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":460225,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/smarticle-worm-blob_2963.jpg?itok=x2sbEEPI"}},"644071":{"id":"644071","type":"image","title":"Smarticles interact to form a robot blob","body":null,"created":"1612978286","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 17:31:26","changed":"1612978286","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 17:31:26","alt":"Smarticles interact to form a robot blob","file":{"fid":"244536","name":"worm-blobs_2906.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/worm-blobs_2906.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/worm-blobs_2906.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":456628,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/worm-blobs_2906.jpg?itok=sfjOhHI8"}},"644070":{"id":"644070","type":"image","title":"Living liquid of worm blobs","body":null,"created":"1612978167","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 17:29:27","changed":"1612978167","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 17:29:27","alt":"Worm blob flows from a hand","file":{"fid":"244535","name":"worm-blob_2971.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/worm-blob_2971.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/worm-blob_2971.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":314541,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/worm-blob_2971.jpg?itok=amekQjhc"}}},"media_ids":["644063","644064","644067","644069","644066","644071","644070"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186986","name":"worm blob"},{"id":"182389","name":"smarticle"},{"id":"186987","name":"robot blob"},{"id":"181005","name":"collective behavior"},{"id":"175602","name":"living systems"},{"id":"186555","name":"active matter"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"644055":{"#nid":"644055","#data":{"type":"news","title":"We Heart Physics: Flavio Fenton on Cardiac Rhythms, Chaos, and a Mission to End Arrhythmias    ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be Valentine\u0026rsquo;s Day for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFlavio Fenton\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to focus his attention on the human heart. It\u0026rsquo;s what he\u0026rsquo;s researched for the past 30 years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton is a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. He once wanted to be a particle physicist, with hopes of working on the Higgs boson while working at the Superconducting Super Collider. Instead, he\u0026rsquo;s spent the last three decades learning and sharing everything he can about cardiac electrical signals. Why?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s because the heart \u0026ldquo;is a fascinating system that involves a lot of physics,\u0026rdquo; Fenton shares. \u0026ldquo;When you think about the physics of a heart, the first thing that comes to mind is the pumping action and the forcing of fluids. But the reason it contracts is an electrical signal. There\u0026rsquo;s a lot of physiology and biology behind the function of the heart, but underneath it all, there\u0026rsquo;s so many areas of physics you can apply to it to understand how it works \u0026mdash; and how it fails to work, like in the case of arrhythmias,\u0026rdquo; which happen when a heart beats in an abnormal rhythm, beating too slow or too fast and often irregularly.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYes, the story of the heart is one of fluids and mechanics, staples of basic physics. But it also involves the chaos of electrical storms within cardiac tissue that cause those arrhythmias. Fenton\u0026rsquo;s ability to find the physics and mathematics in those cardiac rhythms has resulted in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/maelstroms-heart-confirmed\u0022\u003Eresearch that\u0026rsquo;s helped to create 3D images of arrhythmias\u003C\/a\u003E, studies that\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/using-smartphones-and-laptops-simulate-deadly-heart-arrhythmias\u0022\u003Eput the latest technologies of computer simulations into consumer electronics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;so more scientists can have access to them, and work that\u0026rsquo;s helped us better understand how\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2020\/06\/01\/study-shows-hydroxychloroquines-harmful-effects-heart-rhythm\u0022\u003Ecertain Covid-19 treatments can negatively impact patients\u0026rsquo; hearts.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHow Fenton came to focus on the heart is also the story of how science, and life, can force adaptations to long-range plans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn early career decision: follow the heart\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe massive Super Collider project where Fenton hoped to conduct particle physics research in Texas in the 1990s was halfway dug out of the ground when Congress decided to cut its funding. Fenton shares that he didn\u0026rsquo;t want to compete with a number of suddenly unemployed high energy physicists, so he changed his academic plans and pursued a different scientific mystery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;At the time it was being discovered that electrical spiral waves in the heart drove certain kinds of arrhythmias. My advisor and I decided to investigate how anatomical features of the heart destabilized spiral waves, leading to deadly arrhythmias.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat would necessitate learning physiology and biology, while filling in other gaps in his education so he could pivot to cardiac studies\u0026mdash;after he already had spent several years working in particle physics. \u0026ldquo;In the end, my Ph.D. took ten years,\u0026rdquo; he recalls. Then, he wanted to apply his nascent theories about cardiac spiral waves and how they propagate within heart tissue. \u0026ldquo;As a postdoc, I worked for a few years in hospitals so I could learn from a cardiologist, Dr. Steve Evans, about arrhythmias in the clinic.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDeciding he needed more background in performing experiments, he then went to Cornell to work with Robert Gilmour, a professor \u0026ldquo;doing cool experiments\u0026rdquo; with cardiac signals. \u0026ldquo;Even though I was not trained as an experimentalist, I was allowed a great deal of freedom in the lab, and I learned a lot even when experiments did not always go according to plan in the beginning,\u0026rdquo; he says with a laugh.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe was also building his fascination with cardiac electrical signals that would result in published research, grants from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, and breakthroughs involving how science can image, and possibly treat, the electrical storms that plague unstable hearts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA colorful and scary view of heart arrhythmias\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton\u0026rsquo;s fascination with heart rhythms collided with the Covid-19 pandemic in May 2020, when he and colleagues at Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Johns Hopkins University published a paper in the journal\u0026nbsp;Heart Rhythm\u0026nbsp;on the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine. At the time, the drug was touted as a potential treatment for those with Covid-19, but the team\u0026rsquo;s study showed how hydroxychloroquine at the higher proposed doses triggered abnormal heart activity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have illustrated experimentally how the drug actually changes the electrical waves in the heart, and how that can initiate an arrhythmia,\u0026rdquo; Fenton told Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/635878\/study-shows-hydroxychloroquines-harmful-effects-heart-rhythm\u0022\u003EResearch Horizons\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;We used optical mapping, which allows us to see exactly how the waveforms in the heart were changed and why that is dangerous.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe scientists used a powerful LED-based optical mapping system, along with fluorescent dyes to make visible the movement of the electrical waves. A\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Z6HAkN-_qlU\u0026amp;feature=emb_logo\u0022\u003Evideo\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;produced by Georgia Tech shows sections of a heart lighting up with colors illustrating electrical activity in regions of the organ. Waveform graphics show how a so-called \u0026ldquo;T-wave\u0026rdquo; in the heartbeat grows longer with the introduction of hydroxychloroquine. Fenton says that can create problems with succeeding waves.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The wavelength becomes less homogeneous and that produces sections of the heart where the waves do not propagate well,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;In the worst case, there are multiple waves going in different directions. Sections of the heart are contracting at different times, so the heart is just quivering. At that point, it can no longer pump blood throughout the body.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe picture of a heart in distress\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETwo years before the pandemic hit, optical mapping technology had also figured into a 2018 research paper published by Fenton and colleagues. The idea was to find a way to provide more visual, detailed three-dimensional evidence of what goes on throughout the heart during cardiac arrest, something that up until then had largely evaded science.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe kinds of spiral-like waves seen in heart fibrillation (where the cardiac rhythms are dangerously out of sync, and the upper or lower chambers of your heart experience chaotic electrical signals) needed to be visualized in order to see what effects they were having inside cardiac muscle. \u0026ldquo;However, visualization of the 3D wave phenomena that occur within the cardiac muscle has remained a major scientific challenge. Despite substantial progress in the development of tomographic optical techniques, the measurement of transient electrical scroll waves inside cardiac tissue has so far been impossible,\u0026rdquo; the authors stated.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton, School of Physics postdoctoral fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/ilija-uzelac\u0022\u003EIlija Uzelac\u003C\/a\u003E, and colleagues from Germany\u0026rsquo;s Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-organization and University of California San Diego came up with a mix of panoramic optical mapping and high-resolution four-dimensional ultrasound imaging. \u0026ldquo;Until now, only surface recording of complex fibrillation was possible,\u0026rdquo; Fenton said at the time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0026rsquo;s new imaging technique could help lead to earlier identification of heart rhythm disorders and development of better treatments. Thanks to the group\u0026rsquo;s research, a more complete picture of what exactly happens to a human heart while in distress is also coming into view.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDialing up heart rhythms on a smartphone\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn 2019, Fenton and researchers had been able to take technologies that allowed them to simulate the spiral waves of heart rhythms by solving mathematical equations using supercomputers, and apply them to widely available consumer electronics like smartphones and laptop computers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat research, co-authored by Fenton, School of Physics research scientist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/abouzar-kaboudian\u0022\u003EAbouzar Kaboudian\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;School of Computational Science and Engineering\u0026nbsp;associate professor Elizabeth M. Cherry (then at\u0026nbsp;Rochester Institute of Technology) was published in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/advances.sciencemag.org\/content\/5\/3\/eaav6019\u0022\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile heart rhythm studies in general required powerful computers \u0026mdash; sometimes supercomputers \u0026mdash; the march of digital technology\u0026rsquo;s progress has resulted in scientists being able to use the same computer chips used in high-end gaming applications and commercial software found in web browsers to expand the reach of 3D modeling.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Models that might have been accessible to only a handful of researchers in the world will now be available to many more groups,\u0026rdquo; Fenton shares. \u0026ldquo;This also opens the door to many other areas of research where people have equations that can be solved in parallel. Anybody can have access to these programs, which run simulations as much as thousands of times faster than standard CPUs (central processing units).\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESounding out future cardiac research\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton says he has never looked back at the decision he made to forgo particle physics so he could work on cardiac electrical signals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It showed me that even though you think you want something, you have to be open to new things,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;You may find those other things are more interesting. I\u0026rsquo;m having so much fun in doing this. I\u0026rsquo;m so glad I changed to this area.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd as to what\u0026rsquo;s next? Fenton\u0026rsquo;s current projects involve possible advances in the amount of voltage used to treat fibrillations, and new knowledge about where in the heart to apply that voltage. He maintains collaborations with agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and a wide array of researchers and clinicians, with hopes that hospitals will eventually be able to directly apply what he has studied over the years to assist in better patient care and health outcomes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The heart has been a really fun system to study, there\u0026rsquo;s so much that we still don\u0026rsquo;t know,\u0026rdquo; he adds, \u0026ldquo;but on top of that, it has a main application of directly saving lives, if we can find better and safer ways to prevent and terminate arrhythmias.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Flavio Fenton\u2019s fascinations with cardiac rhythms and electrical signals lead to innovations in 3D imaging and new research in heart sounds"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHe\u0026#39;s a physicist, but Flavio Fenton has long been fascinated by the heart, and the electrical signals that keep it pumping. Fenton recounts how\u0026nbsp;he pivoted from particle physics to researching cardiac rhythms, along the way helping to provide innovations in heart sound studies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Flavio Fenton\u2019s fascinations with cardiac rhythms and electrical signals lead to innovations in 3D imaging and new research in heart sounds"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-02-10 15:31:32","changed_gmt":"2021-02-12 16:11:38","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"644108":{"id":"644108","type":"image","title":"Heart illustration by Harriss Callahan and Monet Fort","body":null,"created":"1612991666","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 21:14:26","changed":"1612991666","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 21:14:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244546","name":"heart-physics.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-physics.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-physics.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1058783,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/heart-physics.jpg?itok=yje1NAa6"}},"638980":{"id":"638980","type":"image","title":"Flavio Fenton","body":null,"created":"1599838469","gmt_created":"2020-09-11 15:34:29","changed":"1599838469","gmt_changed":"2020-09-11 15:34:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242942","name":"Flavio Fenton.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton.png","mime":"image\/png","size":155229,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton.png?itok=Vcf3N2rs"}},"644057":{"id":"644057","type":"image","title":"Cardiac spiral waves in a rabbit\u0027s heart (Photo FDA)","body":null,"created":"1612971972","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 15:46:12","changed":"1612971972","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 15:46:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244525","name":"Cardiac spiral waves in a rabbit\u0027s heart (Photo FDA).png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Cardiac%20spiral%20waves%20in%20a%20rabbit%27s%20heart%20%28Photo%20FDA%29.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Cardiac%20spiral%20waves%20in%20a%20rabbit%27s%20heart%20%28Photo%20FDA%29.png","mime":"image\/png","size":673017,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Cardiac%20spiral%20waves%20in%20a%20rabbit%27s%20heart%20%28Photo%20FDA%29.png?itok=GbR1l0tK"}},"644058":{"id":"644058","type":"image","title":"Electrocardiogram (Photo iStock)","body":null,"created":"1612972063","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 15:47:43","changed":"1612972063","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 15:47:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244526","name":"Electrocardiogram (Photo iStock).png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Electrocardiogram%20%28Photo%20iStock%29.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Electrocardiogram%20%28Photo%20iStock%29.png","mime":"image\/png","size":536792,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Electrocardiogram%20%28Photo%20iStock%29.png?itok=YOh0XaZ9"}}},"media_ids":["644108","638980","644057","644058"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/fenton-lieberman-2018-faculty-award-academic-outreach","title":"Fenton \u0026 Lieberman: 2018 Faculty Award for Academic Outreach"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/maelstroms-heart-confirmed","title":"Maelstroms in the Heart Confirmed"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/flavio-fenton-joins-eces-anna-holcomb-2020-2021-governors-teaching-fellow","title":"Flavio Fenton Joins ECE\u0027s Anna Holcomb as 2020-2021 Governor\u2019s Teaching Fellow"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/two-georgia-tech-physicists-are-aps-fellows","title":"Two Georgia Tech Physicists are APS Fellows"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-physicists-expand-access-biophysics-research","title":"Georgia Tech Physicists Expand Access to Biophysics Research"},{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/635878\/study-shows-hydroxychloroquines-harmful-effects-heart-rhythm","title":"Study Shows Hydroxychloroquine\u0027s Harmful Effects on Heart Rhythm"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/using-smartphones-and-laptops-simulate-deadly-heart-arrhythmias","title":"Using Smartphones and Laptops to Simulate Deadly Heart Arrhythmias"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"112191","name":"Flavio Fenton"},{"id":"186974","name":"arrhythmias"},{"id":"186975","name":"cardiac signals"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"643492":{"#nid":"643492","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Colorful Explanation for How We Remember Things ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen you remember something, does the memory come all at once, in a flash? Or does it unspool at a slower pace, with details popping up here and there as they fill the gaps in your memory?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eneuro.org\/content\/early\/2020\/12\/08\/ENEURO.0387-20.2020\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from the School of Psychology points to evidence that in the midst of the brain\u0026rsquo;s electrically induced chaos of firing neurons and snapping synapses, encoding and recalling memories seems to follow a pattern, regardless of age. Further studies of this process could someday help lead to earlier diagnosis of neurological diseases like Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When we are experiencing visual events like we do on a daily basis, our brain will first perceive and encode into memory the simple features that are in color before the complex features like the scene, the room that we are in,\u0026rdquo; says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/audrey-duarte\u0022\u003EAudrey Duarte\u003C\/a\u003E, co-author of the study and principal investigator in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/duartelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMemory and Aging Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. Duarte is also a professor in the School of Psychology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When we bring that event back, it\u0026rsquo;s the opposite temporal order. First the scene, then the color.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA key factor in that process? Just like your teachers told you \u0026mdash; it\u0026rsquo;s all about paying attention.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThose are the main takeaways from the study, published January 15 in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eneuro.org\/\u0022\u003EeNeuro\u003C\/a\u003E, the journal of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sfn.org\/\u0022\u003ESociety for Neuroscience\u003C\/a\u003E, under the title, \u0026ldquo;Context Memory Encoding and Retrieval Temporal Dynamics Are Modulated by Attention across the Adult Lifespan.\u0026rdquo; The lead author is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/graduate-students\/731\u0022\u003ESoroush\u0026nbsp;Mirjalili\u003C\/a\u003E, a research assistant and grad student of Duarte\u0026rsquo;s.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMirjalili described the study\u0026rsquo;s findings in a way that might resonate with those dealing with pandemic restrictions. Imagine viewing a talk in a virtual conference. \u0026ldquo;Your brain would be processing the simple features like colors on the slides before it would process the spatial layout of the presentation or perhaps the layout of the room in which you are viewing it,\u0026rdquo; Mirjalili says. \u0026ldquo;But later if you are remembering this experience, it is these more complex spatial details like those of the room you are sitting in that are likely brought back to mind first before the simpler features like the colors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Now imagine that a colleague later asks you about your experience at this conference and whether you tuned in from home or work. Your brain would be able to retrieve information about the spatial context of wherever you are right now\u0026nbsp;even\u0026nbsp;faster\u0026nbsp;than if they didn\u0026#39;t prompt you with that question about the location.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers Jonathan Strunk, Taylor James, and Patrick Powell are also co-authors of the paper, which was presented at a January 15, 2021 virtual news conference.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow Memories Get Filed Away\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0026rsquo;s primary focus is episodic memory, or a category of long-term memory that involves the recollection of personally experienced specific events, situations, and experiences. It has both simple and complex features, and it becomes less reliable with age.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs the authors state in the abstract of the research paper, \u0026ldquo;How we successfully encode and recover these features in time, whether these temporal dynamics are preserved across age, even under conditions of reduced memory performance, and the role of attention on these temporal dynamics, is unknown.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuarte and her students started to dig at those unknowns with the help of 58 study volunteers, ages ranging from 18 to 72, fitted with electroencephalography (EEG) skullcaps recording activity in their brains. Survey participants studied pictures of black and white objects presented with both color (representing low-level or simple features) and scenes (high-level or complex features), and subsequently made context memory decisions for both features. \u0026ldquo;Attentional demands were manipulated by having participants attend to the relationship between the object and either the color or scene while ignoring the other context feature,\u0026rdquo; the authors say.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuarte\u0026rsquo;s team started with existing research about the brain, particularly how it deals with perception. \u0026ldquo;Both in humans and animals, studies have shown that the brain can tell different colors apart before it can tell different scene features apart,\u0026rdquo; Duarte says. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s just because of the way the brain is organized. Those areas that are sensitive to color are just earlier in the stream of visual processing. Then there are those regions that are more sensitive to more complex, spatial details.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuarte and her team hypothesized that memory might happen the same way that perception does. \u0026ldquo;My brain can tell red from green earlier than whether it\u0026rsquo;s an indoor or outdoor scene,\u0026rdquo; she says. \u0026ldquo;But we didn\u0026rsquo;t know about memories. Maybe they\u0026rsquo;re encoded in the same order.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt turns out, according to the team\u0026rsquo;s data, that it does encode the memory in the same order \u0026mdash; but not when it comes to remembering. That\u0026rsquo;s where attention comes in.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;That was a novel aspect of our study,\u0026rdquo; Duarte says. \u0026ldquo;We hypothesized that what people are attending to is going to make a difference there.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results? Color is encoded into memory earlier than scene, and attention enhances this difference. The order in which color and scene are retrieved from memory is reversed, and attention enhances this reversal.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The temporal order in which we learn and remember is dependent on these hardwired visual pathways in the brain, but it\u0026rsquo;s also dependent on what we\u0026rsquo;re paying attention to,\u0026rdquo; Duarte says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn earlier diagnosis for Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELearning as much as possible about how memories are stored and retrieved is helpful on a basic science level, but several other studies conducted in Duarte\u0026rsquo;s Memory and Aging Lab deal with the impact of neurological diseases like Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuarte says the regions of the brain discussed in the study \u0026mdash; the visual pathway, regions sensitive to color and scenes \u0026mdash; don\u0026rsquo;t change a lot with normal aging. \u0026ldquo;But in pathology, which can occur even in a person\u0026rsquo;s 20s, with genetic predisposition, you can see this pathology in the brain but only with invasive methods,\u0026rdquo; she says. \u0026ldquo;If you see that pathology in those people in the same regions, they may not have amnesia yet but they might have a different temporal disorder. Perhaps early on in this disease, you can measure the timeline of memory recovery to see if there\u0026rsquo;s something else going on.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEven for those who might not develop Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s in 30 or 40 years, who may not yet have any detectable impairment, \u0026ldquo;it could be there\u0026rsquo;s something different in the temporal order of their memory, what\u0026rsquo;s recovered before what,\u0026rdquo; Duarte adds. \u0026ldquo;That might be an application for this kind of work, which isn\u0026rsquo;t invasive.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New School of Psychology research shows colors, scenes may dictate how we encode and recall certain memories "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study from School of Psychology researchers shows that color and scenes have a lot to do with how we encode memories, and how we recall them. The study could pave the way for earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer\u0026#39;s.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New School of Psychology research shows colors, scenes may dictate how we encode and recall certain memories "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-01-27 19:07:49","changed_gmt":"2021-02-10 21:16:29","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"644109":{"id":"644109","type":"image","title":"Depiction of neurons (Research Horizons)","body":null,"created":"1612991769","gmt_created":"2021-02-10 21:16:09","changed":"1612991769","gmt_changed":"2021-02-10 21:16:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244547","name":"depiction-of-neurons-research-horizons.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/depiction-of-neurons-research-horizons.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/depiction-of-neurons-research-horizons.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":465794,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/depiction-of-neurons-research-horizons.jpg?itok=hz1UAenE"}},"643727":{"id":"643727","type":"image","title":"Memory and Aging ","body":null,"created":"1612208425","gmt_created":"2021-02-01 19:40:25","changed":"1612208425","gmt_changed":"2021-02-01 19:40:25","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244392","name":"Memory and Aging graphic.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Memory%20and%20Aging%20graphic.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Memory%20and%20Aging%20graphic.png","mime":"image\/png","size":89672,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Memory%20and%20Aging%20graphic.png?itok=j9C6Zav0"}},"607053":{"id":"607053","type":"image","title":"Audrey Duarte","body":null,"created":"1528927015","gmt_created":"2018-06-13 21:56:55","changed":"1528927015","gmt_changed":"2018-06-13 21:56:55","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231550","name":"audrey-duarte.sq250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/audrey-duarte.sq250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/audrey-duarte.sq250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":45601,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/audrey-duarte.sq250.jpg?itok=bL2bpzRQ"}},"643720":{"id":"643720","type":"image","title":"Soroush Mirjalili","body":null,"created":"1612205401","gmt_created":"2021-02-01 18:50:01","changed":"1612205401","gmt_changed":"2021-02-01 18:50:01","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244388","name":"Soroush Mirjalili.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Soroush%20Mirjalili.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Soroush%20Mirjalili.png","mime":"image\/png","size":50354,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Soroush%20Mirjalili.png?itok=ZQC4HA_7"}}},"media_ids":["644109","643727","607053","643720"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/season-1-episode-8-when-people-age-and-memory-fails","title":"ScienceMatters Podcast Season 1 Episode 8: When People Age and Memory Fails"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/catching-zs-capturing-data-researchers-create-diy-device-monitoring-sleep-patterns","title":"Catching Z\u2019s, Capturing Data: Researchers Create DIY Device for Monitoring Sleep Patterns"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/study-ties-poor-sleep-reduced-memory-performance-older-adults","title":"Study Ties Poor Sleep to Reduced Memory Performance in Older Adults"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"167710","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"14224","name":"Audrey Duarte"},{"id":"186849","name":"Memory and Aging Lab"},{"id":"1228","name":"memory"},{"id":"186850","name":"encoding memory"},{"id":"14757","name":"Alzheimer\u0027s"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"643751":{"#nid":"643751","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Snake Micro Scales Reveal Secrets of Sidewinding and Slithering","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe mesmerizing flow of a sidewinder moving obliquely across desert sands has captivated biologists for centuries and has been variously studied over the years, but questions remained about how the snakes produce their unique motion. Sidewinders are pit vipers, specifically rattlesnakes, native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists had already described the microstructure of the skin on the ventral, or belly, surface of snakes. Many of the snakes studied, including all viper species, had distinctive rearward facing \u0026ldquo;microspicules\u0026rdquo; (micron-sized protrusions on scales) that had been interpreted in the context of reducing friction in the forward direction\u0026mdash;the direction the crawling snake\u0026mdash;and increasing friction in the backward direction to reduce slip.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EConsidered through the lens of a sidewinder\u0026rsquo;s peculiar form of locomotion, however, it seemed that these microspicules would not function in the same manner. But no one had examined the microstructure of sidewinders, nor of a handful of unrelated African vipers that also sidewind.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWorking with naturally-shed skins collected from snakes in zoos, researchers used atomic force microscopy to visualize and measure the microstructures of these scale protrusions in three species of sidewinding vipers as well as many other viper species for comparison. The results of the research, published this week in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E, found that indeed the sidewinders have a unique structure distinct from other snakes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe microspicules were absent in the African sidewinding species and reduced to tiny nubbins in the North American sidewinder. All three snakes also had distinctive crater-like micro-depressions producing a distinctive texture not seen in other snakes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EProfessor of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.emory.edu\/home\/people\/bios\/rieser-jennifer.html\u0022\u003EJennifer Rieser\u003C\/a\u003E, working as a postdoctoral researcher in Goldman\u0026rsquo;s group and currently an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/physics.emory.edu\u0022\u003EDepartment of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at Emory University, developed mathematical models to test how both the typical texture of rearward-directed microspicules and spicule-less cratered texture function as snakes interact with the ground. The models revealed that the microspicules would actually impede sidewinding, explaining their evolutionary loss in these species.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe models also revealed an unexpected result that microspicules function to improve performance of snakes that use lateral undulation to move. Lateral undulation is the typical side-to-side mode locomotion used by the majority of snake species. \u0026ldquo;This discovery adds a new dimension to our knowledge of the functionality of these structures, that is more complex than the previous ideas,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zooatlanta.org\/leader-expert\/joe-mendelson-phd\/\u0022\u003EJoseph Mendelson\u003C\/a\u003E, director of research at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zooatlanta.org\/\u0022\u003EZoo Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E and adjunct associate professor in the Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe models indicate that the microspicules act a bit like corduroy fabric. \u0026ldquo;Friction is low when you run your finger along the length of the furrowed fabric\u0026mdash;consistent with previous work\u0026mdash;but the furrows produce significant friction when you move your finger sideways across the fabric texture,\u0026rdquo; said Goldman. The functionality of the distinct craters remains a mystery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings could be important to the development of future generations of robots able to move across challenging surfaces such as loose sand. \u0026ldquo;Understanding how and why this example of convergent evolution works may allow us to adapt it for our own needs, such as building robots that can move in challenging environments,\u0026rdquo; Rieser said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn terms of anatomy, this was a classic example of convergent evolution between a pair of snake species in Africa and a very distantly related snake in North America, Mendelson noted. Biogeographic reconstructions conducted by Jessica Tingle, a doctoral student at University of California Riverside, indicated that the African snakes are evolutionarily much older than the North American sidewinder, suggesting that the sidewinders represented an earlier phase in adaptation for sidewinding.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETai-De Li, then at Georgia Tech in the lab of Prof Elisa Riedo and now at the City University of New York, did the AFM measurements.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDrawing from the fields of evolutionary biology, living systems physics, and mathematical modelling, the team produced a study that explains some aspects of what these microstructures on the bellies of snakes do and how they evolved in snakes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our results highlight how an integrated approach can provide quantitative predictions for structure-function relationships and insights into behavioral and evolutionary adaptions in biological systems,\u0026rdquo; the authors wrote.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the Georgia Tech Elizabeth Smithgall Watts Fund; National Science Foundation Physics of Living Systems Grants PHY-1205878 and PHY-1150760; and Army Research Office Grant W911NF-11-1-0514. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Jennifer M. Rieser, Tai-De Li, Jessica L. Tingle, Daniel I. Goldman, and Joseph R. Mendelson III, \u0026ldquo;Functional consequences of convergently evolved microscopic skin features on snake locomotion.\u0026rdquo; (\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E, 2021)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986); (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe mesmerizing flow of a sidewinder moving obliquely across desert sands has captivated biologists for centuries and has been variously studied over the years, but questions remained about how the snakes produce their unique motion. Sidewinders are pit vipers, specifically rattlesnakes, native to the deserts of the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The mesmerizing flow of a sidewinder moving across desert sands has captivated biologists for centuries, but questions remained about how the snakes produce their unique motion."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2021-02-02 01:15:39","changed_gmt":"2021-02-09 20:07:08","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-02-01T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-02-01T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"643748":{"id":"643748","type":"image","title":"Microstructure of snake belly scales","body":null,"created":"1612227536","gmt_created":"2021-02-02 00:58:56","changed":"1612227536","gmt_changed":"2021-02-02 00:58:56","alt":"Microscope image of rattlesnake scales","file":{"fid":"244398","name":"lance-headed.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lance-headed.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lance-headed.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":762089,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lance-headed.jpg?itok=WFzRQhxi"}},"643749":{"id":"643749","type":"image","title":"Sidewinder in sandy arena","body":null,"created":"1612227616","gmt_created":"2021-02-02 01:00:16","changed":"1612227616","gmt_changed":"2021-02-02 01:00:16","alt":"Sidewinder snake in sandy arena","file":{"fid":"244399","name":"sidewinder-snake.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder-snake.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder-snake.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1150070,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sidewinder-snake.jpg?itok=CX3li5sR"}},"643750":{"id":"643750","type":"image","title":"Sidewinder snake microstructures","body":null,"created":"1612227723","gmt_created":"2021-02-02 01:02:03","changed":"1612227723","gmt_changed":"2021-02-02 01:02:03","alt":"Microscales of sidewinder snakes","file":{"fid":"244400","name":"sidewinder-scales.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder-scales.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder-scales.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":804673,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sidewinder-scales.jpg?itok=4TZm-N1V"}}},"media_ids":["643748","643749","643750"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"169001","name":"Snake"},{"id":"169681","name":"sidewinder snake"},{"id":"186899","name":"snake scale"},{"id":"186900","name":"pit viper"},{"id":"186901","name":"microspicules"},{"id":"2352","name":"robots"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"643717":{"#nid":"643717","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Suddath Symposium Showcases Latest Research in Origins and Early Evolution of Life","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe origins of life on Earth present some of the most intriguing questions of all time and have\u0026nbsp;been a topic of active scientific research for almost a century. On January 28-29, 2021, the annual Suddath Symposium featured leaders in the field who shared their recent progress towards\u0026nbsp;answering questions central to\u0026nbsp;this field, including: How did RNA, polypeptides, and polysaccharides first emerge on the early Earth?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis annual symposium, in its 29\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E year, provides a forum for researchers to share the latest research in bioengineering and bioscience. Each year the symposium topic changes and is held to celebrate the life and contributions of F.L. \u0026ldquo;Bud\u0026rdquo; Suddath, a Georgia Tech professor who excelled at research, teaching, and in administrative roles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe 2021 symposium \u0026ldquo;Origins and Early Evolution of Life\u0026rdquo; was co-chaired by Nicholas\u0026nbsp;Hud and Loren Williams. Nicholas\u0026nbsp;Hud, Ph.D., is a Regents\u0026rsquo; professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, director of the NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, and associate director of the Petit Institute. Loren Williams, Ph.D., is a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech, director of the Georgia Tech Center for the Origin of Life,\u0026nbsp;and researcher at the Petit Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;This year\u0026#39;s Suddath Symposium was the perfect\u0026nbsp;opportunity for us to share\u0026nbsp;our latest research on the origins of life and to\u0026nbsp;celebrate 10 years of the Center for Chemical Evolution, said Nicholas Hud.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our center has been focused on a grand challenge\u0026hellip; to discover plausible prebiotic syntheses for the polymers of life or their predecessors. Now that our center has completed 10 years, the maximum number of years that can be supported by NSF, we have a cadre of early career scientists ready to take the reins on future research efforts. It\u0026rsquo;s exciting to see the impact we have made on the field, and to share these accomplishments through the Suddath Symposium with the broader scientific\u0026nbsp;community.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe 2021 Suddath Symposium was the first in this\u0026nbsp;29 year\u0026nbsp;series of symposia to go virtual with 251 attendees from 18 countries around the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEach year, the symposium kicks off with a presentation from a Georgia Tech Ph.D. candidate who has won the annual Suddath Memorial Award, which was established by the family, friends, and colleagues of Bud Suddath. This year\u0026rsquo;s 2021 award went to Cristian Crisan, a doctoral candidate advised by Brian Hammer, Ph.D., associate professor in the school of biological sciences at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECrisan\u0026rsquo;s presentation, \u0026ldquo;Antimicrobial Competition Dynamics of the \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E Type VI Secretion System,\u0026rdquo; began at 11 a.m. EST on Thursday, January 28\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E, and was followed by the 1 p.m. start of the 2021 Suddath Symposium on \u0026ldquo;Origins and Early Evolution of Life.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/suddath-symposium-program\u0022\u003EVIEW PRESENTATION RECORDINGS\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe lineup of \u0026ldquo;Origins and Early Evolution of Life\u0026rdquo; speakers included:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EKeynote presentation by Nobel laureate Jack Szostak, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EDonna Blackmond, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Scripps Research Institute\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EFacundo Fernandez, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Georgia Tech\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EVicki Grassian, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; University of California, San Diego\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EMartha Grover, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Georgia Tech\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ENicholas\u0026nbsp;Hud, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Georgia Tech\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ERamanarayanan Krishnamurthy, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Scripps Research Institute\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EAntonio Lazcano, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ELuke Leman, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Scripps Research Institute\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EThomas Orlando, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Georgia Tech\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EGreg Springsteen, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Furman University\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ELoren Williams, Ph.D. \u0026ndash; Georgia Tech\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The annual symposium hosted by the Georgia Tech Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience provided a forum to celebrate the legacy of the NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, which has been headquartered at Georgia Tech for the past 10 years."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe annual symposium hosted by the Georgia Tech Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience provided a forum to celebrate the legacy of the NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, which has been headquartered at Georgia Tech for the past 10 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The annual symposium hosted by the Georgia Tech Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience provided a forum to celebrate the legacy of the NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, which has been headquartered at Georgia Tech for the past 10 years."}],"uid":"27561","created_gmt":"2021-02-01 18:14:46","changed_gmt":"2021-02-02 19:41:45","author":"Angela Ayers","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-02-01T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-02-01T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"643722":{"id":"643722","type":"image","title":"Origins and Early Evolution of Life","body":null,"created":"1612206017","gmt_created":"2021-02-01 19:00:17","changed":"1612206017","gmt_changed":"2021-02-01 19:00:17","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244390","name":"Fume_Hood_Gaugin_noringshadow-400pxls.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Fume_Hood_Gaugin_noringshadow-400pxls.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Fume_Hood_Gaugin_noringshadow-400pxls.png","mime":"image\/png","size":342900,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Fume_Hood_Gaugin_noringshadow-400pxls.png?itok=A_50HMf1"}},"643723":{"id":"643723","type":"image","title":"Suddath 2021 Award Winner","body":null,"created":"1612206478","gmt_created":"2021-02-01 19:07:58","changed":"1612206478","gmt_changed":"2021-02-01 19:07:58","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244391","name":"CristianBrianSuddaths2021.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CristianBrianSuddaths2021.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CristianBrianSuddaths2021.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":75868,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CristianBrianSuddaths2021.jpg?itok=rK0YN0E6"}},"643731":{"id":"643731","type":"image","title":"Suddath Symposium 2021 Nobel laureate speaker","body":null,"created":"1612211727","gmt_created":"2021-02-01 20:35:27","changed":"1612211727","gmt_changed":"2021-02-01 20:35:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244393","name":"JackSzostak_NobelLaureateSuddath.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/JackSzostak_NobelLaureateSuddath.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/JackSzostak_NobelLaureateSuddath.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":84515,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/JackSzostak_NobelLaureateSuddath.jpg?itok=6W7BlLUj"}},"643734":{"id":"643734","type":"image","title":"Suddath Symposium 2021 Speakers","body":null,"created":"1612212029","gmt_created":"2021-02-01 20:40:29","changed":"1612212029","gmt_changed":"2021-02-01 20:40:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244395","name":"AntonioNickLorenJay.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/AntonioNickLorenJay.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/AntonioNickLorenJay.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":58007,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/AntonioNickLorenJay.jpg?itok=XagxmINK"}}},"media_ids":["643722","643723","643731","643734"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/suddath-symposium","title":"Suddath Symposium website"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"174043","name":"go-PetitInstitute College of Sciences"},{"id":"186870","name":"go-imat"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:angela.ayers@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAngela Ayers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector, Research Communications Services\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["angela.ayers@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"643494":{"#nid":"643494","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Remembering Bridgette A. Barry, Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOne of Bridgette A. Barry\u0026rsquo;s last published research papers focused on providing more detail about what exactly happens during oxygen photosynthesis, which she called \u0026ldquo;the great fueler of life on the planet.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEven though much has been studied about the sunlight-powered process that provides Earth with oxygen, Barry knew that there was still a lot to uncover \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/making-oxygen-we-breathe-photosynthesis-mechanism-exposed\u0022\u003Eabout photosynthesis for the good of humankind\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;You could work with it to make crops more productive,\u0026rdquo; Barry said in 2018. With an eye on climate change\u0026rsquo;s impact on nature, she added, \u0026ldquo;We may have to repair and adapt the photosynthesis process someday, too.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Barry, a renowned professor of biochemistry and biophysics in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and a member of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, died January 20, 2021. She was 63. According to a memorial written by her family, her death comes after several years of bravely battling a severe autoimmune disease and the side effects of treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Barry\u0026rsquo;s husband, Peter Dardi, and her family \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dignitymemorial.com\/obituaries\/sandy-springs-ga\/bridgette-barry-10016770\u0022\u003Ehave shared details here\u003C\/a\u003E for a virtual memorial service which may be viewed by all on Saturday, January 30, 2021 at 11 a.m. ET.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAll are additionally invited to share thoughts and remembrances on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kudoboard.com\/boards\/ebURZjxx\u0022\u003Ethis memorial page\u003C\/a\u003E, which has been kindly organized by the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Joining our six schools and the Institute, the College sends heartfelt condolences to all of Professor Barry\u0026rsquo;s family, colleagues, students, and friends. She will be missed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Barry was director of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Molecular Biophysics Training Program, and of the Barry Group Laboratory. Her Institute biography said of her research interests, \u0026ldquo;Research in my group is focused on how the dynamic and responsive protein matrix facilitates biological catalysis. We use a wide range of high resolution spectroscopic, biochemical, and structural techniques to describe the reaction coordinate, which reveals the motion of the protein in space and time. We test the design principles, which we uncover, by building biomimetic models.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe received an A.B. in Chemistry with High Honors from Oberlin College in 1978, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where she met her husband, in 1984. After earning her Ph.D., she completed post-doctoral training at Michigan State University before starting as an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Barry received tenure and advanced to full professorship at the University of Minnesota before moving to Georgia Tech in 2003. She also made a significant impact through training and mentoring students and faculty alike, and in 2012 received Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s Faculty Mentoring Award.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe held the Graduate Opportunity Fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley (1982-1983), a McKnight Postdoctoral Fellowship at Michigan State University (1985), a Public Health Service Award at the National Institutes of Health (1985-1988), Faculty Summer Research Fellowship at the University of Minnesota (1989), fellowship at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2009), and fellowship in the American Chemical Society (2010). She participated in the Bush Foundation Faculty Development Program (1992-1993) and received the Bush Sabbatical Award from the University of Minnesota in 1997. During that same year, Barry also received the Career Advancement Award from the National Science Foundation. She is a national honorary member of Iota Sigma Pi.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry Chair and Professor M.G. Finn recently noted, \u0026ldquo;Bridgette influenced everyone who knew her with equal measures of scientific passion, dedication to quality, kindness, and consideration. I have always admired her papers \u0026mdash; clear, insightful, frequently breathtaking \u0026mdash; as wonderful examples of how we figure out how the world works. And I came to admire at least as much her quiet courage in these past years, dealing with her health challenges while maintaining the highest professional standards. When Bridgette spoke, everyone listened. We\u0026#39;ll miss her greatly.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Barry is survived by her husband of 36 years, Peter Dardi; a brother and sister-in-law, Michael and Jen Barry; and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dignitymemorial.com\/obituaries\/sandy-springs-ga\/bridgette-barry-10016770\u0022\u003Eher family asks\u003C\/a\u003E that contributions may be made to your local food bank.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESeveral of Professor Barry\u0026rsquo;s colleagues and friends are in the process of gathering and sharing memories and tributes to her life and research, which can be found on this aforementioned \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kudoboard.com\/boards\/ebURZjxx\u0022\u003Ememorial page\u003C\/a\u003E. These thoughts and remembrances will be shared with Professor Barry\u0026rsquo;s family.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EColleagues, students, alumni, and friends honor the remarkable life and work of Bridgette A. Barry, a renowned professor of biochemistry and biophysics in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who also a longtime member of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Colleagues and friends honor the remarkable life and work of Bridgette A. Barry, a renowned professor of biochemistry and biophysics in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who also a longtime member of the Parker H. Petit Institute."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-01-27 19:11:33","changed_gmt":"2021-01-27 21:15:34","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"643493":{"id":"643493","type":"image","title":"Professor Bridgette Barry","body":null,"created":"1611774503","gmt_created":"2021-01-27 19:08:23","changed":"1611774503","gmt_changed":"2021-01-27 19:08:23","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244313","name":"Barry picture_Chem website.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Barry%20picture_Chem%20website.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Barry%20picture_Chem%20website.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":40532,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Barry%20picture_Chem%20website.jpg?itok=aoT7yfsH"}}},"media_ids":["643493"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.kudoboard.com\/boards\/ebURZjxx","title":"Memorial Page: Professor Bridgette A. Barry"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.dignitymemorial.com\/obituaries\/sandy-springs-ga\/bridgette-barry-10016770","title":"Service and Memorial Information"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/making-oxygen-we-breathe-photosynthesis-mechanism-exposed","title":"Making the Oxygen We Breathe, a Photosynthesis Mechanism Exposed"},{"url":"https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Barry\/","title":"Barry Group Laboratory"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"29171","name":"Bridgette Barry"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"497","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sue.winters@chemistry.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESue Winters\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["sue.winters@chemistry.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642469":{"#nid":"642469","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Survival of the Smallest: Georgia Tech Researchers Uncover Unequal Effects of Human Activity on Mammals","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWalking along the Tech Green, you are likely to see squirrels, birds, and the occasional chipmunk scurrying along among passing students. These small critters seem to be thriving in urban environments across the world, but are these the same animals you would see if you took a walk in the same spot 200 or even 2,000 years ago?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jmcguire\u0022\u003EAssistant professor Jenny McGuire\u003C\/a\u003E and former postdoc \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spineda-munoz.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESilvia Pineda-Munoz\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mcguire.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Eof the Spatial Ecology and Paleontology Lab\u003C\/a\u003E in the Schools of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEarth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, sought to find out in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/118\/2\/e1922859118\u0022\u003Etheir latest research\u003C\/a\u003E. They analyzed fossils spanning 11,700 years to investigate how different animal species have changed their habitats as a result of human activity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Humans have expanded, but they haven\u0026rsquo;t expanded homogenously across North America \u0026ndash; we are where it\u0026rsquo;s nicer to live,\u0026rdquo; explains Pineda-Munoz, who is currently a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/earth.indiana.edu\/directory\/post-docs-and-research-associates\/pineda-munoz-silvia.html\u0022\u003Epost-doctoral fellow at Indiana University\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;So, it got me thinking about this habitat selection from a human perspective. Knowing that we\u0026rsquo;re really displacing animals, plants, and all sorts of organisms from their habitats, have their habitat selections changed and can we actually compute that?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo compute potential changes in habitat selections, Pineda-Munoz and colleagues studied the fossil records of 46 species, representing roughly one quarter of the mammals present in the lower 48 states. These fossil records spanned from the end of the ice age to present day, covering events like the agricultural expansion of Native Americans, the arrival of European settlers, and the Industrial Revolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith these records, Pineda-Munoz, McGuire, and their colleagues were able to calculate how human activity has shifted the habitat selection of different mammals. As was expected, they found that most of the studied species \u0026ndash; roughly 74% \u0026ndash; changed their habitat after the start of the Industrial Revolution. Unexpectedly, however, not all mammals were affected equally.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I was really surprised by what we found,\u0026rdquo; says McGuire. According to their results, the mammals\u0026rsquo; diet and body size were big predictors of whether they were facilitated or deterred by human activity. \u0026ldquo;I was expecting that most species would have been excluded from the climates that they normally would have liked to live in, and we did find that especially for the larger species. But what I wasn\u0026#39;t expecting was all these small mammal species to be living outside of their historic climate range, and to have been facilitated so much by human impacts and anthropogenic change.\u0026rdquo; While larger species like bison and cougars were pushed out of their preferred climates, smaller mammals expanded into regions with human settlements. \u0026ldquo;That was very surprising, I think that\u0026#39;s a really interesting result that we ended up with.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhy are smaller mammals thriving within the expanding footprint of humans? There are several theories. \u0026ldquo;We haven\u0026#39;t specifically tested this,\u0026rdquo; says Pineda-Munoz, \u0026ldquo;but I think it also has to do with the fact that we are losing some competitive interactions between mammals or other organisms.\u0026rdquo; McGuire has another theory, explaining that \u0026ldquo;we\u0026#39;re creating this increasing dimensionality of the landscape.\u0026rdquo; By building cities and plowing fields, we\u0026rsquo;ve created plenty of nooks and crannies for small mammals to live. But, as McGuire points out, \u0026ldquo;for the large species, they can\u0026#39;t hide. They can\u0026#39;t fit into the little nooks and crannies and cohabitate with us.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis has marked impacts on animal conservation, particularly for large species. \u0026ldquo;Just looking at the climates in which species live in today is not sufficient to understand where they can and should be living,\u0026rdquo; explains McGuire. To understand how best to protect larger species from human activity and the threat of climate change, we should use data from the past. \u0026ldquo;You can learn a lot from near short-term studies, like how is something responding over the last five years? But you can\u0026#39;t really fully understand how something is going to respond to the magnitude and the rate of change that\u0026#39;s going on right now with things like climate change and the expansion of human footprints, unless you really get a long term, deeper time perspective on that.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a recent paper published in PNAS, researchers examine fossil records spanning almost 12,000 years to determine the effects of human activity on where animals live and were surprised by what they found.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Assistant professor Jenny McGuire and post-doctoral fellow Silvia Pineda-Munoz use fossil records to uncover the effects of human activity on mammal habitat selection."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2021-01-04 17:07:28","changed_gmt":"2021-01-07 17:46:11","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"632196":{"id":"632196","type":"image","title":"Assistant Professor Jenny McGuire, 2020 NSF CAREER Award Winner","body":null,"created":"1581089123","gmt_created":"2020-02-07 15:25:23","changed":"1581089307","gmt_changed":"2020-02-07 15:28:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240543","name":"jenny mcguire lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jenny%20mcguire%20lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jenny%20mcguire%20lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54287,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/jenny%20mcguire%20lab.jpg?itok=OznTTbsb"}},"642486":{"id":"642486","type":"image","title":"Fossils tell the story of where these species used to live. These are fossil skulls of an American black bear, a raccoon, and a packrat from the Holocene of California, embedded in a block of original sediment. Credit: Alan Shabel.","body":null,"created":"1609795377","gmt_created":"2021-01-04 21:22:57","changed":"1609795594","gmt_changed":"2021-01-04 21:26:34","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244031","name":"thumbnail_Image 3_Pacheco_BearCoonRat.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thumbnail_Image%203_Pacheco_BearCoonRat.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thumbnail_Image%203_Pacheco_BearCoonRat.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":337611,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/thumbnail_Image%203_Pacheco_BearCoonRat.jpg?itok=e_LOyJDV"}},"642487":{"id":"642487","type":"image","title":"Cougars (top) have contracted the climates where they live, and rabbits (bottom) have expanded into new climates.\u00a0Credit: Silvia Pineda-Munoz and Jenny McGuire.","body":null,"created":"1609795491","gmt_created":"2021-01-04 21:24:51","changed":"1609795651","gmt_changed":"2021-01-04 21:27:31","alt":"Habitat selection before and after the Industrial Revolution in North America.\u00a0Cougars (top) have contracted the climates where they live, and rabbits (bottom) have expanded into new climates.","file":{"fid":"244032","name":"PNAS Figure.PNG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/PNAS%20Figure.PNG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/PNAS%20Figure.PNG","mime":"image\/png","size":196385,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/PNAS%20Figure.PNG?itok=vkVjORQE"}}},"media_ids":["632196","642486","642487"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/season-1-episode-2-can-lessons-fossils-guide-earths-future","title":"ScienceMatters Podcast Season 1, Ep.2: Season 1 Ep. 2: Can Lessons from Fossils Guide Earth\u2019s Future?"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/jenny-mcguire-lutz-warnke-receive-nsf-career-awards","title":"Jenny McGuire, Lutz Warnke Receive NSF CAREER Awards"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"186566","name":"Paleontology"},{"id":"4320","name":"ecology"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Assistant\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003Edavidson.audra@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642447":{"#nid":"642447","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Spontaneous Robot Dances Highlight a New Kind of Order in Active Matter","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPredicting when and how collections of particles, robots, or animals become orderly remains a challenge across science and engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the 19th century, scientists and engineers developed the discipline of statistical mechanics, which predicts how groups of simple particles transition between order and disorder, as when a collection of randomly colliding atoms freezes to form a uniform crystal lattice.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMore challenging to predict are the collective behaviors that can be achieved when the particles become more complicated, such that they can move under their own power. This type of system \u0026mdash; observed in bird flocks, bacterial colonies, and robot swarms \u0026mdash; goes by the name \u0026quot;active matter.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs reported in the January 1, 2021 issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E, a team of physicists and engineers have proposed a new principle by which active matter systems can spontaneously order, without need for higher level instructions or even programmed interaction among the agents. And they have demonstrated this principle in a variety of systems, including groups of periodically shape-changing robots called \u0026quot;smarticles\u0026quot; \u0026mdash; smart, active particles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe theory, developed by Postdoctoral Researcher Pavel Chvykov at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology while a student of Prof. Jeremy England, who is now a researcher in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics \u003C\/a\u003Eat Georgia Institute of Technology, posits that certain types of active matter with sufficiently messy dynamics will spontaneously find what the researchers refer to as \u0026quot;low rattling\u0026quot; states.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Rattling is when matter takes energy flowing into it and turns it into random motion,\u0026rdquo; England said. \u0026ldquo;Rattling can be greater either when the motion is more violent, or more random. Conversely, low rattling is either very slight or highly organized \u0026mdash; or both. So, the idea is that if your matter and energy source allow for the possibility of a low rattling state, the system will randomly rearrange until it finds that state and then gets stuck there. If you supply energy through forces with a particular pattern, this means the selected state will discover a way for the matter to move that finely matches that pattern.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo develop their theory, England and Chvykov took inspiration from a phenomenon \u0026mdash; dubbed thermophoresis \u0026mdash; discovered by the Swiss physicist Charles Soret in the late 19th century. In Soret\u0026#39;s experiments, he discovered that subjecting an initially uniform salt solution in a tube to a difference in temperature would spontaneously lead to an increase in salt concentration in the colder region \u0026mdash; which corresponds to an increase in order of the solution.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChvykov and England developed numerous mathematical models to demonstrate the low rattling principle, but it wasn\u0026#39;t until they connected with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family Professor of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, that they were able to test their predictions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESaid Goldman, \u0026quot;A few years back, I saw England give a seminar and thought that some of our smarticle robots might prove valuable to test this theory.\u0026quot; Working with Chvykov, who visited Goldman\u0026#39;s lab, Ph.D. students William Savoie and Akash Vardhan used three flapping smarticles enclosed in a ring to compare experiments to theory. The students observed that instead of displaying complicated dynamics and exploring the container completely, the robots would spontaneously self-organize into a few dances \u0026mdash; for example, one dance consists of three robots slapping each other\u0026#39;s arms in sequence. These dances could persist for hundreds of flaps, but suddenly lose stability and be replaced by a dance of a different pattern.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter first demonstrating that these simple dances were indeed low rattling states, Chvykov worked with engineers at Northwestern University, Prof. Todd Murphey and Ph.D. student Thomas Berrueta, who developed more refined and better controlled smarticles. The improved smarticles allowed the researchers to test the limits of the theory, including how the types and number of dances varied for different arm flapping patterns, as well as how these dances could be controlled. \u0026quot;By controlling sequences of low rattling states, we were able to make the system reach configurations that do useful work,\u0026quot; Berrueta said. The Northwestern University researchers say that these findings may have broad practical implications for micro-robotic swarms, active matter, and metamaterials.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs England noted: \u0026ldquo;For robot swarms, it\u0026rsquo;s about getting many adaptive and smart group behaviors that you can design to be realized in a single swarm, even though the individual robots are relatively cheap and computationally simple. For living cells and novel materials, it might be about understanding what the \u0026lsquo;swarm\u0026rsquo; of atoms or proteins can get you, as far as new material or computational properties.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0026rsquo;s Georgia Tech-based team includes Jeremy L. England, a Physics of Living Systems scientist who researches with the School of Physics; Dunn Family Professor Daniel Goldman; professor Kurt Wiesenfeld, and graduate students Akash Vardhan (Quantitative Biosciences) and William Savoie (School of Physics). They join Pavel Chvykov (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), along with professor Todd D. Murphey and graduate students Thomas A. Berrueta and Alexander Samland of Northwestern University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis material is based on work supported by the Army Research Office under awards from ARO W911NF-18-1-0101, ARO MURI Award W911NF-19-1-0233, ARO W911NF-13-1-0347, by the National Science Foundation under grants PoLS-0957659, PHY-1205878, PHY-1205878, PHY-1205878, and DMR-1551095, NSF CBET-1637764, by the James S. McDonnell Foundation Scholar Grant 220020476, and the Georgia Institute of Technology Dunn Family Professorship. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Chvykov \u0026amp; Berrueta, et al., \u0026ldquo;Low rattling: A predictive principle for self-organization in active collectives,\u0026rdquo; (Science 2021).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/content\/371\/6524\/90\/tab-pdf\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/content\/371\/6524\/90\/tab-pdf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have proposed a new principle by which active matter systems can spontaneously order, without need for higher level instructions or even programmed interaction among the agents. And they have demonstrated this principle in a variety of systems, including groups of periodically shape-changing robots called \u0026quot;smarticles.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have proposed a new principle by which active matter systems can spontaneously order, without need for higher level instructions."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2020-12-31 19:22:12","changed_gmt":"2020-12-31 19:29:55","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-12-31T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-12-31T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"642445":{"id":"642445","type":"image","title":"Swarm of smarticles","body":null,"created":"1609442091","gmt_created":"2020-12-31 19:14:51","changed":"1609442091","gmt_changed":"2020-12-31 19:14:51","alt":"Smarticles in a ring","file":{"fid":"244012","name":"angle1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/angle1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/angle1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":512873,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/angle1.png?itok=RTX7oGjz"}},"642446":{"id":"642446","type":"image","title":"Possible smarticle shapes","body":null,"created":"1609442220","gmt_created":"2020-12-31 19:17:00","changed":"1609442220","gmt_changed":"2020-12-31 19:17:00","alt":"Composite smarticle shapes","file":{"fid":"244013","name":"composite2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/composite2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/composite2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":549665,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/composite2.png?itok=u_JcB3gO"}}},"media_ids":["642445","642446"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"182389","name":"smarticle"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"186555","name":"active matter"},{"id":"186556","name":"order"},{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"642235":{"#nid":"642235","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Exploring Oceans on Earth and Beyond: Reinhard Looks to the Skies and Seas ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/reinhard-dr-chris\u0022\u003EChris Reinhard\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has a history at Georgia Tech of helping NASA search for alternate Earths \u0026mdash; potentially habitable exoplanets \u0026mdash; in our galactic neighborhood. Yet he also wants to better understand the climatic changes that impact the planet he currently lives on, and the role that our oceans play in that process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReinhard\u0026rsquo;s latest research successes keep him on both of those tracks.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn November, Reinhard, an associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(EAS), found out that NASA will fund Georgia Tech to be part of its new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/research\/astrobiology-at-nasa\/icar\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Consortia on Astrobiology Research\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(ICAR)\u0026nbsp;organizational structure, which will replace its\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/nai\/about\/index.html\u0022\u003ENASA Astrobiology Institutes\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(NAIs). (Georgia Tech has hosted an NAI since 2015.)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Reinhard and other EAS scientists join an ICAR team based at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ucr.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of California, Riverside\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that will study \u0026ldquo;Alternative Earths \u0026ndash; How to Build and Sustain a Detectable Biosphere.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, Reinhard and a postdoctoral researcher in his group,\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/reinhard.gatech.edu\/moji.html\u0022\u003EMojtaba Fakhraee\u003C\/a\u003E, published a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41561-020-00660-6\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in November in Nature Geosciences about the Earth\u0026rsquo;s so-called \u0026ldquo;biological pump,\u0026rdquo; the process that sends carbon dioxide from the atmosphere deep into the ocean, where it mixes with biomass and sediment, thereby helping to regulate the planet\u0026rsquo;s carbon cycle, atmospheric composition, and climate. A new model developed by Fakhraee, the lead author for the paper, shows that environmental factors like temperature have played \u0026ldquo;an important and underappreciated role\u0026rdquo; in the evolution of the Earth\u0026rsquo;s carbon cycle.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u0026rsquo;s search for life in the cosmos \u0026mdash; and its origins on Earth\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENASA began its NAI program in 1998 as a way to partner with institutions of higher learning and other research centers, to unlock more secrets about potential life in the cosmos, as well as its origins on Earth. Georgia Tech was funded as a principal \u0026quot;node\u0026quot; of the NASA Astrobiology Institute team called Alternative Earths, initially funded in 2015. The new ICAR team has the same name and shares a number of overarching goals, and involves a number of researchers at Georgia Tech, including Reinhard and EAS colleagues Jennifer Glass, Britney Schmidt, Taka Ito, and Sean Crowe (adjunct EAS appointee.) Most of Reinhard\u0026rsquo;s lab group,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/reinhard.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEarth System Science@Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, is also aboard the ICAR team.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new NASA astrobiology research system, as explained in an early November\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/nasa-selects-new-science-teams-for-astrobiology-research\u0022\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;announcing the agency\u0026rsquo;s eight new ICAR teams, \u0026ldquo;has developed over time to meet the needs of a rapidly-evolving field with an expanded scope and emergent questions driven by two decades of research and discovery in astrobiology.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe main goals from the 2015 NASA Astrobiology Initiative remain in place:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EIdentifying abiotic (non-living) sources of organic compounds\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ESynthesis and function of macromolecules in the origin of life\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EEarly life and increasing complexity\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ECo-evolution of life and the physical environment\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EIdentifying, exploring, and characterizing environments for habitability and biosignatures\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EConstructing habitable worlds\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENASA says the NAIs and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/about\/faq\/what-is-rcn\/\u0022\u003EResearch Coordination Networks\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026mdash; which provide interdisciplinary and community support to scientists \u0026mdash; helped establish those common goals for the astrobiology community, and now the ICARs will take advantage of next-generation tools, techniques, and resources to keep pursuing them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A key component of our pitch is to leverage some existing tools that haven\u0026rsquo;t been used much in this space,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard says. \u0026ldquo;For example, 3D ocean biogeochemistry models have existed for a while, and have been used for recent and future projections of the carbon cycle and climate change. These are potentially powerful tools for for studying exoplanets, so we\u0026rsquo;re trying to pursue that kind of model development and application in a big way.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENew computational models that will take advantage of high-performance computing capabilities at Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coda.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECoda\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pace.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPACE\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;facilities, and elsewhere in the U.S., should also help with Reinhard\u0026rsquo;s ICAR team research. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s quite a bit of uncertainty on how these models work, and how they can be applied outside of standard Earth boundary conditions. And of course any habitable planet, like Earth, will be an incredibly complex system with numerous interacting components. The challenge is to represent this in a way that doesn\u0026rsquo;t require six months of computing time to run a single model.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ICAR Alternate Earths team will use data from the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), set to launch in 2021. They\u0026rsquo;ll also help NASA design what the generation of observational instruments beyond JWST should look for when it comes to biosignatures on exoplanets. Many of those instruments are now in design stages, Reinhard says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;What particular signals do we predict as being the most likely, the most robust, to look for?\u0026rdquo; he says, referring to chemicals such as oxygen and ozone. \u0026ldquo;What kind of recommendations can we make about wavelength ranges? What kind of spectral resolutions do we need? What are the signs of life in an atmosphere that totally lacks oxygen \u0026mdash; and how might geological processes mislead you?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom exoplanets to Earth\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;biological pump\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of Reinhard\u0026rsquo;s co-authors on the Nature Geoscience paper,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.earth.yale.edu\/profile\/noah-planavsky\/about\u0022\u003ENoah Planavsky\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.yale.edu\/\u0022\u003EYale University\u003C\/a\u003E, is also on the UC-Riverside Alternate Earths ICAR team. Reinhard notes that it\u0026rsquo;s another connection between research involving our Earth, and the search for habitable exoplanets.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A key aspect of trying to use the Earth to learn what these other planets may be like is better understanding how the Earth behaves over time,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the Nature Geoscience study, Fakhraee had to come up with a new mechanistic model that takes into account the amount of marine organisms, like algae and phytoplankton, that also help absorb sequestered carbon.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The model we used simulates the formation of marine particles,\u0026rdquo; Fakhraee says. \u0026ldquo;The faster the particles reach the seafloor, the more carbon would escape from the water column to be stored in the sediment. So the model tries to find out how change in temperature and biology of the ocean could have impacted the speed of those marine particles, whereby influencing the strength of carbon sequestration in the ocean.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPreviously, scientists thought that as algae evolved with bigger cell sizes, along with other ocean biological structure changes, it would speed up the descent of marine particles in the ocean and help keep carbon sequestered. \u0026ldquo;But our results indicate that such increase in speed of marine particles caused by evolution of bigger-sized algae is not substantial when compared to the impact that change in average global temperature could have had on the ocean carbon sequestration.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0026rsquo;s important, he adds, not only for understanding the biological carbon pump in the ocean, but \u0026ldquo;for understanding how climate change could impact the strength of the carbon sequestration in the ocean.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The added dimension that we think is cool is the impact of oxygen,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard adds. \u0026ldquo;How have changes in ocean oxygen abundance and distribution combined with changes in temperature to impact the strength and dynamics of the biological pump?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Chris Reinhard wins NASA funding for new agency astrobiology push and co-authors a new Nature Geoscience paper on Earth\u2019s oceanic \u201cbiological pump\u201d"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Associate\u0026nbsp;Professor Chris Reinhard is ending 2020 with two research successes: A grant from NASA that allows him and Georgia Tech to join the agency\u0026#39;s new astrobiology initiative, and he\u0026#39;s the co-author of a new study on Earth\u0026#39;s oceanic\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;biological pump\u0026quot; published in Nature Geosciences.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Chris Reinhard wins NASA funding for new agency astrobiology push and co-authors a new Nature Geoscience paper on Earth\u2019s oceanic \u201cbiological pump\u201d"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-12-17 19:52:19","changed_gmt":"2020-12-17 22:53:08","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-12-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-12-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"642255":{"id":"642255","type":"image","title":"Artist\u0027s concept of an ice-covered planet in a distant solar system, resembling what early Earth may have looked like it the right mix of microbial metabolisms and volcanic processes hadn\u2019t warmed the climate. Source: European southern observatory (EXO).","body":null,"created":"1608245569","gmt_created":"2020-12-17 22:52:49","changed":"1608245569","gmt_changed":"2020-12-17 22:52:49","alt":"","file":{"fid":"243979","name":"AltEarths_IcyExoplanet_cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/AltEarths_IcyExoplanet_cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/AltEarths_IcyExoplanet_cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":388024,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/AltEarths_IcyExoplanet_cropped.jpg?itok=LJc1k9Yt"}},"627363":{"id":"627363","type":"image","title":"Chris Reinhard","body":null,"created":"1570623378","gmt_created":"2019-10-09 12:16:18","changed":"1570623378","gmt_changed":"2019-10-09 12:16:18","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238863","name":"Chris reinhard.SQ_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chris%20reinhard.SQ_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chris%20reinhard.SQ_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1252963,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Chris%20reinhard.SQ_.jpg?itok=mxCqxvjH"}},"642238":{"id":"642238","type":"image","title":"Mojtaba Fakhraee","body":null,"created":"1608235006","gmt_created":"2020-12-17 19:56:46","changed":"1608235006","gmt_changed":"2020-12-17 19:56:46","alt":"","file":{"fid":"243976","name":"Mojtaba Fakhraee.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Mojtaba%20Fakhraee.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Mojtaba%20Fakhraee.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":101104,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Mojtaba%20Fakhraee.jpg?itok=1z39BXyv"}}},"media_ids":["642255","627363","642238"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-2-search-earth-20","title":"ScienceMatters E3 S2: The Search for Earth 2.0"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/nasa-exobiology-grant-chris-reinhard","title":"NASA Exobiology Grant to Chris Reinhard"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/sigma-xi-recognizes-reinhard-sigma-xi-2020-young-faculty-award-three-sciences-students-research","title":"Sigma Xi Recognizes Reinhard with Sigma Xi 2020 Young Faculty Award; Three Sciences Students with Research Honors"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/cosmology-and-exoplanets-rise-nobel-heights","title":"Cosmology and Exoplanets Rise to Nobel Heights"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"170504","name":"Chris Reinhard"},{"id":"12289","name":"NASA Astrobiology"},{"id":"180020","name":"NAI"},{"id":"186487","name":"Interdisciplinary Consortia on Astrobiology Research"},{"id":"186488","name":"ICAR"},{"id":"186489","name":"Nature Geosciences"},{"id":"186490","name":"biological pump"},{"id":"170346","name":"carbon cycle"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"641981":{"#nid":"641981","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Tension Between Awareness and Fatigue Shapes Covid-19 Spread","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, two human factors are battling it out: awareness of the virus\u0026rsquo;s severe consequences and fatigue from nine months of pandemic precautions. The results of that battle can be seen in the oddly shaped case, hospitalization, and fatality-count graphs, a new study suggests.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe tension between awareness and fatigue can lead to case-count plateaus, shoulder-like dynamics, and oscillations as rising numbers of deaths cause people to become more cautious before they let down their guard to engage once again in behaviors that increase risk for transmission, which, in turn, leads to rising death counts \u0026mdash; and renewed awareness.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Epidemics don\u0026rsquo;t necessarily have a single peak after which the risk subsides,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, Patton Distinguished Professor of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and founding director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0026ldquo;People\u0026rsquo;s behaviors are both influenced by and influence epidemic dynamics, potentially driving plateaus, and oscillations in incidence.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA paper describing the connection between human behavior and viral spread was published this month in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. It was authored by researchers at Georgia Tech, McMaster University, Princeton University, and Texas A\u0026amp;M.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the early days of the pandemic, many scientists turned to traditional epidemiological studies, which showed epidemic cases could rise to a peak and then fall smoothly as immunity to the infection reached high levels in a population in the absence of large-scale interventions. Public health messages urged the population to \u0026ldquo;flatten the curve\u0026rdquo; to prevent disease from overwhelming hospitals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We were concerned that a focus on \u0026lsquo;the peak\u0026rsquo; was potentially misguided because it implied that the shape was a feature of the disease alone without considering the consequence of behavior,\u0026rdquo; Weitz said. \u0026ldquo;In reality, there does not have to be a single peak during an epidemic.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If people are aware of the severity of the epidemic, they may change their behavior, and if they change their behavior, there will be fewer severe outcomes,\u0026rdquo; Weitz said. \u0026ldquo;But if awareness is short-term, individuals may tire of public health regulations and the virus will come roaring back. Instead of a single peak in cases, there can be plateaus or oscillations balanced between cautious behavior and relaxation.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team analyzed data from the early phase of the epidemic and found evidence that the decrease in fatalities after a peak was slower than the rise toward it. However, in contrast to simple models of awareness-driven behavior, the research team also found evidence that individuals tended to increase their activity \u0026mdash; as measured by mobility indicators \u0026mdash; before epidemic severity waned. This means that individuals may have grown fatigued, worsening the epidemic severity. The study also found that other preventive measures, like mask wearing, have the potential to avert worst-case outcomes in disease transmission even as mobility increases in light of fatigue.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This study underlines the importance of human behavior in driving epidemic outcomes,\u0026rdquo; said Jonathan Dushoff from the Department of Biology at McMaster University. \u0026ldquo;To make good predictions beyond the short term, we need to understand all of the factors driving human responses to the virus \u0026mdash; fear, fatigue, information, misinformation, and so forth. We have a long way to go.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz and Dushoff share optimism as well as concerns on the potential effects of anticipation of imminent vaccine distribution on behavior associated with transmission.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s hard to be sure what impacts vaccine distribution will have on behavior,\u0026rdquo; Dushoff said. \u0026ldquo;There is concern in public health circles that people who think the vaccine is just around the corner could relax their guard. Human behavior is complicated.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELessons for future public health responses may help focus on the role of human behavior as well as communications that make disease impacts personal, fostering long-term awareness and changes in behavior that can reduce collective transmission.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz and Dushoff coauthored the study with Sang Woo Park from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University and Professor Ceyhun Eksin from the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Texas A\u0026amp;M.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the Simons Foundation (SCOPE Award ID 329108), the Army Research Office (W911NF1910384), National Institutes of Health (1R01AI46592-01), and National Science Foundation (1806606 and 1829636). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Joshua S. Weitz, Sang Woo Park, Ceyhun Eksin, and Jonathan Dushoff, \u0026ldquo;Awareness-driven Behavior Changes Can Shift the Shape of Epidemics Away from Peaks and Towards Plateaus, Shoulders and Oscillations.\u0026rdquo; (\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E, 2020) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2009911117\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2009911117\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, two human factors are battling it out: awareness of the virus\u0026rsquo;s severe consequences and fatigue from nine months of pandemic precautions. The results of that battle can be seen in the oddly shaped case, hospitalization, and fatality-count graphs, a new study suggests.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Two human factors - awareness of the virus and fatigue - are battling to control the path of Covid-19. "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2020-12-09 15:27:23","changed_gmt":"2020-12-09 17:37:47","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-12-08T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-12-08T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"641927":{"id":"641927","type":"image","title":"Charts showing Covid-19 awareness","body":null,"created":"1607434591","gmt_created":"2020-12-08 13:36:31","changed":"1607434591","gmt_changed":"2020-12-08 13:36:31","alt":"Chart showing awareness levels","file":{"fid":"243887","name":"awareness-fatigue.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/awareness-fatigue.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/awareness-fatigue.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2575030,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/awareness-fatigue.jpg?itok=gysDSIk3"}},"641928":{"id":"641928","type":"image","title":"Chart of Covid-19 deaths","body":null,"created":"1607434800","gmt_created":"2020-12-08 13:40:00","changed":"1607434800","gmt_changed":"2020-12-08 13:40:00","alt":"Chart showing daily deaths from Covid-19","file":{"fid":"243888","name":"3_US Death.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/3_US%20Death.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/3_US%20Death.png","mime":"image\/png","size":59126,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/3_US%20Death.png?itok=httajQLv"}},"641929":{"id":"641929","type":"image","title":"Professor Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1607434891","gmt_created":"2020-12-08 13:41:31","changed":"1607434891","gmt_changed":"2020-12-08 13:41:31","alt":"Professor Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"243889","name":"joshua-weitz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/joshua-weitz_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/joshua-weitz_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":350762,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/joshua-weitz_0.jpg?itok=OWVqtes_"}}},"media_ids":["641927","641928","641929"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"184289","name":"covid-19"},{"id":"183843","name":"coronavirus"},{"id":"729","name":"pandemic"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"4256","name":"awareness"},{"id":"8356","name":"epidemic"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"639521":{"#nid":"639521","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Specialized Cells or Multicellular Multitaskers? New Study Reshapes Early Economics and Ecology Behind Evolutionary Division of Labor ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new research\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/elifesciences.org\/articles\/54348\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from researchers in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;focuses on the evolution of reproductive specialization \u2013 how early single cells first got together to create more complex multicellular organisms. In particular, scientists leading the study sought to better understand how those early cells decided which ones would focus on reproduction, and which ones would get busy building parts of a larger organism.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work, published this month in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/elifesciences.org\/\u0022\u003EeLife\u003C\/a\u003E, references \u201cdivision of labor,\u201d \u201ctrade,\u201d \u201cproductivity\u201d and \u201creturn on investment,\u201d (ROI) to describe those cellular activities. If that sounds like a paper destined for a business magazine instead of a peer-reviewed journal on biological sciences research, there\u2019s a good reason.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs the study, led by assistant professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/peter-yunker-0\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and associate professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, notes in the abstract, \u201cA large body of work from evolutionary biology, economics, and ecology has shown that specialization is beneficial when further division of labor produces an accelerating increase in absolute productivity.\u201d In other words, the prevailing theories state that specialization pays off only when it increases total productivity \u2013 whether it\u2019s multicellular organism or widgets streaming out of a factory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat Yunker, from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, and Ratcliff, from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and co-director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences\u0026nbsp;(QBioS)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;have found is that the conditions for the evolution of specialized cells were actually much broader than previously thought. Absolute productivity be darned, the cells seem to say; specialization appeared to be a winning strategy, even under conditions that should favor cellular self-sufficiency.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhy? It has to do with the topology of the network of cells within the organism \u2013 what Ratcliff calls a branchy structure. That topology determines that the division of labor can be favored, even if productivity suffers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/elifesciences.org\/articles\/54348\u0022\u003E\u201cTopological constraints in early multicellularity favor reproductive division of labor\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the title of the team\u2019s paper. Yunker and Ratcliff collaborated with several other Georgia Tech faculty and graduate students on the research: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, Patton Distinguished Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and co-director of QBioS; School of Physics graduate students\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=6hQpwvkAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003EDavid Yanni\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=gDNSyXIAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003EShane Jacobeen\u003C\/a\u003E; and School of Biological Sciences graduate student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/pedro-marquez-zacarias\u0022\u003EPedro Marquez-Zacarias\u003C\/a\u003E. All are members of Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMulticellular multitasking\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs cells get more complex, they begin to specialize. Some cells are dedicated to reproduction, while others are devoted to other general tasks such as making and maintaining the organism\u2019s body. \u201cIn this paper, what we\u2019re trying to figure out is, when is it a good idea to specialize and have that pay off, and when it is a good idea for your cells to remain generalists?\u201d Ratcliff says. \u201cUnder what conditions does evolution favor specialization, and in what conditions do simple multicellular organisms keep every cell a generalist?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor centuries, scientists have known that specialization is very important for multicellularity. \u201cOnce we had microscopes, we were off to the races learning about specialization,\u201d Ratcliff says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe thinking for the last few decades has been that more specialized cells evolve when specialization results in increasingly higher productivity. \u201cThat will push things to complete specialization because there\u2019s more to be gained by specializing than not specializing.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYet what if those cells are not interacting randomly with a lot of other cells, but only with a few cells over and over again? \u201cThis is actually the case for a little branchy structure that contains mom and all her kids. The only cells you are attached to are the ones that gave rise to you, and the ones that arise from you,\u201d he says. Those \u201cbranchy structures\u201d offer the topological constraints mentioned in the title of the research study.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBranch banking of cellular products\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYunker explains that those tree-branchy structures can be thought of as similar to fractals, in which math functions are repeated again and again and are depicted as jagged borders stretching into infinity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMandelbrot sets and the broader study of fractals have been an inspiration for a lot of this,\u201d Yunker says. \u201cAfter the concepts behind fractals were identified, people eventually started to see them everywhere. Instead of some unique esoteric thing, it was pervasive. In a similar vein, the structures that we find make evolving division of labor easier, these sparse filaments and branched topologies, are common in nature,\u201d including so-called snowflake yeast and some forms of algae.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYunker agrees that it may seem counter-intuitive, but as you restrict cellular interactions, like swapping of products that can enhance reproduction or specialization, that specialization actually becomes easier according to his team\u2019s mathematical models.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECells that produce the same products won\u2019t interact or \u0027trade\u0027 with each other, since that would be a waste of energy and efficiency. \u201cA redundancy comes into play here,\u201d Yunker says. \u201cIf you have a lot of similar cells trading, that increased productivity doesn\u2019t do you a lot of good. Whereas if you have dissimilar or opposites trading, even with lower productivity, they\u2019re able to direct those resources in a more efficient manner.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat can economists and cancer researchers learn from these cells?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince economics has already figured into the study of how multicellular organisms evolved, with all of that labor and trade and ROI, could that discipline have something to learn from Yunker and Ratcliff\u2019s new theory \u2014 could the lessons mean a more efficient way to make all kinds of products?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCould this apply in economics? Could it apply elsewhere?\u201d Yunker echoes. \u201cThis is something we would love to pursue going forward.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff notes the multidisciplinary approach his biophysics and biosciences team took to approaching the study, which also involved mathematical models developed by Weitz. \u201cWe were really motivated by understanding both how life got to be complex, and the rules for why it did,\u201d he says. \u201cThis paper follows into the \u2018why\u2019 category. Fundamental mathematics tells you about the rules evolution plays by, and there are a lot of downstream applications, like cancer research, agriculture, and infectious disease. You never really can predict how someone will leverage basic insight.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A new study led by Peter Yunker and Will Ratcliff probes the evolution of multicellular organisms and provides new insight into decades-long theories about early cell specialization and division of labor "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo Georgia Tech scientists are raising new questions about the development of specialized cells in early multicellular organisms.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study led by Peter Yunker and Will Ratcliff probes the evolution of multicellular organisms and provides new insight into decades-long theories about early cell specialization and division of labor "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-09-24 18:22:52","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 20:26:06","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"639523":{"id":"639523","type":"image","title":"A magnified view of the \u0022branchy structure\u0022 found in snowflake yeast (Image: Will Ratcliff)","body":null,"created":"1600972353","gmt_created":"2020-09-24 18:32:33","changed":"1600978448","gmt_changed":"2020-09-24 20:14:08","alt":"","file":{"fid":"243154","name":"branchy structure 1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/branchy%20structure%201.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/branchy%20structure%201.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":188279,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/branchy%20structure%201.jpg?itok=8bCMG1CI"}},"639525":{"id":"639525","type":"image","title":"Peter Yunker (left) and Will Ratcliff. ","body":null,"created":"1600972479","gmt_created":"2020-09-24 18:34:39","changed":"1600972479","gmt_changed":"2020-09-24 18:34:39","alt":"","file":{"fid":"243156","name":"Yunker (left) and Ratcliff in lab.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker%20%28left%29%20and%20Ratcliff%20in%20lab.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker%20%28left%29%20and%20Ratcliff%20in%20lab.png","mime":"image\/png","size":377589,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Yunker%20%28left%29%20and%20Ratcliff%20in%20lab.png?itok=2BruOtrU"}}},"media_ids":["639523","639525"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2018\/08\/08\/coffee-leads-collaboration","title":"Coffee Leads to Collaboration"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/more-complex-easier-assemble","title":"The More Complex, the Easier to Assemble"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/william-ratcliff-2018-sigma-xi-young-faculty-award","title":"William Ratcliff: 2018 Sigma Xi Young Faculty Award"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/harnessing-power-evolution","title":"Harnessing the Power of Evolution"}],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"108591","name":"Will Ratcliff"},{"id":"168707","name":"Peter Yunker"},{"id":"176338","name":"multicellular evolution"},{"id":"185929","name":"cell specialization"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"639175":{"#nid":"639175","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Flavio Fenton Joins ECE\u0027s Anna Holcomb as 2020-2021 Governor\u2019s Teaching Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFlavio Fenton\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, is one of two Georgia Tech faculty chosen to take part in the 25\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E\u0026nbsp;annual\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ihe.uga.edu\/current-fellows\u0022\u003EGovernor\u0026rsquo;s Teaching Fellows Program\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for the 2020-2021 school year, as announced earlier this month by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ihe.uga.edu\/governors-teaching-fellows\u0022\u003EInstitute of Higher Education\u003C\/a\u003E at the University of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOnly two faculty members from each of the 26 University System of Georgia institutions are invited to participate in the Governor\u0026rsquo;s Teaching Fellows Program each academic school year. Anna Holcomb, a lecturer in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and assistant director of the Undergraduate Professional Communication Program (UPCP), \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/news\/635104\/holcomb-participate-governors-teaching-fellows-program\u0022\u003Eis also a 2020-2021 Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Governor\u0026#39;s Teaching Fellows Program was established in 1995 by former Governor Zell Miller to provide Georgia\u0026#39;s higher education faculty with expanded opportunities for developing important teaching skills.\u0026nbsp;Participants are selected \u0026ldquo;on the basis of their teaching experience, their interest in continuing instructional and professional development, their ability to make a positive impact on their own campus, and a strong commitment by their home institution for release time and other forms of support for the duration of their participation in the program.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Being a Governor\u0026rsquo;s Teaching Fellow is a great honor for me,\u0026rdquo; Fenton says. \u0026ldquo;Not only is it allowing me to further my teaching skills, but also it is making me transform how I approach teaching. This year-long program allows me to spend three days a month interacting closely with enthusiastic and thoughtful educators from other colleges and universities of Georgia and learning about several instructional techniques that have been new to me. The diverse composition in teaching fields of the Teaching Fellows cohort has opened me to new ways of thinking that will have an impact on how I select and organize course content and delivery in all my future courses.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFellows must work on a project during their appointed one-year term that will benefit both the faculty member and their school. Fenton is creating a large database of physics demonstrations to be used in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Physics I course, taken by nearly 2,000 students each year.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The idea is to have at least two real-life demos for each class given in the semester to help exemplify the physics concept introduced in the class, which will be over 80 experimental demonstrations,\u0026rdquo; Fenton says. \u0026ldquo;The demos can\u0026nbsp;help students stay focused and motivated and provide new opportunities for students to engage with the material as they connect theory with reality in an interactive way. The demos will also be recorded while being demonstrated, so that they can be used by instructors in other institutions if they do not have direct access to the equipment.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton came to Georgia Tech in 2012 as an associate professor, and was made a full professor in 2018. He received his B.S. in Physics from Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in Mexico City, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton and School of Physics colleague Carlos Silva were elected in 2019 to the American Physics Society Fellows program. Fenton has also won the 2017 Junior Faculty Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, the 2017 Geoffrey B. Eichholz Faculty Teaching Award, and the 2018 Faculty Award for Academic Outreach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"School of Physics professor will work on classroom-related research project through fellowship "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Physics professor Flavio Fenton is named to the 25th annual Governor\u0026#39;s Teaching Fellows Program, set up to help higher education faculty develop teaching skills. Fenton will work on a classroom-related research project through the fellowship.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"School of Physics professor will work on classroom-related research project through fellowship "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-09-16 20:04:50","changed_gmt":"2020-09-18 18:44:00","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"593842":{"id":"593842","type":"image","title":"Fenton and Farmer","body":null,"created":"1501505351","gmt_created":"2017-07-31 12:49:11","changed":"1501505351","gmt_changed":"2017-07-31 12:49:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226373","name":"web-feature-duos-fenton-farmer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/web-feature-duos-fenton-farmer.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/web-feature-duos-fenton-farmer.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":144193,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/web-feature-duos-fenton-farmer.jpg?itok=E7wDg6jD"}},"638980":{"id":"638980","type":"image","title":"Flavio Fenton","body":null,"created":"1599838469","gmt_created":"2020-09-11 15:34:29","changed":"1599838469","gmt_changed":"2020-09-11 15:34:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242942","name":"Flavio Fenton.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton.png","mime":"image\/png","size":155229,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton.png?itok=Vcf3N2rs"}},"635105":{"id":"635105","type":"image","title":"Anna Holcomb","body":null,"created":"1588712025","gmt_created":"2020-05-05 20:53:45","changed":"1588712025","gmt_changed":"2020-05-05 20:53:45","alt":"photograph of Anna Holcomb","file":{"fid":"241677","name":"ANNA HOLCOMB-cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ANNA%20HOLCOMB-cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ANNA%20HOLCOMB-cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":266985,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ANNA%20HOLCOMB-cropped.jpg?itok=m9d56UuC"}}},"media_ids":["593842","638980","635105"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ihe.uga.edu\/current-fellows","title":"Institute of Higher Education: Governor\u0027s Teaching Fellows Program"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/news\/635104\/holcomb-participate-governors-teaching-fellows-program","title":"Holcomb to Participate in the Governor\u2019s Teaching Fellows Program"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/two-georgia-tech-physicists-are-aps-fellows","title":"Two Georgia Tech Physicists are APS Fellows"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-physicists-expand-access-biophysics-research","title":"Georgia Tech Physicists Expand Access to Biophysics Research"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/maelstroms-heart-confirmed","title":"Maelstroms in the Heart Confirmed"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"112191","name":"Flavio Fenton"},{"id":"185864","name":"Governor\u0027s Teaching Fellows Program"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"638309":{"#nid":"638309","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Fossil Pollen Record Suggests Vulnerability to Mass Extinction Ahead","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EReduced resilience of plant biomes in North America could be setting the stage for the kind of mass extinctions not seen since the retreat of glaciers and arrival of humans about 13,000 years ago, cautions a new study published August 20 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EGlobal Change Biology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe warning comes from a study of 14,189 fossil pollen samples taken from 358 locations across the continent. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology used data from the samples to determine landscape resilience, including how long specific landscapes such as forests and grasslands existed \u0026ndash; a factor known as residence time \u0026mdash; and how well they rebounded following perturbations such as forest fires \u0026mdash; a factor termed recovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our work indicates that landscapes today are once again exhibiting low resilience, foreboding potential extinctions to come,\u0026rdquo; wrote authors Yue Wang, Benjamin Shipley, Daniel Lauer, Roseann Pineau, and Jenny McGuire. \u0026ldquo;Conservation strategies focused on improving both landscape and ecosystem resilience by increasing local connectivity and targeting regions with high richness and diverse landforms can mitigate these extinction risks.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, supported by the National Science Foundation, is believed to be the first to quantify biome residence and recovery time over an extended period. The researchers studied 12 major plant biomes in North America over the past 20,000 years using pollen data from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We find that the retreat of North American glaciers destabilized ecosystems, causing large herbivores \u0026mdash; including mammoths, horses, and camels \u0026mdash; to struggle for food supplies,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jmcguire\u0022\u003EMcGuire\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;That destabilization combined with the arrival of humans in North America to land a one-two punch that resulted in the extinction of large terrestrial mammals on the continent.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that landscapes today are experiencing resilience lower than any seen since the end of the Pleistocene megafauna extinctions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Today, we see a similarly low landscape resilience, and we see a similar one-two punch: humans are expanding our footprint and climates are changing rapidly,\u0026rdquo; said Wang, a postdoctoral researcher who led the study. \u0026ldquo;Though we know that strategies exist to mitigate some of these effects, our findings serve as a dire warning about the vulnerability of natural systems to extinction.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy studying the mix of plants represented by pollen samples, the researchers found that over the past 20,000 years, forests persisted for longer than grassland habitats \u0026mdash; averaging 700 years versus about 360 years, though they also took much longer to reestablish after being perturbed \u0026mdash; averaging 360 years versus 260 years. \u0026ldquo;These findings were somewhat surprising,\u0026rdquo; said McGuire. \u0026ldquo;We had expected biomes to persist much longer, perhaps for thousands of years rather than hundreds.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research also found that forests and grasslands transition quickly when temperatures are changing fast, and that they recover most rapidly if the ecosystem contains high plant biodiversity. Yet not all biomes recover; the study found that only 64% regain their original biome type through a process that can take up to three centuries. Arctic systems were least likely to recover, the study found.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELandscape resilience, the ability of habitats to persist or quickly rebound in response to disturbances, has helped maintain terrestrial biodiversity during periods of climatic and environmental changes, the researchers noted.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Identifying the tempo and mode of landscape transitions and the drivers of landscape resilience is critical to maintaining natural systems and preserving biodiversity given today\u0026#39;s rapid climate and land use changes,\u0026rdquo; the authors wrote. \u0026ldquo;However, resilient landscapes are difficult to recognize on short time scales, as perturbations are challenging to quantify and ecosystem transitions are rare.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EContrary to prevailing ecological theory, the researchers found that pollen richness \u0026mdash; indicating diversity of species \u0026mdash; did not necessarily correlate with residence time. Ecological theory suggests that biodiversity increases ecosystem resilience by improving \u0026quot;functional redundancy,\u0026rdquo; allowing a system to maintain stability even if a single or several species are lost. \u0026ldquo;But species richness does not necessarily reflect functional redundancy, and as a result may not be correlated with ecosystem stability,\u0026rdquo; the researchers wrote.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study used pollen data from five forest types \u0026mdash; forest-tundra, conifer\/hardwood, boreal forest, deciduous forest, and coastal forest; five shrub\/herb biome types \u0026mdash; Arctic vegetation, desert, mountain vegetation, prairies, and Mediterranean vegetation; and two no-analog biome types \u0026mdash; spruce parkland and mixed parkland.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Neotoma Paleoecology Database contains fossil pollen and spores that are ubiquitous in lake and mire sediments. Collected through core sampling, the samples represent a wide diversity of plant taxa and cover an extended period of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThough the effects of climate change and human environmental impacts don\u0026rsquo;t bode well for the future of North American plant biomes, there are ways to address it, Wang said. \u0026ldquo;We know that strategies exist to mitigate some of these effects, such as prioritizing biodiverse regions that can rebound quickly and increasing the connectivity between natural habitats so that species can move in response to warming.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants DEB 1655898 and SGP 1945013. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Yue Wang, Benjamin R. Shipley, Daniel A. Lauer, Rozenn M. Pineau, and Jenny L. McGuire, \u0026ldquo;Plant biomes demonstrate that landscape resilience today is the lowest it has been since end?Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions\u0026rdquo; (\u003Cem\u003EGlobal Change Biology\u003C\/em\u003E, 2020). \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/gcb.15299\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/gcb.15299\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0182\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EReduced resilience of plant biomes in North America could be setting the stage for the kind of mass extinctions not seen since the retreat of glaciers and arrival of humans about 13,000 years ago, cautions a new study published August 20 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EGlobal Change Biology.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Reduced resilience of plant biomes in North America could be setting the stage for the kind of mass extinctions not seen in 13,000 years."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2020-08-25 00:23:09","changed_gmt":"2020-08-25 01:03:34","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"638303":{"id":"638303","type":"image","title":"Change in resilience","body":null,"created":"1598313855","gmt_created":"2020-08-25 00:04:15","changed":"1598313855","gmt_changed":"2020-08-25 00:04:15","alt":"Chart showing resilience over time","file":{"fid":"242753","name":"recovery-vs-residence.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/recovery-vs-residence.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/recovery-vs-residence.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":515596,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/recovery-vs-residence.jpg?itok=3udtOXSK"}},"638305":{"id":"638305","type":"image","title":"Researchers studying data from fossil pollen","body":null,"created":"1598313959","gmt_created":"2020-08-25 00:05:59","changed":"1598314141","gmt_changed":"2020-08-25 00:09:01","alt":"Researchers in woodland scene","file":{"fid":"242754","name":"plant-biome-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/plant-biome-001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/plant-biome-001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1320660,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/plant-biome-001.jpg?itok=Pjxc1JIb"}},"638306":{"id":"638306","type":"image","title":"Researchers studying data from fossil pollen - 2","body":null,"created":"1598314107","gmt_created":"2020-08-25 00:08:27","changed":"1598315097","gmt_changed":"2020-08-25 00:24:57","alt":"Researchers in woodland scene","file":{"fid":"242755","name":"plane-biome-010.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/plane-biome-010.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/plane-biome-010.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1448919,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/plane-biome-010.jpg?itok=BsfWFiwH"}}},"media_ids":["638303","638305","638306"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"185677","name":"biome"},{"id":"185678","name":"plant biome"},{"id":"13410","name":"Extinction"},{"id":"80651","name":"pollen"},{"id":"185679","name":"fossil pollen"},{"id":"113","name":"landscape"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"638111":{"#nid":"638111","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Making Earth System Models That Match the Speed of Climate Change ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA pair of researchers in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;will soon assist the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/\u0022\u003EU.S. Department of Energy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(DOE) in improving the computer models used to figure out just how much climate change has impacted Earth\u0026rsquo;s oceans and atmosphere \u0026mdash; and what changes may happen in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research from assistant professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/ito-dr-taka\u0022\u003ETaka Ito\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/bracco-dr-annalisa\u0022\u003EAnnalisa Bracco\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is one of nine projects that will share $7 million in DOE funding. The goal of the studies, according to a recent\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/science\/articles\/department-energy-announces-7-million-earth-system-model-development-and-analysis\u0022\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E, is \u0026ldquo;improving DOE\u0026rsquo;s Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), the first comprehensive model of the Earth system to take full advantage of the world-leading supercomputing capabilities at DOE\u0026#39;s\u0026nbsp;national laboratories.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe nine studies \u0026ldquo;will focus on a range of different topics, from improved representation of ecological systems and cloud-aerosol interactions in predictive models, to quantifying uncertainties across a range of processes, scales, time horizons, and regional impacts.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBracco and Ito are the two principal investigators of their research study, with colleagues from the DOE\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lanl.gov\/\u0022\u003ELos Alamos National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in New Mexico collaborating on the project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA quick primer on earth system models\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Ocean physical-biogeochemical interactions in the CMIP6 and E3SM Earth System Models\u0026rdquo; is the official title for Ito and Bracco\u0026rsquo;s forthcoming research, and it refers to two climate models among a suite available to climate scientists: the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.wcrp-climate.org\/\u0022\u003EWorld Climate Research Programme\u0026rsquo;s\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) and the DOE\u0026rsquo;s model.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEarth system models (ESMs) are computer and math-based tools that can help explain the global carbon cycle that is integral to the Earth system. The models represent \u0026ldquo;the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, chemical, and some biological processes in the Earth system,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;This a huge code that kind of encapsulates what we think is going on process-wise. We describe them in the mathematical and computer languages, and then we simulate the computer code and we simulate the systems and how they interact.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIto adds that to date, those models haven\u0026rsquo;t kept up with rapid advances in observational and analytical data concerning the global carbon cycle.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGiving earth system models a makeover\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIto and Bracco explain in an informal abstract for their project that Earth\u0026rsquo;s three major reservoirs \u0026mdash; land, atmosphere, and oceans \u0026mdash; exchange carbon for the planet. They note an estimate that the ocean now holds the vast majority \u0026mdash; more than 90 percent \u0026mdash; of carbon. They also explain that, during the past two centuries, humans tapping into fossil fuels have dramatically altered that cycle, with the ocean now becoming a significant carbon sink.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The excess anthropogenic carbon that has been accumulating in the ocean is altering its chemistry and the marine ecosystems,\u0026rdquo; Ito and Bracco share. \u0026ldquo;At the same time, climate change is modifying the ocean physics, with consequences for the transport of carbon into the ocean. Changing ocean circulation is similarly important for the global oxygen cycling. Approximately half of oxygen production occurs in the ocean, but changes in ocean transport, mixing, and biological production are changing oxygen production and cycling.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is where ESMs can be a valuable tool for understanding these changes, but \u0026ldquo;unfortunately, these models underestimate the amplitude of the changes in ocean carbon uptake and dissolved oxygen content on the timescales of tens of years,\u0026rdquo; Ito says. \u0026ldquo;Additionally, they disagree over the sign of predicted changes in dissolved oxygen in the tropical oceans under global warming scenarios.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn other words, climate change is happening so rapidly, some of the leading climate models aren\u0026rsquo;t keeping up.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We think those are major regions of uncertainty, and we want to understand what causes those differences,\u0026rdquo; Ito says. \u0026ldquo;For the case of carbon dioxide uptake, what are the key differences between models and observation? Hopefully, that information will help us improve the next generation of ESMs. We want to eventually contribute to the better model performance and projections.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBringing big data, machine learning into the mix\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project is an extension of the research that Annalisa Bracco\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2018\/01\/17\/using-data-mining-make-sense-climate-change#more_photos\u0022\u003Estarted\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in 2018 for a separate DOE grant involving climate science. The methodology she developed there relied more on data mining and machine learning to take all climate factors \u0026ndash; aerosols, winds, clouds, and other data \u0026ndash; into account without overwhelming individuals having to manage and interpret the data. Bracco\u0026rsquo;s methodology enabled software and computers to do the work that humans had to do before, and further allows for faster input of the latest climate data into the models.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;With this project we hope to identify and contribute to correct some of the major biases that models have in representing the ocean carbon cycle, which is fundamental in the anthropogenic (human-caused) carbon dioxide uptake,\u0026rdquo; Bracco says. \u0026ldquo;Working with DOE scientists who develop the model will make our results all the more relevant, because they can be \u0026#39;turned\u0026#39; into model improvements right away.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBracco and a graduate student in her lab group,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/falasca-fabrizio\u0022\u003EFabrizio Falasca\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nhave continued to build on her 2018 work, \u0026ldquo;developing more tools to complete a framework to investigate climate variability and change. The possibility to collaborate and learn from scientists in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Computing\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has been invaluable, of course,\u0026rdquo; Bracco notes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBracco and Ito add that any analysis tools that arise from their project will be shared in the public domain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Annalisa Bracco and Taka Ito land Department of Energy grant to improve computer models for analyzing Earth\u2019s carbon cycles across oceans, land, and the atmosphere "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Department of Energy\u0026#39;s process for\u0026nbsp;predicting how climate change will affect\u0026nbsp;carbon in the planet\u0026#39;s ecosystem could get a makeover, thanks to a new grant for two School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences researchers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Annalisa Bracco and Taka Ito land Department of Energy grant to improve computer models for analyzing Earth\u2019s carbon cycles across oceans, land, and the atmosphere "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-08-19 20:30:09","changed_gmt":"2020-08-19 20:47:59","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-08-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-08-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"638113":{"id":"638113","type":"image","title":"A graphic showing ocean circulation developed from MPAS (Model for Prediction Across Scales) components for oceans, sea ice, and land ice. (Graphic courtesy E3SM.org.) ","body":null,"created":"1597869501","gmt_created":"2020-08-19 20:38:21","changed":"1597869501","gmt_changed":"2020-08-19 20:38:21","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242687","name":"E3SM pic.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/E3SM%20pic.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/E3SM%20pic.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1254460,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/E3SM%20pic.png?itok=Q-z2Gfmc"}},"638115":{"id":"638115","type":"image","title":"Satellite imagery of a Saharan dust plume over the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo NASA)","body":null,"created":"1597869619","gmt_created":"2020-08-19 20:40:19","changed":"1597869619","gmt_changed":"2020-08-19 20:40:19","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242689","name":"Saharan Dust Plume NASA .jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Saharan%20Dust%20Plume%20NASA%20.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Saharan%20Dust%20Plume%20NASA%20.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":190848,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Saharan%20Dust%20Plume%20NASA%20.jpg?itok=Zn5BoTUm"}},"638117":{"id":"638117","type":"image","title":"Annalisa Bracco","body":null,"created":"1597869883","gmt_created":"2020-08-19 20:44:43","changed":"1597869883","gmt_changed":"2020-08-19 20:44:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242691","name":"Annalisa Bracco headshot 2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Annalisa%20Bracco%20headshot%202.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Annalisa%20Bracco%20headshot%202.png","mime":"image\/png","size":149029,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Annalisa%20Bracco%20headshot%202.png?itok=sdfiiGW4"}},"638116":{"id":"638116","type":"image","title":"Taka Ito ","body":null,"created":"1597869732","gmt_created":"2020-08-19 20:42:12","changed":"1597869732","gmt_changed":"2020-08-19 20:42:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242690","name":"Taka Ito headshot.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Taka%20Ito%20headshot.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Taka%20Ito%20headshot.png","mime":"image\/png","size":135376,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Taka%20Ito%20headshot.png?itok=Mx88fKPr"}}},"media_ids":["638113","638115","638117","638116"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2018\/01\/17\/using-data-mining-make-sense-climate-change#more_photos","title":"Using Data Mining to Make Sense of Climate Change"},{"url":"https:\/\/o2.eas.gatech.edu\/\/","title":"Taka Ito Lab Group"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.o3d.org\/abracco\/","title":"Annalisa Bracco Lab Group"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/hom-ito-and-moffat-are-2018-cullen-peck-fellows","title":"Hom, Ito, and Moffat are 2018 Cullen-Peck Fellows"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/events\/turning-sour-bloated-and-out-breath-ocean-chemistry-under-global-warming-0","title":"Turning Sour, Bloated, and Out of Breath: Ocean Chemistry Under Global Warming"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/ecogig-ocean-discovery-zone","title":" ECOGIG Ocean Discovery Zone (video)"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"},{"id":"169175","name":"taka ito"},{"id":"171968","name":"Annalisa Bracco"},{"id":"663","name":"Department of Energy"},{"id":"185622","name":"earth systems models"},{"id":"185623","name":"E3SM"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"637789":{"#nid":"637789","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Catching Z\u2019s, Capturing Data: Researchers Create DIY Device for Monitoring Sleep Patterns ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/audrey-duarte\u0022\u003EAudrey Duarte\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has spent most of her research career as a professor with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;studying memory and aging. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s really my bread and butter,\u0026rdquo; Duarte says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESoon, that research will focus on another aspect of daily \u0026mdash; and nightly \u0026mdash; life that changes as people grow older, in an area that often impacts their memory: sleep.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When you start thinking about what is underlying memory changes and aging, and individual differences in memory ability, there are certain factors that you can look at that are malleable \u0026ndash; health-related factors, and sleep is a huge one,\u0026rdquo; Duarte says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe problem with gathering data from sleeping subjects is that many times, the devices that individuals have to wear can be cumbersome and make it difficult to attain a good night\u0026rsquo;s sleep. That can impact the quality of the data. That\u0026rsquo;s why Duarte is collaborating with assistant professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/yeo\u0022\u003EW. Hong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E, who researches micro and nano engineering in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. Together, the team is creating a much smaller, wearable electronics device that can read brain waves while allowing the wearer to easily drift off into the various stages of sleep. That device may be ready for home testing soon, Yeo says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, Duarte and Yeo are working on two projects. One is supported by a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Institutes of Health\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;grant, which aims to develop an at-home sleep monitoring system that measures brain signals on the forehead. This single device platform will be used to find neural signatures related to early detection of Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s disease. The other project is supported by\u0026nbsp;Huxley Medical Inc., a company Yeo founded,\u0026nbsp;to build a low-cost, wireless, polysomnography system. Polysomnography describes a certain kind of sleep study that involves measuring brain waves, heart rates, and other vital signs to help health professionals understand sleep disorders.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENanotechnology to the rescue\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMaking this new device affordable, easy to manufacture on a wide scale, and above all, wireless would allow patients to place the device on their foreheads, in the comfort of their own homes versus a visit to an in-person sleep lab.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYeo says that nanotechnology helped him dream up a way to make the device small and unobtrusive enough that test subjects can forget they\u0026rsquo;re wearing a monitor.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Basically, we will develop a new nanomanufacturing method that can print multiple nanomaterials to fabricate an integrated wireless sensor system,\u0026rdquo; Yeo says. \u0026ldquo;Overall, this device will have an exceptionally small form factor,\u0026rdquo; with a thickness less than five millimeters that weighs less than eight grams. \u0026ldquo;The device size is similar to or smaller than a credit card.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe soft electronics, mounted on a patient\u0026rsquo;s forehead, will include multiple sensors to measure brain signals, as well as a Bluetooth circuit. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026#39;s basically offering the similar wireless functionality as an Apple watch, such that this device can be connected with any smartphone or tablet to record brain signals up to 20 meters away from the device,\u0026rdquo; Yeo says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWaking up to a new way to monitor sleep\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0026rsquo;s project started in 2019 when Yeo contacted Duarte about his need to access a lab that measures electroencephalograms (EEGs), which show the electrical activity in the brain. Yeo wanted to check a different device he was working on, and Duarte says the connection led to thinking about other possible collaborations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I saw the potential right away,\u0026rdquo; she says, sharing that Yeo\u0026rsquo;s previous nanotechnology work grabbed her attention. \u0026ldquo;We just started talking when I saw what he was building.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYeo focuses on \u0026ldquo;soft, wearable electronics for health monitoring and human-computer interfaces,\u0026rdquo; according to his\u0026nbsp;research website. He has previously designed biomimetic materials, or \u0026ldquo;skin-like electronics.\u0026rdquo; One of his device proposals, placed under the chins of those with dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, would read electronic impulses to the throat, and is designed to help patients learn how to swallow again. Another project uses ultra-thin membrane biosensors that could help patients wirelessly control robotic wheelchairs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;His devices, you forget they\u0026rsquo;re on,\u0026rdquo; Duarte says of the designs. And \u0026ldquo;they really send out high quality signals that you can record.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe adds that while devices that monitor movements during sleep currently exist, \u0026ldquo;and you can learn things about sleep-wake cycles \u0026mdash; it\u0026rsquo;s objective data, but it\u0026rsquo;s not brain activity. There were all of these reasons why I wanted to get to brain activity.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe sleep-memory-health connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuarte explains that science has long known about the connection between memory and sleep. \u0026ldquo;Looking at brain activity when people are sleeping, you can see patterns of activities related to memory. Events we experience during the day are replaying during sleep, and memories can be strengthened.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EConsistent nights of good sleep can translate into health benefits like stronger immune systems and better cardiovascular health, along with improved memory, Duarte adds.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe shares that Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s patients are the subject of\u0026nbsp;an unrelated sleep study. \u0026ldquo;There could be some things in sleep brain activities that serve as biomarkers of Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s pathology,\u0026rdquo; she says. If that can be verified, a smaller sleep monitoring device could keep patients from requiring more invasive procedures like spinal taps or brain scans. \u0026ldquo;They could just wear this device at home.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth Duarte and Yeo say the Covid-19 pandemic has rearranged their testing schedule for the device. Test subjects, including older people, can\u0026rsquo;t come in to labs to try out the device and have their data taken, but the researchers say they are getting ready to send them out for home testing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Due to Covid-19, overall progress is slow,\u0026rdquo; Yeo says. \u0026ldquo;However, we\u0026rsquo;ve made progress in device design and fabrication. I believe that we can start using one or two devices with human subjects in late August.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;After we\u0026rsquo;re sure we have a design that\u0026rsquo;s high fidelity and doesn\u0026rsquo;t break easily, we\u0026rsquo;re going to start mailing it out to volunteers of different ages,\u0026rdquo; Duarte says. And with video chat platforms like \u0026ldquo;Blue Jeans or Zoom, we can answer questions as they\u0026rsquo;re placing it on their heads.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EYeo\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;is founder and shareholder of Huxley Medical, the company sponsoring this research. He is also an inventor of technologies that include wearable electronics for health monitoring, which Huxley licensed for commercialization. The outcome of this research could impact his personal financial interests.\u0026nbsp;His financial conflicts of interest have been disclosed to and are managed by the Georgia Institute of Technology Office of Research Integrity Assurance.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new at-home polysomnography kit, built by Audrey Duarte and W. Hong Yeo, proposes a path to getting data and a better night\u0026rsquo;s sleep \u0026mdash; thanks to a new, unobtrusive nanotech device.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new at-home polysomnography kit, built by Audrey Duarte and W. Hong Yeo, proposes a path to getting data and a better night\u2019s sleep \u2014 thanks to a new, unobtrusive nanotech device."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-08-12 17:30:27","changed_gmt":"2020-08-17 21:10:59","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-08-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-08-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"637800":{"id":"637800","type":"image","title":"Audrey Duarte, Professor, School of Psychology ","body":null,"created":"1597255127","gmt_created":"2020-08-12 17:58:47","changed":"1597255127","gmt_changed":"2020-08-12 17:58:47","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242575","name":"Audrey Duarte.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Audrey%20Duarte.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Audrey%20Duarte.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":95662,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Audrey%20Duarte.jpg?itok=_ik1TkIu"}},"637803":{"id":"637803","type":"image","title":"W. Hong Yeo, assistant professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering ","body":null,"created":"1597255420","gmt_created":"2020-08-12 18:03:40","changed":"1597255420","gmt_changed":"2020-08-12 18:03:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242577","name":"W. Hong Yeo.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/W.%20Hong%20Yeo.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/W.%20Hong%20Yeo.png","mime":"image\/png","size":128577,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/W.%20Hong%20Yeo.png?itok=mA8iDG4Y"}},"637795":{"id":"637795","type":"image","title":"The wearable sleep monitoring device developed by W. Hong Yeo ","body":null,"created":"1597254670","gmt_created":"2020-08-12 17:51:10","changed":"1597254670","gmt_changed":"2020-08-12 17:51:10","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242572","name":"1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/1_5.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/1_5.png","mime":"image\/png","size":421900,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/1_5.png?itok=6HrmMTHu"}},"637797":{"id":"637797","type":"image","title":"How the wearable sleep monitoring device compares to wearable body movement monitors. (Photo W. Hong Yeo)","body":null,"created":"1597254869","gmt_created":"2020-08-12 17:54:29","changed":"1597254869","gmt_changed":"2020-08-12 17:54:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242573","name":"2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2_4.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2_4.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1712957,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2_4.png?itok=IKkK6mfk"}}},"media_ids":["637800","637803","637795","637797"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/season-1-episode-8-when-people-age-and-memory-fails","title":"ScienceMatters Season One Episode 8: When People Age and Memory Fails"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?time_continue=61\u0026v=xFATL0IqfN0\u0026feature=emb_logo","title":"YouTube Video: Georgia Tech Engineers Make Wireless, Wearable Health Monitor "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/wearable-brain-machine-interface-could-control-wheelchair-vehicle-or-computer","title":"Wearable Brain-Machine Interface Could Control a Wheelchair, Vehicle or Computer"},{"url":"http:\/\/duartelab.gatech.edu","title":"Audrey Duarte Memory and Aging Lab"},{"url":"https:\/\/yeolab.gatech.edu","title":"H. Wong Yeo Nanoengineering Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"167710","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"14224","name":"Audrey Duarte"},{"id":"176417","name":"W. Hong Yeo"},{"id":"14545","name":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"185516","name":"polysomnography"},{"id":"180266","name":"sleep studies"},{"id":"107","name":"Nanotechnology"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"637772":{"#nid":"637772","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Microbes and Methane: Unlocking Clathrate \u0027Crystal Cages\u0027 with Chilly Protein Cocktails, Created from Deep Biosphere Bacteria","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen it comes to gas clathrates \u0026mdash; collections of water molecules that can trap gas inside a lattice-like crystal structure \u0026mdash; science sees them as potential friends\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eand\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;foes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey\u0026rsquo;re friends because clathrate-trapped natural gas could be another source of energy for the oil and gas industry. Yet clathrates are also foes if they heat up too fast inside offshore wells. They can rapidly expand with dangerous results, as was\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2010\/may\/20\/deepwater-methane-hydrates-bp-gulf\u0022\u003Esuggested\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Clathrates buried deep within the Arctic permafrost can also trap methane, which is a major greenhouse gas, and rising global temperatures could unlock those chilly \u0026#39;crystal cages\u0026#39; and add to climate change concerns.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf science can figure out a safe, eco-friendly way to manipulate clathrates, then a wide range of disciplines and industries could benefit from the applications. A unique interdisciplinary team of Georgia Tech researchers may have found a way to accomplish that goal, using proteins embedded in bacteria from deep below the Earth\u0026rsquo;s surface to bind to clathrates and change them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acs.cgd.0c00855\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Mainly on the Plane: Deep Subsurface Bacterial Proteins Bind and Alter Clathrate Structure\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E, published July 23 in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/journal\/cgdefu\u0022\u003ECrystal Growth \u0026amp; Design\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/\u0022\u003EAmerican Chemical Society\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;publication) is the result of a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/unlocking-mystery-methane-clathrates\u0022\u003E2018 grant\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from the NASA Exobiology program. The researchers are\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.gatech.edu\/people\/abigail-johnson\u0022\u003EAbigail Johnson\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003EJennifer Glass\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/huard\/dustin\u0022\u003EDustin Huard\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/lieberman\/raquel\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/people\/Priyam-Raut\u0022\u003EPriyam Raut\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/people\/Faculty\/6774\/overview\u0022\u003ESheng Dai\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dai.ce.gatech.edu\/group\/Jongchan-Kim\u0022\u003EJongchan Kim\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe petroleum industry currently tries to slow and cool off clathrates in pipelines and wells with synthetic compounds, but \u0026ldquo;there is a strong need for alternative, \u0026lsquo;green,\u0026rsquo;\u0026nbsp;antifreeze materials\u0026rdquo; to lower the temperature at which hydrates (clathrates)\u0026nbsp;will form, says Lieberman, a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u0026ldquo;While antifreeze proteins derived from cold water fish show some promise, our unique proteins come from those found in microbes that natively inhabit gas clathrates, and thus hold promise as more potent and tailored inhibitors of natural gas clathrate.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaking protein magic in the lab\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that their cocktail of protein-embedded bacteria changed the structure of clathrate crystal lattices to \u0026ldquo;polycrystalline and plate-like, instead of forming single, octahedral crystals,\u0026rdquo; as the study\u0026rsquo;s abstract notes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A big takeaway here is that this is one of the very first times that any group has created proteins in the lab using bacterial gene sequences from\u0026nbsp;Earth\u0026rsquo;s deep biosphere,\u0026rdquo; says Glass, an associate professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. \u0026ldquo;Deep biosphere\u0026rdquo; refers to organic materials found beneath the Earth\u0026rsquo;s surface. \u0026ldquo;Due to the great difficulty of culturing and isolating microbes from the deep biosphere, we have taken the approach of expressing these novel proteins recombinantly, using workhorse bacteria like\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGlass says the study shows scientists can make these proteins in the lab and that they are stable enough to use in experiments. \u0026ldquo;This opens up huge possibilities for exploring functions of novel proteins from the deep biosphere in our laboratories. It\u0026rsquo;s possible these proteins could have use in biotechnology, medicine, industry, environmental remediation, and many other fields.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHuard, a research scientist in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, marvels at how nature is capable of evolving simple yet elegant solutions to complex problems like figuring out clathrate structure. A simple amino acid sequence, when blended into proteins that bind to clathrates, \u0026ldquo;allows for organisms to thrive in extremely harsh, cold environments,\u0026rdquo; he says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHuard adds that clathrates are known to exist elsewhere in the solar system. \u0026ldquo;Our clathrate-binding proteins, produced by bacteria, could provide a clue as to how life might survive on other planetary bodies that have gas clathrates, such as Mars.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDon\u0026rsquo;t forget about discoveries in the past few years about the role methane clathrates may play in maintaining subsurface liquid oceans on icy moons and planetary bodies in the outer solar system, adds Glass. \u0026ldquo;Gas clathrates are thought to be possible habitable zones for microbial life. I\u0026rsquo;m very excited to connect our research to results from future [NASA] missions.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe full extent of the capabilities of clathrate-binding proteins is not yet known, Huard says. For example, the food industry could benefit if the proteins also inhibit ice growth, since antifreeze proteins are already found in many food products.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe perfect mix of Georgia Tech researchers and disciplines\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHuard researches in Lieberman\u0026rsquo;s lab, which has produced studies of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/season-2-episode-3-focusing-mutant-proteins-help-glaucoma-patients\u0022\u003Eprotein structure found in certain forms of glaucoma\u003C\/a\u003E. Lieberman and Huard ended up being part of a team that Glass says illustrates Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s interdisciplinary strengths.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This project is a perfect example of the exciting results that emerge when fields that often don\u0026rsquo;t talk come together to try something new,\u0026rdquo; Glass says. \u0026ldquo;Our team at Georgia Tech is truly one of the only in the world, to my knowledge, that has the scientific and engineering expertise to do this work.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe clathrate project brought together marine microbiologists and geochemists from the Glass Lab, bioinformaticians from the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioinformatics Graduate Program\u003C\/a\u003E, and geosystems engineers. It was catalyzed by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOcean Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;program (OSE), in which doctoral candidate Johnson is an inaugural class member.\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;OSE uniquely encourages graduate projects on ocean-related research that bridge the disciplinary divides between marine science and engineering,\u0026rdquo; Glass says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe impact of clathrates on climate science\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor Johnson, the study afforded her an opportunity to offer a better understanding of clathrates, which have trapped methane under the ocean floor and deep in the Arctic permafrost.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EClathrates \u0026ldquo;basically occur anywhere there is low temperature, high pressure, water, and sufficient gas concentrations,\u0026rdquo; Johnson says. \u0026ldquo;Gigatons of methane, a known potent greenhouse gas, are stored in gas clathrates. A warming global climate could cause clathrate dissociation, potentially leading to a disastrous snowball effect. This is why it\u0026rsquo;s so critical that we have a firm understanding on the forces controlling clathrate stability.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohnson says the role microbiology plays in that stability is important to consider but has not been well researched. \u0026ldquo;Our study elucidates a potential role that bacteria have in stabilizing gas clathrates by producing CBPs (clathrate binding proteins). We found that CBPs bind and significantly change the morphology of the clathrate structure, which hints at a potential role in stability. Our future research will help us determine if these CBPs work to inhibit or nucleate (crystallize) gas clathrate. We hypothesize that CBPs are secreted by bacteria into their fluid habitat within the clathrate, and then bind to the clathrate, thereby inhibiting further clathrate growth; this mechanism would allow the bacteria to maintain their fluid habitat.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that their cocktail of protein-embedded bacteria changed the structure of clathrate crystal lattices to \u0026ldquo;polycrystalline and plate-like, instead of forming single, octahedral crystals,\u0026rdquo; as the study\u0026rsquo;s abstract notes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"When it comes to gas clathrates \u2014 collections of water molecules that can trap gas inside a lattice-like crystal structure \u2014 science sees them as potential friends and foes."}],"uid":"35279","created_gmt":"2020-08-11 20:51:50","changed_gmt":"2020-08-11 20:51:50","author":"belnaggar3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-08-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-08-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"637397":{"id":"637397","type":"image","title":"Abigail Johnson, a doctoral student in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. ","body":null,"created":"1596132191","gmt_created":"2020-07-30 18:03:11","changed":"1596132191","gmt_changed":"2020-07-30 18:03:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242459","name":"Abigail Johnson .png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Abigail%20Johnson%20.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Abigail%20Johnson%20.png","mime":"image\/png","size":864331,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Abigail%20Johnson%20.png?itok=PdWoKUl8"}},"637427":{"id":"637427","type":"image","title":"Clathrate crystals in various stages of growth, along with control treatments (top left, top middle samples).","body":null,"created":"1596215831","gmt_created":"2020-07-31 17:17:11","changed":"1596215831","gmt_changed":"2020-07-31 17:17:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242472","name":"Clathrates grid.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Clathrates%20grid.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Clathrates%20grid.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":463767,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Clathrates%20grid.jpg?itok=vuBbgSAo"}}},"media_ids":["637397","637427"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/news\/microbes-and-methane-unlocking-clathrate-crystal-cages-chilly-protein-cocktails-created-deep","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"61541","name":"Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"637693":{"#nid":"637693","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Greg Gibson and Joshua Weitz: Science and Projections for Our Return to Campus","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003EOn August 4, 2020, Greg Gibson and\u0026nbsp;Joshua Weitz provided updates on Covid-19 projections and coronavirus surveillance testing, with a focus on the return to campus.\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWatch the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/youtu.be\/E-mgLuhUSJc\u0022\u003Evideo recording of this talk\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/youtu.be\/E-mgLuhUSJc\u0022\u003Eview presentation slides\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVisit the Georgia Tech Campus Survey Testing site: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mytest.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Emytest.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/gregory-gibson\u0022\u003EGreg Gibson\u003C\/a\u003E is a professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Director of the Center for Integrative Genomics, and Genome Analysis core of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E is a professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech and Director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences.\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis talk was hosted by the School of Biological Sciences with support from the College of Sciences at Georgia Tech. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EVideo recap: Watch Joshua Weitz and Greg Gibson provide updates on Covid-19 projections and coronavirus surveillance testing, with a focus on the return to campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Video recap: Watch Joshua Weitz and Greg Gibson provide updates on Covid-19 projections and coronavirus surveillance testing, with a focus on the return to campus."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2020-08-09 15:23:00","changed_gmt":"2020-08-09 15:23:53","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-08-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-08-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"637691":{"id":"637691","type":"image","title":"Greg Gibson and Joshua Weitz provide updates on Covid-19 projections and coronavirus surveillance testing, with a focus on the return to campus.","body":null,"created":"1596986112","gmt_created":"2020-08-09 15:15:12","changed":"1596986112","gmt_changed":"2020-08-09 15:15:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242540","name":"2020 08 04 News Card - Weitz Gibson Talk.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2020%2008%2004%20News%20Card%20-%20Weitz%20Gibson%20Talk.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2020%2008%2004%20News%20Card%20-%20Weitz%20Gibson%20Talk.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":384294,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2020%2008%2004%20News%20Card%20-%20Weitz%20Gibson%20Talk.jpg?itok=jMJ55Ocf"}}},"media_ids":["637691"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"184289","name":"covid-19"},{"id":"183843","name":"coronavirus"},{"id":"185496","name":"return to campus"},{"id":"184288","name":"covid"},{"id":"185497","name":"sars-cov-2"},{"id":"185498","name":"surveillance testing"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"637278":{"#nid":"637278","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Epidemics Focus, Virtual Format: QBioS Takes Annual \u201cHands-On Modeling Workshop\u201d Online","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis summer,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/workshop2020.qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;who is also the founding director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EQuantitative Biosciences Interdisciplinary Graduate Program\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(QBioS), organized a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/workshop2020.qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Hands-On Modeling Virtual Workshop\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;focusing on epidemics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ecotheory.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWeitz Group at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has created various models and figures to help explain the spread and epidemiology of Covid-19. Weitz has frequently shared his findings with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Elocal and national media outlets\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis year marked the fourth annual \u0026ldquo;Quantitative Biosciences Hands-On Modeling Workshop\u0026rdquo;. Due to Covid-19, the summer 2020 event was held virtually. Focused on the basics of epidemic modeling, the workshop was joined by more than 50 online attendees from around the globe.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz delivered two lectures on epidemic theory and the latest Covid-19 research. In addition, ten QBioS students, two post-doctoral scientists from the Weitz group (David Demory and Stephen Beckett), and one external post-doctoral scientist (Bradford Taylor) served as instructors for small group sessions, focusing on the hands-on experience of coding deterministic and stochastic models to predict the spread of epidemics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe QBioS Ph.D. student organizers collected surveys following the event, which provided feedback on both the content and format of the workshop. Some examples:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;The flow of the workshop is great. Learning introductory concepts to start, the ability to apply some of them with hands-on, and then finishing with applications and extensions. Having many participants from many backgrounds adds a lot to the small group sessions as well.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;I thought it was a great workshop to get core concepts across. I think the online format was done as best as possible and appreciated the thoughtful instructors.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz and Pablo Bravo, a second year QBioS Ph.D. student in Quantitative Biosciences, share thoughts on how they ran the virtual workshop \u0026mdash; along with ideas and advice for those looking to host similar online workshops:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat were the biggest lessons learned from your summer workshop?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWeitz:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThe survey results communicated two important lessons. First, positive\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nresponses to the\u0026nbsp;workshop\u0026nbsp;structure reinforce just how critical it is to contextualize modeling in terms of a key biological challenge. Providing a biological scaffold helps to focus student work and keep their interest and attention on the technical material. The second lesson is that there is an adaptation period to hands-on learning online. We intentionally spaced out the coding sessions with a mid-day break and most of the issues appeared in the morning as students and instructors adjusted to their group\u0026#39;s dynamic, including debugging code while in different locations, and indeed, countries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBravo\u003C\/strong\u003E: One aspect that made the workshop possible was the participation of many members in different roles: coordinators, advertising, lecturers, instructors, IT support.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Planning and working early as a team were essential.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat were the biggest challenges you had to overcome?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBravo:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThere were two main problems that we had to solve. First, we offered support for three programming languages (MATLAB, Python, R), and given the high number of registrations, the first year QBioS cohort couldn\u0026#39;t handle all of them. Members of the QBioS community, current and past members of the Weitz group stepped in and helped us in leading activity groups. It wouldn\u0026#39;t have been possible without them!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlso, debugging was an issue. Debugging scripts over video calls was extremely difficult. Attendees were not keen on screen-sharing their code at the beginning, but as they got to know each other, this stopped being an issue. Delay between the video and audio feed remained an issue throughout the whole workshop\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat\u0026rsquo;s the one takeaway you want to stress to instructors looking to offer similar webinars and online workshops?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWeitz:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EOverall, we are optimistic about our ability to continue to develop and implement innovative teaching strategies in\u0026nbsp;QBioS \u0026mdash; but remain realistic that adjustment periods will be needed to foster an atmosphere conducive to small group learning when groups are dispersed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBravo:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EI think the biggest factor in the success of the workshop is that it was centered around interactive activity sessions, in which five students and an instructor would go through the material and write the scripts together. This promoted both active learning and discussion between the attendees, and also allowed attendees to follow up with questions and comments to their respective instructors \u0026shy;\u0026shy;\u0026mdash; even days after the workshop finalized.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Lectures, breakout sessions highlight online seminar on virus modeling "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHeld this summer in a virtual format, the fourth annual Quantitative Biosciences \u0026ldquo;Hands-On Modeling Workshop\u0026rdquo; focused on the basics of epidemics modeling. Joshua Weitz and Pablo Bravo share thoughts on how they ran the virtual workshop \u0026mdash; along with ideas and advice for those looking to host similar online events.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Lectures, breakout sessions highlight online seminar on virus modeling "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-07-27 14:16:58","changed_gmt":"2020-07-31 14:05:58","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-07-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-07-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"635045":{"id":"635045","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz, professor, School of Biological Sciences ","body":null,"created":"1588625892","gmt_created":"2020-05-04 20:58:12","changed":"1588625892","gmt_changed":"2020-05-04 20:58:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241667","name":"Weitz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Weitz.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Weitz.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":629497,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Weitz.jpg?itok=iwrsFnKo"}},"637279":{"id":"637279","type":"image","title":"A poster for the 2020 QBioS Hands-On Modeling Workshop.","body":null,"created":"1595859785","gmt_created":"2020-07-27 14:23:05","changed":"1595859785","gmt_changed":"2020-07-27 14:23:05","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242428","name":"QBioS Workshop Poster.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/QBioS%20Workshop%20Poster.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/QBioS%20Workshop%20Poster.png","mime":"image\/png","size":362001,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/QBioS%20Workshop%20Poster.png?itok=kmr6hxiR"}}},"media_ids":["635045","637279"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/workshop2020.qbios.gatech.edu","title":"Welcome to the 2020 QBioS Hands-on Modeling Virtual Workshop"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-researchers-release-county-level-calculator-estimate-risk-covid-19-exposure-us","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Release County-Level Calculator to Estimate Risk of Covid-19 Exposure at U.S. Events"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/collaborative-covid-19-research-receives-national-science-foundation-rapid-grant","title":"Collaborative Covid-19 Research Receives National Science Foundation RAPID Grant"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"184835","name":"remote learning"},{"id":"185391","name":"virus modeling"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"637276":{"#nid":"637276","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unselfish Molecules May Have Given Rise to Life","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s a question older than science: How did life begin? In modern biology, life depends on life to live. But how did the mutualistic relationship between different molecules \u0026ndash; which led, eventually, to complex biological systems, like human beings, for example \u0026ndash; actually come to be?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor many researchers, the answer lies within the \u0026lsquo;RNA World,\u0026rsquo; a widely-accepted hypothesis in which self-replicating RNA proliferated, serving a dual role as both genetic polymer and catalytic polymer, long before the evolution of DNA and protein.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe RNA World model is an attractive cradle-of-life premise, according to Georgia Institute of Technology researcher Moran Frenkel-Pinter, \u0026ldquo;because it avoids the extreme improbability of simultaneous independent origins of two different types of polymers. According to that theory, over time the RNA World incrementally invented the ribosome, giving rise to the current biological system comprised of RNA, DNA, and protein.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe adds, \u0026ldquo;it\u0026rsquo;s kind of a parsimonious idea, basically saying that RNA made everything. But there is a much simpler solution.\u0026rdquo; Frenkel-Pinter and her research partners have offered an alternative \u0026ndash; the concerted evolution of polymers \u0026ndash; of nucleic acids and proteins. \u0026ldquo;A Ribonucleoprotein World,\u0026rdquo; quips Frenkel-Pinter, a research scientist and former\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/news\/unique-concentration-postdoctoral-talent\u0022\u003ENASA Postdoctoral Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E who works in the labs of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/hud\/\u0022\u003ENick Hud\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/~williams\/\u0022\u003ELoren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, and is the lead author of a recently published paper that provides experimental support for this model.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-020-16891-5\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Mutually stabilizing interactions between proto-peptides and RNA,\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E, describes the chemical linkage that could have been at play during the origins of biopolymers. Their results suggest that neither nucleic acids or proteins came first, but that RNA and proteins were selected together through a process of co-evolution. In other words, it wasn\u0026rsquo;t a single selfish gene competing for survival that drove evolution; it was the rising tide of collaboration between molecules from the very beginning.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;People have wondered, \u0026lsquo;was it protein first, was it nucleic acid first?\u0026rsquo; This work says is, they were connected from early on,\u0026rdquo; says co-author Hud, regents professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, director of the NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, and associate director of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo, there was more interdependence than independence underlying the machinery of early life. Or as co-author and Petit Institute researcher Williams puts it, \u0026ldquo;it isn\u0026rsquo;t really an independent dog eat dog world. You have systems working together \u0026ndash; birds that eat the bugs off zebras, microbes in our gut, plants that make the oxygen we breathe.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers hypothesized that positively-charged (cationic) proto-peptides might functionally interact with nucleic acids, and then experimentally prove it. The cationic proto-peptides (either produced as mixtures from plausibly prebiotic dry-down reactions or synthetically prepared) directly interact with RNA, resulting in mutual stabilization: The proto-peptides significantly increase the thermal stability of folded RNA structures, and in turn, RNA increases the lifetime of the proto-peptide.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There are all kinds of mutualistic relationships in biology, and we\u0026rsquo;re saying that maybe molecules work this way, too \u0026ndash; the origin of life was matter of molecules working together,\u0026rdquo; says Williams, professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and director of the NASA Center for the Origin of Life at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, the research team determined that collaborative molecules are the molecules that\u0026nbsp;survived.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s like the difference between a jungle and a cornfield,\u0026rdquo; says Williams. \u0026ldquo;The RNA World model is kind of like a cornfield in Ohio. Under certain circumstances, it works well \u0026ndash; for example, Ohio grows a lot of corn. We\u0026rsquo;re looking at the origin of life like it was a jungle \u0026ndash; a jungle of molecules interacting, working together for mutual benefit.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIn addition to Frenkel-Pinter, Hud, and Williams, the other authors were: Jay Haynes (graduate researcher in Williams lab); Ahmad Mohyeldin (graduate researcher in Williams lab), Martin C (graduate researcher in Hud lab), Alyssa Sargon (undergraduate researcher in Hud lab), Anton Petrov (research scientist, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry), \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERamanarayanan Krishnamurthy (associate professor, Scripps Research Institute), Luke Leman (assistant professor, Scripps Research Institute). The work was supported by the NSF and NASA Astrobiology Program under the Center for Chemical Evolution (based at Georgia Tech).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New research from Center for Chemical Evolution demonstrates experimentally evaluates alternative model to \u2018RNA World\u2019 hypothesis, emphasizing collaboration and co-evolution"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research from Center for Chemical Evolution experimentally evaluates alternative model to \u0026lsquo;RNA World\u0026rsquo; hypothesis, emphasizing collaboration and co-evolution\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New research from Center for Chemical Evolution demonstrates experimentally evaluates alternative model to \u2018RNA World\u2019 hypothesis, emphasizing collaboration and co-evolution"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2020-07-27 12:39:53","changed_gmt":"2020-07-27 15:01:08","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"637275":{"id":"637275","type":"image","title":"Frenkel-Pinter, Hud, Williams","body":null,"created":"1595853371","gmt_created":"2020-07-27 12:36:11","changed":"1595853371","gmt_changed":"2020-07-27 12:36:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242427","name":"Moran, Nick, Loren.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Moran%2C%20Nick%2C%20Loren.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Moran%2C%20Nick%2C%20Loren.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1092452,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Moran%2C%20Nick%2C%20Loren.jpg?itok=GmNu3eDw"}}},"media_ids":["637275"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"185390","name":"go-COE"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"636769":{"#nid":"636769","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Release County-Level Calculator to Estimate Risk of Covid-19 Exposure at U.S. Events ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVisit the web app: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECOVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cem\u003EThis web app is very popular, and its servers are being upgraded daily.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nIf the site is slow to load, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/covid19riskUSA\u0022\u003Esee daily aggregate maps here\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Einteractive dashboard\u003C\/a\u003E that estimates Covid-19 incidence at gatherings in the U.S. has added a new feature: the ability to calculate county-level risk of attending an event with someone actively infected with Coronavirus (Covid-19). Previously, the dashboard estimated exposure for different size events by state.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new \u0026ldquo;Covid-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool\u0026rdquo; is the work of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and founding director of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPh.D. in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E program, in collaboration with the lab of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/clio-andris\u0022\u003EClio Andris\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/planning.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of City and Regional Planning\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ic.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Interactive Computing\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, and with researchers from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.abil.ihrc.com\/\u0022\u003EApplied Bioinformatics Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E (a public\/private partnership between Georgia Tech, IHRC Inc., and ASRT Inc.).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have developed an interactive\u0026nbsp;county-level map of the risk that one or more individuals may have\u0026nbsp;Covid-19 in events of different sizes,\u0026rdquo; Weitz says. \u0026ldquo;The issue of understanding risks associated with gatherings is even more\u0026nbsp;relevant as many kinds of businesses, including sports and universities, are\u0026nbsp;considering how to re-open safely.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe dashboard accounts for widespread gaps in U.S. testing for the Coronavirus, which can silently spread through individuals who display mild or no symptoms of illness. \u0026ldquo;Precisely because of under-testing and the risk of exposure and infection, these risk calculations provide further support for the ongoing need for social distancing and protective measures. Such precautions are still needed even in small events, given the large number of circulating cases,\u0026rdquo; states the dashboard\u0026rsquo;s website.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example: As of Monday, July 6, for an event with 100 attendees in Fulton County, Georgia, the estimated risk of someone in attendance being actively infected with Coronavirus is 76 percent. For that same day at an event with 1,000 attendees, the estimated risk in all but 16 of Georgia\u0026rsquo;s 159 counties exceeds 99 percent.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe dashboard\u0026rsquo;s technical development was made possible by contributions from Seolha\u0026nbsp;Lee, a master\u0026rsquo;s student in Andris\u0026#39; group, and Aroon Chande, a Ph.D. candidate in Bioinformatics at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe dashboard\u0026rsquo;s website, which is updated daily, incorporates data from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2020\/us\/coronavirus-us-cases.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe New York Times\u003C\/em\u003E case count\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covidtracking.com\/\u0022\u003ECovidtracking.com dashboard\u003C\/a\u003E (a resource led by journalist Alexis Madrigal of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Atlantic\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E)\u003C\/em\u003E. Both of these databases record confirmed case reports from state-level departments of public\u0026nbsp;health.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The Covid-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool takes the number of cases reported in the past 14 days in each county, and\u0026nbsp;multiplies these by an under-testing factor to estimate the number of\u0026nbsp;circulating cases in a particular county,\u0026rdquo; Weitz explains. (In late June, Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/time.com\/5859790\/cdc-coronavirus-estimates\/\u0022\u003Estated on a press call\u003C\/a\u003E that \u0026ldquo;now that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/635137\/immunity-recovered-covid-19-patients-could-cut-risk-expanding-economic-activity\u0022\u003Eserology tests\u003C\/a\u003E are available, which test for antibodies, the estimates we have right now show about 10 times more people have antibodies in the jurisdictions tested than had documented infections.\u0026rdquo;)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/science\/2020\/03\/graphic-see-why-small-groups-are-safer-during-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic\/\u0022\u003ETracking tools developed earlier this year\u003C\/a\u003E by Weitz and colleagues at Georgia Tech and other institutions are also factored into the team\u0026rsquo;s new county-level calculator. \u0026ldquo;The model is simple, intentionally so, and provided context for the rationale to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/blog\/get-schooled\/scientists-the-math-show-how-large-events-like-march-madness-could-spread-coronavirus\/g1pVdzQgJS5aoPnadBqyXO\/\u0022\u003Ehalt large gatherings in early-mid March\u003C\/a\u003E and newly relevant context for considering when and how to re-open,\u0026rdquo; states the dashboard website.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new county-level calculator builds on the team\u0026rsquo;s interactive state-level tool, which estimates the daily risk that one or more individuals infected with Covid-19 are present in U.S. events of various sizes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The new county-level calculator builds on the team\u2019s interactive state-level tool, which estimates the daily risk that one or more individuals infected with Covid-19 are present in U.S. events of various sizes."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2020-07-07 14:56:56","changed_gmt":"2020-07-16 18:13:46","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"636771":{"id":"636771","type":"image","title":"The team\u0027s interactive map shows the risk level of attending an event, given the event size and location (assuming 10:1 ascertainment bias). The risk level is the estimated chance (0-100%) that at least one Covid-19 positive individual will be present.","body":null,"created":"1594134068","gmt_created":"2020-07-07 15:01:08","changed":"1594134068","gmt_changed":"2020-07-07 15:01:08","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242262","name":"map copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/map%20copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/map%20copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":788820,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/map%20copy.jpg?itok=Oh0ljyKj"}},"636773":{"id":"636773","type":"image","title":" For an event with 100 attendees in Fulton County on July 6, the estimated risk of someone in attendance being actively infected with Coronavirus is 76 percent. For 1,000 attendees, the estimated risk across most Georgia counties exceeds 99 percent.","body":null,"created":"1594134260","gmt_created":"2020-07-07 15:04:20","changed":"1594134260","gmt_changed":"2020-07-07 15:04:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242265","name":"Fulton map.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Fulton%20map.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Fulton%20map.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1345895,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Fulton%20map.jpg?itok=8CahK6v_"}}},"media_ids":["636771","636773"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.abil.ihrc.com\/post\/abil-helps-develop-covid-19-risk-assessment-tool","title":"ABiL scientists help develop COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/collaborative-covid-19-research-receives-national-science-foundation-rapid-grant","title":"Collaborative Covid-19 Research Receives National Science Foundation RAPID Grant"},{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/635137\/immunity-recovered-covid-19-patients-could-cut-risk-expanding-economic-activity","title":"Immunity of Recovered COVID-19 Patients Could Cut Risk of Expanding Economic Activity"},{"url":"https:\/\/blogs.scientificamerican.com\/observations\/online-covid-19-dashboard-calculates-how-risky-reopenings-and-gatherings-can-be\/","title":"Scientific American: Online COVID-19 Dashboard Calculates How Risky Reopenings and Gatherings Can Be"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/science\/2020\/03\/graphic-see-why-small-groups-are-safer-during-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic\/","title":"National Geographic: See why keeping groups small can save lives in the era of COVID-19"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/blog\/get-schooled\/scientists-the-math-show-how-large-events-like-march-madness-could-spread-coronavirus\/g1pVdzQgJS5aoPnadBqyXO\/","title":"AJC: Scientists do the math to show how large events like March Madness could spread coronavirus"},{"url":"https:\/\/c.gatech.edu\/COVID19Help","title":"Georgia Tech Helping Stories: Responding to Covid-19"},{"url":"https:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/","title":"COVID-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\njess@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"636176":{"#nid":"636176","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Astrobiologists Aid in Georgia Covid-19 Test Initiative","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story by Aaron Gronstal initially appeared on the website of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/news\/astrobiologists-aid-in-georgia-covid-19-test-initiative\/\u0022\u003ENASA Astrobiology.\u003C\/a\u003E Content has been modified for the College of Sciences website.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt this time of year, the Georgia Tech campus would typically be buzzing with the activity of students and Institute staff. However, the campus is currently closed to everyone apart from those involved in essential activities. This includes the activity of a group of astrobiologists who are hard at work on research efforts to help aid with Covid-19 response.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOver the years, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/research\/astrobiology-at-nasa\/\u0022\u003EAstrobiology Program\u003C\/a\u003E has supported a number of projects at Georgia Tech. This includes the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/centerforchemicalevolution.com\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Chemical Evolution (CCE)\u003C\/a\u003E, a joint program between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA Astrobiology, as well as a team of the former NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). Today, NASA Astrobiology continues to support many scientists at the Institute across a wide range of topics, including prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life, evolution and the early Earth environment, and studies on the potential habitability of icy moons. Each of these researchers is contributing to our knowledge of the origins of life and the potential for life in the Universe. In the past few months, they have used their expertise to aid in our country\u0026rsquo;s healthcare response here at home.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlongside their work supported by the NASA Astrobiology Program, this team has expanded their laboratory efforts to include the production of biochemical components for Covid-19 test kits. The researchers are part of the State of Georgia Covid-19 Lab Surge Capacity Task Force, and they are collaborating with a number of other university labs across the state of Georgia. The work of these dedicated scientists is helping to address gaps in the supply of testing kits that provide a vital step in identifying people who are carriers of the virus and may need care, or individuals who may need to remain isolated from other people even though they are asymptomatic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EAstrobiology at Georgia Tech\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Williams\/Loren\u0022\u003ELoren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry) is leading the Georgia Tech Test Kit Support Group. Williams is currently a Co-Lead of an Astrobiology Program \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/about\/faq\/what-is-rcn\/\u0022\u003EResearch Coordination Network\u003C\/a\u003E (RCN) dubbed the Prebiotic Chemistry and Early Earth Environment Consortium (PCE\u003Csub\u003E3\u003C\/sub\u003E). He also serves as Director of the NASA-funded Center for the Origin of Life (COOL). Additional principal investigators supported by the Astrobiology Program who are part of the initiative include \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003EJennifer Glass\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences), who is also on the steering committee of the Network for Ocean Worlds RCN and a co-lead on the NASA-funded Oceans Across Space and Time, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hud\/\u0022\u003ENicholas Hud\u003C\/a\u003E (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry) a current PI with the Exobiology Program and steering committee member for the PCE\u003Csub\u003E3\u003C\/sub\u003E\u0026nbsp;RCN.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Research scientists, grad students, technicians, and postdocs in biochemistry labs at Georgia Tech have been working around the clock,\u0026rdquo; said Jennifer Glass. \u0026ldquo;They are the real heroes here. They include many astrobiologists from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/~lw26\/\u0022\u003ELoren Williams\u0026rsquo; lab\u003C\/a\u003E including Jessica Bowman, Anton Petrov, Brooke Rothschild-Mancinelli, Petar Penev, Rebecca Guth-Metzler, Kavita Matange, Santi Mestre-Fos, Sara Fakhretaha-Aval, and Moran Frenkel-Pinter, as well as Chiamaka Obianyor, a PhD candidate in Nick Hud and Martha Grover\u0026rsquo;s lab. Another is Justin Lawrence, an astrobiology PhD candidate in\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/schmidt.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E Britney Schmidt\u0026rsquo;s lab\u003C\/a\u003E, who working on testing different disinfectants for masks.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/lawrence-justin\u0022\u003EJustin Lawrence\u003C\/a\u003E and the team of scientists supported by the NASA Astrobiology program was also featured in a recent story from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/science\/2020\/03\/key-ingredient-in-coronavirus-tests-comes-from-yellowstone\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENational Geographic\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team at Georgia Tech is making components for test kits that work using a reaction called the \u0026lsquo;reverse transcription quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).\u0026rsquo; This reaction is used to identify the presence of small amounts of viral RNA in samples from a patient by taking that RNA and converting it to DNA. The DNA is then amplified by PCR and tagged with fluorescent probes, making it easy to spot.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Lieberman\/\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E is a protein chemist at Georgia Tech who is also a Co-I on my current NASA Exobiology grant,\u0026rdquo; said Glass. \u0026ldquo;In addition to us writing an exciting manuscript on our NASA project, she\u0026rsquo;s also an integral member of the Georgia Tech Test Kit Support Group. Her lab members are making the essential enzyme and protein components for the kit: reverse transcriptase, DNA polymerase, and ribonuclease inhibitor.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe reverse transcriptase enzyme that Lieberman makes is the RTX enzyme developed by Andrew Ellington and his team at the University of Texas at Austin. This enzyme was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/content\/352\/6293\/1590\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Edeveloped in 2016\u003C\/a\u003E and has unique properties that allow scientists to replicate DNA and RNA faster and more accurately in the lab than previously before. (Further information on the RTX enzyme can be found in the accompanying article: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/news\/astrobiologists-aid-in-fighting-coronavirus-2\/\u0022\u003EAstrobiologists Aid in Fighting Coronavirus\u003C\/a\u003E.)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;So far, the team has successfully synthesized, purified, and quality controlled the primers and primer-probes used in the reactions,\u0026rdquo; explained Glass. \u0026ldquo;These are [components of] the most common [test kits] currently being used in the US, but other types of tests that can give results in less time are coming online, and we might switch to working on those methods in the future.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EFrom Astrobiology to Virology\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn utilizing their astrobiology skills to focus on the global pandemic, the team at Georgia Tech has faced a number of logistical challenges. As researchers continue their work in the laboratory, care is taken to make sure safety procedures are in line with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The team has remained connected by video chat, with each member performing tasks in isolation. An electronic \u0026lsquo;buddy system\u0026rsquo; has been implemented so that the scientists, while isolated, still have access to emergency help if necessary.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Research scientists, grad students, technicians, and postdocs in biochemistry labs at Georgia Tech are the ones doing the bulk of the work,\u0026rdquo; said Glass. \u0026ldquo;But they are social distancing, and all of the meetings are virtual. I miss the days when we could all talk science together on campus.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe efforts of the team have required researchers to quickly adapt and learn new skills, expanding their work to research beyond their typical fields of expertise.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It has been a steep learning curve,\u0026rdquo; Glass remarked. \u0026ldquo;The last six weeks have been a big crash course in virology and medical testing.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAstrobiology includes experts from a myriad of scientific fields, and the multi- and cross-disciplinary nature of astrobiology is a strength when it comes to adaptability in the lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Luckily a lot of the same basic methods apply,\u0026rdquo; Glass continued. \u0026ldquo;I did real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactions on cyanobacterial cultures as a grad student, so that background helped me to understand the principles behind the RT-qPCR test kits.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team at Georgia Tech isn\u0026rsquo;t testing patients themselves. Instead, they are working to equip other labs in Georgia that are specialized in working with human samples. With their efforts, the team has been able to deliver ingredients for hundreds of tests kits a day.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EA View for the Future\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMany scientists across the country are stepping forward to lend their expertise to aid with coronavirus response. Astrobiologists are no exception.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We feel very fortunate to be able to contribute to these efforts,\u0026rdquo; said Glass. \u0026ldquo;We really hope our efforts can boost testing abilities in Georgia to help our state and our nation.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGlass and her colleagues also hope to have testing capabilities in place at Georgia Tech by the fall to ensure the safety of the campus community once it is determined that students and University personnel can return. This includes the safety of campus activities and events, such as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/events\/abscicon-2021-0\u0022\u003E2021 Astrobiology Science Conference\u003C\/a\u003E (AbSciCon), which will be hosted in Atlanta and is being organized by Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have a long way to go, but we have come a long way and we have really bright minds working on the problem,\u0026rdquo; said Glass. \u0026ldquo;We are so excited to host AbSciCon in Atlanta one year from now. Please know we are working to do everything within our power to welcome colleagues to our city in 2021!\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERead the original story on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/news\/astrobiologists-aid-in-georgia-covid-19-test-initiative\/\u0022\u003ENASA Astrobiology website.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAstrobiologists are using their expertise to help produce necessary components for Covid-19 test kits in the state of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Astrobiologists are using their expertise to help produce necessary components for Covid-19 test kits in the state of Georgia."}],"uid":"35185","created_gmt":"2020-06-11 16:13:31","changed_gmt":"2020-07-12 18:43:49","author":"kpietkiewicz3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-06-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-06-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"636177":{"id":"636177","type":"image","title":"Loren Williams (right) in his lab at Georgia Tech in 2018, where Marcus Bray (left) observes a sample inside a sealed atmospheric tent that simulates atmospheric gas mixtures during Earth\u0027s earliest eon. Photo: Allison Carter","body":null,"created":"1591892064","gmt_created":"2020-06-11 16:14:24","changed":"1591892064","gmt_changed":"2020-06-11 16:14:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242066","name":"astro 1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%201.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%201.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":51767,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/astro%201.jpg?itok=cySAri4f"}},"636178":{"id":"636178","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Glass in her lab at Georgia Tech. She is holding a stromatolitic ironstone full of iron that rusted out of early oceans. An eon ago, oceans appear to have been full of ferrous iron, which would have facilitated production of N2O (laughing gas).","body":null,"created":"1591892099","gmt_created":"2020-06-11 16:14:59","changed":"1591892099","gmt_changed":"2020-06-11 16:14:59","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242067","name":"astro 2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%202.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%202.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54316,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/astro%202.jpg?itok=omxQL7KM"}},"636179":{"id":"636179","type":"image","title":"Petar Penev is a bioinformatician at Georgia Tech who normally studies ribosomal proteins and evolution. Penev is currently working with the team to investigate SARS-CoV-2 primer specificity.","body":null,"created":"1591892215","gmt_created":"2020-06-11 16:16:55","changed":"1591892215","gmt_changed":"2020-06-11 16:16:55","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242068","name":"astro 3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%203.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%203.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":69936,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/astro%203.jpg?itok=bbdQmUZl"}},"636180":{"id":"636180","type":"image","title":"Sara Fakhretaha-Ava of the Williams Group in the Center for the Origin of Life at Georgia Tech. Fakhretaha-Ava works on optimizing the reaction condition for RTX reverse transcriptase enzyme in RT-qPCR.","body":null,"created":"1591892264","gmt_created":"2020-06-11 16:17:44","changed":"1591892264","gmt_changed":"2020-06-11 16:17:44","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242069","name":"astro 4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%204.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%204.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":43696,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/astro%204.jpg?itok=_zJQpC_5"}},"636181":{"id":"636181","type":"image","title":"Santi Mestre-Fos of the Williams Group in the Center for the Origin of Life at Georgia Tech. Mestre-Fos studies the rRNA expansion segments (ESs) of the human and yeast ribosomes.","body":null,"created":"1591892307","gmt_created":"2020-06-11 16:18:27","changed":"1591892307","gmt_changed":"2020-06-11 16:18:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"242070","name":"astro 5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%205.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astro%205.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":42956,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/astro%205.jpg?itok=j5Gqfrq_"}}},"media_ids":["636177","636178","636179","636180","636181"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/c.gatech.edu\/COVID19Help","title":"Georgia Tech: Covid-19 Helping Stories"},{"url":"https:\/\/astrobiology.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Astrobiology Program"},{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/634631\/georgia-tech-produces-key-components-governors-coronavirus-test-initiative","title":"Georgia Tech Produces Key Components for Governor\u2019s Coronavirus Test Initiative"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/unlocking-mystery-methane-clathrates","title":"Georgia Tech research team wins NASA grant to study microbe\/methane connection on Earth, planetary moons"},{"url":"https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/news\/the-center-for-chemical-evolution\/","title":"Center for Chemical Evolution"},{"url":"http:\/\/prebioticchem.info\/","title":"PCE3 (NASA Astrobiology RCN)"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"722","name":"Astrobiology"},{"id":"185096","name":"Covid-19 response"},{"id":"10339","name":"center for chemical evolution"},{"id":"185097","name":"virology"},{"id":"185098","name":"global pandemic"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"185099","name":"medical testing"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGrace Pietkiewicz\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Assistant\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nkatiegracepz@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kpietkiewicz3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"635878":{"#nid":"635878","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Shows Hydroxychloroquine\u0027s Harmful Effects on Heart Rhythm","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which has been promoted as a potential treatment for Covid-19, is known to have potentially serious effects on heart rhythms. Now, a team of researchers has used an optical mapping system to observe exactly how the drug creates serious disturbances in the electrical signals that govern heartbeat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, reported May 29 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EHeart Rhythm\u003C\/em\u003E, found that the drug made it \u0026ldquo;surprisingly easy\u0026rdquo; to trigger worrisome arrhythmias in two types of animal hearts by altering the timing of the electrical waves that control heartbeat. While the findings of animal studies can\u0026rsquo;t necessarily be generalized to humans, the videos created by the research team clearly show how the drug can cause cardiac electrical signals to become dysfunctional.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have illustrated experimentally how the drug actually changes the waves in the heart, and how that can initiate an arrhythmia,\u0026rdquo; said Flavio Fenton, a professor in the School of Physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the paper\u0026rsquo;s corresponding author. \u0026ldquo;We have demonstrated that with optical mapping, which allows us to see exactly how the waveform is changing. This gives us a visual demonstration of how the drug can alter the wave propagation in the heart.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat the team saw was an elongation of the T wave, a portion of the heart cycle during which voltages normally dissipate in preparation for the next beat. By extending the QT portion of one wave cycle, the drug sets the stage for disturbances in the next wave, potentially creating an arrhythmia. Such disturbances can transition to fibrillation that interferes with the heart\u0026rsquo;s ability to pump.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ability to easily trigger disturbances known as \u0026ldquo;long QT\u0026rdquo; reinforces cautions about using hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in humans \u0026ndash; particularly in those who may have heart damage from Covid-19, cautioned Dr. Shahriar Iravanian, a co-author of the paper and a cardiologist in the Division of Cardiology, Section of Electrophysiology, at Emory University Hospital.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The hearts used in the study are small and very resistant to this form of arrhythmia,\u0026rdquo; Iravanian said. \u0026ldquo;If we had not seen any HCQ-induced arrhythmias in this model, the results would not have been reassuring. However, in reality, we observed that HCQ readily induced arrhythmia in those hearts. This finding is very concerning and, in combination with the clinical reports of sudden death and arrhythmia in Covid-19 patients taking HCQ, suggests that the drug should be considered a potentially harmful medication and its use in Covid-19 patients be restricted to clinical trial settings.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech postdoctoral fellow Ilija Uzelac administered HCQ to the animal hearts \u0026ndash; one from a guinea pig and one from a rabbit \u0026ndash; while quantifying wave patterns changing across the hearts using a high-powered, LED-based optical mapping system. Voltage-sensitive fluorescent dyes made the electrical waves visible as they moved across the surface of the hearts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The effect of the arrhythmia and the long QT was quite obvious,\u0026rdquo; said Uzelac. \u0026ldquo;HCQ shifts the wavelengths to larger values, and when we quantified the dispersion of the electrical current in portions of the heart, we saw the extension of the voltage across the tissue. The change was very dramatic comparing the waveforms in the heart with and without the HCQ.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe drug concentration used in the study was at the high end of what\u0026rsquo;s being recommended for humans. HCQ normally takes a few days to accumulate in the body, so the researchers used a higher initial dose to simulate the drug\u0026rsquo;s effect over time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a normal heartbeat, an electrical wave is generated in specialized cells of a heart\u0026rsquo;s right atrium. The wave propagates through the entire atria and then to the ventricles. As the wave moves through the heart, the electrical potential created causes calcium ions to be released, which stimulates contraction of the heart muscle in a coordinated pattern.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDrugs such as HCQ modify the properties of these ion channels and inhibit the flow of potassium currents, which prolongs the length of the electrical waves and creates spatial variations in their properties. Ultimately, that can lead to the development of dangerously rapid and dysfunctional heart rhythms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The wavelength becomes less homogeneous and that affects the propagation of additional waves, producing sections of the heart where the waves do not propagate well,\u0026rdquo; Fenton said. \u0026ldquo;In the worst case, there are multiple waves going in different directions. Every section of the heart is contracting at a different time, so the heart is just quivering. At that point, it can no longer pump blood throughout the body.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPatients taking HCQ for diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis rarely suffer from arrythmia because the doses they take are smaller than those being recommended for Covid-19 patients, Iravanian said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Covid-19 patients are different and are at a much higher risk of HCQ-induced arrhythmia,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Not only is the proposed dose of HCQ for Covid-19 patients two to three times the usual dose, but Covid-19 has effects on the heart and lowers potassium levels, further increasing the risk of arrythmias.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton and his colleagues have already begun a new study to evaluate the effects of HCQ with the antibiotic azithromycin, which has been suggested as a companion treatment. Azithromycin can also cause the long QT effect, potentially increasing the impact on Covid-19 patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, which was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, was also coauthored by Dr. Hiroshi Ashikaga from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Dr. Neal Bathia from the Division of Cardiology, Section of Electrophysiology at Emory University Hospital; Conner Herndon, Abouzar Kaboudian, and James C. Gumbart from the Georgia Tech School of Physics, and Elizabeth Cherry from the Georgia Tech School of Computational Science and Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is supported by the National Institutes of Health under award number 1R01HL143450-01 and the National Science Foundation under grant \u003C\/em\u003E1446675. \u003Cem\u003EThe content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which has been promoted as a potential treatment for Covid-19, is known to have potentially serious effects on heart rhythms. Now, a team of researchers has used an optical mapping system to observe exactly how the drug creates serious disturbances in the electrical signals that govern heartbeat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Drug creates serious disturbances in the electrical signals that govern heartbeat."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2020-06-01 20:24:37","changed_gmt":"2020-06-01 20:47:14","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-06-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-06-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"635867":{"id":"635867","type":"image","title":"Observing Electrical Waves","body":null,"created":"1591035926","gmt_created":"2020-06-01 18:25:26","changed":"1591046230","gmt_changed":"2020-06-01 21:17:10","alt":"Electrical wave pattern on heart","file":{"fid":"241938","name":"heart-two-images.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-two-images.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-two-images.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":340869,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/heart-two-images.jpg?itok=nWbeTJ3_"}},"635876":{"id":"635876","type":"image","title":"Hydroxycholoquine Image","body":null,"created":"1591042282","gmt_created":"2020-06-01 20:11:22","changed":"1591046214","gmt_changed":"2020-06-01 21:16:54","alt":"Hydroxychloroquine Image","file":{"fid":"241944","name":"hydroxycholoquine-image.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hydroxycholoquine-image.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hydroxycholoquine-image.png","mime":"image\/png","size":989384,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hydroxycholoquine-image.png?itok=JHyRrGwV"}}},"media_ids":["635867","635876"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"184990","name":"Hydroxychloroquine"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"635708":{"#nid":"635708","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Problematic Pathogen Develops Antibiotic Tolerance \u2014 Without Previous Exposure","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E is a particularly nasty pathogen. It can readily infect individuals with burn injuries, chronic wounds and hospital-acquired infections, like ventilator-associated pneumonia and sepsis. Pathogenic strains can build up in critical body organs, such as lungs, urinary tract, and kidneys, to fatal results. The problematic pathogen often finds a home in immunocompromised individuals who have serious underlying illnesses.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs populations of \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E swell, they often aggregate into slimy biofilms that stick to one another and to various surfaces, from medical equipment to airways in the lungs and onto other organs. Thriving in humid environments, the bacteria can create chronic infections that are notoriously resistant to antibiotic treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe pathogen is especially dangerous for cystic fibrosis patients. This genetic disease leads to an overproduction of thick mucus, which provides good growth conditions for microbes like \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E, which can then produce antibiotic-resistant biofilms \u2014 blankets of microorganisms that cover lung tissue and provide a host environment for more damaging pathogens.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA team of Georgia Tech researchers from the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E has released \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41396-020-0652-0\u0022\u003Ea study\u003C\/a\u003E that points to another problem with \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E: in a synthetic media that mimics cystic fibrosis sputum, populations of cells can quickly evolve to develop tolerance and resistance to certain antibiotics \u2014 despite having no previous exposure to them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were surprised that the antibiotic tolerance increased so quickly in our experiment\u201d says\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/sheyda-azimi\u0022\u003E Sheyda Azimi\u003C\/a\u003E, a\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cff.org\/\u0022\u003E Cystic Fibrosis Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E Postdoctoral Fellow. \u201cWhat our data tells us is that in a single species evolved population, with a mixture of diverse single isolates, becomes antibiotic tolerant even without the selective pressure of antibiotics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAzimi and four fellow School of Biological Sciences scientists \u2013 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/stephen-diggle\u0022\u003ESteve Diggle\u003C\/a\u003E (who served as Georgia Tech\u0027s lead in developing the project),\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003E Joshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022\u003ESamuel Brown\u003C\/a\u003E, and graduate student \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/shengyun-peng\u0022\u003EShengyun Peng\u003C\/a\u003E, have published the results of their study, \u201cAllelic polymorphism shapes community function in evolving \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E populations,\u201d in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/ismej\/\u0022\u003EThe ISME Journal\u003C\/a\u003E, the official journal of the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isme-microbes.org\/\u0022\u003E International Society of Microbial Ecology\u003C\/a\u003E. The team also includes two researchers from Swansea University Medical School and The University of Birmingham.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAzimi says the increase in tolerance to antibiotics is due to changes in the function of key genes that control social trait production in \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa. \u003C\/em\u003E\u201cSimply put, the changes in population dynamics leads to the tolerance phenotype, so if the \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E populations evolve in a chemical environment similar to lungs of individuals with cystic fibrosis, it can display the same phenotype of increased tolerance to certain antibiotics.\u201d Those include beta-lactam antibiotics, one of the most commonly prescribed classes of clinical antibiotics, and the type researchers used in the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEven though \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E is a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2018\/05\/22\/study-shows-how-bacteria-behave-differently-humans-compared-lab\u0022\u003Ewell-studied\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2018\/05\/29\/bacterial-conversations-cystic-fibrosis\u0022\u003Emicrobe\u003C\/a\u003E, fewer studies have explored its heterogeneity, or the diversity in its traits and characteristics, and how that diversity helps its cells communicate with one another. The team\u2019s study sought to better understand these social behaviors and how they can influence the microbe\u2019s development and evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team evolved \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E in biofilms, growing the bacteria in a synthetic sputum medium, meant to mimic a mixture of saliva and mucus, for 50 days. \u201cWe measured social trait production and antibiotic tolerance, and used a metagenomic approach to analyze and assess genomic changes over the duration of the evolution experiment,\u201d she writes in the article\u2019s abstract (metagenomics is the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples). The team found that evolutionary trajectories were reproducible in independently evolving populations, and that over 60% of that genomic diversity occurred within the first 10 days of selection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study showed emergent behavior and interesting interactions between different evolved isolates of \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E \u2014 co-existing alongside each other and acting as one functional entity.\u0026nbsp; \u201cYou can imagine a team where each individual is equipped with particular skills,\u201d says Azimi. \u201cNot all members need to be the best at all functions. Some members of the team may produce lots of toxins, whereas some may be better at forming biofilms or resisting antibiotics. Put together they function more effectively as a unit.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAzimi emphasizes that these interactions take place within a diverse population of the same species, a community that has evolved from a single ancestor. \u201cThe individuals are not teaching each other. I would call it more of \u2018hand-waving\u2019; they actually signal to and sense one another, and evolve in a certain way that appears to benefit the whole group.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.stevediggle.net\/sheyda-azimi.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELearn more about Azimi\u2019s work\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.stevediggle.net\/our-research.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Esociomicrobiology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, and \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.stevediggle.net\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Diggle Lab at Georgia Tech\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research team thanks the following funding sources: The\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hfsp.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHuman Frontier Science Program\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E (RGY0081\/2012) and Georgia Institute of Technology, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (DIGGLE18I0) to SPD, \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cff.org\/Research\/Researcher-Resources\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECystic Fibrosis Foundation for a Fellowship to SA\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E (AZIMI18F0), and CF@latna for a Fellowship to SA (3206AXB). The team also thanks the\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nhlbi.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENational Heart Lung Blood Institute\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E (R56HL142857) and \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.simonsfoundation.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Simons Foundation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E (396001).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA study led by The Diggle Lab found that the opportunistic pathogen \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E can quickly evolve in a synthetic media that mimics cystic fibrosis sputum, to develop tolerance and resistance to certain antibiotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A study led by The Diggle Lab found that the opportunistic pathogen \u0022Pseudomonas aeruginosa\u0022 can quickly evolve in a synthetic media that mimics cystic fibrosis sputum, to develop tolerance and resistance to certain antibiotics."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-05-27 15:29:52","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 20:23:59","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-05-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"635711":{"id":"635711","type":"image","title":"Biofilms of P. aeruginosa ","body":null,"created":"1590594869","gmt_created":"2020-05-27 15:54:29","changed":"1590594869","gmt_changed":"2020-05-27 15:54:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241886","name":"Biofilm Plate.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Biofilm%20Plate.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Biofilm%20Plate.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":95822,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Biofilm%20Plate.jpg?itok=J3xk4SDf"}},"635710":{"id":"635710","type":"image","title":"Researchers used a congo red agar (CRA) test to detect biofilms formed by P. Aeruginosa.","body":null,"created":"1590594699","gmt_created":"2020-05-27 15:51:39","changed":"1590594699","gmt_changed":"2020-05-27 15:51:39","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241885","name":"CRA biofilms.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CRA%20biofilms.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CRA%20biofilms.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":46970,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CRA%20biofilms.jpg?itok=XaZuNQlI"}},"635709":{"id":"635709","type":"image","title":"Sheyda Azimi, Post-Doctorate Fellow, School of Biological Sciences ","body":null,"created":"1590594043","gmt_created":"2020-05-27 15:40:43","changed":"1590594043","gmt_changed":"2020-05-27 15:40:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241884","name":"Sheyda Azimi.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sheyda%20Azimi.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sheyda%20Azimi.png","mime":"image\/png","size":140182,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sheyda%20Azimi.png?itok=rU5pRHqd"}}},"media_ids":["635711","635710","635709"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2018\/05\/29\/bacterial-conversations-cystic-fibrosis","title":"Bacterial Conversations in Cystic Fibrosis"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/study-shows-how-bacteria-behave-differently-humans-compared-lab","title":"Study Shows How Bacteria Behave Differently in Humans Compared to the Lab"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.stevediggle.net\/","title":"The Diggle Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"184930","name":"Sheyda Azimi"},{"id":"168156","name":"Steve Diggle"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"167226","name":"Samuel Brown"},{"id":"184931","name":"Shengyun Peng"},{"id":"184932","name":"Pseudomonas aeruginosa"},{"id":"7478","name":"cystic fibrosis"},{"id":"6646","name":"heterogeneity"},{"id":"170021","name":"biofilms"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"635580":{"#nid":"635580","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cavity-causing Bacteria Assemble an Army of Protective Microbes on Human Teeth ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/penntoday.upenn.edu\/news\/cavity-causing-bacteria-assemble-army-protective-microbes-human-teeth\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStory\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/penntoday.upenn.edu\/news\/cavity-causing-bacteria-assemble-army-protective-microbes-human-teeth\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E by Katherine Unger Baillie, Science News Officer, University of Pennsylvania\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudying bacteria in a petri dish or test tube has yielded insights into how they function and, in some cases, contribute to disease. But this approach leaves out crucial details about how bacteria act in the real world.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETaking a translational approach, researchers at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.upe\u0022\u003EUniversity of Pennsylvania\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dental.upenn.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Dental Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E imaged the bacteria that cause tooth decay in three dimensions in their natural environment, the sticky biofilm known as dental plaque formed on toddlers\u2019 teeth that were affected by cavities.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work, published in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1919099117\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, found that \u003Cem\u003EStreptococcus mutans\u003C\/em\u003E, a major bacterial species responsible for tooth decay, is encased in a protective multilayered community of other bacteria and polymers forming a unique spatial organization associated with the location of the disease onset.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe started with these clinical samples, extracted teeth from children with severe tooth decay,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dental.upenn.edu\/faculty\/hyun-michel-koo\/\u0022\u003EHyun (Michel) Koo\u003C\/a\u003E of Penn Dental Medicine, a co-senior author on the work. \u201cThe question that popped in our minds was, how these bacteria are organized and whether their specific architecture can tell us about the disease they cause?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo address this question, the researchers, including lead author \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dental.upenn\u0022\u003EDongyeop Kim\u003C\/a\u003E of Penn Dental Medicine and co-senior author \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley\u0022\u003EMarvin Whiteley\u003C\/a\u003E of Georgia Tech, used a combination of super-resolution confocal and scanning electron microscopy with computational analysis to dissect the arrangement of \u003Cem\u003ES. mutans\u003C\/em\u003E and other microbes of the intact biofilm on the teeth. These techniques allowed the team to examine the biofilm layer by layer, gaining a three-dimensional picture of the specific architectures.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis approach, of understanding the locations and patterns of bacteria, is one that Whiteley has pursued in other diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s clear that identifying the constituents of the human microbiome is not enough to understand their impact on human health,\u201d Whiteley says. \u201cWe also have to know how they are spatially organized. This is largely under studied as obtaining intact samples that maintain spatial structure is difficult.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the current work, the researchers discovered that \u003Cem\u003ES. mutans \u003C\/em\u003Ein dental plaque most often appeared in a particular fashion: arranged in a mound against the tooth\u2019s surface. But it wasn\u2019t alone. While \u003Cem\u003ES. mutans\u003C\/em\u003E formed the inner core of the rotund architecture, other commensal bacteria, such as \u003Cem\u003ES. oralis\u003C\/em\u003E, formed additional outer layers precisely arranged in a crownlike structure. Supporting and separating these layers was an extracellular scaffold made of sugars produced by \u003Cem\u003ES. mutans\u003C\/em\u003E, effectively encasing and protecting the disease-causing bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe found this highly ordered community with a dense accumulation of \u003Cem\u003ES. mutans \u003C\/em\u003Ein the middle\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003Esurrounded by these \u2018halos\u2019 of different bacteria, and wondered how this could cause tooth decay,\u201d Koo says. \u201c\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about how structure impacted the function of the biofilm, the research team attempted to recreate the natural plaque formations on a toothlike surface in the lab using \u003Cem\u003ES. mutans\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Cem\u003ES. oralis\u003C\/em\u003E, and a sugar solution. They successfully grew the formations, with rotund-shaped architecture and crown-like structure, and then measured levels of acid and demineralization associated with them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat we discovered, and what was exciting for us, is that the rotund areas perfectly matched with the demineralized and high acid levels on the enamel surface,\u201d says Koo. \u201cThis mirrors what clinicians see when they find dental caries: punctuated areas of decalcification known as \u2018white spots.\u2019 The crown-like structure could explain how cavities get their start.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a final set of experiments, the team put the community to the test, applying an antimicrobial treatment and observing how the bacteria fared. When the crown-like structures were intact, the \u003Cem\u003ES. mutans\u003C\/em\u003E in the inner core largely avoided dying from the antimicrobial treatment. Only breaking up the scaffolding material holding the outer layers together enabled the antimicrobial to penetrate and effectively kill the cavity-causing bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u2019s findings may help researcher more effectively target the pathogenic core of dental biofilms but also have implications for other fields.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt demonstrates that the spatial structure of the microbiome may mediate function and the disease outcome, which could be applicable to other medical fields dealing with polymicrobial infections,\u201d says Koo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s not just which pathogens are there but how they\u2019re structured that tells you about the disease that they cause,\u201d adds Whiteley. \u201cBacteria are highly social creatures and have friends and enemies that dictate their behaviors.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe field of microbial biogeography is young, the researchers say, but extending this demonstration that links community structure with disease onset opens up a vast array of possibilities for future medically relevant insights.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDongyeop Kim was a research associate at Penn\u2019s School of Dental Medicine\u2019s Department of Orthodontics and is now an assistant professor at the Jeonbuk National University (Korea).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHyun (Michel) Koo is a professor in Penn\u2019s School of Dental Medicine\u2019s Department of Orthodontics in the divisions of Community Oral Health and Pediatric Dentistry.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMarvin Whiteley is a professor of biological sciences, the Georgia Tech Bennie H. and Nelson D. Abell Chair in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar co-director in Emory-Children\u2019s CF Center at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKoo, Kim, and Whiteley\u2019s coauthors were Penn Dental Medicine\u2019s Rodrigo A. Arthur, Yuan Liu, Elizabeth L. Scisci, and Evlambia Hajishengallis; Georgia Tech\u2019s Juan P. Barraza; and Indiana University\u2019s Anderson Hara and Karl Lewis.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe work was supported in part by the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (grants DE025220, DE018023, DE020100, and DE023193).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EExamining bacteria growing on toddlers\u2019 teeth, Marvin Whiteley and a team from the University of Pennsylvania found microbes\u2019 spatial organization is crucial to how they cause tooth decay.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Examining bacteria growing on toddlers\u2019 teeth, Marvin Whiteley and a team from the University of Pennsylvania found microbes\u2019 spatial organization is crucial to how they cause tooth decay."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2020-05-22 00:07:59","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 20:21:18","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-05-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-05-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"635577":{"id":"635577","type":"image","title":"With powerful microscopy, researchers were able to visualize the structure of a tooth decay-causing biofilm growing on toddlers\u2019 teeth. The organism primarily responsible for cavities, Streptococcus mutans, labeled in green, shields itself under layers of","body":null,"created":"1590104051","gmt_created":"2020-05-21 23:34:11","changed":"1590104051","gmt_changed":"2020-05-21 23:34:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241862","name":"Image by Dongyeop Kim.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Image%20by%20Dongyeop%20Kim.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Image%20by%20Dongyeop%20Kim.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":593173,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Image%20by%20Dongyeop%20Kim.jpg?itok=0o6JrgZF"}},"635579":{"id":"635579","type":"image","title":"Marvin Whiteley of Georgia Tech, a co-senior author on the work.","body":null,"created":"1590104378","gmt_created":"2020-05-21 23:39:38","changed":"1590104378","gmt_changed":"2020-05-21 23:39:38","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241864","name":"EminentScholar_Whiteley.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/EminentScholar_Whiteley.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/EminentScholar_Whiteley.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":50343,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/EminentScholar_Whiteley.jpg?itok=Jji4XKHs"}},"635578":{"id":"635578","type":"image","title":"Hyun (Michel) Koo of Penn Dental Medicine, a co-senior author on the work.","body":null,"created":"1590104276","gmt_created":"2020-05-21 23:37:56","changed":"1590104276","gmt_changed":"2020-05-21 23:37:56","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241863","name":"Hyun (Michel) Koo.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Hyun%20%28Michel%29%20Koo.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Hyun%20%28Michel%29%20Koo.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1247228,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Hyun%20%28Michel%29%20Koo.JPG?itok=LOqVfkEm"}}},"media_ids":["635577","635579","635578"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/penntoday.upenn.edu\/news\/cavity-causing-bacteria-assemble-army-protective-microbes-human-teeth","title":"Cavity-causing bacteria assemble an army of protective microbes on human teeth "},{"url":"https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley","title":"The Whiteley Lab"},{"url":"https:\/\/cosmosmagazine.com\/science\/biology\/bacteria-seek-safety-before-attacking-your-teeth\/","title":"Bacteria seek safety before attacking teeth"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2019\/09\/09\/periodontitis-bacteria-love-colon-and-dirt-microbes","title":"Periodontitis Bacteria Love Colon and Dirt Microbes"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/researchers-team-microbial-dynamics-and-infection","title":"Researchers Team Up for Microbial Dynamics and Infection"}],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7572","name":"microbes"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"184875","name":"cavities"},{"id":"172754","name":"Marvin Whiteley"},{"id":"174250","name":"dental health"},{"id":"182266","name":"Periodontal Disease"},{"id":"182267","name":"Periodontitis"},{"id":"181944","name":"human health"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"635394":{"#nid":"635394","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Planetary Exploration Rover Avoids Sand Traps with \u201cRear Rotator Pedaling\u201d","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe rolling hills of Mars or the moon are a long way from the nearest tow truck. That\u0026rsquo;s why the next generation of exploration rovers will need to be good at climbing hills covered with loose material and avoiding entrapment on soft granular surfaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBuilt with wheeled appendages that can be lifted and wheels able to wiggle,\u0026nbsp;a new robot known as the \u0026ldquo;Mini Rover\u0026rdquo; has developed and tested complex locomotion techniques robust enough to help it climb hills covered with such granular material \u0026ndash; and avoid the risk of getting ignominiously stuck on some remote planet or moon.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing a complex move the researchers dubbed \u0026ldquo;rear rotator pedaling,\u0026rdquo; the robot can climb a slope by using its unique design to combine paddling, walking, and wheel spinning motions. The rover\u0026rsquo;s behaviors were modeled using a branch of physics known as terradynamics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When loose materials flow, that can create problems for robots moving across it,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDan Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, the Dunn Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0026ldquo;This rover has enough degrees of freedom that it can get out of jams pretty effectively. By avalanching materials from the front wheels, it creates a localized fluid hill for the back wheels that is not as steep as the real slope. The rover is always self-generating and self-organizing a good hill for itself.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research was reported on May 13 as the cover article in the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience Robotics\u003C\/em\u003E. The work was supported by the NASA National Robotics Initiative and the Army Research Office.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA robot built by NASA\u0026rsquo;s Johnson Space Center pioneered the ability to spin its wheels, sweep the surface with those wheels and lift each of its wheeled appendages where necessary, creating a broad range of potential motions. Using in-house 3D printers, the Georgia Tech researchers collaborated with the Johnson Space Center to re-create those capabilities in a scaled-down vehicle with four wheeled appendages driven by 12 different motors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The rover was developed with a modular mechatronic architecture, commercially available components, and a minimal number of parts,\u0026rdquo; said Siddharth Shrivastava, an undergraduate student in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;This enabled our team to use our robot as a robust laboratory tool and focus our efforts on exploring creative and interesting experiments without worrying about damaging the rover, service downtime, or hitting performance limitations.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe rover\u0026rsquo;s broad range of movements gave the research team an opportunity to test many variations that were studied using granular drag force measurements and modified Resistive Force Theory. Shrivastava and School of Physics Ph.D. candidate Andras Karsai began with the gaits explored by the NASA RP15 robot, and were able to experiment with locomotion schemes that could not have been tested on a full-size rover.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also tested their experimental gaits on slopes designed to simulate planetary and lunar hills using a fluidized bed system known as SCATTER (Systematic Creation of Arbitrary Terrain and Testing of Exploratory Robots) that could be tilted to evaluate the role of controlling the granular substrate. Karsai and Shrivastava collaborated with Yasemin Ozkan-Aydin, a postdoctoral research fellow in Goldman\u0026rsquo;s lab, to study the rover motion in the SCATTER test facility.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;By creating a small robot with capabilities similar to the RP15 rover, we could test the principles of locomoting with various gaits in a controlled laboratory environment,\u0026rdquo; Karsai said. \u0026ldquo;In our tests, we primarily varied the gait, the locomotion medium, and the slope the robot had to climb. We quickly iterated over many gait strategies and terrain conditions to examine the phenomena that emerged.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the paper, the authors describe a gait that allowed the rover to climb a steep slope with the front wheels stirring up the granular material \u0026ndash; poppy seeds for the lab testing \u0026ndash; and pushing them back toward the rear wheels. The rear wheels wiggled from side-to-side, lifting and spinning to create a motion that resembles paddling in water. The material pushed to the back wheels effectively changed the slope the rear wheels had to climb, allowing the rover to make steady progress up a hill that might have stopped a simple wheeled robot.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe experiments provided a variation on earlier robophysics work in Goldman\u0026rsquo;s group that involved moving with legs or flippers, which had emphasized disturbing the granular surfaces as little as possible to avoid getting the robot stuck.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In our previous studies of pure legged robots, modeled on animals, we had kind of figured out that the secret was to not make a mess,\u0026rdquo; said Goldman. \u0026ldquo;If you end up making too much of a mess with most robots, you end up just paddling and digging into the granular material. If you want fast locomotion, we found that you should try to keep the material as solid as possible by tweaking the parameters of motion.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut simple motions had proved problematic for Mars rovers, which got stuck in granular materials. Goldman says the gait discovered by Shrivastava, Karsai and Ozkan-Aydin might be able to help future rovers avoid that fate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This combination of lifting and wheeling and paddling, if used properly, provides the ability to maintain some forward progress even if it is slow,\u0026rdquo; Goldman said. \u0026ldquo;Through our laboratory experiments, we have shown principles that could lead to improved robustness in planetary exploration \u0026ndash; and even in challenging surfaces on our own planet.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers hope next to scale up the unusual gaits to larger robots, and to explore the idea of studying robots and their localized environments together. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;d like to think about the locomotor and its environment as a single entity,\u0026rdquo; Goldman said. \u0026ldquo;There are certainly some interesting granular and soft matter physics issues to explore.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThough the Mini Rover was designed to study lunar and planetary exploration, the lessons learned could also be applicable to terrestrial locomotion \u0026ndash; an area of interest to the Army Research Laboratory, one of the project\u0026rsquo;s sponsors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;This basic research is revealing exciting new approaches for locomotion in complex terrain,\u0026quot; said Dr. Samuel Stanton, program manager, Army Research Office, an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command\u0026#39;s Army Research Laboratory. \u0026quot;This could lead to platforms capable of intelligently transitioning between wheeled and legged modes of movement to maintain high operational tempo.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond those already mentioned, the researchers worked with Robert Ambrose and William Bluethmann at NASA, and traveled to NASA JSC to study the full-size NASA RP15 rover.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported by the Army Research Office (W911NF-18-1-0120) and the NASA National Robotics Initiative (NNX15AR21G). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Siddharth Shrivastava, Andras Karsai, Yasemin Ozkan-Aydin, Ross Pettinger, William Bluethmann, Robert O. Ambrose, Daniel I. Goldman, \u0026ldquo;Material remodeling on granular terrain yields robustness benefits for a robophysical rover.\u0026rdquo; (Science Robotics, May 2020)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBuilt with wheeled appendages that can be lifted and wheels able to wiggle, a new robot known as the \u0026ldquo;Mini Rover\u0026rdquo; has developed and tested complex locomotion techniques robust enough to help it climb hills covered with granular material \u0026ndash; and avoid the risk of getting ignominiously stuck on some remote planet or moon.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Using the Mini Rover, researchers have studied locomotion techniques that could help future rovers work on granular lunar and planetary surfaces."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2020-05-15 16:12:18","changed_gmt":"2020-08-26 14:29:25","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-05-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-05-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"635320":{"id":"635320","type":"image","title":"Mini Rover moving on sand","body":null,"created":"1589378228","gmt_created":"2020-05-13 13:57:08","changed":"1589378228","gmt_changed":"2020-05-13 13:57:08","alt":"Mini Rover in sand","file":{"fid":"241746","name":"mini-rover-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":502031,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mini-rover-1.jpg?itok=BpVZnDah"}},"635321":{"id":"635321","type":"image","title":"Mini Rover moving on sand - 2","body":null,"created":"1589378378","gmt_created":"2020-05-13 13:59:38","changed":"1589378378","gmt_changed":"2020-05-13 13:59:38","alt":"Mini Rover in sand","file":{"fid":"241747","name":"mini-rover-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":775928,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mini-rover-2.jpg?itok=Hp9_W1EL"}},"635322":{"id":"635322","type":"image","title":"Mini Rover in laboratory track bed","body":null,"created":"1589378574","gmt_created":"2020-05-13 14:02:54","changed":"1589378574","gmt_changed":"2020-05-13 14:02:54","alt":"Mini Rover in track bed","file":{"fid":"241748","name":"mini-rover-5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":737962,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mini-rover-5.jpg?itok=Dv9wxqQx"}},"635323":{"id":"635323","type":"image","title":"Mini Rover tested on simulated hill","body":null,"created":"1589378747","gmt_created":"2020-05-13 14:05:47","changed":"1589378747","gmt_changed":"2020-05-13 14:05:47","alt":"Mini Rover in fluidized bed","file":{"fid":"241749","name":"mini-rover-4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-4.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-4.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":721288,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mini-rover-4.jpg?itok=QwhW5a5V"}},"635324":{"id":"635324","type":"image","title":"Close up of Mini Rover appendage","body":null,"created":"1589378900","gmt_created":"2020-05-13 14:08:20","changed":"1589378900","gmt_changed":"2020-05-13 14:08:20","alt":"Appendage for Mini Rover","file":{"fid":"241750","name":"mini-rover-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mini-rover-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":542065,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mini-rover-3.jpg?itok=V9cN2qqW"}}},"media_ids":["635320","635321","635322","635323","635324"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"184799","name":"Mini Rover"},{"id":"7057","name":"Mars"},{"id":"184802","name":"planetary exploration"},{"id":"184805","name":"lunar exploration"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"184807","name":"granular material"},{"id":"62221","name":"terradynamics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"635226":{"#nid":"635226","#data":{"type":"news","title":"\u2018An Ardent Advocate\u2019: Joshua Weitz Named Georgia Tech Faculty of the Year by Graduate Student Government Association","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELong before \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/immunity-recovered-covid-19-patients-could-cut-risk-expanding-economic-activity\u0022\u003ECOVID-19 research\u003C\/a\u003E started taking up much of his time, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E had a different cause vying for his attention: efforts to roll back temporary graduate student fees that have been in place for a decade.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and Director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E, was recognized for those efforts this spring with the Faculty of the Year Award from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sga.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGraduate Student Government Association\u003C\/a\u003E (SGA).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe first student fees were $100 per semester. In Fall 2019, Weitz drafted and presented a resolution before the Faculty Senate detailing how the graduate student fee, now totaling $1,000 per fall and spring semester, was a major concern for the students. \u0026ldquo;While the faculty have been generally supportive of this cause, this was the first time that the Faculty Senate went on record to acknowledge the issue,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/people\/narayan-shirolkar\u0022\u003ENarayan Shirolkar\u003C\/a\u003E, Graduate SGA president, in an email to School of Biological Sciences Chairman \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/todd-streelman\u0022\u003ETodd Streelman\u003C\/a\u003E announcing the award. \u0026ldquo;He (Weitz) has been ardent advocate for graduate students, raising this issue through social media, and has contributed to numerous public articles on this topic, including an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/blog\/get-schooled\/opinion-roll-back-georgia-temporary-fees-college-students\/fa6WDFD67vo1WxUkWVGxjO\/\u0022\u003Eop-ed\u003C\/a\u003E in The Atlanta Journal Constitution in March 2019.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It is an honor to be recognized by the Georgia Tech community of graduate students,\u0026rdquo; Weitz says. \u0026ldquo;I am deeply grateful for the critical contributions that graduate students make to Georgia\u0026nbsp;Tech\u0026#39;s research, teaching, and entrepreneurship missions. I am also\u0026nbsp;particularly proud of their collective service and action-taking in the\u0026nbsp;past year, whether as members of the SGA, or as concerned students acting\u0026nbsp;of their own accord, to raise awareness on the critical need to reduce fees and improve graduate student financial well-being. I remain optimistic that progress this past year will mark a change point towards long-term\u0026nbsp;improvements to support graduate students at Georgia Tech in the broadest sense.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz\u0026rsquo;s research team, the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWeitz Group @ Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, studies theoretical ecology and quantitative biology. The group is working collaboratively with researchers at Tech and around the globe on several projects related to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECOVID-19 modeling\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/helpingstories.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Eresponse efforts\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences researcher presented with Faculty of the Year Award by Graduate SGA for student fee equity efforts "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences Professor Joshua Weitz is honored by the Graduate Student Government Association for his advocacy efforts for students.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences researcher presented with Faculty of the Year Award by Graduate SGA for student fee equity efforts "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-05-08 16:06:54","changed_gmt":"2020-05-08 16:17:13","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-05-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-05-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"635045":{"id":"635045","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz, professor, School of Biological Sciences ","body":null,"created":"1588625892","gmt_created":"2020-05-04 20:58:12","changed":"1588625892","gmt_changed":"2020-05-04 20:58:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241667","name":"Weitz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Weitz.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Weitz.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":629497,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Weitz.jpg?itok=iwrsFnKo"}}},"media_ids":["635045"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/immunity-recovered-covid-19-patients-could-cut-risk-expanding-economic-activity","title":"Immunity of Recovered COVID-19 Patients Could Cut Risk of Expanding Economic Activity"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joshua-weitz-discusses-past-present-and-possible-futures-covid-19-new-talk-and-interviews-ajc","title":"Joshua Weitz Discusses Past, Present, and Possible Futures of COVID-19 in New Talk and Interviews with AJC, WABE, GPB"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"184779","name":"Graduate Student Government Association Faculty of the Year Award"},{"id":"184780","name":"graduate student fees"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"635137":{"#nid":"635137","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Immunity of Recovered COVID-19 Patients Could Cut Risk of Expanding Economic Activity","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile attention remains focused on the number of COVID-19 deaths and new cases, a separate statistic \u0026ndash; the number of recovered patients \u0026ndash; may be equally important to the goal of minimizing the pandemic\u0026rsquo;s infection rate as shelter-in-place orders are lifted.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe presumed immunity of those who have recovered from the infection could allow them to safely substitute for susceptible people in certain high-contact occupations such as healthcare. Dubbed \u0026ldquo;shield immunity,\u0026rdquo; the anticipated protection against short-term reinfection could allow recovered patients to expand their interactions with infected and susceptible people, potentially reducing overall transmission rates when interactions are permitted to expand.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENew modeling of the virus\u0026rsquo; behavior suggests that an intervention strategy based on shield immunity could reduce the risk of allowing the higher levels of human interaction needed to support expanded economic activity. The number of Americans infected by the novel coronavirus is likely much higher than what has been officially reported, and that could be good news for efforts to utilize their presumed immunity to protect the larger community.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHowever, there are two important caveats to the strategy. The first is that the duration of immunity to reinfection by SARS-CoV-2 remains unknown; however, individuals who survived infections by related viral infections, like SARS, had persistent antibodies for approximately two years \u0026ndash; and those who survived infection to MERS had evidence of immunity for approximately three years. The second issue is that determining on a broad scale who has antibodies that may protect them from the coronavirus will require a level of reliable serological testing not yet available in the United States.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our model describes ways in which serological tests used to identify individuals who have been infected by and recovered from COVID-19 could help both reduce future transmission and foster increased economic engagement,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and founding director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0026ldquo;The idea is to think in advance about how identifying recovered individuals could help serve the collective good, using information collected on neutralizing antibodies in new ways.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/s41591-020-0895-3\u0022\u003Epaper describing the modeling behind the concept of shield immunity\u003C\/a\u003E was published May 7 in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Medicine\u003C\/em\u003E by a team of researchers from Georgia Tech, Princeton University and McMaster University. The researchers studied the potential impacts of presumed immunity among recovered persons using a computational model of COVID-19 epidemiological dynamics, building upon a SEIR (susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered) framework.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a population of 10 million citizens, for example, the model predicts that in a worst-case transmission scenario, implementation of an intermediate shielding strategy could help reduce deaths from 71,000 to 58,000, while an enhanced shielding plan could cut deaths from 71,000 to 20,000. The model also suggests that shielding could enhance the effects of social distancing strategies that may remain in place once higher levels of economic activity resume.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIdentification of individuals who have protective antibodies against the novel coronavirus has begun only recently. Antibody tests are not 100% specific, implying that tests can lead to false positives. However, targeted use of antibody testing in groups with elevated exposure will lead to increases in positive predictive value, even with imperfect tests. The serological antibody test differs from widespread polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing being done to determine whether people are actively infected with the virus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong healthcare professionals, serological testing could identify recovered individuals who might then be able to interact with patients with reduced concern for infection. Other recovered individuals could be used to help reduce transmission risk in nursing homes, the food service industry, emergency medical services, grocery stores, retailing and other essential operations. Across society, the relatively small number of individuals with immunity could substitute for people whose immunity status isn\u0026rsquo;t known; reducing transmission risk both for recovered individuals and those who remain immunologically naive.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We want to think about serology as an intervention,\u0026rdquo; Weitz said. \u0026ldquo;Finding out who is immune to the coronavirus could make a big difference in trying to reduce the risk to people who would be vulnerable by interacting with someone who could pass on the disease.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESerological testing to identify those with immunity might begin with healthcare workers, who may be more likely to have been infected by the coronavirus because of their exposure to infected persons, Weitz said. Because so many infections do not produce the distinctive COVID-19 symptoms, it\u0026rsquo;s likely that many people have recovered from the illness without knowing they\u0026rsquo;ve had had it, potentially expanding the pool of recovered persons.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There may be a deeper pool of individuals who can help within their own fields and other fields of specialization to reduce transmission,\u0026rdquo; Weitz said. \u0026ldquo;The reality is that people within high-contact jobs probably are likely to have a higher incidence of infection than other groups.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut using antibody information about individuals would create potential privacy issues, and require that those individuals make informed decisions about accepting additional risks for the greater good of the community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;What this model says is that if we could identify individuals who are immune, there is a chance that some individuals would not have to reduce their level of interaction with others because that interaction would be less risky,\u0026rdquo; he added. \u0026ldquo;Rather than trying to keep reducing interactions, which is helpful for reducing transmission but bad for what it does for the economy, we might be able to maintain interactions while reducing the risk, combined with other mitigation approaches.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, addressing the pandemic will require development and mass production of a vaccine that could boost immunity levels beyond 60 percent in the general population. Until that is available, Weitz believes that shield immunity could become part of the approach to the challenge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t have a silver bullet,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Until we have a vaccine, we will have to use a combination of strategies to control COVID-19, and shield immunity is potentially one of them.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Weitz, co-authors of the paper included Dr. Stephen J. Beckett, Ashley R. Coenen, Dr. David Demory, Marian Dominguez-Mirazo, Dr. Chung-Yin Leung, Guanlin Li, Andreea Magalie, Rogelio Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Shashwat Shivam, and Conan Zhao, all from Georgia Tech; Prof. Jonathan Dushoff of McMaster University, and Sang Woo Park of Princeton University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the Simons Foundation (SCOPE Award ID 329108), the Army Research Office (W911NF1910384), National Institutes of Health (1R01AI46592-01), and National Science Foundation (1806606 and 1829636). Any findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and not necessarily of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Joshua S. Weitz, et al., \u0026ldquo;Intervention Serology and Interaction Substitution: Modeling the Role of `Shield Immunity\u0026#39; in Reducing COVID-19 Epidemic Spread.\u0026rdquo; (Nature Medicine, 2020) \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/s41591-020-0895-3\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/s41591-020-0895-3\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Assistance\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe presumed immunity of those who have recovered from the infection could allow them to safely substitute for susceptible people in certain high-contact occupations such as healthcare. Dubbed \u0026ldquo;shield immunity,\u0026rdquo; the anticipated protection against short-term reinfection could allow recovered patients to expand their interactions with infected and susceptible people.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The presumed immunity of those who have recovered from the coronavirus infection could allow them to substitute for susceptible people."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2020-05-07 12:20:25","changed_gmt":"2020-05-07 12:27:38","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-05-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-05-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"635134":{"id":"635134","type":"image","title":"Shield Immunity Graphic","body":null,"created":"1588853108","gmt_created":"2020-05-07 12:05:08","changed":"1588853108","gmt_changed":"2020-05-07 12:05:08","alt":"Graphic showing shield immunity proposal","file":{"fid":"241685","name":"immune_shield-graphic.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/immune_shield-graphic.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/immune_shield-graphic.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":201021,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/immune_shield-graphic.jpg?itok=Ed8ZwniA"}},"635135":{"id":"635135","type":"image","title":"Recovered Patients Could Substitute for Others","body":null,"created":"1588853321","gmt_created":"2020-05-07 12:08:41","changed":"1588853321","gmt_changed":"2020-05-07 12:08:41","alt":"Nursing home clinician with patient","file":{"fid":"241686","name":"GettyImages-1140154151-md.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/GettyImages-1140154151-md.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/GettyImages-1140154151-md.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":204534,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/GettyImages-1140154151-md.jpg?itok=XRhKNBe7"}},"635136":{"id":"635136","type":"image","title":"Professor Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1588853486","gmt_created":"2020-05-07 12:11:26","changed":"1588853486","gmt_changed":"2020-05-07 12:11:26","alt":"Professor Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"241687","name":"joshua-weitz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/joshua-weitz.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/joshua-weitz.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3370772,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/joshua-weitz.jpg?itok=EVkuPkX4"}}},"media_ids":["635134","635135","635136"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"184751","name":"shield immunity"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"172458","name":"biological sciences"},{"id":"21371","name":"immunity"},{"id":"184289","name":"covid-19"},{"id":"184754","name":"coronavrius"},{"id":"729","name":"pandemic"},{"id":"10660","name":"infection"},{"id":"4292","name":"virus"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"634631":{"#nid":"634631","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Produces Key Components for Governor\u2019s Coronavirus Test Initiative","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGaps in the supply of coronavirus tests are propelling initiatives to fill them across the country. At the Georgia Institute of Technology, bioscience researchers are burning the midnight oil to produce key components for tests in the state of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe goal is to supply a broad\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gov.georgia.gov\/press-releases\/2020-03-31\/gov-kemp-university-system-georgia-announce-covid-19-testing-ramp\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Einitiative by the governor\u0026rsquo;s office\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;involving multiple universities and partners to rapidly produce and administer more tests. At least 35 volunteers at Georgia Tech, while adhering to social distancing, are reorienting labs normally used for scientific discovery to do larger-scale production of biochemical components.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We are inventing new ways of doing things like an electronic buddy system so people can be alone \u0026ndash; but not alone \u0026ndash; while they work in the lab. The technical part is actually the easiest. The logistics of testing, data security, and regulatory considerations \u0026ndash; those things are more challenging,\u0026rdquo; said Loren Williams, a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/~lw26\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eprofessor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilliams and the researchers are supporting Georgia Governor Brian Kemp\u0026rsquo;s COVID-19 State Lab Surge Capacity Task Force, which is a project managed through the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). GTRI is also leading the coordination and integration of data management across the lab surge effort.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We are providing technical and project management of the effort which is focused on increasing the state\u0026rsquo;s ability to expand testing beyond current limitations,\u0026rdquo; said Mike Shannon, GTRI\u0026rsquo;s lead in the project and a principal research engineer at GTRI.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExoplanets and coronavirus\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe science behind coronavirus testing is complementary to the researchers\u0026rsquo; usual work. That includes understanding proteins associated with glaucoma, figuring out how RNA and DNA evolved in the first place, or whether ribosomes \u0026ndash; lumps of RNA and protein key to translating\u0026nbsp;genetic code into life \u0026ndash; may exist on exoplanets.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilliams\u0026rsquo; research team studies the last topic, and some of their work is related to the core of coronavirus testing, a chemical reaction that amplifies the virus\u0026rsquo; genetic fingerprint. It is called a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and it transcribes trace amounts of coronavirus\u0026rsquo; RNA code into ample amounts of corresponding DNA in the lab for easy analysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;His lab members are very familiar with RT-PCR, and when the lack of tests became apparent, they swung into action. The group grew from there, based on the technical needs for the project,\u0026rdquo; said Raquel Lieberman, another leading scientist in the effort and also a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/lieberman\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eprofessor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Every day, very talented, hardworking people with perfect skill sets come out of the woodwork and ask to help,\u0026rdquo; Williams said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe group has teams that engineer the production of enzymes or other chemicals needed for RT-PCR to work: Two central enzymes are reverse transcriptase, which converts RNA to DNA and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Taq_polymerase\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETaq\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;polymerase\u003C\/a\u003E, which rapidly replicates DNA. Another important component is ribonuclease inhibitor, which slows coronavirus RNA decay.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGlobal COVID allies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOther researchers develop processes for mass production or implementation of COVID-19 safety procedures; the list goes on. Some colleagues telework; others work in labs but spaced far from each other while they wear masks.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The group is planning to produce enough enzyme components for hundreds of tests per day,\u0026rdquo; said Vinayah Agarwal,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agarwallab.com\/team.