{"689587":{"#nid":"689587","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Use Statistics and Math to Understand How The Brain Works","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENothing rivals the human brain\u2019s complexity. Its 86 billion neurons and 85 billion other cells make an estimated 100 trillion connections. If the brain were a computer, it would perform an exaflop (a billion-billion) mathematical calculations every second and use the equivalent of only 20 watts of power. As impressive as the brain is, neurologists can\u2019t fully explain how neurons work together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo help find answers, researchers at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E (INNS) are using math, data, and AI to unlock the secrets of thought. Together they are helping turn the brain\u2019s raw electrical \u201cnoise\u201d into real insights about how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFair warning: Prepare your neurons for the complexity of this brain research ahead.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EBuilding AI Like a Brain\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat if artificial neurons in AI programs were arranged as they are in the brain?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI programs would then help us understand why the brain is organized the way it is. This neuro-AI synthesis would also work faster, use less energy, and be easier to interpret. Creating such systems is the goal of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/apurva-ratan-murty\u0022\u003EApurva Ratan Murty\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPsychology\u003C\/a\u003E who is creating topographic AI models like the one above of three domains \u2014 vision, audition, and language inspired by the brain. In the near future, he predicts doctors might be able to use these patterns to predict the effects of brain lesions and other disorders. \u201cWe\u2019re not there yet,\u201d he says. \u201cBut our work brings us significantly closer to that future than ever before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EComputing Thought and Movement\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHow cats walk keeps \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/5354\u0022\u003EChethan Pandarinath\u003C\/a\u003E on his toes. This biomedical engineer uses sensors to analyze how two sets of feline leg muscles \u2014 flexors and extensors \u2014 are controlled by the spinal cord. Understanding how that happens could help patients partially paralyzed from spinal cord injuries, strokes, or progressive neuro-degenerative diseases get back on their feet again. \u201cMy lab is using AI tools that allow us to turn complex spinal cord activity data into something we can interpret. It tells us there\u2019s a simple underlying structure behind the complex activity patterns,\u201d says the associate professor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003ERevealing the Brain\u2019s Spike Patterns\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe brain is like a symphony conductor,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3736\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIndividual instruments have some independent control, but most of the music comes from the brain\u2019s precise coordination of notes among the different players in the body.\u201d This \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ephysics\u003C\/a\u003E professor studies the fantastically fast-beating wings of the hummingbird-sized hawk moth (Manduca sexta). Its agile flight movement comes as a result of spikes in electrical activity in 10 muscles. Sponberg found something that surprised him \u2014 the brain focuses less on creating the number of spikes than in orchestrating their precise patterns over time. To Sponberg, every millisecond matters. \u201cWe are just beginning to understand how the nervous system first acquires precisely timed spiking patterns during development,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EPredicting Decisions Through Statistics\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPut a mouse in a maze with food far away, and it will learn to find it. But life for mice \u2014 and people \u2014 isn\u2019t so simple. Sometimes they want to explore, only want water, or just want to go home. What\u2019s more, animals make decisions based on their history, not just on how they feel at the moment. To dig deeper into the decision-making process, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/18557\u0022\u003EAnqi Wu\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, is giving mice more options. By using a new computational framework called SWIRL (Switching Inverse Reinforcement Learning), her findings have outperformed models that fail to take historical behavior into account. \u201cWe\u2019re seeking to understand not only animal behavior but also human behavior to gain insight into the human decision-making process over a long period of time,\u201d she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EModeling the Mind\u2019s Wiring With Math\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConnectivity shapes cognition in the cerebral cortex, a layered structure in the brain. The visual cortex, in particular, processes visual data from the retina relayed through the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus (LGN) in the thalamus, and directs it to the correct cognitive domain in the brain. How it does this is the mystery that computational neuroscientist \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/13005\u0022\u003EHannah Choi\u003C\/a\u003E wants to solve. \u201cThe big question I\u2019m interested in is how network connectivity patterns in the architecture of the LGN are related to computations,\u201d says this assistant \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Emath\u003C\/a\u003E professor. To find answers, she shows mice repeated image patterns such as flower-cat-dog-house and then disrupts the pattern. The goal? To grasp how the thalamus\u2019s nonlinear dynamical system works. If scientists and doctors better understand how brain regions are wired together, such knowledge could lead to better disease treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story was originally published through the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine. Read the original publication \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/news\/2026\/georgia-tech-researchers-use-statistics-and-math-to-understand-how-the-brain-works.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehere\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-04-09 14:51:00","changed_gmt":"2026-04-24 18:35:03","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679908":{"id":"679908","type":"image","title":"AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech are using math, science, and artificial intelligence to better understand how people think, move, and perceive the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775747910","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 15:18:30","changed":"1775747910","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 15:18:30","alt":"Digital illustration of a human brain split down the middle: the left side is filled with white mathematical equations, diagrams, and formulas, while the right side is surrounded by colorful, flowing lines and abstract wave patterns against a dark blue background.","file":{"fid":"264129","name":"AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":11158535,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/AdobeStock_506880018.jpeg?itok=smMzQtFc"}},"679903":{"id":"679903","type":"image","title":"Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This image shows a topographic vision model trained to have a brain-like organization.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746394","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:53:14","changed":"1775746394","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:53:14","alt":"Three layered, abstract heat\u2011map style grids in shades of blue, red, and beige, stacked to resemble data layers or visualization panels.","file":{"fid":"264124","name":"Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":53268,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-New-480x3301.jpg?itok=vNYzcaPf"}},"679904":{"id":"679904","type":"image","title":"Chethan-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows how spinal cord activity guides transitions in muscle output for extensor muscles.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746465","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:54:25","changed":"1775746465","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:54:25","alt":"Two side\u2011by\u2011side scientific diagrams labeled Cat 1 and Cat 2 showing clusters of colored data points and curved gray lines representing muscle\u2011activity patterns during movement. Each diagram includes blue, green, and yellow point clusters and marked \u2018extensor onset\u2019 and \u2018extensor offset\u2019 angles.","file":{"fid":"264125","name":"Chethan-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":67950,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Chethan-480x330.jpg?itok=RaB1s5Rq"}},"679906":{"id":"679906","type":"image","title":"new_figure-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption: This shows how mice behave differently when they are pursuing different goals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746563","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:56:03","changed":"1775746563","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:56:03","alt":"Three maze-like diagrams labeled \u2018water,\u2019 \u2018home,\u2019 and \u2018explore,\u2019 each showing colored paths representing an animal\u2019s movement through the maze. The paths shift from dark purple at the start to bright yellow at the end, indicating progression over time according to the color scale on the right","file":{"fid":"264127","name":"new_figure-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":103865,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/new_figure-480x330.jpg?itok=wezz9ZzE"}},"679905":{"id":"679905","type":"image","title":"Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows the spike patterns of a hawk moth. Motor systems use spike codes to control motor output.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746508","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:55:08","changed":"1775746508","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:55:08","alt":"Diagram showing a hawk moth in the center surrounded by twelve circular charts. Each chart displays proportional black and blue segments representing spike count and spike timing data for left and right muscle groups. A legend explains the colors, and text below notes that the values show mutual information estimates for 10 muscles across seven moths","file":{"fid":"264126","name":"Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":81244,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/Brain-Data-Sponberg-480x330.jpg?itok=l_G56joM"}},"679907":{"id":"679907","type":"image","title":"GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECaption:\u0026nbsp;This shows how visual data from the retina is directed to the correct cognitive domain in the brain through a region of the visual cortex.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775746605","gmt_created":"2026-04-09 14:56:45","changed":"1775746605","gmt_changed":"2026-04-09 14:56:45","alt":"Diagram showing neural connectivity between cortical layers in regions labeled V1 and LM. Arrows connect circular nodes representing layers L2\/3, L4, and L5, with green and orange arrows indicating directional pathways. A magnified inset on the right illustrates a simplified microcircuit with shapes labeled Pyr, Sst, and Vip connected by colored arrows.","file":{"fid":"264128","name":"GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":51645,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/09\/GaTech_Brain-Data_Hannanh-Choi_480x330.jpg?itok=MfeiKQbd"}}},"media_ids":["679908","679903","679904","679906","679905","679907"],"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:\/\/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:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/better-brain-machine-interfaces-could-allow-paralyzed-communicate-again","title":"Better Brain-Machine Interfaces Could Allow the Paralyzed to Communicate Again"}],"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":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"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":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"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:\u003C\/strong\u003E George Spencer\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENews and Media Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"690009":{"#nid":"690009","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mark Prausnitz Receives 1934 Distinguished Professor Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Mark Prausnitz talks about his work as a professor, researcher, and entrepreneur, one theme comes through clearly: collaboration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/drugdelivery.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrausnitz\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents\u2019 Professor, Regents\u2019 Entrepreneur, and J. Erskine Love Jr. Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is this year\u2019s recipient of the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile I may be the focal point, it\u2019s not a recognition of me as an individual. It\u2019s a recognition of everything the team has done,\u201d Prausnitz said. \u201cI know how to do some things, but there are many things I don\u2019t know how to do. That\u2019s why working with others matters. You bring people together, fill in the gaps, and solve the whole problem.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u201csome things\u201d Prausnitz knows how to do have led to revolutionary medical innovation over a 30-year career at Georgia Tech, where he has led transformative work in microneedle drug delivery, launching 10 companies in the process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring that time, Prausnitz published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers, was granted dozens of patents, and advanced his work from early laboratory studies into more than 20 human clinical trials. His research has produced multiple FDA\u2011approved or clinically tested technologies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding Prausnitz\u2019s success starts with his approach to engineering in practice. Science may begin with discovery, but engineering, as he describes it, focuses on taking something uncertain and making it work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the things that really distinguishes engineering from science is the work of problem-solving to reach an answer,\u201d he said. \u201cYou start with something diffuse and figure out how to put all the pieces together. That to me is a hallmark of engineering.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat way of thinking took shape early in his life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2026\/04\/mark-prausnitz-receives-1934-distinguished-professor-award?utm_source=newsletter\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_content=Prausnitz%20Receives%201934%20Distinguished%20Professor%20Award%C2%A0\u0026amp;utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20April%2024%2C%202026\u0022\u003ERead the full story.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/drugdelivery.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrausnitz\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Regents\u2019 Professor, Regents\u2019 Entrepreneur, and J. Erskine Love Jr. Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is this year\u2019s recipient of the Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Prausnitz is awarded the highest honor given to a Georgia Tech professor."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-24 16:47:54","changed_gmt":"2026-04-24 16:52:12","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680061":{"id":"680061","type":"image","title":"_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg","body":null,"created":"1777049281","gmt_created":"2026-04-24 16:48:01","changed":"1777049281","gmt_changed":"2026-04-24 16:48:01","alt":"A man in a light blue lab coat standing at a laboratory bench with pipettes, containers, and scientific supplies on shelves behind him.","file":{"fid":"264295","name":"_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/24\/_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":152732,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/24\/_0000_Prausnitz-1934-Award.jpg?itok=30tRGEiv"}}},"media_ids":["680061"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"},{"id":"94981","name":"College of Engineering; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"}],"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\u003EJulian Hills | Executive Communications Specialist\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689850":{"#nid":"689850","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Doing the Dirty Work of Sustainability ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s not glamorous. It\u2019s not trendy. In fact, it\u2019s downright grubby. But the work that a Georgia Tech researcher and his students are doing is improving campus sustainability, one pound of food waste at a time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2820\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, gave his senior-level biology class this semester a unique assignment: Feed food waste to black soldier fly larvae, collect the organic byproduct (called \u201cfrass\u201d), and analyze the results. What they\u2019ve found so far is a composting method with the potential to dramatically reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions while producing a nutrient-dense fertilizer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s something special about these grubs,\u201d said Hu, who is also a faculty member within the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThey smell, and they\u2019re kind of ugly, but they process food extremely efficiently. When we feed them, they eat twice their body weight, finish that in five hours, and you can do it again the next day. Traditional composting could never be that fast.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing a unique closed-loop system pioneered by private-industry partner and early-stage startup \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biotechnicausa.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBiotechnica\u003C\/a\u003E, the larvae eat their way through more than 300 pounds of food in one semester, creating valuable frass that students harvest. When the larvae mature into adults, they fly into a shared chamber to reproduce, make more grubs, and start the process over again.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can get a turnaround from food waste to frass in a day or two, and then from the raw frass to our ground-up frass that we use for our plants,\u201d said Mikkelle Peters, a fourth-year biology major in Hu\u2019s class. \u201cIt\u2019s just a much quicker process to get rid of the food waste.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFeeding and studying an army of larvae that can eat more than 10 gallons of food a day keeps Hu\u2019s students busy. The solution? Divide and conquer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first group in the process gathers and grinds food scraps to feed the grubs, then collects the frass they produce. The next group mixes the frass with soil and analyzes its chemical makeup, comparing its nutrient density to commercial fertilizers. A third group uses the fertilized soil to grow vegetables like arugula and radishes that are measured against plants grown using synthetic fertilizer. The final two groups observe the environmental conditions that affect productivity and analyze the grubs\u2019 digestion to uncover the secrets to their success.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore testing will need to be done on outdoor farms to provide rigorous results. Data over the past few semesters were, at times, inconsistent. But the students\u2019 projects reveal a lot of promise for future experiments. Despite limitations to the study, including a small sample size and minor instrument malfunction, the students have been able to find helpful nutrients in their product and grow certain crops more successfully with frass than with commercial fertilizer. Unlike chemically based products or some traditional composts that need to be specially treated, black soldier fly frass is organic and easily processed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of fertilizers can cause harmful runoff, and they can change soil balances over time,\u201d Peters said. \u201cFrass is a natural product, has more fibrous material, and has a lot more organic compounds.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the science that the students are exposed to, Hu said it is also eye-opening for them to see the work of sustainability. The project is an excellent case study for how a small group can make a big impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe students have learned a lot,\u201d Hu said. \u201cFor one of the activities, we had them bring in their own food waste from home to feed the composter. They realized that a person makes pounds of waste per day.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOffice of Sustainability\u003C\/a\u003E, the campus produces about 400 tons of food waste per year. Although Georgia Tech boasts \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/11\/07\/new-composter-enhance-campus-waste-reduction\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eone of the largest commercial composters\u003C\/a\u003E on an urban campus in the Southeast, the machine can only process 175 tons per year. That leaves a gap that Hu said his research might one day be able to fill.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRight now, it\u2019s working,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to expand and see if it can work some more. The big issue is visibility, getting people to know that what we\u2019re doing is good. Because in some ways, saving the planet takes energy.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the main energy sources for the experimental composter is something Hu hopes to reduce: manpower. With a campus the size of Georgia Tech\u2019s, it\u2019s a very labor-intensive process for students to collect food waste from campus partners. Hu hopes that more community members will volunteer, not only to collect food, but also to improve the system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need people power \u2014 people willing to volunteer to move, because right now, campus produces a lot of waste in different places,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd we also need biologists and engineers and computer scientists. We need people to make this system more well-engineered.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the current black soldier fly composter still has some flaws, Hu said his goal is to create an affordable, climate-friendly food waste recycling system that can scale up to support U.S. agriculture. By solving problems at the local level, his research is potentially removing economic and operational barriers to sustainability. But, according to Hu, the final step to long-term success is community involvement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn the end, we need people who care,\u201d Hu said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t take that much effort to do a little bit, and a little bit can go a long way.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech researcher and his students are using experimental composting to reduce campus food waste and support agriculture. Using a unique closed-loop system, black soldier fly larvae eat their way through more than 300 pounds of food in one semester, creating valuable frass that students harvest. What they\u2019ve found so far is a composting method with the potential to dramatically reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions while producing a nutrient-dense fertilizer. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech researcher and his students are using experimental composting to reduce campus food waste and support agriculture. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-17 19:22:36","changed_gmt":"2026-04-23 20:40:09","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679998":{"id":"679998","type":"image","title":"web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776688432","gmt_created":"2026-04-20 12:33:52","changed":"1776688432","gmt_changed":"2026-04-20 12:33:52","alt":"A male researcher opens the top of a blue barrel that is part of a composting system inside a greenhouse","file":{"fid":"264230","name":"web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/20\/web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/20\/web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":232961,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/20\/web_0000_BSF-Compost-Hu.jpg?itok=HEj6TZyg"}}},"media_ids":["679998"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"14545","name":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"168693","name":"campus sustainability"}],"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\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689951":{"#nid":"689951","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/andres-j-garcia\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E has been elected to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amacad.org\/news\/new-member-announcement-2026\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, joining an honorary society that includes Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Albert Einstein, and Martin Luther King Jr.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Academy recognizes leaders across fields of study who have addressed humanity\u2019s greatest challenges while also gathering knowledge to advance learning and the public good. This year\u2019s class of 252 honorees was elected in academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, policy, research, and science. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda is one of nine honorees in the \u201cEngineering and Technology\u201d division. His research \u2014 both in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E where he serves as Regents\u2019 Professor and in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E where he is the executive director \u2014 aligns with the Academy\u2019s service-minded mission. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am inspired to find engineering solutions to serious health conditions to help people,\u201d he said. \u201cAs a kid, I developed a musculoskeletal condition that required biomaterial devices to treat. Although imperfect, this treatment allowed me to lead a normal life.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMoved by his personal experience, Garc\u00eda\u2019s research centers on cellular and tissue engineering, which integrate biological and engineering principles to restore organ function lost to injury or disease. By studying how cells interact with the materials around them, he and his team have engineered biomaterials for the controlled delivery of therapeutic proteins and cells that enhance tissue regeneration, which could speed the healing process for patients. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis future work will integrate biomaterials with lab\u2011grown replicas of human organs, known as organoids, that can be used to identify new therapies for a variety of human diseases. These organoids, though smaller and simpler than true organs, can mimic key functions that may help Garc\u00eda and his team to find better ways to repair damaged tissues.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda has spent the past 27 years at Georgia Tech and carries on the legacy of another Academy member \u2014 the Petit Institute\u2019s founding executive director Robert Nerem, who was inducted in 1998. Garc\u00eda credits his success to the support of his loved ones and the Yellow Jacket community. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am deeply honored and humbled,\u201d he said. \u201cThis award is only possible by the unending love and support of family, friends and mentors, my phenomenal past and present trainees, fantastic collaborators, and awesome ecosystem at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Academy was chartered in 1780 during the American Revolution by a group that included John Adams and John Hancock. It was established to recognize accomplished individuals and engage them in addressing the greatest challenges facing the young republic.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMembership has broadened over the years to celebrate excellence in a variety of fields. Honorees have included poet Robert Frost, musician John Legend, and chef Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/17\/chef-and-humanitarian-jose-andres-receives-ivan-allen-jr-prize-social-courage\u0022\u003Ewho was given this year\u2019s Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda and the rest of this year\u2019s class, which includes actor Jodie Foster, will be inducted in October. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/andres-j-garcia\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E has been elected to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amacad.org\/news\/new-member-announcement-2026\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, joining an honorary society that includes Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Albert Einstein, and Martin Luther King Jr. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The honorary society dates to the early days of the United States and honors excellence and contributions that advance society.  "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-22 18:35:45","changed_gmt":"2026-04-23 15:23:47","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680035":{"id":"680035","type":"image","title":"Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776882954","gmt_created":"2026-04-22 18:35:54","changed":"1776948169","gmt_changed":"2026-04-23 12:42:49","alt":"A man with silver hair wears a white lab coat, white shirt, and gold tie will sitting behind a lab bench with research equipment on top of it.","file":{"fid":"264268","name":"ExecDirGarcia10-lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/22\/ExecDirGarcia10-lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/22\/ExecDirGarcia10-lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2396467,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/22\/ExecDirGarcia10-lab.jpg?itok=1-GrI-YP"}}},"media_ids":["680035"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"14545","name":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"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:ashlie.bowman@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAshlie Bowman\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJason Maderer\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689961":{"#nid":"689961","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joint Workshop Highlights Emerging Research at the Intersection of Sustainability, Mobility, and Health\u202f ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents, faculty, and researchers from\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fand\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kennesaw.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKennesaw State University\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fgathered on April 8 for\u202fa joint workshop between Georgia Tech\u0027s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/nsf-susmed\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENSF Sustainable Development of Smart Medical Devices\u003C\/a\u003E\u202f(SUSMED) program and KSU\u0027s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/campus.kennesaw.edu\/offices-services\/research\/centers-facilities\/move-center\/index.php\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMobility for Everyone (MOVE) Center\u003C\/a\u003E. The full-day\u202fevent explored\u202fhow sustainable design, mobility science, and health technologies are converging to shape the next generation of medical devices.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHosted in Georgia Tech\u2019s Marcus Nanotechnology Building, the workshop brought together trainees from the\u202fNSF SUSMED program\u202fand students from the MOVE Center for a day of presentations, posters, and hands\u2011on demonstrations.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event was co\u2011led by\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2943\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E, Peterson Professor in Pediatric Research in the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fat Georgia Tech; Karam Kim, research faculty at the same school; and Ayse Tekes, associate professor in Mechanical Engineering at\u202fKSU.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am thrilled to have hosted this first joint event between the NSF NRT in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/wish\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWISH Center\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and the KSU MOVE Center. When I first envisioned it, I hoped it would spark meaningful conversations between students and researchers \u2014 but what unfolded far exceeded every expectation,\u201d Yeo said. \u201cThis was not just a gathering; it was a launchpad for exciting new collaborative projects, dynamic student exchange programs, and bold, ambitious bets on the future of our field. A heartfelt thank you to IMS Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/eric-vogel\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEric Vogel\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/wish\/members\/wish-administration\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJosh Lee\u003C\/a\u003E, the WISH Center program manager, and Karam Kim, research faculty extraordinaire \u2014 none of this would have been possible without their support.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA central goal of the workshop was to give students meaningful opportunities to present their research and engage with peers across disciplines. According to Tekes, who is the director of the MOVE Center, events like this play a critical role in shaping early career researchers.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think these events are very eye-opening,\u201d Tekes said. \u201cThey give students a real opportunity to\u202fshowcase\u202ftheir results, but also to collaborate and learn about research outside their own area. Seeing work across disciplines sparks new questions and helps them think differently.\u201d\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThroughout the day, students presented projects on wearable devices, mobility technologies, digital health tools, sustainable engineering approaches, and more. Tekes emphasized how valuable it is for students to practice communicating their work to a broad audience.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey are getting the practice to present their outputs \u2014 the key outcomes of their research \u2014 and explain the significance and importance,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re also learning to answer questions from different perspectives, because in this room you\u2019re seeing engineers, computer scientists, and clinicians.\u201d\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDue to the strong turnout and enthusiastic participation throughout the day, organizers are already planning another session next semester.\u202fBy\u202fbringing together diverse\u202fexpertise\u202ffrom\u202fboth schools, the event highlighted the shared commitment to developing medical technologies that improve mobility, health, and quality of life.\u202f\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding sources: NSF NRT-FW-HTF: NSF Traineeship in the Sustainable Development of Smart Medical Devices (Award # 2345860) and WISH Center grant from the Institute for Matter and Systems\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents, faculty, and researchers from\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fand\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kennesaw.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKennesaw State University\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fgathered on April 8 for\u202fa joint workshop between Georgia Tech\u0027s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/nsf-susmed\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENSF Sustainable Development of Smart Medical Devices\u003C\/a\u003E\u202f(SUSMED) program and KSU\u0027s\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/campus.kennesaw.edu\/offices-services\/research\/centers-facilities\/move-center\/index.php\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMobility for Everyone (MOVE) Center\u003C\/a\u003E. The full-day\u202fevent explored\u202fhow sustainable design, mobility science, and health technologies are converging to shape the next generation of medical devices.\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Students, faculty, and researchers from\u202fGeorgia Tech\u202fand\u202fKennesaw State University\u202fgathered on April 8 for\u202fa joint workshop."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-23 12:03:37","changed_gmt":"2026-04-23 12:05:53","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"680038":{"id":"680038","type":"image","title":"_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg","body":null,"created":"1776945848","gmt_created":"2026-04-23 12:04:08","changed":"1776945848","gmt_changed":"2026-04-23 12:04:08","alt":"Six workshop organizers stand in front of a projected slide reading \u201cGT NSF SUSMED x KSU MOVE Center Joint Workshop,\u201d with Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State University banners visible on both sides.","file":{"fid":"264272","name":"_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/23\/_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/23\/_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":141734,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/23\/_0000_photo_NSF-copy.jpg?itok=qQXapOTA"}}},"media_ids":["680038"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"14545","name":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"11726","name":"Institute for People and Technology"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"}],"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\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWritten by Scarlett Smith\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689835":{"#nid":"689835","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AI is Reengineering Drug Discovery by Speeding Up Testing and Scanning Petabytes of Data for Connections Between\u00a0Diseases","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIn December, The Conversation hosted a webinar on AI\u2019s revolutionary role in drug discovery and development.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience and technology editor \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/eric-smalley-944964\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEric Smalley\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E interviewed \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jeffrey-skolnick\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, eminent scholar in computational systems biology at Georgia Institute of Technology, and \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/pharmacology\/person\/ben-brown\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBenjamin P. Brown\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, assistant professor of pharmacology at Vanderbilt University.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESkolnick has developed AI-based approaches to predict protein structure and function that may help with drug discovery and finding off-label uses of existing drugs. Brown\u2019s lab works on creating new computer models that make drug discovery faster and more reliable. Below is a condensed and edited version of the interview.