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ean assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Using these components, we will also build cheaper and more robust testing kits going forward.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstructions already exist for some of the ingredients for the test, but they are not readily available because the rights to them are exclusive.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Intellectual property and other proprietary issues hinder our effort,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. \u0026ldquo;But we have received help from scientists all over the world to piece together protocols on how to make what we need.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe state wants to increase current testing capacities by 3,000 more tests per day. The task force also includes teams from Augusta University Health System, Georgia State University, Emory University, University of Georgia, and the Georgia Public Health Laboratory. The task force lead is Captain Kevin Caspary who is with the Georgia National Guard.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaw footage and images as press handouts for journalists. (No commercial or personal use)\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/sh\/f2wc2i74lz1lffl\/AADLJ8dQnZMr4uEDxAiIMusoa?dl=0\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/sh\/f2wc2i74lz1lffl\/AADLJ8dQnZMr4uEDxAiIMusoa?dl=0\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso read this: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/634615\/interactive-tool-helps-people-see-why-staying-home-matters-during-pandemic\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInteractive COVID-19 tool shows the importance of staying at home\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExternal News Coverage:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENPR -\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2020\/04\/24\/843463707\/sun-rays-disinfectants-and-false-hopes-misinformation-litters-the-road-to-reopen\u0022\u003ESun Rays, Disinfectants And False Hopes: Misinformation Litters The Road To Reopening\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nNews-Medical.Net -\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news-medical.net\/news\/20200423\/Georgia-Tech-researchers-create-key-components-for-COVID-19-tests.aspx\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers create key components for COVID-19 tests\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Tech News Center-\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2020\/04\/23\/new-normal-researchers-across-georgia-tech-rally-fight-covid-19\u0022\u003EA New Normal: Researchers Across Georgia Tech Rally to Fight COVID-19\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHere\u0026#39;s how to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/subscribe\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Esubscribe to our free science and technology email\u0026nbsp;newsletter\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-272-2780), email:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Volunteer Georgia Tech researchers burn midnight oil to produce important enzymes that make coronavirus test kits work."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2020-04-22 12:40:05","changed_gmt":"2020-04-28 13:50:54","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"633641":{"id":"633641","type":"image","title":"Coping with COVID","body":null,"created":"1584493388","gmt_created":"2020-03-18 01:03:08","changed":"1584561934","gmt_changed":"2020-03-18 20:05:34","alt":"Workers in a university lab","file":{"fid":"241113","name":"Steven 1-18.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Steven%201-18.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Steven%201-18.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1772780,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Steven%201-18.png?itok=Sa2qO-Cw"}}},"media_ids":["633641"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"184593","name":"Covid 19"},{"id":"184594","name":"COVID Recovery"},{"id":"184595","name":"Covid Test"},{"id":"184596","name":"COVID \u2013 19"},{"id":"184597","name":"COVID-19 Crisis"},{"id":"184598","name":"COVID-19 Pandemic"},{"id":"184599","name":"Test Kits"},{"id":"184453","name":"coronavirus testing"},{"id":"184600","name":"Coronavirus Testing Supply Shortages"},{"id":"184601","name":"Coronavirus Testing Supplies"},{"id":"184602","name":"Transcription Polymerase"},{"id":"184603","name":"Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction"},{"id":"184604","name":"Rt-Pcr"},{"id":"184605","name":"Reverse Transcriptase"},{"id":"184606","name":"Taq Polymerase"},{"id":"184607","name":"Ribonuclease Inhibitor"},{"id":"184608","name":"Government Programs"},{"id":"184609","name":"Governor Brian Kemp"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"633949":{"#nid":"633949","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Deepwater Horizon and the Rise of the Omics: A Decade of Breakthroughs in Microbial Science","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EApril 20, 2010: The Gulf of Mexico becomes an ecological disaster zone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn explosion on the Deepwater Horizon marine oil platform leased by British Petroleum kills 11 workers and sends thousands of barrels of crude oil pumping into the water, all just 40 miles off the Louisiana coast. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Deepwater-Horizon-oil-spill\u0022\u003EAt its peak\u003C\/a\u003E, it was estimated that 60,000 barrels of oil a day went into the Gulf, creating a 57,000 square-mile slick and causing damage to more than 1,000 miles of shoreline.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDeepwater\u0026rsquo;s 10th anniversary is a chance to recall compelling videos and interviews regarding the world\u0026rsquo;s worst environmental disaster. But advances in microbial research have also helped scientists learn more about the ecological effects of the spill, according to an article written by a Georgia Tech professor for a top scientific magazine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eos.org\/features\/deepwater-horizon-and-the-rise-of-the-omics\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Deepwater Horizon and the Rise of the Omics,\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E written by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;professor and associate chair in\u0026nbsp;the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, with co-authors Samantha Joye and Rita Colwell, is featured in the April 2020 issue of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eos.org\/\u0022\u003EEos\u003C\/a\u003E, the research magazine of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agu.org\/\u0022\u003EAmerican Geophysical Union\u003C\/a\u003E. The AGU has more than 60,000 members, and it is one of the largest scientific organizations in the world (College of Sciences Dean \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/about\/meet-susan-lozier\u0022\u003ESusan Lozier\u003C\/a\u003E is AGU\u0026rsquo;s president-elect).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EMicrobial Genomics for Coastline Cleanups\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka, who researches microbial ecology, is currently studying Deepwater\u0026rsquo;s legacy of microbial genomics for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gulfresearchinitiative.org\/\u0022\u003EGulf of Mexico Research Initiative,\u003C\/a\u003E or GoMRI, a $500-million effort funded by British Petroleum. The GoMRI has already supported thousands of research scientists, Kostka says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Today scientists have the gene sequencing techniques to properly study the role microbes play and the mechanisms with which they break down oil \u0026mdash; with the hope that one day we might be able to deploy them deliberately to protect or restore the environment around a spill,\u0026rdquo; writes Heather Goss, Eos editor-in-chief, in her \u0026ldquo;From The Editor\u0026rdquo; introduction in the magazine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EA Decade of Omics, Environmental Microbiology Evolution\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe previous record-holder for environmental disaster before Deepwater Horizon was the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill off the coast of Alaska in 1989. At that time, \u0026ldquo;environmental microbiology was a relatively nascent field,\u0026rdquo; writes Kostka, who is also Associate Chair of Research in the School of Biological Sciences.\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;But in the past decade, a variety of so-called omics techniques, focused on parsing the genetic makeup of cells, have emerged and offered researchers powerful new ways to study microbial communities and the roles played by specific groups of microbes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOmics refers to the suffix applied to relative new fields within biological sciences, including genomics, the study of genomic structures and processes. \u0026ldquo;The DWH spill was also the first major environmental disaster for which genomics technologies had matured to such an extent that they could be deployed to quantify microbial responses over large spatial and temporal scales,\u0026rdquo; Kostka writes. \u0026ldquo;As a result, the field of environmental genomics matured during the past decade in parallel with the DWH response. Technical advances in genomics enabled direct, comprehensive analyses of the microbes in their natural habitat, be it oil-contaminated or uncontaminated seawater or sediments. Researchers studying the effects of the DWH spill presided over an explosion of microbial genomics data that enabled major advances in oil spill science and allowed scientists to ask, \u0026lsquo;What microbes are there?\u0026rsquo; in complex communities in unprecedented detail.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka adds that combining genomics with knowledge and tools from other disciplines, including biogeochemistry and oceanography, have allowed scientists to \u0026ldquo;identify disturbances that might otherwise go unnoticed\u0026rdquo; by looking for microbial populations that represent bioindicators of ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;With these efforts, global ecosystems can be better protected and, when necessary, restored in the face of diverse environmental stressors,\u0026rdquo; Kostka says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EAdditional Deepwater Research: Superbugs, Biomarkers\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough microbes have been used to help clean up spills, current methods are expensive and not natural to the environment being cleaned. But scientists have isolated a \u0026ldquo;superbug\u0026rdquo; that, while belonging to the same genus as E. coli and Salmonella, could also help break down petroleum products in multiple, different environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBetter study of the organisms, genes, and metabolic pathways in microbial communities allow scientists to use them as biomarkers, giving them information on the health of an ecosystem \u0026ldquo;like a blood test can point physicians to disease diagnosis and treatment options,\u0026rdquo; Kostka writes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The overall goal of this work is to chart a course for future research on using microbial genomics to understand fundamental change in the oceans due to disturbances such as climate change or oil spills,\u0026rdquo; he says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERead more about Kostka\u0026rsquo;s research and findings in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eos.org\/features\/deepwater-horizon-and-the-rise-of-the-omics\u0022\u003EEos magazine\u003C\/a\u003E. Read the Spanish version of the Eos magazine article: \u0026quot;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eos.org\/features\/deepwater-horizon-la-plataforma-petrolera-y-el-surgimiento-de-las-tecnicas-omicas\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDeepwater Horizon: La Plataforma Petrolera y el Surgimiento de las T\u0026eacute;cnicas \u0026Oacute;micas\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026quot;.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Eos article led by Joel Kostka spotlights ten years of advances in genomics, analysis of how ecosystems react to oil spills"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new article from Georgia Tech professor Joel Kostka highlights the advances made in microbial science in the 10 years since the\u0026nbsp;Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the world\u0026#39;s worst environmental disaster.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Eos article led by Joel Kostka spotlights ten years of advances in genomics, analysis of how ecosystems react to oil spills"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-03-31 18:54:58","changed_gmt":"2020-06-08 21:32:40","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"633952":{"id":"633952","type":"image","title":"A sheen of oil coats the surface of the Gulf of Mexico in June 2010, as ships work to help control the Deepwater Horizon spill. Credit: kris kr\u00fcg, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0\/Eos Magazine","body":null,"created":"1585682089","gmt_created":"2020-03-31 19:14:49","changed":"1585682089","gmt_changed":"2020-03-31 19:14:49","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241222","name":"Gulf oil slick.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Gulf%20oil%20slick.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Gulf%20oil%20slick.png","mime":"image\/png","size":663100,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Gulf%20oil%20slick.png?itok=XTk-8siJ"}},"633951":{"id":"633951","type":"image","title":"Photograph of oil droplets and microbes during the Deepwater Horizon spill. (Photo courtesy AP Images\/Shutterstock\/Shmruti Karthikeyan\/Eos Magazine","body":null,"created":"1585681817","gmt_created":"2020-03-31 19:10:17","changed":"1585681817","gmt_changed":"2020-03-31 19:10:17","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241221","name":"Oil microbes.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Oil%20microbes.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Oil%20microbes.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1014282,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Oil%20microbes.png?itok=46Xpbf7-"}},"633953":{"id":"633953","type":"image","title":"Jonathan Delgardio and Will Overholt of the Georgia Institute of Technology sample sand layers on 20 October 2010 at Pensacola Beach, Fla., which was heavily polluted by weathered oil after Deepwater Horizon discharge. Photo:Markus Huettel\/Eos Magazine","body":null,"created":"1585682308","gmt_created":"2020-03-31 19:18:28","changed":"1585682334","gmt_changed":"2020-03-31 19:18:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241223","name":"Beach sampling.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Beach%20sampling.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Beach%20sampling.png","mime":"image\/png","size":355314,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Beach%20sampling.png?itok=-KQ-KqbE"}},"633954":{"id":"633954","type":"image","title":"Researchers gathered samples of microbial communities in layers of sand containing oil.(Credit: Markus Huettel)","body":null,"created":"1585682698","gmt_created":"2020-03-31 19:24:58","changed":"1585682698","gmt_changed":"2020-03-31 19:24:58","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241225","name":"Beach layers.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Beach%20layers.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Beach%20layers.png","mime":"image\/png","size":933428,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Beach%20layers.png?itok=-uxTwGb0"}},"633955":{"id":"633955","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka, Professor and Associate Chair of Research, School of Biological Sciences ","body":null,"created":"1585682840","gmt_created":"2020-03-31 19:27:20","changed":"1585682840","gmt_changed":"2020-03-31 19:27:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241226","name":"Joel Kostka classroom.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka%20classroom.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka%20classroom.png","mime":"image\/png","size":291075,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joel%20Kostka%20classroom.png?itok=NEpgXf59"}}},"media_ids":["633952","633951","633953","633954","633955"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Deepwater-Horizon-oil-spill","title":"Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica: Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2015\/02\/17\/study-details-impact-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill-beach-microbial-communities","title":"Study details impact of Deepwater Horizon oil spill on beach microbial communities"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/digging-climate-clues-peat-moss","title":"Joel Kostka ScienceMatters podcast: Digging Up Climate Clues in Peat Moss"},{"url":"https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/features\/shaking-sleeping-bog-monster","title":"Shaking a Sleeping Bog Monster: Research Horizons"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.joelkostka.net\/research\/cimage\/cimage.html","title":"Joel Kostka Laboratory: Microbial Ecology"},{"url":"https:\/\/gulfresearchinitiative.org\/","title":"Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"12159","name":"Deepwater Horizon"},{"id":"184352","name":"microbial science"},{"id":"184353","name":"microbial ecology"},{"id":"1896","name":"Genomics"},{"id":"184359","name":"Omics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"632534":{"#nid":"632534","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yao Yao Selected as Sloan Fellow for 2020","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Yao Yao\u0026nbsp;has been selected as a 2020 Sloan Fellow.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe fellowships, awarded yearly since 1955, honor early-career scholars whose achievements mark them as among the very best scientific minds working today. A full list of the 2020 Fellows is available at the Sloan Foundation website at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/fellowships\/2020-Fellows\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/sloan.org\/fellowships\/2020-Fellows\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awards this coveted fellowship to 126 early-career scholars which represent the most promising scientific researchers working today. Their achievements and potential place them among the next generation of scientific leaders in the U.S. and Canada. Winners receive $75,000, which may be spent over a two-year term on any expense supportive of their research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/people.math.gatech.edu\/~yyao9\/\u0022\u003EYao Yao\u003C\/a\u003E is an Assistant Professor in SoM whose\u0026nbsp;research interests\u0026nbsp;include the mathematical analysis of nonlinear PDEs arising from fluid mechanics and mathematical biology.\u0026nbsp;Prof. Yao recieved a postdoc at University of Wisconsin, Madison, under\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/math.rice.edu\/~ak55\/\u0022\u003EAlexander Kiselev\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.math.ucsd.edu\/~zlatos\/\u0022\u003EAndrej Zlato\u0026scaron;\u003C\/a\u003E, and recieved her\u0026nbsp;Ph.D. in Jun 2012 from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.math.ucla.edu\/\u0022\u003EUCLA\u003C\/a\u003E, under the supervision of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.math.ucla.edu\/~ikim\u0022\u003EInwon Kim\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Yao Yao\u00a0has been selected as a 2020 Sloan Fellow."}],"uid":"34518","created_gmt":"2020-02-17 17:07:29","changed_gmt":"2020-02-17 17:22:18","author":"sbarone7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-02-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-02-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"632536":{"id":"632536","type":"image","title":"slide_yao","body":null,"created":"1581959910","gmt_created":"2020-02-17 17:18:30","changed":"1581959910","gmt_changed":"2020-02-17 17:18:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240664","name":"slide_yao.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/slide_yao.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/slide_yao.png","mime":"image\/png","size":42569,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/slide_yao.png?itok=5UbjPhMy"}},"526721":{"id":"526721","type":"image","title":"Yao Yao","body":null,"created":"1461268800","gmt_created":"2016-04-21 20:00:00","changed":"1475895298","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:58","alt":"Yao Yao","file":{"fid":"206132","name":"yao_yao.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yao_yao.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yao_yao.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":405982,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/yao_yao.jpeg?itok=YaPDWMq3"}}},"media_ids":["632536","526721"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/sloan.org\/fellowships\/2020-Fellows","title":"Sloan Fellowships"}],"groups":[{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:comm@math.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESal Barone\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"632340":{"#nid":"632340","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Jenny McGuire, Lutz Warnke Receive NSF CAREER Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo assistant professors from the Georgia Tech College of Sciences, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/mcguire-dr-jenny-l\u0022\u003EJenny McGuire\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/people.math.gatech.edu\/~lwarnke3\/\u0022\u003ELutz Warnke,\u003C\/a\u003E have received 2020 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503214\u0022\u003EFaculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Awards\u003C\/a\u003E from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E (NSF).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs NSF\u0026#39;s most prestigious award, the CAREER program supports early-career faculty who integrate excellence in education and research, serve as academic role models, and lead advances in the mission of their organization. The award comes with a federal grant for research and education activities for five consecutive years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Never underestimate what a National Science Foundation CAREER Award can do for a young scientist,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/julia-kubanek\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek,\u003C\/a\u003E College of Sciences Associate Dean for Research. \u0026ldquo;Many of our senior faculty at Georgia Tech started their funding history as NSF CAREER awardees. They act as a springboard for faculty success in so many ways.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKubanek, who is also a professor in Biological Sciences and in Chemistry and Biochemistry, emphasizes the length of the grant: five years. \u0026ldquo;The funding that comes with an NSF CAREER award provides substantial support to get a faculty member\u0026rsquo;s fresh and unique research ideas off to a strong start.\u0026rdquo; The NSF also likes to see research and education combined as a way to inspire creative teaching methods that give students a more hands-on approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor Jenny McGuire, assistant professor in Biological Sciences and in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, the CAREER grant will support paleoecological research exploring how plants and animals respond to environmental change and allow her to test these theories in a deep, ancient cave in Wyoming \u0026mdash; where clues left by past environmental shifts could provide insights for current and future climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor Lutz Warnke, assistant professor in Mathematics, the CAREER grant will support fundamental research at the interface of discrete mathematics and probability, exploring the fascinating properties of random networks (or graphs) and their remarkable applications in graph theory, extremal combinatorics, and other areas.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJenny McGuire: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=1945013\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDo Species Track Climate? Paleoecology to Disentangle Niche Dynamics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince 2015, \u003Cstrong\u003EJenny McGuire\u003C\/strong\u003E has spent her summers rappelling 30 feet into Wyoming\u0026rsquo;s Natural Trap Cave, digging for fossils that can provide some insight into the impact past climatic and environmental changes had on plant and animal species 20,000-30,000 years ago. McGuire\u0026rsquo;s work looks at how those changes in climate might have affected animal migration patterns.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I was incredibly excited to get the award, because it is going to allow me to do some really exciting work,\u0026rdquo; says McGuire, who is also a past NSF Division of Environmental Biology awardee. \u0026ldquo;My \u200bproject looks at the climate fidelity that different plant and animal species exhibited during past periods of climate change, so that we can characterize the extent to which they will respond to future change. By understanding how species respond to changing climate, we can identify which species and strategies to prioritize to conserve biodiversity going forward.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlong with increasing our understanding of ecosystem and species-level responses to climate change and drought, McGuire\u0026rsquo;s spelunking expeditions and research help educate students and communities about how climate affects ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMany of McGuire\u0026rsquo;s cave finds are brought back to Georgia Tech for what she calls Fossil Fridays, when the public is invited to help sift through the gravel and dirt to look for fossils. These \u0026ldquo;fossil discovery opportunities\u0026rdquo; reach people from across the broader Atlanta community, as well as East African undergraduate students who participate in workshops facilitated by the Conservation Paleobiology in Africa program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We are living in a time of rapid change,\u0026rdquo; McGuire notes. \u0026ldquo;Given the extent of the change, it is hard to predict how ecosystems are going to respond by observing snapshots of time. We use organisms\u0026#39; responses to past climatic and environmental changes to determine how things will play out, given the extreme changes that are anticipated.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELutz Warnke: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=1945481\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUnderstanding the Evolution of Random Graphs with Complex Dependencies: Phase Transition and Beyond\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELutz Warnke\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026mdash; who is also a recipient of the 2014 Richard-Rado-Prize, the 2016 D\u0026eacute;nes K\u0026ouml;nig Prize, a 2018 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/fellowships\/\u0022\u003ESloan Research Fellowship\u003C\/a\u003E, and a\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/div\/index.jsp?div=DMS\u0022\u003E NSF Division of Mathematical Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E award \u0026mdash; is fascinated by graph processes and networks, which are useful mathematical abstractions that consist of collections of points with links, or line-segments, connecting them. The more links you add, the more complex those networks become.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Time-evolving random networks\/random graph processes play an important role in several branches of mathematics and applied sciences, including statistical physics, complex networks, and extremal combinatorics,\u0026rdquo; Warnke says. \u0026ldquo;Unfortunately, for these processes, there is nowadays a widening gap between simulation-based results and theoretical understanding. I hope to develop new mathematical theory for such random graph processes, in order to better understand their properties, improve existing methods of analysis, and rigorously justify their applications.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWarnke is using \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/589665\u0022\u003Ethese random graph processes\u003C\/a\u003E to attack difficult open problems in combinatorics. He explains \u0026quot;they provide a systematic way to give powerful probabilistic guarantees for hard-to-answer deterministic questions, such as the construction of complex graphs with unusual properties\/constraints. I am particularly fascinated by the fact that the usage of randomness helps in extremal combinatorics and graph theory, and by developing new ways of analysis\/new random processes I am trying to significantly increase the range of combinatorial applications.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe CAREER grant will also allow him to spend more time on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/589665\u0022\u003Ethe phase transition of random graphs\u003C\/a\u003E. He explains, \u0026ldquo;This refers to a sudden change of their typical properties, as we add more and more links to the graph (similar to how the state of water changes as we increase the temperature). I am trying to understand whether the phase transition of a wide variety of random graph processes share essential \u0026lsquo;universal\u0026rsquo; features, as predicted by the profound universality paradigm from physics.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It is a great honor to receive the NSF CAREER award,\u0026rdquo; says Warnke. \u0026ldquo;I gratefully acknowledge this recognition and support from NSF, which will now help\/allow me to further advance my research program, and pursue some of the most challenging problems in probabilistic combinatorics.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cem\u003EMcGuire and Warnke are among a number of 2020 NSF CAREER awardees \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003Erepresenting Georgia Tech. Learn more about \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/mcguire-dr-jenny-l\u0022\u003EJenny McGuire\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eand \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/people.math.gatech.edu\/~lwarnke3\/\u0022\u003ELutz Warnke\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eand about the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503214\u0022\u003ECAREER Program\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Junior faculty will use funds to advance studies in paleoecology and biodiversity, combinatorics and random graph theory"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA pair of College of Sciences professors -- Jenny McGuire in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\/School of Biological Sciences, and Lutz Warnke of the School of Mathematics --\u0026nbsp; are receiving coveted National Science Foundation CAREER Awards, which will fund future research for five years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Junior faculty will use funds to advance studies in paleoecology and biodiversity, combinatorics and random graph theory"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2020-02-11 21:38:28","changed_gmt":"2020-02-11 21:43:52","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-02-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-02-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"632196":{"id":"632196","type":"image","title":"Assistant Professor Jenny McGuire, 2020 NSF CAREER Award Winner","body":null,"created":"1581089123","gmt_created":"2020-02-07 15:25:23","changed":"1581089307","gmt_changed":"2020-02-07 15:28:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240543","name":"jenny mcguire lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jenny%20mcguire%20lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jenny%20mcguire%20lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54287,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/jenny%20mcguire%20lab.jpg?itok=OznTTbsb"}},"632195":{"id":"632195","type":"image","title":"Professor Jenny McGuire at Natural Trap Cave, Wyoming ","body":null,"created":"1581088981","gmt_created":"2020-02-07 15:23:01","changed":"1581088996","gmt_changed":"2020-02-07 15:23:16","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240542","name":"JenMcGuire Cave.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/JenMcGuire%20Cave.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/JenMcGuire%20Cave.png","mime":"image\/png","size":752859,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/JenMcGuire%20Cave.png?itok=GmTtsUZ9"}},"632197":{"id":"632197","type":"image","title":"School of Mathematics Assistant Professor Lutz Warnke, 2020 NSF CAREER Award Winner ","body":null,"created":"1581089210","gmt_created":"2020-02-07 15:26:50","changed":"1581089210","gmt_changed":"2020-02-07 15:26:50","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240544","name":"lutz warnke headshot.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lutz%20warnke%20headshot.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lutz%20warnke%20headshot.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1205441,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lutz%20warnke%20headshot.png?itok=HljR9Z7X"}}},"media_ids":["632196","632195","632197"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/season-1-episode-2-can-lessons-fossils-guide-earths-future","title":"ScienceMatters Podcast Season 1, Ep.2: Season 1 Ep. 2: Can Lessons from Fossils Guide Earth\u2019s Future?"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"168746","name":"Jenny McGuire"},{"id":"173955","name":"Lutz Warnke"},{"id":"183918","name":"NSF CAREER 2020 Awards"},{"id":"183919","name":"paleoecology"},{"id":"6010","name":"combinatorics"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"632165":{"#nid":"632165","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Three Researchers Awarded Inaugural Seed Grants","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThree Petit Institute researchers \u0026ndash; Lily Cheung, Michael Goodisman, and Matt Torres \u0026ndash; have been awarded the 2020 Petit Institute Seed Grants for Core Facilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe program was created to give Petit investigators an opportunity to perform novel experiments that will result in valuable preliminary data with equipment they have not used before. The amount of equipment time given through the seed grants will allow researchers to gather preliminary data for future grant proposals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECheung\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(assistant professor, School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering) is working on a project called, \u0026ldquo;Transporters for the Microbial Biosynthesis of Plant Products,\u0026quot; and will utilize the Next Generation Sequencing MiniSeq equipment at the\u0026nbsp;Petit Institute\u0026rsquo;s Molecular Evolution Core Facility.\u0026nbsp;This project will engineer biomolecular sensors for the functional characterization of transporters \u0026ndash; the proteins embedded in membranes that allow the traffic of compounds between cells and subcellular compartments. Sensors can dramatically accelerate the identification of the substrates for transporters, which can help engineer strategies to increase the yield of drug biosynthetic pathways.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGoodisman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(associate professor, School of Biological Sciences) also will utilize the Molecular Evolution Core Facility for his project, \u0026ldquo;Population Genetics of Yellowjackets.\u0026quot; Goodisman will leverage state-of-the-art equipment in this core and see if he can expedite his team\u0026rsquo;s DNA fragment analysis processing.\u0026nbsp;The goal of the project is to better understand the evolution and ecology of highly social species (such as yellowjackets).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETorres\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;(associate professor, School of Biological Sciences) will make it three-for-three for Molecular Evolution. He is working on a project called, \u0026ldquo;\u0026quot;Transitioning from Yeast to Humans: Proposal for Usage of the GT Tissue Culture Facility.\u0026quot;\u0026nbsp;Torres\u0026rsquo;s team use a yeast model system to study and identify novel G protein regulatory mechanisms which will provide foundations for the development of better drugs in the future. They will use space dedicated for human cell culture in the Molecular Evolution Core Facility to establish a sustained human cell signaling research program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe dollar value of each grant awarded varies based on the equipment utilized in the research project and does not include reagents.\u0026nbsp;To learn more here about the seed grant program, click \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.infoready4.com\/#competitionDetail\/1788214\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehere\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New Petit Institute program for core facilities supporting novel experiments"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew Petit Institute program for core facilities supporting novel experiments\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New Petit Institute program for core facilities supporting novel experiments"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2020-02-06 16:54:04","changed_gmt":"2020-02-06 16:54:04","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"632164":{"id":"632164","type":"image","title":"Core Seed Grantees","body":null,"created":"1581007936","gmt_created":"2020-02-06 16:52:16","changed":"1581007936","gmt_changed":"2020-02-06 16:52:16","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240529","name":"Core seed grant winners.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Core%20seed%20grant%20winners.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Core%20seed%20grant%20winners.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":347526,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Core%20seed%20grant%20winners.jpg?itok=XV6wDRTj"}}},"media_ids":["632164"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"630960":{"#nid":"630960","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Leviathan Polymer Brush Made With E. coli Holds Bacteria at Bay","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA lab goof with an enzyme taken from bacteria has led to the creation of the Leviathan of polymer brushes, emerging biocompatible materials with the potential to repel infectious bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPolymer brushes are surfaces normally covered with nanoscale bristles made of polymers, spaghetti-like molecular chains that are synthesized chemically. But\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-13440-7\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein a new study\u003C\/a\u003E, a team led by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology stumbled onto a biological technique to improve on the brushes by growing the bristles into giants 100 times the usual length.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We were putting the enzyme onto a surface to observe it for a totally different experiment, but we put too much on the surface too densely, and \u0026ndash; boom \u0026ndash; we ended up with the thickest, longest polymer brush we\u0026rsquo;d ever seen or heard of,\u0026rdquo; said Jennifer Curtis, who led the study and is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/jennifer-curtis\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ean associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;They were so big you could actually see them under an optical microscope instead of having to feel them with an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/584069\/catching-molecular-dances-slow-motion-adding-white-noise\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eatomic force microscope\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or use other methods needed for more customary polymer brushes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers diverted attention from the original study to pursue the freakishly large new brush.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo bacteria encroaching on them, the brush\u0026rsquo;s bristles are a virtually impenetrable, squishy thicket that keeps microbes out in lab observations. It hinders the spread of biofilms, bacterial colonies that join together to form a tough material that makes killing the bacteria difficult.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiofilm bulwark\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The human immune system has a hard time with biofilms. Antibiotics don\u0026rsquo;t work very well on them either. In water filtration, biofilms can stick tenaciously, too. If you have a hyaluronan brush on a surface, a biofilm can\u0026rsquo;t stick to it,\u0026rdquo; Curtis said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHyaluronan, the compound in the bristles, is a polysaccharide, a chain of sugar molecules, and is naturally widespread in and around our cells. It is also known to many from its use in cosmetic moisturizers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe enzyme that makes the hyaluronan bristles on the brush is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hyaluronan_synthase\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehyaluronan synthase\u003C\/a\u003E, and it circumvents more tedious chemical synthesis by effortlessly extruding extremely long bristles. The enzymes also can replace bristles when they break off, something chemically synthesized brushes cannot do, which limits those brushes\u0026rsquo; durability. Still, use of the synthase is unorthodox.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Brush people say, \u0026lsquo;What are these enzymes doing here?\u0026rsquo; because they\u0026rsquo;re looking for chemistry, and biologists wonder what the brush has to do with biology,\u0026rdquo; Curtis said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team published\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-13440-7\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe new study,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ESelf-regenerating giant hyaluronan polymer\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-13440-7\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ebrushes,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-13440-7\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the journal\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-13440-7\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Nature Communications\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-13440-7\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;in December 2019\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEngineered\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers engineered bacteria to overabundantly produce the enzyme by inserting hyaluronan synthase genes from the bacteria\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EStreptococcus equisimilis\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;into\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethen they harvested the enzyme.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We shattered the bacteria into a bunch of non-living gooey fragments then adhered their membrane to surfaces, and the synthase extruded the brushes,\u0026rdquo; Curtis said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe enzymes can be switched on and off, and adjusting salt concentration or pH in the solution around the brushes makes the bristles extend to a straight form or curl up into a retracted form. Functional additives like antibacterials could be embedded in brushes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESomething like a catheter could conceivably one day be coated with brushes to remain bacteria-free, and the thickness of the wiggly brushes would also act as a lubricant by preventing frictive contact with the surface beneath them. Some human cells key to the healing process are actually able to sink through the bristles, which could have potential for medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;For a chronic wound that won\u0026rsquo;t heal, you may be able to design a bandage that encourages new cell growth but keeps bacteria out,\u0026rdquo; Curtis said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiophysics research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers\u0026rsquo; fortuitous detour into the giant brush has expanded possibilities for their original intent of studying enzymatic hyaluronan in isolation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We constantly deal with the coupling of biochemistry, chemical signaling, and mechanics, so having something that isolates the mechanics from the signaling so we can focus on just the mechanics is really useful,\u0026rdquo; Curtis said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWenbin Wei and Jessica Faubel of Georgia Tech were the study\u0026rsquo;s first authors. These researchers co-authored the study: Hemaa Selvakumar, Daniel T. Kovari, Joanna Tsao, Amar T. Mohabir, Michelle Krecker, and Michael A. Filler from Georgia Tech; Felipe Rivas, Elaheh Rahbar, and Adam Hall from the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences; and Jennifer Washburn and Paul Weigel from the University of Oklahoma. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation (grants #0955811, 1709897 and 1205878). Any findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and not necessarily of the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESenior Science Writer\u0026nbsp;\u0026amp; Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-272-2780)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEmail:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A fortuitous slip in the lab leads to the creation of a monstrously large polymer brush"}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2020-01-13 16:42:00","changed_gmt":"2020-01-13 16:45:16","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"630956":{"id":"630956","type":"image","title":"Unusually massive polymer brush","body":null,"created":"1578932731","gmt_created":"2020-01-13 16:25:31","changed":"1578932731","gmt_changed":"2020-01-13 16:25:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240177","name":"hyaluronan.brush_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hyaluronan.brush_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hyaluronan.brush_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3801290,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hyaluronan.brush_.jpg?itok=ToOLOPKp"}},"630957":{"id":"630957","type":"image","title":"Hyaluronan brush researchers","body":null,"created":"1578932876","gmt_created":"2020-01-13 16:27:56","changed":"1578932876","gmt_changed":"2020-01-13 16:27:56","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240178","name":"hyaluronan.researchers.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hyaluronan.researchers.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hyaluronan.researchers.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3885831,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hyaluronan.researchers.jpg?itok=LmzB8INa"}},"630958":{"id":"630958","type":"image","title":"Hyaluronan brush made my engineered enzyme placed on a surface","body":null,"created":"1578933010","gmt_created":"2020-01-13 16:30:10","changed":"1578933010","gmt_changed":"2020-01-13 16:30:10","alt":"","file":{"fid":"240179","name":"hyaluronan.brush_.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hyaluronan.brush_.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hyaluronan.brush_.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1284717,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hyaluronan.brush_.png?itok=YhT9HWwv"}}},"media_ids":["630956","630957","630958"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"5230","name":"Biophysics"},{"id":"183567","name":"polymer brush"},{"id":"176496","name":"polyelectrolyte"},{"id":"12760","name":"E. Coli"},{"id":"183568","name":"Hyaluronan"},{"id":"183569","name":"hyaluronic acid"},{"id":"183570","name":"hyaluronan synthase"},{"id":"183571","name":"Streptococcus equisimilis"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"630142":{"#nid":"630142","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Physicists Expand Access to Biophysics Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents who want to study complicated biophysics problems used to have to rely on pricey supercomputers. A new paper from School of Physics researchers promises a less expensive, more hands-on approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThanks to advances in microcontrollers \u0026mdash; powerful, integrated single chips \u0026mdash; students will be able to simulate biophysical phenomena such as the movement of electric waves, including the spiral waves emanating from cardiac tissue.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It is another way to visualize and interact with different biophysics equations\u0026rdquo; says Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFlavio Fenton\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiophysicists apply the methods of physics to study biological systems. Because those systems can be complex, scientists rely on computational simulations to study them. Before the rise of microcontrollers, students had to use simulations and visualizations from high-end computers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;However, due to advances in microcontrollers, it is now possible to run what once were considered large-scale simulations using a very small and inexpensive single integrated circuit that can furthermore send and receive information to and from the outside world in real time,\u0026rdquo; Fenton and others say in the paper \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/aip.scitation.org\/doi\/10.1063\/1.5094351\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Simulating waves, chaos, and synchronization with a microcontroller\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026rdquo; Published on Dec. 9, 2019, in the journal \u003Cem\u003EChaos, \u003C\/em\u003Ethe work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper\u0026rsquo;s first author, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/article\/andrea-welsh-phd-physics\u0022\u003Enew Ph.D. graduate Andrea Welsh\u003C\/a\u003E, says the work would be of interest to non-expert audiences because it includes instructions on setting up the microcontroller, along with different visualization methods. All of these items are inexpensive, and the software code to use them is provided in the paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Science enthusiasts, educators, and hobbyists can do these simulations at home or in the classroom while also learning about the biophysical problems,\u0026rdquo; Welsh says. \u0026ldquo;The interactive part is the interesting part or me. Users can learn about phenomena such as wave collapsing, period doubling, and spiral waves by stopping and initializing waves at different times and in different places.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The paper is more of a teaching tool to start undergraduate and graduate students to be familiarized with microcontrollers and learn how to use them so they can extend them to\u0026nbsp;other problems,\u0026rdquo; Fenton adds. \u0026ldquo;We show how simple and inexpensive it is to program microcontrollers and demonstrate their use in solving biophysical problems.\u0026rdquo; He cites two examples from the paper: How certain fireflies sync their flashes, and how electric waves spread from heart tissue.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Study shows how to use less pricey, more powerful computer processors for simulations"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo School of Physics scientists have published instructions for using powerful, lower-cost microcontrollers that can make biophysics research more accessible.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Study shows how to use less pricey, more powerful computer processors for simulations"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2019-12-17 20:09:33","changed_gmt":"2019-12-19 22:24:00","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-12-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-12-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"630150":{"id":"630150","type":"image","title":"Andrea Welsh and Flavio Fenton of the School of Physics.","body":null,"created":"1576680411","gmt_created":"2019-12-18 14:46:51","changed":"1576680594","gmt_changed":"2019-12-18 14:49:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239963","name":"2019 Andrea Welsh.Flavio Fenton graduation.SQ4_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Andrea%20Welsh.Flavio%20Fenton%20graduation.SQ4_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Andrea%20Welsh.Flavio%20Fenton%20graduation.SQ4_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":164726,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Andrea%20Welsh.Flavio%20Fenton%20graduation.SQ4_.jpg?itok=MLIVmFxo"}}},"media_ids":["630150"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"178775","name":"Andrea Welsh"},{"id":"112191","name":"Flavio Fenton"},{"id":"183347","name":"microcontrollers"},{"id":"180645","name":"processors"},{"id":"5230","name":"Biophysics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"630132":{"#nid":"630132","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Moths and Perhaps Other Animals Rely on Precise Timing of Neural Spikes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EExtracting nectar from flowers that may be dancing in the wind requires precise, millisecond timing between the brain and muscles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy capturing and analyzing nearly all of the brain signals sent to the wing muscles of hawk moths (\u003Cem\u003EManduca sexta\u003C\/em\u003E), which feed on such nectar, researchers have shown that precise timing within rapid sequences of neural signal spikes is essential to controlling the flight muscles necessary for the moths to eat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research shows that millisecond changes in timing of the action potential spikes, rather than the number or amplitude of the spikes, conveys the majority of information the moths use to coordinate the five muscles in each of their wings. The importance of precise spike timing had been known for certain specific muscles in vertebrates, but the new work shows the general nature of the connection.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We were able to record simultaneously nearly every signal the moth\u0026rsquo;s brain uses to control its wings, which gives us an unprecedented and complete window into how the brain is conducting these agile and graceful maneuvers,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/simon-sponberg\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0026ldquo;These muscles are coordinated by subtle shifts in the timing at the millisecond scale rather than by just turning a knob to create more activity. It\u0026rsquo;s a more subtle story than we might have expected, and there are hints that this may apply more generally.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research was reported Dec. 16 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. The work was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Esther A. \u0026amp; Joseph Klingenstein Fund, and the Simons Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers Joy Putney, Rachel Conn and Sponberg set out to study how the brain coordinates agile activities such as running or flying that require compensating for perturbations in the air or variations on the ground. While the size of the signals could account for gross control of the behavior, the fine points of choreographing the tasks had to come from elsewhere, they reasoned.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecording motor control signals in humans and other vertebrates would be a daunting task because so many neurons are used to control so many muscles in even simple behaviors. Fortunately, the researchers knew about the hawk moth, whose flight muscles are each controlled by a single or very few motor neurons. That allowed the researchers to study neural signals by measuring the activity of the corresponding muscles, using tiny wires inserted through the insect\u0026rsquo;s exoskeleton.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPutney and Conn determined the location of each wing muscle inside the moth exoskeleton, and learned where to create tiny holes for the wires \u0026mdash; two for each muscle \u0026mdash; that capture the signals. After inserting the wires in the anesthetized moths, the graduate students closed the holes with superglue to hold the wires in place. Connections to a computer system allowed recording and analysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The first time I did the surgery by myself, it took six hours,\u0026rdquo; said Putney. \u0026ldquo;Now I can do it in under an hour.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile connected to the computer, the moths were able to fly on a tether as they viewed a moving 3D-printed plastic flower. To measure the torque forces the moths created as they attempted to track the flower, the wired-up moths were suspended from an accelerometer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe torque information was then correlated with the spiking signals recorded from each wing muscle.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe importance of the work relates to the completeness of the signal measurement, which brought out the importance of the timing codes to what the moth was doing, Putney said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;People have recorded lots of muscles together before, but what we have shown is that all of these muscles are using timing codes,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;The way they are using these codes is consistent, regardless of the size of the muscle and how it is attached to the body.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIndeed, researchers have seen hints about the importance of precision timing in higher animals, and Sponberg believes the hawk moth research should encourage more study into the role of timing. The importance and prevalence of timing across the moth\u0026rsquo;s motor program also raises questions about how nervous systems in general create precise and coordinated motor commands.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We think this raises a question that can\u0026rsquo;t be ignored any longer \u0026mdash; whether or not this timing could be the real way that the brain is orchestrating movement,\u0026rdquo; Sponberg said. \u0026ldquo;When we look at specific signals in vertebrates, even up to humans, there are hints that this timing could be there.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study could also lead to new research on how the brain produces the agile motor control needed for agile movement.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Now that we know that the motor control is really precise, we can start trying to understand how the brain integrates precise sensory information to do motor control,\u0026rdquo; Sponberg said. \u0026ldquo;We want to really understand not only how the brain sets up signals, but also how the biophysics of muscles enables the precise timing that the brain uses.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis material is based upon work supported by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships DGE-1650044 and DGE-1444932, an NSF CAREER award (1554790), and a Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Award in the Neurosciences. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring organization.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Joy Putney, Rachel Conn, and Simon Sponberg, \u0026ldquo;Precise timing is ubiquitous, consistent and coordinated across a comprehensive, spike-resolved flight motor program.\u0026rdquo; (\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,\u003C\/em\u003E 2019.) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2019\/12\/11\/1907513116\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2019\/12\/11\/1907513116\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBy capturing and analyzing nearly all of the brain signals sent to the wing muscles of hawk moths, researchers have shown that precise timing within rapid sequences of neural signal spikes is essential to controlling the flight muscles necessary for the moths to eat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have captured and analyzed nearly all of the brain signals sent to the wings of hawk moths."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2019-12-17 18:21:46","changed_gmt":"2019-12-19 22:27:58","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-12-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-12-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"630127":{"id":"630127","type":"image","title":"Hummingbird-sized hawk moth","body":null,"created":"1576605880","gmt_created":"2019-12-17 18:04:40","changed":"1576605880","gmt_changed":"2019-12-17 18:04:40","alt":"Hawk moth in researcher\u0027s hand","file":{"fid":"239953","name":"hawkmoth8.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth8.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth8.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":369786,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth8.jpg?itok=C4N9VMa2"}},"630129":{"id":"630129","type":"image","title":"Recording hawk moth brain signals","body":null,"created":"1576606015","gmt_created":"2019-12-17 18:06:55","changed":"1576606015","gmt_changed":"2019-12-17 18:06:55","alt":"Recording signals from a hawk moth flapping its wings","file":{"fid":"239954","name":"moth-brain-006.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/moth-brain-006.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/moth-brain-006.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1073842,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/moth-brain-006.jpg?itok=H-4wwwUd"}},"630130":{"id":"630130","type":"image","title":"Researchers analyze hawk moth brain signals","body":null,"created":"1576606148","gmt_created":"2019-12-17 18:09:08","changed":"1576606148","gmt_changed":"2019-12-17 18:09:08","alt":"Researchers discussing brain signal analysis","file":{"fid":"239955","name":"moth-brain-016.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/moth-brain-016.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/moth-brain-016.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1421849,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/moth-brain-016.jpg?itok=MKRy4RDg"}},"630131":{"id":"630131","type":"image","title":"Researcher holds hawk moth","body":null,"created":"1576606348","gmt_created":"2019-12-17 18:12:28","changed":"1576606348","gmt_changed":"2019-12-17 18:12:28","alt":"Researcher holding hawk moth","file":{"fid":"239956","name":"hawkmoth12.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth12_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth12_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":285420,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth12_1.jpg?itok=k7pCdGec"}}},"media_ids":["630127","630129","630130","630131"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"175598","name":"hawk moth"},{"id":"170414","name":"Simon Sponberg"},{"id":"68461","name":"neural signals"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"176956","name":"action potential"},{"id":"183345","name":"brain spike"},{"id":"183341","name":"neural spike"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"629891":{"#nid":"629891","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Origin of Life\u2019s Handedness and Protein Biochemistry","body":[{"value":"\u003Ch6\u003EBy A. Maureen Rouhi\u003C\/h6\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExamine your hands. The right is a mirror image of the left. They look very similar, but you know they\u0026rsquo;re not when you try to put your left hand inside a right glove.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe molecules of life have a similar handedness. Proteins for example are like your left hand, made up of amino acids that are all left-handed. This phenomenon is called chirality. How chiral systems emerged is one of the key questions of origins-of-life research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMany explanations have been proposed. Now a Georgia Tech team examining the problem suggests that stability is what drove the emergence of chiral systems. Led by Jeffrey Skolnick, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences, the team includes \u0026nbsp;research scientists Hongyi Zhou and Mu Gao.\u0026nbsp;The work was supported in part by the Division of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH Grant R35-118039) and published on Dec. 10, 2019, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2019\/12\/09\/1908241116\u0022\u003Ein PNAS\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey reached their conclusion from computer simulations examining the stability and properties of a prepared protein library made up of \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003Enonchiral proteins, containing a 1:1 ratio of right- (D) and left-handed (L) amino acids, also called demi-chiral; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003Enonchiral proteins containing 3:1 and 1:3 of D and L amino acids; and\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003Echiral proteins containing all D and all L amino acids.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETheir simulations showed that nonchiral proteins, even the demi-chiral ones, have many properties of chiral proteins. They fold and form cavities just like ordinary proteins. They could have performed many of the biochemical functions of ordinary proteins, especially the most ancient and essential ones. These nonchiral proteins also can adopt the structures of contemporary proteins including ribosomal proteins, necessary for protein transcription.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This ability of nonchiral proteins to fold and function might have been an essential prerequisite for the life on Earth,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/research\/groups\/koonin\/\u0022\u003EEugene Koonin\u003C\/a\u003E, a senior investigator at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, in the National Institutes of Health. \u0026ldquo;If so, this result is a truly fundamental finding that contributes to our understanding of the origins of life.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHowever, nonchiral proteins have fewer hydrogen bonds than those made of all D or all L amino acids. The demi-chiral ones have the fewest. Thus chiral proteins are much more stable than demi-chiral ones. \u0026ldquo;The biochemistry of life as we know it likely results from stability driven by hydrogen bonds,\u0026rdquo; says Skolnick, who is a member of the Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe PNAS study examines the properties of proteins from the point of view of physics alone, without the intervention of evolution, Skolnick says. \u0026ldquo;It explains how the chemistry of life emerged from basic physical principles. It also strongly suggests that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/505401\u0022\u003Esimple life might be quite ubiquitous throughout the universe\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I wish to understand how life emerged and to know its design principles,\u0026rdquo; Skolnick says. \u0026ldquo;On the most academic level, I wish to explain the origin of life based on physics with well-defined testable ideas.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe newly published \u0026ldquo;work offers a non-intelligent-design perspective as to how the biochemistry of life might have gotten started,\u0026rdquo; Skolnick says. \u0026ldquo;It shifts the emphasis from evolution to the inherent physical properties of proteins.\u0026nbsp;It removes that chicken-and-egg quandary that chiral RNA is required to produce chiral proteins. Rather, such excess chirality is shown to emerge naturally from a nonchiral system.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat the work does not address is why L-amino acids and L-proteins emerged dominant on Earth. It is know that some meteorites have an excess of L-amino acids. \u0026ldquo;If one assumes that many primordial amino acids were seeded by meteorites, many of them have an excess of L over D amino acids,\u0026rdquo; Skolnick says. \u0026ldquo;All it would take is just a little bias to get the whole process started.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESkolnick says the next step is to test the computer simulations by studying the emergent chemistry of nonchiral proteins. \u0026nbsp;A key unanswered question is how did replication emerge? \u0026ldquo;We can explain life\u0026rsquo;s biochemistry and many of the parts associated with replication from this study, but not replication itself,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;If we can do this, then we have all of life\u0026rsquo;s components. If this works, ultimately I want to recreate what could be the early living systems in a test tube.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Simulations suggest hydrogen bonding is the driving force"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHow chiral systems emerged is one of the key questions of origins-of-life research.\u0026nbsp;Many explanations have been proposed. Now a Georgia Tech team examining the problem suggests that stability is what drove the emergence of chiral systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"How chiral systems emerged is one of the key questions of origins-of-life research. "}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-12-10 18:29:06","changed_gmt":"2019-12-10 19:22:29","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"629890":{"id":"629890","type":"image","title":"(From left) Hongyi Zhou, Jeffrey Skolnick, and Mu Gao (Courtesy of Jeff Skolnick)","body":null,"created":"1576002025","gmt_created":"2019-12-10 18:20:25","changed":"1576002025","gmt_changed":"2019-12-10 18:20:25","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239874","name":"2019 Jeffrey Skolnick.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Jeffrey%20Skolnick.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Jeffrey%20Skolnick.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":106651,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Jeffrey%20Skolnick.jpg?itok=51qwhkTM"}},"629889":{"id":"629889","type":"image","title":"Chiral proteins (left and middle) form many more hydrogen bonds than a demi-chiral protein (right). (Courtesy of Jeff Skolnick)","body":null,"created":"1576001805","gmt_created":"2019-12-10 18:16:45","changed":"1576001805","gmt_changed":"2019-12-10 18:16:45","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239873","name":"2019 Chiral and demi-chiral proteins.Jeff Skolnick.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Chiral%20and%20demi-chiral%20proteins.Jeff%20Skolnick.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Chiral%20and%20demi-chiral%20proteins.Jeff%20Skolnick.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":81162,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Chiral%20and%20demi-chiral%20proteins.Jeff%20Skolnick.jpg?itok=goHDx4cA"}}},"media_ids":["629890","629889"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/505401","title":"Extraterrestrial Life May Be Ubiquitous, Georgia Tech Research Suggests"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"183249","name":"homochirality"},{"id":"136661","name":"origins of life"},{"id":"183250","name":"protein biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:communications@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecommunications@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["communications@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"629234":{"#nid":"629234","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yellow Jackets: Highly Social Little Stingers ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor\u0026#39;s Note: This story by Victor Rogers was published first on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2019\/11\/20\/yellow-jackets-highly-social-little-stingers\u0022\u003ENov. 20, 2019, in the Georgia Tech News Center\u003C\/a\u003E. It was slightly modified for the College of Sciences website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFall is yellow jacket season. Not football or basketball, but the time of year when colonies of yellow jackets \u0026mdash; the insects \u0026mdash; reach their maximum size. It\u0026rsquo;s also when Professor Michael Goodisman and the Goodisman Research Group collect their nests.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We typically collect nests for a month or so beginning in late October, which is prime time for collecting. The colonies usually die off around Thanksgiving, and are completely dead by Christmas \u0026mdash; although climate change may be moving the dates,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/michael-goodisman\/\u0022\u003EGoodisman\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor and associate chair for Undergraduate Education in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHumans usually cross paths with the yellow jackets\u0026rsquo; underground nests a couple of times a year. The first is between April and June, when people tend to mow their lawns frequently. The second is fall, when it\u0026rsquo;s time to rake leaves.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Yellow jackets are particularly aggressive this time of year,\u0026rdquo; said Goodisman, whose team collects the insects alive, albeit somewhat sedated. The underground nests typically have a single hole, about the size of a silver dollar, for entering and exiting.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We pour a little bit of anesthetic into the hole. It does the same thing to them that it does to us \u0026mdash; it knocks them out,\u0026rdquo; Goodisman said. \u0026ldquo;Then we try to dig up the nest very quickly before they come to. We pull the nest out and bring it back to the lab.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen collecting nests, Goodisman and the team wear beekeepers\u0026rsquo; uniforms with long pants underneath for additional protection. Yellow jackets are aggressive and will push their way through air holes in the pith helmets, so the researchers cover them with tape to keep the insects out.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I have had that happen to me, and it\u0026rsquo;s no fun at all!\u0026rdquo; said Goodisman. \u0026ldquo;If there\u0026rsquo;s an opening, they will find it and get in.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudying Yellow Jacket Behavior \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.goodismanlab.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGoodisman Research Group\u003C\/a\u003E is studying yellow jackets to learn about highly social behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Yellow jackets are an example of some of the most extreme and impressive social behavior that you will see in any animal, even more so than in humans,\u0026rdquo; Goodisman said. \u0026ldquo;Their social structure is similar to honeybees in that they typically have a single queen, though not always. She produces a bunch of selfless workers that work until the colony succeeds.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are also interested in studying multiyear super colonies. Nests usually last only one season, from May to December. But when temperatures are mild, a colony can survive the winter and become massive the next year.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have seen this in New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. We\u0026rsquo;re starting to see it in Florida, South Alabama, and California \u0026mdash; super colonies the size of a car,\u0026rdquo; Goodisman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese changes bring up other questions, such as, are yellow jackets facing the same environmental threats as honeybees?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The short answer is we don\u0026rsquo;t know. There\u0026rsquo;s no one studying yellow jackets the same way they\u0026rsquo;re studying honeybees,\u0026rdquo; Goodisman said. \u0026ldquo;But not all of the things that affect honeybees will affect yellow jackets.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHoneybees have been partially domesticated and bred for successful pollination, reduced aggression, and increased honey production. Unfortunately, domestication often has unwanted side effects. For example, domesticated honeybees may display fewer behavioral defenses against parasites than feral honeybees as a consequence of the domestication process.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Yellow jackets don\u0026rsquo;t really have that. We don\u0026rsquo;t associate yellow jackets with having a lot of diseases. They still could be subjected to pesticides, but it\u0026rsquo;s not really known,\u0026rdquo; Goodisman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s hard to tell if there has been a decrease in the yellow jacket population based on the calls the Goodisman Research Group receives.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There has been no systematic survey that I know of,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;I think a widespread survey over many years would be interesting.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGo (Yellow) Jackets! \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGoodisman\u0026rsquo;s interest in insects began when he was a child in Syracuse, New York.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There are yellow jackets in Syracuse and all across North America, from Mexico to Alaska,\u0026rdquo; he said \u0026mdash; indeed, they can be found all across the northern hemisphere. They are one of the most common and successful social insects.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re great fun, as you might imagine. They have a lot of personality,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s exhilarating when you\u0026rsquo;re trying to pull them out of the ground or get them out of the house.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHis undergraduate research at Cornell University included work with insects, and he did his doctoral thesis at the University of Georgia on fire ants.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile at UGA he saw fire ants in a tray in the lab, and he thought it was \u0026ldquo;so cool.\u0026rdquo; But his work with yellow jackets didn\u0026rsquo;t start until he did postdoctoral work in Australia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There was some interesting research being done on invasive yellow jackets in Australia and New Zealand. I\u0026rsquo;ve been working on yellow jackets well before I came to Georgia Tech.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt was purely coincidental that Goodisman became a professor at Georgia Tech, home of the Yellow Jackets. But it still causes the occasional raised eyebrow when he tells people about his research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;People do a double take and ask if I\u0026rsquo;m at Tech because of my yellow jacket research. They ask if I have a yellow jacket professorship, or if I\u0026rsquo;m the \u0026lsquo;Chair of Yellow Jacket Research.\u0026rsquo; It\u0026rsquo;s always a fun conversation, especially with Georgia Tech alumni.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENOTE: Free yellow jacket nest removal. Nests will be used for research in the School of Biological Sciences. E-mail \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:michael.goodisman@biology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emichael.goodisman@biology.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E to arrange a pickup.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Michael Goodisman studies social behavior of yellow jackets"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences associate professor\u0026nbsp;Michael Goodisman is studying the highly social behavior of yellow jackets.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Michael Goodisman studies social behavior of yellow jackets."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-11-21 20:05:38","changed_gmt":"2019-11-21 20:08:09","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-11-22T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-11-22T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"629184":{"id":"629184","type":"image","title":"Prof. Goodisman with Buzz","body":null,"created":"1574286539","gmt_created":"2019-11-20 21:48:59","changed":"1574286616","gmt_changed":"2019-11-20 21:50:16","alt":"Prof. Goodisman with Buzz","file":{"fid":"239618","name":"Goodisman with Buzz.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Goodisman%20with%20Buzz.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Goodisman%20with%20Buzz.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1011694,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Goodisman%20with%20Buzz.png?itok=r9LXvO1l"}},"629177":{"id":"629177","type":"image","title":"Yellow Jackets","body":null,"created":"1574282570","gmt_created":"2019-11-20 20:42:50","changed":"1574282626","gmt_changed":"2019-11-20 20:43:46","alt":"Yellow jackets","file":{"fid":"239613","name":"IMG_6505.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_6505.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_6505.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":229811,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_6505.jpg?itok=MZocQBK-"}},"629182":{"id":"629182","type":"image","title":"Yellow jacket nest ","body":null,"created":"1574285967","gmt_created":"2019-11-20 21:39:27","changed":"1574285989","gmt_changed":"2019-11-20 21:39:49","alt":"nest in box ","file":{"fid":"239616","name":"Wasp Nest in Box.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Wasp%20Nest%20in%20Box.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Wasp%20Nest%20in%20Box.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":363217,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Wasp%20Nest%20in%20Box.jpg?itok=-9j6gdsu"}},"629183":{"id":"629183","type":"image","title":"Yellow Jackets","body":null,"created":"1574286118","gmt_created":"2019-11-20 21:41:58","changed":"1574286381","gmt_changed":"2019-11-20 21:46:21","alt":"yellow jacket nest","file":{"fid":"239617","name":"IMG_6460.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_6460.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_6460.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":299001,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_6460.jpg?itok=58VrXNBQ"}},"629180":{"id":"629180","type":"image","title":"Yellow jacket nest underground ","body":null,"created":"1574282937","gmt_created":"2019-11-20 20:48:57","changed":"1574283785","gmt_changed":"2019-11-20 21:03:05","alt":"Removing nest from ground","file":{"fid":"239614","name":"IMG_0020.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_0020.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_0020.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":403207,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_0020.jpg?itok=JR_eHAIF"}}},"media_ids":["629184","629177","629182","629183","629180"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1909","name":"Yellow Jacket"},{"id":"7470","name":"insect"},{"id":"11811","name":"Michael Goodisman"},{"id":"183112","name":"Goodisman Research Group"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EVictor Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"629128":{"#nid":"629128","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Scholars for a New Decade","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEditor\u0026#39;s Note: This story by Jerry Grillo was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/news\/new-scholars-new-decade\u0022\u003Eoriginally published on Nov. 14, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E, by the Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioscience and Bioengineering. The original story was slightly modified for the College of Sciences.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe 21st\u0026nbsp; class of Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars has been selected. These 14 scholars will immerse themselves into the multidisciplinary pool of research at the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at the Georgia Institute of Technology in January 2020. Among them are five from Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;who are majoring in the sciences or mathematics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;This is a diverse cohort of students whose expertise spans a wide range of majors, and not only at Georgia Tech, but other Atlanta universities also,\u0026rdquo; notes Raquel Lieberman, Petit Scholar faculty advisor, a\u0026nbsp;professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and a Petit Institute researcher.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith eight women and six men in the new class, next year\u0026rsquo;s group of Scholars reflect a growing trend of more women entering STEM fields. Of the 14 students, 10 are from Georgia Tech, two are from Emory University, with one each from Agnes Scott College and Georgia State University. Five of the students are based in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026#39;m excited for all of them, because this is a unique opportunity, an entire year diving deep into an actual research project,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman says. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026#39;ll also contribute substantially to papers that will be published and have a chance to present their work at conferences and other gatherings.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026#39;m excited for all of them, because this is a unique opportunity, an entire year diving deep into an actual research project. They\u0026#39;ll also contribute substantially to papers that will be published and have a chance to present their work at conferences and other gatherings.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Raquel Lieberman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeet the 2020 class of Petit Scholars (listed here with their university, major, and the principal investigator\u0026rsquo;s lab they\u0026rsquo;ll be a part of):\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Cindy Aguilera-Navarro, Agnes Scott College, Neuroscience, Tim Cope;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EBerna Aliya, Georgia Tech, Neuroscience, Young Jang\u003C\/strong\u003E;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Kasey Cervantes, Emory, Biology, Arijit Raychowdhury;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Ana Cristian, Georgia Tech, Biomedical Engineering, James Dahlman;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003ECarolann Espy, Georgia Tech, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ingeborg Schmidt-Krey\u003C\/strong\u003E;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003ERachel Fitzgerald, Georgia Tech, Chemistry and Biochemistry, M.G. Finn\u003C\/strong\u003E;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Marina Holguin-Lopez, Georgia State, Neuroscience, Todd Sulchek;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Brandon Kassouf, Georgia Tech, Biomedical Engineering, Mike Davis;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Amy Liu, Georgia Tech, Biomedical Engineering, Shuichi Takayama;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Ananthu Pucha, Emory, Neuroscience, Nick Willett\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Milan Riddick, Georgia Tech, Biomedical Engineering, Andr\u0026eacute;s Garc\u0026iacute;a;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; Kevin Tao, Georgia Tech, Biomedical Engineering, Gabe Kwong;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EPaxton Threatt, Georgia Tech, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Neha Garg\u003C\/strong\u003E;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EKevin Yin, Georgia Tech, Mathematics, Shuyi Nie\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Petit Undergraduate Research Scholarship program began in 2000 with the goal of developing a new generation of leading bio-researchers by providing them with an opportunity to conduct independent research in Petit Institute labs, and other bio-related labs at Georgia Tech, for a full year. Since 2000, the program has funded more than 300 students, with about 80 percent of them moving on to pursue graduate degrees.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENews Contact Info:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Five of 14 Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars for 2020 are from the College of Sciences"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFive of the 14 the Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars for 2020 are science or mathematics majors.\u0026nbsp;The 2020 scholars are a diverse cohort whose expertise spans a wide range of majors, notes Raquel Lieberman, professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The 2020 scholars are a diverse cohort whose expertise spans a wide range of majors, notes chemistry professor Raquel Lieberman."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-11-19 19:18:41","changed_gmt":"2019-11-25 19:18:53","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"604478":{"id":"604478","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1522353076","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 19:51:16","changed":"1522353087","gmt_changed":"2018-03-29 19:51:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230433","name":"2018 Raquel Lieberman1.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Raquel%20Lieberman1.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Raquel%20Lieberman1.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":83352,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Raquel%20Lieberman1.tall250.jpg?itok=Ji3SI_Dm"}}},"media_ids":["604478"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"183092","name":"Petit scholars from the College of Sciences"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"628213":{"#nid":"628213","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Antibiotic-testing platform gets a shot at commercialization","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team with promising technology to combat antibiotic resistance has received funding to accelerate commercialization. The team includes \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/antibiotics.emory.edu\/faculty\/main\/weiss-david.html\u0022\u003EDavid Weiss\u003C\/a\u003E, a clinical investigator and associate professor of infectious diseases at Emory University, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the School of Physics. A biophysicist, Yunker is the team\u0026rsquo;s technical investigator.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeiss and Yunker are developing a testing platform to quickly identify combinations of antibiotics to treat patients with highly resistant infections. Resistance to antibiotics is rising to dangerously high levels all over the world. According to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/features\/antibiotic-resistance-global\/index.html\u0022\u003ECenters of Disease Control \u0026amp; Prevention\u003C\/a\u003E, antibiotic-resistant infections cause 23,000 deaths per year in the U.S. alone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDetails of the technology are under wraps, pending approval of a patent application. Its basis however is bacteria\u0026rsquo;s response to antibiotic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBacteria are currently classified as resistant or susceptible to an antibiotic. However, Yunker says, many bacterial populations consist mostly of antibiotic-susceptible cells along with a few antibiotic-resistant cells. When only a small subpopulation of bacteria is resistant to an antibiotic, the bacteria is said to be heteroresistant to that drug. \u0026ldquo;In fact, about 25% of bacteria-antibiotic combinations are heteroresistant,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says. \u0026ldquo;This form of resistance is undetectable by current diagnostics.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen heteroresistant bacteria are treated with a drug that kills susceptible cells, the unaffected resistant cells multiply rapidly. The treatment fails and resistant strains strengthen their grip on the infection. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team believes that heteroresistant bacteria ought to be treated with an antibiotic combo, one to attack susceptible cells, and the other to knock out resistant cells. \u0026ldquo;This strategy can kill even strains classified as \u0026lsquo;pan-resistant\u0026rsquo; and thus thought to be untreatable,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says. \u0026ldquo;For these reasons, detecting heteroresistance is critical to addressing the crisis of antibiotic resistance.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe technology to detect heteroresistance is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biolocity.gatech.edu\/2019\/10\/16\/technologies-selected-for-biolocity-commercialization-funding\/\u0022\u003Eone of five promising biomedical research innovations\u003C\/a\u003E to receive funding for commercialization from Biolocity. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biolocity.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiolocity\u003C\/a\u003E provides university innovators with resources to advance translational science. Its \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biolocity.gatech.edu\/programs\/\u0022\u003Efunding\u003C\/a\u003E comes primarily from Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team received $220,000 for one year. Weiss and Yunker will use the funding to continue developing their technology and prove that it works. \u0026ldquo;We are also being advised by the Biolocity team, who are experts on commercialization,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says. \u0026ldquo;This has already proven to be invaluable, as they provide us with expertise on the business side that will be necessary to make the leap to commercialization.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Development team includes Georgia Tech biophysicist Peter Yunker"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team with promising technology to combat antibiotic resistance has received funding to accelerate commercialization. The team includes \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/antibiotics.emory.edu\/faculty\/main\/weiss-david.html\u0022\u003EDavid Weiss\u003C\/a\u003E, a clinical investigator and associate professor of infectious diseases at Emory University, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the School of Physics and researcher in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. A biophysicist, Yunker is the team\u0026rsquo;s technical investigator.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Antibiotic-testing platform developed by a team that includes Peter Yunker gets a shot at commercialization. "}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-10-28 20:47:04","changed_gmt":"2019-10-31 11:19:26","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-10-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-10-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"627655":{"id":"627655","type":"image","title":"Peter Yunker, Georgia Tech: Heteroresistance AST","body":null,"created":"1571242989","gmt_created":"2019-10-16 16:23:09","changed":"1571242989","gmt_changed":"2019-10-16 16:23:09","alt":"Peter Yunker, Georgia Tech: Heteroresistance AST","file":{"fid":"238979","name":"Peter Yunker original (1).jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Peter%20Yunker%20original%20%281%29.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Peter%20Yunker%20original%20%281%29.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4750443,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Peter%20Yunker%20original%20%281%29.jpg?itok=mL2HSSsQ"}}},"media_ids":["627655"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/more-complex-easier-assemble","title":"The More Complex, the Easier to Assemble"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biosci\/physics\/cholera-bacterial-warfare","title":"Cholera Bacteria Stab and Poison Enemies so Predictably"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"174503","name":"antibiotic resistance"},{"id":"182840","name":"Biolocity"},{"id":"182841","name":"heteroresistance"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"628110":{"#nid":"628110","#data":{"type":"news","title":"More Honors for David Hu","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn the heels of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/626798\u0022\u003E2019 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, two more awards have been bestowed on David Hu, professor in the Schools of Mechanical Engineering and of Biological Sciences,\u0026nbsp;adjunct professor in the School of Physics, and researcher in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. The American Institute of Physics (AIP) selected \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aip.org\/news\/2019\/american-institute-physics-announces-2019-science-communication-award-winners\u0022\u003EHu as co-winner of the book award for its 2019 Science Communication Awards\u003C\/a\u003E. Organizers of China\u0026rsquo;s Pineapple Science Prizes have named Hu this year\u0026rsquo;s winner of the physics prize.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EUnderstanding Animal Locomotion\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAIP\u0026rsquo;s annual awards recognize journalists, authors, reporters and other diverse writers for their efforts in science communication.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHu\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/press.princeton.edu\/books\/paperback\/9780691204161\/how-to-walk-on-water-and-climb-up-walls\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHow to Walk on Water and Climb Up Walls\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026rdquo; published by Princeton University Press, is one of two winners of AIP\u0026rsquo;s 2019 book award. \u0026ldquo;Hu\u0026rsquo;s book explores the astounding diversity and versatility of animal locomotion and how engineers are inspired by it as they design robotics. His team discovered how dogs shake dry, how insects walk on water, and how eyelashes protect the eyes from drying,\u0026rdquo; AIP said in a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aip.org\/news\/2019\/american-institute-physics-announces-2019-science-communication-award-winners\u0022\u003Epress release\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;A lot of people ask me where I get my ideas. I like to study things that relate to everyday life,\u0026rdquo; Hu told AIP. \u0026ldquo;I get inspiration from raising my children. From a diaper change with my son, I was inspired to study urination. From watching my daughter being born, I was inspired by her long eyelashes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to AIP, \u0026ldquo;Judges praised Hu\u0026rsquo;s book for featuring an interdisciplinary group of scientists working the front lines of their fields.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am honored to receive this award and to join the line of science communicators who have been recognized since the 1960s,\u0026rdquo; Hu says. \u0026ldquo;I was diligent about getting a diverse representation of scientists in my book, and I interviewed more than 30 scientists over three years to get that feeling. I think it takes a range of approaches to understand nature, and I wanted to convey that to the reader.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003ESparking Public Enthusiasm for Science\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile in China, organizers of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.china.org.cn\/china\/2012-04\/08\/content_25088395.htm\u0022\u003EPineapple Science Prize\u003C\/a\u003E have named Hu the winner of the 2019 prize for physics. The prize recognizes researchers whose great imagination arouses the public\u0026rsquo;s enthusiasm for science. This is Hu\u0026rsquo;s third Pineapple Science Prize.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/english.cri.cn\/7146\/2015\/04\/13\/3262s874079.htm\u0022\u003EIn 2015, Hu received the Pineapple Science Prize\u003C\/a\u003E in physics for the work \u0026ldquo;Mosquitoes survive raindrop collisions by virtue of their low mass.\u0026rdquo; The insects \u0026ldquo;have extremely strong exoskeletons and are good at tai chi, dropping a little with the raindrop to discharge the force,\u0026rdquo; Hu said at the time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe discovery explains how small insects such as mosquitoes survive outdoors where air is moving fast or heavy rain is pouring. The finding suggests that the smaller an organism is, the stronger it is, Hu said. \u0026ldquo;They have some unforeseen advantages that really can\u0026#39;t get destroyed even if you hit [them] very hard.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/en.cncnews.cn\/news\/v_show\/55957_Pineapple_science_award_unveiled.shtml\u0022\u003EIn 2016, Hu won again, this time in biology,\u003C\/a\u003E for the work \u0026ldquo;Cleanliness is next to godliness,\u0026rdquo; about the mechanisms animals use to keep clean. In particular, why do flies rub their legs? They use the hair on their legs to brush off the dirt on their bodies. This mechanism could be used to keep solar panels clean, Hu said at the time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis month, Hu returned to China to collect the 2019 Pineapple Science Prize in physics. The award is for the work \u0026ldquo;Cats use hollow papillae to wick saliva into fur,\u0026rdquo; which explains the workings of cats\u0026rsquo; tongues.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This work shows that cats clean their bodies using the hollow spines on their tongue,\u0026rdquo; Hu says. His team 3D scanned and 3D printed the spines on the cat\u0026rsquo;s tongue and imbedded them into a bioinspired hairbrush. \u0026ldquo;The brush experiences lower grooming forces and could be used to apply medications or hair products directly to hair with a minimum of water or product. It is by using these spines that cats can groom with only two tablespoons of saliva per day,\u0026rdquo; Hu says, whereas humans use 10 liters of water for a shower.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026quot;Without awards like these, curiosity and science-minded thinking can be blown to smithereens by political winds.\u0026quot;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EKeeping Curiosity Alive\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The judges at the Ig Nobels, AIP, and the Pineapple Science Prizes are encouraging curiosity and enjoyment of science by the general public,\u0026rdquo; Hu says. \u0026ldquo;Curiosity is like a flame. It can be easily snuffed out if not encouraged. Without awards like these, curiosity and science-minded thinking can be blown to smithereens by political winds.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHu adds: \u0026ldquo;I am glad that China is taking care of the next generation of scientists by keeping their award alive. It\u0026rsquo;s good for China to be seen by the world as having a sense of humor.\u0026rdquo; Hu donned a giant cat costume at the award ceremony in China on Oct. 26.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHu couldn\u0026rsquo;t have done all this work just by himself. \u0026ldquo;Two Ig Nobel Prizes and three Pineapple Science Prizes wouldn\u0026rsquo;t be possible without my great group of Georgia Tech graduate students and undergraduates who volunteered to be urinated on by elephants, bitten by mosquitoes, and licked by cats,\u0026rdquo; Hu adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHu earned a doctorate in mathematics and a bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER award for young scientists. Hu\u0026rsquo;s work has been featured in The Economist, The New York Times, Saturday Night Live, and Highlights for Children. He is originally from Rockville, Maryland.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Recognitions come from U.S. and Chinese groups"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn the heels of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/626798\u0022\u003E2019 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, two more awards have been bestowed on David Hu. The American Institute of Physics (AIP) selected \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aip.org\/news\/2019\/american-institute-physics-announces-2019-science-communication-award-winners\u0022\u003EHu as co-winner of the book award for its 2019 Science Communication Awards\u003C\/a\u003E. Organizers of China\u0026rsquo;s Pineapple Science Prizes have named Hu this year\u0026rsquo;s winner of the physics prize.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Recognitions come from U.S. and Chinese groups."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-10-27 20:38:42","changed_gmt":"2019-10-31 11:21:41","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"628106":{"id":"628106","type":"image","title":"Award-winning book (Credit: Princeton University Press)","body":null,"created":"1572207863","gmt_created":"2019-10-27 20:24:23","changed":"1572209013","gmt_changed":"2019-10-27 20:43:33","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239184","name":"Book Cover David Hu.4x6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Book%20Cover%20David%20Hu.4x6.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Book%20Cover%20David%20Hu.4x6.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":131196,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Book%20Cover%20David%20Hu.4x6.jpg?itok=9i_C2Xok"}},"628107":{"id":"628107","type":"image","title":"David Hu in cat suit at 2019 Pineapple Science Prize award ceremony (Credit: Zhejiang Daily News)","body":null,"created":"1572207959","gmt_created":"2019-10-27 20:25:59","changed":"1572209103","gmt_changed":"2019-10-27 20:45:03","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239181","name":"2019 David Hu Pineapple Science Prize 1.10x8.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20David%20Hu%20Pineapple%20Science%20Prize%201.10x8.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20David%20Hu%20Pineapple%20Science%20Prize%201.10x8.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":334116,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20David%20Hu%20Pineapple%20Science%20Prize%201.10x8.jpg?itok=KpBEJ84u"}},"628108":{"id":"628108","type":"image","title":"David Hu and former lab team member Patricia Wang at the 2019 Ig Nobels (Credit: AP Photo)","body":null,"created":"1572208019","gmt_created":"2019-10-27 20:26:59","changed":"1572208019","gmt_changed":"2019-10-27 20:26:59","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239182","name":"David Hu.Patricia Wang.AP Photo.10x8.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/David%20Hu.Patricia%20Wang.AP%20Photo.10x8.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/David%20Hu.Patricia%20Wang.AP%20Photo.10x8.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":205132,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/David%20Hu.Patricia%20Wang.AP%20Photo.10x8.jpg?itok=EGRutAlk"}},"628109":{"id":"628109","type":"image","title":"David Hu receiving his first Pineapple Science Prize in 2015 (Credit: newsplusradio.cn)","body":null,"created":"1572208133","gmt_created":"2019-10-27 20:28:53","changed":"1572208133","gmt_changed":"2019-10-27 20:28:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239183","name":"Pineapple Science Prize 2015 David Hu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Pineapple%20Science%20Prize%202015%20David%20Hu.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Pineapple%20Science%20Prize%202015%20David%20Hu.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":83286,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Pineapple%20Science%20Prize%202015%20David%20Hu.jpg?itok=q9SGhZlH"}}},"media_ids":["628106","628107","628108","628109"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/studying-wombats-cubic-poop","title":"Studying Wombats\u2019 Cubic Poop"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/season-2-episode-6-seeking-science-and-engineering-among-animals","title":"Pee Pee Pipes and Other Animal Curiosities"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"182810","name":"Ig Nobels"},{"id":"182811","name":"AIP communication award"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"182812","name":"Pineapple Science Award"},{"id":"297","name":"David Hu"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"628105":{"#nid":"628105","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology introduces first wave of junior researchers","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen the National Science Foundation and the Simons Foundation launched the Research Centers for Mathematics of Complex Biological Systems (MathBioSys) initiative two years ago, the idea was to bring two distinct disciplines together to enable creative, collaborative research, and ultimately to develop the next generation of researchers who would work seamlessly at interdisciplinary crossroads\u0026mdash;researchers like Kelimar Diaz.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDiaz is a Ph.D. student in the Quantitative Biosciences (QBios) program at Georgia Tech, and part of the first wave of junior researchers in the Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology at Tech, one of the four research centers funded by the NSF and Simons. She\u0026rsquo;s working in the lab of Dan Goldman, professor of physics, member of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience and a team lead at SCMB. Diaz is exactly the kind of trainee that SCMB and the national endeavor needs, exemplifying the kind of interdisciplinary acuity necessary to do innovative research at the intersection of mathematics and molecular, cellular, and organismal biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDiaz comes by her wide-ranging interests naturally. Growing up in Puerto Rico, she used to follow her father around on his small farm, surrounded by animals and plants, \u0026ldquo;learning as much as I could,\u0026rdquo; she says. \u0026ldquo;Over time, I was convinced that I would eventually pursue undergraduate studies in biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;However, this plan changed abruptly when I took my first physics course in 12th grade,\u0026rdquo; Diaz added. \u0026ldquo;Physics felt like my \u0026lsquo;calling,\u0026rsquo; but living systems remained at the core of what I care most passionately about. When it came to applying to graduate school, it seemed like an obvious choice: to join a Physics Ph.D. program with faculty that carry out research of physics of living systems.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat made Goldman\u0026rsquo;s biomechanics lab and the QBioS program perfect fits for her interests. \u0026ldquo;Tackling biosciences questions with quantitative approaches is intuitive to me,\u0026rdquo; she says, adding that the SCMB is taking the integrative approach to another level. \u0026ldquo;Collaborating with people that have a background in math can bridge gaps between biology and math to develop and use mathematical tools to study underlying processes in biology. This is an opportunity to drive both fields forward. As math is further developed to study biology, a repertoire of tools will be available for researchers to use in the biomedical field.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDiaz sees herself as part of the vanguard in one of the newest interdisciplinary approaches to understanding the depth and breadth of living systems. And she\u0026rsquo;s got some good company in the first cohort of SCMB junior researchers, an international group of eager, talented young investigators, like Margherita Maria Ferrari, a postdoctoral researcher from Italy with a classical mathematical training in analytics and statistics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;During my Ph.D., I went to a conference and met a professor who was giving a talk about mathematics applied to biological processes and chemical processes, which I thought was very interesting, and unexpected,\u0026rdquo; says Ferrari, who had not been exposed to this kind of integrative research before. \u0026ldquo;I learned that there were people using tools that I was familiar with, but in a completely different research area.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo after earning her Ph.D., she sought opportunities that would satisfy her growing interest in this kind of integrative research, and found her current post in the lab of Nata\u0026scaron;a Jonoska, professor at the University of South Florida and an SCMB team lead.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFerrari, Diaz, and their fellow junior researchers had a chance to gather and formally meet each other, along with the fourteen faculty team leads and administrators of SCMB, at a center-wide meeting held on September 13 on the Georgia Tech campus. \u0026ldquo;It was nice to meet all the other researchers and have the chance to give informal presentations of our projects, and to really get an idea of what the center is doing, up close,\u0026rdquo; Ferrari said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the meeting at Tech provided a way for SCMB members to meet and work in person\u0026mdash;and a number of junior researchers bonded on Tech\u0026rsquo;s leadership challenge course while on campus\u0026mdash;they\u0026rsquo;ve been gathering on a regular basis virtually since the center was launched last year. Since this is a center comprised of institutions from across the Southeast, they meet monthly; Georgia Tech personnel gather in one room, and everyone else joins via video conference.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was fantastic to have everybody in one space, to hear directly from the junior researchers about the progress of each seed project,\u0026rdquo; said Annalise Paaby, an SCMB team lead and assistant professor of Biological Sciences at Tech, and a researcher in the Petit Institute. Each project is a collaboration between a faculty member and a trainee from the math side, and a faculty member and trainee from the bio side. \u0026ldquo;The seed projects have been cooking for a while now, and the trainee pairs gave short, pecha kucha style research reports\u0026mdash;so we had a lot of fun with questions and discussion.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor Kelimar Diaz, SCMB and its interdisciplinary opportunities represents the new leading edge of bioresearch, and will help provide a roadmap for her own future.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I have not decided what kind of career path to take after I finish my Ph.D., but I believe that the way things are structured in SCMB, I will end up with a repertoire of skills that will allow me to pursue the career of my choosing,\u0026rdquo; she says. \u0026ldquo;I am contributing to driving biology and math forward. The Center and all of its members are advancing our knowledge of the living world quantitatively, while providing insight to biological applications and expanding math.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeet the first class of SCMB junior researchers who will be advancing that knowledge:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHector Ba\u0026ntilde;os\u003C\/strong\u003E earned his bachelor degree in applied mathematics at Universidad Aut\u0026oacute;noma de Quer\u0026eacute;taro in Mexico, then earned a master\u0026rsquo;s degree in mathematics and statistics at then his Ph.D. in mathematics the University of Alaska (Fairbanks). Now a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Christine Heitsch, mathematics professor at Georgia Tech and director of the SCMB (and also a Petit Institute researcher), he\u0026rsquo;s working on an SCMB seed project called \u0026ldquo;RNA structural ensembles in evolution,\u0026rdquo; a collaboration between Heitsch and Annalise Paaby, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Tech. As he and his fellow researchers work to uncover the processes behind evolution in the species and molecular levels, he\u0026rsquo;ll work on models for secondary structure inference.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKeisha Cook\u003C\/strong\u003E earned a bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree in mathematics at the University of Alabama, where she stayed on to earn both a master\u0026rsquo;s and Ph.D. in applied mathematics. Now a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Scott McKinley at Tulane University, she\u0026rsquo;s working on a SCMB seed project entitled \u0026ldquo;Stochastic modeling in cellular internalization and transport,\u0026rdquo; a collaboration between McKinley and the lab of Christine Payne at Duke University. \u0026ldquo;My ultimate research goal is to become well versed in many applications of mathematics and cell biology, in order to teach mathematics students how to speak the language of a scientist,\u0026rdquo; said Keisha, who will analyzing particle tracking data (collected in the Payne Lab) using probabilistic and statistical methods to provide greater insight into the functions of intracellular particle motion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDaniel Cruz\u003C\/strong\u003E, who earned both his bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree (mathematics with a minor in computer science) and Ph.D. (mathematics) at the University of South Florida, is now a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia Tech, though his primary advisor is Elena Dimitrova, currently at California Polytechnic State University but until recently at Clemson University. His SCMB seed project is a collaboration between Dimitrova and Petit Institute researcher Melissa Kemp, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech, and it\u0026rsquo;s entitled \u0026ldquo;Modeling emergent patterning within pluripotent colonies through Boolean canalizing functions.\u0026rdquo; He\u0026rsquo;s primarily interested in using discrete models to understand how self-assembly and self-organization arises from molecular and\/or cellular interactions. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m a math postdoc studying how boolean networks and other discrete models can improve our understanding of pattern and structure formation resulting from the differentiation of pluripotent colonies,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKelimar Diaz \u003C\/strong\u003Eearned her bachelor degree in physics at the University of Puerto Rico (Rio Piedras campus). Now, as a Ph.D. student based in the lab of Dan Goldman, professor in the School of Physics at Georgia Tech, she\u0026rsquo;s working on an SCMB seed project called \u0026ldquo;Optimization of limbless locomotion via algebraic kinematics,\u0026rdquo; a collaboration between Goldman and Greg Blekherman at Georgia Tech. She plans to satisfy her interest in biomechanics an locomotion by exploring undulatory locomotion across length scales to understand control principles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMargherita Maria Ferrari\u003C\/strong\u003E, a postdoctoral researcher, earned an undergraduate degree and a master\u0026rsquo;s degree in mathematics at Universit\u0026agrave; degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia in Italy, and her Ph.D. in mathematical models and methods in engineering at Politecnico di Milano. Based in the lab of Nata\u0026scaron;a Jonoska at the University of South Florida, her SCMB seed project, \u0026ldquo;Discrete and topological models for DNA-RNA interactions,\u0026rdquo; is a collaboration between that group and the lab of Petit Institute researcher\u0026nbsp;biologyFrancesca Storici, an associate professor of biology at Georgia Tech. My goal is to develop and apply mathematical tools to advance our understanding of biological and chemical processes,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;My role is modeling RNA structure formation and R-loop structures, which we feel will help us in describing the process of DNA double-strand break repair.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGemechis Degaga\u003C\/strong\u003E, who earned his Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry at Michigan Technological University, is currently based at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the lab of Julie Mitchell, director of the Biosciences Division. His SCMB seed project, entitled \u0026ldquo;Identifying disorder-to-order transitions in post-translationally modified proteins,\u0026rdquo; is a collaboration between Mitchell and the lab of Matt Torres, associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech (and a Petit Institute researcher). \u0026ldquo;My main research interest involves the use of machine learning models to understand protein folding,\u0026rdquo; he said, describing his role in the project as building \u0026ldquo;generative adversarial artificial neural networks to learn, predict, and generate new protein sequences which form beta-hairpin secondary structure.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYoungkyu Jeon\u003C\/strong\u003E, who earned a bachelor of science in life sciences at Korea University, is a Ph.D. student currently based in the lab of Francesca Storici, associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech. He contributes to the seed project on DNA-RNA interactions with Storici, Jonoska and Ferrari. The goal is to understand the topology of RNA-mediated DNA modification and\/or repair, which Youngkyu is studying through experiments based on mathematical modeling.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWei Li\u003C\/strong\u003E, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Matt Torres at Georgia Tech, earned her Ph.D. from Wake Forest University. She\u0026rsquo;s contributing to the SCMB seed project on protein disorder-to-order transitions with Torres, Mitchell and Degaga. Wei\u0026rsquo;s role is to test candidate proteins using experimental spectroscopic methods, testing for impacts on biological function.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBo Lin,\u003C\/strong\u003E who earned a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of California-Berkeley, is now a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Greg Blekherman, associate professor of mathematics at Georgia Tech, where he\u0026rsquo;s working on the SCMB seed project on limbless locomotion with Blekherman, Goldman and Diaz. Basically, Lin is using his expertise in math to analyze data generated from biological experiments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEunbi Park\u003C\/strong\u003E, who earned her undergraduate degree in agricultural science from\u0026nbsp;Kyungpook National University in Korea, is now Park a Ph.D. student in Bioinformatics at Georgia Tech in the lab of associate professor of Biomedical Engineering, contributing to the seed project on modeling emergent patterning within pluripotent colonies with Kemp, Dimitrova, and Cruz. Park collects fluorescent microscopy images of live, dividing stem cells, generating time-lapse movies that capture the behavioral dynamics of the cells. With the input of Cruz and Dimitrova, she is using agent-based models to define that behavior mathematically.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENathan Rayens\u003C\/strong\u003E earned two bachelor degrees at Miami University: one in mechanical engineering and manufacturing engineering, and another in music. Now a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering and materials science, he\u0026rsquo;s based in the lab of Christine Payne at Duke University. Now he is working with Payne, McKinley and Cook on the seed project modeling cellular internalization and transport. Rayens said, \u0026ldquo;this is the first time I\u0026rsquo;ve been involved in biological research, so my current goal is to learn as much as I can. I\u0026rsquo;m currently working on analyzing cell samples incubated with and without TiO2 to evaluate lysosome trajectories and see the effect of nanoparticles on cell transport.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAshleigh Thomas\u003C\/strong\u003E, who earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering and math at the University of Pennsylvania, got her master\u0026rsquo;s and Ph.D. in mathematics at Duke University. Now based in the lab of Peter Bubenik at the University of Florida, she\u0026rsquo;s working on an SCMB seed project entitled, \u0026ldquo;Topological data analysis to understand genetic control of morphological phenotype,\u0026rdquo; a collaboration between Bubenik and Hang Lu, professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELing Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E, who earned both her bachelor and master\u0026rsquo;s degrees in biological science at Georgia State University, is a Ph.D. researcher in the lab of Annalise Paaby, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech. Her work is in collaboration with Paaby, Heitsch, and Ba\u0026ntilde;os on the RNA folding seed project. Wang\u0026rsquo;s ultimate research interest is in combining computational and biological approach to study how RNA folding structure matters in biological evolution and she\u0026rsquo;s currently working with Paaby, \u0026ldquo;to design experiments to test if RNA\u0026rsquo;s secondary structure will have an impact on early-stop codon readthrough, and ultimately determine its impacts on biological functions.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKeren Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E earned his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at the University of California-Berkeley. Now he\u0026rsquo;s a Ph.D. student in the lab of Hang Lu at Georgia Tech, where he\u0026rsquo;s working with Lu, Bubenik and Thomas on the seed project studying morphological phenotype with topological analysis. Zhang\u0026rsquo;s goal is to establish pipeline methods to quantify the developmental plasticity in the \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E connectome.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen the National Science Foundation and the Simons Foundation launched the Research Centers for Mathematics of Complex Biological Systems (MathBioSys) initiative two years ago, the idea was to bring two distinct disciplines together to enable creative, collaborative research, and ultimately to develop the next generation of researchers who would work seamlessly at interdisciplinary crossroads.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"At a center-wide meeting last month, faculty and trainees came together; all members discussed strategic plans for SCMB, and the junior researchers led discussions on the collaborative seed projects."}],"uid":"34780","created_gmt":"2019-10-26 20:41:22","changed_gmt":"2021-01-21 20:27:53","author":"apaaby3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-10-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-10-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"628144":{"id":"628144","type":"image","title":"SCMB Junior Researchers","body":null,"created":"1572275154","gmt_created":"2019-10-28 15:05:54","changed":"1572275154","gmt_changed":"2019-10-28 15:05:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239205","name":"junior researchers.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/junior%20researchers.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/junior%20researchers.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6398457,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/junior%20researchers.jpg?itok=oRZoK-u4"}},"628145":{"id":"628145","type":"image","title":"SCMB Ropes Course","body":null,"created":"1572275239","gmt_created":"2019-10-28 15:07:19","changed":"1572275239","gmt_changed":"2019-10-28 15:07:19","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239206","name":"ropes course.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ropes%20course.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ropes%20course.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4734585,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ropes%20course.jpg?itok=iDIdyFTU"}}},"media_ids":["628144","628145"],"groups":[{"id":"604684","name":"Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology (SCMB)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"178088","name":"SCMB"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"173581","name":"go-COS"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"627116":{"#nid":"627116","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lachance Gets $1.88 million Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institutes of Health know a good investment when they see one, and they definitely see one in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/popgen.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJoe Lachance\u003C\/a\u003E, researcher in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at the Georgia Institute of Technology. And to prove it, the NIH recently granted Lachance an R35 Maximizing Investigators\u0026rsquo; Research Award (MIRA).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe grant, valued at $1.88 million over five years, will support Lachance\u0026rsquo;s research strategy, which includes\u0026nbsp;the analysis of ancient and modern genomes, mathematical modeling, and the development of new bioinformatics tools.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELachance, whose research bridges the gap between evolutionary genetics and genetic epidemiology, is motivated by several questions: How have hereditary disease risks evolved in the recent past? What sorts of genetic architectures are more likely to result in health inequities? How can genomic medicine be extended to people with different ancestries?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve taken an evolutionary perspective toward genetic medicine and global health,\u0026rdquo; says Lachance, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, whose research is\u0026nbsp;directly related to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/allofus.nih.gov\u0022\u003ENIH\u0026rsquo;s All of Us initiative\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe R35 MIRA program was designed to increase the stability of funding for NIGMS-supported investigators like Lachance, improving their ability to take on ambitious projects and take more creative approaches to biomedical problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This grant, I think, demonstrates great confidence in our approach to the research,\u0026rdquo; Lachance said. \u0026ldquo;It enables us to devote more our time and energy on doing the actual science and developing the next generation of researchers.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"NIH supporting Petit Institute\/School of Biological Sciences researcher\u2019s research strategy"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENIH supporting Petit Institute\/School of Biological Sciences researcher\u0026rsquo;s research strategy\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"NIH supporting Petit Institute\/School of Biological Sciences researcher\u2019s research strategy"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2019-10-03 19:09:14","changed_gmt":"2019-10-03 22:05:45","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"627115":{"id":"627115","type":"image","title":"Joe Lachance","body":null,"created":"1570129512","gmt_created":"2019-10-03 19:05:12","changed":"1570129512","gmt_changed":"2019-10-03 19:05:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238784","name":"Lachance.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lachance_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lachance_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":202525,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Lachance_0.jpg?itok=CTveKMAZ"}}},"media_ids":["627115"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"173581","name":"go-COS"},{"id":"1896","name":"Genomics"},{"id":"182580","name":"genetic medicine"},{"id":"14886","name":"global health"},{"id":"182581","name":"health disparities"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"627046":{"#nid":"627046","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Warming Impedes a Coral Defense, but Hungry Fish Enhance It","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECorals create potions that fight bacterial attackers, but warming appears to tip the scales against the potions as they battle a bacterium common in coral bleaching, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/advances.sciencemag.org\/content\/5\/10\/eaay1048.abstract\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eaccording to a new study\u003C\/a\u003E. Reef conservation may offer hope: A particular potion, gathered from reefs protected against seaweed overgrowth, proved more robust.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe protected Pacific reefs were populated by diverse corals and shimmered with colorful fish, said researchers who snorkeled off of Fiji to collect samples for the study. Oceanic ecologists from the Georgia Institute of Technology compared coral potions from these reefs, where fishing was prohibited, with those from heavily fished reefs, where seaweed inundated corals because few fish were left to eat it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe medicated solutions, or potions, may contain a multitude of chemicals, and the researchers did not analyze their makeup. This is a possible next step, but here the researchers simply wanted to establish if the potions offered any real defense against pathogens and how warming and overfishing might weaken it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConservation matters\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I thought I probably wouldn\u0026rsquo;t see antibiotic effects from these washes. I was surprised to see such strong effects, and I was surprised to see that reef protections made a difference,\u0026rdquo; said the study\u0026rsquo;s first author, Deanna Beatty.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There is a lot of argument now about whether local management can help in the face of global stresses \u0026ndash; whether what a Fijian village does matters when people in London and Los Angeles burn fossil fuels to drive to work,\u0026rdquo; said Mark Hay, the study\u0026rsquo;s principal investigator,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERegents Professor and Harry and Linda Teasley Chair in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our work indicates that local management provides a degree of insurance against global stresses, but there are likely higher temperatures that render the insurance ineffective.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E[Ready for graduate school?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu\/apply-now\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHere\u0026#39;s how to apply to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/a\u003E]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdding heat\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers collected three coral species along with seawater surrounding each species at protected reefs and at overfished reefs. In their Georgia Tech lab, they tested their solutions against the pathogen\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vibrio_coralliilyticus\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVibrio coralliilyticu\u003C\/em\u003Es\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eat 24 degrees Celsius (75.2 Fahrenheit), an everyday Fijian water temperature, and at 28 degrees (82.4 F), common during ocean heating events.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We chose\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EVibrio\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;because it commonly infects corals, and it\u0026rsquo;s associated with coral bleaching in these warming events. It\u0026rsquo;s related to other bleaching pathogens and could serve as a model for them as well,\u0026rdquo; Hay said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We chose 24 C and 28 C because they\u0026rsquo;re representative of the variations you see on Fijian reefs these days. Those are temperatures where the bacteria are more benign or more virulent,\u0026rdquo; Beatty said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe data showed that warming disadvantaged all potions against\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EVibrio\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;and conservation aided a potion from a key coral species. The team, which included coauthor Kim Ritchie from the University of South Carolina Beaufort, published its study \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/advances.sciencemag.org\/content\/5\/10\/eaay1048.abstract\u0022\u003Ein the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;on Oct. 2\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health\u0026rsquo;s Fogarty International Center, the National Science Foundation, and the Simons Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeeper dive into the experiment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESeaweed hedges\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe unprotected reefs\u0026rsquo; shabby appearance portended their effects on the one potion associated with a key coral species.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When you swim out of the no-fishing area and into the overfished area, you hit a hedge of seaweed. You have about 4 to 16% corals and 50 to 90% seaweed there. On the protected reef, you have less than 3% seaweed and about 60% corals,\u0026rdquo; Hay said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHay has researched marine ecology for over four decades and has seen this before, when coral reefs died off closer to home.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Thirty years ago, when Caribbean reefs were vanishing, I saw overfishing as a big deal there, when seaweed took over,\u0026rdquo; he said, adding that global warming has become an overriding factor. \u0026ldquo;In the Pacific, many reefs that were not overfished have been wiped out in warming events. It just got too hot for too long.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDistilling potion\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe potions are products of the corals and associated microbes, which comprise a biological team called a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Holobiont\u0022\u003Eholobiont\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo arrive at potions focused on chemical effects, the researchers agitated the coral holobionts and ocean water then freeze-dried and irradiated the resulting liquid to destroy remnants of life that could have augmented chemical action. Some viruses may have withstood sterilization, but it would have weakened any effect they may have had, if there were any.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThen the researchers tested the potions on\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EVibrio\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;All of the solutions\u0026rsquo; defenses were compromised to varying extents at elevated temperatures where we see corals getting sick in the ocean,\u0026rdquo; Hay said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut reef protection benefited the potion taken from the species\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reefbuilders.com\/2017\/05\/17\/acropora-millepora\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAcropora millepora\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The beneficial effect in the solution tested in the lab was better when\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAcropora\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;came from protected areas, and this difference became more pronounced at 28 degrees Celsius,\u0026rdquo; said Beatty, who finished her Ph.D. with Hay and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAcropora\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;architecture\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOf the three species with potions that were tested,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAcropora millepora\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;may be a special one.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is part of a genus \u0026ndash; larger taxonomic category \u0026ndash; containing about 150 of the roughly 600 species in Pacific reefs, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAcropora\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;are core builders of reef structures. They grow higher as sea level rises, helping maintain healthy positions for whole reefs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;\u003Cem\u003EAcropora\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;are big and branching and make lots of crevices where fish live. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/26970292\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eevolution of lots of reef fish parallels the evolution of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAcropora\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in particular,\u0026rdquo; Hay said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf fish can hang on, they may buy\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAcropora\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;more time, and coral reefs perhaps, too.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso READ:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/617068\/when-coral-species-vanish-their-absence-can-imperil-surviving-corals\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWhen Coral Species Vanish, Their Absence Can Imperil Surviving Corals\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThese researchers coauthored the study:\u0026nbsp;Deanna Beatty, Jinu Valayil, Cody Clements, and Frank Stewart of Georgia Tech. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (grant 2 U19 TW007401-10), the National Science Foundation (grant OCE 717 0929119), the Simons Foundation (grant 346253), and the Teasley Endowment. Any findings, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the authors and not necessarily of the sponsors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.aay1048\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.aay1048\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-272-2780), email:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECorals exude chemical defenses against bacteria, but when heated in the lab, those defenses lost much potency against a pathogen involved\u0026nbsp;in coral bleaching. There\u0026#39;s hope: A key coral\u0026#39;s defense was heartier when that coral was taken from an area where fishing was banned.\u0026nbsp;Plenty of fish were left to eat away seaweed that was overgrowing corals elsewhere and may have weakened the key coral\u0026#39;s\u0026nbsp;defenses even more.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Corals exude defenses against bacteria associated with bleaching, but warming disadvantages the defense. Conservation offers limited hope."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2019-10-02 18:47:59","changed_gmt":"2019-10-02 18:53:23","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-10-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-10-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"627035":{"id":"627035","type":"image","title":"Lively Pacific reef","body":null,"created":"1570040459","gmt_created":"2019-10-02 18:20:59","changed":"1570040459","gmt_changed":"2019-10-02 18:20:59","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238746","name":"nature 1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nature%201.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nature%201.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6025720,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nature%201.jpg?itok=f5iRZJlj"}},"627039":{"id":"627039","type":"image","title":"Overfished reef overgrown with seaweed","body":null,"created":"1570040889","gmt_created":"2019-10-02 18:28:09","changed":"1570040889","gmt_changed":"2019-10-02 18:28:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238748","name":"seaweed.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/seaweed_0.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/seaweed_0.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1020902,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/seaweed_0.JPG?itok=JkkinxPC"}},"627044":{"id":"627044","type":"image","title":"Regulated vs. unprotected Pacific reefs photo","body":null,"created":"1570041283","gmt_created":"2019-10-02 18:34:43","changed":"1570041283","gmt_changed":"2019-10-02 18:34:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238751","name":"good reef bad reef photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/good%20reef%20bad%20reef%20photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/good%20reef%20bad%20reef%20photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2327302,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/good%20reef%20bad%20reef%20photo.jpg?itok=gofsSit1"}},"627041":{"id":"627041","type":"image","title":"Lab assays in coral defense study","body":null,"created":"1570041056","gmt_created":"2019-10-02 18:30:56","changed":"1570041056","gmt_changed":"2019-10-02 18:30:56","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238749","name":"MVIMG_20180318_112222.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/MVIMG_20180318_112222.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/MVIMG_20180318_112222.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":628497,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/MVIMG_20180318_112222.jpg?itok=N_l_7f4N"}},"600847":{"id":"600847","type":"image","title":"Mark Hay, Recipient of 2018 Gilbert Morgan Smith Medal (Courtesy of National Academy of Sciences)","body":null,"created":"1516119438","gmt_created":"2018-01-16 16:17:18","changed":"1516119438","gmt_changed":"2018-01-16 16:17:18","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229042","name":"hay-mark-2018-gilbert-morgan.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hay-mark-2018-gilbert-morgan.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hay-mark-2018-gilbert-morgan.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":270402,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hay-mark-2018-gilbert-morgan.jpg?itok=FYimXu6q"}}},"media_ids":["627035","627039","627044","627041","600847"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"180332","name":"Acropora"},{"id":"180336","name":"Acropora millepora"},{"id":"182529","name":"Vibrio"},{"id":"182530","name":"Vibrio coralliilyticus"},{"id":"791","name":"Global Warming"},{"id":"182531","name":"Global Warming And The Environment"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"},{"id":"182532","name":"climate change action"},{"id":"182533","name":"climate change adaptation"},{"id":"182534","name":"Global Warming Climate Change"},{"id":"182535","name":"Global Warming Research"},{"id":"182536","name":"Global Warming Concerns"},{"id":"169211","name":"coral bleaching"},{"id":"182537","name":"coral reef conservation"},{"id":"182538","name":"Coral Reef Fish"},{"id":"182539","name":"coral reef health"},{"id":"182540","name":"Coral Reef Protection"},{"id":"182541","name":"coral reef restoration"},{"id":"182542","name":"coral defenses"},{"id":"4211","name":"fiji"},{"id":"11994","name":"Fiji Islands"},{"id":"182543","name":"Pacific reefs"},{"id":"53871","name":"Pacific Ocean"},{"id":"1723","name":"caribbean"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"626699":{"#nid":"626699","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Two Georgia Tech Physicists are APS Fellows","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe American Physical Society (APS) has elected Flavio Fenton and Carlos Silva to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aps.org\/newsroom\/pressreleases\/fellows2019.cfm\u0022\u003ESociety\u0026#39;s 2019 Fellows\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFenton\u003C\/a\u003E is a professor in the School of Physics. Silva is a professor in the Schools of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Silva%20\/Carlos\u0022\u003EChemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/carlos-silva\u0022\u003EPhysics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton and Silva are among 168 APS members named as fellows in 2019. Their election is prestigious peer recognition of their outstanding contributions to physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton is recognized \u0026ldquo;for ground-breaking contributions to the nonlinear dynamics of cardiac arrhythmia.\u0026rdquo; He was nominated by the APS Topical Group on Statistical and Nonlinear Physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESilva is recognized for \u0026ldquo;groundbreaking development of ultrafast laser techniques for probing the transient photophysics of electro-optical and excitonic materials leading to novel and unique insights into charge-separation and carrier generation in organic photovoltaic systems.\u0026rdquo; He was nominated by the APS Division of Chemical Physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am very honored to be elected to the APS Fellowship and am deeply grateful to my mentors, students, postdocs, and collaborators, past and present.\u0026rdquo; Silva says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe APS Fellowship Program recognizes members who have made exceptional contributions to the physics enterprise in physics research, important applications of physics, leadership in or service to physics, or significant contributions to physics education.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEach year, no more than 0.5% of the APS membership is recognized by their peers for election to the status of Fellow in the American Physical Society.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Flavio Fenton and Carlos Silva have been elected as American Physics Society Fellows"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe American Physical Society (APS) has elected Flavio Fenton and Carlos Silva to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aps.org\/newsroom\/pressreleases\/fellows2019.cfm\u0022\u003ESociety\u0026#39;s 2019 Fellows\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFenton\u003C\/a\u003E is a professor in the School of Physics. Silva is a professor in the Schools of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Silva%20\/Carlos\u0022\u003EChemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/carlos-silva\u0022\u003EPhysics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Flavio Fenton and Carlos Silva have been elected as American Physics Society Fellows."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-09-24 19:50:38","changed_gmt":"2019-09-24 19:55:00","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-09-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-09-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"626698":{"id":"626698","type":"image","title":"American Physics Society Fellows Flavio Fenton and Carlos Silva","body":null,"created":"1569354346","gmt_created":"2019-09-24 19:45:46","changed":"1569354346","gmt_changed":"2019-09-24 19:45:46","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238610","name":"APS Fellows, Flavio Fenton.Carlos Silva.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/APS%20Fellows%2C%20Flavio%20Fenton.Carlos%20Silva.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/APS%20Fellows%2C%20Flavio%20Fenton.Carlos%20Silva.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1143637,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/APS%20Fellows%2C%20Flavio%20Fenton.Carlos%20Silva.png?itok=Df_Xy1m7"}}},"media_ids":["626698"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"182472","name":"American Physics Society Fellows"},{"id":"112191","name":"Flavio Fenton"},{"id":"177437","name":"Carlos Silva"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"626571":{"#nid":"626571","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Search for Earth 2.0","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt may surprise you, but oxygen has only been a part of Earth\u0026#39;s atmosphere for an estimated 10 percent of the planet\u0026#39;s history. Yes, we\u0026#39;re still talking millions of years, but the fact that it\u0026#39;s a relatively new addition to the air we breathe can have implications when we study potential Earths outside our solar system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Assistant Professor Chris Reinhard researches the early Earth, along with recently discovered exoplanets, as part of his team\u0026#39;s studies in his Earth Systems Science Lab. What he\u0026rsquo;s searching for are atmospheric biosignatures \u0026ndash; molecules detectable in an atmosphere that may indicate life on the surface.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-2-search-earth-20\u0022\u003EEpisode 2 of ScienceMatters\u003C\/a\u003E details that search, and how close Reinhard thinks we are to discovering Earth 2.0. Reinhard is currently working on a NASA-funded project to determine the kind of atmosphere Earth had four billion years ago. The results could help determine the types of instrumentation uncrewed probes will have when they are launched toward potentially habitable moons and planets.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEach episode will also include a quiz that refers to facts mentioned in each podcast. A winner will be chosen randomly from all who submit correct answers. Winners will receive special College of Sciences merchandise such as t-shirts and pens.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe episode 2 quiz question:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChris Reinhard believes that only one exoplanet found so far outside our solar system comes closest to resembling Earth. What is the name of this exoplanet?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe winner will be announced in the following week.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESubmit your answer here: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/forms.cos.gatech.edu\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-2\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/forms.cos.gatech.edu\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-2.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScienceMatters podcasts are available for subscription at Apple Podcasts and Soundcloud.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"ScienceMatters Season 3 Episode 2 features Chris Reinhard\u0027s studies of early Earth and Earth-like exoplanets"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Assistant Professor Chris Reinhard studies the early Earth in the hopes of learning clues about potential Earths outside our solar system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Chris Reinhard talks about the search for more clues about early Earth and potential Earths among the exoplanets near our solar system. "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2019-09-23 15:58:36","changed_gmt":"2019-09-24 14:52:40","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"626597":{"id":"626597","type":"image","title":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Asst. Professor Chris Reinhard","body":null,"created":"1569263994","gmt_created":"2019-09-23 18:39:54","changed":"1569263994","gmt_changed":"2019-09-23 18:39:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238564","name":"2019 S3 E2 Chris Reinhard pic tall.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Chris%20Reinhard%20pic%20tall.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Chris%20Reinhard%20pic%20tall.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":70181,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Chris%20Reinhard%20pic%20tall.jpg?itok=qQyDh87D"}},"626599":{"id":"626599","type":"image","title":"Trappist Exoplanets (Photo: NASA)","body":null,"created":"1569264352","gmt_created":"2019-09-23 18:45:52","changed":"1569264352","gmt_changed":"2019-09-23 18:45:52","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238566","name":"2019 S3 E2 Reinhard Trappist exoplanets credit NASA.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Reinhard%20Trappist%20exoplanets%20credit%20NASA.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Reinhard%20Trappist%20exoplanets%20credit%20NASA.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":230434,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Reinhard%20Trappist%20exoplanets%20credit%20NASA.jpg?itok=P34m-VJq"}},"626598":{"id":"626598","type":"image","title":"Earth Systems Science @Georgia Tech ","body":null,"created":"1569264160","gmt_created":"2019-09-23 18:42:40","changed":"1569264160","gmt_changed":"2019-09-23 18:42:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238565","name":"2019 S3 E2 Reinhard Earth System Science logo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Reinhard%20Earth%20System%20Science%20logo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Reinhard%20Earth%20System%20Science%20logo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":184011,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20S3%20E2%20Reinhard%20Earth%20System%20Science%20logo.jpg?itok=DYSoFXQ1"}}},"media_ids":["626597","626599","626598"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters","title":"ScienceMatters Season 3"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-1-all-about-control","title":"Season 3 Episode 1: All About Control"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"170504","name":"Chris Reinhard"},{"id":"182449","name":"earth 2.0"},{"id":"170509","name":"exoplanets"},{"id":"12661","name":"Early Earth"},{"id":"7579","name":"biomarkers"},{"id":"182450","name":"Earth Systems Science Lab"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"625834":{"#nid":"625834","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Studying  Wombats\u0027 Cubic Poop","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESerious nature lovers and forest hikers might keep track of wildlife by the shape of animal droppings on the trail. Deer leave a pile of pellets, a large tubular mass suggests a bear, whereas smaller tubules indicate a fox. What about scat that is shaped like ice cubes?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn southeastern Australia, cube-shaped scat is found around the home range of wombats. These marsupials have been likened to a hybrid between a pig, a bear, and a gopher. They have another distinction: They are the only known animals that excrete cubic feces.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHow wombats produce the distinctively shaped poop has been of interest to the research teams of Georgia Tech mechanical engineering professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.utas.edu.au\/profiles\/staff\/zoology\/scott-carver\u0022\u003EScott Carver\u003C\/a\u003E, a lecturer in wildlife ecology in University of Tasmania, Australia. Wombats are poised to gain acclaim, because Hu, Carver, and their coworkers just received a 2019 Ig Nobel Prize, awarded by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.improbable.com\/about\/\u0022\u003EImprobable Research\u003C\/a\u003E for research that initially makes people laugh and then think.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat seven-year-old would not be mesmerized by the idea of bringing a stop watch to the bathroom to check the claim that all mammals pee in about 20 seconds or tickled with the hilarity of a gif image of a wet dog shaking off water\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe 2019 Ig Nobel is the second for Hu, who also has appointments in the Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences and School of Physics. Hu is a leading expert in the biomechanics of animal locomotion, from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/news\/scientists-do-the-wet-dog-shake-1.11177\u0022\u003Ewet-dog shake\u003C\/a\u003E, to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/biosci\/physics\/frog-tongue-high-speed-adhesive\u0022\u003Elightning-fast tongues of frogs\u003C\/a\u003E, to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-018-07069-7\u0022\u003Ewagging of elephant tails\u003C\/a\u003E, and more.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHu is also an expert in fluid dynamics, including of biological fluids like urine. With then-Ph.D. student Patricia Yang, Hu reported in 2015 that the average urination time of mammals is about 20 seconds. That finding earned Hu and Yang their \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2015\/10\/15\/david-hu-takes-home-ig-nobel-prize-improbable-research\u0022\u003Efirst Ig Nobel Prize\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EFIRST WE LAUGH\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYang extended her studies to defecation. In one conference, she proposed a mathematical theory suggesting that the average time for mammals to move their bowels is 12 seconds. According to Hu\u0026rsquo;s account in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2015\/10\/15\/david-hu-takes-home-ig-nobel-prize-improbable-research\u0022\u003EAustralasian Science last spring\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026ldquo;A scientist raised his hand and said that his 8-year-old children were fascinated by cubic wombat feces,\u0026rdquo; Hu wrote. \u0026ldquo;Could our theory account for that shape? This is the first time we heard of such a thing, so we searched for the feces on our phones and were amazed.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECurious, Hu recruited students to research wombats. They found Carver, one of the world\u0026rsquo;s few experts on wombats, who studies them for conservation. \u0026ldquo;They face a lot of threats from animals, humans, and diseases,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026nbsp;Currently, he studies the wombats\u0026rsquo; affliction with sarcoptic mange, or scabies, which can be fatal to whole populations. As such, Carver receives calls from a Tasmanian wildlife sanctuary when wombats have been humanely put down by a veterinarian.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECarver opens the cadaver with a slice from the mouth to the anus to gain access to tissues and organs for his biological work. The first time he did this, he was surprised by another wombat distinction: the extraordinarily long intestines, about 33 feet. In contrast, human intestines are only 23 feet long. Partially because of wombats\u0026rsquo; long colons, Carver says, \u0026ldquo;wombat scat is dry. Human colons are not that long; we don\u0026rsquo;t pull as much water from feces.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe dissections revealed something else: \u0026ldquo;My lab discovered that the cubes formed in the intestine,\u0026rdquo; Carver says. That discovery dismissed the idea that the cubes formed by passing through a square-shaped sphincter.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith wombat intestines supplied by Carver, Hu\u0026rsquo;s team began investigating. Before working on the specimen, they practice with pig intestine sourced from the Asian supermarket the Great Wall. They also create models made of cloth to try to mimic how the cubes are formed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELast summer undergraduate researchers Kelly Qiu and Michael Kowalski joined the wombat team. A third-year biomedical engineering major, Qiu says she got interested in the work after reading about Yang\u0026rsquo;s research and \u0026ldquo;how they blew up intestines with balloons.\u0026rdquo; She says the research is \u0026ldquo;an enjoyable experience.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs part of this research Kowalski, a fourth-year biomedical engineering major, has learned how to sew. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re sewing cloth to replicate the intestine. We do it in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/studentcenter.gatech.edu\/paper-clay\u0022\u003EPaper \u0026amp; Clay\u003C\/a\u003E. We put sewing lines to create the stiff regions of the intestine.\u0026rdquo; That\u0026rsquo;s because the team found that the wombat intestine is not uniformly flexible. Some parts are rigid. Some parts are soft.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs Hu writes in Australasian Science: \u0026ldquo;As brown slurry fills the intestine, a stiff zone would resist bending in that particular region. Four such stiff zones could create the tell-tale four walls of the cube. The corners of the cube would be a consequence of the intermediary soft zones.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0026rsquo;s the hypothesis for now. The cloth models are part of the process of testing the hypothesis. Alexander Lee, a Ph.D. student of Hu\u0026rsquo;s, is working on a theoretical model. \u0026ldquo;Can we also recreate cubic poop in a math simulation?\u0026rdquo; he asks. \u0026ldquo;Can we make other shapes come up? Right now, we mostly get potatoes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENot surprisingly, Hu\u0026rsquo;s research on animal locomotion and biological fluids has attracted much mainstream coverage. What seven-year-old would not be mesmerized by the idea of bringing a stop watch to the bathroom to check the claim that all mammals pee in about 20 seconds or tickled with the hilarity of a gif image of a wet dog shaking off water?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlas, popularity is a double-edged sword. Those two studies, and another on eyelashes, caught the eye of then-Senator Jeff Flake, of Arizona. In Flake\u0026rsquo;s 2016 list of the top 20 most wasteful uses of government fund, three were work by Hu.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026quot;The easiest questions are still among the most difficult to answer.\u0026quot;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003ETHEN WE THINK\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHu rebutted with a guest blog, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/blogs.scientificamerican.com\/guest-blog\/confessions-of-a-wasteful-scientist\/\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Confessions of a Wasteful Scientist,\u0026rdquo; in Scientific American.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;[M]ost of what animals do is completely a mystery to scientists. When I was a student, I thought that 95 percent of all knowledge was already solved. But in fact, we only understand a small amount of the world around us, especially in the world of biology. For example, we can\u0026rsquo;t understand why a dog walks as easily as it does. Robots still cannot move as well as dogs, which have a complex interplay of tendons, bones and specially placed sensors that make it look like magic. The easiest questions are still among the most difficult to answer,\u0026rdquo; Hu wrote.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Hu, the wet-dog shake study is relevant to clothes drying, which takes up a lot of energy. The study of eyelashes could help explain how allergens enter the eye. And the urination study could be used as an early, noninvasive way to detect urinary malfunction as people age.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This science helps us learn about the natural world. It\u0026rsquo;s extremely unusual to get a cube out of what looks like a tube. So there is a manufacturing side to this.\u0026rdquo; Carver says. \u0026ldquo;Pure science has been incredibly productive in finding something useful for humans that didn\u0026rsquo;t have a clear application. Lasers and many other useful things have come about because of people looking just out of curiosity.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026quot;Lasers and many other useful things have come about because of people looking just out of curiosity.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Not at all!\u0026rdquo; Yang says when asked whether winning two Ig Nobels might be a black mark on her professional record. \u0026ldquo;It actually promotes my science. It attracts people who are interested in my research. After the Ig Nobel, my paper got downloaded 10 times as much as before.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn fact, Yang says, \u0026ldquo;the application side for this research could be an early screening for colon cancer. Because with colon cancer, the tissue starts getting harder. That will change the shape of feces.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Research that makes people laugh and then think"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHow wombats produce the distinctively shaped poop has been of interest to the research teams of Georgia Tech mechanical engineering professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.utas.edu.au\/profiles\/staff\/zoology\/scott-carver\u0022\u003EScott Carver\u003C\/a\u003E, a lecturer in wildlife ecology in University of Tasmania, Australia. Wombats are poised to gain acclaim, because Hu, Carver, and their coworkers just received a 2019 Ig Nobel Prize, awarded by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.improbable.com\/about\/\u0022\u003EImprobable Research\u003C\/a\u003E for research that initially makes people laugh and then think.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Studies of the distinctively shaped animal feces have won a 2019 Ig Nobel Prize for researchers in Georgia Tech and the University of Tasmania."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-09-09 15:30:41","changed_gmt":"2019-09-13 16:35:58","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-09-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-09-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"625857":{"id":"625857","type":"image","title":"Wombats (Courtesy of Scott Carver)","body":null,"created":"1568049952","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 17:25:52","changed":"1568049952","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 17:25:52","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238270","name":"Wombat from Scott Scarver.sq_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Wombat%20from%20Scott%20Scarver.sq_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Wombat%20from%20Scott%20Scarver.sq_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2812592,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Wombat%20from%20Scott%20Scarver.sq_.jpg?itok=RXlJI-jV"}},"625859":{"id":"625859","type":"image","title":"Wombats\u0027 cubic poop (Courtesy of Scott Carver) ","body":null,"created":"1568050481","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 17:34:41","changed":"1568050481","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 17:34:41","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238272","name":"Wombat poo in colon and ground.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Wombat%20poo%20in%20colon%20and%20ground.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Wombat%20poo%20in%20colon%20and%20ground.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1295978,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Wombat%20poo%20in%20colon%20and%20ground.png?itok=-rDWTImC"}},"625830":{"id":"625830","type":"image","title":"Scott Carver (left) and David Hu (Photo by Renay San Miguel)","body":null,"created":"1568042385","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 15:19:45","changed":"1568042385","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 15:19:45","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238260","name":"Scott Carver David Hu two shot 2 smiling.16x9.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Scott%20Carver%20David%20Hu%20two%20shot%202%20smiling.16x9.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Scott%20Carver%20David%20Hu%20two%20shot%202%20smiling.16x9.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":523101,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Scott%20Carver%20David%20Hu%20two%20shot%202%20smiling.16x9.jpg?itok=K6Dy6WSj"}},"625831":{"id":"625831","type":"image","title":"Patricia Yang (right) and Scott Carver (Photo by Renay San Miguel)","body":null,"created":"1568042437","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 15:20:37","changed":"1568042518","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 15:21:58","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238261","name":"Scott and student 2.sq10.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Scott%20and%20student%202.sq10.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Scott%20and%20student%202.sq10.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":371817,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Scott%20and%20student%202.sq10.jpg?itok=7yaWlgD4"}},"625832":{"id":"625832","type":"image","title":"Kelly Qiu working on pig intestine (Photo by Maureen Rouhi)","body":null,"created":"1568042486","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 15:21:26","changed":"1568042486","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 15:21:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238262","name":"Kelly Qiu.sq10.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kelly%20Qiu.sq10.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kelly%20Qiu.sq10.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":402964,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Kelly%20Qiu.sq10.jpg?itok=mrNWhdGc"}},"625833":{"id":"625833","type":"image","title":"Michael Kowalski (left) and Scott Carver (Photo by Renay San Miguel)","body":null,"created":"1568042582","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 15:23:02","changed":"1568042582","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 15:23:02","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238263","name":"Carver and students 2.sq_.10.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Carver%20and%20students%202.sq_.10.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Carver%20and%20students%202.sq_.10.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":417435,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Carver%20and%20students%202.sq_.10.jpg?itok=K7zmF0Zu"}},"625842":{"id":"625842","type":"image","title":"Intestine mockup made of cloth (Photo by Renay San Miguel) ","body":null,"created":"1568043751","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 15:42:31","changed":"1568043751","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 15:42:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238264","name":"Intestine mockup.sq10.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Intestine%20mockup.sq10.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Intestine%20mockup.sq10.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":334487,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Intestine%20mockup.sq10.jpg?itok=J9KZuys0"}}},"media_ids":["625857","625859","625830","625831","625832","625833","625842"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"182254","name":"cubic feces"},{"id":"182253","name":"wombat"},{"id":"174263","name":"defecation"},{"id":"2584","name":"fluid dynamics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"625871":{"#nid":"625871","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Periodontitis Bacteria Love Colon and Dirt Microbes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETrue or false? Bacteria living in the same space, like the mouth, have evolved collaborations so generous that they are not possible with outside bacteria. That was long held to be true, but\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2019\/08\/14\/1907619116.short?rss=1\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein a new, large-scale study\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;of microbial interactions, the resounding answer was \u0026ldquo;false.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch led by the Georgia Institute of Technology found that common mouth bacteria responsible for acute periodontitis fared better overall when paired with bacteria and other microbes that live anywhere but the mouth, including some commonly found in the colon or in dirt. Bacteria from the oral microbiome, by contrast, generally shared food and assistance more stingily with gum infector\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans\u003C\/em\u003E, or\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;for short.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELike many bacteria known for\u0026nbsp;infections they can cause \u0026ndash; like\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EStrep\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ndash;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eoften live peacefully in the mouth, and certain circumstances turn them into infectors. The researchers and their sponsors at the National Institutes of Health would like to know more about how\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;interacts with other microbes to gain insights that may eventually help fight acute periodontitis and other ailments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Periodontitis is the most prevalent human infection on the planet after cavities,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMarvin Whiteley, a professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the study\u0026rsquo;s principal investigator. \u0026ldquo;Those bugs get into your bloodstream every day, and there has been a long, noted correlation between poor oral hygiene and prevalence of heart disease.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUnnatural pairing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings are surprising because bacteria in a microbiome have indeed evolved intricate interactions making it seem logical that those interactions would stand out as uniquely generous. Some mouth microbes even have special docking sites to bind to their partners, and much previous research has tightly focused on their cooperations. The new study went broad.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We asked a bigger question: How do microbes interact with bugs they co-evolved with as opposed to how they would interact with microbes they had hardly ever seen. We thought they would not interact well with the other bugs, but it was the opposite,\u0026rdquo; Whiteley said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0026rsquo;s scale was massive. Researchers manipulated and tracked nearly all of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026rsquo;s roughly 2,100 genes using an emergent gene tagging technology while pairing\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;with 25 other microbes \u0026mdash; about half from the mouth and half from other body areas or the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey did not examine the mouth microbiome as a whole because multi-microbial synergies would have made interactions incalculable. Instead, the researchers paired\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;with one other bug at a time \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;plus mouth bacterium X,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;plus colon bacterium Y,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;plus dirt fungus Z, and so on.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We wanted to see specifically which genes\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;needed to survive in each partnership and which ones it could do without because it was getting help from the partner,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/whiteleylab.biosci.gatech.edu\/?q=people\/gina\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGina Lewin, a postdoctoral researcher\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Whiteley\u0026rsquo;s lab and the study\u0026rsquo;s first author. They published their results\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2019\/08\/14\/1907619116.short?rss=1\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQ \u0026amp; A\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow could they tell that\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;was doing well or poorly with another microbe?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers looked at each of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026rsquo;s genes necessary for survival while it infected a mouse -- when\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;was the sole infector, when it partnered with a fellow mouth bacterium and when paired with a microbe from colon, dirt, or skin.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;was by itself, it needed a certain set of genes to survive \u0026ndash; like for breathing oxygen,\u0026rdquo; Lewin said. \u0026ldquo;It was striking that when\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;was with this or that microbe that it normally didn\u0026rsquo;t live around, it no longer needed a lot of its own genes. The other microbe was giving\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;things that it needed, so it didn\u0026rsquo;t have to make them itself.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Interactions between usual neighbors \u0026mdash; other mouth bacteria \u0026mdash; looked more frugal,\u0026rdquo; Whiteley said. \u0026ldquo;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;needed a lot more of its own genes to survive around them, sometimes more than when it was by itself.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E[Ready for graduate school?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu\/apply-now\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHere\u0026#39;s how to apply to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/a\u003E]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did the emerging genetic marking method work?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo understand \u0026ldquo;transposon sequencing,\u0026rdquo; picture a transposon as a DNA brick that cracks a gene, breaking its function. The brick also sticks to the gene and can be detected by DNA sequencing, thus tagging that malfunction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEvery\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;bacterium in a pile of 10,000 had a brick in a random gene. If\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026rsquo;s partner bacterium, say,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EE. coli,\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;picked up the slack for a broken function,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;survived and multiplied even with the damaged gene, and researchers detected a higher number of bacteria containing the gene.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;surviving with more broken genes meant a partner microbe was giving it more assistance.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;bacteria with broken genes that a partner could not compensate for were more likely to die, reducing their count.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDoes this mean the mouth microbiome does not have unique relationships?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt very likely does have them, but the study\u0026rsquo;s results point to not all relationships being cooperative. Some microbiomes could have high fences and share sparsely.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;One friend or enemy may be driving your behavior, and other microbes may just be standing around,\u0026rdquo; Lewin said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESmoking, poor hygiene, or diabetes \u0026mdash; all associated with gum disease \u0026mdash; might be damaging defensive microbiomes and allowing outside bacteria to help\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAa\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;attack gum tissue. It\u0026rsquo;s too early to know that, but Whiteley\u0026rsquo;s lab wants to dig deeper, and the research could have implications for other microbiomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso read:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/626754\/test-life-threatening-nutrient-deficit-made-bacteria-entrails\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETest for Life-Threatening Nutrient Deficit Made From Bacteria Entrails\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThese researchers coauthored the study: Apollo Stacy from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Kelly Michie from Georgia Tech, and Richard Lamont from the University of Louisville. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health\u0026rsquo;s National Institute of Infectious Diseases (grants R01DE020100, R01DE023193) and the National Institutes of Health (grants F32DE027281, F31DE024931). Any findings, conclusions or recommendations are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Institutes of Health. Whiteley is also a\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and Co-Director of Emory-Children\u0026rsquo;s Cystic Fibrosis Center.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408), email:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMythbuster: The idea that bacterial collaborations within microbiomes, like in the mouth, have evolved to be generous and exclusive very much appears to be\u0026nbsp;wrong. In an extensive experiment, lavish collaborations\u0026nbsp;ensued between random\u0026nbsp;microbes. And some bacteria from the same microbiome were stingy with one another.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Mythbuster: Ideas that bacterial collaborations within microbiomes are generous and exclusive appear to be quite wrong."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2019-09-09 18:49:39","changed_gmt":"2019-10-04 14:46:21","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-09-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-09-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"625866":{"id":"625866","type":"image","title":"Periodontitis culprit Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans by CC","body":null,"created":"1568053316","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 18:21:56","changed":"1568053316","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 18:21:56","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238276","name":"Aa.micro_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Aa.micro_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Aa.micro_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":128082,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Aa.micro_.jpg?itok=WnQO59lK"}},"625867":{"id":"625867","type":"image","title":"Researcher looks at culture on dish","body":null,"created":"1568053714","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 18:28:34","changed":"1568053714","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 18:28:34","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238277","name":"Kelly.looks_.up_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kelly.looks_.up_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kelly.looks_.up_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2489389,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Kelly.looks_.up_.jpg?itok=9NfcGmiD"}},"625868":{"id":"625868","type":"image","title":"Anoxic chamber for anaerobic bacterial study","body":null,"created":"1568053977","gmt_created":"2019-09-09 18:32:57","changed":"1568054011","gmt_changed":"2019-09-09 18:33:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238278","name":"Kelly.anoxic.tent_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kelly.anoxic.tent_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kelly.anoxic.tent_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2673740,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Kelly.anoxic.tent_.jpg?itok=UmCB5yqd"}}},"media_ids":["625866","625867","625868"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"56501","name":"microbiome"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"182260","name":"bacterial colonies"},{"id":"182261","name":"Bacteria communication"},{"id":"182262","name":"bacteria community type"},{"id":"7187","name":"fungus"},{"id":"182263","name":"fungal disease"},{"id":"182264","name":"AA"},{"id":"182265","name":"Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans"},{"id":"182266","name":"Periodontal Disease"},{"id":"182267","name":"Periodontitis"},{"id":"182268","name":"oral microbiome"},{"id":"182269","name":"Oral Bacteria"},{"id":"8949","name":"Heart Disease"},{"id":"182270","name":"Gum Disease"},{"id":"182271","name":"transposon insertion"},{"id":"182272","name":"sequencing analysis"},{"id":"182273","name":"genomic sequencing"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"625123":{"#nid":"625123","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech, Institut Pasteur Receive $2.5 M NIH Grant to Study Phage Therapy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAn interdisciplinary team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Institut Pasteur has\u0026nbsp;received a $2.5 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to advance the clinical potential of bacteria-killing viruses \u0026ndash; also called bacteriophage, or phage.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOver the five years of the award, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz \u003C\/a\u003Eof the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.pasteur.fr\/en\/team\/group-laurent-debarbieux\/\u0022\u003ELaurent Debarbieux\u003C\/a\u003E of the Institut Pasteur, in Paris, will jointly lead teams in the U.S. and France to research interactions between bacteriophage and the host\u0026rsquo;s immune response in treating acute respiratory infections caused by multi-drug-resistant bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens represents a significant public health challenge.\u0026nbsp; In response, scientists and clinicians are exploring alternative ways to cure bacterial infections that cannot be treated with antibiotics. One approach is to use bacteriophage, which exclusively infect and eliminate bacteria. In a 2017 study published in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1931312817302585?via%3Dihub\u0022\u003ECell Host and Microbe\u003C\/a\u003E, the teams of Weitz and Debarbieux showed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/593453\u0022\u003Ethat a synergy between an infected animal\u0026rsquo;s immune system and phage is essential to curing an infection\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAdvancing the fundamental understanding of phage therapy will help advance its robust and reliable use in the clinic. The five-year NIH grant (1R01AI46592-01; Synergistic Control of Acute Respiratory Pathogens by Bacteriophage and the Innate Immune Response) will enable the U.S. and French teams to examine the dynamics of the synergy between phage and the immune response in treating acute respiratory infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This project represents an important opportunity to integrate mathematical modeling into the foundations of phage therapy research,\u0026rdquo; Weitz says. \u0026ldquo;We look forward to extending our ongoing collaboration with the experimental phage therapy team led by Laurent Debarbieux to iteratively refine a mechanistic understanding of how phage therapy works in vivo and to develop candidate approaches to deploy phage therapy in translational settings.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo achieve their goals, the principal investigators will combine mathematical modeling (at Georgia Tech) and animal experiments (at the Institut Pasteur). Building on their 2017 findings, the team will examine the interactions between therapeutic phage; neutrophils, which are the cells of the immune system involved in the synergy; and multi-drug-resistant \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa \u003C\/em\u003Ein an acute respiratory pneumonia mouse model system. The project will focus on understanding and optimizing synergistic interactions between phage and neutrophils in eliminating bacteria, even when the animal host\u0026rsquo;s immune response is impaired.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOverall, this project aims to provide a framework for advancing principles of phage ecology and innate immunology in the rational design of phage therapy for therapeutic use.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Five-year project aims to advance clinical potential of bacteria-killing viruses to treat antibiotic-resistant infections"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institutes of Health has awarded a $2.5 M grant over five years to advance the clinical potential of bacteria-killing viruses to treat antibiotic-resistant infections. Joshua Weitz of the School of Biological Sciences and Justin Debarbieux of Institut Pasteur will lead teams in the U.S. and France to research the interaction between bacteriophage, bacteria, and the innate immune response to enable use of phage therapy even with patients with impaired immune systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $2.5 million grant over five years to advance the clinical potential of bacteriophage to treat antibiotic-resistant infections."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-08-25 18:57:50","changed_gmt":"2019-08-29 13:02:50","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-08-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-08-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"618041":{"id":"618041","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1550526179","gmt_created":"2019-02-18 21:42:59","changed":"1550526179","gmt_changed":"2019-02-18 21:42:59","alt":"","file":{"fid":"235263","name":"2018 Joshua Weitz.square.2.5x2.5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Joshua%20Weitz.square.2.5x2.5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Joshua%20Weitz.square.2.5x2.5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":159586,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Joshua%20Weitz.square.2.5x2.5.jpg?itok=Za2sF3IW"}},"625122":{"id":"625122","type":"image","title":"Laurent Debarbieux","body":null,"created":"1566758260","gmt_created":"2019-08-25 18:37:40","changed":"1566759595","gmt_changed":"2019-08-25 18:59:55","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238001","name":"Laurent.Debarbieux-grand-2007.sq3_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Laurent.Debarbieux-grand-2007.sq3_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Laurent.Debarbieux-grand-2007.sq3_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":432647,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Laurent.Debarbieux-grand-2007.sq3_.jpg?itok=2thX4dyp"}}},"media_ids":["618041","625122"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/593453","title":"Bacteria-Killing Virus Teams Up with Animal Immune Response to Cure Acute Infections"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"176627","name":"Bacteriophage"},{"id":"13534","name":"Phage"},{"id":"182157","name":"multi-drug-resistant bacteria"},{"id":"174942","name":"immunophage synergy; Joshua Weitz"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"625040":{"#nid":"625040","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Scurrying Roaches Help Researchers Steady Staggering Robots","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEw, a cockroach! But it zips off before the swatter appears. Now, researchers have leveraged the bug\u0026rsquo;s superb scurrying skills to create a cleverly simple method to assess and improve locomotion in robots.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENormally, tedious modeling of mechanics, electronics, and information science is required to understand how insects\u0026rsquo; or robots\u0026rsquo; moving parts coordinate smoothly to take them places. But\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-11613-y\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein a new study\u003C\/a\u003E, biomechanics researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology boiled down the sprints of cockroaches to handy principles and equations they then used to make a test robot amble about better.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe method told the researchers about how each leg operates on its own, how they all come together as a whole, and the harmony or lack thereof in how they do it. Despite bugs\u0026rsquo; and bots\u0026rsquo; utterly divergent motion dynamics, the new method worked for both and should work for other robots and animals, too.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe biological robot, the roach, was the far superior runner with neurological signals guiding six impeccably evolved legs. The mechanical robot, a consumer model, had four stubby legs and no nervous system but relied instead for locomotion control on coarse physical forces traveling through its chassis as crude signals to roughly coordinate its clunky gait.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The robot was much bulkier and could hardly sense its environment. The cockroach had many senses and can adapt better to rough terrain. Bumps as high as its hips wouldn\u0026rsquo;t slow it down at all,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/izaak-neveln-776315b2\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIzaak Neveln\u003C\/a\u003E, the study\u0026rsquo;s first author, who was a postdoctoral researcher in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sponberg.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Elab of Simon Sponberg at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003Eduring the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvanced simplicity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe method, or \u0026ldquo;measure,\u0026rdquo; as the study calls it, transcended these huge differences, which pervade animal-inspired robotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The measure is general (universal) in the sense that it can be used regardless of whether the signals are neural spiking patterns,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lexico.com\/en\/definition\/kinematics\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ekinematics\u003C\/a\u003E, voltages or forces and does not depend on the particular relationship between the signals,\u0026rdquo; the study\u0026rsquo;s authors wrote.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENo matter how a bug or a bot functions, the measure\u0026rsquo;s mathematical inputs and outputs are always in the same units. The measure will not always eliminate the need for modeling, but it stands to shorten and guide modeling and avert anguishing missteps.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe authors\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-11613-y\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epublished the study in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in August 2019. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sponberg.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESponberg is an assistant professor\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Physics and in the School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECentralization vs. decentralization\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOften a bot or an animal sends many walking signals through a central system to harmonize locomotion, but not all signals are centralized. Even in humans, though locomotion strongly depends on signals from the central nervous system, some neural signals are confined to regions of the body; they are localized signals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESome insects appear to move with little centralization -- such as stick bugs, also known as walking sticks, whose legs prod about nearly independently. Stick bugs are\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YxtWFd1yVoc\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ewonky runners\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The idea has been that the stick bugs have the more localized control of motion, whereas a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/youtu.be\/1ro6PNqkHEM?t=18\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ecockroach goes very fast\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and needs to maintain stability, and its motion control is probably more centralized, more clocklike,\u0026rdquo; Neveln said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStrong centralization of signals generally coordinates locomotion better. Centralized signals\u0026nbsp;could be code traveling through an elaborate robot\u0026rsquo;s wiring, a cockroach\u0026rsquo;s central neurons synching its legs, or the clunky robot\u0026#39;s chassis tilting away from a leg thumping the ground thus putting weight onto an opposing leg.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERoboticists need to see through the differences and figure out the interplay of a locomotor\u0026rsquo;s local and central signals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E[Ready for graduate school?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu\/apply-now\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHere\u0026#39;s how to apply to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/a\u003E]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECool physics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new \u0026ldquo;measure\u0026rdquo; does this by focusing on an overarching phenomenon in the walking legs, which\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.app.goo.gl\/BYTfJYwuZw53yJsT7\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ecan be seen as pendula\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;moving back and forth. For great locomotion, they need to synch up in what is called phase-coupling oscillations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA fun, easy experiment illustrates this physics principle. If a few, say six, metronomes \u0026ndash; ticking rhythm pendula that piano teachers use -- are swinging out of sync, and you place them all on a platform that freely sways along with the metronomes\u0026rsquo; swings,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/youtu.be\/Aaxw4zbULMs?t=5\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe swings will sync up in unison\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Phase_portrait#\/media\/File:Pendulum_phase_portrait_illustration.svg\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ephases, or directions, of their oscillations\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;are coupling with each other by centralizing their composite mechanical impulses through the platform. This particular example of phase-coupling is mechanical, but it can also be computational or neurological -- like in the roach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIts legs would be analogous to the swinging metronomes, and central neuromuscular activity analogous to the free-swaying platform. In the roach, not all six legs swing in the same direction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Their synchronization is not uniform. Three legs are synchronized in phase with each other -- the front and back legs of one side with the middle leg of the other side -- and those three are synchronized out of phase with the other three,\u0026rdquo; Neveln said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s an alternating tripod gait. One tripod of three legs alternates with the other tripod of three legs.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUseless pogoing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd just like pendula, each leg\u0026rsquo;s swings can be graphed as a wave. All the legs\u0026rsquo; waves can be averaged into an overall roach scurry wave and then developed into more useful math that relates centralization with decentralization and factors like\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lexico.com\/en\/definition\/entropy\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eentropy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that can throw locomotion control off.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe resulting principles and math benefited the clunky robot, which has strong decentralized signals in its leg motors that react to leg contact with the ground, and centralized control weaker than that of the stick bug. The researchers graphed out the robot\u0026#39;s\u0026nbsp;movements, too, but they didn\u0026#39;t result in the neatly synced group of waves that the cockroach had produced.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers turned with the principles and math to the clunky robot, which initially was out of sorts -- bucking or hopping uselessly like a pogo stick. Then the scientists strengthened centralized control by re-weighting its chassis to make it move more coherently.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The metronomes on the platform are mechanical coupling, and our robot coordinates control that way,\u0026rdquo; Neveln said. \u0026ldquo;You can change the mechanical coupling of the robot by repositioning its weights. We were able to predict the changes this would make by using the measure we developed from the cockroach.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECockroach surprises\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also wired up specific roach muscles and neurons to observe their syncopations with the scurry waves. Seventeen cockroaches took 2,982 strides to inform the principles and math, and the bugs also sprung surprises on the researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne stuck out: The scientists had thought signaling centralized more when the roach sped up, but instead, both central and local signaling strengthened, perhaps doubling down on the message: Run!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Amoolya Tiramulai coauthored the paper. The National Science Foundation funded the research (grant # NSF CAREER MPS\/PoLS 1554790). Any findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and not necessarily of the NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408), email:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETo walk or run with finesse, roaches and\u0026nbsp;robots coordinate leg movements via signals sent through centralized systems -- but\u0026nbsp;utterly divergent ones. Despite their seemingly unbridgeable differences,\u0026nbsp;researchers have devised handy principles and equations from studying roaches\u0026nbsp;to assess how both beasts and bots locomote and to improve robotic gait.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have leveraged cockroaches\u0027 scurrying skills for a cleverly simple method to assess and improve locomotion in robots."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2019-08-22 20:47:25","changed_gmt":"2019-08-26 15:06:02","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-08-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-08-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"625034":{"id":"625034","type":"image","title":"Off-the-shelf robot with four legs","body":null,"created":"1566505226","gmt_created":"2019-08-22 20:20:26","changed":"1566831950","gmt_changed":"2019-08-26 15:05:50","alt":"","file":{"fid":"238011","name":"Minotaur2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Minotaur2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Minotaur2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":408218,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Minotaur2.jpg?itok=FUiBusB7"}},"625031":{"id":"625031","type":"image","title":"The swings of cockroach legs as rough sine waves","body":null,"created":"1566505031","gmt_created":"2019-08-22 20:17:11","changed":"1566505031","gmt_changed":"2019-08-22 20:17:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237971","name":"Screen Shot 2019-08-09 at 16.07.27.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Screen%20Shot%202019-08-09%20at%2016.07.27.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Screen%20Shot%202019-08-09%20at%2016.07.27.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1031075,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Screen%20Shot%202019-08-09%20at%2016.07.27.png?itok=66mZnVjc"}},"625035":{"id":"625035","type":"image","title":"Cockroach Blaberus discoidalis","body":null,"created":"1566506115","gmt_created":"2019-08-22 20:35:15","changed":"1566506115","gmt_changed":"2019-08-22 20:35:15","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237975","name":"Naturkundliche_Sammlung_U\u0308bermaxx_U\u0308berseemuseum_Bremen_0036.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Naturkundliche_Sammlung_U%CC%88bermaxx_U%CC%88berseemuseum_Bremen_0036.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Naturkundliche_Sammlung_U%CC%88bermaxx_U%CC%88berseemuseum_Bremen_0036.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":649861,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Naturkundliche_Sammlung_U%CC%88bermaxx_U%CC%88berseemuseum_Bremen_0036.jpeg?itok=BiA7tg30"}}},"media_ids":["625034","625031","625035"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"182104","name":"Roach"},{"id":"182105","name":"Cockroach"},{"id":"182106","name":"phase-coupled oscillations"},{"id":"182107","name":"GAIT"},{"id":"7719","name":"walk"},{"id":"4285","name":"running"},{"id":"182108","name":"running ability"},{"id":"182109","name":"walking ability"},{"id":"182110","name":"Coupled-oscillator network"},{"id":"377","name":"locomotion"},{"id":"182111","name":"locomotor"},{"id":"182112","name":"locomotor instability"},{"id":"7738","name":"central nervous system"},{"id":"182113","name":"Information-based centralization"},{"id":"182114","name":"global control"},{"id":"182115","name":"local control"},{"id":"182116","name":"global signal"},{"id":"182117","name":"local signal"},{"id":"7121","name":"kinematics"},{"id":"2552","name":"robotic"},{"id":"182118","name":"centralization-decentralization axis"},{"id":"182119","name":"Kuramoto"},{"id":"182120","name":"mechanosensory feedback"},{"id":"181092","name":"Inertia"},{"id":"171924","name":"entropy"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"623911":{"#nid":"623911","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Pre-Life Building Blocks Spontaneously Align in Evolutionary Experiment","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Earth was a lifeless planet about 4 billion years ago, chemical components came together in tiny molecular chains that would later evolve into proteins, crucial life building blocks. A \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2019\/07\/23\/1904849116\/tab-article-info\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Enew study\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has shown how fortuitously some early predecessors of protein may have fallen into line.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the laboratory, under conditions mimicking those on pre-life Earth, a small selection of amino acids linked up spontaneously into neat segments in a way that surprised researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology. They had given these amino acids found in proteins today some stiff competition by adding amino acids not found in proteins, thinking these non-protein, or non-biological, amino acids would probably not allow predominantly biological segments to come together.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe non-biological amino acids had the potential to chemically react equally well or better than the biological ones and frequently become part of the tiny chains, perhaps serving as an in-between step in the greater evolution toward proteins. The experiment dashed those expectations -- but to the researchers\u0026rsquo; delight. The reactions resulted mostly in strings that were closer to today\u0026rsquo;s actual proteins and less in\u0026nbsp;chains that included non-biological amino acids.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The non-biological amino acids were being excluded to some extent,\u0026rdquo; said Nick Hud, one of the study\u0026rsquo;s principal investigators,\u0026nbsp;a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hud\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERegents Professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and associate director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPetit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDoorway to evolution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn particular, the researchers had thought the non-biological amino acids would outcompete the biological amino acid lysine, but it was not the case. They also thought lysine would often not fit neatly into the chains the way\u0026nbsp;it does in proteins. The reaction surprised them again.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Lysine went into the chains predominantly in the way that it is connected in proteins today,\u0026rdquo; said Hud, who is also director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/centerforchemicalevolution.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution\u003C\/a\u003E (CCE), which is headquartered at Georgia Tech and explores chemistry that may have paved the way to first life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team, which included collaborators from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scripps.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThe Scripps Research\u003C\/a\u003E Institute, published their results \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2019\/07\/23\/1904849116\/tab-article-info\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the journal\u003Cem\u003E Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E on July 29, 2019. The research was funded by the NSF and NASA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0026rsquo;s experiment points to chemical evolution having prefabricated some amino acid chains useful in living systems before life had evolved a way to make proteins. The preference for the incorporation of the biological amino acids over non-biological counterparts also adds to possible explanations for why life selected for just 20 amino acids when 500 occurred naturally on the Hadean Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our idea is that life started with the many building blocks that were there and selected a subset of them, but we don\u0026rsquo;t know how much was selected on the basis of pure chemistry or how much biological processes did the selecting. Looking at this study, it appears today\u0026rsquo;s biology may reflect these early prebiotic chemical reactions more than we had thought,\u0026rdquo; said Loren Williams, another principal investigator in the study and a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/~lw26\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eprofessor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;as well as a Petit Institute researcher.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E[Ready for graduate school?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu\/apply-now\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHere\u0026#39;s how to apply to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/a\u003E]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMono, oligo, poly\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo help understand the study\u0026rsquo;s significance, let\u0026rsquo;s look at how proteins form, then at the study\u0026rsquo;s core experiment, which revealed an unexpectedly high preference for bonds between sites called alpha-amines (\u0026alpha;-amines) on the biological amino acids. Those bonds gave resulting molecular segments a protein-like shape in the lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a protein, one amino acid is a single chemical unit, or monomer. A few of them linked together is called an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/chemistry\/oligomer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eoligomer\u003C\/a\u003E, and really long chains are polymers. In proteins, the polymer is called a polypeptide -- named after the peptide bonds that link its monomers together.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPolypeptides are long chains that often form helices, like old phone cords, or flat sheets. They kink and fold up into specific, mostly functional wads, sheets, and other shapes, which are called proteins. The study looked at how amino acid monomers linked up to make interesting oligomers that look like small pieces of proteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHadean Eon experiment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELate in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/quatr.us\/geology\/hadean-eon-earth-moon-proteins-rna.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHadean Eon\u003C\/a\u003E, Earth\u0026rsquo;s earliest phase, when prebiotic chemistry was taking shape, the planet\u0026rsquo;s surface was awash in vulcanism and rain, and large meteors pummeled it with new chemicals. The researchers\u0026rsquo; experimental lab setup reflected relatively mild conditions for those times and feasibly present ingredients.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFirst author \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/hud\/moran-frenkel-pinter\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMoran Frenkel-Pinter\u003C\/a\u003E placed the biological amino acids lysine, arginine, and histidine together with three non-biological competitors in water containing hydroxy acids. Hydroxy acids are known to facilitate amino acid reactions and would have been common on prebiotic Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe mixture was heated to 85 degrees Celsius, pushing the reaction and evaporating the water, and the researchers analyzed the products formed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We found this high preference for the inclusion of these biological amino acids and the linkage via the \u0026alpha;-amine,\u0026rdquo; said Frenkel-Pinter, a NASA postdoctoral researcher in the CCE.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmine groups are made of nitrogen and hydrogen and are quite reactive, but the \u0026alpha;-amine is part of the core of an amino acid, and other amines in this experiment were at the end of a sidechain extending off the core. The latter is often more reactive.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It surprised us that this chemistry favored the \u0026alpha;-amine connection found in proteins, even though chemical principles might have led us to believe that the non-protein connection would be favored,\u0026rdquo; Frenkel-Pinter said. \u0026ldquo;The preference for the protein-like linkage over non-protein was about seven to one.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEasy chemical evolution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMost resulting oligomers had evenly placed links in the chain, which are used in life, as opposed to non-\u0026alpha;-amine bonded oligomers, which built more irregular chains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe finished products were mostly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/595443\/was-primordial-soup-hearty-pre-protein-stew\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Edepsipeptides\u003C\/a\u003E, which the CCE previously \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/595443\/was-primordial-soup-hearty-pre-protein-stew\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eestablished as stepping stone products in an easy, reliable pathway to peptides\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn another reflection of life chemistry, the abiotic depsipeptide transition to peptides is the same basic reaction (ester-amide) carried out by ribosomes, the cellular machines that make proteins today.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESurprise reactions, in which potential pre-life chemistry casually falls into place, have happened often in the CCE\u0026rsquo;s research. They have shored up the center\u0026rsquo;s core\u0026nbsp;hypothesis that most biological polymers formed\u0026nbsp;in\u0026nbsp;wet and dry cycles, perhaps on rain-swept dirt flats or lakeshore rocks regularly baked by the sun\u0026rsquo;s heat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite its grounded simplicity, the premise of everyday wet-dry cycles\u0026nbsp;being key to the origin of life is unconventional, challenging a more established narrative that improbable concurrences of cataclysms and multiple ingredients were necessary to produce life\u0026rsquo;s early materials in rare and volatile events.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso read:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/616798\/helix-dna-fame-may-have-arisen-startling-ease\u0022 target=\u0022_top\u0022\u003EThe Helix, of DNA Fame, May Have Arisen with Startling Ease\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThese researchers coauthored the study: Jay Haynes, Martin C, Anton Petrov, and Bradley Burcar of Georgia Tech; and Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy and Luke Leman of Scripps. All researchers are members of the NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA under the center\u0026rsquo;s grant (CHE-1504217). Any findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors and not necessarily of the funding agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408), email:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt nearly baffled researchers to see\u0026nbsp;amino acids that make up life today spontaneously link\u0026nbsp;up under lab conditions that mimicked those of pre-life Earth. The amino acids formed short predecessors of today\u0026#39;s proteins even though\u0026nbsp;researchers made it hard on the amino acids by adding non-biological competitor molecules. They thought the competitors would chemically out-game the biological amino acids, but instead, natural chemistry preferred the life building blocks by a very wide margin.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Defying expectations, life building blocks spontaneously linked up in an experiment on how prebiotic chemistry took steps toward becoming the early life chemistry behind proteins."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2019-08-01 16:59:12","changed_gmt":"2019-08-19 14:30:06","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-08-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-08-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"623913":{"id":"623913","type":"image","title":"NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution banner partial","body":null,"created":"1564680208","gmt_created":"2019-08-01 17:23:28","changed":"1564680225","gmt_changed":"2019-08-01 17:23:45","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237633","name":"CCE.banner.outtake.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CCE.banner.outtake.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CCE.banner.outtake.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3134064,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CCE.banner.outtake.jpg?itok=MtnFQ2Qo"}},"623908":{"id":"623908","type":"image","title":"Hadean Eon Getty Images","body":null,"created":"1564676294","gmt_created":"2019-08-01 16:18:14","changed":"1564676445","gmt_changed":"2019-08-01 16:20:45","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237630","name":"Hadean.GettyImages-112717369.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Hadean.GettyImages-112717369.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Hadean.GettyImages-112717369.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":273986,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Hadean.GettyImages-112717369.jpg?itok=wP5lwF2Z"}},"623909":{"id":"623909","type":"image","title":"NSF Center for Chemical Evolution banner","body":null,"created":"1564676991","gmt_created":"2019-08-01 16:29:51","changed":"1564676991","gmt_changed":"2019-08-01 16:29:51","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237631","name":"bannermural.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bannermural.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bannermural.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2003225,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bannermural.png?itok=0JxS01Kh"}},"588112":{"id":"588112","type":"image","title":"Nick Hud","body":null,"created":"1488314795","gmt_created":"2017-02-28 20:46:35","changed":"1488314795","gmt_changed":"2017-02-28 20:46:35","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224129","name":"nick-hud-ba-uracil_1__1_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_1__1__0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_1__1__0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":62652,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_1__1__0.jpg?itok=Xax_G2Uq"}},"614074":{"id":"614074","type":"image","title":"Loren Williams portrait photo","body":null,"created":"1541784612","gmt_created":"2018-11-09 17:30:12","changed":"1541784612","gmt_changed":"2018-11-09 17:30:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233779","name":"Loren.portrait.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Loren.portrait.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Loren.portrait.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2571851,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Loren.portrait.jpg?itok=YhMRbHpl"}},"619362":{"id":"619362","type":"image","title":"Moran Frenkel-Pinter","body":null,"created":"1552921987","gmt_created":"2019-03-18 15:13:07","changed":"1564677391","gmt_changed":"2019-08-01 16:36:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"235788","name":"2019 Moran Frenkel-Pinter.sq250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Moran%20Frenkel-Pinter.sq250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Moran%20Frenkel-Pinter.sq250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":88850,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Moran%20Frenkel-Pinter.sq250.jpg?itok=o0jBy_R3"}}},"media_ids":["623913","623908","623909","588112","614074","619362"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"89971","name":"chemical evolution"},{"id":"109501","name":"amino acids"},{"id":"181866","name":"lysine"},{"id":"181867","name":"oligomer"},{"id":"10339","name":"center for chemical evolution"},{"id":"181868","name":"wet-dry cycle"},{"id":"175401","name":"depsipeptide"},{"id":"181869","name":"non-biological amino acids"},{"id":"181870","name":"biological amino acids"},{"id":"181871","name":"self-selecting"},{"id":"181872","name":"self-selection"},{"id":"6730","name":"ribosome"},{"id":"181873","name":"ester-amide"},{"id":"175402","name":"proto-peptide"},{"id":"181874","name":"Hadean Eon"},{"id":"363","name":"NSF"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"623770":{"#nid":"623770","#data":{"type":"news","title":" Atomic Structure of DNA-Templated Silver Cluster","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe July 24, 2019, issue of the \u003Cem\u003EJournal of the American Chemical Society\u003C\/em\u003E highlights the atomic structure of a DNA-templated cluster of eight silver atoms (Ag8). The image is based on work in the labs of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Dickson\u0022\u003ERobert Dickson\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Lieberman\/Raquel\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E, professors in the Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www2.furman.edu\/academics\/chemistry\/faculty-and-staff\/Pages\/Jeffrey-Petty.aspx\u0022\u003EJeffrey Petty\u003C\/a\u003E, a chemistry professor in Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina. \u0026nbsp;The\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/jacs.8b12203\u0022\u003E study was published online in December\u003C\/a\u003E and now appears in print.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;Multinuclear silver clusters encapsulated by DNA are known to fluoresce and otherwise harbor interesting photophysical properties, but their atomic\u0026nbsp;organization has been poorly understood,\u0026quot; Lieberman says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper presents the first crystal structure of a fluorescent silver-DNA adduct, with eight silver atoms encased between two strands of DNA. The work shows a fully reciprocal relationship between the encapsulating, flexible DNA host and the silver cluster, with the eight atoms arrayed like the Big Dipper.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;These findings provide a guide for future studies to correlate DNA sequence, metal organization, and photophysical properties of these of these light-emitting, emissive biomolecule\u0026ndash;metallocluster hybrids,\u0026quot; Lieberman says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"  Work in in the labs of Raquel Lieberman and Robert Dickson lands on JACS cover"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"  Work in in the labs of Raquel Lieberman and Robert Dickson lands on JACS cover"}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-07-29 18:50:46","changed_gmt":"2019-08-13 21:05:44","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-07-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-07-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"623769":{"id":"623769","type":"image","title":"July 24, 2019, JACS cover features Ag8 cluster in Big Dipper array (Credit American Chemical Society)","body":null,"created":"1564424896","gmt_created":"2019-07-29 18:28:16","changed":"1564426452","gmt_changed":"2019-07-29 18:54:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237581","name":"2019 JACS cover Raquel Lieberman_Page_1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20JACS%20cover%20Raquel%20Lieberman_Page_1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20JACS%20cover%20Raquel%20Lieberman_Page_1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3651824,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20JACS%20cover%20Raquel%20Lieberman_Page_1.png?itok=EVaVByh6"}}},"media_ids":["623769"],"groups":[{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"181827","name":"silver cluster"},{"id":"181828","name":"DNA-silver cluster"},{"id":"10858","name":"Raquel Lieberman"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"623759":{"#nid":"623759","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hackers Could Use Connected Cars to Gridlock Whole Cities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the year 2026, at rush hour, your self-driving car abruptly shuts down right where it blocks traffic. You climb out to see gridlock down every street in view, then a news alert on your watch tells you that hackers have paralyzed all Manhattan traffic by randomly stranding internet-connected cars.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFlashback to July 2019, the dawn of autonomous vehicles and other connected cars, and physicists at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Multiscale Systems, Inc. have applied physics \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.aps.org\/pre\/abstract\/10.1103\/PhysRevE.100.012316\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ein a new study\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to simulate what it would take for future hackers to wreak exactly this widespread havoc by randomly stranding these cars. The researchers want to expand the current discussion on automotive cybersecurity, which mainly focuses on hacks that could \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/technology\/our-driverless-future\/keep-hackers-out-of-your-driverless-car\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ecrash one car\u003C\/a\u003E or run over one pedestrian, to include potential mass mayhem.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey warn that even with increasingly tighter cyber defenses, the amount of data breached has soared in the past four years, but objects becoming hackable can convert the rising cyber threat into a potential physical menace.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Unlike most of the data breaches we hear about, hacked cars have physical consequences,\u0026rdquo; said Peter Yunker, who co-led the study and is an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eassistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt may not be that hard for state, terroristic, or mischievous actors to commandeer parts of the internet of things, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.spectator.co.uk\/2018\/07\/the-dream-of-driverless-cars-is-dying\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eincluding cars\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;With cars, one of the worrying things is that currently there is effectively one central computing system, and a lot runs through it. You don\u0026rsquo;t necessarily have separate systems to run your car and run your satellite radio. If you can get into one, you may be able to get into the other,\u0026rdquo; said Jesse Silverberg of Multiscale Systems, Inc., who co-led the study with Yunker\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFreezing traffic solid\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn simulations of hacking internet-connected cars, the researchers froze traffic in Manhattan nearly solid, and it would not even take that to wreak havoc. Here are their results, and the numbers are conservative for reasons mentioned below.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Randomly stalling 20 percent of cars during rush hour would mean total traffic freeze. At 20 percent, the city has been broken up into small islands, where you may be able to inch around a few blocks, but no one would be able to move across town,\u0026rdquo; said David Yanni, a graduate research assistant in Yunker\u0026rsquo;s lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENot all cars on the road would have to be connected, just enough for hackers to stall 20 percent of all cars on the road. For example, if 40 percent of all cars on the road were connected, hacking half would suffice.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHacking 10 percent of all cars at rush hour would debilitate traffic enough to prevent emergency vehicles from expediently cutting through traffic that is inching along citywide. The same thing would happen with a 20 percent hack during intermediate daytime traffic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers\u0026rsquo; results appear \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.aps.org\/pre\/abstract\/10.1103\/PhysRevE.100.012316\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EPhysical Review E\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;on July 20, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E. The study is not embargoed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E[Ready for graduate school?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu\/apply-now\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHere\u0026#39;s how to apply to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/a\u003E]\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIt could take less\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the city to be safe, hacking damage would have to be below that. In other cities, things could be worse.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Manhattan has a nice grid, and that makes traffic more efficient. Looking at cities without large grids like Atlanta, Boston, or Los Angeles, and we think hackers could do worse harm because a grid makes you more robust with redundancies to get to the same places down many different routes,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers left out factors that would likely worsen hacking damage, thus a real-world hack may require stalling even fewer cars to shut down Manhattan.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I want to emphasize that we only considered static situations \u0026ndash; if roads are blocked or not blocked. In many cases, blocked roads spill over traffic into other roads, which we also did not include. If we were to factor in these other things, the number of cars you\u0026rsquo;d have to stall would likely drop down significantly,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also did not factor in ensuing public panic nor car occupants becoming pedestrians that would further block streets or cause accidents. Nor did they consider hacks that would target cars at locations that maximize trouble.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey also stress that they are not cybersecurity experts, nor are they saying anything about the likelihood of someone carrying out such a hack. They simply want to give security experts a calculable idea of the scale of a hack that would shut a city down.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers do have some general ideas of how to reduce the potential damage.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Split up the digital network influencing the cars to make it impossible to access too many cars through one network,\u0026rdquo; said lead author Skanka Vivek, a postdoctoral researcher in Yunker\u0026rsquo;s lab. \u0026ldquo;If you could also make sure that cars next to each other can\u0026rsquo;t be hacked at the same time that would decrease the risk of them blocking off traffic together.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETraffic jams as physics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYunker researches in soft matter physics, which looks at how constituent parts \u0026ndash; in this case, connected cars \u0026ndash; act as one whole physical phenomenon. The research team analyzed the movements of cars on streets with varying numbers of lanes, including how they get around stalled vehicles and found they could apply a physics approach to what they observed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Whether traffic is halted or not can be explained by classic percolation theory used in many different fields of physics and mathematics,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Percolation_theory\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPercolation theory\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is often used in materials science to determine if a desirable quality like a specific rigidity will spread throughout a material to make the final product uniformly stable. In this case, stalled cars spread to make formerly flowing streets rigid and stuck.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe shut streets would be only those in which hacked cars have cut off all lanes or in which they have become hindrances that other cars can\u0026rsquo;t maneuver around and do not include streets where hacked cars still allow traffic flow.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers chose Manhattan for their simulations because a lot of data was available on that city\u0026rsquo;s traffic patterns.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso READ: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/connected-new-world\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026#39;s cybersecurity researchers tackle the\u0026nbsp;internet of things\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe study was coauthored by Skanda Vivek and David Yanni of Georgia Tech and Jesse Silverberg of Multiscale Systems, Inc. Any findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the authors.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408), email:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a future where\u0026nbsp;self-driving and other internet-connected cars share the roads with the rest of us, hackers could not only wreck the occasional vehicle but possibly compound attacks to gridlock whole cities by stalling out a limited percentage of connected cars. Physicists calculated how many stalled cars would cause how much mayhem.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Hackers could gridlock whole cities by stalling out a limited percentage of self-driving and other connected vehicles."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2019-07-29 15:20:09","changed_gmt":"2019-08-01 16:54:43","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-07-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-07-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"623747":{"id":"623747","type":"image","title":"Manhattan gridlock","body":null,"created":"1564409967","gmt_created":"2019-07-29 14:19:27","changed":"1564409967","gmt_changed":"2019-07-29 14:19:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237567","name":"New_York_City_Gridlock.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/New_York_City_Gridlock.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/New_York_City_Gridlock.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3358855,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/New_York_City_Gridlock.jpg?itok=wn1cpawR"}},"623752":{"id":"623752","type":"image","title":"Gridlock Manhattan","body":null,"created":"1564410856","gmt_created":"2019-07-29 14:34:16","changed":"1564410856","gmt_changed":"2019-07-29 14:34:16","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237571","name":"New_York_City_Gridlock.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/New_York_City_Gridlock_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/New_York_City_Gridlock_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3358855,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/New_York_City_Gridlock_0.jpg?itok=FOUWZBvu"}},"623754":{"id":"623754","type":"image","title":"Stranded connected cars block traffic","body":null,"created":"1564411039","gmt_created":"2019-07-29 14:37:19","changed":"1564411039","gmt_changed":"2019-07-29 14:37:19","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237573","name":"blocking.scenario.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/blocking.scenario.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/blocking.scenario.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":832265,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/blocking.scenario.jpg?itok=nx_r9s0l"}},"623760":{"id":"623760","type":"image","title":"Hacked Manhattan grid maps","body":null,"created":"1564414826","gmt_created":"2019-07-29 15:40:26","changed":"1564414826","gmt_changed":"2019-07-29 15:40:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237579","name":"Manhattan.hacked.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Manhattan.hacked.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Manhattan.hacked.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":398772,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Manhattan.hacked.jpg?itok=k3kyaT5N"}},"623757":{"id":"623757","type":"image","title":"Gridlock math","body":null,"created":"1564412526","gmt_created":"2019-07-29 15:02:06","changed":"1564412526","gmt_changed":"2019-07-29 15:02:06","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237575","name":"selfdriving.equation.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/selfdriving.equation.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/selfdriving.equation.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2511870,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/selfdriving.equation.png?itok=B3Ru0TP6"}},"623758":{"id":"623758","type":"image","title":"Peter Yunker looking at territorial cholera strains","body":null,"created":"1564412886","gmt_created":"2019-07-29 15:08:06","changed":"1564412886","gmt_changed":"2019-07-29 15:08:06","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237578","name":"Yunker.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4750443,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Yunker.jpg?itok=g2xAvjJc"}}},"media_ids":["623747","623752","623754","623760","623757","623758"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"147","name":"Military Technology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"171930","name":"self-driving"},{"id":"169008","name":"self-driving cars"},{"id":"181813","name":"self-driving car"},{"id":"181814","name":"self-driving simulation"},{"id":"98601","name":"hacking"},{"id":"181815","name":"Hackers"},{"id":"181816","name":"Percolation"},{"id":"181817","name":"percolation threshhold"},{"id":"167045","name":"simulation"},{"id":"181818","name":"cybersceurity"},{"id":"2200","name":"Cyber Attack"},{"id":"10840","name":"cyber attacks"},{"id":"181819","name":"cyber breaches"},{"id":"181820","name":"cyber campaigns"},{"id":"960","name":"physics"},{"id":"167858","name":"soft matter"},{"id":"181821","name":"soft matter physics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"623090":{"#nid":"623090","#data":{"type":"news","title":"What Delayed Earth\u2019s Oxygenation?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPowering a massive biosphere on Earth, photosynthesis is the light-mediated reaction that converts carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates and oxygen. About 2.3 billion years ago, this reaction led to a dramatic oxygenation of Earth\u0026rsquo;s atmosphere.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEvidence exists for oxygen-releasing photosynthesis evolving much earlier \u0026ndash; perhaps as early as 3 billion years ago. However, the oxygen-rich atmosphere we take for granted today has existed for only about 10% of Earth\u0026rsquo;s 4.5-billion-year history. Why did oxygenation of the atmosphere occur so much later than the evolution of oxygen-releasing photosynthesis?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The striking lag has remained an enduring puzzle in the fields of Earth history and planetary science,\u0026rdquo; says Christopher Reinhard, an assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReinhard, former EAS postdoctoral researcher Kazumi Ozaki, and collaborators have proposed a solution to the puzzle. Their findings, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-019-10872-z.epdf?author_access_token=Xe8fIoWSeLjd5mHHB1LqR9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OLYNktx_0XcbQycqbQWoo90jsyrzgyojnDSpqSnMyUUt1lJAsax_OCbLAQTySL8xwdP6pavs6K7bnluMB1nBMdpZSWmaeogDv0OMHE5lN_sA%3D%3D\u0022\u003Epublished in \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, suggest that in the oceans of early Earth, oxygen-releasing photosynthesizers could not compete effectively with their primitive counterparts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EModern photosynthesizers consume water and release oxygen. Primitive ones instead consume dissolved iron ions \u0026ndash; which would have been abundant in the oceans of early Earth. They produce rust as a byproduct instead of oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing experimental microbiology, genomics, and large-scale biogeochemical modeling, \u0026ldquo;we found that photosynthetic bacteria that use iron instead of water are fierce competitors for light and nutrients,\u0026rdquo; says Ozaki, the paper\u0026rsquo;s first author and now an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science at Toho University, in Japan. \u0026ldquo;We propose that their ability to outcompete oxygen-producing photosynthesizers is an important component of Earth\u0026rsquo;s global oxygen cycle.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study is part of Reinhard\u0026rsquo;s research goal to understand how the evolution of the photosynthetic biosphere controlled the composition of Earth\u0026rsquo;s atmosphere. \u0026ldquo;We want to understand the timing of major biological innovations and their impact on the chemistry of Earth\u0026rsquo;s oceans and atmosphere. We consider these principles to be central in understanding our own evolutionary origins and the search for life beyond our solar system.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our results contribute to a deeper knowledge of the biological factors controlling the long-term evolution of Earth\u0026rsquo;s atmosphere,\u0026rdquo; Ozaki says. \u0026ldquo;They offer a better mechanistic understanding of the factors that promote oxygenation of the atmospheres of Earth-like planets beyond our solar system.\u0026rdquo; The results \u0026ldquo;yield an entirely new vantage from which to build theoretical models of Earth\u0026rsquo;s biogeochemical oxygen cycle,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard adds.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOther authors of the study are Katharine Thompson, Rachel Simister, and Sean Crowe of the University of British Columbia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReinhard acknowledges support from the NASA Astrobiology Institute, the NASA Postdoctoral Program, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the NASA Nexus for Exoplanet System Science (NExSS).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Photosynthesizers using water, which releases oxygen, could not compete with those using iron"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEvidence exists for oxygen-releasing photosynthesis evolving as early as 3 billion years ago. However, the oxygen-rich atmosphere we take for granted today has existed for only about 10% of Earth\u0026rsquo;s 4.5-billion-year history. Why did oxygenation of the atmosphere occur so much later than the evolution of oxygen-releasing photosynthesis?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Photosynthesizers using water, which releases oxygen, could not compete with those using iron."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-07-09 16:52:08","changed_gmt":"2019-07-11 13:58:48","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"623088":{"id":"623088","type":"image","title":"Kazumi Ozaki and Christopher Reinhard","body":null,"created":"1562690817","gmt_created":"2019-07-09 16:46:57","changed":"1562690817","gmt_changed":"2019-07-09 16:46:57","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237283","name":"Ozaki and Chris Reinhard2.sq3_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ozaki%20and%20Chris%20Reinhard2.sq3_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ozaki%20and%20Chris%20Reinhard2.sq3_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":244049,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Ozaki%20and%20Chris%20Reinhard2.sq3_.jpg?itok=ECxbpwcP"}}},"media_ids":["623088"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/early-earth-struggled-make-oxygen-complex-life","title":"Early Earth Struggled to Make Oxygen for Complex Life"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"18531","name":"photosynthesis"},{"id":"177532","name":"Earth\u0027s oxygenation"},{"id":"181683","name":"biosphere"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"622662":{"#nid":"622662","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Seaweed and sea slugs rely on toxic bacteria to defend against predators","body":[{"value":"\u003Ch4\u003EBy Samantha Mascuch and Julia Kubanek\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor\u0026#39;s Note: This article was \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/theconversation.com\/seaweed-and-sea-slugs-rely-on-toxic-bacteria-to-defend-against-predators-118579\u0022\u003Epublished originally on June 13, 2019, in The Conversation.\u003C\/a\u003E It is republished here through the Creative Common License.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPlants, animals and even microbes that live on coral reefs have evolved a rich variety of defense strategies to protect themselves from predators. Some have physical defenses like spines and camouflage. Others have specialized behaviors \u0026ndash; like a squid expelling ink \u0026ndash; that allow them to escape. Soft-bodied or immobile organisms, like sponges, algae and sea squirts, often defend themselves with noxious chemicals that taste bad or are toxic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESome animals that can\u0026rsquo;t manufacture their own chemical weapons feed on toxic organisms and steal their chemical defenses, having evolved resistance to them. One animal that does this is a sea slug that lives on the reefs surrounding Hawaii and dines on toxic\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EBryopsis\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;algae. Marine scientists suspected the toxin is made by a bacterium that lives within the alga but have only\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aaw6732\u0022\u003Ejust discovered the species\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;responsible and teased apart the complex relationship between slug, seaweed and microbe.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, noxious chemicals allow predators and prey to coexist on coral reefs, increasing their diversity. This is important because diverse ecosystems are more stable and resilient. A greater understanding of the drivers of diversity will aid in reef management and conservation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs marine scientists, we too study chemical defenses in the ocean. Our laboratory group at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/devwp.kubanek.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;explores how marine organisms use chemical signaling to solve critical problems of competition, disease, predation and reproduction. That\u0026rsquo;s why we were particularly excited by the discovery of this new bacterial species.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EOrigins of a chemical defense\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aaw6732\u0022\u003Ereport published in the journal Science\u003C\/a\u003E, researchers at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.princeton.edu\/donialab\/home\u0022\u003EPrinceton University\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.umces.edu\/russell-hill\u0022\u003EUniversity of Maryland\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;discovered that a group of well-studied toxic defense chemicals, the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/jo960877+\u0022\u003Ekahalalides\u003C\/a\u003E, are actually produced by a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aaw6732\u0022\u003Ebacterium that lives inside the cells of a particular species of seaweed\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe scientific community had long speculated that a bacterium might be responsible for producing the kahalalides. So the discovery of the kahalalide-producing bacteria \u0026ndash; belonging to the class Flavobacteria \u0026ndash; has solved a long-standing scientific mystery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBryopsis\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;provides the bacteria with a safe environment and the chemical building blocks necessary for life and to manufacture the kahalalides. In return, the bacterium produces the toxins for the algae, which protect them from hungry fish scouring the reefs. But the seaweed isn\u0026rsquo;t the only organism that benefits from this arrangement.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe kahalalides,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/ja00066a061\u0022\u003Eoriginally discovered in the early 1990s\u003C\/a\u003E, also protect a sea slug,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EElysia rufescens\u003C\/em\u003E, that consumes it. The sea slugs accumulate the toxins from the algae, which then\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1023\/A:1012287105923\u0022\u003Eprotects them from predators\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe discovery of a symbiosis between a bacterium and a seaweed to produce a chemical defense is noteworthy. There are many examples of bacteria living inside the cells of invertebrate animals (like sponges) and manufacturing toxic chemicals, but a partnership involving a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aax8964\u0022\u003Ebacterium living in the cells of a marine seaweed\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to produce a toxin is unusual.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe finding adds a new dimension to our understanding of the types of ecological relationships that produce the chemicals shaping coral reef ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EThe medicinal potential of toxins\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOur lab is home to an enthusiastic multidisciplinary team of marine chemists, microbiologists and ecologists who strive to understand how chemicals facilitate interactions between species in the marine environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe also use ecological insights to guide discovery of novel pharmaceuticals from marine organisms. Chemicals used by marine organisms to interact with their environment, including toxins which protect them from predators, often show promising\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ingentaconnect.com\/contentone\/scs\/chimia\/2017\/00000071\/00000010\/art00002?crawler=true\u0026amp;mimetype=application\/pdf\u0022\u003Emedical applications\u003C\/a\u003E. In fact, the most toxic kahalalide, kahalalide F, has been the focus of clinical trials for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/cr100187n\u0022\u003Etreatment of cancer and psoriasis\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, we conduct our fieldwork in Fiji and the Solomon Islands in collaboration with a research group led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usp.ac.fj\/index.php?id=18023\u0022\u003EKaty Soapi\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at the University of the South Pacific. There you can find us scuba diving to conduct ecological experiments or to collect algae and coral microbes to bring back for study in the laboratory.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring the course of our field work we have had the opportunity to observe\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EBryopsis\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;and have been struck by how lovely it is, standing out with its bright green color against the pinks, grays, browns and blues of a coral reef.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe story of the kahalalides is a good reminder that even though seaweed-associated bacteria may be invisible to the human eye and to fish predators, microbes and their chemicals play an important role in shaping coral reef structure and diversity, by allowing organisms to thrive in the face of predation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESamantha Mascuch is a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Biological Sciences. She\u0026nbsp;receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJulia Kubanek is a professor in the Schools of Biological Sciences and of Chemistry and Biochemistry and associate dean for research in the College of Sciences. She\u0026nbsp;receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and Sandia National Laboratories.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Teasing apart the complex relationship between slug, seaweed, and microbe"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESome animals that can\u0026rsquo;t manufacture their own chemical weapons feed on toxic organisms and steal their chemical defenses, having evolved resistance to them. One animal that does this is a sea slug that lives on the reefs surrounding Hawaii and dines on toxic\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EBryopsis\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;algae. Marine scientists suspected the toxin is made by a bacterium that lives within the alga but have only\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aaw6732\u0022\u003Ejust discovered the species\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;responsible and teased apart the complex relationship between slug, seaweed, and microbe.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Samantha Mascuch and Julia Kubanek unravel the connections between slug, seaweed, and microbe."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-06-21 13:14:09","changed_gmt":"2019-06-21 15:56:41","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"622661":{"id":"622661","type":"image","title":"Samantha Mascuch and Julia Kubanek","body":null,"created":"1561122575","gmt_created":"2019-06-21 13:09:35","changed":"1561122575","gmt_changed":"2019-06-21 13:09:35","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237147","name":"Kubanek_Mascuch_External_News.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kubanek_Mascuch_External_News_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kubanek_Mascuch_External_News_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1018327,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Kubanek_Mascuch_External_News_0.png?itok=WKEZpcgB"}},"622660":{"id":"622660","type":"image","title":"Julia Kubanek during fieldwork in Fiji (Courtesy of Julia Kubanek)","body":null,"created":"1561122353","gmt_created":"2019-06-21 13:05:53","changed":"1561122440","gmt_changed":"2019-06-21 13:07:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237146","name":"2019 Julia Kubanek during fieldwork in Fiji (Julia Kubanek).jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Julia%20Kubanek%20during%20fieldwork%20in%20Fiji%20%28Julia%20Kubanek%29.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Julia%20Kubanek%20during%20fieldwork%20in%20Fiji%20%28Julia%20Kubanek%29.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":43902,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Julia%20Kubanek%20during%20fieldwork%20in%20Fiji%20%28Julia%20Kubanek%29.jpg?itok=pIqmdWB5"}},"622659":{"id":"622659","type":"image","title":"Fijian coral reefs (Courtesy of Julia Kubanek)","body":null,"created":"1561122293","gmt_created":"2019-06-21 13:04:53","changed":"1561122293","gmt_changed":"2019-06-21 13:04:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237145","name":"2019 Fijian coral reef (Julia Kubanek).jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Fijian%20coral%20reef%20%28Julia%20Kubanek%29.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Fijian%20coral%20reef%20%28Julia%20Kubanek%29.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":88903,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Fijian%20coral%20reef%20%28Julia%20Kubanek%29.jpg?itok=5yNx_MKi"}}},"media_ids":["622661","622660","622659"],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[{"id":"179931","name":"Symbiosis"},{"id":"175524","name":"chemical ecology"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"622720":{"#nid":"622720","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Ties Poor Sleep to Reduced Memory Performance in Older Adults","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study has found that variability in night-to-night sleep time and reduced sleep quality adversely affect the ability of older adults to recall information about past events. The study also found unexpected racial differences in the type of sleep patterns tied to lower memory performance across both younger and older African American research participants.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough further investigation will be needed to confirm the results of the pilot study, the findings could help open up a new area of research aimed at understanding the potential connection between poor sleep and the memory declines associated with aging. And the study, which included 50 Atlanta-area adults, also underscores the importance of sleep in maintaining good cognitive functioning.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The night-to-night variability in the older study participants had a major impact on their performance in tests aimed at evaluating episodic memory,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/audrey-duarte\u0022\u003EAudrey Duarte\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E and principal investigator in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/duartelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMemory and Aging Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;The association between sleep and memory has been known, but this study\u0026rsquo;s novelty is showing that the connection is particularly evident for older adults and black participants, regardless of age.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, was reported June 4 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EFrontiers in Human Neuroscience\u003C\/em\u003E. It is believed to be the first study of the relationship between sleep and memory with both age and racial differences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDuarte and Emily Hokett, a Ph.D. student in the School of Psychology, recruited 81 volunteers from the Atlanta area. The volunteers were evaluated carefully to screen out those who had mild cognitive impairment or other potentially confounding factors. Younger adults were recruited in the age range of 18 to 37 years, while older adults were recruited in the range from 56 to 76 years. Ultimately, 50 adults were selected for the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We wanted to look at lifestyle factors to see how people sleep normally, and how their sleep patterns change over time,\u0026rdquo; Hokett explained. \u0026ldquo;We wanted to know how sleep affected memory performance \u0026ndash; how well they remembered things and how well their brains functioned depending on how well they slept.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe participants were given accelerometers worn on their wrists to measure sleep duration and quality over a period of seven nights. Though they did not measure brain waves, the devices allowed sleep measurements to be done in the participants\u0026rsquo; own homes. The researchers sought to provide a more realistic measurement than testing done in sleep labs, which typically lasts just one night.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EParticipants were asked to visit a Georgia Tech laboratory for a memory test that measured electroencephalography (EEG) brain wave activity as they attempted to recall word pairs that had been shown to them earlier. Not surprisingly, better performance correlated with better sleep in most of the older adults.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut Duarte and Hokett were surprised that the relationship between poor sleep and memory-related brain activity extended to both older and younger black participants \u0026ndash; some of whom were college students. To understand the potential causes of the poor sleep, they administered a standardized questionnaire designed to measure stress levels in those participants.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The main factor that correlated with poor sleep quality in black participants was race-related stress,\u0026rdquo; said Hokett. \u0026ldquo;When participants had higher values on that measure of stress, they would also have greater sleep fragmentation, on average. We found a very significant relationship here.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study found that black adults slept for 36 minutes less than other adults, which translated into a 12% decrease in memory-related brain activity. On an average night, black adults in the study spent 15 minutes more time awake after falling asleep than did other participants.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study also found significant variation among subjects in each age group. \u0026ldquo;Some of our 70-year-old subjects looked like our 20-year-old students,\u0026rdquo; Duarte said. \u0026ldquo;There are many factors that contribute to individual differences.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn future research, Duarte and Hokett hope to expand their study to a larger group of participants, to study the relationship between sleep and memory in other underrepresented minorities, and to explore whether variations in sleep patterns could predict a person\u0026rsquo;s likelihood of experiencing diseases such as Alzheimer\u0026rsquo;s.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0026rsquo;s takeaway message may be that regular sleep is important at any age for the best cognitive performance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;You can imagine that many people, students among them, may have variable sleep patterns based on staying up late to study and sleeping in on weekends to catch up,\u0026rdquo; Duarte said. \u0026ldquo;This data shows that may not be the greatest strategy for optimizing memory ability.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYet improvements in sleep may be one area where people concerned about cognitive impairment may have an opportunity to make improvements.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In understanding normative aging, lifestyle factors are a good area to target because they are potentially factors we can control,\u0026rdquo; said Duarte. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s been known for decades that important things are happening while you sleep with regard to memory consolidation and strengthening of memories. Because we knew that sleep quality typically declines in normal aging, this was a prime target for study.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis study was supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (Grant Number: DGE-1650044). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u0026ldquo;Age and Race-Related Differences in Sleep Discontinuity Linked to Associative Memory Performance and Its Neural Underpinnings,\u0026rdquo; Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (June 2019) https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnhum.2019.00176\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study has found that variability in night-to-night sleep time and reduced sleep quality adversely affect the ability of older adults to recall information about past events. The study also found unexpected racial differences in the type of sleep patterns tied to lower memory performance across both younger and older African American research participants.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Variability in night-to-night sleep time and reduced sleep quality adversely affect the ability of older adults to recall information."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2019-06-24 14:27:32","changed_gmt":"2019-06-26 16:53:31","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"622718":{"id":"622718","type":"image","title":"Researchers study sleep and memory","body":null,"created":"1561385914","gmt_created":"2019-06-24 14:18:34","changed":"1561385914","gmt_changed":"2019-06-24 14:18:34","alt":"Chart of data on sleep and memory","file":{"fid":"237166","name":"sleep-memory_1470.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sleep-memory_1470.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sleep-memory_1470.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1127295,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sleep-memory_1470.jpg?itok=m2-HpKfz"}},"622719":{"id":"622719","type":"image","title":"Sleep tied to memory performance","body":null,"created":"1561386068","gmt_created":"2019-06-24 14:21:08","changed":"1561386068","gmt_changed":"2019-06-24 14:21:08","alt":"Poor sleep performance","file":{"fid":"237167","name":"sleep-clock-getty.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sleep-clock-getty.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sleep-clock-getty.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":95328,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sleep-clock-getty.jpg?itok=BtCRCxOg"}}},"media_ids":["622718","622719"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"176","name":"aging"},{"id":"14342","name":"older adults"},{"id":"179822","name":"sleep"},{"id":"1228","name":"memory"},{"id":"181573","name":"memory performance"},{"id":"14224","name":"Audrey Duarte"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"622375":{"#nid":"622375","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Limited Habitable Zone for Complex Life","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor\u0026rsquo;s Note. This article\u0026nbsp;is an abridged version of the story \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.ucr.edu\/articles\/2019\/06\/09\/new-study-dramatically-narrows-search-advanced-life-universe\u0022\u003Epublished on June 9, 2019, by the University of California, Riverside\u003C\/a\u003E. It was adapted for the College of Sciences website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists may need to rethink their estimates for how many planets outside our solar system could host a rich diversity of life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA team led by the University of California, Riverside (UCR), has discovered that a buildup of toxic gases in the atmospheres of most planets makes them unfit for complex life as we know it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETraditionally, much of the search for extraterrestrial life has focused on what scientists call the \u0026ldquo;habitable zone,\u0026rdquo; defined as the range of distances from a star warm enough that liquid water could exist on a planet\u0026rsquo;s surface. That description works for basic, single-celled microbes \u0026mdash; but not for complex creatures like animals, which include everything from simple sponges to humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0026rsquo;s work, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.3847\/1538-4357\/ab1d52\u0022\u003Epublished today in \u003Cem\u003EThe Astrophysical Journal\u003C\/em\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E shows that accounting for predicted levels of certain toxic gases narrows the safe zone for complex life by at least half \u0026mdash; and in some instances eliminates it altogether.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This is the first time the physiological limits of life on Earth have been considered to predict the distribution of complex life elsewhere in the universe,\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;said Timothy Lyons. He is one of the study\u0026rsquo;s coauthors, a distinguished professor of biogeochemistry in UCR\u0026rsquo;s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.ucr.edu\/\u0022\u003EAlternative Earths Astrobiology Center\u003C\/a\u003E, which sponsored the project. \u0026ldquo;Our results indicate that complex ecosystems like ours cannot exist in most regions of the habitable zone as traditionally defined.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our results indicate that complex ecosystems like ours cannot exist in most regions of the habitable zone as traditionally defined.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing computer models to study atmospheric climate and photochemistry on a variety of planets, the team first considered carbon dioxide. Any scuba diver knows that too much of this gas in the body can be deadly. But planets too far from their host star require carbon dioxide \u0026mdash; a potent greenhouse gas \u0026mdash; to maintain temperatures above freezing. Earth included.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;To sustain liquid water at the outer edge of the conventional habitable zone, a planet would need tens of thousands of times more carbon dioxide than Earth has today,\u0026rdquo; said Edward Schwieterman, the study\u0026rsquo;s lead author and a NASA Postdoctoral Program fellow working with Lyons. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s far beyond the levels known to be toxic to human and animal life on Earth.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new study concludes that carbon dioxide toxicity alone restricts simple animal life to no more than half of the traditional habitable zone. For humans and other higher order animals, which are more sensitive, the safe zone shrinks to less than one third of that area.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat is more, no safe zone at all exists for certain stars, including two of the sun\u0026rsquo;s nearest neighbors, Proxima Centauri and TRAPPIST-1. The type and intensity of ultraviolet radiation that these cooler, dimmer stars emit can lead to high concentrations of carbon monoxide, another deadly gas. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in animal blood \u0026mdash; the compound that transports oxygen through the body. Even small amounts of it can cause the death of body cells due to lack of oxygen. Carbon monoxide cannot accumulate on Earth because our hotter, brighter sun drives chemical reactions in the atmosphere that destroy it quickly.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026ldquo;This adds another dimension to the question of whether complex life \u0026mdash; or even intelligence \u0026mdash; is widespread in the universe. It should also really sharpen our appreciation for the possibility that planets like Earth, with huge, complex biospheres, may be extremely rare.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our discoveries provide one way to decide which of these myriad planets we should observe in more detail,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/reinhard-dr-chris\u0022\u003EChristopher Reinhard\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, coauthor of this study, and coleader of the Alternative Earths team. \u0026ldquo;We could identify otherwise habitable planets with carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide levels that are likely too high to support complex life.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFindings from the team\u0026rsquo;s previous work is already informing next-generation space missions such as NASA\u0026rsquo;s proposed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/habex\/\u0022\u003EHabitable Exoplanet Observatory\u003C\/a\u003E. For example, because oxygen is essential to complex life on Earth and can be detected remotely, the team \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ucrtoday.ucr.edu\/53416\u0022\u003Ehas been studying\u003C\/a\u003E how common it may be in different planets\u0026rsquo; atmospheres.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOther than Earth, no planet in our solar system hosts life that can be characterized from a distance. If life exists elsewhere in the solar system, Schwieterman explained, it is deep below a rocky or icy surface. So, exoplanets may be our best hope for finding habitable worlds more like our own.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This adds another dimension to the question of whether complex life \u0026mdash; or even intelligence \u0026mdash; is widespread in the universe,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard said. \u0026ldquo;It should also really sharpen our appreciation for the possibility that planets like Earth, with huge, complex biospheres, may be extremely rare.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Schwieterman, Lyons, and Reinhard, the paper\u0026rsquo;s authors are Stephanie Olson from the University of Chicago and Chester E. Harman from Columbia University. This project was funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Toxic gases limit the types of life we could find on habitable worlds "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists may need to rethink their estimates for how many planets outside our solar system could host a rich diversity of life in light of the discovery\u0026nbsp;that a buildup of toxic gases in the atmospheres of most planets makes them unfit for complex life as we know it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Toxic gases limit the types of life we could find on habitable worlds."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-06-10 15:51:33","changed_gmt":"2019-06-10 16:28:29","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-06-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-06-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"622372":{"id":"622372","type":"image","title":"Are we alone? (Credit Alternative Earths Astrobiology Center, UCR)","body":null,"created":"1560181254","gmt_created":"2019-06-10 15:40:54","changed":"1560181254","gmt_changed":"2019-06-10 15:40:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"237048","name":"2019 Alternative Earths (UCR).jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Alternative%20Earths%20%28UCR%29.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Alternative%20Earths%20%28UCR%29.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8920,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Alternative%20Earths%20%28UCR%29.jpg?itok=VqViTxh7"}},"599765":{"id":"599765","type":"image","title":"Chris Reinhard in lab at Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences","body":null,"created":"1513011988","gmt_created":"2017-12-11 17:06:28","changed":"1513011988","gmt_changed":"2017-12-11 17:06:28","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228651","name":"Reinhard.lab_.small_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Reinhard.lab_.small_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Reinhard.lab_.small_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3200364,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Reinhard.lab_.small_.jpg?itok=tAJ0JjlI"}}},"media_ids":["622372","599765"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/nasa-exobiology-grant-chris-reinhard","title":"NASA Exobiology Grant to Chris Reinhard"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"181498","name":"habitable zone"},{"id":"181499","name":"alternative Earths"},{"id":"170504","name":"Chris Reinhard"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"621176":{"#nid":"621176","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Antibiotics, Taken Strategically, Could Actually Help Defeat Antibiotic Resistance","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the war on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, it\u0026#39;s not so much\u0026nbsp;the antibiotics that are making the enemy stronger as it is how\u0026nbsp;they are prescribed. A \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosbiology\/article\/authors?id=10.1371\/journal.pbio.3000250\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Enew study\u003C\/a\u003E suggests that\u0026nbsp;doctors can beat\u0026nbsp;antibiotic resistance\u0026nbsp;using those same antibiotics\u0026nbsp;but in a very targeted manner and in combination with other health strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe current broad application of antibiotics helps resistant bacterial strains evolve forward. But using data about bacteria\u0026rsquo;s specific resistances when\u0026nbsp;prescribing\u0026nbsp;those same drugs more precisely can help put the\u0026nbsp;evolution\u0026nbsp;of resistant strains in reverse, according to researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Duke University, and Harvard University who conducted the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne researcher cautioned that time is pressing: New strategies against resistance\u0026nbsp;that leverage antibiotics need to be in place\u0026nbsp;before bacteria resistant to most every known antibiotic become too widespread. That would render antibiotics nearly useless, and\u0026nbsp;it has been widely reported that this could happen by mid-century, making\u0026nbsp;bacterial infections much more lethal.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Once you get to that pan-resistant state, it\u0026rsquo;s over,\u0026rdquo; said Sam Brown, who co-led the study and is an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eassociate professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Timing is, unfortunately, an issue in tackling antibiotic resistance.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new study, which was co-led by game theorist David McAdams, a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.fuqua.duke.edu\/~dm121\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eprofessor of business administration and economics\u0026nbsp;at\u0026nbsp;Duke University\u003C\/a\u003E, delivers a mathematical model to help clinical and public health researchers devise new concrete prescription strategies and those\u0026nbsp;supporting health strategies. The measures\u0026nbsp;center\u0026nbsp;on the analysis of\u0026nbsp;bacterial strains to determine what drugs they are resistant to, and which not.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/smithfamilyclinic.org\/how-does-whole-genome-sequencing-work-in-the-lab\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESome medical labs\u003C\/a\u003E already scan human genomes for hereditary predispositions to certain medical conditions. Bacterial genomes are far simpler and much\u0026nbsp;easier to analyze, and though the analytical\u0026nbsp;technology is currently not standard equipment in doctors\u0026rsquo; offices or medical labs they routinely work with, the researchers think this could change in a reasonable amount of time. This\u0026nbsp;would enable the study\u0026rsquo;s approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers published their study \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosbiology\/article\/authors?id=10.1371\/journal.pbio.3000250\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the journal \u003Cem\u003EPLOS Biology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E on May 16, 2019. The work was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, the Simons Foundation, the Human Frontier Science Program, the Wenner-Gren Foundations, and the Royal Physiographic Society of Lund.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQ\u0026amp;A\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHere are some questions and answers on\u0026nbsp;how the study\u0026rsquo;s counterintuitive\u0026nbsp;approach could beat back antibiotic resistance:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EIsn\u0026rsquo;t prescribing antibiotics the problem? How can it fight resistance?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe real\u0026nbsp;problem is the\u0026nbsp;broad application of antibiotics. They\u0026nbsp;treat human infections and farm animals, and in the process are\u0026nbsp;killing off a lot of non-resistant bacteria while\u0026nbsp;bacteria resistant to those drugs survive. The resistant strains can then reproduce\u0026nbsp;and with fewer competitors in their space, then they\u0026nbsp;dominate bacterial communities in the host animals and people.