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELet\u2019s start with the big picture. How is AI changing biomedical research and drug discovery, and what is the potential we are talking about?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESkolnick:\u003C\/strong\u003E The upside, potentially, is very large. One of the frustrating things about drug discovery is that, in spite of the fact that the people doing it are extraordinarily intelligent and have done an extraordinarily good job, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apsb.2022.02.002\u0022\u003Ethe success rate is very low\u003C\/a\u003E. About \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apsb.2022.02.002\u0022\u003E1 in 5\u003C\/a\u003E drugs will have negative health effects that outweigh its benefits. Of the ones that pass, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.apsb.2022.02.002\u0022\u003Eroughly half don\u2019t work\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn drug development, there are several key issues: Can you predict which target is driving a particular disease? Once this target is identified, how can you guarantee the drug is going to work and isn\u2019t simultaneously going to kill you?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese are outstanding problems in drug discovery in which AI can play an important, though not 100% guaranteed, role. Unlike us, AI can look at basically \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/nsr\/article\/12\/5\/nwaf050\/8029900\u0022\u003Eall available knowledge\u003C\/a\u003E. On a good day it makes strong and true connections called \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/bs.adcom.2023.02.001\u0022\u003Einsights\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d and on a bad day it does what is called \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-are-ai-hallucinations-why-ais-sometimes-make-things-up-242896\u0022\u003Ehallucinating\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d and sees things that are weak and probably false.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ciframe width=\u0022440\u0022 height=\u0022260\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lHC_9x3IXZ0?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\u003EEric Smalley interviews Jeffrey Skolnick and Benjamin P. Brown.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the day, many diseases do not have a cure. Most diseases are maintained, such as high cholesterol or autoimmune conditions. A treatment for cancer might buy you five years, and now you\u2019re in Stage 4 and you\u2019ve exhausted all the standard care drugs. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ph16060891\u0022\u003EAI can play a role\u003C\/a\u003E to suggest alternatives where there are none.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELet\u2019s give some basic definitions here. When we use the word drug, we\u2019re talking about a wide range of therapies. Can you explain the range \u2013 we\u2019ve got small molecule drugs, biologics, gene therapies, cell therapies.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrown:\u003C\/strong\u003E We have fairly large molecules in our bodies called proteins. They are like machines that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK26911\/\u0022\u003Ecarry out specific functions\u003C\/a\u003E and interact with one another. Oftentimes, when we\u2019re trying to treat disease, we\u2019re trying to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/mco2.261\u0022\u003Ealter functions of specific proteins\u003C\/a\u003E. Many drugs, like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0049-3848(03)00379-7\u0022\u003Easpirin\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1086\/317517\u0022\u003ETylenol\u003C\/a\u003E, are small molecules that can fit into a protein and change its function. Fundamentally, drugs don\u2019t have to just interact with proteins, but this is a major way in which our current repertoire of medications work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are also proteins that act like drugs, such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/imr.13387\u0022\u003Eantibodies\u003C\/a\u003E. When you receive a vaccine for a virus, your body is basically given \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/B978-0-12-802174-3.00002-3\u0022\u003Einstructions on how to develop antibodies\u003C\/a\u003E. These antibodies will target some part of that virus. Your body is creating these big molecules, much bigger than aspirin, to go and interact with foreign proteins in a different way. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1590\/S1679-45082017RB4024\u0022\u003EGene therapy\u003C\/a\u003E is a larger step beyond that.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo these modalities \u2013 molecule, protein, antibody or gene \u2013 are very different types of molecules. They have different scales and rules, so the way you approach designing and discovering them various widely.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECan you briefly explain artificial neural networks, and what the \u201cdeep\u201d in deep learning means?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESkolnick:\u003C\/strong\u003E AlphaFold, developed by DeepMind, involved understanding how neural networks worked. They built a network with a lot of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/diagnostics13152582\u0022\u003Einputs, which are stimuli, and outputs with different weights\u003C\/a\u003E, similar to how your brain actually works. These simple connections, or neurons, have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-is-reinforcement-learning-an-ai-researcher-explains-a-key-method-of-teaching-machines-and-how-it-relates-to-training-your-dog-251887\u0022\u003Ereinforcement learning\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey also created sophisticated neural networks, such as \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2219150120\u0022\u003Etransformers, which do specific things\u003C\/a\u003E like a special-purpose tool that can learn, and they added a mechanism called \u201cattention,\u201d which \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.inffus.2024.102417\u0022\u003Eamplifies critical details\u003C\/a\u003E. Super neural networks with transformers is what we call deep learning. These now have literally billions, if not trillions, of parameters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEssentially, these machines \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.52202\/079017-2495\u0022\u003Ecan learn higher order correlations between events\u003C\/a\u003E, meaning the patterns of conditional interactions that depend on the properties of multiple things simultaneously. In these higher order correlations, AI has the potential to see previously unknown things that are embedded in petabytes (a unit of data equivalent to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eecis.udel.edu\/%7Eamer\/Table-Kilo-Mega-Giga---YottaBytes.html\u0022\u003Ehalf of the contents of all U.S. academic research libraries\u003C\/a\u003E of biological data.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlphaFold, which \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/14789450.2025.2456046\u0022\u003Epredicts three-dimensional, bioactive forms of a protein\u003C\/a\u003E, has millions of sequences and a couple of hundred thousand structures. It can tell you, based on a particular pattern, what \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ijms26146807\u0022\u003Esmall molecule to design\u003C\/a\u003E that sticks to a protein to induce some kind of structural shift.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow is this technology being used in biomedical research to understand molecular dynamics or, essentially, the biological processes involved in health and disease?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrown:\u003C\/strong\u003E In 2013, there was a Nobel Prize for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.str.2013.11.005\u0022\u003Emolecular dynamics simulations\u003C\/a\u003E, computational tools that help you understand the motions of molecules as they move according to physics. There\u2019s a huge body of scientific research built around those ideas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI and deep learning are large right now, but it\u2019s worth mentioning that for the last decade and a half, people have been \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nchembio.576\u0022\u003Eusing much smaller machine learning algorithms\u003C\/a\u003E to help design drugs. A lot of the ideas, such as [using machine learning for virtual screening], are not new and have been in practice for a while.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith AlphaFold\u2019s technologies to help people design proteins and predict their structure, we\u2019ve changed how we think about a lot of these problems. We have this \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.omtn.2024.102295\u0022\u003Enew repertoire of approaches\u003C\/a\u003E to build ideas around and to start thinking about drug discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom 20 years ago to now, what has today\u2019s AI technology done in terms of scale of change in this process?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESkolnick:\u003C\/strong\u003E A lot of diseases, like cancers, are \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.15430\/JCP.2018.23.4.153\u0022\u003Ecaused by a collection of malfunctioning proteins\u003C\/a\u003E. AI now allows us to start to think conceptually about how these diseases are organized and related to each other.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiseases tend to co-occur. For example, if you have \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fendo.2024.1354372\u0022\u003Ehyperthyroidism, you\u2019re very likely to develop Alzheimer\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E. Kind of weird, right? We can look at pieces, but AI can look at all the information, integrate the collective behavior and then identify common drivers. This allows you to construct disease interrelationships which offer the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/adtp.202300332\u0022\u003Epossibility of broad spectrum treatments\u003C\/a\u003E that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/news-events\/nih-research-matters\/progress-toward-broad-spectrum-antiviral\u0022\u003Ecould treat whole collections of diseases\u003C\/a\u003E rather than narrow-spectrum treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERelatedly, AI also can help us \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/cpt.3153\u0022\u003Eunderstand disease trajectories\u003C\/a\u003E. Diseases that tend to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev-biodatasci-110123-041001\u0022\u003Eco-occur often present themselves consecutively\u003C\/a\u003E. You have disease 1, it gives you disease 2, then gives you disease 3. This suggests that if you go back to the root with disease 1, you may be able to stop a whole bunch of stuff. You can\u2019t analyze millions of trajectories and millions of data without a tool, so you couldn\u2019t do this before.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis holds a lot of promise, but one also must be careful not to overpromise. It will help, it will accelerate, but \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scienceopen.com\/hosted-document?doi=10.15212\/bioi-2025-0188\u0022\u003Eit is not a substitute yet for real experiments\u003C\/a\u003E, real clinical validation and trials.\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\/274693\/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\/ai-is-reengineering-drug-discovery-by-speeding-up-testing-and-scanning-petabytes-of-data-for-connections-between-diseases-274693\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\u003EAI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"AI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-04-17 15:55:09","changed_gmt":"2026-04-21 00:35:09","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679992":{"id":"679992","type":"image","title":" AI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery. gorodenkoff\/iStock via Getty Images ","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;AI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery. gorodenkoff\/iStock via Getty Images\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776442339","gmt_created":"2026-04-17 16:12:19","changed":"1776442339","gmt_changed":"2026-04-17 16:12:19","alt":" AI and machine learning provide new tools for scientists to think about drug discovery. gorodenkoff\/iStock via Getty Images ","file":{"fid":"264222","name":"file-20260129-62-3xayw4-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/17\/file-20260129-62-3xayw4-copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/17\/file-20260129-62-3xayw4-copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2111750,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/17\/file-20260129-62-3xayw4-copy.jpg?itok=h8utD5AH"}}},"media_ids":["679992"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/ai-is-reengineering-drug-discovery-by-speeding-up-testing-and-scanning-petabytes-of-data-for-connections-between-diseases-274693","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"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"},{"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":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EAuthors:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/jeffrey-skolnick-2581183\u0022\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u0027 Professor; Mary and Maisie Gibson Chair, and GRA Eminent Scholar in Computational Systems Biology, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/benjamin-p-brown-2581181\u0022\u003EBenjamin P. Brown\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/vanderbilt-university-1293\u0022\u003EVanderbilt University\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\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689352":{"#nid":"689352","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Develop First Genetic Passcode Lock to Protect Valuable DNA","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security, and other authorities have flagged a record number of unauthorized shipments of biological materials. At the same time, global intelligence communities have identified numerous attempts to smuggle sensitive biological samples in efforts of industrial theft or espionage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA small vial of genetically engineered cells can contain multiple millions of dollars\u2019 worth of intellectual property and require several years of work to develop,\u201d said Corey Wilson, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EChBE\u003C\/a\u003E). \u201cAccordingly, the protection of high-value engineered cell lines has become critically important to the biotechnology industry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wilson.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWilson\u003C\/a\u003E and his research team have published their findings in \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E demonstrating the effectiveness of their new biological security technology, known as GeneLock\u2122, in protecting high-value engineered cell lines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeneLock is a cybersecurity-inspired technology that protects valuable genetic material directly at the DNA level. To demonstrate its strength, Wilson\u2019s team conducted what they describe as a first-of-its-kind biohackathon, detailed in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.aeb8556\u0022\u003Enew paper\u003C\/a\u003E, to simulate unauthorized access.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeneLock greatly improves our ability to protect high-value engineered cell lines by expanding security from the lab environment to the genetic level,\u201d Wilson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEconomic Impact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat are the stakes? Estimates place the global market for high-value genetic materials at more than $1.5 trillion, projected to reach $8 trillion by 2035. The use of these materials ranges from advanced medicines and proprietary research enzymes to specialty chemicals and sustainable materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, the protection of high-value cell lines depends on physical safeguards such as restricted lab access and secure facilities, Wilson explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe key weakness of physical security measures is once circumvented, there are typically no measures in place to protect valuable cells from theft, abuse, or unauthorized use,\u201d Wilson said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOnce a sample leaves the building, the DNA it carries typically remains fully functional. This is like placing an unlocked cellphone in a desk drawer. Anyone who gains access to the drawer can view sensitive content on the phone\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u2014or in this case will have full access to the valuable cell line.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGenetic Passcode Protection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe GeneLock biological security technology developed by Wilson and his team places a passcode on engineered cells, akin to those used on ATM machines and protected cellphones.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstead of leaving a valuable gene in readable form, the team scrambles the DNA sequence of interest. The scrambled genetic asset remains in a nonfunctional state unless the living cell where it resides receives the correct sequence of chemical inputs. Those inputs act as a molecular passcode.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOnly the right combination, delivered in the right order, rearranges the DNA into a working form,\u201d Wilson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiohackathon Security Test\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo evaluate the technology, the researchers organized a blue team and a red team in what they describe as an ethical biohackathon. The blue team designed the encrypted DNA sequence, while the red team was challenged to discover the correct chemical passcode through experimentation in a gray box exercise, meaning the red team had partial knowledge of the system but did not have access to the internal designs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis approach for testing security strength is commonly used in cybersecurity,\u201d Wilson explained.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe blue team engineered the system inside \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E, or \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E, a bacterium widely used in biotechnology. The protected asset was a fluorescent protein gene selected as a measurable stand-in for commercially valuable targets. When the correct chemical sequence was applied, the fluorescence turned on. Without the correct passcode, the gene remained scrambled and the cells could not fluoresce green.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn practice, most DNA sequences produce valuable proteins or chemicals that are essentially invisible to the human eye, requiring specialized devices or experiments to observe,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cIf the biohackathon were conducted with a standard commercially valuable target, the penetration testing would have taken more than 10 times longer to complete, years instead of months.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe biohackathon results showed a dramatic reduction in risk. GeneLock reduced the probability of unlocking the genetic asset by random search to about 1 in 85,000 (a 0.001% chance), assuming the unauthorized user had access to the required chemical inputs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWithout access to those inputs, \u201cthe likelihood of success by chance becomes effectively negligible,\u201d said Dowan Kim (Georgia Tech PhD 2024), co-lead author of the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommercial Uses and What\u2019s Next\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the researchers used a non-commercial fluorescent protein as a test case, the implications extend much further. Many biotechnology companies rely on proprietary engineered strains. New England Biolabs, for example, produces more than 265 non-disclosed enzymes in E. coli, each representing a high-value cell line.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProtein-based drugs are also manufactured in living cells, and proprietary metabolic pathways are used to produce specialty chemicals, bioplastics, and high-value ingredients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn each case, the genetic blueprint inside the cell represents intellectual property that can be protected by our technology,\u201d said Ishita Kumar, a PhD candidate in ChBE and co-lead author of the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the team\u2019s current focus is on protecting intellectual property in the form of high-value cells, future iterations aim to strengthen biological security more broadly.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are currently developing protection measures to mitigate unauthorized use or release of sensitive cell lines that can be potentially hazardous to human health or the environment,\u201d Wilson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs it stands, GeneLock represents an important shift in biological security, enabling, for the first time, protection of valuable cells at the genetic level, even after physical security measures have been bypassed,\u201d he added.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work is already moving toward commercialization. The team filed a provisional patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in February 2026 and is forming a company to deploy the technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research was funded by a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/show-award\/?AWD_ID=2319231\u0022\u003Egrant\u003C\/a\u003E from the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDowan Kim, Ishita Kumar, Mohamed Hassan, Luisa F. Barraza-Vergara, Christopher A. Voigt, and Corey J. Wilson, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.aeb8556\u0022\u003EProtecting cells at the genetic level and simulating unauthorized access via a biohackathon\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d Science Advances, 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New System Strengthens Security for the Biotech Industry"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeneLock is a cybersecurity-inspired technology that protects valuable genetic material directly at the DNA level. To demonstrate its strength, the rearches conducted what they describe as a first-of-its-kind biohackathon to simulate unauthorized access.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research published in Science Advances demonstrated the effectiveness of this technology in protecting high-value engineered cell lines."}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2026-04-01 17:57:53","changed_gmt":"2026-04-20 17:30:15","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679818":{"id":"679818","type":"image","title":"Wilsonresearchteam.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch team members Ishita Kumar,\u0026nbsp;Corey Wilson,\u0026nbsp;and Luisa F. Barraza-Vergara\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775066280","gmt_created":"2026-04-01 17:58:00","changed":"1775066280","gmt_changed":"2026-04-01 17:58:00","alt":"Research team members Ishita Kumar, Corey Wilson, and Luisa F. Barraza-Vergara","file":{"fid":"264022","name":"Wilsonresearchteam.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/Wilsonresearchteam.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/Wilsonresearchteam.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2729628,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/01\/Wilsonresearchteam.jpg?itok=uDoLEes8"}},"679819":{"id":"679819","type":"image","title":"biohackathon.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETo evaluate the GeneLock technology, the researchers organized a blue team and a red team into a biohackathon.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1775066327","gmt_created":"2026-04-01 17:58:47","changed":"1775066327","gmt_changed":"2026-04-01 17:58:47","alt":"To evaluate the GeneLock technology, the researchers organized a blue team and a red team into a biohackathon.","file":{"fid":"264023","name":"biohackathon.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/biohackathon.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/01\/biohackathon.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":91942,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/01\/biohackathon.jpg?itok=PdOgnWMg"}}},"media_ids":["679818","679819"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"175579","name":"biotech industry"},{"id":"3031","name":"genetic"},{"id":"1041","name":"dna"},{"id":"175113","name":"biosecurity"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebraddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689639":{"#nid":"689639","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Welcomes a Neuroethics Pioneer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtificial intelligence has been touted as the most transformative technology of our time. With only a few years of mainstream use, it\u2019s changed how we work and communicate, generated billions of dollars in investments, and sparked global debate. But according to leading neuroethics expert \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dana.org\/article\/karen-rommelfanger-a-neuroscience-society-champion-of-ethics-and-inclusion\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKaren Rommelfanger\u003C\/a\u003E, the race isn\u2019t over yet.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCan you think of a more transformative technology than one that intervenes with the fundamental organ that drives your experience in the world?\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat fundamental organ is the brain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETechnologies interfacing directly with the brain have been reserved for treating severe injury or disease for decades. Now, neurotechnology is expanding into brain-responsive wearables meant to enhance, augment, and monitor everyday life. As these technologies accelerate and AI is incorporated, the question is no longer \u003Cem\u003Eif \u003C\/em\u003Eneurotechnology will transform society, but \u003Cem\u003Ehow \u003C\/em\u003E\u2014 and who will shape the boundaries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese are some of the questions on which Karen Rommelfanger has built her career. Trained as a biomedical researcher and neuroscientist, Rommelfanger went on to found the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/instituteofneuroethics.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroethics\u003C\/a\u003E, the world\u2019s first think and do tank devoted entirely to neuroethics, public engagement, and policy implementation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe brain is special; it\u2019s central to who we are,\u201d says Rommelfanger, who was also an inaugural recipient of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dana.org\/article\/dana-foundation-recognizes-two-neuroscience-society-champions-with-inaugural-awards\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDana Foundation Neuroscience and Society Award\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cAnd that means when you intervene with the brain, there are unique responsibilities. The field of neuroethics addresses things like: How do you ensure mental privacy? How do you protect free will? How do you ensure that people have the power to be narrators of their own lives and their cognitive experience?\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, Rommelfanger is joining Georgia 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) as a professor of the practice, where she will work to further embed neuroethics into Georgia Tech\u2019s research and technology development ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is producing the next generation of neurotechnologists, and Karen\u2019s expertise will help ensure we\u2019re preparing them to think about societal impact as deeply as they think about the technical and scientific aspects of their work,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/christopher-john-rozell\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChristopher Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of INNS. \u201cHer leadership strengthens the Institute in exactly the way this moment in neurotechnology demands.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has many, many ways that it leads in the technology ecosystem. But one of the powerful, unique ways it can lead is through neurotechnology,\u201d says Rommelfanger. \u201cI hope that the INNS, given its unique mandate for neuroscience, neurotechnology, and society, can be a lighthouse for these types of conversations.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeuroethics by Design\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom institutional review boards to mandatory responsible research conduct training, ethics are a foundational part of scientific research. But designing neurotechnologies raises ethical challenges beyond the scope of typical training. What happens when discoveries leave the lab and enter people\u2019s lives?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat question sits at the core of Rommelfanger\u2019s work. She argues it\u2019s a neurotechnologist\u2019s responsibility to recognize and proactively address the need for unique safeguards for privacy, autonomy, and long-term responsibility. Her solution is to move neuroethics upstream, embedding it directly into the research, design, and deployment of neurotechnology through an approach she calls \u201cneuroethics by design.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNeuroethics by design considers ethics as a core criterion where principles can drive innovation with more of a lens toward societal outcomes,\u201d she says \u2014 an approach informed by years of advising national-level brain research initiatives and her experience at the intersection of clinical practice and ethics scholarship.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERather than treating ethics as a compliance checklist or a post hoc review, neuroethics by design integrates ethical thinking throughout the entire innovation lifecycle, from early ideation and research questions to product requirements, governance strategies, and long-term sustainability. She has used the approach for years as an embedded partner for neurotechnology startups in her neuroethics consultancy, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ningenstrategy.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENingen Co-Lab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter decades as a traditional academic professor and then years advising companies and policymakers with this philosophy, Rommelfanger says Georgia Tech is the right place to scale this work. With its strength in neurotechnology and INNS\u2019s rare focus on neuroscience\u003Cem\u003E and\u003C\/em\u003E society, \u201cI could not think of a better place to launch and pilot this neuroethics by design scaling effort.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe will work with INNS to help equip researchers, students, and industry partners with practical tools for ethical decision-making. Her vision is not to create neuroethicists as a standalone profession, but to cultivate ethically engaged neurotechnologists and engineers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECentral to her plans at INNS are hands-on training programs that bring ethics out of the abstract and into practice. \u201cI wanted to be a professor of the practice because, while the field does need more scholars, what it really needs most at this point are practitioners.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERommelfanger is exploring modular content that can be embedded into existing courses across disciplines, as well as immersive training \u2014 such as neuroethics boot camps and problem-solving hackathons \u2014 that bring together students, faculty, and professionals to tackle real-world challenges collaboratively.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNo one discipline can solve all the ethical challenges ahead,\u201d says Rommelfanger. She is particularly interested in creating spaces where experts from across science and engineering, policy and law, design and the arts, and philosophy can work side by side with people with lived experience of neurological conditions. \u201cThe onus is not on scientists alone, but is a shared responsibility that benefits immensely from dialogue, accountability, and action across diverse communities.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy situating neuroethics within Georgia Tech\u2019s broader research ecosystem, Rommelfanger hopes INNS can help shift how the field evolves globally.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s really difficult to get your arms around something once it\u0027s out of the gate,\u201d she says, citing the rapid adoption of AI without proper ethical or policy guidelines. \u201cWith neurotechnology, we still have a little bit of time, but not that much time. We are at that moment where we could change the course of global history.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs brain interfacing tools move out of the lab and into everyday life, Karen Rommelfanger is bringing her global neuroethics expertise to Georgia Tech to prepare the next generation of ethical innovators.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As brain interfacing tools move out of the lab and into everyday life, Karen Rommelfanger is bringing her global neuroethics expertise to Georgia Tech to prepare the next generation of ethical innovators."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-04-13 15:20:52","changed_gmt":"2026-04-13 17:46:36","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679924":{"id":"679924","type":"image","title":"Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKaren Rommelfanger recently joined Georgia Tech as a professor of the practice, where she will work with the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society to embed neuroethics into Georgia Tech\u2019s research and technology development ecosystem. Photo via the Dana Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776101751","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:35:51","changed":"1776102415","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:46:55","alt":"Karen Rommelfanger smiling in a warmly lit room. A window and brick wall are visible behind her.","file":{"fid":"264146","name":"Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":101822,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/Karen-Rommelfanger.jpg?itok=uivAseBV"}},"679926":{"id":"679926","type":"image","title":"BrainMind.JPG","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKaren Rommelfanger (left) is a leading voice in neuroethics, with years of experience bridging neuroscience, technology development, ethics, and public policy to address the societal impacts of emerging brain technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1776101944","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 17:39:04","changed":"1776101944","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 17:39:04","alt":"Seated on the left, Karen Rommelfanger speaks on a panel at the 2026 Asilomar for the Brain and Mind conference. Panelists sit on stage in front of a large screen displaying the conference name, dates, and a brain-themed graphic, with an audience visible in the foreground.","file":{"fid":"264148","name":"BrainMind.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/BrainMind.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/BrainMind.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":167461,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/BrainMind.JPG?itok=HALewFCU"}}},"media_ids":["679924","679926"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/lab-life-inside-institute-neuroscience-neurotechnology-and-society","title":"From Lab to Life: Inside the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS)"},{"url":"https:\/\/dana.org\/article\/karen-rommelfanger-a-neuroscience-society-champion-of-ethics-and-inclusion\/","title":"Karen Rommelfanger: A Neuroscience \u0026 Society Champion of Ethics and Inclusion"},{"url":"https:\/\/dana.org\/article\/why-neuroethics-matters-in-the-age-of-brain-technology\/","title":"Why Neuroethics Matters in the Age of Brain Technology: A Conversation with Karen Rommelfanger"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"194610","name":"National Interests\/National Security"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"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\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS)\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689605":{"#nid":"689605","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Use Light to Make Their Microscopic \u2018Muscle\u2019 Contract on Command","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEngineers interested in creating artificial cells to deliver drugs to unhealthy parts of the body face a key challenge: for a cell-like system to move, change shape, or divide, it needs a way to generate force on command.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBiological cells rely on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to move muscles, transport substances across membranes, and perform other functions.\u0026nbsp;Many cellular machines couple ATP hydrolysis (a process where chemical energy stored in ATP is released) directly to motion.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut some single-celled organisms called ciliates use a different strategy. A pulse of calcium triggers an ultrafast contraction, and ATP is used afterward to pump calcium back into storage and reset the system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-69651-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E study\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E led by Georgia Tech, researchers learned how to use a similar mechanism to control the movements of artificial protein networks without relying on ATP-powered motor proteins. Instead, they used calcium as a trigger to make the networks contract or relax.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf engineers want synthetic cells that can do cell-like things, they need a way to generate force on command,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/saad-bhamla\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaad Bhamla\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a co-author and an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cCells have to move, change shape, and divide. We\u2019re trying to build a controllable engine from simple parts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the National Science Foundation-funded study, the team produced and purified \u003Cem\u003ETetrahymena thermophila\u003C\/em\u003E calcium-binding protein 2 (Tcb2), which is found in ciliates. The protein forms a fibrous network and contracts when exposed to calcium. The researchers reconstituted Tcb2 protein networks in the lab and then used a light-sensitive calcium chelator (a \u201ccage\u201d molecule that holds the calcium until illuminated) to control when and where calcium was released.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey projected light patterns of stars and circles to prompt the network to assemble and contract in matching shapes. Then, to continuously \u201crecharge\u201d the system, the multi-university team pulsed the light on the protein networks, repeatedly releasing calcium and driving cycles of assembly and contraction.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/researchers-use-light-make-their-microscopic-muscle-contract-command?utm_source=twitter\u0026amp;utm_medium=social\u0026amp;utm_campaign=news\u0022\u003ERead the full story.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-026-69651-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E study\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E led by Georgia Tech, researchers learned how to use a similar mechanism to control the movements of artificial protein networks without relying on ATP-powered motor proteins. Instead, they used calcium as a trigger to make the networks contract or relax.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Engineers interested in creating artificial cells to deliver drugs to unhealthy parts of the body face a key challenge: for a cell-like system to move, change shape, or divide, it needs a way to generate force on command."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-10 12:47:50","changed_gmt":"2026-04-10 12:49:38","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679909":{"id":"679909","type":"image","title":"artificial-cells.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775825279","gmt_created":"2026-04-10 12:47:59","changed":"1775825279","gmt_changed":"2026-04-10 12:47:59","alt":"A yellow star shape is shown next to a microscope image of an artificial cell colony that has been directed to form the shape of a star.","file":{"fid":"264130","name":"artificial-cells.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/artificial-cells.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/10\/artificial-cells.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":17653,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/10\/artificial-cells.jpg?itok=XEcClJeF"}}},"media_ids":["679909"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/researchers-use-light-make-their-microscopic-muscle-contract-command?utm_source=twitter\u0026utm_medium=social\u0026utm_campaign=news","title":"Full Story"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-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\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications | College of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689562":{"#nid":"689562","#data":{"type":"news","title":"2026 Suddath Symposium Showcases Biomedical Applications of Synthetic Biology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe 34th\u0026nbsp;annual\u0026nbsp;Suddath Symposium, hosted by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IBB)\u0026nbsp;on March 18-19,\u0026nbsp;brought together researchers, trainees, and invited speakers from across disciplines to discuss\u0026nbsp;cutting-edge\u0026nbsp;efforts to translate synthetic biology advances into human health-relevant technologies, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and clinical tools\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe topic of the Suddath Symposium changes every year, which allows the Georgia Tech research community to annually learn about recent advances on a specific topic from across the immense fields of\u0026nbsp;bioengineering and\u0026nbsp;bioscience,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3718\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENicholas Hud\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;Regents\u2019 Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;Associate Director of IBB.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe symposium also included presentation of the\u0026nbsp;2026 Suddath Award, which recognizes outstanding graduate research. This year\u2019s award was presented to\u0026nbsp;Myeongsoo\u0026nbsp;Kim, a Ph.D. candidate in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBioengineering Graduate Program\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;for his work at the intersection of cell engineering,\u0026nbsp;cancer treatment, and biomedical imaging.\u0026nbsp;The award is presented each year by members of the Suddath family, including Vincent Suddath,\u0026nbsp;grandson of Bud and\u0026nbsp;a current\u0026nbsp;freshman\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech majoring in mathematics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe symposium and award\u0026nbsp;honor the legacy of\u0026nbsp;F. L. \u201cBud\u201d Suddath\u0026nbsp;and his lasting contributions to the Institute and the wider Georgia Tech research community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBud was influential in promoting the growth of bioscience research at Georgia Tech, efforts that helped establish\u0026nbsp;IBB\u0026nbsp;in the 1990s,\u201d Hud said. \u201cBud\u2019s\u0026nbsp;research interests were at the forefront of structural biology, a field that laid the foundation for much of what we know today about biology at the molecular level.\u0026nbsp;It\u2019s\u0026nbsp;fitting that we honor Bud\u2019s\u0026nbsp;contributions by annually providing the Georgia Tech community with the opportunity to learn about\u0026nbsp;research on a timely topic within the biological sciences.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESymposium co-chairs\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bio\/tara-l-deans\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETara Deans\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2915\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMark Styczynski\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;said that in addition to upholding the legacy of Bud Suddath, the event also\u0026nbsp;provides a unique setting and opportunity for both established researchers and trainees to interact over the course of the two day event.\u0026nbsp;The intimate format of the symposium, which is limited to approximately 100 attendees, and the annual selection of a different interdisciplinary topic\u0026nbsp;sets\u0026nbsp;it apart\u0026nbsp;from other\u0026nbsp;symposia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Suddath Symposium is an amazing opportunity to bring multiple world-class researchers right to our trainees\u2019 front door, to hear about their work and connect with them in a small setting that you can\u2019t really find at most conferences,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;Styczynski,\u0026nbsp;who is a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWe are really grateful to IBB and the Suddath family for supporting this unique event.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDeans, who is an associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;highlighted how this year\u2019s theme reflects a broader shift in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis year\u2019s focus on biomedical applications of synthetic biology highlights a major inflection point in the field: the transition from proof-of-concept systems to human health-relevant technologies,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u201cThe theme also reflects increasing convergence across disciplines; synthetic biology is no longer\u0026nbsp;operating\u0026nbsp;in isolation,\u0026nbsp;but it is deeply intertwined with immunology, machine learning, diagnostics, and clinical translation. Addressing real-world biomedical problems requires this kind of integration, and the symposium captured that shift very clearly.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Suddath Symposium annually serves as a cornerstone event for Georgia Tech\u2019s bioengineering and bioscience community\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;connecting researchers, honoring scientific legacy, and spotlighting the next generation of scientific innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe 34th annual Suddath Symposium brought together researchers, trainees, and invited speakers from across disciplines to discuss cutting-edge efforts to translate synthetic biology advances into human health-relevant technologies. In addition to upholding the legacy of Bud Suddath, the event also\u0026nbsp;provides a unique setting and opportunity for both established researchers and trainees to interact\u0026nbsp;in a closer setting.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The 34th annual Suddath Symposium brought together researchers, trainees, and invited speakers from across disciplines to discuss cutting-edge efforts to translate synthetic biology advances into human health-relevant technologies."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-08 14:27:05","changed_gmt":"2026-04-08 14:30:37","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679893":{"id":"679893","type":"image","title":"2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775658434","gmt_created":"2026-04-08 14:27:14","changed":"1775658434","gmt_changed":"2026-04-08 14:27:14","alt":"A presenter stands at the front of a lecture room speaking to a seated audience while a projected slide titled \u201cSynthetic Biology: Engineered Gene Circuits\u201d illustrates the design\u2013build\u2013test cycle with diagrams and icons explaining gene circuit construction and testing.","file":{"fid":"264114","name":"2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/08\/2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/08\/2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1840500,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/08\/2026-Suddath-Symposium.jpg?itok=1yDWHq1D"}}},"media_ids":["679893"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"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":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687195":{"#nid":"687195","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Illness Is More Than Just Biological \u2013 Medical Sociology Shows How Social Factors Get Under the Skin and Cause\u00a0Disease","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHealth and medicine is more than just biological \u2013 societal forces can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev.publhealth.29.020907.090852\u0022\u003Eget under your skin and cause illness\u003C\/a\u003E. Medical sociologists \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=HQtYrggAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003Elike me study these forces\u003C\/a\u003E by treating society itself as our laboratory. Health and illness are our experiments in uncovering meaning, power and inequality, and how it affects all parts of a person\u2019s life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, why do low-income communities \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nationalacademies.org\/read\/19015\u0022\u003Econtinue to have higher death rates\u003C\/a\u003E, despite improved social and environmental conditions across society? Foundational research in medical sociology reveals that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2307\/2626958\u0022\u003Eaccess to resources\u003C\/a\u003E like money, knowledge, power and social networks strongly affects a person\u2019s health. Medical sociologists have shown that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383498\u0022\u003Esocial class is linked to numerous diseases and mortality\u003C\/a\u003E, including risk factors that influence health and longevity. These include \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/secondhand-smoke-may-be-a-substantial-contributor-to-lead-levels-found-in-children-and-adolescents-new-study-finds-212256\u0022\u003Esmoking\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/fixing-the-global-childhood-obesity-epidemic-begins-with-making-healthy-choices-the-easier-choices-and-that-requires-new-laws-and-policies-207975\u0022\u003Eoverweight\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/hispanics-live-longer-than-most-americans-but-will-the-us-obesity-epidemic-change-things-146006\u0022\u003Eobesity\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/black-mothers-trapped-in-unsafe-neighborhoods-signal-the-stressful-health-toll-of-gun-violence-in-the-u-s-203307\u0022\u003Estress\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/loneliness-is-making-us-physically-sick-but-social-prescribing-can-treat-it-podcast-199939\u0022\u003Esocial isolation\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/health-insurance-premiums-rose-nearly-3x-the-rate-of-worker-earnings-over-the-past-25-years-271450\u0022\u003Eaccess to health care\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/kids-neighborhoods-can-affect-their-developing-brains-a-new-study-finds-184035\u0022\u003Eliving in disadvantaged neighborhoods\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMoreover, social class alone cannot explain such health inequalities. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/singh.hsoc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMy own research\u003C\/a\u003E examines how inequalities related to social class, race and gender affect \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ssmqr.2023.100234\u0022\u003Eaccess to autism services\u003C\/a\u003E, particularly among single Black mothers who rely on public insurance. This work helps explain \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1542\/peds.2019-3629\u0022\u003Edelays in autism diagnosis\u003C\/a\u003E among Black children, who often wait three years after initial parent concerns before they are formally diagnosed. White children with private insurance typically \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.18553\/jmcp.2023.29.4.378\u0022\u003Ewait from 9 to 22 months\u003C\/a\u003E depending on age of diagnosis. This is just one of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s40615-024-02280-x\u0022\u003Enumerous examples of inequalities\u003C\/a\u003E that are entrenched in and deepened by medical and educational systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedical sociologists like me investigate how all of these \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.who.int\/publications\/i\/item\/WHO-IER-CSDH-08.1\u0022\u003Efactors interact to affect a person\u2019s health\u003C\/a\u003E. This \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781003569824\u0022\u003Esocial model of illness\u003C\/a\u003E sees sickness as shaped by social, cultural, political and economic factors. We examine both \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Eindividual experiences and societal influences\u003C\/a\u003E to help address the health issues affecting vulnerable populations through large-scale reforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy studying the way \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Esocial forces shape health inequalities\u003C\/a\u003E, medical sociology helps address how health and illness extend beyond the body and into every aspect of people\u2019s lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Protesters standing in front of a federal building, holding signs in the shape of graves reading \u0026apos;16 MILLION LIVES\u0026apos; and \u0026apos;R.I.P. DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS,\u0026apos; wearing shirts that read \u0026apos;MEDICAID SAVES LIVES\u0026apos;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710832\/original\/file-20260105-62-evcc0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EAccess to health insurance is a political issue that directly affects patients. Here, care workers gathered in June 2025 to protest Medicaid cuts.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/care-workers-with-the-service-employees-international-union-news-photo\/2221731651\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003ETasos Katopodis\/Getty Images for SEIU\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EOrigins of Medical Sociology in the US\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedical sociology \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/9781444314786.ch1\u0022\u003Eformally began in the U.S after World War II\u003C\/a\u003E, when the National Institutes of Health started investing in joint medical and sociological research projects. Hospitals began hiring sociologists to address questions like how to improve patient compliance, doctor-patient interactions and medical treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the focus of this early work was on issues specific to medicine, such as quality improvement or barriers to medication adherence. The goal was to study problems that could be directly applied in medical settings rather than challenging medical authority or existing inequalities. During that period, sociologists viewed illness mostly as a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/socialsystem00pars\/page\/n3\/mode\/2up\u0022\u003Edeviation from normal functioning\u003C\/a\u003E leading to impairments that require treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, the concept of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/socialsystem00pars\/page\/n3\/mode\/2up\u0022\u003Esick role\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 developed by medical sociologist Talcott Parsons in the 1950s \u2013 saw illness as a form of deviance from social roles and expectations. Under this idea, patients were solely responsible for seeking out medical care in order to return to normal functioning in society.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the 1960s, sociologists began \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/stigmanotesonman0000goff\/page\/n5\/mode\/2up\u0022\u003Ecritiquing medical diagnoses and institutions\u003C\/a\u003E. Researchers criticized the idea of the sick role because it assumed illnesses were temporary and did not account for chronic conditions or disability, which can last for long periods of time and do not necessarily allow people to deviate from their life obligations. The sick role assumed that all people have access to medical care, and it did not take into account how social characteristics like race, class, gender and age can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1467-9566.1991.tb00522.x\u0022\u003Einfluence a person\u2019s experience of illness\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Patient wearing surgical mask sitting in chair of exam room, talking to a doctor\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710831\/original\/file-20260105-62-pk5w60.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EEarly models of illness in medical sociology discounted the experience of the patient.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/man-talks-with-dr-stela-kostova-at-families-together-of-news-photo\/1470350026\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EPaul Bersebach\/MediaNews Group\/Orange County Register via Getty Images\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParsons\u2019 sick role concept also emphasized the expertise of the physician rather than the patient\u2019s experience of illness. For example, sociologist Erving Goffman showed that the way \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4324\/9781351327763\u0022\u003Ecare is structured in asylums shaped how patients are treated\u003C\/a\u003E. He also examined how the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/stigmanotesonman0000goff\/page\/n5\/mode\/2up\u0022\u003Eexperience of stigma\u003C\/a\u003E is an interactive process that develops in response to social norms. This work influenced how researchers understood chronic illness and disability and laid the groundwork for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1467-9566.2009.01161.x\u0022\u003Elater debates on what counts as pathological or normal\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the 1970s, some researchers began to question the model of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1467-954X.1972.tb00220.x\u0022\u003Emedicine as an institution of social control\u003C\/a\u003E. They critiqued how medicine\u2019s jurisdiction expanded over many societal problems \u2013 such as old age and death \u2013 which were defined and treated as medical problems. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1146\/annurev.so.18.080192.001233\u0022\u003EResearchers were critical of the tendency to medicalize\u003C\/a\u003E and apply labels like \u201chealthy\u201d and \u201cill\u201d to increasing parts of human existence. This shift emphasized how a medical diagnosis can carry political weight and how medical authority can affect social inclusion or exclusion.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe critical perspective aligns with critiques from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/09687599.2013.818773\u0022\u003Edisability studies\u003C\/a\u003E. Unlike medical sociology, which emerged through the medical model of disease, disability studies emerged from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bloomsbury.com\/us\/new-politics-of-disablement-9780333945674\/\u0022\u003Edisability rights activism and scholarship\u003C\/a\u003E. Rather than viewing disability as pathological, this field sees disability as a variation of the human condition rooted in social barriers and exclusionary environments. Instead of seeking cures, researchers focus on increasing accessibility, human rights and autonomy for disabled people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA contemporary figure in this field was \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/disabilityvisibilityproject.com\/about\/\u0022\u003EAlice Wong\u003C\/a\u003E, a disability rights activist and medical sociologist who \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/obituaries\/2025\/11\/15\/disability-activist-alice-wong\/\u0022\u003Edied in November 2025\u003C\/a\u003E. Her work amplified disabled voices and helped shaped how the public understood disability justice and access to technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EStructural Forces Shape Health and Illness\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy focusing on social and structural influences on health, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Emedical sociology has contributed significantly\u003C\/a\u003E to programs addressing issues like segregation, discrimination, poverty, unemployment and underfunded schools.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, sociological research on racial health disparities invite \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383838\u0022\u003Eneighborhood interventions\u003C\/a\u003E that can help improve overall quality of life by increasing the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/free-school-meals-for-all-may-reduce-childhood-obesity-while-easing-financial-and-logistical-burdens-for-families-and-schools-223270\u0022\u003Eavailability of affordable nutritious foods\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/what-is-food-insecurity-152746\u0022\u003Ein underserved neighborhoods\u003C\/a\u003E or initiatives that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/socioeconomic-status-explains-most-of-the-racial-and-ethnic-achievement-gaps-in-elementary-school-237931\u0022\u003Eprioritize equal access to education\u003C\/a\u003E. At the societal level, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Elarge-scale social policies\u003C\/a\u003E such as guaranteed minimum incomes or universal health care can dramatically reduce health inequalities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022People carrying boxes of food under a tent\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=360\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=360\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=360\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=452\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=452\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/710822\/original\/file-20260105-70-3hpn4u.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=452\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EAccess to nutritious food is critical to health.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/escondido-ca-juliana-ramos-of-interfaith-community-services-news-photo\/2243706444\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EK.C. Alfred \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedical sociology has also expanded the understanding of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383496\u0022\u003Ehow health care policies affect health\u003C\/a\u003E, helping ensure that policy changes take into account the broader social context. For example, a key area of medical sociological research is the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0022146510383504\u0022\u003Erising cost of and limited access to health care\u003C\/a\u003E. This body of work focuses on the complex social and organizational factors of delivering health services. It highlights the need for more state and federal regulatory control as well as investment in groups and communities that need care the most.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModern medical sociology ultimately considers all societal issues to be health issues. Improving people\u2019s health and well-being requires improving education, employment, housing, transportation and other social, economic and political policies.\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\/270258\/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\/illness-is-more-than-just-biological-medical-sociology-shows-how-social-factors-get-under-the-skin-and-cause-disease-270258\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\u003EBy studying the way social forces shape health inequalities, medical sociology helps address how health and illness extend beyond the body and into every aspect of people\u2019s lives.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"By studying the way social forces shape health inequalities, medical sociology helps address how health and illness extend beyond the body and into every aspect of people\u2019s lives."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-01-08 15:37:58","changed_gmt":"2026-04-06 18:16:40","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-08T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-08T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678961":{"id":"678961","type":"image","title":"Lack of access to safe and affordable housing is harmful to health. Robert Gauthier\/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELack of access to safe and affordable housing is harmful to health. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/los-angeles-ca-tuesday-may-31-2022-dana-vanderford-news-photo\/1242004141\u0022\u003ERobert Gauthier\/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768232345","gmt_created":"2026-01-12 15:39:05","changed":"1768232345","gmt_changed":"2026-01-12 15:39:05","alt":"Lack of access to safe and affordable housing is harmful to health. Robert Gauthier\/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images","file":{"fid":"263064","name":"file-20260105-70-1qzwti.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/file-20260105-70-1qzwti.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/file-20260105-70-1qzwti.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":239539,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/12\/file-20260105-70-1qzwti.jpg?itok=J-V7i4lM"}}},"media_ids":["678961"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/illness-is-more-than-just-biological-medical-sociology-shows-how-social-factors-get-under-the-skin-and-cause-disease-270258","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"}],"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":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/jennifer-singh-2531279\u0022\u003EJennifer Singh\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Professor of Sociology, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\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":""}},"689424":{"#nid":"689424","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech-led Research Team to Develop SHIELD Against Deadly Biological Threats","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe United States continues to face deadly infectious disease outbreaks, from emerging viruses to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, underscoring the nation\u2019s need for rapid, effective response systems. These threats extend beyond public health, disrupting daily life, straining health care systems, and impacting military readiness.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/singh\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the Carl Ring Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and professor in\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ethe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory\u0026nbsp;University, has been awarded up to $6 million from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures (MCMs) against deadly biological threats that endanger public health, national security, and warfighters.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDTRA\u2019s mission is to provide solutions that enable the Department of Defense, the U.S. government, and international partners to deter strategic threats. A key priority is advancing new or improved MCMs that can be deployed before or after exposure to biological or chemical agents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh\u2019s multi-year project, Systematic Human Immune Engineering for Lethal Disease (SHIELD) Countermeasures, aims to create a threat-agnostic platform that transforms how respiratory pathogens and toxins are studied. The platform is designed to speed up the discovery, development, and production of immune-based countermeasures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh leads a collaborative team that includes Cornell University\u2019s Matthew DeLisa and Stanford University\u2019s Michael Jewett. Together, they will integrate immune-engineering technologies with advanced cell-free protein synthesis platforms to discover and manufacture protein-based MCMs. Cell-free protein synthesis is a laboratory technique that efficiently produces proteins without relying on living cells, which can be unpredictable and technically demanding when it comes to expressing complex or toxic proteins and scaling production quickly. The team expects the SHIELD Countermeasures platform to reduce the time and cost of MCM development by more than tenfold.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe foundational science and cutting-edge tools we develop will ignite future discoveries, ensuring a robust pipeline of advanced protein-based MCMs for chemical and biological defense,\u201d said Singh, who also directs the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThis will significantly enhance national security and equip our warfighters with next-generation biodefense capabilities.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETraditional animal models often fail to accurately replicate human immune responses, and standard tissue cultures lack the complexity required to study how immune cells interact with pathogens. In contrast, human immune organoids and immune-competent devices \u2014 built from human cells \u2014 are emerging as groundbreaking research tools. These systems recreate key immune features, such as lymph nodes and mucosal environments, within three-dimensional or microengineered platforms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMany organoid and engineering devices, often called organ-on-chip platforms, lack immune integration,\u201d Singh said. \u201cBecause immunity sits at the center of human health, these limitations have broad consequences. Immune-competent organ-on-chip platforms extend this concept by combining human cells with microfluidic engineering that simulates blood flow, tissue barriers, and chemical gradients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh has previously published studies on a synthetic \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41563-024-02037-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehuman immune chip\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41551-025-01491-9\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eimmunocompetent lung on a chip\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and has also teamed up with DeLisa previously to use synthetic immune organoids for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acscentsci.2c01473\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eimmuno-profiling antibacterial MCMs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s about being able to test far larger numbers of candidate protein-based MCMs in a single experiment\u2014and to do it much faster,\u201d DeLisa said. \u201cCell-free systems allow us to produce MCMs at unprecedented speed and scale, but traditional evaluation methods can\u2019t keep up with those numbers. By combining cell-free MCM production with immune organoid technology, we can assess the potency of dozens or even hundreds of candidates at a time and characterize the resulting immune responses within just a few days.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy integrating immune cells with tissues such as lung, gut, skin, or vascular systems, these devices allow scientists to observe immune responses in real time, including cell migration, inflammation, and interactions with pathogens or therapeutics. As biological threats evolve, the development and deployment of immune-competent platforms will be critical for rapid, effective countermeasures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDTRA\u2019s investment in Singh\u2019s work highlights the urgent national priority of strengthening U.S. biodefense capabilities. The SHIELD Countermeasures platform and its cutting-edge technologies promise to transform the nation\u2019s response to biological threats and help safeguard communities from biological and chemical attacks.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003ELed by Ankur Singh, the multi-institutional SHIELD (Systematic Human Immune Engineering for Lethal Disease) project aims to transform how scientists study and respond to dangerous respiratory pathogens and toxins. The effort brings together researchers from Georgia Tech, Cornell, and Stanford to enable faster and more cost-effective development of protein-based medical countermeasures. The team expects the platform to reduce the time and cost of developing these defenses by more than tenfold, strengthening the nation\u2019s preparedness against biological threats.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech-led research team has received up to $6 million to develop SHIELD, a new platform designed to rapidly create immune-based countermeasures against a wide range of deadly biological threats."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-02 19:06:48","changed_gmt":"2026-04-02 19:17:40","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679841":{"id":"679841","type":"image","title":"DTRA-2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775156814","gmt_created":"2026-04-02 19:06:54","changed":"1775156814","gmt_changed":"2026-04-02 19:06:54","alt":"Ankur Singh, a man in a gray suit jacket with a dark pink button-up shirt stands in front of a work bench in a lab.","file":{"fid":"264047","name":"DTRA-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/02\/DTRA-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/02\/DTRA-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1541575,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/02\/DTRA-2.jpg?itok=UsJZzTJB"}}},"media_ids":["679841"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"190256","name":"G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"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\u003ETracie Troha | Communications Officer, Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689408":{"#nid":"689408","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Singh Family Gift Funds High-Risk Research at Center for Immunoengineering","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA philanthropic gift from the family of J.P. Singh is helping researchers at Georgia Tech push the boundaries of biomedical innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Singh Family Research Awards were established as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering\u003C\/a\u003E, creating a seed funding program supporting both faculty and students that is designed to accelerate early-stage ideas with the potential to transform medicine. The awards support interdisciplinary projects pursuing high-risk, high-reward research that could lead to new therapies for cancer, infectious diseases, and chronic illnesses.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe gift honors the legacy of J.P. Singh and reflects his family\u2019s commitment to advancing research that could lead to safer and more effective treatments for patients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe gift is giving scientists the freedom to pursue bold ideas that might otherwise be too early or too unconventional for traditional funding,\u201d said Ankur Singh, Director of the Center for Immunoengineering and Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/schools\/biomedical-engineering\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory (BME). \u201cIt allows Georgia Tech scientists to explore new frontiers in immunoengineering, from cancer to autoimmunity, and to build the scientific foundations that could ultimately lead to the next generation of transformative therapies.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe inaugural awards support four innovative projects that span multiple areas of biomedical research, including two Faculty Research Awards and two Student Fellowship Awards.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUsing AI to Guide the Immune System\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne Singh Family Faculty Research Award, given to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/17370\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndrew McShan\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, will help develop AI\u2011guided tools to design synthetic immune\u2011like molecules that can detect lipids on cell surfaces. Most current immunotherapies are designed to recognize protein fragments presented on cells, leaving a largely untapped class of disease-associated targets \u2014 lipids \u2014 beyond the reach of modern immune engineering. By enabling programmable molecules that can detect lipids on cell surfaces, the work aims to expand immune targeting beyond traditional protein targets and open new diagnostic and treatment strategies for diseases such as leukemia, tuberculosis, and inflammatory skin disorders.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn AI-guided design framework for lipid-sensing immune receptors would create an entirely new class of programmable immune molecules capable of identifying disease signals that were previously inaccessible. Such tools could enable earlier disease detection, new immune-based therapeutics, and a broader ability to engineer immune systems to recognize complex biological threats, fundamentally expanding the scope of targets addressable by modern immunotherapy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeveloping the Next Generation of Cancer Treatments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second faculty award project, led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3702\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJohn Blazeck\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, focuses on engineering next-generation cancer immunotherapies using CAR-T cells, which are a patient\u2019s own immune cells that have been re\u2011engineered to recognize and attack specific cancer cells. The team is developing new receptors for CAR-T cells designed to improve safety while enabling immune cells to recognize multiple tumor targets simultaneously.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis approach addresses two major barriers that have limited the success of CAR-T therapies in solid tumors: the risk of attacking healthy tissues and the ability of tumors to evade treatment by changing or losing a single target antigen. If successful, the work could significantly expand the reach of CAR-T cell therapy, which has already transformed the treatment of certain blood cancers but has struggled to treat solid tumors such as breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy enabling immune cells to distinguish tumors more precisely and attack cancers that display multiple markers, the new receptor designs could make CAR-T therapies both safer and more effective. The technology could represent a major step toward translating cellular immunotherapies to the far larger population of patients with solid tumors, potentially opening the door to powerful new treatments for some of the most resistant cancers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImaging Heart Risk Early with Ultrasound\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe gift also established two Singh Family Fellow Awards, supporting graduate students pursuing innovative research in immunoengineering.