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe resistant bacteria\u0026nbsp;get passed to other hosts and become \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/drugresistance\/about.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Emore prevalent in the world\u003C\/a\u003E altogether. New prescription strategies would outsmart that evolutionary scenario by exposing through genomic (or other) analysis bacteria\u0026rsquo;s resistance but also their vulnerabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Right now, there are rapid tests for the pathogen. If you\u0026rsquo;ve got strep throat, the clinic swabs the bacteria and does a rapid assay that says yes, that\u0026rsquo;s streptococcus,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;But it won\u0026rsquo;t tell you if it\u0026rsquo;s resistant to the drug usually prescribed against it. In the future, diagnostics at the point-of-care could find out what strain you\u0026rsquo;ve got and if it\u0026rsquo;s resistant.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThen clinicians would choose the specific\u0026nbsp;antibiotics that the bacteria are not resistant to, and kill the bacteria, thus also stopping them from spreading the\u0026nbsp;genes behind their resistance to\u0026nbsp;other antibiotics. So, identifying an infector\u0026rsquo;s resistance hits two birds with one stone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s great for fighting antibiotic resistance, but it\u0026rsquo;s also good for patients because we\u0026rsquo;ll always use the correct antibiotic,\u0026rdquo; Brown said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E[Thinking about grad school?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu\/apply-now\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHere\u0026#39;s how to apply to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EAre there enough effective antibiotics left to do this with?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPlenty. Antibiotics still work as a rule.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, searching out and destroying resistant bacteria could help refresh existing antibiotics\u0026rsquo; effectiveness.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The idea is prevalent that we will use antibiotics up, and then they\u0026rsquo;re gone,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;It doesn\u0026rsquo;t have to be that way. This study introduces the concept that antibiotics could become a renewable resource if we act on time.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EAs mentioned above, prescription strategies by themselves won\u0026rsquo;t beat resistance, right?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECorrect. Resistance evolution has some tricky complexities.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A lot of bacteria with the potential to make us sick like \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E spend most of their time just lurking peacefully in our bodies. These are bystander bacteria, and they are exposed to lots of antibiotics that we take for other things such as\u0026nbsp;sore throats or ear aches,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;This frequent exposure is probably the major driver of resistance evolution.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe antibiotic prescription strategy\u0026nbsp;needs those\u0026nbsp;additional\u0026nbsp;health care\u0026nbsp;measures to win the\u0026nbsp;fight, but those measures\u0026nbsp;are pretty straightforward.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EWhat are those additional measures?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDiagnostics need to apply to bystander bacteria, too. \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E in the intestine or, for example,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/pneumococcal\/clinicians\/streptococcus-pneumoniae.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStrep pneumoniae\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E living peacefully in nostrils would be checked for resistance, say, during annual checkups.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If the patient is carrying a resistant strain, you work to beat it back before it can break out,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;There could be non-antibiotic treatments that do this like, perhaps, bacteria replacement.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/digestive-disorders\/news\/20170531\/can-you-change-your-gut-bacteria\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBacteria replacement therapy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;would introduce\u0026nbsp;new bacteria into the patient\u0026rsquo;s body to\u0026nbsp;outcompete\u0026nbsp;the undesirable antibiotic-resistant bacteria and displace\u0026nbsp;it. Also, people would stay home from school and work for a few days so as not to spread the bad bacteria to other people while their immune systems and possibly\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/600252\/want-beat-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-rethink-strep-throat-remedies\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ealternative therapies, such as bacteriophages or non-antibiotic drugs\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;battle the bad bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EThis sounds hopeful, but are there other real-world\u0026nbsp;circumstances to consider?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The study\u0026rsquo;s mathematical models are broad simplifications of real life,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;They don\u0026rsquo;t take into account that pathogens spend a lot of time in other antibiotic-exposed environments such as farms. Dealing with that is going to\u0026nbsp;require\u0026nbsp;some more\u0026nbsp;research.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study also purposely leaves out \u0026quot;polymicrobial infections,\u0026quot; which are infections by multiple kinds of bacteria at the same time. The researchers believe that the study\u0026rsquo;s models can\u0026nbsp;still be relevant to them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We expect the logic of combating drug resistance to still hold in these more complex scenarios, but diagnostics and treatment rules will have to be honed for them specifically,\u0026rdquo; Brown said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso read: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/600252\/want-beat-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-rethink-strep-throat-remedies\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWant to beat antibiotic resistance? Rethink that strep throat prescription\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThese researchers coauthored the study: David McAdams from Duke University, Kristofer Wollein Waldetoft from Georgia Tech, and Christine Tedijanto and Marc Lipsitch from Harvard University. The research was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (grant OADS BAA 2016-N-17812), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the National Institutes of Health (grant U54GM088558), the Simons Foundation (grant 396001), the Human Frontier Science Program (grant RGP0011\/2014), the Wenner-Gren Foundations, and the Royal Physiographic Society of Lund.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia contact\/writer\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu?subject=Clownfish%20anemone%20story\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The same antibiotics driving antibiotic resistance evolution forward could help put it in reverse."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThose same antibiotics driving\u0026nbsp;antibiotic resistance\u0026nbsp;could also help defeat it if\u0026nbsp;used with the right strategy. Making it\u0026nbsp;work\u0026nbsp;would\u0026nbsp;require companion\u0026nbsp;health strategies\u0026nbsp;like staying home from work when carrying resistant bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Those same antibiotics driving the rise in antibiotic resistant bacterial strains could help defeat them if used as part of an informed strategy."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2019-05-01 16:24:46","changed_gmt":"2019-06-12 18:56:41","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-05-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-05-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"600247":{"id":"600247","type":"image","title":"Group A Streptococci NIAID","body":null,"created":"1514489748","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 19:35:48","changed":"1556728853","gmt_changed":"2019-05-01 16:40:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228835","name":"strep2NIAID.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/strep2NIAID.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/strep2NIAID.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":395322,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/strep2NIAID.jpg?itok=2wThLDMr"}},"600248":{"id":"600248","type":"image","title":"Associate Professor Sam Brown, bacterial virulence and evolution","body":null,"created":"1514490509","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 19:48:29","changed":"1514490509","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 19:48:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228836","name":"Sam.sm_.holdsfisheye.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.sm_.holdsfisheye.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.sm_.holdsfisheye.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2911955,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sam.sm_.holdsfisheye.jpg?itok=gz9SR5oM"}},"600250":{"id":"600250","type":"image","title":"Evolution of bacterial resistance to antibiotics","body":null,"created":"1514491473","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 20:04:33","changed":"1514491473","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 20:04:33","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228838","name":"antibiotic resistance cdc.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/antibiotic%20resistance%20cdc.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/antibiotic%20resistance%20cdc.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":506855,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/antibiotic%20resistance%20cdc.jpg?itok=oY4EgVI9"}},"600251":{"id":"600251","type":"image","title":"Antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause horrible infections, lead to death","body":null,"created":"1514492185","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 20:16:25","changed":"1514492280","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 20:18:00","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228839","name":"resistance deaths cdc.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/resistance%20deaths%20cdc.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/resistance%20deaths%20cdc.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":505249,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/resistance%20deaths%20cdc.jpg?itok=su8W9N02"}},"600249":{"id":"600249","type":"image","title":"Sam Brown, associate professor, bacterial virulence and evolution","body":null,"created":"1514490881","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 19:54:41","changed":"1514490881","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 19:54:41","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228837","name":"Sam.sm_.thru_.bench_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.sm_.thru_.bench_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.sm_.thru_.bench_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2280236,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sam.sm_.thru_.bench_.jpg?itok=O5KzRWVG"}}},"media_ids":["600247","600248","600250","600251","600249"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"174503","name":"antibiotic resistance"},{"id":"178562","name":"antibiotic resistance; Sam Brown"},{"id":"1109","name":"antibiotic"},{"id":"176616","name":"bacterial evolution"},{"id":"176631","name":"Penicillin"},{"id":"10679","name":"personalized medicine"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"620967":{"#nid":"620967","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Elma Kajtaz: Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences, with minor in Electrophysiology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEver since she could remember, Elma Kajtaz has been fascinated by the nervous system, its mechanics, and how these mechanics help determine an organism\u0026rsquo;s behavior. An excellent student, she studied behavioral sciences at the University of Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo further pursue her research interests, Elma moved to the U.S. where she worked as a research assistant in the lab of renowned physiologist \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physio.northwestern.edu\/faculty\/profile.html?xid=11464\u0022\u003ECharles J. Heckman\u003C\/a\u003E, at Northwestern University. There, she studied the role of neural circuits in the mammalian spinal cord, in an effort to understand the plasticity of these circuits. Needless to say, she was hooked on neuroscience for life!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELong before the popularity of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.alsa.org\/fight-als\/ice-bucket-challenge.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7sDlBRC9ARIsAD-pDFq3Y_tZdFiLL4zxg2LVu0YJv4BfjS6kfhpN57cKk5dvVePAdkmkm8gaAsDCEALw_wcB\u0022\u003EIce Bucket Challenge\u003C\/a\u003E, Elma helped advance the understanding of spinal cord changes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). \u0026ldquo;The accomplishment gave me a profound sense of purpose and satisfaction that determined my life trajectory,\u0026rdquo; Elma says. \u0026ldquo;I was headed for a Ph.D. at Tech.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Heckman\u0026rsquo;s encouragement, Elma learned about the research of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/richard-nichols\u0022\u003ET. Richard Nichols\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences and in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/T.-Richard-Nichols\u0022\u003EWalter H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I was intrigued and fascinated, so I applied to Tech to study with him,\u0026rdquo; Elma says. \u0026ldquo;From the first moment I met Dr. Nichols, I knew I needed to learn everything I could from him. His wonderful view on life, insightful scientific ideas, vast knowledge, and unmatched care for humans made him an incredible mentor. I am incredibly happy to have had a chance to work with him.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is the most important thing you learned at Georgia Tech? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI learned the value of support and collaboration. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI completed my thesis research in Dr. Nichols\u0026rsquo; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pwp.gatech.edu\/neurophysiology\/\u0022\u003ENeurophysiology Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E with a multidisciplinary team of electrical engineers, medical scientists, and physical therapists.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe faculty at Tech are recognized leaders in motor control, with deep and specific expertise in proprioceptive feedback networks (Drs. Nichols and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/timothy-cope\u0022\u003ETimothy Cope\u003C\/a\u003E) and biomechanics and motor control (Drs. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/boris-Prilutsky\u0022\u003EBoris Prilutsky\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/simon-sponberg\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E). Their extensive database of neuromechanical data collected through decades of high-level research provided a unique reference for comparison that does not exist in any other institution. Moreover, they gladly share their knowledge, resources, and expertise!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMy research would not have been possible without support and collaboration from a diverse neuroscience community in the lab and across the Tech campus. I benefited from an inclusive, supportive, and collaborative academic environment at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt, indeed, takes a village to raise a neuroscientist.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are your proudest achievements at Georgia Tech? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI take great pride in helping students learn and develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, derive hypotheses and carry out independent research, and collaborate and communicate their ideas to others effectively.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is not surprising that my proudest moments arise from the success of my mentees. Teaching and mentoring have been immensely rewarding and have reaffirmed my desire to be an educator of the next generation of scientists and engineers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhich professor(s) or class(es) made a big impact on you?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMy advisor, Dr. Nichols, was incredibly instrumental to my success as an emerging scientist. He taught me new skills, discussed the wonders of science, and listened to all my hopes, dreams, and fears. He encouraged me to spread my wings, challenge and better myself, and form new collaborations and friendships across campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis encouragement led me to \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EDr. Joshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, when he was starting the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/home\u0022\u003EQuantitative Biosciences (QBioS) program\u003C\/a\u003E. Dr. Weitz taught me an invaluable lesson on how to reason quantitatively in the biosciences despite immense uncertainty, through the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/foundations-quantitative-biosciences-new-cornerstone-course-qbios-phd-0\u0022\u003EFoundations of Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E course, which allowed me to grow as a scientist and reach a new plane of knowledge and understanding.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDr. Weitz and my peers in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/563791\u0022\u003Einaugural QBioS class\u003C\/a\u003E invigorated me, animated my enthusiasm for science, and inspired new ways of thinking about my research. Their unique and diverse scientific interests, willingness to share expertise, and unwavering pursuit of knowledge, made the QBioS program so magnificent.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI am incredibly proud to have been a part of the inaugural QBioS class and to be the first graduate from the QBioS program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your most vivid memory of Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMy dissertation defense was the culmination of my educational, personal, and emotional experiences and efforts. It is something I will remember forever.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn what ways did your time at Georgia Tech transform your life?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech provided an opportunity for me to develop as a neuroscientist, grow as a person, and deepen my friendships.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u0026rsquo;ve met incredible people at Georgia Tech and formed lifelong friendships that are remarkably supportive. I would not be the person I am, without these impactful relationships.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat unique learning activities did you undertake?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYes, Tech does research incredibly well. But I also learned the importance of teaching and mentorship. The personal satisfaction I gain when helping someone with a new skill and watching them succeed is unmatched!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETogether with applied physiology colleagues, I co-founded the student group \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtpaper.wixsite.com\/paper\u0022\u003EPromoting Applied Physiology Education and Research\u003C\/a\u003E (PAPER). We organized, led, and instructed several technical workshops and courses for students and faculty. It is incredibly fulfilling to learn that PAPER is now more alive than ever! It still brings new students together to share skills, communicate ideas, and organize outreach programs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI also had the privilege to share my passion for science and my research findings with a broader and more diverse audience through participation at the annual \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atlantasciencefestival.org\/\u0022\u003EAtlanta Science Festival\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.worldsciencefestival.com\/\u0022\u003EWorld Science Festival\u003C\/a\u003E in New York.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat advice would you give to incoming graduate students at Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOpportunities for personal and academic growth at Georgia Tech are enormous \u0026ndash; a remarkable variety of classes, clubs, programs, facilities, local conferences, seminars, talks, etc. Get involved and take advantage of it all. If something you want is not available, organize it yourself.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGet involved in the greater Atlanta community. Atlanta is your home, not just the place where you study. Make it great.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETake time for yourself, find a hobby, and try new things: hiking, kayaking, swimming. Tech even has an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=m4C8PzSelE0\u0022\u003Eunderwater hockey club\u003C\/a\u003E!\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMake new friendships.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhere are you headed after graduation? \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI will continue in the field of motor control at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/louisville.edu\/medicine\u0022\u003EUniversity of Louisville, School of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E, in the laboratory of an excellent collaborator that focuses on gait impairment following spinal cord injury. Here, I will expand on the research I performed at Tech. This project has significant clinical applications and direct benefits to society. I\u0026rsquo;d like to see it succeed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"It takes a village to raise a neuroscientist"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEver since she could remember, Elma Kajtaz has been fascinated by the nervous system, its mechanics, and how these mechanics help determine an organism\u0026rsquo;s behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"It takes a village to raise a neuroscientist."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-04-26 20:56:25","changed_gmt":"2019-04-29 13:52:13","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-04-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-04-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"620966":{"id":"620966","type":"image","title":"Elma Kajtaz","body":null,"created":"1556311909","gmt_created":"2019-04-26 20:51:49","changed":"1556311909","gmt_changed":"2019-04-26 20:51:49","alt":"","file":{"fid":"236506","name":"2018 Elma Kajtaz.4x5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Elma%20Kajtaz.4x5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Elma%20Kajtaz.4x5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":461253,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Elma%20Kajtaz.4x5.jpg?itok=ZsV5BqXi"}}},"media_ids":["620966"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/563791","title":"College of Sciences Welcomes Inaugural Class of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Quantitative Biosciences"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"181143","name":"locomotion dynamics"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"620518":{"#nid":"620518","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Ratcliff and Yunker: 2019 Sigma Xi Faculty Best Paper Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has named \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWilliam Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E as recipients of the 2019 Sigma Xi Faculty Best Paper Award.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff was recently promoted to associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences and a member of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection\u003C\/a\u003E. Yunker is an assistant professor in the School of Physics. Both are members of the Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe award recognizes the authors of an outstanding paper. Ratcliff and Yunker are co-principal authors of the paper \u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41567-017-0002-y\u0022\u003ECellular packing, mechanical stress and the evolution of multicellularity\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026rdquo; published in \u003Cem\u003ENature Physics\u003C\/em\u003E in 2018.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026ldquo;[The paper] exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and best reflects Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s institutional culture of creative and rigorous exploration.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper was the first to recognize the role of mechanics in the early evolution of multicellular organisms. Ratcliff and Yunker showed \u0026ldquo;how physical stress may have significantly advanced the evolutionary path from single-cell to multicellular organisms,\u0026rdquo; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/599147\u0022\u003Eaccording to a 2017 story about this work\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;In experiments with clusters of yeast cells called snowflake yeast, forces in the clusters\u0026rsquo; physical structures pushed the snowflakes to evolve.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Like the first ancestors of all multicellular organisms, in this study the snowflake yeast found itself in a conundrum: As it got bigger, physical stresses tore it into smaller pieces. So, how to sustain the growth needed to evolve into a complex multicellular organism?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In the lab, those shear forces played right into evolution\u0026rsquo;s hands, laying down a track to direct yeast evolution toward bigger, tougher snowflakes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe partnership has profoundly shaped the two scientists\u0026rsquo; research programs. \u0026ldquo;The paper reflects the deep collaboration between the Yunker and Ratcliff labs,\u0026rdquo; a colleague says. \u0026ldquo;It exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and best reflects Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s institutional culture of creative and rigorous exploration.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;There are few things better than doing exciting, creative science with good friends,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m delighted to share this recognition with such a great team,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Collaboration between biologist and physicist leads to groundbreaking discovery"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has named \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWilliam Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E as recipients of the 2019 Sigma Xi Faculty Best Paper Award. They\u0026nbsp;are co-principal authors of the paper \u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41567-017-0002-y\u0022\u003ECellular packing, mechanical stress and the evolution of multicellularity\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026rdquo; published in \u003Cem\u003ENature Physics\u003C\/em\u003E in 2018.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Collaboration between biologist and physicist leads to groundbreaking discovery."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-04-16 23:34:12","changed_gmt":"2019-04-16 23:40:01","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"620519":{"id":"620519","type":"image","title":"Will Ratcliff (left) and Peter Yunker","body":null,"created":"1555457732","gmt_created":"2019-04-16 23:35:32","changed":"1555457732","gmt_changed":"2019-04-16 23:35:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"236270","name":"2018 ratcliff_and_yunker.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20ratcliff_and_yunker.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20ratcliff_and_yunker.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":336524,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20ratcliff_and_yunker.jpeg?itok=ECAMPdgk"}},"620520":{"id":"620520","type":"image","title":"Yunker and Ratcliff in Yunker\u2019s physics lab","body":null,"created":"1555457789","gmt_created":"2019-04-16 23:36:29","changed":"1555457789","gmt_changed":"2019-04-16 23:36:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"236271","name":"2018 yunker.ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20yunker.ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20yunker.ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":519688,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20yunker.ratcliff.yeast_.jpg?itok=xjLPnDYU"}}},"media_ids":["620519","620520"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/coffee-leads-collaboration","title":"Coffee Leads to Collaboration"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/599147","title":"When physics gives evolution a leg up while breaking one"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/william-ratcliff-2018-sigma-xi-young-faculty-award","title":"William Ratcliff: 2018 Sigma Xi Young Faculty Award"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"181036","name":"2019 Georgia Tech Awards"},{"id":"174014","name":"2017 Sigma Xi Faculty Best Paper Award"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"620513":{"#nid":"620513","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joe Lachance: 2019 CTL\/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joseph-lachance\u0022\u003EJoseph \u0026ldquo;Joe\u0026rdquo; Lachance\u003C\/a\u003E is one of three College of Sciences junior faculty to win Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s 2019\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ctl.gatech.edu\/faculty\/awards\/ctl-bp\u0022\u003ECTL\/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award\u003C\/a\u003E. Jointly supported by the Center for Teaching and Learning and BP America, the award recognizes the excellent teaching and educational innovations that junior faculty bring to campus.\u0026nbsp;Lachance is an assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences and a former \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ctl.gatech.edu\/faculty\/groups\/1969\u0022\u003EClass of 1969 Teaching Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a teacher, Lachance believes his primary role is to help students learn. To accommodate students\u0026rsquo; different learning styles, he integrates lectures with a various activities. These can be discussions of the literature or computer simulations of real data.\u0026nbsp; Because empirical datasets can be messy and complex, Lachance says, students must apply critical thinking to get meaningful results, \u0026ldquo;as opposed to just applying techniques by rote\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETwo examples demonstrate the innovative spirit Lachance has brought to the teaching of population genetics and other topics in biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the course Mathematical Models in Biology (BIOL 2400), Lachance organized an iterated Hawk-Dove tournament. Each round involved pairs of students choosing to be aggressive (Hawk) or cooperative (Dove). As the tournament progressed, students adapted to the behaviors of their classmates. \u0026ldquo;Not only was it fun,\u0026rdquo; Lachance says, \u0026ldquo;but the evolving strategies that arose were evidence that every student had gained a deep understanding of game theory.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026quot;[I]t\u0026rsquo;s my role to do the best I can to facilitate student learning.\u0026nbsp; Besides, what could be more fun than having a chance to share cutting-edge details about subjects you love?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the course Introduction to Evolutionary Biology (BIOL 3600), Lachance hosted an evolution-themed festival, modeled after the annual film festival held by the Society for the Study of Evolution. During the semester, students produced short videos to illustrate concepts of evolutionary biology. On the penultimate class of the semester, Lachance held a film festival featuring the student projects, complete with popcorn, ballots, and a trophy for the top video.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELachance\u0026rsquo;s passion for teaching doesn\u0026rsquo;t go unnoticed. Students note his excitement, enthusiasm, and innovation in class. \u0026ldquo;His classes have given me and my peers unique opportunities to exercise our creativity with what we are learning,\u0026rdquo; one student says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELachance demonstrates his care for students above and beyond what students expect, this student adds. \u0026ldquo;He goes out of his way to express his vested interest in his students\u0026rsquo; achievements and well-being in the classroom and beyond.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It is an honor to be one of this year\u0026rsquo;s recipients of the CTL\/BP Teaching Award,\u0026rdquo; Lachance says.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;As an instructor, it\u0026rsquo;s my role to do the best I can to facilitate student learning.\u0026nbsp; Besides, what could be more fun than having a chance to share cutting-edge details about subjects you love?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Deploying diverse strategies in the classroom"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joseph-lachance\u0022\u003EJoseph \u0026ldquo;Joe\u0026rdquo; Lachance\u003C\/a\u003E is one of three College of Sciences junior faculty to win Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s 2019\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ctl.gatech.edu\/faculty\/awards\/ctl-bp\u0022\u003ECTL\/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award\u003C\/a\u003E. The award recognizes the excellent teaching and educational innovations that junior faculty bring to campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech recognizes his educational innovations in teaching biology. "}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-04-16 23:00:00","changed_gmt":"2019-04-16 23:00:00","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"620512":{"id":"620512","type":"image","title":"Joe Lachance","body":null,"created":"1555455074","gmt_created":"2019-04-16 22:51:14","changed":"1555455074","gmt_changed":"2019-04-16 22:51:14","alt":"","file":{"fid":"236267","name":"2019 Joe Lachance.4x5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Joe%20Lachance.4x5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Joe%20Lachance.4x5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":68628,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Joe%20Lachance.4x5.jpg?itok=vvq4imZK"}}},"media_ids":["620512"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"181036","name":"2019 Georgia Tech Awards"},{"id":"173952","name":"CTL\/BP Junior Faculty Teach Excellence Award"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"620394":{"#nid":"620394","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Using Fish to Unravel How Complex Behavior is Encoded in the Genome and Wired in the Brain","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA collaboration between \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.neuro.mpg.de\/home\u0022\u003EMax Planck Institute of Neurobiology\u003C\/a\u003E (MPIN) has received a grant of $750,000 over three years from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.hfsp.org\/\u0022\u003EHuman Frontier Science Program\u003C\/a\u003E (HFSP). The award will allow research on the molecular and genetic encoding of complex behaviors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team is led by Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/todd-streelman\u0022\u003EJ. Todd Streelman\u003C\/a\u003E and MPIN\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.neuro.mpg.de\/baier\u0022\u003EHerwig Baier\u003C\/a\u003E. Streelman is a professor in, and the chair of, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. Baier is the director of MPIN.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It remains incredibly difficult to identify the cellular basis and the genetic variants underlying complex behavior,\u0026rdquo; Streelman says. \u0026ldquo;Understanding how behavior is encoded requires solving a dual problem involving neurodevelopment and circuit function.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo find answers, Streelman and Baier will develop a model system to chart the complex path from genome to brain to behavior in cichlid fish from Lake Malawi.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMale cichlid fish build bowers to attract females for mating. The bowers are either pits, which are depressions in the sand, or castles, which look like volcanoes. Each type corresponds to a specific behavior encoded in a fish strain.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen the two strains mate, their male offspring display a remarkable behavior: First they construct a pit then a castle. This behavior indicates that a single brain containing two genomes can produce each behavior in succession.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMoreover, gene expression in the brain is biased toward the pit variant of the genome \u0026ndash; or pit allele -- when the fish are digging pits and toward the castle allele when they are building castles. \u0026ldquo;This phenomenon offers the chance to identify both the genome regulatory logic and the neural circuitry underlying complex behavior in one sweep,\u0026rdquo; Baier says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStreelman\u0026rsquo;s group will use single-cell RNA sequencing to pinpoint the cell populations that mediate context-dependent, allele-specific expression in male bower builders. Baier\u0026rsquo;s team will use genome editing and optogenetic tools to manipulate particular neurons in the brains of behaving bower builders.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our collaborative work will thus identify the neurons in which behavior-specific alleles are expressed and then, ideally, match those neurons to the corresponding behavioral output,\u0026rdquo; Baier says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Achieving our goals will demonstrate how the genome is activated in particular cell types to produce context-dependent natural social behaviors,\u0026rdquo; Streelman says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe award is one of only 25 made from a total of 654 letters of intent HFSP received from around the world. HFSP provides funding for frontier research in the life sciences. The highly competitive program is implemented by the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization, based in Strasbourg, France.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Scientists from Georgia Tech and Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology receive $750,000 grant for research "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA collaboration between \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.neuro.mpg.de\/home\u0022\u003EMax Planck Institute of Neurobiology\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has received a grant of $750,000 over three years from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.hfsp.org\/\u0022\u003EHuman Frontier Science Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;The award will allow research on the molecular and genetic encoding of complex behaviors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Scientists from Georgia Tech and Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology receive $750,000 grant for research."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-04-15 13:13:39","changed_gmt":"2019-04-15 13:18:01","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-04-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-04-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"620395":{"id":"620395","type":"image","title":"Cichlids in the lab","body":null,"created":"1555334116","gmt_created":"2019-04-15 13:15:16","changed":"1555334116","gmt_changed":"2019-04-15 13:15:16","alt":"","file":{"fid":"236227","name":"2019 Cichlid fish and set up from Todd Streelman.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Cichlid%20fish%20and%20set%20up%20from%20Todd%20Streelman.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Cichlid%20fish%20and%20set%20up%20from%20Todd%20Streelman.png","mime":"image\/png","size":648937,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Cichlid%20fish%20and%20set%20up%20from%20Todd%20Streelman.png?itok=E-DyULoi"}},"620396":{"id":"620396","type":"image","title":"J. Todd Streelman","body":null,"created":"1555334180","gmt_created":"2019-04-15 13:16:20","changed":"1555334180","gmt_changed":"2019-04-15 13:16:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"236228","name":"20160712.Todd_.Streelman.sq2_.5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/20160712.Todd_.Streelman.sq2_.5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/20160712.Todd_.Streelman.sq2_.5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":44969,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/20160712.Todd_.Streelman.sq2_.5.jpg?itok=_v7cS24u"}},"620397":{"id":"620397","type":"image","title":"Herwig Baier","body":null,"created":"1555334217","gmt_created":"2019-04-15 13:16:57","changed":"1555334217","gmt_changed":"2019-04-15 13:16:57","alt":"","file":{"fid":"236229","name":"2019 Herwig Baier.sq2_.5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Herwig%20Baier.sq2_.5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Herwig%20Baier.sq2_.5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":48742,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Herwig%20Baier.sq2_.5.jpg?itok=SBbLXmUh"}}},"media_ids":["620395","620396","620397"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"181026","name":"cichlid fish; genetics and wiring of complex behavior"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"620268":{"#nid":"620268","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Team Receives $6.25 Million to Study Collective Emergent Behavior","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor\u0026#39;s Note: This story by Tess Malone was fi\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/620260\/researchers-awarded-625-million-study-collective-emergent-behavior\u0022\u003Erst published in the Georgia Tech News Center on Aprl 9, 2019\u003C\/a\u003E. The headlines have been revised for the College of Sciences website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have been awarded $6.25 million from the Department of Defense (DoD) to use collective emergent behavior to achieve task-oriented objectives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDoD\u0026rsquo;s Multidisciplinary University Research Initiatives (MURI) Program funds projects that bring researchers together from diverse backgrounds to work on a complex problem. I\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ideas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Enstitute for Data Engineering and Science \u003C\/a\u003Eco-director, Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/people.math.gatech.edu\/~randall\/\u0022\u003EDana Randall\u003C\/a\u003E, is project investigator and leads a team of six that includes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family Professor in the School of Physics. The Formal Foundations of Algorithmic Matter and Emergent Computation team also includes chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, and computational science researchers from other universities.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are trying to predict and design emergent behavior within computation by using basic algorithms on simple machines to perform complex tasks. Emergent behavior is when a microscopic change in a parameter creates a macroscopic change to a system. This collective behavior is easy to find in nature, from a swarm of bees to a colony of ants, but also appears in other scientific disciplines.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A MURI lets us take a deep dive toward understanding how many computationally limited components at the micro-scale can be programmed to work collectively to produce useful behavior at the macro-scale,\u0026rdquo; said Randall, who is also the ADVANCE Professor of Computing. \u0026ldquo;Our interdisciplinary team combines expertise in many fields, mimicking the research by forming a collaboration that is also greater than the sum of its parts.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe MURI hybrid approach to algorithmic matter combines traditional logic-based programming with non-traditional computational methods, such as using physical characteristics of the interacting matter to drive a system toward collective behavior. One of the goals is to program based on this predictable emergent behavior. The approach also predicts basic properties of the collective\u0026rsquo;s emergent behavior, like whether it will behave like a gas, fluid, or solid. In this context, emergent behavior turns into emergent collective computation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;MURI promises basic algorithms that allow very simple machines to work collectively to perform amazingly complex tasks,\u0026rdquo; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) chemical engineering Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/srg.mit.edu\/\u0022\u003EMichael Strano\u003C\/a\u003E said. \u0026ldquo;Our team will examine systems of autonomous cell-like particles that interact and respond to the movement of their neighbors in a programmable way. Theorists will be able to test ideas of emergent computation from these simple devices and learn how to execute tasks from the behavior of relatively simple, autonomous particles.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the behavior has footing in physics, computer science, and swarm robotics, there is no underlying framework to explain why until this research. The multidisciplinary approach allows theory and experiment to continuously inform each other and determine the computational capabilities of emergent behavior. The team has an ideal range of expertise in machine learning, control theory, and non-equilibrium physics and algorithms. They are also working with experimentalists who build collective systems at granular and microscopic scales.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;An exciting aspect of this collaboration will be our attempts to interface and integrate ideas and tools from robotics, non-equilibrium physics, control theory, and computer science to develop task-capable swarms,\u0026rdquo; Goldman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis MURI project will run for five years and is funded by the Army Research Office. In addition to Randall, Goldman, and Strano, the team also includes Arizona State computational science and engineering Professor Andrea Richa, MIT physics Associate Professor Jeremy England, and Northwestern mechanical engineering Professor Todd Murphey.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe overarching goal is to find how simplistic the computation can be for this complexity. This could lead to advances in engineered systems achieving specific task-oriented goals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The MURI promises nothing short of the transformation of robots,\u0026rdquo; Strano said, \u0026ldquo;from the large, bulky constructions that we think of today, to future clouds or swarms that enable functions that are currently impossible to realize.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Tess Malone\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Team includes School of Physics\u0027 Dan Goldman"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech team that includes School of Physics\u0026#39; Dan Goldman has been awarded $6.25 million by\u0026nbsp;the Department of Defense (DoD) to use collective emergent behavior to achieve task-oriented objectives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech team that includes physicist Dan Goldman has been awarded $6.25 million to study collective emergent behavior."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-04-10 13:39:38","changed_gmt":"2019-04-10 13:40:25","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-04-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-04-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"620256":{"id":"620256","type":"image","title":"Vibrating robots with magnetic interactions","body":null,"created":"1554854240","gmt_created":"2019-04-09 23:57:20","changed":"1554854240","gmt_changed":"2019-04-09 23:57:20","alt":"Vibrating robots use magnetic interaction","file":{"fid":"236163","name":"emergent-behavior-003.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/emergent-behavior-003.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/emergent-behavior-003.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":631207,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/emergent-behavior-003.jpg?itok=w64KiO3t"}},"620257":{"id":"620257","type":"image","title":"Mimicking ferromagnetic materials","body":null,"created":"1554854384","gmt_created":"2019-04-09 23:59:44","changed":"1554854384","gmt_changed":"2019-04-09 23:59:44","alt":"Collection of vibrating robots","file":{"fid":"236164","name":"emergent-behavior-007.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/emergent-behavior-007.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/emergent-behavior-007.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":551716,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/emergent-behavior-007.jpg?itok=powPopyo"}},"620258":{"id":"620258","type":"image","title":"Researchers for MURI","body":null,"created":"1554854549","gmt_created":"2019-04-10 00:02:29","changed":"1554854549","gmt_changed":"2019-04-10 00:02:29","alt":"MURI researchers","file":{"fid":"236165","name":"emergent-behavior-015.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/emergent-behavior-015.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/emergent-behavior-015.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":616211,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/emergent-behavior-015.jpg?itok=0ZOpq6AH"}}},"media_ids":["620256","620257","620258"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"181004","name":"emergent behavior"},{"id":"181005","name":"collective behavior"},{"id":"24211","name":"MURI"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"181009","name":"vibrating robot"},{"id":"3167","name":"algorithm"},{"id":"10467","name":"Dana Randall"},{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Computing\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["tess.malone@cc.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"619757":{"#nid":"619757","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Using Smartphones and Laptops to Simulate Deadly Heart Arrhythmias ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EModeling the complex electrical waves that cause heart arrhythmias could provide the key to understanding and treating a major cause of death in the world. Until now, however, real-time modeling of those deadly waveforms within millions of interacting heart cells required especially powerful computer clusters \u0026ndash; even supercomputers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing graphics processing chips designed for gaming applications and software that runs on ordinary web browsers, researchers have moved this modeling of the deadly spiral wave heart arrhythmias to less costly computers, and even to high-end smartphones. That could put the real-time 3D modeling into the hands of clinicians who may one day use the system to diagnose and treat these abnormal heart rhythms. The new tools could also help researchers study new drugs that must be evaluated for their potential to cause heart arrhythmias.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond cardiac issues, which can require solving billions of equations, the tools could also be applied to other physical systems, such as fluid flow and crystal growth. The research, which has been supported by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, is reported March 27 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E. The new simulation tools rely on Web Graphics Library (WebGL 2.0) and can run on most common operating systems, independent of the operating system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Models that might have been accessible to only a handful of researchers in the world will now be available to many more groups,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFlavio Fenton\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0026ldquo;This also opens the door to many other areas of research where people have equations that can be run in parallel. Anybody can have access to these solutions, which run simulations as much as thousands of times faster than standard CPUs.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton and collaborators at Georgia Tech and Rochester Institute of Technology have been studying harmful heart rhythm patterns to understand them \u0026ndash; and potentially to design control strategies that go beyond existing treatments, which use drugs, implantable devices and tissue ablation to halt the arrhythmias. Ultimately, the researchers envision doctors using the simulations on tablet computers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Being able to do real-time simulations in three dimensions could open the door to clinical applications where we could actually obtain patient geometries and solve these equations in the cells that are packed into the heart,\u0026rdquo; said Elizabeth Cherry, a professor of mathematics at Rochester Institute of Technology and one of the project researchers. \u0026ldquo;We could see applications in the clinic that could individualize treatments on the basis of their specific heart geometries. We could actually test possible therapies to see what would work for each patient.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKey to what they have done are graphics processing units (GPUs), which were developed to help computers display graphics and video. Their development and application have now taken off with the growth of the computer gaming industry, which needs fast parallel processing. High-end smartphones have as many as 900 GPU cores, while high-end graphics cards for laptop or desktop computers may have more than 5,000. Each core can process simulation data, providing a massively parallel computing system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Over the past several years, GPUs have become really powerful,\u0026rdquo; Fenton said. \u0026ldquo;Each one has multiple processors, so you can run problems in parallel like a supercomputer does. As many as 40 or 50 differential equations must be calculated for each cell, and we need to understand how millions of cells interact. I was surprised that even a cellphone may have enough GPU cores to run these simulations.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHarnessing GPU power is not all the researchers have done. Software for the GPUs varies by manufacturer and chip type. To allow the simulations to run on any GPU, Research Scientist Abouzar Kaboudian developed a versatile programming library that enabled him and his team of collaborators to develop programs in WebGL that run through web browsers such as Chrome and Firefox. Through a browser, the tools can run the simulations on a variety of computers, tablets and phones \u0026ndash; without the need to install any new programs on them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you have access to the Internet and a modern web browser like Firefox or Chrome, you can just go to a web link and the simulation will start running on the graphics card of your computer,\u0026rdquo; said Kaboudian. \u0026ldquo;Any problem that can be parallelized can run on the library that we have created. It will accelerate simulations on any computer by several hundred times.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the original goal was to simulate heart arrhythmias, the tools can be useful with other simulations such as chemical reactions, fluid flow, crystal growth and geophysical forces.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Oscillating forces can reduce the lifespan of civil engineering structures such as petroleum platforms and underwater pipelines,\u0026rdquo; Kaboudian said. \u0026ldquo;To understand these forces, you have to understand fluid flow around the structures and how to control the oscillations. With this program, you can see the effects of changes to modify your design strategy in real time.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers have developed ten different models based on their WebGL programming, and are planning to make the tools available to other researchers who want to use them. They are planning future enhancements, such as the ability to run the simulations on more than one GPU card to achieve even higher computational speeds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThough high-end graphics cards can range in cost up to thousands of dollars, even those that cost only a few hundred dollars can provide computational power that would be only possible on supercomputers that would normally cost several hundred thousand dollars, Kaboudian said. In this way, they may provide real savings compared to operating large computer clusters or supercomputers. And that could make simulations available to more researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Being able to run these simulations on GPU cards greatly lowers the cost compared to a traditional supercomputer,\u0026rdquo; Cherry noted. \u0026ldquo;Even the GPUs of high-end cellphones can run these simulations. That will expand access by moving these simulations onto smaller local devices that researchers are familiar with and can afford.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation\u0026rsquo;s Computer and Network Systems under grants CNS-1446675 and CNS-1446312 and by the National Institute of Health\u0026rsquo;s National Heart Lung and Blood Institute under grant 1R01HL143450-01. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Abouzar Kaboudian, Elizabeth M. Cherry, Flavio H. Fenton, \u0026ldquo;Real-time interactive simulations of large-scale systems on personal computers and cell phones: Toward patient-specific heart modeling and other applications,\u0026rdquo; (Science Advances, 2019).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EModeling the complex electrical waves that cause heart arrhythmias could provide the key to understanding and treating a major cause of death in the world. Until now, however, real-time modeling of those deadly waveforms within millions of interacting heart cells required especially powerful computer clusters \u0026ndash; even supercomputers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers are using smartphones and laptop computers to model heart arrhythmias."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2019-03-27 18:02:58","changed_gmt":"2019-03-27 18:06:30","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-03-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-03-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"619739":{"id":"619739","type":"image","title":"Cardiac and fluid flow simulations","body":null,"created":"1553708602","gmt_created":"2019-03-27 17:43:22","changed":"1553708602","gmt_changed":"2019-03-27 17:43:22","alt":"Examining cardiac and fluid flow simulations","file":{"fid":"235956","name":"heart-arrhythmia-002.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-002.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-002.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":502216,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-002.jpg?itok=fD6ulrNc"}},"619740":{"id":"619740","type":"image","title":"Smartphone screens showing cardiac simulations","body":null,"created":"1553708752","gmt_created":"2019-03-27 17:45:52","changed":"1553708752","gmt_changed":"2019-03-27 17:45:52","alt":"Cardiac simulations shown on smartphones","file":{"fid":"235957","name":"heart-arrhythmia-011.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-011.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-011.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":392222,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-011.jpg?itok=-P_CoVCw"}},"619748":{"id":"619748","type":"image","title":"Researchers discuss simulations","body":null,"created":"1553709145","gmt_created":"2019-03-27 17:52:25","changed":"1553709145","gmt_changed":"2019-03-27 17:52:25","alt":"Researchers discuss simulations","file":{"fid":"235960","name":"heart-arrhythmia-008.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-008.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-008.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":542883,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-008.jpg?itok=58ma4jJc"}},"619745":{"id":"619745","type":"image","title":"Researchers use graphics processing chips","body":null,"created":"1553709024","gmt_created":"2019-03-27 17:50:24","changed":"1553709024","gmt_changed":"2019-03-27 17:50:24","alt":"Researchers using graphics processing chips for simulations","file":{"fid":"235959","name":"heart-arrhythmia-006.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-006.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-006.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":672227,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-006.jpg?itok=jfuBglBL"}},"619742":{"id":"619742","type":"image","title":"Cardiac and fluid flow simulations2","body":null,"created":"1553708880","gmt_created":"2019-03-27 17:48:00","changed":"1553708880","gmt_changed":"2019-03-27 17:48:00","alt":"Examining cardiac and fluid flow simulations","file":{"fid":"235958","name":"heart-arrhythmia-005.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-005.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-005.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":663446,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/heart-arrhythmia-005.jpg?itok=8tigxUGf"}}},"media_ids":["619739","619740","619748","619745","619742"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"180904","name":"arrhythmia"},{"id":"5221","name":"cardiac"},{"id":"2583","name":"heart"},{"id":"168908","name":"smartphone"},{"id":"10420","name":"graphics processing units"},{"id":"205","name":"GPU"},{"id":"167045","name":"simulation"},{"id":"2623","name":"modeling"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"619422":{"#nid":"619422","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Carbon Monoxide as Sign of Extraterrestrial Life ","body":[{"value":"\u003Ch6\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEditor\u0026rsquo;s Note: This story was adapted from a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.ucr.edu\/articles\/2019\/03\/18\/carbon-monoxide-detectors-could-warn-extraterrestrial-life\u0022\u003EMarch 18, 2019, press release by the University of California, Riverside\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h6\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECarbon monoxide (CO) detectors in our homes warn of a dangerous buildup of that colorless, odorless gas we associate with death. Astronomers, too, have assumed that a build-up of CO in a planet\u0026rsquo;s atmosphere would be a sure sign of lifelessness. Now, researchers from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and Georgia Tech are arguing the opposite: celestial CO detectors may alert us to distant worlds teeming with simple life forms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;With the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope two years from now, astronomers will be able to analyze the atmospheres of some rocky exoplanets,\u0026rdquo; said Edward Schwieterman, the study\u0026rsquo;s lead author and a NASA Postdoctoral Program fellow in UCR\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;Department of Earth Sciences. \u0026ldquo;It would be a shame to overlook an inhabited world because we did not consider all the possibilities.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a study \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.3847\/1538-4357\/ab05e1#apjab05e1s4\u0022\u003Epublished on March 15, 2019, in \u003Cem\u003EThe Astrophysical Journal\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E the researchers used 1-D ecosphere-atmosphere and photochemical models to identify two intriguing scenarios in which CO readily accumulates in the atmospheres of living planets.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003EScenarios of CO Accumulation\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the first scenario, the team found answers in our own planet\u0026rsquo;s deep past. On the modern, oxygen-rich Earth, CO cannot accumulate because it is quickly destroyed by chemical reactions in the atmosphere. But three billion years ago, the world was a different place. The oceans teemed with microbial life, but the atmosphere was nearly devoid of oxygen, and the sun was much dimmer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0026rsquo;s models reveal that this ancient version of inhabited Earth could maintain CO levels of roughly 100 parts per million (ppm)\u0026mdash;several orders of magnitude greater than the parts-per-billion traces of the gas in the atmosphere today.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;That means we could expect high carbon monoxide abundances in the atmospheres of inhabited but oxygen-poor exoplanets orbiting stars like our own sun,\u0026rdquo; said Timothy Lyons, one of the study\u0026rsquo;s co-authors, a professor of biogeochemistry in UCR\u0026rsquo;s Department of Earth Science, and director of the UCR Alternative Earths Astrobiology Center. \u0026ldquo;This is a perfect example of our team\u0026rsquo;s mission to use the Earth\u0026rsquo;s past as a guide in the search for life elsewhere in the universe.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA second scenario is even more favorable for the buildup of CO: the photochemistry around red dwarf stars like Proxima Centauri, the star nearest our sun at 4.2 light years away. The team\u0026rsquo;s models predict that if a planet around such a star were inhabited and rich in oxygen, then we should expect the abundance of CO to be extremely high\u0026mdash;anywhere from hundreds of ppm to several percent.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003EImplications for the Search for Extraterrestrial Life\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This has some really interesting implications for the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope mission, because planets around red dwarf stars also favor the buildup of methane even when oxygen is high,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/reinhard-dr-chris\u0022\u003EChristopher Reinhard\u003C\/a\u003E, second author of the study, assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and institutional principal investigator of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.ucr.edu\/team_members.html\u0022\u003EAlternative Earths Astrobiology Center\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Because James Webb is unlikely to be able to detect evidence of oxygen directly, in the near term, the presence of significant CO might actually be our best bet at indirectly fingerprinting oxygenated atmospheres.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEarth-sized, rocky planets have been discovered orbiting in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri and other similar stars, meaning they could harbor liquid water, an essential ingredient for life. Such planets are likely targets for further characterization by the James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled for launch in March 2021.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe current study is one component of a broad effort to prepare for these future missions by cataloguing different combinations of atmospheric gases that might be evidence of an inhabited world\u0026mdash;so-called biosignature gases. Some gases, such as CO, had been proposed previously as \u0026lsquo;antibiosignatures\u0026rsquo;\u0026mdash; evidence that a planet is \u003Cem\u003Enot\u003C\/em\u003E inhabited \u0026mdash;if remotely detectable at sufficient abundance. But those assumptions only apply in specific cases.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Although other studies have done exoplanet photochemical modeling that includes carbon monoxide, no one had focused on carbon monoxide on Earth-like exoplanets in such a systematic way,\u0026rdquo; Schwieterman said. \u0026ldquo;Now we have a guidebook for determining what levels of carbon monoxide are compatible with a photosynthetic biosphere.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Schwieterman, Lyons, and Reinhard, the paper\u0026rsquo;s authors are Stephanie Olson, a former UCR graduate student and now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Chicago; Kazumi Ozaki, a former NASA Postdoctoral Program fellow at Georgia Tech and now at Toho University, in Japan; Chester E. Harman from Columbia University; and Peng K. Hong from Chiba Institute of Technology, in Japan.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis project was funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"For some distant worlds, CO may indicate a robust microbial biosphere"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers from the University of California, Riverside, and Georgia Tech suggest that celestial carbon monoxide detectors may alert us to distant worlds teeming with simple life forms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"For some distant worlds, CO may indicate a robust microbial biosphere."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-03-19 17:02:33","changed_gmt":"2019-03-19 17:33:25","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"619411":{"id":"619411","type":"image","title":"A rocky planet orbits the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri (Courtesy of NASA, ESA, G. Bacon STSci)","body":null,"created":"1553007949","gmt_created":"2019-03-19 15:05:49","changed":"1553007949","gmt_changed":"2019-03-19 15:05:49","alt":"","file":{"fid":"235810","name":"2019 Chris Reinhard 2-proximacenta.3x2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Chris%20Reinhard%202-proximacenta.3x2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Chris%20Reinhard%202-proximacenta.3x2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":228660,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Chris%20Reinhard%202-proximacenta.3x2.jpg?itok=zW67I1TS"}},"619412":{"id":"619412","type":"image","title":"Kazumi Ozaki and Christopher Reinhard","body":null,"created":"1553008021","gmt_created":"2019-03-19 15:07:01","changed":"1553008021","gmt_changed":"2019-03-19 15:07:01","alt":"","file":{"fid":"235811","name":"ozaki+reinhard.3x2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ozaki%2Breinhard.3x2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ozaki%2Breinhard.3x2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":496224,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ozaki%2Breinhard.3x2.jpg?itok=Vf1J8mGx"}}},"media_ids":["619411","619412"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/nasa-exobiology-grant-chris-reinhard","title":"NASA Exobiology Grant to Chris Reinhard"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/early-earth-struggled-make-oxygen-complex-life","title":"Early Earth Struggled to Make Oxygen for Complex Life"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/598840","title":"A Popular Tool to Trace Earth\u2019s Oxygen History Can Give False Positives"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1575","name":"carbon monoxide"},{"id":"180850","name":"search for extraterrestrial life"},{"id":"170504","name":"Chris Reinhard"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"618944":{"#nid":"618944","#data":{"type":"news","title":"When Sand-Slithering Snakes Behave Like Light Waves","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDesert snakes slithering across the sand at night can encounter obstacles such as plants or twigs that alter the direction of their travel. While studying that motion to learn how limbless animals control their bodies in such environments, researchers discovered that snakes colliding with these obstacles mimic aspects of light or subatomic particles when they encounter a diffraction grating.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe effect of this \u0026ldquo;mechanical diffraction\u0026rdquo; allowed researchers to observe how the snakes\u0026rsquo; trajectories were altered through passive mechanisms governed by the skeletal and muscular dynamics of the animals\u0026rsquo; propagating body waves. The researchers studied live snakes as they slithered through an obstacle made up of six force-sensitive rigid pegs that buckled the animals\u0026rsquo; bodies, changing their paths in predictable ways.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results, described February 25 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E, indicate that the Western Shovel-nosed snakes (\u003Cem\u003EChionactis occipitalis\u003C\/em\u003E) do not deliberately change direction when they encounter obstacles while speeding across the sand. Understanding the movement of these limbless animals could help engineers improve the control of autonomous search and rescue robots designed to operate on sand, grass and other complex environments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The idea behind passive dynamics is that there are waveform shape changes being made by the animal that are driven entirely by the passive properties of their bodies,\u0026rdquo; said Perrin Schiebel, a recent Ph.D. graduate of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0026ldquo;Instead of sending a signal to activate a muscle, the interaction of the snakes\u0026rsquo; bodies with the external environment is what causes the shape change. The forces of the obstacles are pushing the snake bodies into a new shape.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe colorful shovel-nosed snake normally uses a sinusoidal S-shaped wave to move across the deserts of the Southwest United States. Running into rigid pegs in a laboratory environment doesn\u0026rsquo;t lead it to actively change that waveform, which Schiebel and colleagues studied using high-speed video cameras with eight different animals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a study supported by the National Science Foundation, Army Research Office, Defense Advanced Projects Agency, and a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship, the researchers used 253 snake trips to build up a diffraction pattern. Remarkably, the pattern also revealed that the scattering directions were \u0026ldquo;quantized\u0026rdquo; such that the probability of finding a snake behind the array could be represented in a pattern mimicking wave interference. A computational model was able to capture the pattern, demonstrating how the snakes\u0026rsquo; direction would be altered by obstacle encounters via passive body buckling.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;One problem with robots moving in the real world is that we don\u0026rsquo;t yet have principles by which we can understand how best to control these robots on granular surfaces like sand, leaf litter, rubble or grass,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family Professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Physics and a researcher in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. \u0026ldquo;The point of this study was to try to understand how limbless locomotors, which have long bodies that can bend in interesting ways using potentially complicated neuromechanical control schemes, manage to move through complicated terrain.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe snake experiment was suggested by a robotic study done by postdoctoral fellow Jennifer Rieser, who found similar behavior among robots encountering obstacles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The robot tends to have aspects that mimic features of the subatomic world \u0026mdash; the quantum world,\u0026rdquo; Goldman explained. \u0026ldquo;When it collides with barriers, a robot propagates through those barriers using waves of body bending. Its trajectory deviates as it exits the barriers, and many repeated trials reveal a \u0026lsquo;lumpy\u0026rsquo; scattering pattern, analogous to experiments. We realized that we could use this surprising and beautiful phenomenon, classical physics but with self-propulsion a key feature, as a scattering experiment to interrogate the control scheme used by the snakes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExperimentally, the researchers used a \u0026ldquo;snake arena\u0026rdquo; covered with shag carpet to mimic sand. Undergraduate students Alex Hubbard and Lillian Chen released the snakes one at a time into the arena and encouraged them to slither through the grating.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe eyes of the desert snakes are naturally covered with scales to protect them. The researchers used children\u0026rsquo;s face paint to temporarily \u0026ldquo;blindfold\u0026rdquo; the animals so they would not be distracted by the researchers. The paint did not harm the animals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When we put the snakes down in the arena, they started moving using the same waveform they use on desert sand,\u0026rdquo; explained Schiebel. \u0026ldquo;They would then encounter the dowel grating, pass through it, and continue on the other side still using that waveform.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstead of continuing to travel through the arena in a straight line, the snakes would exit at a different angle, though they did not grab the posts or use them to assist their movement. Schiebel worked with Zeb Rocklin, a Georgia Tech assistant professor of physics, to model the directional changes. The model showed how simple interactions between the snakes\u0026#39; wave pattern and the grating produce patterns of favored scattering directions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We think the snake is essentially operating in a model that control engineers would consider \u0026lsquo;open loop,\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; said Goldman. \u0026ldquo;It is setting a particular motor program on its body, which generates the characteristic wave pattern, and when it collides with the obstacle, its body mechanics allow it to deform and move the posts without degrading its speed.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGoldman believes the work could help developers of snake-like robots improve their control schemes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We think that our discoveries of the role of passive dynamics in the snake can facilitate new snake robot designs that will enable them to move through complex environments more fluidly,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;The goal would be to build search and rescue robots that can get into these complex environments and help first responders.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd as a bonus, Goldman said, \u0026ldquo;We find that the richness of interactions between self-propelled systems like snakes and robots with their environment is fascinating from the standpoint of \u0026lsquo;active matter\u0026rsquo; physics.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported by National Science Foundation Physics of Living Systems program awards PHY-1205878, PHY-1150760 and CMMI-1361778; by the Army Research Office through award W911NF-11-1-0514; U.S. DoD National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) 32 CFR 168a; and by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor organizations.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Perrin E. Schiebel, et al., \u0026ldquo;Mechanical diffraction reveals the role of passive dynamics in a slithering snake,\u0026rdquo; (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2019).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDesert snakes slithering across the sand at night can encounter obstacles such as plants or twigs that alter the direction of their travel -- and cause them to mimic aspects of light or subatomic particles when they encounter a diffraction grating. The \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1808675116\u0022\u003Estudy was coauthored\u003C\/a\u003E by SMI Professors Dan Goldman and Zeb Rocklin: Perrin E. Schiebel,\u0026nbsp;Jennifer M. Rieser,\u0026nbsp;Alex M. Hubbard,\u0026nbsp;Lillian Chen,\u0026nbsp;D. Zeb Rocklin, and\u0026nbsp;Daniel I. Goldman. \u003Cem\u003EProc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA\u003C\/em\u003E, February 25th, 2019.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/when-sand-slithering-snakes-behave-light-waves\u0022\u003EThe full article on Research Horizons\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study by SMI Professors Dan Goldman and Zeb Rocklin shows how the motion of snakes moving across a sandy surface can be affected by obstacles."}],"uid":"28463","created_gmt":"2019-03-07 16:07:56","changed_gmt":"2019-03-07 16:10:49","author":"Tim Parker","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"618433":{"id":"618433","type":"image","title":"Snake moving through peg array","body":null,"created":"1551123245","gmt_created":"2019-02-25 19:34:05","changed":"1551123245","gmt_changed":"2019-02-25 19:34:05","alt":"Snake moving through peg array","file":{"fid":"235391","name":"snakes-as-waves-008.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snakes-as-waves-008.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snakes-as-waves-008.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":807876,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/snakes-as-waves-008.jpg?itok=dVFooHEN"}},"618431":{"id":"618431","type":"image","title":"Studying snakes on granular surfaces","body":null,"created":"1551122968","gmt_created":"2019-02-25 19:29:28","changed":"1551122968","gmt_changed":"2019-02-25 19:29:28","alt":"studying snakes on a granular surface","file":{"fid":"235389","name":"snakes-as-waves-012.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snakes-as-waves-012.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snakes-as-waves-012.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":725086,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/snakes-as-waves-012.jpg?itok=usL_fwXu"}},"618432":{"id":"618432","type":"image","title":"Perrin Schiebel with snake arena","body":null,"created":"1551123114","gmt_created":"2019-02-25 19:31:54","changed":"1551123114","gmt_changed":"2019-02-25 19:31:54","alt":"Researcher Perrin Schiebel with snake","file":{"fid":"235390","name":"snakes-as-waves-007.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snakes-as-waves-007.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snakes-as-waves-007.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":476282,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/snakes-as-waves-007.jpg?itok=YY74NXrO"}},"618434":{"id":"618434","type":"image","title":"Snake research team","body":null,"created":"1551123354","gmt_created":"2019-02-25 19:35:54","changed":"1551123354","gmt_changed":"2019-02-25 19:35:54","alt":"Snake research team","file":{"fid":"235392","name":"snakes-as-waves-020.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snakes-as-waves-020.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snakes-as-waves-020.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":600495,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/snakes-as-waves-020.jpg?itok=v-Zz5ZMl"}}},"media_ids":["618433","618431","618432","618434"],"groups":[{"id":"585025","name":"Center for the Science and Technology of Advanced Materials and Interfaces (STAMI)"}],"categories":[{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172973","name":"STAMI"},{"id":"172972","name":"SMI"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"617825":{"#nid":"617825","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A COOL Center Based on Natural Quid Pro Quo ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERelationships based on \u0026ldquo;you scratch my back and I\u0026rsquo;ll scratch yours\u0026rdquo; are everywhere in the biological world. The recently established \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cool.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ECenter for the Origin of Life\u003C\/a\u003E (COOL) will harness these mutualisms to unravel the distant past.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Mutualisms are persistent and reciprocal exchange of benefit. A species proficient in obtaining certain benefits confers those on a reciprocating partner,\u0026rdquo; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/~lw26\/\u0022\u003ELoren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E says. Williams is a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech. He will lead COOL. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eurekalert.org\/pub_releases\/2019-02\/rpi-nnr021219.php\u0022\u003EThe NASA-funded interdisciplinary team based in Georgia Tech is one of several groups cooperating to identify planetary conditions that might give rise to life.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe COOL team itself is enabled by mutualistic scientific collaborations. Joining \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/~lw26\/\u0022\u003EWilliams\u003C\/a\u003E as co-investigators are Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003EJennifer Glass\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/petrov\/anton\u0022\u003EAnton Petrov\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cbs.umn.edu\/contacts\/kate-adamala\u0022\u003EKate Adamala\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cbs.umn.edu\/contacts\/aaron-engelhart\u0022\u003EAaron Engelhart\u003C\/a\u003E of the University of Minnesota, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.uh.edu\/nsm\/biology-biochemistry\/people\/profiles\/george-fox\/\u0022\u003EGeorge Fox\u003C\/a\u003E from University of Houston, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uakron.edu\/cpspe\/about-us\/faculty\/profile.dot?id=b6b8f392-c202-4c77-a2e5-22293b1e63ad\u0022\u003ENita Sahai\u003C\/a\u003E from University of Akron.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGlass is an assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Petrov is a research scientist in the Schools of Chemistry and Biochemistry and of Biological Sciences. Williams and Glass are members of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We represent a rare symbiosis of biochemists and geochemists,\u0026rdquo; Glass says. \u0026ldquo;This gives us a unique vantage point from which to tackle this big question that no single discipline can solve alone.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilliams and his team have discovered that inanimate species \u0026ndash; such as molecules, metals, and minerals \u0026ndash; engage in mutualism relationships. Those interactions can explain much about modern biology and the origin of life, Williams says. \u0026ldquo;Mutualisms are fundamental drivers in evolution, ecology, and economics. They sponsor coevolution, foster innovation, increase fitness, inspire robustness, and foster resilience.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe COOL team aims to use mutualism phenomena to develop tools to study the origins and evolution of life on Earth. One area of study is the mutualism between metals and biomolecules under ancient-Earth conditions, such as between ferrous iron and proteins to form metalloproteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnother is the mutualism between minerals and biomolecules, such as between metal sulfide nanoclusters and RNA, peptides, and lipids to form functional biopolymers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Understanding how minerals interact with small organic molecules or biopolymers could help predict whether similar processes could occur on other worlds,\u0026rdquo; Sahai says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team will also study mutualisms in the most ancient universal life processes: translation and replication. \u0026ldquo;We are studying how nucleic acids and proteins joined forces as the biochemical foundation of life,\u0026rdquo; Petrov says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ribosome, the universal cellular machine where proteins are made, is a molecular relict where nucleic and acids and proteins work side by side to translate genotype to phenotype.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The ribosome is a molecular fossil. It\u0026rsquo;s a window to the emergence of life,\u0026rdquo; Engelhart says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;We are exploring alternative pathways for the evolution of the translation system,\u0026rdquo; Adamala says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A key to understanding the translation system is by integrating a vast array of information,\u0026rdquo; Fox says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECOOL is one of four Teams in NASA\u0026rsquo;s recently launched\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/prebioticchem.info\/\u0022\u003E Prebiotic Chemistry and Early Earth Environments (PCE\u003Csub\u003E3\u003C\/sub\u003E) Consortium\u003C\/a\u003E. One of PCE\u003Csub\u003E3\u003C\/sub\u003E\u0026rsquo;s goals is to guide future NASA missions to discover habitable worlds by understanding how conditions on Earth gave rise to life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilliams is a member of the steering committee of PCE\u003Csub\u003E3\u003C\/sub\u003E. \u0026ldquo;I am particularly excited to frame the beginnings of life within the context of our planet\u0026rsquo;s early, dynamic habitability and to use those lessons to imagine how planets around distant stars similarly could have favored the origins and evolution of life,\u0026rdquo; Williams said about PCE\u003Csub\u003E3\u003C\/sub\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFigure Caption\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCOOL principal investigators are (clockwise from top left) Kate Adamala, Aaron Engelhart, George Fox, Loren Williams, Nita Sahai, Anton Petrov, and Jennifer Glass.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The Center for the Origin of Life (COOL) will explore the origins and evolution of life on Earth"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERelationships based on \u0026ldquo;you scratch my back and I\u0026rsquo;ll scratch yours\u0026rdquo; are everywhere in the biological world. The recently established \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cool.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ECenter for the Origin of Life\u003C\/a\u003E (COOL) will harness these mutualisms to unravel the distant past.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Center for the Origin of Life (COOL) will explore the origins and evolution of life on Earth."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-02-14 13:59:28","changed_gmt":"2019-02-14 14:37:57","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-02-14T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-02-14T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"617826":{"id":"617826","type":"image","title":"Earth (Courtesy of Rensselaer)","body":null,"created":"1550153940","gmt_created":"2019-02-14 14:19:00","changed":"1550153940","gmt_changed":"2019-02-14 14:19:00","alt":"","file":{"fid":"235176","name":"Earth (Courtesy of Rensselaer).6x3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Earth%20%28Courtesy%20of%20Rensselaer%29.6x3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Earth%20%28Courtesy%20of%20Rensselaer%29.6x3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":119017,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Earth%20%28Courtesy%20of%20Rensselaer%29.6x3.jpg?itok=wJ5sq0aJ"}},"617723":{"id":"617723","type":"image","title":"COOL principal investigators","body":null,"created":"1550009974","gmt_created":"2019-02-12 22:19:34","changed":"1550012081","gmt_changed":"2019-02-12 22:54:41","alt":"COOL researchers Kate Ademala, Aaron Engelhart, George Fox, Loren Williams, Nita Sahai, Anton Petrov, and Jennifer Glass","file":{"fid":"235134","name":"2019 COOL Glass Petrov Williams.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20COOL%20Glass%20Petrov%20Williams_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20COOL%20Glass%20Petrov%20Williams_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":485868,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20COOL%20Glass%20Petrov%20Williams_0.png?itok=d4UL6RCn"}},"617724":{"id":"617724","type":"image","title":"COOL logo","body":null,"created":"1550010051","gmt_created":"2019-02-12 22:20:51","changed":"1550010051","gmt_changed":"2019-02-12 22:20:51","alt":"Logo for the Center for the Origin of Life","file":{"fid":"235132","name":"2019 cool_logo_transparent.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20cool_logo_transparent.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20cool_logo_transparent.png","mime":"image\/png","size":36647,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20cool_logo_transparent.png?itok=NXPcowv4"}}},"media_ids":["617826","617723","617724"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"180522","name":"Center for the Origin of Life"},{"id":"10720","name":"Loren Williams"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"617355":{"#nid":"617355","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Professor Yao Yao Awarded an NSF CAREER Grant.","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation\u0026#39;s most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Yao is an Assistant Professor in SoM, whose interests include mathematical analysis of nonlinear PDEs arising from fluid mechanics and mathematical biology, who has also been involved with research experiences for undergraduates (REU) programs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation\u0027s most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty"}],"uid":"34518","created_gmt":"2019-02-05 17:33:07","changed_gmt":"2019-02-05 17:44:02","author":"sbarone7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"617354":{"id":"617354","type":"image","title":"yao_yao","body":null,"created":"1549387922","gmt_created":"2019-02-05 17:32:02","changed":"1549387922","gmt_changed":"2019-02-05 17:32:02","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234970","name":"yao.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yao.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yao.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":210088,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/yao.jpg?itok=DR4z8fWR"}}},"media_ids":["617354"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503214","title":"NSF (CAREER) Page"}],"groups":[{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:comm@math.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESal Barone\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"617233":{"#nid":"617233","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The More Complex, the Easier to Assemble","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EConventional wisdom says complex structures should be harder to assemble than simple ones. Their assembly requires more information and presents more opportunities to make mistakes. But in nature, complex assemblies and higher error rates do not necessarily mean higher failure rates.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA recent study finds a different outcome with materials consisting of hierarchical levels \u0026ndash; called hierarchical structures. In this case, more complicated structures are actually easier to assemble than simpler ones.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Increasing complexity actually makes the assembly process more reliable despite an increasing error rate,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the School of Physics. He and graduate student \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mediaspace.gatech.edu\/media\/Why+is+Structural+Hierarchy+So+Prevalent+in+Biological+MaterialsF+-+Jonathan+Michel\/1_67sg86rl\u0022\u003EJonathan Michel\u003C\/a\u003E published their findings today\u0026nbsp;in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2019\/02\/01\/1813801116\u0022\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHierarchical structures embody distinct structural features on different size scales. They are ubiquitous in nature; a good example is bone. At the nanoscale level, bone consists of fibers made of a mineral and a protein. At the microscale level, the fibers form hollow structures. These structural features impart key physical properties, such as stiffness and toughness.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It is surprising that making more complicated structures \u0026ndash; and making more mistakes \u0026ndash; actually produces more reliable final results,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says. \u0026ldquo;It goes against intuition.\u0026rdquo; The work suggests that evolving complex tissues is easier than previously thought.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo study the mechanics of hierarchical materials, Yunker and Michel developed a physical model of how a material\u0026rsquo;s stiffness relates to each of its distinct length scales. The model system consisted of triangular lattices of nodes connected by springs; distinct connections can be defined on multiple length scales. They examined the dependence of the stiffness on the number of such connections in the presence of random errors.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;What we found was that each length scale contributed to the overall stiffness in a similar way. There was no preferred length scale,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says. \u0026ldquo;This finding gives us a new way to consider the role of physics and mechanics in the early evolution of complexity. To evolve a hierarchical structure with a specific stiffness, an organism doesn\u0026rsquo;t need to simultaneously evolve an error-correcting mechanism to ensure perfect assembly. The physics of hierarchical structures ensures that stiffness is even more robust against errors.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work was spurred by ubiquity of hierarchical structures in nature. Nearly every biological tissue is hierarchical, from bones and muscles to cellulose, feathers, crab shells, and flower petals. The question Yunker and Michel asked was, how did so many complex tissues evolve so many different times, in so many different organisms? \u0026ldquo;The answer,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says, \u0026ldquo;is that physics made it easier.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMost studies of hierarchical structures focus on their benefits or on unraveling the details of specific tissues, such as a bird\u0026rsquo;s feathers or a lobster\u0026rsquo;s claw. \u0026ldquo;We asked a previously unappreciated question,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says, \u0026ldquo;thanks to a unique combination of soft-matter physics and evolutionary biology in my lab and at Georgia Tech.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe role of soft-matter physics in evolution is of prime interest in Yunker\u0026rsquo;s lab. The new study was inspired by work of 19th-century physicist James Maxwell \u0026ndash; best known for equations governing electricity and magnetism. Maxwell was also interested in explaining the rigidity of structures like truss bridges. He found that for a bridge to be rigid, there must be at least as many struts as there are joints multiplied by the number of spatial dimensions. More broadly, this work revealed the general mechanical requirement for structures to be solid: they must have as many constraints as they have degrees of freedom. The heuristic is known as Maxwell counting, and it was recently demonstrated to be useful in describing tissue mechanics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Jonathan and I were curious about how Maxwell counting would apply to hierarchical structures,\u0026rdquo; Yunker says. \u0026ldquo;Do you just worry about the smallest length scale? Or just the biggest? Do different length scales behave differently? Then we wondered how evolution could ever favor complicated hierarchical structures, let alone so often!\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings open new areas of inquiry, according to Yunker. First is the many interesting questions that remain to be answered about the basic physics of hierarchical materials. Next is the potential to translate this basic physics to manufacturing. Finally, the basic physics could lead to a fuller understanding of the evolution of hierarchical materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work received funding from \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/s2.smi.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Soft Matter Incubator\u003C\/a\u003E. Yunker is a member of the Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Discovering the counterintuitive physics of hierarchical structures"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EConventional wisdom says complex structures should be harder to assemble than simple ones. Their assembly requires more information and presents more opportunities to make mistakes. But in nature, complex assemblies and higher error rates do not necessarily mean higher failure rates.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Hierarchical structures are governed by physics that\u0027s counterintuitive, study shows. "}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-02-04 14:58:11","changed_gmt":"2019-02-05 17:57:31","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"617226":{"id":"617226","type":"image","title":"Hierarchical structures (Credit: Peter Yunker)","body":null,"created":"1549291165","gmt_created":"2019-02-04 14:39:25","changed":"1549291165","gmt_changed":"2019-02-04 14:39:25","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234914","name":"2019 Peter Yunker tri_level_zoom_in.Sq2_.5x2.5png.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Peter%20Yunker%20tri_level_zoom_in.Sq2_.5x2.5png.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Peter%20Yunker%20tri_level_zoom_in.Sq2_.5x2.5png.png","mime":"image\/png","size":323724,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Peter%20Yunker%20tri_level_zoom_in.Sq2_.5x2.5png.png?itok=9kszan5S"}},"617228":{"id":"617228","type":"image","title":"Jonathan Michel (left) and Peter Yunker (Courtesy of Peter Yunker)","body":null,"created":"1549291253","gmt_created":"2019-02-04 14:40:53","changed":"1549291253","gmt_changed":"2019-02-04 14:40:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234915","name":"2019 Peter Yunker Michel_and_Yunker.3x2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Peter%20Yunker%20Michel_and_Yunker.3x2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Peter%20Yunker%20Michel_and_Yunker.3x2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3078458,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Peter%20Yunker%20Michel_and_Yunker.3x2.jpg?itok=9UQC48hY"}}},"media_ids":["617226","617228"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/599147","title":"When Physics Gives Evolution a Leg Up By Breaking One"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biosci\/physics\/cholera-bacterial-warfare","title":"Cholera Bacteria Stab and Poison Enemies So Predictably"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/coffee-leads-collaboration","title":"Coffee Leads to Collaboration"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"180405","name":"hierarchical materials"},{"id":"168707","name":"Peter Yunker"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"617100":{"#nid":"617100","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Microbiologists Elected AAM Fellows","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asm.org\/index.php\/aam\u0022\u003EAmerican Academy of Microbiology\u003C\/a\u003E (AAM) has elected \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asm.org\/Press-Releases\/Fellows-Elected-into-the-American-Academy-of-Micro\u0022\u003E109\u0026nbsp;new fellows\u003C\/a\u003E in 2019. Among them are \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.joelkostka.net\/\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka is a professor in the Schools of Biological Sciences and of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Weitz is a professor in the School of Biological Sciences. Both are members of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAAM is an honorific leadership group within the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asm.org\u0022\u003EAmerican Society for Microbiology\u003C\/a\u003E (ASM). Fellows of the AAM are elected annually through a selective, peer-review process, based on records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe election of Kostka as AAM fellow comes shortly after another high recognition of his contributions to microbiology. In 2018, he was named \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/hammer-and-kostka-named-distinguished-lecturers\u0022\u003EDistinguished Lecturer\u003C\/a\u003E by ASM. In this capacity, Kostka speaks at ASM branch meetings throughout the U.S. His visits provide opportunities for students and early-career research microbiologists to interact with prominent scientists.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka is well-known for his research in environmental microbiology. His lab characterizes the role of microorganisms in the functioning of ecosystems, especially in the context of bioremediation and climate change. He is co-principal investigator of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.marine.usf.edu\/c-image\/about\/who-we-are\u0022\u003EC-IMAGE-III\u003C\/a\u003E. This consortium is funded by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gulfresearchinitiative.org\/\u0022\u003EGulf of Mexico Research Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E to study the environmental consequences of the release of petroleum hydrocarbons on living marine resources and ecosystem health.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz holds courtesy appointments in the Schools of Physics and of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is also the founding director of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.simonsfoundation.org\/team\/joshua-weitz\/\u0022\u003E, a Simons Foundation Investigator in Ocean Processes and Ecology\u003C\/a\u003E, and author of an \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/book-joshua-weitz-quantitative-viral-ecology-wins-award\u0022\u003Eaward-winning book on quantitative viral ecology\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;I\u0026#39;m grateful for the recognition and excited to continue our ongoing, collaborative efforts to understand the role of ecology and evolution in shaping microbial and viral life,\u0026quot; Weitz says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz\u0026rsquo;s research focuses on the interactions between viruses and their microbial hosts, that is, the viral infections of microbial life. Weitz is motivated by seemingly simple questions: What happens to a microbe when it is infected by a virus? How do infections of single cells translate into population- and system-wide consequences?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAAM fellows represent all subspecialties of the microbial sciences and are involved in basic and applied research, teaching, public health, industry, or government service. They hail from all around the globe. Kostka and Weitz join fellows from\u0026nbsp;France, Ireland,\u0026nbsp;the Netherlands, Israel, Korea, Taiwan,\u0026nbsp;and China.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Joel Kostka, Joshua Weitz join prestigious leadership group"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asm.org\/index.php\/aam\u0022\u003EAmerican Academy of Microbiology\u003C\/a\u003E (AAM) has elected \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asm.org\/Press-Releases\/Fellows-Elected-into-the-American-Academy-of-Micro\u0022\u003E109\u0026nbsp;new fellows\u003C\/a\u003E in 2019. Among them are \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.joelkostka.net\/\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Joel Kostka, Joshua Weitz join prestigious leadership group."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2019-01-31 14:54:42","changed_gmt":"2019-01-31 15:01:13","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-01-31T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-01-31T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"617009":{"id":"617009","type":"image","title":"Kostka, Weitz: Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology","body":null,"created":"1548799271","gmt_created":"2019-01-29 22:01:11","changed":"1548799271","gmt_changed":"2019-01-29 22:01:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234828","name":"2019 Kostka Weitz AAM Fellows.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Kostka%20Weitz%20AAM%20Fellows.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2019%20Kostka%20Weitz%20AAM%20Fellows.png","mime":"image\/png","size":753615,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2019%20Kostka%20Weitz%20AAM%20Fellows.png?itok=878BmquV"}}},"media_ids":["617009"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"180356","name":"AAM fellows"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"616798":{"#nid":"616798","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Helix, of DNA Fame, May Have Arisen with Startling Ease","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETrying to explain how DNA and RNA evolved to form such neat spirals has been a notorious enigma in science. But\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/anie.201812808\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ea \u003Cstrong\u003Enew study\u003C\/strong\u003E suggests\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;the rotation may have occurred with ease billions of years ago when RNA\u0026rsquo;s chemical ancestors casually spun into spiraled strands.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the lab, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology were surprised to see them do it under conditions thought to be common on Earth just before first life evolved: in plain water, with no catalysts, and at room temperature.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe neat spiraling also elegantly integrated another compound which today forms the backbone of RNA and DNA. The resulting structure had features that strongly resembled RNA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPivotal twists\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study has come a step closer to answering a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/what-came-chicken-or-egg\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Echicken-egg\u003C\/a\u003E question about the evolutionary path that led to RNA (from which DNA later evolved): Did the spiral come first, and did this structure influence which molecular components made it later into RNA because they fit well into the spiral?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The spiraling could have had a reinforcing effect. It could have facilitated the molecules getting connected together that have the same \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ochempal.org\/index.php\/alphabetical\/c-d\/chiral-molecule\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Echirality\u003C\/a\u003E (curve) to connect into a common backbone that is compatible with the helical twist,\u0026rdquo; said the study\u0026rsquo;s principal investigator Nicholas Hud,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hud\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ea Regents Professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers published the new study\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/anie.201812808\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAngewandte Chemie\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;in December 2018\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the NASA Astrobiology Program under the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/centerforchemicalevolution.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for Chemical Evolution\u003C\/a\u003E. The center is headquartered at Georgia Tech, and Hud is its principal investigator.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0026rsquo;s resulting polymers were not RNA but could be have been an important intermediate step in the early evolution of RNA. For building blocks, the researchers used base molecules referred to as \u0026ldquo;proto-nucleobases,\u0026rdquo; highly suspected to be precursors of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nucleobase\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Enucleobases\u003C\/a\u003E, main components that transport genetic code in today\u0026rsquo;s RNA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Csup\u003E[Thinking about grad school?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gradadmiss.gatech.edu\/apply-now\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHere\u0026#39;s how to apply to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENucleobase paradox\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study had to work around a paradox in chemical evolution:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMaking RNA or DNA using their actual nucleobases in the lab without the aid of the enzymes of living cells that usually do this job is more than a herculean task. Thus, although RNA and DNA are ubiquitous on Earth now, their evolution on pre-life Earth would appear to have been an anomaly requiring erratic convergences of extreme conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy contrast, the Georgia Tech researchers\u0026rsquo; model of chemical evolution holds that precursor nucleobases self-assembled easily to into ancestral prototypes -- that were polymer-like and referred to as assemblies -- which later evolved into RNA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We would call these \u0026lsquo;proto-nucleobases\u0026rsquo; or \u0026lsquo;ancestral nucleobases,\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; Hud said. \u0026ldquo;For our overall model of chemical evolution, we\u0026rsquo;re saying that these proto-nucleobases, which self-assemble into these long strands, could have been part of a very early stage before modern nucleobases were incorporated.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne main suspected proto-nucleobase in this experiment -- and in previous experiments on the possible the evolution of RNA -- was\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/what-came-chicken-or-egg\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Etriaminopyrimidine (TAP)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cyanuric_acid\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECyanuric acid (CA)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;was another. The researchers highly suspect TAP and CA were parts of a proto-RNA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe chemical bonds that hold together assemblies of the two suspected proto-nucleobases were surprisingly strong but\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Non-covalent_interactions\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Enon-covalent\u003C\/a\u003E, which is akin to connecting two magnets. In RNA the main bonds holding together modern nucleobases are\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Covalent_bond\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ecovalent bonds\u003C\/a\u003E, akin to welding, and enzymes make those bonds in cells today.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHelical biases\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA helix can spiral two ways, left-handed or right-handed. In chemistry, a molecule can also be handed, or\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ochempal.org\/index.php\/alphabetical\/c-d\/chiral-molecule\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Echiral\u003C\/a\u003E, making for \u0026ldquo;L\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;D\u0026rdquo; forms of the molecule.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIncidentally, the building blocks of today\u0026rsquo;s RNA and DNA are all the D form, which make a right-handed helix. Why they evolved like this is still a mystery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBatches of TAP and CA the researchers started out with produced roughly equal amounts of right and left-handed helices, but something stood out: Whole regions of a batch were biased in one direction and were separate from other regions that spiraled mostly the other way.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The propensity for the molecules to choose one helical direction was so strong that large regions of the batches were made up predominantly of assemblies that were unidirectionally twisted,\u0026rdquo; Hud said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis was surprising because the individual molecules of TAP and CA had no chirality of their own, neither L nor D. Still, the twists had a preferred direction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026lsquo;world record\u0026rsquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers added two more experiments to test how strongly their RNA-like assemblies preferred making one-handed helices.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFirst, they introduced a smidgeon of compounds similar to TAP and CA, but which had L or D chirality, to nudge the spiraling direction. The whole batch conformed to the chirality of the respective additive, resulting in assemblies twisting in a unified direction as helices do in RNA and DNA today.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was the new world record for the smallest amount of a chiral dopant (additive) that would flip a whole solution,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/hud\/suneesh-karunakaran\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESuneesh Karunakaran\u003C\/a\u003E, the study\u0026rsquo;s first author and a graduate researcher in Hud\u0026rsquo;s lab. \u0026ldquo;This demonstrated how easy it would be in nature to get abundant amounts of unified helices.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESecond, they put the sugar compound\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ribose_5-phosphate\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eribose-5-phosphate\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;together with TAP to more closely emulate the current building blocks of RNA. The ribose fell into place, and the resulting assembly spiraled in a direction dictated by the ribose chirality.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This molecule easily formed an RNA-like assembly that was surprisingly stable, even though the pieces were only held together by non-covalent bonds,\u0026rdquo; Karunakaran said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEvolution revolution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u0026rsquo;s results under such simple conditions represent a leap forward in experimental evidence for how the helical twist of biomolecules could have already been in place long before life emerged.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research also expands a growing body of evidence supporting an unconventional hypothesis by the Center for Chemical Evolution, which dispenses with the need for a narrative that rare cataclysms and unlikely ingredients were necessary to produce life\u0026rsquo;s early building blocks.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstead, most biomolecules likely arose in several gradual steps, on quiet, rain-swept dirt flats or lakeshore rocks lapped by waves. Precursor molecules with the right reactivity enabled those steps readily and produced abundant materials for further evolutionary steps.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBasement engineer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the lab, helix self-assemblage was so productive that it outstripped a detection device\u0026rsquo;s capacity to examine the output. Regions a square millimeter or more in size were packed with unidirectionally spiraled polymer-like assemblies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;To look at them I had to make adjustments to the equipment,\u0026rdquo; said Karunakaran. \u0026ldquo;I punched holes in a foil and put it in front of the beam of our spectropolarimeter.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat worked but needed improvement, so Hud took to his basement at home to build an automated scanner that could handle the experiment\u0026rsquo;s bountiful results. It revealed large regions of helices with the same handedness.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso READ\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/614079\/stripping-linchpins-life-making-machine-reaffirms-its-seminal-evolution\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThis actually happened: Strip all the lynchpins from the ribosome and it still works\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBrian J. Cafferty, Angela Weigert-Mu\u0026ntilde;oz and Gary B. Schuster of Georgia Tech co-authored the research. It was funded by the National Science Foundation and the NASA Astrobiology Program under the NSF Center for Chemical Evolution (grant CHE-1504217). Nicholas Hud is also Associate Director of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. Any findings, recommendations or conclusions are those of the authors and not necessarily of the funding agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia relations assistance\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu?subject=Clownfish%20anemone%20story\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHere\u0026#39;s a science enigma: Try to explain where the neat, even DNA\/RNA helix came from. That actually might be\u0026nbsp;easy. The helix probably spun around itself with complete ease long before first life evolved, as this possible RNA precursor did in a Georgia Tech lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"An evolutionary enigma may have just been cracked: Explaining how the helix of RNA and DNA evolved."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2019-01-23 22:53:28","changed_gmt":"2019-01-28 13:49:56","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-01-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2019-01-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"616796":{"id":"616796","type":"image","title":"Origin of the helix artwork","body":null,"created":"1548282543","gmt_created":"2019-01-23 22:29:03","changed":"1548282543","gmt_changed":"2019-01-23 22:29:03","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234754","name":"ComboImage_BluePrebioticEarth.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ComboImage_BluePrebioticEarth.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ComboImage_BluePrebioticEarth.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":838726,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ComboImage_BluePrebioticEarth.jpg?itok=26w1doe5"}},"616799":{"id":"616799","type":"image","title":"Artwork helix study","body":null,"created":"1548286714","gmt_created":"2019-01-23 23:38:34","changed":"1548286714","gmt_changed":"2019-01-23 23:38:34","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234756","name":"ComboImage_BluePrebioticEarth.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ComboImage_BluePrebioticEarth_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ComboImage_BluePrebioticEarth_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":838726,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ComboImage_BluePrebioticEarth_0.jpg?itok=NekmzUXP"}},"525141":{"id":"525141","type":"image","title":"Nicholas Hud proto-nucleotides ba melamine","body":null,"created":"1460995200","gmt_created":"2016-04-18 16:00:00","changed":"1548282895","gmt_changed":"2019-01-23 22:34:55","alt":"","file":{"fid":"206100","name":"nick-hud-ba-uracil.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1541843,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_0.jpg?itok=mFhuGUx4"}},"616797":{"id":"616797","type":"image","title":"Nearly twins: nucleobase and proto-nucleobase","body":null,"created":"1548282719","gmt_created":"2019-01-23 22:31:59","changed":"1548282719","gmt_changed":"2019-01-23 22:31:59","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234755","name":"16C10200-P28-009.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/16C10200-P28-009.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/16C10200-P28-009.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":428608,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/16C10200-P28-009.jpg?itok=wVydGQkm"}},"525211":{"id":"525211","type":"image","title":"Hud proto-nucleotides assemblage","body":null,"created":"1461074400","gmt_created":"2016-04-19 14:00:00","changed":"1548282998","gmt_changed":"2019-01-23 22:36:38","alt":"","file":{"fid":"205483","name":"nhud-supramolecular-assemblage.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nhud-supramolecular-assemblage_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nhud-supramolecular-assemblage_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1323594,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nhud-supramolecular-assemblage_0.jpg?itok=_FbYJbwC"}},"525291":{"id":"525291","type":"image","title":"DNA double helix black background istock","body":null,"created":"1461074400","gmt_created":"2016-04-19 14:00:00","changed":"1475895296","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:56","alt":"DNA double helix black background istock","file":{"fid":"205487","name":"small.istock_000054497160_medium.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/small.istock_000054497160_medium_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/small.istock_000054497160_medium_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":174896,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/small.istock_000054497160_medium_0.jpg?itok=vLvHz7a3"}}},"media_ids":["616796","616799","525141","616797","525211","525291"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"984","name":"RNA"},{"id":"1041","name":"dna"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"180279","name":"Evolution diversity"},{"id":"179779","name":"evolution genetics"},{"id":"89971","name":"chemical evolution"},{"id":"168472","name":"HELIX"},{"id":"180280","name":"Double Helix"},{"id":"180281","name":"Chirality"},{"id":"173626","name":"chiral"},{"id":"180282","name":"triaminopyrimidine"},{"id":"180283","name":"Cyanuric acid"},{"id":"180284","name":"nucleobase"},{"id":"170113","name":"proto-RNA"},{"id":"180285","name":"proto-nucleobase"},{"id":"180286","name":"ribose-5-phosphate"},{"id":"180287","name":"chiral dopant"},{"id":"180288","name":"dopant"},{"id":"175486","name":"click chemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"615030":{"#nid":"615030","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Swapping Bacteria May Help \u2018Nemo\u2019 Fish Cohabitate with Fish-Killing Anemones","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENemo, the adorable clownfish in the movie\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EFinding Nemo,\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;rubs himself all over the anemone he lives in to keep it from stinging and eating him like it does most fish. That rubbing leads the makeup of microbes covering the clownfish to change,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00338-018-01750-z\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eaccording to a new study\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHaving bacterial cooties in common with anemones may help the clownfish cozily nest in anemones\u0026rsquo; venomous tentacles, a weird symbiosis that life scientists - including now a team from the Georgia Institute of Technology - have tried for decades to figure out. The marine researchers studied how populations of microbes shifted on clownfish who mixed and mingled with fish-killing anemones.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s the iconic mutualism between a host and a partner, and we knew that microbes are on every surface of each animal,\u0026rdquo; said Frank Stewart,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/frank-stewart\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ean associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;In this particular mutualism, these surfaces are covered with stuff that microbes love to eat: mucus.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESwabbing mucus\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EClownfish and anemones swap lots of mucus when they rub. So, the researchers brought clownfish and anemones together and analyzed the microbes in the mucus covering the fish when they were hosted by anemones and when they weren\u0026rsquo;t.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Their microbiome changed,\u0026rdquo; said Zoe Pratte,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/marine-micro.biology.gatech.edu\/?page_id=35\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ea postdoctoral researcher in Stewart\u0026rsquo;s lab\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and first author of the new study. \u0026ldquo;Two bacteria that we tracked in particular multiplied with contact with anemones.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;On top of that, there were sweeping changes,\u0026rdquo; said Stewart, the study\u0026rsquo;s principal investigator. \u0026ldquo;If you looked at the total assemblages of microbes, they looked quite different on a clownfish that was hosted by an anemone and on one that was not.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers chased 12 clownfish in six fish tanks for eight weeks to swab their mucus and identify microbes through gene sequencing. They published their results\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00338-018-01750-z\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ECoral Reefs\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was funded by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.simonsfoundation.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe Simons Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQuestions and Answers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHere are some questions and answers about the experiment, which produced some amusing anecdotes, along with fascinating facts about anemones and clownfish. For example, fish peeing on anemones makes the latter stronger. Clownfish change genders. And it was especially hard to catch one fish the researchers named \u0026ldquo;Houdini.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDoes this solve the mystery about this strange symbiosis?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENo, but it\u0026rsquo;s a new approach to the clownfish-anemone conundrum.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a first step that\u0026rsquo;s asking the question, \u0026lsquo;Is there part of the microbial relationship that changes?\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; Stewart said. The study delivered the answer on the clownfish side, which was \u0026ldquo;yes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn earlier hypothesis on the conundrum held that clownfish mucus was too thick to sting through. Current ideas consider that mucus swapping also covers the clownfish with anemone antigens, i.e. its own immune proteins, or that fish and fish killer may be exchanging chemical messages.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The anemone may recognize some chemical on the clownfish that keeps it from stinging,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said. \u0026ldquo;And that could involve microbes. Microbes are great chemists.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGoing forward, the researchers want to analyze mucus chemistry. They also don\u0026rsquo;t yet know to what extent the microbes on the fish change because of bacteria the fish gleans from the anemone. It\u0026rsquo;s possible the fish mucus microbiome just develops differently on the fish due to the contact.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat do anemones normally do to fish?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKill them and eat them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The anemone evolved to kill fish. It shoots little poison darts into the skin of a fish to kill it then pull it into its mouth,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said. \u0026ldquo;The clownfish gets away with living right in that.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy the way, the tentacles are not harmful to people.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you touch an anemone, it feels like they\u0026rsquo;re sucking on your finger,\u0026rdquo; Pratte said. \u0026ldquo;Their little harpoons feel like they\u0026rsquo;re sticking to you. It doesn\u0026rsquo;t hurt.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat do the anemones and clownfish get out of the relationship?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor starters, they protect each other from potential prey. But there\u0026rsquo;s lots more. Some clownfish even change genders by living in an anemone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When they start being hosted, the fish make a big developmental switch,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said. \u0026ldquo;The first fish in a group that establishes itself in an anemone in the wild transitions from male to female, grows much bigger and becomes the dominant member of the group.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShe is then the sole female in a school of smaller male mates.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnemones appear to grow larger and healthier, partly because the clownfish urinate on them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When the fish pee, algae in the anemone take up the nitrogen then secrete sugars that feed the anemone and make it grow,\u0026rdquo; Pratte said. \u0026ldquo;Sometimes the fish drop their food, and it falls into the anemone which eats it.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAny fun anecdotes from this experiment?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPlenty: It was scientifically straightforward but laborious to carry out, partly because the researchers were taking meticulous care of the fish at the same time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;You have to get fish and anemones to pair up, and the fish can host in other places, like nooks in the rock,\u0026rdquo; Pratte said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Clownfish are smarter than other fish, so they\u0026rsquo;re harder to catch, especially when we want to minimize stress on the animals,\u0026rdquo; said Alicia Caughman, an undergraduate research assistant in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/undergrad\/fast-track-research-scholarships\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Science\u0026rsquo;s Fast Track to Research\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;program. \u0026ldquo;We named one fish \u0026lsquo;Houdini.\u0026rsquo; He could wiggle between nets and tight spaces and usually outsmart whoever was trying to catch him.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We also had \u0026#39;Bubbles,\u0026#39; who blew a lot of bubbles, \u0026#39;Biggie\u0026#39; and \u0026#39;Smalls,\u0026#39; \u0026#39;Broad,\u0026#39; \u0026#39;Sheila,\u0026#39; \u0026#39;Earl,\u0026#39; and \u0026#39;Flounder,\u0026#39; who liked to flounder (flop around),\u0026rdquo; Pratte said. Clownfish have differing sizes and details in their stripes, which allow people to tell them apart.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe anemone side of the microbial question may prove harder to answer because for all Houdini\u0026#39;s wiles, anemones, which are squishy non-vertebrates, are even more trying. They can squeeze into uncomfortable niches or plug up the aquarium drainage, and they also have temperamental microbiomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELike this article?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/subscribe\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESubscribe to our email newsletter\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso\u0026nbsp;READ:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/614516\/when-boy-fish-build-castles-impress-girl-fish-boy-genes-get-rise\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWhen boy fish build castles to impress girl fish, boy genes get a rise\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso READ:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/tiny-bacteria-do-big-job-huge-fish-tank\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETeeny bacteria do a dirty job to clean a huge fish tank\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe following researchers coauthored the paper: Nastassia V. Patin, Mary E. McWhirt and Darren J. Parris, all of Georgia Tech. DOI: 10.1007\/s00338-018-01750-z. The research was funded by the Simons Foundation (award 346253).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAny findings, opinions or recommendations are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Simons Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia relations assistance\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404) 660-1408, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu?subject=Clownfish%20anemone%20story\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe fish killer and the fish live in perfect harmony: But how the clownfish thrives in the venomous tentacles of the anemone remains a mystery. A new study tackles the iconic conundrum from the microbial side by watching bacterial colonies shift in fish mucus, as the clownfish cozy up to anemones.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Why the fish-killing anemone spares the clownfish is a scientific mystery that Georgia Tech marine microbiologists are now tackling in fish mucus."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2018-12-05 21:07:25","changed_gmt":"2018-12-14 20:33:33","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"615035":{"id":"615035","type":"image","title":"Clownfish in anemone","body":null,"created":"1544045694","gmt_created":"2018-12-05 21:34:54","changed":"1544045694","gmt_changed":"2018-12-05 21:34:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234191","name":"clownfish.peering.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/clownfish.peering.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/clownfish.peering.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":641874,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/clownfish.peering.jpg?itok=C1Cry85Y"}},"615036":{"id":"615036","type":"image","title":"Clownfish mingle in anemones","body":null,"created":"1544045795","gmt_created":"2018-12-05 21:36:35","changed":"1544045851","gmt_changed":"2018-12-05 21:37:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234193","name":"clownfish.group_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/clownfish.group_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/clownfish.group_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1064766,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/clownfish.group_.jpg?itok=HBjMa63c"}},"615038":{"id":"615038","type":"image","title":"Anemone kills, eats fish","body":null,"created":"1544046260","gmt_created":"2018-12-05 21:44:20","changed":"1544046283","gmt_changed":"2018-12-05 21:44:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234195","name":"Expl7239_(9737462380).jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Expl7239_%289737462380%29.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Expl7239_%289737462380%29.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1143714,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Expl7239_%289737462380%29.jpg?itok=osQioXlK"}},"615037":{"id":"615037","type":"image","title":"Clownfish in anemone 2","body":null,"created":"1544045966","gmt_created":"2018-12-05 21:39:26","changed":"1544045966","gmt_changed":"2018-12-05 21:39:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234194","name":"clownfish.peers2_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/clownfish.peers2_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/clownfish.peers2_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":639404,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/clownfish.peers2_.jpg?itok=SI-jbk9r"}}},"media_ids":["615035","615036","615038","615037"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"179930","name":"Clownfish"},{"id":"179931","name":"Symbiosis"},{"id":"56501","name":"microbiome"},{"id":"7078","name":"microbe"},{"id":"51241","name":"microbial"},{"id":"179932","name":"microbial biochemistry"},{"id":"179933","name":"Anemone"},{"id":"179934","name":"sea anemone"},{"id":"179935","name":"DNA barcode"},{"id":"179936","name":"Mutualism"},{"id":"179937","name":"mutualistic relationships"},{"id":"179938","name":"mutualistic syntrophy"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"614879":{"#nid":"614879","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NASA Exobiology Grant to Chris Reinhard","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHumans will soon embark on a detailed characterization of habitable planets beyond the solar system. Space-based telescopes probing the atmospheres of small planets around nearby stars will shortly be joined by ground-based observatories. What should these instruments be looking for?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/reinhard-dr-chris\u0022\u003EChristopher Reinhard\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, aims to define the atmospheric chemistries that provide strong evidence for the presence of life at a planet\u0026rsquo;s surface \u0026ndash; or atmospheric biosignatures. He recently received a three-year grant from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/research\/astrobiology-at-nasa\/exobiology\/\u0022\u003ENASA\u0026rsquo;s Exobiology Program\u003C\/a\u003E to develop a model of Earth\u0026rsquo;s early atmosphere and ocean, about 4 billion years ago, when the planet was devoid of oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJoining Reinhard on this research is a multi-institutional team, including co-principal investigators \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.gsfc.nasa.gov\/sed\/bio\/shawn.goldman\u0022\u003EShawn Domagal-Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/earthsciences.ucr.edu\/ridgwell.html\u0022\u003EAndrew Ridgwell\u003C\/a\u003E of the University of California, Riverside, as well as collaborators \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nai.nasa.gov\/directory\/ozaki-kazumi\/\u0022\u003EKazumi Ozaki\u003C\/a\u003E of the University of Tokyo and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.gsfc.nasa.gov\/sed\/bio\/giada.n.arney\u0022\u003EGiada Arney\u003C\/a\u003E of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our ultimate aim is to develop robust atmospheric biosignatures for future analysis of extrasolar worlds, while providing computational tools for understanding the deep past and forecasting the long-term future of Earth\u0026rsquo;s biosphere. We\u0026rsquo;re fortunate to have support from NASA to take a big step in that direction.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn looking for life beyond our solar system, Earth \u0026ldquo;provides a powerful natural lab for examining the processes that promote the emergence and maintenance of atmospheric biosignatures,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard says. However, Earth\u0026rsquo;s current atmospheric biosignatures come from eons of interactions between microbes, the oceans, and the Earth\u0026rsquo;s evolving geology. Reinhard\u0026rsquo;s team believes the most relevant atmospheric biosignatures in the search for extraterrestrial may be those from Earth\u0026rsquo;s very early age, before photosynthesis blanketed the planet with oxygen. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing the NASA grant, Reinhard\u0026rsquo;s team will examine the metabolic networks that would have controlled atmospheric biosignatures on the primitive Earth. The research will be aimed at developing an \u0026ldquo;ecophysiological module\u0026rdquo; that links microbial metabolism with ocean chemistry. The module will be embedded within an ensemble of computational models of atmospheric chemistry, climate, and 3-D ocean chemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We think this research will provide significant steps forward in our predictive understanding of the links between microbial metabolism and atmospheric chemistry, and will refine our understanding of the early evolution of Earth\u0026rsquo;s biosphere,\u0026rdquo; Reinhard says. \u0026ldquo;Our ultimate aim is to develop robust atmospheric biosignatures for future analysis of extrasolar worlds, while providing computational tools for understanding the deep past and forecasting the long-term future of Earth\u0026rsquo;s biosphere. We\u0026rsquo;re fortunate to have support from NASA to take a big step in that direction.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Research will develop tools to identify living worlds beyond our solar system"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHumans will soon embark on a detailed characterization of habitable planets beyond the solar system. Space-based telescopes probing the atmospheres of small planets around nearby stars will shortly be joined by ground-based observatories. What should these instruments be looking for?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research will develop tools to identify living worlds beyond our solar system."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-12-03 16:11:36","changed_gmt":"2018-12-03 16:28:37","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-12-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-12-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"614877":{"id":"614877","type":"image","title":"When searching for extraterrestrial life, what signs should we seek? (Courtesy NASA)","body":null,"created":"1543852952","gmt_created":"2018-12-03 16:02:32","changed":"1543852952","gmt_changed":"2018-12-03 16:02:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234138","name":"Astrobiology NASA..jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Astrobiology%20NASA..jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Astrobiology%20NASA..jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":73865,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Astrobiology%20NASA..jpg?itok=YtPqKlq_"}},"614878":{"id":"614878","type":"image","title":"Christopher Reinhard (right) with former postdoc and now collaborator Kazumi Ozaki","body":null,"created":"1543852997","gmt_created":"2018-12-03 16:03:17","changed":"1543852997","gmt_changed":"2018-12-03 16:03:17","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234139","name":"ozaki+reinhard.wide400.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ozaki%2Breinhard.wide400_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ozaki%2Breinhard.wide400_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":74816,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ozaki%2Breinhard.wide400_0.jpg?itok=Xr9eOGLq"}}},"media_ids":["614877","614878"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/early-earth-struggled-make-oxygen-complex-life","title":"Early Earth Struggled to Make Oxygen for Complex Life"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/599760","title":"Cold Suns, Warm Exoplanets and Methane Blankets"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"176473","name":"exobiology"},{"id":"722","name":"Astrobiology"},{"id":"179903","name":"atmospheric signatures"},{"id":"170504","name":"Chris Reinhard"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"614516":{"#nid":"614516","#data":{"type":"news","title":"When Boy Fish Build Castles to Impress Girl Fish, Boy Genes Get a Rise","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECall it instinct, but something,\u0026nbsp;perhaps programs in their genes, compels some animals to behave in striking ways. Take boy fish who tirelessly build sand structures to attract girl fish: Researchers have now\u0026nbsp;connected gene activity with this instinctive behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Stanford University who led\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/10\/30\/1810140115\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe new study\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;hope in the future to see if some behaviors are indeed genetic programs and if gene regulation is clicking off neuronal firing patterns in real time to create behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re not there yet, but we\u0026rsquo;re beginning to get a handle on gene regulation patterns that drive the neuronal patterns,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/todd-streelman\u0022\u003ETodd Streelman,\u0026nbsp;professor and chair of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences and also its chair\u003C\/a\u003E, and a researcher in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. \u0026ldquo;We \u003Cem\u003Ewere\u003C\/em\u003E able to see that there\u0026rsquo;s a clear connection between gene expression and behavior.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBetter understanding autism\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research also may contribute\u0026nbsp;to a better understanding of autism because the genes behind the fish behavior have human cousins that are implicated in autism spectrum disorder. And some typical autism behaviors like \u0026ldquo;stacking,\u0026rdquo; in which a child compulsively arranges objects into neat rows or towers, have parallels in how the fish, called cichlids, repetitively pile up sand to make symmetrical formations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut for now, the researchers explored male cichlids trying to attract a mate in Lake Malawi in Africa and found that the regulation of specific genes and associated repetitive behavior occurred nearly hand-in-glove, a novel discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey published their results \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/10\/30\/1810140115\u0022\u003Ein the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of General Medicine, all part of the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDig my castle\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELet\u0026rsquo;s start with the behavior then go to the matching gene regulation:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBoy cichlids knock themselves out building stuff out of sand to\u0026nbsp;impress girl fish ready to mate. Most of the cichlid species\u0026rsquo; guys build a pit, or crater, and other species build a castle.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth pits and castles are known as \u0026ldquo;bowers\u0026rdquo; and require the male fish to swim in the same circular way, scooping up sand in one place and spitting it out somewhere else.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe difference is that the pit builders scoop up the sand from inside their swimming pattern and deposit it outside, leaving a hole in the middle of the bower with a raised rim surrounding it that makes the bower resemble a crater. Castle builders scoop the sand from outside the circle and deposit it inside. That\u0026nbsp;creates a raised structure in the middle of the bower, making it resemble\u0026nbsp;a volcano.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETurning him on\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A switch goes on once the females become reproductively active. Suddenly, the males begin scooping and spitting thousands of times to build their structure,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/streelmanlab.biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/zachary-v-johnson\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EZachary Johnson, a postdoctoral researcher in Streelman\u0026rsquo;s Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. Johnson was a co-author on the new study and Streelman a co-principal investigator.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScooping and spitting are so incessant that two-inch fish shovel up two-foot-wide structures: pit bowers for some species, castle bowers for others. The difference serves in attracting the right mate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Various species make their pits and castles in a common area, and structures have to be very specific, so the right female species can see, \u0026lsquo;This is the guy that I want\u0026rsquo; compared to the other guys from other species that build the other thing. And she then has to pick the specific guy she wants from her own species,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/chinar-patil\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChinar Patil, a co-first author of the study\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and a graduate research assistant in Streelman\u0026rsquo;s lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECross-breeding cichlids\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow for the gene regulation part:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo observe the genes connected to either of these building behaviors, researchers have cross-mated pit-building species with castle-building species to make hybrid cichlids that have both sets of genes. These hybrids have delivered a lucky surprise.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe hybrid fish performed both behaviors neatly in sequence: first the pit making, then the castle making, always in that order.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s amazing,\u0026rdquo; Johnson said. \u0026ldquo;You might expect hybrid behavior to be jumbled, or take on some intermediate form. Instead, they perform one species-specific behavior and then transition to performing the other species-specific behavior.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBower genes power up\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is useful to research because the hybrids have one full copy of genes from the pit parent and one from the castle parent. The cleanly separated behaviors have allowed for matching each behavior with increased and decreased activation in either set of genes in the fish\u0026rsquo;s brains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech and Stanford researchers were able to clearly match pit gene activation with pit behavioral mode as well as castle gene activation with castle behavioral mode.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A lot of genes in the pit copy got up-regulated while the fish was in pit-making mode and the castle copy got up-regulated during castle-making mode,\u0026rdquo; Patil said. The genes and the behavior got visibly \u0026ldquo;turned on\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;tuned in\u0026rdquo; in tandem.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe difference in expression of either pit vs. castle genes was less of an absolute click-clack-on-off switch and more like inching one set of levers down on an audio mixer while tuning up the other set to a dominant level.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGene-behavior evolution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis was the study\u0026rsquo;s big achievement, which almost sounds like genes directly creating behavior, but that\u0026rsquo;s unconfirmed as of yet and could be the topic of future studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study also brought new insights into genetic evolution in tandem with behavioral evolution, about which little is known.\u0026nbsp;The genetic component may center around gene regulation in response to what\u0026rsquo;s going on in the animal\u0026rsquo;s environment\u0026nbsp;in this case when females are ready to mate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPit making appears to be the evolutionarily older and better-established bower building behavior, and castle making is widely accepted as being the newer evolutionary development. But pit and castle species have very similar genomes, so where\u0026rsquo;s the evolutionary change?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen the team sequenced the DNA of pit and castle species, it was differences in regulatory genes that stuck out, and many up-regulated specific other genes connected to the respective bower building behaviors when mating time hit. It appeared the evolution of the regulatory genes was linked to the evolution of the behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELike this article?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/subscribe\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESubscribe to our email newsletter\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead MORE:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/cosmos-cranium\u0022\u003EOn genetics of neuroscience and behavior\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe following researchers also co-authored this study: Ryan York, Hunter Fraser and Russel Fernald of Stanford University; Kawther Abdilleh and Patrick McGrath of Georgia Tech; Mathew Conte of the University of Maryland; and Martin Genner of the University of Bristol. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health\u0026rsquo;s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (grant\u0026nbsp;R01NINDS034950), the National Institute on Aging (grant\u0026nbsp;R21AG050304),\u0026nbsp;and National Institute of General Medicine (grants\u0026nbsp;R01GM101095, 2R01GM097171-05A1, R01GM114170).\u0026nbsp;Findings, conclusions, opinions, and recommendations in the material are those of the authors and not necessarily of the funding agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia relations assistance\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404) 660-1408, ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDo genes fire off signals to cause some behaviors? Science is getting closer to finding out. Researchers were able to directly match gene regulation with ritual mating behavior in fish. Their research field may\u0026nbsp;give some insight into autism spectrum disorder.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Instinctive behavior may be directly driven be gene regulation, at least researchers were able to match the two up."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2018-11-21 17:19:04","changed_gmt":"2018-11-28 19:24:54","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"614505":{"id":"614505","type":"image","title":"Cichlid fish","body":null,"created":"1542814898","gmt_created":"2018-11-21 15:41:38","changed":"1542814954","gmt_changed":"2018-11-21 15:42:34","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233955","name":"F1_hybrid_buildingSM.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/F1_hybrid_buildingSM.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/F1_hybrid_buildingSM.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4626486,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/F1_hybrid_buildingSM.jpg?itok=PrNEivI2"}},"614506":{"id":"614506","type":"image","title":"Todd Streelman with cichlids","body":null,"created":"1542815226","gmt_created":"2018-11-21 15:47:06","changed":"1542815838","gmt_changed":"2018-11-21 15:57:18","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233956","name":"17C10203-P13-001 copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/17C10203-P13-001%20copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/17C10203-P13-001%20copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":717610,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/17C10203-P13-001%20copy.jpg?itok=5I-fuubf"}},"614510":{"id":"614510","type":"image","title":"Chinar Patil and Zachary Johnson","body":null,"created":"1542816755","gmt_created":"2018-11-21 16:12:35","changed":"1542816924","gmt_changed":"2018-11-21 16:15:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233959","name":"Chinar.Zack_.sample.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chinar.Zack_.sample.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chinar.Zack_.sample.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3609032,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Chinar.Zack_.sample.jpg?itok=z4XUlw9f"}},"614507":{"id":"614507","type":"image","title":"Cichlid melanchromis cyaneorhabdos","body":null,"created":"1542816357","gmt_created":"2018-11-21 16:05:57","changed":"1542816357","gmt_changed":"2018-11-21 16:05:57","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233957","name":"Melanochromis_Cyaneorhabdos_c01.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Melanochromis_Cyaneorhabdos_c01.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Melanochromis_Cyaneorhabdos_c01.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":652646,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Melanochromis_Cyaneorhabdos_c01.jpg?itok=POczet34"}}},"media_ids":["614505","614506","614510","614507"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"179764","name":"CIS"},{"id":"179765","name":"cis regulation"},{"id":"6335","name":"Gene Regulation"},{"id":"179766","name":"Gene Regulators"},{"id":"179767","name":"mating behavior"},{"id":"7472","name":"mating"},{"id":"3083","name":"cichlid"},{"id":"179768","name":"bower"},{"id":"62181","name":"castle"},{"id":"6053","name":"Autism"},{"id":"179769","name":"ASD"},{"id":"108751","name":"Autism Spectrum Disorder"},{"id":"179770","name":"Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)"},{"id":"179771","name":"Autism Spectrum"},{"id":"179772","name":"hybrid animal"},{"id":"179773","name":"stacking"},{"id":"4275","name":"behavior"},{"id":"179774","name":"Genes And Blood Pressure"},{"id":"179775","name":"Regulatory Gene"},{"id":"179776","name":"Upregulation"},{"id":"179777","name":"down regulation"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"179778","name":"Evolution Biology"},{"id":"179779","name":"evolution genetics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"614232":{"#nid":"614232","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unlocking the Mystery of Methane Clathrates","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETrillions of cubic feet of natural gas is thought to lie in cold storage within Earth\u0026rsquo;s permafrost and under its oceans. That gas, however, is trapped within chemical cage-like structures called methane clathrates. Scientists are very interested in these structures, because they may have cousins hidden under the surface of the icy moons in the outer solar system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether the clathrates are on Earth or the Jovian moon Europa, science wants to know: What role did microbes play in their formation and stability? How are they involved when Earthbound clathrates start deteriorating, releasing this greenhouse methane gas into an already-warming global atmosphere? Is that process underway millions of miles from Earth?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn interdisciplinary team of Georgia Tech geo-microbiologists,\u0026nbsp;biochemists, and geo-engineers will have a chance to answer those questions, thanks to a grant from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/research\/astrobiology-at-nasa\/exobiology\/\u0022\u003ENASA Exobiology Program\u003C\/a\u003E that comes with a heady title: \u003Cem\u003EMicrobial Interactions with Methane Clathrate: Implications for Habitability of Icy Moons. \u003C\/em\u003EThe investigators, which include College of Sciences researchers, will search\u0026nbsp;for\u0026nbsp;DNA\u0026nbsp;blueprints of\u0026nbsp;potential clathrate-binding proteins, will reproduce those proteins in a laboratory, and will test their impact on\u0026nbsp;methane clathrate\u0026nbsp;properties.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This is a truly interdisciplinary project to understand how microbial life\u0026nbsp;survives in methane clathrates under the seafloor,\u0026rdquo; says\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003E Jennifer Glass\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. Glass will serve as the team\u0026rsquo;s principal investigator.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;These deep microbes encode genes that are different from any found on the Earth\u0026#39;s surface,\u0026rdquo; Glass says. \u0026ldquo;This grant will be one of the first efforts to study the biochemistry of\u0026nbsp;these new biomolecules, and how they affect the structure\u0026nbsp;and properties of methane clathrate.\u0026nbsp;This research is only possible because\u0026nbsp;our Georgia Tech team is uniquely working at the interface between microbial ecology, biochemistry, and geoengineering.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EClathrates are lattice-like structures made of a solid similar to ice. They are buried in polar permafrost and under the world\u0026rsquo;s oceans, and scientists believe they could hold anywhere from 100,000 to 1 million Tcf (trillion cubic feet) of natural gas. The gas molecules are trapped inside the crystalline structures, but large-scale commercial extraction isn\u0026rsquo;t available yet. However, plumes of methane have been recorded leaking from Arctic permafrost thanks to global warming. (Methane is already produced via decaying organic matter in landfills, traditional oil and gas exploration, and within the stomachs of domestic livestock.)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVisits from planetary probes, spectroscopy readings, and other research indicate that methane clathrates may exist on the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. They may be part of developing ecosystems. Did microbes interact with those clathrates? Could they be tapped in the search for life in the solar system? Could those gas resources help sustain human habitats on the Jovian moon Europa?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;We are excited to learn more about the fascinating molecules that bind methane ice in this unique environmental niche,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/lieberman\/\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, and one of the methane clathrate team members. \u0026ldquo;These proteins don\u0026rsquo;t look like any others known in temperate environments.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Glass and Lieberman, other team members include research scientist \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/anton-petrov\u0022\u003EAnton Petrov\u003C\/a\u003E and Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Williams\/Loren\u0022\u003ELoren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E, both with the School of\u0026nbsp;Chemistry and Biochemistry; and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/people\/Faculty\/6774\/overview\u0022\u003ESheng Dai\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.gatech.edu\/people\/abigail-johnson\u0022\u003EAbbie Johnson,\u003C\/a\u003E an EAS\u0026nbsp;graduate student in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ocean.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOcean Science \u0026amp; Engineering Program\u003C\/a\u003E, will work on the project for her\u0026nbsp;doctoral dissertation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGlass has a courtesy appointment with the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. She also is on the faculty of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech research team wins NASA grant to study microbe\/methane connection on Earth, planetary moons"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMethane clathrates, crystalline lockers for natural gas deposits deep under Earth\u0026#39;s oceans, may also exist on icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter. An interdisciplinary team of Georgia Tech College of Sciences researchers will look into possible microbial influence on these clathrates, thanks to new NASA funding.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"An interdisciplinary research team wins funding to study methane clathrates on Earth and on outer moons of the solar system."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2018-11-14 15:31:50","changed_gmt":"2018-11-18 13:12:13","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-11-14T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-11-14T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"614237":{"id":"614237","type":"image","title":"Structure of a methane clathrate block found in Oregon. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)","body":null,"created":"1542210702","gmt_created":"2018-11-14 15:51:42","changed":"1542210702","gmt_changed":"2018-11-14 15:51:42","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233849","name":"Methane Clathrate.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Methane%20Clathrate.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Methane%20Clathrate.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":50462,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Methane%20Clathrate.jpg?itok=52vV3mKw"}},"610185":{"id":"610185","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Glass in her lab","body":null,"created":"1534960341","gmt_created":"2018-08-22 17:52:21","changed":"1534960341","gmt_changed":"2018-08-22 17:52:21","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232354","name":"Jen.lab_.rock_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jen.lab_.rock_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jen.lab_.rock_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3794331,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Jen.lab_.rock_.jpg?itok=kHgcY4yv"}}},"media_ids":["614237","610185"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"79441","name":"jennifer glass"},{"id":"10858","name":"Raquel Lieberman"},{"id":"10720","name":"Loren Williams"},{"id":"179710","name":"Anton Petrov"},{"id":"179711","name":"Sheng Dai"},{"id":"179712","name":"Abbie Johnson"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"179713","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering Program"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"179714","name":"NASA Exobiology Program"},{"id":"179715","name":"methane clathrates"},{"id":"791","name":"Global Warming"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"614163":{"#nid":"614163","#data":{"type":"news","title":"QBioS Awards Four PhD Candidates Cross-College Catalysis Research Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs part of their Strategic Plan Advisory Group (GT-SPAG) Award, the Quantitative Biosciences Ph.D. program announced a call for spring 2019 GRA funding to support QBioS student research that spans students\u0026rsquo; dissertation research and interdisciplinary collaboration with a faculty member from the College of Engineering or College of Computing.\u0026nbsp; The intent is to broaden the preparation for graduate trainees, enhance opportunities for catalyzing new interdisciplinary research, and facilitate increased cross-College collaborations.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nWe are pleased to announce the student winners of these GRA funds:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EShlomi Cohen\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ENolan English\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EAlexander Bo Lee\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ESeyed Alireza Zamani-Dahaj\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShlomi Cohen is a 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E year QBioS student from the School of Physics, who is co-advised by Professor Jennifer Curtis (School of Physics) and Professor Shuyi Nie (School of Biological Sciences).\u0026nbsp; Shlomi will be collaborating with Professor Denis Tsygankov from Biomedical Engineering.\u0026nbsp; His research project is entitled, \u0026ldquo;Competitive binding in the control of cell polarity during neural crest migration.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nNolan English is a 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E year QBioS student in the School of Biological Sciences.\u0026nbsp; His primary research advisor is Professor Matthew Torres, also in Biological Sciences.\u0026nbsp; His proposal, \u0026ldquo;From Sequence to Significance: Machine learning for functional prioritization of Post Translational Modifications,\u0026rdquo; is a collaboration with Professor Christopher Rozell from Electrical and Computer Engineering.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAlexander Bo Lee, a 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E year QBioS student in the School of Biological Sciences, will be studying, \u0026ldquo;The Fluid Dynamics of Underwater Sniffing.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp; Bo\u0026rsquo;s primary research advisor is Professor David Hu (Biological Sciences\/Mechanical Engineering) and they will be collaborating with Professor Alexander Alexeev from Mechanical Engineering.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nFinally, Seyed Alireza Zamani-Dahaj, a 3\u003Csup\u003Erd\u003C\/sup\u003E year QBioS student from home School of Physics, has proposed a project called, \u0026ldquo;Evolution of macroscopic size in nascent multicellular organisms.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp; Ali is primarily advised by Professor Peter Yunker from the School of Physics joint with Professor Will Ratcliff in Biological Sciences.\u0026nbsp; His collaborator for this project is Professor Eva Dyer from the School of Biomedical Engineering.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe QBioS SPAG selection committee comprised Joshua S. Weitz (Chair, Biol Sci), Hang Lu (ChBE), Patrick McGrath (Biol Sci), Haesun Park (CSE), Peng Qiu (BME), and Soojin Yi (Biol Sci).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As part of their Strategic Plan Advisory Group (GT-SPAG) Award, the QBioS Ph.D. program announced a call for spring 2019 GRA funding to support QBioS student research that spans students\u2019 dissertation research and interdisciplinary collaboration."}],"uid":"27286","created_gmt":"2018-11-12 19:22:27","changed_gmt":"2018-11-12 19:35:38","author":"Lisa Redding","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"614161":{"id":"614161","type":"image","title":"SPAG GRA Winners, Spring 2019","body":null,"created":"1542050091","gmt_created":"2018-11-12 19:14:51","changed":"1542050091","gmt_changed":"2018-11-12 19:14:51","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233821","name":"QBioS-SPAG Group.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/QBioS-SPAG%20Group.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/QBioS-SPAG%20Group.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1711726,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/QBioS-SPAG%20Group.png?itok=OxLeuNBt"}}},"media_ids":["614161"],"groups":[{"id":"562111","name":"QBioS"}],"categories":[{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"138191","name":"go-qbios"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELisa Redding, Academic Program Coordinator\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lisa.redding@biosci.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"614079":{"#nid":"614079","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Stripping the Linchpins From the Life-Making Machine Reaffirms Its Seminal Evolution","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESo audacious was Marcus Bray\u0026rsquo;s experiment that even he feared it would fail.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the system inside cells that translates genetic code into life, he replaced about 1,000 essential linchpins with primitive substitutes to see if the translational system would survive and function. It seemed impossible, yet it went swimmingly, and Bray \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/11\/08\/1803636115\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehad compelling evidence\u003C\/a\u003E that the system would have worked as it is today in\u0026nbsp;extremely harsh conditions 4 billion years ago when it evolved.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe experiment\u0026rsquo;s success reaffirmed the translational system\u0026rsquo;s place at the earliest foundations of life on Earth and its robustness through the eons.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe translational system\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEvery living thing exists because the translational system receives messages from DNA delivered to it by RNA and translates the messages into proteins. The system centers on a cellular machine called the ribosome, which is made of multiple large molecules of RNA and protein and is ubiquitous in life as we know it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s nothing alive without ribosomes,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/~lw26\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELoren Williams, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;The ribosome is about the oldest and most universal part of biology, and its origins go very far back to a time not too long after Earth had formed and cooled.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMagnesium linchpins yanked\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThose linchpins that hold it all together and that Bray yanked out and replaced were metal ions (atoms with charges, in this case positive).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn today\u0026rsquo;s ribosome, and in the whole translational system, the linchpins are magnesium ions, and Bray\u0026rsquo;s experiment replaced them all with iron ions and manganese ions, which were overabundant on primordial Earth. Williams and Jennifer Glass, the principal investigators \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/11\/08\/1803636115\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the new study\u003C\/a\u003E, also had their doubts the system would hold up without the magnesium.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I thought, \u0026lsquo;It\u0026rsquo;s not going to work, but we might as well try the moonshot\u0026rsquo;,\u0026rdquo; said Williams who has led similar work before but on simpler molecules. \u0026ldquo;The fact that swapping out all the magnesium in the translational system actually worked was mind-boggling.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0026rsquo;s because in living systems today, magnesium helps shape ribosomes and help them work. It is\u0026nbsp;needed in addition to the ribosome for some 20\u0026nbsp;enzymes of the translational system. It\u0026rsquo;s one reason why dietary magnesium (Mg) is so important.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The number of different things magnesium does in the ribosome and in the translational system is just enormous,\u0026rdquo; said Williams. \u0026ldquo;There are so many types of catalytic activities in translation, and magnesium is involved in almost all of them.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELava-belching Earth\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen first life evolved, fissures in Earth\u0026rsquo;s crust still belched lava and meteor impacts were still common. There was no breathable oxygen and the planet was brimming with iron and manganese.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis may have made them attractive for the translational system to use as the dominant ions. Magnesium was likely involved, too, though it was probably less available than today.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers wanted to know if the translational system first evolved to function with those other metals as their linchpins. So, Bray, a graduate research assistant in Williams\u0026rsquo;s and in Glass\u0026rsquo;s lab, swapped out the magnesium ions for them, tabula rasa.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We didn\u0026rsquo;t have any substantial reason to believe it would work, and it was a huge surprise to all of us when it did,\u0026rdquo; Bray said. And it strongly corroborated that the translational system would have thrived under early Earth conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBray, co-first author Timothy Lenz and co-principal investigators Glass and Williams \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/11\/08\/1803636115\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epublished their results in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on November 9, 2018\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was funded by the NASA Exobiology program. Glass is an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eassistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026lsquo;Textbook-rewriting results\u0026rsquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmazingly, the atomic swaps barely changed the shape of the ribosome.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s totally unbelievable this would work because biology makes very specific use of things. Change one atom and it can wreck a whole protein,\u0026rdquo; Williams said. \u0026ldquo;When we probed the structure, we saw that all three metals do essentially the same thing to the structure.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen they tested the performance of the translational system with iron replacing magnesium, it was 50 to 80 percent as efficient as normal (with magnesium). \u0026ldquo;Manganese worked even better than iron,\u0026rdquo; Bray said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I think these may be textbook-rewriting results since the whole field of ribosome research involves magnesium,\u0026rdquo; Bray said. \u0026ldquo;Now, with what we\u0026rsquo;ve done, it\u0026rsquo;s no longer the case that only magnesium works.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrimordial gas tent\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBray incubated ribosomes in the presence of magnesium, iron, or manganese inside a special chamber with an artificial atmosphere devoid of oxygen, like the Earth four billion years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe found that the magnesium replacement went far beyond atoms in the ribosome.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Surrounding the ribosome is also a huge cloud of magnesium atoms. It\u0026rsquo;s called an atmosphere, or shell, and engulfs it completely. I replaced everything, including that, and the whole system still worked.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEons down the road, the evolution of the translational system in the presence of magnesium may have given it an adaptive advantage. As oxygen levels on Earth rose, binding up free manganese and iron, and making them less available to biology, magnesium probably comfortably assumed the thousands of roles it occupies in the translational system today.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELike this article?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/subscribe\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESubscribe to our email newsletter\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlso READ:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/610192\/laughing-gas-may-have-helped-warm-early-earth-and-given-breath-life\u0022\u003ELaughing Gas May Have Helped Warm Early Earth and Given Breath to Life\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThese researchers coauthored the study: Jay Haynes, Jessica Bowman, Anton Petrov, Amit Reddi, and Nicholas Hud, all of Georgia Tech. The research was funded by the NASA Exobiology program (grants NNX14AJ87G, NNX16AJ28G, and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENNX16AJ29G). Findings, conclusions, opinions, and recommendations in the material are those of the authors and not necessarily of NASA.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudy in PNAS\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/10\/30\/1810140115\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia relations assistance\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404) 660-1408, ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis experiment had a good chance of crashing. Instead, it delivered whopping evidence to collaborate the earliest evolution of the translational system, the mechanisms which make\u0026nbsp;life out of our genes. The study swapped out all its magnesium, tabula rasa, and showed that the system\u0026nbsp;would have thrived almost as it is today 4 billion years ago at the earliest foundations of life on Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"An experiment way too bold delivers whopping evidence of the translational system\u0027s seminal appearance in evolution."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2018-11-09 17:59:14","changed_gmt":"2018-11-15 03:18:40","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"614068":{"id":"614068","type":"image","title":"Ribosome illustration","body":null,"created":"1541783865","gmt_created":"2018-11-09 17:17:45","changed":"1541783865","gmt_changed":"2018-11-09 17:17:45","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233775","name":"ribosome close.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome%20close.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome%20close.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2319971,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ribosome%20close.jpg?itok=HZOOEgwx"}},"614073":{"id":"614073","type":"image","title":"Marcus Bray, Loren Williams, Williams lab","body":null,"created":"1541784168","gmt_created":"2018-11-09 17:22:48","changed":"1541784168","gmt_changed":"2018-11-09 17:22:48","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233778","name":"19C10200-P22-016.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/19C10200-P22-016.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/19C10200-P22-016.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":306348,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/19C10200-P22-016.jpg?itok=FgqrtpqI"}},"610185":{"id":"610185","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Glass in her lab","body":null,"created":"1534960341","gmt_created":"2018-08-22 17:52:21","changed":"1534960341","gmt_changed":"2018-08-22 17:52:21","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232354","name":"Jen.lab_.rock_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jen.lab_.rock_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jen.lab_.rock_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3794331,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Jen.lab_.rock_.jpg?itok=kHgcY4yv"}},"614074":{"id":"614074","type":"image","title":"Loren Williams portrait photo","body":null,"created":"1541784612","gmt_created":"2018-11-09 17:30:12","changed":"1541784612","gmt_changed":"2018-11-09 17:30:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233779","name":"Loren.portrait.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Loren.portrait.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Loren.portrait.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2571851,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Loren.portrait.jpg?itok=YhMRbHpl"}},"614072":{"id":"614072","type":"image","title":"Translational system illustration","body":null,"created":"1541783996","gmt_created":"2018-11-09 17:19:56","changed":"1541783996","gmt_changed":"2018-11-09 17:19:56","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233777","name":"How_proteins_are_made_NSF (1).jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/How_proteins_are_made_NSF%20%281%29.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/How_proteins_are_made_NSF%20%281%29.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":368402,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/How_proteins_are_made_NSF%20%281%29.jpg?itok=Yobyk8IU"}},"575821":{"id":"575821","type":"image","title":"The evolution of the ribosome, illustrating growth of the large (LSU) and small (SSU) subunits, first as separate units and eventually as parts of a whole.","body":null,"created":"1473772232","gmt_created":"2016-09-13 13:10:32","changed":"1475895386","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:26","alt":"The evolution of the ribosome, illustrating growth of the large (LSU) and small (SSU) subunits, first as separate units and eventually as parts of a whole.","file":{"fid":"207222","name":"ribosomeevolution.loren_.williams_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosomeevolution.loren_.williams_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosomeevolution.loren_.williams_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":443280,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ribosomeevolution.loren_.williams_0.jpg?itok=453AlPbq"}}},"media_ids":["614068","614073","610185","614074","614072","575821"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"179666","name":"translational system"},{"id":"6730","name":"ribosome"},{"id":"179667","name":"ribosomal evolution"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"89971","name":"chemical evolution"},{"id":"34961","name":"iron"},{"id":"174064","name":"iron cycle"},{"id":"34971","name":"magnesium"},{"id":"179668","name":"Manganese"},{"id":"177829","name":"macromolecule"},{"id":"179669","name":"macromolecular machine"},{"id":"919","name":"Biochemistry"},{"id":"11047","name":"Prebiotic Chemistry"},{"id":"9859","name":"Prebiotic"},{"id":"179670","name":"Archean"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"613543":{"#nid":"613543","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tiny Bacteria do a Big Job for Huge Fish Tank","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESea creatures living in captivity need to go to the bathroom, too. That means aquarium water must be cleaned of waste like ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Good bacteria break down nitrogen compounds at Georgia Aquarium, and in a new study, some bacterial communities there emulated those found naturally in oceans surprisingly well.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t expect this,\u0026rdquo; said Petit Institute researcher Frank Stewart, principal investigator of a study led by the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0026ldquo;The microbial communities are seeded from microbes coming from the animals and their food in an aquarium that does not tap into the ocean. But these looked like natural marine microbial communities.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0026rsquo;s happy news for the thousands of creatures\u0026nbsp;who live in Georgia Aquarium\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EOcean Voyager,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethe largest indoor oceanic exhibit in the United States.\u0026nbsp;Watch the video and read the story in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Research Horizons \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/tiny-bacteria-do-big-job-huge-fish-tank\u0022\u003Eright here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"How natural can the seawater in a large inland aquarium be? New study at Georgia Aquarium gives scientists a good sign"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHow natural can the seawater in a large inland aquarium be? New study at Georgia Aquarium gives scientists a good sign\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"How natural can the seawater in a large inland aquarium be? New study at Georgia Aquarium gives scientists a good sign"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2018-10-31 14:14:37","changed_gmt":"2018-10-31 14:22:17","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-10-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-10-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"613542":{"id":"613542","type":"image","title":"Aquarium","body":null,"created":"1540995253","gmt_created":"2018-10-31 14:14:13","changed":"1540995253","gmt_changed":"2018-10-31 14:14:13","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233565","name":"aquarium-tunnel.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/aquarium-tunnel.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/aquarium-tunnel.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":951203,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/aquarium-tunnel.jpg?itok=Bpa31vIK"}}},"media_ids":["613542"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"612823":{"#nid":"612823","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Animals Use Their Tails to Swish and Swat Away Insects","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAn adult elephant weighs in at nearly five tons. Its peskiest threat is a fraction of that. But in order for a pachyderm to slap away a tiny mosquito once it lands on its backside, an elephant must generate the same amount of torque it takes to accelerate a car.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0026rsquo;s one finding in a new Georgia Institute of Technology study that looked at how animals use their tails to keep mosquitoes at bay. The researchers also discovered that mammals swish the tips of their tails at a velocity of one meter per second, nearly the same speed as a mosquito flies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study and its findings could help engineers discover new methods of building robots and energy-efficient machines that protect humans and animals from mosquitoes.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Most people assume that animals use their tails to swat at bugs, but we wanted to know how they do it,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, the Georgia Tech professor who supervised the study. \u0026ldquo;They basically have two methods of attack: the swish and swat.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESwishing at one meter per second, an animal creates enough wind to keep nearly 50 percent of mosquitoes from landing on its rear end.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech team determined that success rate by building their own mammal tail simulator. They placed a fan atop an acrylic cylinder filled with 10 mosquitoes, then spun the machine at different speeds to see how many insects reached the top.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Running the fan faster than an animal\u0026rsquo;s tail kept even more mosquitoes away, but it takes a lot more energy to spin that quickly,\u0026rdquo; said Marguerite Matherne, a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emechanical engineering\u003C\/a\u003E Ph.D. student who led the study. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s more efficient to swing their tails at just the right speed.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe swish isn\u0026rsquo;t perfect, with about 15 percent of the biters finding their way to the animal\u0026rsquo;s skin. That\u0026rsquo;s why they also rely on the swat, the second layer of defense.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMatherne went to Zoo Atlanta and pointed a video camera at elephants, zebras and giraffes. She also went to a horse farm. With hours of footage of animals\u0026rsquo; backsides, she noticed that their tails have two parts that sway back and forth: the top part is bone and skin, and the bottom part is mostly hair. She found that the researchers could accurately model the tail as a double pendulum. That\u0026rsquo;s what the mammals use to accurately swat mosquitoes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our model shows that the swatting movement of both segments of the tail can be reproduced by only controlling the hinge at the top. Roboticists have struggled to accurately control double pendulums,\u0026rdquo; said Matherne. \u0026ldquo;By adjusting the torque during our simulations, we could control both movements.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn elephant\u0026rsquo;s tail weighs about 25 pounds. To lift it up and snap it sideways in 1.3 seconds, the huge animal must generate the same amount of torque as the engine of a sedan \u0026mdash; 350 Newton meters to be exact.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHumans have used some kind of fly deterrent for centuries. Matherne and Hu\u0026rsquo;s paper also looked at one of the more recent devices \u0026mdash; the ShooAway \u0026mdash; that uses two spinning arms to thwart flying mosquitos. The Georgia Tech team replaced their fan with a ShooAway and found that the product is just as effective as an animal\u0026rsquo;s tail, although it spins faster than necessary.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHu has previously studied how dogs shake to stay dry, how frogs use their sticky tongues to grab prey and how mosquitoes fly in the rain. He chose animal tails after hearing Matherne talk about being hit in the face while riding horses as a child.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;She\u0026rsquo;s been swatted enough times to know that horses can deliver a pretty good sting,\u0026rdquo; said Hu. \u0026ldquo;We wanted to know why the swat had to be so powerful. It turns out they swish their tails at a tip speed that generates a small air flow, then swat away those that manage to land by activating only the muscles at the base of the tail.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper, \u0026ldquo;Mammals repel mosquitoes with their tails,\u0026rdquo; is published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation through award PHY-1255127.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Marguerite E. Matherne, Kasey Cockerill, Yiyang Zhou, Mihir Bellamkonda, and David L. Hu, \u0026ldquo;Mammals repel mosquitoes with their tails,\u0026rdquo; (Journal of Experimental Biology 2018) http:\/\/jeb.biologists.org\/content\/221\/20\/jeb178905\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986)(jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Jason Maderer\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Findings could help engineers build better devices to repel mosquitoes"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study shows how animals use their tails to keep mosquitoes at bay by combining a swish that blows away most of the biting bugs and a swat that kills the ones that get through.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study shows how animals use their tails to keep mosquitoes at bay."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2018-10-16 17:38:29","changed_gmt":"2018-10-16 19:02:16","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-10-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-10-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"612817":{"id":"612817","type":"image","title":"Mammal tail simulator","body":null,"created":"1539710617","gmt_created":"2018-10-16 17:23:37","changed":"1539710617","gmt_changed":"2018-10-16 17:23:37","alt":"Researchers with mammal tail simulator","file":{"fid":"233297","name":"animal-tails_9758.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/animal-tails_9758.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/animal-tails_9758.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":610829,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/animal-tails_9758.jpg?itok=LsrYRrtM"}},"612819":{"id":"612819","type":"image","title":"Researchers of animal tail motion","body":null,"created":"1539710758","gmt_created":"2018-10-16 17:25:58","changed":"1539710758","gmt_changed":"2018-10-16 17:25:58","alt":"Researchers with animal tail simulator","file":{"fid":"233298","name":"animal-tails-003.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/animal-tails-003.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/animal-tails-003.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":468047,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/animal-tails-003.jpg?itok=UnvUjVkS"}},"612820":{"id":"612820","type":"image","title":"Horse swatting an insect","body":null,"created":"1539710878","gmt_created":"2018-10-16 17:27:58","changed":"1539710878","gmt_changed":"2018-10-16 17:27:58","alt":"Horse swatting an insect","file":{"fid":"233299","name":"Horse_swat.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Horse_swat.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Horse_swat.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":456468,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Horse_swat.jpg?itok=KW2hoVkx"}},"612822":{"id":"612822","type":"image","title":"Mosquito close-up","body":null,"created":"1539711249","gmt_created":"2018-10-16 17:34:09","changed":"1539711249","gmt_changed":"2018-10-16 17:34:09","alt":"Mosquito in horse tail","file":{"fid":"233300","name":"mosquito-tail.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mosquito-tail.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mosquito-tail.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":273215,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mosquito-tail.jpg?itok=uceBGoy2"}}},"media_ids":["612817","612819","612820","612822"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"35131","name":"mosquitoes"},{"id":"170499","name":"animal"},{"id":"179398","name":"animal tail"},{"id":"7470","name":"insect"},{"id":"179401","name":"insect repellent"},{"id":"297","name":"David Hu"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"612269":{"#nid":"612269","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Optical Tweezers \u2013 The Stuff of Science Fiction","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nobelprize.org\/prizes\/physics\/2018\/press-release\/\u0022\u003E2018 Nobel Prize in Physics\u003C\/a\u003E recognizes two breakthroughs that revolutionized laser physics. Optical tweezers are one of them. Using laser beams as fingers, these tools grab particles, atoms, viruses, and living cells. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/history.aip.org\/phn\/11409018.html\u0022\u003EArthur Ashkin\u003C\/a\u003E, formerly of Bell Labs, receives half of the 2018 prize for this invention.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOptical tweezers have had an impact on many scientific areas by providing direct physical access to the nanoscopic world, says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/jennifer-curtis\u0022\u003EJennifer Curtis\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the Georgia Tech School of Physics. Ashkin showed that a focused laser beam could grab and manipulate tiny bits of matter. Researchers can observe what\u0026rsquo;s going on through a microscope.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am thrilled to see Ashkin receive a prize for his contributions,\u0026rdquo; says Curtis, who is a member of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. \u0026ldquo;His invention opened new frontiers in many fields for creative researchers who want to probe, manipulate, and engineer nanoscale matter. He inspired a next generation of scientists, including myself.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOptical tweezers are like the tractor beams that Captain Kirk of Star Trek uses to capture enemy starships, Curtis says. They are possible, she says, because polarizable materials are attracted to regions of high electromagnetic radiation, which includes light.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A focused laser beam provides a sweet spot for small particles localize,\u0026rdquo; Curtis explains. \u0026ldquo;The tighter the laser focus, the stronger the trap, and the more confined the particle becomes. Once trapped, particles and cells are easily moved about by simply steering the laser beam with a mirror. Hence by moving the focus of the laser around, you can move, probe, and assemble materials from the bottom up. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a fascinating tool that boggles the imagination and opens up great possibilities thanks to its ability to grab and examine what would normally be untouchable tiny pieces of matter \u0026ndash; from DNA to viruses to organelles to red blood cells.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a Ph.D. student, Curtis contributed to developing the technology of optical tweezers. Her research showed that liquid crystal displays can be used to split a single laser beam into multiple beams forming a desired pattern. \u0026ldquo;We could create hundreds of optical traps and locate them in three dimensions. We could also change the position of the traps in real time,\u0026rdquo; she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn her Georgia Tech research in the field of biological physics, Curtis uses optical tweezers to study the mechanical properties of cells and to explore cell-cell and cell-interface interactions. Eventually, she would like to study the mechanical properties and spatial dynamics of microbial communities such as biofilms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor now, the largest impact of optical tweezers is on research, Curtis says. By enabling close examination of biological molecules, organelles, and cells and measurement of the force applied on these tiny particles, optical tweezers gave birth to the field of single-molecule biophysics. From the biophysics of DNA to the workings of molecular motors like kinesin and myosin, optical tweezers opened a window to a world that was not available before. Other fields \u0026ndash; colloidal physics, soft-matter physics, materials science, polymer physics, statistical physics, and fluid mechanics \u0026ndash; have been similarly energized by this tool. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe other half of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics is\u0026nbsp;shared by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.polytechnique.edu\/annuaire\/en\/users\/gerard.mourou\u0022\u003EG\u0026eacute;rard Mourou\u003C\/a\u003E, at the\u0026nbsp;\u0026Eacute;cole Polytechnique near Paris, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/uwaterloo.ca\/physics-astronomy\/people-profiles\/donna-strickland\u0022\u003EDonna Strickland\u003C\/a\u003E, at the University of Waterloo in Ontario. They invented a way to create the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever. Applications of their work include millions of corrective eye surgeries. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech physicist Jennifer Curtis explains"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOptical tweezers are one of two inventions that won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech physicist Jennifer Curtis explains."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-10-03 13:30:27","changed_gmt":"2018-10-03 15:11:08","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"612268":{"id":"612268","type":"image","title":"Arthur Ashkin wins 2018 Nobel Prize for optical tweezers (Courtesy of Nobel Media)","body":null,"created":"1538572885","gmt_created":"2018-10-03 13:21:25","changed":"1538572885","gmt_changed":"2018-10-03 13:21:25","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233069","name":"2018 Physics Nobel Arthur Ashkin.tall250.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Physics%20Nobel%20Arthur%20Ashkin.tall250.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Physics%20Nobel%20Arthur%20Ashkin.tall250.png","mime":"image\/png","size":127435,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Physics%20Nobel%20Arthur%20Ashkin.tall250.png?itok=PIQ-VBb2"}},"612267":{"id":"612267","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Curtis","body":null,"created":"1538572672","gmt_created":"2018-10-03 13:17:52","changed":"1538572750","gmt_changed":"2018-10-03 13:19:10","alt":"","file":{"fid":"233068","name":"Jennifer Curtis taken by Judy Melton.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20taken%20by%20Judy%20Melton.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20taken%20by%20Judy%20Melton.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":65429,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20taken%20by%20Judy%20Melton.tall250.jpg?itok=93bOF5Zp"}}},"media_ids":["612268","612267"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/physics\/how-cells-swallow","title":"How Cells Swallow"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"179269","name":"2018 Nobel Prize in Physics"},{"id":"179270","name":"optical tweezers"},{"id":"5081","name":"Jennifer Curtis"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"611627":{"#nid":"611627","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Silica May Have Helped Form Protein Precursors in Prebiotic Earth","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. Silica is found in beach sand, playground sand, and desert sand. It is in gravel, clay, and granite. It is in the concrete and glass structures of buildings everywhere. A study now shows that this prosaic material also could have played a key role in forming the polymeric molecules of life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHow the molecules of life formed on Earth is the subject of extensive studies. Researchers have long suggested that minerals may have played a role in the formation of peptides in prebiotic Earth. However, most past attempts to use minerals to catalyze amino acid polymerization have not shown a significant improvement or difference in products compared to the same reactions in the absence of minerals. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/epdf\/10.1002\/cbic.201800217\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026ndash; by Georgia Tech researchers in the National Science Foundation (NSF)\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution (CCE) \u0026ndash; finds that drying and heating a mixture of amino and \u0026alpha;-hydroxy acids in the presence of silica yields peptides that are longer than those formed in its absence. (Peptides are the precursors of proteins; amino acids are the building blocks of peptides; \u0026alpha;-hydroxy acids are chemically similar to amino acids and could have been present in prebiotic Earth; silica would have been abundant on Earth billions of years ago.)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings suggest a mechanism by which organic compounds and silica on prebiotic Earth could have worked together to produce peptides. Designated a VIP (Very Important Paper), the paper reporting results is the front-cover article of the Sept. 17, 2018, issue of \u003Cem\u003EChemBioChem.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work was supported by the NSF and NASA Astrobiology Program under the NSF Center for Chemical Evolution (CHE-1504217). \u0026ldquo;The study shows silica, a major constituent of Earth\u0026rsquo;s crust, could play an important role in prebiotic evolution,\u0026rdquo; says NSF\u0026rsquo;s Acting Deputy Division Director in Chemistry Lin He. \u0026ldquo;It provides the grounds to better understand the rules of life and enables a wide range of applications in biomedical engineering, biosensors, chemical, and biological research.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026ldquo;\u003C\/strong\u003EThe production of peptides in model prebiotic reactions has been a bottleneck in origins-of-life research,\u0026rdquo; says Thomas Orlando, a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the paper\u0026rsquo;s corresponding author. \u0026ldquo;With this discovery we can move to the next level and ask even deeper questions about the origins of life: Could minerals have played a role in selecting some of the organic molecules that participated in the origins of life? Are there common mineral properties that allow them to interact with prebiotic building blocks in a productive way?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECCE researchers reported in 2015 that drying and heating mixtures of hydroxy acids and amino acids produces polymers called depsipeptides. While depsipeptides may also have played a role in the origin of life, finding an efficient prebiotic method to produce pure peptides remains of great interest.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It is well-known that minerals react with organic acids, making mineral-organic interfaces that could have existed on early Earth,\u0026rdquo; Orlando says. Since the founding of the CCE, more than 10 years ago, affiliated researchers have been investigating the possible impacts of minerals on model prebiotic reactions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have been asking: Could minerals, through their cooperation with simple organic molecules on early Earth, have facilitated the synthesis of complex polymers that, ultimately, gave rise to life?\u0026rdquo; says Nicholas Hud, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, CCE director, and a coauthor of the paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Like almost everyone, we are curious about the origins of life,\u0026rdquo; says Aaron McKee, a Ph.D. candidate and the paper\u0026rsquo;s first author. \u0026ldquo;But we are also interested in the relevance to modern life.\u0026rdquo; For example, McKee says, scientists are developing nanoparticles that are essentially tiny functionalized mineral surfaces as biomolecule detectors or drug delivery agents.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There is a vast matrix of minerals and organic molecules related to those used in this study. Some of these would have also been present on prebiotic Earth,\u0026rdquo; McKee says. \u0026ldquo;We are now in an excellent position to investigate the numerous combinations of these minerals and organic molecules to see if there is any other chemical cooperation between inorganic and organic substances that could have facilitated the production of molecules important for starting life.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Ubiquitous mineral promotes formation of long peptides, study shows"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWork from the Center for Chemical Evolution suggests a mechanism by which organic compounds and silica, found in sand, could have produced long peptides in prebiotic Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Ubiquitous mineral promotes formation of long peptides, study shows."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-09-18 16:22:19","changed_gmt":"2018-09-20 09:50:05","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"611623":{"id":"611623","type":"image","title":"ChemBioChem Cover Sept. 17, 2018 (Courtesy of ChemBioChem)","body":null,"created":"1537287133","gmt_created":"2018-09-18 16:12:13","changed":"1537287133","gmt_changed":"2018-09-18 16:12:13","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232836","name":"2018 McKee_et_al-2018-ChemBioChem_page1.tall250.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20McKee_et_al-2018-ChemBioChem_page1.tall250.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20McKee_et_al-2018-ChemBioChem_page1.tall250.png","mime":"image\/png","size":121340,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20McKee_et_al-2018-ChemBioChem_page1.tall250.png?itok=dHVH6ARt"}},"611624":{"id":"611624","type":"image","title":"Thomas Orlando","body":null,"created":"1537287267","gmt_created":"2018-09-18 16:14:27","changed":"1537287267","gmt_changed":"2018-09-18 16:14:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232837","name":"Thomas.Orlando.sq250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Thomas.Orlando.sq250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Thomas.Orlando.sq250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":117269,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Thomas.Orlando.sq250.jpg?itok=FQtE1bmQ"}},"611625":{"id":"611625","type":"image","title":"Nicholas Hud","body":null,"created":"1537287309","gmt_created":"2018-09-18 16:15:09","changed":"1537287309","gmt_changed":"2018-09-18 16:15:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232838","name":"nick-hud-ba-uracil_1__1_.sq250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_1__1_.sq250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_1__1_.sq250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":83439,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nick-hud-ba-uracil_1__1_.sq250.jpg?itok=ff5mauLT"}},"611626":{"id":"611626","type":"image","title":"Aaron McKee","body":null,"created":"1537287358","gmt_created":"2018-09-18 16:15:58","changed":"1537287358","gmt_changed":"2018-09-18 16:15:58","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232839","name":"2018 Aaron McKee CCE profile.sq250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Aaron%20McKee%20CCE%20profile.sq250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Aaron%20McKee%20CCE%20profile.sq250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":108281,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Aaron%20McKee%20CCE%20profile.sq250.jpg?itok=d8ZNmsSN"}}},"media_ids":["611623","611624","611625","611626"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/what-came-chicken-or-egg","title":"What Came Before the Chicken or the Egg?"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"173619","name":"origins-of-life research"},{"id":"10339","name":"center for chemical evolution"},{"id":"95521","name":"Thomas Orlando"},{"id":"4504","name":"Nicholas Hud"},{"id":"167409","name":"silica"},{"id":"170466","name":"silicon dioxide"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"611366":{"#nid":"611366","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Partners with Atlanta Colleges on Data Science Education ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EData, data, and more data.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe rapid growth of data seems wild and limitless. But various \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505347\u0022\u003ETransdisciplinary Research in Principles of Data Science (TRIPODS)\u003C\/a\u003E institutes have been making theoretical sense of it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETRIPODS institutes receive funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Among them is Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=1740776\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003ETRIAD \u0026ndash; the Transdisciplinary Research Institute for Advancing Data Science\u003C\/a\u003E, which is directed by Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering Professor Xiaoming Huo. TRIAD researchers are poised to share data science insights with the Atlanta higher education community.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, NSF aims to expand the scope of TRIPODS institutes. Today the agency awarded 19 collaborative projects at 23 universities. The awards are called TRIPODS+X grants. X is the scope-expanding activity; it could be research, visioning, or education.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong the award recipients is Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s project: TRIPODS+X:EDU Collaborative Education: Data-driven Discovery and Alliance, led by Prasad Tetali, a professor of mathematics and computer science at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe award to Georgia Tech and its alliance partners \u0026ndash; Agnes Scott, Morehouse, and Spellman Colleges \u0026ndash; aims to train a diverse workforce for the inevitable data-driven future. The project will also engage faculty at the minority-serving institutions to help them teach data science and develop related curricula.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;TRIPODS+X is exciting not only for its near-term impact addressing some of society\u0026#39;s most important scientific challenges, but [also] because of its potential for developing tools for future applications,\u0026quot; says Anne Kinney, NSF assistant director Mathematical and Physical Sciences.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the $200,000 TRIPODS+X:EDU grant, the alliance partners will develop undergraduate data-science-focused courses. Through boot camps, workshops, and other joint activities, they will prepare data science modules to integrate into science curricula at the partner institutions. The goal is to prepare students who can address the emerging challenges in data science.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The NSF-supported educational alliance is exciting in many ways,\u0026rdquo; says Prasad Tetali.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It gives an opportunity to infuse the foundational data science curriculum with real-world applications from the physical and life sciences,\u0026rdquo; Tetali says. \u0026ldquo;It will also likely catalyze collaborative research in data science and related fields between Georgia Tech and Atlanta area colleges.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFollowing are the individuals involved in the TRIPODS+X: EDU project:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPrincipal Investigators\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EChris DePree, Agnes Scott College\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EAlan Koch, Agnes Scott College\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EWenjing Liao, Georgia Tech School of Mathematics\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EBrandeis Marshall, Spelman College\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EChuang Peng, Morehouse College\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EDavid Sherrill, Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EPrasad Tetali, Georgia Tech School of Mathematics and School of Computer Science\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EJoshua Weitz, Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESenior Personnel\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EThinh Doan, Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EFlavio Fenton, Georgia Tech School of Physics\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EXiaoming Huo, Georgia Tech Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ERenata Rawlings-Goss, Georgia Tech Institute for Data Engineering and Science\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EJustin Romberg, Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhoto Caption\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom left to right, top row:\u0026nbsp;Joshua Weitz, Justin Romberg, and David Sherrill; middle row:\u0026nbsp;Alan Koch, Brandeis Marshall, Chris DePree, and Wenjing Liao; bottom row:\u0026nbsp;Thinh Doan, Prasad Tetali, and Chuang Peng\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"NSF-supported project will help develop data science courses at Agnes Scott, Morehouse, and Spelman Colleges"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EData science researchers at Georgia Tech are partnering with minority-serving Atlanta colleges to train a diverse workforce for the data-driven future.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"NSF-supported project will help develop data science courses at Agnes Scott, Morehouse, and Spelman Colleges."}],"uid":"28766","created_gmt":"2018-09-12 14:55:39","changed_gmt":"2018-10-02 20:01:04","author":"Shelley Wunder-Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-09-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-09-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"611293":{"id":"611293","type":"image","title":"Atlanta Alliance for Data Science Education","body":null,"created":"1536675522","gmt_created":"2018-09-11 14:18:42","changed":"1536675522","gmt_changed":"2018-09-11 14:18:42","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232725","name":"Tripod-X-005.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Tripod-X-005.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Tripod-X-005.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":650513,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Tripod-X-005.jpg?itok=e3LEzCfN"}}},"media_ids":["611293"],"groups":[{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"},{"id":"1243","name":"The Supply Chain and Logistics Institute (SCL)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"92811","name":"data science"},{"id":"175351","name":"TRIPODS"},{"id":"175350","name":"TRIAD"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"12708","name":"prasad tetali"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJoshua Chamot\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPublic Affairs Specialist for Mathematical and Physical Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nNational Science Foundation\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOffice of Legislative and Public Affairs\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n(703) 292-4489\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jchamot@nsf.gov\u0022\u003Ejchamot@nsf.gov\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/NSF_MPS\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/twitter.com\/NSF_MPS\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/US.NSF\/\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/US.NSF\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"610630":{"#nid":"610630","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Coffee Leads to Collaboration ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor\u0026#39;s Note: This story by Victor Rogers was originally published on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2018\/08\/08\/coffee-leads-collaboration?utm_campaign=daily-digest\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_source=dd-article-primary-tlink%3A9200%7C2018-08-30\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech News Center on Aug. 8, 2018\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen Will Ratcliff and Peter Yunker first met for coffee they had no idea they would eventually collaborate on research that would be published in \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003ENature Physics\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff, an assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, arrived at Tech in January 2014. Yunker, an assistant professor in the School of Physics, arrived in January of the following year.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I met with [Physics Professor] Dan Goldman and told him about my interests in biophysics,\u0026rdquo; said Yunker. \u0026ldquo;He told me there\u0026rsquo;s another young guy who just arrived. You should contact him.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYunker reached out to Ratcliff, and the two began meeting weekly for coffee in the basement of the College of Computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I think our conversations for a solid six months were just about friend stuff,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;We talked about science, but we weren\u0026rsquo;t actively pursuing projects. We were just hanging out and getting to know each other.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYunker said they discussed ideas about the evolution of multicellularity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Will would talk a little about the biology of the evolution of multicellularity. And then we would pivot, and I would talk about the physics of multicellularity,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThough coming from different disciplines \u0026mdash; biology and physics \u0026mdash; Ratcliff and Yunker quickly recognized some common ground. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I would say, \u0026lsquo;There\u0026rsquo;s this thing in biology where this needs to happen,\u0026rsquo; and he would say \u0026lsquo;there\u0026rsquo;s this thing in physics where this needs to happen,\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;It would blow my mind because it was a totally different way of thinking about the things that I was already thinking about. It was incredibly exciting because there were these parallels coming from such different places, and they were describing the same overlapping material. I think we both could tell there was a lot of cool stuff to be done.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe harder part was figuring out where the overlap was concrete so they could actually conduct experiments or write models.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A lot of our conversations are brainstorming style,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re less about knocking down ideas and more about: \u0026lsquo;Let\u0026rsquo;s get a lot of information out there so we can find where that concrete idea emerges.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe collaboration also eased the pressure of being a new faculty member.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s nice to work with other people who are at a similar level, to bounce ideas off each other, talk about critical review, and vent about frustrations,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said. \u0026ldquo;The whole time I\u0026rsquo;ve been here I have always heard Georgia Tech is very supportive of collaboration. I\u0026rsquo;ve heard of other places where that support isn\u0026rsquo;t there when you\u0026rsquo;re still at the assistant professor level. I haven\u0026rsquo;t worried at all about if there will be trouble down the line if we collaborate. Instead, I see it as we\u0026rsquo;re doing the best science, and that\u0026rsquo;s what Georgia Tech wants.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff said, \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s one of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s real strengths. People really appreciate our collaboration. I hear from people in both communities \u0026mdash; biology and physics. They appreciate not just the research, but also the strengthening of the bridge between the departments and the sense of community it builds.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to their research collaborations, Ratcliff and Yunker co-advise a Ph.D. student and a postdoc.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollaboration Advice to New Faculty \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYunker and Ratcliff make collaboration look deceptively easy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Collaboration takes effort. It takes sustained interaction,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s got to be a reason to do that because as new professors we\u0026rsquo;re super busy trying to get everything off the ground: get your lab running, get grants, write papers, design classes, do service work. We\u0026rsquo;re spread really thin. So, to have sustained interactions that are needed for a good collaboration, you have to prioritize it and want to do it.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYunker added, \u0026ldquo;One of the best approaches when starting a new collaboration is to either let it grow or die on its own. If the idea isn\u0026rsquo;t there or if you just don\u0026rsquo;t mesh, then forcing it is going to be difficult for everyone.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff has advice for new faculty who are interested in collaborating.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s really exciting and valuable to have a close collaborator from a different discipline or with a\u0026nbsp; different skillset,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;To get that, I suggest forming collaborations with other professors who are about your age. Key reasons are you\u0026rsquo;re both at the same stage in your careers. You\u0026rsquo;re equals. Also, a new professor is likely to have time to form new collaborations. Lastly, new professors have startup funds and a large degree of flexibility. This is great for trying things that are risky.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe also suggests attending receptions for new faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Talk to people outside of your discipline. Don\u0026rsquo;t spend \u003Cem\u003Eall\u003C\/em\u003E of your time at the mixer talking to your departmental colleagues,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDeveloping a good collaboration can be transformational.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our collaboration has fundamentally reshaped the way I think about key problems in my field,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;I know how to think about the things I was trained to think about, but I had no idea how to think about things I wasn\u0026rsquo;t trained to think about.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYunker said, \u0026ldquo;Together we\u0026rsquo;re able to ask and answer more interesting questions. I was not versed at all on questions about evolutionary transitions and individuality. I wasn\u0026rsquo;t aware of all the open questions and problems there, and they\u0026rsquo;re fascinating. By coming together, we end up asking even more interesting questions and, hopefully, coming up with new approaches.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff said what made the collaboration work is that he and Yunker became friends.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We enjoy hanging out. I look forward to having coffee,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;We have these exciting scientific discussions where it was obvious that there\u0026rsquo;s something there, but we had to make the ideas touch down to reality.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Mutually enhanced curiosity from a good cuppa java"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Will Ratcliff and Peter Yunker first met for coffee they had no idea they would eventually collaborate on research that would be published in Nature Communications and Nature Physics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Meetings over coffee led two professors to collaborate on research. "}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-08-30 17:51:10","changed_gmt":"2018-08-31 12:32:00","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-08-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-08-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"609498":{"id":"609498","type":"image","title":"Will Ratcliff (left) and Peter Yunker","body":null,"created":"1533771453","gmt_created":"2018-08-08 23:37:33","changed":"1533771549","gmt_changed":"2018-08-08 23:39:09","alt":"Will Ratcliff and Peter Yunker at Highland Bakery","file":{"fid":"232137","name":"Ratcliff and Yunker2.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ratcliff%20and%20Yunker2.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ratcliff%20and%20Yunker2.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":430675,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Ratcliff%20and%20Yunker2.jpeg?itok=Q2-hrvGU"}},"609497":{"id":"609497","type":"image","title":"Will Ratcliff (left) and Peter Yunker at Highland Bakery ","body":null,"created":"1533771293","gmt_created":"2018-08-08 23:34:53","changed":"1533771354","gmt_changed":"2018-08-08 23:35:54","alt":"Will Ratcliff and Peter Yunker at Highland Bakery ","file":{"fid":"232136","name":"Ratcliff and Yunker.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ratcliff%20and%20Yunker.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ratcliff%20and%20Yunker.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":336524,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Ratcliff%20and%20Yunker.jpeg?itok=VI8C11-A"}},"599139":{"id":"599139","type":"image","title":"Yunker and Ratcliff in Yunker physics lab","body":null,"created":"1511797212","gmt_created":"2017-11-27 15:40:12","changed":"1511797212","gmt_changed":"2017-11-27 15:40:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228416","name":"Yunker.Ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker.Ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker.Ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":519688,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Yunker.Ratcliff.yeast_.jpg?itok=FpEzVABT"}}},"media_ids":["609498","609497","599139"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/587025\/cholera-bacteria-stab-and-poison-enemies-so-predictably","title":"Cholera research "},{"url":"http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/599147\/when-physics-gives-evolution-leg-breaking-one","title":"Evolution of multicellularity"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"108591","name":"Will Ratcliff"},{"id":"168707","name":"Peter Yunker"},{"id":"277","name":"Biology"},{"id":"960","name":"physics"},{"id":"340","name":"collaboration"},{"id":"4323","name":"coffee"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EVictor Rogers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["victor.rogers@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"610417":{"#nid":"610417","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cycling Antibiotics to Treat Infections","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs microorganisms evolve to resist antibiotics, the world risks running out of drugs to treat bacterial infections. One way to slow this trend is to find new modes of using existing drugs, even those now ineffective because of microbial resistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne strategy is based on the phenomenon of collateral sensitivity: When some microbes develop resistance to one antibiotic, they become hypersensitive to another. For example, when an \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E strain became indifferent to chloramphenicol, it also became highly vulnerable to polymyxin B. For this strain, chloramphenicol and polymyxin B form a collaterally sensitive pair.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESometimes the drug pair exhibits mutual collateral sensitivity (MCS) for a pathogen: The pathogen\u0026rsquo;s evolution of resistance to drug A increases its sensitivity to drug B and vice versa.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have identified several MCS pairs for pathogens like \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E. Some have proposed exploiting the phenomenon to treat infections by cycling through the drugs, A-B-A-B.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This sounds very clever,\u0026rdquo; says Georgia Tech biomathematician \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/people\/howie-weiss\u0022\u003EHoward \u0026ldquo;Howie\u0026rdquo; Weiss\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Bbut what could prevent this scheme from working is the rapid emergence and ascent of a population of cells that are resistant to both antibiotics.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe prospect is exciting, but no experiments have yet been performed to test efficacy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;This was a real team effort between a microbiologist and a biomathematician.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith Stockholm University microbiologist \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.su.se\/mbw\/research\/research-groups\/infection-and-immunobiology\/group-udekwu\u0022\u003EKlas Udekwu\u003C\/a\u003E, Weiss has tested the plausibility of such schemes, using a mathematical model that considers factors affecting efficacy. Applying treatment protocols consisting of pairs MCS antibiotics, they examined how fast multiply-resistant mutants would emerge. They reported results in \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dovepress.com\/pharmacodynamic-considerations-of-collateral-sensitivity-in-design-of--peer-reviewed-article-DDDT\u0022\u003EDrug Design, Development and Therapy\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey found some treatments that did not produce multiply-resistant mutants for several weeks, for several months, and even indefinitely. That means some combinations of an MCS pair prevented further development of the bacteria\u0026rsquo;s resistance to either drug.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;This was a real team effort between a microbiologist and a biomathematician,\u0026rdquo; Weiss says. \u0026ldquo;My job was to construct the model using a system of differential equations and very carefully simulate their solution using a computer.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe first experiment used low\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;moderate concentrations of antibiotics and daily cycling: drug A on day 1, drug B on day 2, drug A on day 3. At these drug levels, treatment failed. Resistant mutants rapidly developed and dominated.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESimulation results improved with higher drug concentrations. \u0026ldquo;We found that one-day cycling of certain antibiotics kept the double-resistant mutants in check for over two weeks, which would be sufficient to cure many infections,\u0026rdquo; Weiss says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe simulations also showed that three-day cycling of antibiotics that only inhibit bacterial growth \u0026ndash; not kill \u0026ndash; would never result in double-resistant mutants.\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;This was striking,\u0026rdquo; Udekwu says, \u0026ldquo;but in line with ecological theory.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUdekwu is now conducting in-vitro cycling experiments. The next step would likely be experiments in mice. \u0026ldquo;It is far too early for clinicians to think about this strategy,\u0026rdquo; he says, \u0026ldquo;other than to keep an ear out for it,\u0026nbsp;perhaps in a \u003Ca href=\u0022#_Hlk521687459\u0022\u003ECochrane\u003C\/a\u003E report someday.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Simulations suggest a way to avoid microbial resistance"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing a mathematical model, Georgia Tech biomathematician Howard \u0026ldquo;Howie\u0026rdquo; Weiss and Stockholm University microbiologist Klas Udekwu open a potential path to slowing microbial resistance to current antibiotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing a mathematical model, Georgia Tech biomathematician Howard \u0026ldquo;Howie\u0026rdquo; Weiss and Stockholm University microbiologist Klas Udekwu open a potential path to slowing microbial resistance to current antibiotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Simulations suggest a way to avoid microbial resistance."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-08-27 19:18:04","changed_gmt":"2019-02-12 20:40:12","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"610415":{"id":"610415","type":"image","title":"Howie Weiss","body":null,"created":"1535396633","gmt_created":"2018-08-27 19:03:53","changed":"1535396633","gmt_changed":"2018-08-27 19:03:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232441","name":"Howie Weiss.math_.400xX_scale.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Howie%20Weiss.math_.400xX_scale.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Howie%20Weiss.math_.400xX_scale.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":23860,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Howie%20Weiss.math_.400xX_scale.jpg?itok=Q32h3FqL"}},"610416":{"id":"610416","type":"image","title":"Klas Udekwu","body":null,"created":"1535396671","gmt_created":"2018-08-27 19:04:31","changed":"1535396671","gmt_changed":"2018-08-27 19:04:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232442","name":"2018 Klas Udekwu.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Klas%20Udekwu.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Klas%20Udekwu.png","mime":"image\/png","size":142332,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Klas%20Udekwu.png?itok=EddGCdHk"}}},"media_ids":["610415","610416"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/researchers-determine-routes-respiratory-infectious-disease-transmission-aircraft","title":"Researchers Determine Routes of Respiratory Infectious Disease Transmission on Aircraft"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"178865","name":"drug resistance"},{"id":"11571","name":"Antibiotics"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"610424":{"#nid":"610424","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Can Lessons From Fossils Guide Earth\u0027s Future?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEpisode 2 of ScienceMatters\u0026#39; Season 1 stars Jenny McGuire. The assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the School of Biological Sciences\u0026nbsp;has a tough commute to her summer research site: An 80-foot drop into Wyoming\u0026rsquo;s deep, dark Natural Trap Cave. There she collects fossils that she hopes will yield clues about the impact of climate change on animal and human populations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFollow her journey at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\u0022\u003Esciencematters.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEnter to win a prize by answering the episode\u0026#39;s question:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat small four-legged animals mentioned in Episode 2 help Jenny McGuire collect bones from Natural Trap Cave?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESubmit your entry by noon on Friday, Aug. 31, at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\u0022\u003Esciencematters.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E. Answer and winner will be announced on Monday, Sept. 3.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations to Vineeth Aljapur, winner of Episode 1 quiz. Aljapur is a first-year student in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Bioinformatics Graduate Program.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Jenny McGuire explains in ScienceMatters, the podcast"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJenny McGuire, an assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the School of Biological Sciences, has a tough commute to her summer research site: an 80-foot drop into a deep, dark Wyoming cave. McGuire studies fossils to better understand climate change\u0026rsquo;s impact on animal and human populations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Jenny McGuire explains in ScienceMatters, Season 1, Episode 2."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-08-27 19:55:55","changed_gmt":"2018-08-27 20:06:14","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-08-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"610421":{"id":"610421","type":"image","title":"Jenny McGuire Stars in ScienceMatters, Season 1, Episode 2","body":null,"created":"1535399022","gmt_created":"2018-08-27 19:43:42","changed":"1535399022","gmt_changed":"2018-08-27 19:43:42","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232445","name":"2018 Jenny McGuire.WY PBS.Capture.PNG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Jenny%20McGuire.WY%20PBS.Capture.PNG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Jenny%20McGuire.WY%20PBS.Capture.PNG","mime":"image\/png","size":1837014,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Jenny%20McGuire.WY%20PBS.Capture.PNG?itok=xiWW1XvQ"}},"610425":{"id":"610425","type":"image","title":"Vineeth Aljapur, ScienceMatters quiz winner","body":null,"created":"1535400329","gmt_created":"2018-08-27 20:05:29","changed":"1535400578","gmt_changed":"2018-08-27 20:09:38","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232447","name":"2018 Vineeth Aljapur, S1E1 quiz winner.220w.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Vineeth%20Aljapur%2C%20S1E1%20quiz%20winner.220w.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Vineeth%20Aljapur%2C%20S1E1%20quiz%20winner.220w.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":49239,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Vineeth%20Aljapur%2C%20S1E1%20quiz%20winner.220w.jpg?itok=NL4ZEBI2"}}},"media_ids":["610421","610425"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/article\/sciencematters-podcast-arrives","title":"ScienceMatters, the Podcast, Arrives"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"177832","name":"ScienceMatters"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"609251":{"#nid":"609251","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hammer and Kostka Named Distinguished Lecturers","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.joelkostka.net\/\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E have been named American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Distinguished Lecturers. Hammer is an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences. Kostka has joint appointments in the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Both are members of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHammer and Kostka are two of the eight ASM Distinguished Lecturers \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asm.org\/index.php\/asm-distinguished-lecturers\/72-membership\/asm-branch-lectureships-prog\/8090-asmbl-lecturers-and-topics\u0022\u003Erecently named\u003C\/a\u003E to serve until 2020. Selection is based on a competitive process. Only the most distinguished individuals are named to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asm.org\/index.php\/asm-distinguished-lecturers\/72-membership\/asm-branch-lectureships-prog\/8090-asmbl-lecturers-and-topics\u0022\u003EASM Distinguished Lecturer Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two microbiologists study microbe-microbe microbe-host interactions important in humans and in ecosystem health. Georgia Tech is emerging as a leader in this burgeoning\u0026nbsp;research area.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs distinguished lecturers, Hammer and Kostka will speak at ASM branch meetings throughout the U.S. Their visits to various parts of the country will provide opportunities for students and early-career research microbiologists to interact with prominent scientists.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Passion for Training Young Researchers \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nHammer\u0026#39;s research aims to understand the mechanisms bacteria use to cooperate and compete in niches they occupy. His work focuses on the waterborne microbe \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E, which causes outbreaks of cholera disease in places like Yemen where people have no option but to consume contaminated water.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHis lab has identified components of regulatory networks in\u0026nbsp;this bacterium\u0026nbsp;that control secreted enzymes, biofilm matrix material, a molecular harpoon for toxifying neighboring cells, and an apparatus to take up foreign DNA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENext, his lab aims to identify new genes and regulatory connections of these networks, characterize the behaviors they control, and determine the contribution of these activities to the fitness and adaptability of this waterborne microbe in host and ecological settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I enjoy the challenge and excitement of engaging students and postdocs in conversations \u0026ndash; about my lab\u0026rsquo;s research, about microbiology, and about being a research scientist,\u0026rdquo; Hammer says. \u0026ldquo;My passion for training young researchers stems from the mentoring I received from my own advisors, who are extraordinary scientists and communicators. As an ASM Distinguished Lecturer, I will relish the opportunity to serve as a model for students and postdocs discovering their unique career paths.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn the lecture circuit, Hammer will be talking about the following topics:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EControl of Bacterial Biofilms by Quorum Sensing Small RNAs\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ENatural Transformation in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EType VI Secretion Alters the Organization of Bacterial Communities\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ECarving Out Your Niche (in Microbiology)\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOn a Mission to Catalyze Students\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nKostka is well-known for his research in environmental microbiology. His lab characterizes the role of microorganisms in the functioning of ecosystems, especially in the context of bioremediation and climate change. He is co-principal investigator of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.marine.usf.edu\/c-image\/about\/who-we-are\u0022\u003EC-IMAGE-III\u003C\/a\u003E. This consortium is funded by the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gulfresearchinitiative.org\/\u0022\u003EGulf of Mexico Research Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E to study the environmental consequences of the release of petroleum hydrocarbons on living marine resources and ecosystem health.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I was first introduced to ASM by attending a branch meeting in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, while I was a master\u0026rsquo;s student. My experience there was largely responsible for my decision to enter the field of environmental microbiology,\u0026rdquo; Kostka says. \u0026ldquo;I wanted to participate in the ASM Distinguished Lecturer Program so that I can give back the support and encouragement that I received at many ASM meetings. I very much believe that it is my professional mission to excite students about the myriad ways that microbes benefit society, thereby catalyzing their entrance into the field.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn the lecture circuit, Kostka will be discussing the following:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EA Moveable Feast: The Response of Benthic Microbes to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Well Blowout in the Gulf of Mexico\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ESphagnum\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Phytobiome: A Team of Ecosystem Engineers in Resource Limited Peatlands\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ECan Peat Beat the Heat?: Stability of the Peatland Carbon Bank to Deep Warming\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ENew Pathways of Organic Matter Decomposition Limit Methane Emission from Wetland Soils\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EBiogeography of Benthic Microbial Communities in the Gulf of Mexico\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"They are among eight selected by the American Society for Microbiology in 2018"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrian Hammer and Joel Kostka, in the School of Biological Sciences, are among the most distinguished lecturers and researchers the American Society of Microbiology selected in 2018 to speak at various ASM branch meetings throughout the U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"They are among eight selected by the American Society for Microbiology in 2018."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-08-01 21:45:00","changed_gmt":"2018-08-01 21:46:34","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-08-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-08-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"609249":{"id":"609249","type":"image","title":"Brian Hammer","body":null,"created":"1533158829","gmt_created":"2018-08-01 21:27:09","changed":"1533158829","gmt_changed":"2018-08-01 21:27:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232041","name":"2018 Brian Hammer by GT.sq250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Brian%20Hammer%20by%20GT.sq250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Brian%20Hammer%20by%20GT.sq250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":61228,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Brian%20Hammer%20by%20GT.sq250.jpg?itok=1OOWmoiC"}},"609250":{"id":"609250","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka","body":null,"created":"1533158859","gmt_created":"2018-08-01 21:27:39","changed":"1533158859","gmt_changed":"2018-08-01 21:27:39","alt":"","file":{"fid":"232042","name":"Joel Kostka.2017.sq250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.2017.sq250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.2017.sq250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":92456,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.2017.sq250.jpg?itok=q6SLBZNB"}}},"media_ids":["609249","609250"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biosci\/physics\/cholera-bacterial-warfare","title":"Cholera Bacteria Stab and Poison Enemies so Predictably  "},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/604640","title":"In zebrafish, the cholera bacterium sets off a surprising flush "},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/590776","title":"Joel Kostka on Microbes and Climate Change "},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/584985","title":"Climate Change: Potentially Good News on Methane and Peat Carbon "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"175577","name":"American Society for Microbiology"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"609817":{"#nid":"609817","#data":{"type":"news","title":"More Workers Working Might Not Get More Work Done, Ants (and Robots) Show","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor ants and robots operating in confined spaces like tunnels, having more workers does not necessarily mean getting more work done. Just as too many cooks in a kitchen get in each other\u0026rsquo;s way, having too many robots in tunnels creates clogs that can bring the work to a grinding halt.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA study published August 17 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E shows that in fire ant colonies, a small number of workers does most of the digging, leaving the other ants to look somewhat less than industrious. For digging nest tunnels, this less busy approach gets the job done without ant traffic jams \u0026ndash; ensuring smooth excavation flow. Researchers found that applying the ant optimization strategy to autonomous robots avoids mechanized clogs and gets the work done with the least amount of energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOptimizing the activity of autonomous underground robots could be useful for tasks such as disaster recovery, mining or even digging underground shelters for future planetary explorers. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation\u0026rsquo;s Physics of Living Systems program, the Army Research Office and the Dunn Family Professorship.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We noticed that if you have 150 ants in a container, only 10 or 15 of them will actually be digging in the tunnels at any given time,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0026ldquo;We wanted to know why, and to understand how basic laws of physics might be at work. We found a functional, community benefit to this seeming inequality in the work environment. Without it, digging just doesn\u0026rsquo;t get done.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy monitoring the activities of 30 ants that had been painted to identify each individual, Goldman and colleagues, including former postdoctoral fellow Daria Monaenkova and Ph.D. student Bahnisikha Dutta, discovered that just 30 percent of the ants were doing 70 percent of the work \u0026ndash; an inequality that seems to keep the work humming right along. However, that is apparently not because the busiest ants are the most qualified. When the researchers removed the five hardest working ants from the nest container, they saw no productivity decline as the remaining 25 continued to dig.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHaving a nest is essential to fire ants, and if a colony is displaced \u0026ndash; by a flood, for instance \u0026ndash; the first thing the ants will do upon reaching dry land is start digging. Their tunnels are narrow, barely wide enough for two ants to pass, a design feature hypothesized to give locomotion advantages in the developing vertical tunnels. Still, the ants know how to avoid creating clogs by retreating from tunnels already occupied by other workers \u0026ndash; and sometimes by not doing anything much at all.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo avoid clogs and maximize digging in the absence of a leader, robots built by Goldman\u0026rsquo;s master\u0026rsquo;s degree student Vadim Linevich were programmed to capture aspects of the dawdling and retreating ants. The researchers found that as many as three robots could work effectively in a narrow horizontal tunnel digging 3D printed magnetic plastic balls that simulated sticky soil. If a fourth robot entered the tunnel, however, that produced a clog that stopped the work entirely.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When we put four robots into a confined environment and tried to get them to dig, they immediately jammed up,\u0026rdquo; said Goldman, who is the Dunn Family Professor in the School of Physics. \u0026ldquo;While observing the ants, we were surprised to see that individuals would sometimes go to the tunnel and if they encountered even a small amount of clog, they\u0026rsquo;d just turn around and retreat. When we put those rules into combinations with the robots, that created a good strategy for digging rapidly with low amounts of energy use per robot.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExperimentally, the research team tested three potential behaviors for the robots, which they termed \u0026ldquo;eager,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;reversal\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;lazy.\u0026rdquo; Using the eager strategy, all four robots plunged into the work \u0026ndash; and quickly jammed up. In the reversal behavior, robots gave up and turned around when they encountered delays reaching the work site. In the lazy strategy, dawdling was encouraged.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Eager is the best strategy if you only have three robots, but if you add a fourth, that behavior tanks because they get in each other\u0026rsquo;s way,\u0026rdquo; said Goldman. \u0026ldquo;Reversal produces relatively sane and sensible digging. It is not the fastest strategy, but there are no jams. If you look at energy consumed, lazy is the best course.\u0026rdquo; Analysis techniques based on glassy and supercooled fluids, led by former Ph.D. student Jeffrey Aguilar, gave insight into how the different strategies mitigated and prevented clog-forming clusters.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo understand what was going on and experiment with the parameters, Goldman and colleagues \u0026ndash; including Will Savoie, a Georgia Tech Ph.D. student, Research Assistant Hui-Shun Kuan and Professor Meredith Betterton from the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder \u0026ndash; used computer modeling known as cellular automata that has similarities to the way in which traffic engineers model the movement of cars and trucks on a highway.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;On highways, too few cars don\u0026rsquo;t provide much flow, while too many cars create a jam,\u0026rdquo; Goldman said. \u0026ldquo;There is an intermediate level where things are best, and that is called the fundamental diagram. From our modeling, we learned that the ants are working right at the peak of the diagram. The right mix of unequal work distributions and reversal behaviors has the benefit of keeping them moving at maximum efficiency without jamming.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ability to avoid clumping seems to meet a need that many systems have, Betterton noted. \u0026ldquo;The ants work in a sweet spot where they can dig quickly without too many clogs. We see the same physics in ant digging, simulation models, and digging by robots, which suggests that for groups of animals that need to excavate, avoiding clogs is crucial.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers used robots designed and built for the research, but they were no match for the capabilities of the ants. The ants are flexible and robust, able to squeeze past each other in confines that would cause the inflexible robots to jam. In some cases, the robots in Goldman\u0026rsquo;s lab even damaged each other while jostling into position for digging.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research findings could be useful for space exploration where tunnels might be needed to quickly shield humans from approaching dust storms or other threats. \u0026ldquo;If you were a robot swarm on Mars and needed to dig deeply in a hurry to get away from dust storms, this strategy might help provide shelter without having perfect information about what everybody was doing,\u0026rdquo; Goldman explained.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the potential robotics applications, the work provides insights into the complex social skills of ants and adds to the understanding of active matter.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Ants that live in complex subterranean environments have to develop sophisticated social rules to avoid the bad things that can happen when you have a lot of individuals in a crowded environment,\u0026rdquo; Goldman said. \u0026ldquo;We are also contributing to understanding the physics of task-oriented active matter, putting more experimental knowledge into phenomenon such as swarms.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the research included Michael Goodisman, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation through grant numbers PoLS-0957659, PHY-1205878 and DMR-1551095 as well as a grant W911NF-13-1-0347 from the Army Research Office, and the National Academies Keck Futures Initiative. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or Army Research Office.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: J. Aguilar, et. al., \u0026ldquo;Collective clog control: optimizing traffic flow in confined biological and robophysical excavation,\u0026rdquo; (Science 2018).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor ants and robots operating in confined spaces like tunnels, having more workers does not necessarily mean getting more work done. Just as too many cooks in a kitchen get in each other\u0026rsquo;s way, having too many robots in tunnels creates clogs that can bring the work to a grinding halt.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study shows that ants have a lot to teach robots about working in confined spaces."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2018-08-16 13:29:55","changed_gmt":"2018-08-17 14:32:02","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-08-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-08-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"609802":{"id":"609802","type":"image","title":"Ants digging tunnels","body":null,"created":"1534424710","gmt_created":"2018-08-16 13:05:10","changed":"1534424710","gmt_changed":"2018-08-16 13:05:10","alt":"Ants digging tunnels in simulated soil","file":{"fid":"232231","name":"ants-digging-003.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ants-digging-003.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ants-digging-003.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":323606,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ants-digging-003.jpg?itok=NI0XIAKg"}},"609805":{"id":"609805","type":"image","title":"Researchers with excavating robots","body":null,"created":"1534424847","gmt_created":"2018-08-16 13:07:27","changed":"1534424847","gmt_changed":"2018-08-16 13:07:27","alt":"Dan Goldman and Bahnisikha Dutta with robots","file":{"fid":"232232","name":"dan-goldman-006.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dan-goldman-006.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dan-goldman-006.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":824218,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dan-goldman-006.jpg?itok=0AQUYSms"}},"609807":{"id":"609807","type":"image","title":"Autonomous robotic digger","body":null,"created":"1534425020","gmt_created":"2018-08-16 13:10:20","changed":"1534425020","gmt_changed":"2018-08-16 13:10:20","alt":"Autonomous robotic digger","file":{"fid":"232234","name":"robot-digger-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/robot-digger-001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/robot-digger-001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":615225,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/robot-digger-001.jpg?itok=Vxfrlba2"}},"609808":{"id":"609808","type":"image","title":"Painting ants","body":null,"created":"1534425133","gmt_created":"2018-08-16 13:12:13","changed":"1534425133","gmt_changed":"2018-08-16 13:12:13","alt":"Ant being painted so it could be tracked","file":{"fid":"232235","name":"ant-painting2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-painting2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-painting2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":374554,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ant-painting2.jpg?itok=KxjFQZBr"}},"609812":{"id":"609812","type":"image","title":"3D magnetic particles","body":null,"created":"1534425363","gmt_created":"2018-08-16 13:16:03","changed":"1534425363","gmt_changed":"2018-08-16 13:16:03","alt":"Image shows 3D magnetic balls used to simulate soil","file":{"fid":"232238","name":"magnetic-particles-007.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/magnetic-particles-007.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/magnetic-particles-007.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":347338,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/magnetic-particles-007.jpg?itok=yF3-m2-i"}},"609811":{"id":"609811","type":"image","title":"Robot traffic","body":null,"created":"1534425241","gmt_created":"2018-08-16 13:14:01","changed":"1534425241","gmt_changed":"2018-08-16 13:14:01","alt":"Robots moving in confined spaces","file":{"fid":"232236","name":"robot-traffic2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/robot-traffic2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/robot-traffic2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":549537,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/robot-traffic2.jpg?itok=nWmIdBhK"}}},"media_ids":["609802","609805","609807","609808","609812","609811"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"170450","name":"robophysics"},{"id":"2352","name":"robots"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"20471","name":"Ants"},{"id":"66511","name":"confined spaces"},{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"7264","name":"autonomous"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"609044":{"#nid":"609044","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Previously Overlooked \u201cCoral Ticks\u201d Weaken Degraded Reefs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA previously overlooked predator\u0026mdash; a thumbnail-sized snail\u0026mdash;could be increasing the pressure on coral reefs already weakened by the effects of overfishing, rising ocean temperatures, pollution and other threats. The snail attacks a key coral species that may offer the last hope for bringing back degraded Pacific reefs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe snail damages coral by sucking fluid from it like a tick, and may have been ignored because it camouflages itself on reefs and doesn\u0026rsquo;t move around to leave obvious signs of its attack. In experiments done directly on Fiji Island reefs, scientists quantified the impact of the snails, and found that snail attacks could reduce the growth of \u003Cem\u003EPorites cylindrica\u003C\/em\u003E coral by as much as 43 percent in less than a month.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted the research and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/eap.1765\u0022\u003Ereported\u003C\/a\u003E it July 26 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EEcological Applications\u003C\/em\u003E. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Teasley Endowment to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Once the reefs are down and nearly out, these snails are piling on,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents and Teasley professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;The Porites coral is kind of the last man standing, the last hope for some of these reefs coming back, and they are the ones these snails selectively prey on. As you get fewer and fewer corals, the snails focus on the fewer and fewer of these colonies that remain. This is part of the downward spiral of the reefs.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn areas protected from fishing, Postdoctoral Fellow Cody Clements never found more than five of the creatures \u0026ndash; whose scientific name is \u003Cem\u003ECoralliophila violacea\u003C\/em\u003E \u0026ndash; on a single coral colony. But on degraded reefs where fishing was permitted, he found hundreds of the snails on some declining coral colonies, as much as 35 times more than colonies in the protected areas. To assess the damage, he devised an experiment to measure how the snails affected coral growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn the reefs near Votoa Village on Fiji\u0026rsquo;s Coral Coast, Clements isolated coral branches and attached snails to them. After a period of 24 days, he compared the growth of snail-infested coral branches to comparable branches that had no snails. During that three-week period, the predators reduced coral growth by approximately 18 to 43 percent, depending on snail size.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A single snail can do a considerable amount of damage,\u0026rdquo; Clements said. \u0026ldquo;They are sucking the juice out of the coral. If you have a lot of snails feeding on a single coral colony, it can be very hard for the colony to thrive.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn coral ecosystems, fish help keep many predators and seaweeds under control. For that reason, fishing is forbidden in marine protected areas to maintain species diversity. To confirm their suspicions that overfishing was related to the snail problem, Clements tethered individual snails to reefs in a paired protected and unprotected areas.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen they returned to examine the experiment, they found that snails in the protected areas had been eaten, and evidence left behind suggested they had been consumed by triggerfish and other species with teeth able to crack the snail shells. Predation of the snails was 220 percent higher in the marine protected areas compared to unprotected areas with few remaining fish, they found.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;From the predation evidence, it looked like the fish were eating the snails,\u0026rdquo; said Clements. \u0026ldquo;It seemed like the main element driving the difference was the protection status of the area where the snails were tethered.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne unexpected finding was that the shells of larger snails had been taken over by hermit crabs. \u0026ldquo;The hermit crabs were very direct about getting the shells that they wanted,\u0026rdquo; Hay said. \u0026ldquo;This may or may not be ecologically important on a large scale.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study began with an accidental discovery while Clements was working on another project in a heavily degraded reef area. \u0026ldquo;I was fragmenting branches from colonies and noticed these snails,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;I wondered why I had never seen them before, then I started looking around and noticed they were everywhere.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe snail shells are covered with marine growth, so they\u0026rsquo;re difficult to see \u0026ndash; unless you know what to look for, Clements said. During the research, Clements removed more than 2,000 of the snails with needle-nosed pliers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Cem\u003EPorites\u003C\/em\u003E coral often provides the foundation for reefs, and is considered one of the most hardy species because it is less susceptible to disease, less attractive to crown-of-thorns sea stars, and more resistant to damage from seaweeds. For that reason, researchers believe it may provide a way for reefs to recover if conditions improve. Unfortunately, that coral is also a favorite for the small snail.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings reinforce a lesson Hay and Clements have been working to explain for years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Protecting coral reef areas and keeping food webs intact is really important to maintaining these communities,\u0026rdquo; Hay said. \u0026ldquo;Overfishing takes a lot of key species out of the communities so that all you have left is the marine equivalent of cockroaches and dandelions. Taking out the fish takes away the functions the fish have been providing to the community.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation under award OCE 0929119, the National Institutes of Health under award 2 U19 TW007401-10, and the Teasley Endowment to the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Cody S. Clements and Mark E. Hay, \u0026ldquo;Overlooked coral predators suppress foundation species as reefs degrade, (Ecological Applications, 2018). \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/eap.1765\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/eap.1765\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA previously overlooked predator\u0026mdash; a thumbnail-sized snail\u0026mdash;could be increasing the pressure on coral reefs already weakened by the effects of overfishing, rising ocean temperatures, pollution and other threats.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A previously overlooked predator could be increasing the pressure on endangered coral reefs."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2018-07-27 16:47:20","changed_gmt":"2018-07-27 16:48:42","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-07-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"609041":{"id":"609041","type":"image","title":"Snail feeding on coral","body":null,"created":"1532709186","gmt_created":"2018-07-27 16:33:06","changed":"1532720565","gmt_changed":"2018-07-27 19:42:45","alt":"Snail feeding on coral","file":{"fid":"231971","name":"IMG_1199.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1199.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1199.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":340310,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_1199.JPG?itok=UTFeFOJ8"}},"609042":{"id":"609042","type":"image","title":"Coral caged with snails to measure feeding impact","body":null,"created":"1532709307","gmt_created":"2018-07-27 16:35:07","changed":"1532720548","gmt_changed":"2018-07-27 19:42:28","alt":"Coral caged with snails to measure feeding impact","file":{"fid":"231972","name":"IMG_1224.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1224.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1224.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":349320,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_1224.JPG?itok=JxivnWgW"}},"609043":{"id":"609043","type":"image","title":"Coral caged with snails to measure feeding impact2","body":null,"created":"1532709396","gmt_created":"2018-07-27 16:36:36","changed":"1532720520","gmt_changed":"2018-07-27 19:42:00","alt":"Coral caged with snails to measure feeding impact","file":{"fid":"231973","name":"IMG_1241.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1241.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1241.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":253323,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_1241.JPG?itok=0EMu0R1t"}}},"media_ids":["609041","609042","609043"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7166","name":"coral"},{"id":"7167","name":"reef"},{"id":"14760","name":"coral reef"},{"id":"13478","name":"predator"},{"id":"169692","name":"snail"},{"id":"100751","name":"overfishing"},{"id":"13884","name":"Mark Hay"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"607399":{"#nid":"607399","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Simon Sponberg Wins Major Funding to Study Insect Brains","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Movement is a defining feature of animals,\u0026rdquo; says Simon Sponberg. He is an assistant professor in the School of Physics and of Biological Sciences. How animals navigate their environments is the motivating question of his research program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudying animal movement makes for riveting experiments. For example, Sponberg \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/multitasking-moths\u0022\u003Eused high-speed infrared cameras to observe, at low light conditions, moths tracking 3-D-printed flowers\u003C\/a\u003E oscillating at various speeds. The set-up emulates the natural world of \u003Cem\u003EManduca sexta, \u003C\/em\u003Eor hawk moth. Like a hummingbird, this moth feeds by extending its proboscis into flowers, which may be swaying with the wind \u0026ndash; at dusk. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESuch dynamic behavior requires neural systems to organize and coordinate many muscles to control the moth\u0026rsquo;s wings all in fractions of a second. It creates extreme motor and sensory demands on the moths. How do they do it?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing tethered moths tracking plastic flowers, Sponberg discovered that the moth slows down certain brain functions to improve its vision in dim light. The moths\u0026rsquo; neural circuits are adapting exquisitely to the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOther work shows how this small, but still sophisticated brains of insects collect and act upon multiple sensory signals at the same time. \u0026ldquo;Surprisingly,\u0026rdquo; Sponberg says, \u0026ldquo;some very simple physics-based models can describe a lot of how the moth sees and feels its world.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese findings are tiny pieces of a huge puzzle. The full picture will likely take a long time to complete.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn three years, however, parts of it may emerge, thanks to a major research grant. The Esther A. \u0026amp; Joseph Klingenstein Fund and the Simons Foundation have\u0026nbsp;awarded Sponberg a Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Award in Neurosciences for a period of three years. The grant will support research described in the proposal \u0026ldquo;Timing, Learning, and Coordination in a Comprehensive, Spike-Resolved Motor Program for Flight.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work is part of Sponberg\u0026rsquo;s broader research goal: to understand how stable and maneuverable movement emerges from the neural and muscular systems of animals in their natural environments. If we know the biophysics of these movements, we may know how the brain could activate and control muscle to modify movement.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This award will catalyze a lot of work that would not be otherwise possible,\u0026rdquo; says Sponberg, who is also a member of the Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience. \u0026ldquo;Specifically my research group has been developing a way to have unprecedentedly complete access to all the signals the animal\u0026rsquo;s brain is sending to its muscles, all during a challenging and highly dynamic behavior like flight.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Instead of getting a small piece of the picture of what the brain is trying to do, we want to have complete read-and-write access to its neuromuscular signals to understand how it is executing agile maneuvers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The Klingenstein-Simons fellowship will enable us to take this project from is initial stages toward a deeper understanding of learning and coordination during locomotion \u0026ndash; ideas that we think are common across all animals.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research is informed by myriad disciplines: computational neuroscience, electrophysiology, neuromechanics, and comparative biology. Sponberg group\u0026rsquo;s research tools -- small force and torque sensors, miniature insect-sized backpacks, virtual-reality worlds that the moth can control like a video game, and many tiny electrodes tapping into the animal\u0026rsquo;s brain and muscles \u0026ndash;will yield high-dimensional datasets of all kinds of physiological signals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom the vast amounts of data, Sponberg will extract neuromechanical principles. Ultimately, he hopes, the data will enable predictions about neural control and behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMore broadly, Sponberg\u0026rsquo;s research on movement \u003Ca href=\u0022\/\/\/C:\/Users\/arouhi3\/Documents\/Stories%20in%20Progress\/Sponberg%20has%20spent%20his%20career%20bridging%20the%20gap%20between%20physics%20and%20organismal%20biology%20\u2013%20the%20study%20of%20complex%20creatures.%20His%20work%20includes%20studying%20how%20hawk%20moths%20slow%20their%20nervous%20systems%20to%20maintain%20vision%20during%20low-light%20conditions,%20and%20how%20muscle%20is%20a%20versatile%20material%20able%20to%20change%20function%20from%20a%20brake%20to%20a%20motor%20or%20spring.\u0022\u003Ebridges the gap between physics and organismal biology \u0026ndash; the study of complex creatures\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;The intersection of physics and organismal biology is a very exciting one right now,\u0026rdquo; Sponberg commented in 2017. \u0026ldquo;The assembly and interaction of multiple natural components manifests new behaviors and dynamics. The collection of these natural components manifests different patterns than the individual parts, and that\u0026rsquo;s fascinating.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Support will help reveal how neural systems organize for sophisticated behaviors like flight"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Esther A. \u0026amp; Joseph Klingenstein Fund and the Simons Foundation have\u0026nbsp;awarded Simon Sponberg a Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Award in Neurosciences for a period of three years. The award will support Sponberg\u0026rsquo;s research, described in the proposal \u0026ldquo;Timing, Learning, and Coordination in a Comprehensive, Spike-Resolved Motor Program for Flight.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Klingenstein-Simons fellowship will help Simon Sponberg reveal how neural systems organize for sophisticated behaviors like flight."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-06-28 22:20:51","changed_gmt":"2018-06-28 22:39:05","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"596194":{"id":"596194","type":"image","title":"Hawk moth on natural flower","body":null,"created":"1505853283","gmt_created":"2017-09-19 20:34:43","changed":"1505853283","gmt_changed":"2017-09-19 20:34:43","alt":"Hawk moth and natural flower","file":{"fid":"227211","name":"Manduca and flower.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Manduca%20and%20flower.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Manduca%20and%20flower.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":237321,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Manduca%20and%20flower.jpg?itok=U68Cita_"}}},"media_ids":["596194"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/multitasking-moths","title":"Multitasking Moths"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/596207","title":"Running Roaches, Flapping Moths Create a New Physics of Organisms"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"129701","name":"physics of living systems"},{"id":"170414","name":"Simon Sponberg"},{"id":"178448","name":"Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship in Neurosciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"606884":{"#nid":"606884","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Making the Oxygen We Breathe, a Photosynthesis Mechanism Exposed","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EArguably, the greatest fueler of life on our planet is photosynthesis, but understanding its labyrinthine chemistry, powered by sunlight, is challenging. Researchers recently illuminated some new steps inside the molecular factory that makes the oxygen we breathe.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThough chlorophyll is the best-known part, for the vivid green it colors nature, many compounds work together in photosynthesis. And Georgia Tech chemists devised clever experiments to inspect a small metal catalyst and an amino acid intimately involved in the release of O\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E from water\u0026nbsp;in what\u0026#39;s known as photosystem II (PSII).\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nPSII is a complex protein structure found in plants and algae. It has a counterpart called\u0026nbsp;photosystem I, an equally complex light-powered producer of oxygen and biomaterials.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhotosynthesis Q \u0026amp; A\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESome questions and answers below will help elucidate the researchers\u0026rsquo; findings about\u0026nbsp;O\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E production inside PSII.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Photosynthesis in plants and algae can be compared to an artificial solar cell,\u0026rdquo; said principal investigator \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/barry\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBridgette Barry\u003C\/a\u003E, who is a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eprofessor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;But, in photosynthesis, light energy fuels the production of food (carbohydrates) instead of charging a battery. O\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E is released from water as a byproduct.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBarry, first author Zhanjun Guo, and researcher Jiayuan He \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/05\/10\/1800758115\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epublished their research on May 11, 2018, in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Their work was funded by the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow does photosynthesis II release oxygen from water?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMany details are still unknown, but here are some basic workings that were already well-established going into this new study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPS II is a biochemical complex made mostly of large amino acid corkscrew cylinders and some smaller such cylinders strung together with amino acid strands. The reaction cycle that extracts the O\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E from H\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003EO occurs at a\u0026nbsp;tiny spot, which the study focused on.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor scale, if PSII were a fairly tall, very wide building, the spot might be the size of a large door in about the lower center of the building, and the metal cluster would be located there. Intertwined in the proteins would be sprawling molecules that include beta-carotene and chlorophyll, a great natural photoelectric semiconductor.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Photons from sunlight bombard photosystem II and displace electrons in the chlorophyll,\u0026rdquo; Barry said. \u0026ldquo;That creates moving negative charges.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is the metal catalyst?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe metal catalyst acts like a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.khanacademy.org\/science\/physics\/circuits-topic\/circuits-with-capacitors\/v\/capacitors-and-capacitance\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ecapacitor\u003C\/a\u003E, building up charge that it uses to expedite four chemical reactions that release the O\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E by removing four electrons, one-by-one, from two water molecules. In the process, water also spins off four H+ ions, i.e. protons, from two H\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003EO molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn additional highly reactive compound near the metal cluster acts as a \u0026quot;switch\u0026quot; to drive the electron movement in each step of the reaction cycle. It\u0026#39;s a common amino acid called tyrosine, a little building block on that mammoth protein building.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat does the \u0026lsquo;switch\u0026rsquo; do?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is where the new study\u0026rsquo;s insights come in to describe details of what\u0026#39;s going on between the tyrosine and the cluster.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe light reactions remove one electron from tyrosine, making it what\u0026rsquo;s called an unstable \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Radical_(chemistry)\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eradical\u003C\/a\u003E, and the radical version of tyrosine strongly attracts a new electron.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt very quickly gets that new electron from the metal cluster. As PSII absorbs photons, the taking of an electron from tyrosine and its radical\u0026rsquo;s grabbing of a new one from the cluster repeats rapidly, making the tyrosine a kind of flickering switch.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The tyrosine radical drives the cycle around, and what they (Guo and He) did in the lab was to develop a way of seeing the radical reaction in the presence of the metal cluster,\u0026rdquo; Barry said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGuo and He also found that the calcium atom in the cluster has key interactions with tyrosine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did they observe that single chemical component in a living system?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFiguring out how to make the reactions observable was painstaking. The researchers isolated some PSII from spinach, and they slowed it way down by cooling it in the dark.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThen they gave it a burst of red light to prepare one step in the reaction cycle, then a green flash to take the electron from tyrosine. Then the electrons slowly returned to the tyrosine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers observed the processes via \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/study.com\/academy\/lesson\/vibrational-spectroscopy-definition-types.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Evibrational spectroscopy\u003C\/a\u003E, which revealed qualities of tyrosine\u0026rsquo;s chemical bonds. The researchers also examined the calcium and discovered a special interaction between it and tyrosine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A new thing we saw was that the calcium ion made the tyrosine twist a certain way,\u0026rdquo; Barry said. \u0026ldquo;It turns out that the tyrosine may be a very flexible switch.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also swapped out calcium for other metals and found that the calcium fulfills this role quite optimally.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESo, why is understanding photosynthesis important?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Oxygen photosynthesis really is the great fueler life on our planet,\u0026rdquo; Barry said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAbout two billion years ago, the photosynthesis that generates O\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E exploded, and as breathable oxygen filled Earth\u0026rsquo;s oceans and atmosphere, life began evolving into the complex variety we have today. There are also pragmatic reasons for studying photosynthesis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;You could work with it to make crops more productive,\u0026rdquo; Barry said. \u0026ldquo;We may have to repair and adapt the photosynthesis process someday, too.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEnvironmental stresses could possibly weaken photosynthesis in the future, calling for biochemical tweaks. Also, natural photosynthesis is an exceptionally good model for photoelectric semiconductors like those used in emerging energy systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELike this article?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/subscribe\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGet our email newsletter here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research was funded by the National Science Foundation (grant MCB-14-11734). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect views of the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408) (ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOxygen photosynthesis has to be the greatest giver of life on Earth, and researchers have cracked yet another part of its complex but efficient chemistry. The more we know about it, the better we may be able to tweak photosynthesis, if it comes under environmental duress. It\u0026#39;s also a great teacher of how to harvest\u0026nbsp;sheer unlimited energy from the sun.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Life on Earth as we know it never would have existed without oxygen photosynthesis, and researchers have cracked a new part of its code."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2018-06-11 16:05:57","changed_gmt":"2018-06-27 13:43:57","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-06-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-06-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"606869":{"id":"606869","type":"image","title":"Photosystem II artwork","body":null,"created":"1528729369","gmt_created":"2018-06-11 15:02:49","changed":"1528729406","gmt_changed":"2018-06-11 15:03:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231473","name":"Sun.leaves.chem_.big_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sun.leaves.chem_.big_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sun.leaves.chem_.big_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1684238,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sun.leaves.chem_.big_.jpg?itok=mTwFqSqR"}},"606873":{"id":"606873","type":"image","title":"Global oxygen photosynthesis","body":null,"created":"1528730577","gmt_created":"2018-06-11 15:22:57","changed":"1528730577","gmt_changed":"2018-06-11 15:22:57","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231476","name":"Seawifs_global_biosphere.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Seawifs_global_biosphere.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Seawifs_global_biosphere.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":502320,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Seawifs_global_biosphere.jpg?itok=BflE5Pcg"}},"606870":{"id":"606870","type":"image","title":"Photosystem II rights-free","body":null,"created":"1528730128","gmt_created":"2018-06-11 15:15:28","changed":"1528730128","gmt_changed":"2018-06-11 15:15:28","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231474","name":"PhotosystemII.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/PhotosystemII.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/PhotosystemII.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":929873,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/PhotosystemII.jpg?itok=8H_w5VBE"}},"606882":{"id":"606882","type":"image","title":"Metal cluster and tyrosine at the core of O2 creation in photosystem II","body":null,"created":"1528732225","gmt_created":"2018-06-11 15:50:25","changed":"1528732317","gmt_changed":"2018-06-11 15:51:57","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231481","name":"photosyn.pnas_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/photosyn.pnas_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/photosyn.pnas_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":125480,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/photosyn.pnas_.jpg?itok=8QUQOw6k"}},"606877":{"id":"606877","type":"image","title":"Zhanjun Guo, Ph.D.","body":null,"created":"1528731147","gmt_created":"2018-06-11 15:32:27","changed":"1528731147","gmt_changed":"2018-06-11 15:32:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231478","name":"Pho.syn_.1.auth_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Pho.syn_.1.auth_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Pho.syn_.1.auth_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":458093,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Pho.syn_.1.auth_.jpg?itok=Uq4vUU90"}},"606883":{"id":"606883","type":"image","title":"Trees","body":null,"created":"1528732480","gmt_created":"2018-06-11 15:54:40","changed":"1528732480","gmt_changed":"2018-06-11 15:54:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231482","name":"trees.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/trees.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/trees.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2022276,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/trees.JPG?itok=8lq6hCAO"}},"606885":{"id":"606885","type":"image","title":"Sun in the leaves","body":null,"created":"1528733227","gmt_created":"2018-06-11 16:07:07","changed":"1528733227","gmt_changed":"2018-06-11 16:07:07","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231483","name":"Sun.leaves.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sun.leaves.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sun.leaves.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1733597,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sun.leaves.jpg?itok=oa6-D1IP"}}},"media_ids":["606869","606873","606870","606882","606877","606883","606885"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"178247","name":"PS II"},{"id":"18541","name":"photosystem II"},{"id":"178248","name":"PS 2"},{"id":"18531","name":"photosynthesis"},{"id":"1657","name":"oxygen"},{"id":"178249","name":"tyrosine"},{"id":"178250","name":"vibrational spectroscopy"},{"id":"176272","name":"breathable oxygen"},{"id":"170502","name":"O2"},{"id":"178251","name":"calcium"},{"id":"178252","name":"metal cluster"},{"id":"172794","name":"ligand"},{"id":"18521","name":"manganese cluster"},{"id":"178253","name":"chlorophyll"},{"id":"2506","name":"catalyst"},{"id":"63611","name":"electrocatalyst"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"606805":{"#nid":"606805","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Aircraft Microbiome Much Like That of Homes and Offices, Study Finds","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat does flying in a commercial airliner have in common with working at the office or relaxing at home?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to a new study, the answer is the microbiome \u0026ndash; the community of bacteria found in homes, offices and aircraft cabins. Believed to be the first to comprehensively assess the microbiome of aircraft, the study found that the bacterial communities accompanying airline passengers at 30,000 feet have much in common with the bacterial communities surrounding people in their homes and offices.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing advanced sequencing technology, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University studied the bacteria found on three components of an airliner cabin that are commonly touched by passengers: tray tables, seat belt buckles and the handles of lavatory doors. They swabbed those items before and after ten transcontinental flights and also sampled air in the rear of the cabin during flight.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat they found was surprisingly unexciting.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Airline passengers should not be frightened by sensational stories about germs on a plane,\u0026rdquo; said Vicki Stover Hertzberg, a professor in Emory University\u0026rsquo;s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and a co-author of the study. \u0026ldquo;They should recognize that microbes are everywhere and that an airplane is no better and no worse than an office building, a subway car, home or a classroom. These environments all have microbiomes that look like places occupied by people.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results of the FlyHealthy\u0026trade; study were reported June 6, 2018, in the journal \u003Cem\u003EMicrobial Ecology\u003C\/em\u003E. In March, the researchers reported on a separate part of the study that examined potential routes for transmitting certain respiratory viruses \u0026ndash; such as the flu \u0026ndash; on commercial flights.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGiven the unusual nature of an aircraft cabin, the researchers hadn\u0026rsquo;t known what to expect from their microbiome study. On transcontinental flights, passengers spend four or five hours in close proximity breathing a very dry mix of outdoor air and recycled cabin air that has been passed through special filters, similar to those found in operating rooms.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There were reasons to believe that the communities of bacteria in an aircraft cabin might be different from those in other parts of the built environment, so it surprised me that what we found was very similar to what other researchers have found in homes and offices,\u0026rdquo; said Howard Weiss, a professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E and the study\u0026rsquo;s corresponding author. \u0026ldquo;What we found was bacterial communities that were mostly derived from human skin, the human mouth \u0026ndash; and some environmental bacteria.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe sampling found significant variations from flight to flight, which is consistent with the differences other researchers have found among the cars of passenger trains, Weiss noted. Each aircraft seemed to have its own microbiome, but the researchers did not detect statistically significant differences between preflight and post-flight conditions on the flights studied.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We identified a core airplane microbiome \u0026ndash; the genera that were present in every sample we studied,\u0026rdquo; Weiss added. The core microbiome included genera \u003Cem\u003EPropionibacterium, Burkholderia, Staphylococcus, and Strepococcus (oralis)\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThough the study revealed bacteria common to other parts of the built environment, Weiss still suggests travelers exercise reasonable caution. \u0026ldquo;I carry a bottle of hand sanitizer in my computer bag whenever I travel,\u0026rdquo; said Weiss. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a good practice to wash or sanitize your hands, avoid touching your face, and get a flu shot ever year.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis new information on the aircraft microbiome provides a baseline for further study, and could lead to improved techniques for maintaining healthy aircraft.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The finding that airplanes have their own unique microbiome should not be totally surprising since we have been exploring the unique microbiome of everything from humans to spacecraft to salt ponds in Australia. The study does have important implications for industrial cleaning and sterilization standards for airplanes,\u0026rdquo; said Christopher Dupont, another co-author and an associate professor in the Microbial and Environmental Genomics Department at the J. Craig Venter Institute, which provided bioinformatics analysis of the study\u0026rsquo;s data.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe 229 samples obtained from the aircraft cabin testing were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing, which was done at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, Alabama. The small amount of genetic material captured on the swabs and air sampling limited the level of detail the testing could provide to identifying genera of bacteria, Weiss said. The extensive bioinformatics, or sequence analysis, was carried out at the J. Craig Venter Institute in La Jolla, Calif.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the March 19 issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E, the researchers reported on the results of another component of the FlyHealthy\u0026trade; study that looked at potential transmission of respiratory viruses on aircraft. They found that an infectious passenger with influenza or other droplet-transmitted respiratory infection will most likely not transmit infection to passengers seated farther away than two seats laterally and one row in front or back on an aircraft.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat portion of the study was designed to assess rates and routes of possible infectious disease transmission during flights, using a model that combines estimated infectivity and patterns of contact among aircraft passengers and crew members to determine likelihood of infection. FlyHealthy\u0026trade; team members were assigned to monitor specific areas of the passenger cabin, developing information about contacts between passengers as they moved around.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong next steps, the researchers would like to study the microbiome of airport areas, especially the departure lounges where passengers congregate before boarding. They would also like to study long-haul international flights in which passengers spend more time together \u0026ndash; and are more likely to move about the cabin.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the paper\u0026rsquo;s authors include Josh L. Espinoza and Karen Nelson of the J. Craig Venter Institute, Shawn Levy of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and Sharon Norris of The Boeing Company.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported by contract 2001-041-1 between the Georgia Institute of Technology and The Boeing Company.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Howard Weiss, et al., \u0026ldquo;The Airplane Cabin Microbiome,\u0026rdquo; (Microbial Ecology, 2018).\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00248-018-1191-3\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00248-018-1191-3\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat does flying in a commercial airliner have in common with working at the office or relaxing at home? According to a new study, the answer is the microbiome \u0026ndash; the community of bacteria found in homes, offices and aircraft cabins.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have conducted what may be the first study of the aircraft microbiome."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2018-06-07 01:20:43","changed_gmt":"2018-06-08 14:34:18","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-06-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-06-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"606802":{"id":"606802","type":"image","title":"Reviewing data on bacteria","body":null,"created":"1528333454","gmt_created":"2018-06-07 01:04:14","changed":"1528333454","gmt_changed":"2018-06-07 01:04:14","alt":"Studying bacterial samples from aircraft","file":{"fid":"231437","name":"microbiome8797.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/microbiome8797.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/microbiome8797.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":397181,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/microbiome8797.jpg?itok=NeMEEv51"}},"606803":{"id":"606803","type":"image","title":"Swabbing tray table","body":null,"created":"1528333588","gmt_created":"2018-06-07 01:06:28","changed":"1528333588","gmt_changed":"2018-06-07 01:06:28","alt":"Taking samples from a tray table","file":{"fid":"231438","name":"microbiome_8854.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/microbiome_8854.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/microbiome_8854.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":765687,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/microbiome_8854.jpg?itok=qTUSdgA6"}}},"media_ids":["606802","606803"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/603990","title":"Researchers Determine Routes of Respiratory Infectious Disease Transmission on Aircraft"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"56501","name":"microbiome"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"171594","name":"sampling"},{"id":"1833","name":"aircraft"},{"id":"35421","name":"Howard Weiss"},{"id":"2030","name":"Flight"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"606359":{"#nid":"606359","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Shows How Bacteria Behave Differently in Humans Compared to the Lab","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMost of what we know today about deadly bacteria such as \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E was obtained from studies done in laboratory settings. Research reported May 14 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E shows that this laboratory-based information may have important limits for predicting how these bugs behave once they\u0026rsquo;ve invaded humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong the differences are increased expression of genes responsible for antibiotic resistance, the bane of drugs currently used to treat a wide range of infections. The new research could help scientists understand how to draw more accurate conclusions from their laboratory work \u0026ndash; and provide doctors with better information on treating bacterial infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Bacteria in human infections are often tolerant of antibiotics, but when we culture them outside the human they are highly susceptible,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley\u0022\u003EMarvin Whiteley\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology and co-director of the Emory-Children\u0026rsquo;s Cystic Fibrosis Center. \u0026ldquo;In this paper, we show that several genes important for antibiotic tolerance are highly induced in humans compared to our laboratory and mouse modeling systems. There appears to be something unique in the human that is promoting resistance.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat might be causing that difference remains a mystery, though bacteria are known to be affected by their environment. Understanding how bacterial genes and their expression levels differ in humans could allow researchers to search for laboratory conditions that better mimic the human conditions \u0026ndash; and provide better guidance for the use of antibiotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Understanding which antibiotic resistance genes are highly expressed in humans may inform our therapeutic decisions on antibiotic usage,\u0026rdquo; said Whiteley, who holds the Bennie H. \u0026amp; Nelson D. Abell Chair in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Georgia Tech and is a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gra.org\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance \u003C\/a\u003EEminent Scholar. \u0026ldquo;For instance, one might predict antibiotic resistance of an infecting community from gene expression data without the need for culturing microbes in the clinical lab.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Lundbeck Foundation. In addition to the Georgia Tech researchers, the research team included scientists at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the University of California, and several clinical and research organizations in Denmark.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa is an important pathogen that threatens immunocompromised people, including those with cystic fibrosis, diabetes and obesity. It is a major hospital-acquired infection, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention characterizes multi-drug resistant strains of the bacteria as a serious threat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn their research, the scientists analyzed RNA sequencing data from both human clinical infections and laboratory experiments. The human samples were obtained from collaborating clinicians, who took the samples directly from patients and put them into a chemical that preserved their RNA for later processing. The laboratory experiments studied different strains of the bacterium under a variety of growth conditions, from antibiotic treatment to competition with other bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also included previously published in vitro and mouse experiment data from the Whiteley laboratory and other research teams. Data analysis techniques included a machine learning approach known as Support Vector Machines, which was used to distinguish between gene expression profiles of samples taken from human and in vitro sources.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We saw high expression in several genes notorious for antibiotic resistance, including genes that encode efflux pumps that extrude antibiotics from the cell as well as an enzyme that degrades certain antibiotics, such as ampicillin,\u0026rdquo; said Daniel Cornforth, a research scientist in Whiteley\u0026rsquo;s laboratory and the paper\u0026rsquo;s first author. \u0026ldquo;There were also less studied antibiotic resistance genes, including three related to zinc transport that our previous work has identified as critical antibiotic resistance determinants that were also highly expressed in the human patients.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThough the research focused only on a single troublesome pathogen, Whiteley believes the results could have broader implications. \u0026ldquo;We actually know very little about bacteria behaviors during human infection and most model systems cannot replicate most aspects of human infection. I expect that this work would be generalizable to other bacteria.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy identifying how bacteria behave differently in humans compared to standard laboratory settings, the work could provide a foundation for additional study with more samples and different types of infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The key takeaway from this work is that now microbiologists can perform transcriptomics on bacterial populations in a range of human infections, so we can better understand what bacteria are actually doing in these clinical infections,\u0026rdquo; said Cornforth. \u0026ldquo;We can also determine where our laboratory models succeed and where they fail in mimicking these infection environments.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis study was funded by National Institutes of Health Grant R01GM116547-01A1, a Human Frontiers Science grant, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Grant WHITEL16G0, Lundbeck Foundation Grant R204-2015-4205 and Lundbeck Foundation Grant R105-A9791, and by Cystic Fibrosis postdoctoral Fellowships CORNFO15F0 and IBBERS16F0.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Daniel Cornforth, et al., \u0026ldquo;Pseudomonas aeruginosa transcriptome during human infection,\u0026rdquo; (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1717525115\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMost of what we know today about deadly bacteria such as \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E was obtained from studies done in laboratory settings. Research reported May 14 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E shows that this laboratory-based information may have important limits for predicting how these bugs behave once they\u0026rsquo;ve invaded humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Study shows how bacteria behave differently in humans versus the lab."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2018-05-22 13:14:22","changed_gmt":"2018-05-22 13:25:57","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-05-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-05-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"606354":{"id":"606354","type":"image","title":"Bacterial biofilm","body":null,"created":"1526994184","gmt_created":"2018-05-22 13:03:04","changed":"1526995733","gmt_changed":"2018-05-22 13:28:53","alt":"Image of bacterial biofilm showing wound model","file":{"fid":"231264","name":"bacterial-biofilm.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bacterial-biofilm.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bacterial-biofilm.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":652699,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bacterial-biofilm.jpg?itok=_vOpRNor"}},"606355":{"id":"606355","type":"image","title":"Studying bacterial behavior","body":null,"created":"1526994315","gmt_created":"2018-05-22 13:05:15","changed":"1526995719","gmt_changed":"2018-05-22 13:28:39","alt":"Studying bacterial behavior in the lab versus in humans","file":{"fid":"231265","name":"human-infection-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/human-infection-001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/human-infection-001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":572427,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/human-infection-001.jpg?itok=tXls-zEP"}},"606357":{"id":"606357","type":"image","title":"Studying bacterial behavior2","body":null,"created":"1526994399","gmt_created":"2018-05-22 13:06:39","changed":"1526995705","gmt_changed":"2018-05-22 13:28:25","alt":"Studying bacterial behavior in the lab versus in humans","file":{"fid":"231266","name":"human-infection-004.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/human-infection-004.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/human-infection-004.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":483867,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/human-infection-004.jpg?itok=ahdk-9fh"}}},"media_ids":["606354","606355","606357"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"178055","name":"bacterial behavior"},{"id":"8993","name":"in vitro"},{"id":"1109","name":"antibiotic"},{"id":"174503","name":"antibiotic resistance"},{"id":"172754","name":"Marvin Whiteley"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"606483":{"#nid":"606483","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Multimillion-Dollar Center for Math, Biology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new national project, which includes the Georgia Institute of Technology, aims to convey the benefits of physics\u0026rsquo; age-old intertwining with math upon biology, a science historically less connected with it. The National Science Foundation and the Simons Foundation have launched four\u0026nbsp;centers to\u0026nbsp;do this, funded with $40 million, one of which is headquartered at Georgia Tech and will receive a fourth\u0026nbsp;of the funding.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor centuries, together mathematics and physics have shifted paradigms in science and rattled human perception by predicting planetary orbits, theorizing relativity or explaining how one particle can be in two places at the same time. Can theoretical math and biosystems team up to similarly shake the foundations of knowledge?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We certainly think it\u0026rsquo;s possible,\u0026rdquo; said Christine Heitsch,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/people.math.gatech.edu\/~heitsch\/\u0022\u003Ea professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;who leads the new regional center. \u0026ldquo;But our immediate goals are more realistic,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;Our first step is getting more mathematicians and bioscience researchers\u0026nbsp;working together in research collaborations.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBio-math synergy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn an everyday basis, that means the Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology (SCMB) headquartered at Georgia Tech will tackle open questions in biology using novel math.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Math can potentially change the way we do our experiments,\u0026rdquo; said Hang Lu,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/people\/hang-lu\u0022\u003Ea professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;who co-leads of the center. \u0026ldquo;If you model your data with topology (a field of mathematics) you see that your data can have a shape,\u0026rdquo; Lu said. \u0026ldquo;And that can make you go look for different kinds of data.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It will be a two-way street,\u0026rdquo; Heitsch said. \u0026ldquo;Math always benefits when it\u0026rsquo;s challenged by reality.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOver time, the math-bio spiral could lead to eureka moments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Biological systems can look overwhelmingly complex, and that just means we haven\u0026rsquo;t found the right way of looking at them yet,\u0026rdquo; Heitsch said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENSF vision\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe SCMB is one of three NSF-Simons Research Centers for Mathematics of Complex Biological Systems. The other two are based at Harvard University and at the University of California, Irvine. Together, they will not only advance the math-biosciences synergy but also spread their knowledge to hundreds of undergraduate and K-12 students throughout the region through educational outreaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe SCMB comprises 14 researchers, including collaborators throughout the Southeastern United States. Tulane University, the University of Florida, the University of South Florida, Clemson University, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory are each contributing a mathematician, and one bioscientist is based at Duke University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This project has visionary potential to shake up the way we view biological systems, and also expand mathematics,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Kubanek\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek, Associate Dean of Research in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s College of Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;The National Science Foundation and the Simons Foundation have shown tremendous foresight in creating these three centers, and I think headquartering one at Georgia Tech is a great fit because cross-connecting research disciplines is already one of our core missions.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiosciences enigmas\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo understand the particular value of combining math with biosciences, it\u0026rsquo;s important to not conflate the latter with physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA graphic depiction of canalization. The path of the ball represents the development toward a phenotype, which may start with varying genetic foundations but roll out to secure phenotypical outcomes. But canalization can also lead to more than one possible phenotypical outcome from one set of genes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, in relativity, near-light speeds change an object\u0026rsquo;s mass, its length, and its passage through time. Those warped phenomena and their equations aren\u0026rsquo;t so applicable in the world of experimental biosciences, which live in a more Newtonian reality, but one with intricate enigmas for math to demystify.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETake the phenomenon called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canalisation_(genetics)\u0022\u003Ecanalization\u003C\/a\u003E, which saves living things from the little genetic snafus inside of us all by making sure that proper physical traits usually get produced in spite of mutations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClone contradictions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECanalization shatters a stubborn popular notion that genes determine how an organism is built.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Genes are not deterministic,\u0026rdquo; said Lu, who is Love Family Professor. She studies the intricate pathways that lead from genetic foundations to measurable physical or behavioral traits, or phenotypes, in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EC.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eelegans\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;roundworms. \u0026ldquo;You often have two individuals with identical genotypes (specific sets of genes) that have different sets of phenotypes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat means that canalization may not offer just one but two options -- or more -- to form a trait based on a single set of genes. \u0026ldquo;What fascinates me is that you can have (\u003Cem\u003EC.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eelegans\u003C\/em\u003E) clones that are genetically identical but exhibit different behavior,\u0026rdquo; Heitsch said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECanalization is not new; it dates to 1942. But its labyrinthine mechanisms and how they \u0026ldquo;chose\u0026rdquo; one phenotypical pathway over the other still contain many mysteries. \u0026ldquo;Maybe math can help us find answers,\u0026rdquo; Lu said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELabyrinthine intricacies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0167278916303621\u0022\u003EAlgebra has already taken up canalization\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;but at the SCMB, more maths will join in.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/mathworld.wolfram.com\/Topology.html\u0022\u003ETopology\u003C\/a\u003E, computation, stochastics (principles of randomness), and geometry may enlighten canalization\u0026rsquo;s myriad interworkings of DNA, RNA, enzymes, protein folding, and just plain randomness.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOther questions SCMB bioscientists and mathematicians are pursuing:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHow do stem cells know whether to become a neuron or a skin cell?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHow does one cell transport molecules to others?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat exactly does RNA do to help repair DNA damage?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHeitsch, for example, specializes in a field of mathematics called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mathigon.org\/world\/Combinatorics\u0022\u003Ecombinatorics\u003C\/a\u003E, and she applies it to the way molecules of RNA fold.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHistorical divergence\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiology is no stranger to stochastics or computation in the analysis of its data, but it has been much less connected than other sciences to the aerial acrobatics of theoretical mathematics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There is enormous unrealized potential in applying more theoretical areas of math like algebra, topology, and geometry,\u0026rdquo; Heitsch said. \u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s new territory, which also means new risks. But we\u0026rsquo;ve hedged our bets with mathematics already more used in biology to get guaranteed returns.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBiology and theoretical math have not interfaced much in the past for a couple of reasons.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe endless intricacies of biology, from hundreds of thousands of species to countless biomolecular structures, has made it a gathering and cataloging science for centuries with data that is tough to unify. Also, much data has had to wait for technology to be invented to collect it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Biology hasn\u0026rsquo;t had the measurement tools until just recently, like mass spectrometry and high-end microscopy, to get the hard data needed for math to work with,\u0026rdquo; Lu said. \u0026ldquo;Now is a great time for biology and math to come together,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECultural exchange\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlso, history has separated the disciplines. For centuries, physicists were also mathematicians and vice versa. \u0026ldquo;And they were engineers,\u0026rdquo; Lu said. But biologists?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Darwin was assuredly not a mathematician,\u0026rdquo; Heitsch said. \u0026ldquo;He said he didn\u0026rsquo;t understand as much math as he would have liked to.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENot many mathematicians have been biologists either.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe NSF-Simons Foundation centers are building the bridge to join them, and the SCMB at Georgia Tech makes for a good pillar. Most of its bioscience researchers\u0026nbsp;already know engineering or physics math, and its mathematicians are already delving into life sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor\u0026#39;s Note: This article is a slightly modified clone of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/new-frontiers-beckon-math-and-biology-multimillion-dollar-nsf-simons-project\u0022\u003Efeature story by Ben Brumfield published on May 24, 2018 in Research Horizons online\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThis article was corrected on May 30, 2018, to reflect corrections\u0026nbsp;in the original story about the number of centers (four), total funding ($40 M), and the Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s share (one-fourth).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"National Science Foundation and Simons Foundation launch $40 M project to advance both field"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation and Simons Foundation have launched a\u0026nbsp;multimillion-dollar national project to advance mathematics and biology. The project comprises three centers, including one based in the Georgia Institute of Technology. The project\u0026nbsp;aims to convey the benefits of physics\u0026rsquo; age-old intertwining with math upon biology, a science historically less connected with it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Project consists of three centers, including the Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology at Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-05-24 20:41:47","changed_gmt":"2018-05-30 18:29:59","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-05-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-05-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"606484":{"id":"606484","type":"image","title":"A center for mathematics and biology at Georgia Tech","body":null,"created":"1527196103","gmt_created":"2018-05-24 21:08:23","changed":"1527196141","gmt_changed":"2018-05-24 21:09:01","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231317","name":"2018 SCMB opening photo scmb_title_crop_0_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20SCMB%20opening%20photo%20scmb_title_crop_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20SCMB%20opening%20photo%20scmb_title_crop_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":197785,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20SCMB%20opening%20photo%20scmb_title_crop_0_0.jpg?itok=GUA1ndsi"}},"606485":{"id":"606485","type":"image","title":"Christine Heitsch","body":null,"created":"1527196195","gmt_created":"2018-05-24 21:09:55","changed":"1527196195","gmt_changed":"2018-05-24 21:09:55","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231318","name":"2018 christine heitsch-crop.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20christine%20heitsch-crop.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20christine%20heitsch-crop.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":471734,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20christine%20heitsch-crop.jpg?itok=KJk8SA7m"}},"606486":{"id":"606486","type":"image","title":"Hang Lu","body":null,"created":"1527196236","gmt_created":"2018-05-24 21:10:36","changed":"1527196236","gmt_changed":"2018-05-24 21:10:36","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231319","name":"2018 hang lu-crop_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20hang%20lu-crop_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20hang%20lu-crop_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":276319,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20hang%20lu-crop_0.jpg?itok=i5mkIAp_"}},"606456":{"id":"606456","type":"image","title":"Canalization illustrated","body":null,"created":"1527173888","gmt_created":"2018-05-24 14:58:08","changed":"1527175248","gmt_changed":"2018-05-24 15:20:48","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231310","name":"Canalization 2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Canalization%202.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Canalization%202.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":92697,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Canalization%202.jpg?itok=L_oir3jR"}},"606455":{"id":"606455","type":"image","title":"Mathematicians and bioscientists collaborate in new NSF-Simons project","body":null,"created":"1527173789","gmt_created":"2018-05-24 14:56:29","changed":"1527173789","gmt_changed":"2018-05-24 14:56:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231306","name":"math-bio-combos-tint.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/math-bio-combos-tint.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/math-bio-combos-tint.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":316000,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/math-bio-combos-tint.jpg?itok=pfiiaQKh"}}},"media_ids":["606484","606485","606486","606456","606455"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"2748","name":"mathematics"},{"id":"277","name":"Biology"},{"id":"7043","name":"biosciences"},{"id":"7087","name":"phenotype"},{"id":"7086","name":"genotype"},{"id":"178087","name":"canalization"},{"id":"362","name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"178088","name":"SCMB"},{"id":"178089","name":"Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology"},{"id":"178090","name":"NSF-Simons Research Centers for Mathematics of Complex Biological Systems"},{"id":"6010","name":"combinatorics"},{"id":"2612","name":"Graph Theory"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408)\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"606583":{"#nid":"606583","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Bacterial Conversations in Cystic Fibrosis","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A large part of my research is thinking about how bacteria communicate,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/whiteleylab.biosci.gatech.edu\/?q=people\/sophie\u0022\u003ESophie Darch\u003C\/a\u003E. The postdoctoral researcher works with School of Biological Sciences Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley\u0022\u003EMarvin Whiteley\u003C\/a\u003E, studying the social lives of bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDarch observes the conversations of bacteria, which take place via molecules they release into the environment and are sensed by other bacteria. In Darch\u0026rsquo;s experiments, completed messages are marked by the red-to-green change in the color of the bacterium sensing the molecule.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy sending and receiving extracellular signals, bacteria sense their neighbors. When enough bacteria are in the conversation, things happen. Sometimes it leads to changes in virulence or ability to establish an infection. The phenomenon is called quorum sensing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYet little is known about how quorum sensing proceeds during infection \u0026ldquo;Much of what is known about quorum sensing,\u0026rdquo; Darch says, \u0026ldquo;comes from studies of large populations of bacteria in an environment that does not compare with the natural infection site.\u0026rdquo; In infections, for example, bacteria are often found in small, dense clusters, called aggregates. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s really important for us as scientists to think about what bacterial growth looks like in an infection,\u0026rdquo; Darch says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a paper in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/04\/16\/1719317115\u0022\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA\u003C\/a\u003E, Darch, Whiteley, and colleagues describe for the first time how close bacteria need to be to \u0026ldquo;talk\u0026rdquo; with each other in an environment similar to an infection. Their findings could reveal new ways to disrupt bacterial signaling and provide other targets to treat infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Human Frontiers Science, and the Welch Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECystic Fibrosis Model\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study uses an environment similar to the chronic infection of the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECF is a genetic disease that causes buildup of sticky mucus in the lung. The viscous setting CF creates makes the organ prime real estate for disease-causing bacteria. Among the most prevalent of these in the CF lung is \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E infections pose a huge problem because they are resistant to many antibiotics and are difficult to treat. Often \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E infection is what causes death among patients with CF.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team used a synthetic CF sputum media (SCFM2), based on the makeup of lung secretions from patients. In nutritional content and physical form, the medium is similar to sputum from the lung. Importantly, \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E forms aggregates in SCFM2 that are similar in size to those observed in CF lung tissue.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E3-D Printed Bacteria\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo begin to answer the question \u0026ldquo;How close do you have to be to talk to your neighbor?\u0026rdquo; the team collaborated with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cns.utexas.edu\/directory\/item\/12-chemistry\/136-shear-jason-b?Itemid=349\u0022\u003EJason Shear\u003C\/a\u003E at the University of Texas, Austin. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.utexas.edu\/shearlabs\/\u0022\u003EShear Lab\u003C\/a\u003E had developed a micro-3D-printing platform that could be used to engineer the growth of bacteria to mimic infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBacteria are not uniformly distributed in infections. \u0026ldquo;Instead we see bacterial aggregates that vary in size and can be separated by large distances,\u0026rdquo; Whiteley says. \u0026ldquo;We needed an experimental method to engineer these types of infection landscapes in the lab.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing Shear\u0026rsquo;s micro-3D-printing platform, the team printed bacterial aggregates of exact positions and sizes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA typical experiment starts by enclosing one producer cell in a picoliter-sized trap, using micro-3D-printing. After multiple cell divisions, the population fills the volume of the trap. Then SCFM2-containing aggregates of responder cells are overlaid the porous trap.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey observe the one-way flow of signals from aggregates in a trap (producers) to aggregates outside receiving signals (responders). They could see the response of completed conversations by responders changing color from red to green.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImplications for Cystic Fibrosis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We found that bacterial aggregates slightly larger than those in CF lung \u0026ndash; containing about 2,000 cells \u0026ndash; were not large enough to signal to other aggregates,\u0026rdquo; Darch says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPrior to this study, it was thought that bacterial signaling could occur over extended distances. However, in the CF lung, small populations of bacteria are scattered across a large volume and separated by large distances. Aggregates are unlikely to \u0026ldquo;talk\u0026rdquo; to each other.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt took aggregates containing at least 5,000 cells to successfully send signals to neighbors as far away as 176 micrometers. \u0026ldquo;These aggregates are around five times the size of the average aggregate observed in CF lung tissue\u0026rdquo; Darch says \u0026ldquo;From these data, communication is likely confined within an individual aggregate rather than being a population-wide phenomenon\u0026rdquo;.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong CF patients who are at least 20 years old, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cff.org\/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9faMi_Wp2wIVlB2BCh1dowPiEAAYASAAEgK28_D_BwE\u0022\u003E80% are infected with P. aeruginosa\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Infection with \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E remains a significant clinical problem in immunocompromised patients, particularly those with CF,\u0026rdquo; Darch says. \u0026ldquo;Understanding better how bacteria communicate has the potential to find ways of disrupting the communication and potentially diminishing bacterial virulence.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The study provides benchmark data for how quorum sensing might proceed in an environment similar to the CF lung,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/marvin-whiteley-phd\u0022\u003EWhiteley, who is a member of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;In different settings, where \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E and other bacteria exist as aggregates of different sizes, communication may look different. Future studies will involve experimental and modeling work to further examine the spatial parameters of quorum sensing in CF and other infections, such as a chronic wound.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFigure Caption\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(Left) Rendered confocal laser-scanning micrograph of a micro-3D-printed trap (red) \u0026nbsp;surrounded by \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E aggregates responding to quorum-sensing signals (green) in a synthetic CF sputum media (SCFM2).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(Right) Rendered confocal laser-scanning micrograph of responding (green) and non-responding (red)\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E aggregates formed in a synthetic CF sputum media (SCFM2).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"For the first time, scientists determine the reach of quorum sensing in an infection "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDespite the wealth of information about how bacteria communicate, little is known about how quorum sensing proceeds during an infection. Georgia Tech researchers describe for the first time how close bacteria need to be to \u0026ldquo;talk\u0026rdquo; in an environment similar to chronic infection in cystic fibrosis. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia tech researchers obtain benchmark data for the impact of spatial arrangement in bacterial signaling in a cystic fibrosis model."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-05-29 21:35:39","changed_gmt":"2018-06-04 14:04:32","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-05-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-05-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"606584":{"id":"606584","type":"image","title":"Bacterial conversations","body":null,"created":"1527630232","gmt_created":"2018-05-29 21:43:52","changed":"1527630232","gmt_changed":"2018-05-29 21:43:52","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231347","name":"2018 quorum sensing.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20quorum%20sensing.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20quorum%20sensing.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":145542,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20quorum%20sensing.jpg?itok=0S23whvR"}},"606585":{"id":"606585","type":"image","title":"Sophie Darch","body":null,"created":"1527630675","gmt_created":"2018-05-29 21:51:15","changed":"1527630675","gmt_changed":"2018-05-29 21:51:15","alt":"","file":{"fid":"231348","name":"2018 Sophie Darch.sq250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Sophie%20Darch.sq250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Sophie%20Darch.sq250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":98820,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Sophie%20Darch.sq250.jpg?itok=kkaHoVrJ"}},"606586":{"id":"606586","type":"image","title":"Marvin Whiteley","body":null,"created":"1527630964","gmt_created":"2018-05-29 21:56:04","changed":"1547233181","gmt_changed":"2019-01-11 18:59:41","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234563","name":"Marvin Whiteley.sq2_.5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Marvin%20Whiteley.sq2_.5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Marvin%20Whiteley.sq2_.5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":28817,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Marvin%20Whiteley.sq2_.5.jpg?itok=XXW8queN"}}},"media_ids":["606584","606585","606586"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7478","name":"cystic fibrosis"},{"id":"178120","name":"quorum sensing"},{"id":"172754","name":"Marvin Whiteley"},{"id":"178121","name":"Sophie Darch"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"604502":{"#nid":"604502","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Stewart, Parris \u0026 Jones: 2018 Education Partnership Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/frank-stewart\u0022\u003EFrank Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/darren-parris\u0022\u003EDarren Joshua Parris\u003C\/a\u003E are the recipients of the 2018 \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ctl.gatech.edu\/faculty\/awards\/ed-partnership\u0022\u003EEducation Partnership Award\u003C\/a\u003E for their collaborative \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/swimsgatech.wordpress.com\/\u0022\u003ESummer Workshop in Marine Science (SWiMS)\u003C\/a\u003E program. The award, from the Center for Teaching and Learning, recognizes genuine and substantial partnerships between the faculty and students of Georgia Tech and the K-12 community. Also receiving the award is their K-12 partner \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rchs.rockdaleschools.org\/directory\u0022\u003EJennifer Jones\u003C\/a\u003E, a chemistry teacher at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rchs.rockdaleschools.org\/\u0022\u003ERockdale County High School\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStewart is an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences and the advisor of Parris, a fifth-year Ph.D. student. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am honored and humbled to have the SWiMS partnership recognized by this award,\u0026rdquo; Stewart says.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;SWiMS has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career, largely because it fosters connections to people like Jennifer and Josh.\u0026nbsp; These are the connections that are honored here and that are so critical for advancing science literacy in our schools and elsewhere.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStewart conceived SWiMS in 2012 as a way to promote understanding of ocean science and microbiology. With oil spills, coral reef collapse, sea level rise, and ocean acidification often being front-page news, he believes the general public should have a basic understanding of these phenomena. For Stewart, these issues are just as important to policymakers and the general public as they are to researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESWiMS is a five-day workshop to help middle and high school teachers develop curricula and project-learning exercises to teach marine science in the context of global change. \u0026ldquo;My overarching goal was to use marine science to enhance earth and life science education in middle and high schools, specifically targeting those in academically underperforming districts in Fulton County,\u0026rdquo; Stewart says. SWiMS draws on the expertise of marine scientists at Georgia Tech and education experts at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EParris joined the program in summer 2015. \u0026ldquo;To put it bluntly, this program would likely not have been possible without Josh,\u0026rdquo; Stewart says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EParris has roles throughout all stages of the program. He wrote, edited, and tested several of the education modules used in SWiMS. During workshops, he serves as instructor, preparing rigorously to guide the workshop participants. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESWiMS includes a two-day trip to Sapelo Island, a barrier island located in McIntosh County, Georgia. The trip provides participants firsthand experience and an opportunity to collect samples to take back to their classrooms. For this trip, Parris has served as primary field team leader, planning the logistics as well as conducting activities.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMost impressively, Stewart says, Parris continues to engage with teachers after the workshop. He helps teachers with curriculum-related problems arising during the school year and continues to prepare modules for teachers upon request. He recently visited \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/centralgwinnett.net\/\u0022\u003ECentral Gwinnet High School\u003C\/a\u003E to lecture about marine pollution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;I am very grateful to have been a part of the SWiMS program,\u0026rdquo; Parris says. \u0026ldquo;I have been able to see firsthand the positive impact scientists can have outside of research.\u0026nbsp; SWiMS is an awesome example of using partnerships between scientists and educators to advance science education in schools.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJones began as a participant in the workshop in 2015, returned as a mentor in 2016, and joined again in 2017 as an education consultant. A veteran teacher of 16 years, Jones had a keen sense of which concepts would translate into the classroom and which wouldn\u0026rsquo;t. Her unique insight was vital to identifying and troubleshooting obstacles and translating the curricula into targeted lesson plans. She also helped other teachers develop classroom-specific plans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe collaboration of a scientist, a Ph.D. student, and a high school teacher has yielded remarkable outcomes. \u0026ldquo;The SWiMS program has enhanced my instruction in the classroom,\u0026rdquo; Jones says. \u0026ldquo;My students were able to understand that topics in science overlap: marine science touched Earth science, which touched environmental science, which touched chemistry. I am grateful to all the participants; they have inspired me to explore and expand my teaching so that students may experience science in a memorable way.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Helping teachers bring marine science to middle and high schools"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrank Stewart and Darren Parris are being recognized for their collaborative Summer Workshop in Marine Science (SWiMS) program. The award recognizes genuine and substantial partnerships between Georgia Tech faculty and students and the K-12 community. Also receiving the award is their K-12 partner Jennifer Jones, a chemistry teacher at Rockdale County High School.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Frank Stewant and Darren Parris, with Jennifer Jones at Rockdale County High School, are the recipients of the 2018 Education Partnership Award. "}],"uid":"34651","created_gmt":"2018-03-30 13:16:05","changed_gmt":"2018-04-02 02:21:08","author":"mrosten3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-04-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-04-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"604563":{"id":"604563","type":"image","title":"Stewart, Parris \u0026 Jones","body":null,"created":"1522635199","gmt_created":"2018-04-02 02:13:19","changed":"1522635199","gmt_changed":"2018-04-02 02:13:19","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230479","name":"Stewart Parris \u0026 Jones.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Stewart%20Parris%20%26%20Jones.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Stewart%20Parris%20%26%20Jones.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3475955,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Stewart%20Parris%20%26%20Jones.png?itok=kQkrvRSu"}},"604487":{"id":"604487","type":"image","title":"Frank Stewart","body":null,"created":"1522353941","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 20:05:41","changed":"1547233261","gmt_changed":"2019-01-11 19:01:01","alt":"","file":{"fid":"234564","name":"2018 Frank Stewart IMG_2259 (courtesy Frank Stewart).sq2_.5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Frank%20Stewart%20IMG_2259%20%28courtesy%20Frank%20Stewart%29.sq2_.5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Frank%20Stewart%20IMG_2259%20%28courtesy%20Frank%20Stewart%29.sq2_.5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":100745,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Frank%20Stewart%20IMG_2259%20%28courtesy%20Frank%20Stewart%29.sq2_.5.jpg?itok=RzZHMc4k"}},"604488":{"id":"604488","type":"image","title":"Darren \u0022Josh\u0022 Parris","body":null,"created":"1522353999","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 20:06:39","changed":"1522353999","gmt_changed":"2018-03-29 20:06:39","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230443","name":"2018 Joshua Parris.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Joshua%20Parris.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Joshua%20Parris.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":76774,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Joshua%20Parris.tall250.jpg?itok=lK1GojO4"}},"604489":{"id":"604489","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Jones","body":null,"created":"1522354066","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 20:07:46","changed":"1522354066","gmt_changed":"2018-03-29 20:07:46","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230444","name":"2018 Jennifer Jones (from her).tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Jennifer%20Jones%20%28from%20her%29.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Jennifer%20Jones%20%28from%20her%29.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":125331,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Jennifer%20Jones%20%28from%20her%29.tall250.jpg?itok=jUNrieUB"}}},"media_ids":["604563","604487","604488","604489"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"25111","name":"Frank Stewart"},{"id":"177607","name":"Darren Parris"},{"id":"177605","name":"2018 Georgia Tech Awards"},{"id":"169877","name":"Summer Workshop in Marine Science (SWiMS)"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"604493":{"#nid":"604493","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Rabinoff and Torres: 2018 CTL\/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/people.math.gatech.edu\/~jrabinoff6\/\u0022\u003EJoseph Rabinoff\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-torres\u0022\u003EMatthew Torres\u003C\/a\u003E are two of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s 2018 \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ctl.gatech.edu\/faculty\/awards\/ctl-bp\u0022\u003ECTL\/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award\u003C\/a\u003E winners. Jointly supported by the Center for Teaching and Learning and BP America, the award recognizes the excellent teaching and educational innovation that junior faculty bring to campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJOSEPH RABINOFF: Helping both students and faculty\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJoseph Rabinoff \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/603868\u0022\u003Ewas recently promoted to associate professor\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E. Because many undergraduates take the fundamental mathematics courses he teaches, Rabinoff has had a broad impact on Georgia Tech undergraduates.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudents say Rabinoff makes mathematics relevant and engaging, especially the introductory classes he teaches. For his part, Rabinoff seeks to ensure that all students, whatever their majors, understand and even appreciate the material.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERabinoff was heavily involved in developing the curriculum and course materials for Math 1553, Introduction to Linear Algebra. This is an engineering core course that is taken by thousands of Georgia Tech students every year. He created lecture slides, interactive demonstrations, and online homework problems. With colleague \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/530471\u0022\u003EDan Margalit\u003C\/a\u003E, Rabinoff wrote a free online textbook for the course, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/textbooks.math.gatech.edu\/ila\/\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Interactive Linear Algebra.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the classroom, Rabinoff spearheaded the creation of the School of Mathematics\u0026rsquo; course repository and has been the main contributor to its infrastructure and content. The repository contains up-to-date curated materials that a new teacher can just pick up and use.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe students are the most exciting part about being at Georgia Tech, Rabinoff said in a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/521621\u0022\u003E2016 Q\u0026amp;A\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Some students are extremely hard-working and talented. I derive a lot of pleasure from interactions in class and office hours,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn turn, students praise Rabinoff for his enthusiasm, engaging lectures, friendliness, accessibility, and, yes, his \u0026ldquo;super\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;Rabinoffice\u0026rdquo; hours, which one students says \u0026ldquo;are fantastic during exam weeks.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It is an honor to be recognized with this award,\u0026rdquo; Rabinoff says.\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;The students I see every week in class and in office hours are great kids, and all of the effort is for them.\u0026nbsp; Pedagogy is special in this way: The reward is not abstract; it is visible every time I see in a student\u0026#39;s face that a light went on in their head. I\u0026rsquo;m very fortunate to have the opportunity to teach in a place like Georgia Tech.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMATTHEW TORRES: Teaching life skills\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMatthew Torres also \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/603868\u0022\u003Ewas recently promoted to associate professor\u003C\/a\u003E, in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. Although he always knew he would be a scientists, he never thought about being a teacher. At Georgia Tech he has recognized that, \u0026ldquo;first and foremost,\u0026rdquo; he is a teacher.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHaving embraced the role of an educator, his dedication is obvious to students and colleagues. Students regard him not only as an excellent teacher, but also as someone who believes in them and sees their potential. Students say Torres\u0026rsquo;s mentorship goes beyond biology: Torres helps them develop critical skills that will serve them throughout their lives \u0026ndash; such as written and spoken scientific communication, self-reflection, and how to confront failure productively.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EColleagues say Torres is a natural teacher, taking every opportunity to teach and mentor students in Georgia Tech and beyond. He gives students personal attention and invests time and resources to ensure student learning. A colleague describes Torres as \u0026ldquo;dedicated, caring, thoughtful, and highly successful in both teaching and research.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETorres regularly invites undergraduates to do research in his lab, participating in work to address \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/60222\u0022\u003Echemical biology\u003C\/a\u003E questions that Torres\u0026rsquo;s research seeks to answer. These undergraduates are listed as coauthors on publications. In running his lab and in his teaching, Torres instills open communications and mutual respect as values that advance everyone\u0026rsquo;s progress.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommunity engagement is important to Torres. He has volunteered to mentor high school students from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gsmst.org\/\u0022\u003EGwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology\u003C\/a\u003E. He routinely gives laboratory tours to local high schools focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Winning this award is fantastic, but I\u0026rsquo;m also very lucky,\u0026rdquo; Torres says. \u0026ldquo;Lucky enough to have had wonderful students \u0026ndash; undergraduate, graduate, and beyond \u0026ndash; willing to join me on a journey in pursuit of greater understanding and scientific progress. Such a journey can\u0026rsquo;t happen because of a teacher alone \u0026ndash; it takes bright, receptive, and brave students to help guide the way.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Enjoying engagement with undergrads"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJoseph Rabinoff and Matthew Torres are two of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s 2018 CTL\/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award winners. Jointly supported by the Center for Teaching and Learning and BP America, the award recognizes the excellent teaching and educational innovation that junior faculty bring to campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Joseph Rabinoff and Matthew Torres have each won the 2018 CTL\/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award."}],"uid":"34651","created_gmt":"2018-03-29 20:26:03","changed_gmt":"2018-04-02 17:26:04","author":"mrosten3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-04-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-04-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"604548":{"id":"604548","type":"image","title":"Rabinoff \u0026 Torres","body":null,"created":"1522436184","gmt_created":"2018-03-30 18:56:24","changed":"1522436184","gmt_changed":"2018-03-30 18:56:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230472","name":"Rabinoff \u0026 Torres.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Rabinoff%20%26%20Torres.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Rabinoff%20%26%20Torres.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1767469,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Rabinoff%20%26%20Torres.png?itok=UyfuvF7A"}},"604483":{"id":"604483","type":"image","title":"Joseph Rabinoff","body":null,"created":"1522353422","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 19:57:02","changed":"1522353422","gmt_changed":"2018-03-29 19:57:02","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230438","name":"2018 Joe Rabinoff.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Joe%20Rabinoff.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Joe%20Rabinoff.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":73126,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Joe%20Rabinoff.tall250.jpg?itok=474D_Xca"}},"604484":{"id":"604484","type":"image","title":"Matthew Torres","body":null,"created":"1522353489","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 19:58:09","changed":"1522353489","gmt_changed":"2018-03-29 19:58:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230439","name":"2018 Matthew Torres.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Matthew%20Torres.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Matthew%20Torres.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":43789,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Matthew%20Torres.tall250.jpg?itok=WYng1_L2"}}},"media_ids":["604548","604483","604484"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/521621","title":"Get To Know the School of Math Prof: Joseph Rabinoff"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/602221","title":"Chemical Biology to the Forefront"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"177605","name":"2018 Georgia Tech Awards"},{"id":"99131","name":"Matthew Torres"},{"id":"177584","name":"Jospeh Rabinoff"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"604476":{"#nid":"604476","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Fenton \u0026 Lieberman: 2018 Faculty Award for Academic Outreach ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has selected Flavio Fenton and Raquel Lieberman as the joint recipients of the 2018 \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ctl.gatech.edu\/faculty\/awards\/outreach\u0022\u003EFaculty Award for Academic Outreach\u003C\/a\u003E, administered by the Center for Teaching and Learning. The award recognizes faculty members for productive academic outreach going beyond their normal duties to enrich the larger educational community with their subject matter knowledge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth Fenton and Lieberman \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/603868\u0022\u003Ewere recently promoted to professor\u003C\/a\u003E, respectively, in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/lieberman\/\u0022\u003Ethe School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E; both are members of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth are scholars who are committed and dedicated to fostering and supporting the interest of K-12 students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). They especially look out for students who are historically underrepresented in STEM or are from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Their aim is to help young students see themselves as scientists, even when these students do not have many role models who look like them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFLAVIO FENTON: Various venues for outreach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nFlavio Fenton has established connections with middle and high schools in the greater Atlanta area, by himself and through \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gostem.gatech.edu\/en\/mission-and-vision\u0022\u003EGoSTEM\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Tech\/Gwinnett County Public School District collaboration to strengthen the pipeline of Hispanic students into college STEM education. He has also organized and led workshops to involve undergraduate students in research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHis work doesn\u0026rsquo;t end there. Fenton has been involved in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.atlantasciencefestival.org\/\u0022\u003EAtlanta Science Festival\u003C\/a\u003E since its inception. \u0026nbsp;Through the annual celebration of science, Fenton helps to bridge the gap between scientists and nonscientists and to encourage young people to pursue studies in STEM.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Flavio has shown himself to be a leader in communicating science to the broader public and generating excitement about research outside of Georgia Tech,\u0026rdquo; a colleague says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDescribed as \u0026ldquo;a diversity pioneer,\u0026rdquo; Fenton reaches out to Hispanic students and to women in particular, encouraging them to pursue careers in STEM-related fields. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/women-physics-meet-georgia-tech\u0022\u003EHe and his Ph.D. student Andrea Welsh co-organized the 2016 Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech. He regularly participates in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/calendar\/gostem-6th-annual-latino-college-stem-fair-georgia-tech-gostem-uga-lisell-b-event\u0022\u003EGoStem Annual Latino College and STEM Fair\u003C\/a\u003E and the after-school \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/pathwaystocollege.org\/\u0022\u003EPathways to College program\u003C\/a\u003Es. He usually has K-12 students participating in research projects in his lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Since I joined Georgia Tech, I have been thrilled by the disposition and the many opportunities our institution offers for outreach,\u0026rdquo; Fenton says. \u0026ldquo;I found it to be a privilege and also a responsibility to disseminate science and to excite middle and high school students into studying STEM fields and to show them how much fun it is to learn science.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERAQUEL LIEBERMAN: Providing research experience to students and teachers \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nRaquel Lieberman possesses a \u0026ldquo;deep commitment to using her academic expertise to further the learning of K-12 teachers and students,\u0026rdquo; a colleague says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor seven summers, Lieberman hosted high school science teacher Casey Bethel as a researcher in her lab. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/539531\u0022\u003EBethel was named Georgia\u0026rsquo;s 2017 Teacher of the Year\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp; He accomplished this feat in large part because of\u0026nbsp;the improvement in teaching methods and gain in scientific knowledge he achieved as\u0026nbsp;a\u0026nbsp;regular summer researcher in Lieberman\u0026rsquo;s lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith Bethel, Lieberman developed K-12 science classroom materials, which they have published and shared at conferences. She has repeatedly hosted in her lab students from Atlanta area schools, including New Manchester High School, in Douglasville, where Bethel used to teach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnder Lieberman\u0026rsquo;s mentorship, some of these students contributed to high-impact scientific publications and participated in high school science competitions. A measure of Lieberman\u0026rsquo;s impact is the exponential growth in the number of Bethel\u0026rsquo;s students who now pursue undergraduate STEM majors. Some of them have even gone on to attend and graduate from Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen describing Lieberman, a colleague quotes the English actor Idris Elba: \u0026ldquo;Talent is everywhere; opportunity is not.\u0026rdquo; In this colleague\u0026rsquo;s view, no one does more than Lieberman to address inequity and to ensure that all students have opportunity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Collaborating with Mr. Bethel,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman says, \u0026ldquo;and seeing our partnership grow and propagate from our lab to across the nation is truly one of the most rewarding aspects of my career to date and one that I hope continues far into the future.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Fostering K-12 students\u2019 interest in science, mathematics"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has selected Flavio Fenton and Raquel Lieberman as the joint recipients of the 2018 Faculty Award for Academic Outreach. The award recognizes faculty members for productive academic outreach going beyond their normal duties to enrich the larger educational community with their subject matter knowledge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Flavio Fenton and Raquel Lieberman are joint recipients of the 2018 Faculty Award for Academic Outreach."}],"uid":"34651","created_gmt":"2018-03-29 19:26:52","changed_gmt":"2018-04-10 20:18:46","author":"mrosten3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"604547":{"id":"604547","type":"image","title":"Fenton \u0026 Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1522435744","gmt_created":"2018-03-30 18:49:04","changed":"1522435744","gmt_changed":"2018-03-30 18:49:04","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230471","name":"Fenton \u0026 Lieberman.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Fenton%20%26%20Lieberman.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Fenton%20%26%20Lieberman.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2650853,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Fenton%20%26%20Lieberman.png?itok=Q4zXZdGo"}},"604479":{"id":"604479","type":"image","title":"Flavio Fenton","body":null,"created":"1522353157","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 19:52:37","changed":"1522353157","gmt_changed":"2018-03-29 19:52:37","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230434","name":"Flavio Fenton (from Flavio).tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton%20%28from%20Flavio%29.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton%20%28from%20Flavio%29.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":58399,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Flavio%20Fenton%20%28from%20Flavio%29.tall250.jpg?itok=I35nhkeD"}},"604478":{"id":"604478","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1522353076","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 19:51:16","changed":"1522353087","gmt_changed":"2018-03-29 19:51:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230433","name":"2018 Raquel Lieberman1.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Raquel%20Lieberman1.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Raquel%20Lieberman1.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":83352,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Raquel%20Lieberman1.tall250.jpg?itok=Ji3SI_Dm"}}},"media_ids":["604547","604479","604478"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/women-physics-meet-georgia-tech","title":"Women in Physics Meet in Georgia Tech"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/539531","title":"Meet Casey Bethel, Georgia\u2019s 2017 Teacher of the Year "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10858","name":"Raquel Lieberman"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"112191","name":"Flavio Fenton"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"177579","name":"Faculty Award for Academic Outreach"},{"id":"177605","name":"2018 Georgia Tech Awards"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"604494":{"#nid":"604494","#data":{"type":"news","title":"William Ratcliff: 2018 Sigma Xi Young Faculty Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWilliam C. Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E has been named the recipient of the 2018 \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/sigmaxi.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-sigma-xi-research-awards\/\u0022\u003ESigma Xi Young Faculty Award\u003C\/a\u003E. The award recognizes outstanding research achievements by a faculty of rank no higher than assistant professor. Ratcliff is an assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn evolutionary biologist, Ratcliff studies how organisms change over time. In particular, he wants to understand how multicellular organisms can evolve from single cells. This question remains one of the fundamental problems in biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHis approach is \u0026ldquo;extremely creative,\u0026rdquo; a colleague says. \u0026ldquo;Rather than trying to infer what happened hundreds of millions of years ago, William cut the Gordian knot by evolving novel multicellularity in the laboratory....Few scientists would attempt such an ambitious experiment.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/574151\u0022\u003EIn a 2016 interview\u003C\/a\u003E, Ratcliff explained his approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In our lab, we do evolutionary time travel in a test tube, by creating new multicellular organisms, using yeast and algae, in a way that\u0026rsquo;s simple but which we can examine with huge precision, using all the tools of biology, mathematics, and physics. We\u0026rsquo;re not trying to explain what happened historically. Rather, we\u0026rsquo;re trying to show how it can happen in principle.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re interested in how the geometry of cellular clusters influences the outcome of evolution, tipping the balance between cellular cooperation and conflict, and how cells lose their Darwinian autonomy, evolving from individual organisms into parts of a new organism. These are fundamental principles that should be broadly applicable.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff has shown that multicellularity can evolve quickly. The simple multicellular \u0026ldquo;snowflake\u0026rdquo; yeasts he has evolved in the lab \u0026ndash; by selection for rapid settling through liquid media\u0026ndash; possess a multicellular life cycle, reproducing through small propagules, like stem cuttings. Over 1,500 generations, they adapted to the selection pressure by growing faster and evolving a more hydrodynamic shape. They also evolved a simple division of labor, using programmed cell death to sever links between cells and produce more propagules. Experiments with a unicellular algae have yielded broadly similar results.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;[T]his award really reflects the strength of our research community and the benefits of working in an environment so conducive to collaboration.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom these observations, fundamental insights have emerged about the evolution of multicellular complexity. For example, mutations that are beneficial to the multicellular aggregate but costly to the single cell can accelerate evolution of increased multicellular complexity. In addition, his work has shown how the 3D geometry of yeast clusters allows a rudimentary form of development to arise, guiding the emergence of new multicellular traits from mutations that only directly affect the properties of single cells. Taken together, Ratcliff\u0026rsquo;s research upends conventional wisdom that the transition to multicellularity must have been slow and difficult and must have required extraordinary conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff\u0026rsquo;s scientific creativity is recognized by generous external support for his research, including the prestigious \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/582586\u0022\u003EPackard Fellowship\u003C\/a\u003E. Even the popular press has noticed: \u003Cem\u003EPopular Science\u003C\/em\u003E named Ratcliff one of the Brilliant 10 in 2016, the magazine\u0026rsquo;s way of \u0026ldquo;honoring the brightest young minds reshaping science, engineering, and the world.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;William has helped define the field of modern multicellularity research,\u0026rdquo; the same colleague says, \u0026ldquo;and in so doing, has become one of its leaders.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am of course deeply honored by this recognition\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff says. \u0026ldquo;But this award really reflects the strength of our research community and the benefits of working in an environment so conducive to collaboration. Since arriving at Tech in 2014, my research directions have evolved much like snowflake yeast have \u0026ndash; in wonderful and unexpected ways. This has been the direct result of having such amazing students, collaborators and colleagues.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Tackling one of biology\u2019s most fundamental problems"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAn evolutionary biologist, William Ratcliff studies how organisms change over time. In particular, he wants to understand how multicellular organisms can evolve from single cells. This question remains one of the fundamental problems in biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"William Ratcliff is the recipient of the 2018 Sigma Xi Young Faculty Award."}],"uid":"34651","created_gmt":"2018-03-29 20:30:48","changed_gmt":"2018-04-01 23:40:19","author":"mrosten3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"604485":{"id":"604485","type":"image","title":"William Ratcliff","body":null,"created":"1522353811","gmt_created":"2018-03-29 20:03:31","changed":"1522353811","gmt_changed":"2018-03-29 20:03:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230440","name":"Will.Ratcliff.2016.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Will.Ratcliff.2016.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Will.Ratcliff.2016.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":112478,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Will.Ratcliff.2016.tall250.jpg?itok=Bc4_QPY9"}}},"media_ids":["604485"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/599147","title":"When Physics Gives Evolution a Leg Up by Breaking One"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/582586","title":"Freeing a Scientific Mind to Envision Big Research: Packard Fellowship to Will Ratcliff"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/574151","title":"Meet Will Ratcliff, One of the Brilliant 10"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"177605","name":"2018 Georgia Tech Awards"},{"id":"177606","name":"Sigma Xi Young Faculty Award"},{"id":"177585","name":"William Ratcliff"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"604640":{"#nid":"604640","#data":{"type":"news","title":"In zebrafish, the cholera bacterium sets off a surprising flush","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers experimenting with live zebrafish witnessed a 200% increase in the strength of intestinal contractions soon after the organisms were exposed to the cholera-causing bacterium \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E. The strong contractions led to expulsion of native gut bacteria\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe discovery, detailed in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/03\/29\/1720133115\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \u0026ldquo;was remarkable and unexpected,\u0026rdquo; the authors write.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers \u0026ndash; from the University of Oregon, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center \u0026ndash; used genetic manipulation and cutting-edge three-dimensional microscopy to monitor what happens when the disease-causing microbe is initially introduced into the larvae of zebrafish, an organism commonly studied as a model for understanding health and disease in vertebrates, including humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe multidisciplinary team of physicists, molecular biologists, and microbiologists focused on the harpoon-like injection capabilities of the type VI secretion system. This appendage, found in many bacteria including \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae, \u003C\/em\u003Etransfers toxic proteins into competing healthy cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe scientists engineered \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E mutants with variations in that secretion system and then observed the behavior of the microbes as they invaded zebrafish colonized with \u003Cem\u003EAeromonas veronii\u003C\/em\u003E, a native species in that animal\u0026rsquo;s gut.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESWIFT ACTION\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nInstead of simply killing native \u003Cem\u003EAeromonas \u003C\/em\u003Egut bacteria upon contact, as expected, when \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E entered the gut the native bacteria were swiftly flushed out.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The secretion system induced dramatic increases in the strength of the peristalsis process, the contractions that move gut contents down the gastrointestinal tract much like squeezing a tube of toothpaste from the end to the top,\u0026rdquo; says coauthor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian K. Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E, a microbiologist and associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers hypothesized that the unexpected bacterial manipulation in the digestive system might be driven by a particular piece of the type VI machinery known to bind to actin, a cellular scaffolding protein. When the scientists deleted the actin-binding domain from the bacterial gene, they saw that \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E lost its ability to enhance peristalsis and its ability to expel native \u003Cem\u003EAeromonas\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings shed new light on how the waterborne \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae \u003C\/em\u003Efunctions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae \u003C\/em\u003Etriggers more than 3 million cases of acute diarrheal illness and 100,000 deaths in people worldwide each year.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Knowing the strategies by which the bacterium is able to invade the intestine can open doors to therapies that might disrupt these paths,\u0026rdquo; says corresponding author \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.uoregon.edu\/profile\/raghu\/\u0022\u003ERaghuveer Parthasarathy\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor of physics at the University of Oregon, whose imaging and analysis techniques were used in the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause the type VI secretion system is also found in native gut bacteria, including those in the human gut microbiome, it could be harnessed for therapies, including specially designed probiotics, to promote beneficial species or to defend against disease invasion, Hammer says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We suspect that other gut microbes, both pathogenic and beneficial, might similarly make use of this secretion system to reshape their environment,\u0026rdquo; Parthasarathy says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMost previous research on this secretion system has relied on studying bacteria outside of animals \u0026ndash; on a Petri dish for example, or by examining fecal samples \u0026ndash; to infer what is happening in the gut during infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the research team captured the impact of invasion by\u003Cem\u003E Vibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E, understanding just how it takes root in the host, such as what specific cells in the animal are targeted, is an open question, Parthasarathy says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We still have no idea how the action of his secretion system\u0026rsquo;s harpoon is causing the changes in the muscle contractions,\u0026rdquo; Hammer says. \u0026ldquo;We suspect that what we are observing may be an immune response to irritation in the gut lining. But what cells in the gut are being poked?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHow the findings may reflect the colonization of \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E in humans is not known, but the role of the secretion system makes a similar result plausible, the researchers wrote in their conclusion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBIRTH OF COLLABORATION\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe findings emerged from a collaboration born in 2015 when Hammer, Parthasarathy, and coauthor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mskcc.org\/research-areas\/labs\/joao-xavier\u0022\u003EJoao Xavier\u003C\/a\u003E, a researcher at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, discussed joint research possibilities during a conference, \u003Cem\u003EScialog: Molecules Come to Life\u003C\/em\u003E, in Tucson, Arizona.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Scialog (Science and Dialog) was organized by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement and sponsored jointly with the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, with additional support from the Simons Foundation. The goal of Scialog is to rapidly catalyze new interdisciplinary collaborative teams, such as the one formed by Hammer, Parthasarathy, and Xavier, to work on high-risk, high-reward projects.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a result, their \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/news-events\/news\/112\u0022\u003Ethree labs received an award\u003C\/a\u003E from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Simons Foundation to pursue their Scialog idea. The National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, and Kavli Microbiome Ideas Challenge also supported the research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPHOTO CAPTION\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nTrajectories of \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E bacteria (blue) swimming inside the gut of a larval zebrafish. The gut is visible as a gray background. The total duration of the movie that was \u0026ldquo;squashed\u0026rdquo; into this image is 3.5 seconds, and the total image width is about 0.3 mm. (Courtesy of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.uoregon.edu\/profile\/raghu\/\u0022\u003ERaghuveer Parthasarathy\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Researchers unveil the possible mechanics of a cholera invasion of a host"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers experimenting with live zebrafish witnessed a 200% increase in the strength of intestinal contractions soon after the organisms were exposed to the cholera-causing bacterium \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E. The strong contractions led to expulsion of native gut bacteria\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003EResearchers experimenting with live zebrafish witnessed a 200% increase in the strength of intestinal contractions soon after the organisms were exposed to the cholera-causing bacterium \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E. The strong contractions led to expulsion of native gut bacteria\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Cholera bacteria in gut of zebrafish induces strong intestinal contractions that eventually expel the gut contents."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-04-03 15:08:47","changed_gmt":"2018-04-18 15:46:54","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"604636":{"id":"604636","type":"image","title":"Brian Hammer","body":null,"created":"1522767251","gmt_created":"2018-04-03 14:54:11","changed":"1522767251","gmt_changed":"2018-04-03 14:54:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230515","name":"Brian Hammer.tall250.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Brian%20Hammer.tall250.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Brian%20Hammer.tall250.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":71622,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Brian%20Hammer.tall250.jpg?itok=J8jKqNeq"}},"604638":{"id":"604638","type":"image","title":"Cholera bacteria in gut of zebrafish (Courtesy of Raghuveer Parthasarathy)","body":null,"created":"1522767447","gmt_created":"2018-04-03 14:57:27","changed":"1522767447","gmt_changed":"2018-04-03 14:57:27","alt":"","file":{"fid":"230516","name":"2018 Cholera in Zebrafish.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Cholera%20in%20Zebrafish.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Cholera%20in%20Zebrafish.png","mime":"image\/png","size":383925,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Cholera%20in%20Zebrafish.png?itok=vjOdLzc1"}}},"media_ids":["604636","604638"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biosci\/physics\/cholera-bacterial-warfare","title":"Cholera Bacteria Stab and Poison Enemies so Predictably "},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/589632","title":"A \u0022Gut Reaction\u0022 to Georgia Tech Biology Research"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"171897","name":"Vibrio cholerae"},{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"604067":{"#nid":"604067","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Determine Routes of Respiratory Infectious Disease Transmission on Aircraft ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent study conducted by researchers from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology found that an infectious passenger with influenza or other droplet-transmitted respiratory infection will most likely not transmit infection to passengers seated farther away than two seats laterally and one row in front or back on an aircraft. The study was designed to assess rates and routes of possible infectious disease transmission during flights.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCo-researchers Vicki Hertzberg, Ph.D., professor at Emory University\u0026#39;s\u0026nbsp;Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and Howard Weiss, Ph.D., professor in the School of Mathematics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, led tracking efforts in their FlyHealthy(TM)\u0026nbsp;study, developing a model that combines estimated infectivity and patterns of contact among aircraft passengers and crew members to determine likelihood of infection.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nFlyHealthyTM team members were assigned to monitor specific areas of the passenger cabin, and made five round trips from the East to West Coast recording movements of passengers and crew. In addition, they collected air samples and obtained surface samples from areas most likely to harbor microbes. They leveraged the movement data to create thousands of simulated flight scenarios and possibilities for direct exposure to droplet-transmitted respiratory diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026ldquo;Respiratory diseases are often spread within populations through close contact,\u0026rdquo; explained\u0026nbsp;Hertzberg. \u0026ldquo;We wanted to determine the number and duration of social contacts between passengers and crew, but we could not use our regular tracking technology on an aircraft. With our trained observers, we were able to observe where and when contacts occurred on flights. This allows us to model how direct transmission might occur.\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026ldquo;We now know a lot about how passengers move around on flights. For instance, around 40 percent of passengers never leave their seats, another 40 percent get up once during the flight, and 20 percent get up two or more times. Proximity to the aisle was also associated with movement. About 80 percent of passengers in aisle seats got up during flights, in comparison to 60 percent of passengers in middle seats and 40 percent in window seats. Passengers who leave their seats are up for an average of five minutes.\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nResearchers also noted fomite transmission \u0026ndash; exposure to viruses that remain on certain surfaces such as tray tables, seat belts and lavatory handles \u0026ndash; as additional likely contributors to disease transmission. They provide public health recommendations to help prevent the spread of infectious disease.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026ldquo;We found that direct disease transmission outside of the one-meter area of an infected passenger is unlikely,\u0026rdquo; explained\u0026nbsp;Weiss. Respiratory infections can also be transmitted indirectly through contact with an infected surface. This could happen if a sick passenger coughs into their hand, and later touches a lavatory surface or overhead bin handle. \u0026ldquo;Passengers and flight crews can eliminate this risk of indirect transmission by exercising hand hygiene and keeping their hands away from their nose and eyes.\u0026rdquo;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe study, which was funded in partnership with aerospace leader Boeing, evaluated only the potential spread of infectious agents on an aircraft. Transmission could also occur at other points in a passenger\u0026rsquo;s journey, underscoring the need to maintain healthy habits, he added.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nComplete findings of the study are available in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExternal News:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ethis article was featured in many national news stories, including\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/dr-gridlock\/wp\/2018\/03\/28\/want-to-avoid-getting-sick-when-you-fly-your-seat-choice-might-help\/?utm_term=.02dfacd5e053\u0022\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;Washington Post\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2018\/03\/22\/well\/live\/plane-flight-cold-flu-sick-germs-airplane-seat.html\u0022\u003EThe NY Times\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mashable.com\/2018\/03\/19\/how-the-flu-spreads-on-a-plane-new-study-flight-crews\/?utm_cid=hp-r-1#VbwjhWPh9Pqa\u0022\u003EMashable\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.popsci.com\/airplane-virus-germ-spread#page-2\u0022\u003EPopular Science\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/apnews.com\/fc73ee339ff04d118154d1a7b0df079b\u0022\u003EAP -\u0026nbsp;Associated Press\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/smart-news\/study-maps-how-flu-virus-moves-around-plane-180968541\/#G1GyUeZZKh80T5fq.99\u0022\u003EThe Smithsonian\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.todayonline.com\/world\/how-not-get-sick-plane-choose-your-seat-wisely\u0022\u003ETODAY Online\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/elpais.com\/elpais\/2018\/03\/29\/ciencia\/1522309451_960713.html\u0022\u003EEl Pais (Spanish)\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Vicki Stover Hertzberg and Howard Weiss (co-first authors), Lisa Elon, Wenpei Si, Sharon L. Norris, and The FlyHealthy Research Team, \u0026ldquo;Behaviors, movements, and transmission of droplet-mediated respiratory diseases during transcontinental airline flights,\u0026rdquo; (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/03\/13\/1711611115\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2018\/03\/13\/1711611115\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Georgia Tech: John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu) (404-894-6986) or Emory University:\u0026nbsp;Melva Robertson: (melva.robertson@emory.edu) (404-416-0822) or Allison Caughey (allison.caughey@emory.edu) (404-727-1225).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENote: This post originally appeared as a Georgia Tech News Center story by John Toon on Mar 19, 2018.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent study conducted by researchers from Emory University and Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;found that an infectious passenger with influenza or other droplet-transmitted respiratory infection will most likely not transmit infection to passengers seated farther away than two seats laterally and one row in front or back on an aircraft. The study was designed to assess rates and routes of possible infectious disease transmission during flights.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have studied how passengers move about on aircraft to evaluate potential transmission of respiratory infections."}],"uid":"34518","created_gmt":"2018-03-21 00:48:43","changed_gmt":"2018-04-03 17:42:35","author":"sbarone7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-03-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2018-03-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"603986":{"id":"603986","type":"image","title":"Chart of passenger contacts","body":null,"created":"1521482314","gmt_created":"2018-03-19 17:58:34","changed":"1521482314","gmt_changed":"2018-03-19 17:58:34","alt":"Chart showing passenger contacts on aircraft","file":{"fid":"230208","name":"observation chart.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/observation%20chart.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/observation%20chart.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2958633,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/observation%20chart.jpg?itok=Osjr-EhO"}},"603984":{"id":"603984","type":"image","title":"Documenting passenger movement on aircraft","body":null,"created":"1521482182","gmt_created":"2018-03-19 17:56:22","changed":"1521482182","gmt_changed":"2018-03-19 17:56:22","alt":"iPad app for recording passenger movement on aircraft","file":{"fid":"230207","name":"Hertzberg iPad example.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Hertzberg%20iPad%20example.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Hertzberg%20iPad%20example.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":369579,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Hertzberg%20iPad%20example.jpg?itok=hh14i8yI"}},"603988":{"id":"603988","type":"image","title":"Window seat","body":null,"created":"1521482429","gmt_created":"2018-03-19 18:00:29","changed":"1521482429","gmt_changed":"2018-03-19 18:00:29","alt":"Window seat on an aircraft","file":{"fid":"230209","name":"window seat.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/window%20seat.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/window%20seat.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":366435,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/window%20seat.jpg?itok=yZ_cQptX"}}},"media_ids":["603986","603984","603988"],"groups":[{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"177487","name":"respiratory"},{"id":"1146","name":"transmission"},{"id":"10660","name":"infection"},{"id":"1833","name":"aircraft"},{"id":"77831","name":"passenger"},{"id":"35421","name":"Howard Weiss"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"602729":{"#nid":"602729","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Maelstroms in the Heart Confirmed","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEvery two minutes in the U.S., a person dies of sudden cardiac arrest or fibrillation, the most common cause of death worldwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDoctors still do not fully understand exactly what goes on in the heart during a cardiac attack. Until now, it was impossible to visualize and characterize the dynamic processes in the fibrillating heart muscle. This week in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nature26001\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003Ean international team reports an imaging technique to observe the vortex-like, rotating contractions that underlie life-threatening ventricular fibrillation. The technique may enable early identification of heart rhythm disorders, better understanding of cardiac disease, and development of better treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELed by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bmp.ds.mpg.de\/stefan_luther.html\u0022\u003EStefan Luther\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bmp.ds.mpg.de\/jan-christoph.html\u0022\u003EJan Christoph\u003C\/a\u003E of \u003Ca href=\u0022\/\/www.ds.mpg.de\/en\u0022\u003Ethe Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization\u003C\/a\u003E (MPIDS), in Germany, the research team includes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFlavio Fenton\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/ilija-uzelac\u0022\u003EIlija Uzelac\u003C\/a\u003E from the School of Physics at Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiagnostic breakthrough\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nWhen the heart muscle no longer contracts in a coordinated manner, but simply flutters or twitches \u0026ndash; the condition referred to as \u0026ldquo;fibrillation\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; it is a highly life-threatening situation. Medical intervention usually involves administering a strong electrical shock within a few minutes. High-energy defibrillation is excruciating and can be damaging to heart tissues.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The key to a better understanding of fibrillation lies in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nature26001\u0022\u003Ea new, high-resolution imaging technique\u003C\/a\u003E that allows processes inside the heart muscle to be observed,\u0026rdquo; Luther says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Until now, only surface recordings of complex fibrillation was possible,\u0026rdquo; Fenton says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0026rsquo;s imaging method enables the fibrillating myocardium to be visually time-resolved in three dimensions. The imaging is much more accurate than previously possible and uses clinically available high-resolution ultrasound equipment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EImproved understanding of fibrillation enabled by the procedure could lead to alternative defibrillation techniques, also an area of research of Fenton\u0026rsquo;s and Luther\u0026rsquo;s. For example, researchers could improve the use of low-energy pulses to restore normal heart rhythm.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe technique could enable cardiologists to pinpoint the pathological foci of excitation. It may help in diagnosis and treatment of heart failure caused by fibrillation. It may allow doctors to detect heart failure earlier and treat it more effectively.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EElectrical waves cause mechanical contractions of the heart\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nEvery heartbeat is triggered by electrical waves of excitation that propagate through the myocardium at high speed, causing myocardial cells to contract. If these waves become turbulent, the result is cardiac arrhythmia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn cardiac arrhythmias, rotational electrical waves of excitation swirl through the heart muscle. Investigations of cardiac arrhythmias have focused on such electrical vortices, but researchers have not been able to obtain a full picture of the dynamics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe international team took a different approach. Instead of concentrating on electrical stimulation, they looked at the twitching contractions of the fibrillating myocardium. \u0026ldquo;Until now, little importance was attached to the analysis of muscle contractions and deformations during fibrillation,\u0026rdquo; Christoph says. \u0026ldquo;In our measurements, however, we saw that electric vortices are always accompanied by corresponding vortex-shaped mechanical deformations.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVentricular fibrillation in 3D\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nUsing high-resolution measurements carried out with clinically available ultrasound equipment, the researchers visualized the trembling movements inside the heart muscle in three dimensions and correlated them with the electrical excitation of the heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy analyzing the image data of the muscle contractions, the researchers were able to observe exactly how areas of contracted and relaxed muscle cells move in a vortex through the myocardium during fibrillation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey also observed filament-like structures that were previously known to physicists only in theory and from computer simulations. Such a filament-like structure resembles a thread and marks the eye of the whirlpool-like wave or cyclone moving through the myocardium. It is now possible for the first time to pinpoint these centers of the vortices inside the myocardium.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also used high-speed cameras and fluorescent markers to reveal the electrophysiological processes in the myocardium. The images confirmed that the mechanical vortices correspond very well with the electrical vortices. \u0026ldquo;In this study the correlation between electrical and mechanical vortex dynamics is assessed for the first time using a trimodal system that measures simultaneously and correlates the voltage and calcium waves with the contraction waves\u0026rdquo; Uzelac says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom physics to medicine\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe study is an example of successful interdisciplinary collaboration between physicists and doctors. \u0026quot;This revolutionary development will open up new treatment options for patients with cardiac arrhythmias,\u0026rdquo; says Gerd Hasenfuss, co-author of the study and chairman of the G\u0026ouml;ttingen Heart Research Center\u0026nbsp;and the \u003Ca name=\u0022_Hlk506970784\u0022\u003EHeart Center at the University Medical Center G\u0026ouml;ttingen\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;As early as 2018, we will use the new technology on our patients to better diagnose and treat cardiac arrhythmias and myocardial diseases.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"For the first time, researchers observe 3D vortex-like contractions of fibrillating heart muscle"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis week in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nature26001\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003Ean international team reports an imaging technique to observe the vortex-like, rotating contractions that underlie life-threatening ventricular fibrillation. The technique may enable early identification of heart rhythm disorders, better understanding of cardiac disease, and development of better treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Imaging technique enables observation of the vortex-like, rotating contractions that underlie life-threatening ventricular fibrillation."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-02-22 02:19:20","changed_gmt":"2018-02-26 15:13:25","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-02-22T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-02-22T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"602727":{"id":"602727","type":"image","title":"Diagnosing the heart (Courtesy of Flavio Fenton)","body":null,"created":"1519265159","gmt_created":"2018-02-22 02:05:59","changed":"1519265159","gmt_changed":"2018-02-22 02:05:59","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229732","name":"2018 Heart image Flavio Fenton.square200.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Heart%20image%20Flavio%20Fenton.square200.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Heart%20image%20Flavio%20Fenton.square200.png","mime":"image\/png","size":128765,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Heart%20image%20Flavio%20Fenton.square200.png?itok=xZcbcGpQ"}},"602728":{"id":"602728","type":"image","title":"Flavio Fenton","body":null,"created":"1519265229","gmt_created":"2018-02-22 02:07:09","changed":"1519265229","gmt_changed":"2018-02-22 02:07:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229733","name":"flavio_fenton_square200.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/flavio_fenton_square200.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/flavio_fenton_square200.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":42922,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/flavio_fenton_square200.jpg?itok=T1ZIFqyk"}},"602730":{"id":"602730","type":"image","title":"Ilija Uzelac (Courtesy of Ilija Uzelac)","body":null,"created":"1519305796","gmt_created":"2018-02-22 13:23:16","changed":"1519305796","gmt_changed":"2018-02-22 13:23:16","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229734","name":"Uzelac_Ilija.square200.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Uzelac_Ilija.square200.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Uzelac_Ilija.square200.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":35518,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Uzelac_Ilija.square200.jpg?itok=o5AfOCyo"}}},"media_ids":["602727","602728","602730"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"177198","name":"imaging fibrillation"},{"id":"112191","name":"Flavio Fenton"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"602221":{"#nid":"602221","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Chemical Biology to the Forefront","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChemical biologists at Georgia Tech and peer institutions in the Greater Atlanta area are poised for a grand debut on April 21, 2018 \u0026ndash; at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/gacbs\/\u0022\u003EFirst Annual Greater Atlanta Chemical Biology Symposium\u003C\/a\u003E, to be held at Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is show time for the Southeast\u0026rsquo;s talent in chemical biology \u0026ndash; the interdisciplinary field that uses chemistry tools and methods to understand and manipulate biological systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Atlanta institutions are becoming a hotbed for research in chemical biology and related fields,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-torres\u0022\u003EMatthew Torres\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences. \u0026ldquo;Institutional commitments and federal funding in the past five years,\u0026rdquo; he says, \u0026ldquo;have enhanced infrastructure to support world-class chemical biology research programs,\u0026rdquo; not only at Georgia Tech, but also at the symposium\u0026rsquo;s other host institutions: Emory University, Georgia State University, and the University of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFaculty hiring has expanded the breadth of chemical biology research in the host institutions. \u0026ldquo;New hires, myself included, have been attracted to the community that is developing here,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/chemistry.emory.edu\/home\/people\/faculty\/wuest-bill.html\u0022\u003EWilliam Wuest\u003C\/a\u003E, who joined Emory University in 2017 and chairs the symposium\u0026rsquo;s organizing committee.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A lot is going on,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/finn\/m.g.\u0022\u003EM.G. Finn\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and chair of the School Chemistry and Biochemistry and a member of the symposium\u0026rsquo;s organizing committee. \u0026ldquo;Chemical biology underpins vast activity in Atlanta on immunology, drug development, diagnostics, and many other applications. The symposium\u0026rsquo;s host institutions boast an impressive number and quality of chemical biology investigators.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;Atlanta institutions are becoming a hotbed for research in chemical biology and related fields.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Georgia Tech alone, Finn notes, chemical biology research spans at least seven schools in the Colleges of Sciences and Engineering: Biological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Physics.\u0026nbsp; Chemical biology is also one of the main research areas supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/research\/chemical-biology\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E (IBB), where the labs and offices of many Georgia Tech faculty doing chemical biology research are located.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn planning the April 21 symposium, Wuest drew upon his experience at his previous institution. Temple University regularly participates in an annual symposium on the chemistry-biology interface that highlights local talent in the Mid-Atlantic region, focusing on early-career faculty and students and featuring some keynote speaker, Wuest says. \u0026ldquo;It was wildly successful. I believe the time is right to start one in Atlanta.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The idea,\u0026rdquo; Finn says, \u0026ldquo;is to give chemical biologists in Atlanta \u0026ndash; including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty scientists \u0026ndash; a venue to exchange results and ideas.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026ldquo;Chemical biology underpins vast activity in Atlanta on immunology, drug development, diagnostics, and many other applications.\u0026quot;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe organizers have invited a diverse and interdisciplinary slate of nine keynote speakers, five of whom are from outside Georgia. Among the speakers from host institutions is Torres, who is also a member of IBB.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;My lab\u0026rsquo;s mission,\u0026rdquo; Torres says, \u0026ldquo;is to understand how post-translational modifications regulate the signaling of G proteins.\u0026rdquo; G proteins comprise a family of proteins mediating the transmission of myriad signals from outside the cell into the cell interior. They are major targets in the search for drugs to treat a variety of diseases. At the symposium, Torres will describe his lab\u0026rsquo;s work on the use of machine learning and neural networks to identify protein modifications involved in pharmacology and disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe symposium offers a way to liberate \u0026ldquo;chemical biology perspectives that are often maintained in isolation and rarely cross institutional boundaries,\u0026rdquo; Torres says. \u0026ldquo;A great deal can be gained by breaking these boundaries to create a more fluid and open community that is bigger and better than any one lab or any one institution alone.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe symposium is free to all attendees, thanks to the generosity of the host institutions, the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gra.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance\u003C\/a\u003E, and five journals\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/journal\/jmcmar\u0022\u003E: \u003Cem\u003EJournal of Medicinal Chemistry\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/journal\/10.1002\/(ISSN)1439-7633\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EChemBioChem\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/journal\/amclct\u0022\u003EACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/journal\/aidcbc\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EACS Infectious Diseases\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/journal\/acsccc\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EACS Combinatorial Science\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, whose editor-in-chief is Finn.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERegistration, abstract submission, schedule, and other information are available at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/gacbs\/schedule\/\u0022\u003Esymposium website\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/gacbs\/schedule\/\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/gacbs\/schedule\/\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Symposium to highlight wealth and breadth of talent in Atlanta"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChemical biologists at Georgia Tech and peer institutions in the Greater Atlanta area are poised for a grand debut on April 21, 2018 \u0026ndash; at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/gacbs\/\u0022\u003EFirst Annual Greater Atlanta Chemical Biology Symposium\u003C\/a\u003E, to be held at Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"It is show time for the Southeast\u2019s talent in chemical biology \u2013 the interdisciplinary field that uses chemistry tools and methods to understand and manipulate biological systems."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-02-12 14:50:59","changed_gmt":"2018-02-21 14:28:16","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-02-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-02-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"602360":{"id":"602360","type":"image","title":"Matthew Torres, invited speaker","body":null,"created":"1518633413","gmt_created":"2018-02-14 18:36:53","changed":"1518633413","gmt_changed":"2018-02-14 18:36:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229576","name":"2018 Matthew Torres.tall200.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Matthew%20Torres.tall200.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Matthew%20Torres.tall200.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":59315,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Matthew%20Torres.tall200.jpg?itok=iu422MG-"}},"602219":{"id":"602219","type":"image","title":"M.G. Finn, member, organizing committee","body":null,"created":"1518446438","gmt_created":"2018-02-12 14:40:38","changed":"1518446438","gmt_changed":"2018-02-12 14:40:38","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229523","name":"M.G. Finn.tall200.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/M.G.%20Finn.tall200.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/M.G.%20Finn.tall200.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":57204,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/M.G.%20Finn.tall200.jpg?itok=UOkH75cD"}},"602218":{"id":"602218","type":"image","title":"William Wuest, chair, organizing committee (Courtesy of William Wuest)","body":null,"created":"1518446357","gmt_created":"2018-02-12 14:39:17","changed":"1518446357","gmt_changed":"2018-02-12 14:39:17","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229522","name":"William Wuest courtesy WW.tall200.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/William%20Wuest%20courtesy%20WW.tall200.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/William%20Wuest%20courtesy%20WW.tall200.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":81348,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/William%20Wuest%20courtesy%20WW.tall200.jpg?itok=820WCd4Y"}}},"media_ids":["602360","602219","602218"],"related_files":{"248890":{"fid":null,"name":"John Fritsch, Jean-Paul Salvestrini, Bernard Kippelen, Caroline Wood, and Abdallah Ougazzaden, represented Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech-Lorraine, and Georgia Tech-CNRS IRL 2958 at the BE 4.0 Exhibition in Mulhouse, France","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/7-Hero-Mulhouse.jpg","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/7-Hero-Mulhouse.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":481776,"description":null}},"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/scholarblogs.emory.edu\/gacbs\/","title":"Symposium Website "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11536","name":"Chemical Biology"},{"id":"177080","name":"First Annual Greater Atlanta Chemical Biology Symposium"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"96831","name":"M.G. Finn"},{"id":"99131","name":"Matthew Torres"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"602529":{"#nid":"602529","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Asteroid \u201cTime Capsules\u201d May Help Explain How Life Started on Earth","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn popular culture, asteroids play the role of apocalyptic threat, get blamed for wiping out the dinosaurs \u0026ndash; and offer an extraterrestrial source for mineral mining.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut for researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/hud\/\u0022\u003ENicholas Hud\u003C\/a\u003E, asteroids play an entirely different role: that of time capsules showing what molecules originally existed in our solar system. Having that information gives scientists the starting point they need to reconstruct the complex pathway that got life started on Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDirector of the NSF-NASA \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.centerforchemicalevolution.com\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Chemical Evolution\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Hud says finding molecules in asteroids provides the strongest evidence that such compounds were present on the Earth before life formed. Knowing what molecules were present helps establish the initial conditions that led to the formation of amino acids and related compounds that, in turn, came together to form peptides, small protein-like molecules that may have kicked off life on this planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We can look to the asteroids to help us understand what chemistry is possible in the universe,\u0026rdquo; said Hud. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s important for us to study materials from asteroids and meteorites, the smaller versions of asteroids that fall to Earth, to test the validity of our models for how molecules in them could have helped give rise to life. We also need to catalog the molecules from asteroids and meteorites because there might be compounds there that we had not even considered important for starting life.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHud was a panelist at a press briefing \u0026ldquo;Asteroids for Research, Discovery, and Commerce\u0026rdquo; February 17 at the 2018 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Austin, Texas.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENASA scientists have been analyzing compounds found in asteroids and meteorites for decades, and their work provides a solid understanding for what might have been present when the Earth itself was formed, Hud says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you model a prebiotic chemical reaction in the laboratory, scientists can argue about whether or not you had the right starting materials,\u0026rdquo; said Hud. \u0026ldquo;Detection of a molecule in an asteroid or meteorite is about the only evidence everyone will accept for that molecule being prebiotic. It\u0026rsquo;s something we can really lean on.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Miller-Urey experiment, conducted in 1952 to simulate conditions believed to have existed on the early Earth, produced more than 20 different amino acids, organic compounds that are the building blocks for peptides. The experiment was kicked off by sparks inside a flask containing water, methane, ammonia and hydrogen, all materials believed to have existed in the atmosphere when the Earth was very young.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince the Miller-Urey experiment, scientists have demonstrated the feasibility of other chemical pathways to amino acids and compounds necessary for life. In Hud\u0026rsquo;s laboratory, for instance, researchers used cycles of alternating wet and dry conditions to create complex organic molecules over time. Under such conditions, amino acids and hydroxy acids, compounds that differ chemically by just a single atom, could have formed short peptides that led to the formation of larger and more complex molecules \u0026ndash; ultimately exhibiting properties that we now associate with biological molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We now have a really good way to synthesize peptides with amino acids and hydroxy acids working together that could have been common on the early Earth,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Even today, hydroxy acids are found with amino acids in living organisms \u0026ndash; and in some meteorite samples that have been examined.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHud believes there are many possible ways that the molecules of life could have formed. Life could have gotten started with molecules that are less sophisticated and less efficient than what we see today. Like life itself, these molecules could have evolved over time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;What we find is that these compounds can form molecules that look a lot like modern peptides, except in the backbone that is holding the units together,\u0026rdquo; said Hud. \u0026ldquo;The overall structure can be very similar and would be easier to make, though it doesn\u0026rsquo;t have the ability to fold into as complex structures as modern proteins. There is a tradeoff between the simplicity of forming these molecules and how close these molecules are to those found in contemporary life.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeologists believe the Earth was very different billions of years ago. Instead of continents, there were islands protruding from the oceans. Even the sun was different, producing less light but more cosmic rays \u0026ndash; which could have helped power the protein-forming chemical reactions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The islands could have been potential incubators for life, with molecules raining down from the atmosphere,\u0026rdquo; Hud said. \u0026ldquo;We think the key process that would have allowed these molecules to go to the next stage is a wet-dry cycling like what we are doing in the lab. That would have been perfect for an island out in the ocean.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERather than a single spark of life, the molecules could have evolved slowly over time in gradual progression that may have taken place at different rates in different locations, perhaps simultaneously. Different components of cells, for example, may have developed separately where conditions favored them before they ultimately came together.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There is something very special about peptides, nucleic acids, polysaccharides and lipids and their ability to work together to do something they couldn\u0026rsquo;t have done separately,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;And there could have been any number of chemical processes on the early Earth that never led to life.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKnowing what conditions were like on the early Earth therefore gives scientists a stronger foundation for hypothesizing what could have taken place, and could offer hints to other pathways that may not have been considered yet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There are probably a lot more clues in the asteroids about what molecules were really there,\u0026rdquo; said Hud. \u0026ldquo;We may not even know what we should be looking for in these asteroids, but by looking at what molecules we find, we can ask different and more questions about how they could have helped get life started.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn popular culture, asteroids play the role of apocalyptic threat, get blamed for wiping out the dinosaurs \u0026ndash; and offer an extraterrestrial source for mineral mining. But for researcher Nicholas Hud, asteroids play an entirely different role: that of time capsules showing what molecules originally existed in our solar system. Having that information gives scientists the starting point they need to reconstruct the complex pathway that got life started on Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Asteroids provide information that could help scientists understand how life originated on Earth."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2018-02-18 00:49:18","changed_gmt":"2018-02-28 17:38:48","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-02-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-02-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"602528":{"id":"602528","type":"image","title":"Nicholas Hud, Center for Chemical Evolution2","body":null,"created":"1518914281","gmt_created":"2018-02-18 00:38:01","changed":"1518914281","gmt_changed":"2018-02-18 00:38:01","alt":"Nicholas Hud, Center for Chemical Evolution","file":{"fid":"229641","name":"nicholas-hud.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nicholas-hud.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nicholas-hud.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":629329,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nicholas-hud.jpg?itok=iDj-tgDi"}},"602526":{"id":"602526","type":"image","title":"Nicholas Hud, Center for Chemical Evolution","body":null,"created":"1518914066","gmt_created":"2018-02-18 00:34:26","changed":"1518914066","gmt_changed":"2018-02-18 00:34:26","alt":"Nicholas Hud, Center for Chemical Evolution","file":{"fid":"229640","name":"nicholas-hud2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nicholas-hud2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nicholas-hud2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":611252,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nicholas-hud2.jpg?itok=C1h7V1Nd"}}},"media_ids":["602528","602526"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"89971","name":"chemical evolution"},{"id":"10339","name":"center for chemical evolution"},{"id":"174074","name":"Asteroid"},{"id":"5959","name":"Nick Hud"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"601743":{"#nid":"601743","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hatchet Enzyme, Enabler of Sickness and of Health, Exposed by Neutron Beams","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETucked away inside cell membranes, a molecular butcher does the bidding of healthy cells but also of disease agents. It has been operating out of clear view, but researchers just shined a mighty spotlight on it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe butcher is a common enzyme called presenilin, which chops lengthy protein building blocks down to useable shorter lengths. It resides in membrane spaces that evade ready experimental detection, but\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cell.com\/biophysj\/fulltext\/S0006-3495(17)35097-X\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein a new study, researchers\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have illuminated\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Presenilin\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epresenilin\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;using a neutron beam produced by the world\u0026#39;s most powerful research nuclear reactor.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPresenilin is one of many mysterious protein structures residing in our cell membranes, where they are essential to life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;One-third of our genome goes to work to encode intramembrane proteins,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/lieberman\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman, an associate professor\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u0026ldquo;Some of them are huge and do super complex biochemistry.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPresenilin is an enzyme, more particularly an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Intramembrane_protease\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eintramembrane protease\u003C\/a\u003E. There are four classes of these, and they are needed, among other things, for: Alerting to and defending against infectors, and cell differentiation and development.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf the latter two go wrong, that can lead to cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGrainy neutron mugshot\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, the researchers have gotten their first figurative mugshot of an intramembrane protein, the presenilin. Technically speaking, the researchers worked with a presenilin cousin found in microbes --\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EM. marisnigri\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;intramembrane aspartyl protease or MmIAP -- but here we will use presenilin and MmIAP interchangeably for simplicity\u0026rsquo;s sake.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe measurement was low-resolution but revealed enough to establish that the protein structure is more simply put together than previously believed, and that surprised the scientists.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our sample shows that this is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Protein_quaternary_structure\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ea monomer all by itself,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. \u0026ldquo;We were expecting a dimer or a trimer\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026rdquo; That means it was made up of one long strand, mostly coiled up like a spring, instead of doubled-up or tripled-up curly strands.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPresenilin (MmIAP) is armed with two chemical knives,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aspartic_acid\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Easpartates\u003C\/a\u003E, that reliably make cuts on peptides,\u0026nbsp;subunits that make up proteins.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.jbc.org\/content\/early\/2018\/01\/30\/jbc.RA117.001436.abstract\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAnd a second new study\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;by the same researchers illuminated how the cleaving works.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnybody\u0026rsquo;s peptide butcher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPresenilin can trim peptides into building blocks helpful to its own cells, or whittle bad peptide chunks that end up in amyloid-beta plaque, a suspect in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/alzheimers-killing-mind-first\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAlzheimer\u0026rsquo;s disease\u003C\/a\u003E. Or presenilin can aid and abate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/hepatitis-c\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20354278\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehepatitis C\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;viruses by carving components it needs to reproduce.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how presenilin works could one day prove useful to medical research. \u0026ldquo;If you could find a way to interfere with it selectively, you could stop the spread of hepatitis C in the body,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers, led by Lieberman and neutron scattering scientist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neutrons.ornl.gov\/contacts\/urbanvs\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EVolker Urban from ORNL\u003C\/a\u003E, published the revelations of the neutron scattering\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cell.com\/biophysj\/fulltext\/S0006-3495(17)35097-X\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eon February 6, 2018, in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EBiophysical Journal\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The new insights into presenilin functioning are to officially publish in March\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.jbc.org\/content\/early\/2018\/01\/30\/jbc.RA117.001436.abstract\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Journal of Biological Chemistry\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;but the study is currently available online without embargo\u003C\/a\u003E. First authors were Swe-Htet Naing of Georgia Tech and Ryan Oliver of Oak Ridge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch was funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHerding hydrophobic hiders\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy going to the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR), the scientists were reaching for the big gun\u0026nbsp;to make presenilin (MmIAP) come out of hiding.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHFIR\u0026rsquo;s neutron beams were cooled to minus 253 degrees Celsius (minus 424 degrees Fahrenheit) to slow the neutrons down, so they could probe molecular features of the biological samples.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPresenilin and other intramembrane proteins warrant such proverbial desperate measures. They live in a lipid environment and hate water about the way cats do, and that\u0026rsquo;s a problem for researchers studying them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When you have proteins that are not soluble in water, you\u0026rsquo;re in trouble,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. \u0026ldquo;The usual techniques to analyze them become very, very difficult, if not impossible. And when you chemically bootstrap these proteins to be able use these water-soluble methods, you have really poor chances of seeing the protein\u0026rsquo;s actual structure that performs its function.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EForm follows function\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EImages derived from water-based analytical methods in Lieberman\u0026rsquo;s lab have not completely jibed with presenilin\u0026rsquo;s function. For one, the enzyme\u0026rsquo;s cutting surfaces have been too far apart. The neutron beam\u0026rsquo;s revelations indicated a form that seemed more logical.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our shape was tighter, and made more sense with presenilin\u0026rsquo;s function in its natural setting in the membrane,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe presenilin (MmIAP) samples examined at the HFIR were suspended in a solution friendly to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gbiosciences.com\/Educational-Products\/Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic-Proteins\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehydrophobic protein\u003C\/a\u003E. Ironically, presenilin and other intramembrane proteases often\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hydrolysis\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehydrolyze\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Epeptides, in other words, they add water to them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;These proteases are confined to the lipid cell membrane where there is no water. Since water is required for hydrolysis, it has to come from outside the membrane,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. \u0026ldquo;How that happens is yet another mystery that needs uncovering.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERobust, reliable cleavers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe precision and consistency, with which the presenilin\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/homologous\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehomologue\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;MmIAP cleaved peptides, impressed the researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When we used a model synthetic peptide, it cleaved only at very specific positions on the peptide,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. \u0026ldquo;When we switched to a real biological peptide, it also cleaved very exactly.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers put the presenilin through various mutations, which had little to no effect on its cleaving abilities. That could mean that its baseline functioning is nearly immune to genetic interference.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn a chilling note, when the researchers observed the microbial presenilin cousin, MmIAP, cutting amyloid-beta precursor peptides, it always made the chop in a way notorious for amyloid\u0026rsquo;s association with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/alzheimers-killing-mind-first\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAlzheimer\u0026rsquo;s disease\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We never saw the cut that made what is typically viewed as the \u0026lsquo;good\u0026rsquo; amyloid, A-beta-40,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. \u0026ldquo;We only saw cuts that led to the \u0026lsquo;bad\u0026rsquo; amyloid, A-beta-42.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMore research would be needed to explain why that happened; if the same is true for presenilin in human cell membranes, and also if some regulator prevents the creation or accumulation of so much bad amyloid in healthy cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELike this article?\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/subscribe\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGet our email newsletter here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlso READ: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/alzheimers-killing-mind-first\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAlzheimer\u0026#39;s: Killing the Mind First\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKevin Weiss from Oak Ridge National Laboratory coauthored the study in Biophysical Journal. Sibel Kalyoncu, David Smalley, Hyojung Kim, Xingjian Tao, Josh George, Alex Jonke, Ryan Oliver, and Matthew Torres coauthored the study in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Research was funded by the National Science Foundation\u0026rsquo;s Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (grant 0845445), and the National Institutes of Health (grant R01GM112662 and R01GM118744). Neutron scattering research conducted at the Bio-SANS instrument, a DOE Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research resource, used resources at the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science, Scientific User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAny opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA pioneering glimpse\u0026nbsp;inside elusive cell membranes illuminates a player in cell health but also in hepatitis C and in Alzheimer\u0026#39;s. With the most powerful research neutron beams in the country, researchers open a portal into the hidden world of intramembrane proteins, which a third of the human genome is required to create.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A pioneering glimpse inside elusive cell membranes exposes a major player in cell health but also in hepatitis C and in Alzheimer\u0027s."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2018-02-01 21:59:53","changed_gmt":"2018-02-12 14:51:52","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"601735":{"id":"601735","type":"image","title":"High Flux Isotope Reactor, most powerful of its kind in the world","body":null,"created":"1517520012","gmt_created":"2018-02-01 21:20:12","changed":"1517520012","gmt_changed":"2018-02-01 21:20:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229363","name":"HFIR.refuel.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HFIR.refuel.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HFIR.refuel.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1977421,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/HFIR.refuel.jpg?itok=Nqz788bV"}},"601740":{"id":"601740","type":"image","title":"HFIR research nuclear reactor refuels","body":null,"created":"1517521218","gmt_created":"2018-02-01 21:40:18","changed":"1517521218","gmt_changed":"2018-02-01 21:40:18","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229367","name":"HFIR.fuel_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HFIR.fuel_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HFIR.fuel_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1364419,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/HFIR.fuel_.jpg?itok=KZnP0QEy"}},"601739":{"id":"601739","type":"image","title":"High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory","body":null,"created":"1517520800","gmt_created":"2018-02-01 21:33:20","changed":"1517520800","gmt_changed":"2018-02-01 21:33:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229366","name":"HFIR_Aerial.sm_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HFIR_Aerial.sm_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HFIR_Aerial.sm_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5592113,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/HFIR_Aerial.sm_.jpg?itok=SJ-scAdO"}},"601736":{"id":"601736","type":"image","title":"Fraction collector in protein research lab","body":null,"created":"1517520463","gmt_created":"2018-02-01 21:27:43","changed":"1517520463","gmt_changed":"2018-02-01 21:27:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229364","name":"fraction collector.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fraction%20collector.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fraction%20collector.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":997854,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/fraction%20collector.jpg?itok=w2MjWs9g"}},"601741":{"id":"601741","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman in the cool room of her lab facilities","body":null,"created":"1517521342","gmt_created":"2018-02-01 21:42:22","changed":"1517521342","gmt_changed":"2018-02-01 21:42:22","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229368","name":"raquel cool room.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/raquel%20cool%20room.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/raquel%20cool%20room.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":492363,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/raquel%20cool%20room.jpg?itok=NhhesjY5"}},"601742":{"id":"601742","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman portrait 2018","body":null,"created":"1517521643","gmt_created":"2018-02-01 21:47:23","changed":"1517521643","gmt_changed":"2018-02-01 21:47:23","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229369","name":"Raquel.explains.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Raquel.explains.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Raquel.explains.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":517841,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Raquel.explains.jpg?itok=cKCB2JNu"}},"601737":{"id":"601737","type":"image","title":"Fraction collector side view","body":null,"created":"1517520593","gmt_created":"2018-02-01 21:29:53","changed":"1517520593","gmt_changed":"2018-02-01 21:29:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229365","name":"fraction collector.side_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fraction%20collector.side_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fraction%20collector.side_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":408876,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/fraction%20collector.side_.jpg?itok=6kTNapaa"}}},"media_ids":["601735","601740","601739","601736","601741","601742","601737"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"176975","name":"intramembrane protein"},{"id":"176976","name":"intramembrane protease"},{"id":"176977","name":"MmIAP"},{"id":"176978","name":"Presenilin"},{"id":"176979","name":"HFIR"},{"id":"176986","name":"Oakridge"},{"id":"176981","name":"neutron beams"},{"id":"176982","name":"cleaving enzyme"},{"id":"176983","name":"Membrane Proteins"},{"id":"176987","name":"Hepatitis C Aids"},{"id":"44881","name":"Alzheimer\u0027s Disease"},{"id":"176984","name":"Amyloid Beta 42"},{"id":"176985","name":"aspartate"},{"id":"7305","name":"hydrophobic"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter \u0026amp;\u0026nbsp;Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"602283":{"#nid":"602283","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hunting for Leftovers in a Refrigerator Cave ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mcguire.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJenny McGuire\u003C\/a\u003E is one of several scientists featured in a documentary that WyomingPBS will air twice in February. The documentary is part of a series called \u0026ldquo;Main Street, Wyoming.\u0026rdquo; The episode, \u0026ldquo;Natural Trap Cave,\u0026rdquo; is about a pitfall cave in the Bighorn Mountains of northern Wyoming. The cave harbors fossils from 150,000 years ago, which scientists have been collecting for research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Inside the cave is like a refrigerator,\u0026rdquo; McGuire says. \u0026ldquo;The temperature is 40 degrees all year round, so everything preserves beautifully.\u0026rdquo; In the cave are layers of fossils dating back from 150,000 years to recent times, giving McGuire the opportunity to study how a community changes over long periods.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMcGuire is an assistant professor with joint appointment in the Schools of Biological Sciences and of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. She is using the fossils to understand what types of species fill ecological niches after extinction events and how long it takes populations to normalize after a major transition. Similar extinctions of large mammals are occurring today in Africa and South Asia, according to McGuire. She is using the data to determine what to expect not only from specific extinctions, but also from major ecological disruptions occurring worldwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn between field visits to Natural Trap Cave, McGuire outsources the fossil work through \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/584246\u0022\u003EFossil Wednesdays\u003C\/a\u003E. On Wednesday afternoons, 3-5 PM, during the semester, McGuire\u0026rsquo;s lab is open to all who are interested in hunting for fossils in the rock samples she brought back from Natural Trap Cave.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Folks come to Fossil Wednesdays to experience the excitement of making new discoveries, accompanied by dramatic soundtracks playing in the background,\u0026rdquo; McGuire says. \u0026ldquo;At the same time, it is a relaxed atmosphere for chatting and really getting your mind off the stresses of the week.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThrough Fossil Wednesdays, McGuire has brought the thrill of discovery-based biology to engineers, business majors, and staff members from across campus and beyond. She has also trained K-12 school teachers to bring the excitement of hypothesis-driven discovery to their students.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe WyomingPBS crew visited the cave in July 2017, according to McGuire. \u0026ldquo;They filmed us inside the cave and did individual interviews with several of us outside the cave.\u0026rdquo; In the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1CmOgnfhbXFgHkU7l2Fg2Kz1_u-USW9dI\/view\u0022\u003Epreview\u003C\/a\u003E provided by WyomingPBS, McGuire is on camera at the end, holding a fossil.\u0026nbsp; In the documentary itself, McGuire first appears at around 5:15.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWyomingPBS will air the episode on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 9 PM and on Friday, Feb. 23, at 10 PM. It is at wyomingpbs.org and on WyomingPBS\u0026rsquo;s YouTube Channel after the broadcasts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEDITOR\u0026#39;S NOTE: This item was revised on Feb. 20, 2018. The documentary was added from YouTube.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Documentary features Jenny McGuire and her work with well-preserved fossils from Natural Trap Cave "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mcguire.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJenny McGuire\u003C\/a\u003E is one of several scientists featured in a documentary that WyomingPBS will air twice in February.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Jenny McGuire collects well-preserved fossils from Natural Trap Cave for her research."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2018-02-12 23:17:58","changed_gmt":"2018-02-20 15:30:13","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-02-14T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-02-14T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"602282":{"id":"602282","type":"image","title":"Jenny McGuire in WyomingPBS Documentary (Credit WyomingPBS)","body":null,"created":"1518476745","gmt_created":"2018-02-12 23:05:45","changed":"1518556431","gmt_changed":"2018-02-13 21:13:51","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229547","name":"2018 Jenny McGuire.WY PBS.Capture.wide300.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Jenny%20McGuire.WY%20PBS.Capture.wide300.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2018%20Jenny%20McGuire.WY%20PBS.Capture.wide300.png","mime":"image\/png","size":147750,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2018%20Jenny%20McGuire.WY%20PBS.Capture.wide300.png?itok=7FbmCQm1"}},"584248":{"id":"584248","type":"image","title":"Jenny McGuire helps a student identify a fossil fragment. (Photo by Nathanael Levinson)","body":null,"created":"1480274482","gmt_created":"2016-11-27 19:21:22","changed":"1518556738","gmt_changed":"2018-02-13 21:18:58","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229567","name":"jenny.mcguire.fossil.wednesday.square300.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jenny.mcguire.fossil.wednesday.square300.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/jenny.mcguire.fossil.wednesday.square300.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104908,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/jenny.mcguire.fossil.wednesday.square300.jpg?itok=-ErX5lKf"}}},"media_ids":["602282","584248"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/584246","title":" Unleash Your Inner Indiana Jones "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"168747","name":"Natural Trap Cave"},{"id":"168745","name":"fossils"},{"id":"168746","name":"Jenny McGuire"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"600252":{"#nid":"600252","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Want to Beat Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs? Rethink Strep Throat Remedies","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGot a sore throat? The doctor may write a quick prescription for penicillin or amoxicillin, and with the stroke of a pen, help diminish public health and your own future health by encouraging bacteria to evolve resistance to antibiotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s time to develop alternatives to antibiotics for small infections, according to a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pbio.2003533.g001\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Enew thought paper by scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, and to do so quickly.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt has been\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.latimes.com\/science\/sciencenow\/la-sci-antibiotic-resistance-20160711-snap-story.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ewidely reported that bacteria will evolve to render antibiotics mostly ineffective\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;against them by mid-century, and current strategies to make up for the projected shortfalls haven\u0026rsquo;t worked.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne possible problem is that drug development strategies have focused on replacing antibiotics in extreme infections, such as sepsis, where every minute without an effective drug increases the risk of death.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut the evolutionary process that brings forth antibiotic resistance doesn\u0026rsquo;t happen nearly as often in those big infections as it does in the multitude of small ones like sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, and bladder infections, the Georgia Tech researchers said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Antibiotic prescriptions against those smaller ailments account for about 90 percent of antibiotic use, and so are likely to be the major driver of resistance evolution,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESam Brown, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. Bacteria that survive these many small battles against antibiotics grow in strength and numbers to become formidable armies in big infections, like those that strike after surgery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It might make more sense to give antibiotics less often and preserve their effectiveness for when they\u0026rsquo;re really needed. And develop alternate treatments for the small infections,\u0026rdquo; Brown said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrown, who specializes in the evolution of microbes and in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virulence#Virulent_bacteria\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ebacterial virulence\u003C\/a\u003E, and first author Kristofer Wollein Waldetoft, a medical doctor and postdoctoral research assistant in Brown\u0026rsquo;s lab, published an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pbio.2003533\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eessay detailing their suggestion for refocusing the development of bacteria-fighting drugs on December 28, 2017, in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EPLOS Biology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDuplicitous antibiotics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe evolution of antibiotic resistance can be downright two-faced.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you or your kid go to the doctor with an upper respiratory infection, you often get amoxicillin, which is a relatively broad-spectrum antibiotic,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;So, it kills not only strep but also a lot of other bacteria, including in places like the digestive tract, and that has quite broad impacts.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;is widespread in the human gut, and some strains secrete enzymes that thwart antibiotics, while other strains don\u0026rsquo;t. A broad-spectrum antibiotic can kill off more of the vulnerable, less dangerous bacteria, leaving the more dangerous and robust bacteria to propagate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;You take an antibiotic to go after that thing in your throat, and you end up with gut bacteria that are super-resistant,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;Then later, if you have to have surgery, you have a problem. Or you give that resistant\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;to an elderly relative.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMuch too often, superbugs have made their way into hospitals in someone\u0026rsquo;s intestines, where they had evolved high resistance through years of occasional treatment with antibiotics for small infections. Then those bacteria have infected patients with weak immune systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFurious infections have ensued, essentially invulnerable to antibiotics, followed by sepsis and death.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlternatives get an \u0026ldquo;F\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDrug developers facing dwindling antibiotic effectiveness against evolved bacteria have looked for multiple alternate treatments. The focus has often been to find some new class of drug that works as well as or better than antibiotics, but so far, nothing has, Brown said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWollein Waldetoft came across a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S1473-3099(15)00466-1\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eresearch paper in the medical journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ELancet Infectious Diseases\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003Ethat examined study after study on such alternate treatments against big, deadly infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was a kind of scorecard, and it was almost uniformly negative,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;These alternate therapies, such as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Phage_therapy\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ephage\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/nrd.2017.23\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eanti-virulence drugs\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/9168627\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ebacteriocins\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;-- you name it -- just didn\u0026rsquo;t rise to the same bar of efficacy that existing antibiotics did.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was a type of doom and gloom paper that said once the antibiotics are gone, we\u0026rsquo;re in trouble,\u0026rdquo; Brown said. \u0026ldquo;Drug companies still are investing in alternate drug research, because it has gotten very, very hard to develop new effective antibiotics. We don\u0026rsquo;t have a lot of other options.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut the focus on new treatments for extreme infections has bothered the researchers\u0026nbsp;because the main arena where the vast portion of resistance evolution occurs is in small infections. \u0026ldquo;We felt like there was a disconnect going on here,\u0026rdquo; Brown said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDon\u0026rsquo;t kill strep, beat it\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers proposed a different approach: \u0026ldquo;Take the easier tasks, like sore throats, off of antibiotics and reserve antibiotics for these really serious conditions.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDeveloping non-antibiotic therapies for strep throat, bladder infections, and bronchitis could prove easier, thus encouraging pharmaceutical investment and research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, one particular kind of strep bacteria, group A\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;streptococci\u003C\/em\u003E, is responsible for the vast majority of bacterial upper respiratory infections. People often carry it without it breaking out.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStrep bacteria secrete compounds that promote inflammation and bacterial spread. If an anti-virulence drug could fight the secretions, the drug could knock back the strep into being present but not sickening.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrown cautioned that strep infection can lead to rheumatic heart disease, a deadly condition that is very rare in the industrialized world, but it still takes a toll in other parts of the world. \u0026ldquo;A less powerful drug can be good enough if you don\u0026rsquo;t have serious strep throat issues in your medical history,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESometimes, all it takes is some push-back against\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virulence#Virulent_bacteria\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Evirulent bacteria\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;until the body\u0026rsquo;s immune system can take care of it. Developing a spray-on treatment with bacteriophages, viruses that attack bacteria, might possibly do the trick.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf doctors had enough alternatives to antibiotics for the multitude of small infections they treat, they could help preserve antibiotic effectiveness longer for the far less common but much more deadly infections, for which they\u0026rsquo;re most needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cblockquote\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWant to Learn More?\u0026nbsp;Read: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2019\/02\/06\/fda-taps-georgia-tech-help-reduce-cost-making-antibiotics\u0022\u003EFDA Taps Georgia Tech to Help Reduce Cost of Making Antibiotics\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch was funded by the Simons Foundation (grant 396001), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (grant OADS-2016-N-17812), the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and the Physiographic Society of Lund. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAntibiotics could become nearly useless by mid-century against intense infections due to bacteria evolving antibiotic resistance. And alternative treatments haven\u0026#39;t been able to replace antibiotics in those big infections. It\u0026#39;s time for a rethink: Try reducing antibiotic use for small infections and find alternate remedies for them instead to slow the evolution of resistance. That should preserve antibiotic effectiveness for the big infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"It\u0027s time to develop alternate drugs against small infections as a strategy to slow the antibiotic resistance crisis, Georgia Tech evolutionary bacteriologists say."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2017-12-28 20:37:34","changed_gmt":"2019-03-07 20:56:56","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-12-28T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-12-28T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"600247":{"id":"600247","type":"image","title":"Group A Streptococci NIAID","body":null,"created":"1514489748","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 19:35:48","changed":"1556728853","gmt_changed":"2019-05-01 16:40:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228835","name":"strep2NIAID.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/strep2NIAID.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/strep2NIAID.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":395322,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/strep2NIAID.jpg?itok=2wThLDMr"}},"600248":{"id":"600248","type":"image","title":"Associate Professor Sam Brown, bacterial virulence and evolution","body":null,"created":"1514490509","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 19:48:29","changed":"1514490509","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 19:48:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228836","name":"Sam.sm_.holdsfisheye.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.sm_.holdsfisheye.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.sm_.holdsfisheye.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2911955,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sam.sm_.holdsfisheye.jpg?itok=gz9SR5oM"}},"600250":{"id":"600250","type":"image","title":"Evolution of bacterial resistance to antibiotics","body":null,"created":"1514491473","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 20:04:33","changed":"1514491473","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 20:04:33","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228838","name":"antibiotic resistance cdc.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/antibiotic%20resistance%20cdc.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/antibiotic%20resistance%20cdc.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":506855,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/antibiotic%20resistance%20cdc.jpg?itok=oY4EgVI9"}},"600251":{"id":"600251","type":"image","title":"Antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause horrible infections, lead to death","body":null,"created":"1514492185","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 20:16:25","changed":"1514492280","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 20:18:00","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228839","name":"resistance deaths cdc.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/resistance%20deaths%20cdc.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/resistance%20deaths%20cdc.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":505249,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/resistance%20deaths%20cdc.jpg?itok=su8W9N02"}},"600249":{"id":"600249","type":"image","title":"Sam Brown, associate professor, bacterial virulence and evolution","body":null,"created":"1514490881","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 19:54:41","changed":"1514490881","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 19:54:41","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228837","name":"Sam.sm_.thru_.bench_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.sm_.thru_.bench_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.sm_.thru_.bench_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2280236,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sam.sm_.thru_.bench_.jpg?itok=O5KzRWVG"}},"600253":{"id":"600253","type":"image","title":"Sore throat illustration CDC","body":null,"created":"1514494104","gmt_created":"2017-12-28 20:48:24","changed":"1514494104","gmt_changed":"2017-12-28 20:48:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228840","name":"sore-throat-lg.CDC_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sore-throat-lg.CDC_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sore-throat-lg.CDC_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":74717,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sore-throat-lg.CDC_.jpg?itok=UP91BX8Q"}}},"media_ids":["600247","600248","600250","600251","600249","600253"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"171030","name":"superbug"},{"id":"174503","name":"antibiotic resistance"},{"id":"176609","name":"strep"},{"id":"176620","name":"streptococcus"},{"id":"176621","name":"Group A streptococci"},{"id":"176622","name":"Pharyngitis"},{"id":"176623","name":"Tonsillitis"},{"id":"176624","name":"Bronchitis"},{"id":"176625","name":"Bronchitis Treatment"},{"id":"13954","name":"Treatment"},{"id":"176626","name":"pharyngitis treatment"},{"id":"176627","name":"Bacteriophage"},{"id":"176628","name":"Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea"},{"id":"176629","name":"antibiotic resisistance"},{"id":"1109","name":"antibiotic"},{"id":"176630","name":"Amoxicillin"},{"id":"176631","name":"Penicillin"},{"id":"176632","name":"broad spectrum"},{"id":"176612","name":"virulence"},{"id":"176633","name":"virulence evolution"},{"id":"12760","name":"E. Coli"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"176634","name":"Bladder Infection"},{"id":"176635","name":"The Lancet Infectious Diseaes"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter and Media Representative\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"599147":{"#nid":"599147","#data":{"type":"news","title":"When Physics Gives Evolution a Leg Up by Breaking One","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGenetic mutation may drive evolution, but not all by itself. Physics can be a powerful co-pilot, sometimes even setting the course.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41567-017-0002-y\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ea new study\u003C\/a\u003E, physicists and evolutionary biologists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have shown how physical stress may have significantly advanced the evolutionary path from single-cell to multicellular organisms. In experiments with clusters of yeast cells called snowflake yeast, forces in the clusters\u0026rsquo; physical structures pushed the snowflakes to evolve.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The evolution of multicellularity is as much a matter of physics as it is biology,\u0026rdquo; said biologist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe bigger they are\u0026hellip;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELike the first ancestors of multicellular organisms, in this study the snowflake yeast found itself in a conundrum: As it got bigger, physical stresses tore it into smaller pieces. So, how to sustain the growth needed to evolve into a complex multicellular organism?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the lab, those shear forces played right into evolution\u0026rsquo;s hands, laying down a track to direct yeast evolution toward bigger, tougher snowflakes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In just eight weeks, the snowflake yeast evolved larger, more robust bodies by figuring out\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ph.ed.ac.uk\/icmcs\/research-themes\/soft-matter-physics\u0022\u003Esoft matter physics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that took humans hundreds of years to learn,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. He and Ratcliff collaborated on the research that documented the evolution and measured the physical properties of mutated snowflake yeast.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41567-017-0002-y\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epublished their results on November 27, 2017, in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Physics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The work was funded by the NASA Exobiology program, the National Science Foundation, and a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/582586\/freeing-scientific-mind-envision-big-research-packard-fellowship-will-ratcliff\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPackard Foundation Fellowship to Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQuestions and answers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHere are some questions and answers to illuminate the study and its significance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut first, some background: Baker\u0026rsquo;s yeast, which was used in these experiments, is usually a single-cell organism. Yeast cells\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/sciencetech\/article-3137758\/One-gene-create-Single-mutation-DNA-responsible-evolution-multicellular-life.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ewith a well-known mutation stick together\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in groups called snowflakes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat was not the focus of the experiments, but the yeast snowflakes were the starting point in this study on the evolution of multicellularity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy is this study significant?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESuch a cell cluster like a yeast snowflake is not a well-integrated multicellular organism yet. To make it\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/news\/how-did-multicellular-life-evolve\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eto even simple multicellularity\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;like that of some algae is a very long evolutionary haul.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a journey of a thousand steps,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;The key change is for this group of cells not to evolve as a gang of single cells but as one multicellular individual.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn this work, the researchers showed how snowflake yeast took first steps in that direction by evolving more resilient multicellular bodies that sustained growth. The process was mainly driven by physical forces, as the simple snowflakes did not have complex inner biological workings that were capable of being the main drivers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This is an amazing example of multicellular adaptation around physical constraints well before the evolution of a cellular developmental program,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow does this evolution via physical stress work?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Yeast snowflakes grew by adding cells end to end to form branches kind of like those of a bush,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said. \u0026ldquo;But the branches crowded each other, and the stresses that result made some break off.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe breakage chopped down the size of individual yeast snowflakes, but after multiple generations, the snowflakes evolved to reduce the crowding of branches by elongating its individual cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a result, the overall snowflakes were less stressed and could grow larger and more robust.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, Georgia Tech researchers discovered that physics made the snowflakes basically have babies. Specifically, the pieces that broke off became\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.dictionary.com\/browse\/propagule\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epropagules\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that grew into snowflakes of their own.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis reproduction was created by physical force and not by a biological program. Ratcliff published a separate study about the reproduction aspect on October 23, 2017, in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org\/content\/process-and-pattern-innovations-cells-societies\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Physics does a lot for multicellularity,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;It also gives it a lifecycle.\u0026rdquo; Lifecycle refers to birth, growth, reproduction, and death.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A consensus is forming that for something to really evolve to multicellularity, very early on, a multicellular lifecycle has to develop.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/595443\/was-primordial-soup-hearty-pre-protein-stew\u0022\u003EAlso READ: Evolution, What was the Primordial Stew?\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did the experiments select for these specific adaptations?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff and Yunker streamlined evolution in the lab by creating a consistent selection regime for the yeast snowflakes to evolve in. In this case, they\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2012\/01\/17\/science\/yeast-reveals-how-fast-a-cell-can-form-a-body.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eselected for snowflakes that were best at sinking\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe snowflakes that sank better were heavier, because they grew larger than others in the manner described above, giving them more mass. \u0026ldquo;The clusters that evolved to grow bigger were therefore also heavier,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis experimental selection setup befitted natural evolution, which also had to select for size to arrive at complex multicellular bodies, which are much, much larger than single cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMutation of branches is genetic. Is physics really so important here?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0026rsquo;s correct: Random genetic mutations resulted in the better, longer branches in some yeast snowflakes giving them a cumulative weight advantage.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut the propagation of the superior snowflake mutations was the result of physical stresses not breaking the snowflakes until they had grown larger.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe pieces that eventually did break off, due purely to physical force, were the propagules. Some of them carried mutations forward that made the new snowflakes even better at sinking.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd that was a critical step in the multicellular evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow was stress corroborated as the cause of snowflakes splitting apart?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers put the material properties of the snowflakes to the test under an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nanoscience.gatech.edu\/zlwang\/research\/afm.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eatomic force microscope\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;We squished the clusters and measured how much force and energy you needed to break them,\u0026rdquo; Yunker said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The physical measurement indicated closely the size the clusters would attain before they broke off a branch due to stress,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/594967\/you-and-some-cavemen-get-genetic-health-check\u0022\u003EAlso READ: \u0026#39;Cavemen\u0026#39; had better mental health genes?\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECoauthors of this study were Shane Jacobeen, Jennifer Pentz, Elyes Graba, and Colin G. Brandys of Georgia Tech. The research was funded by the NASA Exobiology program (grant #NNX15AR33G), the National Science Foundation (grant #IOS-1656549), and a Packard Foundation Fellowship.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAny opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of those sponsors.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith no biological program to drive it, nascent multicellular clusters adopt a lifecycle thanks to the physics of their stresses. The accidental reproduction drives them to evolve as multicellular life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"With no biological program to drive it, physics forces multicellular clusters to reproduce and evolve."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2017-11-27 15:59:31","changed_gmt":"2017-11-27 16:10:47","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-11-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-11-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"599137":{"id":"599137","type":"image","title":"Yeast snowflake in test tube","body":null,"created":"1511796914","gmt_created":"2017-11-27 15:35:14","changed":"1511796914","gmt_changed":"2017-11-27 15:35:14","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228413","name":"multicell.yeast_.tube_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/multicell.yeast_.tube_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/multicell.yeast_.tube_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":441904,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/multicell.yeast_.tube_.jpg?itok=itSbQXW4"}},"599139":{"id":"599139","type":"image","title":"Yunker and Ratcliff in Yunker physics lab","body":null,"created":"1511797212","gmt_created":"2017-11-27 15:40:12","changed":"1511797212","gmt_changed":"2017-11-27 15:40:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228416","name":"Yunker.Ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker.Ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker.Ratcliff.yeast_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":519688,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Yunker.Ratcliff.yeast_.jpg?itok=FpEzVABT"}},"599133":{"id":"599133","type":"image","title":"Yeast snowflake graphics","body":null,"created":"1511796603","gmt_created":"2017-11-27 15:30:03","changed":"1511796603","gmt_changed":"2017-11-27 15:30:03","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228412","name":"Snowfl.many_red.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Snowfl.many_red.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Snowfl.many_red.png","mime":"image\/png","size":360228,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Snowfl.many_red.png?itok=8q2tYAYP"}}},"media_ids":["599137","599139","599133"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"3525","name":"LifeCycle"},{"id":"176336","name":"tension"},{"id":"9871","name":"reproduction"},{"id":"176339","name":"multicellularity"},{"id":"176338","name":"multicellular evolution"},{"id":"176334","name":"Yunker"},{"id":"176333","name":"Ratcliff"},{"id":"5230","name":"Biophysics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter and Media Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"598901":{"#nid":"598901","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joshua Weitz Elected AAAS Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScholar, educator, award-winning book author, interdisciplinary innovator, and shaper of future scientists, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E wears many hats at Georgia Tech, but his influence reaches far beyond. For his contributions to the field of viral ecology, Joshua Weitz has been elected a fellow of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.aaas.org\u0022\u003EAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science\u003C\/a\u003E (AAAS).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz\u0026rsquo;s research focuses on the interactions between viruses and their microbial hosts, that is, the viral infections of microbial life. Weitz is motivated by seemingly simple questions: What happens to a microbe when it is infected by a virus? Does the infected cell live, die, or change? How do infections of single cells translate into system-wide consequences?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese areas are \u0026ldquo;of utmost importance\u0026rdquo; because of the role microbes play in humans and across our planet, says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022\u003EMark E. Hay\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents Professor and Harry and Linda Teasley Chair in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech. \u0026ldquo;Yet understanding the role of viruses that infect microbes is at its infancy. Joshua has been identifying the big questions and providing deep insights into how viruses modulate human and environmental health.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz received his Ph.D. in Physics from MIT and continues to combine mathematical theory and data-driven models to understand complex living systems. His work has led to new quantitative principles underlying the abundances of environmental viruses, the networks of microbes that viruses can infect, and mechanisms by which viral infections change ecosystem functioning.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecent work from the Weitz group has shed light on ways that phage \u0026ndash; viruses that exclusively infect bacteria \u0026ndash; can be used therapeutically. Phage therapy \u0026ndash; the use of bacteria-killing viruses to treat bacterial infections \u0026ndash; was proposed nearly a century ago, but the mechanisms underlying its efficacy remain unresolved. Earlier this year, Weitz and collaborators combined mathematical models and experiments with immunomodulated mice to show that phage do not act alone. In fact, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/593453\u0022\u003Eimmune cells of the host act synergistically with phage\u003C\/a\u003E to eradicate infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA productive researcher, Weitz has published nearly 100 peer-reviewed articles, including more than 80 articles since joining Georgia Tech in January 2007. He also wrote an award-winning monograph: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/483251\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EQuantitative Viral Ecology: Dynamics of Viruses and Their Microbial Hosts\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Published in December 2015 by Princeton University Press, it is \u0026ldquo;\u003Cem\u003Ethe\u003C\/em\u003E book\u0026rdquo; on viral ecology, Hay says. The book was selected by the Royal Society of Biology as the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/book-joshua-weitz-quantitative-viral-ecology-wins-award\u0022\u003Ewinner of the 2016 Postgraduate Textbook Prize\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn education, Weitz has made an indelible mark by conceptualizing and implementing Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E (QBioS), which accepted its \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/college-sciences-welcomes-inaugural-class-interdisciplinary-phd-program-quantitative-biosciences\u0022\u003Efirst group of Ph.D. students\u003C\/a\u003E in the Fall 2016 semester. As Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s third interdisciplinary Ph.D. focusing on life sciences \u0026ndash; after \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioengineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioinformatics\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026ndash; QBioS\u0026nbsp; continues a tradition of fostering innovative, interdisciplinary research, and education.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz has mentored dozens of students and scientists. At Georgia Tech, he has served as primary supervisor for eight Ph.D. theses in biology, bioinformatics, and physics. Eight of Weitz\u0026rsquo;s former postdoctoral researchers have moved to tenure-track faculty positions in biology, mathematics, and engineering departments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz fosters new interfaces between the physical sciences, mathematics, computational sciences, and the life sciences through his leadership role in workshops, working groups, and international collaborations. He cochaired an international working group on ocean viral dynamics at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nimbios.org\/\u0022\u003ENational Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis\u003C\/a\u003E from 2012 to 2014, chaired a 2015 rapid-response modeling workshop on Ebola virus disease held at Georgia Tech, and is currently a Simons Foundation Investigator as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/scope.soest.hawaii.edu\/\u0022\u003ESimons Collaboration on Ocean Processes and Ecology.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;He is one of our most obvious interdisciplinary innovators,\u0026rdquo; Hay says of Weitz. \u0026ldquo;With his creative ideas, breadth of interdisciplinary vision, and rigorous approach to science, he makes contributions beyond his years.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"For contributions to the field of viral ecology"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScholar, educator, award-winning book author, interdisciplinary innovator, and shaper of future scientists, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E wears many hats at Georgia Tech, but his influence reaches far beyond. For his contributions to the field of viral ecology, Joshua Weitz has been elected a fellow of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.aaas.org\u0022\u003EAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science\u003C\/a\u003E (AAAS).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"For his contributions to the field of viral ecology, Joshua Weitz has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-11-16 23:42:15","changed_gmt":"2017-11-20 18:41:00","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"590963":{"id":"590963","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1493217266","gmt_created":"2017-04-26 14:34:26","changed":"1493217266","gmt_changed":"2017-04-26 14:34:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225168","name":"Joshua Weitz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":39265,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz.jpg?itok=gAHL6Dcm"}}},"media_ids":["590963"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/489721","title":"Large Variability in Abundance of Viruses that Infect Ocean Microorganisms "},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/593453","title":"Bacteria-Killing Virus Teams Up with Animal Immune Response to Cure Acute Infections "},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/483251","title":"Princeton University Press publishes monograph by Joshua Weitz on Quantitative Viral Ecology "},{"url":"http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/book-joshua-weitz-quantitative-viral-ecology-wins-award","title":"Book by Joshua Weitz on Quantitative Viral Ecology Wins Award "},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/563791","title":"College of Sciences Welcomes Inaugural Class of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Quantitative Biosciences "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"11718","name":"AAAS Fellow"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"598480":{"#nid":"598480","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AMP-IT-UP Teachers Participate in Gulf of Mexico Research Expedition","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn late September, two teachers from \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.spalding.k12.ga.us\/pages\/GSCS_District-Central\u0022\u003EGriffin-Spalding County Schools\u003C\/a\u003E participating in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ampitup.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EAMP-IT-UP\u003C\/a\u003E program were given an opportunity to join a research expedition in the Gulf of Mexico. Cheryl Wilder from \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.kennedyroadmiddle.education\/pages\/Kennedy_Road_Middle\u0022\u003EKennedy Road Middle School\u003C\/a\u003E and Kathy Duke from \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rehobothroadmiddle.education\/pages\/Rehoboth_Road_Middle\u0022\u003ERehoboth Road Middle School\u003C\/a\u003E are seventh-grade life science teachers that received the chance to experience real-world research with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ecogig.org\/\u0022\u003EECOGIG\u003C\/a\u003E (Ecosystem Impacts of Oil and Gas Inputs in the Gulf,) an organization founded by the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gulfresearchinitiative.org\/\u0022\u003EGulf of Mexico Research Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. The research was relevant not only for the teachers but also for their students, who have been studying AMP-IT-UP curriculum modules on the Gulf ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe AMP-IT-UP (Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential) program is a multi-year \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/nsf.gov\u0022\u003ENSF\u003C\/a\u003E Math and Science Partnership whose mission is to cultivate the next generation of creative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) innovators. It is a collaborative partnership between Georgia Tech and Griffin-Spalding County Schools. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing\u003C\/a\u003E (CEISMC) has partnered with the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E to design math and science modules that bring advanced manufacturing and STEM themes to middle and high school classrooms; for example, AMP-IT-UP teachers Duke and Wilder are teaching their seventh graders three modules on ocean ecology, two of which are based on ECOGIG research. Each module profiles a member of the Georgia Tech faculty, connecting students in Griffin to the cutting-edge research being done at Georgia Tech and at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;I was very excited about going,\u0026quot; said Wilder. \u0026quot;That was an opportunity of a lifetime \u0026ndash; just to be a part of that whole process. A lot of times [students] don\u0026#39;t get the science connection to the real world, and I\u0026#39;m hoping that through my experience, they\u0026#39;ll be able to see that this is going on in other parts of the world \u0026ndash; people are being impacted, the water is being impacted, the organisms in the sea are being impacted \u0026ndash; and what can be done about it,\u0026quot; shared Wilder. The teachers played an important role in collecting water samples on the cruise and gained firsthand experience with rosettes that measure the conductivity, temperature, and depth of water. \u0026nbsp;Duke shared: \u0026quot;My job was to collect water samples for \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.joyeresearchgroup.uga.edu\/people\/samantha-b-mandy-joye\u0022\u003EDr. Mandy Joye\u003C\/a\u003E, who is at the University of Georgia. We collected [samples] from the surface, from a halfway point, and from the bottom of the ocean; we froze some of those samples, and they were put in coolers and shipped to the university for her to start working on her research with those samples.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.gatech.edu\/people\/dr-annalisa-bracco\u0022\u003EDr. Annalisa Bracco\u003C\/a\u003E, from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, is a principal investigator for ECOGIG who partnered with CEISMC to design these AMP-IT-UP modules and organized for the teachers to join the cruise. \u0026ldquo;It is not easy to find space on those cruises to help with research, and it was a great opportunity for them because they have been teaching modules specifically on that subject,\u0026rdquo; said Bracco.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe teachers traveled to various sites throughout the Gulf, including to the GC600 site, which is a natural oil seep. According to Bracco, ECOGIG scientists, including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.gatech.edu\/people\/dr-joseph-montoya\u0022\u003EDr. Joe Montoya\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, have found that there is increased biological activity in areas with natural oil seeps because the rising bubbles of oil also carry to the surface water that is rich in nutrients, which is beneficial to plankton. ECOGIG is able to measure the amount of productivity not only by measuring plankton but also by examining the amount of marine snow, or organic material, in that area; the amount of marine snow varies depending on proximity to natural seeps and seasons. \u0026ldquo;You can get it more in some seasons because you may have some Mississippi River water that contains a lot of nutrients from land, so the ocean gets fertilized, essentially,\u0026rdquo; said Bracco. While current measurements at GC600 are primarily from natural marine snow, polluting events such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill can contribute to an increase in the phenomenon.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWilder described how going out to the different sites impacted her perspective on the Gulf of Mexico. \u0026ldquo;We went to three different sites, and it just blew my mind how you can go to one site and the water is pretty and blue, and go to another site and it is black,\u0026rdquo; said Wilder. \u0026ldquo;You could smell the oil and it was a very distinct odor,\u0026rdquo; she added. Both teachers were able to collect oil samples from the Taylor Energy Site, where there has been an ongoing oil spill since Hurricane Ivan in 2004 caused damage to the Mississippi Canyon 20-A production platform. Wilder and Duke plan to show the samples from the Taylor Energy Site to their students, who are even more excited about the classroom modules because of their teachers\u0026rsquo; experiences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis cruise is an example of how AMP-IT-UP is connecting teachers and students in Griffin to innovative research outside of the school district. The teachers thanked AMP-IT-UP for providing such a unique experience for educators and for bringing new enthusiasm to the classroom. \u0026ldquo;The AMP-IT-UP program has been absolutely wonderful for me because it has made me look at the way I teach science. In this way, you present students with a problem and then they need to come up with a possible solution. They gather data and decide: maybe we could have done this a better way or another way. Equipment doesn\u0026rsquo;t always work; you don\u0026rsquo;t always get the samples you need. It\u0026rsquo;s not foolproof, so they\u0026rsquo;re learning that,\u0026rdquo; said Duke. She continued, \u0026ldquo;I want to thank the AMP-IT-UP program for making this opportunity available. Not many times do classroom teachers get to go and do something like this; we were doing research firsthand and it was so impactful to me, just how I think about what they\u0026rsquo;re doing \u0026ndash; their mechanical knowledge, their physics knowledge, their chemistry \u0026ndash; how it all works together. It was really, really awesome.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated To Unlock Potential (AMP-IT-UP)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nis made possible by a grant from the \u003Cstrong\u003ENational Science Foundation\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=1238089\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E(Award Number: 1238089)\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy Rosemary T. Pitrone\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCEISMC Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Teachers Assist with ECOGIG Research Relevant to AMP-IT-UP Ocean Ecology Classroom Modules"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAMP-IT-UP teachers Cheryl Wilder and Kathy Duke from Griffin-Spalding County schools participated in an ECOGIG research cruise to the Gulf of Mexico. The cruise provided the teachers with real-world experiences that they will apply in the classroom, where they have been teaching their seventh graders three AMP-IT-UP modules on ocean ecology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Two Griffin-Spalding County teachers visited the Gulf with ECOGIG to assist with research and collect water samples."}],"uid":"28054","created_gmt":"2017-11-07 15:46:34","changed_gmt":"2018-08-02 18:04:44","author":"Steven Taylor","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-11-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-11-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"598481":{"id":"598481","type":"image","title":"AMP-IT-UP Teachers Participate in Gulf of Mexico Research Expedition","body":null,"created":"1510069762","gmt_created":"2017-11-07 15:49:22","changed":"1533220439","gmt_changed":"2018-08-02 14:33:59","alt":"Cheryl Wilder from Kennedy Road Middle School and Kathy Duke from Rehoboth Road Middle School","file":{"fid":"228152","name":"IMG_3249.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_3249.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_3249.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":191476,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_3249.JPG?itok=PGkszDUx"}},"598482":{"id":"598482","type":"image","title":"Teachers Assist with ECOGIG Research Relevant to AMP-IT-UP Ocean Ecology Classroom Modules","body":null,"created":"1510071172","gmt_created":"2017-11-07 16:12:52","changed":"1533220489","gmt_changed":"2018-08-02 14:34:49","alt":"AMP-IT-UP teachers Cheryl Wilder and Kathy Duke from Griffin-Spalding County schools participated in an ECOGIG research cruise to the Gulf of Mexico. ","file":{"fid":"228153","name":"IMG_0116.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_0116.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_0116.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1610873,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_0116.JPG?itok=Pecl42lE"}}},"media_ids":["598481","598482"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ampitup.gatech.edu","title":"AMP-IT-UP at Georgia Tech"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/simpleSearchResult?queryText=AMP-IT-UP\u0026ActiveAwards=true","title":"AMP-IT-UP National Science Foundation (Award Number: 1238089)"}],"groups":[{"id":"598218","name":"K-12 Connection"},{"id":"447541","name":"AMP-IT-UP"},{"id":"361651","name":"Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"42171","name":"AMP-IT-UP"},{"id":"411","name":"CEISMC"},{"id":"172539","name":"ECOGIG"},{"id":"6522","name":"CoS"},{"id":"7012","name":"Joe Montoya"},{"id":"171968","name":"Annalisa Bracco"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESabrina Grossman\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nProgram Director- Science Education\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCenter for Education\u0026nbsp;Integrating Science, Math, and Computing\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E(CEISMC)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n817 West Peachtree St NW\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSuite 300\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, GA 30308\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n713-823-3767\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["sabrina.grossman@ceismc.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"598090":{"#nid":"598090","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Toward Personalized Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECystic fibrosis (CF) is a debilitating genetic disease that impairs lung function. A major consequence of the disease is establishment of chronic lung infections. Multiple bacterial species cause the infections, and the bacterial populations differ from patient to patient.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch by School of Biological Sciences Associate Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022\u003ESam Brown\u003C\/a\u003E aims to understand the dynamics of the bacterial populations \u0026ndash; or microbiomes \u0026ndash; associated with the disease. The hope is to develop treatments targeting the specific microbiomes of individual patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo this end, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded Brown a grant of $300,000 for one year to develop new treatment strategies that are tailored to the individual microbiome profile of a person with cystic fibrosis. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/drugresistance\/solutions-initiative\/innovations-to-slow-AR.html\u0022\u003EBrown is one of 25 investigators to receive funding from CDC\u003C\/a\u003E as part of the agency\u0026rsquo;s push to combat antibiotic resistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project \u0026ndash; titled \u0026ldquo;Optimization of Therapeutic Strategies to Manage Polymicrobial CF Lung Infections: Clinical Assessment \u0026ndash;will be carried out with co-investigator \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pediatrics.emory.edu\/information\/employee\/ourpeople.php?id=641\u0022\u003EArlene Stecenko\u003C\/a\u003E, a cystic fibrosis expert at Emory University School of Medicine. Brown and Stecenko will track infection microbiomes in a small group of patients. They will monitor the impact of existing antibiotic treatments. They also will explore whether patients who naturally carry candidate \u0026ldquo;probiotic,\u0026rdquo; or beneficial, species are more resistant to colonization by notorious pathogens such as \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa \u003C\/em\u003Eand \u003Cem\u003EStaphylococcus aureus\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This funding takes us closer to the long-term goal of effective personalized-medicine solutions to improve the lives of people with cystic fibrosis,\u0026rdquo; says Brown, who is a researcher with the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Sam Brown Receives CDC Grant to Develop Treatment Strategies"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESam Brown\u0026nbsp;aims to understand the dynamics of the bacterial populations \u0026ndash; or microbiomes \u0026ndash; associated with cystic fibrosis to develop treatments targeting the specific microbiomes of individual patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The grant will advance efforts to personalize the treatment of cystic fibrosis."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-10-30 18:24:06","changed_gmt":"2017-11-06 17:47:33","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-10-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-10-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"598089":{"id":"598089","type":"image","title":"Sam Brown","body":null,"created":"1509387508","gmt_created":"2017-10-30 18:18:28","changed":"1509387508","gmt_changed":"2017-10-30 18:18:28","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228012","name":"Sam.Brown_.sam_lab_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.Brown_.sam_lab_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sam.Brown_.sam_lab_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":46932,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sam.Brown_.sam_lab_0.jpg?itok=3uEEBsTm"}},"598088":{"id":"598088","type":"image","title":"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention","body":null,"created":"1509387430","gmt_created":"2017-10-30 18:17:10","changed":"1509387430","gmt_changed":"2017-10-30 18:17:10","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228011","name":"CDC logo.gif","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CDC%20logo.gif","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CDC%20logo.gif","mime":"image\/gif","size":8175,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CDC%20logo.gif?itok=hYFkQ7tP"}}},"media_ids":["598089","598088"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7478","name":"cystic fibrosis"},{"id":"174114","name":"microbiomes"},{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"167225","name":"Sam Brown"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"597961":{"#nid":"597961","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Rousing Masses to Fight Cancer with Open Source Machine Learning","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHere\u0026rsquo;s an open invitation to steal. It goes out to cancer fighters and tempts them with a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0186906\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Enew program that predicts cancer drug effectiveness\u003C\/a\u003E via machine learning and raw genetic data.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers who built the program at the Georgia Institute of Technology would like cancer fighters to take it for free, or even just swipe parts of their programming code, so they\u0026rsquo;ve made it open source. They hope to attract a crowd of researchers who will also share their own cancer and computer expertise and data to improve upon the program and save more lives together.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers\u0026rsquo; invitation to take their code is also a gauntlet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey\u0026rsquo;re challenging others to come beat them at their own game and help hone\u0026nbsp;a formidable software tool for the greater good. Not only the labor but also the fruits will remain openly accessible to benefit the treatment of patients as best possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We don\u0026rsquo;t want to hold the code or data for ourselves or make profits with this,\u0026rdquo; said John McDonald, the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mcdonaldlab.biology.gatech.edu\/john_mcdonald.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Edirector of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Integrated Cancer Research Center\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;We want to keep this\u0026nbsp;wide open so it will spread.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe goods\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers wanting to participate can \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0186906\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Efollow this link to a new study published on October 26, 2017, in the journal \u003Cem\u003EPLOS One\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. There they will find links to download the software from GitHub and to access the code.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey\u0026rsquo;ll start out with a current program that has been about 85% accurate in assessing treatment effectiveness of nine drugs across the genetic data of 273 cancer patients. The study by McDonald and collaborator Fredrik Vannberg details how and why.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Nine drugs are in the published study, but we\u0026rsquo;ve actually run about 120 drugs through the program all total,\u0026rdquo; said Vannberg, an \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/vannberg.biology.gatech.edu:8080\/VannbergLab\/home.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eassistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe program uses proven machine learning mechanisms and also normalizes data. The latter allows the machine learning to work with data from varying sources by making them compatible.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe bias\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd the researchers have reduced human bias about which data are important for predicting outcomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s much more effective to put in loads of raw data and let the algorithm sort it out,\u0026rdquo; McDonald said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s looking for correlations, not causes, so it\u0026rsquo;s not good to preselect data for what you suspect are most relevant.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne big bias the researchers tossed out was a concentration only on gene expression data pertaining to the specific type of cancer they were aiming to treat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It turns out that it\u0026rsquo;s better to give the program data from a broad diversity of cancers, and that will actually later give a better prediction of drug effectiveness for a specific cancer like breast cancer,\u0026rdquo; Vannberg said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;On a molecular level, some breast cancers, for example, are going to be more similar to some ovarian cancers than to other breast cancers,\u0026rdquo; McDonald said. \u0026ldquo;We just let the algorithm work with about everything we had, and we got high accuracy.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe winners\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also want the project to pool large amounts of anonymous patient treatment success and failure data, which will help the program optimize predictions for everyone\u0026rsquo;s benefit. But that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean some companies can\u0026rsquo;t benefit, too.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If a company comes along and makes profits while using the program to help patients, that\u0026rsquo;s fine, and there\u0026rsquo;s no obligation to give back to the project,\u0026rdquo; said McDonald, who is also a professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/john-mcdonald\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Others may just take if they so please.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut hopefully, most players will catch the spirit of kindness.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;With our project, we\u0026rsquo;re advertising that sharing should be what everybody does,\u0026rdquo; Vannberg said. \u0026ldquo;This can be a win for everybody, but really it\u0026rsquo;s a win for the cancer patients.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/594430\/skewing-aim-targeted-cancer-therapies\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAlso READ: Basic premise in targeted cancer treatments \u003Cem\u003Ewrong\u003C\/em\u003E 60% of the time\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers Cai Huang and Roman Mezencev \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ecoauthored\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003E the study. The research was funded by the Rising Tide Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHere\u0026#39;s an invitation for a throng of researchers to gather and fight cancer\u0026nbsp;in an open source software project to\u0026nbsp;hone\u0026nbsp;predictions of\u0026nbsp;drug effectiveness. Georgia Tech researchers have kicked off the project with a\u0026nbsp;program they tested to be about 85% effective in making predictions in individual patient\u0026nbsp;treatments. It\u0026#39;s free for the downloading and usage to anyone touching the fields of medicine and related computation. The researchers think their software is pretty good already but that the participation\u0026nbsp;of others could\u0026nbsp;make it soar. And that could save a lot of lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Sharing is caring in the fight against cancer with this new open source software project to predict cancer drug effectiveness. "}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2017-10-27 15:48:01","changed_gmt":"2017-11-15 19:30:44","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"598107":{"id":"598107","type":"image","title":"iStock cancer cell","body":null,"created":"1509397441","gmt_created":"2017-10-30 21:04:01","changed":"1509397441","gmt_changed":"2017-10-30 21:04:01","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228017","name":"istock.cancer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/istock.cancer.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/istock.cancer.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3492862,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/istock.cancer.jpg?itok=hZg_7m7Q"}},"592967":{"id":"592967","type":"image","title":"Dying cancer cell from NIH microscopy","body":null,"created":"1498501987","gmt_created":"2017-06-26 18:33:07","changed":"1509122813","gmt_changed":"2017-10-27 16:46:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226020","name":"breast cancer apop.NIH_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/breast%20cancer%20apop.NIH_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/breast%20cancer%20apop.NIH_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":210403,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/breast%20cancer%20apop.NIH_.jpg?itok=lzX5BiD7"}},"583540":{"id":"583540","type":"image","title":"John McDonald","body":null,"created":"1478277830","gmt_created":"2016-11-04 16:43:50","changed":"1478281061","gmt_changed":"2016-11-04 17:37:41","alt":"","file":{"fid":"222459","name":"McDonald.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/McDonald.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/McDonald.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":387271,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/McDonald.jpg?itok=x8ulB6Jy"}},"302161":{"id":"302161","type":"image","title":"Fred Vannberg","body":null,"created":"1449244592","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:56:32","changed":"1493147592","gmt_changed":"2017-04-25 19:13:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"199575","name":"vannbergfred2014.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":981984,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg?itok=FGux4fUo"}},"594425":{"id":"594425","type":"image","title":"Ovarian cancer cells cross-section stained","body":null,"created":"1502800697","gmt_created":"2017-08-15 12:38:17","changed":"1502800697","gmt_changed":"2017-08-15 12:38:17","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226548","name":"cancer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cancer_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cancer_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":179042,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cancer_0.jpg?itok=ckmqoquV"}}},"media_ids":["598107","592967","583540","302161","594425"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"385","name":"cancer"},{"id":"5155","name":"open source"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"172669","name":"go-icrc-news"},{"id":"2371","name":"John McDonald"},{"id":"176064","name":"drug effectiveness"},{"id":"2824","name":"prediction"},{"id":"176065","name":"projection"},{"id":"176066","name":"cisplatin"},{"id":"1439","name":"chemotherapy"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter and Media Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"597648":{"#nid":"597648","#data":{"type":"news","title":"\u0027Y\u0027 a Protein Might Matter in Glaucoma","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe lab of Petit Institute researcher Raquel Lieberman has made an important new discovery in a protein associated with glaucoma: a Y-shape.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis extreme oddity is significant to science, and possibly someday to medicine, particularly in the treatment of certain types of blindness.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;A protein like this one has never been reported before. There are extremely few Y-shapes in proteins at all,\u0026rdquo; said Lieberman, who led a two-year study, running the protein through a gauntlet of lab tests. The research has been published in the journal, \u003Cem\u003EStructure\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELieberman, a structural biologist and associate professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is an expert on myocilin, a protein sometimes implicated in a form of hereditary glaucoma, which is just one category of glaucoma \u0026ndash; the second most common cause of blindness globally. Genetic mutations in myocilin are a major cause of hereditary glaucoma, which can strike at a particularly young age, including in childhood.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2017\/10\/19\/y-protein-unicorn-might-matter-glaucoma\u0022\u003ERead the entire story of this groundbreaking research here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Petit Institute lab of Raquel Lieberman makes groundbreaking discovery"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPetit Institute lab of Raquel Lieberman makes groundbreaking discovery\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Petit Institute lab of Raquel Lieberman makes groundbreaking discovery"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2017-10-20 14:41:16","changed_gmt":"2017-10-20 14:41:16","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-10-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-10-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"597647":{"id":"597647","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1508510380","gmt_created":"2017-10-20 14:39:40","changed":"1508510380","gmt_changed":"2017-10-20 14:39:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"227823","name":"Raquel Lieberman.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":50157,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg?itok=KQoW4irO"}}},"media_ids":["597647"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"596261":{"#nid":"596261","#data":{"type":"news","title":"College of Sciences Researchers Win Grant to Advance Robotic Prostheses","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;One in 190 Americans is currently living with the loss of a limb,\u0026rdquo; according to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/18295618\u0022\u003Ea 2008 study\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Unchecked, this number may double by the year 2050.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the Center for Orthotic and Prosthetic Care, most amputations are due to \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.centeropcare.com\/Portals\/COPC\/Amputation%20Statistics.pdf\u0022\u003Ecomplications of the vascular system (82 percent) and trauma (16 percent)\u003C\/a\u003E. Amputations of lower limbs outnumber those of upper limbs, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.centeropcare.com\/Portals\/COPC\/Amputation%20Statistics.pdf\u0022\u003E84 percent vs 16 percent\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite advances in powered, lower-limb prostheses, adoption has been surprisingly low. \u0026ldquo;One reason is the complexity of robotic prostheses,\u0026rdquo; says School of Biological Sciences Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/young-chang\u0022\u003EYoung-Hui Chang\u003C\/a\u003E. Customizing the controls to each person\u0026rsquo;s ability is time consuming and requires multiple and long visits with a clinical professional known as a prosthetist.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo address the problem, the National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded Chang and Senior Lecturer \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/lee-childers\u0022\u003ELee Childers\u003C\/a\u003E a grant to figure out how to make the use of wearable lower-limb robotic prostheses much easier for patients and thereby reduce the burden on the healthcare system. \u0026ldquo;Our goal is to automate the process so that after one visit with a clinician the patient can complete the tuning automatically from home with regular use of the device,\u0026rdquo; says Chang, who leads the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pwp.gatech.edu\/cnl\/\u0022\u003EComparative Neuromechanics Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo achieve this goal, Georgia Tech will undertake research to better understand human responses to robotic prostheses. Chang and Childers, working with collaborators at the University of Alabama, aim to incorporate human movement patterns into computer algorithms to improve the walking ability of prosthesis users.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENSF has awarded Chang and Childers $599,684 over four years for their part of the research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe University of Alabama team is led by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/eng.ua.edu\/people\/xshen\/\u0022\u003EXiangrong Shen\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ece.eng.ua.edu\/people\/esazonov\/\u0022\u003EEdward S. Sazonov\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor of electrical and computer engineering. Their NSF award is $899,799 over four years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe vision for the two research teams, Chang says, \u0026ldquo;is a smart device that can monitor the person\u0026rsquo;s movement and automatically adjust prosthesis control to improve outcomes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech team will collaborate with University of Alabama engineers"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation\u0026nbsp;awarded Young-Hui Chang and Senior Lecturer Lee Childers\u0026nbsp;a grant to figure out how to make the use of wearable lower-limb robotic prostheses much easier for patients and thereby reduce the burden on the healthcare system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The goal is to make robotic prostheses easier to use by patients."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-09-20 18:45:17","changed_gmt":"2017-09-21 13:11:09","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-09-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-09-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"596265":{"id":"596265","type":"image","title":"Comparative Neuromechanics Laboratory","body":null,"created":"1505933446","gmt_created":"2017-09-20 18:50:46","changed":"1505933446","gmt_changed":"2017-09-20 18:50:46","alt":"","file":{"fid":"227233","name":"Comparative Neuromechanics Lab.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Comparative%20Neuromechanics%20Lab.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Comparative%20Neuromechanics%20Lab.png","mime":"image\/png","size":853355,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Comparative%20Neuromechanics%20Lab.png?itok=jOo2tKxT"}},"592042":{"id":"592042","type":"image","title":"Young-Hui Chang","body":null,"created":"1495562064","gmt_created":"2017-05-23 17:54:24","changed":"1495562064","gmt_changed":"2017-05-23 17:54:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225629","name":"Young-Hui Chang.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Young-Hui%20Chang.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Young-Hui%20Chang.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":41392,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Young-Hui%20Chang.jpg?itok=vw-Wy4hF"}},"588914":{"id":"588914","type":"image","title":"Lee Childers","body":null,"created":"1489694382","gmt_created":"2017-03-16 19:59:42","changed":"1505933534","gmt_changed":"2017-09-20 18:52:14","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224438","name":"W. Lee Childers.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/W.%20Lee%20Childers.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/W.%20Lee%20Childers.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":58114,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/W.%20Lee%20Childers.jpg?itok=bYzYx5b-"}}},"media_ids":["596265","592042","588914"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/592041","title":"Tech Study Stands Up for Flamingos\u0027 Unique Pose"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"169203","name":"Young-Hui Chang"},{"id":"175621","name":"Lee Childers"},{"id":"362","name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"175622","name":"robotic prostheses"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"596207":{"#nid":"596207","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Running Roaches, Flapping Moths Create a New Physics of Organisms","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESand-swimming lizards, slithering robotic snakes, dusk-flying moths and running roaches all have one thing in common: They\u0026#39;re increasingly being studied by physicists interested in understanding the shared strategies these creatures have developed to overcome the challenges of moving though their environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy analyzing the rules governing the locomotion of these creatures, \u0026quot;physics of living systems\u0026quot; researchers are learning how animals successfully negotiate unstable surfaces like wet sand, maintain rapid motion on flat surfaces using the advantageous mechanics of their bodies, and fly in ways that would never work for modern aircraft. The knowledge these researchers develop could be useful to the designers of robots and flying vehicles of all kinds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Locomotion is a very natural access point for understanding how biological systems interact with the world,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/simon-sponberg\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;When they move, animals change the environment around them so they can push off from it and move through it in different ways. This capability is a defining feature of animals.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESponberg has spent his career bridging the gap between physics and organismal biology \u0026ndash; the study of complex creatures. His work includes studying how hawk moths slow their nervous systems to maintain vision during low-light conditions, and how muscle is a versatile material able to change function from a brake to a motor or spring.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe recently published a feature article, the cover story for the September issue of the American Institute of Physics magazine \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/physicstoday.scitation.org\/doi\/10.1063\/PT.3.3691\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPhysics Today\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, on the role of physics in animal locomotion. The article was not intended as a review of the entire field, but rather to show how organismal physics \u0026ndash; integrating complex physiological systems, the mechanics and the surrounding environment into a whole animal \u0026ndash; has inspired his career.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The intersection of physics and organismal biology is a very exciting one right now,\u0026rdquo; said Sponberg, who is also a researcher with the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPetit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech said. \u0026ldquo;The assembly and interaction of multiple natural components manifests new behaviors and dynamics. The collection of these natural components manifests different patterns than the individual parts, and that\u0026rsquo;s fascinating.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESupported by new initiatives at such organizations as the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.arl.army.mil\u0022\u003EArmy Research Office\/Army Research Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nsf.gov\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026ndash; which are embracing these frontiers \u0026ndash; Georgia Tech scientists are learning the equations that dictate how snakes move, understanding how the hair spacing on the bodies of bees help them stay clean, and using X-ray equipment to see how an unusual African lizard \u0026ldquo;swims\u0026rdquo; through dry sand.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a really exciting time to be working at the intersection of evolutionary organismal biology that is realized in these living systems that have come about through the process of evolution, composed of seemingly very complex systems,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Biological systems are inescapably complex, but that doesn\u0026rsquo;t mean there aren\u0026rsquo;t simple patterns of behavior that we can understand. We now have the modern tools, approaches and theory that we need to be able to extract physical patterns from biological systems.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn his article, Sponberg makes predictions about the research that will be needed for the physics of living systems to advance as a field:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EHow feedback transforms physiological dynamics,\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EHow aggregations of living components, from humans to ants to molecular motors, arise at multiple scales, and\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EHow robo-physical models of these complex systems can lead to new discoveries and advance engineering.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEngineered systems use feedback about the effects of their actions to adjust their future activities, and animals do the same to control their movement. Scientists can manipulate this feedback to understand how complex systems are put together and use the feedback to design experiments rather than just analyzing what is there.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We use feedback all the time to move through our environment, and feedback is a really special thing that fundamentally affects how dynamics occur,\u0026rdquo; said Sponberg. \u0026ldquo;But using feedback to design experiments is really sort of new.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, in the study of how hawk moths track flowers during low-light conditions, he and his colleagues used feedback dynamics to isolate how the moth\u0026rsquo;s brain adjusts its processing in dim light. The moths can still accurately track flower movements that occur less than two times per second \u0026ndash; which matches the frequency at which the flowers sway in the wind.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnimals are composed of many systems operating at multiple time scales simultaneously \u0026ndash; brain neurons, nerves and the individual fibers of muscles with molecular motors. These muscle fibers are arranged in an active crystalline lattice such that X-rays fired through them create a regular diffraction pattern. Understanding these multiscale living assemblages provides new insights into how animals manage complex actions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFinally, Sponberg notes in his article that robots are playing a larger and larger role in the physics laboratory as functional models that can examine principles of movement by interacting with the real world. In the laboratory of Georgia Tech Associate Professor Dan Goldman \u0026ndash; one of Sponberg\u0026rsquo;s colleagues \u0026ndash; robotic snakes, turtles, crabs and other creatures help scientists understand what they\u0026rsquo;re observing in the natural world.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Moving physical models \u0026ndash; robots \u0026ndash; can be very powerful tools for understanding these complex systems,\u0026rdquo; Sponberg said. \u0026ldquo;They can allow us to do experiments on robots that we couldn\u0026rsquo;t do on animals to see how they interact with complex environments. We can see what physics in these systems is essential to their behaviors.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESponberg was inspired to study the interaction of organismal biology and physics by the remarkable diversity of animal movement and by nonlinear dynamics, a field made popular when he was a young student by the 1987 best-selling book \u003Cem\u003EChaos: Making a New Science,\u003C\/em\u003E authored by former New York Times reporter James Gleick. Sponberg hopes today\u0026rsquo;s students \u0026ndash; readers of \u003Cem\u003EPhysics Today\u003C\/em\u003E \u0026ndash; will also be inspired.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I voted on this with my career choice, so I think this is a very exciting areas of science,\u0026rdquo; he added.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu) or Ben Brumfield (404-660-1408) (ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESand-swimming lizards, slithering robotic snakes, dusk-flying moths and running roaches all have one thing in common: They\u0026#39;re increasingly being studied by physicists interested in understanding the shared strategies these creatures have developed to overcome the challenges of moving though their environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers are interested in the strategies creatures have developed to overcome the challenges of moving though their environments."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2017-09-19 20:47:43","changed_gmt":"2017-09-27 20:52:05","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-09-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-09-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"596193":{"id":"596193","type":"image","title":"Hawk moth on robotic flower2","body":null,"created":"1505852306","gmt_created":"2017-09-19 20:18:26","changed":"1505852306","gmt_changed":"2017-09-19 20:18:26","alt":"Hawk moth landing on robotic flower","file":{"fid":"227209","name":"hawkmoth6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth6_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth6_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":327015,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth6_0.jpg?itok=LQsvnpdg"}},"596194":{"id":"596194","type":"image","title":"Hawk moth on natural flower","body":null,"created":"1505853283","gmt_created":"2017-09-19 20:34:43","changed":"1505853283","gmt_changed":"2017-09-19 20:34:43","alt":"Hawk moth and natural flower","file":{"fid":"227211","name":"Manduca and flower.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Manduca%20and%20flower.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Manduca%20and%20flower.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":237321,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Manduca%20and%20flower.jpg?itok=U68Cita_"}},"596196":{"id":"596196","type":"image","title":"Simon Sponberg and hawk moth","body":null,"created":"1505853417","gmt_created":"2017-09-19 20:36:57","changed":"1505853417","gmt_changed":"2017-09-19 20:36:57","alt":"Simon Sponberg holds hawk moth","file":{"fid":"227212","name":"hawkmoth12.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth12.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth12.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":285420,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth12.jpg?itok=eYA8Von_"}}},"media_ids":["596193","596194","596196"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"175601","name":"haw moth"},{"id":"129701","name":"physics of living systems"},{"id":"175602","name":"living systems"},{"id":"960","name":"physics"},{"id":"377","name":"locomotion"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"594967":{"#nid":"594967","#data":{"type":"news","title":"You and Some \u0027Cavemen\u0027 Get a Genetic Health Check","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHeart problems were much more common in the genes of our ancient ancestors\u0026nbsp;than in ours today,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/digitalcommons.wayne.edu\/humbiol_preprints\/115\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eaccording to a new study by geneticists at the Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, who computationally compared genetic disease factors in modern humans with those of people through the millennia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOverall, the news from the study is good. Evolution appears, through the ages,\u0026nbsp;to have weeded out genetic influences that promote disease, while promulgating influences that protect from disease. But there\u0026#39;s also a hint of bad news for us modern folks.\u0026nbsp;That generally healthy trend might have reversed in the last 500 to 1,000 years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo, who appears to have had the healthier genes? The \u0026ldquo;cavemen?\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;We moderns? And who was more genetically susceptible\u0026nbsp;to mental illness?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/you-and-some-cavemen-get-genetic-health-check\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EREAD about\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;our genomic health heritage here, and meet our Copper Age ancestor, the \u0026ldquo;Iceman.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Evolution has improved upon the genetic foundations of human health ... but could that have changed?"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEvolution has improved upon the genetic foundations of human health ... but could that have changed?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Evolution has improved upon the genetic foundations of human health ... but could that have changed?"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2017-08-24 16:57:50","changed_gmt":"2017-10-11 12:14:25","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"594975":{"id":"594975","type":"image","title":"Joe Lachance and Taylor Cooper","body":null,"created":"1503595809","gmt_created":"2017-08-24 17:30:09","changed":"1503595924","gmt_changed":"2017-08-24 17:32:04","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226746","name":"CAVEMAN edit DSC_1022.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CAVEMAN%20edit%20DSC_1022.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CAVEMAN%20edit%20DSC_1022.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":374898,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CAVEMAN%20edit%20DSC_1022.jpg?itok=KuY57N4U"}}},"media_ids":["594975"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"170712","name":"computational genetics"},{"id":"175296","name":"Iceman"},{"id":"175297","name":"\u00d6tzi"},{"id":"146721","name":"go-genomics"},{"id":"146341","name":"go_genomics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBen Brumfield\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSenior Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"593453":{"#nid":"593453","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Bacteria-Killing Virus Teams Up with Animal Immune Response to Cure Acute Infections","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEDITOR\u0026#39;S NOTE: The figure showing the effect of phage therapy on mice was added on July 18, 2017.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs poses a serious public health threat.\u0026nbsp; In response, scientists and clinicians are exploring alternative ways to cure bacterial infections that are untreatable by antibiotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne approach is to use bacteria-killing viruses \u0026ndash; also known as bacteriophage, or phage. Phage therapy has been used for nearly a century outside the U.S., most prominently in Russia and Georgia, the former Soviet republic. Clinical trials are ongoing in Europe, including \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.phagoburn.eu\/phagoburn-clinical-trial.html\u0022\u003Ea wound burn treatment trial involving multiple hospitals\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the U.S., recent successes have heightened interest in moving phage therapy to the clinic.\u0026nbsp; A dramatic example is the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/health.ucsd.edu\/news\/releases\/Pages\/2017-04-25-novel-phage-therapy-saves-patient-with-multidrug-resistant-bacterial-infection.aspx\u0022\u003Ecure of a University of California, \u0026nbsp;San Diego, professor who was near death from an infection by the toxin-excreting superbug \u003Cem\u003EAcinetobacter baumannii\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYet, many of the mechanisms underlying phage therapy remain unclear. \u0026ldquo;The key conceptual challenge is that phage kills individual bacterial cells but not necessarily an entire population of bacteria,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua S. Weitz, professor of biological sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003Ephysics\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn phage therapy, successful treatment has long been assumed to be due primarily to the phage\u0026rsquo;s bacteria-killing action. \u0026nbsp;Now, work by Weitz and his team at Georgia Tech and groups led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.pasteur.fr\/en\/member\/laurent-debarbieux\/\u0022\u003ELaurent Debarbieux\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.pasteur.fr\/en\/member\/james-di-santo\/\u0022\u003EJames P. Di Santo\u003C\/a\u003E at the Institut Pasteur, in Paris, France, finds that immune cells of the animal host act synergistically with phage to cure an otherwise fatal respiratory infection in mice.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This joint project analyzed the conditions necessary to eliminate pathogen populations when host immune responses are compromised,\u0026rdquo; Weitz says. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1016\/j.chom.2017.06.018\u0022\u003EThe work is published in the July 2017 issue of Cell Host \u0026amp; Microbe\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers investigated the effect of host immunity in an animal model of acute pneumonia caused by multiple-drug-resistant \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa,\u003C\/em\u003E a pathogen on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/drugresistance\/biggest_threats.html\u0022\u003Eserious-threats list of the Centers for Disease Control \u0026amp; Prevention (CDC)\u003C\/a\u003E. The team \u0026ndash; including the paper\u0026rsquo;s joint first authors, Institut Pasteur\u0026rsquo;s Dwayne R. Roach and Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s Chung Yin (Joey) Leung \u0026ndash; integrated preclinical experimental data with mathematical modeling to characterize interactions between bacteria, phage, and the immune response.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe animal studies indicate that neutrophils \u0026ndash; an important type of white blood cell that is part of the body\u0026rsquo;s major innate defense \u0026ndash; are essential to cure the infection during phage treatment. Leveraging results from preclinical experiments and mathematical models, the researchers conclude that neutrophils eliminate what the phage cannot defeat: emerging, phage-resistant \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa \u003C\/em\u003Ecells.\u0026nbsp; Together, phage and neutrophils synergistically cure the acute bacterial infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe finding has important implications. \u0026ldquo;In terms of clinical consequences, one could reconsider the selection of patients likely to benefit from phage therapy. It may not be appropriate or recommended for people with severe immunodeficiency,\u0026rdquo; Debarbieux says.\u0026nbsp; The work will help identify candidates for human phage therapy and could be used to explore synergistic interactions between phage and immune responses in other disease contexts, such as cystic fibrosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA second paper describing mathematical details of the therapeutic synergy between phage and the immune system, jointly authored by Leung and Weitz, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0022519317303235\u0022\u003Eis published\u0026nbsp;in the Journal of Theoretical Biology\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWork at Georgia Tech was supported by an U.S. Army Research Office grant (W911NF-14-1-0402).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWork at Institut Pasteur was supported by Fondation EDF, Vaincre la Mucoviscidose (IC1011), Association CA.ZO.LA. Luttons contre la mucoviscidose, and the European Respiratory Society (RESPIRE2\u0026ndash;2015\u0026ndash;8416).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Phage therapy to treat bacterial infections gets vital assist from the mammalian immune system"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe rise of antibiotic-resistant superbugs poses a serious public health threat.\u0026nbsp; In response, scientists and clinicians are exploring alternative ways to cure bacterial infections that are untreatable by antibiotics. One approach is to use bacteria-killing viruses \u0026ndash; also known as bacteriophage, or phage.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Immune cells of the animal host act synergistically with phage to cure an otherwise fatal respiratory infection in mice."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-07-11 21:22:47","changed_gmt":"2017-07-18 14:07:06","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-07-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-07-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"593556":{"id":"593556","type":"image","title":"Phage therapy eliminates acute infection in mice, as shown by bioluminescence assay of bacterial levels. (Courtesy Joshua Weitz and Laurent Debarbieux, Copyright 2017 Cell Press)","body":null,"created":"1500386618","gmt_created":"2017-07-18 14:03:38","changed":"1500386618","gmt_changed":"2017-07-18 14:03:38","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226268","name":"immuniphage.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/immuniphage.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/immuniphage.png","mime":"image\/png","size":283723,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/immuniphage.png?itok=IOqztGOv"}},"590963":{"id":"590963","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1493217266","gmt_created":"2017-04-26 14:34:26","changed":"1493217266","gmt_changed":"2017-04-26 14:34:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225168","name":"Joshua Weitz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":39265,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz.jpg?itok=gAHL6Dcm"}},"593450":{"id":"593450","type":"image","title":"Laurent Debarbieux","body":null,"created":"1499807576","gmt_created":"2017-07-11 21:12:56","changed":"1499807576","gmt_changed":"2017-07-11 21:12:56","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226220","name":"Laurent.Debarbieux-grand-2007.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Laurent.Debarbieux-grand-2007.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Laurent.Debarbieux-grand-2007.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":478925,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Laurent.Debarbieux-grand-2007.jpg?itok=lgZCSuJK"}},"593452":{"id":"593452","type":"image","title":"Dwayne Roach","body":null,"created":"1499807776","gmt_created":"2017-07-11 21:16:16","changed":"1499807776","gmt_changed":"2017-07-11 21:16:16","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226222","name":"Dwayne Roach.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Dwayne%20Roach.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Dwayne%20Roach.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":26765,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Dwayne%20Roach.jpg?itok=9QNQGDDZ"}},"593451":{"id":"593451","type":"image","title":"Chung Yin (Joey) Leung","body":null,"created":"1499807716","gmt_created":"2017-07-11 21:15:16","changed":"1499807716","gmt_changed":"2017-07-11 21:15:16","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226221","name":"Chung Yin Leung.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chung%20Yin%20Leung.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chung%20Yin%20Leung.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":23359,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Chung%20Yin%20Leung.jpg?itok=Hc2UPUm6"}}},"media_ids":["593556","590963","593450","593452","593451"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"174905","name":"immunophage synergy"},{"id":"174907","name":"phage therapy"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"174910","name":"Chung Yin Leung"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"593015":{"#nid":"593015","#data":{"type":"news","title":"T. Richard Nichols is Newest Honorary Member of National Physical Therapists\u2019 Organization ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/T.-Richard-Nichols\u0022\u003ET. Richard Nichols\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences, has been named an honorary member of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.apta.org\/Default.aspx\u0022\u003EAmerican Physical Therapy Association\u003C\/a\u003E, the organization \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.apta.org\/PTinMotion\/News\/2017\/6\/21\/NicholsNamedHonoraryMember\/\u0022\u003Eannounced\u003C\/a\u003E on June 21.\u0026nbsp;He was named to APTA by a unanimous vote of its House of Delegates.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m very honored by it,\u0026rdquo; Nichols says. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s unusual because you have to be a physical therapist to be a regular member. I am not a physical therapist, I\u0026rsquo;m a basic scientist.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENichols\u0026#39;\u0026nbsp;research areas of interest include motor control, sensory feedback, spinal cord injury, muscle physiology, and limb mechanics.\u0026nbsp;In addition to his research in the School of Biological Sciences, Nichols is also a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department\u0026nbsp;of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, a partnership between Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/med.emory.edu\/index.html\u0022\u003EEmory School of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENichols was chair of the School of Applied Physiology until 2016, when it joined the School of Biology \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/547851\u0022\u003Eto form the School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAPTA cites Nichols as \u0026ldquo;an internationally recognized scholar whose research has contributed to the advancement of scientific knowledge related to the control of movement.\u0026rdquo; APTA also calls Nichols a \u0026ldquo;stalwart advisor\u0026rdquo; who has done exemplary work to help train future physical therapists and advanced physical therapist clinicians.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAPTA\u0026rsquo;s approximately 95,000 members include physical therapists, their assistants, and those who are studying to become therapists. The organization represents their interests in the legislative and regulatory arenas.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Professor recognized for motor skills research"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThanks to his research into motor skills and the science of movement, School of Biological Sciences Professor T. Richard Nichols is named a honorary member of the American Physical Therapy Association.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The American Physical Therapy Association makes T. Richard Nichols an honorary member."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2017-06-27 14:21:20","changed_gmt":"2017-06-27 17:06:48","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"593017":{"id":"593017","type":"image","title":"T. Richard Nichols, honorary member of the American Physical Therapy Association ","body":null,"created":"1498573427","gmt_created":"2017-06-27 14:23:47","changed":"1498573427","gmt_changed":"2017-06-27 14:23:47","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226053","name":"T RICHARD NICHOLS.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":194757,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS.jpg?itok=gBFkp_5_"}},"593018":{"id":"593018","type":"image","title":"American Physical Therapy Association Logo","body":null,"created":"1498573502","gmt_created":"2017-06-27 14:25:02","changed":"1498573502","gmt_changed":"2017-06-27 14:25:02","alt":"","file":{"fid":"226054","name":"APTA Logo.gif","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/APTA%20Logo.gif","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/APTA%20Logo.gif","mime":"image\/gif","size":5615,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/APTA%20Logo.gif?itok=moVBKh7M"}}},"media_ids":["593017","593018"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"173857","name":"T. Richard Nichols"},{"id":"174792","name":"American Physical Therapy Association"},{"id":"12926","name":"motor skills"},{"id":"376","name":"movement"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"592259":{"#nid":"592259","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tech researchers team up for advanced materials","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBy Renay San Miguel\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAsk Georgia Tech researchers working with advanced materials for examples, and they give a pop culture reference. Two of them even cite the same reference.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s like \u003Cem\u003EThe Terminator\u003C\/em\u003E, liquid metal that then becomes a solid,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/alberto-fernandez-nieves\u0022\u003EAlberto Fernandez-Nieves\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the School of Physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Think of \u003Cem\u003EThe Terminator\u003C\/em\u003E,\u0026rdquo; says another School of Physics associate professor, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/jennifer-curtis\u0022\u003EJennifer Curtis\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPop culture so effectively appropriates next-level science research, that it comes as no surprise that these scientists first thought of Oscar-winning director James Cameron\u0026rsquo;s shapeshifting \u0026ldquo;mimetic polyalloy\u0026rdquo; assassin from the future in \u003Cem\u003ETerminator 2: Judgment Day\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Or that animated movie, \u003Cem\u003EBig Hero 6\u003C\/em\u003E,\u0026rdquo; Curtis adds, referring to a 2014 Disney film about nanobots combining to form bigger objects. \u0026ldquo;We would love to find an original way to create small shapes. And then make them intelligent enough to properly reconfigure in some other way.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech scientists aim to make those science-fiction scenarios real through collaborative, interdisciplinary research at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/stami.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for the Science and Technology of Advanced Materials and Interfaces\u003C\/a\u003E (STAMI).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELaunched in 2016, STAMI comprises four groups:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cope.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Organic Photonics and Electronics\u003C\/a\u003E (COPE)\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gtpn.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Polymer Network\u003C\/a\u003E (GTPN)\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/crasi.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECommunity for Research on Active Surfaces and Interfaces\u003C\/a\u003E (CR\u0100SI, pronounced crazy)\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/smi.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESoft Matter Incubator\u003C\/a\u003E (SMI)\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOf all those acronyms, COPE\u0026rsquo;s has been around the longest, since 2003. COPE helped develop the optical technologies that enable flat-screen HDTV to deliver sharper resolutions on any monitor size while consuming less power.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOver the years, COPE has attracted some $84 million in research funding and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ien.gatech.edu\/news\/cope-wins-academic-rd-award\u0022\u003Eresearch-related\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/flextech-alliance-announces-2012-flexi-award-winners-recognizes-flexible-printed-electronics-and-display-industry-achievements-138985149.html\u0022\u003Eawards\u003C\/a\u003E, says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/marder\/\u0022\u003ESeth Marder\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and COPE\u0026rsquo;s founding director. That\u0026rsquo;s because \u0026ldquo;we were able to create multi-investigator proposals with a very high degree of success,\u0026rdquo; Marder says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause proposals from centers with teams of researchers tend to attract more funding, Marder and colleagues set up STAMI to brew ideas and foster collaboration among researchers across Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;People who work in advanced materials recognize that collaborative approaches are critical,\u0026rdquo; Marder says. At COPE and now in STAMI, he adds, \u0026ldquo;we recognize that if you build the strong human relationships, the strong collaborative scientific relationships will be that much stronger, that much more fun, and it will lead to that much more productivity and the opportunity to do other things.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe promise of advanced materials\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen subjected to stimuli \u0026ndash; such as current, light, heat, or chemicals \u0026ndash; liquids, foams, gels, liquid crystals, and other substances may respond and change, or even acquire new functions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) in smartphones and TV\/computer monitors are organic photonic technologies in action. They are marvelous combinations of thin films, electrolytic gels, and molecules that respond to light and electricity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESoft matter is anything that can be prodded, poked, folded, warped, or deformed by weak external causes, including heat and mechanical forces. Examples abound but the science around them is relatively young.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPolymers, strings of repeating molecular units, can be natural, like the DNA in cells, or synthetic, like the plastics in houses. Manipulating them can yield stronger construction materials or more effective medical treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAdvanced materials can mean progress from healthcare to defense technology and consumer electronics. But getting materials to work together \u0026ndash; and allowing users to program, control, and predict their behaviors \u0026ndash; is key to realizing the next-generation promises.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECOPE: Collaboration before collaborating was cool\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt was the spirit of teamwork that first brought Marder to Georgia Tech in 2003, after appointments at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003EJet Propulsion Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.caltech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECalifornia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.arizona.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Arizona\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe and three others who were focused on optical sciences started COPE shortly after they arrived at Tech. They believed that a center like COPE would help them brainstorm research ideas while increasing their chance of funding.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat teamwork helped Marder ignore temptations to move to other universities. \u0026ldquo;What kept me at Georgia Tech is the people,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;If you\u0026rsquo;re fundamentally connected with the people around you, that\u0026rsquo;s a pretty strong adhesive.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo that end, Marder became a strong protagonist for COPE\u0026rsquo;s collaborative propensity. Materials science can involve physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering, and reaching across Tech\u0026rsquo;s colleges and schools is key. COPE pioneered this approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;You\u0026rsquo;re not just bringing people together to work on a problem; you need the right culture,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/faculty-staff-directory\/bernard-j-kippelen\u0022\u003EBernard J. Kippelen\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and current COPE director. \u0026ldquo;Georgia Tech is uniquely positioned in that respect because interdisciplinary research is part of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s DNA.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch themes exemplify the intrinsic interdisciplinarity:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EOrganic photovoltaic materials, for solar cell technology\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EFlexible organic materials that can go inside or on the body, for medical and sensing applications\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EOrganic materials to protect sensors and human eyes from laser pulses, of interest to the Defense Department\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EOrganic materials to enable rapid and safe removal of heat from its source, for computers and consumer electronics\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We focus on organic \u0026ndash; carbon-based \u0026ndash; materials,\u0026rdquo; Kippelen says, because they can be processed at room temperature, making manufacturing easier. And because the building blocks are molecules, physical properties can be controlled by changing chemical structure.