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne fellowship was awarded to Yann Ferry, a graduate student advised by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/arvanitis\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECostas Arvanitis\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ME) and BME. Ferry\u2019s project aims to advance ultrasound imaging technologies designed to visualize immune activity inside Atherosclerosis plaques, the fatty deposits that accumulate in arteries and can trigger heart attacks or strokes when they rupture.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy tracking immune cells that drive plaque inflammation and instability (called macrophages), the team aims to develop a noninvasive imaging approach that can measure the immune state of plaques in real time. If successful, the technology could transform how cardiovascular disease is diagnosed and monitored.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, physicians can detect plaque buildup but cannot easily determine whether a plaque is actively inflamed and likely to rupture. Imaging immune activity could allow doctors to identify high-risk plaques earlier, monitor how patients respond to therapy, and intervene before a heart attack or stroke occurs. Given that cardiovascular disease remains the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/fastats\/leading-causes-of-death.htm\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eleading cause of death\u003C\/a\u003E in the United States, such a tool could significantly improve prevention and treatment strategies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWorking Toward a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second fellowship supports Alexander Kedzierski, a Ph.D. student in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3691\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s\u0026nbsp; lab within ME. Kedzierski\u2019s research focuses on improving stem-cell-based treatments for Type 1 Diabetes. The project aims to design degradable biomaterials that present that help control the immune response, protecting transplanted insulin\u2011producing cells from being attacked by the body.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent experimental therapies using insulin-producing cells that are derived from stem cells have shown promise but are limited by the need for lifelong medications that suppress the immune system to prevent rejection. By engineering biomaterials that locally regulate immune responses around transplanted cells, the researchers hope to enable long-term graft survival without suppressing the entire immune system.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf successful, the approach could bring regenerative therapies for Type 1 diabetes closer to a practical cure, allowing patients to restore natural insulin production while avoiding the risks associated with chronic immunosuppressive treatment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELooking Ahead\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETogether, the projects illustrate the core mission of the Center for Immunoengineering and the Singh Family gift. By investing in bold, interdisciplinary research, the Singh family\u2019s gift is helping the Center for Immunoengineering accelerate innovations at the intersection of engineering, biology, and medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the years ahead, the program is expected to expand a pipeline of high-impact research, from next-generation immunotherapies to immune-guided diagnostics and regenerative medicine. For the scientists involved, the goal is not only to advance discovery but to translate new insights about the immune system into real-world solutions for patients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EThe Center for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech has named the inaugural recipients of the Singh Family Research Awards, recognizing four interdisciplinary projects led by Andrew McShan, John Blazeck, Yann Ferry, and Alexander Kedzierski. Together, the awardees exemplify high\u2011risk, high\u2011reward research aimed at translating fundamental immune engineering advances into safer, more effective treatments for patients.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Center for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech has awarded the inaugural Singh Family Research Awards to two faculty members and two students advancing innovative immunoengineering projects."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-04-02 18:09:35","changed_gmt":"2026-04-02 19:16:10","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679836":{"id":"679836","type":"image","title":"Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg","body":null,"created":"1775153384","gmt_created":"2026-04-02 18:09:44","changed":"1775153384","gmt_changed":"2026-04-02 18:09:44","alt":"Four headshots of Singh Family Award winners: Andrew McShan, John Blazeck, Yann Ferry, and Alexander Kedzierski","file":{"fid":"264042","name":"Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/02\/Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/02\/Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":160700,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/02\/Singh-Award-Winners-2026.jpg?itok=6yTaA74y"}}},"media_ids":["679836"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"101691","name":"College of Engineering; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineerin"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"94321","name":"College of Engineering; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"569","name":"bioengineering"}],"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: Ankur Singh, Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEdited by: Ashlie Bowman, Communications Manager, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\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":""}},"688969":{"#nid":"688969","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Turning Carbon Into Chemistry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe building blocks of proteins, amino acids are essential for all living things. Twenty different amino acids build the thousands of proteins that carry out biological tasks. While some are made naturally in our bodies, others are absorbed through the food we eat.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAmino acids also play a critical role commercially where they are manufactured and added to pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, cosmetics, animal feeds, and industrial chemicals \u2014 an energy-intensive process leading to greenhouse gas emissions, resource consumption, and pollution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA landmark new system developed at Georgia Tech could lead to an alternative: a commercially scalable, environmentally sustainable method for amino acid production that is carbon negative, using more carbon than it emits.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe breakthrough builds on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-carbon-negative-method-produce-essential-amino-acids\u0022\u003Ea method that the team pioneered\u003C\/a\u003E in 2024 and solves a key issue \u2013 increasing efficiency to an unprecedented 97% and reducing the bioprocess cost by over 40%.\u0026nbsp;It\u2019s\u0026nbsp;the highest reported conversion of CO2 equivalents into amino acids using any synthetic biology system to date.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPublished in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EACS Synthetic Biology,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acssynbio.5c00352\u0022\u003ECell-Free-Based Thermophilic Biocatalyst for the Synthesis of Amino Acids From One-Carbon Feedstocks\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/catalog.gatech.edu\/programs\/bioengineering-phd\/\u0022\u003EBioengineering\u003C\/a\u003E Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERay Westenberg\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eand\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/peralta-yahya.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProfessor Pamela Peralta-Yahya\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who holds joint appointments in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. The team also included\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EShaafique Chowdhury\u003C\/strong\u003E (Ph.D. ChBE 25) and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKimberly Wennerholm\u003C\/strong\u003E (ChBE 23)\u003Cstrong\u003E;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ealongside\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.washington.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Washington\u003C\/a\u003E collaborators\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chainreaction.anl.gov\/ryan-cardiff\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERyan Cardiff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, then a Ph.D. student and now a Chain Reaction Innovations Fellow at Argonne National Laboratory, and Charles W. H. Matthaei Endowed Professor in Chemical Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cheme.washington.edu\/facultyfinder\/james-carothers\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames M. Carothers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E; in addition to\u0026nbsp;Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Synthetic Biology Team Leader\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnnl.gov\/people\/alex-beliaev\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlexander S. Beliaev\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022This work shifts the narrative from simply reducing carbon emissions to actually consuming them to create value,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;Peralta-Yahya.\u0026nbsp;\u201cWe are taking low-cost carbon sources and building essential ingredients in a truly carbon-negative process that is efficient, effective, and scalable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHeat-Loving Organisms\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe work builds on the cell-free technology the team used in their earlier study. \u201cPreviously, we discovered that a system that uses the machinery of cells, without using actual living cells, could be used to create amino acids from carbon dioxide,\u201d Peralta-Yahya explains. \u201cBut to create a commercially viable system, we needed to increase the system\u2019s efficiency and reduce the cost.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team discovered that bits of leftover cells were consuming starting materials, and \u2014 like a machine with unnecessary gears or parts \u2014 this limited the system\u2019s efficiency. To optimize their \u201cmachine,\u201d the team would need to remove the extra background machinery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022Leftover cell parts were using key resources without helping produce the amino acids we were looking for,\u201d says Peralta-Yahya. \u201cWe knew that heating the system could be one way to purify it because heat can denature these components.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe challenge was in how to protect the essential system components from the high temperatures, she adds. \u201cWe wondered if introducing enzymes produced by a heat-loving bacterium,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EMoorella thermoacetica,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Emight protect our system, while still allowing us to denature and remove that inefficient background machinery.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe results were astounding: after introducing the enzymes, heating and \u201ccleaning\u201d the system, and letting it cool to room temperature, synthesis of the amino acids serine and glycine leaped to 97% yield \u2014 nearly three times that of the team\u2019s previous system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EScaling for Sustainability\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo make the system viable for large-scale use, the team also needed to reduce costs. \u201cOne of the most costly components in this system is the cofactor tetrahydrofolate (THF),\u201d Peralta-Yahya shares. \u201cReducing the amount of THF needed to start the process was one way to make the system more inexpensive and ultimately more commercially viable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBy linking reaction steps so waste from one step fueled the next, the team devised a method to recycle THF within the system that reduces the amount of THF needed by five-fold \u2014 lowering bioprocessing costs by 42%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis decrease in cost and increase in yield is a critical step forward in creating a method with real potential for use in industry and manufacturing,\u201d Peralta-Yahya says. \u201cThis system could pave the way for moving this carbon-negative technology out of the lab and onto the continuous, industrial scale.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: The Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E); U.S. Department of Energy; and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research Program.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/acssynbio.5c00352\u0022 title=\u0022DOI URL\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1021\/acssynbio.5c00352\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed a breakthrough system to manufacture valuable amino acids. It\u2019s the most efficient system of its kind \u2014 and removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers have developed a breakthrough system to manufacture valuable amino acids. It\u2019s the most efficient system of its kind \u2014 and removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-03-17 16:04:13","changed_gmt":"2026-03-25 14:16:42","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679657":{"id":"679657","type":"image","title":"Amino Acids","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn illustration of a chain of amino acids forming a protein (Credit: Adobe Stock)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1773763467","gmt_created":"2026-03-17 16:04:27","changed":"1773763467","gmt_changed":"2026-03-17 16:04:27","alt":"Blue and orange spirals against a light blue background.","file":{"fid":"263840","name":"AdobeStock_421110334_Preview.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/17\/AdobeStock_421110334_Preview.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/17\/AdobeStock_421110334_Preview.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":483310,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/17\/AdobeStock_421110334_Preview.jpeg?itok=nVtDwueb"}}},"media_ids":["679657"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"660370","name":"Space"}],"categories":[{"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"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"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:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"689114":{"#nid":"689114","#data":{"type":"news","title":"ATDC Startups Secure Rare  FDA \u2018Breakthrough Device\u2019 Status ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s\u0026nbsp;uncommon\u0026nbsp;for any startup to receive the Food and\u0026nbsp;Drug\u0026nbsp;Administration\u2019s\u202f(FDA) Breakthrough Devices\u202fdesignation.\u0026nbsp;For the\u0026nbsp;roughly 40%\u0026nbsp;of applicants who receive the designation, it\u0026nbsp;shows that\u0026nbsp;the technology has real potential to improve patient outcomes and should get priority attention from the agency.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atdc.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAdvanced Technology Development Center\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(ATDC)\u0026nbsp;in Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/commercialization.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOffice of Commercialization\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eannounced two of its\u0026nbsp;health technology\u0026nbsp;(HealthTech) portfolio\u0026nbsp;companies,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nephrodite.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENephrodite\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.orthopreserve.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOrthoPreserve\u003C\/a\u003E, earned\u0026nbsp;the designation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAchieving this rare milestone\u0026nbsp;underscores\u0026nbsp;the caliber of founders, science, and support in ATDC\u2019s\u0026nbsp;30-company\u0026nbsp;HealthTech\u0026nbsp;portfolio, the incubator\u2019s largest focus\u0026nbsp;area.\u0026nbsp;It\u2019s\u0026nbsp;also a\u0026nbsp;win for\u0026nbsp;Georgia\u0026nbsp;because it\u0026nbsp;reflects\u0026nbsp;the strength of the state\u2019s\u0026nbsp;health\u0026nbsp;innovation\u0026nbsp;ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis designation is one of the strongest signals the FDA gives that\u0026nbsp;a technology\u0026nbsp;could change the\u0026nbsp;standard of care,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;Greg Jungles, HealthTech catalyst at\u0026nbsp;ATDC.\u0026nbsp;\u201cFor ATDC to\u0026nbsp;have two in the same year is remarkable.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u202fBreakthrough Device\u202fProgram\u0026nbsp;doesn\u2019t\u0026nbsp;waive evidence requirements, but it\u202faccelerates learning\u202fwith the FDA, ATDC\u2019s Jungles said. \u201cThat means shorter response times,\u202fmore frequent meetings, and\u202fprioritized review. Teams avoid dead ends and align earlier on study designs and endpoints.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the founders\u0026nbsp;of both startups,\u0026nbsp;their technologies\u0026nbsp;come one step closer to moving their innovations to market.\u0026nbsp;Nephrodite\u2019s\u0026nbsp;technology\u0026nbsp;improves\u0026nbsp;the lives of dialysis\u0026nbsp;patients.\u0026nbsp;OrthoPreserve\u2019s\u0026nbsp;device addresses challenges faced by\u0026nbsp;those who suffer from chronic knee pain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENephrodite: Advancing Continuous Artificial Kidney Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Nikhil\u0026nbsp;Shah\u0026nbsp;and Dr. Hiep Nguyen,\u0026nbsp;cofounders\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;Nephrodite, aim\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;improve\u0026nbsp;care for dialysis patients\u0026nbsp;with end-stage kidney disease\u0026nbsp;who need transplants. These patients\u0026nbsp;often\u0026nbsp;spend\u0026nbsp;three to four hours in a\u0026nbsp;dialysis\u0026nbsp;clinic\u0026nbsp;up to\u0026nbsp;three times a week. Being\u0026nbsp;tethered to stationary machines\u0026nbsp;with needles\u0026nbsp;drawing blood via arm grafts\u0026nbsp;complicates\u0026nbsp;everyday\u0026nbsp;activities\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;from work\u0026nbsp;tasks\u0026nbsp;to the ability to travel.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDialysis addresses chronic kidney disease, which means kidneys no longer work properly. The treatments filter out toxins,\u0026nbsp;waste, and other fluids in the blood. Kidney disease\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/kidney-disease\/ckd-facts\/index.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ecosts Medicare\u0026nbsp;$124.5 billion\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And those costs are expected to rise because of increasing rates of kidney failure and chronic kidney disease.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDialysis, while lifesaving\u0026nbsp;when it was pioneered\u0026nbsp;in 1952, is incredibly burdensome,\u201d Shah said.\u0026nbsp;Besides being\u0026nbsp;a long process\u0026nbsp;that keeps the patient in a fixed location,\u0026nbsp;it\u2019s\u0026nbsp;physically tiring.\u0026nbsp;\u201cTaking out your blood\u0026nbsp;continually\u0026nbsp;many, many times over, and over the course of four hours\u0026nbsp;is the equivalent of running\u0026nbsp;the Boston Marathon, hitting the finish line, and then someone saying, \u2018You\u0027re not done;\u0026nbsp;go do\u0026nbsp;it again,\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u201d\u0026nbsp;he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA surgeon by training,\u0026nbsp;with\u0026nbsp;expertise\u0026nbsp;in transplantation and oncology, Shah\u0026nbsp;is also an adjunct associate professor\u0026nbsp;in\u0026nbsp;Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing. He\u0026nbsp;worked with\u0026nbsp;Nguyen\u0026nbsp;to develop a\u0026nbsp;continuously\u0026nbsp;functioning mechanical artificial kidney, leading to\u0026nbsp;Nephrodite\u2019s\u0026nbsp;formation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;FDA\u2019s\u0026nbsp;breakthrough designation\u0026nbsp;on\u0026nbsp;its\u0026nbsp;artificial kidney\u0026nbsp;allows the company\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;pursue approvals to\u0026nbsp;begin tests in\u0026nbsp;human trials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe company traces its beginnings to a German aerospace facility outside Munich,\u0026nbsp;where\u0026nbsp;Nguyen and\u0026nbsp;Shah\u0026nbsp;watched engineers\u0026nbsp;demonstrate\u0026nbsp;a pediatric artificial heart\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.berlinheart.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBerlin Heart\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat\u2019s\u0026nbsp;how we got started,\u201d Shah said.\u0026nbsp;\u201cSeeing\u0026nbsp;an artificial heart that led us to\u0026nbsp;think about doing this for kidneys\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;because the kidney space has been largely ignored for 70 years.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBacked by a German federal grant,\u0026nbsp;Nephrodite\u0026nbsp;grew, moving from Germany to Boston, Massachusetts, then\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;Austin, Texas, before calling Atlanta home.\u0026nbsp;The\u0026nbsp;company joined\u0026nbsp;ATDC\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;tapped\u0026nbsp;into other Georgia Tech programs.\u0026nbsp;This\u0026nbsp;included\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medtech.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter for MedTech Excellence\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gamep.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;Nephrodite\u0026nbsp;also\u0026nbsp;drew on\u0026nbsp;student talent as\u0026nbsp;the researchers\u0026nbsp;quietly\u0026nbsp;worked\u0026nbsp;on\u0026nbsp;their\u0026nbsp;continuous mechanical artificial kidney.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENephrodite\u0026nbsp;began\u0026nbsp;interviewing\u0026nbsp;patients\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;find out what they wanted\u0026nbsp;the artificial kidney needed to solve.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey learned patients\u0026nbsp;want\u0026nbsp;the ability to be mobile.\u0026nbsp;Patients also\u0026nbsp;desire\u0026nbsp;an alternative\u0026nbsp;therapy to large needles being inserted into arm grafts\u0026nbsp;because the injection sites are prone to\u0026nbsp;infection\u0026nbsp;and the grafts can fail. In addition, the process\u0026nbsp;can\u0026nbsp;be\u0026nbsp;painful and disfiguring. Finally,\u0026nbsp;patients want\u0026nbsp;a quality of life\u0026nbsp;independent of\u0026nbsp;machines.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThose\u0026nbsp;quality-of-life\u0026nbsp;needs, especially being free and mobile,\u0026nbsp;were\u0026nbsp;absolutely universal,\u201d Shah said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENephrodite\u0026nbsp;began developing the technology to\u0026nbsp;build\u0026nbsp;its device\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;a filter surgically implanted in the pelvis area.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe developed an implant designed to run\u0026nbsp;constantly, connected to larger blood vessels\u0026nbsp;in the pelvis\u0026nbsp;to\u202favoid arm graft failures, and paired with an external interface that lets patients sleep at night while the system removes toxins and excess fluid,\u201d Shah\u0026nbsp;explained.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe device also has\u0026nbsp;built-in sensors, with\u0026nbsp;data uploaded to the cloud,\u0026nbsp;enabling\u0026nbsp;medical care teams\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;remotely\u0026nbsp;monitor\u0026nbsp;their patients\u0026nbsp;while freeing\u0026nbsp;patients from frequent\u0026nbsp;in-clinic\u0026nbsp;visits.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShah said\u0026nbsp;Nephrodite\u2019s\u0026nbsp;device\u0026nbsp;could restore everyday\u202findependence,\u0026nbsp;while potentially\u202flowering infection risk.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s like having an actual kidney, but\u0026nbsp;without\u0026nbsp;all the issues\u0026nbsp;of an unhealthy one,\u201d Shah said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOrthoPreserve: Innovating a Minimally Invasive Meniscus Implant\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EOrthoPreserve\u2019s technology aims\u0026nbsp;to address issues\u0026nbsp;from\u0026nbsp;people have with their meniscus,\u0026nbsp;the C\u2011shaped piece of cartilage in a knee joint that acts as a shock absorber between the thigh bone and shin bone.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough\u0026nbsp;patients undergo a now-routine surgery to address it,\u0026nbsp;incomplete recoveries are\u0026nbsp;also\u0026nbsp;common.\u0026nbsp;An estimated\u0026nbsp;quarter\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;patients\u202flater experience\u0026nbsp;recurring knee pain.\u0026nbsp;No FDA-approved implant\u202fcurrently exists for this population.\u0026nbsp;Now,\u0026nbsp;OrthoPreserveis developing a minimally invasive,\u202fartificial meniscus implant\u202fto\u202frestore cushioning,\u0026nbsp;relieve pain, and\u202fdelay\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;or even\u0026nbsp;prevent\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;knee replacement\u202ffor\u0026nbsp;some patients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are a million meniscus\u0026nbsp;surgeries every year, and 25% of those patients still live with recurring pain,\u201d said Jonathan Schwartz,\u0026nbsp;OrthoPreserve\u2019s\u0026nbsp;founder and CEO.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPatients\u0026nbsp;can\u0026nbsp;face\u202fdaily pain\u202ffrom\u0026nbsp;ordinary activities, such as\u0026nbsp;prolonged\u0026nbsp;standing\u0026nbsp;or\u0026nbsp;walking\u0026nbsp;a dog. Other activities like\u0026nbsp;jogging and\u0026nbsp;recreational sports\u0026nbsp;can\u0026nbsp;trigger flares\u202fthat\u0026nbsp;can lead to\u0026nbsp;swelling and\u0026nbsp;prolonged\u0026nbsp;discomfort, Schwartz said.\u0026nbsp;\u201cThose patients have\u202fno\u0026nbsp;reliable\u0026nbsp;options today,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re building a minimally invasive implant to\u202frestore cushioning\u202fand help people get back to the activities they love.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrhoPreserve\u2019s\u0026nbsp;durable implant\u0026nbsp;restores cushioning, and it\u0026nbsp;could help people\u202freturn to normal activities\u0026nbsp;and\u202fdelay invasive knee replacement. Along with this comes\u0026nbsp;potential cost and recovery benefits for the healthcare\u0026nbsp;system.\u202f \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESchwartz\u202fcreated the implant as his\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/tech-alum-launches-meniscus-implant-startup\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech master\u2019s thesis\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fin the lab of\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/ku\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Ku\u003C\/a\u003E\u202fin\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;Lawrence P. Huang Endowed Chair for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Regents\u0027 Professor\u0026nbsp;in\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. After industry experience,\u0026nbsp;Schwartz\u0026nbsp;returned to\u0026nbsp;further\u0026nbsp;develop\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;technology,\u0026nbsp;building on Georgia Tech\u2019s translational\u0026nbsp;expertise\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrthoPreserve\u0026nbsp;has completed\u202fmechanical testing and a successful\u202fstudy. The company\u0026nbsp;is raising a\u202f$2 million seed\u202fto complete validations and begin human trials, which Schwartz expects to start in\u0026nbsp;18 months.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe\u0026nbsp;FDA\u0026nbsp;breakthrough designation validates that nothing like this\u0026nbsp;technology\u0026nbsp;exists,\u0026nbsp;and that it has the potential to disrupt the standard of care,\u201d Schwartz\u0026nbsp;said,\u0026nbsp;adding the\u0026nbsp;U.S.\u2019\u0026nbsp;market\u0026nbsp;opportunity\u0026nbsp;is\u0026nbsp;roughly\u0026nbsp;$1.5 billion. \u201cWe finally have a minimally invasive\u0026nbsp;option to bridge the gap between meniscus surgery and knee replacement.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat FDA Breakthrough Designation Means for\u0026nbsp;ATDC\u2019s\u0026nbsp;HealthTech Startups\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHaving a\u0026nbsp;faster\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;clearer path is a\u202fderisking milestone\u202ffor investors\u0026nbsp;who are\u0026nbsp;evaluating\u0026nbsp;capital intensive\u0026nbsp;medical\u0026nbsp;device\u0026nbsp;technologies,\u0026nbsp;Jungles\u0026nbsp;said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis\u0026nbsp;breakthrough device designation is a really big deal for medical\u0026nbsp;device companies,\u201d Jungles said, adding\u0026nbsp;that\u0026nbsp;startups often fear navigating the FDA\u0026nbsp;approval\u0026nbsp;process.\u0026nbsp;\u201cBut this designation\u0026nbsp;adds to the legitimacy of their technologies\u0026nbsp;and the problemsthey are solving. The designation will help them get to market faster, assuming their data continues to meet expectations.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EATDC launched its\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atdc.org\/industry\/healthtech\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHealthTech vertical\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in 2018,\u0026nbsp;which is\u0026nbsp;now\u0026nbsp;sponsored by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/catalyst.wellstar.org\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECatalyst by Wellstar\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;ATDC\u2019s HealthTech\u0026nbsp;portfoilo\u0026nbsp;companies\u0026nbsp;include\u0026nbsp;medical devices, biotech, and digital health, among other segments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EATDC\u2019s Role in Accelerating HealthTech Innovation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENephrodite\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;OrthoPreserve\u2019s\u0026nbsp;founders\u0026nbsp;noted\u0026nbsp;ATDC\u2019s\u202fcoaching\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;programming\u0026nbsp;as critical in navigating fundraising and regulatory milestones.\u0026nbsp;Another\u0026nbsp;factor, they said,\u0026nbsp;was\u0026nbsp;ATDC\u2019s\u0026nbsp;connection\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;labs and facilities\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;prototyping support and clinical advisors\u0026nbsp;from\u0026nbsp;across\u0026nbsp;metro\u0026nbsp;Atlanta.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe meet with ATDC coaches every two to four weeks to troubleshoot and plan,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cHaving that level of seasoned guidance, all\u0026nbsp;without consultant-level costs,\u0026nbsp;has been huge.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJungles added\u0026nbsp;that\u0026nbsp;two\u0026nbsp;Breakthrough device\u0026nbsp;designations in the same year\u0026nbsp;reflects\u0026nbsp;ATDC\u2019s selection rigor, noting\u0026nbsp;he\u2019s\u0026nbsp;evaluated hundreds of technologies since the HealthTech vertical launched.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt reflects the caliber\u0026nbsp;of the companies in\u0026nbsp;ATDC, specifically in the medical\u0026nbsp;device space,\u201d Jungles said. \u201cIt\u2019s the strength of their teams, the persistence of the founders, and the collaboration of the ecosystem in Georgia and Atlanta.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFDA Breakthrough Device designation is rare for health technology startups.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Milestone designation signals strong potential to reshape care for dialysis patients and those with chronic knee pain."}],"uid":"28137","created_gmt":"2026-03-20 21:15:57","changed_gmt":"2026-03-24 15:34:46","author":"P\u00e9ralte Paul","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679705":{"id":"679705","type":"image","title":"Shah and Nguyen headshots","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDr. Nikhil\u0026nbsp;Shah\u0026nbsp;and Dr. Hiep Nguyen,\u0026nbsp;are cofounders\u0026nbsp;of\u0026nbsp;Nephrodite, an ATDC startup.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774043491","gmt_created":"2026-03-20 21:51:31","changed":"1774043761","gmt_changed":"2026-03-20 21:56:01","alt":"Shah and Nguyen headshots","file":{"fid":"263896","name":"Screenshot-2026-03-20-at-17.49.33.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/20\/Screenshot-2026-03-20-at-17.49.33.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/20\/Screenshot-2026-03-20-at-17.49.33.png","mime":"image\/png","size":289138,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/20\/Screenshot-2026-03-20-at-17.49.33.png?itok=tG6Q9aU1"}},"679703":{"id":"679703","type":"image","title":"Jonathan Schwartz headshot","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJonathan Schwartz,\u0026nbsp;OrthoPreserve\u2019s\u0026nbsp;founder and CEO.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1774042486","gmt_created":"2026-03-20 21:34:46","changed":"1774042827","gmt_changed":"2026-03-20 21:40:27","alt":"Headshot of Jonathan Schwartz.","file":{"fid":"263894","name":"J-schwartz-headshot_W.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/20\/J-schwartz-headshot_W.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/20\/J-schwartz-headshot_W.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":514027,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/20\/J-schwartz-headshot_W.jpg?itok=fyQrz_1r"}}},"media_ids":["679705","679703"],"groups":[{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4238","name":"atdc"},{"id":"194965","name":"Greg Jungles"},{"id":"194966","name":"Catalyst by Wellstar"},{"id":"14713","name":"FDA"},{"id":"189701","name":"breakthrough device designation"},{"id":"194967","name":"Nephrodite"},{"id":"194968","name":"OrthoPreserve"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"193654","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EP\u00e9ralte C. Paul\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:peralte@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eperalte@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E404.316.1210\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["peralte@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688551":{"#nid":"688551","#data":{"type":"news","title":"David Sherrill Named Executive Director of the Institute for Data Engineering and Science","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has appointed David Sherrill as executive director of the Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS), effective March 1. Sherrill is a Regents\u0027 Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry with a joint appointment in the School of Computational Science \u0026amp; Engineering. Sherrill has served as associate director for IDEaS since its founding in 2016 and as interim director since January 1, 2025.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to see Professor Sherrill tackle this role for the coming 5 years. He understands the rapidly evolving opportunities to apply AI and data science approaches to the diversity of research conducted by Georgia Tech faculty and students, and has a strong agenda to help our researchers make the most of this explosive change in the research landscape.\u201d Said V.P. of Interdisciplinary Research, Julia Kubanek. \u201cHe also has deep experience with team building and management which will position IDEaS favorably.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs executive director, Sherrill will guide IDEaS\u2019 current initiatives, which include the Microsoft CloudHub program that supports innovative applications in Generative Artificial Intelligence, and provide oversight and support for the joint College of Computing \/ IDEaS Center for Artificial Intelligence in Science and Engineering (ARTISAN), which provides\u0026nbsp; Georgia Tech faculty and research engineers expert support staff, needed cyberinfrastructure, software resources, and advice to assist faculty with projects using large data sets or using AI and machine learning to drive discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESherrill will also the lead the launch of a new strategic vision, emphasizing the Georgia Tech research community\u2019s expertise in the development of AI and ML techniques and their application to problems in science and engineering, high performance computing, and academic software. Sherrill will focus on internal and external partnerships at IDEaS, creating new collaborative efforts in areas such as economics, policy, and the arts and humanities. He will also work to strengthen current connections across Georgia Tech\u2019s Colleges, Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRIs), and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a great honor to be named the next executive director of IDEaS,\u201d said Sherrill.\u0026nbsp; \u201cGeorgia Tech has world-class faculty and students, and an unparalleled spirit of collaboration.\u0026nbsp; By bringing together faculty from across campus and working together with some of the amazing student groups, we can leverage the power of AI to accelerate our research and maximize our impact.\u0026nbsp; IDEaS will continue to run upskilling workshops to help our campus keep pace with the rapid changes in AI.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESherrill is an active promoter of education in computational quantum chemistry, as well as a strong voice for the benefits of open-source software for research acceleration. He was named Outreach Volunteer of the Year by the Georgia Section of the American Chemical Society in 2017, and he is the lead principal investigator of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/PSI_(computational_chemistry)\u0022\u003EPsi\u003C\/a\u003E open-source quantum chemistry program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESherrill earned a B.S. in chemistry from MIT in 1992 and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Georgia in 1996. From 1996-1999 Sherril was an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESherrill is Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Chemical Society, and the American Physical Society, and he has been Associate Editor of the Journal of Chemical Physics since 2009.\u0026nbsp;Sherrill has received a Camille and Henry Dreyfus New Faculty Award, the International Journal of Quantum Chemistry Young Investigator Award, an NSF CAREER Award, and Georgia Tech\u0027s W. Howard Ector Outstanding Teacher Award. In 2023, he received the Herty Medal from the Georgia Section of the American Chemical Society, and in 2024, he was elected to the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E- Christa M. Ernst\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has appointed David Sherrill as executive director of the Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS), effective March 1. Sherrill is a Regents\u0027 Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry with a joint appointment in the School of Computational Science \u0026amp; Engineering. Sherrill has served as associate director for IDEaS since its founding in 2016 and as interim director since January 1, 2025.