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;As we study more of these materials to understand why they work, we come across new surprises, new breakthroughs that were not anticipated,\u0026rdquo; Kippelen says. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s the gift that keeps giving.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGTPN: Pushing polymers for fun and profit, but mostly fun\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/reynolds\/\u0022\u003EJohn Reynolds\u003C\/a\u003E joined \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/research.ibm.com\/\u0022\u003EIBM Research\u003C\/a\u003E in the late 1970s, scientists had just discovered that plastics can conduct electricity. Until then, \u0026ldquo;if you wanted high conductivity, you had to get a piece of metal,\u0026rdquo; says Reynolds, a polymer chemist. \u0026ldquo;That an organic polymeric material could do that was earth-shattering.\u0026rdquo; The breakthrough eventually won the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nobelprize.org\/nobel_prizes\/chemistry\/laureates\/2000\/popular.html\u0022\u003E2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow Reynolds is a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and in the School of Materials Science and Engineering.\u0026nbsp; He also serves as director of GTPN, which launched shortly after he joined Tech in 2012. Reynolds leads with co-directors \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Collard\/\u0022\u003EDavid Collard\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/faculty\/lin\u0022\u003EZhiqun Lin\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Reichmanis\/\u0022\u003EElsa Reichmanis\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/content\/russo\u0022\u003EPaul Russo\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Georgia Tech and the interdisciplinary atmosphere is why I moved here,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;The walls between colleges and schools here are very low, and that makes Georgia Tech special.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReynolds has had a front-row seat for many advances his GTPN colleagues are making in polymer science.\u0026nbsp; He anticipates new materials for applications such as:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EElectrochromism, reversibly changing a material\u0026rsquo;s color in the presence of an electric field\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EEnergy savings through separation of hydrocarbon and industrial chemicals using nanoporous membranes\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EEnergy storage, such as batteries and capacitors to store chemical energy and electrical charge\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EDrug and active-molecule release using polymer-modified nanoparticles\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen it comes to electrochromic application, Reynolds notes, this technology using polymer gel electrolytes has allowed automakers to eliminate the mechanical switch on rear-view mirrors to suppress blinding high-beam lights from the vehicle behind. Most mirrors now use light sensors and color-changing electrochemical systems to dim that harsh glare.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;That\u0026rsquo;s a $1 billion a year sales business for a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gentex.com\/\u0022\u003Ecompany\u003C\/a\u003E in Michigan,\u0026rdquo; Reynolds says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYet the most innovative aspect of GTPN, Reynolds says, is its impact on graduate students and researchers at Tech. They\u0026rsquo;re not just increasing their knowledge of chemistry and physics. \u0026ldquo;They grow professionally by participating in meetings and seminars, hosting people, and learning how to be professionally social. And they get contacts with companies.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESMI: Fundamental science from soft matter\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESoft matter is described by the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ph.ed.ac.uk\/icmcs\/research-themes\/soft-matter-physics\u0022\u003EUniversity of Edinburgh School of Physics and Astronomy\u003C\/a\u003E as \u0026ldquo;all things squishy.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn that spirit, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E has been hosting \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/smi.gatech.edu\/squishy-physics\u0022\u003ESquishy Physics\u003C\/a\u003E public events since 2012. Restaurant chefs from Atlanta and beyond prepare foods that illustrate aspects of soft matter: \u0026ldquo;gelation (jams and jelly), phase transitions (melting chocolate ice cream), emulsions (Hollandaise and other sauces), foams (meringue), and glass formations (confections),\u0026rdquo; says the Squishy Physics web page.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In many cases, soft materials are mixtures of phases \u0026ndash; solids in liquids, gases in liquids, or liquid-liquid mixtures, for example,\u0026rdquo; says Fernandez-Nieves, director of SMI. \u0026ldquo;A polymer gel may be 99% water, but it behaves like a spring. If you push on it, it deforms and retains its shape due to the presence of restoring forces, and thus it\u0026rsquo;s a solid from that perspective. It\u0026rsquo;s an elastic material. And it\u0026rsquo;s made of 99% water and 1% polymer.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESMI is itself in its early phase, launching in July 2016 to coalesce soft matter research interest at Tech and provide brainstorming opportunities, workshops, and seed grants.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo what exactly is SMI incubating: ideas or specific research projects?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Both,\u0026rdquo; Fernandez-Nieves says. \u0026ldquo;You can use soft materials as models to address interesting questions beyond soft matter.\u0026rdquo; The holy grail in the field is matter with controllable and predictive qualities. \u0026ldquo;What do I need to do to make that happen? That\u0026rsquo;s where fundamental science comes in.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA recent research \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/586499\/microgel-composite-could-overcome-fibrin-blockade-accelerate-healing\u0022\u003Epape\u003C\/a\u003Er co-authored by Fernandez-Nieves offers an example of soft matter\u0026rsquo;s potential. Microgels and polymer networks made of natural fibrin, a blood-clotting protein, self-assemble to form tunnels that could allow healing substances to pass through. The Department of Defense, hoping for battlefield applications, supported part of the research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESMI is a place \u0026ldquo;where you can incubate ideas and so they can come to fruition,\u0026rdquo; Fernandez-Nieves says. \u0026ldquo;I think of SMI as driven by people with ideas and drive, and the desire to do new things.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou don\u0026rsquo;t have to be CR\u0100SI to study interfaces, but it helps\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince 1978, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/odysseyofthemind.com\/p\/\u0022\u003EOdyssey of the Mind\u003C\/a\u003E has staged global problem-solving competitions for students in kindergarten through college. The competition stresses teamwork. Thinking outside the box isn\u0026rsquo;t just encouraged; it\u0026rsquo;s necessary.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Tech, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/jennifer-curtis\u0022\u003EJennifer Curtis\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/filler\u0022\u003EMichael Filler\u003C\/a\u003E, CR\u0100SI co-directors, are hosts of their own Odyssey of the Mind-style competitions for professors only. The focus is on thinking\u003Cem\u003E way\u003C\/em\u003E outside the box in getting advanced materials \u0026ndash; their surfaces, actually \u0026ndash; to communicate, work together, and respond to human commands.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese gatherings of the minds are needed, because none of the next-level advances in materials science happens without figuring out surfaces and interfaces, says Filler, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There is an opportunity to target interfaces, the position where materials change from A to B,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re ubiquitous, and they\u0026rsquo;re really hard to study, because they\u0026rsquo;re dynamic.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The big thing we would love to do is control how smaller objects interact with each other to make programmable, reconfigurable matter,\u0026rdquo; Curtis says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe idea of assembling matter is not new. But with the types of assemblies Curtis and Filler are talking about, it might be easier to kill the Terminator. Why?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re just not good enough with the interfaces, programming them and controlling them,\u0026rdquo; Filler says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0026rsquo;s the obstacle CR\u0100SI wants to topple. Like SMI, CR\u0100SI also launched in the summer of 2016 to start conversations about possible solutions to tough science problems. So far, CR\u0100SI has hosted a total of 10 events, mostly Odyssey of the Mind competitions. Curtis and Filler never share the agenda for their meetings because they don\u0026rsquo;t want any biases to creep into the discussion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECurtis is pleased with the buy-in from researchers. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s a critical mass of people who want to be in the same room to talk science and explore ideas,\u0026rdquo; she says. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re really trying to identify the grand challenge of the next decade.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Interdisciplinary center stresses collaboration to chart future path for soft matter, polymers, interfaces, opto-electronics"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFilms, gels, liquids and liquid crystals, all kinds of soft matter and polymers can be acted upon and combined for new functions and uses. Bringing intelligence to advanced materials is the goal of a new collaborative and interdisciplinary\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;research initiative known as\u0026nbsp;STAMI - the Center for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials and Interfaces.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Tech researchers use collaboration to push the frontiers of advanced materials research."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2017-05-31 18:03:50","changed_gmt":"2017-06-06 15:13:43","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-06-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-06-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"592260":{"id":"592260","type":"image","title":"Seth Marder, Regents Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and COPE\u2019s founding director. (Photo by Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496254212","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:10:12","changed":"1496269826","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:30:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225703","name":"Seth Marder .jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Seth%20Marder%20.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Seth%20Marder%20.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":53207,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Seth%20Marder%20.jpg?itok=NGIxYiSv"}},"592287":{"id":"592287","type":"image","title":"Bernard Kippelen, professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of COPE. (Photo by Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496268829","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 22:13:49","changed":"1496270106","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:35:06","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225726","name":"Bernard.Kippelen.Capture.PNG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bernard.Kippelen.Capture.PNG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bernard.Kippelen.Capture.PNG","mime":"image\/png","size":1082622,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Bernard.Kippelen.Capture.PNG?itok=GOGTM3na"}},"592264":{"id":"592264","type":"image","title":"John Reynolds, professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and director of the Georgia Tech Polymer Network (GTPN). (Photo by Georgia Tech). ","body":null,"created":"1496254727","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:18:47","changed":"1496269982","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:33:02","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225707","name":"John Reynolds .jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/John%20Reynolds%20.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/John%20Reynolds%20.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":539408,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/John%20Reynolds%20.jpg?itok=3KQPidw3"}},"592263":{"id":"592263","type":"image","title":"Alberto Fernandez-Nieves,  associate professor in the School of Physics and director of the Soft Matter Incubator (SMI). (Photo by Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496254597","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:16:37","changed":"1496269952","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:32:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225706","name":"Alberto Nieves-Fernandez.gif","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Alberto%20Nieves-Fernandez.gif","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Alberto%20Nieves-Fernandez.gif","mime":"image\/gif","size":141858,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Alberto%20Nieves-Fernandez.gif?itok=HNZQA3bn"}},"592261":{"id":"592261","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Curtis, associate professor in the School of Physics and co-director of the Community for Research on Active Surfaces and Interfaces (CR\u0100SI). (Photo by Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496254362","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:12:42","changed":"1496269526","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:25:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225704","name":"Jennifer Curtis .jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":19275,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20.jpg?itok=mehusZN_"}},"592262":{"id":"592262","type":"image","title":"Mike Filler, associate professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and co-director of CR\u0100SI. (Photo by Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496254500","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:15:00","changed":"1496269906","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:31:46","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225705","name":"Mike Filler .jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Mike%20Filler%20.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Mike%20Filler%20.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":885433,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Mike%20Filler%20.jpg?itok=0A1DyzL2"}},"592265":{"id":"592265","type":"image","title":"CR\u0100SI co-director Jennifer Curtis welcomes graduate students and researchers to a lunch\/discussion meeting. (Photo by Renay San Miguel\/Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496254884","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:21:24","changed":"1496270024","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:33:44","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225708","name":"CRASI meeting 6.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CRASI%20meeting%206.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CRASI%20meeting%206.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":485117,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CRASI%20meeting%206.JPG?itok=omtnr7ZV"}},"592266":{"id":"592266","type":"image","title":"A polymer photovoltaic cell. (Photo by Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496255042","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:24:02","changed":"1496269562","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:26:02","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225709","name":"Polymer photovoltaic cell.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Polymer%20photovoltaic%20cell.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Polymer%20photovoltaic%20cell.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":247646,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Polymer%20photovoltaic%20cell.jpg?itok=LnRUhxh9"}},"592267":{"id":"592267","type":"image","title":"Somewhere in here is a toroidal droplet \u2013 a donut-shaped drop of liquid that will turn spherical \u2013 created by School of Physics researchers in the Soft Matter Incubator (SMI). (Photo by Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496255154","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:25:54","changed":"1496269640","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:27:20","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225710","name":"Toroidal Droplet-SMI.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Toroidal%20Droplet-SMI.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Toroidal%20Droplet-SMI.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1155081,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Toroidal%20Droplet-SMI.jpg?itok=pjjuxG1e"}},"592268":{"id":"592268","type":"image","title":"Electrochromic, color-changing polymer materials like the kind studied by COPE and GTPN researchers. (Photo by Georgia Tech.)","body":null,"created":"1496255333","gmt_created":"2017-05-31 18:28:53","changed":"1496270069","gmt_changed":"2017-05-31 22:34:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225711","name":"Electrochromic Polymer Materials.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Electrochromic%20Polymer%20Materials.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Electrochromic%20Polymer%20Materials.png","mime":"image\/png","size":992973,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Electrochromic%20Polymer%20Materials.png?itok=VsFsh2Wx"}}},"media_ids":["592260","592287","592264","592263","592261","592262","592265","592266","592267","592268"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"172973","name":"STAMI"},{"id":"174550","name":"Center for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials and Interfaces"},{"id":"10797","name":"center for organic photonics and electronics"},{"id":"174551","name":"Georgia Tech Polymer Network"},{"id":"174552","name":"Community for Research on Active Surfaces and Interfaces"},{"id":"172971","name":"Soft Matter Incubator"},{"id":"918","name":"COPE"},{"id":"107891","name":"gtpn"},{"id":"172972","name":"SMI"},{"id":"167678","name":"Seth Marder"},{"id":"5081","name":"Jennifer Curtis"},{"id":"66681","name":"Alberto Fernandez-Nieves"},{"id":"4993","name":"john reynolds"},{"id":"174553","name":"Mike Filler"},{"id":"84281","name":"advanced materials"},{"id":"4216","name":"polymers"},{"id":"167858","name":"soft matter"},{"id":"174554","name":"organic light emitting diodes"},{"id":"174555","name":"liquid crystal diodes"},{"id":"5210","name":"OLEDs"},{"id":"174556","name":"LCDs"},{"id":"340","name":"collaboration"},{"id":"1098","name":"interdisciplinary"},{"id":"174557","name":"active matrix organic light emitting diode"},{"id":"174558","name":"AMOLED"},{"id":"953","name":"photovoltaics"},{"id":"174559","name":"electroluminescence"},{"id":"115341","name":"bioelectronics"},{"id":"167270","name":"squishy physics"},{"id":"174413","name":"Odyssey of the Mind"},{"id":"174560","name":"School of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering"},{"id":"13658","name":"Interfaces"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"592083":{"#nid":"592083","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Tech Study Stands Up for Flamingos\u0027 Unique Pose","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen it comes to Big Questions About Birds, here\u0026rsquo;s one that rivals those about chickens crossing roads and that whole chicken-and-egg quandary: Why do flamingos stand on one leg?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Anytime I go to the zoo, I always hear a kid ask why or how they do that,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/young-chang\u0022\u003EYoung-Hui Chang\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences who studies\u0026nbsp;locomotion in animals from both a neurological and a biomechanical lens. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a natural question.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBecause science has yet to provide a definitive answer, Chang and fellow researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/neuromechanicslab.emory.edu\/people\/ting-lena.html\u0022\u003ELena Ting\u003C\/a\u003E investigated how flamingos are able to stand and sleep on one leg so easily for so long\u003Cs\u003E.\u003C\/s\u003E Ting is a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Emory University and Georgia Tech who studies\u0026nbsp;balance control in humans and mammals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETheir findings, published this week in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org\/content\/13\/5\/20160948\u0022\u003EBiology Letters\u003C\/a\u003E, suggest a reason that differs from most previous suggestions: it\u0026rsquo;s about reducing muscular effort.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPotential applications stretch from better robotics, orthopedic braces, and artificial limbs, to more focused treatments for neurological or balance problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut Chang argues that simply providing clarity to long-standing questions about long-standing flamingos has great value as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s something to be said for just scientific curiosity and learning how nature works,\u0026rdquo; he says. Flamingos aren\u0026rsquo;t the only birds that stand on one leg, he adds, but \u0026ldquo;the extreme example is the flamingo. It\u0026rsquo;s precisely from these extreme examples in nature where you can really gain a lot of insight.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA firmer foundation for flamingos\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESurprisingly, Chang says, given how long the question about flamingos has been around, \u0026ldquo;there hasn\u0026rsquo;t been a whole lot of research done.\u0026rdquo; Others have suggested that the birds engage in this behavior to avoid muscle fatigue or to conserve body heat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChang and Ting studied live birds at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zooatlanta.org\/\u0022\u003EZoo Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E flock, one of the largest breeding flocks of Chilean flamingos in the U.S. They also used two cadaver birds from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.birminghamzoo.com\/\u0022\u003EBirmingham Zoo\u003C\/a\u003E and flamingo skeletons from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ucmp.berkeley.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of California at Berkeley\u0026rsquo;s Museum of Paleontology\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EZoo Atlanta and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/researchintegrity.gatech.edu\/iacuc\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IACUCs)\u0026nbsp;approved all procedures using live animals. No animal was killed or harmed for the purposes of the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETheir research shows that a \u0026ldquo;passively engaged gravitational stay apparatus\u0026rdquo; helps the birds support their weight and maintain balance while on one reed-thin leg. The bird\u0026rsquo;s specialized anatomy, clever posture, and gravity combine to give the flamingo this ability, which does \u003Cem\u003Enot\u003C\/em\u003E involve bones locking into position. Chang says it\u0026rsquo;s more like a hammock or sling than a lock, but it does require the unique anatomy of flamingos.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The biomechanics are such that when they stand on one leg, they become very stable and are able to maintain that posture without activating muscle,\u0026rdquo; Ting says. \u0026ldquo;If they deviate from that posture to two legs, that no longer holds. It\u0026rsquo;s very posture-specific, a one-legged posture that can support their body weight.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u0026ldquo;passively engaged\u0026rdquo; part of the flamingo\u0026rsquo;s gravitational stay apparatus is exactly as it sounds: It requires minuscule, if any, active muscular or nerve control, Chang adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThose who marvel at a large, fluffy pink lump of flamingo body held up by one slender leg may be surprised to learn that the \u0026ldquo;joint\u0026rdquo; in the middle of that leg is actually an ankle, not a knee. \u0026ldquo;Most people don\u0026rsquo;t realize that knee and hip joints are not actually in view in most birds,\u0026rdquo; Chang says. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re near the body, kind of behind the wing. The flamingo thigh is almost perfectly horizontal.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAll that contributes to biomechanics that might actually require greater muscular effort if not for the flamingo\u0026rsquo;s ability to \u0026ldquo;stay\u0026rdquo; in a pose, which flamingos can get out of easily in flight-or-fight situations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGiving robots - and people \u0026ndash; stronger legs to stand on \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA one-legged standing test, actually termed a \u0026ldquo;flamingo test,\u0026rdquo; is used to diagnose human balance disorders with the help of pressure plates, instruments that measure balance, force, and other data. Humans are usually more than willing to stand on pressure plates. But flamingos? They tend to squawk at things foreign in their environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The zoo didn\u0026rsquo;t want us to interact with the adult flamingos because they don\u0026rsquo;t handle change in their environment very well,\u0026rdquo; Ting says. But zoo workers could handle juvenile flamingos and placed them near the plates after they were fed, hoping that postprandial sleepiness would yield measurable data.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe cadaver birds actually provided a eureka\u0026nbsp;moment for Chang. After putting one into the one-legged pose, \u0026ldquo;I don\u0026rsquo;t know what made me do it, but I just kind of grabbed the leg and picked it up,\u0026rdquo; he says. The bird maintained its posture. \u0026ldquo;Here we have a non-living animal able to stand on one leg. Obviously, if it\u0026rsquo;s not alive, then\u0026nbsp;the muscles are not activated.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECan flamingo biomechanics help treat human movement and balance disorders?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If we know how much is passive mechanics and how much the nervous system has to control, it puts researchers in a better position to treat people,\u0026rdquo; Chang says. Flamingo biomechanics can mean better wearable artificial limbs and longer battery life for stability supports.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERobots could also benefit. Getting robots to balance can be difficult; sensing the environment and making adjustments is how they currently do it. \u0026ldquo;But if you design the biomechanics of a robot in the right way, not so much sensing but a sort of feedback control,\u0026rdquo; Ting says, \u0026ldquo;then they would have this passive ability, and they would be more robust in uncertain environments.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The big pink birds stand, sleep on one leg to relax, Tech research suggests"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn findings that could\u0026nbsp;mean better robots and prosthetics, Georgia Tech researchers show it is biomechanically possible for flamingos to stand and even sleep on one leg with little muscle effort.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Tech researchers have a new theory on why flamingos stand and sleep on one leg."}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2017-05-24 17:41:38","changed_gmt":"2017-05-24 19:31:50","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-05-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-05-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"592044":{"id":"592044","type":"image","title":"Lena Ting","body":null,"created":"1495562306","gmt_created":"2017-05-23 17:58:26","changed":"1495562306","gmt_changed":"2017-05-23 17:58:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225630","name":"Lena Ting .png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lena%20Ting%20.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lena%20Ting%20.png","mime":"image\/png","size":332880,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Lena%20Ting%20.png?itok=N9ohu3Za"}},"592042":{"id":"592042","type":"image","title":"Young-Hui Chang","body":null,"created":"1495562064","gmt_created":"2017-05-23 17:54:24","changed":"1495562064","gmt_changed":"2017-05-23 17:54:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225629","name":"Young-Hui Chang.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Young-Hui%20Chang.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Young-Hui%20Chang.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":41392,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Young-Hui%20Chang.jpg?itok=vw-Wy4hF"}},"592049":{"id":"592049","type":"image","title":"James Ballance (left), bird curator at Zoo Atlanta, works with juveniles flamingos as Tech professor Young-Hui Chang looks on. (Photo by Lena Ting.)  ","body":null,"created":"1495563118","gmt_created":"2017-05-23 18:11:58","changed":"1495563171","gmt_changed":"2017-05-23 18:12:51","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225634","name":"Flamingo study #1.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flamingo%20study%20%231.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flamingo%20study%20%231.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":914851,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Flamingo%20study%20%231.JPG?itok=5vlcdvzW"}},"592048":{"id":"592048","type":"image","title":"A flamingo at Zoo Atlanta. (Photo by Adam Thompson\/Zoo Atlanta.)","body":null,"created":"1495562883","gmt_created":"2017-05-23 18:08:03","changed":"1495562883","gmt_changed":"2017-05-23 18:08:03","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225633","name":"Flamingo #1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flamingo%20%231.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Flamingo%20%231.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":599126,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Flamingo%20%231.jpg?itok=Ekp7F96T"}},"592047":{"id":"592047","type":"image","title":"Juvenile flamingo on a force plate at Zoo Atlanta (Photo by Rob Felt\/Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1495562740","gmt_created":"2017-05-23 18:05:40","changed":"1495562740","gmt_changed":"2017-05-23 18:05:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225632","name":"Juvenile flamingo \u0026 force plate.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Juvenile%20flamingo%20%26%20force%20plate.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Juvenile%20flamingo%20%26%20force%20plate.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":120527,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Juvenile%20flamingo%20%26%20force%20plate.jpg?itok=HsHAsT0V"}},"592050":{"id":"592050","type":"image","title":"Lena Ting (left) and Young-Hui Chang with flamingos at Zoo Atlanta. (Photo by Rob Felt\/Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1495568262","gmt_created":"2017-05-23 19:37:42","changed":"1495568262","gmt_changed":"2017-05-23 19:37:42","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225635","name":"Ting:Chang and flamingos.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ting%3AChang%20and%20flamingos_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Ting%3AChang%20and%20flamingos_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":113987,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Ting%3AChang%20and%20flamingos_0.jpg?itok=CdZU5s_2"}}},"media_ids":["592044","592042","592049","592048","592047","592050"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"591290":{"#nid":"591290","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Decades of Data on World\u2019s Oceans Reveal a Troubling Oxygen Decline","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new analysis of decades of data on oceans across the globe has revealed that the amount of dissolved oxygen contained in the water \u0026ndash; an important measure of ocean health \u0026ndash; has been declining for more than 20 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Institute of Technology looked at a historic dataset of ocean information stretching back more than 50 years and searched for long term trends and patterns. They found that oxygen levels started dropping in the 1980s as ocean temperatures began to climb.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The oxygen in oceans has dynamic properties, and its concentration can change with natural climate variability,\u0026rdquo; said Taka Ito, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences who led the research. \u0026ldquo;The important aspect of our result is that the rate of global\u0026nbsp;oxygen loss appears to be exceeding the level of nature\u0026#39;s random variability.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, which was published April in \u003Cem\u003EGeophysical Research Letters\u003C\/em\u003E, was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The team included researchers from the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the University of Washington-Seattle, and Hokkaido University in Japan.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFalling oxygen levels in water have the potential to impact the habitat of marine organisms worldwide and in recent years led to more frequent \u0026ldquo;hypoxic events\u0026rdquo; that killed or displaced populations of fish, crabs and many other organisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have for years anticipated that rising water temperatures would affect the amount of oxygen in the oceans, since warmer water is capable of holding less dissolved gas than colder water. But the data showed that ocean oxygen was falling more rapidly than the corresponding rise in water temperature.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The trend of oxygen falling is\u0026nbsp;about two to three times faster than what we predicted from the decrease of solubility associated with the ocean warming,\u0026rdquo; Ito said. \u0026ldquo;This is most\u0026nbsp;likely due to\u0026nbsp;the changes in ocean circulation and mixing associated with the heating of the near-surface waters and melting of polar ice.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe majority of the oxygen in the ocean is absorbed from the atmosphere at the surface or created by photosynthesizing phytoplankton. Ocean currents then mix that more highly oxygenated water with subsurface water. But rising ocean water temperatures near the surface have made it more buoyant and harder for the warmer surface waters to mix downward with the cooler subsurface waters. Melting polar ice has added more freshwater to the ocean surface \u0026ndash; another factor that hampers the natural mixing and leads to increased ocean stratification.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;After the mid-2000s, this trend became apparent, consistent\u0026nbsp;and statistically significant -- beyond the envelope of year-to-year fluctuations,\u0026rdquo; Ito said. \u0026ldquo;The trends are particularly\u0026nbsp;strong in the\u0026nbsp;tropics, eastern margins of each\u0026nbsp;basin and the subpolar North Pacific.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn an earlier study, Ito and other researchers explored why oxygen depletion was more pronounced in tropical waters in the Pacific Ocean. They found that air pollution drifting from East Asia out over the world\u0026rsquo;s largest ocean contributed to oxygen levels falling in tropical waters thousands of miles away.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOnce ocean currents carried the iron and nitrogen pollution to the tropics, photosynthesizing phytoplankton went into overdrive consuming the excess nutrients. But rather than increasing oxygen, the net result of the chain reaction was the depletion oxygen in subsurface water.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat, too, is likely a contributing factor in waters across the globe, Ito said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. OCE-1357373 and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under Grant No. NA16OAR4310173. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E Takamitsu Ito, Shoshiro Minobe, Matthew C. Long and Curtis Deutsch,\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;Upper Ocean O2 trends: 1958-2015,\u0026rdquo; (Geophysical Research Letters, April 2017).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new analysis of decades of data on oceans across the globe has revealed that the amount of dissolved oxygen contained in the water \u0026ndash; an important measure of ocean health \u0026ndash; has been declining for more than 20 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new analysis of decades of data on oceans across the globe has revealed that the amount of dissolved oxygen contained in the water \u2013 an important measure of ocean health \u2013 has been declining for more than 20 years."}],"uid":"31758","created_gmt":"2017-05-03 18:42:53","changed_gmt":"2020-01-07 15:22:11","author":"Josh Brown","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-05-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-05-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"591304":{"id":"591304","type":"image","title":"Waves Breaking","body":null,"created":"1493841924","gmt_created":"2017-05-03 20:05:24","changed":"1493841924","gmt_changed":"2017-05-03 20:05:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225318","name":"iStock-649618452.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/iStock-649618452.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/iStock-649618452.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":619862,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/iStock-649618452.jpg?itok=nGrV0BSH"}},"591303":{"id":"591303","type":"image","title":"Ocean Oxygen Decline","body":null,"created":"1493841794","gmt_created":"2017-05-03 20:03:14","changed":"1493841794","gmt_changed":"2017-05-03 20:03:14","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225317","name":"oceanoxygen.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/oceanoxygen.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/oceanoxygen.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1341297,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/oceanoxygen.jpg?itok=IqyvelR2"}},"536351":{"id":"536351","type":"image","title":"Taka Ito","body":null,"created":"1463590800","gmt_created":"2016-05-18 17:00:00","changed":"1475895322","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:22","alt":"Taka Ito","file":{"fid":"89459","name":"ito_mug.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ito_mug.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ito_mug.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":156673,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ito_mug.jpg?itok=kdDWNKvs"}}},"media_ids":["591304","591304","591303","536351"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:john.toon@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["john.toon@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"591280":{"#nid":"591280","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Find New Source of Dangerous Electrical Instability in the Heart","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESudden cardiac death resulting from fibrillation \u0026ndash; erratic heartbeat due to electrical instability \u0026ndash; is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Now, researchers have discovered a fundamentally new source of that electrical instability, a development that could potentially lead to new methods for predicting and preventing life-threatening cardiac fibrillation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA steady heartbeat is maintained by electrical signals that originate deep within the heart and travel through the muscular organ in regular waves that stimulate the coordinated contraction of muscle fibers. But when those waves are interrupted by blockages in electrical conduction \u0026ndash; such as scar tissue from a heart attack \u0026ndash; the signals can be disrupted, creating chaotic spiral-shaped electrical waves that interfere with one another. The resulting electrical turbulence causes the heart to beat ineffectively, quickly leading to death.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists have known that instabilities at the cellular level, especially variation in the duration of each electrical signal \u0026ndash; known as an action potential \u0026ndash; are of primary importance in creating chaotic fibrillation. By analyzing electrical signals in the hearts of an animal model, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have found an additional factor \u0026ndash; the varying amplitude of the action potential \u0026ndash; that may also cause dangerous electrical turbulence within the heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, supported by the National Science Foundation, was reported April 20 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EPhysical Review Letters\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Mathematically, we can now understand some of these life-threatening instabilities and how they develop in the heart,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFlavio Fenton\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics.\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026ldquo;We have proposed a new mechanism that explains when fibrillation will occur, and we have a theory that can predict, depending on physiological parameters, when this will happen.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe voltage signal that governs the electrically-driven heartbeat is mapped by doctors from the body surface using electrocardiogram technology, which is characterized by five main segments (P-QRS-T), each representing different activations in the heart. T waves occur at the end of each heartbeat, and indicate the back portion of each wave. Researchers have known that abnormalities in the T wave can signal an increased risk of a potentially life-threatening heart rhythm.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFenton and his collaborators studied the cellular action potential amplitude, which is controlled by sodium ion channels that are part of the heart\u0026rsquo;s natural regulatory system. Sodium ions flowing into the cells boost the concentration of cations \u0026ndash; which carry a positive charge \u0026ndash; leading to a phenomena known as depolarization, in which the action potential of the cell rises above its resting level. The sodium channels then close at the peak of the action potential.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile variations in the duration of the action potential indicate problems with the heart\u0026rsquo;s electrical system, the researchers have now associated dynamic variations in the amplitude of the action potential with conduction block and the onset of fibrillation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have shown for the first time that a fundamentally different instability related to amplitude may underlie or additionally affect the risk of cardiac instabilities leading to fibrillation,\u0026rdquo; said Richard Gray, one of the study\u0026rsquo;s co-authors and a biomedical engineer in the Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe mathematical analysis provides a simple explanation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;You can have one wave with a long amplitude followed by one wave with a short amplitude, and if the short one becomes too short, the next wave will not be able to propagate,\u0026rdquo; said Diana Chen, a Georgia Tech graduate student and first author of the study. \u0026ldquo;The waves going through the heart have to move together to maintain an effective heartbeat. If one of them breaks, the first wave can collide with the next wave, initiating the spiral waves.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf similar results are found in human hearts, this new understanding of how electrical turbulence forms could allow doctors to better predict who would be at risk of fibrillation. The information might also lead to the development of new drugs for preventing or treating the condition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;One next scientific step would be to investigate pharmaceuticals that would reduce or eliminate the cellular amplitude instability,\u0026rdquo; said Gray. \u0026ldquo;At the present time, most pharmaceutical approaches are focused on the action potential duration.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe critical role of electrical waves in governing the heart\u0026rsquo;s activity allows physics \u0026ndash; and mathematics \u0026ndash; to be used for understanding what is happening in this most critical organ, Fenton said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We have derived a mathematical explanation for how this happens, why it is dangerous and how it initiates an arrhythmia,\u0026rdquo; he explained. \u0026ldquo;We now have a mechanism that provides a better understanding of how these electrical disturbances originate. It\u0026rsquo;s only when you have these changes in wave amplitude that the signals cannot propagate properly.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChen studied at the FDA\u0026rsquo;s Center for Devices and Radiological Health through the NSF\/FDA Scholar-in- Residence Program. Operated in collaboration with the National Science Foundation\u0026rsquo;s Directorate for Engineering\u0026rsquo;s Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems, the program enables investigators in science, engineering and mathematics to develop research collaborations within the intramural research environment at the FDA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the paper included work from Ilija Uzelac, a postdoctoral fellow, and Conner Herndon, a graduate research assistant. All are from the Georgia Tech School of Physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under awards CNS-1347015 and CNS-1446675. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Fibrillation image provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and does not depict the research reported in this paper.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Diandian Diana Chen, et al., \u0026ldquo;A Mechanism for QRS Amplitude Alternans in Electrocardiograms and the Initiation of Spatiotemporal Chaos,\u0026rdquo; (Physical Review Letters, 2017). https:\/\/journals.aps.org\/prl\/abstract\/10.1103\/PhysRevLett.118.168101\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu) or Ben Brumfield (404-385-1933) (ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESudden cardiac death resulting from fibrillation \u0026ndash; erratic heartbeat due to electrical instability \u0026ndash; is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Now, researchers have discovered a fundamentally new source of that electrical instability, a development that could potentially lead to new methods for predicting and preventing life-threatening cardiac fibrillation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have discovered a fundamentally new source of electrical instability in the heart that can lead to dangerous rhythms."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2017-05-03 14:21:37","changed_gmt":"2017-05-04 18:16:16","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-05-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-05-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"591278":{"id":"591278","type":"image","title":"Heart spiral waves","body":null,"created":"1493820804","gmt_created":"2017-05-03 14:13:24","changed":"1493820804","gmt_changed":"2017-05-03 14:13:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225306","name":"spiral waves2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/spiral%20waves2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/spiral%20waves2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":172059,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/spiral%20waves2_0.jpg?itok=cjalfZ-X"}},"591285":{"id":"591285","type":"image","title":"Tracing of electrocardiogram","body":null,"created":"1493827212","gmt_created":"2017-05-03 16:00:12","changed":"1493827212","gmt_changed":"2017-05-03 16:00:12","alt":"Electrocardiogram trace of the heart","file":{"fid":"225309","name":"iStock-528814333.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/iStock-528814333.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/iStock-528814333.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2160951,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/iStock-528814333.jpg?itok=nfTRqsBu"}}},"media_ids":["591278","591285"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"174315","name":"fibrillation"},{"id":"174320","name":"cardiac instability"},{"id":"2583","name":"heart"},{"id":"174313","name":"heartbeat"},{"id":"174321","name":"electrical wave"},{"id":"4020","name":"chaotic"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"590097":{"#nid":"590097","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Get to Know the School of Math Professors","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs part of Mathematics Awareness Month, some of the professors in the School of Mathematics participated in interviews that explored their research focus, highlights of their career, and their personal insights. The interviews became a series of Get to Know the Math Professor articles that were featured on the School of Math website last month. All together, sixteen articles were published, and links to all of the articles are listed below.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-school-math-prof-matt-baker\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Matt Baker\u0022\u003EMatt Baker\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-michael-damron\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Michael Darmon\u0022\u003EMichael Darmon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-zaher-hani\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Zaher Hani\u0022\u003EZaher Hani\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-christine-heitsch\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Christine Heitsch\u0022\u003EChristine Heitsch\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-christian-houdr\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Christian Houdr\u00e9\u0022\u003EChristian Houdr\u0026eacute;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-dan-margalit\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Dan Margalit\u0022\u003EDan Margalit\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-tom-morley\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Tom Morley\u0022\u003ETom Morley\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-shahaf-nitzan\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Shahaf Nitzan\u0022\u003EShahaf Nitzan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/april-math-awareness-month\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Prasad Tetali\u0022\u003EPrasad Tetali\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-school-math-prof-joseph-rabinoff\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Joe Rabinoff\u0022\u003EJoe Rabinoff\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-martin-short\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Martin Short\u0022\u003EMartin Short\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-school-mathematics-prof-molei-tao\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Molei Tao\u0022\u003EMolei Tao\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-howie-weiss\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Howie Weiss\u0022\u003EHowie Weiss\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-yao-yao\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Yao Yao\u0022\u003EYao Yao\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-school-math-prof-xingxing-yu\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Xingxing Yu\u0022\u003EXingxing Yu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/news\/get-know-math-prof-haomin-zhou\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022 title=\u0022Haomin Zhao\u0022\u003EHaomin Zhou\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As part of Mathematics Awareness Month, some of the professors in the School of Mathematics participated in interviews that explored their research focus, highlights of their career, and their personal insights. "}],"uid":"34469","created_gmt":"2017-04-10 13:47:53","changed_gmt":"2017-04-10 13:47:53","author":"nmcleish3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-05-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-05-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"590946":{"#nid":"590946","#data":{"type":"news","title":"\u201cFirst Arrival\u201d Hypothesis in Darwin\u2019s Finches Gets Some Caveats","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBeing first in a new ecosystem provides major advantages for pioneering species, but the benefits may depend on just how competitive later-arriving species are. That is among the conclusions in a new study testing the importance of \u0026ldquo;first arrival\u0026rdquo; in controlling adaptive radiation of species, a hypothesis famously proposed for \u0026ldquo;Darwin\u0026rsquo;s Finches,\u0026rdquo; birds from the Galapagos Islands that were first brought to scientific attention by the famous naturalist.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology tested the importance of first arrival with bacterial species competing in a test tube. Using a bacterium that grows on plant leaves, they confirmed the importance of first arrival for promoting species diversification, and extended that hypothesis with some important caveats.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We wanted to understand the role of species colonization history in regulating the interaction between the rapidly-evolving bacterium \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas fluorescens SBW-25\u003C\/em\u003E and competing species and how that affected \u003Cem\u003EP. fluorescens\u003C\/em\u003E adaptive radiation in the ecosystem,\u0026rdquo; said Jiaqi Tan, a research scientist in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;The general pattern we find is that the earlier arrival of P. fluorescens allowed it to diversify to a greater extent. If the competing and diversifying species are very similar ecologically, we find a stronger effect of species colonization history on adaptive radiation.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research is reported April 26th in the journal \u003Cem\u003EEvolution\u003C\/em\u003E and was supported by the National Science Foundation. The study is believed to be the first rigorous experimental test of the role colonization history plays in adaptive radiation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEvolutionary biologist David Lack studied a group of closely-related bird species known as Darwin\u0026rsquo;s Finches, and popularized them in a book first published in 1947. Among his hypotheses was that the birds were successful in their adaptive radiation \u0026ndash; the evolutionary diversification of morphological, physiological and behavior traits \u0026ndash; because they were early colonizers of the islands. The finches filled the available ecological niches, taking advantage of the resources in ways that limited the ability of later-arriving birds to similarly establish themselves and diversify, he suggested.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The bird species that arrived after the finches could only use the resources that the finches weren\u0026rsquo;t using,\u0026rdquo; Tan explained. \u0026ldquo;The other birds could not diversify because there weren\u0026rsquo;t many resources left for them.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETan and other researchers in the laboratory of Georgia Tech Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/lin-jiang\u0022\u003ELin Jiang\u003C\/a\u003E tested that hypothesis using \u003Cem\u003EP. fluorescens\u003C\/em\u003E, which rapidly evolves into two general phenotypes differentiated by the ecological niches they adopt in static test tube microcosms. \u0026nbsp;Within the two major phenotypes \u0026ndash; known as \u0026ldquo;fuzzy spreaders\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;wrinkly spreaders\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; there are additional minor variations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers allowed the bacterium to colonize newly-established microcosms and diversify before introducing competing bacterial species. The six competitors, which varied in their niche and competitive fitness compared to \u003Cem\u003EP. fluorescens\u003C\/em\u003E, were introduced individually and allowed to grow through multiple generations. Their success and level of diversification were measured by placing microcosm samples onto agar plates and counting the number of colonies from each species and sub-species.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study also included the reverse of the earlier colonization history, allowing the competitor bacteria to establish themselves in microcosms before introducing the \u003Cem\u003EP. fluorescens.\u003C\/em\u003E The competitors included a broad range of organisms common in the environment, some of them retrieved from a lake near the Georgia Tech campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe experiment allowed the scientists to extend the hypothesis that Lack advanced 70 years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If the diversifying species and the competing species are very similar, you can have a strong priority effect in which the first-arriving species can strongly impact the ability of the later species to diversify,\u0026rdquo; said Jiang, a professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences. \u0026ldquo;If the species are different enough, then the priority effect is weaker, so there would be less support for the first arrival hypothesis.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAdaptive radiation has important implications for new ecosystems, particularly with organisms that evolve rapidly. \u003Cem\u003EP. fluorescens\u003C\/em\u003E produces as many as ten generations a day under the reported experimental conditions, which allowed the Georgia Tech scientists to study how they evolved over 120 generations \u0026ndash; changes that would have taken hundreds of years in finches.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe bacterial population studied in Jiang\u0026rsquo;s lab included as many as 100 million organisms, far more than the number of birds on the Galapagos Islands. The asexual reproduction of the bacteria meant the mutation rate likely also differed from that of the birds. Still, Jiang and Tan believe their study offers insights into how different species interact in new environments based on historical advantages.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;From the perspective of evolutionary biology, scientists often focus only on the particular species that interest them,\u0026rdquo; said Jiang, who studies community ecology. \u0026ldquo;We also need to think about the surrounding ecological context of the evolutionary process.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn future work Jiang hopes to study how the introduction of predators may combine with species competition to affect adaptive radiation. In addition to those already mentioned, the research team also included Georgia Tech Ph.D. student Xi Yang, who conducted the data analysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation under grants DEB-1257858 and DEB-1342754. \u0026nbsp;Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Jiaqi Tan, Xian Yang and Lin Jiang, \u0026ldquo;Species ecological similarity modulates the importance of colonization history for adaptive radiation,\u0026rdquo; (Evolution 2017). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/ 10.1111\/evo.13249\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/ 10.1111\/evo.13249\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu) or Ben Brumfield (404-385-1933) (ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBeing first in a new ecosystem provides major advantages for pioneering species, but the benefits may depend on just how competitive later-arriving species are. That is among the conclusions in a new study testing the importance of \u0026ldquo;first arrival\u0026rdquo; in controlling adaptive radiation of species, a hypothesis famously proposed for \u0026ldquo;Darwin\u0026rsquo;s Finches,\u0026rdquo; birds from the Galapagos Islands that were first brought to scientific attention by the famous naturalist.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have extended the hypothesis for how early arriving species gain an ecosystem advantage through adaptive radiation."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2017-04-26 00:39:38","changed_gmt":"2017-04-26 13:12:30","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-04-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-04-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"590944":{"id":"590944","type":"image","title":"Colonies of competing bacteria","body":null,"created":"1493166323","gmt_created":"2017-04-26 00:25:23","changed":"1493166323","gmt_changed":"2017-04-26 00:25:23","alt":"Blue-green colonies of Pseudomonas fluorescens with competitor","file":{"fid":"225160","name":"first-arrival1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/first-arrival1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/first-arrival1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":391521,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/first-arrival1.jpg?itok=69IMyVxm"}},"590945":{"id":"590945","type":"image","title":"Retrieving water samples to study bacteria","body":null,"created":"1493166456","gmt_created":"2017-04-26 00:27:36","changed":"1493166456","gmt_changed":"2017-04-26 00:27:36","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225161","name":"piedmont2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/piedmont2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/piedmont2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1480150,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/piedmont2.jpg?itok=GvDmEwR4"}}},"media_ids":["590944","590945"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"174203","name":"Darwin\u0027s Finches"},{"id":"174201","name":"first arrival"},{"id":"174202","name":"adaptive radiation"},{"id":"2029","name":"Competition"},{"id":"20751","name":"Lin Jiang"},{"id":"4098","name":"ecosystem"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"590776":{"#nid":"590776","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joel Kostka on Microbes and Climate Change","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat can microorganisms teach us about climate change?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPlenty, because microbes respond, adapt, and evolve faster than other organisms. Scientists can discover how microorganisms will change because of global warming more quickly than is possible for complex organisms. Understanding how microbes respond to climate change will help predict its effects on other forms of life, including humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYet our understanding of microbes\u0026rsquo; complex functions in ecosystems and their interaction with a warming planet is incomplete. Filling the knowledge gaps is crucial, says a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.asm.org\/index.php\/colloquium-reports\/item\/4479-microbes-and-climate-change?utm_source=volunteers\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_campaign=climate-change\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;report just released by the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Geophysical Union\u003C\/a\u003E. The report, based on a workshop of experts, underscores the importance of microbes in ecosystems buffeted by climate change and identifies priorities for future study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addressing climate change, it\u0026rsquo;s important to understand the importance of microbes in ecosystems, says Joel E. Kostka, a professor in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003Ethe School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/Joel_Kostka\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. He was invited to the workshop for his expertise on microbes in terrestrial polar environments. Despite their size, microorganisms provide critical services to ecosystems, Kostka says. \u0026ldquo;Through activities that produce or consume greenhouse gases, microbes intimately impact Earth\u0026rsquo;s climate.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMicrobes are the decomposers, breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients, Kostka says. \u0026ldquo;Literally, the clean air we breathe and the food we eat depend upon carbon and nutrient cycling \u0026ndash; ecosystem services provided by microbes.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the processes microbes mediate are complex and need to be better understood, Kostka says, \u0026ldquo;so we can make accurate predictions of how ecosystems will respond to climate change.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne example of that complexity is plant-microbe interactions. Thousands of microbial species make up plant microbiomes \u0026ndash; microbes that live inside or on plants.\u0026nbsp; Microbiomes help plants grow better through nutrient acquisition among many functions. Conversely, microbes process organic matter produced by plants.\u0026nbsp; How microbial communities will change due to Earth\u0026rsquo;s warming will depend on how plants respond and vice versa, Kostka says. To understand the effect of climate change on ecosystems, we have to know how plants and microbiomes interact or communicate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlso highlighted by the workshop, Kostka says, is the need for communication across scientific disciplines. \u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;I found myself informing the chemists on the latest information we have on microbes and microbial activity in wetlands, for example.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe report is intended for the public, educators, and the broader science community, Kostka says. \u0026ldquo;I would hope that it represents a call to action for better understanding of microbiomes in the environment.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"\u201cMicrobes intimately impact Earth\u0027s climate,\u201d says the College of Sciences professor"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhat can microorganisms teach us about climate change? Plenty, because microbes respond, adapt, and evolve faster than other organisms. Scientists can discover how microorganisms will change because of global warming more quickly than is possible for complex organisms. Understanding how microbes respond to climate change will help predict its effects on other forms of life, including humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"What can microorganisms teach us about climate change? "}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-04-21 22:09:08","changed_gmt":"2017-04-21 22:15:41","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"590775":{"id":"590775","type":"image","title":"Joel E. Kostka","body":null,"created":"1492812104","gmt_created":"2017-04-21 22:01:44","changed":"1493918568","gmt_changed":"2017-05-04 17:22:48","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225082","name":"Joel Kostka.2017.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.2017.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.2017.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":542185,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.2017.jpg?itok=M5WvCqxC"}},"590777":{"id":"590777","type":"image","title":"Kostka is an expert on microbes in terrestrial polar environments.","body":null,"created":"1492812690","gmt_created":"2017-04-21 22:11:30","changed":"1492813060","gmt_changed":"2017-04-21 22:17:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225083","name":"Joel Kostka terrestrial polar environment.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka%20terrestrial%20polar%20environment.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka%20terrestrial%20polar%20environment.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":407821,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joel%20Kostka%20terrestrial%20polar%20environment.jpg?itok=Ixyh88Fq"}}},"media_ids":["590775","590777"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.asm.org\/images\/Colloquia-report\/FAQ-Microbes-and-Climate-change-web.pdf","title":"Microbes and Climate Change"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7572","name":"microbes"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"},{"id":"174114","name":"microbiomes"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"590867":{"#nid":"590867","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Exosomes Have a Sense of Urgency","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EExosomes, tiny vesicles smaller than red blood cells, were once thought of as molecular trash bins. And it\u0026rsquo;s true, these nanoparticles do carry off a cell\u0026rsquo;s discarded material.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut that disposable\u0026nbsp;payload, which can include mRNAs and proteins, can be picked up by other cells, which means that exosomes play an important role as messengers, helping to carry out the critical cell-to-cell communication that multicellular organisms depend on for survival.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENot only can exosomes communicate and provide transport over long distances \u0026ndash; they also happen to be in the ideal size range for lymphatic transport, a concept that has long captivated Brandon Dixon and Fred Vannberg, researchers in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, and others interested in the future of the lymphatic targeted drug delivery systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELast year, Dixon and Vannberg collaborated on a groundbreaking research paper in the \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;journal,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EScientific Reports\u003C\/em\u003E, entitled, \u0026ldquo;Lymphatic transport of exosomes as a rapid route of information dissemination to the lymph node.\u0026rdquo; Their results suggested that exosomes facilitate the rapid exchange of infection-specific information from peripheral tissue to the lymph node, essentially priming the node for an effective innate immune response.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETheir latest paper, \u0026ldquo;TLR-exosomes exhibit distinct kinetics and effector function,\u0026rdquo; published recently in the same journal (\u003Cem\u003EScientific Reports\u003C\/em\u003E, March 2017), digs deeper, making a striking new discovery along the way: Exosomes move with what looks like an increased sense of urgency depending on their payload.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Not only do we find out that these exosomes can inform the node of what kind of specific immune response to initiate \u0026ndash; is it viral, or a bacterial infection? It\u0026rsquo;s that specific \u0026ndash; but we found out the uptake of exosomes from viral-infected cells was different from the control exosomes,\u0026rdquo; says Vannberg, an assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;They move much faster,\u0026rdquo; notes Dixon, associate professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. \u0026ldquo;It was really dramatic. Their uptake to the node was a lot quicker when they contained pathogen information. This is a completely novel finding. Something on the surface of the exosomes has to be communicating with the micro-environment to enhance lymphatic transport, but we really don\u0026rsquo;t know why this happens yet.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers demonstrated the enhanced (if unexpected) trafficking of pathogenic-stimulated exosomes, which also have an inclination to recruit infection-fighting neutrophils (white blood cells) along the way.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo after encountering, say, a virus on a peripheral tissue, the exosome acts in a couple of ways, sending the information rapidly across long distances to the lymph node, then bringing the molecular cavalry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe lead author of the latest paper was biology Ph.D. candidate Swetha Srinivasan, who was lead author on the last paper and is co-advised by Dixon and Vannberg. Other authors included grad students James Moore and Shashidhar Ravishankar, and undergrads Michelle Su and Pamelasara Head.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers say having cutting-edge core facilities close at hand, within the Petit Institute, was critical to the work (giving a shout-out to research scientist Shweta Biliya, for her management of the High Throughput DNA Sequencing Core in the acknowledgements section of the paper).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0026rsquo;s work, partially funded by an interdisciplinary Petit Institute seed grant, produced important findings on the road to targeted therapy. But the findings lead to the inevitable sequel.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In the next chapter, we\u0026rsquo;ll talk about immunotherapy,\u0026rdquo; Dixon says. \u0026ldquo;These results suggest we can go beyond targeting and enhance the transportation itself. Whether that is a way to improve, say, vaccine efficacy or drug delivery to the lymph nodes for tumor therapy remains to be seen. But those are the avenues where these results can have important implications.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELINKS:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/srep41623\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;TLR-exosomes exhibit distinct kinetics and effector function\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/vannberg.biology.gatech.edu:8080\/VannbergLab\/home.html\u0022\u003EVannberg lab\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/llbb.gatech.edu\/Home.html\u0022\u003ELaboratory of Lymphatic Biology and Bioengineering\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New research from Dixon and Vannberg labs illuminate critical role of courier nanoparticles"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research from Dixon and Vannberg labs illuminate critical role of courier nanoparticles\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New research from Dixon and Vannberg labs illuminate critical role of courier nanoparticles"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2017-04-25 01:52:16","changed_gmt":"2017-05-15 17:23:23","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"590873":{"id":"590873","type":"image","title":"Lymphatics","body":null,"created":"1493125322","gmt_created":"2017-04-25 13:02:02","changed":"1493125322","gmt_changed":"2017-04-25 13:02:02","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225128","name":"bigstock-lymphatic-system-59943878.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bigstock-lymphatic-system-59943878.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bigstock-lymphatic-system-59943878.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2270952,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bigstock-lymphatic-system-59943878.jpg?itok=P28IIs5g"}},"302161":{"id":"302161","type":"image","title":"Fred Vannberg","body":null,"created":"1449244592","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:56:32","changed":"1493147592","gmt_changed":"2017-04-25 19:13:12","alt":"","file":{"fid":"199575","name":"vannbergfred2014.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":981984,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/vannbergfred2014_0.jpg?itok=FGux4fUo"}},"590869":{"id":"590869","type":"image","title":"Brandon Dixon","body":null,"created":"1493086001","gmt_created":"2017-04-25 02:06:41","changed":"1493086001","gmt_changed":"2017-04-25 02:06:41","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225126","name":"dixon-profile-lab_4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dixon-profile-lab_4.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dixon-profile-lab_4.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":120708,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dixon-profile-lab_4.jpg?itok=2Gx2Evsn"}}},"media_ids":["590873","302161","590869"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"174155","name":"exosomes"},{"id":"174156","name":"lymphatics"},{"id":"9316","name":"immune system"},{"id":"126221","name":"go-immuno"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"590050":{"#nid":"590050","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lisa D. Redding: Outstanding Graduate Academic Advising \u2013 Staff Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/lisa-redding\u0022\u003ELisa D. Redding\u003C\/a\u003E is the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Graduate Academic Advising \u0026ndash; Staff Award. Redding is the academic program coordinator for two Ph.D. programs: the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioinformatics Graduate Program\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E (QBios).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy all indications, Redding is the guardian angel every graduate student, as well as graduate program director, wishes for.\u0026nbsp; She is a student advocate, faculty partner, problem solver, go-to person, administrator par excellence. Especially to international students, Redding is the comforting reassurance that whatever vexing problems arise in their educational journey, a suitable solution will be found.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudents and faculty alike sing high praises of Redding.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Lisa Redding is an exemplary advisor, but an even better person,\u0026rdquo; says a former M.S. Bioinformatics student. \u0026ldquo;She is consistently going above and beyond for all students and is always informative, respectful, and just delightful to be around.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Lisa embodies the spirit of a graduate academic advisor,\u0026rdquo; says another former M.S. Bioinformatics student. \u0026ldquo;She radiates a certain quality of happiness and confidence that made me feel secure in my decision to attend Georgia Tech and confident in my first days in the program.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Georgia Tech staff have a remarkable sense of service for members of the academic community. Lisa is an outstanding example of that spirit,\u0026rdquo; say nine QBios students in a nomination letter. \u0026ldquo;She showed genuine interest in our lives and would always ask if there were ways she could be helping.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERedding \u0026ldquo;has been the highest performing ... member of staff I have had the pleasure to work with at this great and well-run institute,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/jung-choi\u0022\u003EJung H. Choi\u003C\/a\u003E, a 30-year faculty member, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences, and the director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/professional-masters-admission\u0022\u003EProfessional M.S. Bioinformatics Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERedding\u0026rsquo;s cheerful disposition puts students at ease and helps them focus on their work rather than unduly worrying about paperwork, says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/king-jordan\u0022\u003EI. King Jordan\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences and the director of the Bioinformatics Graduate Program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;She is available to students, responsive to their needs, as well as introspective and thoughtful in trying to bridge the gap between student perceptions and program administration,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences and the director of QBios. \u0026ldquo;She has been a tremendous asset in recruitment and in student satisfaction.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It is a privilege to work with the graduate students and faculty in the Bioinformatics and QBioS programs,\u0026rdquo; Redding says.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;I am honored to be recognized for my service.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Student advocate, faculty partner, problem solver, go-to person, administrator par excellence"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/lisa-redding\u0022\u003ELisa D. Redding\u003C\/a\u003E is the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Graduate Academic Advising \u0026ndash; Staff Award. Redding is the academic program coordinator for two Ph.D. programs: the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioinformatics Graduate Program\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E (QBios).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Lisa D. Redding is the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Graduate Academic Advising \u2013 Staff Award. "}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-04-07 19:02:28","changed_gmt":"2017-05-03 16:54:12","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"590049":{"id":"590049","type":"image","title":"Lisa D. Redding","body":null,"created":"1491591270","gmt_created":"2017-04-07 18:54:30","changed":"1491591270","gmt_changed":"2017-04-07 18:54:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224795","name":"Lisa Redding Headshots 053_edit.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lisa%20Redding%20Headshots%20053_edit.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lisa%20Redding%20Headshots%20053_edit.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3195572,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Lisa%20Redding%20Headshots%20053_edit.jpg?itok=VaOB2_bT"}}},"media_ids":["590049"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1808","name":"graduate students"},{"id":"174017","name":"2017 Outstanding Graduate Academic Advising - Staff Award"},{"id":"174018","name":"Lisa Redding"},{"id":"168667","name":"QBioS"},{"id":"174019","name":"M.S. in Bioinformatics"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"590491":{"#nid":"590491","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Behind the Iron Curtain: How Methane-Making Microbes Kept the Early Earth Warm","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor much of its first two billion years, Earth was a very different place: oxygen was scarce, microbial life ruled, and the sun was significantly dimmer than it is today. Yet the rock record shows that vast seas covered much of the early Earth under the faint young sun.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists have long debated what kept those seas from freezing. A popular theory is that potent gases such as methane \u0026ndash; with many times more warming power than carbon dioxide \u0026ndash; created a thicker greenhouse atmosphere than required to keep water liquid today.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the absence of oxygen, iron built up in ancient oceans. Under the right chemical and biological processes, this iron rusted out of seawater and cycled many times through a complex loop, or \u0026ldquo;ferrous wheel.\u0026rdquo; Some microbes could \u0026ldquo;breathe\u0026rdquo; this rust in order to outcompete others, such as those that made methane. When rust was plentiful, an \u0026ldquo;iron curtain\u0026rdquo; may have suppressed methane emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The ancestors of modern methane-making and rust-breathing microbes may have long battled for dominance in habitats largely governed by iron chemistry,\u0026rdquo; said Marcus Bray, a biology Ph.D. candidate in the laboratory of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/Jennifer_Glass\u0022\u003EJennifer Glass\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the Georgia Institute of Technology\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and principal investigator of the study funded by NASA\u0026rsquo;s Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology Program. The research was reported in the journal \u003Cem\u003EGeobiology\u003C\/em\u003E on April 17, 2017.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing mud pulled from the bottom of a tropical lake, researchers at Georgia Tech gained a new grasp of how ancient microbes made methane despite this \u0026ldquo;iron curtain.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollaborator Sean Crowe, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, collected mud from the depths of Indonesia\u0026rsquo;s Lake Matano, an anoxic iron-rich ecosystem that uniquely mimics early oceans. Bray placed the mud into tiny incubators simulating early Earth conditions, and tracked microbial diversity and methane emissions over a period of 500 days. Minimal methane was formed when rust was added; without rust, microbes kept making methane through multiple dilutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExtrapolating these findings to the past, the team concluded that methane production could have persisted in rust-free patches of ancient seas. Unlike the situation in today\u0026rsquo;s well-aerated oceans, where most natural gas produced on the seafloor is consumed before it can reach the surface, most of this ancient methane would have escaped to the atmosphere to trap heat from the early sun.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the research team included Georgia Tech professors Frank Stewart and Tom DiChristina, Georgia Tech postdoctoral scholars Jieying Wu and Cecilia Kretz, Georgia Tech Ph.D. candidate Keaton Belli, Georgia Tech M.S. student Ben Reed, University of British Columbia postdoctoral scholar Rachel Simister, Indonesian Institute of Sciences researcher Cynthia Henny, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography professor Jay Brandes, and University of Kansas professor David Fowle.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was funded by NASA Exobiology grant NNX14AJ87G. Support was also provided by a Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (NSF-CDEBI OCE-0939564) small research grant, and by the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NNA15BB03A). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring organizations.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Bray M.S., J. Wu, B.C. Reed, C.B. Kretz, K.M. Belli, R.L. Simister, C. Henny, F.J. Stewart, T.J. DiChristina, J.A. Brandes, D.A. Fowle, S.A. Crowe, J.B. Glass. 2017. \u0026quot;Shifting microbial communities sustain multi-year iron reduction and methanogenesis in ferruginous sediment incubations,\u0026quot; (Geobiology 2017). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1111\/gbi.12239\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1111\/gbi.12239\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu) or Ben Brumfield (404-385-1933) (ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn the early Earth, methane production could have persisted in rust-free patches of ancient seas. Unlike the situation in today\u0026rsquo;s well-aerated oceans, where most natural gas produced on the seafloor is consumed before it can reach the surface, most of this ancient methane would have escaped to the atmosphere to trap heat from the early sun.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study shows how methane may have warmed the early Earth."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2017-04-17 13:17:57","changed_gmt":"2017-04-17 13:21:26","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"590488":{"id":"590488","type":"image","title":"Incubators for early Earth conditions","body":null,"created":"1492434374","gmt_created":"2017-04-17 13:06:14","changed":"1492434374","gmt_changed":"2017-04-17 13:06:14","alt":"Microbial incubators","file":{"fid":"224965","name":"microbial-methane6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/microbial-methane6.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/microbial-methane6.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":336987,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/microbial-methane6.jpg?itok=FJU8ocEs"}},"590490":{"id":"590490","type":"image","title":"Studying early Earth methane","body":null,"created":"1492434507","gmt_created":"2017-04-17 13:08:27","changed":"1492434507","gmt_changed":"2017-04-17 13:08:27","alt":"Jennifer Glass and Marcus Bray","file":{"fid":"224967","name":"microbial-methane4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/microbial-methane4.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/microbial-methane4.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":602390,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/microbial-methane4.jpg?itok=8jxz61Qj"}}},"media_ids":["590488","590490"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"34961","name":"iron"},{"id":"174064","name":"iron cycle"},{"id":"174065","name":"ferrous wheel"},{"id":"7572","name":"microbes"},{"id":"135881","name":"earth Earth"},{"id":"12800","name":"methane"},{"id":"79441","name":"jennifer glass"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"589734":{"#nid":"589734","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A \u0022Gut Reaction\u0022 to Georgia Tech Biology Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe story of warring bacterial armies started as a Georgia Tech research published in February. Now it\u0026#39;s a nationally distributed podcast produced by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and you can thank the researchers\u0026#39; unique mix of biology\u0026nbsp;and math for inspiring NSF to tell the story widely in this format.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nsf.gov\/news\/mmg\/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=82054\u0026amp;from\u0022\u003E\u0026quot;The Discovery Files\u0026quot;\u003C\/a\u003E recently highlighted the work of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ratclifflab.biology.gatech.edu\/about%20the%20pi.htm\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022\u003ESamuel Brown,\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in a 90-second radio feature titled \u0026quot;A Gut Reaction.\u0026quot; The podcast is based on a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/ncomms14371\u0022\u003Epaper\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;published on Feb. 6, 2017, in the journal Nature Communications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biosci\/physics\/cholera-bacterial-warfare\u0022\u003EThe researchers used math and physics equations to find patterns and consistency in how two competing armies of cholera bacteria attack\u0026nbsp;each other\u003C\/a\u003E. The work could someday help scientists develop targeted therapies using engineered microbes\u0026nbsp;that could kill infectious, harmful bacteria while sparing helpful ones.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENSF, which helped fund the research, creates a weekly audio report on the latest scientific research. \u0026quot;The Discovery Files\u0026quot; airs on radio stations throughout the U.S.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYou can listen to\u0026nbsp;\u0026quot;A Gut Reaction\u0026quot; \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/media.science360.gov\/audio\/podcast\/gutreaction.mp3\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHammer and Brown are associate professors in the School of Biological Sciences. Ratcliff and Yunker are\u0026nbsp;assistant professors, respectively, in the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Physics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The National Science Foundation brings Tech\u0027s mix of math and biology to radio "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation\u0026#39;s \u0026quot;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nsf.gov\/news\/mmg\/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=82054\u0026amp;from\u0022\u003EDiscovery Files\u0026quot;\u003C\/a\u003E radio feature has highlighted the work of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ratclifflab.biology.gatech.edu\/about%20the%20pi.htm\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022\u003ESamuel Brown,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eand \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in a 90-second audio feature titled \u0026quot;A Gut Reaction.\u0026quot; The feature was based on a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/ncomms14371\u0022\u003Epaper\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;published on Feb. 6, 2017 in the journal Nature Communications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The National Science Foundation creates podcast from Tech research. "}],"uid":"27561","created_gmt":"2017-04-04 14:22:09","changed_gmt":"2017-04-12 18:48:20","author":"Angela Ayers","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"589633":{"id":"589633","type":"image","title":"Yunker, Hammer, Ratcliff and cholera","body":null,"created":"1490992732","gmt_created":"2017-03-31 20:38:52","changed":"1490992732","gmt_changed":"2017-03-31 20:38:52","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224657","name":"Yunker, Hammer, Ratcliff \u0026 cholera.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker%2C%20Hammer%2C%20Ratcliff%20%26%20cholera.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Yunker%2C%20Hammer%2C%20Ratcliff%20%26%20cholera.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":53391,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Yunker%2C%20Hammer%2C%20Ratcliff%20%26%20cholera.jpg?itok=4JDUkeXS"}}},"media_ids":["589633"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biosci\/physics\/cholera-bacterial-warfare","title":"Cholera Bacteria Stab and Poison Enemies so Predictably"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"174043","name":"go-PetitInstitute College of Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"170084","name":"cholera"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"7572","name":"microbes"},{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"},{"id":"108591","name":"Will Ratcliff"},{"id":"167226","name":"Samuel Brown"},{"id":"168707","name":"Peter Yunker"},{"id":"362","name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"173942","name":"The Discovery Files"},{"id":"3063","name":"Audio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"589386":{"#nid":"589386","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hair Spacing Keeps Honeybees Clean During Pollination","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith honeybee colony health wavering and researchers trying to find technological ways of pollinating plants in the future, a new Georgia Tech study has looked at how the insects do their job and manage to stay clean.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the study, a honeybee can carry up to 30 percent of its body weight in pollen because of the strategic spacing of its nearly three million hairs. The hairs cover the insect\u0026rsquo;s eyes and entire body in various densities that allow efficient cleaning and transport.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research found that the gap between each eye hair is approximately the same size as a grain of dandelion pollen, which is typically collected by bees. This keeps the pollen suspended above the eye and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bQZQH93H1KY\u0026amp;feature=youtu.be\u0022\u003Eallows the forelegs to comb through and collect the particles\u003C\/a\u003E. The legs are much hairier and the hair is very densely packed \u0026mdash; five times denser than the hair on the eyes. This helps the legs collect as much pollen as possible with each swipe. Once the forelegs are sufficiently scrubbed and cleaned by the other legs and the mouth, they return to the eyes and continue the process until the eyes are free of pollen.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech team tethered bees and used high speed cameras to create the first quantified study of the honeybee cleaning process. They watched as the insects were able to remove up to 15,000 particles from their bodies in three minutes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Without these hairs and their specialized spacing, it would be almost impossible for a honeybee to stay clean,\u0026rdquo; said Guillermo Amador, who led the study while pursuing his doctoral degree at Georgia Tech in mechanical engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis was evident when Amador and the team created a robotic honeybee leg to swipe pollen-covered eyes. When they covered the leg with wax, the smooth, hairless leg gathered four times less pollen.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe high-speed videos also revealed something else.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Bees have a preprogrammed cleaning routine that doesn\u0026rsquo;t vary,\u0026rdquo; said Marguerite Matherne, a Ph.D. student in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;Even if they\u0026rsquo;re not very dirty in the first place, bees always swipe their eyes a dozen times, six times per leg. The first swipe is the most efficient, and they never have to brush the same area of the eye twice.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research also found that pollenkitt, the sticky, viscous fluid found on the surface of pollen grains, is essential. When the fluid was removed from pollen during experiments, bees accumulated half as much.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If we can start learning from natural pollinators, maybe we can create artificial pollinators to take stress off of bees,\u0026rdquo; said David Hu, a professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;Our findings may also be used to create mechanical designs that help keep micro and nanostructured surfaces clean.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, \u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-3190\/aa5c6e?utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_source=iop\u0026amp;utm_term=\u0026amp;utm_campaign=11293-33554\u0026amp;utm_content=Read%20More\u0022\u003EHoneybee hairs and pollenkitt are essential for pollen capture and removal\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026rdquo; is published in the journal \u003Cem\u003EBioinspiration and Biomimetics\u003C\/em\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe study is partially supported by the National Science Foundation (PHY-1255127). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Researchers quantify the cleaning process"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA honeybee can carry up to 30 percent of its body weight in pollen because of the strategic spacing of its nearly three million hairs. The hairs cover the insect\u0026rsquo;s eyes and entire body in various densities that allow efficient cleaning and transport.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research found that the gap between each eye hair is approximately the same size as a grain of dandelion pollen, which is typically collected by bees. This keeps the pollen suspended above the eye and allows the forelegs to comb through and collect the particles.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A honeybee can carry up to 30 percent of its body weight in pollen because of the strategic spacing of its nearly three million hairs. "}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2017-03-28 14:38:57","changed_gmt":"2017-03-31 19:14:08","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"589383":{"id":"589383","type":"image","title":"Honeybee ","body":null,"created":"1490711060","gmt_created":"2017-03-28 14:24:20","changed":"1490711060","gmt_changed":"2017-03-28 14:24:20","alt":"Bee and pollen","file":{"fid":"224556","name":"Bee and commercial pollen.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bee%20and%20commercial%20pollen.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bee%20and%20commercial%20pollen.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":347124,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Bee%20and%20commercial%20pollen.jpg?itok=E4tP-ZN5"}},"589384":{"id":"589384","type":"image","title":"Leg Hair of a Honeybee","body":null,"created":"1490711487","gmt_created":"2017-03-28 14:31:27","changed":"1490711487","gmt_changed":"2017-03-28 14:31:27","alt":"Leg hair","file":{"fid":"224557","name":"leg hair.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/leg%20hair.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/leg%20hair.png","mime":"image\/png","size":332999,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/leg%20hair.png?itok=w9YUG5Vl"}},"589382":{"id":"589382","type":"image","title":"Bee Eye Hair","body":null,"created":"1490710893","gmt_created":"2017-03-28 14:21:33","changed":"1490710893","gmt_changed":"2017-03-28 14:21:33","alt":"Eye hair of honeybee","file":{"fid":"224555","name":"Bee hair eye.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bee%20hair%20eye.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bee%20hair%20eye.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":373841,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Bee%20hair%20eye.jpg?itok=1jjtOyWK"}}},"media_ids":["589383","589384","589382"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/iopscience.iop.org\/article\/10.1088\/1748-3190\/aa5c6e?utm_medium=email\u0026utm_source=iop\u0026utm_term=\u0026utm_campaign=11293-33554\u0026utm_content=Read%20More","title":"Read the study"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/sh\/h76laozcgdljrxb\/AAC6Abs9WnmWr0tc63hOITxra?dl=0","title":"More photos and videos"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"108731","name":"School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"1183","name":"Home"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173881","name":"Honeybee"},{"id":"173882","name":"Pollination"},{"id":"297","name":"David Hu"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nNational Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nmaderer@gatech.edu\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"589372":{"#nid":"589372","#data":{"type":"event","title":"Hands-On Quantitative Biosciences Modeling Workshop: Stochastic Gene Expression","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDo you want to integrate computational models of living systems into your research or courses, but have limited (or no) prior modeling experience?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Quantitative Biosciences (QBios) and a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and first-year QBios Ph.D. students\u0026nbsp;invite you to\u0026nbsp;a two-day,\u0026nbsp;hands-on workshop intended for Ph.D. students and instructional faculty in the life sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJoshua Weitz\u0026nbsp;will teach this two-day hands-on modeling workshop on the theme of \u0026quot;Stochastic Gene Expression.\u0026quot; He will be joined by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/college-sciences-welcomes-inaugural-class-interdisciplinary-phd-program-quantitative-biosciences\u0022\u003Einaugural cohort\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;of QBioS.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two-day workshop will cover the following:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EIntroduction to gene expression theory\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EIntroduction to basic programming concepts in MATLAB and Python.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EModeling stochastic gene expression.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EModeling randomness across biological scales\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EConsultation on individual project\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERegistration is required. However, the workshop has reached maximum number of registrants. Still, you can register to go on a wait list.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERegister at\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nhttps:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSfSyLHOek3aoaOJZcg0eNWf-TIw0z-z3vLkclmE1bnXIEgnzA\/viewform?c=0\u0026amp;w=1\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis two-day workshop on the theme of \u0026quot;Stochastic Gene Expression\u0026quot; will be taught by Joshua Weitz and is bilingual. You can learn in MATLAB or Python.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Intended for Ph.D. students and instructional faculty in the life sciences"}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-03-27 22:06:09","changed_gmt":"2017-05-11 19:42:23","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2017-05-22T01:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2017-05-23T01:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2017-05-23T01:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2017-05-22 05:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2017-05-23 05:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2017-05-23 05:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/qbios-workshop-2017","title":"QBioS Modeling Workshop: Stochastic Gene Expression"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173878","name":"quantitative biosciences"},{"id":"173879","name":"modeling stochastic gene expression"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"168667","name":"QBioS"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"26411","name":"Training\/Workshop"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"},{"id":"78751","name":"Undergraduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003Eworkshop2017@qbios.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"588845":{"#nid":"588845","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Empathy from the Sick May be Critical to Halting Disease Outbreaks","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA little empathy can go a long way toward ending infectious disease outbreaks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0026rsquo;s a conclusion from researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in collaboration with a researcher from KAUST, who used a networked variation of game theory to study how individual behavior during an outbreak of influenza \u0026ndash; or other illness \u0026ndash; affects the progress of the disease, including how rapidly the outbreak dies out.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research study pitted the self-interests of susceptible individuals against those of infected persons, and found that only if sick persons took precautions to avoid infecting others could the illness be eradicated. Healthy people attempting to protect themselves couldn\u0026rsquo;t, by themselves, stop the disease from spreading. Among the key factors was empathy of infected persons.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We wanted to understand disease dynamics from an individual\u0026rsquo;s perspective,\u0026rdquo; said Ceyhun Eksin, a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;In particular, we wanted to know what role individual behavior plays in disease spread and how behavior might affect forecasting and consequences in the long run when there is an outbreak.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, reported March 14 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EScientific Reports\u003C\/em\u003E, was sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Office. The work used mathematical models that took into account how infectious diseases spread and the effects of measures taken to control them.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPublic health initiatives against seasonal diseases like influenza tend to initially focus on immunization programs, which move individuals out of the \u0026ldquo;susceptible\u0026rdquo; category. Once an outbreak begins, health campaigns focus on encouraging susceptible persons to take precautions such as hand-washing and avoiding infected people.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe success of those measures may depend on individual perceptions of how great the risk of infection might be, Eksin noted. The more awareness individuals have of infected persons around them, the more likely they are to protect themselves. Perception can also affect the behavior of infected individuals, who may be more likely to stay home from work or cover their cough, for instance, if they believe their presence could infect a significant number of people.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If an infected person really wants to attend a meeting at work, it\u0026rsquo;s one thing if only one other person could be at risk,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;It may be a different thing if they could affect a whole office of susceptible people.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe empathy of sick persons becomes especially important toward the end of an outbreak, when the number of infected persons may be low, but still enough to sustain the illness. When the number of sick people is low, risk perception falls, leading susceptible people to reduce their precautions \u0026ndash; and sick people to feel less concern about infecting others.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf those sick persons then decide to head off to work despite their illness, they may infect unsuspecting susceptible people, causing the outbreak to continue. \u0026ldquo;The behavior of the infected individuals can be more important than the behavior of the susceptible individuals in eradicating the disease,\u0026rdquo; said Eksin. \u0026ldquo;A little bit of empathy can be crucial at this point.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the research examined the results of individual actions during an outbreak, those individual decisions were actually related because individuals are part of networks of contacts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In a connected network, everyone\u0026rsquo;s activities can affect you in one way or another,\u0026rdquo; Eksin said. \u0026ldquo;If your sick neighbors decide to isolate themselves, then you don\u0026rsquo;t need to take any action to protect yourself against them. But you don\u0026rsquo;t necessarily know what your neighbors are doing, and their actions may well be affected by what others are doing. The effect can cascade.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile calculating such interactions could be intractable from a computing standpoint, the authors introduced an algorithm based on game theoretic concepts that allows a logical resolution. \u0026ldquo;Our analysis provides a principled response to recent calls to integrate game theory with disease dynamics to understand how individuals should act in response to disease development.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results of the work may improve the ability to predict individual behavior such as risk aversion or empathy. That would allow better forecasting of outbreaks and facilitate more efficient use of resources such as vaccines and public health awareness advertising. But additional information may be required to effectively make such predictions, Eksin said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChanging individual behavior in response to risk perception may point toward the importance of adjusting communication campaigns as disease fluctuates. And the importance of self-isolating for infected individuals may suggest more awareness initiatives aimed specifically at that group rather than susceptible persons.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When we studied individual behavior, empathy trumped risk aversion in disease eradication, which was counterintuitive for us,\u0026rdquo; Eksin added. \u0026ldquo;We need to champion the benefits of empathy by sick individuals to eradicate disease in the community.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is supported by the Army Research Office under grant W911NF-14-1-0402, and in part by KAUST. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring organization.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ceyhun Eksin, Jeff S. Shamma, and Joshua S. Weitz, \u0026ldquo;Disease dynamics in a stochastic network game: a little empathy goes a long way in averting outbreaks,\u0026rdquo; (Scientific Reports, 2017). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/srep44122\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/srep44122\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu) or Ben Brumfield (404-385-1933) (ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA little empathy can go a long way toward ending infectious disease outbreaks.\u0026nbsp;That\u0026rsquo;s a conclusion from researchers who used a networked variation of game theory to study how individual behavior during an outbreak of influenza \u0026ndash; or other illness \u0026ndash; affects the progress of the disease, including how rapidly the outbreak dies out.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A little empathy can go a long way toward ending infectious disease outbreaks."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2017-03-16 00:48:43","changed_gmt":"2017-04-03 20:38:54","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-03-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-03-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"588842":{"id":"588842","type":"image","title":"Preventing disease spread","body":null,"created":"1489624624","gmt_created":"2017-03-16 00:37:04","changed":"1489624624","gmt_changed":"2017-03-16 00:37:04","alt":"Effects of a sneeze","file":{"fid":"224410","name":"sneeze11161.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sneeze11161.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sneeze11161.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":850542,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sneeze11161.jpg?itok=CIffyX7a"}},"588843":{"id":"588843","type":"image","title":"Hand-washing to prevent disease spread","body":null,"created":"1489624727","gmt_created":"2017-03-16 00:38:47","changed":"1489624727","gmt_changed":"2017-03-16 00:38:47","alt":"Hand-washing","file":{"fid":"224411","name":"hand-washing-13532.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hand-washing-13532.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hand-washing-13532.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":550941,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hand-washing-13532.jpg?itok=rLqZ_mwV"}},"588844":{"id":"588844","type":"image","title":"empathy level","body":null,"created":"1489624859","gmt_created":"2017-03-16 00:40:59","changed":"1489624859","gmt_changed":"2017-03-16 00:40:59","alt":"Empathy level","file":{"fid":"224412","name":"epidemic threshold.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/epidemic%20threshold.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/epidemic%20threshold.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":68889,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/epidemic%20threshold.jpg?itok=ZrszX-Us"}}},"media_ids":["588842","588843","588844"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"5302","name":"Disease"},{"id":"4622","name":"outbreak"},{"id":"173780","name":"emphathy"},{"id":"8460","name":"game theory"},{"id":"173781","name":"infected"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"589218":{"#nid":"589218","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Dunn Institute Chair To Support Two Professorships","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEDITOR\u0026#39;S NOTE: This story was first published in the Winter 2017 issue of Philanthropy Quarterly.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBack when Douglas Dunn was a Georgia Tech student\u0026nbsp;(PHYS 1964, MS IM 1965), he worked in the physics department, breaking labs down and setting them back up again every weekend. That experience, he recalls, made the depart\u0026shy;ment as much a part of him as he was of it. So when the Dunn Family Foundation designated a gift for an Institute Chair at Georgia Tech, it was with one request \u0026mdash; that the first term-of-years recipients would be in the School of Physics. Thereafter, the Office of the Provost will periodically re-deploy the Dunn Institute Chair across other academic disciplines.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor this appointment, Paul Goldbart, dean and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Suther\u0026shy;land Chair in the College of Sciences, proposed an idea: Split the endowment between two physics faculty members.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDunn said that was fine with him. \u0026ldquo;With gifts, you want the recipients to use the money wisely and well,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis endowment is one of three major gifts to Georgia Tech from the Dunn Family Foun\u0026shy;dation, which was established upon the death of Dunn\u0026rsquo;s father, an educator. \u0026ldquo;Our family has always believed in education as a source of strength for our society,\u0026rdquo; Dunn said. \u0026ldquo;This is our way of supporting faculty as they engage in their research, teaching, student, and commu\u0026shy;nity service agendas.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGoldbart says this gift could not have come at a better time for the two recipients. \u0026ldquo;A natural but thorny challenge is what we sometimes call \u0026lsquo;the bootstrap problem,\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;How to achieve lift-off with the most innovative and adventurous projects when the path forward isn\u0026rsquo;t yet clear and it\u0026rsquo;s too early to secure extramural support. The Dunn family\u0026rsquo;s generosity overcomes precisely this challenge, empowering our professors to tackle high-risk, high-reward questions. That is exactly what we want them to do.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe current recipients of Dunn Family Institute Professorships are physicists Deirdre Shoemaker, director of the Center for Relativis\u0026shy;tic Astrophysics, and Daniel Goldman, a leader of the Physics of Living Systems Network.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;Shoemaker\u0026rsquo;s theoretical work on the astrophysics of black holes and gravitational waves, and Goldman\u0026rsquo;s experiments on animal locomotion and its implications for robotics, are splendid examples of adventurous projects that are producing high-impact results,\u0026rdquo; Gold\u0026shy;bart said. \u0026ldquo;We are very proud to have them as our colleagues, and we are deeply grateful to the Dunn family for their tremendous support.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPhoto Captions\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDunn Family Associate Professor Deirdre Shoemaker discusses the astrophysical implications of the LIGO discovery confirming the existence of gravitational waves with Ph.D. candidate Karan Jani and Postdoctoral Research Fellow James Clark.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDan Goldman, Dunn Family Associate Professor in the Georgia Tech School of Physics, is shown with the \u0026ldquo;MuddyBot\u0026rdquo; robot, which uses the locomotion principles of the mudskipper to move through a trackway filled with granular materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETo inquire about making a gift to the School of Physics, contact Art G. Wasserman, director of development for the College of Sciences, at 404.894.3529 or \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:arthur.wasserman@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Earthur.wasserman@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"School of Physics\u0027 Dan Goldman, Deirdre Shoemaker split endowment "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe donor for Dunn Family Institute Chair at Georgia Tech requested that the\u0026nbsp;inaugural award be in the School of Physics. College of Sciences Dean Paul Goldbart had an idea: Split the endowment between two physics faculty members.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professorships empower School of Physics faculty to tackle high-risk, high-reward questions."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-03-23 19:32:28","changed_gmt":"2017-03-24 13:18:36","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-03-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-03-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"589220":{"id":"589220","type":"image","title":"Deirdre Shoemaker","body":null,"created":"1490297672","gmt_created":"2017-03-23 19:34:32","changed":"1490297672","gmt_changed":"2017-03-23 19:34:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224509","name":"Deirdre Shoemaker.Capture.PNG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Deirdre%20Shoemaker.Capture.PNG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Deirdre%20Shoemaker.Capture.PNG","mime":"image\/png","size":2901833,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Deirdre%20Shoemaker.Capture.PNG?itok=Sfk2GRzJ"}},"550281":{"id":"550281","type":"image","title":"Dan Goldman and MuddyBot","body":null,"created":"1467727200","gmt_created":"2016-07-05 14:00:00","changed":"1475895345","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:45","alt":"Dan Goldman and MuddyBot","file":{"fid":"218163","name":"muddybot-36.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/muddybot-36_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/muddybot-36_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2013666,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/muddybot-36_0.jpg?itok=Cpazb5nL"}}},"media_ids":["589220","550281"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"173841","name":"Dunn Institute Chair"},{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"13402","name":"Deirdre Shoemaker"},{"id":"172356","name":"Paul Goldbart"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66111","name":"Georgia Tech Foundation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"588189":{"#nid":"588189","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Reveals Complication Predictors in Children with Crohn\u2019s Disease","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have successfully identified biological signatures in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease (CD) capable of predicting whether a child will develop disease-related complications requiring major surgery within three to five years. The results of this research, \u0026ldquo;Prediction of complicated disease course for children newly diagnosed with Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease: a multicentre inception cohort study,\u0026rdquo; have been published in the journal, The Lancet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis groundbreaking work is the result of the Crohn\u0026rsquo;s \u0026amp; Colitis Foundation\u0026rsquo;s \u0026ldquo;RISK Stratification\u0026rdquo; study, the largest new-onset study completed on pediatric Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease patients. It is a multicenter research initiative that consists of 25 U.S. institutions and three from Canada and a cohort of 1,112 CD children enrolled at diagnosis, of which 913 were included in the published study. Of the 28 research sites, four are located in Atlanta - Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Children\u0026rsquo;s Healthcare of Atlanta, and the Children\u0026rsquo;s Center for Digestive Health Care. The goal of this research was to identify measurable indicators of the two most common complications in pediatric Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease that require surgery - stricturing and penetrating disease.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStricturing, also referred to as fibrostenosis, is characterized by a build-up of fibrotic scar tissue which leads to thickening of the intestinal wall and narrowing of the intestinal passage. Penetrating disease is the result of sustained inflammation that spreads beyond the intestinal wall resulting in the creation of fistulas, abnormal connections between the intestine and other organs. Penetrating complications can also lead to the formation of abscesses at the sites of fistulas.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Twenty five percent of patients with Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease account for 80 percent of complications, hospitalizations, surgery and health care costs. The aim of RISK is to preemptively identify those 25 percent of patients at diagnosis,\u0026rdquo; Subra Kugathasan, M.D., Emory University, principal investigator and lead author of the paper. \u0026ldquo;Through the study of baseline gene expression, immune reactivity, and intestinal bacteria, we have identified distinct biological signatures capable of predicting stricturing and penetrating disease, at diagnosis. After analyzing millions of biological and clinical data points, RISK has generated a composite risk stratification model.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;Stricturing and penetrating disease account for substantial morbidity in both pediatric and adult patients with Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease, but there are no validated models to predict risk and the effect of treatment,\u0026quot; said Caren Heller, M.D., chief scientific officer of the Foundation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERISK study researchers looked at intestinal gene expression levels to identify risk factor genes whose levels are altered (increased or decreased) at enrollment, and identified distinct biological gene expression signatures at baseline that could distinguish children who will develop strictures form those who develop fistulas or abscesses, without the confounding effects of treatment on gene expression. Therefore, these genetic signatures together with other biological and clinical variables they evaluated could be used as predictors of complications and treatment outcomes at diagnosis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;Importantly, the functional nature of these genetic signatures is consistent with the clinical presentation of the complications,\u0026quot; said Ted Denson, M.D., Cincinnati Children\u0026#39;s Hospital, co-principal investigator and lead author of the paper. \u0026quot;This means that while patients who develop fibrostenosis exhibit, at diagnosis, increased levels of several genes involved in the fibrosis process, patients who develop penetrating disease have increased levels of genes involved in the inflammatory response.\u0026quot;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to providing predictive biological signatures for development of complications, the RISK study also found that patients who receive early anti-TNFa biologic treatment, within three months of diagnosis, were less likely to develop penetrating complications. However, patients with stricturing complications were poorly responsive to early intervention with biologics. These data support the utility of risk stratification of pediatric Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease patients at diagnosis, and may guide early tailored use of anti-TNFa therapy. The data also highlight the unmet medical need to find new treatment options for children likely to develop strictures.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;These discoveries are great steps toward precision medicine in the treatment of pediatric Crohn\u0026#39;s disease,\u0026rdquo; said Andr\u0026eacute;s Hurtado-Lorenzo, Ph.D., Director of Translational Research of the Foundation. \u0026ldquo;In the coming years, we plan to translate these findings into a risk diagnostic tool that could use these biological signatures as biomarkers to predict risk of complications and to help clinicians make therapeutic decisions at diagnosis.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Foundation has made significant investments in support of pediatric IBD research through the PRO-KIIDS network, an umbrella for clinics participating in pediatric IBD research. Although many projects are expected to arise from this network the Risk Stratification has been the flagship study. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Pediatric patients are the fastest growing group of the IBD population. Under the auspices of the PRO-KIIDS network, every major pediatric IBD center in the country is touched by our work or funding,\u0026rdquo; said Michael Osso, President and CEO of the Foundation. \u0026ldquo;Through the network, and the results of the RISK study, we are furthering research that will significantly lower the treatment burden on kids, and help minimize side effects on the quality of life surrounding the most vulnerable of patients.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the study, Georgia Tech postdoctoral researcher Urko Marigorta analyzed RNAseq gene expression data from biopsies provided by Cincinnati Children\u0026#39;s Hospital. The work identified dozens of pathways that are differentially expressed in complicated disease, and showed that immune activity is more disrupted in penetrating disease while extracellular matrix is more involved in stricturing disease. Inclusion of these profiles in a statistical model with the serological and classical markers improved the predictive accuracy of the model significantly. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We performed statistical and bioinformatic analyses of the genomic data which led to enhanced discrimination of which patients are likely to progress to complicated disease,\u0026rdquo; said Greg Gibson, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences and one of the paper\u0026rsquo;s co-authors. \u0026ldquo;The involvement of TNF-alpha signaling in progression to stricturing disease is consistent with the overall finding that these are the patients who respond to TNF-alpha therapy.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis seminal work and its discovery represent over $10 million investment by the Crohn\u0026rsquo;s \u0026amp; Colitis Foundation, nearly 10 years of work, and collaborative team effort. Dr. Thomas Walters from the Hospital for Sick Kids, Canada shares lead authorship with Drs. Kugathasan and Denson. In addition, Dr. Jeffrey Hyams (Connecticut Children\u0026rsquo;s Medical Center), and Dr. Marla Dubinsky (Mount Sinai Hospital, New York) share authorship.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the RISK Stratification Study\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe RISK Stratification Study enrolled 1,800 patients from 28 clinics, with a focus on 913 children with Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease enrolled at diagnosis and complication-free following 90 days after diagnosis. This 36-month prospective inception cohort study included well documented clinical, demographic, and biological sample collection every six months on all patients for three years with continuing follow up for five years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Crohn\u0026#39;s \u0026amp; Colitis Foundation\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe Crohn\u0026#39;s \u0026amp; Colitis Foundation is the largest non-profit, voluntary, health organization dedicated to finding cures for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The Foundation\u0026rsquo;s mission is to cure Crohn\u0026#39;s disease and ulcerative colitis, and to improve the quality of life of children and adults who suffer from these diseases. The Foundation works to fulfill its mission by funding research; providing educational resources for patients and their families, medical professionals, and the public; and furnishing supportive services for those afflicted with IBD. For more information visit www.crohnscolitsfoundation.org.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E- Written by Crohn\u0026rsquo;s \u0026amp; Colitis Foundation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu) or Ben Brumfield (404-385-1933) (ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have successfully identified biological signatures in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease (CD) capable of predicting whether a child will develop disease-related complications requiring major surgery within three to five years. The results of this research, \u0026ldquo;Prediction of complicated disease course for children newly diagnosed with Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease: a multicentre inception cohort study,\u0026rdquo; have been published in the journal, The Lancet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have identified biological signatures in pediatric patients with Crohn\u2019s disease to predict whether they will develop complications."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2017-03-02 01:41:14","changed_gmt":"2017-03-02 01:46:15","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-03-01T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-03-01T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"588186":{"id":"588186","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech researchers analyze gene expression data","body":null,"created":"1488418170","gmt_created":"2017-03-02 01:29:30","changed":"1488418431","gmt_changed":"2017-03-02 01:33:51","alt":"Urko Marigorta and Greg Gibson","file":{"fid":"224154","name":"greg-gibson EDIT .jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/greg-gibson%20EDIT%20.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/greg-gibson%20EDIT%20.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1350522,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/greg-gibson%20EDIT%20.jpg?itok=l0vt43yG"}},"588188":{"id":"588188","type":"image","title":"Subra Kugathasan, Emory University principal investigator","body":null,"created":"1488418379","gmt_created":"2017-03-02 01:32:59","changed":"1488418379","gmt_changed":"2017-03-02 01:32:59","alt":"Subra Kugathasan, M.D., Emory University principal investigator","file":{"fid":"224155","name":"MED_Gastro_EvelynWhitaker_2016_5 .jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/MED_Gastro_EvelynWhitaker_2016_5%20.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/MED_Gastro_EvelynWhitaker_2016_5%20.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":831185,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/MED_Gastro_EvelynWhitaker_2016_5%20.jpg?itok=R-_C8jhY"}}},"media_ids":["588186","588188"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"173645","name":"Crohn\u0027s disease"},{"id":"7579","name":"biomarkers"},{"id":"173646","name":"RNAseq"},{"id":"7092","name":"gene expression"},{"id":"7084","name":"genomic"},{"id":"10645","name":"Greg Gibson"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"587659":{"#nid":"587659","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Raquel Lieberman Is Having A Great Year, and It\u2019s Only February","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/lieberman\/\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman,\u003C\/a\u003E associate professor at the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is having the Best. Winter. Ever.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat is, as long as you don\u0026rsquo;t count that whole Super Bowl thing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELieberman has started the year with excellent news: She\u0026rsquo;s been asked to serve on the academic editorial board of a major scientific journal, and she and her research team \u0026ndash; the Lieberman Lab - can continue their work on early-stage glaucoma, thanks to this month\u0026rsquo;s renewal of a $1.48 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We had known since June that the grant score we got was meritorious,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman says. \u0026ldquo;But you can\u0026rsquo;t count your chickens before they hatch.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf any birds have learned that the hard way, it\u0026rsquo;s the Atlanta Falcons. In the days before Super Bowl LI proved that point, Lieberman patiently waited to hear about her grant request.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHer spirits got a boost early this month when Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.osp.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOffice of Sponsored Programs\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026ndash; the Institute\u0026rsquo;s support department for research administration \u0026ndash; told her it needed to do some budget updating. \u0026ldquo;Which is a good sign,\u0026rdquo; she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;But then the Falcons lost.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELieberman was determined to not let that painful\u0026nbsp;collapse jinx her hopes or dampen her mood. Sure enough, the very next morning, Lieberman learned from NIH that she could continue her work and keep her staff of researchers employed for the next four years.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter the first five years of funding, \u0026ldquo;four more will be nine years straight of working on this exact same line of questioning, which is super, super gratifying,\u0026rdquo; she says. \u0026ldquo;We didn\u0026rsquo;t have anything in the beginning, just very basic observations. Because we were able to make important contributions to the field, NIH has given us more money to continue. That\u0026rsquo;s a huge milestone.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe path to success has included two advances in understanding glaucoma, a collection of eye diseases that make up the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.who.int\/bulletin\/volumes\/82\/11\/feature1104\/en\/\u0022\u003Esecond leading cause of blindness worldwide\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELieberman\u0026rsquo;s Lab focuses on the protein myocilin. When the gene encoding for myocilin has a defect, the resulting mutant protein is toxic to the part of the eye responsible for controlling eye pressure. Mutant myocilin accumulates, preventing the easy flow of aqueous humor fluid and raising eye pressure, which can damage the optic nerve. Myocilin-associated glaucoma is hereditary and early-onset, affecting the vision of children and adults through approximately age 35, Lieberman says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you gunk up the molecular sieve that lets fluid drain out of the eye, the pressure goes up,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. \u0026ldquo;This mutant protein kills the cells that are making sure that the sieve stays appropriately porous.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn 2014, the Lieberman Lab and collaborators at the University of Kansas and South Florida announced that they had \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/25027323\u0022\u003Eidentified molecules that could serve as drugs to block the impact of mutant myocilin\u003C\/a\u003E. The next year, Lieberman\u0026rsquo;s lab announced it had \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/25524706\u0022\u003Esolved the three-dimensional structure of a particular domain in myocilin \u0026ndash; the olfactomedin (OLF)\u003C\/a\u003E - that is tied to early-onset glaucoma.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOLF is where most of the protein mutations are documented in patients, and the new NIH grant will support studies that will help unlock more of myocilin\u0026rsquo;s mysteries.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELieberman\u0026rsquo;s fantastic February also includes the news that she\u0026rsquo;ll serve a three-year term as an academic editorial board member for \u003Cem\u003EPLoS (Public Library of Science) Biology.\u003C\/em\u003E The high-impact publication is known for spotlighting innovative research throughout the biological sciences. But before getting excited about the email inviting her to join \u003Cem\u003EPLoS Biology,\u003C\/em\u003E she had to make sure it was the real thing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Nowadays, if you\u0026rsquo;re an academic researcher, every morning you wake up to a lot of emails from people and entities you\u0026rsquo;ve never heard of inviting you to present at conferences or to submit manuscripts to journals. Because I get this spam all the time, I had to pause and realize this invitation was in fact the real deal.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELieberman will be handling the review of up to two articles each month, setting up peer reviews and helping to determine whether they should be accepted or rejected.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I have a lot of experience with rejection,\u0026rdquo; she jokes. \u0026ldquo;\u003Cem\u003EPLoS Biology\u003C\/em\u003E has high expectations,\u0026rdquo; she says, seriously. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ll see what comes down the pike. I\u0026rsquo;m very excited.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn her editorial role, Lieberman can also help fellow Georgia Tech researchers navigate the \u003Cem\u003EPLoS Biology\u003C\/em\u003E process for their own papers. \u0026ldquo;I want people around here to know that I can help facilitate their submissions,\u0026rdquo; she says. \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t officially be the editor for an article that\u0026rsquo;s from Georgia Tech, but I can help send them to somebody else.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Million-dollar grant renewal, invitation to PLoS Biology\u2019s board makes it a February to remember"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERaquel Lieberman has started the year with excellent news: She\u0026rsquo;s been asked to serve on the academic editorial board of a major scientific journal, and she and her research team can continue their work on early-stage glaucoma, thanks to this month\u0026rsquo;s renewal of a $1.48 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Raquel Lieberman, associate professor at the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is having the Best. Winter. Ever. "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2017-02-20 21:53:09","changed_gmt":"2017-02-21 15:34:02","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"587444":{"id":"587444","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1487107498","gmt_created":"2017-02-14 21:24:58","changed":"1487683948","gmt_changed":"2017-02-21 13:32:28","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223881","name":"Asso. Professor Raquel Lieberman.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Asso.%20Professor%20Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Asso.%20Professor%20Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":76097,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Asso.%20Professor%20Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg?itok=FnQxDdHh"}},"587662":{"id":"587662","type":"image","title":"The glaucoma-associated ofactomedin domain of myocilin normally exists as straight fibrils (left); mutation leads to a disease-causing variant forming large circular fibrils (right).  Courtesy of Raquel Lieberman. ","body":null,"created":"1487628024","gmt_created":"2017-02-20 22:00:24","changed":"1487628024","gmt_changed":"2017-02-20 22:00:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223964","name":"The glaucoma-associated ofactomedin domain of myocilin normally exists as straight fibrils (left); mutation leads to a disease-causing variant forming large circular fibrils (right).  Courtesy of Raquel Lieberman.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/The%20glaucoma-associated%20ofactomedin%20domain%20of%20myocilin%20normally%20exists%20as%20straight%20fibrils%20%28left%29%3B%20mutation%20leads%20to%20a%20disease-causing%20variant%20forming%20large%20circular%20fibrils%20%28right%29.%20%20Courtesy%20of%20Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/The%20glaucoma-associated%20ofactomedin%20domain%20of%20myocilin%20normally%20exists%20as%20straight%20fibrils%20%28left%29%3B%20mutation%20leads%20to%20a%20disease-causing%20variant%20forming%20large%20circular%20fibrils%20%28right%29.%20%20Courtesy%20of%20Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":84445,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/The%20glaucoma-associated%20ofactomedin%20domain%20of%20myocilin%20normally%20exists%20as%20straight%20fibrils%20%28left%29%3B%20mutation%20leads%20to%20a%20disease-causing%20variant%20forming%20large%20circular%20fibrils%20%28right%29.%20%20Courtesy%20of%20Raquel%20Lieberman.jpg?itok=aW1aZvWF"}}},"media_ids":["587444","587662"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"10858","name":"Raquel Lieberman"},{"id":"173471","name":"PLOS Biology"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"17401","name":"Glaucoma"},{"id":"84701","name":"myocilin"},{"id":"2270","name":"National Institutes of Health"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"587025":{"#nid":"587025","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cholera Bacteria Stab and Poison Enemies so Predictably","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe enemies were thrown together, so the killing began.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrandishing harpoon-like appendages covered in poison, two armies of cholera bacteria stabbed each other, rupturing victims like water balloons. Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology tracked the battle over sustenance and turf mathematically to gain insights that could, someday, lead to new, targeted therapies to fight infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut dueling bacteria would not be the infectors in that scenario; they\u0026rsquo;d be the remedy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EConceivably, specially engineered assassin bacteria friendly to humans could kill harmful bacteria while sparing hordes of microbes that keep people healthy. By contrast, the antibiotics we use today vanquish harmful and helpful bacteria alike.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you could target harmful bacteria in the human gut, you could use engineered bacteria as a living antibiotic,\u0026rdquo; said Brian Hammer, an \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eassociate professor at Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. He cautioned, \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re not anywhere near that right now.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECalculating bacteria\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut to harness bacteria for use in medicine or industry, or just to better understand how they thrive and spread, it\u0026rsquo;s helpful to determine the consistency of their actions over time. That\u0026rsquo;s where the math comes in.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers applied to the bacteria existing physics equations developed to precisely describe the interactions of atoms and molecules. They found that those calculations could also precisely predict that two cholera armies would separate from each other into phases, like oil and water, when they met on the battlefield.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The models predicted pretty much exactly when the phase separation would occur, and then we observed it happening just like the math said it would,\u0026rdquo; Hammer said. The predictive models were based what\u0026#39;s called a \u0026ldquo;Model A\u0026rdquo; equation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;Empirically, it\u0026#39;s been used to describe metals that undergo phase separation,\u0026rdquo; Hammer said. \u0026ldquo;The type of curve we observed describing our results had never been used to describe living systems before.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHammer and Georgia Tech biologists \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ratclifflab.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff, an assistant professor\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESamuel Brown, an associate professor\u003C\/a\u003E, teamed up with Peter Yunker, an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eassistant professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E for the research. They published their results in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/ncomms14371\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe journal Nature Communications\u003C\/a\u003E on Monday, February 6, 2017.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFirst authors were Hammer\u0026rsquo;s former graduate student \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.hammerlab.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/eryn-bernardy\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ebiologist Eryn Bernardy\u003C\/a\u003E, and Brown\u0026rsquo;s former postdoctoral assistant \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lukemcnally.wordpress.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELuke McNally\u003C\/a\u003E. Their research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the NASA Exobiology program, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Wellcome Trust and the Human Frontier Science Program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERotting crab shells\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECholera bacteria are commonly found in water attached with other microbes to the shells of crabs and tiny krill, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/cholera\/basics\/symptoms\/con-20031469\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epeople who drink that water can die\u003C\/a\u003E within hours due to the severe vomiting and diarrhea the germs cause. The impetus for doing math on dueling cholera came from how they wage turf war on crab shells, which contain a material called chitin that switches on the harpoon function in \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E. No chitin, no stabbing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I was studying this amazing biological system,\u0026rdquo; Hammer said, \u0026ldquo;and I was looking for a way to visualize it.\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff and Yunker had been applying microscopy and mathematics to study the dynamics of yeast evolution and suggested Hammer give the method a try.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut before getting to the math itself, it\u0026rsquo;s important to understand a few things about \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E. First of all, most microbiologists think cholera bacteria use the harpoons to kill competing bacteria and not to destroy human cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe poisonous weapon is called a Type VI secretion system (T6SS), and is common. \u0026ldquo;This harpoon system is in about one quarter of Gram-negative bacteria,\u0026rdquo; Hammer said. \u0026ldquo;So, this bacterial dueling is going on all around you.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGram-negative bacteria have thinner walls, which can be punctured more easily. Gram-positive bacteria have thicker walls less susceptible to the harpoons, and human cells may be even more difficult to penetrate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd the stabbing mechanism is not limited to pathogens like cholera. Many harmless bacteria use it, too. But more is known about the mechanism in pathogens, because harmful bacteria are more often the focus of scientific study than harmless bacteria, Hammer said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EArmed and generous\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHarpooning cholera stab randomly at all bacteria they come into contact with, including each other, but \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E of the same strain are immune to each other\u0026rsquo;s stabs. So, they kill their enemies but not their own kind.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe killing also appears to go hand in hand with cooperative social behavior. The researchers found that bacteria that are good at killing together are also good at sharing with each other and building a community.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt starts with creating a common pool of food. \u0026ldquo;Bacteria do a lot of their digestion outside their cells,\u0026rdquo; Hammer said. But having all that food lying around is risky.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;You need a strategy for ensuring that all the effort of chewing up and digesting food benefits you and your relatives, and not someone else who comes and plunders it.\u0026rdquo; When a strain of bacteria kills invaders, it preserves the fruits of its labor, and multiplies, passing on its genes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBrown\u0026rsquo;s postdoctoral researcher Luke McNally examined the genomes of many types of bacteria (in addition to cholera) that use poison harpoons. Some strains had six or seven harpoons, and some harpoons had multiple poisons. And there appeared to be a correlation between weapons and cooperation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We found that the more weaponry a bacteria strain had in its genome, the more it looked like it was apt to share,\u0026rdquo; Hammer said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPurple, red, blue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnder the microscope, the battling bacteria strains actually did look a little like beads of oil and water separating out on a flat surface. They were stained two different colors like red and blue, so they could be told apart.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We start with two strains well mixed,\u0026rdquo; Hammer said. \u0026ldquo;We jokingly call this the salad dressing model, because you shake oil and water, and they\u0026rsquo;re well mixed, and you let it sit, and they phase separate.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen they\u0026rsquo;re well mixed, the two strains of cholera appear as one purple mass, but as they kill each other and conquer separate territories, they divide into red blotches and blue blotches.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are significant differences between how chemical and living systems operate. For example, the bacteria also reproduce and multiply; molecules don\u0026rsquo;t. But the basic math that worked for materials\u0026nbsp;also worked for the bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFuture applications?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In your gut, a lot of useful bacteria are Gram-positive,\u0026rdquo; Hammer said. \u0026ldquo;But there might be a small number of Gram-negative bacteria messing up your gut community, and perhaps engineered bacteria with spears could get rid of just those Gram-negative.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlso, an external material like chitin, which switches the harpoon function on in cholera bacteria, could be given along with assassin bacteria to trigger their weaponry, and then deactivate it when the chitin is gone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EArben \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKalziqi\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003E and Jennifer Pentz, and Jacob Thomas all of Georgia Tech, also co-authored the research paper. The work was funded by the National Science Foundation (grants DEB-1456652, MCB-1149925), the NASA Exobiology program (grant NNX15AR33G), the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (grant 4308.07), the Wellcome Trust (grant WT095831) and the Human Frontier Science Program (grant RGP0011\/2014). Findings and opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the funding agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Scientists use physics equations that describe molecular interactions to predict bacterial battles; find correlation in genomes between weaponry and resource sharing"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECould bacteria with aggressive\u0026nbsp;weapons someday replace some antibiotics? Perhaps. Researchers are using math to predict cholera strains\u0026#39; effectiveness against competing cholera, as they stab and poison each other on the battlefield. Being able to calculate the\u0026nbsp;action\u0026nbsp;virtually as well as a chemical reaction helps open the door to biomedical and other engineering uses.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The actions of bacteria locked in battle are nearly as calculable as a chemical reaction."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2017-02-06 22:10:16","changed_gmt":"2017-02-07 19:46:34","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-02-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"587016":{"id":"587016","type":"image","title":"Peter Yunker watching stabbing cholera","body":null,"created":"1486416699","gmt_created":"2017-02-06 21:31:39","changed":"1486417786","gmt_changed":"2017-02-06 21:49:46","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223704","name":"YU.bac_.glass_.small_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/YU.bac_.glass_.small_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/YU.bac_.glass_.small_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":698281,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/YU.bac_.glass_.small_.jpg?itok=UL6URT4k"}},"587018":{"id":"587018","type":"image","title":"Mixed competing cholera bacteria phase separating","body":null,"created":"1486417075","gmt_created":"2017-02-06 21:37:55","changed":"1486417822","gmt_changed":"2017-02-06 21:50:22","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223708","name":"Phasing.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Phasing.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Phasing.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3577202,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Phasing.jpg?itok=uN9kt1Yo"}},"587020":{"id":"587020","type":"image","title":"Yunker, Hammer, Ratcliff, and dueling cholera","body":null,"created":"1486417407","gmt_created":"2017-02-06 21:43:27","changed":"1486417441","gmt_changed":"2017-02-06 21:44:01","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223709","name":"YUHARA.bac_.screen.SM_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/YUHARA.bac_.screen.SM_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/YUHARA.bac_.screen.SM_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1684468,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/YUHARA.bac_.screen.SM_.jpg?itok=Nk1-kM6R"}},"587023":{"id":"587023","type":"image","title":"Yunker, Hammer, Ratcliff, and cholera cultures","body":null,"created":"1486417613","gmt_created":"2017-02-06 21:46:53","changed":"1486417693","gmt_changed":"2017-02-06 21:48:13","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223711","name":"YUHARA.dish_.SM_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/YUHARA.dish_.SM_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/YUHARA.dish_.SM_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1234567,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/YUHARA.dish_.SM_.jpg?itok=jOt_9mzy"}},"587024":{"id":"587024","type":"image","title":"Competing strains of cholera bacteria in petri dish","body":null,"created":"1486418130","gmt_created":"2017-02-06 21:55:30","changed":"1486418130","gmt_changed":"2017-02-06 21:55:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223712","name":"Cholera.petri_.SM_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Cholera.petri_.SM_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Cholera.petri_.SM_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1502995,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Cholera.petri_.SM_.jpg?itok=jUNMnKpv"}}},"media_ids":["587016","587018","587020","587023","587024"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"168707","name":"Peter Yunker"},{"id":"108591","name":"Will Ratcliff"},{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"},{"id":"173410","name":"T6SS"},{"id":"171897","name":"Vibrio cholerae"},{"id":"170084","name":"cholera"},{"id":"173408","name":"Model A equation"},{"id":"173407","name":"phase separation"},{"id":"173409","name":"dueling bacteria"},{"id":"73201","name":"Gram-negative"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter and media contact: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E404-660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"586290":{"#nid":"586290","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Leadership Post for Payne","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChristine Payne, a researcher with the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, has been elected Councilor for the Physical Chemistry division of the American Chemistry\u0026nbsp;Society (ACS).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This is a way for me to contribute or give back to an organization that I\u0026rsquo;ve benefited from,\u0026rdquo; says Payne, an associate professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECouncilors in the ACS, who act as an advisory body, are elected by either their local section or division. In Payne\u0026rsquo;s case, she was elected through the Physical Chemistry division.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The division organizes symposia at ACS meetings, which I\u0026rsquo;ve been attending since 1999,\u0026rdquo; Payne says. \u0026ldquo;So I appreciate that they need volunteers to keep the organization running. And more generally, I think scientific societies like ACS are important for giving chemistry a voice.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPayne begins her two-year term this month.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELINKS:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.acs.org\/content\/acs\/en.html\u0022\u003EAmerican Chemistry\u0026nbsp;Society\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/payne\u0022\u003EChristine Payne Lab\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Petit Institute researcher elected as councilor in American Chemistry Society"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPetit Institute researcher elected as councilor in American Chemistry Society\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Petit Institute researcher elected as councilor in American Chemistry Society"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2017-01-23 13:58:16","changed_gmt":"2017-01-23 13:59:23","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-01-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-01-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"469041":{"id":"469041","type":"image","title":"Christine Payne","body":null,"created":"1449257160","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:26:00","changed":"1475895218","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:38","alt":"Christine Payne","file":{"fid":"203845","name":"christine_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/christine_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/christine_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2833652,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/christine_0_0.jpg?itok=DYg8etTj"}}},"media_ids":["469041"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"585775":{"#nid":"585775","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Cells Swallow  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECells have no obvious entryways for materials around them. They bring things inside by engulfing objects. Immune cells, for example, engulf pathogens, which can be larger than themselves. The process is called phagocytosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPhagocytosis depends on a cascade of chemical signals that instruct the cell to envelop the target and form a space where the pathogen will eventually be destroyed. Using super-resolution imaging, a Georgia Tech research team has observed the molecular reorganizations involved in the process. The \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cell.com\/biophysj\/pdf\/S0006-3495(16)31036-0.pdf\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E was published in and featured on the cover of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cell.com\/biophysj\/issue?pii=S0006-3495(15)X0026-9\u0022\u003EDecember 20, 2016, issue of Biophysical Journal\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings advance the understanding of how immune cells destroy pathogens, which could lead to new ways to treat infectious diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was well-known that changes in a cell\u0026rsquo;s shape during phagocytosis are primarily driven by the molecular reorganization of actin,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/curtisresearch.gatech.edu\/people\/daniel_kovari.html\u0022\u003EDaniel T. Kovari,\u003C\/a\u003E the lead author of the study. Kovari is a former Ph.D. student in the School of Physics who worked with Associate Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/jennifer-curtis\u0022\u003EJennifer E. Curtis\u003C\/a\u003E. Research in the Curtis lab focuses on mechanobiology and biointerfaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EActin is a protein involved in mechanically directing cell motion and is part of the cell\u0026rsquo;s cytoskeleton, the molecular network that gives structure to cells. \u0026ldquo;It was known that actin filaments aggregate near the region where a cell has made contact with a pathogen,\u0026rdquo; says \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.emory.edu\/home\/people\/postdoctoral-fellows\/index.html\u0022\u003EKovari, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was unclear how those filaments arrange during phagocytosis,\u0026rdquo; Curtis says. \u0026ldquo;We were particularly confused about how actin filaments can drive cell membrane extension around the target pathogen and then eventually constrict like a belt to pull the particle inward. The two processes require two very different orientations of the filaments. We set out to resolve how this could happen.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo visualize the process, the researchers used Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s capability in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/core-facilities\/optical-microscopy-core\/equipment\u0022\u003Esuper-resolution structured illumination optical microscopy\u003C\/a\u003E, housed in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/core-facilities\/optical-microscopy-core\/equipment\u0022\u003EOptical Microscopy Core\u003C\/a\u003E at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We captured detailed images of the actin cytoskeleton in white blood cells as they went through a flattened version of phagocytocis,\u0026rdquo; Kovari says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOBSERVING PHAGOCYTOCIS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPhagocytosis occurs in three-dimensional space, but microscopic techniques are two-dimensional. To overcome this mismatch, the team flattened the experimental set-up.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Instead of presenting simulated pathogen particles to white blood cells, we deposited the cells onto a microscope slide coated with antibodies, tricking the cells to perceive the entire surface as a giant pathogen,\u0026rdquo; Kovari says. \u0026ldquo;Once the cells make contact with the slide, they spread out, as if trying to engulf the entire surface, enabling us to capture the fine details of actin organization during phagocytosis.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPhagocytosis is an intricate process. Much research has focused on teasing out details of the chemical signaling cascade that triggers and orchestrates pathogen engulfment, Kovari says.\u0026nbsp; The biophysics aspects\u0026mdash;How does the cell change shape? What forces does the cell exert?\u0026mdash;have not received as much attention.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;But even in biophysics studies, phagocytic behavior is traditionally assayed by presenting white blood cells with pathogen-like particles,\u0026rdquo; Kovari notes. \u0026ldquo;While that method faithfully simulates natural phagocytosis, it is inherently three-dimensional and not suited for study using super-resolution microscopy, which works best when imaging a single plane. Without the added clarity achieved through super-resolution imaging, precise organization of actin fibers could not be discerned.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EACTIN ORGANIZATION DURING PHAGOCYTOSIS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESuper-resolution imaging revealed that actin arranges into two motifs during phagocytosis. As the cell is surrounding its target, actin forms a dense zone at the leading edges of the cell, expanding the zone and applying pressure to the cell membrane, pushing it out and around the target.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen the cell is stretched over its target, it pinches down and pulls the target into its interior. During this second phase, actin dramatically reorganizes to forms fiber-like bundles around the target, parallel to the cell membrane. Like purse strings, these bundles are pulled tight by molecular motor proteins, driving the membrane to close and trapping the pathogen inside.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECoauthors of the study are Wenbin Wei, Patrick Chang, Jan-Simon Toro, Ruth Fogg Beach, Karen Porter, Doyeon Koo, and Jennifer E. Curtis, from the Georgia Tech School of Physics, and Dwight Chambers, from the Georgia Tech Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis study was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation: PHY-0848797 and SRN-POLS 1205878.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers illuminate physical mechanisms driving white blood cells to engulf pathogens "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECells have no obvious entryways for materials in their surroundings. They bring things inside by engulfing objects. Immune cells, for example, engulf pathogens, which can be larger than themselves. The process is called phagocytosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPhagocytosis depends on a cascade of chemical signals that instruct the cell to envelop the target and form a space where the pathogen will eventually be destroyed. Using super-resolution imaging, a Georgia Tech research team has observed the molecular reorganizations involved in the process. The \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cell.com\/biophysj\/pdf\/S0006-3495(16)31036-0.pdf\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E was published in and featured on the cover of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cell.com\/biophysj\/issue?pii=S0006-3495(15)X0026-9\u0022\u003EDecember 20, 2016, issue of Biophysical Journal\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Using super-resolution imaging, a Georgia Tech research team has observed the molecular reorganizations involved in phagocytosis."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2017-01-10 19:55:19","changed_gmt":"2017-02-01 14:42:18","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-01-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-01-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"585777":{"id":"585777","type":"image","title":"Illuminating phagocytosis. Credit: Biophysical Journal","body":null,"created":"1484080118","gmt_created":"2017-01-10 20:28:38","changed":"1484080118","gmt_changed":"2017-01-10 20:28:38","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223290","name":"BiophysJ.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BiophysJ.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BiophysJ.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":172321,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/BiophysJ.jpg?itok=PeIAwfbe"}},"585804":{"id":"585804","type":"image","title":"Daniel T. Kovari","body":null,"created":"1484087320","gmt_created":"2017-01-10 22:28:40","changed":"1484087320","gmt_changed":"2017-01-10 22:28:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223299","name":"kovari.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kovari.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kovari.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":236177,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/kovari.jpg?itok=piRI8PEM"}},"585781":{"id":"585781","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Curtis. Credit: Judy Melton.","body":null,"created":"1484080784","gmt_created":"2017-01-10 20:39:44","changed":"1484080784","gmt_changed":"2017-01-10 20:39:44","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223292","name":"Jennifer Curtis taken by Judy Melton.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20taken%20by%20Judy%20Melton.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20taken%20by%20Judy%20Melton.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":19275,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Jennifer%20Curtis%20taken%20by%20Judy%20Melton.jpg?itok=E0FdEuJz"}}},"media_ids":["585777","585804","585781"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173187","name":"Phagocytosis"},{"id":"5081","name":"Jennifer Curtis"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"173188","name":"Daniel Kovari"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"582557":{"#nid":"582557","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Physics Dream Comes True in the CHAOS Lab","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/c\/Users\/arouhi3\/Documents\/CHAOS%20(Complex%20Heart%20Arrhythmias%20and%20other%20Oscillating%20Systems)%20lab\u0022\u003ECHAOS (Complex Heart Arrhythmias and other Oscillating Systems) lab\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has an open-door policy for the curious. Led by School of Physics Associate Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003EFlavio H. Fenton\u003C\/a\u003E, the lab aims to understand the physics of irregular heartbeats, which can lead to heart disease. Using high-performance computing, mathematical modeling, and experiments with live hearts infused with dyes and photographed by ultrafast cameras, the researchers here are discovering the dynamics of the heart as a complex system\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWork in the CHAOS lab involves real hearts of various animals, including the zebra fish. Adults of this tropical freshwater fish measure about 5 cm in length. Viewed through a microscope, the tiny zebra fish heart looks like a raspberry.\u0026nbsp;Seen with the naked eye, the beating organ looks like the tip of a small red ball-point pen.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExtracting the heart and then observing its electrical pathways requires require dexterity and precision.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJames T. \u0026ldquo;Tim\u0026rdquo; Farmer, an undergraduate researcher, has these skills. Visit the lab and you might see him delicately removing the heart of a tiny fish and then bathing the fragile heart with a dye solution to help monitor electrical pathways. In an inner room, he sets up the cameras, lenses, and electronics he will use to observe signals from a teeny fish heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmid shiny lab instruments, clear glass bottles filled with colored liquids, and the\u0026nbsp;sounds of a humming lab, Farmer quickly sets up the heart for experiments. It\u0026rsquo;s obvious he has done this routine many times.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you met Farmer when he was a high school sophomore, the CHAOS lab is not where you would have imagined seeing him today. If you knew that his high-school grade point average (GPA) is 1.6, you would be wondering how he made it to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFarmer, now 25, will graduate with a B.S. in Physics in May 2017. He has come a long way from his chaotic early life through self-motivation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPHYSICS OF CARDIAC DISEASE\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith Fenton and Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/conner-herndon-8b23184b\u0022\u003EConner J. Herndon\u003C\/a\u003E, Farmer is characterizing the complex dynamics of the zebra fish heart. Specifically, they are examining the phenomenon called \u0026ldquo;alternans\u0026rdquo; in the zebra fish heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlternans is known to cause arrhythmias in hearts, Fenton says. \u0026ldquo;It is particularly known as a mechanism for sudden cardiac death, which kills more than 300,000 people annually in the U.S,\u0026rdquo; he adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe phenomenon can be induced by applying a voltage to the organ. Initially the heart beats in rhythm with the voltage frequency, but as the frequency increases, the heart must adapt to keep pace. Instead of beating rhythmically, the heart oscillates strongly between big and small (12 12) heart beats. As the frequency increases even more, the adaptation devolves, doubling the number of states involved in each period;\u0026nbsp;that is, 12 12 becomes 1234 1234 and then 12345678 12345678 and so on into chaos.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlternans can be described mathematically, Herndon says. \u0026ldquo;What if ventricular fibrillation is just chaos?\u0026rdquo; he asks. \u0026ldquo;What if we can mathematically derive the pathway to chaos? Because if you can, maybe you can stop it.\u0026rdquo; And because fibrillations\u0026mdash;or irregular contractions\u0026mdash;can cause heart attacks, the research could lead to prevention of heart disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELIFE BEFORE GEORGIA TECH\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t come from a stable family,\u0026rdquo; Farmer says. \u0026ldquo;My parents did a lot of drugs. We moved a lot, once or twice every year until I was 18, and then I joined the Navy.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough born in Tennessee, Farmer has lived off and on in Georgia and considers the state\u0026nbsp;his home.\u0026nbsp;Many members of his family live south of Atlanta, along I-75 between Stockbridge and Jackson. The last high school he attended was \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us\/Domain\/4811\u0022\u003ELuella High School\u003C\/a\u003E, in Locust Grove, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite the topsy-turvy upbringing, Farmer says, he did well academically until high school. \u0026ldquo;Like other teenagers, I went through a rebellious phase,\u0026rdquo; he recalls. \u0026ldquo;No one in my family went to college. I didn\u0026rsquo;t even know how to apply or that financial assistance was available outside of scholarships. I didn\u0026rsquo;t see college as an opportunity available to me, so I didn\u0026rsquo;t care about my grades. I skipped a lot of classes in 9th and 10th grade, hanging out with the punk kids.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter the 10th grade, however, Farmer decided that he wanted a better life. After considering his options, he concluded that joining the U.S. Navy would be \u0026ldquo;an opportunity to do something better with my life.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen he was wrapping up with the Navy, Farmer started looking for schools. \u0026ldquo;I wanted to go to the best school in Georgia,\u0026rdquo; he recalls. \u0026ldquo;By far, Georgia Tech was the best.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDREAMS COME TRUE IN GEORGIA TECH\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith a 1.6 GPA, Farmer couldn\u0026rsquo;t go straight to Tech. He enrolled in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mga.edu\/\u0022\u003EMiddle Georgia State University\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to study engineering. But his heart was really in physics. With guidance from his physics professor,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mga.edu\/directory\/people.aspx?pers=492\u0026amp;persName=Shah-Malav\u0022\u003EMalav Shah,\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;he decided to follow his heart and pursue physics at his dream school. Farmer moved to Tech after his sophomore year.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn his first week at Tech, Herndon hired Farmer to do undergraduate research in the CHAOS lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFarmer\u0026rsquo;s Navy experience was a huge advantage, Herndon says. \u0026ldquo;With undergrads fresh out of high school, you don\u0026rsquo;t really know how they\u0026rsquo;ll work,\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;Tim had already worked in the Navy for four years. He had been trained to do a job, and he had a background in electronics. That\u0026rsquo;s why I brought him in.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the CHAOS lab, Farmer has exceeded expectations. He has created a lens system to optically map the propagation of voltage and calcium, performed experiments on zebra fish hearts, and worked on the mathematical theory of alternans. He has coauthored presentations and published papers, including\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/events.infovaya.com\/uploads\/documents\/b887c179387c99317c927ab30dbf23417cc237b0\/1621-10772352.pdf\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Electrocardiogram Reconstruction from High Resolution Voltage Optical Mapping.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Tim is a very smart student,\u0026rdquo; Fenton says. \u0026ldquo;He has required relatively little supervision.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Tim has by far the most self-motivation of any undergraduate I have worked with,\u0026rdquo; Herndon says. \u0026ldquo;I just gave him the end goal, and he found a way to get there.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Tim has been beneficial to us in other ways,\u0026rdquo; Herndon adds. \u0026ldquo;He\u0026rsquo;s been working with me on theory projects. Immediately after joining the lab, he was helping me on my Ph.D. project, reading papers with me, discussing and working through the math with me.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy cobbling together financial support from various sources, Farmer is realizing his dream of a B.S. Physics degree from Georgia Tech. He works as a bartender\/caterer, as well as a valet. He took out a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/studentaid.ed.gov\/sa\/types\/grants-scholarships\/pell\u0022\u003EFederal Pell Grant\u003C\/a\u003E and successfully applied for a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.finaid.gatech.edu\/hope-scholarship\u0022\u003EGeorgia Hope Scholarship\u003C\/a\u003E. Other scholarships play a key role, including Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/urop.gatech.edu\/content\/presidents-undergraduate-research-awards\u0022\u003EPresidents\u0026rsquo; Undergraduate Research Award\u003C\/a\u003E(PURA), the College of Sciences\u0026rsquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cosinfo.gatech.edu\/ursa\u0022\u003EUndergraduate Research in Science Award\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(URSA), and a National Science Foundation\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/crssprgm\/reu\/\u0022\u003EResearch Experiences for Undergraduates\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(REU) award.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow Farmer is thinking ahead. He is researching graduate schools and deciding what type of physics to study for his Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe might go further into nonlinear dynamics, which is related to the zebra fish research. But he also likes astrophysics. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;ve been interested in space since I was a kid,\u0026rdquo; Farmer says. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m interested in the structure and evolution of the universe.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe must apply to graduate school by December 2016.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Wherever Tim lands after Georgia Tech would be lucky to have him,\u0026rdquo; Fenton says. \u0026ldquo;His self-motivation knows no bounds.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDione Morton* and A. Maureen Rouhi\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E*Dione Morton joined the Renewable Bioproducts Institute on Oct. 17, 2016.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Tim Farmer overcame academic disadvantage through self-motivation; now he is poised to graduate from his dream school\u2014Georgia Tech "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJames T. \u0026ldquo;Tim\u0026rdquo; Farmer is an undergraduate researcher in the CHAOS lab in the School of Physics. Visit the lab and you might see him delicately removing the heart of a tiny fish and then bathing the fragile heart with a dye solution to help monitor electrical pathways.\u0026nbsp;If you met Farmer when he was a high school sophomore, the CHAOS lab is not where you would have imagined seeing him today. If you knew that his high-school grade point average (GPA) is 1.6, you would be wondering how he made it to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Tim Farmer overcame academic disadvantage through self-motivation; now he is poised to graduate from his dream school\u2014Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2016-10-13 21:31:20","changed_gmt":"2016-11-08 15:05:29","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-11-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-11-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"581960":{"id":"581960","type":"image","title":"Conner Herndon (left) and Tim Farmer discussing in the CHAOS lab.","body":null,"created":"1475262584","gmt_created":"2016-09-30 19:09:44","changed":"1478886685","gmt_changed":"2016-11-11 17:51:25","alt":"","file":{"fid":"221827","name":"HerndonFarmer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HerndonFarmer.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HerndonFarmer.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":34222,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/HerndonFarmer.jpg?itok=LSpvnZcx"}},"581961":{"id":"581961","type":"image","title":"In the CHAOS lab, postdoc Ilija Uzelac (from left), Conner Herndon, Tim Farmer, and Flavio Fenton perform simultaneous optical mapping of voltage and calcium signals from a zebra fish heart. Photo by Maureen Rouhi.","body":null,"created":"1475262689","gmt_created":"2016-09-30 19:11:29","changed":"1476393781","gmt_changed":"2016-10-13 21:23:01","alt":"","file":{"fid":"221828","name":"HerndonFarmerFenton.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HerndonFarmerFenton.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/HerndonFarmerFenton.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":41413,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/HerndonFarmerFenton.jpg?itok=CYb19LIg"}}},"media_ids":["581960","581961"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166938","name":"CHAOS lab"},{"id":"112191","name":"Flavio Fenton"},{"id":"172447","name":"Conner Herndon"},{"id":"172448","name":"Tim Farmer"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"172449","name":"alternans"},{"id":"25831","name":"zebra fish"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Director\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"582586":{"#nid":"582586","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Freeing a Scientific Mind to Envision Big Research: Packard Fellowship to Will Ratcliff","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA vision recently came to researcher Will Ratcliff about the scientific legacy he\u0026rsquo;d like to look back on 30 years from now.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe moment of clarity was fueled by an award from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.packard.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid and Lucile Packard Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E, which this week named Ratcliff a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bit.ly\/2016PackardFellows\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPackard Fellow for 2016\u003C\/a\u003E. The prestigious fellowship has freed the evolutionary biologist\u0026rsquo;s mind to think beyond the previous horizons of his lab\u0026rsquo;s experimental goals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPackard formally announced on Friday, October 14, that the annual fellowship was being awarded to 18 scientists nationwide. They will receive $875,000 each, paid out over a five-year period.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff, who studies \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/568941\/popular-science-puts-georgia-techs-will-ratcliff-brilliant-10-list\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe evolution of single-cell organisms into multicellular groups\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology, found out he was one of the recipients a few days prior. And when he did, it sent his head reeling.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The first night after I heard about it, I had these waves of thoughts like, \u0026lsquo;Hey, we could do \u003Cem\u003Ethis\u003C\/em\u003E cool experiment!\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Then I\u0026rsquo;d go to bed and another one would jolt me awake, \u0026lsquo;Woah, and we could do \u003Cem\u003Ethis!\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EFast-forward movie of life\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince then, a legacy goal has crystalized. \u0026ldquo;I want us to rewind the tape of life and watch it on fast-forward,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I want to see how unicellular organisms evolve into bona fide multicellular organisms with\u0026nbsp;robust division of labor, and multiple cell types. I want to see how development evolves from scratch,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ratclifflab.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe assistant professor\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff has gained notoriety among biologists for producing conditions that have accelerated the evolution of yeast and algae cells from single cells into cell clusters\u0026nbsp;that then grow in complexity and begin to specialize in cell function. One of his signature achievements is \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/109\/5\/1595.long\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eyeast cell groups called \u0026ldquo;snowflakes.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn August, two months before the Packard announcement, the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.popsci.com\/tags\/brilliant-10\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Emagazine \u003Cem\u003EPopular Science \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003Erecognized Ratcliff in its \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.popsci.com\/man-who-solves-mysteries-evolution\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eannual list \u0026ldquo;The Brilliant 10,\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E which applauds a select group of up-and-coming scientists and engineers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPopSci\u003C\/em\u003E cited his work demonstrating how an \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/568941\/popular-science-puts-georgia-techs-will-ratcliff-brilliant-10-list\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eevolutionary leap may have occurred\u003C\/a\u003E that was\u0026nbsp;key to the advent of plants and animals,\u0026nbsp;but also arduous, since single cells had to forfeit much of their own fitness for the greater good of creating viable cell groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EEvolutionary long game\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff thinks he may be able to shepherd a recapitulation of the evolutionary path that led to first complex beings\u0026nbsp;within his lifetime by hyper-accelerating natural selection in the lab. And he believes the accomplishment would be valuable to science for a long time to come.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve never actually seen that process in real time,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;I want to put that movie of the tape of life on fast-forward in my laboratory to be able to understand the general rules that govern this evolutionary process. It would have profound implications of how complex life arises not just on Earth, but also elsewhere in the universe.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff says the Packard Fellowship will allow him to take the long view, and not only due to the award\u0026rsquo;s ampleness. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s very flexible in that they want you to be creative and feel free to pursue the research you find most exciting.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnlike most grants, this one\u0026rsquo;s not tied to specific research milestones.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s designed to nurture you,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re investing in the researcher, and as a result, I\u0026rsquo;m stepping back and taking stock of my research thinking in a way I never have before,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bit.ly\/PackardFellowsGT\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E(READ: Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s proud Packard Fellows through the years.)\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003ELegacy research in future science\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff sees the fellowship as an opportunity to make an impactful contribution to evolutionary science, and has been inspired by the work of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/myxo.css.msu.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ebiologist Rich Lenski at Michigan State University\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELenski has run a 28-year experiment viewed as classic in the field, evolving of \u003Cem\u003EE. coli \u003C\/em\u003Ebacteria in the lab for nearly 60,000 generations. The work has been an endless source of information and created a continuing legacy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;One of the great things about experimental evolution is that you can create a living record of the entire experiment by live-archiving your populations in the freezer at regular intervals,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. As decades pass, scientific and technological advances come along and allow researchers to exponentially boost the usefulness of that archive.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In Lenksi\u0026rsquo;s experiment, for example, the recent revolution in genome sequencing means that they can examine the evolutionary dynamics of his entire experiment in ways they never would have expected,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff envisions using some of the Packard funding to establish evolutionary lines that he would continue throughout his career. \u0026ldquo;Hopefully for 20 or 30 years,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;d love to take these simple multicellular things we have already and push them to see how complex we can actually get them.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe would like to end up with a library of simple multicellular beings across multiple evolutionary phases.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EGeorgia Tech collaboration\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut before he lays down details, Ratcliff wants to consult with his collaborators, particularly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech physicist Peter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E. He\u0026rsquo;s been helping Ratcliff solve problems that organisms encounter as they become more complex.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re looking at the materials properties of our (yeast) snowflakes,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;Evolving novel physical properties \u0026ndash; bodies with specific functionality \u0026ndash; is an often overlooked but major challenge facing nascent multicellular critters.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWorking with scientists from a different discipline has\u0026nbsp;changed Ratcliff\u0026rsquo;s perspective by creating thought synergies, a legendary\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech strength. \u0026ldquo;The level of collaboration here is really unreal, actually,\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;From the president through the ranks, there is an ethos of collaboration,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;That helps the science be better in the long term.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EA rare honor shared\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA Packard Fellowship is a rare honor that starts with the foundation narrowing down to 50 the number of universities prompted to provide applicants. The universities are then instructed to nominate two scientists each, who write a two-page research proposal describing their future work.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;My faculty advisor told me, \u0026lsquo;This may be the most important two pages of your life,\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo; Ratcliff said. \u0026ldquo;I took that to heart and spent close to a month only writing the proposal.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd he reached out to colleagues for help.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m pretty confident that I wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have gotten it, if we didn\u0026rsquo;t have so many smart faculty here who are so eager to collaborate. I got feedback from about a dozen colleagues in the School, and that made the proposal stronger.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDisclaimer:\u0026nbsp;Any opinions, findings and conclustions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and\/or researcher(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThat the right funding can focus science on longer, bigger gains becomes\u0026nbsp;clear through\u0026nbsp;the example of\u0026nbsp;Will Ratcliff, just named a 2016 Packard Fellow. The announcement jolted his research mindset far beyond the horizons of his prior projects, and has inspired a vision\u0026nbsp;for a research\u0026nbsp;legacy and\u0026nbsp;high hopes\u0026nbsp;of making a lasting contribution to\u0026nbsp;evolutionary science.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Funding can focus science on the long game; just ask Will Ratcliff, freshly named a Packard Fellow."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2016-10-14 16:47:03","changed_gmt":"2016-10-25 20:36:44","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-10-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-10-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"568901":{"id":"568901","type":"image","title":"Biological Sciences researcher Will Ratcliff in his lab","body":null,"created":"1472236745","gmt_created":"2016-08-26 18:39:05","changed":"1475895376","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:16","alt":"Biological Sciences researcher Will Ratcliff in his lab","file":{"fid":"218315","name":"will.ratcliff.lab_.scaled.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/will.ratcliff.lab_.scaled.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/will.ratcliff.lab_.scaled.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2589543,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/will.ratcliff.lab_.scaled.jpg?itok=8NSvfZYQ"}},"568911":{"id":"568911","type":"image","title":"William Ratcliff portrait","body":null,"created":"1472237098","gmt_created":"2016-08-26 18:44:58","changed":"1475895376","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:16","alt":"William Ratcliff portrait","file":{"fid":"218316","name":"will.ratcliff.portrait.scaled.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/will.ratcliff.portrait.scaled.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/will.ratcliff.portrait.scaled.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2442555,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/will.ratcliff.portrait.scaled.jpg?itok=M4UMOOcy"}},"568891":{"id":"568891","type":"image","title":"Popular Science honors Will Ratcliff","body":null,"created":"1472235383","gmt_created":"2016-08-26 18:16:23","changed":"1475895376","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:16","alt":"Popular Science honors Will Ratcliff","file":{"fid":"218314","name":"popsci-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/popsci-001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/popsci-001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1186358,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/popsci-001.jpg?itok=j5tIskRN"}}},"media_ids":["568901","568911","568891"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"},{"id":"98311","name":"Fellowships Office"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7038","name":"Packard Fellowship"},{"id":"108591","name":"Will Ratcliff"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"172458","name":"biological sciences"},{"id":"170334","name":"yeast"},{"id":"172456","name":"snowflakes"},{"id":"167618","name":"single cell"},{"id":"170639","name":"multicellular"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter and contact: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"582003":{"#nid":"582003","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unique Bacterial Chemist in the War on Potatoes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn fertile farm soils where potatoes grow, \u003Cem\u003EStreptomyces scabies\u003C\/em\u003E bacteria wage war using chemicals related to explosives and pesticides.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut a microbial spoiler defuses one of \u003Cem\u003ES. scabies\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026rsquo; poisons. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have gained new insights into a one-of-a-kind mechanism it employs, which could someday contribute to the development of new agents to degrade tough pollutants and help rescue crops.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen \u003Cem\u003ES. scabies\u003C\/em\u003E infects potatoes, it spews poisons called thaxtomins, which riddle potatoes with familiar dark scabs. Perhaps a trifle to the potato connoisseur excising them with a paring knife, on a global scale, the blemishes add up to a slash in agricultural production.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EUnprecedented moves\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists investigating potato soil found that bacteria of the species \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2832354\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBradyrhizobium sp. JS329\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E run interference. Though their tough enzymes don\u0026rsquo;t break down thaxtomins, they do render innocuous another \u003Cem\u003ES. scabies\u003C\/em\u003E toxic secretion called \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemspider.com\/Chemical-Structure.11537.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E5-nitroanthranilic acid \u003C\/a\u003E(5-NAA).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStill, understanding how it is broken down could prove useful to agriculture. \u0026ldquo;The 5NAA molecule is similar enough to thaxtomin that studying its degradation might inspire future work to engineer an enzyme or bacterium, or even the plant itself, to detoxify thaxtomin,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne enzyme in particular uses seemingly unprecedented and spectacular chemical tricks to tear apart 5-NAA\u0026rsquo;s otherwise ironclad chemical structure.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers uncovered them and published the results in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/nchembio\/journal\/vaop\/ncurrent\/full\/nchembio.2191.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ejournal Nature Chemical Biology on Monday, October 3, 2016\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts, Georgia Internship for Teachers, and the U.S. Department of Energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EChemical warfare\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ES. scabies \u003C\/em\u003Ebacteria are masters of chemical warfare, and not just against potatoes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This family of bacteria is known for the ability to synthesize lots of different molecules, including ones that humans use as antibiotics,\u0026rdquo; said senior researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/lieberman\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman, an associate professor\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re good at killing other organisms,\u0026rdquo; she said. Though the thaxtomins they secrete are well-known for marring potatoes, little is known about toxin 5NAA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EEnzymatic kung fu\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E5NAA has met its match in bacterium Bradyrhizobium sp. JS329, which we\u0026rsquo;ll call \u0026ldquo;Brady\u0026rdquo; for short.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Brady\u0026rdquo; produces enzymes that can combat 5NAA, the first of which is called 5NAA-A. The added \u0026ldquo;A\u0026rdquo; after the dash stands for \u0026ldquo;aminohydrolase,\u0026rdquo; a term that means it uses water to alter part of toxin 5NAA.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u0026ldquo;substitution reaction\u0026rdquo; that enzyme 5NAA-A carries out is common in organic synthesis, but extremely rare in living things. \u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s only one other known enzyme confirmed to utilize this particular chemical mechanism,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELieberman\u0026rsquo;s team, which specializes in making protein crystals of enzymes like 5NAA-A, observed the moment of the ensuing reaction.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;We were able to capture the critical step (hydrolysis) in the crystal for this paper,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022line-height: 20.8px;\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;It does this wacko chemical reaction,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. 5NAA-A helps destroy toxin 5NAA in two ways that are like outlandish kung fu moves.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EBreaking the wrong arm\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EToxin 5NAA enters the \u0026ldquo;Brady\u0026rdquo; bacterium with a deadly weapon. A nitro group, or NO2, is part of its structure, which makes 5NAA a nitroaromatic compound.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Basically, all these nitroaromatics are either explosive or toxic,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. \u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemspider.com\/Chemical-Structure.8073.html?rid=437f5938-228c-4da4-a6c9-29d137e79f60\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETNT\u003C\/a\u003E is not that different from this compound.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPlenty of bacteria have evolved enzymes to tackle synthetic nitroaromatics -- pollutants like dyes, pesticides or explosives that have been dumped in our environment. The enzymes tend to use the same strategy. \u0026ldquo;The nitro groups are typically the first target of any degrading enzyme, because they are so toxic,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENot so for enzyme 5NAA-A.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt goes after another group on the toxic molecule, the amine, which is innocuous. It\u0026rsquo;s like a kung fu master breaking the arm opposite of the one with the weapon. But it works.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy hydrolyzing the amine, enzyme 5NAA-A sets up toxin 5NAA for destruction by other enzymes.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;The fact that it does it without removing the nitro is the weird part. It\u0026rsquo;s an unexpected move,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EKryptonite suicide\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThen there\u0026rsquo;s the weirdness around metal.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E5NAA-A is a metalloprotease, an enzyme that needs a metal ion to do its work.\u0026nbsp; But unlike other metalloproteases, it doesn\u0026rsquo;t have one embedded in it.\u0026nbsp; It can operate with one of four different metals, but 5NAA-A can\u0026rsquo;t seem to find the metal on its own.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It relies on 5NAA to bring it to the party,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn other words, poison 5NAA seems to tow a metal ion up to enzyme 5NAA-A, which then takes it away and uses it to destroy the poison. It\u0026rsquo;s like Superman handing off kryptonite to an arch enemy. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;At least that\u0026rsquo;s very much what we think is happening,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re going to investigate the details further.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003ESolitary master\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe sum of 5NAA-A\u0026rsquo;s weird ways led Lieberman\u0026rsquo;s team to check an enormous genome database for matches of the gene sequence that can produce an enzyme like 5NAA-A.\u0026nbsp; They found only one single known other example on Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;That enzyme gene sequence comes from sediment in Yellowstone National Park,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said. It is not yet confirmed that bacteria housing it actually detoxify 5NAA, though it\u0026rsquo;s likely.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEven if it does, enzyme 5NAA-A remains uncommonly rare, given the myriad microbes on Earth producing an even higher number of enzymes. \u0026ldquo;The fact that there may just be one other is mind-boggling,\u0026rdquo; Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EHigh school researchers\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn another rarity, a high school science teacher is one of the authors on the research paper. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ceismc.gatech.edu\/news\/gift-teacher-casey-bethel-named-finalist-2017-georgia-teacher-year\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECasey Bethel\u003C\/a\u003E, who was named \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GATeacher\/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE\u0026amp;fref=nf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Teacher of the Year for 2017\u003C\/a\u003E, helped the other researchers break through a barrier that was holding up progress.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We use so-called tags to identify the enzyme we\u0026rsquo;re interested in when we go to harvest it. We suspected the tags were interfering in the crystallization process,\u0026rdquo; Bethel said. So, he cloned the proteins with removable tags, which significantly helped the project move forward.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBethel participates in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Emain K-12 outreach, CEISMC\u003C\/a\u003E, which, among other things, boosts STEM education among underserved populations in Georgia public schools. And for three years, CEISMC has helped him improve his teaching skills.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBethel has also \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GATeacher\/photos\/a.144371642661.113999.122193962661\/10154811390137662\/?type=3\u0026amp;theater\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ebrought high school students to work in Lieberman\u0026rsquo;s lab with him\u003C\/a\u003E. He\u0026rsquo;s thrilled that he -- and they -- could be a part of the study. \u0026ldquo;Fantastical! Unimaginable! Who\u0026rsquo;d think that a high school teacher would be published in a Nature journal?\u0026rdquo; Bethel said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince starting with Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s outreach, Bethel has seen at least 60 of his former students choose STEM studies and careers. \u0026ldquo;Whereas before, the number was close to zero,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s indescribable. It\u0026rsquo;s momentous, magnificent and impactful. I\u0026rsquo;ll never be able to measure the impact.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/next-generation-genius-0\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EREAD: Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s major outreach to K12 students\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/577931\/uniform-hairy-nanorods-have-potential-energy-biomedical-applications\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EREAD: Hairy nanorods and the fight against cancer\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFormer Georgia Tech researchers Sibel Kalyoncu and David P. Heaner Jr. were the paper\u0026rsquo;s main authors; Zohre Kurt, Casey M. Bethel, Chiamaka Ukachukwu, Srinivas Chakravarthy and Jim C. Spain, all from Georgia Tech coauthored the paper. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation (CAREER award 0845445), and the U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (contract W-31-109-Eng-38).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"\u2018Wacko\u2019 enzymatic breakdown of natural toxin unprecedented, furthers path toward protecting crops and degrading pollutants"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis enzyme is \u0026quot;wacko\u0026quot; in the ways it breaks down a poison related to TNT. On top of that, 5NAA-A is known so far only to exist in a single living organism on Earth -- a type of bacteria. Could it be the lone master of a rare bacterial enzymatic kung fu, in the war on potatoes? Or does a genomic clue point to its existence in one other solitary case?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A bacterial warrior the only one of its kind? This enzyme is \u0022wacko\u0022 in the ways it breaks down a poison related to TNT."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2016-10-03 15:21:44","changed_gmt":"2016-10-04 14:03:30","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"581999":{"id":"581999","type":"image","title":"Enzyme 5NAA-A only known to exist in one bacteria type","body":null,"created":"1475506027","gmt_created":"2016-10-03 14:47:07","changed":"1475506027","gmt_changed":"2016-10-03 14:47:07","alt":"","file":{"fid":"221847","name":"5NAA_Apic.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/5NAA_Apic.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/5NAA_Apic.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":225812,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/5NAA_Apic.jpg?itok=FZUMCU35"}},"582034":{"id":"582034","type":"image","title":"High school \u0027Superteacher\u0027 Casey Bethel researches in Raquel Lieberman\u0027s lab","body":null,"created":"1475516634","gmt_created":"2016-10-03 17:43:54","changed":"1475516634","gmt_changed":"2016-10-03 17:43:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"221861","name":"Bethel.lab_.sized_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bethel.lab_.sized_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bethel.lab_.sized_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3406625,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Bethel.lab_.sized_.jpg?itok=M0BHys7-"}},"581998":{"id":"581998","type":"image","title":"High school \u0027Superteacher\u0027 Casey Bethel researches in Raquel Lieberman\u0027s lab","body":null,"created":"1475505688","gmt_created":"2016-10-03 14:41:28","changed":"1475505793","gmt_changed":"2016-10-03 14:43:13","alt":"","file":{"fid":"221846","name":"Lieberman.Bethel.sized_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lieberman.Bethel.sized_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lieberman.Bethel.sized_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3681866,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Lieberman.Bethel.sized_.jpg?itok=_fFPzKFM"}}},"media_ids":["581999","582034","581998"],"groups":[{"id":"1182","name":"General"},{"id":"1183","name":"Home"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"361651","name":"Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC)"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11535","name":"enzyme catalysis"},{"id":"7735","name":"enzyme"},{"id":"10858","name":"Raquel Lieberman"},{"id":"166948","name":"Casey Bethel"},{"id":"166943","name":"5NAA-A"},{"id":"166945","name":"S. scabies"},{"id":"166947","name":"Bradyrhizobium sp. JS329"},{"id":"4498","name":"Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022contact-details\u0022\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWriter and contact: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"584039":{"#nid":"584039","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Would You Like Extra Viruses With Your Yogurt?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor\u0026#39;s Note: This item was originally published as a blog post in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/amplifier.gatech.edu\/articles\/2016\/11\/would-you-extra-viruses-your-yogurt\u0022\u003EAmplifier\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences analyzed the viral content of the human gut (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/113\/37\/10400.abstract\u0022\u003EManrique et al., PNAS, 2016\u003C\/a\u003E). The research focused on a particular kind of virus called bacteriophage, which only infect bacterial cells and do not infect human cells. Manrique and colleagues found that healthy individuals had a \u0026ldquo;core\u0026rdquo; group of bacteriophage. In addition, they found that these core bacteriophage were less frequently found in individuals with gastrointestinal disease. This novel finding reveals a potential link between the viruses in our gut and our health. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJoshua Weitz, a professor in the School of Biological Sciences explains the findings:\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYogurt is a breakfast staple. In my family, we pack single-serve yogurt containers with our kids\u0026rsquo; lunches and eat \u0026ldquo;stinky\u0026rdquo; cheese. In doing so we are also serving our children bacteria. Intentionally. Yogurt and cheese are examples of \u0026ldquo;living\u0026rdquo; food. The living component are cultures of bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs any shopper knows, the marketing of yogurt is tied not just to its taste but to its health benefits. The active bacteria in yogurt differ among company and brands. Irrespective of the brand-name, the active bacteria are nearly all close relatives of \u0026ldquo;lactic acid bacteria\u0026rdquo;. Lactic acid bacteria take the sugars in milk, break them down, and release lactic acid. That lactic acid and other byproducts give yogurt its distinctly sour taste.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe idea that eating more bacteria could be good for you reflects a paradigm shift in the scientific attitude towards microbes and health. Bacteria can make us sick. But, many bacteria keep us healthy. We could not go about our daily routine without them. These bacteria constitute part of our \u0026ldquo;microbiome\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; that is the world of bacteria that lives in and on us. Yet, despite the changing attitudes towards bacteria, there has not been a similar paradigm shift with respect to viruses. I have yet to see a yogurt offered with extra viruses. I would imagine it would not be a sales hit\u0026hellip; Or would it?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study of Manrique and colleagues identified a core \u0026ldquo;virome\u0026rdquo; correlated to human health. But we still do not know if there is a causative link between the two, e.g., do bacteriophage in the human virome infect components of the healthy human microbiome and\/or do they infect otherwise harmful pathogens? Future research will be needed to tease apart these relationships. But one thing is clear: consumers may eventually need to consider the health benefits of viruses and bacteria when thinking about maintaining or improving their health.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Core group of viruses may be essential to human health, study suggests"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences analyzed the viral content of the human gut (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/113\/37\/10400.abstract\u0022\u003EManrique et al., PNAS, 2016\u003C\/a\u003E). The research focused on a particular kind of virus called bacteriophage, which only infect bacterial cells and do not infect human cells. Manrique and colleagues found that healthy individuals had a \u0026ldquo;core\u0026rdquo; group of bacteriophage. In addition, they found that these core bacteriophage were less frequently found in individuals with gastrointestinal disease. This novel finding reveals a potential link between the viruses in our gut and our health. Joshua Weitz explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Joshua Weitz explains study suggesting a link between viruses in our gut and our health."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2016-11-18 18:28:40","changed_gmt":"2016-11-21 13:55:45","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"366661":{"id":"366661","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449245817","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:16:57","changed":"1475895103","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:43","alt":"Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"201704","name":"weitz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitz_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitz_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":549786,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/weitz_0.jpg?itok=GETmYtgX"}}},"media_ids":["366661"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"172755","name":"virusome"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDirector of Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"584040":{"#nid":"584040","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Dead Zones Full of Life\u2014For Microbes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEDITOR\u0026rsquo;S NOTE: This item first appeared as a blog post in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/amplifier.gatech.edu\/articles\/2016\/11\/dead-zones-full-life-microbes\u0022\u003EAmplifier\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOceanic dead zones are natural laboratories for exploring biological diversity. In a study published this year in the journal \u003C\/em\u003ENature\u003Cem\u003E, scientists at Georgia Tech discovered new species of the world\u0026#39;s most abundant organism group, a bacterial clade called SAR11, which have adapted to life in dead zones by acquiring genes necessary to breath the chemical nitrate. Other work by Tech scientists shows that dead zones in the Pacific, which contain the largest pools of the greenhouse gas methane (CH\u003Csub\u003E4\u003C\/sub\u003E) in the open ocean, support microbes adapted to consume methane, potentially through a process that requires these microbes to make their own oxygen. Research on dead zones is challenging scientists to devise new tools to collect and manipulate ocean microbes while maintaining the exact environmental conditions the cells experience in nature. Frank Stewart, of the School of Biological Sciences, explains:\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe oceans are losing oxygen. A poignant example is the \u0026quot;dead zone\u0026quot; that forms each summer in the Gulf of Mexico. Each spring, fertilizers from farms and lawns wash into the rivers feeding the Gulf. \u0026nbsp;This influx of nutrients, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus from the Mississippi River, fuels expansive blooms of photosynthetic algae near the river mouths. When these algae die, they are eaten by single-celled microbes (bacteria) that consume oxygen during growth. If oxygen removal exceeds replenishment, as occurs in the Gulf during high microbial growth in the calm of summer, seawater oxygen levels can fall nearly to zero, creating a \u0026quot;dead zone\u0026quot; devoid of larger marine life. Dead zones like those in the Gulf can span thousands of square miles and, by altering the distributions of animals such as shrimp and fish, compromise the health of the ocean\u0026#39;s most productive and biodiverse ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut not all life deplores a dead zone. Indeed, thousands of microbial species thrive under the low-oxygen conditions of the dead zone, occurring at densities of millions of cells per milliliter (~1\/5 of a teaspoon). These microbes employ a wide spectrum of biochemical solutions to life without oxygen, many of which remain poorly understood but are critical for ocean processes. For example, many of the microbes responsible for controlling the bioavailability of nitrogen, an essential component of proteins and DNA, grow only under low-oxygen conditions by using nitrogen-containing compounds, such as nitrite (NO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E-), in place of oxygen. In metabolizing such compounds, these microbes produce nitrogen-containing gases, including the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003EO).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudies of dead zone microbes are transforming our knowledge of ocean ecosystems. \u0026nbsp;By collecting water at different depths through a dead zone, researchers can sample microbes exposed to vastly different oxygen and chemical conditions, thereby testing predictions of how ecosystem-level processes, such as the cycling of nutrients or greenhouse gases, may change as human activities influence ocean parameters.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDead zones, in addition to exerting critical effects on the function of marine ecosystems, are breathing life into a broader understanding of microbes in the oceans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The ocean\u0027s dead zones teem with microbes, studies show"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOceanic dead zones are natural laboratories for exploring biological diversity. In a study published this year in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, scientists at Georgia Tech discovered new species of the world\u0026#39;s most abundant organism group, a bacterial clade called SAR11, which have adapted to life in dead zones by acquiring genes necessary to breath the chemical nitrate. Other work by Tech scientists shows that dead zones in the Pacific, which contain the largest pools of the greenhouse gas methane (CH\u003Csub\u003E4\u003C\/sub\u003E) in the open ocean, support microbes adapted to consume methane, potentially through a process that requires these microbes to make their own oxygen. Research on dead zones is challenging scientists to devise new tools to collect and manipulate ocean microbes while maintaining the exact environmental conditions the cells experience in nature. Frank Stewart, of the School of Biological Sciences, explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The ocean\u0027s dead zones teem with microbes, studies show. Frank Stewart explains the research."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2016-11-18 18:51:34","changed_gmt":"2016-11-21 16:01:56","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"566431":{"id":"566431","type":"image","title":"Frank Stewart","body":null,"created":"1471904999","gmt_created":"2016-08-22 22:29:59","changed":"1475895371","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:11","alt":"Frank Stewart","file":{"fid":"206928","name":"frank.stewart.original.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/frank.stewart.original.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/frank.stewart.original.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2071729,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/frank.stewart.original.jpg?itok=UzKdZqCz"}}},"media_ids":["566431"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"25111","name":"Frank Stewart"},{"id":"172756","name":"dead zones"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDirector of Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"583719":{"#nid":"583719","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Game Theory Shows How Tragedies of the Commons Might be Averted","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELake Lanier in Georgia is the primary water reservoir serving suburban and metropolitan Atlanta. When the lake\u0026rsquo;s water level drops below a certain point, calls go out for water conservation and news reports show images of the red mud shoreline. In some affected counties, water restrictions are imposed. The combination of usage restrictions and changes in precipitation eventually averts the crisis. But, when the crisis ends, water usage rebounds \u0026ndash; until the next shortage.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInspired by this example, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a theory to unite the study of behavior and its effect on the environment. In doing so, they combined theories of strategic behavior with those of resource depletion and restoration, leading to what they term an \u0026ldquo;oscillating tragedy of the commons.\u0026rdquo; The research was reported in November 8 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study of how behavior affects resource depletion has a long history. The originating example is that of small farmers who share a common pasture. Each farmer has to decide whether to graze some or all of his flock, while also considering what actions other farmers might take. To avoid losing out to a competitor, each farmer decides to attempt to maximize the benefit by grazing as many sheep as possible. Consequently, the sheep overgraze and damage the pasture. Paradoxically, the benefit to each farmer over the long run is less than if they had cooperated and each grazed fewer sheep. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat individuals acting out of their own self-interest can be worse off than had they coordinated is termed a \u0026ldquo;tragedy of the commons\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; a concept introduced nearly 50 years ago by the ecologist Garrett Hardin. (The use of the term \u0026ldquo;tragedy\u0026rdquo; denotes its inevitability). However, the originating example does not include a mechanism by which incentives for cooperation change as the resource is depleted.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our actions can substantively change the environment and, in turn, the changing environment influences the incentives for future action,\u0026rdquo; said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, who led the study and is a professor in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences. \u0026ldquo;The theory in our paper proposes a unified approach for the co-evolution of actions and environment.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOther authors on the study include postdoctoral fellow Ceyhun Eksin and graduate teaching assistant Keith Paarporn, both members of the Weitz group in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as Professors Sam Brown and Will Ratcliff, both faculty in the School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are many other prominent examples of tragedies of the commons. One example is that of antibiotic resistance in microbes. The widespread use of antibiotics among humans and in agriculture selects for antibiotic resistance strains. Over time, the spread of resistance renders antibiotics ineffective for use in patients with otherwise curable infections. Hence, individuals trying to maximize their own benefit can unintentionally degrade the collective value of the antibiotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnother example stems from individual decisions about whether or not to vaccinate against childhood infectious diseases like measles, mumps and rubella. Crucially, a retracted study falsely linking autism to vaccination has inspired some parents not to vaccinate their children. Yet, when population levels of immunity drop, then these potentially lethal infectious diseases that had been prevented in the past will reappear in sporadic outbreaks or, dangerously, as large-scale epidemics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Individual agents acting in their own self-interest \u0026ndash; trying to do what\u0026rsquo;s right for them alone \u0026ndash; can end up in a worse state than if they coordinated,\u0026rdquo; Weitz said. \u0026ldquo;For example, the decision not to vaccinate increases the frequency of individuals having a dangerous, infectious disease. As people see the disease return, the incentives for vaccination change.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research proposes a new model of evolutionary games with a feedback loop in which changes to the resource \u0026ndash; whether it be water supplies, pastureland, antibiotics, or vaccine use \u0026ndash; change the incentives for people to take action in their own interests. The environment and the incentives co-evolve and are tied to one another, allowing the outcome to be predicted.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Incentives to use a lot of water when water is in short supply are different than when water levels are replete,\u0026rdquo; Weitz said. \u0026ldquo;When things are bad and the commons is depleted, there may be greater incentives to cooperate than when the commons are in good condition.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnlike in the originating example of the tragedy of the commons, Weitz and colleagues report that tragedies can recur again and again. Formally, the researchers unite game theory with evolutionary models in which both the tendency to cooperate and the state of the environment coevolve.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe theoretical research also pointed the way to a testable principle to avert the tragedy of the commons in specific application domains. For example, in their analyses, Weitz and colleagues found that averting the tragedy of the commons was only possible when cooperation was incentivized even when the environment was depleted and others continued to act to degrade the resources.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Another lesson is that idealism matters,\u0026rdquo; said Weitz, continuing, \u0026ldquo;A small group of cooperating individuals can, over time, change the social and environmental context for all and for the better.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported by a grant W911NF-14-1-0402 from the Army Research Office. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Joshua S. Weitz, Ceyhun Eksin, Keith Paarporn, Sam P. Brown and William C. Ratcliff, \u0026quot;An oscillating tragedy of the commons in replicator dynamics with game-environment feedback,\u0026quot; (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2016). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2016\/11\/02\/1604096113.abstract\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2016\/11\/02\/1604096113.abstract\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia \u0026nbsp;30332-0181 \u0026nbsp;USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (jtoon@gatech.edu) or Ben Brumfield (404-385-1933) (ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers\u0026nbsp;have developed a theory to unite the study of behavior and its effect on the environment. In doing so, they combined theories of strategic behavior with those of resource depletion and restoration, leading to what they term an \u0026ldquo;oscillating tragedy of the commons.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers\u00a0have developed a theory to unite the study of behavior and its effect on the environment."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2016-11-09 20:17:35","changed_gmt":"2016-11-09 20:19:28","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-11-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-11-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"583717":{"id":"583717","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz - Tragedy of the Commons","body":null,"created":"1478721896","gmt_created":"2016-11-09 20:04:56","changed":"1478721896","gmt_changed":"2016-11-09 20:04:56","alt":"Joshua Weitz and whiteboard","file":{"fid":"222533","name":"weitz_board.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitz_board.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitz_board.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":787010,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/weitz_board.jpg?itok=PtEIIG5r"}},"583716":{"id":"583716","type":"image","title":"Lake Lanier drought","body":null,"created":"1478721745","gmt_created":"2016-11-09 20:02:25","changed":"1478721745","gmt_changed":"2016-11-09 20:02:25","alt":"Lake Lanier drought conditions","file":{"fid":"222532","name":"lake-lanier-drought.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lake-lanier-drought.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lake-lanier-drought.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":488497,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lake-lanier-drought.jpg?itok=1y4wsq-D"}}},"media_ids":["583717","583716"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"807","name":"environment"},{"id":"172697","name":"tragedy of the commons"},{"id":"3847","name":"resources"},{"id":"8460","name":"game theory"},{"id":"172698","name":"Lake Lanier"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"581796":{"#nid":"581796","#data":{"type":"news","title":"International Team Examines Worldwide Human Diversity in the Genomic Era","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/nature\/journal\/vaop\/ncurrent\/full\/nature19792.html\u0022\u003EA new study\u003C\/a\u003E in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E analyzes genomic diversity in 125 human populations at an unprecedented level of detail, tackling questions related to our species\u0026rsquo; demographic history and dispersal out-of-Africa. The study is based on 379 high-resolution whole-genome sequences from across the world, generated by an international collaboration led by Mait Metspalu from the Estonian Biocentre, Estonia, and Toomas Kivisild from the University of Cambridge, U.K.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This endeavor was uniquely made possible by the anonymous sample donors and the collaboration effort of nearly 100 researchers from 74 different research groups from all over the World,\u0026rdquo; Metspalu said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe lab of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/popgen.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EJoseph Lachance\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Institute of Technology is one of these research groups. \u0026ldquo;By studying a global panel of individuals, we are able to identify genetic variants that are shared among different subsets of humanity and decipher our evolutionary past,\u0026rdquo; Lachance said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe high geographic coverage of the samples permitted the researchers to study many aspects of genetic and phenotypic differences between individuals and populations using a common spatial framework. Researchers found that the sharpest genetic gradient in Eurasia separates East and West Eurasians. This barrier runs roughly along the Ural Mountains in the north, opens in the Steppe belt connecting Central Asia to South Siberia, and becomes strong again on the Tibetan plateau, elongating south toward the Indian Ocean while separating South and Southeast Asia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to increasing our understanding of the challenges that humans faced when settling down in ever-changing environments, the deluge of freely available data will serve as future starting point to further studies on the genetic history of modern and ancient human populations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Joseph Lachance\u2019s Georgia Tech group is one of 74 contributors worldwide"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJoseph Lachance\u0026rsquo;s Georgia Tech group is one of 74 contributors worldwide\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Joseph Lachance\u2019s Georgia Tech group is one of 74 contributors worldwide"}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2016-09-27 21:19:18","changed_gmt":"2016-09-27 21:34:53","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-09-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-09-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"581798":{"id":"581798","type":"image","title":"Joseph Lachance","body":null,"created":"1475011679","gmt_created":"2016-09-27 21:27:59","changed":"1475011679","gmt_changed":"2016-09-27 21:27:59","alt":"","file":{"fid":"221776","name":"Joe Lachance.photo_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joe%20Lachance.photo_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joe%20Lachance.photo_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":211893,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joe%20Lachance.photo_.jpg?itok=oE-nzTOx"}},"581795":{"id":"581795","type":"image","title":"Geographic distribution of sequenced human genomes. Colors indicate geographic origins, and symbols refer to different sample subsets.","body":null,"created":"1475010657","gmt_created":"2016-09-27 21:10:57","changed":"1475010657","gmt_changed":"2016-09-27 21:10:57","alt":"Geographic distribution of sequenced human genomes. Colors indicate geographic origins, and symbols refer to different sample subsets.","file":{"fid":"221775","name":"Joe Lachance.press_figure_map-01.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joe%20Lachance.press_figure_map-01.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joe%20Lachance.press_figure_map-01.png","mime":"image\/png","size":449426,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joe%20Lachance.press_figure_map-01.png?itok=JjG5C_E8"}}},"media_ids":["581798","581795"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166880","name":"human genomics"},{"id":"166881","name":"Joseph Lachance"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDirector of Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"579871":{"#nid":"579871","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Inflammatory Autoimmune Disease Research at Georgia Tech awarded $2.3 Million NIH Grant","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gibsongatech.wordpress.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Elab of Greg Gibson\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at the Georgia Institute of Technology has been awarded a grant of $2.3 million to study the subtle genetic underpinnings of autoimmune-related diseases by taking a computational approach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institutes of Health\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.genome.gov\/27566612\/2016-news-feature-nih-supports-new-approaches-to-discovering---dna-differences-in-the-genomes-regulatory-regions-that-affect-disease\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Emade the award as part of an $11.1 million total investment in research funds slated for five institutions\u003C\/a\u003E, including Georgia Tech. The researchers\u0026rsquo; work could increase understanding of the causes of diabetes, Crohn\u0026rsquo;s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, forms of heart disease, and more afflictions where inflammation is at issue, and where there may be a connection to autoimmunity.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;We know that hundreds of genes impact autoimmunity, but the challenge is to narrow down the actual DNA sequence changes that have an impact. This grant combines our statistical genetics expertise with evolutionary genetics and genome editing by collaborators,\u0026rdquo; said Greg Gibson, a professor at Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn its research, Georgia Tech will work together with Rice University in Houston and Temple University in Philadelphia. Gibson\u0026#39;s researchers will handle statistical analysis and interpretation; Rice\u0026#39;s scientists will carry out gene editing, and evolutionary geneticists at Temple will contribute insights on which gene sites should or should not be variable in the human genome.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAttacking friends: Autoimmunity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOur cells work together with masses of microbes that are an integral part of the human body, but the immune systems of people with related diseases can attack the microbes and healthy human cells, and lead to inflammation. \u0026ldquo;Lymphocytes, for example, could be attacking the body,\u0026rdquo; Gibson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;re looking at genes that regulate the immune system,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;ve all got subtle effects. What counts is that they all work together. We\u0026rsquo;re looking for sections of genetic code that work a little oddly.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers will put data through algorithms to better identify genetic variants in sections of the human genome that do not encode proteins, but have regulatory functions, the NIH said in a news release. These are sections of DNA that, for example, turn encoding genes on and off.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESubtleties multiplied: Susceptibility\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey have been lesser studied but are known to be critical and could provide new information on yet undiscovered pathways composed of multiple faint characteristics that add up to disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026quot;Taken alone, some small characteristic may appear indistinct, and at the same time, it\u0026rsquo;s really hard to read how a big group of them work in total,\u0026rdquo; Gibson said. \u0026ldquo;But their cumulative effect is dramatic, and unfortunate.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecent genomic research methods have compared the complete genomes of patients with diseases to those without them, leading to thousands of statistical hints. Now new data and interpretive approaches are needed to effectively sift through these to see the foundations of diseases, or make predictions of who is most at risk, and what people can do to reduce the risk.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe NIH hopes statistical methods will allow prediction of possible effects some variants have on susceptibility to disease and on drug response. The funding comes from the NIH\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;National Human Genome Research Institute (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.genome.gov\/27534788\/about-the-institute\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENHGRI\u003C\/a\u003E)\u0026#39;s Non-Coding Variants Program, and the National Cancer Institute (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENCI\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Greg Gibson\u0027s group will develop strategies to evaluate the function of genetic variants that predispose people to autoimmune related disorders"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Autoimmunity can contribute to heart disease, diabetes and Crohn\u0027s disease. Georgia Tech has been awarded a $2.3 million NIH grant to employ computation in the study of genetic variants and their influence on susceptibility."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2016-09-20 14:01:23","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:22:41","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-09-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-09-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"579791":{"id":"579791","type":"image","title":"Greg Gibson School of Biological Sciences computational genetics","body":null,"created":"1474392374","gmt_created":"2016-09-20 17:26:14","changed":"1475895391","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"218388","name":"greg_gibson2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/greg_gibson2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/greg_gibson2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1010676,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/greg_gibson2.jpg?itok=S9twngi2"}},"579761":{"id":"579761","type":"image","title":"Greg Gibson School of Biological Sciences","body":null,"created":"1474392187","gmt_created":"2016-09-20 17:23:07","changed":"1475895391","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:31","alt":"Greg Gibson School of Biological Sciences","file":{"fid":"218387","name":"greg_gibson.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/greg_gibson.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/greg_gibson.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":894139,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/greg_gibson.jpg?itok=btcCLnI8"}}},"media_ids":["579791","579761"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1182","name":"General"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1300","name":"Institute Communications"},{"id":"47398","name":"GCR (Office of Government and Community Relations)"},{"id":"65425","name":"IBB Center - SCEC"},{"id":"346461","name":"Bioinformatics"},{"id":"559811","name":"EBB Events and News Public"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"140461","name":"Computational Biology"},{"id":"1041","name":"dna"},{"id":"7481","name":"genetic disease"},{"id":"170715","name":"genetic health"},{"id":"34691","name":"genetics health and computational biology"},{"id":"10645","name":"Greg Gibson"},{"id":"170714","name":"variant"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter and contact: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"577571":{"#nid":"577571","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yes, Computing Genetic Ancestors is Super Accurate","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERemnants of extinct monkeys are hiding inside you, along with those of lizards, jellyfish and other animals. Your DNA is built upon gene fragments from primal ancestors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have made it more likely that ancestral genes, along with ancestral proteins, can be confidently identified and reconstructed. They have benchmarked a vital tool that would seem nearly impossible to benchmark. The newly won confidence in the tool could also help scientists compute ancient gene sequences and use them to synthesize better proteins to battle diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor some 20 years, scientists have used algorithms to compute their way hundreds of millions of years back into the evolutionary past. Starting with present-day gene sequences, they perform what\u0026rsquo;s called ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) to determine past mutations and figure out the genes\u0026rsquo; primal forerunners.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;With the help of ASR, we can now actually build those ancient genes in the laboratory and express their encoded ancient proteins,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gauchergroup.biology.gatech.edu\/people.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEric Gaucher, an associate professor at Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. In a separate project, his lab is computing ancient proteins that were very effective in blood clotting 80 million years ago, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/news.emory.edu\/stories\/2016\/09\/doering_asr_nbt\/\u0022\u003Ein hopes of using them to fight hemophilia\u003C\/a\u003E today.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat protein comes from a common ancestor humans share with rats.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETime travel substitute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut ASR algorithms have faced logical criticism. Species based on those primal genes are long extinct, and scientists can\u0026rsquo;t travel back in time to observe mutations that have happened since. So, how can anyone find any physical benchmark to verify and gauge ASR?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers led by Gaucher did it by building an evolutionary framework out of myriad mutations. Then they benchmarked ASR algorithms against it \u0026ndash; no time machine required. Their results have shored up confidence that the widely used algorithms are working as they should.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Most of them did a very good job \u0026ndash; 98% accurate,\u0026rdquo; Gaucher said of contemporary algorithms\u0026rsquo; ability to compute ancient gene sequences. Their determination of proteins encoded by those sequences was virtually perfect.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGaucher, research coordinator Ryan Randall and undergraduate student Caelan Radford published their results on Thursday, September 15, 2016, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/ncomms12847\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003C\/a\u003ETheir research has been funded by the NASA Exobiology program, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) and the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHolographic tree branches\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAncestral sequence reconstruction is like making a family tree for genes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe many twigs and branches at the treetop would be sequences from species alive today. Shimmying down the tree, called a phylogeny in genetics, you would find their common ancestors, millions of years old, in the lower branches.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u0026rsquo;s a caveat; none of the lower branches exist any longer. They vanished in the extinction of the species bearing those genetic sequences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EASR computes them back into place using algorithms based on scientific models of evolution. It\u0026rsquo;s like replacing missing branches with holographic duplicates.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlgorithm horse race\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe accuracy of those evolutionary models has been a historic sticking point. And doubts about the algorithms based on them linger in some circles that hold on to an old, tried-and-true algorithm.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESo, Gaucher and researcher coordinator Randall pitted the contemporary model-based, or \u0026ldquo;maximum likelihood,\u0026rdquo; algorithms in a race against the generic, or \u0026ldquo;parsimony,\u0026rdquo; algorithm.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Parsimony follows the simplest notion of evolution, which is that very little mutation occurs,\u0026rdquo; Randall said. The models behind contemporary \u0026ldquo;maximum likelihood\u0026rdquo; algorithms, by contrast, are laced with filigree, data-packed details.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the race, Randall made a track of sorts by putting a gene sequence that made a single protein through multiple mutations to construct a real-life phylogeny. She used methods that closely mimicked natural evolution, but that were much, much faster.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERainbow phylogeny racetrack\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn cells, enzymes called polymerases aid in DNA duplication.\u0026nbsp; They work very efficiently, but their rare mistakes are the most common source of mutations, and Randall took her lead from this.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We used a polymerase that is error-prone to speed up mutations, and speed up evolution,\u0026rdquo; she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe genes used at the starting point of the lab evolution made a protein that fluoresced red when placed in bacteria.\u0026nbsp; As significant mutations arose, the proteins began changing color.\u0026nbsp; Bacteria containing green fluorescing proteins popped up among the red ones.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERandall divided bacteria with major mutations into new groups, creating branches in the phylogeny, as she went. Many mutations produced new colors \u0026ndash; yellow, orange, blue, pink \u0026ndash; and Randall ended up with a gene family tree in rainbow colors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShow me the phenotype\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe colors reflected not only new gene sequences but also new phenotypes \u0026ndash; the actual proteins they produced, the organism\u0026rsquo;s working molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;What counts is phenotype,\u0026rdquo; Gaucher said. \u0026ldquo;When you analyze DNA strictly by itself, it ignores the context, in which that DNA is connected to phenotype,\u0026rdquo; he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDNA can mutate and still encode the same amino acids, protein\u0026rsquo;s component parts. Then the mutation has no real effect. But when mutations cause DNA to encode different amino acids, they\u0026rsquo;re more significant.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA worthy test of ancestral sequence reconstruction algorithms must therefore include phenotype. And Randall took this into account when she selected mutated proteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I selected for variants to purposely make it hard on the algorithms to infer the phenotypes,\u0026rdquo; she said. The race ensued, and the algorithms got limited information to infer the evolutionary tree\u0026rsquo;s many dozens of past mutations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EASR a sure bet\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThough the tried-and-true parsimony algorithm performed well, maximum likelihood performed better.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;Even though it got the same number of residues (DNA sequences) wrong as parsimony, the incorrectly inferred sequences were still more likely to encode the right phenotypes,\u0026rdquo; said undergraduate student Caelan Radford, who analyzed the experiment\u0026rsquo;s statistics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe margin of error was so tiny that it would not interfere in the determination of past species.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe experiment\u0026rsquo;s outcome was not too surprising, because prior simulations had predicted it.\u0026nbsp; But the researchers wanted the scientific community to have physical proof that feels trustier than proof from a computer.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a computer algorithm.\u0026nbsp; It will do what you will tell it to do,\u0026rdquo; Gaucher said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShort history of ASR\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDoubts about ancestral sequence reconstruction -- and maximum likelihood algorithms in particular -- go far back.\u0026nbsp; The idea of performing ASR first came up in 1963, but it didn\u0026rsquo;t get started until the 1990s, and back then, researchers battled fervently over wide-ranging methods.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;People would come up with the craziest notion as to why one model was best,\u0026rdquo; Gaucher said. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;d say, \u0026lsquo;Well, if I simulate this weird mode of evolution along these branches here, my algorithm will work better than your algorithm.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe parsimony algorithm was a way of reigning in the chaos that grew out of a lack of data in evolutionary models at the time.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;When the model is wrong, \u0026lsquo;maximum likelihood\u0026rsquo; fails miserably,\u0026rdquo; Gaucher said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut, now, a host of data and analysis give scientists a great picture of how evolution works (and it\u0026rsquo;s not a parsimony principle): For ages, nothing moves, then change bursts forth, then things stabilize again.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;You get this quick evolution, so lots of stuff works and lots of stuff fails, and the stuff that works then goes on and kind of maintains its status and doesn\u0026rsquo;t change,\u0026rdquo; Gaucher said.\u0026nbsp; By confirming the high accuracy of the algorithms, the Georgia Tech team has also corroborated the validity of current evolutionary science they\u0026rsquo;re based on.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKelsey Roof and Divya Natarajan of Georgia Tech coauthored the paper. Research was funded the NASA Exobiology program (grant number NNX12AI10G), DuPont (Young Professor Award) and the National Science Foundation (grant number 1145698). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERead more exciting science and technology research news at Research Horizons\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Science synopsis: Ancestral gene sequence reconstruction benchmarked via synthetic phylogeny; results offer promise for protein engineering"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHow do you benchmark something that goes back 10 or 80 million years, like simulations of ancient genes and proteins, when you don\u0026#39;t have a time machine to travel back and check the results?\u0026nbsp; There\u0026#39;s a way. And it shows the simulations are spot on.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"For two decades, geneticists have been using computer simulations to reconstruct genes and proteins millions of years old. But do their algorithms really work? A new study says: Yes, and how!"}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2016-09-15 11:50:33","changed_gmt":"2018-04-16 14:41:19","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-09-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-09-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"577181":{"id":"577181","type":"image","title":"Colorfully fluorescing mutated proteins","body":null,"created":"1473950335","gmt_created":"2016-09-15 14:38:55","changed":"1475895386","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:26","alt":"Colorfully fluorescing mutated proteins","file":{"fid":"218369","name":"colorful_mutations.small_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/colorful_mutations.small_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/colorful_mutations.small_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4262760,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/colorful_mutations.small_.jpg?itok=Yi80tMNH"}},"577201":{"id":"577201","type":"image","title":"Gaucher Radford Randall ASR benchmarking","body":null,"created":"1473950696","gmt_created":"2016-09-15 14:44:56","changed":"1475895386","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:26","alt":"Gaucher Radford Randall ASR benchmarking","file":{"fid":"218370","name":"asr_light_table3.small_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/asr_light_table3.small_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/asr_light_table3.small_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5441708,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/asr_light_table3.small_.jpg?itok=UCaLOWdr"}},"577221":{"id":"577221","type":"image","title":"Phylogeny for ASR benchmarking","body":null,"created":"1473951186","gmt_created":"2016-09-15 14:53:06","changed":"1475895388","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:28","alt":"Phylogeny for ASR benchmarking","file":{"fid":"218371","name":"cladogram_paint.small_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cladogram_paint.small_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cladogram_paint.small_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3658641,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cladogram_paint.small_.jpg?itok=Fx9DKspD"}},"577241":{"id":"577241","type":"image","title":"Gaucher Group Randall Radford","body":null,"created":"1473951416","gmt_created":"2016-09-15 14:56:56","changed":"1475895388","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:28","alt":"Gaucher Group Randall Radford","file":{"fid":"218372","name":"gaucher_lab_horiz.small_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gaucher_lab_horiz.small_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gaucher_lab_horiz.small_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4232245,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/gaucher_lab_horiz.small_.jpg?itok=HiEDqm2x"}}},"media_ids":["577181","577201","577221","577241"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"170695","name":"ancestral sequence reconstruction"},{"id":"170696","name":"ASR"},{"id":"11444","name":"benchmarking"},{"id":"111191","name":"comutational tools"},{"id":"5079","name":"Eric Gaucher"},{"id":"5718","name":"Genetics"},{"id":"34691","name":"genetics health and computational biology"},{"id":"1133","name":"genome"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter and contact: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"568941":{"#nid":"568941","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Popular Science Puts Georgia Tech\u2019s Will Ratcliff on \u2018Brilliant 10\u2019 List","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWill Ratcliff is having a moment in the spotlight for getting yeast and algae to jump through hoops to new evolutionary heights.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.popsci.com\/tags\/brilliant-10\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Emagazine \u003Cem\u003EPopular Science\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has heaved the researcher from the Georgia Institute of Technology into \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.popsci.com\/man-who-solves-mysteries-evolution\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eits annual list \u201cThe Brilliant 10,\u201d a select roster \u003C\/a\u003Eof \u201cthe 10 most innovative young minds in science and technology.\u201d\u0026nbsp; Ratcliff was praised for advancing the study of cellular evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPopSci\u003C\/em\u003E cited his work demonstrating how single-cell organisms may have transitioned into simple multicellular organisms ages ago.\u0026nbsp; It\u2019s widely seen as an arduous evolutionary leap, since single cells had to forfeit a lot of their own fitness for the greater good of creating viable cell groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWilliam Ratcliff revealed surprising insights into what might have been necessary for this transition to occur,\u201d \u003Cem\u003EPopular Science\u003C\/em\u003E wrote in its September\/October edition. He has illuminated \u201cone of the greatest mysteries of life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003EThe needs of the many\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ratclifflab.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERatcliff, an assistant professor \u003C\/a\u003Ein Georgia Tech\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, has put thousands of generations of yeast and many generations of algae cells through stresses in the lab devised to get them to evolve better survival strategies around forming cohesive groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re figuring out kind of clever ways to get them to form groups and then for those groups to become more complex,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea is to end up with a rudimentary multicellular being with cells taking on specialized roles, a very early step on the pathway to organ development.\u0026nbsp; But the first advantage to group formation is simple -- size. Bigger is often better.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of small predators have small mouths that are great at eating single-cells,\u201d Ratcliff said.\u0026nbsp; But \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.evolution-outreach.com\/content\/8\/1\/13\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ebig multicellular cell clusters are too big for these predators\u003C\/a\u003E to get their mouths around. Clustered cells survive to pass on their genes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ERace to the bottom\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo accelerate the evolution of yeast from individuals cells into \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/109\/5\/1595.long\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ecell groups called \u201csnowflakes,\u201d one of his signature achievements\u003C\/a\u003E, Ratcliff has selected for yeast cells that sink more quickly.\u0026nbsp; There, again, big clusters sink better than single cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce clusters are done outcompeting the unicells, they compete against each other. \u201cIt\u2019s remarkable how quickly snowflake yeast clusters evolve new traits that let them win this race,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the group gains various strengths, it sacrifices the viability of individual cells.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThey evolve a division of labor in the group, in which some of them commit suicide,\u201d Ratcliff said.\u0026nbsp; That changes reproductive patterns, which makes the clusters\u2019 progeny more competitive.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe loss of individual cell fitness is extensive.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe more robust a cluster gets, the less likely its individuals are to survive if they are caused to revert back to individual cells.\u0026nbsp; It\u2019s like an odd twist on the traditional marriage vows: Part, and you will die.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMuch of Ratcliff\u2019s research is funded by NASA\u2019s Exobiology program and the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003EFelt it coming\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore \u003Cem\u003EPopular Science\u003C\/em\u003E called for an interview for its four-paragraph nod, Ratcliff had sensed something was coming.\u0026nbsp; For a few months, while the magazine cemented its list, it asked around at scientific societies about noteworthy up-and-coming researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a result, Ratcliff received some veiled tips.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA couple of colleagues of mine said, \u2018Hey man, I got a call from a reporter. I can\u2019t tell you anything about it, but you may be hearing something soon,\u2019\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen \u003Cem\u003EPopSci\u003C\/em\u003E called, a reporter told Ratcliff that many scientists had mentioned him, strongly influencing the decision to name him one of \u0022The Brilliant 10.\u0022\u0026nbsp; \u201cThat was very touching that people within the research community said to them they should look at my lab,\u201d Ratcliff said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003EHail Mary pass\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELife\u2019s small coincidences have helped guide Ratcliff\u2019s academic strivings down the path of evolutionary research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis career in biology spawned from childhood, when his parents carted him and his brother Felix off in their summers to woodland family cabins next to craggy Pacific Coast cliffs near Mendocino, California.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThere was really nothing to do except to run around the forest and the ocean checking out the lives of plants and animals,\u201d Ratcliff said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey got hooked; both brothers became biologists.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPlants became Ratcliff\u2019s passion at an early age, which led to a bachelor of science in plant biology from the University of California, Davis, but that threw his career a serendipitous curve. \u201cI thought it would have a lot to do with ecology, but it turned out to be mostly cellular biology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe decision to see if yeast cells could be coaxed into making the leap to multicellularity was also slightly capricious.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThere was a lot of doubt surrounding it, but I thought, \u2018Why not just give it a try and see,\u2019\u0022 said Ratcliff, whose Ph.D. is in ecology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe was astonished when that longshot worked.\u0026nbsp; \u201cIt was a kind of Hail Mary pass,\u201d he said. It led to a dedicated research specialization and a notable body of continuing work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E-------\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/news\/556431\/insights-sex-and-death-mutant-roundworm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERead about a tiny mutation triggering massive evolutionary change\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Biologist honored for illuminating evolutionary mystery"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWill Ratcliff tried something many scientists doubted would ever succeed. He pushed yeast to evolve in the lab from single-cell to multicellular beings. \u201cIt was a kind of Hail Mary pass,\u201d he said. It worked, and opened up a path to sustained evolutionary research. This year, it landed Ratcliff, and Georgia Tech, in a pageant of notable researchers, \u003Cem\u003EPopular Science\u003C\/em\u003E\u0027s annual list of \u0022The Brilliant 10.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Magazine Popular Science has honored Georgia Tech biologist Will Ratcliff on its annual list of \u201cthe 10 most innovative young minds in science and technology.\u0022"}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2016-08-26 15:18:28","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:22:26","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-08-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-08-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"568891":{"id":"568891","type":"image","title":"Popular Science honors Will Ratcliff","body":null,"created":"1472235383","gmt_created":"2016-08-26 18:16:23","changed":"1475895376","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:16","alt":"Popular Science honors Will Ratcliff","file":{"fid":"218314","name":"popsci-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/popsci-001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/popsci-001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1186358,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/popsci-001.jpg?itok=j5tIskRN"}},"568901":{"id":"568901","type":"image","title":"Biological Sciences researcher Will Ratcliff in his lab","body":null,"created":"1472236745","gmt_created":"2016-08-26 18:39:05","changed":"1475895376","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:16","alt":"Biological Sciences researcher Will Ratcliff in his lab","file":{"fid":"218315","name":"will.ratcliff.lab_.scaled.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/will.ratcliff.lab_.scaled.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/will.ratcliff.lab_.scaled.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2589543,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/will.ratcliff.lab_.scaled.jpg?itok=8NSvfZYQ"}},"568921":{"id":"568921","type":"image","title":"Northern California nature inspired Will Ratcliff","body":null,"created":"1472237550","gmt_created":"2016-08-26 18:52:30","changed":"1475895376","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:16","alt":"Northern California nature inspired Will Ratcliff","file":{"fid":"218317","name":"mendocino.ca_.rocky_.coast_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mendocino.ca_.rocky_.coast_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mendocino.ca_.rocky_.coast_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3505552,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mendocino.ca_.rocky_.coast_.jpg?itok=nBxTQXWE"}},"568911":{"id":"568911","type":"image","title":"William Ratcliff portrait","body":null,"created":"1472237098","gmt_created":"2016-08-26 18:44:58","changed":"1475895376","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:16","alt":"William Ratcliff portrait","file":{"fid":"218316","name":"will.ratcliff.portrait.scaled.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/will.ratcliff.portrait.scaled.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/will.ratcliff.portrait.scaled.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2442555,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/will.ratcliff.portrait.scaled.jpg?itok=M4UMOOcy"}}},"media_ids":["568891","568901","568921","568911"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"79271","name":"algae"},{"id":"170638","name":"Brilliant 10"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"170640","name":"popsci"},{"id":"89691","name":"popular science"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"108591","name":"Will Ratcliff"},{"id":"170334","name":"yeast"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter and contact: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"563791":{"#nid":"563791","#data":{"type":"news","title":"College of Sciences Welcomes Inaugural Class of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Quantitative Biosciences","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENine graduate students will make up the inaugural Fall 2016 class of the College of Sciences\u0026rsquo;\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Einterdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E (QBioS). QBioS was established in 2015 by more than 50 participating program faculty in the College of Sciences. It is directed by School of Biological Sciences Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJ\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003Eoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/people\/faculty\u0022\u003EQBioS faculty\u003C\/a\u003E will train Ph.D. students to identify and solve foundational and applied problems in the biological sciences and prepare them for research challenges at scales spanning molecules to ecosystems,\u0026rdquo; Weitz says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe QBioS program supports the College\u0026rsquo;s strategic goal to enhance the research ecosystem and provide new training opportunities. It is Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s third interdisciplinary Ph.D. focusing on life sciences, following the successful models for \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioengineering\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioinformatics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp; As in these other programs, QBioS Ph.D. students can select a thesis advisor from the entire program faculty, irrespective of school. In this way, QBioS continues a tradition of fostering innovative, interdisciplinary research and education at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOf\u0026nbsp; the nine new students, four are from overseas and one is a Georgia Tech alumnus; five will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, three in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, and one in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShlomi Cohen\u003C\/strong\u003E earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.technion.ac.il\/en\/\u0022\u003ETechnion-Israel Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, in Haifa. Cohen followed his wife to Atlanta after she had been accepted to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/academics\/doctoral\u0022\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering Ph.D. program\u003C\/a\u003E at Tech, and he soon applied for his own doctorate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECohen says QBioS is a natural choice for him, despite his engineering background. \u0026ldquo;I have been interested in biosciences for as long as I can remember,\u0026rdquo; Cohen says. In fact, he adds, he chose to study mechanical engineering at Technion because they offered a biosciences specialization.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I look forward to obtaining knowledge and experience that will allow me to gain a set of professional tools to handle real scientific problems and achieve a better understanding of the amazing world around us.\u0026rdquo; Cohen will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E during his time in the program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENolan Joseph English\u003C\/strong\u003E comes to QBioS with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www2.howard.edu\/\u0022\u003EHoward University\u003C\/a\u003E, in Washington, D.C.\u0026nbsp; English says he was drawn to Tech for its \u0026ldquo;incredibly strong focus on computer science and interdisciplinary studies that pervade both the culture and research.\u0026rdquo; That Tech is his father\u0026rsquo;s alma mater also played a role in his decision.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The QBioS program allows one to experience many aspects of computational biology \u0026ndash; such as systems biology, bioinformatics, and bioengineering \u0026ndash;\u0026nbsp; while building a strong core of computational capability and understanding,\u0026rdquo; English says. \u0026ldquo;This strong core is what I desire most and is something truly unique to Georgia Tech.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat most excites English about QBioS is the prospect of learning \u0026ldquo;how to translate an in silico knowledge base into an in vivo actualization of concept.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp; For this reason, he says, \u0026ldquo;I am keenly interested in learning about modeling techniques at the transcriptome and genome levels.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp; English will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EElma Kajtaz\u003C\/strong\u003E earned her bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree in behavioral sciences from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.unsa.ba\/s\/index.php\u0022\u003EUniversity of Sarajevo\u003C\/a\u003E, in Bosnia-Herzegovina. No longer a stranger to Georgia Tech, Kajtaz had previously worked and studied in the former School of Applied Physiology, now the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, with Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/richard-nichols\u0022\u003ET. Richard Nichols\u003C\/a\u003E. That research opportunity is what drew Kajtaz initially to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The interdisciplinary and quantitative approach to behavior and physiology emphasized by the QBioS program is perfectly aligned with my research philosophy and interests,\u0026rdquo; Kajatz says. \u0026ldquo;I am looking forward to learning and working alongside faculty and researchers from different disciplines to contribute to our understanding of biological systems.\u0026rdquo; Kajtaz will be based in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ethe School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlexander Bo-Ping Lee\u003C\/strong\u003E received his bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree in mathematical biology at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/\u0022\u003EHarvey Mudd College\u003C\/a\u003E, in Claremont, California. A paper on ant rafts by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/david-hu\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences Associate Professor David Hu\u003C\/a\u003E intrigued Lee and sparked his interest in attending the QBioS program. Lee is most excited to be a teaching assistant during his time in the program and hopes to become a professor one day, in line with his love of teaching. Lee will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoy Elizabeth Putney\u003C\/strong\u003E received her B.S. in Biology and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/catalog.wlu.edu\/preview_program.php?catoid=3\u0026amp;poid=122\u0026amp;returnto=177\u0022\u003EPhysics-Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.wlu.edu\/\u0022\u003EWashington and Lee University\u003C\/a\u003E, in Lexington, Virginia. She was drawn to QBioS by her love of research that uses quantitative techniques to study biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Life is full of examples of complex systems, from the molecular to the ecological scales, and most complex systems can be best understood using quantitative techniques,\u0026rdquo; Putney says. She\u0026rsquo;s excited to start research, taking advantage of the program\u0026rsquo;s rotation-based structure to gain experience in multiple labs. \u0026ldquo;This will give me the best opportunity to find a place where I can do research that aligns with my passions,\u0026rdquo; she says. Putney will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPutney may work government or industry after completing the program, but that is a long way in the future. \u0026ldquo;I hope that Georgia Tech will point me in the right direction,\u0026rdquo; she says, \u0026ldquo;even if it ends up being something completely different from what I thought or expected.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPedro M\u0026aacute;rquez-Zacar\u0026iacute;as\u003C\/strong\u003E has a bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree in biomedical sciences from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.facmed.unam.mx\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E at the\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.unam.mx\/\u0022\u003ENational Autonomous University of Mexico\u003C\/a\u003E, in Mexico City.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Georgia Tech is a very prestigious university where science and technology are at the frontiers of knowledge\u0026rdquo; M\u0026aacute;rquez-Zacar\u0026iacute;as says. \u0026ldquo;I like how students and professors from different fields join efforts to tackle complex problems in the most diverse fields of science.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EM\u0026aacute;rquez-Zacar\u0026iacute;as is excited to be part of the diverse and collaborative groups of scientist in the QBioS program. \u0026ldquo;I can\u0026rsquo;t imagine a better program for my doctoral degree,\u0026rdquo; he says. He looks forward to collaborating with various research groups and learning cutting-edge techniques to study how nature works. M\u0026aacute;rquez-Zacar\u0026iacute;as will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStephen Anthony Thomas\u003C\/strong\u003E is no stranger to Georgia Tech, where he earned bachelor\u0026rsquo;s and master\u0026rsquo;s degrees in electrical engineering. But it is mathematics where Thomas finds his passion.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe QBioS program offers \u0026ldquo;a great chance to apply a subject I love \u0026ndash; mathematics \u0026ndash; to areas that can make a real difference to society,\u0026rdquo; he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA potential research focus for Thomas is mathematical modeling for epidemiology. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s exciting to be able to work not only at Georgia Tech,\u0026rdquo; he says, \u0026ldquo;but also through partnerships with \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.emory.edu\/home\/index.html\u0022\u003EEmory University\u003C\/a\u003E on critical problems, such as countering antibiotic resistance in bacterial infections.\u0026rdquo; Thomas will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHector Augusto Velasco-Perez\u003C\/strong\u003E received his bachelor\u0026rsquo;s degree in physics from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fciencias.unam.mx\/\u0022\u003EFaculty of Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.unam.mx\/\u0022\u003ENational Autonomous University of Mexico\u003C\/a\u003E, also in Mexico City. \u0026ldquo;I was looking for a graduate program and a place that could combine theory and practice, physics and biology, pen and paper, and high-performance computing with GPUs [graphics-processing units],\u0026rdquo; he says. \u0026ldquo;I wanted my work to be something that someone can use, something that I can point at \u0026ndash; big or small \u0026ndash; and say, \u0026lsquo;Look, I did that!\u0026rsquo;.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EQBioS fits the bill, and Velasco-Perez looks forward to working in a diverse community. The QBioS program \u0026ldquo;is a perfect opportunity for new ideas to be created,\u0026rdquo; he says.\u0026nbsp; Velasco-Perez will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESeyed Alireza Zamani-Dahaj\u003C\/strong\u003E received his master\u0026rsquo;s degree in physics from\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mcmaster.ca\/\u0022\u003EMcMaster University\u003C\/a\u003E, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He was drawn to QBioS by the wide range of classes and the multiple labs doing interesting research. \u0026ldquo;Being among the first class of the QBioS Program is very exciting,\u0026rdquo; Zamani-Dehaj says. He will be based in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We warmly welcome our new graduate students in QBioS,\u0026rdquo; says College of Sciences Dean Paul M. Goldbart. \u0026ldquo;We look forward to their unique contributions to the College\u0026rsquo;s tradition of forging new paths of discovery.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScott Smith\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudent Assistant\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Nine graduate students launch Georgia Tech\u2019s third interdisciplinary life sciences Ph.D."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENine graduate students launch Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s third interdisciplinary life sciences Ph.D. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Nine graduate students launch Georgia Tech\u2019s third interdisciplinary life sciences Ph.D."}],"uid":"30678","created_gmt":"2016-08-16 17:23:49","changed_gmt":"2017-11-06 18:12:14","author":"A. Maureen Rouhi","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-08-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-08-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"563701":{"id":"563701","type":"image","title":"Shlomi Cohen","body":null,"created":"1471380931","gmt_created":"2016-08-16 20:55:31","changed":"1475895367","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:07","alt":"Shlomi Cohen","file":{"fid":"206833","name":"shlomi.cohen_.qbios_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/shlomi.cohen_.qbios_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/shlomi.cohen_.qbios_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54373,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/shlomi.cohen_.qbios_.jpg?itok=0dr3W_20"}},"563761":{"id":"563761","type":"image","title":"Nolan Joseph English","body":null,"created":"1471381402","gmt_created":"2016-08-16 21:03:22","changed":"1475895367","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:07","alt":"Nolan Joseph English","file":{"fid":"206839","name":"nolan.english.qbios_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nolan.english.qbios_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nolan.english.qbios_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":34629,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nolan.english.qbios_.jpg?itok=x9TEGpwm"}},"563781":{"id":"563781","type":"image","title":"Elma Kajtaz","body":null,"created":"1471381716","gmt_created":"2016-08-16 21:08:36","changed":"1475895367","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:07","alt":"Elma Kajtaz","file":{"fid":"206841","name":"elma.qbios_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/elma.qbios_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/elma.qbios_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":88791,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/elma.qbios_.jpg?itok=a4t4zPNO"}},"563751":{"id":"563751","type":"image","title":"Alexander Bo-Ping Lee","body":null,"created":"1471381324","gmt_created":"2016-08-16 21:02:04","changed":"1475895367","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:07","alt":"Alexander Bo-Ping Lee","file":{"fid":"206838","name":"alex_bo_lee_photo.qbios_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/alex_bo_lee_photo.qbios_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/alex_bo_lee_photo.qbios_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3720,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/alex_bo_lee_photo.qbios_.jpg?itok=mcM0dKv5"}},"563741":{"id":"563741","type":"image","title":"Joy Elizabeth Putney","body":null,"created":"1471381257","gmt_created":"2016-08-16 21:00:57","changed":"1475895367","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:07","alt":"Joy Elizabeth Putney","file":{"fid":"206837","name":"joy.putney.qbios_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/joy.putney.qbios_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/joy.putney.qbios_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":151550,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/joy.putney.qbios_.jpg?itok=OTT_1gpD"}},"563771":{"id":"563771","type":"image","title":"Pedro M\u00e1rquez-Zacar\u00edas","body":null,"created":"1471381649","gmt_created":"2016-08-16 21:07:29","changed":"1475895367","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:07","alt":"Pedro M\u00e1rquez-Zacar\u00edas","file":{"fid":"206840","name":"pedro.capture.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/pedro.capture.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/pedro.capture.png","mime":"image\/png","size":960987,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/pedro.capture.png?itok=KJBhnVBt"}},"563731":{"id":"563731","type":"image","title":"Hector Augusto Velasco-Perez","body":null,"created":"1471381182","gmt_created":"2016-08-16 20:59:42","changed":"1475895367","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:07","alt":"Hector Augusto Velasco-Perez","file":{"fid":"206836","name":"hector.qbios_.foto_el_22-07-16_a_las_6.12_p.m..jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hector.qbios_.foto_el_22-07-16_a_las_6.12_p.m..jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hector.qbios_.foto_el_22-07-16_a_las_6.12_p.m..jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":138574,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hector.qbios_.foto_el_22-07-16_a_las_6.12_p.m..jpg?itok=8k6UxBb0"}},"563721":{"id":"563721","type":"image","title":"Seyed Alireza Zamani-Dahaj","body":null,"created":"1471381091","gmt_created":"2016-08-16 20:58:11","changed":"1475895367","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:07","alt":"Seyed Alireza Zamani-Dahaj","file":{"fid":"206835","name":"zamani.qbios_.img_6272.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/zamani.qbios_.img_6272.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/zamani.qbios_.img_6272.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1687122,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/zamani.qbios_.img_6272.jpg?itok=HbUlPDW1"}}},"media_ids":["563701","563761","563781","563751","563741","563771","563731","563721"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"168667","name":"QBioS"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"560921":{"#nid":"560921","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Four Georgia Tech Faculty Earn Regents Professor, Researcher Titles","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe University System of Georgia (USG)\u0027s Board of Regents has appointed three Georgia Tech faculty members as Regents Professors and one as a Regents Researcher. The titles represent the highest academic and research recognition bestowed by the University System of Georgia, and demonstrate distinction and achievement in teaching and scholarly research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe three Regents Professors are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESeymour E. Goodman\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs with a joint appointment in the College of Computing, and co-director of the Center for International Strategy, Technology, and Policy.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENicholas V. Hud\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and director of the Center for Chemical Evolution.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVladimir Tsukruk\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering, founding co-director of the Air Force BIONIC Center of Excellence, and founding director of the Microanalysis Center.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new Regents Researcher is:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlexa Harter\u003C\/strong\u003E, associate director and chief scientist of the Advanced Concepts Lab at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is incredibly proud to have some of the world\u2019s best and brightest scholars, and we congratulate these faculty members on their new appointments,\u201d said Rafael L. Bras, provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs and the K. Harrison Brown Family Chair. \u201cThis new distinction is a testament to their continued commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach year, academic deans may nominate two academic faculty members for the Regents Professor title and one research faculty member for the Regents Researcher title. Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) may nominate two research faculty members for Regents Researcher. The titles are awarded upon approval of the chancellor and the Committee on Academic affairs only with unanimous recommendation of the president, the chief academic officer, the appropriate academic dean, and three other faculty members.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe contributions of these faculty members make a lasting impact on the research and education enterprise here at Georgia Tech,\u201d said Steve Cross, executive vice president for Research. \u201cThat impact also bolsters the Institute\u2019s goals to serve as a driver of economic vitality in Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and beyond.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Board of Regents is the University System of Georgia governing body.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe University System of Georgia Board of Regents has appointed Georgia Tech faculty members Seymour E. Goodman, NIcholas V. Hud, and Vladimir Tsukruk as Regents\u2019 Professors and Alexa Harter as a Regents\u2019 Researcher. The titles represent the highest academic and research recognition bestowed by the University System of Georgia, and demonstrate distinction and achievement in teaching and scholarly research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Goodman, Hud, and Tsukruk named as Regents\u0027 Professor, Harter named as Regents\u0027 Researcher"}],"uid":"27165","created_gmt":"2016-08-10 13:41:18","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:22:19","author":"Susie Ivy","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-08-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-08-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"357371":{"id":"357371","type":"image","title":"Seymour Goodman compressed","body":null,"created":"1449245767","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:16:07","changed":"1475895091","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:31","alt":"Seymour Goodman compressed","file":{"fid":"201450","name":"seymour-goodman.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/seymour-goodman.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/seymour-goodman.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":21869,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/seymour-goodman.jpg?itok=cwjqiKah"}},"193731":{"id":"193731","type":"image","title":"Nicholas Hud in lab","body":null,"created":"1449179891","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:58:11","changed":"1475894843","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:23","alt":"Nicholas Hud in lab","file":{"fid":"196356","name":"10p1000-69-004.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10p1000-69-004_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10p1000-69-004_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1388730,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/10p1000-69-004_0.jpg?itok=O9t3T-t_"}},"561591":{"id":"561591","type":"image","title":"Vladimir Tsukruk headshot*","body":null,"created":"1470864669","gmt_created":"2016-08-10 21:31:09","changed":"1475895364","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:04","alt":"Vladimir Tsukruk headshot*","file":{"fid":"206782","name":"vladimir_tsukruk_copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vladimir_tsukruk_copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/vladimir_tsukruk_copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":27408,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/vladimir_tsukruk_copy.jpg?itok=sy_Xhz5U"}},"560931":{"id":"560931","type":"image","title":"Alexa Harter","body":null,"created":"1470850960","gmt_created":"2016-08-10 17:42:40","changed":"1475895364","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:04","alt":"Alexa Harter","file":{"fid":"206778","name":"alexa_harter.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/alexa_harter.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/alexa_harter.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1541055,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/alexa_harter.jpg?itok=7mLdDxrF"}}},"media_ids":["357371","193731","561591","560931"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10088","name":"BOR"},{"id":"103191","name":"regents professor"},{"id":"103201","name":"regents researcher"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"1966","name":"usg"},{"id":"4152","name":"whistle"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:susie.ivy@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESusie Ivy\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-385-3782\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["susie.ivy@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"558891":{"#nid":"558891","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Global Warming, a Dead Zone and Mysterious Bacteria","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn ocean expanses where oxygen has vanished, newly discovered bacteria are diminishing additional life molecules.\u0026nbsp;They are helping make virtual dead zones even deader.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s natural for bacteria to deplete nitrogen in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), ocean regions that have no detectable O\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E.\u0026nbsp; But as climate change progresses, OMZs are ballooning, and that nitrogen depletion is also on the rise, drawing researchers to study it and possible ramifications for the global environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, a team led by the Georgia Institute of Technology has discovered members of a highly prolific bacteria group known as SAR11 living in the world\u0026rsquo;s largest oxygen minimum zone. The team has produced unambiguous evidence that the bacteria play a major role in denitrification.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E7 questions, 7 answers\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new bacteria impact global nutrient supplies and greenhouse gas cycles. Below are questions and answers that illuminate the discovery and its significance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/nature\/journal\/vaop\/ncurrent\/full\/nature19068.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epublished their findings in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E on Wednesday, August 3, 2016\u003C\/a\u003E. They produced genomic and enzyme analyses that pave the way for further study of carbon and nitrogen cycles in oxygen minimum zones.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the NASA Exobiology Program, the Sloan Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E1. Why does denitrification matter?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile melting ice caps and dying polar bears splash across headlines, climate change is stressing oceans in other ways, too \u0026ndash; such as warming and acidifying waters. Loss of ocean oxygen and nitrogen are pieces of that bigger puzzle.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs to nitrogen: Anyone who has picked up a bag of fertilizer knows it as a building block of life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s an essential nutrient,\u0026rdquo; said Frank Stewart, an assistant professor at Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Biological Sciences, who headed the team. \u0026ldquo;Nitrogen is used by all cells for proteins and DNA.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETaking it away makes it harder for algae and other organisms to grow, or even live. But it doesn\u0026rsquo;t stop there. Algae absorb carbon dioxide, so, when algae are diminished, that leaves more of that greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut it\u0026rsquo;s not yet clear how heavily this particular loss of CO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E absorption weighs in the global balance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E2. How do these newly discovered bacteria deplete nitrogen?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn OMZs, with O\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E gone, the newly discovered strains of SAR11 bacteria (and some other bacteria) respire NO\u003Csub\u003E3\u003C\/sub\u003E (nitrate) instead, the Georgia Tech researchers found.\u0026nbsp;They kick off a chemical chain that leads to nitrogen disappearing out of the ocean.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;They take nitrate, convert it into nitrite (NO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E), and that can ultimately be used to produce gaseous nitrogen,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said. Plain nitrogen, N\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E, and nitrous oxide, N\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003EO, would result.\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;Both of those gases have the potential to bubble out of the system and leave the ocean.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat makes the oxygen-barren waters even less hospitable to life while putting more nitrogen into the air, as well as nitrous oxide, a key greenhouse gas.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe newly discovered members of the SAR11 bacteria clade \u0026ndash; clade means a branch of living species -- appear to be the single largest contingent of bacteria in OMZs. That makes them a very significant player in nitrogen loss.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E3. Ocean zones with no oxygen? Sounds wild. Did climate change do that?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENo. Oxygen minimum zones are natural. The issue is that global warming is making them grow, just like it\u0026rsquo;s making ice caps shrink.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOMZs form mostly in the tropics, off coastlines where wind pushes surface waters out to sea, allowing deeper waters to rise up. These are full of nutrients and boost the growth of simple aquatic life like algae.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Eventually, the algae die and sink slowly,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said. \u0026ldquo;Bacteria munch on it, and in the process, they breathe oxygen.\u0026rdquo; There\u0026rsquo;s so much algae that the bacteria consume oxygen at a dizzying rate, depleting the water of it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGlobal warming is causing OMZs to spread because it makes seawater less able to hold oxygen.\u0026nbsp;As OMZs expand, so does the potential for denitrification, tipping global balances of nitrogen, greenhouse gases, and nutrients.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E4. I\u0026rsquo;ve heard of the disease SARS, but what is SAR11?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two are unrelated.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESARS is caused by a virus and is potentially deadly. SAR11 bacteria are not only harmless to humans; hypothetically, we might starve without them. They\u0026rsquo;re at the base of an oceanic food chain, which is very important to the global food supply.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;After they eat dissolved organic carbon (dead stuff), then the bacteria are eaten by bigger cells, which are eaten by larger plankton, and so on up the food chain,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPreviously known SAR11 are so incredibly widespread in the ocean, it\u0026rsquo;s surprising they\u0026rsquo;re not a household name.\u0026nbsp; They may even comprise the largest number of living organisms on Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnder the microscope, SAR11 bacteria pretty much look the same. \u0026ldquo;They\u0026rsquo;re usually short little slightly bent rods,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said.\u0026nbsp;Until now, SAR11 have been known to require oxygen to live, so finding SAR11 that respire nitrate is new and surprising.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E5. Where did the team get these new nitrate breathing SAR11 strains?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStewart and his team sailed for four days aboard a research vessel from San Diego, California, to an area off the Pacific coast of Mexico\u0026rsquo;s Calimo state. There, they dropped a carousel of tube-like bottles about four feet long down to the center of the world\u0026rsquo;s largest OMZ 1,000 feet below.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The bottoms and tops of the bottles are open,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said. \u0026ldquo;When you get to the depth you want, you close them to get your sample.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new bacteria don\u0026rsquo;t have species names yet, but their genomes, which were sequenced in the study, indicate they\u0026rsquo;re members of the SAR11 bacteria clade.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E6. Why is this discovery scientifically significant?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt upends quite justified scientific doubts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists thought SAR11 wouldn\u0026rsquo;t have strains that flourish in the harsh OMZ environment, because the SAR11 clade doesn\u0026rsquo;t have a reputation for being very adaptable. \u0026ldquo;When their genomes do change, they\u0026rsquo;re usually very subtle changes,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMany other bacteria, by contrast, plunk in and out big chunks of their DNA, making them widely adaptable. Also, though researchers had already detected genetic signatures of SAR11 bacteria in OMZs, they didn\u0026rsquo;t think the bacteria were actually at home there.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese facts put Stewart and his team under a heavy burden of proof.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E7. How did the scientists answer the doubts?\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey flushed out the genomes of 15 individual new bacteria strains they had captured as intact single cells. Surprisingly, the researchers found the blueprints for an enzyme, nitrate reductase, which could allow the bacteria to breathe nitrate in place of oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince the novel bacteria have not yet been grown in the lab, the researchers inserted their nitrate reduction gene sequences into E. coli bacteria to see if they would use the DNA to produce the enzyme and if the enzyme would then work.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt did.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Not all studies that do this kind of genome-based analysis take that extra step,\u0026rdquo; Stewart said with a long exhale. But it nailed nagging doubts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe thorough analyses produced a critical dataset for science to build upon. More research will be needed to find out what adaptations allow SAR11 bacteria to exist under such harsh conditions.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cem\u003EThe following researchers coauthored the study: Despina Tsementzi, Jieying Wu, Luis M. Rodriguez-R, Andrew S. Burns, Piyush Ranjan, Cory C. Padilla, Neha Sarode, Jennifer B. Glass and Konstantinos T. Konstantinidis from Georgia Tech; Samuel Deutsch, Sangeeta Nath, Rex R. Malmstrom and Tanja Woyke from the U.S. Department of Energy; Benjamin K. Stone from Bowdoin College; Laura A. Bristow from the Max Planck Institute; Bo Thamdrup and Morten Larsen from the University of Southern Denmark. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research was funded by the National Science Foundation (grants 1151698 and 1416673), the NASA Exobiology Program (grant NNX14AJ87G), the Sloan Foundation (RC944), and the U.S. Department of Energy\u0026rsquo;s Community Science Program. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Climate change focuses research on ocean areas depleted of oxygen, leading to discovery that topples tough doubts"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGlobal warming is expanding ocean regions where oxygen has already vanished. There, newly discovered bacteria deplete waters of nitrogen, a nutrient essential to life. Though nitrogen depletion itself is natural, it appears to be expanding along with burgeoning dead zones. That could add to greenhouse gas production and cause other imbalances, and\u0026nbsp;newly discovered bacteria play a major role.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"While global warming shrinks ice caps, it\u0027s expanding \u201coxygen minimum zones,\u201d where newly discovered bacteria are depleting waters of nitrogen, a nutrient essential to life. This could be creating imbalances."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2016-08-03 12:45:05","changed_gmt":"2018-09-24 22:37:24","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-08-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-08-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"558741":{"id":"558741","type":"image","title":"Deep sea microbe collector","body":null,"created":"1470238964","gmt_created":"2016-08-03 15:42:44","changed":"1475895361","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:01","alt":"Deep sea microbe collector","file":{"fid":"218256","name":"collector_dives.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/collector_dives.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/collector_dives.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2770468,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/collector_dives.jpg?itok=vR9jcfI3"}},"558751":{"id":"558751","type":"image","title":"Deep sea microbe collector readied","body":null,"created":"1470239209","gmt_created":"2016-08-03 15:46:49","changed":"1475895361","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:01","alt":"Deep sea microbe collector readied","file":{"fid":"218257","name":"collectors.scis_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/collectors.scis_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/collectors.scis_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2584203,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/collectors.scis_.jpg?itok=RdbCPb1w"}},"558781":{"id":"558781","type":"image","title":"Lead researcher Frank Stewart","body":null,"created":"1470240298","gmt_created":"2016-08-03 16:04:58","changed":"1475895361","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:01","alt":"Lead researcher Frank Stewart","file":{"fid":"218258","name":"frank_stewart_portrait.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/frank_stewart_portrait.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/frank_stewart_portrait.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2071729,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/frank_stewart_portrait.jpg?itok=DhZqUMlg"}},"558811":{"id":"558811","type":"image","title":"Frank Stewart and Bo Thamdrup","body":null,"created":"1470240537","gmt_created":"2016-08-03 16:08:57","changed":"1475895361","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:01","alt":"Frank Stewart and Bo Thamdrup","file":{"fid":"218260","name":"stewart_thamdrup.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stewart_thamdrup.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stewart_thamdrup.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2067757,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/stewart_thamdrup.jpg?itok=7zsvMRkt"}},"558861":{"id":"558861","type":"image","title":"Reseach vessel sailed to the world\u0027s largest OMZ","body":null,"created":"1470241212","gmt_created":"2016-08-03 16:20:12","changed":"1475895361","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:01","alt":"Reseach vessel sailed to the world\u0027s largest OMZ","file":{"fid":"218262","name":"dscf7397.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dscf7397.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dscf7397.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1736464,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dscf7397.jpg?itok=ZZl17Jub"}},"558831":{"id":"558831","type":"image","title":"Carrousel of collector tubes prepares for submersion","body":null,"created":"1470240703","gmt_created":"2016-08-03 16:11:43","changed":"1475895361","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:56:01","alt":"Carrousel of collector tubes prepares for submersion","file":{"fid":"218261","name":"collectors_crain.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/collectors_crain.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/collectors_crain.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2625472,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/collectors_crain.jpg?itok=7jqOGf7f"}}},"media_ids":["558741","558751","558781","558811","558861","558831"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1316","name":"Green Buzz"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"170551","name":"bacteria genomes"},{"id":"7454","name":"CO2"},{"id":"170552","name":"collector"},{"id":"170553","name":"denitrification"},{"id":"25111","name":"Frank Stewart"},{"id":"7078","name":"microbe"},{"id":"170554","name":"N2O"},{"id":"170555","name":"nitrate"},{"id":"170556","name":"nitrogen"},{"id":"170557","name":"NO3"},{"id":"170502","name":"O2"},{"id":"170558","name":"OMZ"},{"id":"170559","name":"oxygen minimum zone"},{"id":"170560","name":"SAR11"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter and contact: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"556431":{"#nid":"556431","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Insights on Sex and Death from a Mutant Roundworm","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn tough times, humans aren\u2019t the only species that think twice about having children.\u0026nbsp; Consider roundworm strain LSJ2.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough it can\u2019t think \u2013 much less think twice -- about anything, the laboratory worm underwent a surprising mutation that made it prioritize the survival of adults over creating abundant offspring.\u0026nbsp; Researchers noticed the sweeping change in behavior, and the mutation, after LSJ2 had faced hardship for 50 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESuch so-called life history trade-offs have been described in many living things from mice to elephants, but now, for the first known time, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have pinned some to a specific mutation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a great hint at how life history trade-offs could be regulated genetically,\u201d said lead researcher Patrick McGrath, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers confirmed the link in LSJ2, a strain of the \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E species, by duplicating the mutation in another strain, which reproduced the mutation\u2019s effects to a very high degree.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers published their results \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosgenetics\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pgen.1006219\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ein the journal PLOS Genetics\u003C\/a\u003E on Thursday, July 28, 2016.\u0026nbsp; Their work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Ellison Medical Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ESnowball to avalanche\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mutation in the LSJ2 strain amounted to a small deletion in its DNA.\u0026nbsp; As a result, a large protein changed by a meager 10 of its roughly 3,000 amino acids.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut that triggered a huge behavioral overhaul that boosted lifespan and slowed down reproduction.\u0026nbsp; The contrast between the minor genetic tweak and its transformative ramifications might compare well with a toddler knocking loose an avalanche with a snowball.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new discovery also has a tangential connection to human genetics.\u0026nbsp; The roundworm shares with us the NURF-1 gene, on which the mutation occurred.\u0026nbsp; And an associated human protein is involved in, among other things, reproduction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003EEvolve faster, please\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll at once, LSJ2 did a lot of peculiar things, and that got the attention of McGrath and his team. And that\u2019s what the lab roundworms are there for.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 1951, generations of scientists have been speeding up the evolution of lab-bound \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E by forcing the microscopic species of roundworms to adapt to new, mostly stressful, conditions.\u0026nbsp; Then, when researchers have noticed changes, they\u2019ve worked to trace them to the animals\u2019 genes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcGrath points to a thin, glass slide standing vertically under a light with tubules of fluid connected to it.\u0026nbsp; Inside the slide, is a different lab strain of \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re raising those in fluid with gravity pulling them down to see if mutations will give them the ability to swim,\u201d McGrath said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E50 years of bread and water\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the case of LSJ2, researchers came up with a different challenge to accelerate its evolution. They fed it bland food for 50 years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a diet of watery soy extract with some beef liver extract,\u201d said Wen Xu, a graduate student who researches with McGrath.\u0026nbsp; Sounds yucky enough to humans, but to the roundworm, it\u0027s worse. It equates to a regimen of bread and water.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMutations eventually took hold to promote LSJ2\u2019s survival in the scanty broth, and they were head-turning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003EFewer kids, less sleep\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe stark thing that we noticed first was the propensity to no longer enter the state called dauer,\u201d McGrath said.\u0026nbsp; It\u2019s a kind of hyper-hibernation.\u0026nbsp; \u201cDauer is something most \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E do to extend their lives, but LSJ2 did not.\u0026nbsp; And it lived longer in spite of it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThen the list of anomalies grew, and grew.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe found that almost everything was affected \u2013 when they started reproducing, how many offspring they made, how long they lived,\u201d McGrath said.\u0026nbsp; Some even survived exposure to drugs and heavy metals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEventually we realized that the worms were prioritizing individual survival over reproductive rate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003EMutation sleuthing\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn many species, sex dries up when food is scarce, resulting in fewer progeny to compete for it.\u0026nbsp; In addition, many organisms are well-equipped to manage their energies to survive dearth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E LSJ2 had to mutate into those abilities, and so many mutation-based behavioral changes all at once is uncommon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat you usually find is mutations that play narrow, very specific roles,\u201d McGrath said.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThey only affect egg laying, or they only affect life span, or they only affect dauer formation.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcGrath and Xu went sleuthing for DNA alterations by mapping quantitative trait loci, which matches up changes in characteristics to genetic changes.\u0026nbsp; They dug in for a long investigation, anticipating multiple suspects among LSJ2\u2019s many mutations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere were hundreds of genetic differences between roundworm strain LSJ2 and the one we were comparing it to,\u201d McGrath said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u2018Smoking gun\u2019\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe comparison laboratory strain is called N2, and it has led a pampered existence with a diet of \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E -- optimal food for \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp; (Both the \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E and the roundworms are strains that are not harmful to humans.)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, N2 hadn\u2019t been pushed to mutate so much. In addition, to avoid confusion in their research results, the researchers reset some of the mutations N2 did happen to undergo.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe comparison led to swift evidence in LSJ2.\u0026nbsp; \u201cEvery single time, it pointed us to the same genetic region on the right arm of chromosome 2,\u201d McGrath said.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E has six chromosomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere were only five genes that were candidates.\u0026nbsp; One of the mutations was a smoking gun -- a 60-base-pair deletion just at the end of the NURF-1 gene.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENURF-1 has the function of remodeling chromatin, which pairs DNA with proteins to wrap them into chromosomes.\u0026nbsp; The resulting configurations strongly influence which genes are expressed. It appears the tiny mutation in the remodeling gene may have led to a massive change in the expression of other genes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are missing pieces needed to understand the pathway from the mutated gene to the massive real-life changes, and the researchers are working to fill them in.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003EWorm whoopy\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo confirm the mutation as the trigger of the changes, Xu deployed a CRISPR Cas9 gene editor into N2 worms to make the deletion that LSJ2 had received via mutation, and the results left little doubt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt had a lot of the same effects \u2013 longer life, dauer formation,\u201d Xu said.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThe main difference was the reduction of reproduction rates. It was only about half as much in the comparison worm that got the gene editing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy the way, as sex goes, \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E are mostly hermaphrodites that produce eggs and their own sperm to fertilize them with.\u0026nbsp; But there are also males that copulate with the hermaphrodites to add new sperm and with it genetic diversity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEdward E. Large, Yuehui Zhao and Lijiang Long from Georgia Tech; Shannon Brady and Erik Andersen from Northwestern University, and Rebecca Butcher from the University of Florida coauthored the paper.\u0026nbsp; Research was sponsored by grants from the National Institutes of Health (numbers R21AG050304 and R01GM114170) and by an Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar in Aging grant.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Tiny mutation triggers huge reshuffle of reproduction and longevity"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESuddenly, a roundworm overhauls an array of survival strategies, and researchers suspect multiple mutations caused them. But they\u0027re surprised when they trace the sweeping changes back to one tiny mutation on a single gene. It\u0027s a great hint at a genetic regulator of so-called life history trade-offs, a much observed natural phenomenon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScience synopsis: Possible regulator gene for life history trade-offs found via pleiotropic NURF-1 mutation in \u003Cem\u003EC. elegans\u003C\/em\u003E; confirmed with CRISPR Cas9\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Do genetic regulators guide survival strategies in hard times? A tiny mutation in a roundworm says they may well."}],"uid":"31759","created_gmt":"2016-07-28 12:13:30","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:22:12","author":"Ben Brumfield","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-07-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-07-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"556381":{"id":"556381","type":"image","title":"C. elegans lab strains Patrick McGrath","body":null,"created":"1469719669","gmt_created":"2016-07-28 15:27:49","changed":"1475895355","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:55","alt":"C. elegans lab strains Patrick McGrath","file":{"fid":"218222","name":"mcgrath_n2.lsj2_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mcgrath_n2.lsj2_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mcgrath_n2.lsj2_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1213730,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mcgrath_n2.lsj2_.jpg?itok=Ps_vaBUJ"}},"556351":{"id":"556351","type":"image","title":"Patrick McGrath Wen Xu C. elegans LSJ2","body":null,"created":"1469718435","gmt_created":"2016-07-28 15:07:15","changed":"1475895355","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:55","alt":"Patrick McGrath Wen Xu C. elegans LSJ2","file":{"fid":"218219","name":"mcgrath.xu_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mcgrath.xu_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mcgrath.xu_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1246782,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mcgrath.xu_.jpg?itok=cPeoX24l"}},"556361":{"id":"556361","type":"image","title":"Patrick McGrath portrait","body":null,"created":"1469718828","gmt_created":"2016-07-28 15:13:48","changed":"1475895355","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:55","alt":"Patrick McGrath portrait","file":{"fid":"218220","name":"mcgrath.crispr.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mcgrath.crispr.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mcgrath.crispr.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1109040,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mcgrath.crispr.jpg?itok=SA63_gai"}},"556371":{"id":"556371","type":"image","title":"CRISPR DNA injection station","body":null,"created":"1469719228","gmt_created":"2016-07-28 15:20:28","changed":"1475895355","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:55","alt":"CRISPR DNA injection station","file":{"fid":"218221","name":"xu.crispr.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/xu.crispr.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/xu.crispr.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1057133,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/xu.crispr.jpg?itok=1Qqq3LAk"}},"556391":{"id":"556391","type":"image","title":"C. elegans lab strains under microscope","body":null,"created":"1469719898","gmt_created":"2016-07-28 15:31:38","changed":"1475895355","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:55","alt":"C. elegans lab strains under microscope","file":{"fid":"218223","name":"n2_and_nurf-1_mutant.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/n2_and_nurf-1_mutant.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/n2_and_nurf-1_mutant.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4357868,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/n2_and_nurf-1_mutant.png?itok=vbP_vs9l"}},"556421":{"id":"556421","type":"image","title":"C. elegans swim mutation","body":null,"created":"1469720761","gmt_created":"2016-07-28 15:46:01","changed":"1475895355","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:55","alt":"C. elegans swim mutation","file":{"fid":"218226","name":"swim.c.elegans.press_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/swim.c.elegans.press_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/swim.c.elegans.press_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1256734,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/swim.c.elegans.press_.jpg?itok=4EIN01h9"}},"556411":{"id":"556411","type":"image","title":"C. elegans swim evolution","body":null,"created":"1469720540","gmt_created":"2016-07-28 15:42:20","changed":"1475895355","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:55","alt":"C. elegans swim evolution","file":{"fid":"218225","name":"swim.c.elegans.press2_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/swim.c.elegans.press2_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/swim.c.elegans.press2_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1462732,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/swim.c.elegans.press2_.jpg?itok=vwQYt6KU"}}},"media_ids":["556381","556351","556361","556371","556391","556421","556411"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11638","name":"C. elegans"},{"id":"2455","name":"Death"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"170523","name":"life history"},{"id":"170524","name":"LSJ2"},{"id":"2370","name":"mutation"},{"id":"170529","name":"N2"},{"id":"71271","name":"Patrick McGrath"},{"id":"170528","name":"roundworm"},{"id":"172217","name":"sex"},{"id":"170525","name":"trade-off"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter and contact: Ben Brumfield\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 660-1408\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"550391":{"#nid":"550391","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Robot Helps Study How First Land Animals Moved 360 Million Years Ago","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen early terrestrial animals began moving about on mud and sand 360 million years ago, the powerful tails they used as fish may have been more important than scientists previously realized. That\u2019s one conclusion from a new study of African mudskipper fish and a robot modeled on the animal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnimals analogous to the mudskipper would have used modified fins to move around on flat surfaces, but for climbing sandy slopes, the animals could have benefitted from using their tails to propel themselves forward, the researchers found. Results of the study, reported July 8 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E, could help designers create amphibious robots able to move across granular surfaces more efficiently \u2013 and with less likelihood of getting stuck in the mud.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESponsored by the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office and the Army Research Laboratory, the project involved a multidisciplinary team of physicists, biologists and roboticists from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Clemson University and Carnegie Mellon University. In addition to a detailed study of the mudskipper and development of a robot model that used the animal\u2019s locomotion techniques, the study also examined flow and drag conditions in representative granular materials, and applied a mathematical model incorporating new physics based on the drag research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMost robots have trouble moving on terrain that includes sandy slopes,\u201d said Dan Goldman, an associate professor in the Georgia Tech School of Physics. \u201cWe noted that not only did the mudskippers use their limbs to propel themselves in a kind of crutching motion on sand and sandy slopes, but that when the going got tough, they used their tails in concert with limb propulsion to ascend a slope. Our robot model was only able to climb sandy slopes when it similarly used its tail in coordination with its appendages.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased on fossil records, scientists have long studied how early land animals may have gotten around, and the new study suggests their tails \u2013 which played a key role in swimming as fish \u2013 may have helped supplement the work of fins, especially on sloping granular surfaces such as beaches and mudflats.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were interested in examining one of the most important evolutionary events in our history as animals: the transition from living in water to living on land,\u201d said Richard Blob, alumni distinguished professor of biological sciences at Clemson University. \u201cBecause of the focus on limbs, the role of the tail may not have been considered very strongly in the past. In some ways, it was hiding in plain sight. Some of the features that the animals used were new, such as limbs, but some of them were existing features that they simply co-opted to allow them to move into a new habitat.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Ph.D. student Sandy Kawano, now a researcher at the National Institute for \u0026nbsp;Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Blob\u2019s lab recorded how the mudskippers (\u003Cem\u003EPeriopthalmus barbaratus\u003C\/em\u003E) moved on a variety of loose surfaces, providing data and video to Goldman\u2019s laboratory. The small fish, which uses its front fins and tail to move on land, lives in tidal areas near shore, spending time in the water and on sandy and muddy surfaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBenjamin McInroe was a Georgia Tech undergraduate when he analyzed the mudskipper data provided by the Clemson team. He applied the principles to a robot model known as MuddyBot that has two limbs and a powerful tail, with motion provided by electric motors. Information from both the mudskipper and robotic studies were also factored into a mathematical model provided by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe used three complementary approaches,\u201d said McInroe, who is a now a Ph.D. student at the University of California Berkeley. \u201cThe fish provided a morphological, functional model of these early walkers. With the robot, we are able to simplify the complexity of the mudskipper and by varying the parameters, understand the physical mechanisms of what was happening. With the mathematical model and its simulations, we were able to understand the physics behind what was going on.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth the mudskippers and the robot moved by lifting themselves up to reduce drag on their bodies, and both needed a kick from their tails to climb 20-degree sandy slopes. Using their \u201cfins\u201d alone, both struggled to climb slopes and often slid backward if they didn\u2019t use their tails, McInroe noted. Early land animals likely didn\u2019t have precise control over their limbs, and the tail may have compensated for that limitation, helping the animals ascend sandy slopes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Carnegie Mellon University researchers, who have worked with Goldman on relating the locomotion of other animals to robots, demonstrated that theoretical models developed to describe the complex motion of robots can also be used to understand locomotion in the natural world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur computer modeling tools allow us to visualize, and therefore better understand, how the mudskipper incorporates its tail and flipper motions to locomote,\u201d said Howie Choset, a professor in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. \u201cThis work also will advance robotics in those cases where a robot needs to surmount challenging terrains with various inclinations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe model was based on a framework proposed to broadly understand locomotion by physicist Frank Wilczek \u2013 a Nobel Prize winner \u2013 and his then student Alfred Shapere in the 1980s. The so-called \u201cgeometric mechanics\u201d approach to locomotion of human-made devices (like satellites) was largely developed by engineers, including those in Choset\u2019s group. To provide force relationships as inputs to the mudskipper robot model, Georgia Tech postdoctoral fellow Jennifer Rieser and Georgia Tech graduate student Perrin Schiebel measured drag in inclined granular materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInformation from the study could help in the design of robots that may need to move on surfaces such as sand that flows around limbs, said Goldman. Such flow of the substrate can impede motion, depending on the shape of the appendage entering the sand and the type of motion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut the study\u2019s most significant impact may be to provide new insights into how vertebrates made the transition from water to land.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to ultimately know how natural selection can act to modify structures already present in organisms to allow for locomotion in a fundamentally different environment,\u201d Goldman said. \u201cSwimming and walking on land are fundamentally different, yet these early animals had to make the transition.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project also represents a combination of physics, biology and engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cProfessor Goldman and his collaborators are combining physics and engineering prototyping approaches to understand the physical principles that allow animals to move in different environments,\u201d said Krastan Blagoev, program director in the National Science Foundation\u2019s Division of Physics. \u201cThis novel approach to living organisms promises to bring to biological sciences higher predictive power and at the same time uncover engineering principles that we have never imagined before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the project also included co-first author Henry Astley, a Georgia Tech postdoctoral researcher when the project was done, and Chaohui Gong, a postdoctoral researcher at Carnegie Mellon University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the NSF Physics of Living Systems program through grants PHY-1205878, PHY-1150760, CMMI-1361778; the Army Research Office through grant W911NF-11-1-0514, and the Army Research Laboratory MAST CTA program. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office or the Army Research Laboratory. The Robotics Collaborative Technology Alliance also supported this work.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Benjamin McInroe, et al., \u201cTail use improves soft substrate performance in models of early vertebrate land locomotors,\u201d (Science, 2016).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Ben Brumfield (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen early terrestrial animals began moving about on mud and sand 360 million years ago, the powerful tails they used as fish may have been more important than scientists previously realized. That\u2019s one conclusion from a new study of African mudskipper fish and a robot modeled on the animal.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study used a robot to help understand how the first land animals moved about."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2016-07-04 11:19:27","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:22:04","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"550231":{"id":"550231","type":"image","title":"Mudskipper","body":null,"created":"1467727200","gmt_created":"2016-07-05 14:00:00","changed":"1475895345","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:45","alt":"Mudskipper","file":{"fid":"218158","name":"mudskipper10.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mudskipper10.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mudskipper10.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1952755,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mudskipper10.jpg?itok=oxYI33UU"}},"550261":{"id":"550261","type":"image","title":"MuddyBot robot","body":null,"created":"1467727200","gmt_created":"2016-07-05 14:00:00","changed":"1475895345","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:45","alt":"MuddyBot robot","file":{"fid":"218161","name":"terrestrial-animals7.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/terrestrial-animals7_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/terrestrial-animals7_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1571007,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/terrestrial-animals7_0.jpg?itok=2yEfOWUI"}},"550271":{"id":"550271","type":"image","title":"Dan Goldman and MuddyBot","body":null,"created":"1467727200","gmt_created":"2016-07-05 14:00:00","changed":"1475895345","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:45","alt":"Dan Goldman and MuddyBot","file":{"fid":"218162","name":"muddybot-36.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/muddybot-36.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/muddybot-36.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2013666,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/muddybot-36.jpg?itok=o9DwnwM_"}},"550331":{"id":"550331","type":"image","title":"MuddyBot in trackway","body":null,"created":"1467727200","gmt_created":"2016-07-05 14:00:00","changed":"1475895345","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:45","alt":"MuddyBot in trackway","file":{"fid":"218168","name":"terrestrial-animals8.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/terrestrial-animals8.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/terrestrial-animals8.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2190786,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/terrestrial-animals8.jpg?itok=AZKv44IY"}},"550291":{"id":"550291","type":"image","title":"Researchers and MuddyBot","body":null,"created":"1467727200","gmt_created":"2016-07-05 14:00:00","changed":"1475895345","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:45","alt":"Researchers and MuddyBot","file":{"fid":"218164","name":"terrestrial-animals6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/terrestrial-animals6_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/terrestrial-animals6_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1692602,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/terrestrial-animals6_2.jpg?itok=NpTSereu"}},"550311":{"id":"550311","type":"image","title":"Researchers and MuddyBot2","body":null,"created":"1467727200","gmt_created":"2016-07-05 14:00:00","changed":"1475895345","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:45","alt":"Researchers and MuddyBot2","file":{"fid":"218166","name":"terrestrial-animals5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/terrestrial-animals5.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/terrestrial-animals5.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1698116,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/terrestrial-animals5.jpg?itok=onn-9I5y"}},"550351":{"id":"550351","type":"image","title":"Mudskipper2","body":null,"created":"1467727200","gmt_created":"2016-07-05 14:00:00","changed":"1475895345","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:45","alt":"Mudskipper2","file":{"fid":"218170","name":"mudskipper9.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mudskipper9.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mudskipper9.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1851738,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mudskipper9.jpg?itok=4CDRS9os"}}},"media_ids":["550231","550261","550271","550331","550291","550311","550351"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"144361","name":"granular surface"},{"id":"170448","name":"MuddyBot"},{"id":"170449","name":"mudskipper"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"170451","name":"terrestrial animal"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"547731":{"#nid":"547731","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Simon Sponberg Awarded NSF CAREER award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/s1.sponberg.gatech.edu\/people\/\u0022\u003ESimon N. Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, is the sixth College of Sciences CAREER awardee. Sponberg, who has a partial appointment in the School of Applied Physiology, is interested in animal locomotion. His lab studies how the versatile, agile movements of animals arise from their physiological components, from the perspectives of physics and comparative biology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019m thrilled \u2013 but not at all surprised \u2013 by the recognition of accomplishment and promise by our early-career colleagues that these NSF CAREER awards signal. Their successes reflect the vigor they bring to their respective schools and to mathematics and the sciences at Georgia Tech,\u201d says College of Sciences Dean Paul M.\u0026nbsp;Goldbart. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;CAREER awards are NSF\u2019s most prestigious grant to support junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars. Through five years of sustained support, the award enables promising and talented researchers to build a foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Six faculty members in the College of Sciences are among the recent recipients of the early-career grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The highly competitive awards are from the NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program; they pr"}],"uid":"28004","created_gmt":"2016-06-24 09:17:34","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:22:00","author":"Dione Morton","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"547721":{"id":"547721","type":"image","title":"Simon N. Sponberg","body":null,"created":"1466784000","gmt_created":"2016-06-24 16:00:00","changed":"1475895341","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:41","alt":"Simon N. Sponberg","file":{"fid":"217945","name":"simon_sponberg.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/simon_sponberg_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/simon_sponberg_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":82635,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/simon_sponberg_0.png?itok=z5hdx4l4"}}},"media_ids":["547721"],"groups":[],"categories":[{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDione Morton\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["dione.morton@physics.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"544891":{"#nid":"544891","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Senior Moments Explained: Older Adults Have Weaker Clutter Control","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study from the Georgia Institute of Technology finds that older people struggle to remember important details because their brains can\u2019t resist the irrelevant \u201cstuff\u201d they soak up subconsciously. As a result, they tend to be less confident in their memories.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers looked at brain activity from EEG sensors and saw that older participants wandered into a brief \u201cmental time travel\u201d when trying to recall details. This journey into their subconscious veered them into a cluttered space that was filled with both relevant and irrelevant information. This clutter led to less confidence, even when their recollections were correct. Cluttering of the brain is one reason older people are more susceptible to manipulation, the researchers say. The study appears online in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENeuropsychologia\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers showed older adults (60 years and up) and college students a series of pictures of everyday objects while EEG sensors were connected to their heads. Each photo was accompanied by a color and scene (e.g., living room). Participants were told to focus on one and ignore the other. An hour later, they were asked if the object was new or old, and if it matched the color and the scene.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENeither age group was very good at recalling what they were told to ignore. Both did well remembering the object and what they were supposed to focus on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBut when we asked if they were sure, older people backed off their answers a bit. They weren\u2019t as sure,\u201d said Audrey Duarte, the associate professor of psychology who led the Georgia Tech study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe and the researchers noticed differences in brain activity between the young and old. Older adults\u2019 brains spent more time and effort trying to reconstruct their memories.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile trying to remember, their brains would spend more time going back in time in an attempt to piece together what was previously seen,\u201d she said. \u201cBut not just what they were focused on \u2014 some of what they were told to ignore got stuck in their minds.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuarte uses a cocktail party as an example. Two older people are talking to each other. And even though they\u2019re only concentrating on the conversation, their brains absorb the other noise in the room.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen it\u2019s time to remember the conversation, they may struggle a bit to recall some details. That\u2019s because their brains are also trying to decipher the other noises,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat music was playing? What was the couple next to them saying? That extra stuff shouldn\u2019t be in their memories at all, but it is. And it negatively impacts their ability to clearly remember the conversation.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYounger people were quicker to recall details and used less brain power. The irrelevant information was never stored in the first place, which kept their memories relatively clutter-free. And that\u2019s why they were more confident than the older participants when remembering relevant details.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA lack of confidence, Duarte said, can lead to manipulation. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf someone tells you that you should remember it one way, you can be more easily persuaded if you lack confidence,\u201d she said. \u201cThis memory clutter that\u2019s causing low confidence could be a reason why older adults are often victims of financial scams, which typically occur when someone tries to trick them about prior conversations that didn\u2019t take place at all.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/27094851\u0022\u003EAge-related deficits in selective attention during encoding increase demands on episodic reconstruction during context retrieval\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1125683. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study from the Georgia Institute of Technology finds that older people struggle to remember important details because their brains can\u2019t resist the irrelevant \u201cstuff\u201d they soak up subconsciously.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Seniors struggle with memory because of clutter, study finds"}],"uid":"28797","created_gmt":"2016-06-15 09:53:41","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:53","author":"Lance Wallace","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-06-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-06-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"218911":{"id":"218911","type":"image","title":"brain-audrey-duarte","body":null,"created":"1449180151","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 22:02:31","changed":"1475894885","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:05","alt":"brain-audrey-duarte","file":{"fid":"197210","name":"audrey-duarte136.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/audrey-duarte136_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/audrey-duarte136_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1140710,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/audrey-duarte136_0.jpg?itok=6JyZX3cS"}}},"media_ids":["218911"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"176","name":"aging"},{"id":"14224","name":"Audrey Duarte"},{"id":"1228","name":"memory"},{"id":"14342","name":"older adults"},{"id":"1222","name":"psychology"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jason.maderer@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejason.maderer@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jason.maderer@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"536311":{"#nid":"536311","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Polluted Dust Can Impact Ocean Life Thousands of Miles Away, Study Says","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs climatologists closely monitor the impact of human activity on the world\u0026rsquo;s oceans, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found yet another worrying trend impacting the health of the Pacific Ocean.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA new modeling study conducted by researchers in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences shows that for decades, air pollution drifting from East Asia out over the world\u0026rsquo;s largest ocean has kicked off a chain reaction that contributed to oxygen levels falling in tropical waters thousands of miles away.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s a growing awareness that oxygen levels in the ocean may be changing over time,\u0026rdquo; said Taka Ito, an associate professor at Georgia Tech. \u0026ldquo;One reason for that is the warming environment \u0026ndash; warm water holds less gas. But in the tropical Pacific, the oxygen level has been falling at a much faster rate than the temperature change can explain.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, which was published May 16 in Nature Geoscience, was sponsored by the National Science Foundation, a Georgia Power Faculty Scholar Chair and a Cullen-Peck Faculty Fellowship.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the report, the researchers describe how air pollution from industrial activities had raised levels of iron and nitrogen \u0026ndash; key nutrients for marine life \u0026ndash; in the ocean off the coast of East Asia. Ocean currents then carried the nutrients to tropical regions, where they were consumed by photosynthesizing phytoplankton.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut while the tropical phytoplankton may have released more oxygen into the atmosphere, their consumption of the excess nutrients had a negative effect on the dissolved oxygen levels deeper in the ocean.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;If you have more active photosynthesis at the surface, it produces more organic matter, and some of that sinks down,\u0026rdquo; Ito said. \u0026ldquo;And as it sinks down, there\u0026rsquo;s bacteria that consume that organic matter. Like us breathing in oxygen and exhaling CO2, the bacteria consume oxygen in the subsurface ocean, and there is a tendency to deplete more oxygen.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat process plays out all across the Pacific, but the effects are most pronounced in tropical areas, where dissolved oxygen is already low.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAthanasios Nenes, a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech who worked with Ito on the study, said the research is the first to describe just how far reaching the impact of human industrial activity can be.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The scientific community always thought that the impact of air pollution is felt in the vicinity of where it deposits ,\u0026rdquo; said Nenes, who also serves as Georgia Power Faculty Scholar. \u0026ldquo;This study shows that the iron can circulate across the ocean and affect ecosystems thousands of kilometers away.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile evidence had been mounting that global climate change may have an impact on future oxygen levels, Ito and Nenes were spurred to search for an explanation for why oxygen levels in the tropics had been declining since the 1970s.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo understand how the process worked, the researchers developed a model that combines atmospheric chemistry, biogeochemical cycles, and ocean circulation. Their model maps out how polluted, iron-rich dust that settles over the Northern Pacific gets carried by ocean currents east toward North America, down the coast and then back west along the equator.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn their model, the researchers accounted for other factors that can also impact oxygen levels, such as water temperature and ocean current variability.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether due to warming sea waters or an increase in iron pollution, the implications of growing oxygen-minimum zones are far reaching for marine life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Many living organisms depend on oxygen that is dissolved in seawater,\u0026rdquo; Ito said. \u0026ldquo;So if it gets low enough, it can cause problems, and it might change habitats for marine organisms.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOccasionally, waters from low oxygen areas swell to the coastal waters, killing or displacing populations of fish, crabs and many other organisms. Those \u0026ldquo;hypoxic events\u0026rdquo; may become more frequent as the oxygen-minimum zones grow, Ito said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe increasing phytoplankton activity is a double-edged sword, Ito said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Phytoplankton is an essential part of the living ocean,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;It serves as the base of food chain and absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide. But if the pollution continues to supply excess nutrients, the process of the decomposition depletes oxygen from the deeper waters, and this deep oxygen is not easily replaced.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study also expands on the understanding of dust as a transporter of pollution, Nenes said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Dust has always attracted of a lot of interest because of its impact on the health of people,\u0026rdquo; Nenes said. \u0026ldquo;This is really the first study showing that dust can have a huge impact on the health of the oceans in ways that we\u0026rsquo;ve never understood before. It just raises the need to understand what we\u0026rsquo;re doing to marine ecosystems that feed populations worldwide.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. OCE-1242313. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECITATION: Takamitsu Ito, Athanasios Nenes, Matthew Johnson, Nicholas Meskhidze, and Curtis Deutsch,\u0026nbsp; \u0026ldquo;Acceleration of oxygen decline in the tropical Pacific over the past decades by aerosol pollutants,\u0026rdquo; (Nature Geoscience, May 2016).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMEDIA CONTACT: Josh Brown, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:josh.brown@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejosh.brown@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E, 404-385-0500, or John Toon, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E, 404-894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new modeling study conducted by researchers in Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences shows that for decades, air pollution drifting from East Asia out over the world\u0026rsquo;s largest ocean has kicked off a chain reaction that contributed to oxygen levels falling in tropical waters thousands of miles away.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new modeling study conducted by researchers in Georgia Tech shows that for decades, air pollution drifting from East Asia out over the world\u2019s largest ocean has contributed to oxygen levels falling in tropical waters thousands of miles away."}],"uid":"31758","created_gmt":"2016-05-16 10:27:10","changed_gmt":"2020-01-07 15:36:06","author":"Josh Brown","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-05-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-05-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"536351":{"id":"536351","type":"image","title":"Taka Ito","body":null,"created":"1463590800","gmt_created":"2016-05-18 17:00:00","changed":"1475895322","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:22","alt":"Taka Ito","file":{"fid":"89459","name":"ito_mug.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ito_mug.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ito_mug.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":156673,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ito_mug.jpg?itok=kdDWNKvs"}},"536331":{"id":"536331","type":"image","title":"Pollution-related Oxygen Loss in Tropical Pacifc Ocean","body":null,"created":"1463590800","gmt_created":"2016-05-18 17:00:00","changed":"1475895322","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:22","alt":"Pollution-related Oxygen Loss in Tropical Pacifc Ocean","file":{"fid":"88827","name":"ito-map.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ito-map_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ito-map_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":127200,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ito-map_0.jpg?itok=AxqsDWCb"}},"536361":{"id":"536361","type":"image","title":"Athanasios Nenes","body":null,"created":"1463590800","gmt_created":"2016-05-18 17:00:00","changed":"1488479051","gmt_changed":"2017-03-02 18:24:11","alt":"","file":{"fid":"89460","name":"nenes.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nenes.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nenes.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1406064,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nenes.jpg?itok=hX_uqo9y"}}},"media_ids":["536351","536331","536361"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1316","name":"Green Buzz"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2868","name":"atmosphere"},{"id":"172029","name":"ito"},{"id":"172030","name":"nenes"},{"id":"172031","name":"ocean health"},{"id":"170277","name":"ocean oxygen"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:john.toon@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["john.toon@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"535271":{"#nid":"535271","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Common Nanoparticle has Subtle Effects on Oxidative Stress Genes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA nanoparticle commonly used in food, cosmetics, sunscreen and other products can have subtle effects on the activity of genes expressing enzymes that address oxidative stress inside two types of cells. While the titanium dioxide (TiO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E) nanoparticles are considered non-toxic because they don\u2019t kill cells at low concentrations, these cellular effects could add to concerns about long-term exposure to the nanomaterial.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology used high-throughput screening techniques to study the effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the expression of 84 genes related to cellular oxidative stress. Their work found that six genes, four of them from a single gene family, were affected by a 24-hour exposure to the nanoparticles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe effect was seen in two different kinds of cells exposed to the nanoparticles: human HeLa cancer cells commonly used in research, and a line of monkey kidney cells. Polystyrene nanoparticles similar in size and surface electrical charge to the titanium dioxide nanoparticles did not produce a similar effect on gene expression.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is important because every standard measure of cell health shows that cells are not affected by these titanium dioxide nanoparticles,\u201d said Christine Payne, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u201cOur results show that there is a more subtle change in oxidative stress that could be damaging to cells or lead to long-term changes. This suggests that other nanoparticles should be screened for similar low-level effects.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research was reported online May 6 in the \u003Cem\u003EJournal of Physical Chemistry C\u003C\/em\u003E. The work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the HERCULES Center at Emory University, and by a Vasser Woolley Fellowship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETitanium dioxide nanoparticles help make powdered donuts white, protect skin from the sun\u2019s rays and reflect light in painted surfaces. In concentrations commonly used, they are considered non-toxic, though several other studies have raised concern about potential effects on gene expression that may not directly impact the short-term health of cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo determine whether the nanoparticles could affect genes involved in managing oxidative stress in cells, Payne and colleague Melissa Kemp \u2013 an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University \u2013 designed a study to broadly evaluate the nanoparticle\u2019s impact on the two cell lines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking with graduate students Sabiha Runa and Dipesh Khanal, they separately incubated HeLa cells and monkey kidney cells with titanium oxide at levels 100 times less than the minimum concentration known to initiate effects on cell health. After incubating the cells for 24 hours with the TiO\u003Csub\u003E2\u003C\/sub\u003E, the cells were lysed and their contents analyzed using both PCR and Western Blot techniques to study the expression of 84 genes associated with the cells\u2019 ability to address oxidative processes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPayne and Kemp were surprised to find changes in the expression of six genes, including four from the peroxiredoxin family of enzymes that helps cells degrade hydrogen peroxide, a byproduct of cellular oxidation processes. Too much hydrogen peroxide can create oxidative stress which can damage DNA and other molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe effect measured was significant \u2013 changes of about 50 percent in enzyme expression compared to cells that had not been incubated with nanoparticles. The tests were conducted in triplicate and produced similar results each time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne thing that was really surprising was that this whole family of proteins was affected, though some were up-regulated and some were down-regulated,\u201d Kemp said. \u201cThese were all related proteins, so the question is why they would respond differently to the presence of the nanoparticles.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers aren\u2019t sure how the nanoparticles bind with the cells, but they suspect it may involve the protein corona that surrounds the particles. The corona is made up of serum proteins that normally serve as food for the cells, but adsorb to the nanoparticles in the culture medium. The corona proteins have a protective effect on the cells, but may also serve as a way for the nanoparticles to bind to cell receptors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETitanium dioxide is well known for its photo-catalytic effects under ultraviolet light, but the researchers don\u2019t think that\u2019s in play here because their culturing was done in ambient light \u2013 or in the dark. The individual nanoparticles had diameters of about 21 nanometers, but in cell culture formed much larger aggregates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn future work, Payne and Kemp hope to learn more about the interaction, including where the enzyme-producing proteins are located in the cells. For that, they may use HyPer-Tau, a reporter protein they developed to track the location of hydrogen peroxide within cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research suggests a re-evaluation may be necessary for other nanoparticles that could create subtle effects even though they\u2019ve been deemed safe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEarlier work had suggested that nanoparticles can lead to oxidative stress, but nobody had really looked at this level and at so many different proteins at the same time,\u201d Payne said. \u201cOur research looked at such low concentrations that it does raise questions about what else might be affected. We looked specifically at oxidative stress, but there may be other genes that are affected, too.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose subtle differences may matter when they\u2019re added to other factors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOxidative stress is implicated in all kinds of inflammatory and immune responses,\u201d Kemp noted. \u201cWhile the titanium dioxide alone may just be modulating the expression levels of this family of proteins, if that is happening at the same time you have other types of oxidative stress for different reasons, then you may have a cumulative effect.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESeed funding for the research came from the HERCULES: Exposome Research Center (NIEHS: P30 ES019776) at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, NIH grant DP2OD006483-01 and a Vasser Woolley Faculty Fellowship. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Sabiha Runa, Dipesh Khanal, Melissa L. Kemp, Christine K. Payne, \u201cTiO2 Nanoparticles Alter the Expression of Peroxiredoxin Anti-Oxidant Genes,\u201d (Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2016). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1021\/acs.jpcc.6b01939\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1021\/acs.jpcc.6b01939\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-894-6986) or Ben Brumfield (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA nanoparticle commonly used in food, cosmetics, sunscreen and other products can have subtle effects on the activity of genes expressing enzymes that address oxidative stress inside two types of cells. While the titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are considered non-toxic because they don\u2019t kill cells at low concentrations, these cellular effects could add to concerns about long-term exposure to the nanomaterial.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A nanoparticle commonly used in food and other products can have subtle effects on the activity of genes expressing enzymes that address oxidative stress inside two types of cells."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2016-05-10 14:38:59","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:39","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"535181":{"id":"535181","type":"image","title":"Culturing HeLa Cells","body":null,"created":"1462982400","gmt_created":"2016-05-11 16:00:00","changed":"1475895319","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:19"},"535211":{"id":"535211","type":"image","title":"HeLa cells incubated with nanoparticles","body":null,"created":"1462982400","gmt_created":"2016-05-11 16:00:00","changed":"1475895319","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:19"},"535221":{"id":"535221","type":"image","title":"Studying nanoparticle interactions with cells","body":null,"created":"1462982400","gmt_created":"2016-05-11 16:00:00","changed":"1475895319","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:19"},"535231":{"id":"535231","type":"image","title":"Studying nanoparticle interactions with cells2","body":null,"created":"1462982400","gmt_created":"2016-05-11 16:00:00","changed":"1475895319","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:19"}},"media_ids":["535181","535211","535221","535231"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"8669","name":"Christine Payne"},{"id":"1110","name":"gene"},{"id":"7092","name":"gene expression"},{"id":"5084","name":"Melissa Kemp"},{"id":"2973","name":"nanoparticles"},{"id":"170266","name":"oxidative stress"},{"id":"170267","name":"titanium dioxide"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"529301":{"#nid":"529301","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Discover Fate of Melting Glacial Ice","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWritten by James Hataway, University of Georgia Public Relations Coordinator \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOver the past several decades, scientists have observed a significant increase in the melting of glacial land ice on the island of Greenland, spurring concerns about global sea level rise and the long-term effects of atmospheric warming. What has been less clear, however, is what happens to this meltwater once it enters the ocean.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, a team of researchers, which is led by the University of Georgia and includes Georgia Tech scientist Annalisa Bracco, has discovered the fate of much of the fresh water that pours into the surrounding oceans as the Greenland ice sheet melts every summer. They published their findings today in the journal Nature Geoscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnderstanding the fate of meltwater is important, because research has shown that it can carry a variety of nutrients, which may impact biological production in the ocean,\u201d said Renato Castelao, co-author of the study and associate professor of marine sciences at UGA. \u201cThere is also evidence that large freshwater inputs could alter ocean currents and affect the normal formation of sea ice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers created a simulation that tracks meltwater runoff under a variety of atmospheric conditions, and they were surprised to discover that most of the meltwater found off the west coast of Greenland actually originated from ice on the east coast.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMeltwater from Greenland is directed by the surrounding ocean currents, but its fate depends on when and where the runoff occurs and the wind fields driving ocean currents,\u201d said UGA Professor Thomas Mote, a co-author of the paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the model, wind and ocean currents often transport meltwater around the southern tip of Greenland on a westward journey that can take upwards of 60 days. After rounding the tip, the meltwater is largely deposited into the Labrador Sea, an arm of the Atlantic between Canada\u2019s Labrador Peninsula and the east coast of Greenland.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Professor Annalisa Bracco, another co-author of the paper, says the Labrador Sea is a basin of key climate relevance because it\u2019s one of the few places in the world where \u201cdeep water\u201d is formed in the ocean through convection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn winter, water can mix to depths of 2,000 meters (6,000 ft.) and feed deep ocean currents,\u201d said Bracco, a faculty member in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. \u201cOxygen, nutrients and atmospheric carbon dioxide also mix with the water. If the surface stratification of the ocean changes \u2013 because so much melted water reaches the central Labrador Sea \u2013 convection will be halted, which creates dangerous consequences for the global climate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeltwater originating from the west coast of Greenland, on the other hand, is often kept pinned to the coastline by strong winds, which push it northward toward Baffin Bay.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis isn\u2019t always how meltwater from the Greenland ice sheet disperses, as shifts in the prevailing winds can produce very different effects. But scientists must be aware of these shifts in order to fully understand how meltwater will affect the environment, Castelao said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe meltwater that comes from the east coast could have different qualities from the meltwater on the west coast, including different nutrient compositions,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need to take the origins of this meltwater into account when we study the effects of ice sheet melt, as it could impact the oceans differently depending on where it comes from.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd this is a problem that is only going to get worse, said Castelao, citing scientific models that suggest the amount of meltwater runoff from Greenland could more than double before the end of this century.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need to pay careful attention to where melt and runoff is occurring and how it interacts with surrounding ocean currents, in addition to measuring the total amount of melt,\u201d said Mote.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project also includes UGA\u2019s Hao Luo and Patricia Yager, Asa Rennermalm from Rutgers University and Marco Tedesco of Columbia University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir study, \u201cOceanic transport of surface meltwater from the southern Greenland Ice Sheet,\u201d is available at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/ngeo\/journal\/vaop\/ncurrent\/full\/ngeo2708.html\u0022 title=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/ngeo\/journal\/vaop\/ncurrent\/full\/ngeo2708.html\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.nature.com\/ngeo\/journal\/vaop\/ncurrent\/full\/ngeo2708.html\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOver the past several decades, scientists have observed a significant increase in the melting of glacial land ice on the island of Greenland, spurring concerns about global sea level rise and the long-term effects of atmospheric warming. What has been less clear, however, is what happens to this meltwater once it enters the ocean. Researchers have now discovered the fate of much of the fresh water that pours into the surrounding oceans as the Greenland ice sheet melts every summer.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have discovered the fate of much of the fresh water that pours into the surrounding oceans as the Greenland ice sheet melts every summer."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2016-04-25 16:03:54","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:28","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-04-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-04-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"529181":{"id":"529181","type":"image","title":"Labrador Sea","body":null,"created":"1461895200","gmt_created":"2016-04-29 02:00:00","changed":"1475895307","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:07","alt":"Labrador Sea","file":{"fid":"206195","name":"img_3040.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_3040.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_3040.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1546313,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/img_3040.jpg?itok=CoJYodxx"}},"529201":{"id":"529201","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech visit to Labrador Sea","body":null,"created":"1461895200","gmt_created":"2016-04-29 02:00:00","changed":"1475895307","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:07","alt":"Georgia Tech visit to Labrador Sea","file":{"fid":"206197","name":"img_0125_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_0125_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_0125_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1605186,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/img_0125_0_0.jpg?itok=5FkCFwyl"}},"529251":{"id":"529251","type":"image","title":"Greenland meltwater","body":null,"created":"1461895200","gmt_created":"2016-04-29 02:00:00","changed":"1475895307","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:55:07","alt":"Greenland meltwater","file":{"fid":"206200","name":"meltwatergreenland2013.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/meltwatergreenland2013.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/meltwatergreenland2013.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2579402,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/meltwatergreenland2013.jpeg?itok=pLOCSv24"}}},"media_ids":["529181","529201","529251"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.o3d.org\/abracco\/","title":"Annalisa Bracco\u0027s research page"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.nature.com\/ngeo\/journal\/vaop\/ncurrent\/full\/ngeo2708.html","title":"Read the study"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"171968","name":"Annalisa Bracco"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"171969","name":"Glaciers"},{"id":"791","name":"Global Warming"},{"id":"479","name":"Green Buzz"},{"id":"171970","name":"Greenland"},{"id":"171971","name":"Icebergs"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003ENational Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"526641":{"#nid":"526641","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Unseen Victims of the BP Oil Spill","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn April 20, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil rig released a torrent of oil in the seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico, discharging close to 5 million barrels of oil in 87 days. It was the largest accidental oil spill in U.S. history. Six years later, researchers such as the School of Biology\u2019s Joel Kostka continue to study the disaster\u2019s environmental impacts.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMuch work has gone into accounting for the spilled oil. We know that 25 percent was recovered by federal response efforts, 5 percent evaporated and 70 percent was left to degrade in environment.\u0026nbsp; Meanwhile, legal proceedings have prevented the release of some key research results and studies continue.\u0026nbsp; But thus far, microbes appear to have degraded the oil quickly in many areas of the Gulf. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOther circumstances mitigated the environmental damage. Because the spill occurred in the deep sea, much of the oil remained away from sensitive coastal habitats.\u0026nbsp; And because of favorable weather conditions in the spring and summer of 2010, much of the ocean-surface oil remained offshore in the northeastern portion of the Gulf. Likewise, the oil did not get entrained in major ocean currents, which would have carried it to other parts of the Gulf or to other oceans.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EUnquestionably, some ecosystems were devastated, including deep-ocean corals that have lived for hundreds of years, as well as other seafloor marine dwellers.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELess certain is what happened to the microscopic floating organisms, the plankton, which are the foundation of the massive food webs of the oceans. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EUnlike the large animals whose oil-soaked images predictably provoked calls for action among the public, plankton are not visible, much less photogenic. Yet, their well-being has wide repercussions because they comprise the bottom of the food chain in ocean ecosystems. Without plankton, oceans will die.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs the visible signs of the DWH disaster fade, the public may be lulled into assuming that all is fixed and well. In fact, many questions remain unanswered.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKostka\u2019s Georgia Tech team is working with the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative to address some of those questions, eventually hoping to enable the development of better spill mitigation and remediation technologies by harnessing the natural processes enabled by the ocean\u2019s smallest organisms.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn April 20, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil rig released a torrent of oil in the seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico, discharging close to 5 million barrels of oil in 87 days. It was the largest accidental oil spill in U.S. history. Six years later, researchers such as the School of Biology\u2019s Joel Kostka continue to study the disaster\u2019s environmental impacts.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Joel Kostka continue to study the largest accidental oil spill in U.S. history."}],"uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2016-04-19 10:38:06","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:21","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"526621":{"id":"526621","type":"image","title":"Kostka BP Oil Spill","body":null,"created":"1461088800","gmt_created":"2016-04-19 18:00:00","changed":"1475895298","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:58","alt":"Kostka BP Oil Spill","file":{"fid":"205531","name":"kosta_photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kosta_photo_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kosta_photo_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":186382,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/kosta_photo_0.jpg?itok=f-zTUOWr"}}},"media_ids":["526621"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka","title":"Joel Kostka"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12158","name":"BP Oil Spill"},{"id":"12160","name":"Gulf of Mexico"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"522231":{"#nid":"522231","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Crab Shell Signaling Helps Control the Many Faces of Cholera, Study Shows","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn humans, cholera is among the world\u2019s most deadly diseases, killing as many as 140,000 persons a year, according to World Health Organization statistics. But in aquatic environments far away from humans, the same bacterium attacks neighboring microbes with a toxic spear \u2013 and often steals DNA from other microorganisms to expand its own capabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new study of more than 50 samples of \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E isolated from both patients and the environment demonstrates the diversity and resourcefulness of the organism. In the environment, the cholera bacterium is commonly found attached to chitin, a complex sugar used by aquatic creatures such as crabs and zooplankton to form protective shells. In the wild, most strains of cholera can degrade the shells for use as food, and the new study showed how the presence of chitin can signal the bacteria \u2013 which have receptors for the material \u2013 to produce behaviors very different from those seen in human disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmong the cholera strains studied, less than a quarter were able to take up DNA from other sources. Almost all of the samples taken from the environment were able to kill other bacteria \u2013 a phenomenon called \u201cbacterial dueling\u201d \u2013 but just 14 percent of the bacterial pathogen strains isolated from humans had that capability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a dog-eat-dog world out there even for bacteria,\u201d said Brian Hammer, an associate professor in the School of Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u201cBacteria such as \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E sense and respond to their surroundings, and they use that information to turn on and off the genes that benefit them in the specific environments in which they find themselves.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research, supported by the National Science Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, provides information that could lead to development of better therapeutic agents against the disease, which is found in densely-populated areas with limited sanitation and clean water. The research was done with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and was reported online March 4 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EApplied and Environmental Microbiology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn humans, the cholera bacteria produce a diarrheal disease that can kill untreated patients in just a few hours. The deadly effects of the disease, however, are actually caused by a virus that infects the \u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E strains found in humans. The toxin carried by the virus helps spread the disease among humans, but cholera strains quickly lose the virus and adapt other competitive mechanisms in the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo study how cholera regulates these adaptations, Georgia Tech graduate student Eryn Bernardy obtained nearly 100 samples of cholera bacteria from a variety of sources globally, including one originally isolated from a 1910 Saudi Arabian outbreak of the disease. She then studied 53 of the samples for their ability to (1) degrade chitin, (2) take up DNA from the environment, and (3) kill other bacteria by poking them with a poisoned spear.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColonies of each strain were grown in petri plates containing chitin material. The strains able to digest the material produced a clear ring showing that they had broken down the chitin in the agar growth medium. Only three of the cholera colonies failed to degrade the chitin.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo study their ability to take up DNA, bacterial cells were grown on crab shells, then exposed to raw DNA containing a gene for antibiotic resistance. The cells were scraped off the shells and placed onto agar plates containing an antibiotic that would normally kill the bacteria. Colonies that survived showed they had taken up the genetic material.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo study their ability to compete with other bacteria, each cholera strain was placed into contact with a billion or so \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E cells on petri plates. After a few hours in contact, the researchers counted the number of \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E remaining. Some cholera strains were able to kill nearly all of the \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E cells, reducing their numbers to a few hundred thousand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe found a very sharp difference between the clinical isolates and the environmental isolates,\u201d Hammer said. \u201cFor example, most of the isolates that came out of patients either couldn\u2019t kill other bacteria, or were carefully controlling that behavior. Patient isolates have a very different way of competing inside the human body. They use the virus-encoded toxin to cause the diarrheal disease and remove their competitors from the intestine.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith help from CDC scientists, the researchers correlated the behavior of each strain with their unique DNA sequences. They also examined the strains for the presence of the toxin used to cause disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo deduce the rules governing the bacterium\u2019s behavior, Hammer and his lab have been studying cholera for the last 15 years, starting with a single strain first isolated in Peru in the early 1990s. When a cholera outbreak began in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, his lab worked with the CDC to isolate these new strains. In further study, Hammer was surprised to find that the 2010 Haitian strains were less capable than the 1991 Peruvian variety.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were very surprised to find that most of the Haiti strains did not behave like the one we had been studying for years,\u201d he said. \u201cThis was a reminder to us that we needed to embrace the diversity of the organisms we\u2019ve been studying. We thought this would be an opportune time to start looking at how diverse Vibrio cholerae really is.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHammer compared the diversity of the cholera strains to the diversity of humans, who increasingly receive personalized health care.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn humans, one size doesn\u2019t fit all for patient care,\u201d he said. \u201cFor cholera, the behavior is personalized for each strain. Understanding this will be useful in the development of future therapeutics, and we\u2019re hopeful that knowing how these bacteria interact with other organisms in complex communities will lead us to things that can truly benefit humans.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the study included Maryann A. Turnsek and Cheryl L. Tarr from the CDC. Georgia Tech undergraduate Sarah K. Wilson from the Hammer lab, another author on the paper, is now a Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis material is based upon work supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and National Science Foundation Grant No. 1149925. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the Moore Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Eryn E. Bernardy, et al., \u201cDiversity of Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Vibrio cholerae in Natural Transformation and Contact-Dependent Bacterial Killing Indicative of Type VI Secretion System Activity,\u201d (Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2016). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1128\/AEM.00351-16\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1128\/AEM.00351-16\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-894-6986) or Ben Brumfield (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eben.brumfield@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn humans, cholera is among the world\u2019s most deadly diseases, killing as many as 140,000 persons a year, according to World Health Organization statistics. But in aquatic environments far away from humans, the same bacterium attacks neighboring microbes with a toxic spear \u2013 and often steals DNA from other microorganisms to expand its own capabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study shows the diversity and resourcefulness of Vibrio cholerae, the organism behind the disease cholera."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2016-04-06 14:09:56","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:17","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-04-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-04-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"522191":{"id":"522191","type":"image","title":"Cholera on Agar Plate","body":null,"created":"1460066401","gmt_created":"2016-04-07 22:00:01","changed":"1475895291","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:51","alt":"Cholera on Agar Plate","file":{"fid":"205362","name":"cholera-plates_3076.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cholera-plates_3076.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cholera-plates_3076.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":957810,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cholera-plates_3076.jpg?itok=ki2q9Bza"}},"522211":{"id":"522211","type":"image","title":"Growing Cholera Colonies","body":null,"created":"1460066401","gmt_created":"2016-04-07 22:00:01","changed":"1475895291","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:51","alt":"Growing Cholera Colonies","file":{"fid":"205364","name":"cholera-plates_3085.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cholera-plates_3085.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cholera-plates_3085.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1223232,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cholera-plates_3085.jpg?itok=nTeoiAxm"}},"522221":{"id":"522221","type":"image","title":"Cholera on Agar Plate2","body":null,"created":"1460066401","gmt_created":"2016-04-07 22:00:01","changed":"1475895291","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:51","alt":"Cholera on Agar Plate2","file":{"fid":"205365","name":"cholera-plates_3135.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cholera-plates_3135.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cholera-plates_3135.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":624007,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cholera-plates_3135.jpg?itok=mLWByDFh"}}},"media_ids":["522191","522211","522221"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"},{"id":"170083","name":"chitin"},{"id":"170084","name":"cholera"},{"id":"5302","name":"Disease"},{"id":"10660","name":"infection"},{"id":"171897","name":"Vibrio cholerae"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"514971":{"#nid":"514971","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lachance Lab receives NIH funding to study the genetics of prostate cancer in African men","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Techresearchers are participating in a multicenter genetic study of prostate cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa to try to find new information about the genetic causes of prostate cancer. Men of African descent suffer disproportionately from prostate cancer compared to men of other ethnicities. Researchers from eleven institutions in the U.S. and Africa will look at genetic susceptibility and population genomics of prostate cancer in men of African descent. Specifically, the study hopes to provide new information about the genetic etiology of prostate cancer and evaluate how population differences and history of African and African American populations affects the underlying reasons for high rates of prostate cancer in African Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Joseph Lachance is leading the effort at Georgia Institute of Technology. His lab will use their expertise in population genetics and computational biology to focus on the evolutionary genomics of prostate cancer in African populations. \u201cIt is important to know which populations and ancestries have a genetic predisposition to prostate cancer, and to understand whether these health disparities are due to natural selection or neutral evolution,\u201d said Lachance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe five-year study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, is being led by principal investigator Timothy Rebbeck, PhD, professor of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and professor of Cancer Epidemiology at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.\u201cAggressive prostate cancer is the form of the disease that is the most important to control. African descent men, including African Americans, seem to have biologically more aggressive forms of prostate cancer than other groups.\u0026nbsp; By studying African descent men, we may also learn about aggressive prostate cancer so that we can better prevent and treat the disease,\u201d said Rebbeck.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe participating centers are part of a consortium, Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate, and include: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Boston, Massachusetts; 37 Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana; Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Center for Proteomic \u0026amp; Genomic Research and Clinical Laboratory Services, Cape Town, South Africa; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia; H\u020fpital G\u00e9n\u00e9ral de Grand Yoff, , Dakar, Senegal;\u0026nbsp; Korle-Bu Hospital, Accra Ghana; National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa; NIH\/NCI, Bethesda, Maryland; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, California; Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe grant is funded by the NCI, grant number U01-CA184374.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Techresearchers are participating in a multicenter genetic study of prostate cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa to try to find new information about the genetic causes of prostate cancer. Men of African descent suffer disproportionately from prostate cancer compared to men of other ethnicities. Researchers from eleven institutions in the U.S. and Africa will look at genetic susceptibility and population genomics of prostate cancer in men of African descent. Specifically, the study hopes to provide new information about the genetic etiology of prostate cancer and evaluate how population differences and history of African and African American populations affects the underlying reasons for high rates of prostate cancer in African Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Lachance Lab receives NIH funding to study the genetics of prostate cancer in African men"}],"uid":"27964","created_gmt":"2016-03-17 12:49:31","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:21:05","author":"Jasmine Martin","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-03-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2016-03-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"514961":{"id":"514961","type":"image","title":"lachanceafrica","body":null,"created":"1458923790","gmt_created":"2016-03-25 16:36:30","changed":"1475895277","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:37","alt":"lachanceafrica","file":{"fid":"205083","name":"lachanceafricacap.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lachanceafricacap_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lachanceafricacap_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":162520,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lachanceafricacap_0.jpg?itok=nwtmKFRD"}}},"media_ids":["514961"],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"170037","name":"Joe Lachance"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"505181":{"#nid":"505181","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Chemistry of Microbes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EMicrobes are living proof of strength in numbers. Too small to be seen with the naked eye, they nonetheless comprise most of the Earth\u2019s biomass, exerting their influence on every aspect of the environment. Understand microbes and you\u2019ve unlocked the door to understanding the past and future of our species and our planet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cIf you think back over history, over geologic time, microorganisms have driven the chemistry of the Earth,\u201d says Jennifer Glass, assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and faculty member of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. \u201cSo our lab tends to be microbe centered.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EHer lab specializes in biogeochemistry, which is, \u201ckind of a medley of disciplines,\u201d says Glass, a program faculty member within the newly established Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences (QBioS) at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EMore than 50 faculty members from a wide range of disciplines came together last fall to launch QBioS. The program\u0027s mission is to train Ph.D. level scientists, enabling the discovery of scientific principles underlying the dynamics, structure, and function of living systems. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cThis combination is what is needed from the next generation of scientists if we are to understand principles of living systems and, in turn, tackle global-scale challenges,\u201d says QBioS Director Joshua Weitz, associate professor in the School of Biology, courtesy associate professor in the School of Physics, and a member of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EStudents will pursue thesis research across a broad range of themes, including ecology and earth systems, which is Glass\u2019s area.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EGlass and her lab members are particularly interested in researching microbes that produce or consume greenhouse gases (like methane and nitrous oxide, both many times more potent than carbon dioxide). For example, they\u2019d really like to understand how ocean systems do such a good job of both making and quelling the methane that comes from the depths.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cA lot of methane is produced in the sediments of the ocean, yet not very much makes it to the atmosphere \u2013 it\u2019s only three percent of global sources,\u201d says Glass, whose research currently draws funding from NASA Exobiology, the NASA Astrobiology Institute Alternative Earths team, and NSF Biological Oceanography. \u201cSo the ocean is very good at trapping most of the methane that is produced in the sediments.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ESo, on the one hand they\u2019re trying to understand exactly where that potential source of natural gas is coming from, and on the other, they want to understand how to leverage natural processes to scrub out harmful emissions. And this is a team that will routinely go to the source to find its samples.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cWe try to make our work environmentally relevant, so we go out and sample marine systems or lakes or lake sediments, trying to get representative samples so that what we\u2019re working on in the lab closely represents what\u2019s in the environment,\u201d says Glass. \u201cYou have to go to these exotic environments to discover novel ways that nature makes and then consumes greenhouse gases.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EGetting out of the lab into world comes naturally to Glass, who grew up in an outdoorsy family in Olympia, Washington.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EShe spent her youth hiking and exploring, romping through marshes with her family, developing an interest in environmental issues that has evolved into full-blown expertise in the clandestine chemistry of microbes and a better grasp of their affect on the Earth\u2019s health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cWe don\u2019t know yet what the applications of the research will be,\u201d says Glass. \u201cBut I think the sky will be the limit.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELINKS:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/features\/sampling-sapelo-island\u0022\u003ESampling Sapelo Island\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/microbe.net\/2015\/09\/12\/blood-sweat-and-tears-the-story-behind-the-science\/\u0022\u003EBlood, Sweat and Tears\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/youtu.be\/OLbtiI4iXUA\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EOxygen Minimum Zone (video)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.jenniferglass.com\u0022\u003EThe Glass Lab\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EQBioS Program\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Glass lab exploring the big picture of tiny organisms"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EGlass lab exploring the big picture of tiny organisms\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Glass lab exploring the big picture of tiny organisms"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2016-02-23 13:19:02","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:20:49","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"505171":{"id":"505171","type":"image","title":"Glass lab","body":null,"created":"1456344000","gmt_created":"2016-02-24 20:00:00","changed":"1475895265","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:25","alt":"Glass lab","file":{"fid":"204815","name":"glasslab4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/glasslab4_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/glasslab4_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1489027,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/glasslab4_0.jpg?itok=_6_ivfx8"}}},"media_ids":["505171"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"138191","name":"go-qbios"},{"id":"147941","name":"go_qbios"},{"id":"832","name":"greenhouse gas"},{"id":"12800","name":"methane"},{"id":"7572","name":"microbes"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"491211":{"#nid":"491211","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Matt Torres Awarded $1.2M Grant from the National Institutes of Health for Investigating Novel Protein Mechanism Involved in Hormone Signaling","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Torres lab has been awarded a four year, $1.2 million grant by the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences to investigate a newly discovered regulatory mechanism that controls \u003Cem\u003EG protein signaling\u003C\/em\u003E, a process essential for the transduction of extracellular signals (such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and photons of light), and the target of most pharmaceutical drugs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpawned by their development and application of a custom bioinformatics software tool (called SAPH-ire) \u003Csup\u003E1\u003C\/sup\u003E, the Torres lab discovered a new way in which G protein signaling is regulated by phosphorylation \u2013 an enzyme-driven chemical modification of specific amino acid side chains found in most proteins. The newly discovered \u003Cem\u003Ephospho\u003C\/em\u003E-\u003Cem\u003Eregulatory element\u003C\/em\u003E, like G proteins themselves, is well conserved throughout eukaryotes, which will enable Torres and his lab to investigate how the element functions across diverse organisms such as budding yeast and humans. The National Institutes of Health grant will also provide funding to determine the biochemical mechanism of G protein phosphorylation \u2013 including the enzymes that activate the regulatory element in coordination with other cellular processes including cell division and stress. Through these and other approaches, Torres hopes to determine whether his lab has discovered a protein mechanism that is not only fundamental to the process of G protein signaling in all eukaryotes, but also a possible alternative target for pharmaceutical drug therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDewhurst, H. M., Choudhury, S. \u0026amp; Torres, M. P. Structural Analysis of PTM Hotspots (SAPH-ire)--A Quantitative Informatics Method Enabling the Discovery of Novel Regulatory Elements in Protein Families. \u003Cem\u003EMol. Cell. Proteomics\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003E14,\u003C\/strong\u003E 2285\u201397 (2015).\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Torres lab has been awarded a four year, $1.2 million grant by the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences to investigate a newly discovered regulatory mechanism that controls \u003Cem\u003EG protein signaling\u003C\/em\u003E, a process essential for the transduction of extracellular signals (such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and photons of light), and the target of most pharmaceutical drugs.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Torres lab has been awarded a four year, $1.2 million grant by the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences"}],"uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2016-01-27 08:09:22","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:20:31","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"491201":{"id":"491201","type":"image","title":"Matthew Torres","body":null,"created":"1454009867","gmt_created":"2016-01-28 19:37:47","changed":"1475895248","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:08","alt":"Matthew Torres","file":{"fid":"204454","name":"mtorres.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mtorres_0.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mtorres_0.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":42710,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mtorres_0.jpeg?itok=vjt1VDhN"}}},"media_ids":["491201"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"http:\/\/torreslab.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"Torres Lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-torres","title":"Matthew Torres"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"99131","name":"Matthew Torres"},{"id":"2076","name":"NIH"},{"id":"171604","name":"Torres"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"487661":{"#nid":"487661","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Keeping Tabs on Electron Flow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EOne of the most basic processes in nature is the transfer of electrons from one molecule to another. For example, this flow of electrons is essential in the critical biological processes of photosynthesis, respiration, and DNA synthesis. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EElectron transfer involves the generation of highly reactive intermediates, called radicals.\u0026nbsp; A fundamental question in biological chemistry is how the movement of electrons is controlled and radical-induced damage is prevented.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThe lab of Bridgette Barry at the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience is helping to provide an answer with their research paper, \u201cA tyrosine-tryptophan dyad and radical-based charge transfer in a ribonucleotide reductase-inspired maquette,\u201d published last month in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EA large number of different proteins \u2013 especially metalloproteins like ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) \u2013 can mediate a high-energy flow of electrons.\u0026nbsp; Often, the movement of electrons involves hopping between aromatic groups, such as tyrosine and tryptophan.\u0026nbsp; In RNR and other proteins, these aromatic amino acids have complex interactions with each other and with other components of the protein. \u0026nbsp; Often, tyrosine and tryptophan are found in close proximity.\u0026nbsp; Because proteins like RNR are complex, it is difficult to determine the functional role of these tyrosine-tryptophan pairs or \u201cdyads.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ETo better understand their role, Barry, a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and her collaborators designed and characterized a peptide model of RNR.\u0026nbsp; This model or maquette contains a tyrosine-tryptophan pair, but has a much simpler structure than RNR.\u0026nbsp; The results showed that an unpaired electron is shared between a tyrosine-based radical and the nearby tryptophan.\u0026nbsp; This transfer of charge between the tyrosine and tryptophan may be critical in directing a flow of electrons and in protecting the protein from damage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EUltimately, the lab\u2019s findings could have implications for cancer biology.\u0026nbsp; A hallmark of cancer is rapid cell proliferation. RNR is an iron-dependent enzyme that is essential for DNA synthesis. If you can inhibit the rapid synthesis of DNA, you can prevent cancer cells from proliferation. So, Barry and her team are learning more about RNR and its electron transfer pathway.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cWhen we understand the mechanism of a protein, we are better at designing inhibitors and useful drugs,\u201d says Barry, whose co-authors for the \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E paper are Cynthia Pagba, Tyler McCaslin, Gianluigi Veglia, Fernando Porcelli, Jiby Yohannan, Zhanjun Guo, and Miranda McDaniel.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EVeglia is a faculty member at the University of Minnesota, and Porcelli is a faculty member of the University of Tuscia in Italy. The other coauthors are or were students in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and two of them \u2013 McDaniel and Yohannan \u2013 contributed to the research as undergraduates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/ncomms\/2015\/151202\/ncomms10010\/full\/ncomms10010.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBarry Lab Research Paper\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Barry lab publishes latest research in Nature Communications"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EBarry lab publishes latest research in Nature Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Barry lab publishes latest research in Nature Communications"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2016-01-19 12:00:23","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:20:27","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-01-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-01-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"487631":{"id":"487631","type":"image","title":"DNA Barry story","body":null,"created":"1453233601","gmt_created":"2016-01-19 20:00:01","changed":"1475895242","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:02","alt":"DNA Barry story","file":{"fid":"204356","name":"dna_barry_story.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dna_barry_story_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dna_barry_story_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1009544,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dna_barry_story_0.jpg?itok=t51jm00m"}}},"media_ids":["487631"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"480751":{"#nid":"480751","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Physics and the Force","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EA long time ago in this very galaxy, a science fiction fairy tale swept moviegoers into an unprecedented cinematic adventure across distant, fantastic worlds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStar Wars\u003C\/em\u003E brought together ancient mythological themes with the spirit of a classic American art-form \u2013 the Western \u2013 to create a different kind of science fiction film, overflowing with adventure, mysticism and romance, but fueled by mind-blowing science and technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThe universe that director George Lucas created in \u003Cem\u003EStar Wars\u003C\/em\u003E contains a diverse set of worlds and life forms, autonomous robots infused with something like humanity, space ships that travel at the speed of light, and at the center of it all, a powerful, invisible energy field called the Force.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EWith the latest installment of the fantasy saga, \u003Cem\u003EStar Wars: The Force Awakens\u003C\/em\u003E, in filling theaters now, Georgia Tech researchers (including Petit Institute faculty member Flavio Fenton) discuss the impact, and the science of Star Wars.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/features\/science-star-wars\u0022\u003ERead the whole story by Jason Maderer here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech professors weigh in on the science of Star Wars"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech professors weigh in on the science of Star Wars\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech professors weigh in on the science of Star Wars"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2015-12-30 10:13:14","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:20:20","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-12-30T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2015-12-30T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"480741":{"id":"480741","type":"image","title":"Star Wars robots","body":null,"created":"1451937600","gmt_created":"2016-01-04 20:00:00","changed":"1475895234","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:54","alt":"Star Wars robots","file":{"fid":"204197","name":"r2_and_3po_0_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/r2_and_3po_0_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/r2_and_3po_0_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":133042,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/r2_and_3po_0_0_0.jpg?itok=iAP03EeH"}}},"media_ids":["480741"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"474151":{"#nid":"474151","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Looking Back 3.8 Billion Years into the Root of the \u201cTree of Life\u201d","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENASA-funded researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are tapping information found in the cells of all life on Earth, and using it to trace life\u2019s evolution. They have learned that life is a master stenographer \u2013 writing, rewriting and recording its history in elaborate biological structures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome of the keys to unlocking the origin of life lie encrypted in the ribosome, life\u2019s oldest and most universal assembly of molecules. Today\u2019s ribosome converts genetic information (RNA) into proteins that carry out various functions in an organism. But the ribosome itself has changed over time. Its history shows how simple molecules joined forces to invent biology, and its current structure records ancient biological processes that occurred at the root of the Tree of Life, some 3.8 billion years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy examining variations in the ribosomal RNA contained in modern cells, scientists can visualize the timeline of life far back in history, elucidating molecular structures, reactions and events near the biochemical origins of life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBiology is a great keeper of records,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Williams\/Loren\u0022\u003ELoren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, and principal investigator for the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003ENASA Astrobiology Institute\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E Georgia Tech Center for Ribosome Adaptation and Evolution from 2009-2014. \u201cWe are figuring out how to read some of the oldest records in biology to understand pre-biological processes, the origin of life, and the evolution of life on Earth.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was reported November 30 in the Early Edition of the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELike rings in the trunk of a tree, the ribosome contains components that functioned early on in its history. The center of the trunk records the tree\u2019s youth, and successive rings represent each year of the tree\u2019s life, with the outermost layer recording the present. Just as the core of a tree\u2019s trunk remains unchanged over time, all modern ribosomes contain a common core dating back 3.8 billion years. This common core is the same in all living organisms, including humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe ribosome recorded its history,\u201d said Williams. \u201cIt accreted and got bigger and bigger over time. But the older parts were continually frozen after they accreted, just like the rings of a tree. As long as that tree lives, the inner rings will not change. The very core of the ribosome is older than biology, produced by evolutionary processes that we still don\u2019t understand very well.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile exploiting this record-keeping ability of the ribosome reveals how biology has changed over time, it can also point to the environmental conditions on Earth in which that biology evolved, and help inform our search for life elsewhere in the Universe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis work enables us to look back in time past the root of the tree of life \u2013 the ancestor of all modern cells \u2013 to a time when proteins and nucleic acids had not yet become the basis for all biochemistry,\u201d said Carl Pilcher, interim director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute. \u201cIt helps us understand some of the earliest stages in the development of life on Earth, and can guide our search for extraterrestrial environments where life may have developed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy rewinding, reverse engineering, and replaying this ancient ribosomal tape, researchers are uncovering the secrets of creation and are answering foundational, existential questions about our place in the Universe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy studying more additions to the ribosome, the research team \u2013 with key contributions by Georgia Tech Research Scientist Anton Petrov \u2013 found \u201cmolecular fingerprints\u201d that show where insertions were made, allowing them to discern the rules by which it grew. Using a technique they call the Structural Comparative Method, the researchers were able to model the ribosome\u2019s development in great detail.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy taking ribosomes from a number of species \u2013 humans, yeast, various bacteria and archaea \u2013 and looking at the outer portions that are variable, we saw that there were very specific rules governing how they change,\u201d said Williams. \u201cWe took those rules and applied them to the common core, which allowed us to see all the way back to the first pieces of RNA.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome clues along the way helped. For instance, though RNA is now responsible for creating proteins, the very earliest life had no proteins. By looking for regions of the ribosome that contain no proteins, the researchers could determine that those elements existed before the advent of proteins. \u201cOnce the ribosome gained a certain capability, that changed its nature,\u201d Williams said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the ribosomal core is the same across species, what\u2019s added on top differs. Humans have the largest ribosome, encompassing some 7,000 nucleotides representing dramatic growth from the hundred or so base pairs at the beginning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat we\u2019re talking about is going from short oligomers, short pieces of RNA, to the biology we see today,\u201d said Williams. \u201cThe increase in size and complexity is mind-boggling.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers obtained their ribosomes from structure and sequence databases that have been produced to help scientists identify new species. Ribosomes can be crystallized, which reveals their three dimensional structures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond understanding how evolution played out over time, this knowledge of the ribosome\u2019s development could have more practical modern-day health applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe ribosome is one of the primary target for antibiotics, so understanding its architecture and consistency throughout biology could be of great benefit,\u201d said Williams. \u201cBy studying the ribosome, we can start thinking about biology in a different way. We can see the symbiotic relationship between RNA and proteins.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a next step, Williams and colleagues are now using experiments to verify what their model shows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have a coherent and consistent model that accounts for all the data we have going all the way back to a form of biology that is very primitive compared to what we have now,\u201d Williams explained. \u201cWe plan to continue testing the predictions of the model.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already named, the research included Burak Gulen, Ashlyn Norris, Chad Bernier, Nicholas Kovacs, Kathryn Lanier, Stephen Harvey, Roger Wartell and Nicholas Hud from Georgia Tech, and George Fox from the University of Houston.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was funded in part by the NASA Astrobiology Institute under grant NNA09DA78A. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NASA.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFounded in 1998, the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) is a partnership between NASA, 12 U.S. research teams, and 14 international consortia. NAI\u2019s goals are to promote, conduct, and lead interdisciplinary astrobiology research, train a new generation of astrobiology researchers, and share the excitement of astrobiology with learners of all ages. The NAI is part of NASA\u2019s Astrobiology Program which supports research into the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the Universe. http:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech \u2013 John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003ENASA Astrobiology Institute -- Daniella Scalice, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENASA-funded researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are tapping information found in the cells of all life on Earth, and using it to trace life\u2019s evolution. They have learned that life is a master stenographer \u2013 writing, rewriting and recording its history in elaborate biological structures.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers are tapping information found in the cells of all life on Earth, and using it to trace life\u2019s evolution."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-11-30 15:37:09","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:20:08","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-11-30T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2015-11-30T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"474091":{"id":"474091","type":"image","title":"Ribosome grew like a tree","body":null,"created":"1449257202","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:26:42","changed":"1475895225","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:45","alt":"Ribosome grew like a tree","file":{"fid":"99188","name":"ribosome-history6-horizontal.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome-history6-horizontal_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome-history6-horizontal_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1642261,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ribosome-history6-horizontal_1.jpg?itok=eQYnIPhQ"}},"474111":{"id":"474111","type":"image","title":"Ribosome grew like a tree2","body":null,"created":"1449257202","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:26:42","changed":"1475895225","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:45","alt":"Ribosome grew like a tree2","file":{"fid":"99189","name":"ribosome-history6-horizontal_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome-history6-horizontal_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome-history6-horizontal_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1642261,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ribosome-history6-horizontal_0_0.jpg?itok=riUs6OO7"}},"474121":{"id":"474121","type":"image","title":"Ribosome grew like a tree3","body":null,"created":"1449257202","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:26:42","changed":"1475895225","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:45","alt":"Ribosome grew like a tree3","file":{"fid":"99190","name":"ribosome-history6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome-history6_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome-history6_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2121571,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ribosome-history6_0.jpg?itok=y-CkuTav"}},"474131":{"id":"474131","type":"image","title":"Ribosome grew by accretion","body":null,"created":"1449257202","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:26:42","changed":"1475895225","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:45","alt":"Ribosome grew by accretion","file":{"fid":"99191","name":"ribodoll.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribodoll_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribodoll_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":89046,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ribodoll_0.jpg?itok=gjJnx_A0"}}},"media_ids":["474091","474111","474121","474131"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"722","name":"Astrobiology"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"10720","name":"Loren Williams"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"},{"id":"6730","name":"ribosome"},{"id":"984","name":"RNA"},{"id":"149151","name":"tree of life"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"469051":{"#nid":"469051","#data":{"type":"news","title":"BRAIN Initiative Taps Two Labs from Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology are riding a second wave of grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Payne\/Christine\u0022\u003EChristine Payne\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/people\/Garrett%20Stanley\u0022\u003EGarrett Stanley\u003C\/a\u003E, both faculty members of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPetit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, are among the 131 investigators working at 125 institutions in the U.S. and eight other countries receiving 67 new awards, totaling more than $38 million.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPayne, Stanley and their collaborators are part of a new round of projects for visualizing the brain in action. It\u2019s all part of the initiative launched by President Obama in 2014 as a broad effort to equip researchers with fundamental insights for treating a range of brain disorders, such as Alzheimer\u2019s, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStanley and Dieter Jaeger, professor in Emory University\u2019s Department of Biology, are principal investigators of a project titled, \u201cMultiscale Analysis of Sensory-Motor Cortical Gating in Behaving Mice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir overall goal is better understand and capture the flow of information as we sense and perceive the outside world, \u201cso that we can take action,\u201d said Stanley, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (BME), a joint department of Emory and Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Stanley lab provides expertise on tactile sensing and information processing, while the Jaeger lab provides expertise on motor\/muscle coordination and control.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are developing approaches to using genetically expressed voltage sensors to optically image brain activity during a sensory-motor task,\u201d Stanley said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new technology would let the researchers monitor brain activity at high spatial and temporal resolution over long periods of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt allows us to address questions related to the circuits involved in coordinating the relationship between sensing and action for the first time,\u201d Stanley said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project grew out of another collaboration between Jaeger and Stanley. They are co-principal investigators of an NIH-sponsored training grant in computational neuroscience, which targets a new generation of scientists bound together through questions about how the brain computes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThrough this interaction, Dieter and I got to know each other better, started to talk more science, and eventually cooked up this project,\u201d Stanley said. \u201cThe research is relevant to public health because it provides an impactful and innovative study of the circuitry underlying the output from the basal ganglia to the motor cortex and the integration of basal ganglia output with sensory information.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDebilitating and difficult to treat neurological disorders like Parkinson\u2019s disease, Huntington\u2019s disease and dystonia are caused by dysfunction of this circuitry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe proposed research is expected to provide basic insights into motor circuit function and may reveal new possibilities for treatment of these diseases as well as a better understanding of deep brain stimulation treatments already in use,\u201d said Stanley, who was part of the first round of BRAIN Initiative funding last year with fellow Georgia Tech researcher Craig Forest.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPeter Borden, a Ph.D. student in Stanley\u2019s lab, and Christian Waiblinger, a postdoctoral researcher in Stanley\u2019s lab, will also be contributing to the research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, Payne is principal investigator for a project titled, \u201cConducting polymer nanowires for neural modulation.\u201d She\u2019s collaborating with Bret Flanders, a professor at Kansas State whose lab is working on new ways to insulate nanowires. Georgia Tech students Scott Thourson (a Bioengineering Ph.D. candidate) and Rohan Kadambi (undergrad in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) are helping to lead the effort.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnderstanding how the brain functions requires fundamentally new tools to probe individual neurons without damaging the surrounding tissue,\u201d said Payne, who is an associate professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis research will develop a prototype device that uses biocompatible conducting polymer nanowires to interface with individual neurons,\u201d said Payne. \u201cThe use of flexible conducting polymers in place of traditional metal, silicon, and carbon electrodes is expected to minimize disruption to the surrounding tissue.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new round of funding brings the NIH investment for BRAIN Initiative research to $85 million in fiscal year 2015. Last year NIH awarded $46 million to the effort, designed to ultimately catalyze new treatments and cures for devastating brain disorders and diseases that are estimated by the World Health Organization to affect more than one billion people on the planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is proud to play a role in this important global effort,\u201d said Steve Cross, Tech\u0027s executive vice president for research. \u201cThese grants are further evidence of Tech\u2019s reputation for conducting world-class bioengineering and bioscience research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E-- Jerry Grillo, Communications Officer II, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology are riding a second wave of grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Two Georgia Tech researchers are riding a second wave of NIH grants to support the BRAIN initiative."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-11-11 17:48:08","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:58","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-11-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2015-11-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"469001":{"id":"469001","type":"image","title":"Garrett Stanley","body":null,"created":"1449257160","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:26:00","changed":"1475895218","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:38","alt":"Garrett Stanley","file":{"fid":"203842","name":"garrett-stanley.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/garrett-stanley_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/garrett-stanley_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3651768,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/garrett-stanley_0.jpg?itok=2LvsvXxs"}},"469041":{"id":"469041","type":"image","title":"Christine Payne","body":null,"created":"1449257160","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:26:00","changed":"1475895218","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:38","alt":"Christine Payne","file":{"fid":"203845","name":"christine_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/christine_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/christine_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2833652,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/christine_0_0.jpg?itok=DYg8etTj"}}},"media_ids":["469001","469041"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1912","name":"brain"},{"id":"8669","name":"Christine Payne"},{"id":"14462","name":"Garrett Stanley"},{"id":"2076","name":"NIH"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"460611":{"#nid":"460611","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Regrow a Tooth? Fish \u2013 Yes; Humans \u2013 Maybe Some Day","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen a Lake Malawi cichlid loses a tooth, a new one drops neatly into place as a replacement. Why can\u0027t humans similarly regrow teeth lost to injury or disease?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking with hundreds of these colorful fish, researchers are beginning to understanding how the animals maintain their hundreds of teeth throughout their adult lives. By studying how structures in embryonic fish differentiate into either teeth or taste buds, the researchers hope to one day be able to turn on the tooth regeneration mechanism in humans \u2013 which, like other mammals, get only two sets of teeth to last a lifetime.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work, which also involved a study of dental differentiation in mice, shows that the structures responsible for growing new teeth may remain active for longer than previously thought, suggesting that the process might be activated in human adults.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research was conducted by scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and King\u2019s College in London, and published October 19 in early edition of the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. The research was supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have uncovered developmental plasticity between teeth and taste buds, and we are trying to understand the pathways that mediate the fate of cells toward either dental or sensory development,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/todd-streelman\u0022\u003ETodd Streelman\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThe potential applications to humans makes this interesting to everybody who has dealt with dental issues at one time or another in their lives.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorldwide, approximately 30 percent of persons have lost all their teeth by the time they reach the age of 60. Beyond the painful dental health issues, this can causes significant medical and nutritional problems that can shorten life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo understand more about the pathways that lead to the growth and development of teeth, Streelman and first author Ryan Bloomquist \u2013 a DMD\/PhD student at Georgia Tech and Georgia Regents University \u2013 studied how teeth and taste buds grow from the same epithelial tissues in embryonic fish. Unlike humans, fish have no tongues, so their taste buds are mixed in with their teeth, sometimes in adjacent rows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Lake Malawi cichlids have adapted their teeth and taste buds to thrive in the unique conditions where they live. One species eats plankton and needs few teeth because it locates its food visually and swallows it whole. Another species lives on algae which must be scraped or snipped from rocky lake formations, requiring both many more teeth and more taste buds to distinguish food.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers crossed the two closely-related species, and in the second generation of these hybrids, saw substantial variation in the numbers of teeth and taste buds. By studying the genetic differences in some 300 of these second-generation hybrids, they were able to tease out the genetic components of the variation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were able to map the regions of the genome that control a positive correlation between the densities of each of these structures,\u201d Streelman explained. \u201cAnd through a collaboration with colleagues at King\u2019s College in London, we were able to demonstrate that a few poorly studied genes were also involved in the development of teeth and taste buds in mice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy bathing embryonic fish in chemicals that influence the developmental pathways involved in tooth and taste bud formation, the researchers then manipulated the development of the two structures. In one case, they boosted the growth of taste buds at the expense of teeth. These changes were initiated just five or six days after the fish eggs were fertilized, at a stage when the fish had eyes and a brain \u2013 but were still developing jaws.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere appear to be developmental switches that will shift the fate of the common epithelial cells to either dental or sensory structures,\u201d Streelman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough they have very different purposes and final anatomy, teeth and taste buds originate in the same kind of epithelial tissue in the developing jaws of embryonic fish. These tiny buds differentiate later, forming teeth with hard enamel \u2013 or soft taste buds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s not until later in the development of a tooth that it forms enamel and dentine,\u201d said Streelman. \u201cAt the earliest stages of development, these structures are really very similar.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe studies in fish and mice suggest the possibility that with the right signals, epithelial tissue in humans might also be able to regenerate new teeth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was not previously thought that development would be so plastic for structures that are so different in adult fish,\u201d Streelman said. \u201cUltimately, this suggests that the epithelium in a human\u2019s mouth might be more plastic than we had previously thought. The direction our research is taking, at least in terms of human health implications, is to figure out how to coax the epithelium to form one type of structure or the other.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut growing new teeth wouldn\u2019t be enough, Streelman cautions. Researchers would also need to understand how nerves and blood vessels grow into teeth to make them viable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The exciting aspect of this research for understanding human tooth development and regeneration is being able to identify genes and genetic pathways that naturally direct continuous tooth and taste bud development in fish, and study these in mammals,\u201d said Professor Paul Sharpe, a co-author from King\u2019s College. \u201cThe more we understand the basic biology of natural processes, the more we can utilize this for developing the next generation of clinical therapeutics: in this case how to generate biological replacement teeth.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a next step, Streelman and research technician Teresa Fowler are working to determine how far into adulthood the plasticity between teeth and taste buds extends, and what can trigger the change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the research included Nicholas Parnell and Kristine Phillips from Georgia Tech, and Tian Yu from King\u2019s College.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, under grants 2R01DE019637 (to J.T.S.) and 5F30DE023013 (to R.F.B.). Any opinions or conclusions are those of the authors and may not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Ryan F. Bloomquist, et al., \u201cCo-Evolutionary Patterning of Teeth and Taste Buds,\u201d (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2015).\u003Ca href=\u0022\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2015\/10\/15\/1514298112.\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2015\/10\/15\/1514298112\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-894-6986).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen a Lake Malawi cichlid loses a tooth, a new one drops neatly into place as a replacement. Why can\u0027t humans similarly regrow teeth lost to injury or disease?\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Why can\u0027t humans regrow teeth lost to injury or disease?"}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-10-19 16:09:09","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:40","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-10-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-10-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"460391":{"id":"460391","type":"image","title":"Examining fish jaw structures","body":null,"created":"1449256361","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:41","changed":"1475895197","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:17","alt":"Examining fish jaw structures","file":{"fid":"203436","name":"tooth-or-tastebud2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1058996,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud2_0.jpg?itok=8M1CxSH6"}},"460411":{"id":"460411","type":"image","title":"Examining fish jaw structures2","body":null,"created":"1449256361","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:41","changed":"1475895204","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:24","alt":"Examining fish jaw structures2","file":{"fid":"203588","name":"tooth-or-tastebud3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud3_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud3_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":782611,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud3_0.jpg?itok=fo012V9t"}},"460421":{"id":"460421","type":"image","title":"Studying 13-day-old fish","body":null,"created":"1449256361","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:41","changed":"1475895204","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:24","alt":"Studying 13-day-old fish","file":{"fid":"203589","name":"tooth-or-tastebud7.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud7_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud7_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":653743,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud7_1.jpg?itok=6Y-RVk9o"}},"460441":{"id":"460441","type":"image","title":"Juvenile Lake Malawi cichlids","body":null,"created":"1449256361","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:41","changed":"1475895206","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:26","alt":"Juvenile Lake Malawi cichlids","file":{"fid":"203591","name":"tooth-or-tastebud8.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud8_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud8_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":949312,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tooth-or-tastebud8_1.jpg?itok=n_hdriYo"}}},"media_ids":["460391","460411","460421","460441"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"3083","name":"cichlid"},{"id":"3272","name":"dental"},{"id":"5718","name":"Genetics"},{"id":"146341","name":"go_genomics"},{"id":"7275","name":"regeneration"},{"id":"145001","name":"taste bud"},{"id":"1471","name":"teeth"},{"id":"2863","name":"Todd Streelman"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"457941":{"#nid":"457941","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Light Touch May Help Animals and Robots Move on Sand and Snow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHaving a light touch can make a hefty difference in how well animals and robots move across challenging granular surfaces such as snow, sand and leaf litter. Research reported October 9 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EBioinspiration \u0026amp; Biomimetics\u003C\/em\u003E shows how the design of appendages \u2013 whether legs or wheels \u2013 affects the ability of both robots and animals to cross weak and flowing surfaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing an air fluidized bed trackway filled with poppy seeds or glass spheres, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology systematically varied the stiffness of the ground to mimic everything from hard-packed sand to powdery snow. By studying how running lizards, geckos, crabs \u2013 and a robot \u2013 moved through these varying surfaces, they were able to correlate variables such as appendage design with performance across the range of surfaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe key measure turned out to be how far legs or wheels penetrated into the surface. What the scientists learned from this systematic study might help future robots avoid getting stuck in loose soil on some distant planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou need to know systematically how ground properties affect your performance with wheel shape or leg shape, so you can rationally predict how well your robot will be able to move on the surfaces where you have to travel,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDan Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWhen the ground gets weak, certain animals seem to still be able to move around independently of the surface properties. We want to understand why.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research was supported by National Science Foundation, Army Research Laboratory and Burroughs Wellcome Fund.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor years, Goldman and colleagues have been using trackways filled with granular media to study the locomotion of animals and robots, but in the past, they had used fluidized bed only to set the initial compaction of the media. In this study, however, they used variations in continuous air flow \u2013 introduced through the bottom of the device \u2013 to vary the substrate\u2019s resistance to penetration by a leg or wheel.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGoldman compares the trackway to the wind tunnels used for aerodynamic studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy varying the air flow, we can create ground that is very, very weak \u2013 so that you sink into it quite easily, like powdery snow, and we can have ground that is very strong, like sand,\u201d he explained. \u201cThis gives us the ability to study the mechanism by which animals and robots either succeed or fail.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a bio-inspired hexapedal robot known as Sandbot as a physical model, the researchers studied average forward speed as a factor of ground penetration resistance \u2013 the \u201cstiffness\u201d of the sand \u2013 and the frequency of leg movement. The average speed of the robot declined as the increased air flow through the trackway made the surface weaker. Increasing the leg frequency makes the speed decrease more rapidly with increasing air flow.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe five animals \u2013 with different body plans and appendage features \u2013 all did better than the robot, with the best performer being a lizard collected in a California desert. The speed of the \u003Cem\u003EC. draconoides\u003C\/em\u003E wasn\u2019t slowed at all as the surface became easier to penetrate, while other animals saw performance losses of between 20 and 50 percent on the loosening surfaces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe think that this particular lizard is well suited to the variety of terrain because it has these ridiculously long feet and toes,\u201d Goldman said. \u201cThese feet and toes really enable it to maintain high performance and reduce its penetration into the surface over a wide range of substrate conditions. On the other hand, we see animals like ghost crabs that experience a tremendous loss of performance as the substrate changes, something that was surprising to us.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe robot lost 70 percent of its speed even with wheels designed to lighten its pressure on the surface.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESkiers and beachcombers can certainly understand why. As the surface becomes easier for a ski or foot to penetrate, more energy is required to move and forward progress slows. Human and skiers haven\u2019t evolved solutions to that problem, but desert-dwelling creatures have. The research, Goldman says, will help us understand how they do it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe magic for us is how the animals are so good at this,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a clear practical application to this. If you can get the controls and morphology right, you could have a robot that could move anywhere, but you have to know what you are doing under different conditions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the research, Georgia Tech graduate students Feifei Qian and Tingnan Zhang used a terradynamics approach based on resistive force theory to perform numerical simulations of the robots and animals. They found that their model successfully predicted locomotor performance for low resistance granular states.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis work expands the general applicability of our resistive force theory of terradynamics,\u201d said Goldman. \u201cThe resistive force theory, which allows us to compute forces on limbs intruding into the ground, continues to work even in situations where we didn\u2019t think it would work. It expands the applicability of terradynamics to even weaker states of material.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, co-authors include Wyatt Korff from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Virginia, Paul Umbanhowar from Northwest University, and Robert Full from the University of California at Berkeley.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and by the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology (MAST) Collaborative Technology Alliance (CTA) under cooperative agreement number W911NF-08-2-0004, and by the National Science Foundation Physics of Living Systems CAREER and Student Research Network and ARO Grant No. W911NF-11-1-0514. Any conclusions or opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECITATION: Feifei Qian, et al., \u201cPrinciples of appendage design in robots and animals determining terradynamic performance on flowable ground,\u201d (Bioinspiration \u0026amp; Biomimetics, 2015). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1088\/1748-3190\/10\/5\/056014\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1088\/1748-3190\/10\/5\/056014\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-894-6986).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHaving a light touch can make a hefty difference in how well animals and robots move across challenging granular surfaces such as snow, sand and leaf litter. Research shows how the design of appendages \u2013 whether legs or wheels \u2013 affects the ability of both robots and animals to cross weak and flowing surfaces.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A light touch can make a hefty difference in how well animals and robots move across challenging granular surfaces."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-10-10 20:11:53","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:43","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-10-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-10-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"457871":{"id":"457871","type":"image","title":"Sandbot robot","body":null,"created":"1449256347","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:27","changed":"1475895202","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:22","alt":"Sandbot robot","file":{"fid":"203523","name":"appendage-design2171.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2171_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2171_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1243339,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/appendage-design2171_1.jpg?itok=nYaOlfB9"}},"457891":{"id":"457891","type":"image","title":"Preparing Sandbot robot","body":null,"created":"1449256347","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:27","changed":"1475895202","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:22","alt":"Preparing Sandbot robot","file":{"fid":"203525","name":"appendage-design2185.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2185_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2185_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1355229,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/appendage-design2185_0.jpg?itok=GkIjI-3J"}},"457901":{"id":"457901","type":"image","title":"Preparing Sandbot robot2","body":null,"created":"1449256347","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:27","changed":"1475895202","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:22","alt":"Preparing Sandbot robot2","file":{"fid":"203526","name":"appendage-design2179.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2179_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2179_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1302450,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/appendage-design2179_0.jpg?itok=CmVmvwUJ"}},"457911":{"id":"457911","type":"image","title":"Sandbot in trackway","body":null,"created":"1449256347","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:27","changed":"1475895202","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:22","alt":"Sandbot in trackway","file":{"fid":"203527","name":"appendage-design2195.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2195_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2195_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1491585,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/appendage-design2195_1.jpg?itok=sgl7rINB"}},"457931":{"id":"457931","type":"image","title":"Sandbot closeup","body":null,"created":"1449256347","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:12:27","changed":"1475895202","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:22","alt":"Sandbot closeup","file":{"fid":"203529","name":"appendage-design2224.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2224_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/appendage-design2224_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1192809,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/appendage-design2224_0.jpg?itok=XeHp1WpN"}}},"media_ids":["457871","457891","457901","457911","457931"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"144361","name":"granular surface"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"62221","name":"terradynamics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"449681":{"#nid":"449681","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Multitasking Moths","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s difficult enough to see things in the dark, but what if you also had to hover in midair while tracking a flower moving in the wind?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThat\u0027s the challenge the hummingbird-sized hawkmoth\u0026nbsp;must overcome while feeding on the nectar of its favorite flowers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003EUsing high-speed infrared cameras and 3-D-printed robotic flowers, scientists have now learned how this insect juggles these complex sensing and control challenges \u2014 all while adjusting to changing light conditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003EWhat the researchers have discovered could help the next generation of small flying robots operate efficiently under a broad range of lighting conditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more about this fascinating study in the \u003Cem\u003EResearch Horizons\u003C\/em\u003E story, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.rh.gatech.edu\/features\/multitasking-moths\u0022\u003EMultitasking Moths\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"How the hawkmoth tracks flowers in the dark has surprising applications for airborne robots."}],"uid":"27948","created_gmt":"2015-09-18 14:20:40","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:33","author":"Jennifer Tomasino","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"449571":{"id":"449571","type":"image","title":"Hawkmoth","body":null,"created":"1449256264","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 19:11:04","changed":"1475895192","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:12","alt":"Hawkmoth","file":{"fid":"203296","name":"multitasking-moths.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/multitasking-moths_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/multitasking-moths_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":72567,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/multitasking-moths_0.jpg?itok=OupMgc5C"}},"413151":{"id":"413151","type":"image","title":"Simon Sponberg with hawkmoth","body":null,"created":"1449254222","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:02","changed":"1475895145","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:25","alt":"Simon Sponberg with hawkmoth","file":{"fid":"202375","name":"hawkmoth12.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth12_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth12_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1159006,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth12_0.jpg?itok=L8KeXmry"}}},"media_ids":["449571","413151"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"115461","name":"Applied Physiology"},{"id":"128551","name":"hawkmoth"},{"id":"960","name":"physics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDirector of Research News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhone:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;404.894.6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["john.toon@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"428211":{"#nid":"428211","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study: Finding the Origins of Life in a Drying Puddle","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnyone who\u2019s ever noticed a water puddle drying in the sun has seen an environment that may have driven the type of chemical reactions that scientists believe were critical to the formation of life on the early Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch reported July 15 in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAngewandte Chemie International Edition\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;demonstrates that important molecules of contemporary life, known as polypeptides, can be formed simply by mixing amino and hydroxy acids \u2013 which are believed to have existed together on the early Earth \u2013 then subjecting them to cycles of wet and dry conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis simple process, which could have taken place in a puddle drying out in the sun and then reforming with the next rain, works because chemical bonds formed by one compound make bonds easier to form with the other.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study, titled \u201cEster-Mediated Amide Bond Formation Driven by Wet-Dry Cycles: A Possible Path to Polypeptides on the Prebiotic Earth,\u201d\u0026nbsp;supports the theory that life could have begun on dry land, perhaps even in the desert, where cycles of nighttime cooling and dew formation are followed by daytime heating and evaporation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJust 20 of these day-night, wet-dry cycles were needed to form a complex mixture of polypeptides in the lab. The process also allowed the breakdown and reassembly of the organic materials to form random sequences that could have led to the formation of the polypeptide chains that were needed for life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe simplicity of using hydration-dehydration cycles to drive the kind of chemistry you need for life is really appealing,\u201d said lead author\u0026nbsp;Nicholas Hud, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u0026nbsp;at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and director of the\u0026nbsp;NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, which is supported by the NSF Centers for Chemical Innovation Program and the NASA Astrobiology Program. \u201cIt looks like dry land would have provided a very favorable environment for getting the chemistry necessary for life started.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESheng-Sheng Yu, a graduate student in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE), was co-first author of the study. Other co-authors include Yu\u0027s advisor, ChBE Professor Martha Grover; Georgia Tech Postdoctoral Fellow Jay Forsythe;\u0026nbsp;Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy, an associate professor of chemistry at the Scripps Research Instituteas;\u0026nbsp;Irena Mamajanov, a Simons Foundation Fellow at the Carnegie Institution for Science;\u0026nbsp;and Professor Facundo M. Fern\u00e1ndez of Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrigin-of-life scientists had previously made polypeptides from amino acids by heating them well past the boiling point of water, or by driving polymerization with activating chemicals. But the high temperatures are beyond the point at which most life could survive, and the robust availability of activating chemicals on the early Earth is questionable. The simplicity of the wet-dry cycle therefore makes it attractive to explain how peptides could have formed, Hud added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea for combining chemically similar amino acids and hydroxyl acids was inspired by the demonstration that polyesters are easy to form by repetitive hydration-dehydration cycles and the fact that esters are activated to attack by the amino group of amino acids. The potential importance of this reaction in the earliest stages of life is supported by studies of meteorites, which revealed that both compounds would have been present on the prebiotic Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHydroxy acids combine to form polyester, better known as a synthetic textile fiber, and that reaction requires less energy than formation of the amide bonds needed to create peptides from amino acids. In the wet-dry cycles, formation of polyester comes first \u2013 which then facilitates the more difficult peptide formation, Hud said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe ester linkages that we are making in the polyester can serve as an activating agent formed within the solution,\u201d he explained. \u201cOver the course of a very simple chemical evolution, the polymers progress from having hydroxy acids with ester linkages to amino acids with peptide linkages. The hydroxy acids are gradually replaced through the wet and dry cycles because the ester bonds holding them together are not as stable as the peptide bonds.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExperimentally, graduate student Sheng-Sheng Yu put the amino and hydroxy acid mixtures through 20 wet-dry cycles to produce molecules that are a mixture of polyesters and peptides, containing as many as 14 units. After just three cycles, and at temperatures as low as 65 degrees Celsius, peptides consisting of two and three units began to form. Postdoctoral fellow Jay Forsythe confirmed the chemical structures using NMR mass spectrometry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe allowed the peptide bonds to form because the ester bonds lowered the energy barrier that needed to be crossed,\u201d Hud added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn the early Earth, those cycles could have taken 20 days and nights \u2013 or perhaps much longer if the heating and drying cycles corresponded to seasons of the year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond easily forming the polypeptides, the wet-dry process has an additional advantage. It allows compounds like peptides to be regularly broken apart and reformed, creating new structures with randomly-ordered amino acids. This ability to recycle the amino acids not only conserves organic material that may have been in short supply on the early Earth, but also provides the potential for creating more useful combinations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA combination of hydroxy and amino acids likely existed in the prebiotic soup of the early Earth, but analyzing such a \u201cmessy\u201d reaction was challenging, Hud said. \u201cWe were led into this idea that a mixture might work better than separate components,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt might have been messy at the start, but it\u2019s easier to get going than a pristine chemical reaction.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond helping explain how life might have started, the wet-dry cycles could also provide a new way to synthesize polypeptides. Existing techniques produce the chemicals through genetic engineering of microorganisms, or through synthetic organic chemistry. The wet-dry cycling could provide a simpler and more sustainable water-based process for producing these chemicals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe demonstration of peptide formation opens the door to asking other questions about how life may have gotten going in prebiotic times, said research team member Krishnamurthy. Future studies will include a look at the sequences formed, whether there are sequences favored by the process, and what sequences might result. The process could ultimately lead to reactions able to continue without the wet-dry cycles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf this process were repeated many times, you could grow up a peptide that could acquire a catalytic property because it had reached a certain size and could fold in a certain way,\u201d Krishnamurthy said. \u201cThe system could begin to develop certain emergent characteristics and properties that might allow it to self-propagate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already named, the paper\u2019s authors include Irena Mamajanov, Martha A Grover, and Facundo M. Fern\u00e1ndez, all from Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was\u0026nbsp;supported by\u0026nbsp;the NSF Centers for Chemical Innovation Program and the NASA Astrobiology Program under the NSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution\u0026nbsp;under grant number CHE-1004570. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF or NASA.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E- Article written by John Toon of Georgia Tech Research Horizons\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Study: Finding the Origins of Life in a Drying Puddle"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnyone who\u2019s ever noticed a water puddle drying in the sun has seen an environment that may have driven the type of chemical reactions that scientists believe were critical to the formation of life on the early Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Study: Finding the Origins of Life in a Drying Puddle"}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2015-07-23 17:35:02","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:15","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-07-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-07-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"428221":{"id":"428221","type":"image","title":"Sheng-Sheng Yu","body":null,"created":"1449254342","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:39:02","changed":"1475895167","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:47","alt":"Sheng-Sheng Yu","file":{"fid":"202812","name":"shengshengyu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/shengshengyu_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/shengshengyu_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":881544,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/shengshengyu_0.jpg?itok=btl-2A-z"}}},"media_ids":["428221"],"groups":[{"id":"1240","name":"School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"12615","name":"martha grover"},{"id":"136671","name":"Nicolas Hud"},{"id":"136661","name":"origins of life"},{"id":"167445","name":"School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"},{"id":"171467","name":"Sheng-Sheng Yu"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"423871":{"#nid":"423871","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Dr. Brian Hammer and colleagues awarded a grant to reboot the gut using bacterial dueling","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Research Corporation for Science Advancement awarded 5 grants totaling $731k to teams of researchers pursuing \u0022ambitious, high-risk, highly impactful discovery research on untested ideas in physical cell biology.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the winning teams\u2014composed of Brian Hammer (Georgia Tech), Raghuveer Parthasarathy (University of Oregon) and Joao Xavier (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)\u2014proposed a long term project titled, \u201cRebooting the Gut Microbial Ecosystem using Bacterial Dueling\u201d.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudies abound linking particular diseases, such as Crohn\u2019s, to the bacteria in our gut. Their project aims to demonstrate that bacterial dueling can be used to eliminate harmful bacteria in the gut and repopulate it with healthy bacteria.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo begin, the researchers will introduce vibrio cholerae into a sample of zebrafish. V. cholera is an aggressive bacterium that feeds on chitin, a complex carbohydrate and major component of exoskeletons. Zebrafish, a common sight in home aquariums, is an excellent model organism that also happens to have a taste for chitin-rich zooplankton.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen chitin is ingested, some of the sugars are released and sensed by V. cholera, which turns on its dueling machinery.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat this means is that the response to chitin results in the production of a special protein factor (a transcription factor) in each Vibrio cholerae cell that can turn on the dueling machinery,\u201d Dr. Hammer explained. \u201cWe can also genetically engineer Vibrio cholerae cells so that this special factor is always produced. These cells do not need chitin to activate dueling; it\u0027s on all the time.\u201d Woe unto any microbe squatting alongside V. cholerae.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInterestingly, some strains of V. cholerae are especially bellicose, keeping their dueling machinery armed at all times, no chitin required.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing fluorescent microscopy, the scientists will observe and subsequently model V. cholerae\u2019s behavior under various conditions\u2014by using different strains of V. cholerae (those that need chitin and those that are always battle-ready) and by manipulating the presence of chitin and other food sources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor this research to ever have therapeutic applications, V. cholerae must be kept from running amok. Accordingly, the team plans to design a strain of V. cholerae with an off-switch. Hammer elaborated, \u201cBasically, we engineer the cells so that they can only grow if provided an essential factor (a chemical we can add) for their cell wall. If we add that chemical to flasks of cells in the lab, and presumably into the water with the fish, the Vibrios grow normally. To make the cells self-destruct we simply remove that chemical from the water or move the fish into new water lacking that chemical.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe last step in this study will be to repopulate the zebrafish\u2019s gut with microbes found in healthy zebrafish.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf successful it \u201cwould suggest that we can develop dueling bacteria that could be used in humans to replace harmful bacteria in the gut with healthy ones\u2026 Finally, what I think is also really cool about our study is that [by manipulating chitin in the fish\u2019s diet] it may also link the food we eat to how gut microbes interact,\u201d beamed Hammer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026nbsp;","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Research Corporation for Science Advancement awarded 5 grants totaling $731k to teams of researchers pursuing \u0022ambitious, high-risk, highly impactful discovery research on untested ideas in physical cell biology.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Research Corporation for Science Advancement awarded 5 grants totaling $731k to teams of researchers."}],"uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2015-07-13 06:10:57","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:19:00","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-07-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-07-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"223411":{"id":"223411","type":"image","title":"Brian Hammer","body":null,"created":"1449243535","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:38:55","changed":"1475894894","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:14","alt":"Brian Hammer","file":{"fid":"197356","name":"img_0235brian_hammer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_0235brian_hammer_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_0235brian_hammer_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2839288,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/img_0235brian_hammer_0.jpg?itok=gEydp4Vo"}}},"media_ids":["223411"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?t=13\u0026v=0UO62n8UfBU","title":"Dr. Hammer speaking about Vibrio Cholerae"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.moore.org\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2015\/06\/08\/$731k-awarded-to-early-career-scientists-to-examine-the-intersection-of-biology-and-physical-sciences","title":"Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation press release"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"419071":{"#nid":"419071","#data":{"type":"news","title":"SAPH-ire Helps Scientists Prioritize Protein Modification Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have developed a new informatics technology that analyzes existing data repositories of protein modifications and 3D protein structures to help scientists identify and target research on \u201chotspots\u201d most likely to be important for biological function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKnown as SAPH-ire (Structural Analysis of PTM Hotspots), the tool could accelerate the search for potential new drug targets on protein structures, and lead to a better understanding of how proteins communicate with one another inside cells. SAPH-ire has been tested on a well studied class of proteins involved in cellular communication, where it correctly predicted a previously-unknown regulatory element.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSAPH-ire predicts positions on proteins that are likely to be important for biological function based on how many times those parts of the proteins have been found in a chemically-modified state when they are taken out of a cell,\u201d explained \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/matthew-torres\u0022\u003EMatthew Torres\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u201cSAPH-ire is a tool for discovery, and we think it will lead to a new understanding of how proteins are connected in cells.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe tool and its proof-of-concept testing were reported June 12 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EMolecular and Cellular Proteomics\u003C\/em\u003E. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health\u2019s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough modern mass spectrometry proteomics techniques, scientists have identified more than 300,000 post-translational modifications (PTMs) in different families of proteins across numerous species. These PTMs come in many forms, resulting from the action of different enzymes, and are often indicators of how and where proteins contact one another to bring about different cell behaviors. The number of PTMs detected by mass spectrometry has grown so rapidly that researchers experimentally investigating the function of the modifications have been unable to keep up.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMass spectrometry is so effective that it has created an exponential curve in the knowledge of how proteins are modified,\u201d said Torres. \u201cThe rate at which we can detect new PTMs has now far surpassed the rate at which we can understand what they do, from a classical biochemical approach. You have so much information that you don\u2019t know where to begin.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut that\u2019s exactly where SAPH-ire begins. Aimed at bridging the gap between PTM detection and analysis of function, SAPH-ire collects non-redundant and experimentally verified PTM data across all known members of a protein family. Since members of a protein family share the same or similar protein structures, PTMs found within the family can be related to one another in three-dimensional space to produce a set of observed PTM frequencies, termed \u201chotspots.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe PTM hotspots are projected onto 3D protein structures available in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), which allows the entire set of family-specific PTMs to be visualized on any protein structure that is representative for the family. Once projected there, SAPH-ire integrates multiple quantitative features from each hotspot to create a PTM \u201cFunctional Potential Score.\u201d Each PTM hotspot can then be ranked in order of highest to lowest potential for having significant biological function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have gone through all of what might be considered the meta-data that exists in the public domain, collected all the PTMs and all the structures, then organized them into their specific protein families,\u201d Torres explained. \u201cWe are looking at PTMs through time, in a sense, because we have information from organisms that are evolutionarily distant from each other, though their proteins are related as members of a protein family.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo prioritize research with the most significant potential impact, scientists might examine PTM hotspots that SAPH-ire identifies as having high function potential, but no known function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETorres\u2019 lab has been investigating unique families of \u201cG\u201d proteins, some of which cooperate with cell surface receptors that control the binding of hormones and neurotransmitters, as well as a majority of pharmaceutical drugs. Because of their importance to therapeutics, these proteins have been extensively studied over a period of 50 years or so. Using SAPH-ire, the researchers discovered something surprising about this group of protein families.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe discovered a new regulatory element within a specific G protein family that has been largely ignored because it\u2019s pretty unimpressive from a purely structural viewpoint,\u201d Torres said. \u201cSAPH-ire predicted that this element was going to be important from a modification point of view, and we confirmed experimentally that it was.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESAPH-ire was conceived by Torres and developed by him and graduate student Henry Dewhurst, while experimental validation of the tool was accomplished by graduate student Shilpa Choudhury. Their next step is to develop collaborations with scientists who will try it out on the protein families they study. The Georgia Tech researchers are also creating a database that other protein scientists can query to help them identify and prioritize PTM hotspots, and they expect to see their program become part of informatics systems used to analyze large volumes of proteomics data emerging from labs around the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSAPH-ire will help bring meaning and context to all the data that is being produced about PTMs,\u201d Torres said. \u201cConnecting SAPH-ire to other programs that convert mass spec data into actual PTM data could provide immediate biological relevance and prioritization for biochemists and others. It is likely to expose many new and unsuspected relationships between protein modification, protein structure and function.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), under grant number 5R00 GM094533-05. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Henry M. Dewhurst, Shilpa Choudhury and Matthew P. Torres, \u201cStructural Analysis of PTM Hotspots (SAPH-ire) \u2013 a Quantitative Informatics Method Enabling the Discovery of Novel Regulatory Elements in Protein Families,\u201d (Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, 2015). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1074\/mcp.M115.051177\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1074\/mcp.M115.051177\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have developed a new informatics technology that analyzes existing data repositories of protein modifications and 3D protein structures to help scientists identify and target research on \u201chotspots\u201d most likely to be important for biological function.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New informatics technology analyzes existing data repositories of protein modifications and 3D protein structures to help scientists target research on \u201chotspots\u201d most likely to be important for biological function."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-06-28 17:45:53","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:49","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"419041":{"id":"419041","type":"image","title":"SAPHire Diagram","body":null,"created":"1449254269","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:49","changed":"1475895155","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:35","alt":"SAPHire Diagram","file":{"fid":"202595","name":"saphire-schematic.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/saphire-schematic_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/saphire-schematic_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":560858,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/saphire-schematic_1.jpg?itok=j3wk7uUm"}},"419061":{"id":"419061","type":"image","title":"SAPHire Visualization","body":null,"created":"1449254269","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:49","changed":"1475895155","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:35","alt":"SAPHire Visualization","file":{"fid":"202597","name":"saphire-protein.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/saphire-protein_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/saphire-protein_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":565944,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/saphire-protein_0.jpg?itok=x5tr_i89"}}},"media_ids":["419041","419061"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2546","name":"bioinformatics"},{"id":"130671","name":"drug targets"},{"id":"7937","name":"informatics"},{"id":"130651","name":"Matthew Torrest"},{"id":"130661","name":"post-translational hotspots"},{"id":"3003","name":"protein"},{"id":"169734","name":"SAPH-ire"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"413201":{"#nid":"413201","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How the Hawkmoth Sees, Hovers and Tracks Flowers in the Dark","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s difficult enough to see things in the dark, but what if you also had to hover in mid-air while tracking a flower moving in the wind? That\u0027s the challenge the hummingbird-sized hawkmoth (\u003Cem\u003EManduca sexta\u003C\/em\u003E) must overcome while feeding on the nectar of its favorite flowers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing high-speed infrared cameras and 3-D-printed robotic flowers, scientists have now learned how this insect juggles these complex sensing and control challenges \u2013 all while adjusting to changing light conditions. The work shows that the creatures can slow their brains to improve vision under low-light conditions \u2013 while continuing to perform demanding tasks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat the researchers have discovered could help the next generation of small flying robots operate efficiently under a broad range of lighting conditions. The research, supported by the National Science Foundation and Air Force Office of Scientific Research, was reported in the June 12 issue of the journal\u003Cem\u003E Science\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere has been a lot of interest in understanding how animals deal with challenging sensing environments, especially when they are also doing difficult tasks like hovering in mid-air,\u201d said Simon Sponberg, an assistant professor in the School of Physics and School of Applied Physiology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u201cThis is also a very significant challenge for micro air vehicles.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScientists already knew that the moths, which feed on flower nectar during the evening and at dusk and dawn, use specialized eye structures to maximize the amount of light they can capture. But they also surmised that the insects might be slowing their nervous systems to make the best use of this limited light. But if they were slowing their brains to see better, wouldn\u2019t that hurt their ability to hover and track the motion of flowers?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESponberg and colleagues at the University of Washington studied this question using high-speed infrared cameras and nectar-dispensing robotic flowers that could be moved from side-to-side at different rates. While varying both the light conditions and the frequency at which the flowers moved, the researchers studied how well free-flying moths kept their tongues \u2013 known as proboscises \u2013 in the flowers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey also measured real flowers blowing in the wind to determine the range of motion the insects had to contend with in the wild.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe expected to see a tradeoff with the moths doing significantly worse at tracking flowers in low light conditions,\u201d said Sponberg. \u201cWhat we saw was that while the moths did slow down, that only made a difference if the flower was moving rapidly \u2013 faster than they actually move in nature.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the experiments, the moths tracked robotic flowers that were oscillating at rates of up to 20 hertz \u2013 twenty oscillations per second. That was considerably faster than the two-hertz maximum rate observed in real flowers. Because the moth\u2019s wings beat at a rate of about 25 strokes per second, they had to adjust their direction of movement with nearly every wingstroke \u2013 a major sensing, computational and control accomplishment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is really an extreme behavior, though the moth makes it look simple and elegant,\u201d said Sponberg. \u201cTo maneuver like this is really quite challenging. It\u2019s an extreme behavior from both a sensory and motor control perspective.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the natural world, light intensity varies 10 billion-fold from noon on a sunny day to midnight a cloudy evening. Operating in that range of luminosity is a challenge for both moths and the sensors on human-engineered systems. Understanding how natural systems adjust to this range of conditions could therefore have broader benefits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf we want to have robots or machine vision systems that are working under this broad range of conditions, understanding how these moths function under these varying light conditions would be very useful,\u201d Sponberg said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo gather the data reported in this paper, the researchers used a robotic flower able to move in one dimension. Recently, they\u2019ve used the actuator devices from a 3-D printer to build a robotic flower that moves in two or three dimensions, providing an additional challenge for the moths. In future research, Sponberg and his colleagues hope to incorporate their robotic flower into a low-speed wind tunnel to study the aerodynamic challenges the moths overcome \u2013 including the role of wing vortices and the flow-effect interaction of the insect\u2019s wings with the flowers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe hawkmoth has been studied extensively to investigate the fundamental principles governing the development and function of its neural system, noted Tom Daniel, a professor in the Department of Biology and co-director of the Institute for Neuroengineering at the University of Washington. Daniel\u2019s research group has experimentally characterized the response of flying hawkmoths, using a sensory input comprised of the linear sum of sine waves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESponberg\u2019s paper, for which much of the data collection was done at the University of Washington while he was a postdoctoral researcher there, extends application of the \u201csum of sines\u201d approach, Daniel said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSimon\u2019s work took the formal methods of control theory to dissect out how neural circuits adapt to vast ranges of luminance levels,\u201d he explained. \u201cBy looking at the time delays in the movement dynamics of a freely-flying moth \u2013 interacting with the input of a robotically moved flower \u2013 Simon was able to extract the luminance dependent processing of the moth\u2019s central nervous system.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHuman engineered devices must often operate at various speeds and in different environments. Seeing how well an animal with a tiny brain was able to track complicated movements and adjust its performance to different light levels was a surprising result of the work, Sponberg said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis was an interesting example of how an organism can tune its brain to maintain its ability to gather food,\u201d he added. \u201cThe moths do suffer a tradeoff by slowing their brains, but that tradeoff doesn\u2019t end up mattering because it only affects their ability to track movements that don\u2019t exist in the natural way that flowers blow in the wind.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Simon Sponberg, Jonathan P. Dyhr, Robert W. Hall and Tom L. Daniel, \u201cLuminance-dependent visual processing enables moth flights in low light,\u201d (Science 2015).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-894-6986).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EUsing high-speed infrared cameras and robotic flowers, scientists have learned how the hawkmoth juggles the complex sensing and control challenges of seeing in the dark, hovering in mid-air and tracking moving flowers. The work shows that the creatures can slow their brains to improve vision under low-light conditions \u2013 while continuing to perform demanding tasks.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Scientists have learned how the hawkmoth juggles the complex sensing and control challenges of seeing in the dark, hovering in mid-air and tracking moving flowers."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-06-10 21:01:12","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:33","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-06-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-06-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"413121":{"id":"413121","type":"image","title":"Hawkmoth on flower","body":null,"created":"1449254222","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:02","changed":"1475895145","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:25","alt":"Hawkmoth on flower","file":{"fid":"202372","name":"hawkmoth6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth6_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth6_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1229595,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth6_1.jpg?itok=hF6dV6pR"}},"413141":{"id":"413141","type":"image","title":"Two hawkmoths","body":null,"created":"1449254222","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:02","changed":"1475895145","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:25","alt":"Two hawkmoths","file":{"fid":"202374","name":"hawkmoth7.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth7_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth7_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1010965,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth7_0.jpg?itok=tjmhtOJg"}},"413171":{"id":"413171","type":"image","title":"Hawkmoth on flower2","body":null,"created":"1449254222","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:02","changed":"1475895145","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:25","alt":"Hawkmoth on flower2","file":{"fid":"202377","name":"hawkmoth1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1265494,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth1_0.jpg?itok=0_s9cfh4"}},"413151":{"id":"413151","type":"image","title":"Simon Sponberg with hawkmoth","body":null,"created":"1449254222","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:02","changed":"1475895145","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:25","alt":"Simon Sponberg with hawkmoth","file":{"fid":"202375","name":"hawkmoth12.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth12_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth12_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1159006,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth12_0.jpg?itok=L8KeXmry"}},"413161":{"id":"413161","type":"image","title":"Hawkmoth closeup","body":null,"created":"1449254222","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:02","changed":"1475895145","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:25","alt":"Hawkmoth closeup","file":{"fid":"202376","name":"hawkmoth8.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth8_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth8_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1495372,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth8_0.jpg?itok=HUzGtdEG"}},"413181":{"id":"413181","type":"image","title":"Simon Sponberg","body":null,"created":"1449254222","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:37:02","changed":"1475895145","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:25","alt":"Simon Sponberg","file":{"fid":"202378","name":"hawkmoth16.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth16_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hawkmoth16_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":891932,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hawkmoth16_1.jpg?itok=ZpZoUzyN"}}},"media_ids":["413121","413141","413171","413151","413161","413181"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"128551","name":"hawkmoth"},{"id":"128561","name":"neural processing"},{"id":"7276","name":"neuron"},{"id":"169638","name":"sensing"},{"id":"820","name":"vision"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"407121":{"#nid":"407121","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Who needs water to assemble DNA? Non-aqueous solvent supports DNA nanotechnology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists around the world are using the programmability of DNA to assemble complex nanometer-scale structures. Until now, however, production of these artificial structures has been limited to water-based environments, because DNA naturally functions inside the watery environment of living cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have now shown that they can assemble DNA nanostructures in a solvent containing no water. They also discovered that adding a small amount of water to their solvent increases the assembly rate and provides a new means for controlling the process. The solvent may also facilitate the production of more complex structures by reducing the problem of DNA becoming trapped in unintended structures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research could open up new applications for DNA nanotechnology, and help apply DNA technology to the fabrication of nanoscale semiconductor and plasmonic structures. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation and NASA, the research will be published as the cover story in Volume 54, Issue 23 of the journal \u003Cem\u003EAngewandte Chemie International Edition\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDNA nanotechnology structures are getting more and more complex, and this solvent could help researchers that are working in this growing field,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/Hud\/Nicholas\u0022\u003ENicholas Hud\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWith this work, we have shown that DNA nanostructures can be assembled in a water-free solvent, and that we can mix water with the same solvent to speed up the assembly. We can also take the structures that were assembled in this solvent mixed with water \u2013remove the water by applying vacuum \u2013 and have the DNA structures remain intact in the water-free solvent.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe assembly rate of DNA nanostructures can be very slow, and depends strongly on temperature. Raising the temperature increases this rate, but temperatures that are too high can cause the DNA structures to fall apart. The solvent system developed at Georgia Tech adds a new level of control over DNA assembly. DNA structures assemble at lower temperatures in this solvent, and adding water can adjust the solvent\u2019s viscosity, which allows for faster assembly compared to the water-free version of the solvent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis solvent changes the rules,\u201d said Isaac G\u00e1llego, a postdoctoral researcher in Hud\u2019s lab and the paper\u2019s first author. \u201cWe now have a tool that controls DNA assembly kinetics and thermodynamics all in one solvent. This solvent also offers enhanced properties for nanotechnology and for the stability of these nanomaterials in solution.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EG\u00e1llego had worked in DNA nanotechnology before coming to Georgia Tech, and wasconvinced that alternative solvents could advance this field. At Georgia Tech he evaluated new solvents for use with DNA nanostructures, solvents that had been designed for other purposes. One solvent he tested, called glycholine that is a mixture of glycerol and choline chloride, allowed a two-dimensional DNA origami structure to assemble in six days at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot only did the glycholine assemble the DNA structure at a relatively low temperature, but it also avoided \u201ckinetic traps,\u201d intermediate structures that are stable, but not the desired structure, G\u00e1llego said. Structures that fail to completely assemble are a major source of low yields in the DNA nanofabrication process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis solvent could provide a new tool to make more complicated designs with DNA because you can avoid trapping these complex structures at intermediate steps,\u201d he added. \u201cKinetic traps are among the bottlenecks for producing more complicated DNA nanostructures.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGlycholine is miscible in water, so it can be mixed in any ratio with water to control the kinetics of the assembly process. For instance, one structure that assembles in six days in pure solvent will assemble in three hours in a glycholine solution containing 10 percent water. A key feature of the new solvent system is that it does not require changes to existing DNA nanotechnology designs that were developed for water.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can go back and forth between hydrated and non-hydrated states,\u201d said G\u00e1llego. \u201cThis solvent system preserves the DNA structures that have been developed to work in water.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe solvent system could improve the combined use of metallic nanoparticles and DNA based materials. In the typical aqueous solvents where DNA nanotechnology is performed, nanoparticles are prone to aggregation. The solvent\u2019s low volatility could also allow storage of assembled DNA structures without the concern that a water-based medium would dry out.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research team, which also included Martha Grover from Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, has so far used the solvent to assemble three structures, including two DNA origami structures. In future work, they hope to use the control provided by water-free solvents to obtain dynamic DNA structural rearrangements that are not possible in water, and investigate other solvents that may have additional properties attractive for nanotechnology applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were confident all along that we would find a solvent that would be compatible with existing DNA nanotechnology,\u201d added Hud, who is also director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/centerforchemicalevolution.com\/\u0022\u003ENSF-NASA Center for Chemical Evolution\u003C\/a\u003E and associate director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, both at Georgia Tech. \u201cWhat was surprising was finding a solvent that allows the assembly of structures more easily than in water. That was completely unexpected because DNA nanotechnology was developed in water.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research on water-free solvents grew out of Georgia Tech research into the origins of life. Hud and colleagues had wondered if the molecules necessary for life, such as the ancestor of DNA, could have developed in a water-free solution. In some cases, he noted, the chemistry necessary to make the molecules of life would be much easier without water being present.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis work was inspired by research into the origins of life with the basic question of whether complex DNA structures could exist in non-aqueous solvents, and we showed that they can,\u201d said Hud. \u201cAnd what we\u2019ve found working with these new solvents could help answer some questions about the origins of life, while also having applications in nanotechnology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the NASA Astrobiology Program under the NSF Center for Chemical Evolution (CHE-1004570). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or NASA.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Isaac G\u00e1llego, Martha A. Grover, and Nicholas V. Hud, \u201cFolding and Imaging of DNA Nanostructures in Anhydrous and Hydrated Deep-Eutectic Solvents, (Angewandte Chemie International, 2015).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/anie.201412354\/abstract\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/anie.201412354\/abstract\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Brett Israel (404-385-1900) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have now shown that they can assemble DNA nanostructures in a solvent containing no water.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have shown that they can assemble DNA nanostructures in a solvent containing no water."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-05-26 09:35:16","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:21","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-05-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"407081":{"id":"407081","type":"image","title":"Solvent for DNA nanostructures","body":null,"created":"1449254168","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:36:08","changed":"1475895132","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:12","alt":"Solvent for DNA nanostructures","file":{"fid":"202132","name":"dna-structures2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dna-structures2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dna-structures2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1034430,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dna-structures2_0.jpg?itok=WzOjHy6s"}},"407091":{"id":"407091","type":"image","title":"DNA nanostructure imaging","body":null,"created":"1449254168","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:36:08","changed":"1475895132","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:12","alt":"DNA nanostructure imaging","file":{"fid":"202133","name":"dna-structures1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dna-structures1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dna-structures1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1278119,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dna-structures1_0.jpg?itok=P6azVPd3"}},"407101":{"id":"407101","type":"image","title":"DNA nanostructures","body":null,"created":"1449254168","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 18:36:08","changed":"1475895132","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:52:12","alt":"DNA nanostructures","file":{"fid":"202134","name":"dna-structures3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dna-structures3_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dna-structures3_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":135248,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dna-structures3_0.jpg?itok=2m4jeS4R"}}},"media_ids":["407081","407091","407101"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4340","name":"assembly"},{"id":"10339","name":"center for chemical evolution"},{"id":"1041","name":"dna"},{"id":"126881","name":"DNA nanotechnology"},{"id":"4504","name":"Nicholas Hud"},{"id":"169724","name":"solvent"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtooon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtooon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"404501":{"#nid":"404501","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Dr. Ratcliff is awarded a $275K NSF grant on the evolution of multicellularity.","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Will Ratcliff, Assistant Professor in the School of Biology, has been awarded a $275,000, 3 year grant from the National Science Foundation, Evolutionary genetics program. The central question motivating this research is \u003Cem\u003Ehow do simple organisms evolve into complex organisms?\u003C\/em\u003E The origin of organisms composed of more than one cell (i.e., multicellular organisms) was one of a few major events in the history of life that created new opportunities for more complex biological systems, such as plants and animals, to evolve. However, understanding how and why this kind of complexity has increased in some lineages remains a major challenge for evolutionary biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff\u2019s goal is to experimentally evolve multicellularity in the single-celled green alga \u003Cem\u003EChlamydomonas reinhardtii\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Cem\u003EC. reinhardtii\u003C\/em\u003E is an established model system with a well-developed set of genetic tools. Its relatives among the volvocine algae range from species having single cells to those having tens of thousands of cells of different cell types. Generation of a novel origin of multicellularity in the lab will enable direct comparison of multicellular descendants to their unicellular ancestors. Twelve replicate populations will be evolved in the presence of a filter-feeding predator, conditions known to favor multicellularity. Genetic changes that occur over the course of these experiments will be tracked to reveal the genetic basis of multicellularity and the evolutionary processes giving rise to those changes. Experimental data will be compared with the evolutionary and genetic routes by which multicellularity evolved in the volvocine algae. Finally, the role of environmentally induced developmental changes in the evolution of multicellularity will be evaluated.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Will Ratcliff, Assistant Professor in the School of Biology, has been awarded a $275,000, 3 year grant from the National Science Foundation, Evolutionary genetics program. The central question motivating this research is \u003Cem\u003Ehow do simple organisms evolve into complex organisms?\u003C\/em\u003E The origin of organisms composed of more than one cell (i.e., multicellular organisms) was one of a few major events in the history of life that created new opportunities for more complex biological systems, such as plants and animals, to evolve. However, understanding how and why this kind of complexity has increased in some lineages remains a major challenge for evolutionary biology.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dr. Will Ratcliff, Assistant Professor in the School of Biology, has been awarded a $275,000, 3 year grant from the National Science Foundation, Evolutionary genetics program."}],"uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2015-05-14 14:38:36","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:17","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"341391":{"id":"341391","type":"image","title":"Will Ratcliff","body":null,"created":"1449245595","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:13:15","changed":"1475895060","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:00","alt":"Will Ratcliff","file":{"fid":"200746","name":"ratcliff.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ratcliff_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ratcliff_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1149117,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ratcliff_0.jpg?itok=QnY8eYXt"}}},"media_ids":["341391"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff","title":"Will Ratcliff"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"363","name":"NSF"},{"id":"108591","name":"Will Ratcliff"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"398061":{"#nid":"398061","#data":{"type":"news","title":"3D structure solved for vulnerable region of glaucoma-causing protein","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists have determined the three-dimensional structure of a key part of a protein that is associated with glaucoma and identified regions of this domain that correlate with severe forms of the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new crystal structure is of the olfactomedin (OLF) domain in myocilin, a protein implicated in glaucoma. Many proteins have OLF domains, but mutations in the OLF domain of myocilin are linked to early-onset glaucoma. Despite decades of research, scientists don\u2019t completely understand what biological role myocilin plays nor how these mutations create forms of myocilin that build up in the eye, which causes glaucoma.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNow that we have the 3D visual picture, we can map the mutations and understand why they can be bad for the protein,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/lieberman\/\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was sponsored by the American Health Assistance Foundation, the Glaucoma Research Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study was featured as the cover story in the April 15 issue of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hmg.oxfordjournals.org\/content\/24\/8\/2111.abstract\u0022\u003Ejournal \u003Cem\u003EHuman Molecular Genetics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGlaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, is a group of diseases that damage the eye\u2019s optic nerve and cause vision loss. Elevated eye pressure is the main risk factor for optic nerve damage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have implicated mutant forms of myocilin as a root cause of this increased eye pressure. Mutant myocilin is toxic to cells in the part of the eye that regulates pressure. These genetically inherited variants of myocilin are toxic because they clump together in the front of the eye, preventing fluid flow out of the eye, which then raises eye pressure. This cascade of events leads to early-onset glaucoma, which is estimated to affect up to a million people from childhood to age 35.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOLF domain-containing proteins play roles in fundamental cellular processes and have been implicated in not just glaucoma, but also cancers, inflammatory bowel disorder, attention deficit disorder and childhood obesity. This study reports the first OLF domain structure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENearly 100 different mutations in the 230 amino acid OLF domain of myocilin are linked to glaucoma. In most protein domains of this size, mutating one amino acid won\u2019t cause toxic misfolding; the cell will be able to remove the protein efficiently before it causes a problem. That\u2019s not the case with myocilin.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMutating any one of these 100 or so amino acids causes the protein to aggregate,\u201d Lieberman said. \u201cMyocilin is exquisitely sensitive to aggregation and the cell cannot handle it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter determining the OLF domain structure, the researchers mapped and categorized the locations of mutations linked to early-onset glaucoma. They identified three different locations on OLF where mutations are most likely to trigger protein aggregation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were able to provide new information on whether mutations reported among glaucoma cases in the general population are pathogenic or not,\u201d Lieberman said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFurther analysis of the myocilin OLF domain in the context of the broader OLF family found that OLF domains have unique surface features. Therefore, a high priority for further research is to develop new reagents to selectively target these specific regions and tease apart the domain\u2019s function in a variety of biological and disease contexts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re going to be able to figure out what the OLF domain does in a more detailed way by having better reagents. The structure enables that new knowledge,\u201d Lieberman said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is supported by grants from the American Health Assistance Foundation, Glaucoma Research Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health (R01EY021205). Any conclusions or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Rebecca K. Donegan, et al. \u0022 Structural basis for misfolding in myocilin-associated glaucoma.\u0022 (\u003Cem\u003EHuman Molecular Genetics\u003C\/em\u003E, April 2015) \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hmg.oxfordjournals.org\/content\/24\/8\/2111.abstract\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/hmg.oxfordjournals.org\/content\/24\/8\/2111.abstract\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/GTResearchNews\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E@GTResearchNews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Brett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Scientists have determined the three-dimensional structure of a key part of a protein that is associated with glaucoma and identified regions of this domain that correlate with severe forms of the disease."}],"uid":"27902","created_gmt":"2015-04-21 10:11:23","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:18:03","author":"Brett Israel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-04-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-04-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"398051":{"id":"398051","type":"image","title":"Ribbon diagram of Myocilin OLF domain","body":null,"created":"1449246371","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:26:11","changed":"1475895115","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:51:55","alt":"Ribbon diagram of Myocilin OLF domain","file":{"fid":"76021","name":"myoc-cartoon.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/myoc-cartoon.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/myoc-cartoon.png","mime":"image\/png","size":129748,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/myoc-cartoon.png?itok=HqPodJnX"}}},"media_ids":["398051"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"17401","name":"Glaucoma"},{"id":"84701","name":"myocilin"},{"id":"124421","name":"olf domain"},{"id":"10858","name":"Raquel Lieberman"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"389951":{"#nid":"389951","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Snake robots learn to turn by following the lead of real sidewinders","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) who develop snake-like robots have picked up a few tricks from real sidewinder rattlesnakes on how to make rapid and even sharp turns with their undulating, modular device.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking with colleagues at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Zoo Atlanta, they have analyzed the motions of sidewinders and tested their observations on CMU\u2019s snake robots. They showed how the complex motion of a sidewinder can be described in terms of two wave motions \u2013 vertical and horizontal body waves \u2013 and how changing the phase and amplitude of the waves enables snakes to achieve exceptional maneuverability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ve been programming snake robots for years and have figured out how to get these robots to crawl amidst rubble and through or around pipes,\u201d said Howie Choset, professor at CMU\u2019s Robotics Institute. \u201cBy learning from real sidewinders, however, we can make these maneuvers much more efficient and simplify user control. This makes our modular robots much more valuable as tools for urban search-and-rescue tasks, power plant inspections and even archaeological exploration.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir findings are being published this week in the \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E Early Edition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work is a continuation of collaboration between Choset; Daniel Goldman, a Georgia Tech associate professor of physics, and Joseph Mendelson III, director of research at Zoo Atlanta. An earlier study, published on Oct. 10, 2014, in the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E, analyzed the ability of sidewinders to quickly climb sandy slopes. It showed that despite the snake\u2019s hundreds of body elements and thousands of muscles, the sidewinding motion could be simply modeled as a combination of a vertical and horizontal body wave.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith the model in hand and with a method to measure the movements of living snakes, the team, led by Henry Astley, a postdoctoral researcher in Goldman\u2019s group, was able to observe that sidewinders make gradual changes in direction by altering the horizontal wave while keeping the vertical wave constant. They also discovered that making a large phase shift in the vertical wave enabled the snake to make a sharp turn in the opposite direction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApplying these controls to the robot allowed the robot to replicate the turns of the snake, while also simplifying control.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy looking for insights in nature, we were able to dramatically improve the control and maneuverability of the robot,\u201d Astley said, \u201cwhile at the same time using the robot as a tool to test the theorized control mechanisms of biological sidewinders.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe modular snake robot used in this study was specifically designed to pass horizontal and vertical waves through its body to move in three-dimensional spaces. The robot is two inches in diameter and 37 inches long; its body consists of 16 joints, each joint arranged perpendicular to the previous one. That allows it to assume a number of configurations and to move using a variety of gaits \u2013 some similar to those of a biological snake.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office, the Georgia Tech School of Biology and the Elizabeth Smithgall Watts Endowment. In addition to those already named, the research team included Miguel Serrano, Patricio Vela and David L. Hu of Georgia Tech, and Chaohui Gong, Jin Dai and Matthew Travers of Carnegie Mellon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon, Georgia Tech: (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Byron Spice, Carnegie Mellon (412-268-9068) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bspice@cs.cmu.edu\u0022\u003Ebspice@cs.cmu.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Byron Spice, Carnegie Mellon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Carnegie Mellon University who develop snake-like robots have picked up a few tricks from real sidewinder rattlesnakes on how to make rapid and even sharp turns with their undulating, modular device.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers who develop snake-like robots have picked up a few tricks from real sidewinder rattlesnakes on how to make rapid and even sharp turns with their undulating, modular device."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2015-03-24 09:21:48","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:03:00","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-03-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2015-03-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"389911":{"id":"389911","type":"image","title":"Sidewinder study","body":null,"created":"1449246312","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:25:12","changed":"1475894378","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:38","alt":"Sidewinder study","file":{"fid":"75514","name":"sidewinder023_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder023_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder023_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1463254,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sidewinder023_0.jpg?itok=UF1qd_Fk"}},"389921":{"id":"389921","type":"image","title":"Sidewinder study2","body":null,"created":"1449246312","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:25:12","changed":"1475894349","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:09","alt":"Sidewinder study2","file":{"fid":"75515","name":"sidewinder020.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder020.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder020.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1984469,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sidewinder020.jpg?itok=etGhOD2E"}},"389931":{"id":"389931","type":"image","title":"Snake robot","body":null,"created":"1449246312","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:25:12","changed":"1475894349","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:09","alt":"Snake robot","file":{"fid":"75516","name":"snake_robot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snake_robot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snake_robot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":371436,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/snake_robot.jpg?itok=TXz1tFWc"}}},"media_ids":["389911","389921","389931"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"170833","name":"sidwinder"},{"id":"169244","name":"snake robot"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"382251":{"#nid":"382251","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Easy on the eyes: How eyelash length keeps your eyes healthy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt started with a trip to the basement of the American Museum of Natural History in New York to inspect preserved animal hides. Later, Georgia Institute of Technology researchers built a wind tunnel about 2 feet tall, complete with a makeshift eye. By putting both steps together, the team discovered that 22 species of mammals \u2013 from humans, to hedgehogs, to giraffes \u0026shy;\u2013 are the same: their eyelash length is one-third the width of their eye. Anything shorter or longer, including the fake eyelashes that are popular in Hollywood and make-up aisles, increases airflow around the eye and leads to more dust hitting the surface.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEyelashes form a barrier to control airflow and the rate of evaporation on the surface of the cornea,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/amador.gatech.edu\/Default\/Welcome.html\u0022\u003EGuillermo Amador\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Tech Ph.D. candidate in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E who authored the study. \u201cWhen eyelashes are shorter than the one-third ratio, they have only a slight effect on the flow. Their effect is more pronounced as they lengthen up until one-third. After that, they start funneling air and dust particles into the eye.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study, \u201cEyelashes divert airflow to protect the eye,\u201d is currently published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmador and the research team, which is led by mechanical engineering Associate Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.hu.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, sent a student to the museum in 2012 to measure eyes and eyelashes of various animals. Aside from an elephant, which has extremely long eyelashes, every species studied had evolved to the same ratio of lash length to eye width.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team then built the wind tunnel to re-create air flows on a mimic of an adult, human eye. A 4-millimeter deep, 20-millimeter diameter aluminum dish served as the cornea. It sat on top of an acrylic plate, which imitated the rest of the face. Mesh surrounded the dish to replicate the eyelashes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey discovered the ideal ratio while varying the mesh length during evaporation and particle deposition studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs short lashes grew longer, they reduced air flow, creating a layer of slow-moving air above the cornea,\u201d said Hu, who is also a faculty member in the School of Biology. \u201cThis kept the eye moist for a longer time and kept particles away. The majority of air essentially hit the eyelashes and rolled away from the eye.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe opposite process occurred with longer eyelashes. The lashes extended further into the airflow and created a cylinder. The air and its molecules channeled toward the eye and led to faster evaporation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is why long, elegant, fake eyelashes aren\u2019t ideal,\u201d said Amador. \u201cThey may look good, but they\u2019re not the best thing for the health of your eyes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are exceptions, though. The research team notes that people who can\u2019t grow eyelashes could wear fake ones, if they\u2019re the correct length, for extra protection and to reduce dry eye.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEven if they\u2019re not the correct length, more eyelashes are always better than less,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/alexeev\u0022\u003EAlexander Alexeev\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering. \u201cIf fake eyelashes are dense enough, they may give the same overall effect in protecting the eye even if they are longer than one-third.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey team also says the findings could be used to create eyelash-inspired filaments to protect solar panels, photographic sensors or autonomous robots in dusty environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported by the National Science Foundation award numbers PHY-1255127 (Career Award) and CBET-1256403. Any opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the sponsoring organizations.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Study finds that animals and humans have similar lash length"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwenty two species of mammals \u2013 from humans, to hedgehogs, to giraffes \u0026shy;\u2013 are the same: their eyelash length is one-third the width of their eye. Anything shorter or longer, including the fake eyelashes that are popular in Hollywood and make-up aisles, increases airflow around the eye and leads to more dust hitting the surface.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The optimal eyelash length is one-third the width of your eye."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2015-02-25 08:36:59","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:02:51","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2015-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"382231":{"id":"382231","type":"image","title":"Goat eyelashes","body":null,"created":"1449246231","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:51","changed":"1475894395","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:55","alt":"Goat eyelashes","file":{"fid":"75308","name":"goat_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/goat_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/goat_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":387055,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/goat_1.jpg?itok=rfyak75V"}},"382211":{"id":"382211","type":"image","title":"Sheep eyelashes","body":null,"created":"1449246231","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:51","changed":"1475894395","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:55","alt":"Sheep eyelashes","file":{"fid":"75306","name":"sheep-gt.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sheep-gt.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sheep-gt.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":134052,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sheep-gt.jpg?itok=sQEFku1a"}},"382201":{"id":"382201","type":"image","title":"Giraffe eyelashes","body":null,"created":"1449246231","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:51","changed":"1475894395","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:55","alt":"Giraffe eyelashes","file":{"fid":"75305","name":"giraffe-gt.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/giraffe-gt.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/giraffe-gt.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":150400,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/giraffe-gt.jpg?itok=JhZKJYh6"}},"382221":{"id":"382221","type":"image","title":"Ostrich eyelashes","body":null,"created":"1449246231","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:51","changed":"1475894395","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:55","alt":"Ostrich eyelashes","file":{"fid":"75307","name":"ostrich-gt.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ostrich-gt.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ostrich-gt.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":121767,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ostrich-gt.jpg?itok=F-SUz7z_"}},"382241":{"id":"382241","type":"image","title":"David Hu","body":null,"created":"1449246231","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:51","changed":"1493396247","gmt_changed":"2017-04-28 16:17:27","alt":"Daivd Hu","file":{"fid":"75309","name":"hu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hu.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hu.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":24895,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hu.jpg?itok=3IFHegGR"}},"382281":{"id":"382281","type":"image","title":"Guillermo Amador","body":null,"created":"1449246231","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:51","changed":"1475894398","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:58","alt":"Guillermo Amador","file":{"fid":"75312","name":"guillermo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/guillermo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/guillermo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1754174,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/guillermo.jpg?itok=RlCHJv5Z"}},"382261":{"id":"382261","type":"image","title":"Alexander Alexeev","body":null,"created":"1449246231","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:51","changed":"1475894398","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:58","alt":"Alexander Alexeev","file":{"fid":"75310","name":"alex_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/alex_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/alex_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":841337,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/alex_0_0.jpg?itok=T6D6xOLr"}}},"media_ids":["382231","382211","382201","382221","382241","382281","382261"],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"297","name":"David Hu"},{"id":"119611","name":"Eyelashes"},{"id":"541","name":"Mechanical Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003ENational Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-2966\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"377571":{"#nid":"377571","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Bad Memory? Blame it on the music, not the memory","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMusic may help some people relax when they\u2019re trying to concentrate. But it doesn\u2019t help them remember what they\u2019re focusing on, especially as they get older.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s the finding in a new Georgia Institute of Technology study that challenged younger and older adults to listen to music while trying to remember names. College-aged participants had no problems \u2013 the music didn\u2019t affect their performance. But the older adults remembered 10 percent fewer names when listening to background music or musical rain as compared to silence. The findings could have implications for senior living centers and people who prefer to hold meetings away from the office.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech researchers wanted to replicate everyday life because music and background noise are everywhere. Their study tested the effects on associative memory, which includes the ability to put a face with a name and remember it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudy participants looked at a series of faces and names and were asked if the person \u201clooked like\u201d the assigned name. The faces were shown again a few minutes later. Participants had to determine whether the name and face combinations were the same as before. Sometimes people did the test in silence. Other times they listened to musical rain or non-lyrical rock music, including lesser-known songs from Eric Clapton, Jefferson Airplane and Rush.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBoth age groups agreed that the music was distracting,\u201d said Sarah Reaves, the Georgia Tech psychology graduate student who led the study. \u201cBut only the older adults struggled while it was playing in the background.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReaves and her advisor, School of Psychology Assistant Professor Audrey Duarte, linked the results with the well-known cocktail party effect, a phenomenon that allows people to solely focus their attention on one conversation even while surrounded by multiple conversations or loud music. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOlder adults have trouble ignoring irrelevant noises and concentrating,\u201d says Duarte, who oversees Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.psychology.gatech.edu\/duartelab\/\u0022\u003EMemory and Aging Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cAssociative memory also declines with age. As we get older, it\u2019s harder to remember what name went with a face or where a conversation took place.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReaves notes that the study could help workers in assisted living centers as they plan activities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey should be mindful of their surroundings. Maybe employees should turn off music during learning activities or hold them in a quiet room,\u201d she said. \u201cSimilarly, older adults who struggle to concentrate while meeting with co-workers at a coffee shop, for example, should schedule meetings in quieter locations. When people get lost while driving, it\u2019s probably best to turn off the radio.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe article, \u201c\u003Cem\u003ETurn Off the Music! Music Impairs Visual Associative Memory Performance in Older Adults,\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d is \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gerontologist.oxfordjournals.org\/content\/early\/2015\/01\/28\/geront.gnu113.abstract?keytype=ref\u0026amp;ijkey=Bf12br5IUEyjd2s\u0022\u003Epublished in The Gerontologist journal\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Study shows older adults struggle to recall names when music is playing"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe study challenged younger and older people to look at faces at names while either listening to non-lyrical music or nothing at all. The college-aged participants had no problems - the music didn\u0027t affect their performance. But the older adults remembered 10 percent fewer names when listening to background music or musical rain (as compared to silence).\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Study shows older adults struggle to recall names when music is playing"}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2015-02-11 16:42:03","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:01:50","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-02-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2015-02-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"377561":{"id":"377561","type":"image","title":"Music and Memory","body":null,"created":"1449246205","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:25","changed":"1475894342","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:02","alt":"Music and Memory","file":{"fid":"75185","name":"163901901-small.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/163901901-small.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/163901901-small.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":170438,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/163901901-small.jpg?itok=4AMYuRR-"}},"377581":{"id":"377581","type":"image","title":"Faces Test","body":null,"created":"1449246205","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:23:25","changed":"1475894342","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:02","alt":"Faces Test","file":{"fid":"75186","name":"musicfigure_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/musicfigure_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/musicfigure_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":30542,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/musicfigure_1.jpg?itok=g6A9njFg"}}},"media_ids":["377561","377581"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.psychology.gatech.edu\/duartelab\/","title":"Memory and Aging Lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/gerontologist.oxfordjournals.org\/content\/early\/2015\/01\/28\/geront.gnu113.abstract?ijkey=Bf12br5IUEyjd2s\u0026keytype=ref","title":"Read the study"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"1228","name":"memory"},{"id":"1180","name":"Music"},{"id":"167710","name":"School of Psychology"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"},{"id":"71901","name":"Society and Culture"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003ENational Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-2966\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"369331":{"#nid":"369331","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Gathers Experts to Improve Ebola Modeling and Response","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn the past year, more than 21,000 individuals have been infected with\u0026nbsp;Ebola virus disease in West Africa and more than 8,000 are reported to have died. The outbreak response is one of the largest and most complex that the CDC and global health community have conducted. Although the outbreak seems to be turning around, there is an ongoing need for intervention and monitoring to reduce the new case count to zero.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis past week the Georgia Institute of Technology hosted a two-day workshop, \u0022Modeling the Spread and Control of Ebola in West Africa,\u0022 with more than 180 participants to discuss the use of dynamical models to support, interpret and enhance public health practices to help stop the spread of the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022There is a growing coalition of modelers working at different scales - from how the disease is transmitted at the community level, to how the virus is evolving - who can contribute to support the response effort on the ground,\u0022 said Joshua Weitz, chair of the organizing committee and associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lectures and discussions focused on four major questions: How much confidence should we have in forecasts of the epidemic? How do we evaluate control strategies? What are the challenges in implementing these strategies? How do we communicate models to each other, public health scientists and to the broader community?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParticipants in the workshop came from universities in the United States, Canada and England, as well as from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the White House Office of Science Technology and Policy, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, the Red Cross, Intel, IBM and the United States national laboratories. Speakers and panelists represented a wide array of professions and backgrounds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEbola is particularly tricky to model, said one speaker, because \u0022this Ebola outbreak has not developed in the way that past outbreaks have evolved, that means we\u0027ve not been able to rely on past experiences to map out our response this time around.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEpidemiological modeling, including forecasting and evaluating control strategies, is vital to the success of the response. Initially, models of Ebola spread had high degrees of uncertainty regarding the potential scope of the outbreak. This uncertainty stemmed, in part, from the lack of detailed case data and chains of transmission. Models were also poorly informed with respect to the relative importance of urban and rural transmission. Models did not have accurate estimates of the extent and speed at which safe burials would become widespread and Ebola treatment units would be built. Changes in behavior and widespread interventions are necessary to avert worst-case scenarios.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe challenge in linking models to case data are many. Much of the data needed is gathered by public health professionals and doctors, many of whom are responding to patients and working to slow the spread of the disease. Multiple panelists pointed out the need to identify data collection protocols that could serve to inform predictive models while balancing the need to respond to those they are sent to aid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere were many other challenges to modeling the effectiveness of control efforts. Logistical challenges included traveling along roads in Africa, the transmission of Ebola from animals to humans, as well as the complications of dealing with a number of governments and scientists with different ideas of how to respond and what data to share. Communication was considered essential to move from model predictions to policies that could support an effective response.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe final panel addressed this issue by considering communication of models amongst three sectors: government, academia and the media. Experts in modeling are not usually trained to communicate with policy makers. This can lead to miscommunication, or a lack of communication. Translating scientists\u0027 results to the public and to policy makers is key. For example, communicating the need for safe burials helped to reduce the transmission of Ebola during burial ceremonies. Informing policy makers of the risks of inaction helped to galvanize support for a much larger response effort in Fall 2014.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the challenges, there is some room for optimism. New cases of Ebola virus disease have dropped in the past month, particularly in Liberia. The reasons are many, including changes in behavior and the impact of interventions. Individuals with Ebola are not infectious until symptomatic, which facilitates contact tracing and leads many to believe that a successful public health response is possible. New Ebola vaccines have also been developed to be utilized in Phase II trials planned by the CDC for testing in West Africa in the coming months. Vaccine trial design was the topic of an extended breakout discussion and panel talk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The modeling community has work to do,\u0022 remarked Weitz at the close of the meeting. \u0022This workshop has helped to identify many scientific and engineering challenges necessary to understand how the virus spread to so many people (unlike past Ebola outbreaks), how to enact a more effective response to the ongoing epidemic and how to prevent future epidemics.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology hosted a two-day workshop, \u0022Modeling the Spread and Control of Ebola in West Africa,\u0022 with more than 180 participants to discuss the use of dynamical models to support, interpret and enhance public health practices to help stop the spread of the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Georgia Institute of Technology hosted a two-day  workshop, \u0022Modeling the Spread and Control of Ebola in West Africa,\u0022 with more than 180 participants."}],"uid":"27310","created_gmt":"2015-01-28 13:37:46","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:01:50","author":"David Terraso","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-01-28T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2015-01-28T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"369351":{"id":"369351","type":"image","title":"Ebola Workshop","body":null,"created":"1449245845","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:17:25","changed":"1475894344","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:04","alt":"Ebola Workshop","file":{"fid":"74950","name":"img_3446bradford_taylor_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_3446bradford_taylor_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/img_3446bradford_taylor_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":199044,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/img_3446bradford_taylor_.jpg?itok=PVAdKFMI"}}},"media_ids":["369351"],"related_links":[{"url":"internal:\/Modeling the Spread and Control of Ebola in W. Africa","title":"http:\/\/bit.ly\/ebm_gt"},{"url":"internal:\/Weitz group","title":"http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu"},{"url":"internal:\/Vannberg group","title":"http:\/\/vannberg.biology.gatech.edu:8080\/VannbergLab\/home.html"},{"url":"internal:\/Keskinocak group","title":"http:\/\/www2.isye.gatech.edu\/people\/faculty\/Pinar_Keskinocak\/home.html"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42941","name":"Art Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"277","name":"Biology"},{"id":"13022","name":"Ebola"},{"id":"19941","name":"Weitz"},{"id":"3845","name":"workshop"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDavid Terraso\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["david.terraso@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"344451":{"#nid":"344451","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joshua Weitz named a Simons Foundation Investigator in Ocean Processes and Ecology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Joshua Weitz, Associate Professor of Biology, was named a Simons Foundation Investigator in Ocean Processes and Ecology and awarded a three-year grant from the Simons Foundation. \u0026nbsp;Dr. Weitz will examine physical and ecological principles governing the interplay between viruses and zooplankton in the North Pacific Ocean. \u0026nbsp;Dr. Weitz joins a new initiative, SCOPE -- the Simons Collaboration on Ocean Processes and Ecology -- co-directed by Edward DeLong and David Karl at the University of Hawai\u0027i, Manoa. \u0026nbsp;The purpose of the collaboration is to advance understanding of the biology, ecology, and biogeochemistry of microbial processes that dominate Earth\u0027s largest biome: the global ocean. \u0026nbsp;The collaborative effort will measure, model and conduct experiments at a model ecosystem site located 100 km north of Oahu. \u0026nbsp;The Simons Foundation\u0027s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences. The Foundation sponsors a range of programs that aim to promote a deeper understanding of our world.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Joshua Weitz, Associate Professor of Biology, was named a Simons Foundation Investigator in Ocean Processes and Ecology and awarded a three-year grant from the Simons Foundation. \u0026nbsp;Dr. Weitz will examine physical and ecological principles governing the interplay between viruses and zooplankton in the North Pacific Ocean.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dr. Joshua Weitz, Associate Professor of Biology, was named a Simons  Foundation Investigator in Ocean Processes and Ecology and awarded a  three-year grant from the Simons Foundation."}],"uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2014-11-11 14:33:45","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:17:30","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-11-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2014-11-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"96991":{"id":"96991","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449178133","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:53","changed":"1475894709","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:09","alt":"Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"193921","name":"weitzr094_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":860240,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg?itok=6oL4cC4E"}}},"media_ids":["96991"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"Weitz Lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/scope.soest.hawaii.edu\/","title":"SCOPE website"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.simonsfoundation.org\/","title":"Simons Foundation"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"171386","name":"Simons Foundation Investigarot in Ocean Processes and Ecology"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"334871":{"#nid":"334871","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Dyeing to Learn More About Marine Viruses","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe sheer volume of cyanobacteria in the oceans makes them major players in the global carbon cycle and responsible for as much as a third of the carbon fixed. These photosynthetic microbes, which include Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, are tiny \u2013 as many as 100 million cells can be found in a single liter of water \u2013 and yet they are not the most abundant entities on Earth. That distinction goes to viruses, up to 100 million of which can be found per 1 mL of seawater. However, researchers know very little about the viruses in the water, other than that there are three kinds of viruses, and that they are capable of drastically decreasing cyanobacterial populations, affecting the global regulation of biogeochemical cycles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo help resolve this conspicuous lack of knowledge and learn more about viral diversity, a team led by Matt Sullivan, a professor at the University of Arizona and a collaborator with the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, conducted a population-scale survey using a game-changing new technique. Their results, he said, suggest that there is an ecology of viruses and it can be studied by harnessing more traditional approaches that have been applied to larger organisms. The work was published online July 13, 2014 in Nature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI often joke that viruses are only as interesting as their microbial hosts,\u201d Sullivan said, \u201cwhich makes cyanophages pretty important. Not only do they affect marine photosynthesis through mortality of cyanobacteria, but these viruses also encode photosynthesis genes \u2013 decade-old finding made in collaboration with JGI \u2013 that means cyanophages help drive global biogeochemical cycles that are crucial for running all kinds of energy conversions on the planet. The challenge for us, if we wanted to develop predictive capacity, was to develop a method that allowed us to simultaneously examine thousands (or more) of wild cyanobacterial viruses from the millions of non-cyanobacterial viruses in seawater \u2013 this would get us beyond learning about them one at a time.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESullivan\u2019s team focused on the cyanophages isolated from a single sample of water collected in Monterey Bay, Calif. To resolve the challenge of figuring out \u201cwho infects whom\u201d among marine viruses and cyanobacteria, they used a technique known as viral tagging, in which viruses and so-called \u201chost bait\u201d are stained with a fluorescent dye in order to find out with which hosts the phages associate. Sullivan credits the original idea for the project to study co-author Phil Hugenholtz, formerly a DOE JGI researcher and now Director of the Australian Centre for Ecogenomics at the University of Queensland.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe subsequently found out that the basic idea of \u201clabeling\u201d bacteria with fluorescent viruses wasn\u2019t novel, it had been proposed back in 1985, but the novelty of viral tagging lies in combining this with flow sorting and sequencing,\u201d said Hugenholtz. \u201cViral tagging combined with flow sorting and sequencing provides an unbiased view of host-phage range.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter screening for cyanophages that were tagged as being associated with a single Synechococcus strain (SynWH803), samples of the viral community metagenomes were sent to the DOE JGI for sequencing as part of a Community Science Program project proposed by Sullivan. The results indicated that there were \u201cat least\u201d 26 viral populations associated with the cyanobacterial strain, and many of them had been found and identified in culture. Additionally, the researchers wrote, \u201cviral tagging also provided evidence\u2026 for 42 new uncultured viruses specific to SynWH7803\u2026. [A]n unprecedented diversity of specific viruses were recovered for this single host despite two decades of isolation studies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study also benefited from collaboration with Joshua Weitz, an Associate Professor and theoretical ecologist from the Georgia Institute of Technology, who was on sabbatical in the Sullivan Lab at UA. \u201cThis new method provides incredibly novel sequence data on viruses linked to a particular host,\u201d Weitz explained. \u201cThe work is foundational for developing a means to count genome-based populations that serve as starting material for more rigorous predictive models of how viruses interact with their host microbes. Instead of counting \u2018dots\u2019 we can now map viral populations with their genomes, providing information about who they are and what they do.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team made several key findings, perhaps chief among them was that the fluorescently-tagged cyanophages sequenced existed in discrete populations when plotted in \u2018genome sequence space\u2019 (an abstract method the researchers used to visualize the relatedness of many viruses at once). This means that the conventional knowledge of viral genomes evolving by \u201crampant mosaicism\u201d \u2013 i.e., recombining segments or modules from different cyanophages \u2013 might be wrong. Instead, these cyanophage genome \u201cclusters\u201d suggested that there was discrete population structure in the wild.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe novel finding here isn\u2019t the number of viruses, but rather the structured nature of the populations,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cWith these discrete populations in a complex natural community and the genome sequence information linked to each population, we are generating hypotheses on what might be driving particular population-host interactions and the abundances of particular populations \u2013 that\u2019s viral ecology. And you can track how one population changes over time at a genetic level \u2013 that\u2019s viral evolution,\u201d he said. \u201cThe thinking before was that the viral genome sequence space would be one big blur, but this suggests there are units that we can count and study. That represents a whole new ballgame and opens up viral ecology to utilize decades of theory and practice from the study of more traditional study of larger organisms. Additionally, our method of viral tagging should be generalizable to many other virus-host studies so it should transform the way viruses in nature are studied moving forward.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMatt Sullivan spoke about marine viruses at the 2012 DOE JGI Genomics of Energy \u0026amp; Environment Meeting. Watch the video at \u003Ca title=\u0022http:\/\/bit.ly\/JGI7Sullivan\u0022 href=\u0022http:\/\/bit.ly\/JGI7Sullivan\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/bit.ly\/JGI7Sullivan\u003C\/a\u003E. The Sullivan lab maintains publicly available protocols and informatics tools at \u003Ca title=\u0022http:\/\/eebweb.arizona.edu\/Faculty\/mbsulli\/\u0022 href=\u0022http:\/\/eebweb.arizona.edu\/Faculty\/mbsulli\/\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/eebweb.arizona.edu\/Faculty\/mbsulli\/\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe sheer volume of cyanobacteria in the oceans makes them major players in the global carbon cycle and responsible for as much as a third of the carbon fixed. These photosynthetic microbes, which include Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus, are tiny \u2013 as many as 100 million cells can be found in a single liter of water \u2013 and yet they are not the most abundant entities on Earth. That distinction goes to viruses, up to 100 million of which can be found per 1 mL of seawater. However, researchers know very little about the viruses in the water, other than that there are three kinds of viruses, and that they are capable of drastically decreasing cyanobacterial populations, affecting the global regulation of biogeochemical cycles.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The sheer volume of cyanobacteria in the oceans makes them major players in the global carbon cycle and responsible for as much as a third of the carbon fixed."