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech has appointed David Sherrill as executive director of the Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS), effective March 1. "}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2026-02-26 17:22:25","changed_gmt":"2026-03-10 20:55:44","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-26T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-26T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679455":{"id":"679455","type":"image","title":"David-Sherrill-for-Ex-Dir-Bio-Page.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772126566","gmt_created":"2026-02-26 17:22:46","changed":"1772126566","gmt_changed":"2026-02-26 17:22:46","alt":"Picture of David Sherrill who has been Named Executive Director of the Institute for Data Engineering and Science","file":{"fid":"263619","name":"David-Sherrill-for-Ex-Dir-Bio-Page.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/26\/David-Sherrill-for-Ex-Dir-Bio-Page.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/26\/David-Sherrill-for-Ex-Dir-Bio-Page.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":55311,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/26\/David-Sherrill-for-Ex-Dir-Bio-Page.jpg?itok=9oMmhNCm"}}},"media_ids":["679455"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"194609","name":"Industry"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187023","name":"go-data"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187190","name":"-go-gtmi"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"}],"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":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChrista M. Ernst - \u003C\/strong\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["christa.ernst@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688513":{"#nid":"688513","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Proving the Hypothesis: Kendreze Holland Becomes First Project ENGAGES Scholar to Earn Doctorate ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was a hypothesis. I was the experiment, and the hypothesis was proven true.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECan an\u0026nbsp;inner-city student who grew up below the poverty line\u0026nbsp;earn a Ph.D. and make a career in research?\u0026nbsp;In theory, yes.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe barriers are many.\u0026nbsp;But\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2451929424001888\u0022\u003Eliterature\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;suggests that early exposure to\u0026nbsp;STEM and research opportunities\u0026nbsp;can increase the odds\u0026nbsp;for students in need.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor\u0026nbsp;Kendreze\u0026nbsp;Holland,\u0026nbsp;the idea of\u0026nbsp;making it to college\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;earning an advanced degree\u0026nbsp;was a hypothesis.\u0026nbsp;Sure, theoretically\u0026nbsp;it could be done\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;but\u0026nbsp;in his\u0026nbsp;own home, not\u0026nbsp;everyone\u0026nbsp;had\u0026nbsp;even\u0026nbsp;made it past high school.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOften,\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;first\u0026nbsp;question\u0026nbsp;on the way to\u0026nbsp;scientific discovery\u0026nbsp;is:\u0026nbsp;What if? What if a student like Holland received the right help at the right time?\u0026nbsp;What if he\u0026nbsp;was guided\u0026nbsp;along the way by\u0026nbsp;mentors\u0026nbsp;who were leaders in their fields? What if\u0026nbsp;he was given the opportunity to develop professional skills\u0026nbsp;and make valuable connections?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland asked himself: What if he could be the one to\u0026nbsp;prove the hypothesis true?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIntroduction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland grew up\u0026nbsp;in northwest\u0026nbsp;Atlanta,\u0026nbsp;one of seven children\u0026nbsp;raised by a single mother.\u0026nbsp;Being\u0026nbsp;one of so many children, most would struggle to stand out. But Holland always\u0026nbsp;sought\u0026nbsp;to be different.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy perpetual intention was to be less of a burden to my mother,\u201d he said. \u201cSince my mother\u2019s education limited her abilities to help with my schoolwork, I went above the call of duty to stand out in academics.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis mother\u2019s education was cut short in ninth grade so she could raise her first child,\u0026nbsp;Holland\u2019s older sister,\u0026nbsp;and no one in his family had gone to college.\u0026nbsp;In his mind, he had\u0026nbsp;three career paths\u0026nbsp;to choose from: football, hip hop, or retail.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStanding at a solid 5 foot 8,\u0026nbsp;the first\u0026nbsp;would have been difficult,\u201d he joked. \u201cAnd the latter two were not my calling.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJust like his mother, the course of his life changed in his ninth-grade year. For\u0026nbsp;Holland,\u0026nbsp;it began an academic journey\u0026nbsp;he never expected.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2012, he was attending\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/best.atlantapublicschools.us\/\u0022\u003EB.E.S.T.\u0026nbsp;Academy\u003C\/a\u003E, an all-boys\u0026nbsp;public\u0026nbsp;school for grades six through\u0026nbsp;12\u0026nbsp;focused on\u0026nbsp;business and STEM.\u0026nbsp;Biology\u0026nbsp;class\u0026nbsp;was\u0026nbsp;just another hour\u0026nbsp;waiting to pass\u0026nbsp;for\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;15-year-old\u0026nbsp;Holland,\u0026nbsp;until the day\u0026nbsp;two guest speakers from\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;walked into the room with \u201csome weird\u0026nbsp;apparatuses and mechanical chopsticks.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two guests\u0026nbsp;used the equipment\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;gel electrophoresis systems and pipettes\u0026nbsp;\u2014 to show the boys\u0026nbsp;what research can look like in real life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis experience sparked within me a drive for science, and it was the first time I realized that I wanted to, and could,\u0026nbsp;attain\u0026nbsp;an advanced scientific degree,\u201d Holland said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two speakers were\u0026nbsp;Manu Platt, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/schools\/biomedical-engineering\u0022\u003EWallace H.\u0026nbsp;Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech and Emory University, and Jerald Dumas, a postdoctoral researcher.\u0026nbsp;Platt and Dumas\u0026nbsp;were\u0026nbsp;there\u0026nbsp;to recruit students for a new program\u0026nbsp;called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projectengages.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EProject ENGAGES\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;within the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IBB).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program was co-founded by Platt and the late Robert M. Nerem, IBB\u2019s founding executive director, to give\u0026nbsp;students\u0026nbsp;like Holland an opportunity\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;participate\u0026nbsp;in real research projects\u0026nbsp;that would hopefully\u0026nbsp;plant a seed\u0026nbsp;in the next generation of scientists.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents\u0026nbsp;come from\u0026nbsp;one of eight partner schools in Atlanta. Once\u0026nbsp;accepted, they\u0026nbsp;are\u0026nbsp;connected\u0026nbsp;to a Georgia Tech graduate\u0026nbsp;student who\u0026nbsp;mentors them and\u0026nbsp;supervises their work, and\u0026nbsp;they\u0026nbsp;get paid to\u0026nbsp;work in\u0026nbsp;their assigned\u0026nbsp;lab\u0026nbsp;for\u0026nbsp;one year.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProject ENGAGES\u0026nbsp;does more than\u0026nbsp;expose students to STEM concepts and ideas. It\u0026nbsp;equips them with the skills and knowledge to carry out their own independent research projects.\u0026nbsp;They also\u0026nbsp;have\u0026nbsp;opportunities to\u0026nbsp;establish\u0026nbsp;connections with university faculty and industry representatives who can provide career guidance and support.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMethods\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough Holland\u0026nbsp;didn\u2019t\u0026nbsp;meet the program\u2019s age requirement\u0026nbsp;in 2012, he applied again\u0026nbsp;the next year and\u0026nbsp;was accepted.\u0026nbsp;During his junior and senior years of high\u0026nbsp;school,\u0026nbsp;he\u0026nbsp;worked\u0026nbsp;in Platt\u2019s lab, where he aided with\u0026nbsp;projects\u0026nbsp;involving proteins, cell cultures, and\u0026nbsp;antibodies.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOver the course of those two years, the growth I saw scientifically, professionally, and in maturity, all corroborated my belief that\u0026nbsp;Kendreze\u0026nbsp;was going far, and able to push past whatever goals and obstacles he comes up against,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said Platt,\u0026nbsp;now the\u0026nbsp;director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nibib.nih.gov\/labs-at-nibib\/center-for-biomedical-engineering-technology-acceleration-beta\u0022\u003ECenter for Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration\u003C\/a\u003E housed within the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nibib.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Institute of\u0026nbsp;Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland\u0027s experience sparked\u0026nbsp;a love for science\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;a career-long connection with Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;After high school, he\u0026nbsp;graduated summa cum laude\u0026nbsp;with a degree in chemistry\u0026nbsp;from Georgia State University.\u0026nbsp;As an undergraduate, he stayed connected with Tech and with IBB as a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\/petit-undergraduate-research-scholars-program\u0022\u003EPetit Scholar\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;a yearlong mentorship program and research experience for top students around Atlanta.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI really wanted to stay close to home, and I felt like everything was in my backyard,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are many people who come\u0026nbsp;here\u0026nbsp;from other places\u0026nbsp;to Tech because of the great\u0026nbsp;science that is going on.\u0026nbsp;There\u2019s\u0026nbsp;something special about Atlanta, and\u0026nbsp;I\u2019m\u0026nbsp;just getting the best of what I can from it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe credits his\u0026nbsp;time\u0026nbsp;in Project ENGAGES\u0026nbsp;with\u0026nbsp;giving him the confidence and resilience\u0026nbsp;to continue toward his goals.\u0026nbsp;Like many others in the program, he was a first-generation college student\u0026nbsp;with little to no\u0026nbsp;guidance\u0026nbsp;for his academic career.\u0026nbsp;The\u0026nbsp;holistic approach\u0026nbsp;of Project ENGAGES\u0026nbsp;provided\u0026nbsp;professional development opportunities and standardized test preparation\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;ready\u0026nbsp;him\u0026nbsp;for life in college and beyond.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI knew I\u0026nbsp;wanted to go to grad school, but I didn\u2019t know I was going to do all these things,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u201cHaving that one goal sprouted a lot of side quests that just grew into something bigger.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter graduating from\u0026nbsp;Georgia State\u0026nbsp;in 2020, Holland was accepted into Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBioengineering Graduate Program\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;as a doctoral student.\u0026nbsp;In December\u0026nbsp;2025, he became the first Project ENGAGES\u0026nbsp;alumnus\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;successfully defend his dissertation,\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;he\u0026nbsp;is expected to graduate\u0026nbsp;this spring.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/lakeita-servance\u0022\u003ELakeita\u0026nbsp;Servance\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;assistant\u0026nbsp;director of Outreach Initiatives at IBB, was\u0026nbsp;the program manager for Project ENGAGES when Holland was accepted\u0026nbsp;and cheered him on\u0026nbsp;more than 10 years later as he\u0026nbsp;presented his\u0026nbsp;doctoral\u0026nbsp;research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs I sat in that room while he was defending his dissertation and\u0026nbsp;sharing his research with all of us, I still reflected on that boy\u0026nbsp;I saw at 16 years old,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was\u0026nbsp;this full circle moment to see him make it all the way back here.\u0026nbsp;The investment\u0026nbsp;we made over a decade ago has paid off in such a large way.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResults\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to being the first in his family to go to college and earn an advanced degree, Holland\u0026nbsp;received financial support from the National Science Foundation\u2019s Graduate Research Fellowship Program;\u0026nbsp;was\u0026nbsp;awarded\u0026nbsp;multiple\u0026nbsp;prestigious\u0026nbsp;fellowships, including FORD,\u0026nbsp;GEM, and Herbert P. Haley;\u0026nbsp;landed an internship\u0026nbsp;with 3M Corporate Research Materials Laboratory;\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;served as a\u0026nbsp;mentor\u0026nbsp;in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/nakatani-ries\/\u0022\u003ENakatani Research and International Experience for Students\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;He has\u0026nbsp;published papers, led panel discussions,\u0026nbsp;applied\u0026nbsp;for patents, and\u0026nbsp;presented his research at national conferences.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAll that stemmed from Project ENGAGES,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd more importantly, I applied\u0026nbsp;to be a mentor for the ENGAGES program.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland said some of\u0026nbsp;his\u0026nbsp;most\u0026nbsp;meaningful experiences have come from\u0026nbsp;being able to give back.\u0026nbsp;He has served as a mentor, both formally and informally,\u0026nbsp;to more than half a dozen students,\u0026nbsp;some\u0026nbsp;who\u0026nbsp;come\u0026nbsp;from backgrounds\u0026nbsp;much like his own.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0026nbsp;wanted to\u0026nbsp;give\u0026nbsp;back to the program because it poured so much into me. They were able to get me all the way to the Ph.D. level, so I knew that I could use my grind to help other students.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConclusion\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHaving proved the hypothesis true, Holland is turning his focus to the future, considering his options in academia and corporate research while he continues to work as a postdoc at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis research in John\u0026nbsp;Blazeck\u2019s\u0026nbsp;lab\u0026nbsp;focuses on cellular engineering using CRISPR gene editing technology\u0026nbsp;to regulate gene profiles, meaning he and other researchers can turn certain genes up and others down to affect\u0026nbsp;the way cells respond.\u0026nbsp;Though he is currently working with yeast cells, he hopes that his research will translate into mammalian cells that could have more clinical applications.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn terms of diseases and disorders, you can use it to tune genes to help someone experiencing cancer\u0026nbsp;by helping immune cells or stopping cancer cells from dividing rapidly,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can also help other cells to survive longer, and longer cell viability means potentially a patient can survive longer.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat began as a presentation in\u0026nbsp;a\u0026nbsp;high school science class has led Holland\u0026nbsp;to a future he never expected.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/2815\u0022\u003ETequila Harris\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W.\u0026nbsp;Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;co-director of Project ENGAGES, said\u0026nbsp;his story shows others that they can do the same.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI believe his achievements will inspire and motivate generations of students to pursue dreams that they may not have known they had.\u0026nbsp;Kendreze\u0026nbsp;Holland has fundamentally shown others that there are multiple pathways to engage in STEM and that opportunities and access to advanced degrees can\u0026nbsp;be\u0026nbsp;attained\u0026nbsp;by those willing to do the work.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHolland\u0027s story is symbolic of the ultimate goal for Project ENGAGES:\u0026nbsp;to change the lives of talented young people who may never have had the opportunity to succeed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat\u2019s why I was so adamant about getting my Ph.D.,\u201d he said,\u0026nbsp;\u201cto show\u0026nbsp;that one could potentially overcome what they were going through to do something extraordinary.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProject ENGAGES is possible thanks to philanthropic support from our generous community: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/giving.gatech.edu\/campaigns\/60129\/donations\/new?designation_id=55a493\u0026amp;\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDonate here\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor Kendreze Holland, the idea of making it to college and earning an advanced degree was a hypothesis. Holland asked himself: What if he could be the one to prove the hypothesis true?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat began as a presentation in a high school science class has led Holland to a future he never expected \u2013 planning to graduate from Georgia Tech with a Ph.D. in bioengineering this spring. His story is symbolic of the ultimate goal for the Project ENGAGES program: to change the lives of talented young people who may never have had the opportunity to succeed.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In December 2025, he became the first Project ENGAGES alumnus to successfully defend his dissertation, and he is expected to graduate this spring. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-02-25 13:55:09","changed_gmt":"2026-03-09 17:59:22","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679431":{"id":"679431","type":"image","title":"Holland-Lab.jpg","body":null,"created":"1772045667","gmt_created":"2026-02-25 18:54:27","changed":"1772045667","gmt_changed":"2026-02-25 18:54:27","alt":"A man in a lab coat wearing safety goggles and gloves puts samples into a machine in a scientific lab","file":{"fid":"263594","name":"Holland-Lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/Holland-Lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/25\/Holland-Lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1197473,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/25\/Holland-Lab.jpg?itok=3WyFADtX"}}},"media_ids":["679431"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"172056","name":"go-BioE"}],"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\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ashlie.bowman@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688493":{"#nid":"688493","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Augusta Positioned to Become a Leader in Medical Device Entrepreneurship","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology and Augusta University have launched a collaborative effort to boost the city\u2019s medical device innovation ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Augusta region is already a major hub for health and life sciences, boasting five hospitals and the Medical College of Georgia, the nation\u2019s 13th oldest medical school and one of its largest.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, the advocacy nonprofit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.galifesciences.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Life Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E designated the region a BioReady Gold community. This ratings system recognizes its existing bioscience assets and its commitment to expanding infrastructure and commercialization, marking Augusta as a desired choice for biotech companies looking for suitable sites to expand.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELeading the work at Georgia Tech are the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gamep.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership\u003C\/a\u003E (GaMEP) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atdc.org\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Technology Development Center\u003C\/a\u003E (ATDC).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGaMEP is a program of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, Tech\u2019s chief economic development arm. It brings a\u0026nbsp;dedicated team with the unique skills required to help innovators clearly understand the requirements needed to bring medical devices to market.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen entrepreneurs gain insight into the regulatory and quality requirements early in development, they can make informed, strategic decisions that can significantly reduce both time and cost,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;Sarah Jo Tucker, industry manager for GaMEP\u2019s medical device group. \u201cWe partner closely with innovators throughout the process and bring deep expertise in the regulatory requirements while they bring expertise in their technology. Together, we can move products efficiently and confidently from concept to commercialization.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EADTC, part of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/commercialization.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOffice of Commercialization\u003C\/a\u003E, is the state\u2019s premier technology incubator and the oldest university-based incubator in the country. ATDC provides guidance and resources for entrepreneurs and founders to successfully launch and scale their technology companies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince its founding in 1980, ATDC\u2019s startup graduates have attracted more than $6.2 billion in investment and generated over $14 billion in revenue in Georgia. Through the partnership with Augusta University, ATDC uses its expertise to serve\u0026nbsp;entrepreneurs in the medical device field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Medical innovation across the state of Georgia is critical for our health tech industries to thrive,\u201d said Chris Dickson, ATDC\u2019s startup catalyst in the Augusta region. \u201cWe identify investment-ready medical technology startups and provide the support needed while they are scaling their businesses.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA major hub for the life sciences, Augusta University is home to a wealth of researchers in the biomedical and related fields. This makes the institution ideally situated to help facilitate medical device commercialization.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGuido Verbeck understands this dynamic firsthand. A\u0026nbsp;professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Augusta University, he is also an entrepreneur and medical device innovator.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAcademia is a fantastic platform for launching ideas, but there must be an understanding of how to bring a device to market,\u201d said Verbeck. \u201cPhysicians and practitioners who are also academics are solving problems in real time, but they often lack the resources and support to get their ideas to production and commercialization.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELynsey\u0026nbsp;Steinberg, director of innovation for Augusta University\u2019s strategic partnerships and economic development team, summed up collaboration\u2019s goal.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen we tap our depth of talent, innovation, and community collaboration, this region has what it takes to become a launchpad for medical device startups \u2014 a place where bold ideas find the purpose they need to succeed to solve real-world problems,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s GaMEP medical device commercialization team\u0026nbsp;and the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)\u0026nbsp;are now working directly with Augusta researchers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs to help move medical device ideas from concept to commercialization.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A partnership between Georgia Tech and Augusta University supports the effort ."}],"uid":"28137","created_gmt":"2026-02-24 17:16:53","changed_gmt":"2026-02-24 17:25:03","author":"P\u00e9ralte Paul","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Augusta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679409":{"id":"679409","type":"image","title":"Downtown Augusta ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe city of Augusta is a major hub for health and life sciences, boasting five hospitals and the Medical College of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1771953448","gmt_created":"2026-02-24 17:17:28","changed":"1771953675","gmt_changed":"2026-02-24 17:21:15","alt":"Aerial view of downtown Augusta","file":{"fid":"263570","name":"AdobeStock_466386413.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/24\/AdobeStock_466386413.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/24\/AdobeStock_466386413.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":10707782,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/24\/AdobeStock_466386413.jpeg?itok=SgNSyEj_"}}},"media_ids":["679409"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"16331","name":"GaMEP"},{"id":"3671","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"},{"id":"4238","name":"atdc"},{"id":"2579","name":"commercialization"},{"id":"9535","name":"medical device"},{"id":"172575","name":"Augusta University"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"193654","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEve Tolpa\u003Cbr\u003Eeve.tolpa@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"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":""}},"688211":{"#nid":"688211","#data":{"type":"news","title":"2026 Awardees Announced for Regenerative Engineering and Medicine Center Collaborative Seed Grant ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdvancing the frontiers of regenerative medicine means more than pushing scientific boundaries \u2014 it means improving and extending human life. The Regenerative Engineering and Medicine Center (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.regenerativeengineeringandmedicine.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EREM\u003C\/a\u003E) is a partnership with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.emory.edu\/home\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEmory University\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uga.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EUniversity of Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E (UGA) that supports this mission through inter-institutional collaborations in research in regenerative medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 2010, competitive peer-reviewed seed grants have been awarded annually to interdisciplinary teams with representation from at least two of the three institutions, leading to clinical trials, licensed technologies, start-up companies, and external funding for additional research. The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIBB\u003C\/a\u003E) is excited to announce the 2026 REM Collaborative Seed Grant awardees: Melissa Kemp (Georgia Tech) and Rabindra Tirouvanziam (Emory); Yang Liu (UGA) and Yong Teng (Emory); and Steven Stice (UGA) and Zhexing Wen (Emory).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKemp and Tirouvanziam were awarded funding for their proposal, \u201cPredicting Personalized Extracellular Vesicle (EV) Responses for Directed Myeloid\u2011Targeted Immunotherapy.\u201d Their project combines computer modeling and lab\u2011grown lung tissue to better understand how immune cells communicate during lung infections and inflammation in different people. This research could help scientists design more precise, patient\u2011specific therapies for respiratory diseases, potentially improving treatments for conditions ranging from viral infections to chronic inflammation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We are grateful for the support from REM that allows us to extend our labs into new, interdisciplinary research,\u201d Kemp said. \u201cThis pilot project will allow us to develop and experimentally validate multicellular models of the lung environment. Our goal is to use our platforms to test potential therapeutics that operate by controlling communication between cell types.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is wonderful to be supported by REM for this collaboration between Georgia Tech and Emory labs,\u201d Tirouvanziam agreed. \u201cWe hope to turn this pilot into a large extramural project with a focus on novel immunotherapy.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELiu and Teng were awarded funding for their proposal, \u201cAI\u2011Guided Profiling of Migratory Cancer Stem Cell Communication in Head and Neck Cancer.\u201d\u0026nbsp; Their project aims to uncover how the most aggressive cancer stem cells move and \u201ctalk\u201d to nearby immune and tissue cells, using advanced microfluidic tools and artificial intelligence to study how these cells help cancer spread and resist treatment.\u0026nbsp; Understanding these hidden communication pathways could lead to earlier detection of dangerous cancer cell types and inspire new therapies that prevent recurrence and improve survival for patients with head and neck cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe combine microfluidic tools with artificial intelligence to monitor individual cancer cells in action and study how they interact with the immune microenvironment \u2014 capturing behaviors that are missed in bulk experiments and shedding light on how aggressive cancer cells escape therapy,\u201d Liu said of the project.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStice and Wen were awarded funding for their application, \u201cUse of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Organoids to Assess Mesenchymal Stromal Cell\u2013Derived Extracellular Vesicles Mechanism of Action.\u201d\u0026nbsp; Their project uses lab\u2011grown human brain organoids to study how tiny therapeutic particles called extracellular vesicles that are released by stem cells might reduce brain inflammation and protect neurons affected by Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u0026nbsp; Revealing how these vesicles work at a molecular level could help advance new treatments that go beyond symptom management and move toward slowing or preventing Alzheimer\u2019s progression.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are used in the body to communicate with cells around an injury and are known to repair brain tissue in Alzheimer\u2019s animal models,\u201d Stice said.\u0026nbsp; \u201cUnderstanding the signaling mechanisms used by EVs in Alzheimer\u2019s brain organoids will directly lead to better EV manufacturing processes and potency for neurodegenerative diseases, and ultimately better therapies.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s funded work illustrates how collaboration across institutions accelerates discoveries. Together, these teams are pushing healing technologies closer to real\u2011world impact, where they can make a tangible difference for patients affected by serious illness.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EThe 2026 Regenerative Engineering and Medicine (REM) Collaborative Seed Grants have been awarded to three interdisciplinary research teams from Georgia Tech, Emory University, and the University of Georgia, supporting innovative projects in personalized immunotherapy, cancer metastasis, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Together, these collaborations advance the frontiers of regenerative medicine and accelerate the development of next\u2011generation therapies with the potential to transform patient care.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The 2026 awards support three cross\u2011institutional teams advancing innovative research in personalized immunotherapy, cancer stem cell communication, and therapies for Alzheimer\u2019s disease. "}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-02-11 21:18:14","changed_gmt":"2026-02-11 21:26:17","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679264":{"id":"679264","type":"image","title":"cancer-technologies.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1770845087","gmt_created":"2026-02-11 21:24:47","changed":"1770845087","gmt_changed":"2026-02-11 21:24:47","alt":"Illustration of cancer cells, with a highlighted tumor cell in the center targeted by a digital crosshair.","file":{"fid":"263397","name":"cancer-technologies.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/11\/cancer-technologies.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/11\/cancer-technologies.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8956181,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/11\/cancer-technologies.jpeg?itok=SCsWPN9q"}}},"media_ids":["679264"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"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\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ashlie.bowman@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686337":{"#nid":"686337","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Hosts Annual Summit Devoted to Pediatric Health Innovation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EImagine a world where pediatric gastrointestinal disease could be diagnosed by swallowing a capsule-sized camera, where heart defects could be corrected by biodegradable implants, and where ADHD could be diagnosed through virtual reality. Georgia Tech and its partners are helping bring these world-changing ideas to life.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Nov. 5 \u2013 6, Georgia Tech hosted the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ispi4kids.org\/phis2025\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Healthcare Innovation Summit 2025\u003C\/a\u003E (PHIS), a one-of-a-kind event that brought champions of children\u2019s health together to share knowledge, facilitate collaborative initiatives, and accelerate medical innovation. The summit was co-presented by the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Innovation Network\u003C\/a\u003E (PIN), the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ispi4kids.org\/about\/\u0022\u003EInternational Society for Pediatric Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E (ISPI), and the FDA-funded \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/industry\/medical-products-rare-diseases-and-conditions\/pediatric-device-consortia-grants-program\u0022\u003EPediatric Device Consortia\u003C\/a\u003E (PDC).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event included a tour of the new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.choa.org\/locations\/arthur-m-blank-hospital\u0022\u003EArthur M. Blank Hospital\u003C\/a\u003E, technology showcases, workshops, panel discussions, a poster session, and a pitch competition where companies were awarded funding from the Pediatric Device Consortia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is committed to advancing medicine, but in particular pediatric medicine, which is normally underfunded compared to adult healthcare,\u201d Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera said. \u201cWe are committed to playing our part, and we\u0027re doing that in partnership with the best organizations, combining our engineering skills with clinical partners who understand the most important needs of children.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECabrera was a guest speaker for the event, which took place at two locations across campus: the newly opened \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/realestate.gatech.edu\/science-square\u0022\u003EScience Square\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/studentcenter.gatech.edu\/historic-academy-medicine\u0022\u003EHistoric Academy of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E. He emphasized that championing causes such as pediatric healthcare innovation not only aligns with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/strategicplan.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s mission\u003C\/a\u003E, but also with the vision surrounding the new infrastructure being built across campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u0027re committed to turning our city and our neighborhood into a hub of innovation, and the area of life sciences is one of those areas that we are supporting \u2014 including our new Science Square neighborhood, which is devoted to precisely this,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough industry events happen every year, what makes PHIS unique is its goal of uniting not only clinicians and healthcare administrators, but also researchers, investors, and entrepreneurs. \u0026nbsp;Attendees are united around a shared goal of solving systemic problems and, ultimately, saving and improving the lives of children. Julia Kubanek, Georgia Tech\u2019s Vice President for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/interdisciplinary-research\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Research\u003C\/a\u003E, said that this collaborative approach provides a unique opportunity to progress ideas and technologies that impact the industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cParticularly in the pediatric space, the market is relatively small. When you have a specialized pediatric technology, it\u0027s sometimes difficult to get the resources to advance that into clinical trials and into products that can go to market,\u201d she said. \u201cThis environment that the summit creates is a supportive one for solving those problems and advancing life-saving research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile this was the third year that the event featured a pitch competition, it was the first year that winners were awarded monetary prizes. By bringing startups and investors together, the PHIS plays a vital role in getting impactful research from conceptual to consumer ready. This year\u2019s winners included: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/luminoah.com\/\u0022\u003ELuminoah\u003C\/a\u003E in first place, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.rhaeos.com\/\u0022\u003ERhaeos\u003C\/a\u003E in second, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.acqumenmedical.com\/\u0022\u003EAcQumen Medical\u003C\/a\u003E in third.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough the event does encourage friendly competition, the ultimate goal remains to improve the lives of children and their families through collaboration, thought leadership, and innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur north star is taking care of children,\u201d Anthony Chang, founder of ISPI, said in his opening remarks. \u201cI think we underestimate how much we learn together. I look at our jobs not as jobs but as a special calling \u2014 taking care of children.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to PIN, ISPI, and PDC, the event was sponsored by Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/corporate.gatech.edu\/?utm_source=research\u0026amp;utm_medium=website\u0026amp;utm_id=092023\u0022\u003EOffice of Corporate Engagement\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.shrinerschildrens.org\/en\u0022\u003EShriner\u2019s Children\u2019s Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.choa.org\/\u0022\u003EChildren\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgia.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Department of Economic Development\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gra.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.icanresearch.org\/\u0022\u003EInternational Children\u2019s Advisory Network\u003C\/a\u003E, among others.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Nov. 5 \u2013 6, Georgia Tech hosted the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ispi4kids.org\/phis2025\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Healthcare Innovation Summit 2025\u003C\/a\u003E (PHIS), a one-of-a-kind event that brought champions of children\u2019s health together to share knowledge, facilitate collaborative initiatives, and accelerate medical innovation. The summit was co-presented by the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Innovation Network\u003C\/a\u003E (PIN), the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ispi4kids.org\/about\/\u0022\u003EInternational Society for Pediatric Innovation\u003C\/a\u003E (ISPI), and the FDA-funded \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/industry\/medical-products-rare-diseases-and-conditions\/pediatric-device-consortia-grants-program\u0022\u003EPediatric Device Consortia\u003C\/a\u003E (PDC).\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Pediatric Healthcare Innovation Summit 2025 convened experts, entrepreneurs, and clinicians to accelerate breakthrough technologies and collaborative solutions aimed at transforming pediatric care."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2025-11-10 23:39:49","changed_gmt":"2026-02-11 19:33:13","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678590":{"id":"678590","type":"image","title":"20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg","body":null,"created":"1762818046","gmt_created":"2025-11-10 23:40:46","changed":"1762818046","gmt_changed":"2025-11-10 23:40:46","alt":"President \u00c1ngel Cabrera of Georgia Tech stands at a podium and delivers a speech.","file":{"fid":"262645","name":"20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/10\/20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/10\/20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1306762,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/10\/20251106_Healthcare-Summit-Event_Social-Media-13.jpg?itok=GllnmzPt"}}},"media_ids":["678590"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003EAshlie Bowman\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["ashlie.bowman@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"687712":{"#nid":"687712","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lights, Camera, Memory!","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECan flickering light and sound help fight Alzheimer\u2019s disease?\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EOn this episode of \u003Cem\u003EHoly Shift!\u003C\/em\u003E, host Angela Gill Nelms chats with Dr. Annabelle Singer from Georgia Tech and Emory University, whose groundbreaking research explores how carefully timed lights and sounds may help \u201ctune\u201d the brain, boost memory, and change the course of Alzheimer\u2019s disease. \u0026nbsp;From building theater lights as a kid to decoding how brain waves shape memory, Dr. Singer is proving that sometimes the brightest ideas come from unexpected places.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/holyshiftresearch.transistor.fm\/5\u0022\u003ETune in to hear how groundbreaking science is lighting the way toward healthier brains and brighter futures.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECan flickering light and sound help fight Alzheimer\u2019s disease?\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Can flickering light and sound help fight Alzheimer\u2019s disease?"}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2026-01-27 15:58:34","changed_gmt":"2026-01-27 16:00:16","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679105":{"id":"679105","type":"image","title":"Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnnabelle Singer\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1769529538","gmt_created":"2026-01-27 15:58:58","changed":"1769529538","gmt_changed":"2026-01-27 15:58:58","alt":"Annabelle Singer","file":{"fid":"263224","name":"Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/27\/Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/27\/Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":109140,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/27\/Annabelle-Singer-Holy-Shift-INNS.jpeg?itok=fQ30Icm-"}}},"media_ids":["679105"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/holyshiftresearch.transistor.fm\/5","title":"Listen to the full podcast"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"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"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"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:kelly.petty@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKelly Petty\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kelly.petty@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686983":{"#nid":"686983","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Gazing Into the Mind\u2019s Eye With Mice \u2013 How Neuroscientists Are Seeing Human Vision More\u00a0Clearly","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the nursery rhyme about three blind mice, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.31209\u0022\u003Emouse eyesight is surprisingly sensitive\u003C\/a\u003E. Studying how mice see has helped researchers discover unprecedented details about how individual brain cells communicate and work together to create a mental picture of the visual world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=P5IKL5UAAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003EI am a neuroscientist\u003C\/a\u003E who studies how brain cells drive visual perception and how these processes can fail in conditions \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/cercor\/bhab025\u0022\u003Esuch as autism\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/haider.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMy lab\u003C\/a\u003E \u201clistens\u201d to the electrical activity of neurons in the outermost part of the brain called the cerebral cortex, a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.17-18-07079.1997\u0022\u003Elarge portion of which\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7551\/mitpress\/7131.003.0038\u0022\u003Eprocesses visual information\u003C\/a\u003E. Injuries to the visual cortex can lead to blindness and other visual deficits, even when the eyes themselves are unhurt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding the activity of individual neurons \u2013 and how they work together while the brain is actively using and processing information \u2013 is a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/mapping-how-the-100-billion-cells-in-the-brain-all-fit-together-is-the-brave-new-world-of-neuroscience-170182\u0022\u003Elong-standing goal of neuroscience\u003C\/a\u003E. Researchers have moved much closer to achieving this goal thanks to new technologies aimed at the mouse visual system. And these findings will help scientists better see how the visual systems of people work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EThe Mind in the Blink of an Eye\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers long thought that vision in mice appeared \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/s0042-6989(00)00081-x\u0022\u003Esluggish with low clarity\u003C\/a\u003E. But it turns out visual cortex neurons in mice \u2013 just like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.pneurobio.2024.102656\u0022\u003Ethose in humans, monkeys, cats and ferrets\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 require \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.0623-08.2008\u0022\u003Especific visual features to trigger activity\u003C\/a\u003E and are particularly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nature11665\u0022\u003Eselective in alert and awake conditions\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy colleagues and I and others have found that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-021-24311-5\u0022\u003Emice are especially sensitive to\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-021-24311-5\u0022\u003Evisual stimuli directly in front of them\u003C\/a\u003E. This is surprising, because mouse eyes face outward rather than forward. Forward-facing eyes, like those of cats and primates, naturally have a larger area of focus straight ahead compared to outward-facing eyes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2048%2C1787\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Microscopy image of stacks of neurons\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;rect=0%2C0%2C2048%2C1787\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=524\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=524\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=524\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=658\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=658\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708514\/original\/file-20251212-56-z8h8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=658\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EThis image shows neurons in the mouse retina: cone photoreceptors (red), bipolar neurons (magenta), and a subtype of bipolar neuron (green).\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/nihgov\/35882593476\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EBrian Liu and Melanie Samuel\/Baylor College of Medicine\/NIH via Flickr\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis finding suggests that the specialization of the visual system to highlight the frontal visual field appears to be \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/361719a0\u0022\u003Eshared between mice and humans\u003C\/a\u003E. For mice, a visual focus on what\u2019s straight ahead may help them be more \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2021.06.094\u0022\u003Eresponsive to shadows or edges\u003C\/a\u003E in front of them, helping them avoid looming predators or better \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuron.2021.03.010\u0022\u003Ehunt and capture insects for food\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImportantly, the center of view is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm14155266\u0022\u003Emost affected in aging and many visual diseases\u003C\/a\u003E in people. Since mice also rely heavily on this part of the visual field, they may be particularly useful models to study and treat visual impairment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Thousand Voices Drive Complicated Choices\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdvances in technology have greatly accelerated scientific understanding of vision and the brain. Researchers can now routinely record the activity of thousands of neurons at the same time and pair this data with real-time video of a mouse\u2019s face, pupil and body movements. This method can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aav7893\u0022\u003Eshow how behavior interacts with brain activity\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s like spending years listening to a grainy recording of a symphony with one featured soloist, but now you have a pristine recording where you can hear every single musician with a note-by-note readout of every single finger movement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing these improved methods, researchers like me are studying how specific types of neurons work together during complex visual behaviors. This involves analyzing how factors such as movement, alertness and the environment influence visual activity in the brain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, my lab and I found that the speed of visual signaling is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2025.02.009\u0022\u003Ehighly sensitive to what actions are possible\u003C\/a\u003E in the physical environment. If a mouse rests on a disc that permits running, visual signals travel to the cortex faster than if the mouse views the same images while resting in a stationary tube \u2013 even when the mouse is totally still in both conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn order to connect electrical activity to visual perception, researchers also have to ask a mouse what it thinks it sees. How have we done this?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe last decade has seen researchers debunking long-standing \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnsys.2014.00173\u0022\u003Emyths about mouse learning and behavior\u003C\/a\u003E. Like other rodents, mice are also \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/im-a-neuroscientist-who-taught-rats-to-drive-their-joy-suggests-how-anticipating-fun-can-enrich-human-life-239029\u0022\u003Esurprisingly clever\u003C\/a\u003E and can learn how to \u201ctell\u201d researchers about the visual events they perceive through their behavior.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, mice can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1523\/jneurosci.3560-13.2013\u0022\u003Elearn to release a lever\u003C\/a\u003E to indicate they have detected that a pattern has brightened or tilted. They can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.celrep.2017.08.047\u0022\u003Erotate a Lego wheel left or right\u003C\/a\u003E to move a visual stimulus to the center of a screen like a video game, and they can \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.50340\u0022\u003Estop running on a wheel\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fnbeh.2020.00104\u0022\u003Eand lick a water spout\u003C\/a\u003E when they detect the visual scene has suddenly changed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Mouse drinking from a metal water spout\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=400\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/708526\/original\/file-20251212-56-ccqnav.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=503\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EMice can be trained to drink water as a way to \u2018tell\u2019 researchers they see something.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/mouse-drinking-from-a-spout-royalty-free-image\/178825439\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003Efelixmizioznikov\/iStock via Getty Images Plus\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMice can also use visual cues to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2018.01.038\u0022\u003Efocus their visual processing\u003C\/a\u003E to specific parts of the visual field. As a result, they can more quickly and accurately respond to visual stimuli that appear in those regions. For example, my team and I found that a faint visual image in the peripheral visual field is difficult for mice to detect. But once they do notice it \u2013 and tell us by licking a water spout \u2013 their subsequent responses are \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-020-14355-4\u0022\u003Efaster and more accurate\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese improvements come at a cost: If the image unexpectedly appears in a different location, the mice are slower and less likely to respond to it. These findings resemble those found in studies on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/00335558008248231\u0022\u003Espatial attention in people\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy lab has also found that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41593-025-01888-4\u0022\u003Eparticular types of inhibitory neurons\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 brain cells that prevent activity from spreading \u2013 strongly control the strength of visual signals. When we activated certain inhibitory neurons in the visual cortex of mice, we could effectively \u201cerase\u201d their perception of an image.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese kinds of experiments are also revealing that the boundaries between perception and action in the brain are \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41593-025-02114-x\u0022\u003Emuch less separate than once thought\u003C\/a\u003E. This means that visual neurons will respond differently to the same image in ways that depend on behavioral circumstances \u2013 for example, visual responses differ if the image will be \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-019-1787-x\u0022\u003Esuccessfully detected\u003C\/a\u003E, if it appears \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.neuron.2025.06.001\u0022\u003Ewhile the mouse is moving\u003C\/a\u003E, or if it appears \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aav3932\u0022\u003Ewhen the mouse is thirsty or hydrated\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how different factors shape how cortical neurons rapidly respond to visual images will require advances in computational tools that can separate the contribution of these behavioral signals from the visual ones. Researchers also need technologies that can isolate how specific types of brain cells carry and communicate these signals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EData Clouds Encircling the Globe\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis surge of research on the mouse visual system has led to a significant increase in the amount of data that scientists can not only gather in a single experiment but also publicly share among each other.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMajor national and international research centers focused on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/brain-map.org\/\u0022\u003Eunraveling the circuitry of the mouse visual system\u003C\/a\u003E have been leading the charge in ushering in new optical, electrical and biological \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.internationalbrainlab.com\/\u0022\u003Etools to measure large numbers of visual neurons\u003C\/a\u003E in action. Moreover, they make \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/brain-map.org\/atlases#mouse\u0022\u003Eall the data publicly available\u003C\/a\u003E, inspiring \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mouse.digital-brain.cn\/projectome\/pfc\u0022\u003Esimilar efforts around the globe\u003C\/a\u003E. This collaboration accelerates the ability of researchers to analyze data, replicate findings and make new discoveries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETechnological advances in data collection and sharing can make the culture of scientific discovery more efficient and transparent \u2013 a major \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fninf.2023.1276407\u0022\u003Edata informatics goal\u003C\/a\u003E of neuroscience in the years ahead.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf the past 10 years are anything to go by, I believe such discoveries are just the tip of the iceberg, and the mighty and not-so-blind mouse will play a leading role in the continuing quest to understand the mysteries of the human brain.\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\/268334\/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\/gazing-into-the-minds-eye-with-mice-how-neuroscientists-are-seeing-human-vision-more-clearly-268334\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\u003EStudying how mice see has helped researchers discover unprecedented details about how individual brain cells communicate and work together to create a mental picture of the visual world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Studying how mice see has helped researchers discover unprecedented details about how individual brain cells communicate and work together to create a mental picture of the visual world."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2025-12-16 13:42:12","changed_gmt":"2026-01-21 19:21:40","author":"Kristen Bailey","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":{"678887":{"id":"678887","type":"image","title":" Mice have complex visual systems that can clarify how vision works in people. Westend61\/Getty Images","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMice have complex visual systems that can clarify how vision works in people. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/germany-research-laboratory-mouse-climbing-out-of-royalty-free-image\/544546223\u0022\u003EWestend61\/Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1766065654","gmt_created":"2025-12-18 13:47:34","changed":"1766065654","gmt_changed":"2025-12-18 13:47:34","alt":" Mice have complex visual systems that can clarify how vision works in people. Westend61\/Getty Images","file":{"fid":"262977","name":"file-20251213-56-fdaib6.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/18\/file-20251213-56-fdaib6.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/18\/file-20251213-56-fdaib6.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":80137,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/18\/file-20251213-56-fdaib6.jpg?itok=21uzzcB5"}}},"media_ids":["678887"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/gazing-into-the-minds-eye-with-mice-how-neuroscientists-are-seeing-human-vision-more-clearly-268334","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"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\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/bilal-haider-2512267\u0022\u003EBilal Haider\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\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":""}},"687359":{"#nid":"687359","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Science for Public Good: Introducing the Community Engagement Graduate Fellows ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFour graduate students from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E were recently selected for the new Community Engagement Graduate Fellowship, made possible through a gift from Google. This one-year research opportunity awards up to $5,000 for each fellow to develop a project with local partners that aims to build stronger communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt has been a pleasure for the Center for Programs to Increase Engagement in the Sciences (C-PIES) to collaborate with Google and the College of Sciences Advisory Board to bring this fellowship, which will positively impact our community and highlight how science can align with public good,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELewis A. Wheaton\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and director of C-PIES.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn the year ahead, the fellows will work with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cpies.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EC-PIES\u003C\/a\u003E and community partners on campus and in the metro Atlanta area to develop projects in one of three priority areas: civic and policy engagement, community-engaged research, and K-12 research outreach.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe fellowship was open to all graduate students in the College of Sciences, and four inaugural fellows \u2014 Aniruddh Bakshi, Katherine Slenker, Miriam Simma, and Nikolai Simonov \u2014 were named based on their exciting, yet feasible applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFellow Aniruddh Bakshi: Strengthening trust in science\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPh.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAniruddh Bakshi\u003C\/strong\u003E studies the problem of drug delivery at the intersections of organic chemistry, biochemistry, and immunology. As mRNA vaccines are closely related to his area of research, he sees the need for a grassroots outreach movement from young academics to help bolster public confidence in rigorous scientific methodology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn collaboration with local hospitals and nonprofits, his proposed project is to start a social media content series, titled \u201cA Day in the Life of a Ph.D. Student,\u201d to show the realities of graduate school for those interested in this career path while connecting his research to broader public issues.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cScience has the power to solve urgent problems, but only if people understand and trust it,\u201d says Bakshi. \u201cThrough this fellowship, I will use my research and outreach efforts to help strengthen that trust \u2014 showing how discoveries in drug delivery and vaccine design can make a real difference in people\u2019s lives.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFellow Katherine Slenker: Creating a biodiversity data network\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAtlanta is often referred to as \u201cthe city in a forest,\u201d but according to Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKatherine Slenker\u003C\/strong\u003E, wildlife has a difficult time navigating across roads and housing developments, often resulting in human-wildlife conflict.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cConservation ecologists have long recommended that the movement of wildlife could be eased through the creation of \u2018ecological corridors,\u2019 which connect greenspaces and wildlife populations,\u201d she explains. \u201cDetermining the movement patterns of wildlife, and where such corridors may be best situated, requires that we first understand what species reside in the metro Atlanta area as well as how they are expected to disperse.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs a fellow, Slenker plans to build a biodiversity data network by comparing wildlife monitoring at Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve and Stone Mountain Park and increasing the coalition of metro Atlanta researchers. This data can be used in the development of ecological corridors to reduce clashing between humans and wildlife, notably animals struck by vehicles, and improve ecosystem health at these parks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFellow Miriam Simma: Making structural biology research more accessible\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study of crystallography is vital in academia, industry, and medicine because it enables researchers to decipher the atomic structures of proteins, but it is scarcely taught outside of graduate school. Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMiriam Simma\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ewants to change that.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHer proposed project is to introduce protein crystallography to K-12 students and teachers through hands-on activities in local high school classrooms and to the public during the Atlanta Science Festival at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy vision is to make structural biology research accessible, so everyone can engage with cutting-edge scientific research \u2014 fostering curiosity and interest in STEM careers,\u201d says Simma. \u201cLong term, I will synthesize these activities into a chemical education article that introduces K-12 students to protein structure and function.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFellow Nikolai Simonov: Mentoring middle school scientists\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELast year, Ph.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ENikolai Simonov\u003C\/strong\u003E became involved in the GoSTEM Club at Lilburn Middle School \u2014 leading student activities and recruiting other graduate student volunteers. In partnership with Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing\u003C\/a\u003E, the club is a weekly afterschool program for students, many of whom come from underserved backgrounds, to grow their scientific curiosity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI assembled a team of 10 Tech graduate students who could explain complex scientific concepts in approachable ways for middle school students. Through this fellowship, we are excited to enrich the GoSTEM Club with an ongoing mentorship program and materials for more ambitious science fair projects,\u201d shares Simonov.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs part of the program, club members can meet one-on-one with Georgia Tech mentors to discuss their educational and career goals. \u201cBy sharing their stories and connecting scientific ideas to real-world applications, our mentors aim to show students that STEM is not only accessible but a path toward a fulfilling life,\u201d he adds.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFour graduate students from the College of Sciences were selected for the new Community Engagement Graduate Fellowship, made possible through a gift from Google, to develop projects that positively impact the metro Atlanta area and\u0026nbsp;highlight how science can align with public good.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Four graduate students from the College of Sciences were selected for the new Community Engagement Graduate Fellowship, made possible through a gift from Google, to develop projects that positively impact the metro Atlanta area. "}],"uid":"27465","created_gmt":"2026-01-15 19:17:05","changed_gmt":"2026-01-15 20:30:07","author":"Annette Filliat","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679014":{"id":"679014","type":"image","title":"Community Engagement Graduate Fellows","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFour graduate students from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E were selected for the new Community Engagement Graduate Fellowship, made possible through a gift from Google.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768507734","gmt_created":"2026-01-15 20:08:54","changed":"1768508071","gmt_changed":"2026-01-15 20:14:31","alt":"Community Engagement Graduate Fellows ","file":{"fid":"263125","name":"C-PIES-Community-Engagement-Graduate-Fellows.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/C-PIES-Community-Engagement-Graduate-Fellows.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/C-PIES-Community-Engagement-Graduate-Fellows.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4108784,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/15\/C-PIES-Community-Engagement-Graduate-Fellows.jpg?itok=EDpa4s4k"}},"679016":{"id":"679016","type":"image","title":"C-PIES and Community Engagement Graduate Fellows","body":"\u003Cp\u003EC-PIES Director Lewis A. Wheaton (far left) and Director of Programs Lea Marzo (far right) stand with the inaugural Community Engagement Graduate Fellows (left to right): Nikolai Simonov, Miriam Simma, Aniruddh Bakshi, and Katherine Slenker.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768508133","gmt_created":"2026-01-15 20:15:33","changed":"1768508664","gmt_changed":"2026-01-15 20:24:24","alt":"C-PIES and Community Engagement Graduate Fellows","file":{"fid":"263126","name":"C-PIES-Community-Engagement-Graduate-Fellows-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/C-PIES-Community-Engagement-Graduate-Fellows-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/15\/C-PIES-Community-Engagement-Graduate-Fellows-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4321309,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/15\/C-PIES-Community-Engagement-Graduate-Fellows-2.jpg?itok=rj-DkhiR"}}},"media_ids":["679014","679016"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/step-eases-transfer-transition","title":"STEP Eases Transfer Transition"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1182","name":"General"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"185591","name":"campus and community"},{"id":"188933","name":"Atlanta community."},{"id":"191866","name":"C-PIES"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"192552","name":"College of Sciences Advisory Board"},{"id":"3165","name":"google"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"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\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\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: Annette Filliat\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["afilliat@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686843":{"#nid":"686843","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NSF Grant Funds Protein Research for Drug Discovery and Personalized Medicine","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProteins, including antibodies, hemoglobin, and insulin, power nearly every vital aspect of life. Breakthroughs in protein research are producing vaccines, resilient crops, bioenergy sources, and other innovative technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite their importance, most of what scientists know about proteins only comes from a small sample size. This stands in the way of fully understanding how most proteins work and unlocking their full potential.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~yunan\/\u0022\u003EYunan Luo\u003C\/a\u003E believes artificial intelligence (AI) could fill this knowledge gap. The National Science Foundation agrees. Luo is the recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/career-faculty-early-career-development-program\u0022\u003ECAREER\u003C\/a\u003E) award.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSo much of biology depends on knowing what proteins do, but decades of research have concentrated on a relatively small set of well-studied proteins. This imbalance in scientific attention leads to a distorted view of the biological landscape that\u0026nbsp;quietly shapes our data and our algorithms,\u201d Luo said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy group\u2019s goal is to build machine learning (ML) models that actively close this gap by generating trustworthy\u0026nbsp;function predictions for the many proteins that remain understudied.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/faculty-use-ai-protein-design-and-discovery-support-18-million-nih-grant\u0022\u003EYunan Luo to use AI for Protein Design and Discovery with Support of $1.8 Million NIH Grant\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn his \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/show-award\/?AWD_ID=2442063\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003Eproposal to NSF\u003C\/a\u003E, Luo coined this rich-get-richer effect \u201cannotation inequality.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne problem of annotation inequality is that it slows progress in disease prognosis, drug discovery, and other critical biomedical areas. It is challenging to innovate the few proteins that scientists already know so much about.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA cascading effect of annotation inequality is that it diminishes the effectiveness of studying proteins with\u0026nbsp;AI. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAI methods learn from existing experimental data. Datasets skewed toward well-known proteins propagate and become entrenched in models. Over time, this makes it harder for computers to research understudied proteins.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cProtein annotation inequality creates an effect analogous to a vast library where 95% of patrons only read the top 5% popular books, leaving the rest of the collection to gather dust,\u201d Luo said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis has resulted in knowledge disparities across proteins in current literature and databases, biasing our understanding of protein functions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe NSF CAREER award will fund Luo with over $770,000 for the next five years to tackle head-on the problem of protein annotation inequality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuo will use the grant to build an accurate, unbiased protein function prediction framework at scale. His project aims to:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReveal how annotation inequality affects protein function prediction systems\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECreate ML techniques suited for biological data, which is often noisy, incomplete, and imbalanced \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIntegrate data and ML models into a scalable framework to accelerate discoveries involving understudied proteins\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore enduring than the ML framework, Luo will leverage the NSF award to support educational and outreach programs. His goal is to groom the next generation of researchers to study other challenges in computational biology, not just the annotation inequality problem.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuo teaches graduate and undergraduate courses focused on computational biology and ML. Problems and methods developed through the CAREER project can be used as course material in his classes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuo also championed collaboration with Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ceismc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECEISMC\u003C\/a\u003E) in his proposal.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough this partnership, local high school teachers and students would gain access to his data and models. This promotes deeper learning of biology and data science through hands-on experience with real-world tools. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuo sees reaching students and the community as a way of paying forward the support he received from Georgia Tech colleagues.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am incredibly grateful for this recognition from the NSF,\u201d said Luo, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (CSE).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis would not have been possible without my students and collaborators, whose hard work laid the groundwork for this proposal.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuo praised CSE faculty members \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~badityap\/\u0022\u003EB. Aditya Prakash\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/xiuweizhang.wordpress.com\/\u0022\u003EXiuwei Zhang\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/chaozhang.org\/\u0022\u003EChao Zhang\u003C\/a\u003E for their guidance. All three study \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/artificial-intelligence-and-machine-learning\u0022\u003Emachine learning\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/computational-bioscience-and-biomedicine\u0022\u003Ecomputational bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, two of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/research\u0022\u003ECSE\u2019s five core research areas\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuo also thanked \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~hpark\/\u0022\u003EHaesun Park\u003C\/a\u003E for her support and recommendation for the CAREER award. Park is a Regents\u2019 Professor and the chair of the School of CSE.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProteins, including antibodies, hemoglobin, and insulin, power nearly every vital aspect of life. Breakthroughs in protein research are producing vaccines, resilient crops, bioenergy sources, and other innovative technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite their importance, most of what scientists know about proteins only comes from a small sample size. This stands in the way of fully understanding how most proteins work and unlocking their full potential.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~yunan\/\u0022\u003EYunan Luo\u003C\/a\u003E believes artificial intelligence (AI) could fill this knowledge gap. The National Science Foundation agrees. Luo is the recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/career-faculty-early-career-development-program\u0022\u003ECAREER\u003C\/a\u003E) award.