}],"uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2014-10-17 07:06:20","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:17:19","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"11384","name":"viruses"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"332761":{"#nid":"332761","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Snakes and snake-like robots show how sidewinders conquer sandy slopes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe amazing ability of sidewinder snakes to quickly climb sandy slopes was once something biologists only vaguely understood and roboticists only dreamed of replicating. By studying the snakes in a unique bed of inclined sand and using a snake-like robot to test ideas spawned by observing the real animals, both biologists and roboticists have now gained long-sought insights.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a study published in the October 10 issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Oregon State University, and Zoo Atlanta report that sidewinders improve their ability to traverse sandy slopes by simply increasing the amount of their body area in contact with the granular surfaces they\u2019re climbing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the study, the principles used by the sidewinders to gracefully climb sand dunes were tested using a modular snake robot developed at Carnegie Mellon. Before the study, the snake robot could use one component of sidewinding motion to move across level ground, but was unable to climb the inclined sand trackway the real snakes could readily ascend. In a real-world application \u2013 an archaeological mission in Red Sea caves \u2013 sandy inclines were especially challenging to the robot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, when the robot was programmed with the unique wave motion discovered in the sidewinders, it was able to climb slopes that had previously been unattainable. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office, and the Army Research Laboratory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur initial idea was to use the robot as a physical model to learn what the snakes experienced,\u201d said Daniel Goldman, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Physics. \u201cBy studying the animal and the physical model simultaneously, we learned important general principles that allowed us to not only understand the animal, but also to improve the robot.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe detailed study showed that both horizontal and vertical motion had to be understood and then replicated on the snake-like robot for it to be useful on sloping sand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThink of the motion as an elliptical cylinder enveloped by a revolving tread, similar to that of a tank,\u201d said Howie Choset, a Carnegie Mellon professor of robotics. \u201cAs the tread circulates around the cylinder, it is constantly placing itself down in front of the direction of motion and picking itself up in the back. The snake lifts some body segments while others remain on the ground, and as the slope increases, the cross section of the cylinder flattens.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt Zoo Atlanta, the researchers observed several sidewinders as they moved in a large enclosure containing sand from the Arizona desert where the snakes live. The enclosure could be raised to create different angles in the sand, and air could be blown into the chamber from below, smoothing the sand after each snake was studied. Motion of the snakes was recorded using high-speed video cameras which helped the researchers understand how the animals were moving their bodies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe realized that the sidewinder snakes use a template for climbing on sand, two orthogonal waves that they can control independently,\u201d said Hamid Marvi, a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon who conducted the experiments while he was a graduate student in the laboratory of David Hu, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Mechanical Engineering. \u201cWe used the snake robot to systematically study the failure modes in sidewinding. We learned there are three different failure regimes, which we can avoid by carefully adjusting the aspect ratio of the two waves, thus controlling the area of the body in contact with the sand.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELimbless animals like snakes can readily move through a broad range of surfaces, making them attractive to robot designers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The snake is one of the most versatile of all land animals, and we want to capture what they can do,\u0022 said Ross Hatton, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Oregon State University who has studied the mathematical complexities of snake motion, and how they might be applied to robots. \u0022The desert sidewinder is really extraordinary, with perhaps the fastest and most efficient natural motion we\u0027ve ever observed for a snake.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany people dislike snakes, but in this study, the venomous animals were easy study subjects who provided knowledge that may one day benefit humans, noted Joe Mendelson, director of research at Zoo Atlanta.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf a robot gets stuck in the sand, that\u2019s a problem, especially if that sand happens to be on another planet,\u201d he said. \u201cSidewinders never get stuck in the sand, so they are helping us create robots that can avoid getting stuck in the sand. These venomous snakes are offering something to humanity.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe modular snake robot used in this study was specifically designed to pass horizontal and vertical waves through its body to move in three-dimensional spaces.\u0026nbsp; The robot is two inches in diameter and 37 inches long; its body consists of 16 joints, each joint arranged perpendicular to the previous one.\u0026nbsp; That allows it to assume a number of configurations and to move using a variety of gaits \u2013 some similar to those of a biological snake.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis type of robot often is described as biologically inspired, but too often the inspiration doesn\u2019t extend beyond a casual observation of the biological system,\u201d Choset said. \u201cIn this study, we got biology and robotics, mediated by physics, to work together in a way not previously seen.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChoset\u2019s robots appear well suited for urban search-and-rescue operations in which robots need to make their way through the rubble of collapsed structures, as well as archaeological explorations. Able to readily move through pipes, the robots also have been tested to evaluate their potential for inspecting nuclear power plants from the inside out.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Goldman\u2019s team, the work builds on earlier research studying how turtle hatchlings, crabs, sandfish lizards, and other animals move about on complex surfaces such as sand, leaves, and loose material. The team tests what it learns from the animals on robots, often gaining additional insights into how the animals move.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are interested in how animals move on different types of granular and complex surfaces,\u201d Goldman said. \u201cThe idea of moving on flowing materials like sand can be useful in a broad sense. This is one of the nicest examples of collaboration between biology and robotics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, co-authors included Chaohui Gong and Matthew Travers from Carnegie Mellon University; and Nick Gravish and Henry Astley from Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation under awards CMMI-1000389, PHY-0848894, PHY-1205878, and PHY-1150760; by the Army Research Office under grants W911NF-11-1-0514 and W911NF1310092; and by the Army Research Lab MAST CTA under grant W911NF-08-2-0004; and by the Elizabeth Smithgall Watts endowment at Georgia Tech. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Hamidreza Marvi et al., \u201cSidewinding with minimal slip: snake and robot ascent of sandy slopes,\u201d Science 2014).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Brett Israel (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriters\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon, Georgia Tech\/Byron Spice, Carnegie Mellon University\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers from Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, Oregon State University, and Zoo Atlanta report that sidewinders improve their ability to traverse sandy slopes by simply increasing the amount of their body area in contact with the granular surfaces they\u2019re climbing. They\u0027ve put that knowledge to work helping a snake-like robot.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have learned how sidewinder snakes climb sandy slopes, and put that knowledge to work with a snake-like robot."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2014-10-09 13:20:39","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:17:15","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"332701":{"id":"332701","type":"image","title":"Sidewinder in trackway","body":null,"created":"1449245133","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:05:33","changed":"1475895044","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:44","alt":"Sidewinder in trackway","file":{"fid":"200406","name":"sidewinder023.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder023_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder023_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1463254,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sidewinder023_1.jpg?itok=sedtQQ69"}},"332711":{"id":"332711","type":"image","title":"Sidewinder in trackway2","body":null,"created":"1449245133","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:05:33","changed":"1475895044","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:44","alt":"Sidewinder in trackway2","file":{"fid":"200407","name":"sidewinder011.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder011_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder011_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1989281,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sidewinder011_0.jpg?itok=UpqVxmQz"}},"332741":{"id":"332741","type":"image","title":"Studying sidewinder snakes","body":null,"created":"1449245133","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:05:33","changed":"1475895044","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:44","alt":"Studying sidewinder snakes","file":{"fid":"200409","name":"sidewinder027.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder027_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sidewinder027_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2374301,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sidewinder027_0.jpg?itok=Q_L3bG2h"}},"332731":{"id":"332731","type":"image","title":"Snake-like robot","body":null,"created":"1449245133","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:05:33","changed":"1475895044","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:44","alt":"Snake-like robot","file":{"fid":"200408","name":"snake8.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snake8_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/snake8_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3424124,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/snake8_0.jpg?itok=pRJMotRw"}}},"media_ids":["332701","332711","332741","332731"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"47881","name":"Dan Goldman"},{"id":"2352","name":"robots"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"169679","name":"sidewinder snakes"},{"id":"171371","name":"snake-like robots"},{"id":"169002","name":"Snakes"},{"id":"6765","name":"zoo atlanta"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"332611":{"#nid":"332611","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Automated imaging system looks underground to help improve crops","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPlant scientists are working to improve important food crops such as rice, maize, and beans to meet the food needs of a growing world population. However, boosting crop output will require improving more than what can be seen of these plants above the ground. Root systems are essential to gathering water and nutrients, but understanding what\u2019s happening in these unseen parts of the plants has until now depended mostly on lab studies and subjective field measurements.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address that need, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Penn State University have developed an automated imaging technique for measuring and analyzing the root systems of mature plants. The technique, believed to be the first of its kind, uses advanced computer technology to analyze photographs taken of root systems in the field. The imaging and software are designed to give scientists the statistical information they need to evaluate crop improvement efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ve produced an imaging system to evaluate the root systems of plants in field conditions,\u201d said Alexander Bucksch, a postdoctoral fellow in the Georgia Tech School of Biology and School of Interactive Computing. \u201cWe can measure entire root systems for thousands of plants to give geneticists the information they need to search for genes with the best characteristics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research is supported by the National Science Foundation\u2019s Plant Genome Research Program (PGRP) and Basic Research to Enable Agriculture Development (BREAD), the Howard Buffett Foundation, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the Center for Data Analytics at Georgia Tech. The research was reported as the cover story in the October issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EPlant Physiology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond improving food crops, the technique could also help improve plants grown for energy production, materials, and other purposes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERoot systems are complicated and vary widely even among plants of the same species. Analyzing critical root properties in field-grown plants has depended on manual measurements, which vary with observer. In contrast, automated measurements have the potential to provide enhanced statistical information for plant improvement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImaging of root systems has, until now, largely been done in the laboratory, using seedlings grown in small pots and containers. Such studies provide information on the early stages of development, and do not directly quantify the effects of realistic growing conditions or field variations in water, soil, or nutrient levels.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technique developed by Georgia Tech and Penn State researchers uses digital photography to provide a detailed image of roots from mature plants in the field. Individual plants to be studied are dug up and their root systems washed clean of soil. The roots are then photographed against a black background using a standard digital camera pointed down from a tripod. A white fabric tent surrounding the camera system provides consistent lighting.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe resulting images are then uploaded to a server running software that analyzes the root systems for more than 30 different parameters \u2013 including the diameter of tap roots, root density, the angles of brace roots, and detailed measures of lateral roots. Scientists working in the field can upload their images at the end of a day and have spreadsheets of results ready for study the next day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn the lab, you are just seeing part of the process of root growth,\u201d said Bucksch, who works in the group of Associate Professor Joshua Weitz in the School of Biology and School of Physics at Georgia Tech. \u201cWe went out to the field to see the plants under realistic growing conditions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDeveloping the digital photography technique required iterative refinements to produce consistent images that could be analyzed using computer programs. To support the goal of making the system available worldwide, it had to be simple enough for field researchers to use consistently, able to be transported in backpacks to locations without electricity, and built on inexpensive components.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn collaboration with a research team led by Jonathan Lynch, a professor of plant sciences at Penn State, the system has been evaluated in South Africa with cowpea and maize plants.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith its ability to quickly gather data in the field, it was possible to evaluate a complete cowpea diversity panel. Penn State collaborator James Burridge compiled a novel cowpea reference data set that consists of approximately 1,500 excavated root systems. The data set was measured manually to validate and compare with the new computational approaches. In the future, the system could allow scientists to study crop roots over an entire growing season, potentially providing new life cycle data.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research shows how quantitative measurement techniques from one discipline can be applied to other areas of science.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAlexander has taken rigorous, computational principles and collaborated with leading plant root biologists from the Lynch group to study complex root structure under field conditions,\u201d said Weitz. \u201cIn doing so, he has shown how automated methods can reveal new below-ground traits that could be targeted for breeding and improvement.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EData generated by the new technique will be used in subsequent analyses to help understand how changes in genetics affect plant growth. For instance, certain genes may help plants survive in nitrogen-poor soils, or in areas where drought is a problem. The overall goal is to develop improved plants that can feed increasing numbers of people and provide sustainable sources of energy and materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have to feed an ever-growing population and we have to replace materials like oil-based fuels,\u201d Bucksch said. \u201cIntegral to this change will be understanding plants and how they provide us with food and alternative materials. This imaging technique provides data needed to accomplish this.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the research team included Larry York and Eric Nord from Penn State and Abraham Das from Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by NSF Plant Genome Research Program Award 0820624, the NSF\/BREAD Program Award 4184-UM-NSF-5380, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Center for Data Analytics at Georgia Tech, and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Any opinions or conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Alexander Bucksch, et al, \u201cImage-based high-throughput field phenotyping of crop roots,\u201d (Plant Physiology 2014). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1104\/pp.114.243519\u0022 title=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1104\/pp.114.243519\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1104\/pp.114.243519\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Brett Israel (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have developed an automated imaging technique for measuring and analyzing the root systems of mature plants. The work could help plant scientists improve food crops to help meet the needs of a growing world population.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have developed an automated imaging technique for measuring and analyzing the root systems of mature plants."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2014-10-09 12:31:05","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:17:15","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"332561":{"id":"332561","type":"image","title":"Maize root system","body":null,"created":"1449245114","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:05:14","changed":"1475895044","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:44","alt":"Maize root system","file":{"fid":"200396","name":"15c10200-p8-005.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/15c10200-p8-005_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/15c10200-p8-005_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1690399,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/15c10200-p8-005_0.jpg?itok=ZtuiG-0U"}},"332571":{"id":"332571","type":"image","title":"Maize plant root","body":null,"created":"1449245114","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:05:14","changed":"1475895044","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:44","alt":"Maize plant root","file":{"fid":"200397","name":"15c10200-p8-009.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/15c10200-p8-009_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/15c10200-p8-009_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1505813,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/15c10200-p8-009_0.jpg?itok=H2W2X8rf"}},"332591":{"id":"332591","type":"image","title":"Root imaging","body":null,"created":"1449245114","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:05:14","changed":"1475895044","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:44","alt":"Root imaging","file":{"fid":"200398","name":"root-imaging.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/root-imaging_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/root-imaging_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3051109,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/root-imaging_0.jpg?itok=CzGXRnIH"}},"332621":{"id":"332621","type":"image","title":"Plant Physiology cover","body":null,"created":"1449245114","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:05:14","changed":"1475895044","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:44","alt":"Plant Physiology cover","file":{"fid":"200399","name":"rootart.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/rootart_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/rootart_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1297488,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/rootart_0.jpg?itok=ylJunoh8"}}},"media_ids":["332561","332571","332591","332621"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"277","name":"Biology"},{"id":"105921","name":"crop improvement"},{"id":"105951","name":"crops"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"105901","name":"plant roots"},{"id":"2985","name":"plants"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"321491":{"#nid":"321491","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Sequencing of five African fishes reveals diverse molecular mechanisms underlying evolution","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have sequenced the genomes and transcriptomes of five species of African cichlid fishes and uncovered a variety of features that enabled the fishes to thrive in new habitats and ecological niches within the Great Lakes of East Africa.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study helps explain the genetic basis for the incredible diversity among cichlid fishes and provides new information about vertebrate evolution. The genomic information from the study will help answer questions about human biology and disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our study reveals a spectrum of methods that nature uses to allow organisms to adapt to different environments,\u201d said co-senior author Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, scientific director of vertebrate genome biology at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, a biomedical and genomic research center. \u201cThese mechanisms are likely also at work in humans and other vertebrates, and by focusing on the remarkably diverse cichlid fishes, we were able to study this process on a broad scale for the first time.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study was published in the September 3 advance online edition of the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nature13726\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The work was a collaboration between the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Eawag Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Sciences, in addition to more than 70 scientists from the international cichlid research community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfrican cichlid fishes are some of the most diverse organisms on the planet, with over 2,000 known species. Some lakes are home to hundreds of distinct species that evolved from a common ancestral species in the Nile River. Like Darwin\u2019s finches, the cichlids are a dramatic example of adaptive radiation, the process by which multiple species radiate from an ancestral species through adaptation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the new study, the researchers sequenced the genomes and transcriptomes \u2013 the protein-coding RNA - from ten tissues of five distinct lineages of African cichlids. The sequenced species include the Nile tilapia, representing the ancestral lineage, and four East African species: a species that inhabits a river near Lake Tanganyika; a species from Lake Tanganyika colonized 10-20 million years ago; a cichlid species from Lake Malawi colonized 5 million years ago; and species from Lake Victoria where the fish radiated only 15,000 to 100,000 years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found a number of genomic changes at play in the adaptive radiation. Compared to the ancestral lineage, the East African cichlid genomes possess an excess of gene duplications, alterations in regulatory elements in the genome, accelerated evolution of protein-coding elements in genes for pigmentation, and other distinct features that affect gene expression.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s not one big change in the genome of this fish, but lots of different molecular mechanisms used to achieve this amazing adaptation and speciation,\u201d said Federica Di Palma, co-senior author of the \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E study and director of science in vertebrate and health genomics at The Genome Analysis Center in the UK.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome changes in the genome appear to have accumulated before the species left the rivers to colonize lakes and radiated into hundreds of species. This suggests that the cichlids were once in a period of reduced constraint. During this time, the fishes accumulated diversity through genetic mutations, and the relaxed constraint \u2013 in which all individuals thrived, not just the fittest \u2013 allowed genetic variation to accumulate. As the fish later inhabited new environmental niches within the lakes, new species could form quickly through selection. In this way, a reservoir of mutations \u2013 and resultant phenotypes \u2013 represented a genomic toolkit that allowed quick adaptation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore work remains to fully dissect the mutations that cause each of the varying phenotypes in cichlid fish, which could help explain how similar forms or traits evolved in parallel in different lakes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022By learning how natural populations, such as fishes, adapt and evolve under selective pressures, we can learn how these pressures affect humans in terms of health and disease,\u201d Di Palma said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETodd Streelman, professor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech and a co-author of the study, studies Lake Malawi cichlid species to address biological questions that are difficult to study in traditional model organisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These fishes provide a great way to identify the genes that control traits in natural populations,\u0022 Streelman said. \u201cNow that we understand the genome sequences of some of these species, it\u2019s a lot easier to interpret all of the new genetic and genomic data we collect in the lab.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis lab studies natural mechanisms of lifelong tooth replacement and the genomics of complex social behavior using closely-related Malawi cichlids. The new genome sequence of the Lake Malawi cichlid will allow Streelman\u2019s lab to investigate which genes are turned on or off during these processes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStreelman\u0027s research group cultures roughly 25 different Malawi cichlid species in aquatic facilities at Georgia Tech, through research funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was funded in part by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), the Swiss National Science Foundation, the German Science Foundation, Biomedical Research Council of A*STAR, Singapore, the European Research Council, US National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), and the Wellcome Trust.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION: \u003C\/strong\u003EDavid Brawand, et al.\u0022The genomic substrate for adaptive radiation in African cichlid fish.\u0022 (\u003Cem\u003ENature,\u003C\/em\u003E September 2014) \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nature13726\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nature13726\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/gtresearchnews\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E@GTResearchNews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Leah Eisenstadt, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have sequenced the genomes and transcriptomes of five species of African cichlid fishes and uncovered a variety of features that enabled the fishes to thrive in new habitats and ecological niches within the Great Lakes of East Africa."}],"uid":"27902","created_gmt":"2014-09-04 10:57:32","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:16:59","author":"Brett Israel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-09-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-09-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"321481":{"id":"321481","type":"image","title":"Male cichlid fish","body":null,"created":"1449245011","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:03:31","changed":"1475895032","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:32","alt":"Male cichlid fish","file":{"fid":"200117","name":"male_composite_blend_-_resized.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/male_composite_blend_-_resized_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/male_composite_blend_-_resized_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1932770,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/male_composite_blend_-_resized_0.jpg?itok=OqhJUmjQ"}},"321501":{"id":"321501","type":"image","title":"Cichlid fish","body":null,"created":"1449245011","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:03:31","changed":"1475895032","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:32","alt":"Cichlid fish","file":{"fid":"200118","name":"6_male_-_resized.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/6_male_-_resized_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/6_male_-_resized_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2640131,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/6_male_-_resized_0.jpg?itok=E_OgTbiv"}},"321471":{"id":"321471","type":"image","title":"Professor Todd Streelman","body":null,"created":"1449245011","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:03:31","changed":"1475895032","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:32","alt":"Professor Todd Streelman","file":{"fid":"200116","name":"streelman.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/streelman_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/streelman_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":581066,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/streelman_1.jpg?itok=ZpVuUokp"}}},"media_ids":["321481","321501","321471"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"101761","name":"africa fish"},{"id":"101771","name":"broad institute"},{"id":"101751","name":"cichlid fish"},{"id":"1896","name":"Genomics"},{"id":"2863","name":"Todd Streelman"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-385-1933\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"317821":{"#nid":"317821","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Marine protected areas might not be enough to help overfished reefs recover","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPacific corals and fish can both smell a bad neighborhood, and use that ability to avoid settling in damaged reefs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDamaged coral reefs emit chemical cues that repulse young coral and fish, discouraging them from settling in the degraded habitat, according to new research. The study shows for the first time that coral larvae can smell the difference between healthy and damaged reefs when they decide where to settle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECoral reefs are declining around the world. Overfishing is one cause of coral collapse, depleting the herbivorous fish that remove the seaweed that sprouts in damaged reefs. Once seaweed takes hold of a reef, a tipping point can occur where coral growth is choked and new corals rarely settle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study shows how chemical signals from seaweed repel young coral from settling in a seaweed-dominated area. Young fish were also not attracted to the smell of water from damaged reefs. The findings suggest that designating overfished coral reefs as marine protected areas may not be enough to help these reefs recover because chemical signals continue to drive away new fish and coral long after overfishing has stopped.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you\u2019re setting up a marine protected area to seed recruitment into a degraded habitat, that recruitment may not happen if young fish and coral are not recognizing the degraded area as habitat,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/danielle-dixson\u0022\u003EDanielle Dixson\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the School of Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, and the study\u0027s first author.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study will be published August 22 in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sciencemag.org\/content\/345\/6199\/892\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Teasley Endowment to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study examined three marine areas in Fiji that had adjacent fished areas. The country has established no-fishing areas to protect its healthy habitats and also to allow damaged reefs to recover over time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJuveniles of both corals and fishes were repelled by chemical cues from overfished, seaweed-dominated reefs but attracted to cues from coral-dominated areas where fishing is prohibited. Both coral and fish larvae preferred certain chemical cues from species of coral that are indicators of a healthy habitat, and they both avoided certain seaweeds that are indicators of a degraded habitat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study for the first time tested coral larvae in a method that has been used previously to test fish, and found that young coral have strong preferences for odors from healthy reefs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Not only are coral smelling good areas versus bad areas, but they\u2019re nuanced about it,\u0022 said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/labs.biology.gatech.edu\/labs\/hay\/\u0022\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech and the study\u0027s senior author. \u0022They\u2019re making careful decisions and can say, \u0027settle or don\u2019t settle.\u0027\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study showed that young fish have an overwhelming preference for water from healthy reefs. The researchers put water from healthy and degraded habitats into a flume that allowed fish to choose to swim in one stream of water or the other. The researchers tested the preferences of 20 fish each from 15 different species and found that regardless of species, family or trophic group, each of the 15 species showed up to an eight times greater preference for water from healthy areas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers then tested coral larvae from three different species and found that they preferred water from the healthy habitat five-to-one over water from the degraded habitat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChemical cues from corals also swayed the fishes\u0027 preferences, the study found. The researchers soaked different corals in water and studied the behavior of fish in that water, which had picked up chemical cues from the corals. Cues of the common coral Acropora nasuta enhanced attraction to water from the degraded habitat by up to three times more for all 15 fishes tested. A similar preference was found among coral larvae.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcropora corals easily bleach, are strongly affected by algal competition, and are prone to other stresses. The data demonstrate that chemical cues from these corals are attractive to fish and corals because they are found primarily in healthy habitats. Chemical cues from hardy corals, which can grow even in overfished habitats, were less attractive to juvenile fishes or corals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also soaked seaweed in water and tested fish and coral preferences in that water. Cues from the common seaweed Sargassum polycystum, which can bloom and take over a coral reef, reduced the attractiveness of water to fish by up to 86 percent compared to water without the seaweed chemical cues. Chemical cues from the seaweed decreased coral larval attraction by 81 percent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Corals avoided that smell more than even algae that\u0027s chemically toxic to coral but doesn\u0027t bloom,\u0022 Dixson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFuture work will involve removing plots of seaweed from damaged reefs and studying how that impacts reef recovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA minimum amount of intervention at the right time and the right place could jump start the recovery of overfished reefs, Hay said. That could bring fish back to the area so they settle and eat the seaweed around the corals. The corals would then get bigger because the seaweed is not overgrown. Bigger corals would then be more attractive to more fish.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022What this means is we probably need to manage these reefs in ways that help remove the most negative seaweeds and then help promote the most positive corals,\u0022 Hay said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), under award number OCE-0929119, and the National Institutes of Health, under award number U01-TW007401. Any conclusions or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agency.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Dixson et al., \u0022Chemically mediated behavior of recruiting corals and fishes: A tipping\u003Cbr \/\u003Epoint that may limit reef recovery.\u0022 (August 2014, \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sciencemag.org\/content\/345\/6199\/892%20\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.sciencemag.org\/content\/345\/6199\/892\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/twitter.com\/@GTResearchNews\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E@GTResearchNews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScientific Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:mark.hay@biology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emark.hay@biology.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EFiji phone numbers: 679-833-3300 or 679-979-5991 (cell). 679-653-0093 (landline)\u003Cbr \/\u003ESkype: Markhaygt\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDanielle Dixson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:danielle.dixson@biology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Edanielle.dixson@biology.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBelize phone: 011-501-532-2392\u003Cbr \/\u003ESkype: Danielle.Dixson\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Brett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Young corals, fish turned off by smell of damaged habitats"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Pacific corals and fish can both smell a bad neighborhood, and use that ability to avoid settling in damaged reefs."}],"uid":"27902","created_gmt":"2014-08-21 13:28:19","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:16:56","author":"Brett Israel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-08-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-08-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"317841":{"id":"317841","type":"image","title":"Testing fish in a choice chamber","body":null,"created":"1449244974","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:02:54","changed":"1475895027","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:27","alt":"Testing fish in a choice chamber","file":{"fid":"201775","name":"choice_chamer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/choice_chamer_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/choice_chamer_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1987706,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/choice_chamer_0.jpg?itok=QF8L1HEm"}},"317851":{"id":"317851","type":"image","title":"Snorkeling in Fiji to study marine habitats","body":null,"created":"1449244974","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:02:54","changed":"1475895027","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:27","alt":"Snorkeling in Fiji to study marine habitats","file":{"fid":"201776","name":"fiji_snorkling.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fiji_snorkling_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fiji_snorkling_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3185012,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/fiji_snorkling_0.jpg?itok=KVQAVLpv"}}},"media_ids":["317841","317851"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"100721","name":"chemical sensing"},{"id":"100711","name":"coral reefs"},{"id":"100731","name":"corals"},{"id":"79191","name":"Danielle Dixson"},{"id":"94671","name":"field work"},{"id":"4211","name":"fiji"},{"id":"1104","name":"fish"},{"id":"13884","name":"Mark Hay"},{"id":"169448","name":"seaweed"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-385-1933\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"305961":{"#nid":"305961","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Evolution of life\u0027s operating system revealed in detail","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe evolution of the ribosome, a large molecular structure found in the cells of all species, has been revealed in unprecedented detail in a new study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAround 4 billion years ago, the first molecules of life came together on the early Earth and formed precursors of modern proteins and RNA. Scientists studying the origin of life have been searching for clues about how these reactions happened. Some of those clues have been found in the ribosome.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe core of the ribosome is essentially the same in all living systems, while the outer regions expand and become complicated as species gain complexity. By digitally peeling back the layers of modern ribosomes in the new study, scientists were able to model the structures of primordial ribosomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe history of the ribosome tells us about the origin of life,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/~lw26\/\u0022\u003ELoren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u0026nbsp; \u201cWe have worked out on a fine level of detail how the ribosome originated and evolved.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was sponsored by the NASA Astrobiology Institute and the Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution at Georgia Tech. The results were published June 30 in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1407205111\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn biology, the genetic information stored in DNA is transcribed into mRNA, which is then shipped out of the cell nucleus. Ribosomes, in all species use mRNA as a blueprint for building all the proteins and enzymes essential to life. The ribosome\u2019s job is called translation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe common core of the ribosome is essentially the same in humans, yeast, bacteria and archaea \u2013 in all living systems. The Georgia Tech team has shown that as organisms evolve and become more complex, so do their ribosomes. Humans have the largest and most complex ribosomes. But the changes are on the surface \u2013 the heart of a human ribosome the same as in a bacterial ribosome.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe translation system is the operating system of life,\u201d Williams said. \u201cAt its core the ribosome is the same everywhere. The ribosome is universal biology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the new study, Williams and Research Scientist Anton Petrov compared three-dimensional structures of ribosomes from a variety of species of varying biological complexity, including humans, yeast, bacteria and archaea. The researchers found distinct fingerprints in the ribosomes where new structures were added to the ribosomal surface without altering the pre-existing core.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditions to the ribosome cause insertion fingerprints. Much like a botanist can carve back twigs and branches on a tree to learn about its growth and age, Petrov and Williams show how segments were continually added to the ribosome without changing the underlying structure.\u0026nbsp; The research team extrapolated the process backwards in time to generate models of simple, primordial ribosomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe learned some of the rules of the ribosome, that evolution can change the ribosome as long as it does not mess with its core,\u201d Williams said. \u201cEvolution can add things on, but it can\u2019t change what was already there.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor a video on the origins and evolution of the ribosome, visit: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ei6qGLBTsKM\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ei6qGLBTsKM\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is supported by the NASA Astrobiology Institute under award number NNA09DA78A. Any conclusions or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agency.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Anton S. Petrov, et al., \u201cEvolution of the Ribosome at Atomic Resolution.\u201d (June 2014, PNAS) \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1407205111\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.pnas.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1407205111\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 177 North Avenue\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/GTResearchNews\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E@GTResearchNews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Brett Israel\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The evolution of the ribosome, a large molecular structure found in the cells of all species, has been revealed in unprecedented detail in a new study."}],"uid":"27902","created_gmt":"2014-06-30 11:23:15","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:16:41","author":"Brett Israel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-06-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-06-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"305951":{"id":"305951","type":"image","title":"Ribosome evolution before and after the last universal common ancestor","body":null,"created":"1449244668","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:57:48","changed":"1475895015","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:15","alt":"Ribosome evolution before and after the last universal common ancestor","file":{"fid":"199725","name":"riboevo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/riboevo_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/riboevo_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":198976,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/riboevo_0.jpg?itok=bpPqd5II"}}},"media_ids":["305951"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"96581","name":"loren wiliams"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"},{"id":"9854","name":"Origin Of Life"},{"id":"6730","name":"ribosome"},{"id":"96591","name":"ribosome evolution"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-385-1933\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"300271":{"#nid":"300271","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Gene Expression Signature Identifies Patients at Higher Risk for Cardiovascular Death","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA study of 338 patients with coronary artery disease has identified a gene expression profile associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular death. Used with other indicators such as biochemical markers and family history, the profile \u2013 based on a simple blood test \u2013 may help identify patients who could benefit from personalized treatment and counseling designed to address risk factors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers found the risk signature by comparing gene expression profiles in 31 study subjects who died of cardiovascular causes against the profiles of living members of the study group. Twenty-five of the 31 deaths occurred in the group with the high-risk profile, though coronary deaths were also recorded among the lower risk members of the study group. All of the patients studied had coronary artery disease (CAD), and about one in five had suffered a heart attack prior to the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University and Princeton University participated in the study, which obtained gene expression profiles from blood samples taken from patients undergoing cardiac catheterization at Emory University clinics in Atlanta. The results were published in the open-access journal \u003Cem\u003EGenome Medicine\u003C\/em\u003E on May 29, 2014.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe envision that with our gene expression-based marker, plus some biochemical markers, genotype information and family history, we could produce a tiered evaluation of people\u2019s risks of adverse coronary events,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/gregory-gibson\u0022\u003EGregory Gibson\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cig.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Integrative Genomics\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and one of the study\u2019s senior authors. \u201cThis could lead to a personalized medicine approach for people recovering from heart attack or coronary artery bypass grafting.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECoronary artery disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Manifested in the narrowing of blood vessels through the buildup of plaque, CAD sets the stage for heart attacks and long-term heart failure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs many as half of Americans over the age of 50 suffer from CAD to some extent, so the researchers wondered if they could single out those with the highest risk of death. From a cohort of more than 3,000 persons known as the Emory Cardiovascular Biobank (EmCD), they selected two groups of patients for extensive gene expression analysis based on blood samples.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter following the patients for as long as five years, the researchers examined gene expression patterns in a total of 31 persons from the study group who had suffered coronary deaths. Comparing these patterns against those of other study subjects revealed a pattern in which genes affecting inflammation were up-regulated, while genes affecting T-lymphocytes were down-regulated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe patients studied ranged in age from 51 to 73, were mostly Caucasian, and 65 percent male. Seventy percent of the subjects had significant CAD, and 18 percent were experiencing an acute myocardial infarction when blood samples were taken. Gene expression was analyzed using microarrays and two different normalization procedures to control for technical and biological covariates. Whole genome genotyping was used to support comparative genome-wide association studies of gene expression. Two phases of the study were conducted independently with the two different groups, and produced similar results.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat\u2019s new in this research is the recognition that this risk pathway exists and that it relates to particular aspects of immune system functions that include T-cell signaling,\u201d said Gibson, who is also a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWe went beyond the signature of coronary artery disease to really provide a signature for adverse outcomes in that high-risk population.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe pattern, said Gibson, doesn\u2019t indicate the causes of the disease. The researchers would now like to expand the study to include a larger group of patients and learn more about what causes the disease. They\u2019d also like to know whether the risks can be reversed through diet, exercise or drug therapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECardiologist \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/medicine.emory.edu\/about_us\/our_people\/faculty-directory\/quyyumi-arshed-ali.html\u0022\u003EArshed Quyyumi\u003C\/a\u003E, the paper\u2019s other senior author, directs Emory University\u2019s Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center and created the Biobank five years ago to facilitate cardiovascular research. He says that identifying patients at highest risk could help encourage their compliance with treatment programs, and prioritize introduction of newer therapeutics, such as cholesterol lowering medications like PCSK9 inhibitors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA number of patients with CAD are currently not maximally treated,\u201d said Quyyumi, who is a professor in Emory\u2019s School of Medicine. \u201cIn those that appear to have been prescribed adequate medication, a significant proportion of subjects are non-compliant with their medications. Thus, knowledge of a high risk genetic profile in a patient can prompt both the patient and physician to maximize currently available medications and improve patient compliance.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApproximately 15,000 genes are expressed in human blood, but analyzing them is not as daunting as it sounds. Most of the gene expression is correlated, so there may be only a few dozen independent measurements that can be related to disease states, Gibson said. In the study, researchers identified nine \u201caxes\u201d that represented specific biological pathways to disease. Two of them were relevant to the high-risk profile.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGibson believes identifying the high-risk signatures in CAD patients may lead to opportunities for improving their health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur dream would be a hand-held device that would allow patients to take a droplet of blood, much like diabetics do today, and obtain an evaluation of these transcripts that they could track at home,\u201d he said. \u201cIf we can use this information to help people adopt healthier behaviors, it will be very positive.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the co-authors include Jinhee Kim, from the Georgia Tech School of Biology; Nima Ghasemzadeh and Danny Eapen from the Emory University School of Medicine, and John Storey and Neo Christopher Chung from the Lewis-Sigler Institute at Princeton University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Jinhee Kim, Nima Ghasemzadeh, Danny J. Eapen, Neo Christopher Chung, John D. Storey, Arshed A. Quyyumi and Greg Gibson, \u201cGene expression profiles associated with acute myocardial infarction and risk of cardiovascular death.\u201d (Genome Medicine 2014).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/genomemedicine.com\/content\/6\/5\/40\u0022 title=\u0022http:\/\/genomemedicine.com\/content\/6\/5\/40\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/genomemedicine.com\/content\/6\/5\/40\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-894-6986) or Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA study of 338 patients with coronary artery disease has identified a gene expression profile associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular death. Used with other indicators such as biochemical markers and family history, the profile \u2013 based on a simple blood test \u2013 may help identify patients who could benefit from personalized treatment and counseling designed to address risk factors.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A study of 338 patients with coronary artery disease has identified a gene expression profile associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular death."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2014-05-29 16:01:13","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:16:29","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-05-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-05-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"300251":{"id":"300251","type":"image","title":"Gene Expression Signature","body":null,"created":"1449244572","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:56:12","changed":"1475895000","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:00","alt":"Gene Expression Signature","file":{"fid":"199514","name":"gene-expression-gibson.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gene-expression-gibson_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gene-expression-gibson_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":812396,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/gene-expression-gibson_0.jpg?itok=3AhLxcgc"}},"300261":{"id":"300261","type":"image","title":"Gene Expression Signature2","body":null,"created":"1449244572","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:56:12","changed":"1475895000","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:00","alt":"Gene Expression Signature2","file":{"fid":"199515","name":"mm12201-07jk035a-quyyumi.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mm12201-07jk035a-quyyumi_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mm12201-07jk035a-quyyumi_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1575638,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mm12201-07jk035a-quyyumi_0.jpg?itok=tZ7tTTgm"}}},"media_ids":["300251","300261"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2581","name":"cardiology"},{"id":"94281","name":"cardiovasular death"},{"id":"94271","name":"coronary artery disease"},{"id":"7092","name":"gene expression"},{"id":"10645","name":"Greg Gibson"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"294841":{"#nid":"294841","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Evolution in Species May Reverse Predator-Prey Population Cycles","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPopulations of predators and their prey usually follow predictable cycles. When the number of prey increases, perhaps as their food supply becomes more abundant, predator populations also grow.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen the predator population becomes too large, however, the prey population often plummets, leaving too little food for the predators, whose population also then crashes. This canonical view of predator-prey relationships was first identified by mathematical biologists Alfred Lotka and Vito Volterra in the 1920s and 1930s.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut all bets are off if both the predator and prey species are evolving in even small ways, according to a new study published this week in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. When both species are evolving, the traditional cycle may reverse, allowing predator populations to peak before those of the prey. In fact, it may appear as if the prey are eating the predators.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have proposed a theory to explain these co-evolutionary changes. And then, using data collected by other scientists on three predator-prey pairs \u2013 mink-muskrat, gyrfalcon-rock ptarmigan and phage-\u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae\u003C\/em\u003E \u2013 they show how their theory could explain unexpected population cycles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new theory and analysis of these co-evolution cycles could help epidemiologists predict cycles of disease and the virulence of infectious agents, and lead to a better understanding of how population cycles may affect ecosystems.\u0026nbsp; The research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur work shows that co-evolution can yield new and unique behavior at the population scale,\u201d explained \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech. \u201cWhen you include evolution, the classic prey-predator dynamics have a much greater range of possible outcomes. We are not replacing the original theory, but proposing a more general model that opens the door to these new phenomena.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEvolution is often perceived as an historical event, noted Weitz, who also has a courtesy appointment in the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. But organisms are evolving continuously, with certain phenotypes becoming dominant as environmental and other conditions favor them. In organisms such as birds or small mammals, those changes can be manifested in as few as ten generations. In microbial species with brief lifespans, evolutionary changes can happen within days or weeks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEvolutionary changes can dramatically affect relationships between species, potentially making them more vulnerable or less vulnerable. For instance, if a mutation that confers viral resistance in a species of bacteria becomes dominant, that may change the predator-prey relationship by rendering the bacteria population safe from harm. More generally, co-evolutionary cycles can arise when predator offense is costly and prey defense is effective against low offense predators.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWith predator and prey co-evolution, you can see oscillations in which there are lots of prey around even when there are many predators, or lots of predators around even when there are very few prey,\u201d noted Michael Cortez, a postdoctoral fellow in the Weitz lab and first author of the paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen prey is abundant and there are few predators, it may be because there are many defended prey \u2013 prey that the predators can\u2019t eat,\u201d he added. \u201cWhen there are lots of predators around and few prey, it\u2019s because the prey are very good food sources and the predators are doing quite well.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn their paper, Weitz and Cortez simulated models in which the evolutionary process was sped up to show how their theory of co-evolution would affect predator-prey population cycles. Speeding up the process allowed them to break the cycle up into smaller segments that could be analyzed in more detail. They then used the earlier observations of the changing abundances of the three pairs of predators and prey\u0026nbsp; -- leveraging data sets collected by other scientists \u2013 to show how the models would apply.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAlthough the structure of the cycles in these three systems had been noted as unusual by the authors who observed them, there had been, as yet, no unified theoretical framework from which to make sense of such as radical departure from the classic signature of predator-prey interactions,\u201d Weitz said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScientists have long studied how the interaction between species affects overall populations in ecosystems. Weitz and Cortez believe their new model will give scientists a broader and more complete picture of the complex process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis study identifies how adaptation between two species and interactions between their numbers can result in something different from what you would get if you just had the interaction between the numbers,\u201d said Cortez. \u201cThis is something that will show up across many ecological systems. We can now explain broad trends that occur in vastly different systems using a theoretical approach, and the fact that we can identify the mechanism responsible for it is unique to our study.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Science Foundation under Award DMS-1204401, and by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Any conclusions or opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agencies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Michael H. Cortez and Joshua S. Weitz, \u201cCoevolution Can Reverse Predator-Prey Cycles,\u201d (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1317693111\u0022 title=\u0022www.pnas.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1317693111\u0022\u003Ewww.pnas.org\/cgi\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1317693111\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Brett Israel (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAccording to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, co-evolutionary changes in species may reverse traditional predator-prey population cycles, creating the appearance that prey are eating the predators.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Co-evolution in species may reverse traditional predator-prey population cycles, creating the appearance that prey are eating the predators."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2014-05-04 19:29:14","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:16:22","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-05-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"294831":{"id":"294831","type":"image","title":"Predator-Prey Relationship","body":null,"created":"1449244511","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:55:11","changed":"1475894993","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:49:53","alt":"Predator-Prey Relationship","file":{"fid":"199359","name":"bobcat-rabbit.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bobcat-rabbit_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bobcat-rabbit_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1477731,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bobcat-rabbit_0.jpg?itok=X-uz7f80"}}},"media_ids":["294831"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"92711","name":"co-evolution"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"92731","name":"population cycle"},{"id":"13478","name":"predator"},{"id":"92721","name":"predator-prey"},{"id":"13479","name":"prey"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"289081":{"#nid":"289081","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Seeing Double: New Study Explains Evolution of Duplicate Genes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom time to time, living cells will accidently make an extra copy of a gene during the normal replication process. Throughout the history of life, evolution has molded some of these seemingly superfluous genes into a source of genetic novelty, adaptation and diversity. A new study shows one way that some duplicate genes could have long-ago escaped elimination from the genome, leading to the genetic innovation seen in modern life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have shown that a process called DNA methylation can shield duplicate genes from being removed from the genome during natural selection. The redundant genes survive and are shaped by evolution over time, giving birth to new cellular functions. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is the first study to show explicitly how the processes of DNA methylation and duplicate gene evolution are related,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/soojin-yi\u0022\u003ESoojin Yi\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Biology and the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and was scheduled to be published the week of April 7 in the Online Early Edition of the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/early\/2014\/04\/02\/1321420111\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Science\u003C\/em\u003Es\u003C\/a\u003E (PNAS).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt least half of the genes in the human genome are duplicates. Duplicate genes are not only redundant, but they can be bad for cells. Most duplicate genes accumulate mutations at high rates, which increases the chance that the extra gene copies will become inactive and lost over time due to natural selection. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study found that soon after some duplicate genes form, small hydrocarbons called methyl groups attach to a duplicate gene\u2019s regulatory region and block the gene from turning on. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen a gene is methylated, it is shielded from natural selection, which allows the gene to hang around in the genome long enough for evolution to find a new use for it. Some young duplicate genes are silenced by methylation almost immediately after being formed, the study found.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat we have done is the first step in the process to show that young gene duplicates seems to be heavily methylated,\u201d Yi said. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study showed that the average level of DNA methylation on the duplicate gene regulatory region is significantly negatively correlated with evolutionary time. So, younger duplicate genes have high levels of DNA methylation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor about three-quarters of the duplicate gene pairs studied, the gene in a pair that was more methylated was always more methylated across all 10 human tissues studied, said Thomas Keller, a post-doctoral fellow at Georgia Tech and the study\u2019s first author. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor the tissues that we examined, there was remarkable consistency in methylation when we looked at duplicate gene pairs,\u201d Keller said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe computational study constructed a dataset of all human gene duplicates by comparing each sequence against every other sequence in the human genome. DNA methylation data was then obtained for the 10 different human tissues. The researchers used computer models to analyze the links between DNA methylation and gene duplication. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe human brain is one example of a tissue for which gene duplication has been particularly important for its evolution. In future studies, the researchers will examine the link between epigenetic evolution and human brain evolution. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under award numbers BCS-1317195 and MCB-0950896. Any conclusions or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agency.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Thomas E. Keller, et al., \u201cDNA Methylation and Evolution of Duplicate Genes.\u201d (PNAS, April 2014). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.dx.doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1321420111\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.dx.doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1321420111\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/GTResearchNews\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E@GTResearchNews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/btiatl\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E) (404-385-1933) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Brett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom time to time, living cells will accidently make an extra copy of a gene during the normal replication process. Throughout the history of life, evolution has molded some of these seemingly superfluous genes into a source of genetic novelty, adaptation and diversity. A new study shows one way that some duplicate genes could have long-ago escaped elimination from the genome, leading to the genetic innovation seen in modern life.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have shown that a process called DNA methylation can shield duplicate genes from being removed from the genome during natural selection. The redundant genes survive and are shaped by evolution over time, giving birth to new cellular funct"}],"uid":"27902","created_gmt":"2014-04-08 09:39:10","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:16:11","author":"Brett Israel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2014-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"289071":{"id":"289071","type":"image","title":"Soojin Yi","body":null,"created":"1449244274","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:51:14","changed":"1475894986","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:49:46","alt":"Soojin Yi","file":{"fid":"199182","name":"yi.soojin.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yi.soojin_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yi.soojin_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9253,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/yi.soojin_0.jpg?itok=GebnPFSs"}}},"media_ids":["289071"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1041","name":"dna"},{"id":"91141","name":"duplicate genes"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"5718","name":"Genetics"},{"id":"91131","name":"methylation"},{"id":"168087","name":"Soojin Yi"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrett Israel\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-385-1933\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.dx.doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1321420111\u0022\u003E@btiatl\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"240951":{"#nid":"240951","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joshua Weitz part of newly funded NSF project to study Dimensions of Biodiversity","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation has awarded a 5 year grant of approximately $2.0 million to fund a collaborative group of scientists: Mark Young (PI, Montana State), Joshua Weitz (Co-PI, Georgia Tech), and Rachel Whitaker (Co-PI, UIUC) to study the role of viruses in shaping genetic, taxonomic and functional diversity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team will investigate a new hypothesis about how viruses may control the structure and function of microbial communities. The traditional view of viruses is that they negatively impact the fitness of infected hosts. In other words, they are viewed strictly as pathogens, in which the host tries to eliminate the virus. This project will explore an alternative hypothesis: that chronic viral infections contribute positively to host fitness, increasing the success of the virus-host pair by protecting their hosts from infection by even more pathogenic viruses.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation has awarded a 5 year grant of approximately $2.0 million to fund a collaborative group of scientists: Mark Young (PI, Montana State), Joshua Weitz (Co-PI, Georgia Tech), and Rachel Whitaker (Co-PI, UIUC) to study the role of viruses in shaping genetic, taxonomic and functional diversity.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2013-09-27 13:29:13","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:14:56","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-09-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2013-09-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"99021":{"id":"99021","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449178142","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:29:02","changed":"1475894712","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:12"}},"media_ids":["99021"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=1342876","title":"National Science Foundation"},{"url":"http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"Weitz Lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.markyoung.montana.edu\/","title":"Mark Young"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.life.illinois.edu\/whitaker\/","title":"Rachel Whitaker"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"362","name":"National Science Foundation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"235071":{"#nid":"235071","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Determine Protein Structure for New Antimicrobial Target","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGrowing concern about bacterial resistance to existing antibiotics has created strong interest in new approaches for therapeutics able to battle infections. The work of an international team of researchers that recently solved the structure of a key bacterial membrane protein could provide a new target for drug and vaccine therapies able to battle one important class of bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers determined the structure of BamA, a key component of the cellular machinery that controls insertion of beta-barrel proteins into the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria, organisms that cause a range of respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary and other infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeta-barrel membrane proteins transport substrates ranging from small molecules to large proteins into and out of the Gram-negative bacteria. These transport proteins help maintain the structure and composition of the outer membrane. Responsible for the virulence of pathogenic strains, the proteins are also essential to the viability of the bacteria \u2013 making them of interest for the development of new therapeutics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause BamA is required for viability in all Gram-negative bacteria, it is a promising candidate for vaccines and drugs targeting bacterial infections,\u201d said Susan Buchanan, a senior investigator in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md. \u201cKnowing the structure and understanding how BamA works will likely help advance vaccine and drug design, and could result in novel antibiotics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research team solved BamA structures from two bacteria: \u003Cem\u003ENeisseria gonorrhoeae\u003C\/em\u003E and \u003Cem\u003EHaemophilus ducreyi\u003C\/em\u003E. Buchanan, the paper\u2019s principal author, said several biotechnology companies are already interested in understanding the structure of the protein and how it functions. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team reported its findings September 1 in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E. The research was led by NIH scientists and included researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Monash University in Australia and Diamond Light Source in the United Kingdom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLearning how individual amino acid residues are organized into three-dimensional protein structures helps us understand features that are not apparent by any other type of analysis,\u201d Buchanan said. \u201cWith a crystal structure, we essentially have a snapshot of what the protein looks like in 3D, which is a huge advantage in determining how a particular protein functions and in designing therapeutics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce they had determined the three-dimensional structure of the protein, the researchers still needed to understand how the BamA-mediated insertion mechanism worked. To develop clues to the protein\u2019s function, a Georgia Tech researcher carried out molecular dynamics simulations to provide a hypothesis that could be tested experimentally.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen we looked at the structure, it wasn\u2019t obvious to us how BamA helps proteins insert into the membrane,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/node\/947\u0022\u003EJ.C. Gumbart\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWhat my simulations revealed is that the barrel spontaneously opens and closes laterally to the membrane. We could actually see the opening of the barrel in the simulations, and based on that, came up with a hypothesis for how it could assist insertion of proteins into the outer membrane of the bacteria.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, the crystalline structure of the protein showed that one side of the membrane-spanning beta-barrel domain is shorter than the other side, a feature that, according to the simulations, compresses the lipid bilayer and locally destabilizes the lipids in that region. The structure provides a potential route for inserting newly-synthesized outer-membrane proteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn conducting the simulations, Gumbart used the special-purpose Anton supercomputer at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center. The machine, developed by D.E. Shaw Research, allows simulations to attain microsecond-per-day computation rates, which was essential because the BamA simulations needed to be unusually long for researchers to observe its conformational flexibility.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe simulations will next have to be validated by experimental research, which could provide additional information about how the membrane proteins are inserted. In turn, that may lead to further simulations and additional experiments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSimulations and experiments often work hand-in-hand to attack very difficult problems,\u201d Gumbart said. \u201cWe can have a give-and-take in which I make a prediction based on the simulations, and the other members of the team work to verify it experimentally.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new work adds significantly to the understanding of how BamA proteins operate in Gram-negative bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGram-negative bacteria have an unusual outer membrane that differs from other species and had not been well studied before,\u201d Gumbart noted. \u201cMany people are aware of the protein folding problem generally, but fewer people know about the membrane protein issues. This is a really distinct, but critical biophysical question that we need to address to better understand how these bacteria function.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, the work may lead to new approaches for addressing the challenge posed by bacterial resistance to existing drugs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need completely new thinking about antimicrobials and antibacterial agents to get ideas on how better to kill these bacteria,\u201d Gumbart added. \u201cAny time you develop a better understanding of how a process works in a cell, you can begin to predict ways to interfere with that process. Inserting proteins into the outer membranes of bacteria is one of the most fundamental processes taking place in these microorganisms, so it offers a significant target for therapeutic development.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the paper\u2019s authors included Nicholas Noinaj, Adam J. Kuszak, Hoshing Chang and Nicole C. Easley from the NIH; Petra Lukacik from Diamond Light Source, and Trevor Lithgow from Monash University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Nicholas Noinaj, et al., \u201cStructural insight into the biogenesis of beta-barrel membrane proteins,\u201d (Nature 2013). \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nature12521\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nature12521\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research was supported by the NIDDK Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and by NIH grants K22-AI100927 and R01-GM067887. The opinions and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessary reflect the official views of the NIH.\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)(404-894-6986) or Brett Israel (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:brett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebrett.israel@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)(404-385-1933).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGrowing concern about bacterial resistance to existing antibiotics has created strong interest in new approaches for therapeutics able to battle infections. The work of an international team of researchers that recently solved the structure of a key bacterial membrane protein could provide a new target for drug and vaccine therapies able to battle one important class of bacteria.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A study of protein membranes could provide drug designers with a new target for anti-microbial compounds."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2013-09-06 11:06:16","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:14:53","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-09-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2013-09-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"235031":{"id":"235031","type":"image","title":"Beta-barrel protein","body":null,"created":"1449243641","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:40:41","changed":"1475894908","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:48:28","alt":"Beta-barrel protein","file":{"fid":"197647","name":"beta-barrel.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/beta-barrel_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/beta-barrel_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":699377,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/beta-barrel_0.jpg?itok=8k5s6evD"}}},"media_ids":["235031"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"73191","name":"bacterial membrane"},{"id":"73181","name":"BamA"},{"id":"73201","name":"Gram-negative"},{"id":"73211","name":"J.C. Gumbart"},{"id":"7440","name":"membrane"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"213701":{"#nid":"213701","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Principles of Ant Locomotion Could Help Future Robot Teams Work Underground","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFuture teams of subterranean search and rescue robots may owe their success to the lowly fire ant, a much despised insect whose painful bites and extensive networks of underground tunnels are all-too-familiar to people living in the southern United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/youtu.be\/3TQzY_HRAgE\u0022\u003EWatch\u003C\/a\u003E a YouTube video of this project.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy studying fire ants in the laboratory using video tracking equipment and X-ray computed tomography, researchers have uncovered fundamental principles of locomotion that robot teams could one day use to travel quickly and easily through underground tunnels. Among the principles is building tunnel environments that assist in moving around by limiting slips and falls, and by reducing the need for complex neural processing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmong the study\u2019s surprises was the first observation that ants in confined spaces use their antennae for locomotion as well as for sensing the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur hypothesis is that the ants are creating their environment in just the right way to allow them to move up and down rapidly with a minimal amount of neural control,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and one of the paper\u2019s co-authors. \u201cThe environment allows the ants to make missteps and not suffer for them. These ants can teach us some remarkably effective tricks for maneuvering in subterranean environments.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research was reported May 20 in the early edition of the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. The work was sponsored by the National Science Foundation\u2019s Physics of Living Systems program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a series of studies carried out by graduate research assistant Nick Gravish, groups of fire ants (\u003Cem\u003ESolenopsis invicta\u003C\/em\u003E) were placed into tubes of soil and allowed to dig tunnels for 20 hours. To simulate a range of environmental conditions, Gravish and postdoctoral fellow Daria Monaenkova varied the size of the soil particles from 50 microns on up to 600 microns, and also altered the moisture content from 1 to 20 percent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the variations in particle size and moisture content did produce changes in the volume of tunnels produced and the depth that the ants dug, the diameters of the tunnels remained constant \u2013 and comparable to the length of the creatures\u2019 own bodies: about 3.5 millimeters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIndependent of whether the soil particles were as large as the animals\u2019 heads or whether they were fine powder, or whether the soil was damp or contained very little moisture, the tunnel size was always the same within a tight range,\u201d said Goldman. \u201cThe size of the tunnels appears to be a design principle used by the ants, something that they were controlling for.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGravish believes such a scaling effect allows the ants to make best use of their antennae, limbs and body to rapidly ascend and descend in the tunnels by interacting with the walls and limiting the range of possible missteps.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn these subterranean environments where their leg motions are certainly hindered, we see that the speeds at which these ants can run are the same,\u201d he said. \u201cThe tunnel size seems to have little, if any, effect on locomotion as defined by speed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers used X-ray computed tomography to study tunnels the ants built in the test chambers, gathering 168 observations. They also used video tracking equipment to collect data on ants moving through tunnels made between two clear plates \u2013 much like \u201cant farms\u201d sold for children \u2013 and through a maze of glass tubes of differing diameters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe maze was mounted on an air piston that was periodically fired, dropping the maze with a force of as much as 27 times that of gravity. The sudden movement caused about half of the ants in the tubes to lose their footing and begin to fall. That led to one of the study\u2019s most surprising findings: the creatures used their antennae to help grab onto the tube walls as they fell.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of us who have studied social insects for a long time have never seen antennae used in that way,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/michael-goodisman\u0022\u003EMichael Goodisman\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E and one of the paper\u2019s other co-authors. \u201cIt\u2019s incredible that they catch themselves with their antennae. This is an adaptive behavior that we never would have expected.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy analyzing ants falling in the glass tubes, the researchers determined that the tube diameter played a key role in whether the animals could arrest their fall.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn future studies, the researchers plan to explore how the ants excavate their tunnel networks, which involves moving massive amounts of soil. That soil is the source of the large mounds for which fire ants are known.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the research focused on understanding the principles behind how ants move in confined spaces, the results could have implications for future teams of small robots.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe problems that the ants face are the same kinds of problems that a digging robot working in a confined space would potentially face \u2013 the need for rapid movement, stability and safety \u2013 all with limited sensing and brain power,\u201d said Goodisman. \u201cIf we want to build machines that dig, we can build in controls like these ants have.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhy use fire ants for studying underground locomotion?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese animals dig virtually non-stop, and they are good, repeatable study subjects,\u201d Goodisman explained. \u201cAnd they are very convenient for us to study. We can go outside the laboratory door and collect them virtually anywhere.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research described here has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under grant POLS 095765, and by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The findings and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Nick Gravish, et al., \u201cClimbing, falling and jamming during ant locomotion in confined environments,\u201d (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFuture teams of subterranean search and rescue robots may owe their success to the lowly fire ant, a much despised insect whose painful bites and extensive networks of underground tunnels are all-too-familiar to people living in the southern United States.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Future teams of subterranean robots could benefit from research into how ants move in confined spaces."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2013-05-19 20:52:53","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:14:16","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-05-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2013-05-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"213651":{"id":"213651","type":"image","title":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Researchers","body":null,"created":"1449180076","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 22:01:16","changed":"1475894876","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:56","alt":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Researchers","file":{"fid":"197000","name":"ant-locomotion142.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion142_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion142_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1184230,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ant-locomotion142_0.jpg?itok=21_qgxU1"}},"213671":{"id":"213671","type":"image","title":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Tubes","body":null,"created":"1449180076","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 22:01:16","changed":"1475894876","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:56","alt":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Tubes","file":{"fid":"197002","name":"ant-locomotion198.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion198_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion198_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":826647,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ant-locomotion198_0.jpg?itok=iY9O2-SY"}},"213681":{"id":"213681","type":"image","title":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Ants","body":null,"created":"1449180096","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 22:01:36","changed":"1475894876","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:56","alt":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Ants","file":{"fid":"197003","name":"tunneling-ants.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tunneling-ants_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tunneling-ants_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1883622,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tunneling-ants_0.jpg?itok=3lpc3uMJ"}},"213661":{"id":"213661","type":"image","title":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Nests","body":null,"created":"1449180076","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 22:01:16","changed":"1475894876","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:56","alt":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Nests","file":{"fid":"197001","name":"ant-locomotion184.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion184_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion184_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1653643,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ant-locomotion184_0.jpg?itok=4xqc_l-A"}},"213641":{"id":"213641","type":"image","title":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Team2","body":null,"created":"1449180076","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 22:01:16","changed":"1475894876","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:56","alt":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Team2","file":{"fid":"196999","name":"ant-locomotion104.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion104_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion104_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1424517,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ant-locomotion104_0.jpg?itok=hX3-j0ib"}},"213631":{"id":"213631","type":"image","title":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Team","body":null,"created":"1449180076","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 22:01:16","changed":"1475894876","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:56","alt":"Confined Spaces Locomotion - Team","file":{"fid":"196998","name":"ant-locomotion21.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion21_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ant-locomotion21_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1410973,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ant-locomotion21_0.jpg?itok=HmONrxUY"}}},"media_ids":["213651","213671","213681","213661","213641","213631"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"66521","name":"ant"},{"id":"66511","name":"confined spaces"},{"id":"12040","name":"Daniel Goldman"},{"id":"377","name":"locomotion"},{"id":"11811","name":"Michael Goodisman"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"168894","name":"search and rescue"},{"id":"66531","name":"underground"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"182231":{"#nid":"182231","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Quantifies the Size of Holes Antibacterials Create in Cell Walls to Kill Bacteria","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has initiated a quest for alternatives to conventional antibiotics. One potential alternative is PlyC, a potent enzyme that kills the bacteria that causes strep throat and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. PlyC operates by locking onto the surface of a bacteria cell and chewing a hole in the cell wall large enough for the bacteria\u2019s inner membrane to protrude from the cell, ultimately causing the cell to burst and die.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch has shown that alternative antimicrobials such as PlyC can effectively kill bacteria. However, fundamental questions remain about how bacteria respond to the holes that these therapeutics make in their cell wall and what size holes bacteria can withstand before breaking apart. Answering those questions could improve the effectiveness of current antibacterial drugs and initiate the development of new ones.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland recently conducted a study to try to answer those questions. The researchers created a biophysical model of the response of a Gram-positive bacterium to the formation of a hole in its cell wall. Then they used experimental measurements to validate the theory, which predicted that a hole in the bacteria cell wall larger than 15 to 24 nanometers in diameter would cause the cell to lyse, or burst. These small holes are approximately one-hundredth the diameter of a typical bacterial cell. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur model correctly predicted that the membrane and cell contents of Gram-positive bacteria cells explode out of holes in cell walls that exceed a few dozen nanometers. This critical hole size, validated by experiments, is much larger than the holes Gram-positive bacteria use to transport molecules necessary for their survival, which have been estimated to be less than 7 nanometers in diameter,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech. Weitz also holds an adjunct appointment in the School of Physics at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was published online on Jan. 9, 2013 in the \u003Cem\u003EJournal of the Royal Society Interface\u003C\/em\u003E. The work was supported by the James S. McDonnell Foundation and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommon Gram-positive bacteria that infect humans include \u003Cem\u003EStreptococcus\u003C\/em\u003E, which causes strep throat; \u003Cem\u003EStaphylococcus\u003C\/em\u003E, which causes impetigo; and \u003Cem\u003EClostridium\u003C\/em\u003E, which causes botulism and tetanus. Gram-negative bacteria include \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia\u003C\/em\u003E, which causes urinary tract infections; \u003Cem\u003EVibrio\u003C\/em\u003E, which causes cholera; and \u003Cem\u003ENeisseria\u003C\/em\u003E, which causes gonorrhea.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGram-positive bacteria differ from Gram-negative bacteria in the structure of their cell walls. The cell wall constitutes the outer layer of Gram-positive bacteria, whereas the cell wall lies between the inner and outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and is therefore protected from direct exposure to the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech biology graduate student Gabriel Mitchell, Georgia Tech physics professor Kurt Wiesenfeld and Weitz developed a biophysical theory of the response of a Gram-positive bacterium to the formation of a hole in its cell wall. The model detailed the effect of pressure, bending and stretching forces on the changing configuration of the cell membrane due to a hole. The force associated with bending and stretching pulls the membrane inward, while the pressure from the inside of the cell pushes the membrane outward through the hole.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe found that bending forces act to keep the membrane together and push it back inside, but a sufficiently large hole enables the bending forces to be overpowered by the internal pressure forces and the membrane begins to escape out and the cell contents follow,\u201d said Weitz.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe balance between the bending and pressure forces led to the model prediction that holes 15 to 24 nanometers in diameter or larger would cause a bacteria cell to burst. To test the theory, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibbr.umd.edu\/profiles\/daniel-nelson\u0022\u003EDaniel Nelson\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland, used transmission electron microscopy images to measure the size of holes created in lysed \u003Cem\u003EStreptococcus pyogenes\u003C\/em\u003E bacteria cells following PlyC exposure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENelson found holes in the lysed bacteria cells that ranged in diameter from 22 to 180 nanometers, with a mean diameter of 68 nanometers. These experimental measurements agreed with the researchers\u2019 theoretical prediction of critical hole sizes that cause bacterial cell death.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the researchers, their theoretical model is the first to consider the effects of cell wall thickness on lysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause lysis events occur most often at thinner points in the cell wall, cell wall thickness may play a role in suppressing lysis by serving as a buffer against the formation of large holes,\u201d said Mitchell.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe combination of theory and experiments used in this study provided insights into the effect of defects on a cell\u2019s viability and the mechanisms used by enzymes to disrupt homeostasis and cause bacteria cell death. To further understand the mechanisms behind enzyme-induced lysis, the researchers plan to measure membrane dynamics as a function of hole geometry in the future.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: Mitchell GJ, Wiesenfeld K, Nelson DC, Weitz JS, \u201cCritical cell wall hole size for lysis in Gram-positive bacteria,\u201d J R Soc Interface 20120892 (2013): \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1098\/rsif.2012.0892\u0022 title=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1098\/rsif.2012.0892\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1098\/rsif.2012.0892\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E177 North Avenue\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30332-0181\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers recently created a biophysical model of the response of a Gram-positive bacterium to the formation of a hole in its cell wall, then used experimental measurements to validate the theory, which predicted that a hole in the bacteria cell wall larger than 15 to 24 nanometers in diameter would cause the cell to lyse, or burst.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study has quantified the size holes made in bacteria by new antibacterial compounds."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2013-01-09 22:24:52","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:13:26","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-01-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2013-01-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"182211":{"id":"182211","type":"image","title":"Bursting a Bacteria Cell Wall","body":null,"created":"1449179062","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:44:22","changed":"1475894828","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:08","alt":"Bursting a Bacteria Cell Wall","file":{"fid":"196061","name":"lysis_cover.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lysis_cover_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lysis_cover_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2717232,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lysis_cover_0.jpg?itok=iWAaGJMK"}},"182221":{"id":"182221","type":"image","title":"Bursting a Bacteria Cell Wall2","body":null,"created":"1449179062","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:44:22","changed":"1475894828","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:08","alt":"Bursting a Bacteria Cell Wall2","file":{"fid":"196062","name":"lysis5a.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lysis5a_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lysis5a_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2439483,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lysis5a_0.jpg?itok=ONlvo9X8"}}},"media_ids":["182211","182221"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"54711","name":"antibacterial"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"54701","name":"cell wall"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"7234","name":"lysis"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch News\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(404) 894-6986\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"159321":{"#nid":"159321","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Weitz receives NSF award to study viral-host interactions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Joshua Weitz (Associate Professor, School of Biology) has been awarded a grant from the Program in Biological Oceanography on \u0022Understanding the Effects of Complex Phage-Bacteria Infection Networks on Ocean Ecosystems\u0022. The award provides over $470,000 over 4 years to study the interaction between viruses and bacteria in ocean ecosystems.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBacteria and their viruses (phages) make up two of the most abundant and genetically diverse groups of organisms in the oceans. The extent of this diversity has become increasingly apparent with the advent of environmental sequencing. However, the ongoing discovery of new taxonomic diversity has, thus far, out-paced gains in quantifying the function of and interactions among phages and bacteria. In this proposal, Weitz will develop a theoretical framework for characterizing the effect of complex phage-bacteria interactions on microbial ecosystem structure and function.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs part of this grant, Weitz will also help train quantitative biologists interested in microbial systems.\u0026nbsp; The training will include the development of a new course, opportunities for undergraduate research, and opportunities for hands-on laboratory experience for modelers in collaboration with the viral ecology laboratories of Matt Sullivan (U of Arizona) and Steven Wilhelm (UT-Knoxville).\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Joshua Weitz (Associate Professor, School of Biology) has been awarded a grant from the Program in Biological Oceanography on \u0022Understanding the Effects of Complex Phage-Bacteria Infection Networks on Ocean Ecosystems\u0022. The award provides over $470,000 over 4 years to study the interaction between viruses and bacteria in ocean ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dr. Joshua Weitz has been awarded a grant from the Program in Biological Oceanography on \u0022Understanding the Effects of Complex Phage-Bacteria Infection Networks on Ocean Ecosystems\u0022."}],"uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2012-10-04 12:36:46","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:54","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-10-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-10-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"99021":{"id":"99021","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449178142","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:29:02","changed":"1475894712","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:12"}},"media_ids":["99021"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz","title":"Joshua Weitz"},{"url":"http:\/\/ecotheory.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"Weitz Lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"363","name":"NSF"},{"id":"45581","name":"viral-host interactions"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"97011":{"#nid":"97011","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Show How New Viruses Evolve, and in Some Cases, Become Deadly","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn\nthe current issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E,\nresearchers at Michigan State University, the Georgia Institute of Technology\nand the University of Texas at Austin demonstrate how a new virus evolves,\nwhich sheds light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous\nmutations.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\nscientists showed for the first time how the virus called \u201cLambda\u201d evolved to\nfind a new way to attack host cells, an innovation that took four mutations to\naccomplish. This virus infects bacteria, in particular the common \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E bacterium. Lambda isn\u2019t\ndangerous to humans, but this research demonstrated how viruses evolve complex\nand potentially deadly new traits, said Justin Meyer, MSU graduate student, who\nco-authored the paper with Richard Lenski, MSU Hannah Distinguished Professor\nof Microbiology and Molecular Genetics.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\nwere surprised at first to see Lambda evolve this new function, this ability to\nattack and enter the cell through a new receptor\u0026shy; \u2013 and it happened so fast,\u201d\nMeyer said. \u201cBut when we re-ran the evolution experiment, we saw the same thing\nhappen over and over.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis\npaper comes on the heels of news that scientists in the U.S. and the\nNetherlands produced a deadly version of bird flu. Even though bird flu is a\nmere five mutations away from becoming transmissible between humans, it\u2019s\nhighly unlikely the virus could naturally obtain all of the beneficial\nmutations all at once. However, it might evolve sequentially, gaining benefits\none-by-one, if conditions are favorable at each step, he added.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThrough\nresearch conducted at BEACON, MSU\u2019s National Science Foundation Center for the\nStudy of Evolution in Action, Meyer and his colleagues\u2019 ability to duplicate\nthe results implied that adaptation by natural selection, or survival of the\nfittest, had an important role in the virus\u2019 evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen\nthe genomes of the adaptable virus were sequenced, they always had four\nmutations in common.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe\nparallelism shown in the evolutionary history of adaptable viruses was striking\nand was far beyond what is expected by chance,\u201d noted paper co-author \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, an\nassistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of\nBiology\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn\ncontrast, the viruses that didn\u2019t evolve the new way of entering cells had some\nof the four mutations but never all four together, said Meyer, who holds the\nBarnett Rosenberg Fellowship in MSU\u2019s College of Natural Science.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn\nother words, natural selection promoted the virus\u2019 evolution because the\nmutations helped them use both their old and new attacks,\u201d Meyer said. \u201cThe\nfinding raises questions of whether the five bird flu mutations may also have\nmultiple functions, and could they evolve naturally?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditional\nauthors of the paper include Devin Dobias, former MSU undergraduate (now a\ngraduate student at Washington University in St. Louis); Ryan Quick, MSU\nundergraduate; and Jeff Barrick, a former Lenski lab researcher now on the\nfaculty at the University of Texas at Austin.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFunding\nfor the research was provided in part by the National Science Foundation,\nDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency, James S. McDonnell Foundation and\nBurroughs Wellcome Fund.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported in part by\nthe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (Award No.\nHR0011-09-1-0055) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The content is\nsolely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not\nnecessarily represent the official views of DARPA or NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations\nContacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Georgia Tech -- Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John\nToon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986); Michigan State University -- Layne Cameron (layne.cameron@ur.msu.edu; 517-353-8819)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003ELayne Cameron\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the current issue of the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E, researchers demonstrate how a new virus evolves, which sheds light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"researchers demonstrate how a new virus evolves, which sheds light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-01-26 15:30:01","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:02","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-26T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-26T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"96991":{"id":"96991","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449178133","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:53","changed":"1475894709","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:09","alt":"Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"193921","name":"weitzr094_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":860240,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg?itok=6oL4cC4E"}},"97001":{"id":"97001","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449178133","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:53","changed":"1475894709","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:09","alt":"Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"193922","name":"weitzr073_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr073_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr073_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1138693,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/weitzr073_hires_0.jpg?itok=A6Dzjclv"}}},"media_ids":["96991","97001"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"4292","name":"virus"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68577":{"#nid":"68577","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meta-Analysis Reveals Patterns of Bacteria-Virus Infection Networks","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBacteria are common sources of infection, but these microorganisms can themselves be infected by even smaller agents: viruses. A new analysis of the interactions between bacteria and viruses has revealed patterns that could help scientists working to understand which viruses infect which bacteria in the microbial world.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA meta-analysis of the interactions shows that the infection patterns exhibit a nested structure, with hard-to-infect bacteria infected by generalist viruses and easy-to-infect bacteria attacked by both generalist and specialist viruses.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Although it is well known that individual viruses do not infect all bacteria, this study provides an understanding of possibly universal patterns or principles governing the set of viruses able to infect a given bacteria and the set of bacteria that a given virus can infect,\u0022 said Joshua Weitz, an assistant professor in the School of Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDiscovering this general pattern of nested bacteria-virus infection could improve predictions of microbial population dynamics and community assembly, which affect human health and global ecosystem function. Knowing the patterns of which bacteria are susceptible to which viruses could also provide insights into strategies for viral-based antimicrobial therapies.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results of the meta-analysis were published June 27, 2011 in the early edition of the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. The work was sponsored by the James S. McDonnell Foundation, the Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech physics graduate student Cesar Flores, Michigan State University zoology graduate student Justin Meyer, Georgia Tech biology undergraduate student Lauren Farr, and postdoctoral researcher Sergi Valverde from the University Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, Spain also contributed to this study.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team compiled 38 laboratory studies of interactions between bacteria and phages, the viruses that infect them. The studies represented approximately 12,000 distinct experimental infection assays across a broad spectrum of diversity, habitat and mode of selection. The studies covered a 20-year period and included hundreds of different host and phage strains.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers converted each study into a matrix with rows containing bacterial types, columns containing phage strains, and cells with zeros or ones to indicate whether a given pair yielded an infection. Then they applied a rigorous network theory approach to examine whether the interaction networks exhibited a nonrandom structure, conformed to a characteristic shape, or behaved idiosyncratically -- making them hard to predict. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOf the 38 studies, the researchers found 27 that showed significant nestedness. Nestedness was measured by the extent to which phages that infected the most hosts tended to infect bacteria that were infected by the fewest phages. The researchers used statistical tests to rule out forms of bias. However, because the majority of the data consisted of closely related species, the researchers anticipate that more complex patterns of infection may form with species with more genetic diversity. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Considering the large range of taxa, habitats and sampling techniques used to construct the matrices, the repeated sampling of a nested pattern of host-phage infections is salient, but the process driving the nestedness is not obvious. The pattern suggests a common mechanism or convergent set of mechanisms underlying microbial co-evolution and community assembly,\u0022 explained Weitz.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers examined three hypotheses to explain the nestedness pattern based on biochemical, ecological and evolutionary principles, but found that additional experiments will be required to determine why this pattern occurs so often. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis meta-analysis demonstrated the utility of network methods as a means for discovering novel interaction patterns. According to the researchers, viewing host-phage interaction networks through this type of unifying lens more often will likely unveil other hidden commonalities of microbial and viral communities that transcend species identity. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported in part by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (Award No. HR0011-09-1-0055). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not necessarily represent the official views of DARPA.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"A meta-analysis of bacteria-virus infections reveals a nested structure, with hard-to-infect bacteria infected by generalist viruses and easy-to-infect bacteria attacked by generalist \u0026amp; specialist viruses.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Study reveals bacteria-virus infection patterns exhibit nestedness."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-06-27 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:40","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68578":{"id":"68578","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894594","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:14"},"68579":{"id":"68579","type":"image","title":"bacteria-virus matrix","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894594","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:14"},"68580":{"id":"68580","type":"image","title":"Bacteria-phage nested pattern","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894594","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:14"}},"media_ids":["68578","68579","68580"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz","title":"Joshua Weitz"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"13535","name":"bacteria-virus interaction"},{"id":"10660","name":"infection"},{"id":"13536","name":"infection pattern"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"13533","name":"meta-analysis"},{"id":"13537","name":"nested structure"},{"id":"13534","name":"Phage"},{"id":"4292","name":"virus"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"63516":{"#nid":"63516","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Software Quantifies Leaf Vein Networks, Enables Plant Biology Advances","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPlant biologists are facing pressure to quantify the response of plants to changing environments and to breed plants that can respond to such changes. One method of monitoring the response of plants to different environments is by studying their vein network patterns. These networks impact whole plant photosynthesis and the mechanical properties of leaves, and vary between species that have evolved or have been bred under different environmental conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo help address the challenge of how to quickly examine a large quantity of leaves, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a user-assisted software tool that extracts information about macroscopic vein structures directly from leaf images. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The software can be used to help identify genes responsible for key leaf venation network traits and to test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses regarding the structure and function of leaf venation networks,\u0022 said Joshua Weitz, an assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of Biology.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe program, called Leaf Extraction and Analysis Framework Graphical User Interface (LEAF GUI), enables scientists and breeders to measure the properties of thousands of veins much more quickly than manual image analysis tools. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDetails of the LEAF GUI software program were published in the \u0022Breakthrough Technologies\u0022 section of the January issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EPlant Physiology\u003C\/em\u003E. Development of the software, which is available for download at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.leafgui.org\u0022 title=\u0022www.leafgui.org\u0022\u003Ewww.leafgui.org\u003C\/a\u003E, was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Burroughs Welcome Fund.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELEAF GUI is a user-assisted software tool that takes an image of a leaf and, following a series of interactive steps to clean up the image, returns information on the structure of that leaf\u0027s vein networks. Structural measurements include the dimensions, position and connectivity of all network veins, and the dimensions, shape and position of all non-vein areas, called areoles. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The network extraction algorithms in LEAF GUI enable users with no technical expertise in image analysis to quantify the geometry of entire leaf networks -- overcoming what was previously a difficult task due to the size and complexity of leaf venation patterns,\u0022 said the paper\u0027s lead author Charles Price, who worked on the project as a postdoctoral fellow at Georgia Tech. Price is now an assistant professor of plant biology at the University of Western Australia.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the Georgia Tech research team is currently using the software to extract network and areole information from leaves imaged under a wide range of conditions, LEAF GUI could also be used for other purposes, such as leaf classification and description.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Because the software and the underlying code are freely available, other investigators have the option of modifying methods as necessary to answer specific questions or improve upon current approaches,\u0022 said Price.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELEAF GUI is not the only software program Weitz\u0027s group has developed to investigate the network characteristics of plants. In March 2010, Weitz\u0027s group co-authored another \u0022Breakthrough Technologies\u0022 paper in \u003Cem\u003EPlant Physiology\u003C\/em\u003E detailing a way to analyze the complex root network structure of crop plants, with a focus on rice. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis work was performed in collaboration with Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, John Harer and Philip Benfey at Duke University and was supported by DARPA, the National Science Foundation and the Burroughs Welcome Fund.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Both of these software programs are enabling tools in the growing field of \u0027plant phenomics,\u0027 which aims to correlate gene function, plant performance and response to the environment,\u0022 noted Weitz. \u0022By identifying leaf vein characteristics and root structures that differ between plants, we are enabling advances in basic plant science and, in the case of crop plants, assisting researchers in identifying and potentially altering genes to improve plant health, yield and survival.\u0022 \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, Olga Symonova, Yuriy Mileyko and Troy Hilley also contributed to this work at Georgia Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThese projects were supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (Award No. HR0011-05-1-0057), National Science Foundation (NSF Plant Genome Research Program Award Nos. 0606873 and 0820624) and Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not necessarily represent the official views of DARPA, NSF or BWF.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"By studying a plant\u0027s vein network pattern, biologists can investigate the plant\u0027s response to changing environments. To quickly examine leaves, researchers developed software that extracts information about macroscopic vein structures directly from leaf images.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Software tool extracts macroscopic vein structures from leaf images."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-01-13 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:02","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"63517":{"id":"63517","type":"image","title":"LEAF GUI screenshot","body":null,"created":"1449176690","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:04:50","changed":"1475894557","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:37","alt":"LEAF GUI screenshot","file":{"fid":"191824","name":"tuj35840.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tuj35840_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tuj35840_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":397831,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tuj35840_0.jpg?itok=KPaUosCO"}},"63518":{"id":"63518","type":"image","title":"LEAF GUI example","body":null,"created":"1449176690","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:04:50","changed":"1475894557","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:37","alt":"LEAF GUI example","file":{"fid":"191825","name":"tof36206.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tof36206_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tof36206_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1838633,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tof36206_0.jpg?itok=BoWXMxkn"}},"63519":{"id":"63519","type":"image","title":"rice root system architecture","body":null,"created":"1449176690","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:04:50","changed":"1475894557","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:37","alt":"rice root system architecture","file":{"fid":"191826","name":"tco35840.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tco35840_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tco35840_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":412030,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tco35840_0.jpg?itok=16zPftel"}}},"media_ids":["63517","63518","63519"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1104\/pp.110.162834","title":"Plant Physiology leaf paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1104\/pp.109.150748","title":"Plant Physiology rice paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz","title":"Joshua Weitz"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.leafgui.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"LEAF GUI"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11603","name":"breeding"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"11601","name":"leaf"},{"id":"11600","name":"LEAF GUI"},{"id":"11604","name":"leaf vein"},{"id":"11602","name":"plant biology"},{"id":"11606","name":"rice"},{"id":"11607","name":"root system architecture"},{"id":"11605","name":"venation network pattern"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669501":{"#nid":"669501","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Echoes of Extinctions: Novel Method Unearths Ecosystem Disruptions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELarge-bodied mammals play crucial roles in ecosystems. They create habitats, serve as prey, help plants thrive, and even influence how wildfires burn. But now, fewer than half of the large mammal species that were alive 50,000 years ago exist today, and those that remain are threatened with extinction from intensifying climate change and human activities.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/echoes-extinctions-novel-method-sheds-light-future-challenges-mammals\u0022\u003ERead the rest of the story here\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new research reveals how environmental changes disrupted mammal communities and highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts to protect vulnerable species.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Their novel approach showed how mammal traits evolved with changing environments and revealed factors that contributed to biodiversity loss. "}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2023-09-07 12:25:18","changed_gmt":"2023-09-07 16:38:03","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671625":{"id":"671625","type":"image","title":"Profiles of two eastern African elephants walking side by side. (Photo: Jess Hunt-Ralston)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile most species have gone extinct, eastern Africa is home to vibrant natural communities of mammalian megafauna, including elephants, zebras, hippopotamuses, antelope, giraffes, and many others. (Photo: Jess Hunt-Ralston)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1694031390","gmt_created":"2023-09-06 20:16:30","changed":"1694536561","gmt_changed":"2023-09-12 16:36:01","alt":"Profiles of two eastern African elephants walking side by side. (Photo: Jess Hunt-Ralston)","file":{"fid":"254722","name":"MicrosoftTeams-image (33).png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/06\/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%2833%29.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/06\/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%2833%29.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2481612,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/06\/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%2833%29.png?itok=CR9uLk47"}}},"media_ids":["671625"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecatherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669612":{"#nid":"669612","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Proposal by Cassie Shriver","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EQuantitative Biosciences Thesis Proposal\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECassie Shriver\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAdvisors: Dr. Young-Hui Chang (School of Biological Sciences), Dr. David Hu (Schools of Biological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOpen to the Community\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMechanics and Morphology of Mammalian Climbing with Applications for Conservation\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMonday, September 18, 2023, at 1:30pm\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn Person Location: IBB 1128 (Suddath Seminar Room)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EZoom Link: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/93662909985\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/93662909985\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Greg Sawicki (Schools of Biological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Craig McGowan (Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAbstract:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile recent work has examined climbing via van der Waals forces and capillary adhesion, these methods of attachment are often restricted to non-mammalian species less than 500 grams. Larger animals are subject to scaling constraints that make it harder for area-dependent functions like muscle force generation to accommodate volume-dependent functions like gravitational effects\u003Cspan\u003E. Even amongst the studies\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Efor mammals, however, many are focused on primates, which take advantage of highly specialized opposable\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ethumbs, elongated digits, and\/or prehensile tails.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003Cspan\u003EPrinciples\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eexplaining how non-primate mammals climb remain tremendously understudied. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis proposal will begin to address this gap through the lens of locomotor constraints in climbing. First, I will apply seminal terrestrial gait kinematics work to mammalian climbing to quantify the kinematic parameter space used by climbers. Second, I will examine scaling relationships of claw parameters to determine tradeoffs in grip and fragility in the context of providing suitable adhesion to the climbing surface. Third, I will propose analyzing the economy, or cost of transport, for different climbing strategies for animals of different masses to discern if there is an optimal speed to balance the cost of supporting body weight with the cost of doing mechanical work to actively climb. The overall goal of this proposal is to develop a predictive model for mammalian climbing and strategy informed by these understandings of kinematics, morphology, and energetics. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFinally, this research would not be possible without collaborations with zoological and wildlife institutions. Aside from being difficult to study in traditional laboratory settings, many mammalian climbers are threatened, endangered, or lack sufficient data to determine conservation status. I propose capitalizing on these interdisciplinary collaborations to promote conservation efforts locally and in the wild through research, education, and outreach.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMechanics and Morphology of Mammalian Climbing with Applications for Conservation\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Mechanics and Morphology of Mammalian Climbing with Applications for Conservation"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2023-09-12 13:46:52","changed_gmt":"2023-09-12 13:46:52","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-09-18T13:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-09-18T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-09-18T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-09-18 17:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-09-18 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-09-18 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB 1128 (Suddath Seminar Room)","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"102851","name":"Phd proposal"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669341":{"#nid":"669341","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Proposal by Christopher Zhang","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EQuantitative Biosciences Thesis Proposal\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChristopher Zhang\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Biology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAdvisors: Dr. Brian Hammer (School of Biology), Dr. William Ratcliff (School of Biology)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOpen to the Community\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EReexamining Fundamental Assumptions of the Type VI Secretion System\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMonday, September 11, 2023, at 10:00 am\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn Person Location: Marcus Nano 1116\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EZoom Link: \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/6787018468\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/6787018468\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Sam Brown (School of Biological Sciences)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Peter Yunker (School of Physics)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAbstract:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) is a key bacterial weapon that has been intensely studied, yet critical knowledge gaps remain regarding its prevalence and fitness costs in nature. This talk will challenge two major assumptions about the T6SS through bioinformatics, precise fitness measurements, and experimental evolution.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFirst, it is often stated that 25% of gram-negative bacteria possess the T6SS based on early genomics studies. However, I hypothesize this figure is an overestimate due to dataset biases. Through comprehensive genomic re-analysis, I will generate a more accurate estimate of T6SS frequency across bacteria. Second, the T6SS is assumed to be metabolically costly, however, I will present direct evidence showing negligible T6SS fitness costs, implying other selective forces shape its evolution.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFinally, I will introduce the concept of \u0022evolutionary opportunity costs\u0022 as a novel mechanism constraining complex traits like the T6SS. Despite no measurable growth defects, dedicating resources to the T6SS may limit future evolutionary routes. Experimental evolution comparing T6SS+ and T6SS- strains will provide the first evidence for such opportunity costs in bacteria. Overall, this work will overhaul current assumptions about a major bacterial weapon and provide general insights into the evolutionary constraints on microbial competition.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EReexamining Fundamental Assumptions of the Type VI Secretion System\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Reexamining Fundamental Assumptions of the Type VI Secretion System"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2023-09-01 13:50:36","changed_gmt":"2023-09-01 13:50:36","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-09-11T10:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-09-11T12:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-09-11T12:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-09-11 14:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-09-11 16:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-09-11 16:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Marcus Nano 1116","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"102851","name":"Phd proposal"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669631":{"#nid":"669631","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Proposal by Zachary Mobille","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EQuantitative Biosciences Thesis Proposal\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EZachary Mobille\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAdvisor: Dr. Hannah Choi (School of Mathematics)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOpen to the Community\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EInformation Coding and Structural Motifs in Spiking Neural Networks\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMonday, September 25, 2023, at 2:30pm\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn Person Location: Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB) 5029\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EZoom Link:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/9844501489?pwd=UUFQWDNKN1NxVUVPbHliQVZKOE5Hdz09\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehttps:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/9844501489?pwd=UUFQWDNKN1NxVUVPbHliQVZKOE5Hdz09\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommittee Members:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Simon Sponberg (School of Physics)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Samuel Sober (Department of Biomedical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Bilal Haider (Department of Biomedical Engineering)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAbstract:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe relationship between structure and dynamics runs both ways in neural systems. Connectivity can shape the ways in which populations of neurons encode stimuli. The spiking activity of neurons can weaken or strengthen the synaptic coupling that binds them together. The purpose of this thesis is therefore two-fold: 1) to characterize how a ubiquitous feedforward network structure transforms the way in which neurons represent information with action potentials and 2) to understand why certain connectivity motifs are promoted in recurrent, plastic networks of spiking neurons.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI will start by describing the mathematical models that have been developed to study these questions. Our focus is on convergent and divergent network structures at multiple scales. The first half of my thesis focuses primarily on dominantly feedforward network structures with various amounts of convergence and divergence from layer to layer. This architecture is observed in visuomotor pathways, cerebellum-like structures in mammals, and the antennal lobe of insects. Our hypothesis is that convergent pathways transform spike count codes in pre-synaptic populations to spike timing codes in post-synaptic populations, and that this is mediated by a concurrent increase in spike reliability. Population codes and single-neuron codes are quantified by information theoretic measures and decoding analyses. The second half of my thesis is concerned with the evolution of various structural motifs that are embedded in a large recurrent network with plastic connections. We start with purely excitatory networks to study how the dimensionality of a stimulus is related to the dimensionality of convergent\/divergent motifs that are up regulated by plasticity. To grasp why these motifs are functionally important, I will perform a partial information decomposition of the transfer entropy relating them. Finally, this analysis will be extended to the more realistic case of balanced networks with multiple inhibitory cell types.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EInformation Coding and Structural Motifs in Spiking Neural Networks\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Information Coding and Structural Motifs in Spiking Neural Networks"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2023-09-13 13:28:17","changed_gmt":"2023-09-13 13:28:54","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2023-09-25T14:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2023-09-25T16:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2023-09-25T16:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2023-09-25 18:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2023-09-25 20:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2023-09-25 20:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB) 5029","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"102851","name":"Phd proposal"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669688":{"#nid":"669688","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Common Probiotic Bacteria Could Help Boost Protection Against Influenza","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA newly funded research project might one day lead to the development of a pill or capsule able to boost the effectiveness of traditional vaccines against influenza, which kills as many as 52,000 people and leads to hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations a year in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) have received funding to study the concept of using modified strains of probiotic bacteria \u2013 that are already part of the human gut microbiome \u2013 to stimulate the formation of antibodies against the flu virus in the body\u2019s mucosal membranes. Respiratory viruses like influenza infect the body through mucosal membranes, and the proof-of-concept project will help evaluate whether snippets of influenza proteins \u2013 tiny fragments of the virus \u2013 could be added to two common bacterial strains to create the antibody response. Antibodies in the mucosal membranes might then complement those created by traditional intramuscular injections to head off flu infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.afrl.af.mil\/\u0022\u003EAir Force Research Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E (AFRL), will study whether or not the harmless bacteria can be successfully modified to carry snippets of a viral coat protein that could stimulate the desired response in mucosal membranes lining the gut. Beyond reducing influenza infection in the general population, improved protection against the flu could have a significant impact on the U.S. military, which wants to provide the best possible protection for its warfighters to reduce possible impacts on readiness and training from influenza outbreaks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, the project is a collaboration between researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. All of the research at Georgia Tech will be done using BSL-2 facilities designed for this type of study. The award does not include research on animals or humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUltimately, this could one day make vaccination programs much more effective,\u201d said Michael Farrell, a GTRI principal research scientist. \u201cThis isn\u2019t going to be a replacement for flu vaccines as they currently exist, but it could act as an adjuvant \u2013 something that\u2019s done in addition to vaccination to increase the overall immune response. To benefit from it, you might take a pill like you do with probiotics now.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUsing Common Probiotic Bacteria as Vehicles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project will focus on two common probiotic bacteria: \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E \u2013 a gram-negative bacterium better known as \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E \u2013 and \u003Cem\u003ELactococcus lactis\u003C\/em\u003E, a gram-positive bacterium found in cheese, buttermilk, and other dairy food items. The researchers will attempt to coax the bacteria to express the influenza virus\u2019 Hemagglutinin (HA) receptor protein on their outer cell surface. There, the protein would stimulate an antibody response in the gut mucosal membrane as it passes through the body\u2019s gastrointestinal tract.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re using some well-established probiotic bacteria that have been utilized for dozens of years, are well vetted and safe for humans,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences who specializes in bacterial genetics. \u201cUltimately, the idea is to use these bacteria as a chassis to create living vaccines, since the body already tolerates them both well.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at AFRL and Georgia Tech envision that a single pill or capsule would carry the bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract to provide the necessary antibody stimulation. The bacteria would be modified so they could not reproduce, preventing them from becoming part of the body\u2019s gut microbiome \u2013 a diverse collection of bacteria that live in the body and help carry out specific functions, including metabolizing food and modulating the immune system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe know the human microbiome is intimately involved in human health and disease, influencing processes in ways that have both positive and negative outcomes for us,\u201d said Richard Agans, senior research biological scientist at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM). \u201cRecently, we have started to better understand how the microbiome communicates with our bodies and how we can identify, target, and promote the beneficial aspects. Currently, we are working to determine how to utilize these microbial communities to better protect our warfighters as well as the general public.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOvercoming Challenges of Manipulating Bacteria\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHammer\u2019s lab specializes in manipulating proteins of organisms such as bacteria and viruses to create novel fusions. Among the techniques available is the new CRISPR-Cas, the gene-editing technology that was the subject of a Nobel Prize in 2020, but other more traditional techniques may also be used to get the influenza surface protein where the researchers want it to be.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong the challenges ahead is that adding a new component to bacterial organisms can be difficult.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn general, bacteria have evolved with the genetic components they need to survive,\u201d Farrell explained. \u201cIf you add something else, they may just kick it out. It\u2019s very hard to find a neutral location in the bacterial genome where we can stably add new functionality. This is especially true for this effort, in which there will be no cointroduction of antimicrobial resistance markers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the probiotic bacteria strains that are widely used in research as model organisms, or \u201clab rats,\u201d are adapted to living in laboratory conditions. This project, however, will use natural commensal strains that co-exist in humans. That approach may make it even more challenging to add the appropriate material for expressing the viral proteins on the bacteria cell surfaces, Hammer said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe used to perceive that genes could be shuffled around in the bacteria without much effect on them, but we\u2019re learning now that location really matters,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the concerns is that tools that work on the \u2018lab rat\u2019 versions of these bacteria will not be as readily accepted by these commensals.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the project, the researchers will have to show that the addition of the protein doesn\u2019t cause instability in the bacteria, and that the modified bacteria generate the correct response when exposed to human immune cells in culture.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProof of Concept Could Lead to Broader Vaccine Therapies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond its importance to the military, influenza was chosen to study this adjuvant approach because a number of vaccines exist for this virus, and they have been well studied over the years. If this approach works with influenza, the combination of pill and injection might be useful for vaccines against other respiratory viruses.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf this is ultimately successful, it could be the first foray into showing that these vehicles, these probiotics, could potentially be scaled up for lots of different therapeutic uses,\u201d said Hammer. \u201cBy customizing the cargo, this approach could be rapidly adapted to address new and emerging threats that may arise in the future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Provides Student Opportunity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two-year project life was chosen because of the expected difficulty \u2013 and because another of its goals is to train a master\u2019s degree student in the bacterial modification techniques being utilized.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech researchers have chosen an underrepresented minority student who holds an undergraduate degree in biology from Kennesaw State University and has worked in a commercial DNA laboratory. Katrina Lancaster will begin work on this project during fall semester, collaborating with both Hammer and Farrell \u2013 and the students and other researchers in their labs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis student will have excellent opportunities, not only to learn the skills in the lab and take the coursework, but also to develop a rich network of connections, both in the School of Biological Sciences and at GTRI, that will be helpful in moving forward and advancing their career,\u201d Hammer said. \u201cIt\u2019s a really beautiful combination of components for this project.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project is funded through the AFRL\u2019s Minority Leaders Research Collaboration Program (ML-RCP).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPartnering with academic institutions, such as GTRI, presents great opportunities for our team to interact and work with top minds in these fields to develop better outcomes for everyone,\u201d Agans said. \u201cWe are especially grateful for the opportunity to mentor and provide opportunities for underrepresented students with STEM aspirations. We are excited to work with GTRI in this endeavor and envision this being just the first step.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUSAFSAM is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory\u2019s 711th Human Performance Wing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: John Toon (john.toon@gtri.gatech.edu)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EGTRI Communications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).\u202fFounded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry.\u202fGTRI\u0027s renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA newly funded research project, going underway at the Georgia Institute of Technology, might one day lead to the development of a pill or capsule able to boost the effectiveness of traditional vaccines against influenza, which kills as many as 52,000 people and leads to hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations a year in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have received funding to study the concept of using modified strains of probiotic bacteria to stimulate the formation of antibodies against the flu virus in the body\u2019s mucosal membranes."}],"uid":"35832","created_gmt":"2023-09-15 15:32:15","changed_gmt":"2023-09-15 15:36:24","author":"Michelle Gowdy","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671719":{"id":"671719","type":"image","title":"3D computer-generated rendering of a whole influenza (flu) virus","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis illustration depicts a 3D computer-generated rendering of a whole influenza (flu) virus, rendered in semi-transparent blue, atop a black background. The transparent area in the center of the image, revealed the viral ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) inside. (Credit: CDC\/ Douglas Jordan)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1694787546","gmt_created":"2023-09-15 14:19:06","changed":"1694788025","gmt_changed":"2023-09-15 14:27:05","alt":"3D computer-generated rendering of a whole influenza (flu) virus","file":{"fid":"254825","name":"3D Image Rendering Flu Virus.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/15\/3D%20Image%20Rendering%20Flu%20Virus.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/15\/3D%20Image%20Rendering%20Flu%20Virus.png","mime":"image\/png","size":977349,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/15\/3D%20Image%20Rendering%20Flu%20Virus.png?itok=y8Udlpjx"}},"671718":{"id":"671718","type":"image","title":"GTRI Researchers Michael Farrell and Brian Hammer","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearchers Michael Farrell (left) and Brian Hammer are working on a potential new way to boost the effectiveness of influenza vaccines. (Credit: Sean McNeil)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1694786377","gmt_created":"2023-09-15 13:59:37","changed":"1694787520","gmt_changed":"2023-09-15 14:18:40","alt":"GTRI Researchers Michael Farrell (left) and Brian Hammer (right)","file":{"fid":"254823","name":"farrell-hammer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/15\/farrell-hammer.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/15\/farrell-hammer.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2552028,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/15\/farrell-hammer.jpg?itok=lg0OvMBv"}}},"media_ids":["671719","671718"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"166902","name":"science and technology"},{"id":"341","name":"innovation"},{"id":"765","name":"influenza"},{"id":"398","name":"health"},{"id":"12434","name":"Vaccines"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"191204","name":"Air Force Research Laboratory"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E(Interim) Director of Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle Gowdy\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMichelle.Gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E404-407-8060\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michelle.gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669550":{"#nid":"669550","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Common Probiotic Bacteria Could Help Boost Protection Against Influenza","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) have received funding to study the concept of using modified strains of probiotic bacteria \u2013 that are already part of the human gut microbiome \u2013 to stimulate the formation of antibodies against the flu virus in the body\u2019s mucosal membranes. Respiratory viruses like influenza infect the body through mucosal membranes, and the proof-of-concept project will help evaluate whether snippets of influenza proteins \u2013 tiny fragments of the virus \u2013 could be added to two common bacterial strains to create the antibody response. Antibodies in the mucosal membranes might then complement those created by traditional intramuscular injections to head off flu infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.afrl.af.mil\/\u0022\u003EAir Force Research Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E (AFRL), will study whether or not the harmless bacteria can be successfully modified to carry snippets of a viral coat protein that could stimulate the desired response in mucosal membranes lining the gut. Beyond reducing influenza infection in the general population, improved protection against the flu could have a significant impact on the U.S. military, which wants to provide the best possible protection for its warfighters to reduce possible impacts on readiness and training from influenza outbreaks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, the project is a collaboration between researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. All of the research at Georgia Tech will be done using BSL-2 facilities designed for this type of study. The award does not include research on animals or humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUltimately, this could one day make vaccination programs much more effective,\u201d said Michael Farrell, a GTRI principal research scientist. \u201cThis isn\u2019t going to be a replacement for flu vaccines as they currently exist, but it could act as an adjuvant \u2013 something that\u2019s done in addition to vaccination to increase the overall immune response. To benefit from it, you might take a pill like you do with probiotics now.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUsing Common Probiotic Bacteria as Vehicles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project will focus on two common probiotic bacteria: \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E \u2013 a gram-negative bacterium better known as \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E \u2013 and \u003Cem\u003ELactococcus lactis\u003C\/em\u003E, a gram-positive bacterium found in cheese, buttermilk, and other dairy food items. The researchers will attempt to coax the bacteria to express the influenza virus\u2019 Hemagglutinin (HA) receptor protein on their outer cell surface. There, the protein would stimulate an antibody response in the gut mucosal membrane as it passes through the body\u2019s gastrointestinal tract.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re using some well-established probiotic bacteria that have been utilized for dozens of years, are well vetted and safe for humans,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences who specializes in bacterial genetics. \u201cUltimately, the idea is to use these bacteria as a chassis to create living vaccines, since the body already tolerates them both well.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at AFRL and Georgia Tech envision that a single pill or capsule would carry the bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract to provide the necessary antibody stimulation. The bacteria would be modified so they could not reproduce, preventing them from becoming part of the body\u2019s gut microbiome \u2013 a diverse collection of bacteria that live in the body and help carry out specific functions, including metabolizing food and modulating the immune system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe know the human microbiome is intimately involved in human health and disease, influencing processes in ways that have both positive and negative outcomes for us,\u201d said Richard Agans, senior research biological scientist at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM). \u201cRecently, we have started to better understand how the microbiome communicates with our bodies and how we can identify, target, and promote the beneficial aspects. Currently, we are working to determine how to utilize these microbial communities to better protect our warfighters as well as the general public.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOvercoming Challenges of Manipulating Bacteria\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHammer\u2019s lab specializes in manipulating proteins of organisms such as bacteria and viruses to create novel fusions. Among the techniques available is the new CRISPR-Cas, the gene-editing technology that was the subject of a Nobel Prize in 2020, but other more traditional techniques may also be used to get the influenza surface protein where the researchers want it to be.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong the challenges ahead is that adding a new component to bacterial organisms can be difficult.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn general, bacteria have evolved with the genetic components they need to survive,\u201d Farrell explained. \u201cIf you add something else, they may just kick it out. It\u2019s very hard to find a neutral location in the bacterial genome where we can stably add new functionality. This is especially true for this effort, in which there will be no cointroduction of antimicrobial resistance markers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the probiotic bacteria strains that are widely used in research as model organisms, or \u201clab rats,\u201d are adapted to living in laboratory conditions. This project, however, will use natural commensal strains that co-exist in humans. That approach may make it even more challenging to add the appropriate material for expressing the viral proteins on the bacteria cell surfaces, Hammer said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe used to perceive that genes could be shuffled around in the bacteria without much effect on them, but we\u2019re learning now that location really matters,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the concerns is that tools that work on the \u2018lab rat\u2019 versions of these bacteria will not be as readily accepted by these commensals.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the project, the researchers will have to show that the addition of the protein doesn\u2019t cause instability in the bacteria, and that the modified bacteria generate the correct response when exposed to human immune cells in culture.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProof of Concept Could Lead to Broader Vaccine Therapies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond its importance to the military, influenza was chosen to study this adjuvant approach because a number of vaccines exist for this virus, and they have been well studied over the years. If this approach works with influenza, the combination of pill and injection might be useful for vaccines against other respiratory viruses.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf this is ultimately successful, it could be the first foray into showing that these vehicles, these probiotics, could potentially be scaled up for lots of different therapeutic uses,\u201d said Hammer. \u201cBy customizing the cargo, this approach could be rapidly adapted to address new and emerging threats that may arise in the future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Provides Student Opportunity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two-year project life was chosen because of the expected difficulty \u2013 and because another of its goals is to train a master\u2019s degree student in the bacterial modification techniques being utilized.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech researchers have chosen an underrepresented minority student who holds an undergraduate degree in biology from Kennesaw State University and has worked in a commercial DNA laboratory. Katrina Lancaster will begin work on this project during fall semester, collaborating with both Hammer and Farrell \u2013 and the students and other researchers in their labs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis student will have excellent opportunities, not only to learn the skills in the lab and take the coursework, but also to develop a rich network of connections, both in the School of Biological Sciences and at GTRI, that will be helpful in moving forward and advancing their career,\u201d Hammer said. \u201cIt\u2019s a really beautiful combination of components for this project.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project is funded through the AFRL\u2019s Minority Leaders Research Collaboration Program (ML-RCP).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPartnering with academic institutions, such as GTRI, presents great opportunities for our team to interact and work with top minds in these fields to develop better outcomes for everyone,\u201d Agans said. \u201cWe are especially grateful for the opportunity to mentor and provide opportunities for underrepresented students with STEM aspirations. We are excited to work with GTRI in this endeavor and envision this being just the first step.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUSAFSAM is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory\u2019s 711th Human Performance Wing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: John Toon (john.toon@gtri.gatech.edu)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EGTRI Communications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story first appeared in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/newsroom\/common-probiotic-bacteria-could-help-boost-protection-against-influenza\u0022\u003EGTRI newsroom\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A newly funded research project might one day lead to the development of a pill or capsule able to boost the effectiveness of traditional vaccines against influenza"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA newly funded research project might one day lead to the development of a pill or capsule able to boost the effectiveness of traditional vaccines against influenza, which kills as many as 52,000 people and leads to hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations a year in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A newly funded research project might one day lead to the development of a pill or capsule able to boost the effectiveness of traditional vaccines against influenza"}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2023-09-08 18:40:43","changed_gmt":"2023-09-08 18:44:59","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671661":{"id":"671661","type":"image","title":"Researchers Michael Farrell (left) and Brian Hammer are working on a potential new way to boost the effectiveness of influenza vaccines. (Credit: Sean McNeil)","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearchers Michael Farrell (left) and Brian Hammer are working on a potential new way to boost the effectiveness of influenza vaccines. (Credit: Sean McNeil)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1694198484","gmt_created":"2023-09-08 18:41:24","changed":"1694198484","gmt_changed":"2023-09-08 18:41:24","alt":"Researchers Michael Farrell (left) and Brian Hammer are working on a potential new way to boost the effectiveness of influenza vaccines. (Credit: Sean McNeil)","file":{"fid":"254762","name":"farrell-hammer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/08\/farrell-hammer.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/08\/farrell-hammer.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2552028,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/08\/farrell-hammer.jpg?itok=Hq7AZN4R"}},"671662":{"id":"671662","type":"image","title":"Katrina Lancaster, a master\u2019s degree student and recent graduate of Kennesaw State University, has been selected as part of the research team.","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EKatrina Lancaster, a master\u2019s degree student and recent graduate of Kennesaw State University, has been selected as part of the research team.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1694198514","gmt_created":"2023-09-08 18:41:54","changed":"1694198514","gmt_changed":"2023-09-08 18:41:54","alt":"Katrina Lancaster, a master\u2019s degree student and recent graduate of Kennesaw State University, has been selected as part of the research team.","file":{"fid":"254763","name":"Katrina V Lancaster 1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/08\/Katrina%20V%20Lancaster%201.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/08\/Katrina%20V%20Lancaster%201.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":148837,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/08\/Katrina%20V%20Lancaster%201.jpg?itok=WF-_CS2o"}},"671663":{"id":"671663","type":"image","title":"This illustration depicts a 3D computer-generated rendering of a whole influenza (flu) virus, rendered in semi-transparent blue, atop a black background. The transparent area in the center of the image, revealed the viral ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) inside.","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis illustration depicts a 3D computer-generated rendering of a whole influenza (flu) virus, rendered in semi-transparent blue, atop a black background. The transparent area in the center of the image, revealed the viral ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) inside. (Credit: CDC\/ Douglas Jordan)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1694198598","gmt_created":"2023-09-08 18:43:18","changed":"1694198598","gmt_changed":"2023-09-08 18:43:18","alt":"This illustration depicts a 3D computer-generated rendering of a whole influenza (flu) virus, rendered in semi-transparent blue, atop a black background. The transparent area in the center of the image, revealed the viral ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) inside. (Credit: CDC\/ Douglas Jordan)","file":{"fid":"254764","name":"23232.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/08\/23232.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/08\/23232.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":994433,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/08\/23232.jpg?itok=a_xOZN5D"}}},"media_ids":["671661","671662","671663"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"},{"id":"193031","name":"mike farrell"},{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"296","name":"Flu"},{"id":"765","name":"influenza"},{"id":"181944","name":"human health"},{"id":"191204","name":"Air Force Research Laboratory"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669936":{"#nid":"669936","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Seafloor to Space: New Bacterial Proteins Shine Light on Climate and Astrobiology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGigatons of greenhouse gas are trapped under the seafloor, and that\u2019s a good thing. Around the coasts of the continents, where slopes sink down into the sea, tiny cages of ice trap methane gas, preventing it from escaping and bubbling up into the atmosphere. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile rarely in the news, these ice cage formations, known as methane clathrates, have garnered attention because of their potential to affect climate change. During offshore drilling, methane ice can get stuck in pipes, causing them to freeze and burst. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill is thought to have been caused by a buildup of methane clathrates. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBut until now, the biological process behind how methane gas remains stable under the sea has been almost completely unknown. In a breakthrough study, a cross-disciplinary team of Georgia Tech researchers discovered a previously unknown class of bacterial proteins that play a crucial role in the formation and stability of methane clathrates. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA team led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003EJennifer Glass\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Sepcic-Pfeil Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, showed that these novel bacterial proteins suppress the growth of methane clathrates as effectively as commercial chemicals currently used in drilling, but are non-toxic, eco-friendly, and scalable. Their study, funded by NASA, informs the search for life in the solar system, and could also increase the safety of transporting natural gas.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe research, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pnasnexus\/article\/2\/8\/pgad268\/7242427\u0022\u003Epublished in the journal \u003Cem\u003EPNAS Nexus\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, underscores the importance of fundamental science in studying Earth\u2019s natural biological systems and highlights the benefits of collaboration across disciplines.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe wanted to understand how these formations were staying stable under the seafloor, and precisely what mechanisms were contributing to their stability,\u201d Glass said. \u201cThis is something no one has done before.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESifting Through Sediment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe effort started with the team examining a sample of clay-like sediment that Glass acquired from the seafloor off the coast of Oregon.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGlass hypothesized that the sediment would contain proteins that influence the growth of methane clathrate, and that those proteins would resemble well-known antifreeze proteins in fish, which help them survive in cold environments. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBut to confirm her hypothesis, Glass and her research team would first have to identify protein candidates out of millions of potential targets contained in the sediment. They would then need to make the proteins in the lab, though there was no understanding of how these proteins might behave. Also, no one had worked with these proteins before. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGlass approached Lieberman, whose lab studies the structure of proteins. The first step was to use DNA sequencing paired with bioinformatics to identify the genes of the proteins contained in the sediment. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/dustin-huard\u0022\u003EDustin Huard\u003C\/a\u003E, a researcher in Lieberman\u2019s lab and first author of the paper, then prepared candidate proteins that could potentially bind to the methane clathrates. Huard used X-ray crystallography to determine the structure of the proteins. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECreating Seafloor Conditions in the Lab \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHuard passed off the protein candidates to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.marsci.uga.edu\/directory\/people\/abigail-johnson\u0022\u003EAbigail Johnson\u003C\/a\u003E, a former Ph.D. student in Glass\u2019 lab and co-first author on the paper, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia. To test the proteins, Johnson formed methane clathrates herself by recreating the high pressure and low temperature of the seafloor in the lab. Johnson worked with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/sheng-dai\u0022\u003ESheng Dai\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, to build a unique pressure chamber from scratch. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJohnson placed the proteins in the pressure vessel and adjusted the system to mimic the pressure and temperature conditions required for clathrate formation. By pressurizing the vessel with methane, Johnson forced methane into the droplet, which caused a methane clathrate structure to form.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EShe then measured the amount of gas that was consumed by the clathrate \u2014 an indicator of how quickly and how much clathrate formed \u2014 and did so in the presence of the proteins versus no proteins. Johnson found that with the clathrate-binding proteins, less gas was consumed, and the clathrates melted at higher temperatures. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOnce the team validated that the proteins affect the formation and stability of methane clathrates, they used Huard\u0027s protein crystal structure to carry out molecular dynamics simulations with the help of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/james-jc-gumbart\u0022\u003EJames (JC) Gumbart\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. The simulations allowed the team to identify the specific site where the protein binds to the methane clathrate. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Surprisingly Novel System\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe study unveiled unexpected insights into the structure and function of the proteins. The researchers initially thought the part of the protein that was similar to fish antifreeze proteins would play a role in clathrate binding. Surprisingly, that part of the protein did not play a role, and a wholly different mechanism directed the interactions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThey found that the proteins do not bind to ice, but rather interact with the clathrate structure itself, directing its growth. Specifically, the part of the protein that had similar characteristics to antifreeze proteins was buried in the protein structure, and instead played a role in stabilizing the protein. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe researchers found that the proteins performed better at modifying methane clathrate than any of the antifreeze proteins that had been tested in the past. They also performed just as well as, if not better than, the toxic commercial clathrate inhibitors currently used in drilling that pose serious environmental threats.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPreventing clathrate formation in natural gas pipelines is a billion-dollar industry. If these biodegradable proteins could be used to prevent disastrous natural gas leaks, it would greatly reduce the risk of environmental damage.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe were so lucky that this actually worked, because even though we chose these proteins based on their similarity to antifreeze proteins, they are completely different,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cThey have a similar function in nature, but do so through a completely different biological system, and I think that really excites people.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMethane clathrates likely exist throughout the solar system \u2014 on the subsurface of Mars, for example, and on icy moons in the outer solar system, such as Europa. The team\u2019s findings indicate that if microbes exist on other planetary bodies, they might produce similar biomolecules to retain liquid water in channels in the clathrate that could sustain life. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re still learning so much about the basic systems on our planet,\u201d Huard said. \u201cThat\u2019s one of the great things about Georgia Tech \u2014 different communities can come together to do really cool, unexpected science. I never thought I would be working on an astrobiology project, but here we are, and we\u2019ve been very successful.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation\u003C\/strong\u003E: Dustin J E Huard, et al. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pnasnexus\/article\/2\/8\/pgad268\/7242427\u0022\u003EMolecular basis for inhibition of methane clathrate growth by a deep subsurface bacterial protein\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EPNAS Nexus\u003C\/em\u003E, Volume 2, Issue 8, August 2023.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/pnasnexus\/pgad268\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/pnasnexus\/pgad268\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding\u003C\/strong\u003E: National Aeronautics \u0026amp; Space Administration, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech co-authors included Zixing Fan, Ph.D. student, and two undergraduates, Lydia Kenney (now a Ph.D. student at Northwestern University) and Manlin Xu (now a Ph.D. student in the MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program). Ran Drori, associate professor of chemistry at Yeshiva University, also contributed. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn a groundbreaking study, a team of Georgia Tech researchers has unveiled a remarkable discovery: the identification of novel bacterial proteins that play a vital role in the formation and stability of methane clathrates, which trap methane gas beneath the seafloor. These newfound proteins not only suppress methane clathrate growth as effectively as toxic chemicals used in drilling but also prove to be eco-friendly and scalable. This innovative breakthrough not only promises to enhance environmental safety in natural gas transportation but also sheds light on the potential for similar biomolecules to support life beyond Earth.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers have uncovered eco-friendly bacterial proteins that stabilize methane clathrates, offering a green solution to climate challenges and potential implications for astrobiology."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2023-09-26 14:30:17","changed_gmt":"2024-02-05 14:44:04","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671833":{"id":"671833","type":"image","title":"clathrate.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMethane clathrate (white, ice-like material) under a rock from the seafloor of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Deposits such as these demonstrate that methane and other gases cross the seafloor and enter the ocean. Photo credit: NOAA\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1695740419","gmt_created":"2023-09-26 15:00:19","changed":"1695740419","gmt_changed":"2023-09-26 15:00:19","alt":"A rock with mussels attached has a block of ice underneath it. ","file":{"fid":"254969","name":"clathrate.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/clathrate.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/clathrate.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1796198,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/26\/clathrate.jpg?itok=nKTMLXW0"}},"671834":{"id":"671834","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Glass.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJennifer Glass, associate professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1695740976","gmt_created":"2023-09-26 15:09:36","changed":"1695740976","gmt_changed":"2023-09-26 15:09:36","alt":"A woman stands in a lab","file":{"fid":"254970","name":"Jennifer Glass.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Jennifer%20Glass.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Jennifer%20Glass.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1166296,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/26\/Jennifer%20Glass.jpg?itok=yUZTLeVD"}},"671835":{"id":"671835","type":"image","title":"Raquel_Lieberman.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERaquel Lieberman, professor and Sepcic-Pfeil Chair in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1695741060","gmt_created":"2023-09-26 15:11:00","changed":"1695741060","gmt_changed":"2023-09-26 15:11:00","alt":"A woman stands in front of a window","file":{"fid":"254971","name":"Raquel_Lieberman.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Raquel_Lieberman.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Raquel_Lieberman.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4093519,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/26\/Raquel_Lieberman.jpg?itok=pb-3H-fB"}},"671836":{"id":"671836","type":"image","title":"Screen Shot 2023-09-26 at 11.17.25 AM.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDustin Huard, research scientist II in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1695741532","gmt_created":"2023-09-26 15:18:52","changed":"1695741532","gmt_changed":"2023-09-26 15:18:52","alt":"A man with glasses in front of greenery","file":{"fid":"254972","name":"Screen Shot 2023-09-26 at 11.17.25 AM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-26%20at%2011.17.25%20AM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-26%20at%2011.17.25%20AM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4014064,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/26\/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-26%20at%2011.17.25%20AM.png?itok=IjoPAtlZ"}},"671837":{"id":"671837","type":"image","title":"Screen Shot 2023-09-26 at 11.18.13 AM.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAbigail Johnson, postdoctoral research at the University of Georgia and former Georgia Tech Ph.D. student\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1695741620","gmt_created":"2023-09-26 15:20:20","changed":"1695741620","gmt_changed":"2023-09-26 15:20:20","alt":"A woman in a blue bucket hat in front of a marsh","file":{"fid":"254973","name":"Screen Shot 2023-09-26 at 11.18.13 AM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-26%20at%2011.18.13%20AM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-26%20at%2011.18.13%20AM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3938960,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/26\/Screen%20Shot%202023-09-26%20at%2011.18.13%20AM.png?itok=uinPyjGM"}}},"media_ids":["671833","671834","671835","671836","671837"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1316","name":"Green Buzz"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecatherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670308":{"#nid":"670308","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Insects Evolved to Ultrafast Flight (And Back) ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMosquitoes are some of the fastest-flying insects. Flapping their wings more than 800 times a second, they achieve their speed because the muscles in their wings can flap faster than their nervous system can tell them to beat.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis asynchronous beating comes from how the flight muscles interact with the physics of the insect\u2019s springy exoskeleton. This decoupling of neural commands and muscle contractions is common in only four distinct insect groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor years, scientists assumed these four groups evolved these ultrafast wingbeats separately, but research from the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) shows that they evolved from a single common ancestor. This discovery demonstrates evolution has repeatedly turned on and off this particular mode of flight. The researchers developed physics models and robotics to test how these transitions could occur.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/ultrafast-flight\u0022\u003ERead the full feature in the GT Research newsroom.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMany insects fly synchronously, matching the nervous system pulses to wing movement. But smaller insects don\u2019t have the mechanics for this and must flap their wings harder, which works only up to a certain point. That\u2019s where asynchronous flight comes in.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Many insects fly synchronously, matching the nervous system pulses to wing movement. But smaller insects don\u2019t have the mechanics for this and must flap their wings harder, which works only up to a certain point. That\u2019s where asynchronous flight comes in."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2023-10-09 19:43:55","changed_gmt":"2024-02-01 15:10:49","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671991":{"id":"671991","type":"image","title":"Hawkmoth flight muscles exhibit delayed stretch activation, a hallmark of asynchronous flight. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers found that hawkmoth flight muscles exhibit delayed stretch activation, a hallmark of asynchronous flight.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1696880774","gmt_created":"2023-10-09 19:46:14","changed":"1696880774","gmt_changed":"2023-10-09 19:46:14","alt":"Hawkmoth flight muscles exhibit delayed stretch activation, a hallmark of asynchronous flight. ","file":{"fid":"255166","name":"moth.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/09\/moth.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/09\/moth.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":889371,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/09\/moth.jpg?itok=3Tdouyfw"}}},"media_ids":["671991"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"1316","name":"Green Buzz"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"170414","name":"Simon Sponberg"},{"id":"179197","name":"hawkmoths"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"4320","name":"ecology"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"2030","name":"Flight"},{"id":"14946","name":"insects"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Contact\u003C\/strong\u003E: Tess Malone |\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:tess.malone@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"672941":{"#nid":"672941","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Neha Garg Awarded Royal Society of Chemistry Lectureship","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/neha-garg\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENeha Garg\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehas been selected by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Editorial Board as the 2024 recipient of the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.rsc.org\/journals-books-databases\/about-journals\/npr\/natural-product-reports-emerging-investigator-lectureship-award\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENatural Product Reports Emerging Investigator Lectureship award\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe Lectureship is awarded annually to an outstanding early-career researcher who\u2019s research and contributions relate to natural products, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Esmall molecules produced by living things. Natural products are at the forefront of medical innovation, and are helping scientists develop novel pathways to fight antibiotic-resistant pathogens.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGarg, an assistant professor in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, is among cutting-edge scientists in the field, and she is focused on understanding the role natural products play in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Emicrobial communities associated with both human and coral diseases.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHer research is critical because, while the majority of clinically used antibiotics and drugs are derived from natural products, \u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eour knowledge base and inventory of these small molecule effectors is limited,\u201d Garg says. \u201cWe know very little about the function of natural products and regulation of their production in the context of multispecies communities.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThis award is evidence of the high regard in which Professor Garg is held by her senior colleagues around the world,\u201d adds \u003Cstrong\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/strong\u003E, vice president for Interdisciplinary Research at Georgia Tech, who also serves as a professor in the School of \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003EBiological Sciences and the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. \u201cThe Royal Society of Chemistry is a premier international organization that recognizes the best and brightest. With this lectureship, Neha joins the ranks of other up and coming natural product chemists whose research answers fundamental questions about the chemistry of the natural world and applies that chemistry to solve critical biomedical and environmental challenges.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIt is an honor to receive the Lectureship,\u201d Garg adds.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u201cI am eternally grateful to my mentors \u2014 Professors \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPieter C. Dorrestein\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWilfred A. van der Donk\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESatish K. Nair\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u2014 for teaching me to be a scientist, to my colleagues \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EValerie Paul\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E for their support, to Georgia Tech, to the selection committee, and to my lab members for their hard work and infectious positivity.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe award will also provide funding for Garg to speak at a conference or lecture of her choice.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003ENatural Products Reports Lectureship\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E recognizes Garg\u2019s outstanding research in the field of natural products: biological molecules that are responsible for medical innovations and new methods of treating disease caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Garg\u2019s research encompasses microbiological communities in both humans and corals.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Natural Products Reports Lectureship is awarded annually to an outstanding early-career researcher who\u2019s research and contributions relate to natural products, small molecules produced by living things."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-02-14 14:37:02","changed_gmt":"2024-02-14 16:38:50","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-02-14T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-02-14T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673078":{"id":"673078","type":"image","title":"Neha Garg","body":null,"created":"1707921236","gmt_created":"2024-02-14 14:33:56","changed":"1707921211","gmt_changed":"2024-02-14 14:33:31","alt":"Neha Garg","file":{"fid":"256431","name":"professor-neha-garg.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/14\/professor-neha-garg.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/14\/professor-neha-garg.png","mime":"image\/png","size":398206,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/14\/professor-neha-garg.png?itok=T0uqr9ie"}}},"media_ids":["673078"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"672915":{"#nid":"672915","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Heart of the Matter","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt doesn\u2019t have to be Valentine\u2019s Day for Flavio Fenton to have the heart on his mind. Fenton has been fascinated by the human heart for 30 years. The professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E explores the physics and mathematics behind the heart \u2014 specifically, arrythmias, or abnormal heart rhythms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen you think about the physics of a heart, the first thing that comes to mind is the pumping action and the forcing of fluids,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the reason it contracts is an electrical signal. There\u2019s a lot of physiology and biology behind the function of the heart, but underneath it all, there\u2019s so many areas of physics you can apply to it to understand how it works \u2014 and how it fails to work, like in the case of arrhythmias.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u2019s a lot to love about Fenton\u2019s work:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ELast year, Fenton and clinicians at Emory University won the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-and-emory-researchers-win-award-arrhythmia-research\u0022\u003ETeam Science Award of Distinction for Early Stage Research\u003C\/a\u003E for their work using live explanted human hearts to better understand arrhythmias.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EIn 2022, Fenton and his collaborators brought a new understanding to complicated heart conditions with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/researchers-map-rotating-spiral-waves-live-human-hearts\u0022\u003Efirst high-resolution visualizations of stable spiral waves\u003C\/a\u003E in human ventricles.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/study-shows-hydroxychloroquines-harmful-effects-heart-rhythm\u0022\u003Ehis research\u003C\/a\u003E revealed the cardiac risks associated with the proposed use of hydroxychloroquine in treatment.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2019\/03\/27\/using-smartphones-and-laptops-simulate-deadly-heart-arrhythmias\u0022\u003EThe year before\u003C\/a\u003E, Fenton used graphics processing chips designed for gaming applications and software that runs on ordinary web browsers to move the modeling of deadly heart arrhythmias to less costly computers, and even to high-end smartphones.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EIn 2018, Fenton and a team came up with a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2018\/02\/22\/maelstroms-heart-confirmed\u0022\u003Enew imaging technique\u003C\/a\u003E that could lead to earlier identification of heart rhythm disorders and the development of better treatments.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHis current projects involve possible advances in the amount of voltage used to treat fibrillations, and new knowledge about where in the heart to apply that voltage. He maintains collaborations with agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and a wide array of researchers and clinicians, with hopes that hospitals will eventually be able to apply what he has studied over the years to assist in better patient care and health outcomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe heart has been a really fun system to study, and there\u2019s so much that we still don\u2019t know,\u201d he said. \u201cOn top of that, it has a main application of directly saving lives if we can find better and safer ways to prevent and terminate arrhythmias.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIt doesn\u2019t have to be Valentine\u2019s Day for Flavio Fenton to have the heart on his mind. Fenton has been fascinated by the human heart for 30 years. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"It doesn\u2019t have to be Valentine\u2019s Day for Flavio Fenton to have the heart on his mind. Fenton has been fascinated by the human heart for 30 years. "}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2024-02-13 16:30:01","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 16:19:31","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-02-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-02-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673063":{"id":"673063","type":"image","title":"Abouzar Kaboudian and Flavio Fenton","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAbouzar Kaboudian and Flavio Fenton work on data they gathered about heart arrhythmias by studying rabbit hearts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1707842613","gmt_created":"2024-02-13 16:43:33","changed":"1707842613","gmt_changed":"2024-02-13 16:43:33","alt":"Abouzar Kaboudian and Flavio Fenton","file":{"fid":"256414","name":"19C10200-P28-016.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/13\/19C10200-P28-016.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/13\/19C10200-P28-016.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1913844,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/13\/19C10200-P28-016.jpg?itok=hj-o0nQP"}}},"media_ids":["673063"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.quantamagazine.org\/can-math-and-physics-save-an-arrhythmic-heart-20230712\/","title":"LISTEN: Can Math and Physics Save an Arrhythmic Heart?"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-and-emory-researchers-win-award-arrhythmia-research","title":" Georgia Tech and Emory Researchers Win Award for Arrhythmia Research"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/we-heart-physics-flavio-fenton-cardiac-rhythms-chaos-and-mission-end-arrhythmias","title":" We Heart Physics: Flavio Fenton on Cardiac Rhythms, Chaos, and a Mission to End Arrhythmias"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2019\/03\/27\/using-smartphones-and-laptops-simulate-deadly-heart-arrhythmias","title":" Using Smartphones and Laptops to Simulate Deadly Heart Arrhythmias "},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2018\/02\/22\/maelstroms-heart-confirmed","title":" Maelstroms in the Heart Confirmed "}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673216":{"#nid":"673216","#data":{"type":"news","title":"\u2018Janitors\u2019 of the Sea: Overharvested Sea Cucumbers Play Crucial Role in Protecting Coral","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECorals are foundational for ocean life. Known as the rainforests of the sea, they create habitats for 25% of all marine organisms, despite only covering less than 1% of the ocean\u2019s area.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECoral patches the width and height of basketball arenas used to be common throughout the world\u2019s oceans. But due to numerous human-generated stresses and coral disease, which is known to be associated with ocean sediments, most of the world\u2019s coral is gone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s like if all the pine trees in Georgia disappeared over a period of 30 to 40 years,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u2019 Chair and the Harry and Anna Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u201cJust imagine how that affects biodiversity and ecosystems of the ocean.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn first-of-its-kind research, Hay, along with research scientist\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cody-clements.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECody Clements\u003C\/a\u003E, discovered a crucial missing element that plays a profound role in keeping coral healthy \u2014 an animal of overlooked importance known as a sea cucumber.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/sea-cucumber\u0022\u003ERead about how they figured it out at Georgia Tech Research News\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a first-of-its-kind study,\u0026nbsp;researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology discovered that sea cucumbers\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;sediment-eating organisms that function like autonomous vacuum cleaners of the ocean floor\u0026nbsp;\u2014 play an enormous role in protecting coral from disease.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In a first-of-its-kind study, the researchers discovered that sea cucumbers protect coral from disease."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2024-02-27 16:39:15","changed_gmt":"2024-02-27 19:01:24","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-02-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673225":{"id":"673225","type":"image","title":"Sea cucumbers and coral","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESea cucumbers play a crucial role in protecting coral from disease. Credit: Cody Clements\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1709052172","gmt_created":"2024-02-27 16:42:52","changed":"1709052075","gmt_changed":"2024-02-27 16:41:15","alt":"An underwater photo of several sea cucumbers and fish surrounding coral.","file":{"fid":"256586","name":"Sea Cucumber_Feeding_1 (1).png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/27\/Sea%20Cucumber_Feeding_1%20%281%29.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/27\/Sea%20Cucumber_Feeding_1%20%281%29.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5235715,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/27\/Sea%20Cucumber_Feeding_1%20%281%29.png?itok=wprkcmP7"}}},"media_ids":["673225"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecatherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673379":{"#nid":"673379","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Partners on $15M NSF Grant to Explore Muscle Dynamics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis press release is shared jointly with the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.uci.edu\/2024\/03\/04\/uc-irvine-receives-15-million-nsf-grant-for-integrative-movement-research\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EUC Irvine newsroom\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $15 million to an interdisciplinary team spanning 21 institutions across the country\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe six-year funding will support the \u003Cstrong\u003EIntegrative Movement Sciences Institute (IMSI)\u003C\/strong\u003E, an innovative group conducting groundbreaking research in the mechanics of muscle control during agile movements in changing environments.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENSF IMSI includes several key Georgia Tech researchers: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECo-PI \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/simon-sponberg\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, Dunn Family Associate Professor in the School of Physics and School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Lena-H.-Ting\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELena Ting\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, professor and McCamish Foundation Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Engineering and co-director of the Neural Engineering Center\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/sawicki\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGreg Sawicki\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, associate professor in the S\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Echool of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first US-based integrative center on the fundamental biology of muscle and movement that aims to bridge from the molecule to the whole animal to understand dynamic locomotion,\u201d co-PI Sponberg says.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe research team also includes PI \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMonica Daley\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (UC Irvine), and additional Co-PIs \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKiisa Nishikawa\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (Northern Arizona University), \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJill McNitt-Gray\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences), and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAnne Silverman\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (Colorado School of Mines).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELeveraging expertise\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThe Georgia Tech contingent will leverage the Institute\u0027s expertise in the multiscale biophysics of muscle, neuromechanics, integrative physiology and bio-robotic movement,\u201d Sponberg says, \u201cincluding the Institute\u2019s expertise in fundamental muscle biology and movement technologies.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe group will also collaborate with \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETom Irving\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWeikang Ma\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E at the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anl.gov\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EArgonne National Lab\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E to leverage multiscale imaging, which will help connect the team\u2019s understanding of the function of muscle at the nanoscale to the properties of that tissue during motion.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA central theme of the new Integrative Movement Sciences Institute will bridge fundamental discoveries about the biophysics and physiology of muscle and movement from insects to humans \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u2014\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E research that Sponberg\u2019s lab specializes in. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELast year, Sponberg also received a prestigious Curci grant to study \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/edge-georgia-tech-professors-awarded-curci-grants-emerging-bio-research-0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ecoordinated movement in hawk moths\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. The team\u2019s goal is to understand how muscle integrates with the rest of a body\u2019s biology and the surrounding environment to allow animals and humans to move through so many varied environments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cMuscle is unlike any other tissue,\u201d Sponberg says. \u201cIt enables movement in all animals and allows them to negotiate nearly every environment on this planet. For humans, it is the key piece of our physiology that translates our brain\u2019s intentions into the movement that lets us get around in our world.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECreating models that can understand muscular control in dynamic, complex environments is vital, and could have applications spanning biotechnology, like building more dynamic robotics, and bioeconomy, creating avenues to develop new physical therapy and rehabilitation protocols.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cBy integrating across scale and bringing to bear an interdisciplinary team of biologists, biophysicists, and bioengineers that span the scale from molecule to ecosystem, the new Integrative Movement Science Institute will create the next generation of muscle and movement models and experiments to understand locomotion in diverse settings,\u201d Sponberg adds.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFunding for this research is \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=2319710\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eprovided by the National Science Foundation\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENSF has awarded the interdisciplinary team six years of funding to support the Integrative Movement Sciences Institute. The Institute,\u0026nbsp;which includes a Georgia Tech contingent of researchers led by Co-PI Simon Sponberg, aims to bridge research on muscles spanning the molecular level to the whole animal to understand dynamic locomotion. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Co-PI Simon Sponberg will lead the Georgia Tech contingent of researchers, which aims to understand dynamic, agile movement."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-03-06 18:39:12","changed_gmt":"2024-03-07 20:26:18","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-03-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673324":{"id":"673324","type":"image","title":"Simon Sponberg","body":null,"created":"1709750206","gmt_created":"2024-03-06 18:36:46","changed":"1709750179","gmt_changed":"2024-03-06 18:36:19","alt":"Simon Sponberg","file":{"fid":"256706","name":"Simon Headshot.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/06\/Simon%20Headshot.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/06\/Simon%20Headshot.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2798844,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/06\/Simon%20Headshot.jpeg?itok=eui2CnK8"}}},"media_ids":["673324"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673019":{"#nid":"673019","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Clearer Image of Glaucoma","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EParkinson\u2019s and Alzheimer\u0027s to cardiac arrhythmia, amyloids are linked to a number of diseases. These \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eaggregates of proteins form in the body when a protein loses its normal structure and misfolds or mutates. And s\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eince many of these proteins are large and complicated, just how some of these mutations occur and aggregate remains a mystery \u2014 as does the creation of effective treatments.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENew research on glaucoma led by Georgia Tech chemists and an alumna may help change that. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThere has been a lot of work done to understand how smaller folded proteins form amyloid aggregates, but this study helps us to understand the aggregation pathway of a larger, more complex system,\u201d says co-first author \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEmily Saccuzzo\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. That work could one day help scientists uncover new modes of treatment \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u2014\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E not just for glaucoma, but for other diseases caused by protein aggregation, as well.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESaccuzzo started the project in 2018 as a graduate student in the Lieberman Lab in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, and is now a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Pacific Northwest National Labs. \u201cEmily was a summer student before she matriculated, and she established the initial feasibility of doing these experiments,\u201d says \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003Eprofessor and Sepcic Pfeil \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChair in Chemistry at Georgia Tech. \u201cI\u0027m immensely proud of her.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETheir research team\u0027s recent findings are featured in a new paper, \u201cCompetition between inside-out unfolding and pathogenic aggregation in an amyloid-forming \u03b2-propeller,\u0022 published in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-023-44479-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELieberman and Saccuzzo brought together researchers from throughout and beyond the Institute to collaborate on the study. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThis was a very multi-disciplinary project, and that\u0027s always really satisfying,\u201d Lieberman says. \u201cI think when you bring more people to the table, you can answer hard questions and do more than you can do on your own.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe Georgia Tech research team include\u003Cstrong\u003Es\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E Hailee F. Scelsi\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E Minh Thu Ma\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E Shannon E. Hill \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eof the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EXinya Su \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMatthew P. Torres\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EElisa Rheaume \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003Eor the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EInterdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences; and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJames C. Gumbart, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ewho holds joint appointments in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe research team also includes\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESaccuzzo\u0027s co-first author \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMubark D. Mebrat\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMinjoo Kim\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWade D. Van Horn \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eof Arizona State University as well as \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERenhao Li\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003Eof the \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEmory University School of Medicine.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA complicated protein\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile many studies have focused on smaller proteins, called model proteins, that have established \u2018rules\u2019 and known patterns for amyloid-formation (a specialized type of protein aggregation), the protein that contributes to glaucoma is larger and more complex. This type of larger, complicated protein is relatively unstudied.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe had known for a while that mutations in myocilin can cause the protein to misfold and aggregate, which in turn leads to glaucoma,\u201d Saccuzzo says. \u201cWhat we didn\u2019t know, however, was the exact mechanism by which this protein misfolds and aggregates.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThe goal of this study was to determine how disease mutants are misfolded, in hopes that that would give us insight into the early steps in the aggregation pathway,\u201d she adds.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELocated at the interface between the white of the eye and the colored iris, the protein forms a tiny small ring all the way around the eye. \u201cEvery time you blink, you stretch that muscle. Every time the wind blows really strong, or you get something in your eye. Every time you rub your eye, you could be affecting this protein \u2014 even when it\u0027s not causing disease,\u201d Lieberman says. Still, scientists aren\u2019t sure what the protein does. \u201cWe only know what it\u0027s doing when it\u0027s causing trouble,\u201d like glaucoma, she explains. \u201cWe don\u0027t know what its actual biological function is.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELieberman was initially attracted to the idea of studying the protein because she wondered if the research done on the model proteins might be applicable to the protein causing glaucoma. \u201cThe really early studies showed that it was likely similar to these model proteins that form amyloid,\u201d Lieberman says. \u201cI wanted to look into that because if we could show that that was true, then we could tap into the amazing resources and research done on model systems to help us combat the disease.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAn unpredictable system\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThis was one of the largest amyloid-forming proteins characterized to date,\u201d Sacc\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Euzzo says, and while the team hoped that they would find similarities to model proteins, the larger glaucoma-associated protein showed increased complexity.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cI think one of the most surprising observations that we made is that the protein itself is not at equilibrium for about 90 days after it\u2019s made,\u201d Lieberman adds. \u201cOne of the tenets of protein chemistry is that amino acid sequences adopt a unique structure, and that all of the information needed to fold the protein into its 3D structure is held in that amino acid sequence.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHere, the protein was shimmying a small amount, meaning that it wasn\u2019t at equilibrium. \u201cThere\u0027s so much more going on in the system than anyone could have imagined,\u201d Lieberman explains. \u201cWe assume that the shape controls some of the properties, but this is another mystery of this protein.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBecause the protein is so complicated and isn\u2019t at equilibrium, \u201cthere is a long list of the things we can\u2019t predict,\u201d says Lieberman, adding that it makes computer predictions difficult, along with certain experiments. \u201cThat was a moment when we thought: wow, here\u0027s this new system that people should think about. The rules might be refined to help us better understand what\u0027s going on.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe future of protein modeling\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile further research will need to be conducted in order to determine how best to treat glaucoma, the study provides a critical foundation for future studies. \u201cWhat is not clear to me right now is whether we would be able to find one drug for all the people who have mutations, or if we need a specific drug for each type of mutation that we would encounter,\u201d Lieberman says. While the research doesn\u2019t prove that one treatment might not be effective for all, \u201cit certainly shows that there\u0027s a lot more to this system than we ever expected.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cUnderstanding what disease mutants look like at the molecular level could help pave the way for structurally-specific glaucoma therapeutics and diagnostic tools,\u201d Saccuzzo adds.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELieberman and Saccuzzo also underscore that the work done to understand the protein responsible for glaucoma can also be applied to other large proteins.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cAt the end of the day, more proteins are not model proteins than \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eare\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E model proteins,\u201d Lieberman says. \u201cThere are many more systems out there, and I suspect that there are many more proteins that can aggregate and may contribute to disease or aging that have yet to be explored. I think this research shows the value of bringing lots of different approaches to probing a complicated system to learn more about it.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDOI: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-023-44479-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-023-44479-2\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EResearch reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health award numbers R01EY021205 (RLL, WVH), R41EY031203 (RLL), R01GM123169 (JCG), and R35GM141933 (WVH). EGS, HFS, and MTM were supported in part by 5T32EY007092-35. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u0027s research is supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/news\/raquel-lieberman-named-first-chair-alumna-funded-effort-boost-women-faculty-chemistry-and\u0022\u003EKelly Sepcic Pfeil, Ph.D. Faculty Endowment Fund\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech chemists are exploring the behavior of a complex protein associated with glaucoma \u2014 characterizing one of the largest amyloid-forming proteins to date. The study could lead to more treatment and prevention pathways for glaucoma, and other diseases associated with large, aggregating proteins.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech chemists are exploring the behavior of a complex protein associated with glaucoma \u2014 characterizing one of the largest amyloid-forming proteins to date. "}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-02-16 14:42:08","changed_gmt":"2024-03-27 19:16:53","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673112":{"id":"673112","type":"image","title":"A human eye - Image from Unsplash","body":null,"created":"1708094151","gmt_created":"2024-02-16 14:35:51","changed":"1708094079","gmt_changed":"2024-02-16 14:34:39","alt":"A human eye","file":{"fid":"256468","name":"v2osk-In4XVKhYaiI-unsplash.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/16\/v2osk-In4XVKhYaiI-unsplash.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/16\/v2osk-In4XVKhYaiI-unsplash.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8751990,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/16\/v2osk-In4XVKhYaiI-unsplash.jpeg?itok=lvZk0Op4"}},"673113":{"id":"673113","type":"image","title":"Emily Saccuzzo ","body":null,"created":"1708094152","gmt_created":"2024-02-16 14:35:52","changed":"1708094079","gmt_changed":"2024-02-16 14:34:39","alt":"Emily Saccuzzo ","file":{"fid":"256469","name":"emilys.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/16\/emilys.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/16\/emilys.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":67587,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/16\/emilys.jpeg?itok=sRw3efE2"}},"673114":{"id":"673114","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1708094152","gmt_created":"2024-02-16 14:35:52","changed":"1708094079","gmt_changed":"2024-02-16 14:34:39","alt":"Raquel Lieberman","file":{"fid":"256470","name":"Lieberman.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/16\/Lieberman.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/02\/16\/Lieberman.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":49587,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/02\/16\/Lieberman.jpeg?itok=nGyM5dud"}}},"media_ids":["673112","673113","673114"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674046":{"#nid":"674046","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Neuroscience Study Taps Into Brain Network Patterns to Understand Deep Focus, Attention ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFrom completing puzzles and playing music, to reading and exercising, growing up \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDolly Seeburger\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E loved activities that demanded her full attention. \u201cIt was in those times that I felt most content, like I was in the zone,\u201d she remembers. \u201cHours would pass, but it would feel like minutes.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile this deep focus state is essential to highly effective work, it\u2019s still not fully understood. Now, a new study led by Seeburger, a graduate student in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, alongside her advisor, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEric Schumacher\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, a professor in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E is unearthing the mechanisms behind it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe interdisciplinary Georgia Tech team also includes \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENan Xu, Sam Larson\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eand \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EShella Keilholz\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECoulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E), alongside \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMarcus Ma\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECollege of Computing\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E), and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChristine Godwin\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E (\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe researchers\u2019 study, \u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.3758\/s13415-024-01156-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETime-varying functional connectivity predicts fluctuations in sustained attention in a serial tapping task\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E,\u201d was published in \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E earlier this year, and it investigates brain activity via fMRI during periods of deep focus and less-focused work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe work is the first to investigate low-frequency fluctuations between different networks in the brain during focus, and could act as a springboard to study more complex behaviors and focus states.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cYour brain is dynamic! Nothing is just on or off,\u201d Seeburger explains. \u201cThis is the phenomenon we wanted to study. How does one get into the zone? Why is it that some people can sustain their attention better than others? Is this something that can be trained? If so, can we help people get better at it?\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe dynamic brain\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe team\u2019s work is also the first to study the relationship between fluctuations in attention and the brain network patterns within these low-frequency 20-second cycles. \u201cFor quite a while, the studies on neural oscillations focused on faster temporal frequencies, and the appreciation of these very low-frequency oscillations is relatively new,\u201d Seeburger says. \u201cBut, these low-frequency fluctuations may play a key role in regulating higher cognition such as sustained attention.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cOne of the things we\u0027ve discovered in previous research is that there\u0027s a natural fluctuation in activity in certain brain networks. When a subject is not doing a specific task while in the MRI scanner, we see that fluctuation happen roughly every 20 seconds,\u201d adds co-author Schumacher, explaining that the team was interested in the pattern because it is quasi-periodic, meaning that it doesn\u2019t repeat exactly every 20 seconds, and it varies between different trials and subjects.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBy studying these quasi-periodic cycles, the team hoped to measure the relationship between the brain fluctuation in these networks and the behavioral fluctuation associated with changes in attention.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EYour attention needed\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo measure attention, participants tapped along to a metronome while in an fMRI scanner. The team could measure how \u201cin the zone\u201d participants were by measuring how much variability was in each participant\u2019s taps \u2014 more variability suggested the participant was less focused, while precise tapping suggested the participant was \u201cin the zone.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe researchers found that when a subject\u2019s focus level changed, different regions of the brain synchronized and desychronized, in particular the fronto-parietal control network (FPCN) and default mode network (DMN), The FPCN is engaged when a person is trying to stay on task, whereas the DMN is correlated with internally-oriented thoughts (which a participant might be having when less focused). \u201cWhen one is out-of-the-zone, these two networks synchronize, and are in phase in the low frequency,\u201d Seeburger explains. \u201cWhen one is in the zone, these networks desynchronize.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe results suggest that the 20-second patterns could help predict if a person is sustaining their attention or not, and could provide key insight for researchers developing tools and techniques that help us deeply focus.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe big picture\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile the direct relationship between behavior and brain activity is still unknown, these 20-second patterns in brain fluctuation are seen universally, and across species. \u201cIf you put someone in a scanner and their mind is wandering, you find these fluctuations. You can find these quasi-period patterns in rodents. You can find it in primates,\u201d Schumacher says. \u201cThere\u0027s something fundamental about this brain network activity.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cI think it answers a really fundamental question about the relationship between behavior and brain activity,\u201d he adds. \u201cUnderstanding how these brain networks work together and impact behavior could lead to new therapies to help people organize their brain networks in the most efficient way.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAnd while this simple task might not investigate complex behaviors, the study could act as a springboard to move into more complicated behaviors and focus states. \u201cNext, I would like to study sustained attention in a more naturalistic way,\u201d Seeburger says. \u201cI hope that we can further the understanding of attention and help people get a better handle on their ability to control, sustain, and increase it.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDOI: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3758\/s13415-024-01156-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.3758\/s13415-024-01156-1\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA team of Georgia Tech \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003Eresearchers\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E is the first to study the relationship between fluctuations in attention and the brain network patterns within low-frequency 20-second cycles. They found that synchronized and desynchronized activity in different brain networks across 20-second cycles corresponds to small shifts in attention levels. The research may have applications for therapeutic treatments and could be a springboard for future innovation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A team of Georgia Tech researchers is the first to study the relationship between fluctuations in attention and the brain network patterns within low-frequency 20-second cycles. "}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-04-08 17:57:51","changed_gmt":"2024-04-11 01:03:21","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673655":{"id":"673655","type":"image","title":"Photo credit: Paul Skorupskas, unsplash.com","body":null,"created":"1712604380","gmt_created":"2024-04-08 19:26:20","changed":"1712604380","gmt_changed":"2024-04-08 19:26:20","alt":"Photo credit: Paul Skorupskas, unsplash.com","file":{"fid":"257076","name":"paul-skorupskas-7KLa-xLbSXA-unsplash.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/08\/paul-skorupskas-7KLa-xLbSXA-unsplash.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/08\/paul-skorupskas-7KLa-xLbSXA-unsplash.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1315972,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/08\/paul-skorupskas-7KLa-xLbSXA-unsplash.jpeg?itok=xT4Q41Ym"}},"673658":{"id":"673658","type":"image","title":"Dolly Seeburger","body":null,"created":"1712608243","gmt_created":"2024-04-08 20:30:43","changed":"1712608243","gmt_changed":"2024-04-08 20:30:43","alt":"Dolly Seeburger","file":{"fid":"257079","name":"Dolly_Seeburger.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/08\/Dolly_Seeburger.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/08\/Dolly_Seeburger.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54569,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/08\/Dolly_Seeburger.jpeg?itok=jUpqCfXC"}},"597958":{"id":"597958","type":"image","title":"Eric Schumacher","body":null,"created":"1509117744","gmt_created":"2017-10-27 15:22:24","changed":"1509117744","gmt_changed":"2017-10-27 15:22:24","alt":"","file":{"fid":"227959","name":"Eric Schumacher.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Eric%20Schumacher.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Eric%20Schumacher.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":291226,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Eric%20Schumacher.jpg?itok=uaE5TYzs"}}},"media_ids":["673655","673658","597958"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674367":{"#nid":"674367","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Why Can\u2019t Robots Outrun Animals?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERobots that can run, jump, and even talk have shifted from the stuff of science fiction to reality in the past few decades. Yet even in robots specialized for specific movements like running, animals are still able to outmaneuver the most advanced robotic developments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/simon-sponberg\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E recently collaborated with researchers at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUniversity of Washington\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sfu.ca\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESimon Fraser University\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.colorado.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUniversity of Colorado Boulder\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sri.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStanford Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E to answer one deceptively complex question: Why can\u2019t robots outrun animals?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis work is about trying to understand how, despite have some really amazing robots, there still seems to be a gulf between the capabilities of animal movement and what we can engineer,\u201d says Sponberg, who is Dunn Family Associate Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecently published in \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/scirobotics.adi9754\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EScience Robotics\u003C\/a\u003E,\u003C\/em\u003E their study systematically examines a suite of biological and robotic runners to figure out how to further advance our best robotic designs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn robotics design we are often very component focused \u2014 we are used to having to establish specifications for the parts that we need and then finding the best component solution,\u201d said Sponberg, who also serves on the executive committee for Georgia Tech\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022neuro.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThis is of course not how evolution works. We wondered if we systematically analyzed the performance of animals in the same component way that we design robots, if we might see an obvious gap.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe gap turns out not to be in the function of individual robotic components, but rather the ability of those components to work together in the seamless way biological components do, highlighting a field of opportunity for new research in robotic development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis means that the frontier is not necessarily figuring out how to design better motors or sensors or controllers,\u201d says Sponberg, \u201cbut rather how to integrate them together \u2014 this is where biology really excels.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more about man versus machine and the future of bioinspired robotics \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ece.uw.edu\/spotlight\/why-animals-can-outrun-robots\/\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Researcher Collaborates to Advance Bioinspired Design"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Researcher Simon Sponberg collaborates to ask why robotic advancements have yet to outpace animals \u2014 and look at what we can learn from biology to engineer new robotic designs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Researcher Simon Sponberg collaborates to ask why robotic advancements have yet to outpace animals \u2014 and look at what we can learn from biology to engineer new robotic designs."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-04-24 19:31:58","changed_gmt":"2024-05-02 20:25:23","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673838":{"id":"673838","type":"image","title":"mCLARI_Spider.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECan this small robot outrun a spider? Photo Credit: Animal Inspired Movement and Robotics Lab, CU Boulder.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713987354","gmt_created":"2024-04-24 19:35:54","changed":"1713987354","gmt_changed":"2024-04-24 19:35:54","alt":"Can this small robot outrun a spider? Photo Credit: Animal Inspired Movement and Robotics Lab, CU Boulder.","file":{"fid":"257286","name":"mCLARI_Spider.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/mCLARI_Spider.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/mCLARI_Spider.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3554930,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/mCLARI_Spider.jpg?itok=wDPfHkwN"}}},"media_ids":["673838"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-partners-15m-nsf-grant-explore-muscle-dynamics","title":"Georgia Tech Partners on $15M NSF Grant to Explore Muscle Dynamics"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/edge-georgia-tech-professors-awarded-curci-grants-emerging-bio-research-0","title":"On The Edge: Georgia Tech Professors Awarded Curci Grants for Emerging Bio Research"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/ultrafast-flight","title":"How Insects Evolved to Ultrafast Flight (And Back)"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"181469","name":"bioinspired design"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nNeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674335":{"#nid":"674335","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Electron Videography Technique Captures Dance Between Proteins and Lipids","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article was first published in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign newsroom. Read the full story \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.illinois.edu\/view\/6367\/34729291\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehere\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a first-of-its-kind technique called electron videography to capture moving images at the molecular scale. In the first demonstration of the technique, the team took a microscopic moving picture of the delicate dance between proteins and lipids found in cell membranes. The study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adk0217\u0022\u003EElectron videography of a lipid\u2013protein tango\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d was published last week in the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This is the first time we are looking at a protein on an individual scale and haven\u0027t frozen it or tagged it,\u0022 says \u003Cstrong\u003EAditi Das\u003C\/strong\u003E, a corresponding author and associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/aditi-das\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EElectron microscopy techniques image at the molecular or atomic scale, yielding detailed, nanometer-scale pictures. However, they often rely on samples that have been frozen or fixed in place, leaving scientists to try to infer how molecules move and interact \u2014 like trying to map the choreography of a dance sequence from a single frame of film.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Usually, we have to crystalize or freeze a protein, which poses challenges in capturing high-resolution images of flexible proteins. Alternately, some techniques use a molecular tag that we track, rather than watching the protein itself,\u201d Das says. \u201cIn this study we are seeing the protein as it is, behaving how it does in a liquid environment, and seeing how lipids and proteins interact with each other.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technique can be used to study the dynamics of other biomolecules, breaking free of constraints that have limited microscopy to still images of fixed molecules. In this study, the team examined nanoscale discs of lipid membranes and how they interacted with proteins normally found on the surface of or embedded in cell membranes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese membrane proteins are significant for medical treatments, and are involved in processes including muscle contraction, brain function, and immune system functions. Moving forward, the researchers plan to use their electron videography technique to study other types of membrane proteins and other classes of molecules and nanomaterials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDOI: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adk0217\u0022\u003E10.1126\/sciadv.adk0217\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new technique can be used to study the dynamics of other biomolecules, breaking free of constraints that have limited microscopy to still images of fixed molecules. \u201cThis is the first time we are looking at a protein on an individual scale and haven\u0027t frozen it or tagged it,\u201d says Aditi Das, associate professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The new technique can be used to study the dynamics of other biomolecules, breaking free of constraints that have limited microscopy to still images of fixed molecules."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-04-23 14:51:02","changed_gmt":"2024-09-10 16:33:53","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673811":{"id":"673811","type":"image","title":"Aditi Das","body":null,"created":"1713884130","gmt_created":"2024-04-23 14:55:30","changed":"1713884130","gmt_changed":"2024-04-23 14:55:30","alt":"Aditi Das","file":{"fid":"257253","name":"AditiDas.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/23\/AditiDas.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/23\/AditiDas.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":554462,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/23\/AditiDas.jpeg?itok=LGtwlGGH"}},"673812":{"id":"673812","type":"image","title":"A computational model, based on raw video from electron videography, showing the motion of a nanodisc composed of lipids (red) and a membrane protein (green) in water.  GIF courtesy of John W. Smith","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA computational model, based on raw video from electron videography, showing the motion of a nanodisc composed of lipids (red) and a membrane protein (green) in water.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGIF courtesy of John W. Smith\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713884130","gmt_created":"2024-04-23 14:55:30","changed":"1713884130","gmt_changed":"2024-04-23 14:55:30","alt":"A computational model, based on raw video from electron videography, showing the motion of a nanodisc composed of lipids (red) and a membrane protein (green) in water.  GIF courtesy of John W. Smith","file":{"fid":"257254","name":"GIF.gif","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/23\/GIF.gif","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/23\/GIF.gif","mime":"image\/gif","size":3019331,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/23\/GIF.gif?itok=0cAudx4c"}}},"media_ids":["673811","673812"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193659","name":"go-microbial"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EContact:\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess-Hunt Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674706":{"#nid":"674706","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Worms Inspire Wiggly Robots That Navigate All Landscapes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWorms and snakes seem to wiggle their way across varying environments without needing to learn the terrain. In more complex landscapes, they move even faster, using obstacles to propel themselves forward like a person pulling themselves up a ladder. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey don\u2019t alter their body-bending pattern no matter how dense the obstacles are,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ty-wang.github.io\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETianyu Wang\u003C\/a\u003E, a robotics Ph.D. student in the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines and the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. \u201cWe were curious if this process was passively controlled, meaning they don\u2019t have to \u2018think\u2019 about how to deal with obstacles \u2014 we consider this a kind of \u2018mechanical intelligence.\u2019\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo determine if this passive control hypothesis was correct, a team of roboticists, physicists, and engineers led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca data-entity-substitution=\u0022canonical\u0022 data-entity-type=\u0022node\u0022 data-entity-uuid=\u0022929f5776-4dc9-4e3b-a9af-7578c6fd76d0\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/2807\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, the Dunn Family Professor in the School of Physics, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca data-entity-substitution=\u0022canonical\u0022 data-entity-type=\u0022node\u0022 data-entity-uuid=\u0022b576aa4a-10b2-41c8-99fd-8027f447b195\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/2856\u0022\u003EHang Lu\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Cecil J. \u201cPete\u201d Silas Chair in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, developed a limbless robot. This robot helped them better understand the biology that makes worms and snakes so agile. The result is a robot that could be vital for missions in which humans and wheeled robots are limited, such as search and rescue, industrial maintenance, and planetary exploration.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/wiggly-robots\u0022\u003ERead more about what they discovered at Georgia Tech Research News.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETo determine if this passive control hypothesis was correct, a team of roboticists, physicists, and engineers led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca data-entity-substitution=\u0022canonical\u0022 data-entity-type=\u0022node\u0022 data-entity-uuid=\u0022929f5776-4dc9-4e3b-a9af-7578c6fd76d0\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/2807\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, the Dunn Family Professor in the School of Physics, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca data-entity-substitution=\u0022canonical\u0022 data-entity-type=\u0022node\u0022 data-entity-uuid=\u0022b576aa4a-10b2-41c8-99fd-8027f447b195\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/2856\u0022\u003EHang Lu\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Cecil J. \u201cPete\u201d Silas Chair in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, developed a limbless robot. This robot helped them better understand the biology that makes worms and snakes so agile. The result is a robot that could be vital for missions in which humans and wheeled robots are limited, such as search and rescue, industrial maintenance, and planetary exploration.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Worms and snakes seem to wiggle their way across varying environments without needing to learn the terrain. In more complex landscapes, they move even faster, using obstacles to propel themselves forward like a person pulling themselves up a ladder.  "}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2024-05-13 21:48:07","changed_gmt":"2024-05-14 16:31:29","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673992":{"id":"673992","type":"image","title":"worm-research-robot.jpg","body":null,"created":"1715636898","gmt_created":"2024-05-13 21:48:18","changed":"1715636898","gmt_changed":"2024-05-13 21:48:18","alt":"Worm research robot","file":{"fid":"257455","name":"worm-research-robot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/13\/worm-research-robot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/13\/worm-research-robot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":281296,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/13\/worm-research-robot.jpg?itok=Fid83wqG"}}},"media_ids":["673992"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674734":{"#nid":"674734","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Roots to Resilience: Investigating the Vital Role of Microbes in Coastal Plant Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\u2019s saltwater marshes \u2014 living where the land meets the ocean \u2014 stretch along the state\u2019s entire 100-mile coastline. These rich ecosystems are largely dominated by just one plant: grass.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKnown as cordgrass, the plant is an ecosystem engineer, providing habitats for wildlife, naturally cleaning water as it moves from inland to the sea, and holding the shoreline together so it doesn\u2019t collapse. Cordgrass even protects human communities from tidal surges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how these plants stay healthy is of crucial ecological importance. For example, one known plant stressor prevalent in marsh soils is the dissolved sulfur compound, sulfide, which is produced and consumed by bacteria. But while the Georgia coastline boasts a rich tradition of ecological research, understanding the nuanced ways bacteria interact with plants in these ecosystems has been elusive. Thanks to recent advances in genomic technology, Georgia Tech biologists have begun to reveal never-before-seen ecological processes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u2019s work was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-47646-1\u0022\u003Epublished\u003C\/a\u003E in \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E, the Tom and Marie Patton\u0026nbsp;Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jose-luis-rolando-17074b17\u0022\u003EJose Luis Rolando\u003C\/a\u003E, a postdoctoral fellow, set out to investigate the relationship between the cordgrass\u003Cem\u003E Spartina alterniflora \u003C\/em\u003Eand the microbial communities that inhabit their roots, identifying the bacteria and their roles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJust like humans have gut microbes that keep us healthy, plants depend on microbes in their tissues for health, immunity, metabolism, and nutrient uptake,\u201d Kostka said. \u201cWhile we\u2019ve known about the reactions that drive nutrient and carbon cycling in the marsh for a long time, there\u2019s not as much data on the role of microbes in ecosystem functioning.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOut in the Marsh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA major way that plants get their nutrients is through nitrogen fixation, a process in which bacteria convert nitrogen into a form that plants can use. In marshes, this role has mostly been attributed to heterotrophs, or bacteria that grow and get their energy from organic carbon. Bacteria that consume the plant toxin sulfide are chemoautotrophs, using energy from sulfide oxidation to fuel the uptake of carbon dioxide to make their own organic carbon for growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThrough previous work, we knew that \u003Cem\u003ESpartina alterniflora\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;has sulfur bacteria in its roots and that there are two types: sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, which use sulfide as an energy source, and sulfate reducers, which respire sulfate and produce sulfide, a known toxin for plants,\u201d Rolando said. \u201cWe wanted to know more about the role these different sulfur bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKostka and Rolando headed to Sapelo Island, Georgia, where they have regularly conducted fieldwork in the salt marshes. Wading into the marsh, shovels and buckets in hand, the researchers and their students collected cordgrass along with the muddy sediment samples that cling to their roots. Back at the field lab, the team gathered around a basin filled with creek water and carefully washed the grass, gently separating the plant roots.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENext, they used a special technique involving heavier versions of chemical elements that occur in nature as tracers to track the microbial processes. They also analyzed the DNA and RNA of the microbes living in different compartments of the plants.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a sequencing technology known as shotgun metagenomics, they were able to retrieve the DNA from the whole microbial community and reconstruct genomes from newly discovered organisms. Similarly, untargeted RNA sequencing of the microbial community allowed them to assess which microbial species and specific functions were active in close association with plant roots.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing this combination of techniques, they found that chemoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were also involved in nitrogen fixation. Not only did these bacteria help plants by detoxifying the root zone, but they also played a crucial role in providing nitrogen to the plants. This dual role of the bacteria in sulfur cycling and nitrogen fixation highlights their importance in coastal ecosystems and their contribution to plant health and growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Plants growing in areas with high levels of sulfide accumulation tend to be smaller and less healthy,\u0022 said Rolando. \u0022However, we found that the microbial communities within Spartina roots help to detoxify the sulfide, enhancing plant health and resilience.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELocal to Global Significance\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECordgrasses aren\u2019t just the main player in Georgia marshes; they also dominate marsh landscapes across the entire Southeast, including the Carolinas and the Gulf Coast. Moreover, the researchers found that the same bacteria are associated with cordgrass, mangrove, and seagrass roots in coastal ecosystems across the planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Much of the shoreline in tropical and temperate climates is covered by coastal wetlands,\u201d Rolando said. \u201cThese areas likely harbor similar microbial symbioses, which means that these interactions impact ecosystem functioning on a global scale.\u0022 \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELooking ahead, the researchers plan to further explore the details of how marsh plants and microbes exchange nitrogen and carbon, using state-of-the-art microscopy techniques coupled with ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry to confirm their findings at the single-cell level.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Science follows technology, and we were excited to use the latest genomic methods to see which types of bacteria were there and active,\u201d Kostka said. \u201cThere\u0027s still much to learn about the intricate relationships between plants and microbes in coastal ecosystems, and we are beginning to uncover the extent of the microbial complexity that keeps marshes healthy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECitation: Rolando, J.L., Kolton, M., Song, T.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eet al.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Sulfur oxidation and reduction are coupled to nitrogen fixation in the roots of the salt marsh foundation plant\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ESpartina alterniflora\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENat Commun\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E15\u003C\/strong\u003E, 3607 (2024).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-47646-1\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunding: This work was supported in part by an institutional grant (NA18OAR4170084) to the Georgia Sea Grant College Program from the National Sea Grant Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce, and by a grant from the National Science Foundation (DEB 1754756).\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how salt marsh grass stays healthy is of crucial ecological importance, and studying the ways bacteria interact with these plants is key. Thanks to recent advances in genomic technology, Georgia Tech biologists have begun to reveal never-before-seen ecological processes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Understanding how salt marsh grass stays healthy is of crucial ecological importance, and studying the ways bacteria interact with these plants is key."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2024-05-15 18:52:12","changed_gmt":"2024-08-30 16:54:34","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674019":{"id":"674019","type":"image","title":"Screenshot 2024-05-15 at 1.26.57\u202fPM.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech researchers surveying field sites in the salt marshes of Sapelo Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715800209","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:10:09","changed":"1715800209","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:10:09","alt":"Four people walking across a salt marsh","file":{"fid":"257482","name":"Screenshot 2024-05-15 at 1.26.57\u202fPM.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/Screenshot%202024-05-15%20at%201.26.57%E2%80%AFPM.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/Screenshot%202024-05-15%20at%201.26.57%E2%80%AFPM.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":688116,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/Screenshot%202024-05-15%20at%201.26.57%E2%80%AFPM.jpg?itok=plpMUK7i"}},"674020":{"id":"674020","type":"image","title":"IMG_0277.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJoel Kostka, the Tom and Marie Patton\u0026nbsp;Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in the School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715800875","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:21:15","changed":"1715800875","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:21:15","alt":"A man in a blue shirt holds a shovel in a salt marsh. ","file":{"fid":"257483","name":"IMG_0277.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/IMG_0277.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/IMG_0277.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5785839,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/IMG_0277.jpeg?itok=HqcNyLb2"}},"674022":{"id":"674022","type":"image","title":"PastedGraphic-3[60].jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech postdoctoral fellow Jose Rolando (right) and graduate student Gabrielle Krueger\u0026nbsp;prepare samples for chemical analysis in the field at Sapelo Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1715801461","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:31:01","changed":"1715802529","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:48:49","alt":"Two people sitting on a ground with a cooler and scientific equipment (including sample vials) between them. ","file":{"fid":"257485","name":"PastedGraphic-3[60].jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-3%5B60%5D.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-3%5B60%5D.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":403670,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-3%5B60%5D.jpg?itok=pyvxYt3e"}},"674021":{"id":"674021","type":"image","title":"PastedGraphic-6[93].jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers washing cordgrass roots for microbial analysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715801172","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:26:12","changed":"1715801172","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:26:12","alt":"Several people stand around a large basin washing grass. ","file":{"fid":"257484","name":"PastedGraphic-6[93].jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-6%5B93%5D.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-6%5B93%5D.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":248349,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-6%5B93%5D.jpg?itok=vhzIGkfk"}},"674023":{"id":"674023","type":"image","title":"PastedGraphic-4.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech graduate student Tianze Song collects porewater samples for chemical analysis in the marsh on Sapelo Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1715802407","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 19:46:47","changed":"1715802407","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 19:46:47","alt":"A person does scientific sampling in the midst of a marsh.","file":{"fid":"257486","name":"PastedGraphic-4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-4.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-4.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":509222,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/PastedGraphic-4.jpg?itok=omnEkxhT"}}},"media_ids":["674019","674020","674022","674021","674023"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674984":{"#nid":"674984","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unraveling the Physics of Knitting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKnitting, the age-old craft of looping and stitching natural fibers into fabrics, has received renewed attention for its potential applications in advanced manufacturing. Far beyond their use for garments, knitted textiles are ideal for designing and fabricating emerging technologies like wearable electronics or soft robotics \u2014 structures that need to move and bend.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKnitting transforms one-dimensional yarn into two-dimensional fabrics that are flexible, durable, and highly customizable in shape and elasticity. But to create smart textile design techniques that engineers can use, understanding the mechanics behind knitted materials is crucial.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhysicists from the Georgia Institute of Technology have taken the technical know-how of knitting and added mathematical backing to it. In a study led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/elisabetta-matsumoto\u0022\u003EElisabetta Matsumoto\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, and Krishma Singal, a graduate researcher in Matsumoto\u2019s lab, the team used experiments and simulations to quantify and predict how knit fabric response can be programmed. By establishing a mathematical theory of knitted materials, the researchers hope that knitting \u2014 and textiles in general \u2014 can be incorporated into more engineering applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir research paper, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-46498-z\u0022\u003EProgramming Mechanics in Knitted Materials, Stitch by Stitch\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was published in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor centuries, hand knitters have used different types of stitches and stitch combinations to specify the geometry and \u2018stretchiness\u2019 of garments, and much of the technical knowledge surrounding knitting has been handed down by word of mouth,\u201d said Matsumoto.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut while knitting has often been dismissed as unskilled, poorly paid \u201cwomen\u2019s work,\u201d the properties of knits can be more complex than traditional engineering materials like rubbers or metals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor this project, the team wanted to decode the underlying principles that direct the elastic behavior of knitted fabrics. These principles are governed by the nuanced interplay of stitch patterns, geometry, and yarn topology \u2014 the undercrossings or overcrossings in a knot or stitch. \u0022A lot of yarn isn\u2019t very stretchy, yet once knit into a fabric, the fabric exhibits emergent elastic behavior,\u0022 Singal said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cExperienced knitters can identify which fabrics are stretchier than others and have an intuition for its best application,\u201d she added. \u201cBut by understanding how these fabrics can be programmed and how they behave, we can expand knitting\u2019s application into a variety of fields beyond clothing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough a combination of experiments and simulations, Matsumoto and Singal explored the relationships among yarn manipulation, stitch patterns, and fabric elasticity, and how these factors work together to affect bulk fabric behavior. They began with physical yarn and fabric stretching experiments to identify main parameters, such as how bendable or fluffy the yarn is, and the length and radius of yarn in a given stitch.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey then used the experiment results to design simulations to examine the yarn inside a stitch, similar to an X-ray.\u0026nbsp;It is difficult to see inside stitches during the physical measurements, so the simulations are used to see what parts of the yarn have interacted with other parts. The simulations are used to recreate the physical measurements as accurately as possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough these experiments and simulations, Singal and Matsumoto showed the profound impact that design variations can have on fabric response and uncovered the remarkable programmability of knitting. \u0022We discovered that by using simple adjustments in how you design a fabric pattern, you can change how stretchy or stiff the bulk fabric is,\u0022 Singal said. \u0022How the yarn is manipulated, what stitches are formed, and how the stitches are patterned completely alter the response of the final fabric.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMatsumoto envisions that the insights gleaned from their research will enable knitted textile design to become more commonly used in manufacturing and product design. Their discovery that simple stitch patterning can alter a fabric\u2019s elasticity points to knitting\u2019s potential for cutting-edge interactive technologies like soft robotics, wearables, and haptics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe think of knitting as an additive manufacturing technique \u2014 like 3D printing, and you can change the material properties just by picking the right stitch pattern,\u201d Singal said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMatsumoto and Singal plan to push the boundaries of knitted fabric science even further, as there are still numerous questions about knitted fabrics to be answered.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Textiles are ubiquitous and we use them everywhere in our lives,\u0022 Matsumoto said. \u0022Right now, the hard part is that designing them for specific properties relies on having a lot of experience and technical intuition. We hope our research helps make textiles a versatile tool for engineers and scientists too.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENote\u003C\/strong\u003E: Sarah Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) and Michael Dimitriyev (Texas A\u0026amp;M) are also co-first authors of the study.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation\u003C\/strong\u003E: Singal, K., Dimitriyev, M.S., Gonzalez, S.E.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eet al.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Programming mechanics in knitted materials, stitch by stitch.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENat Commun\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E15\u003C\/strong\u003E, 2622 (2024).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-46498-z\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-46498-z\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding\u003C\/strong\u003E: Research Corporation for Science Advancement, National Science Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe team used experiments and simulations to quantify and predict how knit fabric response can be programmed. By establishing a mathematical theory of knitted materials, the researchers hope that knitting \u2014 and textiles in general \u2014 can be incorporated into more engineering and manufacturing applications.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The researchers have taken the age-old technical know-how of knitting and added mathematical backing to it."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2024-06-03 20:48:18","changed_gmt":"2024-08-30 16:52:17","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674131":{"id":"674131","type":"image","title":"Krishma Singal operates knitting machine","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKrishma Singal operates the knitting machine she used to create fabric samples for the study. Singal, the first author of the study, recently graduated from Georgia Tech with her Ph.D. Credit: Allison Carter.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1717450454","gmt_created":"2024-06-03 21:34:14","changed":"1717603146","gmt_changed":"2024-06-05 15:59:06","alt":"A woman wearing glasses and short sleeve pink sweater sit nexts to a commercial knitting machine.","file":{"fid":"257607","name":"krishma machine 2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/03\/krishma%20machine%202.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/03\/krishma%20machine%202.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5106119,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/03\/krishma%20machine%202.png?itok=ROXkgXJl"}},"674129":{"id":"674129","type":"image","title":"Fabric samples","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe team created their own fabric samples using a variety of stitch patterns. From left to right, the fabrics are stockinette, garter, rib, and seed. Each sample has the same number of stitch rows and columns, showing how stitch patterns can profoundly impact behavior, elasticity, and shape.\u0026nbsp;Credit: Allison Carter\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1717448940","gmt_created":"2024-06-03 21:09:00","changed":"1717603023","gmt_changed":"2024-06-05 15:57:03","alt":"Four small samples of white fabric on a black background. ","file":{"fid":"257605","name":"fabric samples.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/03\/fabric%20samples.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/03\/fabric%20samples.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4915255,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/03\/fabric%20samples.png?itok=58aQyu8T"}},"674130":{"id":"674130","type":"image","title":"Krishma Singal stretches knit fabric","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMany types of yarn are not very stretchy, yet once knit into a fabric, the fabric exhibits emergent elastic behavior. Credit: Allison Carter\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1717449360","gmt_created":"2024-06-03 21:16:00","changed":"1717603251","gmt_changed":"2024-06-05 16:00:51","alt":"Hands stretching a small piece of white knit fabric to show its elasticity","file":{"fid":"257606","name":"singal stretch.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/03\/singal%20stretch.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/03\/singal%20stretch.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5246766,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/03\/singal%20stretch.png?itok=ZQ-opnBT"}},"674128":{"id":"674128","type":"image","title":"Krishma Singal with knitting machine ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKrishma Singal with the knitting machine she used to create fabric samples for the study. Credit: Allison Carter.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1717448245","gmt_created":"2024-06-03 20:57:25","changed":"1717603091","gmt_changed":"2024-06-05 15:58:11","alt":"A woman wearing glasses and short sleeve pink sweater sit nexts to a commercial knitting machine.","file":{"fid":"257603","name":"krishma singal machine.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/03\/krishma%20singal%20machine.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/03\/krishma%20singal%20machine.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5361051,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/03\/krishma%20singal%20machine.png?itok=otKS5tSl"}}},"media_ids":["674131","674129","674130","674128"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192258","name":"cos-data"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecatherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674908":{"#nid":"674908","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Physicist Flavio Fenton Awarded Lectureship for Heart Arrhythmia Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFlavio Fenton,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ea professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E, has been awarded the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrsonline.org\/about-us\/awards-scholarships\/douglas-p-zipes-lectureship-award\u0022\u003EDouglas P. Zipes Lectureship Award\u003C\/a\u003E by the Heart Rhythm Society for his groundbreaking research on arrhythmias. The award \u201chonors a scientist or clinician who has made a significant and unique contribution to the field of cardiac pacing and electrophysiology.\u201d Only one Lectureship is awarded each year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/news\/we-heart-physics-flavio-fenton-cardiac-rhythms-chaos-and-mission-end-arrhythmias-0\u0022\u003EFenton uses physics to better understand how the heart functions\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 or malfunctions, as in the case of arrhythmias.\u0026nbsp;Arrhythmias happen when a heart beats irregularly, and too slow or too fast. These contractions are cued by electrical signals \u2014 electrical signals that he has spent the last thirty years uncovering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am extremely honored and grateful to have been selected for this award,\u201d Fenton says. \u201cIt is really a privilege to join the list of recipients of this award, so many of whom I have long admired and whose research has formed and inspired me since my early days as a researcher. It is particularly meaningful for me to be recognized for my contributions to the study of cardiac arrhythmias by a society predominantly composed of medical doctors, especially given the unusual circumstance of a physicist receiving such an honor.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhysics at the heart of it\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBy\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.quantamagazine.org\/can-math-and-physics-save-an-arrhythmic-heart-20230712\/\u0022\u003Eleveraging mathematical and computational models\u003C\/a\u003E, along with conducting experiments, Fenton unravels the dynamics of voltage and calcium waves in the heart, and how their instabilities relate to arrhythmias \u2014 in particular the unique spiral waves associated with them. By combating these spiral waves with specifically-tailored electrical shocks, he has developed gentler, less-damaging methods than those traditionally-used in current defibrillators, which he hopes can be clinically applied in the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFenton\u2019s contributions to the field have also included new methods to visualize and study arrhythmias experimentally and the development of theoretical and computational tools, increasing the accessibility of cutting-edge computer simulations aimed at personalizing heart treatments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI would like to dedicate this award to my mentors and collaborators\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAlain Karma\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ESteve Evans\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERobert Gilmour,\u003C\/strong\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EElizabeth Cherry\u003C\/strong\u003E, as well as to all my students whose contributions have been invaluable and with whom I have had so much fun doing research,\u201d he says. \u201cThis award is a testament to our collective work.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe award recognizes \u201chonors a scientist or clinician who has made a significant and unique contribution to the field of cardiac pacing and electrophysiology,\u0022 and recognizes Fenton\u0027s groundbreaking research, which uses physics to better understand how the heart functions \u2014 or malfunctions, in the case of arrhythmias.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Fenton has spent the last 30 years using physics to better understand how the heart functions, and has made groundbreaking contributions to the field."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-05-28 15:57:33","changed_gmt":"2024-05-28 16:22:00","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674077":{"id":"674077","type":"image","title":"Fenton (center) with students Henry Chionuma, Evan Rheaume, Jimena Siles-Paredes, Casey Lee-Trimble, and Ilja Uzelac","body":null,"created":"1716913143","gmt_created":"2024-05-28 16:19:03","changed":"1716913143","gmt_changed":"2024-05-28 16:19:03","alt":"Fenton (center) with students Henry Chionuma, Evan Rheaume, Jimena Siles-Paredes, Casey Lee-Trimble, and Ilja Uzelac","file":{"fid":"257547","name":"Screenshot 2024-05-28 at 9.16.20\u202fAM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/28\/Screenshot%202024-05-28%20at%209.16.20%E2%80%AFAM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/28\/Screenshot%202024-05-28%20at%209.16.20%E2%80%AFAM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5295118,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/28\/Screenshot%202024-05-28%20at%209.16.20%E2%80%AFAM.png?itok=SUZleHYD"}},"674078":{"id":"674078","type":"image","title":"Fenton delivering his lecture this May.","body":null,"created":"1716913143","gmt_created":"2024-05-28 16:19:03","changed":"1716913143","gmt_changed":"2024-05-28 16:19:03","alt":"Fenton delivering his lecture this May.","file":{"fid":"257548","name":"Screenshot 2024-05-28 at 9.16.44\u202fAM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/28\/Screenshot%202024-05-28%20at%209.16.44%E2%80%AFAM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/28\/Screenshot%202024-05-28%20at%209.16.44%E2%80%AFAM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3098163,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/28\/Screenshot%202024-05-28%20at%209.16.