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Yunan Luo is the recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award to use artificial intelligence to solve the protein annotation inequality problem."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-12-10 16:57:22","changed_gmt":"2026-01-09 13:37:31","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678817":{"id":"678817","type":"image","title":"Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_1.jpg","body":null,"created":"1765385865","gmt_created":"2025-12-10 16:57:45","changed":"1765385865","gmt_changed":"2025-12-10 16:57:45","alt":"Yunan Luo NSF CAREER Award","file":{"fid":"262902","name":"Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/10\/Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/10\/Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":108350,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/10\/Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_1.jpg?itok=j83dW4Sn"}},"678818":{"id":"678818","type":"image","title":"Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1765385967","gmt_created":"2025-12-10 16:59:27","changed":"1765385967","gmt_changed":"2025-12-10 16:59:27","alt":"Yunan Luo NSF CAREER Award","file":{"fid":"262903","name":"Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/10\/Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/10\/Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":100260,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/10\/Yunan-Luo-NSF-CAREER_2.jpg?itok=CShGR6nJ"}}},"media_ids":["678817","678818"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/nsf-grant-funds-protein-research-drug-discovery-and-personalized-medicine","title":"NSF Grant Funds Protein Research for Drug Discovery and Personalized Medicine"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"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":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"362","name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"191934","name":"National Science Foundation (NSF)"},{"id":"170447","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"176858","name":"machine learning center"},{"id":"173894","name":"ML@GT"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686871":{"#nid":"686871","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet CSE Profile: Ph.D. Graduate Ziqi Zhang","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student \u003Cstrong\u003EZiqi Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E has built a career blending machine learning with single-cell biology. His work helps scientists study cellular mechanisms that advance disease research and drug development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/award-winning-computer-models-propel-research-cellular-differentiation\u0022\u003Edecorated with awards\u003C\/a\u003E and appearances in leading journals, Zhang will achieve his greatest accomplishment tonight at McCamish Pavilion. He will join the Class of 2025 in walking across the stage, receiving diplomas, and graduating from Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore he \u201cgets out\u201d of Georgia Tech, we interviewed Zhang to learn more about his Ph.D. journey and where his degree will take him next.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGraduate:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/peterzzq.github.io\/\u0022\u003EZiqi Zhang\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch Interests:\u003C\/strong\u003E Machine learning, foundational models, cellular mechanisms, single-cell gene sequencing, gene regulatory networks\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEducation:\u003C\/strong\u003E Ph.D. in Computational Science and Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFaculty Advisor\u003C\/strong\u003E: School of CSE J.Z. Liang Early-Career Associate Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/xiuweizhang.wordpress.com\/\u0022\u003EXiuwei Zhang\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat persuaded you to study at Georgia Tech?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI chose Georgia Tech because it is one of the top engineering institutions in the United States, known for its strength in machine learning and data science. The university offers exceptional research resources and the opportunity to work with leading scholars in my field. Georgia Tech also has very good research infrastructure. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/coda\u0022\u003ECoda Building\u003C\/a\u003E is one of the most well-designed and productive research environments I have experienced. Having access to such a space has been a genuine privilege.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow has working on your CSE degree helped you so far in your career?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking toward my CSE degree has been instrumental in my career development. As an interdisciplinary program, CSE has equipped me with strong computational skills while also deepening my understanding of key application domains. This breadth of training has opened more opportunities during my job and internship searches. In addition, CSE community events, such as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hotcse.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EHotCSE\u003C\/a\u003E, the weekly coffee hour, and faculty recruiting activities, have helped me strengthen my scientific communication skills, which are essential for my long-term career growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat research project from Georgia Tech are you most proud of?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy favorite research project was\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-023-36066-2\u0022\u003EscMoMaT\u003C\/a\u003E, a matrix tri-factorization algorithm for single-cell data integration. I invested a significant amount of time and effort into this work, iterating on the model many times. I\u2019m very proud that it ultimately evolved into a clean, robust, and elegant algorithm.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat advice would you give someone interested in graduate school?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt is important to find an advisor who is supportive and genuinely invested in your career development. A Ph.D. is not an easy journey, and you will inevitably encounter challenges along the way. Having an advisor who can provide thoughtful guidance and dedicated mentorship is one of the most crucial factors in helping you navigate those difficulties.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your most favorite memory from Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECSE\u2019s new student campus visit day every year was one of my favorite times of the year. It was always fun to meet new people, have good food, and enjoy the beautiful view from the Coda rooftop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are your plans after graduation?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI plan to keep working in academia after graduation. I\u2019m on the job hunt, currently applying for positions and preparing for interviews.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student \u003Cstrong\u003EZiqi Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E has built a career blending machine learning with single-cell biology. His work helps scientists study cellular mechanisms that advance disease research and drug development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/award-winning-computer-models-propel-research-cellular-differentiation\u0022\u003Edecorated with awards\u003C\/a\u003E and appearances in leading journals, Zhang will achieve his greatest accomplishment tonight at McCamish Pavilion. He will join the Class of 2025 in walking across the stage, receiving diplomas, and graduating from Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore he \u201cgets out\u201d of Georgia Tech, we interviewed Zhang to learn more about his Ph.D. journey and where his degree will take him next.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Ph.D. graduate Ziqi Zhang will join the Class of 2025 in walking across the stage, receiving diplomas, and graduating from Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-12-11 15:58:37","changed_gmt":"2026-01-09 13:36:26","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678827":{"id":"678827","type":"image","title":"Meet-CSE_Ziqi-Zhang.jpg","body":null,"created":"1765468731","gmt_created":"2025-12-11 15:58:51","changed":"1765468731","gmt_changed":"2025-12-11 15:58:51","alt":"Meet CSE Ziqi Zhang","file":{"fid":"262915","name":"Meet-CSE_Ziqi-Zhang.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/11\/Meet-CSE_Ziqi-Zhang.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/11\/Meet-CSE_Ziqi-Zhang.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":119733,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/11\/Meet-CSE_Ziqi-Zhang.jpg?itok=LsnALgbn"}}},"media_ids":["678827"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"194880","name":"2025 fall commencement"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686999":{"#nid":"686999","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joints in Motion: Armita Manafzadeh Receives Carl Gans Young Investigator Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/user\/275\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EArmita Manafzadeh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ehas been awarded the prestigious\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sicb.org\/awards\/the-carl-gans-award\/\u0022\u003ECarl Gans Young Investigator Award\u003C\/a\u003E in recognition of her innovative research into joints and skeletons. She will join Georgia Tech as an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E in August 2026.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe award\u0026nbsp;\u2014 named in recognition of Carl Gans\u2019 contributions to animal morphology, biomechanics, and functional biology\u0026nbsp;\u2014 is one of the highest honors from the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB), and recognizes Manafzadeh\u2019s \u201cexceptional creativity and originality in comparative biomechanics research as well as her strong mentoring contributions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019m very fortunate to have done science with incredible mentors, collaborators, and students who\u2019ve helped me develop this body of research,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m grateful to be recognized with the Carl Gans Award, and look forward to continuing to explore new ways to study biomechanics when I start my lab at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.manafzadeh.com\/\u0022\u003EManafzadeh Lab\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech will investigate how joints work and where they come from \u2014 both evolutionarily and developmentally. With powerful new technology, called X-Ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM), Manafzadeh can look inside bodies with 4D \u201cX-ray vision\u201d \u2014 and can create animations of moving skeletons with sub-millimeter precision.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis research has the potential to transform our understanding of animal motion,\u201d she says, \u201cand that can ultimately open doors to everything from personalized surgical treatments for people to new designs for bio-inspired robots.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs part of the award, Manafzadeh will deliver a plenary speech on \u201cJoints: Form, Function, and the Future of Comparative Biomechanics\u201d this January at the annual SICB meeting in Portland, Oregon.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EManafzadeh will join Georgia Tech as an assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences in August 2026. The new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.manafzadeh.com\/\u0022\u003EManafzadeh Lab\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech will investigate how joints work and where they come from \u2014 both evolutionarily and developmentally.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Manafzadeh will join Georgia Tech as an assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences in August 2026. The new\u00a0Manafzadeh Lab at Georgia Tech will investigate how joints work and where they come from \u2014 both evolutionarily and developmentally.\u00a0"}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-12-19 16:29:30","changed_gmt":"2026-01-06 19:40:29","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678897":{"id":"678897","type":"image","title":"Armita Manafzadeh","body":"\u003Cp\u003EArmita Manafzadeh\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1766161920","gmt_created":"2025-12-19 16:32:00","changed":"1766161920","gmt_changed":"2025-12-19 16:32:00","alt":"Armita Manafzadeh","file":{"fid":"262987","name":"armita.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/19\/armita.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/19\/armita.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":77736,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/19\/armita.jpg?itok=Zi8kNfrn"}}},"media_ids":["678897"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"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":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"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\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\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":""}},"685218":{"#nid":"685218","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Breathtaking Breakthrough: Lung-on-a-Chip Defends Itself ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn a clear polymer chip, soft and pliable like a gummy bear, a microscopic lung comes alive \u2014 expanding, circulating, and, for the first time, protecting itself like a living organ.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/ankur-singh\u0022\u003EAnkur Singh,\u003C\/a\u003E director of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering\u003C\/a\u003E, watching immune cells rush through the chip took his breath away. Singh co-directed the study with longtime collaborator \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/engineering.vanderbilt.edu\/bio\/?pid=krishnendu-roy\u0022\u003EKrishnendu \u201cKrish\u201d Roy\u003C\/a\u003E, former Regents Professor and director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturingusa.org\/\u0022\u003ENSF Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies\u003C\/a\u003E at Tech and now the Bruce and Bridgitt Evans dean of engineering and University Distinguished Professor at Vanderbilt University. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/user\/rachel-ringquist\u0022\u003ERachel Ringquist\u003C\/a\u003E, Roy\u2019s graduate student, and now a postdoctoral fellow with Singh, led the work as part of her doctoral dissertation.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThat was the \u2018wow\u2019 moment,\u201d Singh said. \u201cIt was the first time we felt we had something close to a real human lung.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELung-on-a-chip platforms provide researchers a window into organ behavior. They are about the size of a postage stamp, etched with tiny channels and lined with living human cells. Roy and Singh\u2019s innovation was adding a working immune system \u2014 the missing piece that turns a chip into a true model of how the lung fights disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, researchers can watch how lungs respond to threats, how inflammation spreads, and how healing begins.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Human Stakes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor millions of people struggling with lung disease, everyday life can feel nearly impossible, whether it\u2019s climbing stairs, carrying groceries, or even laughing too hard. Doctors and scientists have attempted for decades to unlock what really happens inside fragile lungs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This unique lung-on-a-chip model opens new, preclinical pathways of discovery that will allow researchers to better understand the interplay of immune responses to severe viral infections and evaluate critical antiviral treatments,\u201d said Roy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Singh, the Carl Ring Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, this research is deeply personal. He lost an uncle when an infection overwhelmed his cancer-weakened immune system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat experience stays with you,\u201d Singh reflected. \u201cIt made me want to build systems that could predict and prevent outcomes like that, so fewer families go through what mine did. I think about my uncle all the time. If work like this means fewer families lose someone they love, then it\u2019s worth everything.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat motivation pushed his team to reimagine what a lung-on-a-chip could do, setting the stage for the breakthroughs that followed.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen the Lung Fought Back\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe turning point came when Roy\u2019s and Singh\u2019s team peered through a microscope and saw something no one had ever witnessed on a chip: blood and immune cells coursing through tiny vessel-like structures, behaving just as they do in a living lung.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor years, researchers had struggled to add immunity to organ-on-a-chip systems. Immune cells often died quickly or failed to circulate and interact with tissue the way they do in people. the team solved that problem, creating a chip where immune cells could survive and coordinate a defense.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was an amazing breakthrough moment,\u201d Singh said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe true test came when the team introduced a severe influenza virus infection. The lung mounted an immune response that closely mirrored what doctors see in patients. Immune cells rushed to the site of infection, inflammation spread through tissue, and defenses activated in response.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat was when we realized this wasn\u2019t just a model,\u201d Singh said. \u201cIt was capturing the real biology of disease.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh and Roy\u2019s research is published in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41551-025-01491-9\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA More Human Approach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor decades, lung research has relied on animal models. But mice don\u2019t get asthma like children. Their bodies don\u2019t mount the same defenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFive mice in a cage may respond the same way, but five humans won\u2019t,\u201d Singh explained. \u201cOur chip can reflect that difference. That\u2019s what makes it more accurate, and why it could dramatically reduce the need for animal models.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKrish Roy emphasized its potential.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Food and Drug Administration\u2019s strategic vision on reducing animal testing and developing predictive non-animal models aligns perfectly with our work. This device goes further than ever before in modeling human severe influenza and providing unprecedented insights into the complex lung immune response,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFighting More Than the Flu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat began with influenza now expands to a wider range of diseases. Roy and Singh believes the platform can be used to study asthma, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, and tuberculosis. The researchers are also working to integrate immune organs, showing how the lung coordinates with the body\u2019s defenses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe long-term vision is personalized medicine: chips built from a patient\u2019s own cells to predict which therapy will work best. Scaling, clinical validation, and regulatory approval will take years, but Singh is undeterred.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cImagine knowing which treatment will help you before you ever take it,\u201d Singh said. \u201cThat\u2019s where we\u2019re headed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhere we\u2019re headed, the future doesn\u2019t wait for illness. Instead, it anticipates it, intercepts it, and rewrites the outcome.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech postdoctoral researcher Rachel Ringquist was the first author leading the study.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by Wellcome Leap, with additional funding from the National Institutes of Health, Carl Ring Family Endowment, and the Marcus Foundation.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ERingquist, R., Bhatia, E., Chatterjee, P.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eet al.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;An immune-competent lung-on-a-chip for modelling the human severe influenza infection response.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Biomedical Engineering,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003ESeptember 2025 Vol.9 No.9\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDOI:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41551-025-01491-9#citeas\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41551-025-01491-9\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and Vanderbilt researchers have developed the first lung-on-a-chip with a functioning immune system, a breakthrough published in \u003Cem\u003ENature Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/em\u003E. Led by Ankur Singh and Krishnendu \u201cKrish\u201d Roy, the team created a postage stamp-sized device where blood and immune cells circulate, fight infection, and heal, just as they would in a living lung. The advance not only provides unprecedented insight into diseases like influenza, asthma, and cancer but also offers a path toward reducing animal testing. Long-term, the technology could enable personalized medicine, with chips built from patients\u2019 own cells to predict which therapies will work best.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt researchers have built the first lung-on-a-chip with a working immune system, a breakthrough with the potential to reshape how we study disease, move beyond animal testing, and administer lifesaving therapies."}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2025-09-24 15:20:56","changed_gmt":"2025-12-10 16:49:57","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678118":{"id":"678118","type":"image","title":"Lung-on-a-Chip With Immune System","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh and Rachel Ringquist point to the microscopic lung-on-a-chip that has a built-in immune system.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758725634","gmt_created":"2025-09-24 14:53:54","changed":"1758726945","gmt_changed":"2025-09-24 15:15:45","alt":"Researchers show off a lung-on-a-chip that has an immune system. Long term, this technology could lead to highly personalized medicine","file":{"fid":"262102","name":"20250911_IBB_ChipLung-01.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/24\/20250911_IBB_ChipLung-01.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/24\/20250911_IBB_ChipLung-01.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":13303952,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/24\/20250911_IBB_ChipLung-01.jpg?itok=oU9qxbUs"}}},"media_ids":["678118"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"1613","name":"Biomedical Engieering"},{"id":"98751","name":"College of Engineering; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"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\u003EMichelle Azriel Sr. Writer-Editor\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mazriel3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686604":{"#nid":"686604","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Clean, Old-Fashioned Collaboration: Engineering the Future of Healthcare at Georgia Tech and UGA","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u2019ve lived in Georgia long enough, you\u2019ve almost certainly heard the friendly jabs tossed across divided Thanksgiving tables. On one side, a smirk and a mention of the \u201cNorth Avenue Trade School.\u201d On the other, a pointed retort: \u201cTo hell with Georgia.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFew rivalries run deeper than the one known as \u201cClean, Old-Fashioned Hate,\u201d the annual showdown between Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia (UGA). On Friday afternoon, November 28, the two will face off in one of the most anticipated matchups in years. These teams don\u2019t like each other, and for a few hours every year, neither do friends, families, and even significant others.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EOff the field, however, the schools are proving that collaboration, not competition, is the schools\u2019 true strength.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor more than a century, Georgia\u2019s flagship universities have united around complementary strengths, tackling the state\u2019s biggest challenges together. That starts with making Georgians healthier.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cWhen Georgia Tech and UGA combine their strengths, together we create solutions that neither institution could achieve alone,\u201d said Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech. \u201cThese collaborations accelerate innovation in healthcare, improve lives across our state, and demonstrate that partnership \u2014 not rivalry \u2014 is Georgia\u2019s most powerful tradition.\u0022\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThe common denominator between these two great institutions is the populations they serve,\u201d said Chris King, interim vice president for Research at UGA. \u201cWe have a duty to find solutions that help improve the quality of life for all Georgians, and that\u2019s what these partnerships are all about.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFrom programs like the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (Georgia CTSA) to the National Science Foundation\u2019s Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), researchers at UGA and Georgia Tech are setting rivalries aside to build lasting partnerships that fuel innovation and expand the workforce to meet the state\u2019s needs.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPushing Cell Therapy Across the Goal Line\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECMaT is an NSF-funded consortium of more than seven universities and 40 member companies. At Georgia Tech and UGA, teams are conducting many early stage translational projects to improve manufacturing of cell-based therapeutics.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EOne joint project between Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda, executive director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering \u0026amp; Bioscience, and John Peroni, the Dr. Steeve Giguere Memorial Professor in Large Animal Medicine in UGA\u2019s College of Veterinary Medicine, addresses treatment of bacterial infections that can follow bone repair surgeries.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EBone fractures and non-union defects often require surgical implants, but 1-5% are compromised by bacterial infection, costing hospitals more than $1.9 billion annually. Current treatments are limited to sustained, high doses of antibiotics, which are less effective and can generate antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Garc\u00eda and Peroni are engineering synthetic biomaterials that locally deliver antimicrobial agents to eliminate infections and promote bone repair.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESteven Stice, D.W. Brooks Distinguished Professor and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar at UGA\u2019s Regenerative Bioscience Center, is also working with Georgia Tech\u2019s Andrei Fedorov, professor and Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, to improve the quality and control of producing natural, cell-derived healing materials for regenerative medicine.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAdult cells secrete tiny, bubble-like vesicles that help other cells heal and regenerate tissue. Stice developed methods to boost vesicle production, while Fedorov created a probe that accelerates the process.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cCells simply don\u2019t secrete these healing vesicles in the quantities needed for scalable, clinical-grade treatments,\u201d said Stice, UGA lead and co-principal investigator for CMaT. \u201cOur collaborative work changes that, accelerating production in a way that finally makes large-scale regenerative therapies feasible.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech and UGA\u0027s collective commitment to advancing science and technology exceeds the intensity of our athletic rivalry,\u201d Fedorov said. \u201cTogether, we\u2019re advancing cell and therapy biomanufacturing to develop lifesaving treatments for the most devastating diseases.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Francisco Robles and UGA\u2019s Lohitash Karumbaiah are using manufactured T cells to target cancer. Robles, who leads the Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy Lab in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, developed quantitative Oblique Back-illumination Microscopy (qOBM) to monitor tumor growth in real time. The method allows scientists to visualize patient-derived glioblastoma cell clusters generated in the Karumbaiah Lab, tracking tumor structure and behavior at various stages.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cAssessing therapeutic potency is often complex, costly, and ineffective for solid tumors,\u201d Karumbaiah said. \u201cqOBM simplifies the process by providing real-time, label-free monitoring of therapeutic efficacy against 3D solid tumors.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe work could help doctors personalize cancer treatments by providing early, detailed signs of whether a therapy is working.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThis technique is more compact and affordable and lets us watch T cells attack cell cultures in real time,\u201d Robles said. \u201cThis breakthrough could transform how we study disease and screen new treatments.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Playbook for Local Healthcare\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECreated in 2007 by the National Institutes of Health, Georgia CTSA is one of several NIH-funded national partnerships advancing new health therapeutics and practices. Since 2017, it has comprised UGA, Georgia Tech, Emory, and the Morehouse School of Medicine. The alliance\u2019s reach extends far beyond campus borders, bringing together researchers, clinicians, professional societies, and community and industry partners to identify local health challenges and translate research into practical solutions.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAnd out of this alliance have come many collaborative studies among CTSA\u2019s members.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EOne, the Georgia Health Landscape Dashboard, is a tool to identify local health gaps and connect regional health professionals or policymakers with the researchers who can best address their community\u2019s challenges. UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences Associate Professors Alison Berg and Dee Warmath, along with community health engagement coordinator Courtney Still Brown, are working with Georgia Tech\u2019s Jon Duke, director of the Center for Health Analytics and Informatics at the Georgia Tech Research Institute and a principal research scientist in the School of Interactive Computing.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe dashboard has already helped match researchers with communities by combining epidemiological data with \u201ccommunity voice\u201d insights through surveys of residents and local leaders.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor example, when examining diabetes data, the dashboard indicates Randolph County has the state\u2019s highest prevalence, despite declining by about 8% between 2021-24. Meanwhile, Treutlen County\u2019s rate increased 29.2% during the same period. Perhaps Treutlen\u2019s need for diabetic care is a growing concern, while Randolph\u2019s is being addressed. And perhaps Hancock County, which ranks diabetes its top priority in the community voice category, is in search of immediate solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Landscape Dashboard is a fantastic example of how the unique expertise found at Georgia Tech and UGA can be brought together to create something truly valuable for all Georgia,\u201d Duke said. \u201cBy bringing together a range of data sources and health analytics approaches, this collaboration has created a tool that delivers novel insights into health, community, and policy across the state.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESupported by UGA Cooperative Extension and the Biomedical and Translational Sciences Institute, the project leverages a network of agents in every county across the state. Warmath said the project\u2019s strength lies in its ability to connect research with real-world needs.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cTo build a community-responsive ecosystem for biomedical research, scientists must recognize local needs, share progress with communities to foster trust and acceptance, recruit clinicians and industry partners, and strengthen the relationships between patient and caregiver,\u201d Warmath said.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETeaming Up for Maternal Health\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWarmath and a team of researchers at UGA, Georgia Tech, and Emory are also collaborating on an NIH-funded project uniting experts in maternal health, biostatistics, and consumer science to explore how wearable technologies could improve delivery-room care.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDuring childbirth, clinicians monitor countless maternal and fetal vitals \u2014 contractions, heart rates, oxygen levels, kidney function, and more. What new insights, the researchers asked, could advanced wearable technologies offer in the delivery room, and what barriers might prevent their use?\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EUsing nationwide surveys and focus groups, the team gathered information from a representative sample of pregnant, postpartum, and reproductive-age women, as well as healthcare professionals, to examine acceptance of wearable health technologies during labor and delivery. In their analysis of this rich data source, the team is identifying key variables that reveal gaps in technology acceptance and the unique needs of diverse maternal populations.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EEach partner institution brings unique expertise. At Emory, principal investigator Suchitra Chandrasekaran contributes clinical insights from direct patient care. At UGA, Warmath applies her knowledge in consumer science to analyze end-user motivation, attitudes, and behaviors. At Georgia Tech, experts like Sarah Farmer in the Center for Advanced Communications Policy\u2019s Home Lab facilitate large-scale data collection.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWith data collection now complete, the team is analyzing results to inform future design and deployment of wearable technologies.\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cEach school has a different perspective,\u201d Farmer said. \u201cIt\u2019s not as simple as one school does this but doesn\u2019t do that. Each has their expertise, but they offer different perspectives and different resources that, when pooled, can make our research that much more effective.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWhether advancing maternal health, mapping Georgia\u2019s health needs, or engineering next-generation therapies, UGA and Georgia Tech continue to prove that collaboration is Georgia\u2019s strongest tradition. Further, the undergraduate and graduate students who work in these labs and others represent the state\u2019s highly skilled workforce of tomorrow.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cWhen our institutions work together, Georgia wins,\u201d Warmath said.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u2014 \u003Cem\u003EBy David Mitchell\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and UGA are teaming up to tackle big health challenges, from cancer and bone repair to maternal care and community health. By combining their strengths, these schools are turning research into real-world solutions that make life better for Georgians.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"By uniting expertise and resources, Georgia\u2019s leading institutions are creating practical solutions to improve health outcomes across the state."}],"uid":"28766","created_gmt":"2025-11-24 15:25:22","changed_gmt":"2025-11-24 19:33:14","author":"Shelley Wunder-Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678711":{"id":"678711","type":"image","title":"Tim Lieuwen and Chris King","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETim Lieuwen and Chris King\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763994958","gmt_created":"2025-11-24 14:35:58","changed":"1763999939","gmt_changed":"2025-11-24 15:58:59","alt":"A tall white man wearing a blue GT-branded polo standing next to a slightly shorter man wearing a UGA-branded red polo. They\u0027re smiling and both holding a football.","file":{"fid":"262778","name":"26-R10410-P61-003.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/26-R10410-P61-003.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/26-R10410-P61-003.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1760052,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/24\/26-R10410-P61-003.jpg?itok=mtg-lhnt"}},"678706":{"id":"678706","type":"image","title":"Andres Garcia","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763993719","gmt_created":"2025-11-24 14:15:19","changed":"1763999973","gmt_changed":"2025-11-24 15:59:33","alt":"A man in a white lab coat and glasses, with a gold tie","file":{"fid":"262772","name":"andres-garcia.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/andres-garcia_1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/andres-garcia_1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":56117,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/24\/andres-garcia_1.png?itok=xiBVwOz6"}},"678707":{"id":"678707","type":"image","title":"John Peroni","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Peroni\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763993920","gmt_created":"2025-11-24 14:18:40","changed":"1763999994","gmt_changed":"2025-11-24 15:59:54","alt":"A man wearing teal surgical cloges and a green scrubs top, next to a light brown horse","file":{"fid":"262773","name":"JohnP24.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/JohnP24.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/JohnP24.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":148787,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/24\/JohnP24.jpg?itok=AO_9L5fk"}},"678709":{"id":"678709","type":"image","title":"The Dynamic Mass Spectrometry Probe developed to monitor the health of living cell cultures (photo credit: Rob Felt)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Dynamic Mass Spectrometry Probe developed to monitor the health of living cell cultures (photo credit: Rob Felt)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763994556","gmt_created":"2025-11-24 14:29:16","changed":"1764000017","gmt_changed":"2025-11-24 16:00:17","alt":"The Dynamic Mass Spectrometry Probe developed to monitor the health of living cell cultures (photo credit: Rob Felt)","file":{"fid":"262776","name":"cell-quality-control-012.