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?itok=0BqrF1_I"}}},"media_ids":["674077","674078"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"76941","name":"w"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675410":{"#nid":"675410","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Geometry of Life: Physicists Determine What Controls Biofilm Growth","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFrom plaque sticking to teeth to scum on a pond, biofilms can be found nearly everywhere. These colonies of bacteria grow on implanted medical devices, our skin, contact lenses, and in our guts and lungs. They can be found in sewers and drainage systems, on the surface of plants, and even in the ocean.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cSome research says that 80% of infections in human bodies can be attributed to the bacteria growing in biofilms,\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/aawaz-pokhrel\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAawaz Pokhrel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Esays, lead author of a groundbreaking new study that uses physics to investigate how these biofilms grow.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe paper, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41567-024-02572-3\u0022\u003EThe Biophysical Basis of Bacterial Colony Growth\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Physics\u003C\/em\u003E this week, and it shows that the fitness of a biofilm \u2014 its ability to grow, expand, and absorb nutrients from the medium or the substrate \u2014 is largely impacted by the contact angle that the\u0026nbsp;biofilm\u2019s edge makes with the substrate. The study also found that this geometry has a bigger influence on fitness than anything else, including the rate at which the cells can reproduce.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThat was the big surprise for us,\u201d says corresponding author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/yunkerlab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWe expected that the geometry would play an important role, and we thought that figuring out exactly what the geometry is would be important for understanding why the range expansion rate, for example, [the rate at which the biofilm spreads across the surface over time] is constant. But we didn\u0027t start the project thinking that geometry would be the single most important factor.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUnderstanding how biofilms grow \u2014 and what factors contribute to their growth rate \u2014 could lead to critical insights on controlling them, with applications for human health, like slowing the spread of infection or creating cleaner surfaces. \u201cWhat got me excited was this opportunity to use physics to learn about complex biological systems,\u201d Pokhrel,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/yunkerlab.gatech.edu\/members\/\u0022\u003Ewho is also a Ph.D. student in Yunker\u2019s lab\u003C\/a\u003E, adds. \u201cEspecially on a project that has so many applications. The combination of the importance for human health and exciting research was really intriguing for me.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA new method\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhile biofilms are ubiquitous in nature, studying them has proven difficult. Because these \u201ccities of microorganisms\u201d are comprised of tiny individuals, scientists have struggled to image them successfully.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThat changed in 2015, when Yunker began wondering if\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Einterferometry\u003C\/em\u003E, a commonly used imaging technique in physics and materials science, could be applied to biofilms. \u201cGiven my background in physics, I was familiar with its use in materials applications,\u201d Yunker recalls. \u201cI thought applying this technique more broadly might be interesting, because we know from decades of physics that surface interfaces contain a lot of information about the processes that create them.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe technique proved to be simple, effective, and time-efficient, providing nanometer-scale resolution of bacterial colonies. \u201cIt allows us to essentially get a picture of the topography \u2014 the shape of the surface of the bacterial population \u2014 with super-resolution,\u201d Yunker adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELeveraging interferometry, the team began conducting new biofilm experiments, investigating how colonies\u2019 shapes changed over time. Co-first author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/weitzgroup.umd.edu\/people\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGabi Steinbach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, formerly a postdoctoral scholar in Yunker\u2019s lab and now a scientific research coordinator at the University of Maryland, noticed that every colony had a specific shape when it was small: a spherical cap, like a slice from the top of a sphere, or a droplet of water. It\u2019s a shape that shows up often in physics, and that sparked the team\u2019s interest.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cA spherical cap in physics is very interesting, because it is a surface-minimizing shape,\u201d Pokhrel adds. \u201cI was curious why a biological material was growing in this shape, and we started wondering if there was some physics to it \u2013 perhaps geometry was involved. And that made us think that maybe we could develop a model. And that got me really excited.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA mathematical mystery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHowever, the researchers soon hit a roadblock. \u201cWhile we could see that the colonies were spherical caps at first, they would deviate from that shape as they grew,\u201d Pokhrel says. \u201cAnd the shape that they grew into was difficult to describe with existing spherical cap geometry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe middle didn\u2019t grow as quickly as it should to keep the spherical cap shape, and we wanted to connect all of this to the range expansion [the rate at which the colony spread across a surface],\u201d Yunker adds. \u201cBut we knew that somehow, geometry was playing a very important role.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFinally,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EThomas Day\u003C\/strong\u003E, a former graduate student in Yunker\u2019s lab, now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Southern California, and one of the authors of the paper, suggested a quirky problem of geometry called the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Enapkin ring problem.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAs soon as we started to think about the napkin ring problem, we were able to start developing a mathematical toolkit,\u201d Yunker says, though the solution wasn\u2019t effortless. \u201cWe couldn\u0027t find anyone who\u0026nbsp; had ever looked at a spherical cap napkin ring before, because the application is very rare.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPokhrel, alongside two co-authors, was responsible for working out the geometry. He discovered that the cells grew exponentially at the edge of the shape, expanding further onto the medium, while the cells in the middle grew upward, creating a shape not unlike an egg in a frying pan \u2014 if the egg white was expanding outwards, while the yolk was only growing taller.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis was the breakthrough discovery: Because the cells at the middle were only contributing to the biofilm\u2019s height, the team only needed to account for how many cells were at the edge of the biofilm, and the shape they needed to be in to grow and spread.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAfter incorporating their findings into a mathematical model, the team found that the contact angle was the most important factor: the angle that the very edge of the biofilm made when it touched the surface it was growing on. That single geometric quality is even more important to a biofilm\u2019s growth than the rate at which it can reproduce cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe physics-biology connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOverall, the project took more than three years, from conception to publication.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201c\u003C\/strong\u003EAawaz really made an incredible effort seeing this work through,\u201d Yunker says. \u201cIt was many years and many, many experiments. But the finished product is 100% worth it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team hopes the research will pave the way for future studies, which could lead to applications like controlling biofilm growth to help prevent infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cGoing forward, there are still a lot of research avenues,\u201d Pokhrel says. \u201cFor example, looking at competition experiments between biofilms \u2014 do taller colonies change their contact angle so that they can spread faster? What role does this geometry play in competition?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cBiology is complex,\u201d Yunker adds. In nature, the surface a biofilm grows on may not be as consistent as a laboratory surface, and colonies may have different mutations or may consist of more than one species. And while the model is based on how biofilms behave in a controlled lab environment, it\u2019s a critical first step in understanding how they may behave in nature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation\u003C\/strong\u003E: Pokhrel, A.R., Steinbach, G., Krueger, A. et al. The biophysical basis of bacterial colony growth. Nat. Phys. (2024). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41567-024-02572-3\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding information:\u003C\/strong\u003E This research was funded by the NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences and NSF Biomaterials\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA groundbreaking new study published in \u003Cem\u003ENature Physics\u003C\/em\u003E has revealed that geometry influences biofilm growth more than anything else, including the rate at which cells can reproduce. The research shows that the fitness of a biofilm is largely impacted by the contact angle that the\u0026nbsp;biofilm\u2019s edge makes with the substrate.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Up to 80% of infections in human bodies can be attributed to the bacteria growing in biofilms, and understanding how biofilms grow could lead to critical insights on controlling them."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-07-09 19:16:24","changed_gmt":"2024-07-12 14:24:53","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674326":{"id":"674326","type":"image","title":"Microscopic image of biofilm on rock, Image Credit: NASA","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMicroscopic image of biofilm on rock, Image Credit: NASA\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1720552832","gmt_created":"2024-07-09 19:20:32","changed":"1720552832","gmt_changed":"2024-07-09 19:20:32","alt":"Microscopic image of biofilm on rock, Image Credit: NASA","file":{"fid":"257824","name":"jsc2019e039825~orig.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/09\/jsc2019e039825~orig.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/09\/jsc2019e039825~orig.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":826490,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/09\/jsc2019e039825~orig.jpg?itok=tV_FdfJE"}}},"media_ids":["674326"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["selenalynlangner@gmail.com"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676968":{"#nid":"676968","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joel Kostka Named AGU Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/kostkalab\/people\/joel-kostka\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel E. Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agu.org\/user-profile?cstkey=20e4119e-4554-4bbf-8b04-65cee0261307\u0022\u003Enamed a Union Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the American Geophysical Union, joining a slate of 53 international researchers selected as 2024 AGU Fellows for \u201csignificant contributions to the Earth and space sciences.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka serves as Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEarth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EEach year, AGU recognizes individuals and teams for their accomplishments in research, education, science communication and outreach. \u201cThese recipients have transformed our understanding of the world, impacted our everyday lives, improved our communities and contributed to solutions for a sustainable future,\u201d shared AGU President\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELisa J. Graumlich\u003C\/strong\u003E and the organization\u2019s Honors and Recognition Committee in a September 18\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agu.org\/honors-home\/announcement\u0022\u003Eannouncement\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka is an expert in ecosystem biogeoscience, which couples biogeochemistry with microbiology to uncover the role of microorganisms in ecosystem function \u2014 along with determining the mechanisms by which environmental perturbations (climate change) alter microbially-mediated biogeochemical cycles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cTo be named as a fellow of the American Geophysical Union is very special to me, in particular because it signifies the trust and respect of my colleagues,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cI am honored to stand on the shoulders of such a great group of researchers that have moved this field forward.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOf course,\u201d he adds, \u201cI would not be in this position without amazing mentors, colleagues, students, and postdocs from whom I have learned so much.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI want to congratulate Dr. Kostka on this tremendous honor,\u201d adds Biological Sciences Professor and Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ETodd Streelman\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u201cHis passion for ecology and understanding the impacts of environmental change on ecosystems is evident. I am delighted that his significant contributions have been recognized by his colleagues in the American Geophysical Union.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHonorees will be celebrated at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agu.org\/annual-meeting\u0022\u003EAGU24\u003C\/a\u003E, which will convene more than 25,000 attendees from over 100 countries in Washington, D.C. this December under the theme \u201cWhat\u2019s Next for Science.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Joel E. Kostka has been named a Union Fellow by the American Geophysical Union, joining a slate of 53 international researchers selected as 2024 AGU Fellows for \u201csignificant contributions to the Earth and space sciences.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Joel E. Kostka has been named a Union Fellow by the American Geophysical Union, joining a slate of 53 international researchers selected as 2024 AGU Fellows for \u201csignificant contributions to the Earth and space sciences.\u201d  "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2024-09-18 20:59:30","changed_gmt":"2024-09-18 21:01:52","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675025":{"id":"675025","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka ","body":null,"created":"1726693287","gmt_created":"2024-09-18 21:01:27","changed":"1726693287","gmt_changed":"2024-09-18 21:01:27","alt":"Joel Kostka","file":{"fid":"258612","name":"Joel Kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":422897,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg?itok=zIPhfLUz"}}},"media_ids":["675025"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/roots-resilience-investigating-vital-role-microbes-coastal-plant-health","title":"From Roots to Resilience: Investigating the Vital Role of Microbes in Coastal Plant Health "},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/rising-temperatures-alter-missing-link-microbial-processes-putting-northern-peatlands-risk","title":"Rising Temperatures Alter \u2018Missing Link\u2019 of Microbial Processes, Putting Northern Peatlands at Risk "},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/joel-kostka-awarded-32-million-keep-digging-how-soils-and-plants-capture-carbon-and-keep-it-out","title":"Joel Kostka Awarded $3.2 Million to Keep Digging into How Soils and Plants Capture Carbon \u2014 And Keep It Out of Earth\u2019s Atmosphere "},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/salt-marsh-grass-georgias-coast-gets-nutrients-growth-helpful-bacteria-its-roots","title":"Salt Marsh Grass On Georgia\u2019s Coast Gets Nutrients for Growth From Helpful Bacteria in Its Roots "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"172458","name":"biological sciences"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"61541","name":"Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"179951","name":"AGU"},{"id":"172013","name":"Faculty Awards and Honors"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677974":{"#nid":"677974","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New AI Tool Identifies Better Antibody Therapies ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EFrom sending cancer into remission to alleviating Covid-19 symptoms, immunotherapy can provide revolutionary disease treatments. Immunotherapies use antibodies \u2014 proteins that bind to cell markers called antigens \u2014 to target and eliminate the antigen. But despite how effective immunotherapy can be, it isn\u2019t widely used because finding the right antibodies to develop treatments is challenging, time-consuming work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are making this process a little easier, though. Their new tool, AF2Complex, used deep learning to predict which antibodies could bind to Covid-19\u2019s infamous spike protein. The researchers created input data for the deep-learning model using sequences of known antigen binders. This method correctly predicted 90% of the best antibodies in one test with 1,000 antibodies and was recently \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2410529121\u0022\u003Epublished\u003C\/a\u003E in \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. Treating Covid-19 is just the start of its potential.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAF2Complex improves therapeutic development,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mu_gao\u0022\u003EMu Gao\u003C\/a\u003E, a senior research scientist in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E (SBS). \u201cIf you have a high-quality model, then you can tinker with the protein sequence and optimize the antibody, making it more suitable for drug development.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeveloping the Deep-Learning Model\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers weren\u2019t the first to use deep learning to predict protein structures, but they did considerably expand the model\u2019s capabilities. In 2020, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-024-03214-7\u0022\u003ENobel Prize-winning\u003C\/a\u003E DeepMind AlphaFold, an Alphabet project, made breakthroughs using deep learning to predict the protein structures of single proteins. Georgia Tech researchers pushed the model to predict the structures of protein complexes. In 2021, they created the first version of AF2Complex, which could predict interactions between multiple, complex proteins like E. coli. Applying it to human proteins was the next step \u2014 but much harder.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNormally, when you predict protein-protein interactions, the surface area of the protein is quite large, so you could afford to make a few mistakes with an imperfect model,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/cssb\/jeffrey-skolnick\/\u0022\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents\u2019 Professor and the Mary and Maisie Gibson Chair in SBS and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u201cBut an antibody-protein interaction occupies a much smaller interfacial area. Imagine going from hitting a big target anywhere to hitting the bullseye.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDetermining how to predict the antibody-antigen interactions was the biggest challenge. The researchers focused on the Covid-19 virus because it had many complex antigen-binding sequences and epitopes, the specific molecule region that interacts with B- and T-cells to trigger an immune response. Covid-19 also was a widely available dataset, unlike many immunotherapies to which only pharmaceutical companies have access. The Covid-19 database, in effect, offered a rich training environment for the AF2 algorithm.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESkolnick and Gao used Covid-19 sequences from known antibodies to identify evolutionary relationships and patterns, improving the accuracy of predictions. From there, they applied the AF2 deep-learning model, already trained on a vast amount of protein structure data. The model used sequences to predict how proteins fold and interact, developing a 3D structure of protein complexes. Plus, it could produce 3D structures for more than just one dominant epitope.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe predictions were validated against experimental data, refining the model. With these predicted structures, researchers can do everything from better understanding biological processes to developing new drugs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETreating the Virus of the Future\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers believe deep-learning technologies could revolutionize how we treat future diseases. With infinite resources and time, researchers could manually try every antibody-antigen combination, but no scientist has that. AF2Complex can narrow the focus and get to the treatment sooner.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cImagine the virus from hell arises. You could design a series of antibodies using this algorithm, so it cuts down the time for vaccine development,\u201d Skolnick said. \u201cThere are no substitutes for a real experiment, but AF2Complex can prioritize which experiments you should do, so you have more shots at the goal.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are already collaborating with Emory University to conduct experiments that validate AF2Complex\u2019s findings. They also are pursuing a path to commercialize the model. When the next pandemic starts, we will be better prepared.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe\u0026nbsp; National Institutes of Health provided, and the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation supported, the main computing resources.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearchers combine deep learning with advanced sequencing techniques to predict how antibodies interact with antigens.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers combine deep learning with advanced sequencing techniques to predict how antibodies interact with antigens."}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2024-10-29 18:35:22","changed_gmt":"2024-10-30 19:12:35","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675462":{"id":"675462","type":"image","title":"Animation-for-AF2Complex-Story-V2.gif","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDeep learning effectively predicts antibodies targeting distinct epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (gray, center). [Image courtesy of Mu Gao; Illustration by Stephanie Stephens\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1730226950","gmt_created":"2024-10-29 18:35:50","changed":"1730226950","gmt_changed":"2024-10-29 18:35:50","alt":"Deep learning effectively predicts antibodies targeting distinct epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (gray, center). ","file":{"fid":"259089","name":"Animation-for-AF2Complex-Story-V2.gif","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/29\/Animation-for-AF2Complex-Story-V2.gif","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/29\/Animation-for-AF2Complex-Story-V2.gif","mime":"image\/gif","size":2127952,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/29\/Animation-for-AF2Complex-Story-V2.gif?itok=Dc_AUb3d"}}},"media_ids":["675462"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"192251","name":"cos-quantum"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678971":{"#nid":"678971","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Database Revolutionizes Protein-Lipid Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFrom combating cancer and infections to storing energy, lipid-protein interactions are critical to biological processes in cells. But the mechanisms that drive these interactions have historically been difficult to map and understand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA study led by Georgia Tech is showcasing a new resource to help researchers understand the structure and function of these interactions \u2014 called assemblies \u2014 at both molecular and functional levels. The work is published in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature-\u003C\/em\u003Efamily journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ECommunications Chemistry\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECalled BioDolphin \u2014 short for Biological Database of Lipid-Protein Highly Inclusive Interactions \u2014 the resource is the first comprehensive, annotated database of protein-lipid interactions. Integrated into a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biodolphin.chemistry.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Euser-friendly web server\u003C\/a\u003E, BioDolphin is freely accessible to all. Users can easily view and download interaction data and systematically analyze lipid-protein assemblies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cUnderstanding lipid-protein interactions is crucial in advancing our understanding of human health and disease treatment,\u201d says the study\u2019s corresponding author,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrew McShan\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u201cBioDolphin is the first resource to collect this type of information for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eall\u003C\/em\u003E kinds of proteins, not just those found in membranes. And because it is publicly available, this information is now at the tips of researchers\u2019 fingertips.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s42004-024-01384-z\u0022\u003EBioDolphin as a comprehensive database of lipid\u2013protein binding interactions\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d is led by McShan, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, alongside first author\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELi-Yen (Zoey) Yang\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioinformatics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioinformatics\u003C\/a\u003E Ph.D. student;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYunan Luo\u003C\/strong\u003E; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKaike Ping,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ea Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiving into accessible data\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA curated database with richly annotated information, BioDolphin contains over 127,000 lipid-protein binding interactions. And while most databases of lipid-protein assemblies have focused solely on a specific type of protein \u2014 membrane proteins \u2014 BioDolphin expands beyond that.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cBioDolphin enables us to globally define the structural features of lipid-protein assemblies across the eight different classes of lipid compounds to understand their cellular function and roles in disease,\u201d says McShan, adding that the database also provides information on paired lipid-protein annotation, experimental binding affinities, intermolecular interactions, and atomic structures across a wide range of lipid-protein interactions \u2014 all available to anyone with an internet connection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA molecular blueprint for research \u2014 and teaching\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIn the past, this\u0026nbsp;research has been limited because lipids are notoriously difficult to study in the lab,\u201d McShan says.\u0026nbsp;\u0022BioDolphin changes the paradigm. It is the first time that anyone has collected, annotated, and analyzed the known structural universe of lipid-protein interactions across all organisms.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a rapidly developing field. McShan was recently\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/andrew-mcshan-awarded-curci-grant-cutting-edge-cancer-research\u0022\u003Eawarded a prestigious Curci grant\u003C\/a\u003E for cutting-edge cancer research into lipid-based universal immunotherapies and vaccines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBeyond research applications,\u0026nbsp;the team hopes that BioDolphin will be a resource for biochemistry students.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe database can serve as a tool for teachers and students studying these protein-lipid interactions, which is often an underdeveloped topic in biology and biochemistry courses,\u201d McShan says. \u201cI hope that BioDolphin is a valuable resource for the researchers of today \u2014 and that it can also be a building block for the researchers of tomorrow.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EShurl and Kay Curci Foundation, NSF Advanced Cyberinfrastructure Coordination Ecosystem: Services \u0026amp; Support (ACCESS) program, NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), Partnership for an Advanced Computing Environment (PACE) at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Taiwan Ministry of Education Government Scholarship to Study Abroad program.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s42004-024-01384-z\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s42004-024-01384-z\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFrom helping develop immunotherapies to teaching students, a new open-access database called BioDolphin is providing fresh insights on lipid-protein interactions \u2014 a critical component of biochemical research.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From helping develop immunotherapies to teaching students, a new open-access database called BioDolphin is providing fresh insights on lipid-protein interactions \u2014 a critical component of biochemical research."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-12-17 23:21:54","changed_gmt":"2024-12-18 14:16:07","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675882":{"id":"675882","type":"image","title":"Lipids can be powerful tools to help deliver drugs and treatments through their interactions with proteins. (Adobe Stock)","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELipids can be powerful tools to help deliver drugs and treatments through their interactions with proteins.\u0026nbsp;(Adobe Stock)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1734478889","gmt_created":"2024-12-17 23:41:29","changed":"1734478889","gmt_changed":"2024-12-17 23:41:29","alt":"Lipids can be powerful tools to help deliver drugs and treatments through their interactions with proteins. (Adobe Stock)","file":{"fid":"259556","name":"AdobeStock_661699692.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/17\/AdobeStock_661699692.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/17\/AdobeStock_661699692.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1551301,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/17\/AdobeStock_661699692.jpeg?itok=sg4TyWrH"}}},"media_ids":["675882"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/andrew-mcshan-awarded-curci-grant-cutting-edge-cancer-research","title":"Andrew McShan Awarded Curci Grant for Cutting-Edge Cancer Research"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"679801":{"#nid":"679801","#data":{"type":"news","title":"At the Intersection of Climate and AI, Machine Learning is Revolutionizing Climate Science","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EExponential growth in big data and computing power is transforming climate science, where machine learning is playing a critical role in mapping the physics of our changing climate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cWhat is happening within the field is revolutionary,\u201d\u0026nbsp;says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EAssociate Chair and Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/annalisabracco\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnnalisa Bracco\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, adding that because many climate-related processes\u0026nbsp;\u2014 from ocean currents to melting glaciers and weather patterns\u0026nbsp;\u2014 can be described with physical equations, these advancements have the potential to help us understand and predict climate in critically important ways.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBracco is the lead author of a new review paper providing a comprehensive look at the intersection of AI and climate physics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe result of an international collaboration between Georgia Tech\u2019s Bracco,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJulien Brajard\u003C\/strong\u003E (Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center),\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHenk A. Dijkstra\u003C\/strong\u003E (Utrecht University),\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPedram Hassanzadeh\u003C\/strong\u003E (University of Chicago),\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EChristian Lessig\u003C\/strong\u003E (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts), and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EClaire Monteleoni\u003C\/strong\u003E (University of Colorado Boulder), the paper, \u2018\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s42254-024-00776-3\u0022\u003EMachine learning for the physics of climate\u003C\/a\u003E,\u2019\u0026nbsp;was\u0026nbsp;recently published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Reviews Physics\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOne of our team\u2019s goals was to help people think deeply on how climate science and AI intersect,\u201d Bracco shares. \u201cMachine learning is allowing us to study the physics of climate in a way that was previously impossible. Coupled with increasing amounts of data and observations, we can now investigate climate at scales and resolutions we\u2019ve never been able to before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConnecting hidden dots\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team showed that ML is driving change in three key areas: accounting for missing observational data, creating more robust climate models, and enhancing predictions, especially in weather forecasting. However, the research also underscores the limits of AI \u2014 and how researchers can work to fill those gaps.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMachine learning has been fantastic in allowing us to expand the time and the spatial scales for which we have measurements,\u201d says Bracco, explaining that ML could help fill in missing data points \u2014 creating a more robust record for researchers to reference. However, like patching a hole in a shirt, this works best when the rest of the material is intact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMachine learning can extrapolate from past conditions when observations are abundant, but it can\u2019t yet predict future trends or collect the data we need,\u201d Bracco adds. \u201cTo keep advancing, we need scientists who can determine what data we need, collect that data, and solve problems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EModeling climate, predicting weather\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMachine learning is often used when improving climate models that can simulate changing systems like our atmosphere, oceans, land, biochemistry, and ice. \u201cThese models are limited because of our computing power, and are run on a three-dimensional grid,\u201d Bracco explains: below the grid resolution, researchers need to approximate complex physics with simpler equations that computers can solve quickly, a process called \u2018parameterization\u2019.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMachine learning is changing that, offering new ways to improve parameterizations, she says. \u201cWe can run a model at extremely high resolutions for a short time, so that we don\u2019t need to parameterize as many physical processes \u2014 using machine learning to derive the equations that best approximate what is happening at small scales,\u201d she explains. \u201cThen we can use those equations in a coarser model that we can run for hundreds of years.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhile a full climate model based solely on machine learning may remain out of reach, the team found that ML is advancing our ability to accurately predict weather systems and some climate phenomena like El Ni\u00f1o.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPreviously, weather prediction was based on knowing the starting conditions \u2014 like temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure \u2014 and running a model based on physics equations to predict what might happen next. Now, machine learning is giving researchers the opportunity to learn from the past. \u201cWe can use information on what has happened when there were similar starting conditions in previous situations to predict the future without solving the underlying governing equations,\u201d Bracco says. \u201cAnd all while using orders-of-magnitude less computing resources.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe human connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBracco emphasizes that while AI and ML play a critical role in accelerating research, humans are at the core of progress. \u201cI think the in-person collaboration that led to this paper is, in itself, a testament to the importance of human interaction,\u201d she says, recalling that the research was the result of a workshop organized at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kitp.ucsb.edu\/\u0022\u003EKavli Institute for Theoretical Physics\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 one of the team\u2019s first in-person discussions after the Covid-19 pandemic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMachine learning is a fantastic tool \u2014 but it\u0027s not the solution to everything,\u201d she adds. \u201cThere is also a real need for human researchers collecting high-quality data, and for interdisciplinary collaboration across fields.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EI see this as a big challenge, but a great opportunity for computer scientists and physicists, mathematicians, biologists, and chemists to work together.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding\u003C\/strong\u003E: National Science Foundation, European Research Council, Office of Naval Research, US Department of Energy, European Space Agency, Choose France Chair in AI.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s42254-024-00776-3\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s42254-024-00776-3\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA Georgia Tech-led review paper recently published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Reviews Physics\u003C\/em\u003E is exploring the ways machine learning is revolutionizing the field of climate physics \u2014 and the role human scientists might play.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech-led review paper recently published in\u00a0Nature Reviews Physics is exploring the ways machine learning is revolutionizing the field of climate physics \u2014 and the role human scientists might play."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-01-22 17:43:30","changed_gmt":"2026-01-01 18:31:44","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-22T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-22T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676086":{"id":"676086","type":"image","title":"Researchers launch a a lightweight, balloon-borne instrument to collect data. \u0022To keep advancing, we need scientists who can determine what data we need, collect that data, and solve problems,\u0022 Bracco says. (NOAA)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers launch a a lightweight, balloon-borne instrument to collect data. \u0022To keep advancing, we need scientists who can determine what data we need, collect that data, and solve problems,\u0022 Bracco says. (NOAA)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1737567826","gmt_created":"2025-01-22 17:43:46","changed":"1737567826","gmt_changed":"2025-01-22 17:43:46","alt":"Researchers launch a a lightweight, balloon-borne instrument to collect data. \u0022To keep advancing, we need scientists who can determine what data we need, collect that data, and solve problems,\u0022 Bracco says. (NOAA)","file":{"fid":"259801","name":"noaa-5hZJVGPG6vo-unsplash.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/22\/noaa-5hZJVGPG6vo-unsplash.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/22\/noaa-5hZJVGPG6vo-unsplash.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2094496,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/22\/noaa-5hZJVGPG6vo-unsplash.jpg?itok=KR8SZhoH"}}},"media_ids":["676086"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192258","name":"cos-data"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"679941":{"#nid":"679941","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Molecules to Mind: Farzaneh Najafi Receives Multiple Awards for Cognitive Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn psychology and neuroscience research, a host of behaviors fall under the cognitive umbrella: learning, perceiving the environment, storing memories, and making decisions are just a few. Much like binary code underpins complex computational processes, researchers have long been searching for the molecular mechanisms that enable cognition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/17976\u0022\u003EFarzaneh Najafi\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E(SBS) , recently received multiple awards that will enable her to dig deeper into the molecular origins of cognitive processes, with the help of interdisciplinary teams.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf we want to understand cognition, we really have to start small: at the level of molecules, genes, and the genome, and then work our way up to systems, behavior, and cognition,\u201d says Najafi. \u201cImpactful discoveries happen when people from different disciplines come together and collaborate. That\u2019s how we make real breakthroughs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo of her recent awards stem from the third and final year of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rescorp.org\/scialog\/molecular-basis-of-cognition\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScialog: Molecular Basis of Cognition\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;initiative. Funded by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rescorp.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch Corporation for Science Advancement\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (RCSA), the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rctech.com\/about-us\/foundation\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.walderfoundation.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWalder Foundation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, this initiative \u003Ca\u003Ehas provided 48 multidisciplinary teams with more than $2.4 million to advance this area of research.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s exciting that Farzaneh has won not just one, but two team-based Scialog awards,\u201d said SBS School Chair \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3756\u0022\u003EJeffrey (Todd) Streelman\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cSolving big problems in neuroscience often requires teams, and Farzaneh is well-placed to apply this in her research program.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith additional funding from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t\u0026amp;source=web\u0026amp;rct=j\u0026amp;opi=89978449\u0026amp;url=https:\/\/www.whitehall.org\/\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjlo5H_9fWKAxXRJNAFHSGqFU4QFnoECAwQAQ\u0026amp;usg=AOvVaw0l-R98tbK3o5VtJkvBd96R\u0022\u003EWhitehall Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chanzuckerberg.com\/\u0022\u003EChan Zuckerberg Initiative,\u003C\/a\u003E Najafi is set to lead several interdisciplinary projects to uncover the role of the cerebellum and neocortex (the brain\u2019s outer layer) across distinct cognitive processes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt the end of the day, the goal is to develop effective therapeutics,\u201d says Najafi, whose work has long aimed to better understand and treat psychiatric and neurological disorders. \u201cTo develop targeted treatments, we have to\u0026nbsp;identify the molecules that are at the core of these cognitive processes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeeper than thought\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThroughout her career, Najafi has focused on how the brain makes and uses predictions to influence learning and behavior, with a particular focus on an area in the back of the brain called the cerebellum.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWithout those predictions, our perceptions and actions would be significantly delayed, which could impact our survival,\u201d explains Najafi. \u201cLearning happens when we update those predictions to better align with the world around us.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENajafi will bring that cerebellar expertise to two collaborative teams with the Scialog initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking with researchers from Stanford University and Case Western Reserve University, one of Najafi\u2019s Scialog projects will focus on how sleep deprivation alters the 3D structure of genetic material in different species\u2019 cerebellum\u2014 and investigate potential mechanisms to reverse those changes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer second project, in collaboration with researchers from University of California San Francisco and Duke University, explores how the brain chemical norepinephrine affects cerebellar activity across species. This research aims to understand the cerebellum\u0027s role in behavioral flexibility and adaptation, revealing how these chemical signals influence various brain functions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWorking across disciplines\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFormed at the October 2024 Scialog meeting, Najafi\u2019s two collaborative teams are part of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rescorp.org\/scialog\u0022\u003Ean RCSA initiative\u003C\/a\u003Ethat unites early career scientists in advancing basic science and developing high-risk, high-reward research projects. The Scialog: Molecular Basis of Cognition initiative, begun in 2022, annually gathered around 50 early career researchers to create collaborative proposals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe best part of the Scialog meeting was connecting with people from all kinds of disciplines. They worked with different species, used a variety of experimental and computational tools, and some attendees came from non-neuroscience backgrounds,\u201d says Najafi. \u201cI had no idea that these were the topics I was going to write about \u2014 they only came about because of the inspiring conversations I had at the meeting. I really loved the experience.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth Scialog teams are highly interdisciplinary, with researchers bringing expertise in different techniques and species to the team. Even within her own lab, Najafi attributes impactful research to interdisciplinary teams.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe only way to solve big questions in neuroscience is through an interdisciplinary approach,\u201d says Najafi, who is affiliated with two Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRI) at Georgia Tech: the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E, a nascent IRI in neuroscience and society. \u201cWhat\u2019s great about Georgia Tech is its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration. With these research institutes, the infrastructure is already in place, and they\u0027re actively working to expand it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe School of Biological Sciences assistant professor has received several awards that will enable interdisciplinary research on the neural mechanisms of cognition.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The School of Biological Sciences assistant professor has received several awards that will enable interdisciplinary research on the neural mechanisms of cognition."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-01-24 17:35:18","changed_gmt":"2025-01-24 17:39:44","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676126":{"id":"676126","type":"image","title":"Farzaneh_Najafi-lab_pic.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFarzaneh Najafi, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech, conducting research in her lab.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1737740258","gmt_created":"2025-01-24 17:37:38","changed":"1737740258","gmt_changed":"2025-01-24 17:37:38","alt":"Farzaneh Najafi, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech, conducting research in her lab.","file":{"fid":"259849","name":"Farzaneh_Najafi-lab_pic.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/24\/Farzaneh_Najafi-lab_pic.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/24\/Farzaneh_Najafi-lab_pic.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3427449,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/24\/Farzaneh_Najafi-lab_pic.jpeg?itok=vBC5WB2s"}},"676127":{"id":"676127","type":"image","title":"Farzaneh-Najafi-research-group.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFarzaneh Najafi, who is affiliated with the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience and the Neuro Next Initiative, with her research group.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1737740301","gmt_created":"2025-01-24 17:38:21","changed":"1737740301","gmt_changed":"2025-01-24 17:38:21","alt":"Farzaneh Najafi, who is affiliated with the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience and the Neuro Next Initiative, with her research group.","file":{"fid":"259850","name":"Farzaneh-Najafi-research-group.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/24\/Farzaneh-Najafi-research-group.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/24\/Farzaneh-Najafi-research-group.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3544425,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/24\/Farzaneh-Najafi-research-group.jpeg?itok=ZR-ksUCs"}}},"media_ids":["676126","676127"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/brain-ai-and-back-georgia-tech-hosts-inaugural-computational-cognition-conference","title":"From Brain to AI and Back: Georgia Tech Hosts Inaugural Computational Cognition Conference"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-neuroscientists-explore-intersection-music-and-memory","title":"Georgia Tech Neuroscientists Explore the Intersection of Music and Memory"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/neuroscience-study-taps-brain-network-patterns-understand-deep-focus-attention","title":"Neuroscience Study Taps Into Brain Network Patterns to Understand Deep Focus, Attention"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"679327":{"#nid":"679327","#data":{"type":"news","title":"ACC Academic Leaders Network Fellows Selected for 2025","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFive Georgia Tech faculty members have been selected for the 2025 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.gatech.edu\/acc-academic-leaders-network\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EACC Academic Leaders Network (ACC ALN) Fellows\u003C\/a\u003E program. The ACC ALN program is designed to foster cross-institutional networking and collaboration between ACC schools, while increasing the academic leadership capacity within each institution.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new cohort includes:\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJeff Albert\u003C\/strong\u003E, Interim Chair, School of Music\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYoung-Hui Chang\u003C\/strong\u003E, Associate Dean of Faculty, College of Sciences\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJenna Jordan\u003C\/strong\u003E, Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Muhlstein\u003C\/strong\u003E, Professor and Associate Chair for Academics and Research, School of Materials Science and Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKelly Ritter\u003C\/strong\u003E, Chair, School of Literature, Media, and Communication\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2025, fellows will participate in three in-person conferences at Wake Forest University, the University of Miami, and Georgia Tech. Fellows will form project teams around topics of interest, develop a paper or other deliverable, and present their findings at the final conference in October at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ACC ALN program strengthens a culture of community, enhances relationships among faculty across the ACC, and further develops leaders in ways that no single university can accomplish on its own. Explore ALN program details and find out about current and past Georgia Tech fellows, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.gatech.edu\/acc-academic-leaders-network\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehere.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWriter: Brittany Aiello, Faculty Communications Program Manager, Executive Communications, Institute Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFive Georgia Tech faculty members have been selected for the 2025 ACC Academic Leaders Network (ACC ALN) Fellows program.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Five Georgia Tech faculty members have been selected for the 2025 program."}],"uid":"27998","created_gmt":"2025-01-09 13:08:01","changed_gmt":"2025-01-09 13:13:46","author":"Brittany Aiello","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675980":{"id":"675980","type":"image","title":"2025-acc-academic-fellows.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPictured left to right: Jeff Albert, Young-Hui Chang, Jenna Jordan, Christopher Muhlstein, and Kelly Ritter\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1736428175","gmt_created":"2025-01-09 13:09:35","changed":"1736428175","gmt_changed":"2025-01-09 13:09:35","alt":"Pictured left to right: Jeff Albert, Young-Hui Chang, Jenna Jordan, Christopher Muhlstein, and Kelly Ritter","file":{"fid":"259670","name":"2025-acc-academic-fellows.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/09\/2025-acc-academic-fellows.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/09\/2025-acc-academic-fellows.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":126347,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/09\/2025-acc-academic-fellows.jpg?itok=HCX1x7Jz"}}},"media_ids":["675980"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/faculty.gatech.edu\/acc-academic-leaders-network","title":"ACC Academic Leaders Network"}],"groups":[{"id":"619192","name":"Faculty Affairs"},{"id":"131901","name":"Provost"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193550","name":"ACC ALN"},{"id":"193767","name":"Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOffice of the Vice Provost for Faculty\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["vpfaculty@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680713":{"#nid":"680713","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Under Pressure: Georgia Tech Researchers Discover a Potential New Way to Treat Glaucoma","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFour million Americans \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.healthdata.org\/news-events\/newsroom\/news-releases\/new-prevalence-glaucoma-us-2022-study-finds-higher-prevalence\u0022\u003Esuffer\u003C\/a\u003E from glaucoma, an incurable eye disease that slowly degrades peripheral vision and eventually leads to blindness. Researchers at Georgia Tech have discovered a potential way to stop this degradation and possibly save people\u2019s vision before it\u2019s too late.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, and her \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lieberman.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Elab\u003C\/a\u003E team have discovered two new antibodies with promise to treat glaucoma. The antibodies can break down the protein myocilin, which, when it malfunctions, can cause glaucoma.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELieberman\u2019s group recently \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/pnasnexus\/article\/4\/1\/pgae556\/7920644\u0022\u003Epublished\u003C\/a\u003E this research in the \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Nexus\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProtein Problems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMyocilin is just one of hundreds of thousands of proteins that make up the human body. In the eye, an especially delicate balance of proteins and fluid enables sight. The aqueous humor, a clear fluid, bathes the lens that helps focus light into the retina. In a healthy eye, the fluid drains regularly, but if something prevents the fluid from circulating, it increases pressure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYour eyeball is kind of like a basketball,\u201d explained Lieberman. \u201cIf you want it to work optimally, it has to be pressurized.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELieberman\u2019s team has learned that if myocilin mutates, it clumps up and prevents aqueous humor from draining, increasing eye pressure. If left unmanaged, glaucoma and \u2014 eventually \u2014 blindness will occur.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAntibody Answer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELieberman\u2019s lab characterized two new antibodies that each, in their unique way, can destroy myocilin gone rogue. One binds in a way that does not prevent myocilin from clumping; the other prevents the protein from aggregating. Both effectively break down myocilin so it no longer blocks the aqueous humor from flowing.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThese exciting results provide proof of concept that targeted antibodies for mutant myocilin aggregation could be therapeutic,\u201d said Alice Ma, a Ph.D. graduate who worked on the research. \u201cThis represents a new paradigm for treating other diseases associated with protein clumping, like Alzheimer\u2019s. These studies hold the potential to save the eyesight of millions of glaucoma patients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe findings have been the culmination of nearly two decades of research with Lieberman\u2019s close collaborator, University of Texas at Austin chemical engineering Professor Jennifer Maynard, whose group helped discover the two antibodies that responded to the mutation. Lieberman\u2019s group then worked to understand how the antibodies functioned, determining the two that most successfully broke down the protein.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis study builds on 10 years of work that explains how myocilin folds to how to break it down,\u201d Lieberman said. \u201cI am at a very fortunate place in my career where this fundamental research coalesces into what we could use clinically.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETreatment Transformation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELieberman hopes the antibodies can help treat glaucoma patients, particularly those with early onset glaucoma, often children. She now has a research collaboration with Rebecca Neustein, a physician at Emory University who treats these young patients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShe doesn\u0027t have much hope to give her patients for curing glaucoma,\u201d Lieberman said. \u201cSo she was very excited that we could do some genotyping and figure out who these antibodies can help.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELieberman\u2019s research offers a clearer future for millions suffering from glaucoma and those at risk of developing the disease. By leveraging antibodies to target and break down malfunctioning myocilin, this discovery not only paves the way for new treatments for glaucoma but also opens doors for addressing other protein-aggregation diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s, Parkinson\u2019s, and even Type 2 diabetes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: National Institutes of Health\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAnimation by Raul Perez\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENewly discovered antibodies break down the protein that causes glaucoma.\u003Cstrong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Newly discovered antibodies break down the protein that causes glaucoma.  "}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2025-02-24 22:14:02","changed_gmt":"2025-03-12 16:40:14","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676384":{"id":"676384","type":"image","title":"Screenshot-2025-02-24-at-5.18.21-PM.png","body":null,"created":"1740435641","gmt_created":"2025-02-24 22:20:41","changed":"1740435641","gmt_changed":"2025-02-24 22:20:41","alt":"Eye","file":{"fid":"260163","name":"Screenshot-2025-02-24-at-5.18.21-PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/24\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-at-5.18.21-PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/24\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-at-5.18.21-PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1530649,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/24\/Screenshot-2025-02-24-at-5.18.21-PM.png?itok=1CJdqCv9"}}},"media_ids":["676384"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680942":{"#nid":"680942","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Sharper Images: How the Brain Filters Out the Noise ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA multidisciplinary team of researchers at Georgia Tech has discovered how lateral inhibition helps our brains process visual information, and it could expand our knowledge of sensory perception, leading to applications in neuro-medicine and artificial intelligence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELateral inhibition is when certain neurons suppress the activity of their neighboring neurons. Imagine an artist drawing, darkening the lines around the contours, highlighting the boundaries between objects and space, or objects and other objects. Comparably, in the visual system, lateral inhibition sharpens the contrast between different visual stimuli.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis research is really getting at how our visual system not only highlights important things, but also actively suppresses irrelevant information in the background,\u201d said lead researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Bilal-Haider\u0022\u003EBilal Haider\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. \u201cThat ability to filter out distractions is crucial.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how these inhibitory mechanisms work could provide insights into why people have trouble filtering out distractions or focusing on what\u2019s important, in conditions like autism or ADHD.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur findings may also influence how we design artificial intelligence and neural networks,\u201d said Haider, whose team published its work this month in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41593-025-01888-4\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Neuroscience\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cCurrent AI systems treat all the computing units the same, but the brain has figured out how to assign specialized computing roles.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/joseph-del-rosario-989b2460\/\u0022\u003EJoseph Del Rosario\u003C\/a\u003E, a former graduate student in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haider.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EHaider lab\u003C\/a\u003E, was the lead author. Another key contributor was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/hannah-choi\u0022\u003EHannah Choi\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Mathematics, and her \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hannahchoi.math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EResearch Group in Mathematical Neuroscience\u003C\/a\u003E. Their team built computational models to test the biological findings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCollaborating with mathematicians to really understand the computational principles underlying these inhibitory processes is a great example of how neuroscience can inform fields like AI,\u201d Haider said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/sharper-images-how-brain-filters-out-noise\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering newsroom.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA multidisciplinary team has discovered how lateral inhibition helps our brains process visual information, and it could expand our knowledge of sensory perception, leading to applications in neuro-medicine and artificial intelligence.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers uncover the role of lateral inhibition in enhancing contrast and filtering distractions, with implications for neuroscience and AI."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2025-03-05 19:38:43","changed_gmt":"2025-03-24 15:05:05","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-03-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676473":{"id":"676473","type":"image","title":"Brain illustration (iStock)","body":null,"created":"1741203723","gmt_created":"2025-03-05 19:42:03","changed":"1741203723","gmt_changed":"2025-03-05 19:42:03","alt":"Brain illustration (iStock)","file":{"fid":"260269","name":"brain-istock.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/05\/brain-istock.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/05\/brain-istock.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":80750,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/05\/brain-istock.jpg?itok=6rOtE8_M"}}},"media_ids":["676473"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193733","name":"_for_math_site_manual_feed_"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680793":{"#nid":"680793","#data":{"type":"news","title":"SCMB Final Annual Symposium","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Final SCMB Symposium is being held on April 10th \u2013 11th, 2025 on Georgia Tech campus. Come see how we connect Mathematical Theory and Biological Data. The Symposium will host plenary talks from mathematicians and biologists from SCMB and invited speakers. A poster session will take place on April 10th in the atrium of the Marcus Nanotechnology Building, giving researchers from across the math-bio spectrum the opportunity to interact in an informal setting. The Final Symposium is a central pillar of SCMB\u2019s effort to not only explore the challenges and opportunities at the math-bio interface, but to create a vibrant community around the advancement of the mathematics of complex biosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Final SCMB Symposium is being held on April 10th \u2013 11th, 2025 on Georgia Tech campus.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Final SCMB Symposium is being held on April 10th \u2013 11th, 2025 on Georgia Tech campus."}],"uid":"34518","created_gmt":"2025-02-28 17:15:56","changed_gmt":"2025-02-28 21:39:21","author":"sbarone7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-28T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-28T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676429":{"id":"676429","type":"image","title":"logo_scmb.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003Elogo_scmb.png\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740763020","gmt_created":"2025-02-28 17:17:00","changed":"1740763020","gmt_changed":"2025-02-28 17:17:00","alt":"logo_scmb.png","file":{"fid":"260215","name":"logo_scmb.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/28\/logo_scmb.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/28\/logo_scmb.png","mime":"image\/png","size":332075,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/28\/logo_scmb.png?itok=oWpjBUlH"}},"676426":{"id":"676426","type":"image","title":"slide_Symposium_2025-horizontal_flyer.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESCMB Final Annual Symposium flyer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740762262","gmt_created":"2025-02-28 17:04:22","changed":"1740762262","gmt_changed":"2025-02-28 17:04:22","alt":"SCMB Final Annual Symposium flyer ","file":{"fid":"260211","name":"slide_Symposium_2025-horizontal_flyer.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/28\/slide_Symposium_2025-horizontal_flyer.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/28\/slide_Symposium_2025-horizontal_flyer.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":646578,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/28\/slide_Symposium_2025-horizontal_flyer.jpg?itok=Zq8I_ytg"}}},"media_ids":["676429","676426"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/scmb.gatech.edu\/symposium-1","title":"SCMB Final Annual Symposium"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:comm@math.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESal Barone\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["comm@math.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681378":{"#nid":"681378","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Scientists uncover key mechanism in evolution: Whole-genome duplication drives long-term adaptation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESometimes, the most significant scientific discoveries happen by accident.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScientists have long known that whole-genome duplication (WGD) \u2014 the process by which organisms copy all their genetic material \u2014 plays an important role in evolution. But understanding just how WGD arises, persists, and drives adaptation has remained poorly understood.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn an unexpected turn, scientists at Georgia Tech not only uncovered how WGD occurs, but also how it stays stable over thousands of generations of evolution in the lab. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study was led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWilliam Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences,\u003C\/a\u003E and Kai Tong, a former Ph.D. student in Ratcliff\u0027s lab who is now a postdoctoral fellow at Boston University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir paper, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-025-08689-6\u0022\u003EGenome duplication in a long-term multicellularity evolution experiment\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ewas published in \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/nature\/volumes\/639\/issues\/8055\u0022\u003Ethe journal\u2019s cover story\u003C\/a\u003E in March.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We set out to explore how organisms make the transition to multicellularity, but discovering the role of WGD in this process was completely serendipitous,\u0022 said Ratcliff. \u0022This research provides new insights into how WGD can emerge, persist over long periods, and fuel evolutionary innovation. That\u2019s truly exciting.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA secret hidden in the data\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2018, Ratcliff\u2019s lab launched an experiment to explore open-ended multicellular evolution. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/journey-origins-multicellular-life-long-term-experimental-evolution-lab\u0022\u003EMulticellular Long-Term Evolution Experiment\u003C\/a\u003E (MuLTEE) uses \u201csnowflake\u201d yeast (\u003Cem\u003ESaccharomyces cerevisiae\u003C\/em\u003E) as a medium, evolving it from a single cell to increasingly complex multicellular organisms. The researchers do this by selecting yeast cells for larger size on a daily basis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These long-term evolution studies help us answer big questions about how organisms adapt and evolve,\u201d said Tong. \u201cThey often reveal the unexpected and expand our understanding of evolutionary processes.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s exactly what happened when Ozan Bozdag, a research faculty member in Ratcliff\u2019s lab, noticed something unusual in the snowflake yeast. Bozdag observed the yeast when it was 1,000 days old and saw characteristics suggesting it might have gone from diploidy (having two sets of chromosomes) to tetraploidy (having four).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDecades of lab experiments show that tetraploidy is characteristically unstable, reverting back to diploidy within a few hundred generations. For this reason, Tong was skeptical that WGD had occurred and persisted for thousands of generations in the MuLTEE. If true, it would be the first time a WGD arose spontaneously and persisted in the lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter taking measurements of the evolved yeast, Tong found that they had duplicated their genomes very early \u2014 within the first 50 days of the MuLTEE. Strikingly, these tetraploid genomes persisted for more than 1,000 days, continuing to thrive despite the usual instability of WGD in laboratory conditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team discovered that WGD arose and stuck around because it gave the yeast an immediate advantage in growing larger, longer cells and forming bigger multicellular clusters, which are favored under the size selection in the MuLTEE.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFurther experiments showed that while WGD in snowflake yeast is normally unstable, it persisted in the MuLTEE because the larger, multicellular clusters had a survival advantage. This stability allowed the yeast to undergo genetic changes, with aneuploidy (the condition of having an abnormal number of chromosomes) playing a key role in the development of multicellularity. As a result, MuLTEE became the longest-running polyploidy evolution experiment, offering new insights into how genome duplication contributes to biological complexity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA MuLTEE-talented team\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff emphasized that rigorous undergraduate research played a critical role in their unexpected breakthrough. Four undergraduate students were integral to the success of the experiment, joining the research early in their education at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This kind of authentic research experience is life-changing and career-altering for our students,\u201d Ratcliff said. \u201cYou can\u2019t get this level of learning in a classroom.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVivian Cheng, who joined Ratcliff\u2019s lab as a first-year and graduated in 2022, took on the challenge of genetically engineering diploid and tetraploid yeast strains along with another student. Ratcliff and Tong ended up using these same strains as a major part of their analysis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis work is another step toward understanding the various factors that contribute to the evolution of multicellularity,\u201d said Cheng, now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. \u201cIt\u0027s super cool to see how this single factor of ploidy level affects selection in these yeast cells.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff notes that some of his team\u2019s most significant findings could never have been anticipated when they started MuLTEE. But that\u2019s the whole point, he says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe most far-reaching results from these experiments are often the ones we weren\u2019t aiming to study, but that emerge unexpectedly,\u201d he added. \u201cThey push the boundaries of what we think is possible.\u0022 He and assistant professor James Stroud expanded upon this theme in a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/natures-time-machine-how-long-term-studies-unlock-evolutions-secrets\u0022\u003Ereview of long-term experiments in evolutionary biology\u003C\/a\u003E, published in the same issue of \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis discovery sheds new light on the evolutionary dynamics of whole-genome duplication and provides a unique opportunity to explore the consequences of such genetic events. With its potential to fuel future discoveries in evolutionary biology, this work represents an important step in understanding how life evolves on both a short-term and long-term scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cScientific progress is seldom a straightforward journey,\u201d Tong said. \u201cInstead, it unfolds along various interconnected paths, frequently coming together in surprising ways. It\u0027s at these crossroads that the most thrilling discoveries are made.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENote\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u0026nbsp;Ozan Bozdag, Sayantan Datta, Daniella Haas, Saranya Gourisetti, Harley Yopp, Thomas Day,\u0026nbsp;Dung Lac, Peter Conlin, and Ahmad Khalil also played major roles in this experiment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding\u003C\/strong\u003E: The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Human Frontiers Science Program, and the Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation\u003C\/strong\u003E: Tong, K., Datta, S., Cheng, V.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eet al.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Genome duplication in a long-term multicellularity evolution experiment.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;(2025).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI\u003C\/strong\u003E: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-025-08689-6\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech scientists uncovered how whole-genome duplication emerges and remains stable over thousands of generations of evolution in the lab. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"While the researchers initially set out to explore how organisms transition to multicellularity, they discovered something else entirely."}],"uid":"36123","created_gmt":"2025-03-26 18:12:42","changed_gmt":"2025-03-26 18:32:49","author":"Catherine Barzler","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676675":{"id":"676675","type":"image","title":"poster_image.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEvolved macroscopic \u0022snowflake\u0022 yeast from the MuLTEE experiment. The large size of the nuclei (yellow) and cells (cyan) are results of whole-genome duplication and aneuploidy. Credit: Ratcliff Lab\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743009807","gmt_created":"2025-03-26 17:23:27","changed":"1743009807","gmt_changed":"2025-03-26 17:23:27","alt":"Image of yeast cells from the MuLTEE experiment","file":{"fid":"260490","name":"poster_image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/poster_image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/poster_image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":751302,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/26\/poster_image.jpg?itok=vH6XJBV6"}},"676676":{"id":"676676","type":"image","title":"sm-cover-nature.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E featured Ratcliff and Tong\u0027s paper (and yeast) as the cover story of their March 20 issue. (Credit: Nature)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743010574","gmt_created":"2025-03-26 17:36:14","changed":"1743010574","gmt_changed":"2025-03-26 17:36:14","alt":"Nature magazine cover featuring yellow and cyan yeast cells on a black background","file":{"fid":"260491","name":"sm-cover-nature.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/sm-cover-nature.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/sm-cover-nature.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":644903,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/26\/sm-cover-nature.jpg?itok=M4WozyTB"}},"676677":{"id":"676677","type":"image","title":"ratcliff-and-tong.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWilliam Ratcliff, professor in the School of Biological Sciences, and Kai Tong, a former Ph.D. student in Ratcliff\u0027s lab who is now a postdoctoral fellow at Boston University\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743011923","gmt_created":"2025-03-26 17:58:43","changed":"1743011923","gmt_changed":"2025-03-26 17:58:43","alt":"Will Ratcliff and Kai Tong","file":{"fid":"260493","name":"ratcliff-and-tong.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/ratcliff-and-tong.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/ratcliff-and-tong.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1546810,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/26\/ratcliff-and-tong.png?itok=2FpU-nRI"}},"676678":{"id":"676678","type":"image","title":"vivian and daniella.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EVivian Cheng (left) and Daniella Haas genetically engineered the lab\u0027s tetraploid snowflake yeast when they were undergraduate students at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743012092","gmt_created":"2025-03-26 18:01:32","changed":"1743012092","gmt_changed":"2025-03-26 18:01:32","alt":"Vivian Cheng and Daniella Haas","file":{"fid":"260494","name":"Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-1.41.06-PM.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-1.41.06-PM.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-1.41.06-PM.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":347773,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/26\/Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-1.41.06-PM.jpg?itok=ZZLjWrki"}},"676681":{"id":"676681","type":"image","title":"harley and saranya.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech alums Harley Yopp and Saranya Gourisetti also carried out key research for the project as undergraduates.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743013610","gmt_created":"2025-03-26 18:26:50","changed":"1743013610","gmt_changed":"2025-03-26 18:26:50","alt":"Harley Yopp and Saranya Gourisetti","file":{"fid":"260497","name":"Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-1.41.25-PM.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-1.41.25-PM.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/26\/Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-1.41.25-PM.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":241386,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/26\/Screenshot-2025-03-26-at-1.41.25-PM.jpg?itok=7yVBHDUL"}}},"media_ids":["676675","676676","676677","676678","676681"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/journey-origins-multicellular-life-long-term-experimental-evolution-lab","title":"A Journey to the Origins of Multicellular Life: Long-Term Experimental Evolution in the Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:catherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ecatherine.barzler@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681458":{"#nid":"681458","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Measles Can Ravage the Immune System and Brain, Causing Long-Term Damage \u2013 A Virologist\u00a0Explains","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe measles outbreak that began in west Texas in late January 2025 continues to grow, with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dshs.texas.gov\/news-alerts\/measles-outbreak-2025\u0022\u003E400 confirmed cases in Texas\u003C\/a\u003E and more than 50 in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nmhealth.org\/about\/erd\/ideb\/mog\/\u0022\u003ENew Mexico\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oklahoma.gov\/health\/health-education\/acute-disease-service\/rash-illness\/measles.html\u0022\u003EOklahoma\u003C\/a\u003E as of March 28.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPublic health experts believe the numbers are much higher, however, and some worry about a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/03\/26\/health\/measles-kansas-ohio-texas.html\u0022\u003Ebigger resurgence of the disease\u003C\/a\u003E in the U.S. In the past two weeks, health officials have identified potential measles exposures \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dchealth.dc.gov\/release\/health-officials-investigating-measles-exposures-dc\u0022\u003Ein association with planes, trains and automobiles\u003C\/a\u003E, including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2025\/03\/20\/measles-maryland-travel-airport-metro\/\u0022\u003Eat Washington Dulles International Airport\u003C\/a\u003E and on an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dchealth.dc.gov\/release\/health-officials-investigating-possible-measles-exposures-dc\u0022\u003EAmtrak train from New York City to Washington, D.C.\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 as well as at health care facilities where the infected people sought medical attention.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeasles infections can be extremely serious. So far in 2025, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/measles\/data-research\/index.html\u0022\u003E14% of the people who got measles had to be hospitalized\u003C\/a\u003E. Last year, that number was 40%. Measles can damage the lungs and immune system, and also inflict permanent brain damage. Three in 1,000 people who get the disease die. But because measles vaccination programs in the U.S. over the past 60 years \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-024-03412-3\u0022\u003Ehave been highly successful\u003C\/a\u003E, few Americans under 50 have experienced measles directly, making it easy to think of the infection as a mere childhood rash with fever.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a biologist who studies \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=OQ7vzu0AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Ehow viruses infect and kill cells and tissues\u003C\/a\u003E, I believe it is important for people to understand how dangerous a measles infection can be.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EUnderappreciated Acute Effects\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeasles is one of the most contagious diseases on the planet. One person who has it will infect \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/measles\/about\/index.html\u0022\u003Enine out of 10 people nearby\u003C\/a\u003E if those people are unvaccinated. A two-dose regimen of the vaccine, however, is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nfid.org\/resource\/frequently-asked-questions-about-measles\/\u0022\u003E97% effective at preventing measles\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen the measles virus infects a person, it binds to specific proteins on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nature10639\u0022\u003Esurface of cells\u003C\/a\u003E. It then inserts its genome and replicates, destroying the cells in the process. This first happens in the upper respiratory tract and the lungs, where the virus can damage the person\u2019s ability to breathe well. In both places, the virus \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/35022579\u0022\u003Ealso infects immune cells\u003C\/a\u003E that carry it to the lymph nodes, and from there, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/asm.org\/articles\/2019\/may\/measles-and-immune-amnesia\u0022\u003Ethroughout the body\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\u0022440\u0022 height=\u0022260\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/66rSGj35N3k?wmode=transparent\u0026amp;start=0\u0022 frameborder=\u00220\u0022 allowfullscreen=\u0022\u0022\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EMeasles can wipe out immune cells\u2019 ability to recognize pathogens.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat generally lands people with measles in the hospital is the disease\u2019s effects on the lungs. As the virus destroys lung cells, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-94-017-9882-2_23\u0022\u003Epatients can develop viral pneumonia\u003C\/a\u003E, which is characterized by severe coughing and difficulty breathing. Measles pneumonia afflicts \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/measles\/signs-symptoms\/index.html\u0022\u003Eabout 1 in 20 children who get measles\u003C\/a\u003E and is the most common cause of death from measles in young children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe virus can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1172\/JCI118306\u0022\u003Edirectly invade the nervous system\u003C\/a\u003E and also damage it by causing inflammation. Measles can cause \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/qjmed\/hcu113\u0022\u003Eacute brain damage in two different ways\u003C\/a\u003E: a direct infection of the brain that occurs in roughly 1 in 1,000 people, or inflammation of the brain two to 30 days after infection that occurs with the same frequency. Children who survive these events \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/measles\/hcp\/clinical-overview\/index.html\u0022\u003Ecan have permanent brain damage\u003C\/a\u003E and impairments such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.survophthal.2003.12.005\u0022\u003Eblindness\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/2331216514541361\u0022\u003Ehearing loss\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EYearslong Consequences of Infection\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn especially alarming but still poorly understood effect of measles infection is that it can reduce the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.coviro.2020.08.002\u0022\u003Eimmune system\u2019s ability to recognize pathogens\u003C\/a\u003E it has previously encountered. Researchers had long suspected that children who get the measles vaccine also tend to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aaa3662\u0022\u003Ehave better immunity to other diseases\u003C\/a\u003E, but they were not sure why. A study published in 2019 found that having a measles infection \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aaa3662\u0022\u003Edestroyed between 11% and 75% of their antibodies\u003C\/a\u003E, leaving them vulnerable to many of the infections to which they previously had immunity. This effect, called immune amnesia, lasts until people are reinfected or revaccinated against each disease their immune system forgot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOccasionally, the virus can lie undetected in the brain of a person who recovered from measles and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK560673\/\u0022\u003Ereactivate typically seven to 10 years later\u003C\/a\u003E. This condition, called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/cid\/cix302\u0022\u003Esubacute sclerosing panencephalitis\u003C\/a\u003E, is a progressive dementia that is almost always fatal. It occurs in about 1 in 25,000 people who get measles but is about five times more common in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/adc.2003.038489\u0022\u003Ebabies infected with measles before age 1\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers long thought that such infections were caused by a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00415-008-0032-6\u0022\u003Especial strain of measles\u003C\/a\u003E, but more recent research suggests that the measles virus can acquire mutations that enable it to infect the brain \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.adf3731\u0022\u003Eduring the course of the original infection\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere is still much to learn about the measles virus. For example, researchers are exploring \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.adm8693\u0022\u003Eantibody therapies to treat severe measles\u003C\/a\u003E. However, even if such treatments work, the best way to prevent the serious effects of measles is to avoid infection by getting vaccinated.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/252354\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/measles-can-ravage-the-immune-system-and-brain-causing-long-term-damage-a-virologist-explains-252354\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMeasles can damage the lungs and immune system, and also inflict permanent brain damage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Measles can damage the lungs and immune system, and also inflict permanent brain damage. "}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2025-03-31 14:36:14","changed_gmt":"2025-04-02 16:38:49","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676719":{"id":"676719","type":"image","title":"Measles infections send 1 in 5 people to the hospital.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMeasles infections send 1 in 5 people to the hospital. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/measles-outbreak-royalty-free-image\/2163958662\u0022\u003Ewildpixel\/ iStock via Getty Images Plus\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743432009","gmt_created":"2025-03-31 14:40:09","changed":"1743432009","gmt_changed":"2025-03-31 14:40:09","alt":"Measles infections send 1 in 5 people to the hospital. ","file":{"fid":"260542","name":"file-20250328-56-699t74.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/31\/file-20250328-56-699t74.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/31\/file-20250328-56-699t74.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":109272,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/31\/file-20250328-56-699t74.jpg?itok=BwZklNnS"}}},"media_ids":["676719"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/measles-can-ravage-the-immune-system-and-brain-causing-long-term-damage-a-virologist-explains-252354","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/peter-kasson-1297400\u0022\u003EPeter Kasson\u003C\/a\u003E, Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682163":{"#nid":"682163","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Protein Problem: Georgia Tech Researchers Challenge Fundamental Assumption in Evolutionary Biochemistry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHow did life originate? Ancient proteins may hold important clues. Every organism on Earth is made up of proteins. Although all organisms \u2014 even single-celled ones \u2014 have complex protein structures now, this wasn\u2019t always the case.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor years, evolutionary biochemists assumed that the most ancient proteins emerged from a simple signature, called a motif. New \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/mbe\/article\/42\/4\/msaf055\/8071345\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eresearch\u003C\/a\u003E, though, suggests that this motif, without the surrounding protein, isn\u2019t as consequential as it seemed. The international team of researchers was led by Lynn Kamerlin, a professor in the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and Georgia Research Alliance Vasser Woolley Chair in Molecular Design, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.elsi.jp\/en\/members\/researchers\/longo-liam\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELiam Longo\u003C\/a\u003E, a specially appointed associate professor at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.elsi.jp\/en\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEarth-Life Science Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Institute of Science Tokyo, in Japan.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s probably an eroded molecular fossil, with its true nature having been overwritten over billions of years of evolution,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lynn\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKamerlin.\u003C\/a\u003E \u201cThis work completely reshapes how we think about proteins. It\u2019s like trying to play protein \u003Cem\u003EJeopardy!\u003C\/em\u003E \u2014 now we need to rethink what the original question was.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrehistoric Proteins\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EIt\u0027s not hard to understand why this hypothesis was wrong for so long. The motif is associated with the element phosphorus, one of the key elements of life. Many of the earliest proteins bound to phosphorus-containing compounds. While these early proteins have different structures, they frequently share the same motif.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u201cFor years, researchers took this to mean that today\u2019s complex proteins came from the motif itself \u2014 that this tiny protein gave rise to entire families,\u201d Longo said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo discover the protein\u2019s origins, the researchers pored over available data on protein crystal structures. Then they identified and characterized relevant proteins computationally. Although they recognized some of the protein\u2019s similar structure in their modeling, the motif was not identical. They found that many different types of phosphate-binding proteins were possible. The idea that this motif was somehow special on its own was false.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe don\u2019t hypothesize that eyes gave rise to heads, even though nearly all heads have eyes; that\u2019s because seeing involves interlocking systems,\u201d Kamerlin said. \u201cOur early peptide presents a similar instance. Only embedding within the larger system allows it to shine.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProtein Possibilities\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers tested this work in water and methanol environments. Methanol mimics environments on Earth that may have less water around. The researchers found comparable protein motifs in this methanol environment, proving that the famous motif was not unique, but rather one of many possible motifs with similar properties. What was assumed to be a building block of early life is probably just a fossil fragment \u2014 and not the complete picture.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKamerlin and Longo\u2019s work helps their field determine not just how life started but also bolsters biotechnology advancements. A better understanding of how natural proteins evolved will help other researchers create artificial proteins, for everything from drug delivery to new vaccines.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work is far from finished. Now that the researchers know this protein motif is one of many possible options, the question becomes: When did this motif become dominant, and what else could life have looked like? These questions will help the scientific world make discoveries that could benefit everyone.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation; the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) with subsidy funding from the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan; and the National Academic Infrastructure for Supercomputing in Sweden.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe work suggests that a protein fragment thought to be foundational for all life needed help.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The work suggests that a protein fragment thought to be foundational for all life needed help. "}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2025-05-01 16:51:05","changed_gmt":"2025-05-16 20:38:28","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677013":{"id":"677013","type":"image","title":"fig_1B_old.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESchematic representation of cofactor-bound Walker A P-loops. This figure is adapted from Demkiv et al., Mol. Biol. Evol. 2025, 42, msaf055, originally published under a CC-BY license.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1746118340","gmt_created":"2025-05-01 16:52:20","changed":"1746118340","gmt_changed":"2025-05-01 16:52:20","alt":"Schematic representation of cofactor-bound Walker A P-loops. ","file":{"fid":"260872","name":"fig_1B_old.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/01\/fig_1B_old.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/01\/fig_1B_old.png","mime":"image\/png","size":900880,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/01\/fig_1B_old.png?itok=zCwPwo3j"}}},"media_ids":["677013"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682129":{"#nid":"682129","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A New Frontier of Immune Research: Andrew McShan Awarded CAREER Grant for Protein-Lipid Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EImagine unlocking universal immunotherapies and cancer treatments, powerful vaccines, and a deeper understanding of our own immune systems. Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/andrew-mcshan\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrew McShan\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is laying the groundwork for these innovations by investigating the previously understudied field of lipids, and how they interact with proteins in the body.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcShan, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, has been awarded a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=2442018\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003E$1.4 million CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E(NSF) to support this research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cProtein-lipid assemblies carry out all sorts of biological functions, and harnessing their interactions could lead to powerful tools and treatments\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;but historically, they\u2019ve been difficult to study,\u201d McShan says. \u201cBuilding resources for researchers and making this information accessible are critical steps in developing this field. This CAREER grant will enable me to expand the current knowledge base, while also allowing me to develop a class that will train the next generation of researchers, which is hugely important to me.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program is a five-year grant designed to help promising researchers establish a foundation for a lifetime of leadership in their field. Known as CAREER awards, the grants are NSF\u2019s most prestigious funding for early-career faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding access\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECrucial for nearly all biological processes, lipid-protein interactions play a key role in everything from immune responses to energy storage \u2014 but\u0026nbsp;what drives their interactions has historically been difficult to map and understand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcShan will use the CAREER grant to expand that knowledge base, experimenting in the lab to characterize protein-lipid interactions, and developing computational tools that can predict those interactions. The work will include an in-depth study of how lipids interact with different families of proteins that are important for immune system function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cRight now, understanding protein-lipid assemblies is expensive in both time and lab materials,\u201d McShan says. \u201cMy goal is to create computer models that can predict how these biomolecular interactions occur, what they look like, and how they contribute to cellular functions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new model would allow researchers to quickly and inexpensively \u2018experiment\u2019 with molecules on a computer, vastly expanding the amount of research that could be conducted.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe project builds on McShan\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s42004-024-01384-z\u0022\u003Erecent publication\u003C\/a\u003E in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E-family journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ECommunications Chemistry\u003C\/em\u003E, which showcased\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-database-revolutionizes-protein-lipid-research\u0022\u003EBioDolphin \u2014 a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive, and annotated database\u003C\/a\u003E of protein-lipid interactions that are all integrated into a user-friendly web server and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biodolphin.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Efreely accessible to all\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s also adjacent to research funded by a Curci Grant from the Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation, which McShan was previously awarded\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/andrew-mcshan-awarded-curci-grant-cutting-edge-cancer-research\u0022\u003Efor research on cutting-edge cancer treatments\u003C\/a\u003E that involved identifying new cancer lipid signatures in tumor cells, and characterizing known cancer lipid antigens.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPioneering the future of research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAdditionally, the CAREER grant will support McShan\u2019s initiatives to train the next generation of researchers through a new class centered around hands-on laboratory research and peer mentorship. Students will have the opportunity to pick a protein-lipid assembly, study it using computational and experimental biophysical methods, develop testable hypotheses, and\u0026nbsp;\u2014 if successful\u0026nbsp;\u2014 publish their results in peer reviewed journals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe class will also pair undergraduate and graduate students into research teams. \u201cI\u2019m excited to see how a peer mentoring approach will add depth to the class,\u201d McShan shares, explaining that graduate students will gain valuable mentoring experience in a collaborative research environment. \u201cThis is very different from typical mentoring experiences many graduate students have, which tend to be more along the lines of a TA experience rather than collaborating on hands-on research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis type of class, to my knowledge, hasn\u2019t been offered before, and there\u2019s a lot of research that I\u2019m doing to lay the groundwork for it,\u201d McShan adds. \u201cHopefully, it can not only introduce students to lipid-based research\u0026nbsp;\u2014 something typically lacking in many biochemistry curricula\u0026nbsp;\u2014 but also to the type of collaborative mentorship we want to foster in research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAndrew McShan has been awarded a\u0026nbsp;$1.4M NSF CAREER grant to research lipids, and how they interact with proteins in the body. Lipid-protein interactions play a key role in everything from immune responses to energy storage \u2014 and could be the key to unlocking universal immunotherapies and cancer treatments, powerful vaccines, and a deeper understanding of our own immune systems.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Andrew McShan has been awarded a\u00a0$1.4M NSF CAREER grant to research lipids, and how they interact with proteins in the body."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-04-30 14:11:41","changed_gmt":"2025-04-30 14:23:32","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673456":{"id":"673456","type":"image","title":"Andrew McShan","body":null,"created":"1711032511","gmt_created":"2024-03-21 14:48:31","changed":"1711032492","gmt_changed":"2024-03-21 14:48:12","alt":"Andrew McShan","file":{"fid":"256854","name":"McShan_photo.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/21\/McShan_photo.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/21\/McShan_photo.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":96566,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/21\/McShan_photo.jpeg?itok=aCepzxdB"}}},"media_ids":["673456"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682018":{"#nid":"682018","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Richard Nichols Receives 2025 Bernstein Prize","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EProfessor Emeritus\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/richard-nichols\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERichard Nichols\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E of the School of Biological Sciences has been awarded the 2025 Bernstein Prize by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/i-s-m-c.org\/\u0022\u003EInternational Society of Motor Control\u003C\/a\u003E (ISMC). This prize, the highest honor bestowed by the ISMC, recognizes significant contributions to the field of motor control and learning in the spirit of the Russian neurophysiology pioneer Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bernstein.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis is a meaningful prize that honors the longstanding impact of two Russian scientists, Anatol Feldman and Mark Latash. They founded the ISMC and were influential in building a community of scientists in the United States and Canada focused on motor systems research following in the tradition of Bernstein,\u201d says Nichols, who retired from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E in 2023. \u201cReceiving this prize is thrilling. It\u2019s a cap on my career.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENichols will receive the award during ISMC\u2019s biennial meeting this summer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom basic research to potential treatments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENichols began his decades-long career researching the spinal cord, a key component of the central nervous system that relays information between the brain and periphery (muscles, joints, skin, etc.). He notes that the spinal cord is more than a simple communications highway; it contains neural networks that can exert some control.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhen we walk across the room, the spinal cord\u0026nbsp;\u2014 not the brain\u0026nbsp;\u2014 generates and sends detailed messages to our muscles. The brain simply says, \u2018It\u2019s time to walk across a room and avoid this or that obstacle.\u2019 The spinal cord contains the machinery to do so,\u201d explains Nichols.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENichols\u0027 research initially centered on understanding how sensory information from the periphery is used by the spinal cord and brain to control movement. More recently, his focus shifted to possible real-world applications of his findings.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor example, Nichols collaborated with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/louisville.edu\/bucksforbrains\/faculty\/dena-r-howland.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDena Howland\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E of the University of Louisville on research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that are centered on understanding spinal cord injury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cHad it not been for my collaboration with Dena over the past 11 years, my work would have remained limited to the fundamental science of how the spinal cord and brain function. Our translational project has broadened the scope and impact of my research,\u201d he adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAccording to Nichols, the NIH and VA grants were synergistic: the NIH grant focused on spinal cord function, while the VA grant centered on rehabilitation strategies following spinal cord injury. Through this complementary research, the team uncovered insights about the spinal cord\u0026nbsp;\u2014 potentially revealing new treatment pathways to aid motor control recovery after spinal cord injury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENichols retired from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023 after 16 years of service. Before joining the Institute in 2007 as chair of the School of Applied Physiology (now the School of Biological Sciences), he chaired the Department of Physiology at Emory University. Nichols received a B.S. in Biology from Brown University and a Ph.D. in Physiology from Harvard University.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Emeritus\u0026nbsp;Richard Nichols of the School of Biological Sciences has been recognized for his significant contributions to the field of motor control and learning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Emeritus\u00a0Richard Nichols of the School of Biological Sciences has been recognized for his significant contributions to the field of motor control and learning. "}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-04-25 12:51:21","changed_gmt":"2025-05-02 15:26:13","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"593197":{"id":"593197","type":"image","title":"Richard Nichols","body":null,"created":"1498854592","gmt_created":"2017-06-30 20:29:52","changed":"1745585799","gmt_changed":"2025-04-25 12:56:39","alt":"Richard Nichols","file":{"fid":"226114","name":"T RICHARD NICHOLS DSC_9125.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS%20DSC_9125_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS%20DSC_9125_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":194757,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS%20DSC_9125_0.jpg?itok=I6UGmsvx"}}},"media_ids":["593197"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682186":{"#nid":"682186","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lynn Kamerlin Receives Biochemical Society Honor","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/lynn-kamerlin\u0022\u003ELynn Kamerlin\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and Georgia Research Alliance Vasser Woolley Chair in Molecular Design in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, has been awarded the 2026 Inspiration and Resilience Award by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biochemistry.org\/\u0022\u003EBiochemical Society\u003C\/a\u003E. This award honors Kamerlin\u2019s \u201coutstanding promise and resilience,\u201d recognizing her achievements and contributions to the field of molecular bioscience in the face of significant challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAcademic CVs rarely, if ever, carry the human stories underlying professional accomplishments,\u201d Kamerlin says. \u201cI have chosen to be open about my battles with infertility and my experiences as a rare disease patient to help others feel less alone. Because of that decision, receiving this award, which recognizes those experiences and their role in shaping my career beyond my visible professional accomplishments, really means a lot to me.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EShe hopes that her story and the visibility of this award will encourage and inspire other scientists who are navigating their career paths and facing their own challenges.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKamerlin, who joined the Institute in 2022, has also served as a Lise Meitner Guest Professor of Molecular Design at Lund University in Sweden since 2025. She obtained a Ph.D. in Theoretical Organic Chemistry from the University of Birmingham and completed her postdoctoral research at the University of Vienna and University of Southern California.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kamerlinlab.com\/\u0022\u003Eresearch lab\u003C\/a\u003E focuses on understanding the role of conformational dynamics\u0026nbsp;\u2014 changes in the\u0026nbsp; three-dimensional shape of a protein\u0026nbsp;\u2014 in protein evolution, and how these dynamics can be exploited to engineer novel proteins with tailored biocatalytic properties.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKamerlin has been extensively involved in high-level science policy, particularly relating to open science and researcher careers. She served as chair of the Young Academy of Europe and as a member of the executive council of the Protein Society. Kamerlin has also been deeply engaged in efforts to support women in science, broaden European participation in research, and promote the careers of young scientists.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe award honors Professor Kamerlin\u2019s \u201coutstanding promise and resilience,\u201d recognizing her achievements and contributions to the field of molecular bioscience in the face of significant challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The award honors Professor Kamerlin\u2019s \u201coutstanding promise and resilience,\u201d recognizing her achievements and contributions to the field of molecular bioscience in the face of significant challenges."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-05-02 13:41:36","changed_gmt":"2025-05-02 16:43:51","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677019":{"id":"677019","type":"image","title":"Lynn Kamerlin","body":null,"created":"1746193435","gmt_created":"2025-05-02 13:43:55","changed":"1746193435","gmt_changed":"2025-05-02 13:43:55","alt":"Lynn Kamerlin headshot","file":{"fid":"260878","name":"lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104455,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg?itok=UCfaKKYb"}}},"media_ids":["677019"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/kamerlinlab.com","title":"Kamerlin Lab"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/protein-problem-georgia-tech-researchers-challenge-fundamental-assumption-evolutionary","title":"Protein Problem: Georgia Tech Researchers Challenge Fundamental Assumption in Evolutionary Biochemistry"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"12240","name":"faculty awards"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682181":{"#nid":"682181","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Benjamin Freeman Named Early Career Fellow by Ecological Society of America","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/benjamin%20freeman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBenjamin Freeman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor and Elizabeth Smithgall-Watts Endowed Faculty\u0026nbsp;in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, has been named a 2025 Early Career Fellow by the\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/esa.org\/\u0022\u003EEcological Society of America\u003C\/a\u003E (ESA).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman is one of only 10 Early Career Fellows and eight Fellows honored by ESA this year for advancing the knowledge and application of ecological science in a way that strengthens the field and benefits communities and ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cEcological science tells us how nature works, and my research uses birds as \u2018canaries in the coal mine\u2019 to learn how animals are responding to the rapid changes taking place on our planet,\u201d he says. \u201cI am delighted by this honor.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman studies why species live where they do and how their ranges are changing in response to climate change. He is recognized for integrating evolutionary and ecological approaches to address fundamental questions in bird biology and for communicating science to the public. Freeman leads the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/\u0022\u003EMountain Bird Lab\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and launched the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/mountainbirdnetwork\u0022\u003EMountain Bird Network\u003C\/a\u003E, which aims to compile systematic survey data on mountain birds across the globe. He is currently developing \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-takes-flight-benjamin-freeman-named-2024-packard-fellow\u0022\u003ETech Mountain\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d a first-of-its-kind field site\u0026nbsp;to study\u0026nbsp;how\u0026nbsp;birds and other organisms are responding to climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman, who joined the Institute in 2023, received a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFreeman is one of only 10 Early Career Fellows honored by the Ecological Society of America this year for advancing the knowledge and application of ecological science in a way that strengthens the field and benefits communities and ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Freeman is one of only 10 Early Career Fellows honored by the Ecological Society of America this year for advancing the knowledge and application of ecological science in a way that strengthens the field and benefits communities and ecosystems."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-05-01 19:40:44","changed_gmt":"2025-05-02 14:12:42","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675323":{"id":"675323","type":"image","title":"Benjamin Freeman","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Benjamin Freeman\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729016793","gmt_created":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","changed":"1729016793","gmt_changed":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","alt":"Benjamin Freeman","file":{"fid":"258934","name":"BenjaminFreeman.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2771976,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png?itok=fugaKOaT"}}},"media_ids":["675323"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com","title":"Freeman\u2019s Mountain Bird Lab"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-takes-flight-benjamin-freeman-named-2024-packard-fellow","title":"Research Takes Flight: Benjamin Freeman Named 2024 Packard Fellow"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.11alive.com\/article\/tech\/science\/climate-science\/10-million-birds-fly-over-georgia-migration\/85-89f97e9d-5e78-46f0-8d56-6d476da9c217","title":"11 Alive: Benjamin Freeman discusses bird migration (April 28, 2025)"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172106","name":"Ecological Society of America"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"12240","name":"faculty awards"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682906":{"#nid":"682906","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joel Kostka re\u00adceives Hum\u00adboldt Re\u00adsearch Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis week, Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/kostkalab\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E was awar\u00added the pres\u00adti\u00adgi\u00adous\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.humboldt-foundation.de\/en\/apply\/sponsorship-programmes\/humboldt-research-award\u0022\u003EHumboldt Research Award\u003C\/a\u003E by the Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Found\u00ada\u00adtion\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.humboldt-foundation.de\/en\/explore\/newsroom\/press-releases\/humboldt-foundations-annual-meeting-and-reception-with-federal-president-steinmeier-3\u0022\u003Eduring its annual meeting\u003C\/a\u003E and reception with Germany\u2019s Federal President Steinmeier in Berlin. Every year, the Foundation grants up to 100 Humboldt Research Awards worldwide, which recognize internationally leading researchers of all disciplines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe award\u2019s \u20ac80,000 endowment will support a research trip to Germany for up to a year \u2014 during which Kostka will collaborate with Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mpi-bremen.de\/en\/Biogeochemistry-Group\/People\/Marcel-Kuypers.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMar\u00adcel Kuypers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mpi-bremen.de\/en\/Home.html\u0022\u003EMax Planck In\u00adsti\u00adtute for Mar\u00adine Mi\u00adcro\u00adbi\u00ado\u00adlogy\u003C\/a\u003E in Bre\u00admen, Germany \u2014 to as\u00adsess the role of mar\u00adine plant mi\u00adcro\u00adbi\u00ado\u00admes in coastal mar\u00adine eco\u00adsys\u00adtem health and climate re\u00adsi\u00adli\u00adence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka, who holds joint appointments in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003ESchool of Bio\u00adlo\u00adgical Sci\u00adences\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/kostka-joel\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, is also the as\u00adso\u00adci\u00adate chair for re\u00adsearch in Bio\u00adlo\u00adgical Sci\u00adences. He was\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joel-kostka-named-director-georgia-tech-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003E\u200b\u200brecently named the inaugural faculty director\u003C\/a\u003E of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-center-science-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow\u003C\/a\u003E. The new Center, announced by the College of Sciences in December 2024, will drive research aimed at improving life across the state of Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWetlands in a changing climate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cHuman population is centered on coastlines, and coastal ecosystems provide many services for people,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cAlthough they cover less than 1 percent of the ocean, coastal wetlands store over 50 percent of the seafloor\u2019s rich carbon reserves.\u201d But researchers aren\u2019t sure how these ecosystems will respond to a changing climate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMicrobes may be the key. Microbes play a critical role in maintaining plant health and helping them adapt to stressors, Kostka says. Similar to human bodies, plants have microbiomes: a community of microbes intimately associated with the plant that help it take up nutrients, stimulate the plant\u2019s immune system, and regulate plant hormones.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOur research indicates that plant microbiomes are fundamental to wetland ecosystem health, yet almost everything we know about them is from agricultural systems,\u201d he adds. \u201cWe know very little about the microbes associated with these important marine plants that dominate coastal ecosystems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka\u2019s work in Germany will investigate how microbiomes help coastal marine plants adapt to stress and keep them healthy. From there, he will investigate how plant microbiomes contribute to the carbon and nutrient cycles of coastal ecosystems \u2014 and how they contribute to ecosystem resilience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding collaboration \u2014 and insights\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOne goal of the collaboration is to exchange information on two types of marine plants that dominate coastal ecosystems worldwide: those associated with seagrass meadows and salt marshes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019ve investigated salt marsh plants in the intertidal zone between tides, and my colleagues at the Max Planck Institute have focused on seagrass beds and seagrass meadows, which are subtidal, below the tides,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cWhile these two ecosystems have some different characteristics, they both cover large areas of the global coastline and are dominated by salt-tolerant plants.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn salt marshes, Kostka has shown that marine plants have symbiotic microbes in their roots that help them to take up nitrogen and deal with stress by removing\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/experts\/sulfur-oxidation-and-reduction-are-coupled-nitrogen-fixation-roots-salt-marsh-foundation\u0022\u003Etoxic sulfides\u003C\/a\u003E. He suspects that these plant-microbe interactions are critical to the resilience of coastal ecosystems. \u201cThe Max Planck Institute made similar observations in seagrass meadows as we did in salt marshes,\u201d Kostka explains. \u201cBut they found different bacteria.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Georgia to Germany\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBeyond supporting excellence in research, another key goal of the Humboldt Research Award is to support international collaboration \u2014 something very familiar to Kostka. \u201cI\u0027ve been working with Professor Kuypers and the Max Planck Institute in Bremen for many years,\u201d he says, adding that he completed his postdoctoral research at the Institute. \u201cMax Planck\u0027s labs are some of the best in the world for what they do, and their imaging technology can give us an unprecedented look at plant-microbe interactions at the cellular level.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis project is also special because I am collaborating with other scientists in northern Germany,\u201d Kostka adds. \u201cThe University of Bremen is home to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.marum.de\/en\/index.html\u0022\u003ECen\u00adter for Mar\u00adine En\u00advir\u00adon\u00admental Sci\u00adences\u003C\/a\u003E (MARUM), which is designated as a Cluster of Excellence by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dfg.de\/en\u0022\u003EGerman National Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E, so there are a number of fantastic research centers in Bremen to work with.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHis hope is that this project will deepen collaboration between the research at Georgia Tech and research in Germany. \u201cI look forward to seeing what we can uncover about these critical systems while working together.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe award will support Kostka\u2019s research on the role of marine plant microbiomes in coastal climate resilience in collaboration with Germany\u2019s Max Planck Institute.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The award will support Kostka\u2019s research on the role of marine plant microbiomes in coastal climate resilience in collaboration with Germany\u2019s Max Planck Institute."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-06-26 17:04:12","changed_gmt":"2025-06-26 21:08:14","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677294":{"id":"677294","type":"image","title":"Professor\u00a0Joel Kostka at the Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Found\u00ada\u00adtion\u00a0annual meeting and reception in Germany this week.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;Joel Kostka at the Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Found\u00ada\u00adtion\u0026nbsp;annual meeting and reception in Germany this week.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1750971890","gmt_created":"2025-06-26 21:04:50","changed":"1750971890","gmt_changed":"2025-06-26 21:04:50","alt":"Professor\u00a0Joel Kostka at the Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Found\u00ada\u00adtion\u00a0annual meeting and reception in Germany this week.","file":{"fid":"261178","name":"Humboldt---Joel-Kostka---web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Humboldt---Joel-Kostka---web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Humboldt---Joel-Kostka---web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":801832,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/26\/Humboldt---Joel-Kostka---web.jpg?itok=7jfMRjYH"}}},"media_ids":["677294"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683036":{"#nid":"683036","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Jenny McGuire Named Teasley Professor","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe College of Sciences is pleased to announce\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/jenny-mcguire\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Jenny McGuire\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eas the recipient of the Harry and Anna Teasley Professorship\u0026nbsp;in Ecology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe newly endowed faculty position supports research and teaching that meaningfully advances the understanding and responsible stewardship of species and community dynamics amid evolving ecological interactions driven by global environmental change.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcGuire, an associate professor in the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences,\u003C\/a\u003E was selected for her pioneering ecological research and exceptional teaching efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cJenny\u2019s creative and fundamental research in spatial and community ecology is helping to position Georgia Tech as a leader in biodiversity and ecosystem conservation,\u201d\u0026nbsp;says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/todd-streelman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETodd Streelman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and chair of the School of Biological Sciences. \u201cHer appointment continues a trend in the School to award research endowments to our most promising early- and mid-career scientists and\u0026nbsp;highlights the strong support and generosity of alumni such as the Teasley family.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet Jenny McGuire\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcGuire joined the Georgia Tech faculty in 2017 as an assistant professor. She earned a Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from the\u0026nbsp;University of California, Berkeley,\u0026nbsp;and completed postdoctoral research at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center and the University of Washington.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer research explores how plants and animals respond to environmental changes across space and time \u2014\u0026nbsp;from the ancient past to modern urban environments to the future. She leads the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mcguire.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Spatial Ecology and Paleontology Lab\u003C\/a\u003E, which integrates paleontological data, ecological modeling, and fieldwork to understand how biodiversity shifts in response to climate change and human development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal isn\u2019t just to preserve biodiversity, but also to help it thrive in a changing landscape,\u201d says McGuire.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe plans to use the Teasley endowment to advance wildlife redistribution research in the Southeastern U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cGeorgia is a climate change highway,\u201d explains McGuire. \u201cSpecies are moving northeast toward the Appalachian Mountains, but roads, development, and fragmented habitats often block their paths.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcGuire believes Georgia Tech is uniquely positioned to lead in this field, thanks to its technological strengths. She and her team will collaborate across campus and the Southeast, implementing cutting-edge biodiversity monitoring to better understand how species experience and respond to environmental changes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cConducting this research in urban areas like Atlanta \u2014 where green infrastructure can serve as vital wildlife corridors \u2014 is especially important,\u201d adds McGuire.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Teasley Professorship will also support student involvement at all levels. McGuire hopes to build a more connected and proactive research community that brings together students, ecologists, biologists, engineers, computer scientists, and community partners to address biodiversity challenges across the Southeast.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcGuire is a 2024 Cullen-Peck Fellow, a Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems Faculty Fellow since 2023, and an NSF CAREER Award winner. Her long-running outreach program,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EFossil Fridays\u003C\/strong\u003E, invites students, families, and community members into the lab to sort and study real fossil specimens.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELooking ahead, she\u2019s eager to explore the possibilities provided by the Teasley Professorship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s an incredible opportunity to elevate Georgia Tech\u2019s role in shaping how we understand and protect life on a changing planet.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA legacy of excellence\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHarry E. Teasley, Jr\u003C\/strong\u003E. graduated from Georgia Tech in 1959 with a degree in industrial engineering and worked for over 33 years for The Coca-Cola Company. In addition to the many leadership roles he held at Coca-Cola, Mr. Teasley is remembered for pioneering the\u0026nbsp;first Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to be used in an industrial context. LCA was a pioneering analytical framework assessing environmental impacts of a product\u0027s life from \u0022cradle to grave,\u0022 and it is used across most major industries today.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Harry and Anna Teasley Professorship in Ecology is the second Teasley Professorship supporting environmental research at Georgia Tech. School of Biological Sciences Regents\u2019 Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has held the Harry and Anna Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology since 1999.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMrs. Teasley provided an official statement regarding the Harry and Anna Teasley Professorships at Georgia Tech:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u201cIt was the intent of my late husband Harry E. Teasley Jr. that the funds he gave to Professor Mark Hay at Georgia Tech would be to support excellence in the field of environmental biology and to provide him with the freedom to study any concept, hypothesis, or organism that his experience-honed intuition guided him to.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWith time, Professor Hay has proven to have been a very worthy choice and has made my late husband and I very proud through the breadth and depth of his studies, discoveries, and highest possible awards he has received. Once this was established, and along with the profound esteem both men had developed for each other, there was the wish to leave a legacy beyond the research: the human values and scientific approach to research that Professor Hay has demonstrated from the start.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHaving been the unanimous choice of the evaluating committee, Associate Professor Jenny McGuire seems to be an excellent first recipient, and I am very proud to welcome her as I know my late husband would have been as well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EI wish her many successes in pursuing and teaching her very promising research, and I look forward to learning about the impact she will have in her field as we have through the years admired Professor Mark Hay\u2019s achievements.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETo learn more about\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETransforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, visit\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Etransformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJenny McGuire has been named a Teasley Professor, advancing Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in biodiversity research and climate resilience.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Jenny McGuire has been named a Teasley Professor, advancing Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in biodiversity research and climate resilience."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2025-07-08 12:04:17","changed_gmt":"2025-07-14 15:58:25","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677350":{"id":"677350","type":"image","title":"Jenny McGuire","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJenny McGuire\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1751976281","gmt_created":"2025-07-08 12:04:41","changed":"1751976281","gmt_changed":"2025-07-08 12:04:41","alt":"A woman stands behind a row of skulls.","file":{"fid":"261242","name":"16C10200-P42-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/08\/16C10200-P42-001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/08\/16C10200-P42-001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6048126,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/08\/16C10200-P42-001.jpg?itok=1SzW21M_"}}},"media_ids":["677350"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/s\/1481\/alumni\/17\/magazine-pages.aspx?sid=1481\u0026gid=21\u0026pgid=22870","title":"Tech\u0027s Fossil Hunters"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"76631","name":"endowed chairs and professorships"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"10936","name":"Biodiversity"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura S. Smith, writer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683057":{"#nid":"683057","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Eric Schumacher Named Director of Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe College of Sciences is pleased to announce the appointment of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/eric-schumacher\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEric Schumacher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E as director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuroscience.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EB.S. in Neuroscience Program\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI was involved in the creation of our\u0026nbsp;neuroscience undergraduate program, and I am\u0026nbsp;excited to oversee the next stage of its growth,\u201d says Schumacher, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EApproved by the Board of Regents in 2017, the B.S. in Neuroscience is one of Georgia Tech\u2019s fastest-growing majors with more than 500 students enrolled in 2024. It draws on faculty from the College of Sciences and across the Institute to provide interdisciplinary training in behavioral, cellular, cognitive, computational, molecular, and systems neuroscience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe program offers flexibility, enabling students to design their own path of study. For example, students can add a pre-health, research, or business designation to their degree and specialize in areas such as biology, computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, physics, and psychology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThere are many flavors of neuroscience as it\u2019s inherently cross-disciplinary,\u201d Schumacher explains. \u201cOur degree is popular with students because it covers broad aspects of neuroscience. In this new role, I will aim to add depth to all the different areas we teach.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESchumacher succeeds Biological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/timothy-cope\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETim Cope\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E who has been named\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/tim-cope-direct-new-phd-program-neuroscience-and-neurotechnology\u0022\u003Einaugural director of the Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology\u003C\/a\u003E, which will welcome its first cohort in Fall 2025. The B.S. and Ph.D. programs along with the recently launched\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-launches-two-new-interdisciplinary-research-institutes?utm_source=newsletter\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_content=Georgia%20Tech%20Launches%20New%20Research%20Institutes\u0026amp;utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20July%201%2C%202025\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E reflect Georgia Tech\u2019s decade-long commitment to advancing neuroscience and neurotechnology through interdisciplinary research, education, and engagement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENeuroscience undergraduates stand to benefit from this growing research and educational ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has a strong culture of undergraduate research,\u201d adds Schumacher. \u201cOne of my goals as director is to improve our students\u2019 access to neuroscience research and engagement opportunities available on campus.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESchumacher, who joined Georgia Tech in 2004, received a\u0026nbsp;Ph.D. in Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. His research focuses on how brain\u0026nbsp;mechanisms for attention, perception, and memory work together and how we control these systems to achieve cognitive and behavioral goals.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EApproved by the Board of Regents in 2017, the B.S. in Neuroscience program is one of Georgia Tech\u2019s fastest-growing majors with more than 500 students enrolled in 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Approved by the Board of Regents in 2017, the B.S. in Neuroscience program is one of Georgia Tech\u2019s fastest-growing majors."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-07-09 16:15:50","changed_gmt":"2025-07-11 15:54:49","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677366":{"id":"677366","type":"image","title":"Eric Schumacher","body":null,"created":"1752078496","gmt_created":"2025-07-09 16:28:16","changed":"1752078496","gmt_changed":"2025-07-09 16:28:16","alt":"Eric Schumacher","file":{"fid":"261260","name":"Eric-Schumacher_005.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/Eric-Schumacher_005.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/09\/Eric-Schumacher_005.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":593280,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/09\/Eric-Schumacher_005.jpg?itok=TfWyS6z_"}}},"media_ids":["677366"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuroscience.cos.gatech.edu","title":"B.S. in Neuroscience Program at Georgia Tech"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/05\/02\/georgia-tech-offer-phd-neuroscience-and-neurotechnology-new-minor","title":"Georgia Tech to Offer Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, New Minor "},{"url":"https:\/\/control.gatech.edu\/","title":"Eric Schumacher\u2019s Research Lab"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-launches-two-new-interdisciplinary-research-institutes","title":"Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"174813","name":"B.S. Neuroscience"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lvidal7@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683281":{"#nid":"683281","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Stitched for Strength: The Physics of Stiff, Knitted Fabrics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E Associate Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/elisabetta-matsumoto\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EElisabetta Matsumoto\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is unearthing the secrets of the centuries-old practice of knitting through experiments, models, and simulations. Her goal? Leveraging knitting for breakthroughs in advanced manufacturing \u2014 including more sustainable textiles, wearable electronics, and soft robotics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMatsumoto, who is also a principal investigator at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wpi-skcm2.hiroshima-u.ac.jp\/\u0022\u003EInternational Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter (WPI-SKCM2) at Hiroshima University\u003C\/a\u003E, is the corresponding author on a new study exploring the physics of \u2018jamming\u2019 \u2014 a phenomenon when soft or stretchy materials become rigid under low stress but soften under higher tension.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study, \u0022\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.aps.org\/pre\/abstract\/10.1103\/g94g-c6tt\u0022\u003EPulling Apart the Mechanisms That Lead to Jammed Knitted Fabrics\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0022 was published this week in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.aps.org\/pre\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPhysical Review E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and also includes Georgia Tech Matsumoto Group graduate students\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/sarah-gonzalez\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESarah Gonzalez\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/alexander-cachine\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlexander Cachine\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E in addition to former postdoctoral fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/engineering.tamu.edu\/materials\/profiles\/Michael-Dimitriyev.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMichael Dimitriyev\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who is now an assistant professor at Texas A\u0026amp;M University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe work builds on the group\u2019s previous research demonstrating that\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/unraveling-physics-knitting\u0022\u003Eknitted materials can be mathematically \u2018programmed\u2019 to behave in predictable ways\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThese properties are intuitively understood by people who knit by hand,\u201d Matsumoto says, \u201cbut in order to manipulate and use these behaviors in an industrial setting, we need to understand the physics behind them. This new research is another step in that direction.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn Unexpected Twist\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGonzalez, who led the research, first became interested in jamming while conducting adjacent research. \u201cI was using model simulations to characterize how different yarn properties affect the behavior of knitted fabrics and noticed a strange stiff region,\u201d she recalls. \u201cIn our\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-46498-z\u0022\u003Eprevious research\u003C\/a\u003E, we had also seen this behavior in lab experiments, which suggested that what we were seeing in the simulations was a genuine phenomenon. I wanted to investigate it further.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAfter digging into the topic, she realized that what she was seeing was called \u2018jamming.\u2019 In knits, Gonzalez explains, jamming occurs when stitches are packed tightly together, and the fabric resists stretching. Although it\u2019s a well-known phenomenon, the physics has mostly been investigated in granular systems, like snow or sand, rather than fabrics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIn fabrics, when you pull softly, the response is surprisingly stiff, but when you start pulling harder and harder, the stitches rearrange, and the material softens,\u201d Matsumoto says. \u201cIn granular systems, this is a little like how avalanches work. At low forces, the snow pack is solid, but when the slope is steep, the force of gravity liquidizes that snow pack into an avalanche.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIn fabrics, it is a little like having a tangle in a piece of jewelry,\u201d she adds. \u201cIf you pull on it, it gets quite stiff, but if you loosen the knot, the chain can reconfigure, and it\u0027s not so stiff.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUnraveling the Physics of Jamming\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUsing a combination of experiments with industrially knitted fabrics and computer models, the team analyzed what causes jamming in fabrics and how to control it. \u201cWe wanted to determine how different yarn properties impacted jamming,\u201d Gonzalez explains. \u201cOur goal was to understand the mechanics of jamming through how yarn interacts at various touchpoints in stitches.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team found that both machine tension and yarn thickness played a key role in making a fabric more or less jammed, and that jamming behaves differently depending on which direction the fabric is stretched.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhen you stretch a knit along the rows, the stiffness of the yarn causes fabric jamming. Jamming in the other direction is due to yarn contacts,\u201d says Gonzalez. \u201cWe also showed that the impacts of changing machine tension and yarn thickness differ depending on fabric direction.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cDiscovering that fabric jamming works differently in different directions was a key insight,\u201d she adds. \u201cTo our knowledge, the physics of this has never been explored before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EModern Innovation \u2014 With a Centuries-Old Technique\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe research dovetails with Matsumoto\u2019s WPI-SKCM2 Center work,\u0026nbsp;which involves investigating fundamental aspects of knots and chirality.\u0026nbsp;The Center is interested in a class of materials called \u201cknotted chiral meta matter\u201d that could lead to more sustainable materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor example, knitting \u2014 which leverages chiral knots \u2014 could be used to create more elastic fabrics from natural materials. \u201cIn many cases, manufacturers use yarns that combine, for example, polyester, cotton, and elastane to create a desired elasticity,\u201d Matsumoto says. \u201cOur research suggests that manipulating the topology of the stitches could lead to a similar elasticity, reducing the need for petroleum-based fibers and creating a more sustainable textile.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cKnitting has the potential to be extremely useful in manufacturing, but knowledge has typically been shared through intuition and word of mouth,\u201d she adds. \u201cBy creating these mathematical models, we hope to formalize that knowledge in a way that\u2019s accessible for large-scale manufacturing \u2014 so we can leverage this centuries-old intuition for modern innovation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: This work was supported by the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; National Science Foundation (NSF); and Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1103\/g94g-c6tt\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1103\/g94g-c6tt\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers in the School of Physics unravel the secrets of the centuries-old practice of knitting in a new study that explores the physics of \u2018jamming\u2019 \u2014 a phenomenon when soft or stretchy materials become rigid under low stress but soften under higher tension.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Physicists unravel the secrets of the centuries-old practice of knitting in a new study that explores the physics of \u2018jamming\u2019 \u2014 a phenomenon when soft or stretchy materials become rigid under low stress but soften under higher tension."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-07-25 15:34:08","changed_gmt":"2025-07-30 12:38:14","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677487":{"id":"677487","type":"image","title":"Former Matsumoto Group member Krishma Singal operates a knitting machine used to create fabric samples for a previous study. Singal recently graduated from Georgia Tech with her Ph.D. (Photo Credit: Allison Carter)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFormer Matsumoto Group member Krishma Singal operates a knitting machine used to create fabric samples for a previous study. Singal recently graduated from Georgia Tech with her Ph.D. (Photo Credit: Allison Carter)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1753457848","gmt_created":"2025-07-25 15:37:28","changed":"1753457848","gmt_changed":"2025-07-25 15:37:28","alt":"Former Matsumoto Group member Krishma Singal operates a knitting machine used to create fabric samples for a previous study. Singal recently graduated from Georgia Tech with her Ph.D. (Photo Credit: Allison Carter)","file":{"fid":"261390","name":"knittingPhysics.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/25\/knittingPhysics.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/25\/knittingPhysics.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6205604,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/25\/knittingPhysics.JPG?itok=p4Akl4yz"}}},"media_ids":["677487"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682905":{"#nid":"682905","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Brain-Inspired AI Breakthrough Spotlighted at Global Conference","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech have taken a critical step forward in creating efficient, useful and brain-like artificial intelligence (AI). The key? A new algorithm that results in neural networks with internal structure more like the human brain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/openreview.net\/forum?id=THqWPzL00e\u0022\u003ETopoNets: High-Performing Vision and Language Models With Brain-Like Topography\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was awarded a spotlight at this year\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iclr.cc\/\u0022\u003EInternational Conference on Learning Representations\u003C\/a\u003E (ICLR), a distinction given to only 2 percent of papers. The research was led by graduate student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.murtylab.com\/group\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMayukh Deb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E alongside\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.murtylab.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApurva Ratan Murty\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/iclr-2025\/\u0022\u003EThirty-two of Tech\u2019s computing, engineering, and science faculty represented the Institute at ICLR 2025\u003C\/a\u003E, which is globally renowned for sharing cutting-edge research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe started with this idea because we saw that AI models are unstructured, while brains are exquisitely organized,\u201d says first-author Deb. \u201cOur models with internal structure showed more than a 20 percent boost in efficiency with almost no performance losses. And this is out-of-the-box \u2014 it\u2019s broadly applicable to other models with no extra fine-tuning needed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor Murty, the research also underscores the importance of a rapidly growing field of research at the intersection of neuroscience and AI. \u201cThere\u0027s a major explosion in understanding intelligence right now,\u201d he says. \u201cThe neuro-AI approach is exciting because it helps emulate human intelligence in machines, making AI more interpretable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIn addition to advancing AI, this type of research also benefits neuroscience because it informs a fundamental question: Why is our brain organized the way it is?,\u201d Deb adds. \u201cMaking AI more interpretable helps everyone.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrain-inspired blueprints\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn the brain, neurons form topographic maps: neurons used for comparable tasks are closer together. The researchers applied this concept to AI by organizing how internal components (like artificial neurons) connect and process information.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis type of organization has been tried in the past but has been challenging, Murty says. \u201cHistorically, rules constraining how the AI could structure itself often resulted in lower-performing models. We realized that for this type of biophysical constraint, you simply can\u2019t map everything \u2014 you need an algorithmic solution.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOur key insight was an algorithmic trick that gives the same structure as brains without enforcing things that models don\u0027t respond well to,\u201d he adds. \u201cThat breakthrough was what Mayukh (Deb) worked on.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe algorithm, called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/github.com\/murtylab\/topoloss\u0022\u003ETopoLoss\u003C\/a\u003E, uses a loss function to encourage brain-like organization in artificial neural networks, and it is compatible with many AI systems capable of understanding language and images.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe resulting training method, TopoNets, is very flexible and broadly applicable,\u201d Murty says. \u201cYou can apply it to contemporary models very easily, which is a critical advancement when compared to previous methods.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeuro-AI innovations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMurty and Deb plan to continue refining and designing brain-inspired AI systems. \u201cAll parts of the brain have some organization \u2014 we want to expand into other domains,\u201d Deb says. \u201cOn the neuroscience side of things, we want to discover new kinds of organization in brains using these topographic systems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDeb also cites possibilities in robotics, especially in situations like space exploration where resources are limited. \u201cImagine running a model inside a robot with limited power,\u201d he says. \u201cStructured models can help us achieve 80 percent of performance with just 20 percent of energy consumption, saving valuable energy and space. This is still experimental, but it\u0027s the direction we are interested in exploring.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis success highlights the potential of a new approach, designing systems that benefit both neuroscience and AI \u2014 and beyond,\u201d Murty adds. \u201cWe can learn so much from the human brain, and this project shows that brain-inspired systems can help current AI be better. We hope our work stimulates this conversation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech have developed an algorithm that helps AI models develop internal organization just like the human brain \u2014 boosting efficiency by 20 percent.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed an algorithm that helps AI models develop internal organization just like the human brain \u2014 boosting efficiency by 20 percent."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-06-26 16:33:50","changed_gmt":"2025-06-26 16:46:30","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677290":{"id":"677290","type":"image","title":"Neurons growing in a culture dish (NASA)","body":"\u003Cp\u003ENeurons growing in a culture dish (NASA)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1750955780","gmt_created":"2025-06-26 16:36:20","changed":"1750955780","gmt_changed":"2025-06-26 16:36:20","alt":"Neurons growing in a culture dish (NASA)","file":{"fid":"261174","name":"Neurons-in-a-culture-dish.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Neurons-in-a-culture-dish.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Neurons-in-a-culture-dish.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":130235,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/26\/Neurons-in-a-culture-dish.jpg?itok=LjpPFJsT"}},"677291":{"id":"677291","type":"image","title":"School of Psychology Assistant Professor\u00a0Apurva Ratan Murty","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Psychology Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;Apurva Ratan Murty\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1750955976","gmt_created":"2025-06-26 16:39:36","changed":"1750955976","gmt_changed":"2025-06-26 16:39:36","alt":"School of Psychology Assistant Professor\u00a0Apurva Ratan Murty","file":{"fid":"261175","name":"Ratan.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Ratan.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Ratan.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":162869,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/26\/Ratan.jpg?itok=1DIDvH7C"}},"677292":{"id":"677292","type":"image","title":"Graduate Student Mayukh Deb","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGraduate Student Mayukh Deb\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1750956091","gmt_created":"2025-06-26 16:41:31","changed":"1750956091","gmt_changed":"2025-06-26 16:41:31","alt":"Graduate Student Mayukh Deb","file":{"fid":"261176","name":"Deb.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Deb.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Deb.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":143409,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/26\/Deb.jpg?itok=LxkXF9or"}}},"media_ids":["677290","677291","677292"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"193158","name":"Student Competition Winners (academic, innovation, and research)"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684037":{"#nid":"684037","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New NIH-Funded timsTOF HT Mass Spectrometer Boosts Proteomics Power in Georgia Tech IBB Core Facilities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\/research\/core-facilities\/systems-mass-spectrometry-core\u0022\u003ESystems Mass Spectrometry Core (SyMS-C)\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology proudly announces the acquisition and installation of a cutting-edge Bruker timsTOF HT mass spectrometer integrated with a nanoElute2 liquid chromatography system. This transformative addition, funded by a prestigious S10 Shared Instrumentation Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and led by Matthew Torres, associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences, reinforces Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in pioneering proteomics research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe timsTOF HT is a next-generation mass spectrometer that combines trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) with high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight (qTOF) mass analysis to dramatically improve sensitivity, specificity, and throughput. Unlike traditional mass spectrometers, it uses dual TIMS funnels to separate ions by size-to-charge (rather than only mass-to-charge), enabling an added dimension of separation for complex biological samples. The system employs a method called PASEF (Parallel Accumulation\u2013Serial Fragmentation), which synchronizes ion separation, isolation, and fragmentation to dramatically boost speed and depth of proteome coverage. TIMS also distinguishes between isobaric species\u2014such as phosphopeptide positional isomers or structural isomers\u2014that are indistinguishable by standard mass spectrometry alone. Because it stores and organizes ions rather than filtering them destructively, the timsTOF HT is especially well suited for sensitive and high-throughput omics applications, including plasma and tissue proteomics. As a result, it represents a transformative platform for biological discovery across a wide range of research areas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunded by the NIH S10 grant, this acquisition empowers the SyMS-C to support a wide range of research initiatives across Georgia Tech and its collaborative partners. The timsTOF HT\u2019s advanced capabilities, including dia-PASEF\u00ae and prm-PASEF\u00ae acquisition modes, will accelerate discoveries in biomarker identification, single-cell proteomics, and multiomics applications, addressing critical challenges in understanding disease mechanisms and developing novel diagnostics and therapies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are thrilled to integrate the Bruker timsTOF HT and nanoElute2 into our Systems Mass Spectrometry Core,\u201d said Rakesh Singh, director of the proteomics services at SyMS-C. \u201cThis advanced platform will enable our researchers to push the boundaries of proteomics, providing deeper insights into cellular mechanisms and supporting transformative biomedical research. We are deeply grateful to the NIH for their support through the S10 grant, which makes this cutting-edge technology accessible to our scientific community.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe installation of the timsTOF HT and nanoElute2 systems enhances the ability of SyMS-C to serve as a hub for interdisciplinary research, offering access to faculty, students, and external collaborators, including those within the Georgia Research Alliance and regional academic and clinical institutions. The core facility will provide technical expertise, consultation, and data analysis support to ensure researchers can fully leverage the system\u2019s capabilities. The SyMS-C anticipates that the new instrumentation will drive high-impact research, contributing to breakthroughs in personalized medicine, cancer research, and neurodegenerative disease studies. For more information about the Systems Mass Spectrometry Core or to inquire about access to the Bruker timsTOF HT and nanoElute2 systems, please contact \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: rsingh475@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ERakesh Singh\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis transformative addition is funded by a prestigious S10 Shared Instrumentation Grant from the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"This transformative addition is funded by a prestigious S10 Shared Instrumentation Grant from the National Institutes of Health."}],"uid":"34760","created_gmt":"2025-08-21 14:05:19","changed_gmt":"2025-08-22 15:55:12","author":"Laurie Haigh","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677772":{"id":"677772","type":"image","title":"timsTOF HT","body":null,"created":"1755873362","gmt_created":"2025-08-22 14:36:02","changed":"1755877752","gmt_changed":"2025-08-22 15:49:12","alt":"Researchers Rakesh Singh (L) and Ludyanna Lebon with the timsTOF HT and nanoElute2 systems ","file":{"fid":"261709","name":"timsTOF.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/22\/timsTOF.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/22\/timsTOF.png","mime":"image\/png","size":918145,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/22\/timsTOF.png?itok=fUlN0Pd4"}}},"media_ids":["677772"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: rsingh475@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ERakesh Singh\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESenior Research Scientist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684821":{"#nid":"684821","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Crawling Faster, Clambering Higher","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELegged robots capable of traversing difficult terrain and uncertain environments could be revolutionary in applications from defense to mining to disaster search and rescue. Research into the development of motion controls for bipedal and quadrupedal robots has recently made great strides.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETests in highly controlled environments for bipedal robots and varied terrain in quadrupeds show promise, but the costs and complexity required to equip these robots with the sensors needed to navigate create a huge barrier to deployment at scale. In contrast, low-profile multilegged robots with redundant contacts eliminate the need for costly visual and LIDAR systems and are poised to be deployed commercially in the agricultural sector.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese multilegged locomoting systems, though less complex and costly, come with their own technological challenges that impact speed and vertical maneuverability due to the robotic design\u2019s high degree degrees of freedom and visual sensing limitations due to height in relation to environment. To address these challenges, Juntao He, a Ph.D. student in the group of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/daniel-goldman\u0022\u003EDaniel Goldman\u003C\/a\u003E, Professor in the School of Physics at Georgia Tech, led a pair of research papers that paves the way to make these bots able to move faster and climb higher in challenging environments. The work is in collaboration with Baxi Chong, now \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/baxichong\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eassistant professor at The Pennsylvania State University\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, as well as others in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/crablab.gatech.edu\/index.html\u0022\u003EGoldman\u2019s lab\u003C\/a\u003E, in a multidisciplinary collaboration to improve these cost-effective little bots.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo enhance speed on varied terrain, the researchers used a multilegged segmented robot equipped with three motors for pitch and yaw and leg tip mounted force sensors onboard each segment. Inspired by the movement of centipedes, the team added vertical body undulation coordinated with horizontal undulation and leg stepping. The additional vertical movement mitigates the environmental elements that impact forward motion, allowing the robot to move across multiple surfaces without a loss of speed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;The many-legged robot demonstrates impressive 2.5D mobility in unstructured environments with minimal sensing. What\u2019s next? Our goal is to integrate greater intelligence into the robot, enabling it to make decisions and navigate effectively\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003Ein the open world. - Juntao He\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo enable greater vertical obstacle navigation, Goldman\u2019s team used the same robotic setup with the addition of tactile antenna to investigate impediments and a control system that integrates data from the antenna and the force sensors on the legs. This integrated data prompts the robot to adjust head placement and optimize the vertical undulation waves to climb the probed object. Using this efficient sensor system, the team\u2019s robot reliably scaled obstacles five times its height in a controlled laboratory setting and performed equally well in outdoor testing. The team is working with Georgia Tech Commercialization and Goldman\u2019s startup, Ground Control Robotics, Inc.*\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E-Christa M. Ernst\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EKlaus Advance Computing Building 1120E | 266 Ferst Drive | Atlanta GA | 30332\u003Cbr\u003ETopic Expertise: Robotics | Data Sciences | Semiconductor Design \u0026amp; Fab\u003Cbr\u003Echrista.ernst@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPublications Referenced\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ieeexplore.ieee.org\/document\/11098164?source=authoralert\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/ieeexplore.ieee.org\/document\/11098164?source=authoralert\u0022\u003EProbabilistic Approach to Feedback Control Enhances Multilegged Locomotion on Rugged Landscapes\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/pdf\/2504.08615\u0022\u003ETactile sensing enables vertical obstacle negotiation for elongate many-legged robots\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E*Disclaimer: Daniel Goldman has an equity interest in Ground Control Robotics, Inc. (GCR).\u0026nbsp;GCR develops robots for locomotion in complex environments.\u0026nbsp; GCR may potentially benefit financially from the research findings on locomoting systems presented here.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Dual publications highlight advances in multilegged robot motion"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJuntao He, a Ph.D. student in the group of Daniel Goldman, Professor in the School of Physics at Georgia Tech led a pair of research papers that paves the way to make these bots able to move faster and climb higher in challenging environments. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Dual publications highlight advances in multilegged robot motion"}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2025-09-12 19:02:09","changed_gmt":"2025-09-17 16:59:17","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677990":{"id":"677990","type":"image","title":"Crawling Faster Goldman Juntao Publication","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA centipede based multi-legged robot exhibiting locomotion on rugged landscapes\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1757703073","gmt_created":"2025-09-12 18:51:13","changed":"1757703215","gmt_changed":"2025-09-12 18:53:35","alt":"A centipede based multi-legged robot exhibiting locomotion on rugged landscapes","file":{"fid":"261959","name":"Fig1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/12\/Fig1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/12\/Fig1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1459688,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/12\/Fig1.png?itok=rQbN3wIu"}}},"media_ids":["677990"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChrista M. Ernst\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EKlaus Advance Computing Building 1120E | 266 Ferst Drive | Atlanta GA | 30332\u003Cbr\u003ETopic Expertise: Robotics | Data Sciences | Semiconductor Design \u0026amp; Fab\u003Cbr\u003Echrista.ernst@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["christa.ernst@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684913":{"#nid":"684913","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet the Microbes: What a Warming Wetland Reveals About Earth\u2019s Carbon Future","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBetween a third and half of all soil carbon on Earth is stored in peatlands, says\u0026nbsp;Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. These wetlands \u2014 formed from layers and layers of decaying plant matter \u2014 span from the Arctic to the tropics, supporting biodiversity and regulating global climate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cPeatlands are essential carbon stores, but as temperatures warm, this carbon is in danger of being released as carbon dioxide and methane,\u201d says Kostka, who is also the\u0026nbsp;associate chair for Research in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and the director of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/12\/04\/college-sciences-launches-new-center-georgia-tech-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow\u003C\/a\u003E. Understanding the ratio of carbon dioxide to methane is critical, he adds, because while both are greenhouse gasses, methane is significantly more potent.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka is the corresponding author of a new study unearthing how and why peatlands are producing carbon dioxide and methane.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe research, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-025-61664-7\u0022\u003ENorthern peatland microbial communities exhibit resistance to warming and acquire electron acceptors from soil organic matter\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was published this summer in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E, and was led by co-first authors\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBorja Aldeguer-Riquelme,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ea\u0026nbsp;postdoctoral research associate in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/enve-omics.gatech.edu\/people\/\u0022\u003EEnvironmental Microbial Genomics Laboratory,\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u003Cstrong\u003E Katherine Duchesneau\u003C\/strong\u003E, a\u0026nbsp;Ph.D. student in the School of Biological Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study builds on a decade of research at the Oak Ridge National Lab\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mnspruce.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003ESpruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE) experiment\u003C\/a\u003E, a long-term research project in Minnesota that allows researchers to warm whole sections of wetland from tree top to bog bottom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOver the past 10 years, we\u2019ve shown that warming in this large-scale climate experiment increases greenhouse gas production,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cBut while warming makes the bog produce more methane, we still observe a lot more CO2 production than methane. In this paper, we take a critical step towards discovering why \u2014 and describing the mechanisms that determine which gases are released and in what amounts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMethane mystery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe subdued methane production in peatlands has been a long-standing mystery. In water-saturated wetlands, oxygen is scarce, but microbes still need to respire \u2014 a type of \u2018breathing\u2019 that allows them to produce energy for metabolic function. Without oxygen, microbes use nitrate, sulfate, or metals to respire \u2014 still releasing carbon dioxide in the process. However, if these ingredients aren\u2019t present, microbes \u2018breathe\u2019 in a way that releases methane.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESince nitrate, sulfate, and metals are relatively rare in peatlands, methane production should be the most likely pathway, but surprisingly, observations show the opposite. \u201cIn both fieldwork and lab experiments, peatlands produce much more carbon dioxide than methane,\u201d Kostka explains. \u201cIt\u2019s puzzling because the soil conditions should help methane production dominate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo solve this mystery, the team leveraged a suite of cutting-edge genetic tools called \u201comics\u201d \u2014\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;metagenomics (studying DNA), metatranscriptomics (studying RNA), and metabolomics (a technique used to study the \u201cleftovers\u201d of metabolism), providing a detailed look under the hood of the microbial \u201cengine\u201d that cycles organic matter in wetlands. It also gave a new window into the diversity of soil microbes in wetlands: 80 percent of the organisms identified in the study were new at the genus level.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u2018Omics\u2019 innovations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOver the course of several years, the team collected samples from a peatland enclosed in an experimental chamber that was slowly warmed, then analyzed the samples using omics to see how they changed. Initially, they hypothesized that warming the soil would cause microbial communities to change quickly. \u201cMicrobes can evolve and grow rapidly,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cBut that didn\u2019t happen.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe DNA-based methods showed that while the microbial communities stayed largely stable, the bog did release more greenhouse gasses as it warmed. To assess the metabolic potential of the microbes, Duchesneau and Aldeguer-Riquelme constructed microbial genomes, investigating how they were decomposing the organic matter in peatlands and cycling carbon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe found that microbial activity increases with warming, but the growth response of microbial communities lags behind these changes in physiological or metabolic activity,\u201d Kostka says.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EHe cautions that this doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that wetland communities won\u2019t change as climates warm\u0026nbsp;\u2014 just that these shifts might come behind metabolic ones.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA diversity of discoveries\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAnd the methane? The team believes that microbes may be breaking down organic matter to access the key ingredients for producing carbon dioxide \u2014 nitrate, sulfate, and metals \u2014 though more research is currently underway to investigate this.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cDoing this type of integrated omics research in soil systems is still incredibly difficult,\u201d Kostka says. The challenge is multifaceted: the research leverages years of experiments, long-term datasets, advanced laboratory techniques, and fieldwork innovations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAt SPRUCE, experimental chambers are about 1,000 square feet. While it\u2019s an impressive experimental setup, researchers still must be careful: \u201cWe need to take soil samples for many years, so if we take too many, there\u2019d be no soil left!\u201d Kostka explains. \u201cPart of our research involves developing better, non-destructive sampling techniques.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe other challenge lies in what makes these peatlands so unique: it\u2019s very hard to detect small changes because of the sheer diversity of organisms present. \u201cEvery time we conduct this type of research, we learn more about these incredible systems,\u201d he says. \u201cThere\u2019s always something new.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-025-61664-7\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-025-61664-7\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: The Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Terrestrial Ecosystem Science Program and Genomic Science programs, under the US Department of Energy (DOE); the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science User Facility sponsored by the Biological and Environmental Research program. The SPRUCE experiment is funded by the Biological and Environmental Research program in the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s Office of Science.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBetween a third and half of all soil carbon on Earth is stored in peatlands, but as temperatures warm, this carbon is in danger of being released. A new study is unearthing the ratio of carbon dioxide to methane released \u2014 because while both are greenhouse gasses, methane is significantly more potent.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study is unearthing how and why peatlands are producing carbon dioxide and methane.\u00a0"}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-09-16 16:55:49","changed_gmt":"2025-12-30 19:46:51","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678030":{"id":"678030","type":"image","title":"An aerial photo of the SPRUCE experiment.","body":"An arial photo of the SPRUCE experiment.","created":"1758051069","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","changed":"1758054915","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 20:35:15","alt":"An aerial photo of the SPRUCE experiment.","file":{"fid":"262002","name":"SPRUCE-aerial.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/SPRUCE-aerial.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/SPRUCE-aerial.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":191796,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/SPRUCE-aerial.jpg?itok=KXVV0CD8"}},"678031":{"id":"678031","type":"image","title":"Postdoctoral Researchers Caitlin Petro and Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme inside a SPRUCE chamber in 2023.","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPostdoctoral Researchers Caitlin Petro and Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme inside a SPRUCE chamber in 2023.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758051865","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:44:25","changed":"1758051865","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 19:44:25","alt":"Postdoctoral Researchers Caitlin Petro and Borja Aldeguer-Riquelme inside a SPRUCE chamber in 2023.","file":{"fid":"262008","name":"Caitlin_Borja_chamber_23.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/Caitlin_Borja_chamber_23.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/Caitlin_Borja_chamber_23.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":37221,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/Caitlin_Borja_chamber_23.jpg?itok=o_Yq6q6C"}},"678026":{"id":"678026","type":"image","title":"Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau sampling porewater inside an experimental SPRUCE chamber.","body":"Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau sampling porewater inside an experimental SPRUCE chamber.","created":"1758051069","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","changed":"1758051069","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","alt":"Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau sampling porewater inside an experimental SPRUCE chamber.","file":{"fid":"261998","name":"IMG_6736.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6736.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6736.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":12526125,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6736.jpeg?itok=Fp_7PhLg"}},"678027":{"id":"678027","type":"image","title":"Postdoctoral Researcher Caitlin Petro, Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau, and undergraduate student Sekou Noble-Kuchera in a SPRUCE chamber.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPostdoctoral Researcher Caitlin Petro, Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau, and undergraduate student Sekou Noble-Kuchera in a SPRUCE chamber.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758051069","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","changed":"1758055106","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 20:38:26","alt":"Postdoctoral Researcher Caitlin Petro, Ph.D. student Katherine Duchesneau, and undergraduate student Sekou Noble-Kuchera in a SPRUCE chamber.","file":{"fid":"261999","name":"IMG_6748.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6748.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6748.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8678062,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/IMG_6748.jpg?itok=DoMRfPfd"}},"678028":{"id":"678028","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka at the SPRUCE experiment.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJoel Kostka at the SPRUCE experiment.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758051069","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 19:31:09","changed":"1758055048","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 20:37:28","alt":"Joel Kostka at the SPRUCE experiment.","file":{"fid":"262000","name":"Joel-Kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/Joel-Kostka.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/Joel-Kostka.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1324030,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/Joel-Kostka.jpg?itok=eUOwhCkK"}}},"media_ids":["678030","678031","678026","678027","678028"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684909":{"#nid":"684909","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Saad Bhamla Named 2025 Schmidt Polymath","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESaad Bhamla of Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) is a member of a global cohort of eight scientists and engineers who were named Schmidt Polymaths. They will each receive up to $2.5 million over five years to pursue research in new disciplines or using new methodologies, Schmidt Sciences announced today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.schmidtsciences.org\/schmidt-science-polymaths\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchmidt Polymaths\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the researchers pursue new approaches compared to previous work. The new cohort of polymaths will answer questions like how to expand access to healthcare with low-cost technologies, what happens to our chromosomes when we age and how to create more accurate computer simulations of climate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=bhamla+lab\u0026amp;sca_esv=73afc9bb409a06fd\u0026amp;sxsrf=AE3TifOfqNlLCdHq4wvr_64y9NXiH73Tcw%3A1758035101256\u0026amp;source=hp\u0026amp;ei=nXzJaLXUDIHJp84Pvf7z8AM\u0026amp;iflsig=AOw8s4IAAAAAaMmKrb7w4pqFvU896hGOX8S7oZ5a32xU\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwj1lteNx92PAxWB5MkDHT3_HD4Q4dUDCBo\u0026amp;uact=5\u0026amp;oq=bhamla+lab\u0026amp;gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IgpiaGFtbGEgbGFiMgoQIxiABBgnGIoFMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yCBAAGKIEGIkFMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYogQYiQUyCBAAGIAEGKIESIkHUABYsQZwAHgAkAEAmAFPoAHDBaoBAjEwuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIKoALgBcICBBAjGCfCAgoQIxjwBRgnGMkCwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAhEQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHAcICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgIFEC4YgATCAggQLhiABBixA8ICCxAuGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAgsQABiABBixAxiDAcICDhAuGIAEGMcBGI4FGK8BwgILEC4YgAQYsQMY5QTCAggQABiABBixA8ICBxAuGIAEGArCAgsQLhiABBjHARivAcICBRAAGO8FmAMAkgcCMTCgB898sgcCMTC4B-AFwgcFMC45LjHIBxg\u0026amp;sclient=gws-wiz\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBhamla\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in ChBE@GT, is the first Schmidt Polymath from Georgia Tech. He will develop low-cost technologies to tackle planetary-scale challenges, including AI-enabled point-of-care diagnostics in low-resource environments, and he will also engineer autonomous morphing machines that adapt, evolve and learn like living systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe eight selected scientists represent the fifth cohort of the highly selective Schmidt Polymaths program. Awardees must have been tenured\u2014or achieved similar status\u2014within the previous three years. Previous cohorts have used the award to design new sensor devices, perform experiments at atomic resolutions, analyze trees of life with faster and more efficient algorithms, discover new mathematical formulas assisted by AI, and more.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrawn from universities worldwide and selected through a competitive application process, Schmidt Polymaths are required to demonstrate past ability and future potential to pursue early-stage, novel research that would otherwise be challenging to fund\u2014even without the current dramatic declines in U.S. funding for science.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur world is one deeply interconnected system---but to study it more deeply, we\u2019ve divided it into increasingly narrow categories,\u201d said Wendy Schmidt, who co-founded Schmidt Sciences with her husband Eric. \u201cSchmidt Polymaths see the bigger picture, pursue answers beyond boundaries and expand the edges of what\u2019s possible.\u0026nbsp; Their work can help steer\u0026nbsp; us all toward a healthier\u0026nbsp; future, for people and the planet.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Schmidt Sciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.schmidtsciences.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchmidt Sciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is a nonprofit organization founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that works to accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with the most promising, advanced tools to support a thriving planet. The organization prioritizes research in areas poised for impact including AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, and space\u2014as well as supporting researchers in a variety of disciplines through its science systems program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERELATED: Forbes featured Bhamla in the article: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/johndrake\/2025\/09\/16\/saad-bhamla-is-a-polymath\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaad Bhamla Is A Polymath\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":" Schmidt Polymaths each receive up to $2.5 million over five years to pursue research in new disciplines or using new methodologies"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaad \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=bhamla+lab\u0026amp;sca_esv=73afc9bb409a06fd\u0026amp;sxsrf=AE3TifOfqNlLCdHq4wvr_64y9NXiH73Tcw%3A1758035101256\u0026amp;source=hp\u0026amp;ei=nXzJaLXUDIHJp84Pvf7z8AM\u0026amp;iflsig=AOw8s4IAAAAAaMmKrb7w4pqFvU896hGOX8S7oZ5a32xU\u0026amp;ved=0ahUKEwj1lteNx92PAxWB5MkDHT3_HD4Q4dUDCBo\u0026amp;uact=5\u0026amp;oq=bhamla+lab\u0026amp;gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IgpiaGFtbGEgbGFiMgoQIxiABBgnGIoFMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yCBAAGKIEGIkFMggQABiABBiiBDIIEAAYogQYiQUyCBAAGIAEGKIESIkHUABYsQZwAHgAkAEAmAFPoAHDBaoBAjEwuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIKoALgBcICBBAjGCfCAgoQIxjwBRgnGMkCwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAhEQLhiABBixAxjRAxiDARjHAcICDhAuGIAEGLEDGNEDGMcBwgIFEC4YgATCAggQLhiABBixA8ICCxAuGIAEGLEDGIMBwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAgsQABiABBixAxiDAcICDhAuGIAEGMcBGI4FGK8BwgILEC4YgAQYsQMY5QTCAggQABiABBixA8ICBxAuGIAEGArCAgsQLhiABBjHARivAcICBRAAGO8FmAMAkgcCMTCgB898sgcCMTC4B-AFwgcFMC45LjHIBxg\u0026amp;sclient=gws-wiz\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBhamla\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in ChBE@GT, will develop low-cost technologies to tackle planetary-scale challenges, including AI-enabled point-of-care diagnostics in low-resource environments. He will also engineer autonomous morphing machines that adapt, evolve and learn like living systems.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Schmidt Sciences announces next cohort of early-to mid- career scientists to each receive up to $2.5 million to pursue novel research "}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2025-09-16 15:22:23","changed_gmt":"2025-10-24 19:13:27","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678015":{"id":"678015","type":"image","title":"bhamla2019.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESaad Bhamla, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758036152","gmt_created":"2025-09-16 15:22:32","changed":"1758036152","gmt_changed":"2025-09-16 15:22:32","alt":"Saad Bhamla","file":{"fid":"261987","name":"bhamla2019.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/bhamla2019.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/16\/bhamla2019.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":102841,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/16\/bhamla2019.jpeg?itok=T0rn3U53"}}},"media_ids":["678015"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"194768","name":"Schmidt Polymaths"},{"id":"184331","name":"access to healthcare"},{"id":"194391","name":"AI in Healthcare"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon, braddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684992":{"#nid":"684992","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Molecular \u2018Fossils\u2019 Offer Microscopic Clues to the Origins of Life \u2013 But They Take Care to\u00a0Interpret","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe questions of how humankind came to be, and whether we are alone in the universe, have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/S1473550407003692\u0022\u003Ecaptured imaginations for millennia\u003C\/a\u003E. But to answer these questions, scientists must first understand life itself and how it could have arisen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn our work as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=0SOG_SsAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=vi\u0022\u003Eevolutionary biochemists\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=e_IKMz4AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Eprotein historians\u003C\/a\u003E, these core questions form the foundation of our research programs. To study life\u2019s history billions of years ago, we often use clues called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/embor.2013.162\u0022\u003Emolecular \u201cfossils\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 ancient structures shared by all living organisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecently, we discovered that an important molecular fossil found in an ancient protein family \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/molbev\/msaf055\u0022\u003Emay not be what it seems\u003C\/a\u003E. The dilemma centers, in part, on a simple question: What does it mean if a simple molecular structure \u2013 the fossil \u2013 is found in every single organism on Earth? Do molecular fossils point to the seeds that gave rise to modern biological complexity, or are they simply the stubborn pieces that have resisted erosion over time? The answers have far-reaching implications for how scientists understand the origins of biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EFollow the Phosphorus to Follow Life\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELife is made of many different building blocks, one of the most important of which is the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/air-space-magazine\/phosporus-you-cant-have-life-without-it-least-earth-180967243\/\u0022\u003Echemical element phosphorus\u003C\/a\u003E. Phosphorus makes up part of your genetic material, powers complex metabolic reactions and acts as a molecular switch to control enzymes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhosphorus compounds \u2013 specifically a charged form called phosphate \u2013 have a number of unique chemical properties that other biological compounds cannot match. In the words of the pioneering organic chemist F.H. Westheimer, they are chemically able to \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.2434996\u0022\u003Edo almost everything\u003C\/a\u003E.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir unique combination of stability, versatility and adaptability is why many researchers argue that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.popularmechanics.com\/space\/solar-system\/a19685943\/alien-life-phosphorus\/\u0022\u003Efollowing phosphorus is key to finding life\u003C\/a\u003E. The presence of phosphorus both close to home \u2013 in the ocean or on one of Saturn\u2019s moons \u2013 and in the farthest reaches of our galaxy is strong evidence for the potential for life beyond Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/690272\/original\/file-20250910-56-jjsn6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/690272\/original\/file-20250910-56-jjsn6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 alt=\u0022Chemical structure of a nucleotide, made of a phosphate, ribose sugar and base\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhosphate is part of many essential biological molecules, including the building blocks of DNA. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/biology\/chapter\/9-1-the-structure-of-dna\/\u0022\u003ECharles Molnar and Jane Gair\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\u0022\u003ECC BY-SA\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf phosphorus is so critical to life, how did early biology \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/evolution.berkeley.edu\/from-soup-to-cells-the-origin-of-life\/how-did-life-originate\/\u0022\u003Epredating cells\u003C\/a\u003E first use it?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, biological organisms are able to make use of phosphates \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-is-a-protein-a-biologist-explains-152870\u0022\u003Ethrough proteins\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 molecular machines that regulate all aspects of life. By \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1039\/B9NJ00718K\u0022\u003Ebinding to proteins, phosphates\u003C\/a\u003E regulate metabolism and cellular communication, and they serve as a source of cellular energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFurther, the process of phosphorylation, or adding a phosphate group to a protein, is ubiquitous in biology and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rstb.2012.0013\u0022\u003Eallows proteins to perform functions\u003C\/a\u003E their individual building blocks cannot. Without proteins, the existence of organisms such as bacteria and humans may not be possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGiven how essential phosphorus is to life, scientists hypothesize that phosphate binding was among the first biological functions to emerge on Earth. In fact, current evidence suggests that the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.64415\u0022\u003Efirst phosphate-binding proteins are truly ancient\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 even older than the last universal common ancestor, the hypothetical mother cell to all life on Earth that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgen.1007518\u0022\u003Eexisted around 4 billion years ago\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Mysterious Phosphate-Binding Fossil\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne family of phosphate-binding proteins, called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1812400115\u0022\u003EP-loop NTPases\u003C\/a\u003E, regulates everything from the communication between cells to the storage of energy and are found across the tree of life. Because P-loop NTPases are among the most ancient protein families, analyzing their properties can provide key insights into both the emergence of proteins and how primitive life used phosphates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough P-loop NTPases are diverse in structure, they share a common motif called a P-loop. This component binds to phosphate by wrapping a nest of amino acids \u2013 the building blocks that make up proteins \u2013 around the molecule. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.64415\u0022\u003EEvery known organism\u003C\/a\u003E has multiple families of P-loop NTPase, which makes the P-loop an excellent example of a molecular fossil that can provide clues about the evolution of life. Our crude analysis of the human genome estimates that humans have about 5,000 copies of P-loops.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen part of a larger protein structure, the P-loop folds like origami into a shape that is ideal for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1812400115\u0022\u003Ehugging a phosphate molecule\u003C\/a\u003E. These nests are extremely similar to each other, even when the surrounding proteins are only distantly related in function. A landmark study in 2012 argued that even if the P-loop nest is extracted from a protein, it can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/prot.24038\u0022\u003Estill bind to phosphate\u003C\/a\u003E. In other words, the ability of a P-loop to form a nest is determined by its interactions with phosphate, not its protein scaffold.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis study provided the first evidence that some forms of the P-loop sequence could have functioned billions of years ago, even before the emergence of large, complex proteins. If true, this implies that P-loop nests may have seeded the emergence and evolution of many of the phosphate-binding proteins seen today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EInterrogating the History of the P-loop\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe pioneer of bioinformatics, Margaret Oakley Dayhoff, hypothesized in 1966 that the large collection of big proteins seen today \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/anie.201609977\u0022\u003Earose from small peptides\u003C\/a\u003E that were duplicated and fused over long periods of time. Although P-loops may have evolved in a different way, Dayhoff\u2019s realization was the first to clarify how complex forms could have arisen from much simpler ones.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInspired by Dayhoff\u2019s hypothesis, we sought to interrogate the role that simple P-loops may have played in the evolution of the complex proteins key to life. Our findings challenge what\u2019s currently known about these molecular fossils.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/690273\/original\/file-20250910-56-q9xtll.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/690273\/original\/file-20250910-56-q9xtll.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 alt=\u0022Diagram showing the evolution of amino acids to oligopeptides to complex proteins\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Dayhoff hypothesis proposed that large, complex proteins arose from the duplication and merging of smaller, simpler peptides over time. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/biom12060793\u0022\u003EMerski et al.\/Biomolecules\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\u0022\u003ECC BY-SA\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing computer models, we compared a range of P-loops from the P-loop NTPase family to a control group made of the same amino acids but in a different order. While these control loops are also found in proteins, they do not form nests.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the P-loops and the control loops are very different in their nest-forming ability, we found that they both are able to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/molbev\/msaf055\u0022\u003Eform transient nests\u003C\/a\u003E when embedded in proteins. This meant that, contrary to popular belief, the amino acid sequence of P-loops aren\u2019t special in their ability to form nests \u2013 as would be expected if they alone were the seeds for many modern proteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Fossil Eroded Over Time\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur work strongly suggests that while the P-loop is a molecular fossil, the true nature of its form billions of years ago may have been eroded by the sands of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, when \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/molbev\/msaf055\u0022\u003Ewe repeated our simulations\u003C\/a\u003E in a different solvent \u2013 specifically methanol \u2013 we found that P-loops situated in their parent proteins were able to regain some of their ability to form nests. This doesn\u2019t mean that being in methanol drove the first proteins with P-loops to form the nests critical for life. But it does emphasize the importance of considering the surrounding environment when studying peptides and proteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJust as archaeologists know to be careful in how they \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/was-it-a-stone-tool-or-just-a-rock-an-archaeologist-explains-how-scientists-can-tell-the-difference-251126\u0022\u003Einterpret physical fossils\u003C\/a\u003E, historians of protein evolution could take similar care in their interpretation of molecular fossils. Our results complicate the current understanding of early protein evolution and, consequently, some aspects of the origins of life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn resetting the field\u2019s broader understanding of how these crucial proteins emerged, scientists are poised to start rewriting our own evolutionary history on this planet.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/259271\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/molecular-fossils-offer-microscopic-clues-to-the-origins-of-life-but-they-take-care-to-interpret-259271\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe questions of how humankind came to be, and whether we are alone in the universe, have captured imaginations for millennia. But to answer these questions, scientists must first understand life itself and how it could have arisen.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The questions of how humankind came to be, and whether we are alone in the universe, have captured imaginations for millennia. But to answer these questions, scientists must first understand life itself and how it could have arisen."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2025-09-17 13:13:05","changed_gmt":"2025-09-18 16:37:43","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678052":{"id":"678052","type":"image","title":"ATP synthase is an enzyme that has been using phosphate to generate life\u2019s energy for millions of years.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EATP synthase is an enzyme that has been using phosphate to generate life\u2019s energy for millions of years. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/synthase-enzyme-complex-illustration-royalty-free-image\/1328336178\u0022\u003ENanoclustering\/Science Photo Library via Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758125600","gmt_created":"2025-09-17 16:13:20","changed":"1758125600","gmt_changed":"2025-09-17 16:13:20","alt":"ATP synthase is an enzyme that has been using phosphate to generate life\u2019s energy for millions of years.","file":{"fid":"262030","name":"file-20250910-66-w313hf.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/17\/file-20250910-66-w313hf.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/17\/file-20250910-66-w313hf.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":182818,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/17\/file-20250910-66-w313hf.jpg?itok=wnfLg1eK"}}},"media_ids":["678052"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/molecular-fossils-offer-microscopic-clues-to-the-origins-of-life-but-they-take-care-to-interpret-259271","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthors:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/caroline-lynn-kamerlin-2416162\u0022\u003ECaroline Lynn Kamerlin\u003C\/a\u003E, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/liam-longo-2423771\u0022\u003ELiam Longo\u003C\/a\u003E, specially appointed associate professor, Earth-Life Science Institute, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/institute-of-science-tokyo-6525\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EInstitute of Science Tokyo\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685973":{"#nid":"685973","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Peatlands\u2019 \u2018Huge Reservoir\u2019 of Carbon at Risk of Release","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story by Caitlin Hayes is shared jointly with the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.cornell.edu\/stories\/2025\/10\/peatlands-huge-reservoir-carbon-risk-release\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECornell Chronicle newsroom\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStudy co-author Joel E. Kostka is the Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E with a joint appointment in the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E. He also serves as faculty director of\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-center-science-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/kostkalab\/peatlands-and-climate-change\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Kostka Lab\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;works in peatland ecosystems to quantify changes in microbial communities brought on by climate change drivers. In particular, next generation gene sequencing and omics approaches are employed to investigate the microbial groups that mediate organic matter degradation and the release of greenhouse gases.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPeatlands make up just 3% of the earth\u2019s land surface but store more than 30% of the world\u2019s soil carbon, preserving organic matter and sequestering its carbon for tens of thousands of years. A new study sounds the alarm that an extreme drought event could quadruple peatland carbon loss in a warming climate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the study, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.adv7104\u0022\u003Epublished October 23 in \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E researchers find that, under conditions that mimic a future climate (with warmer temperatures and elevated carbon dioxide), extreme drought dramatically increases the release of carbon in peatlands by nearly three times. This means that droughts in future climate conditions could turn a valuable carbon sink into a carbon source, erasing between 90 and 250 years of carbon stores in a matter of months.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs temperatures increase, drought events become more frequent and severe,\u0026nbsp; making peatlands more vulnerable than before,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cals.cornell.edu\/people\/yiqi-luo\u0022\u003EYiqi Luo\u003C\/a\u003E, senior author and the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science\u2019s Soil and Crop Sciences Section, in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cornell.edu\/\u0022\u003ECornell University\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWe add new evidence to show that with peatlands, the stakes are high. We observed that these extreme drought events can wipe out hundreds of years of accumulated carbon, so this has a huge implication.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo me, this study is striking in that it shows that around 10 to 100 years of carbon uptake by one of the most important global soil carbon stores can be erased by just two months of extreme drought,\u201d adds \u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E, Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor in Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt was already well-established that drought reduces ecosystem productivity and increases carbon release in peatlands, but this study is the first to examine how that carbon loss is exacerbated as the planet warms and more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates extreme drought will become 1.7 to 7.2 times more likely in the near future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERead the full story in the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.cornell.edu\/stories\/2025\/10\/peatlands-huge-reservoir-carbon-risk-release\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECornell newsroom\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOther co-authors\u003C\/strong\u003E include Cornell postdoctoral researchers Jian Zhou and Ning Wei; senior research associate Lifen Jiang; and researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology, Florida State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ETH Zurich, Northern Arizona University, the Australian National University, the University of Western Ontario and Duke University.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding\u003C\/strong\u003E for the study came in part from the National Science Foundation, USDA, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPeatlands make up just 3% of the earth\u2019s land surface but store more than 30% of the world\u2019s soil carbon, preserving organic matter and sequestering its carbon for tens of thousands of years. A new study sounds the alarm that an extreme drought event could quadruple peatland carbon loss in a warming climate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers analyzed data from 10, yurt-like test chambers in a natural boreal spruce bog in northern Minnesota."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2025-10-24 14:03:13","changed_gmt":"2025-10-24 14:05:18","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678444":{"id":"678444","type":"image","title":"Yurt-like test chambers in a natural boreal spruce bog in northern Minnesota (provided).","body":null,"created":"1761314632","gmt_created":"2025-10-24 14:03:52","changed":"1761314632","gmt_changed":"2025-10-24 14:03:52","alt":"Yurt-like test chambers in a natural boreal spruce bog in northern Minnesota (provided).","file":{"fid":"262467","name":"1023_peatlands1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/24\/1023_peatlands1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/24\/1023_peatlands1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":374455,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/24\/1023_peatlands1.jpg?itok=9kQxCKho"}}},"media_ids":["678444"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kms465@cornell.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKaitlyn Serrao\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMedia Relations\u003Cbr\u003ECornell University\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:natalia.burgess@anu.edu.au\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENatalia Burgess\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMedia Assistant\u003Cbr\u003EANU Communications and Engagement\u003Cbr\u003EThe Australian National University\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685723":{"#nid":"685723","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Head to Toe: Georgia Tech Researchers Treat the Entire Human Body Through Neuroscience Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENeuroscience experts from across Georgia Tech will soon come together for a new interdisciplinary research institute, the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS), launched in July. Faculty in INNS are helping to solve some of neuroscience\u2019s most pressing problems, and many have promising medical applications. One important aspect of studying the brain is understanding how the brain and the body work together. Meet the researchers who study brain-body interactions, from monitoring the neuron degradation that causes Alzheimer\u2019s to enhancing mobility for stroke survivors, in an effort to improve the health and quality of life for millions of Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/44169\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"From treatment-resistant depression to Parkinson\u0027s, Georgia Tech neuroscience researchers are tackling lifelong health problems."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENeuroscience experts from across Georgia Tech will soon come together for a new interdisciplinary research institute, the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS), launched in July. Faculty in INNS are helping to solve some of neuroscience\u2019s most pressing problems, and many have promising medical applications. One important aspect of studying the brain is understanding how the brain and the body work together. Meet the researchers who study brain-body interactions, from monitoring the neuron degradation that causes Alzheimer\u2019s to enhancing mobility for stroke survivors, in an effort to improve the health and quality of life for millions of Americans.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Meet Georgia Tech\u2019s neurology experts exploring the brain\u2019s impact on the entire body."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-10-15 19:06:15","changed_gmt":"2025-10-22 14:52:29","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678358":{"id":"678358","type":"image","title":"Wheaton.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELewis Wheaton (back) directs Georgia Tech\u2019s Cognitive Motor Control Lab.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1760555215","gmt_created":"2025-10-15 19:06:55","changed":"1760555363","gmt_changed":"2025-10-15 19:09:23","alt":"A person seated in a beige chair using a computer setup with multiple cables and devices, facing a large monitor in a testing or research room, with another individual visible through a window in an adjacent control room.","file":{"fid":"262376","name":"Wheaton.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/15\/Wheaton.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/15\/Wheaton.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":301329,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/15\/Wheaton.jpg?itok=8frNLUem"}}},"media_ids":["678358"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686528":{"#nid":"686528","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Ranked No. 7 Globally in Interdisciplinary Science Rankings","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology has been ranked 7th in the world in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.timeshighereducation.com\/world-university-rankings\/interdisciplinary-science-rankings\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E2026 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings\u003C\/a\u003E, in association with Schmidt Science Fellows. This designation underscores Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in research that solves global challenges.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cInterdisciplinary research is at the heart of Georgia Tech\u2019s mission,\u201d said Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research. \u201cOur faculty, students, and research teams work across disciplines to create transformative solutions in areas such as healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. This ranking reflects the strength of our collaborative culture and the impact of our research on society.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a top R1 research university, Georgia Tech is shaping the future of basic and applied research by pursuing inventive solutions to the world\u2019s most pressing problems. Whether discovering cancer treatments or developing new methods to power our communities, work at the Institute focuses on improving the human condition.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeams from all seven Georgia Tech colleges, 11 interdisciplinary research institutes, the Georgia Tech Research Institute, Enterprise Innovation Institute, and hundreds of research labs and centers work together to transform ideas into \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/real-life\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ereal results\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The recognition highlights Tech\u2019s leadership in cross-disciplinary research that solves complex challenges."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology has been ranked 7th in the world in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.timeshighereducation.com\/world-university-rankings\/interdisciplinary-science-rankings\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E2026 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings\u003C\/a\u003E, in association with Schmidt Science Fellows. This designation underscores Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in research that solves global challenges.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech has been ranked 7th in the world in the 2026 Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Rankings"}],"uid":"27561","created_gmt":"2025-11-19 12:50:26","changed_gmt":"2025-11-20 14:07:38","author":"Angela Ayers","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678686":{"id":"678686","type":"image","title":"cancer-researchers.jpg","body":null,"created":"1763591127","gmt_created":"2025-11-19 22:25:27","changed":"1763591127","gmt_changed":"2025-11-19 22:25:27","alt":"Three Georgia Tech researchers working together in the lab on cancer research","file":{"fid":"262747","name":"cancer-researchers.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/cancer-researchers.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/cancer-researchers.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":96118,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/19\/cancer-researchers.jpg?itok=Xb8D05Lg"}}},"media_ids":["678686"],"groups":[{"id":"244191","name":"Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"},{"id":"217141","name":"Georgia Tech Materials Institute"},{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"545781","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"197261","name":"Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"},{"id":"142761","name":"IRIM"},{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"193654","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"39481","name":"National Security"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAngela Ayers\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["angela.ayers@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686508":{"#nid":"686508","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Professor Awarded John Templeton Foundation Grant ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, the John C. and Leslie C. Sutherland Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, has been awarded a grant from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.templeton.org\/grants\/apply-for-grant?utm_source=google\u0026amp;utm_medium=PM\u0026amp;utm_campaign=news\u0026amp;utm_content=JTFbrandgooglead\u0026amp;gad_source=1\u0026amp;gad_campaignid=14262557961\u0026amp;gbraid=0AAAAAC5iXrVMIAy6glag6llkVFs1IQ9wZ\u0026amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAzrbIBhA3EiwAUBaUdSuzRg2WBxkAI7A28xHXPTmWfObKI-oojzU4AIwLjh1iIaelHHSoxhoCiFgQAvD_BwE\u0022\u003EJohn Templeton Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E. The philanthropic organization\u2019s awards are reserved for scientific research into awe-inspiring topics and will enable Ratcliff to continue groundbreaking research into the origins of multicellular life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERatcliff\u2019s lab has pioneered one of the world\u2019s longest-running evolution experiments. \u0026nbsp;For more than a decade, the lab\u2019s snowflake yeast has completed tens of thousands of life cycles. This work has provided a unique lens for studying how single-celled organisms make the leap to multicellularity, gradually evolving from simple clumps of cells into organisms. It\u2019s among the first to demonstrate how single cells grow into the multicellular organisms that form the basis of all life, from fungi to fauna.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis grant is based on a conceptual breakthrough that emerged only after more than a decade of observing multicellular life evolve,\u201d Ratcliff said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research is now at the stage when funding from organizations like Templeton is crucial. Ratcliff\u2019s grant focuses on the concept of \u201cagency,\u201d or how a cell determines its function.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe human body contains 39 trillion cells \u2014 most of which help us survive and reproduce \u2014 yet they themselves won\u2019t pass on their genetic material,\u201d Ratcliff said. \u201cFor example, skin cells are never going to make a new human.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMulticellular organisms began as small groups where every cell contributed to reproduction. Over time, some cells shifted to supportive roles that didn\u2019t reproduce, instead helping specialized reproductive cells, like sperm and eggs, succeed.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThis shift, in which most cells in an organism have given up the ability to reproduce, represents a fundamental shift biological agency.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a key step in the evolution of complex life, as it allows organisms to make things like muscles, neurons, and skin cells,\u201d Ratcliff said.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EBut how did it begin? The researchers hypothesize that this shift in agency can occur very early in evolution, as a physical side effect of creating large, tough bodies. As multicellular organisms grow physically larger, cells on the interior may effectively become \u201cstuck,\u201d unable to ever leave the group. Much like a nerve cell in the body, these cells will never form a new organism. Instead, they are incentivized to help the reproductive cells in the organism succeed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ve long thought that this type of specialization could only occur after a great deal of genetic modification,\u201d Ratcliff said. \u201cYet that\u2019s not what appears to be happening in snowflake yeast \u2014 it seemingly happens \u2018for free\u2019 as a side effect of simple cellular biophysics very early in the transition to multicellularity.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith the funding, Ratcliff and his frequent collaborator, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E Associate Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/peter-yunker\u0022\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/a\u003E, will be able to test this hypothesis using the group\u2019s existing yeast.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This award will enable us to address crucial questions about the evolution of multicellularity \u2014 and the role that physics plays in the process,\u201d Yunker said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir results could fundamentally reshape our understanding of evolution, showing how the simplest life forms can give rise to extraordinary complexity. With each yeast cell, the researchers are uncovering the building blocks of life itself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;The grant will enable research into the origin of complex life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" The grant will enable research into the origin of complex life. "}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2025-11-18 15:19:56","changed_gmt":"2025-11-18 17:42:20","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673356":{"id":"673356","type":"image","title":"Evolved snowflake yeast","body":null,"created":"1710163102","gmt_created":"2024-03-11 13:18:22","changed":"1710163026","gmt_changed":"2024-03-11 13:17:06","alt":"Evolved snowflake yeast","file":{"fid":"256741","name":"Screen Shot 2024-03-11 at 6.13.42 AM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/11\/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-11%20at%206.13.42%20AM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/11\/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-11%20at%206.13.42%20AM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":6721034,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/11\/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-11%20at%206.13.42%20AM.png?itok=OzyHX8gY"}}},"media_ids":["673356"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686905":{"#nid":"686905","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Make Waves at the World\u2019s Largest Neuroscience Conference","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImagine stepping into a space the size of multiple football fields \u2014 only instead of turf and goalposts, it\u2019s filled with science. Every inch is alive with posters, equipment demos, and researchers sharing the latest breakthroughs.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWelcome to the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Conference, one of the largest scientific gatherings in the world, drawing more than 30,000 attendees to San Diego in November. According to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/user\/1105\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAnnabelle Singer\u003C\/a\u003E, it is \u003Cem\u003Ethe\u003C\/em\u003E place to be for neuroscientists. \u201cIf you want to know what is going on now in neuroscience, it is being talked about at SfN.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESinger is a McCamish Foundation Early Career Professor in the Wallace H. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECoulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (BME) at Georgia Tech and Emory University. A frequent SfN attendee, she describes the meeting as \u201cDragon Con for neuroscience, with thousands of talks and posters going on simultaneously.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year, Georgia Tech didn\u2019t just show up \u2014 it made a statement with more than \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/views\/Neuroscience2025\/main?:showVizHome=no\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E60 presentations\u003C\/a\u003E, a major outreach award, and a spotlight press conference.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSeeing Georgia Tech and INNS represented so strongly at SfN is exciting,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/christopher-john-rozell\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChris Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E (INNS). \u201cIt reflects the incredible breadth of neuroscience and neurotechnology research happening across our campus and how our work is shaping conversations at the highest level.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInside \u2018Neuroscience Dragon Con\u2019\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany conferences center around structured lectures, but at SfN, posters are the heart. You might find a senior researcher presenting groundbreaking findings right next to a first-time attendee sharing early results. This diversity is what makes the experience so valuable, says Singer. \u201cTrainees get to talk directly with the scientist doing the work to get their questions answered, from wondering about future implications to clarifying technical details.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe scale of SfN can feel overwhelming, but for many, that\u2019s part of the excitement. \u201cThere are so many different posters from so many different fields. It\u2019s a lot to absorb, but it\u2019s all very interesting,\u201d said Benjamin Magondu, a biomedical engineering Ph.D. student presenting for the first time. \u201cI\u2019ve definitely learned at least 47 things by just walking 10 feet.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor students like Magondu, the experience is critical, says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E Assistant Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/farzaneh-najafi\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFarzaneh Najafi\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cSfN has such a big scope, all the way from molecular to cognitive and computational systems. Especially for those deciding which direction of neuroscience they want to go into, it\u2019s invaluable.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat breadth also fosters connections across disciplines. \u201cConferences are usually pretty niche,\u201d noted Tina Franklin, a research scientist in BME. \u201cYou have your own field that you\u2019re really good at, but it\u2019s difficult to venture out and find new people who can help you figure out what comes next. This conference brings people from all different fields together with the common interest of neuroscience and brain research.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELeading the Charge\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s impact went beyond the conference floor. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/ming-fai-fong\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMing-fai Fong\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in BME, received the prestigious Next Generation Award, one of SfN\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sfn.org\/publications\/latest-news\/2025\/11\/03\/society-for-neuroscience-2025-education-and-outreach-awards\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eeducation and outreach awards\u003C\/a\u003E. The honor recognizes members who make outstanding contributions to public communication and education about neuroscience.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m certainly very grateful to the Society for Neuroscience for recognizing these types of contributions,\u201d says Fong, who was recognized for her work supporting blind and visually impaired youth in Atlanta. \u201cRewarding outreach efforts reinforces my core belief that scientists and engineers can make an immediate impact on communities we care about through outreach. It\u2019s a great parallel avenue to making a positive impact through research.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBuilding on this recognition, Georgia Tech was in the spotlight during one of SfN\u2019s selective press conferences \u2014 a session on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.the-scientist.com\/ai-tools-unravel-thoughts-actions-and-neuronal-makeup-73779\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eartificial intelligence in neuroscience\u003C\/a\u003E moderated by Rozell, who is also the Julian T. Hightower Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the SfN press event, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/med.emory.edu\/directory\/profile\/?u=TKESAR\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETrisha Kesar,\u003C\/a\u003E an associate professor in BME and adjunct faculty in the School of Biological Sciences, presented her research using AI to improve gait rehabilitation. Her work was among just 40 abstracts selected from more than 10,000 submissions for this honor, and one of five abstracts selected for the AI in neuroscience press conference. The project is a collaboration with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bio\/hyeokhyen-kwon\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHyeok Kwon\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Tech computer science alumnus and an assistant professor in BME.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to see Georgia Tech and Atlanta emerging as hubs for neuroscience innovation,\u201d said Kesar. \u201cBeing part of a press conference on AI in neuroscience shows how much our community is contributing to the future of brain research, and how collaboration across institutions can accelerate progress.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith more than 60 presentations and recognition for neuroscience outreach and AI research, Georgia Tech demonstrated its growing impact at the 2025 Society for Neuroscience\u2019s annual meeting.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"With more than 60 presentations and recognition for neuroscience outreach and AI research, Georgia Tech demonstrated its growing impact at the 2025 Society for Neuroscience\u2019s annual meeting."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-12-16 16:25:18","changed_gmt":"2025-12-16 20:34:06","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678854":{"id":"678854","type":"image","title":"1763342998142_viaSfN.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAffectionally called \u0022DragonCon for neuroscience,\u0022 the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting is one of the largest academic conferences in the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765903757","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 16:49:17","changed":"1765903757","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 16:49:17","alt":"Affectionally called \u0022DragonCon for neuroscience,\u0022 the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting is one of the largest academic conferences in the world.","file":{"fid":"262944","name":"1763342998142_viaSfN.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/1763342998142_viaSfN.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/1763342998142_viaSfN.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":161836,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/1763342998142_viaSfN.jpeg?itok=0fC9aJqn"}},"678856":{"id":"678856","type":"image","title":"IMG_6535-2.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBenjamin Magondu, a graduate student in biomedical engineering, presented at SfN for the first time this year.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765903975","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 16:52:55","changed":"1765903975","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 16:52:55","alt":"Benjamin Magondu, a graduate student in biomedical engineering, presented at SfN for the first time this year.","file":{"fid":"262946","name":"IMG_6535-2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6535-2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6535-2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":16053615,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6535-2.png?itok=RqMzz6kC"}},"678855":{"id":"678855","type":"image","title":"IMG_6838.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWith hundreds of presentations happening simultaneously, the poster floor can be overwhelming at SfN \u2014 but for many, that\u0027s part of the draw.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765903880","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 16:51:20","changed":"1765903880","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 16:51:20","alt":"With hundreds of presentations happening simultaneously, the poster floor can be overwhelming at SfN \u2014 but for many, that\u0027s part of the draw.","file":{"fid":"262945","name":"IMG_6838.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6838.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6838.png","mime":"image\/png","size":10484632,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6838.png?itok=5jvPd7_3"}},"678857":{"id":"678857","type":"image","title":"IMG_6748-2.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETrisha Kesar answers a question during the SfN press conference on AI in neuroscience, moderated by Chris Rozell.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1765904071","gmt_created":"2025-12-16 16:54:31","changed":"1765904071","gmt_changed":"2025-12-16 16:54:31","alt":"Trisha Kesar answers a question during the SfN press conference on AI in neuroscience, moderated by Chris Rozell.","file":{"fid":"262947","name":"IMG_6748-2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6748-2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6748-2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":10935175,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/16\/IMG_6748-2.png?itok=dFEAz4Je"}}},"media_ids":["678854","678856","678855","678857"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-uses-computing-and-engineering-methods-shift-neuroscience-paradigms","title":"Georgia Tech Uses Computing and Engineering Methods to Shift Neuroscience Paradigms"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.the-scientist.com\/ai-tools-unravel-thoughts-actions-and-neuronal-makeup-73779","title":"Inside the SfN Press Conference: AI Tools Unravel Thoughts, Actions, and Neuronal Makeup"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/head-toe-georgia-tech-researchers-treat-entire-human-body-through-neuroscience-research","title":"Head to Toe: Georgia Tech Researchers Treat the Entire Human Body Through Neuroscience Research"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/202927865@N06\/albums\/72177720330951882\/","title":"Georgia Tech at SfN in Photos"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter and media contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Manager\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPresenter Dashboard:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECreated by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jpreston7@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Preston\u003C\/a\u003E, Communications Manager, College of Computing\u003Cbr\u003EData collection by Audra Davidson, Hunter Ashcraft\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686892":{"#nid":"686892","#data":{"type":"news","title":"College of Sciences Professor Named AI in Higher Education Faculty Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/flavio-fenton\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFlavio Fenton\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the School of Physics, has been named one of four inaugural\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/c21u-announces-inaugural-bill-kent-ai-higher-education-fellows\u0022\u003EBill Kent Family Foundation AI in Higher Education Faculty Fellows\u003C\/a\u003E. Led by Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/c21u.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for 21st Century Universities\u003C\/a\u003E (C21U), this fellowship supports faculty projects that explore innovative, ethical, and impactful uses of AI in teaching and learning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAI is here to stay; therefore, I want students to learn to treat it like a lab partner, not an answer machine,\u201d says Fenton, who also serves as adjunct professor in the School of Biological Sciences. \u201cBy making its methods and limits visible, we can use AI to strengthen conceptual understanding, practice ethical judgment, and build the habits of inquiry that real science requires.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFenton has already had insightful exchanges with the other faculty fellows:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJoy Arulraj\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eof the College of Computing,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPatrick Danahy\u003C\/strong\u003E of the College of Design, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYing Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E of the College of Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe\u0027re finding new ways to collaborate on AI in education, so I am sure that our collective impact will be greater than the sum of our individual projects,\u201d he adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs part of the program, each fellow is leading a project\u0026nbsp;during the 2025-26 academic year\u0026nbsp;that advances AI\u2019s role in higher education. They will share project\u0026nbsp;outcomes through C21U Learning Labs and other campus events.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFenton\u2019s project, \u201cAI as a Learning Assistant,\u201d centers on developing AI-enabled instructional modules for four courses: Computational Physics (PHYS 3266\/6260), Introductory Physics I (PHYS 2211), Neurophysics (PHYS 4250), and Scientific Writing (PHYS 6801). The modules pair simulation-based practice, guided prompting, and coding mini-labs with model \u201ctrust checks,\u201d including verification steps, error cues, and citation prompts. The goal is to help students learn to ask better structured questions, reason with evidence, evaluate AI output and failure modes, and use AI ethically \u2014 while giving instructors lightweight analytics to target misconceptions and refine materials across semesters.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPhysics Professor Flavio Fenton has been named a\u0026nbsp;Bill Kent Family Foundation AI in Higher Education Faculty Fellow. The fellowship supports faculty projects that explore innovative, ethical, and impactful uses of AI in teaching and learning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Physics Professor Flavio Fenton has been named a\u00a0Bill Kent Family Foundation AI in Higher Education Faculty Fellow. "}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-12-15 17:27:05","changed_gmt":"2025-12-16 16:49:55","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678843":{"id":"678843","type":"image","title":"Professor Flavio Fenton","body":null,"created":"1765822262","gmt_created":"2025-12-15 18:11:02","changed":"1765822262","gmt_changed":"2025-12-15 18:11:02","alt":"Professor Flavio Fenton","file":{"fid":"262932","name":"flavio_fenton.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/15\/flavio_fenton.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/15\/flavio_fenton.png","mime":"image\/png","size":219656,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/15\/flavio_fenton.png?itok=rB2NbbKl"}}},"media_ids":["678843"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/c21u.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/c21u-announces-inaugural-bill-kent-ai-higher-education-fellows","title":"C21U Announces Inaugural Bill Kent AI in Higher Education Fellows"},{"url":"https:\/\/chaos.gatech.edu\/","title":"Professor Flavio Fenton\u2019s Research Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lvidal7@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686891":{"#nid":"686891","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AI4Science Center Awards Inaugural Seed Grants","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ai4science.ai.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EAI4Science Center\u003C\/a\u003E has announced the first recipients of its semiannual seed grant competition. Supported by the Schools of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Physics, and Psychology, the seed grant aims to support the development of research projects centered on innovation and collaboration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe selection committee received more than a dozen proposals that push the boundaries of AI-enabled science and encourage collaboration across units. I look forward to seeing the great science, strong results, and successful future external funding enabled by these seed grants,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/dimitrios-psaltis\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDimitrios Psaltis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and director of the AI4Science Center.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELaunched earlier this semester, the center promotes cross-disciplinary research on AI tools that address scientific challenges. The following three proposals were selected by the center based on their scientific goals, extent of interdisciplinary collaboration, and potential for outside funding:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpring 2026 AI4Science Center Seed Grant Recipients\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGraph Foundation Models for Protein Conformational Dynamics | School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPIs: Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPeter Kasson\u003C\/strong\u003E, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJC Gumbart\u003C\/strong\u003E, School of Physics; Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAmirali Aghazadeh\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;School of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGraduate student:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJeffy Jeffy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETeam statement: \u201cThe AI4Science Center\u2019s seed funding will allow us to complete and test a prototype of our new deep learning architecture for protein dynamics. We\u0027re super excited about the project and happy that this gives us support to pursue our new idea.\u201d\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECombinations of Verified AI and Domain Knowledge for New Insights in Theoretical Physics | School of Physics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPIs: Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAishik Ghosh\u003C\/strong\u003E, School of Physics; Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EVijay Ganesh\u003C\/strong\u003E, School of Computer Science\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGraduate student:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPiyush Jha\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETeam statement: \u201cThis seed funding gives us an opportunity to connect two fields in a way that could transform our approach to certain problems in theoretical physics.\u201d\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHarnessing the Manifold Geometry of Neural Representations for Robust LLM Safety | School of Psychology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPIs: Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAudrey Sederberg\u003C\/strong\u003E, School of Psychology; Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPan Li\u003C\/strong\u003E, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGraduate student:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERuixuan Deng\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ETeam statement: \u201cOur project injects insights from human neuroscience directly into AI safety algorithm design, allowing us to move beyond black-box approaches toward more interpretable and principled safety mechanisms. By closing the loop, these computational models will also provide new feedback and insights for neuroscience.\u201d\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe AI4Science Center\u0027s seed grant aims to support the development of research projects centered on innovation and collaboration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The AI4Science Center\u0027s seed grant aims to support the development of research projects centered on innovation and collaboration. "}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-12-15 17:17:58","changed_gmt":"2026-01-20 20:53:55","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678844":{"id":"678844","type":"image","title":"Tech Tower (Rob Felt\/Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1765822837","gmt_created":"2025-12-15 18:20:37","changed":"1765822837","gmt_changed":"2025-12-15 18:20:37","alt":"Tech Tower (Rob Felt\/Georgia Tech)","file":{"fid":"262933","name":"08C1004-P51-012.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/15\/08C1004-P51-012.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/15\/08C1004-P51-012.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4010092,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/15\/08C1004-P51-012.jpg?itok=pFiHJo2j"}}},"media_ids":["678844"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ai4science.ai.gatech.edu\/","title":"AI4Science Center"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/college-sciences-announces-launch-ai4science-center","title":"College of Sciences Announces Launch of AI4Science Center"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"192258","name":"cos-data"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lvidal7@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687826":{"#nid":"687826","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Yellow Jacket Connection Sparks Glaucoma Research Fund at Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAn estimated 4 million Americans have glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that can lead to irreversible blindness.\u0026nbsp;Now, Georgia Tech is home to a Glaucoma Research Fund that will\u0026nbsp;support cutting-edge work to understand and advance treatments for the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new initiative was sparked by ongoing research at Georgia Tech \u2014 and a Yellow Jacket connection: when\u0026nbsp;Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Youngblood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brightfocus.org\/news\/a-key-protein-could-alter-risk-for-pseudoexfoliation-glaucoma\/\u0022\u003Ework on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG)\u003C\/a\u003E was featured by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.brightfocus.org\/\u0022\u003EBrightFocus Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;it caught the attention of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Rucker,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ean Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EExcited that the research could change outcomes for people like her \u2014 and proud that it\u2019s happening at her husband\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPhilip Rucker\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s, EE 72, alma mater \u2014 Jennifer Rucker reached out to Youngblood and her advisor,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E Professor and Kelly Sepcic Pfeil, Ph.D. Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAs the wife of a Georgia Tech graduate and an individual with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, I was inspired to support the scientists whose efforts may help me and others,\u201d Jennifer Rucker says.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EWhat followed was a meaningful dialogue and a shared sense of purpose \u2014 and the creation of the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund (Wreck Glaucoma! Fund).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt meant so much that Jennifer took the initiative to reach out to learn more about our research,\u201d says Lieberman. \u201cMoments like this remind me how deeply meaningful it is to connect with people in the broader community who are navigating glaucoma. Opportunities for such personal connections are rare, but they inspire and further motivate us to achieve our lab\u2019s mission to improve the lives of individuals suffering from blindness diseases.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Personal Connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EYoungblood\u2019s interest in glaucoma research also stems from a personal connection: her father\u0026nbsp;was diagnosed with glaucoma as a young adult.\u0026nbsp;Now, Youngblood\u0026nbsp;studies the genetic and molecular factors behind XFG in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lieberman.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELieberman research lab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cXFG is an aggressive form of the disease with no known cure,\u201d Youngblood says.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EWhile scientists know that XFG is the result of abnormal accumulation of proteins in the eye, current treatments only address symptoms rather than treating the root cause of the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe know XFG is driven by protein buildup, but we still don\u2019t know\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ewhy\u003C\/em\u003E it happens,\u201d she explains. \u201cMy work studying specific genetic variants aims to uncover this.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Genetics of Glaucoma\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn particular, Youngblood is researching the role of LOXL1, a protein that plays a role in soft tissue throughout the body, including the eyes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cResearch has shown that people with variants in the genes responsible for this protein are more likely to have XFG,\u201d she says. \u201cThat made me curious to see if the variants might be impacting the structure of the LOXL1 protein itself and how those variants might lead to disease.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EYoungblood is currently testing her theory in the lab. \u201cMy hope is that new insight into proteins like LOXL1 will bring us closer to treatments that address XFG at its source,\u201d she says. \u201cThe new Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund is a tremendous step forward in making that hope a reality.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESupport the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPlease visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/59801\/donations\/new?designation_id=a000015611000\u0026amp;\u0022\u003EGlaucoma Research Fund support page\u003C\/a\u003E to give to this specific program. To discuss additional philanthropic opportunities, please contact the College of Sciences Development Team:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:development@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Edevelopment@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYour investment ensures that these scholars and researchers have world-class resources, facilities, and mentors to excel in this critical work. Thank you for helping us shape the future.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen\u0026nbsp;Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Youngblood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019s\u0026nbsp;work on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) was featured by the\u0026nbsp;BrightFocus Foundation,\u0026nbsp;it caught the attention of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Rucker,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ean Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago. What followed was a meaningful dialogue and a shared sense of purpose \u2014 and the creation of the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund (Wreck Glaucoma! Fund).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"When\u00a0Postdoctoral Research Fellow\u00a0Hannah Youngblood\u2019s\u00a0work on exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) was featured by the\u00a0BrightFocus Foundation,\u00a0it caught the attention of\u00a0Jennifer Rucker,\u00a0an Alabama resident who was diagnosed with XFG several years ago. "}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-01-29 17:23:21","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 15:19:24","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679130":{"id":"679130","type":"image","title":"Hannah Youngblood","body":null,"created":"1769722230","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 21:30:30","changed":"1769722339","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 21:32:19","alt":"Hannah Youngblood","file":{"fid":"263251","name":"Headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":42055,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/Headshot.jpg?itok=1PjOSH2M"}},"679127":{"id":"679127","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1769707506","gmt_created":"2026-01-29 17:25:06","changed":"1769722356","gmt_changed":"2026-01-29 21:32:36","alt":"Raquel Lieberman","file":{"fid":"263248","name":"083.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":14074756,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/29\/083.jpg?itok=qPG_sbYX"}}},"media_ids":["679130","679127"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/59801\/donations\/new?designation_id=a000015611000\u0026","title":"Make a Gift to Support the Georgia Tech Glaucoma Research Fund"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"193234","name":"Campaign Stories"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688310":{"#nid":"688310","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mapping Mountain Birds in a Changing World: Benjamin Freeman Awarded Sloan Fellowship For Mountain Bird Ecology Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/benjamin%20freeman\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBenjamin Freeman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been named a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/fellowships\/2026-Fellows\u0022\u003E2026 Sloan Research Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/\u0022\u003EAlfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E. Regarded as one of the\u0026nbsp;most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career scholars, the Fellowship recognizes researchers\u0026nbsp;\u201cwhose creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Sloan Research Fellows are among the most promising early-career researchers in the U.S. and Canada, already driving meaningful progress in their respective disciplines,\u201d \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/storage\/app\/media\/files\/press_releases\/2026_Sloan%20Research%20Fellowship_Announcement.pdf\u0022\u003Esays\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EStacie Bloom\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, president and chief executive officer of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. \u201cWe look forward to seeing how these exceptional scholars continue to unlock new scientific advancements, redefine their fields, and foster the wellbeing and knowledge of all.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022This is a wonderful and welcome surprise that will support my ongoing research on mountains across the globe,\u201d says Freeman. \u201cIt\u0027s a vote of confidence and will let me get out there and get to work.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman is one of 126 scientists selected this year for the honor and will receive a two-year $75,000 grant of flexible funding to support his research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHe joins the ranks of nearly 50 faculty from Georgia Tech who have received Sloan Research Fellowships, including School of Mathematics\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAlex Blumenthal\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2024,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Choi\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2022,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYao Yao\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2020,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKonstantin Tikhomirov\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2019,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELutz Warnke\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2018,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EZaher Hani\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2016,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJen Hom\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2015, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EGreg Blekherman\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2012; School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EVinayak Agarwal\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2018; School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u0027\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Reinhard\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2015; and School of Physics\u2019\u003Cstrong\u003E Chunhui (Rita) Du\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2024 and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ETamara Bogdanovi\u0107\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2013.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman joined the Institute in 2023 and\u0026nbsp;was also recently named a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-takes-flight-benjamin-freeman-named-2024-packard-fellow\u0022\u003E2024 Packard Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the\u0026nbsp;David and Lucile Packard Foundation and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/benjamin-freeman-named-early-career-fellow-ecological-society-america\u0022\u003E2025 Early Career Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the Ecological Society of America.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUnderstanding the \u2018escalator to extinction\u2019\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKnown for his groundbreaking research in climate change and bird ecology, Freeman studies birds worldwide from Appalachia to Ecuador. He specializes in tropical populations where his work is centered on understanding how mountain species respond to a changing climate \u2014 and how to facilitate their survival.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cTropical mountains are some of Earth\u2019s largest biodiversity hotspots; they harbor an extraordinary number of species,\u201d shares Freeman. \u201cAdditionally, tropical mountain birds are particularly sensitive to environmental change, so they can serve as an early warning system for global conservation efforts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPreviously, his research has shown that some species are on an \u2018escalator to extinction\u2019 with vulnerable groups moving to higher elevations to escape warming temperatures. At the top of the escalator, some summit-dwelling species are disappearing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe know that many species are on this escalator,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cThe next step is to figure out which species are most vulnerable and why. In order to direct conservation efforts, we need to know who\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eis vulnerable, why\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Esmall increases in temperature have dramatic effects, and what\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ecan be done to help.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA worldwide early warning system\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo uncover those answers, Freeman is taking two approaches: mapping global patterns with big picture data and conducting on-the-ground research in the tropics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo target the former, he created the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/mountainbirdnetwork\u0022\u003EMountain Bird Network\u003C\/a\u003E, which supports community scientists in conducting bird surveys on their local mountains. The goal is to create a system that allows researchers to diagnose vulnerable species before they are too sparse to save.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201c\u003C\/strong\u003EWhen a species is in trouble, we need to know as soon as possible,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cOnce a population is small enough to be at risk of extinction, it\u2019s very hard to reverse that process. The Mountain Bird Network collects data on mountain bird abundances and distributions across the globe, which, when used with data from a global citizen science program called eBird, can be leveraged to build models to identify which species might be vulnerable before those populations become critically small.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA living lab on Tech Mountain\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman\u2019s other avenue of research involves building an ambitious living laboratory in Pinchincha, Ecuador. The research site will span thousands of meters along the flanks of a local mountain, spanning lowland rainforest, foothill rainforest, and cloud forest ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe mountain is home to thousands of birds from hundreds of species,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cMy goal is to track and understand their daily lives \u2014 and how climate changes impact them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUsing cutting-edge tracking technology, he will tag and monitor their daily movements, mapping those against microclimate sensors placed at different elevations along the mountain\u2019s slopes. The challenge of placing and maintaining thousands of tiny sensors in rugged conditions means that it has never been done before.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ll track these birds for at least five years \u2013- but hopefully for decades,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cThe data we gather at Tech Mountain will be the first of its kind, and my hope is that it makes a real difference in conservation efforts worldwide.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EThe fellowship is one of the\u0026nbsp;most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career scholars, and will support Freeman as he studies birds worldwide from Appalachia to Ecuador, investigating how mountain species respond to a changing climate \u2014 and how to facilitate their survival.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The fellowship is one of the\u00a0most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career scholars."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-02-17 14:36:04","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 14:23:25","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675323":{"id":"675323","type":"image","title":"Benjamin Freeman","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Benjamin Freeman\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729016793","gmt_created":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","changed":"1729016793","gmt_changed":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","alt":"Benjamin Freeman","file":{"fid":"258934","name":"BenjaminFreeman.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2771976,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png?itok=fugaKOaT"}}},"media_ids":["675323"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/sloan.org\/storage\/app\/media\/files\/press_releases\/2026_Sloan%20Research%20Fellowship_Announcement.pdf","title":"2026 Sloan Research Fellows Announced"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/30-year-snapshot-pacific-northwestern-birds-shows-their-surprising-resilience","title":"A 30-Year \u201cSnapshot\u201d of Pacific Northwestern Birds Shows Their Surprising Resilience"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-takes-flight-benjamin-freeman-named-2024-packard-fellow","title":"Research Takes Flight: Benjamin Freeman Named 2024 Packard Fellow"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/benjamin-freeman-named-early-career-fellow-ecological-society-america","title":"Benjamin Freeman Named Early Career Fellow by Ecological Society of America"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689025":{"#nid":"689025","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Why Mosquitoes Swarm Your Head: They\u2019re Following Signals, Not Each Other","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter watching hundreds of mosquitoes buzzing around one of their colleagues and collecting 20 million data points, Georgia Tech and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have created a mathematical model that predicts how and where female mosquitoes will fly to feast on humans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new study is the first to visualize mosquito flight patterns and provides hard data for improving capture and control strategies. In addition to being a nuisance, mosquitoes transmit diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and Zika, which cause more than 700,000 deaths every year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s like a crowded bar,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, with an adjunct appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cCustomers aren\u2019t there because they followed each other into the bar. They\u2019re attracted by the same cues: drinks, music, and the atmosphere. The same is true of mosquitoes. Rather than following the leader, the insect follows the signals and happens to arrive at the same spot as the others. They\u2019re good copies of each other.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more and watch:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/why-mosquitoes-swarm-your-head-theyre-following-signals-not-each-other\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Engineering newsroom\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E and \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/hundreds-of-hungry-mosquitoes-a-student-volunteer-and-a-mesh-suit-helped-us-figure-out-how-these-deadly-insects-reach-their-targets-278486\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Researchers have visualized mosquito flight behavior for the first time \u2014\u00a0which could improve mosquito-control strategies. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have visualized mosquito flight behavior for the first time \u2014\u0026nbsp;which could improve mosquito-control strategies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have visualized mosquito flight behavior for the first time \u2014\u00a0which could improve mosquito-control strategies. "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2026-03-18 20:43:56","changed_gmt":"2026-04-01 19:58:53","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679682":{"id":"679682","type":"image","title":"A female mosquito lands on a human.","body":null,"created":"1773866953","gmt_created":"2026-03-18 20:49:13","changed":"1773866953","gmt_changed":"2026-03-18 20:49:13","alt":"A female mosquito lands on a human.","file":{"fid":"263872","name":"mosquito2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/mosquito2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/18\/mosquito2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1110207,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/18\/mosquito2.jpg?itok=hj3xhNm7"}}},"media_ids":["679682"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer (maderer@gatech.edu)\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689144":{"#nid":"689144","#data":{"type":"event","title":"PhD Defense by Hayley B. Hassler","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDoctor of Philosophy in Quantitative Biosciences\u003Cbr\u003Ein the School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHayley B. Hassler\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDefends her thesis:\u003Cbr\u003EBacterial systems across scales: quantitative frameworks for within-host, ecological, and evolutionary dynamics\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFriday, April 3, 2026\u003Cbr\u003E1:00pm Eastern\u003Cbr\u003ELocation: IBB Suddath Seminar Room (1128)\u003Cbr\u003EZoom: \u0026nbsp;https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/j\/94408297865?pwd=OY25pGlaYyh8ul1Tw0nrBsh7eeYO9S.1\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThesis Advisor:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Loren Dean Williams\u003Cbr\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommittee:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Gregory P. Fournier\u003Cbr\u003EEarth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EMassachusetts Institute of Technology\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDr. Eberhard O. Voit\u003Cbr\u003ESchool of Natural Sciences and Mathematics\u003Cbr\u003EUniversity of Texas, Dallas\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDr. William C. Ratcliff\u003Cbr\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Amit R. Reddi\u003Cbr\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Claudia Alvarez-Carre\u00f1o\u003Cbr\u003EStructural and Molecular Biology\u003Cbr\u003EUniversity College London\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAbstract:\u003Cbr\u003EBacteria are shaped by forces operating across vastly different scales: within-host population dynamics, ecological pressures on trait maintenance, and evolutionary history that fixed core cellular machinery billions of years ago. This dissertation develops quantitative frameworks across all three scales, arguing that understanding bacterial behavior requires integrating all three together.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EA mathematical model of Clostridioides difficile infection, calibrated on murine microbiome data, reveals that susceptibility arises from a dual-insult mechanism: reduced commensal carrying capacity and increased commensal susceptibility to C. difficile inhibition. Neither perturbation alone causes infection, but together they create a permissive state. Spore formation allows C. difficile to persist through antibiotics and reestablish once commensals are suppressed, explaining why antibiotics alone fail. FMT following antibiotics breaks this cycle, accelerating commensal recovery threefold.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EReanalysis of Type VI Secretion System prevalence across 44,160 genomes revises the canonical estimate from 25% to approximately 40% of Gram-negative genera. The T6SS carries no detectable metabolic cost, so its highly patchy distribution at every taxonomic level implicates ecological context, specifically competitor identity and density, as the dominant selective force governing weapon maintenance.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EEvolutionary rate analysis across 528 Last Bacterial Common Ancestor genes reveals a continuous temporal gradient of peak evolutionary activity. Genetic Information Processing genes peak earliest, while Metabolic genes peak latest. Earlier-peaking genes are also significantly more likely to occupy central positions in the protein interaction network. This gradient is framed within Earth\u0027s geobiological record, consistent with environmental transitions having shaped when different cellular systems were free to diversify.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcross all three chapters, bacterial behavior emerges as a product of immediate community context, the selective pressures that favor or disfavor particular traits, and the deep evolutionary history that constrains what options are available. Together, these chapters demonstrate how quantitative approaches can move bacterial research from description to mechanism, and from mechanism toward prediction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBacterial systems across scales: quantitative frameworks for within-host, ecological, and evolutionary dynamics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Bacterial systems across scales: quantitative frameworks for within-host, ecological, and evolutionary dynamics"}],"uid":"27707","created_gmt":"2026-03-23 19:44:08","changed_gmt":"2026-03-23 19:44:34","author":"Tatianna Richardson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2026-04-03T13:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2026-04-03T15:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2026-04-03T15:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2026-04-03 17:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2026-04-03 19:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2026-04-03 19:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"IBB Suddath Seminar Room (1128)","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"221981","name":"Graduate Studies"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"100811","name":"Phd Defense"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1788","name":"Other\/Miscellaneous"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78771","name":"Public"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}