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/cell-quality-control-012_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/cell-quality-control-012_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":287024,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/24\/cell-quality-control-012_0.jpg?itok=eeMa9kOC"}},"678710":{"id":"678710","type":"image","title":"Sarah Farmer","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESarah Farmer\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763994685","gmt_created":"2025-11-24 14:31:25","changed":"1764000040","gmt_changed":"2025-11-24 16:00:40","alt":"A smiling woman with long brown hair, wearing a black t-shirt and a floral cardigan","file":{"fid":"262777","name":"Sarah-Farmer.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/Sarah-Farmer.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/24\/Sarah-Farmer.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":22508,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/24\/Sarah-Farmer.jpeg?itok=zrlUSoPs"}}},"media_ids":["678711","678706","678707","678709","678710"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"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\u003EFor media inquiries:\u003Cbr\u003EAngela Bajaras Prendiville\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Media Relations\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:media@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emedia@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686195":{"#nid":"686195","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Deleon: Bridging Space Technology and Preventive Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the startup world, existing research often helps uncover a problem that needs a solution. For two Georgia Tech graduates, studying metabolomics,\u0026nbsp;the exploration of the body\u2019s chemical processes, and\u0026nbsp;an\u0026nbsp;existing NASA chemical analysis technology\u0026nbsp;inspired\u0026nbsp;a company that hopes to change the face of preventative healthcare.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETech College of Engineering alumni Chad Pozarycki, Ph.D., CHBE, 2022, and Jos\u00e9 Andrade, AE, 2025, are on a mission to make biochemical\u0026nbsp;monitoring more accessible \u2014 with a focus on preventing disease. Today, their startup\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.deleon-omics.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.deleon-omics.com\/\u0022\u003EDeleon\u003C\/a\u003E, using NASA\u2019s technology (originally designed to search for life on Mars) and metabolomics, provides a system that uses daily urine sampling\u0026nbsp;to track metabolites related to overtraining, stress, and recovery. Future applications will be aimed at early disease detection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSomething that frustrated me about metabolomics was its lack of focus on preventive care,\u201d said Andrade. \u201cWe created Deleon by combining these ideas and tracking the human metabolome to optimize for healthy lifestyles.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Deleon founders began the company shortly after Pozarycki completed his graduate studies at Georgia Tech, with Andrade moonlighting and Pozarycki working a part-time job at Georgia Tech\u2019s bike shop to keep the project afloat. In the beginning, funding was a major challenge.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI finished my Ph.D., was working on Deleon, and didn\u2019t have any income. CREATE-X gave us $5,000 in funding, which motivated us to keep going on this project,\u201d said Pozarycki.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECREATE-X\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s campus-wide initiative to instill entrepreneurial confidence and help students launch startups, provided more than funding. Through the program, Deleon received guidance on finding potential customers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe one-on-one advice from expert CREATE-X entrepreneurs and organizers like Rahul [CREATE-X director] and Margaret [LAUNCH associate director] was super valuable and helped us focus on launching our minimum viable product and getting our first customers,\u201d said Andrade.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program\u2019s culminating event, Demo Day, gave Deleon a platform to present to investors and the public. Among dozens of student-led startups, Deleon\u2019s data-driven approach attracted strong interest. The exposure led to an eventual $850,000 investment, partially funded by Georgia Tech\u0027s early-stage fund, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ventures.commercialization.gatech.edu\/\u0022 id=\u0022menurmoc\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/ventures.commercialization.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGTF Ventures\u003C\/a\u003E. This investment allowed the founders to work full-time on the company, hire a team, and build a lab space.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI would recommend the CREATE-X program to anyone,\u201d Pozarycki said. \u201cEven if you don\u2019t think you want to start a company, there\u2019s a lot you can learn about commercialization in this program that may change your mind and give you more control over your own fate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDeleon\u2019s path from concept to launch highlights the growing role of Georgia Tech\u2019s entrepreneurial ecosystem in supporting student innovation. Programs like CREATE-X not only help students build companies but also contribute to regional economic growth by keeping talent and investment in the Southeast.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCREATE-X is the best environment on campus to learn by doing,\u201d Pozarycki said. \u201cYou are encouraged to build something real, not just talk about it. You\u2019ll leave knowing how to talk to customers, how to pitch, and how to think like a founder.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOpportunities for Entrepreneurs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents, faculty, researchers, and alumni interested in developing their own startups are encouraged to apply to CREATE-X\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/launch\/startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStartup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The early admission deadline to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/airtable.com\/appaTqlTL2zQkXBBR\/pagdkIvjQbvDbSD2F\/form\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eapply for Startup Launch\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eis Nov. 17. Spots are limited.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/airtable.com\/appaTqlTL2zQkXBBR\/pagdkIvjQbvDbSD2F\/form\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApply now\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Efor a higher chance of acceptance and early feedback.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDeleon, founded by Georgia Tech graduates Chad Pozarycki and Jos\u00e9 Andrade, repurposes NASA\u2019s data transmission technology to create a biochemical monitoring system that tracks stress, recovery, and early signs of disease through daily urine samples. The startup began with limited resources but gained traction through Georgia Tech\u2019s CREATE-X Startup Launch program, which provided seed funding, mentorship, and industry connections. Deleon\u2019s Demo Day pitch led to an eventual investment from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/gtfv1\/\u0022\u003EGTF Ventures\u003C\/a\u003E, enabling further development and team expansion. Their journey showcases how CREATE-X empowers student entrepreneurs and strengthens the Southeast\u2019s innovation economy.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Inspired by NASA technology, Georgia Tech alumni launched Deleon\u2014a startup using biochemical data to advance preventive health, backed by CREATE-X."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-11-04 22:03:50","changed_gmt":"2025-11-18 21:44:27","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678544":{"id":"678544","type":"image","title":"Deleon cofounders from left to right, Chad Pozarycki and Jos\u00e9 Andrade.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDeleon cofounders from left to right, Chad Pozarycki and Jos\u00e9 Andrade.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762293202","gmt_created":"2025-11-04 21:53:22","changed":"1762293334","gmt_changed":"2025-11-04 21:55:34","alt":"Deleon cofounders from left to right, Chad Pozarycki and Jos\u00e9 Andrade.","file":{"fid":"262595","name":"Deleon--Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/04\/Deleon--Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/04\/Deleon--Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","mime":"image\/png","size":601643,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/04\/Deleon--Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png?itok=vQYcpWJQ"}}},"media_ids":["678544"],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"},{"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\u003EWritten by Amanda Dudley\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInternal Contact:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003Cbr\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"686192":{"#nid":"686192","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Built in I2P: The Student Inventions You\u2019ll Want to See to Believe","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECricket powder-based protein brownies. A visualization system for fencing blades. A personalized AI application for analyzing blood work. All I2P Showcase prototypes. See what Georgia Tech students have been developing this semester at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/i2p-showcase-fall-2025-tickets-1748117429289?aff=article\u0022\u003EFall 2025 Idea to Prototype (I2P) Showcase\u003C\/a\u003E on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 5 p.m. in the Marcus Nanotechnology Building. This year, attendees will have even more\u0026nbsp;original inventions to view, with over 60 teams\u0026nbsp;displaying prototypes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe event marks the culmination of the semester-long I2P course, where undergraduate students develop functional prototypes aimed at solving real-world problems. Prototypes this semester include a smart military drone, a gentler device for cervical cancer screening, a rotating espresso station, tools to keep AI safe, compact data centers, systems that simulate cyberattacks to help companies strengthen their defenses, and many more.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe showcase is free and open to students, faculty, staff, and members of the local community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWinning teams will receive prizes and a \u201cgolden ticket\u201d into CREATE-X\u2019s Startup Launch, a summer accelerator that provides optional seed funding, accounting and legal service credits, mentorship, and more to help students turn their prototypes into viable startups.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is a free event, and refreshments will be provided.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/i2p-showcase-fall-2025-tickets-1748117429289?aff=article\u0022\u003ERegister for the Fall 2025 I2P Showcase\u003C\/a\u003E today!\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMore than 60 undergraduate teams will present functional prototypes at the Fall 2025 Idea to Prototype (I2P) Showcase at Georgia Tech, Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 5 p.m. in the Marcus Nanotechnology Building. See innovative student creations developed over the semester and designed to solve real-world problems. Winning teams earn prizes and a \u201cgolden ticket\u201d into CREATE-X\u2019s Startup Launch accelerator, which offers funding, in-kind services, mentorship, and more. This is a free event for the campus and local community.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Fall 2025 I2P Showcase will feature over 60 student prototypes tackling real-world challenges."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-11-04 20:30:14","changed_gmt":"2025-11-04 20:45:46","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678542":{"id":"678542","type":"image","title":"Founders of Allez Go Adam Kulikowski and Jason Mo","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFounders of Allez Go: Adam Kulikowski and Jason Mo\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762288717","gmt_created":"2025-11-04 20:38:37","changed":"1762288817","gmt_changed":"2025-11-04 20:40:17","alt":"Founders of Allez Go: Adam Kulikowski and Jason Mo","file":{"fid":"262593","name":"54186413447_045f318b99_o.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/04\/54186413447_045f318b99_o.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/04\/54186413447_045f318b99_o.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":13446225,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/04\/54186413447_045f318b99_o.jpg?itok=AFgCbVoS"}}},"media_ids":["678542"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/i2p-showcase-fall-2025-tickets-1748117429289?aff=article","title":"Register for the 2025 Fall I2P Showcase"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"42921","name":"Exhibitions"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"},{"id":"147","name":"Military Technology"},{"id":"148","name":"Music and Music Technology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"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":""}},"685578":{"#nid":"685578","#data":{"type":"news","title":"ChBE Professor Leads Team Awarded $9.2M NSF Grant to Build \u201cPlug-and-Play\u201d Biotechnology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EImagine if building new medicines or sustainable materials were as straightforward as snapping together LEGO\u00ae bricks. That\u2019s the goal of a new project led by the Georgia Institute of Technology that could help transform the future of biomanufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project, headed by Professor Mark Styczynski in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE@GT), recently received a $9.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) to accelerate the adoption of cell-free systems in biomanufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPromising Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBiotechnology has largely relied on living cells for production of products such as medicines, fragrances, or renewable fuels. But working with living cells can be complex and expensive.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECell-free systems, by contrast, strip biology down to its essential parts, the enzymes and molecules that carry out life\u2019s chemical reactions. This can simplify and speed up biomanufacturing, making it easier to scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe challenge, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/styczynski\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStyczynski\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E explained, is that most cell-free projects still require custom-built setups. \u201cRight now, engineering biology is like reinventing the wheel for every application,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to figure out how all the parts fit together each time. We want to change that by making ready-to-use modules that work right out of the box.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStyczynski\u2019s project, called Meta-PURE (PUrified Recombinant Elements), will create eight standardized modules, each designed for a key function in cell-free systems, such as generating energy, producing proteins, or assembling complex molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLike interchangeable puzzle pieces, these modules can be mixed and matched to support different applications,\u201d Styczynski said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDemonstrating Uses\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis team will demonstrate the system\u2019s versatility by producing santalene (a plant-derived fragrance used widely in consumer products), GamS protein (a tool that can improve cell-free processes), and a bacteriophage (a virus that can be safely used in research and the development of new therapeutic treatments).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese examples highlight the technology\u2019s potential across industries ranging from pharmaceuticals and agriculture to chemicals and sustainable materials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to make these tools so that someone in industry can create their molecule or product more quickly and efficiently, and get it out the door,\u201d Styczynski said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRight now, cell-free systems are mostly limited to high-value products because the cost is too high. The goal is to drive costs down and productivity up, so we can move closer to commodity chemicals like biofuels or monomers for polymers, not just niche applications. One of our partners recently developed a butanol process that shows where this can go,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENSF Initiative\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStyczynski\u2019s team is one of four recently awarded an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/tip\/updates\/nsf-invests-more-32m-biotechnology-accelerating-adoption?utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_source=govdelivery\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Einaugural investment of $32.4 million\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to help grow the U.S. bioeconomy. The initiative is called the NSF Advancing Cell-Free Systems Toward Increased Range of Use-Inspired Applications (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/cfire-ideas-lab-advancing-cell-free-systems-toward-increased-range\/506275\/nsf24-552\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENSF CFIRE\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNSF is resolute in our commitment to advancing breakthroughs in biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and other key technologies of significance to the U.S. economy,\u201d said Erwin Gianchandani, assistant director for NSF TIP. \u201cThe novel approaches from these four CFIRE teams will speed up and expand the adoption of cell-free systems across a variety of industries and ensure America\u2019s competitive position in the global bioeconomy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECollaborative Effort\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile ChBE@GT is the lead, Meta-PURE is a broad collaboration with partners across academia, industry, and government. Co-principal investigators include Paul Opgenorth, co-founder and vice president of development at the biotech firm eXoZymes; Nicholas R. Sandoval, associate professor of Tulane University\u2019s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; and Anton Jackson-Smith, founder of the biotech startup b.next.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeta-PURE will also train graduate students and postdocs in partnership with industry, government, and other universities, helping prepare trainees to be the future of a highly interdisciplinary U.S. bioeconomy. The team will also engage the scientific community on the implementation of metrics and standards in cell-free biotechnology to better facilitate broad adoption and interoperability of not just the results of the Meta-PURE project, but of cell-free efforts more broadly.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EImagine if building new medicines or sustainable materials were as straightforward as snapping together LEGO\u00ae bricks. That\u2019s the goal of a new project led by the Georgia Institute of Technology that could help transform the future of biomanufacturing. The project, headed by Professor Mark Styczynski in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE@GT), recently received a $9.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) to accelerate the adoption of cell-free systems in biomanufacturing.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers received a $9.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to accelerate the adoption of cell-free systems in biomanufacturing."}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2025-10-07 18:46:50","changed_gmt":"2025-10-22 15:06:17","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678296":{"id":"678296","type":"image","title":"Mark-Styczynski-Alexandra-Patterson-Protein-Biosensor-0279-h.jpg","body":null,"created":"1759862848","gmt_created":"2025-10-07 18:47:28","changed":"1759862848","gmt_changed":"2025-10-07 18:47:28","alt":"Mark Styczynski in lab","file":{"fid":"262305","name":"Mark-Styczynski-Alexandra-Patterson-Protein-Biosensor-0279-h.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/07\/Mark-Styczynski-Alexandra-Patterson-Protein-Biosensor-0279-h.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/07\/Mark-Styczynski-Alexandra-Patterson-Protein-Biosensor-0279-h.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":612548,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/07\/Mark-Styczynski-Alexandra-Patterson-Protein-Biosensor-0279-h.jpg?itok=-U_D2zfs"}}},"media_ids":["678296"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"194685","name":"Manufacturing"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14854","name":"biomanufacturing"},{"id":"194811","name":"cell-free systems"},{"id":"1503","name":"Biotechnology"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"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\u003EBrad Dixon, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu. \u0022\u003Ebraddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685734":{"#nid":"685734","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cancer Atlas Offers a Roadmap to Detecting Tumors Earlier Than Ever","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/50m-cancer-moonshot-grant-will-build-atlas-earlier-cancer-detection\u0022\u003EWhen a Georgia Tech-led project received a contract award\u003C\/a\u003E from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arpa-h.gov\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Research Projects Agency for Health\u003C\/a\u003E (ARPA-H), it was for a bold idea with aggressive metrics. And it wasn\u2019t guaranteed money. The team, led by biomedical engineer \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Gabe-A.-Kwong\u0022\u003EGabe Kwong\u003C\/a\u003E, had to deliver on its vision. Doing so could transform cancer screening and care, leading to one-size-fits-all tests that detect multiple cancers before they\u2019re visible on CT or PET scans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s a big goal, but that\u2019s the point of ARPA-H. The agency funds staggeringly difficult healthcare innovation ideas that require major investment to succeed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo years into the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arpa-h.gov\/explore-funding\/awardees#:~:text=Cancer%20and%20Organ-,Degradome,-Atlas%20to%20Unlock\u0022\u003E$49.5 million project\u003C\/a\u003E, Kwong and the team from Georgia Tech, Columbia University, and Mount Sinai Health System has crossed a critical threshold.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey\u2019ve built the first tool able to measure enzyme activity around cancer tumors and healthy cells. And they\u2019ve deployed it to understand the unique signatures for tumors from 14 different kinds of cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat data is powering the first version of a cancer \u201catlas.\u201d Like a geographical atlas, it will offer directions to each kind of tumor, allowing scientists to design sensors that follow the map and detect cancer tumors when they\u2019re still small.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf I want to deliver a sensor to a particular region inside the body, right now, there\u0027s no way of directing it. We give it systemically, and it basically infuses all tissues all the time,\u201d said Kwong, Robert A. Milton Professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. \u201cWhat\u0027s powerful is that we\u2019re now defining tissue sites with a specific molecular \u2018barcode.\u2019 Then if a sensor is given systemically, it should only turn on when the barcode matches the local tissue.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/cancer-atlas-offers-roadmap-detecting-tumors-earlier-ever\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more about the project on the College of Engineering website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo years into a $49.5 million cancer-mapping project, researchers are opening the door to new kinds of tests that could alert doctors to multiple kinds of cancer when they\u2019re most treatable.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Two years into a $49.5 million cancer-mapping project, researchers are opening the door to new kinds of tests that could alert doctors to multiple kinds of cancer when they\u2019re most treatable."}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2025-10-16 13:48:30","changed_gmt":"2025-10-16 17:52:17","author":"Joshua Stewart","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678362":{"id":"678362","type":"image","title":"Kwong-ARPA-H-roadmap-illustration-t.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E(Illustration: Sarah Collins)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1760622526","gmt_created":"2025-10-16 13:48:46","changed":"1760622526","gmt_changed":"2025-10-16 13:48:46","alt":"Illustration of cancer cells along a road with location markers next to each cell to represent the cancer \u0022atlas\u0022 Gabe Kwong and his collaborators are building.","file":{"fid":"262380","name":"Kwong-ARPA-H-roadmap-illustration-t.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/16\/Kwong-ARPA-H-roadmap-illustration-t.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/16\/Kwong-ARPA-H-roadmap-illustration-t.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":453049,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/16\/Kwong-ARPA-H-roadmap-illustration-t.jpg?itok=lNQ0pgUe"}}},"media_ids":["678362"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"108041","name":"Gabe Kwong"},{"id":"193109","name":"arpa-h"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"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:jstewart@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jstewart@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685293":{"#nid":"685293","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Lab to Life: Inside the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe brain is the most intricate system known to science \u2014 billions of cells forming dynamic networks that allow us to think, feel, move, and adapt. Yet despite decades of research, much about how the brain works remains a mystery. At the same time, neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions are on the rise, affecting more than one-third of the global population and costing trillions in healthcare and lost productivity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding the brain is key to unlocking human health and flourishing. The need has never been more urgent, but this challenge is too vast for any single discipline to solve alone.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s why Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-launches-two-new-interdisciplinary-research-institutes\u0022\u003Erecently launched\u003C\/a\u003E the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E (INNS). A step toward a more connected, collaborative future, INNS brings together experts from across Georgia Tech\u2019s seven colleges and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/a\u003E (GTRI) to study the brain in ways that connect scientific discovery with technological innovation and real-world societal needs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EINNS supports research that crosses traditional academic boundaries. As an\u0026nbsp;Interdisciplinary Research Institute (IRI), it builds community, fosters collaboration, and fills critical gaps in education, professional development, and research infrastructure.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has a long-standing culture of interdisciplinary collaboration \u2014 it\u2019s in our DNA,\u201d says INNS Executive Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/user\/1109\u0022\u003EChris Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E. Rozell also serves as Julian T. Hightower Chaired Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cINNS builds on that strength to create a space where breakthroughs in neuroscience and neurotechnology can move from lab to life, impacting real people in real ways.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Community Built to Collaborate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EINNS is home to a growing network of faculty, students, and research centers spanning the full spectrum of Georgia Tech\u2019s research expertise.\u0026nbsp;This diversity is not just a feature, it\u2019s the foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat foundation was laid over decades of growth, vision, and grassroots momentum. Georgia Tech welcomed its first neuroscience-focused faculty member in\u0026nbsp;1990, sparking a steady expansion of brain-related research across campus. As more faculty joined and new focus areas emerged, a vibrant, cross-disciplinary community began to take shape.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn\u0026nbsp;2014, that community organized under the name GT Neuro, a grassroots initiative that united researchers who shared a passion for understanding the brain. This collective energy led to new educational programs, including the launch of Georgia Tech\u2019s undergraduate neuroscience major in the College of Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur undergraduate students absolutely love teaching others about Neuroscience,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/christina-ragan\u0022\u003EChristina Ragan\u003C\/a\u003E, director of Outreach for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuroscience.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EUndergraduate Neuroscience Program\u003C\/a\u003E and senior academic professional in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cI\u0027m really excited to explore ways for INNS to connect our neuroscience community at Tech with the public.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy 2023, the Neuro Next Initiative launched to bring together leaders from across campus and chart a strategic path forward \u2014 the result of nearly two years of community-driven planning to formalize and expand Georgia Tech\u2019s neuroscience ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe launch of INNS has built on the momentum of the Neuro Next Initiative, which ignited crucial conversations and fostered new collaborations between researchers at GTRI and Georgia Tech faculty,\u201d says \u003Cstrong\u003ETabitha Rosenbalm\u003C\/strong\u003E, GTRI senior research engineer. \u201cThe remarkable demonstration at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/interfaceneuro-highlights-atlantas-growing-role-neurotech-revolution\u0022\u003EInterface Neuro\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 witnessing a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/unveiling-human-stories-behind-brain-implants\u0022\u003Equadriplegic man walk and communicate\u003C\/a\u003E thanks to innovative research \u2014 underscores the transformative breakthroughs possible when academic and applied researchers unite. INNS is uniquely positioned to serve as a catalyst, propelling Atlanta, Georgia Tech, and GTRI as national leaders in neurotechnology, driving advancements in both human health and engineering innovation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EINNS is also helping shape the future of education. A new\u0026nbsp;interdisciplinary \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/training-page\/graduate-academic-programs\/phd\u0022\u003EPh.D. program\u0026nbsp;in neuroscience and neurotechnology\u003C\/a\u003E welcomed its first cohort this fall, and INNS is poised to support it with professional development, research opportunities, and community engagement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBreaking Boundaries to Advance Brain Science\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhether it\u2019s developing neurotechnologies, designing therapeutic environments, or exploring the ethical implications of brain research, INNS is here to support work that spans fields and impacts lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo responsibly address the societal and human impacts of advances in neuroscience and neurotechnology, we first need to understand them,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/margaret-e-kosal\u0022\u003EMargaret Kosal\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and director of Graduate Students in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThat requires real and substantive collaboration beyond traditional engineering or biology labs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne example of INNS in action is the\u0026nbsp;Smart Transitional Home Lab, a project funded by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-shepherd-center-award-inaugural-seed-grants\u0022\u003Einaugural INNS\/Shepherd Center Seed Grant\u003C\/a\u003E. This initiative brings together experts in architecture, inclusive design, neuroengineering, and rehabilitation to prototype environments that actively support stroke recovery, blending rigorous research with human-centered design.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe establishment of INNS creates a powerful platform where diverse minds, from neuroscience to architecture to rehabilitation, can converge around a shared mission to advance human health,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arch.gatech.edu\/people\/hui-cai\u0022\u003EHui Cai\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arch.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Architecture\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/simtigrate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESimTigrate Design Center\u003C\/a\u003E, and co-leader of the project. \u201cIt enables interdisciplinary work with the potential to transform lives and redefine how we design for healing and recovery.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom whole brain recordings, to mapping the connectome, to the incredible advances in artificial intelligence, it\u0027s never been a more exciting time to study the mind and brain,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/robert-wilson\u0022\u003EBob Wilson\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coco.psych.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter of Excellence for Computation and Cognition\u003C\/a\u003E and associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cI\u0027m extremely excited for INNS to act as a central hub, building the neuroscience community at Georgia Tech and beyond.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoin Us\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EINNS is more than an institute, it\u2019s a growing, vibrant community of researchers, educators, students, and partners. Together, we\u2019re working to understand the brain, develop technologies that improve lives, and ensure those innovations serve society responsibly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhether you\u0027re a student, researcher, policymaker, or simply curious about the brain,\u0026nbsp;INNS is your gateway to interdisciplinary neuroscience at Georgia Tech. Get involved at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/email-list-subscriptions\u0022\u003Eneuro.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENeuroscience at Georgia Tech is entering a new era \u2014 one defined by interdisciplinary research, educational innovation, and real-world impact.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Neuroscience at Georgia Tech is entering a new era \u2014 one defined by interdisciplinary research, educational innovation, and real-world impact."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-09-25 19:32:18","changed_gmt":"2025-10-08 17:17:15","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678148":{"id":"678148","type":"image","title":"Brain-pop-art3.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearchers across Georgia Tech are joining forces to explore the brain \u2014 advancing science, technology, and society through interdisciplinary collaboration.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758828752","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 19:32:32","changed":"1758828752","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 19:32:32","alt":"Researchers across Georgia Tech are joining forces to explore the brain \u2014 advancing science, technology, and society through interdisciplinary collaboration.","file":{"fid":"262135","name":"Brain-pop-art3.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/Brain-pop-art3.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/25\/Brain-pop-art3.png","mime":"image\/png","size":6940748,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/25\/Brain-pop-art3.png?itok=Imvl-fen"}},"678149":{"id":"678149","type":"video","title":" Inside the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom lab to life, INNS is building a collaborative future for brain science.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758829774","gmt_created":"2025-09-25 19:49:34","changed":"1758829774","gmt_changed":"2025-09-25 19:49:34","video":{"youtube_id":"rtiZfZzdMLQ","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rtiZfZzdMLQ"}}},"media_ids":["678148","678149"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-shepherd-center-award-inaugural-seed-grants","title":"Georgia Tech, Shepherd Center Award Inaugural Seed Grants"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/rozell-named-inaugural-executive-director-new-neuroscience-institute","title":"Rozell Named Inaugural Executive Director of New Neuroscience Institute"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-launches-two-new-interdisciplinary-research-institutes","title":"Georgia Tech Launches Two New Interdisciplinary Research Institutes"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685409":{"#nid":"685409","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nathan Wallace Takes Steps to Advance Prosthetics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENathan Wallace was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency, a congenital limb disorder, which led to the amputation of his left foot at 8 months old. He was fitted for his first prosthetic at 13 months.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, the third-year biomedical engineering student is using his life experience to develop advanced prostheses as a member of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epic.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EExoskeleton and Prosthetic Intelligent Controls (EPIC) Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. Wallace is part of the development and machine learning teams on an ongoing \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.epic.gatech.edu\/powered-knee-ankle-prosthesis\/\u0022\u003Evertically integrated project\u003C\/a\u003E led by Associate Professor Aaron Young and senior research scientist Kinsey Herrin. The teams are engineering a microprocessor-powered leg and ankle capable of mimicking gait and providing stability in walking patterns across various surfaces.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETraditional prosthetics, like the one Wallace uses, don\u2019t provide ankle flexion, but the current iteration of the lab\u2019s leg offers something that he views as an evolution of products on the market today. The latest tests allowed Wallace, while wearing the leg, to walk up a ramp with the ankle and knee adapting to the slope.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of our power comes from the ankle, and our version of the leg better recreates a complete gait cycle, which includes the knee and ankle flexion and everything in between. With my current prosthetic, I don\u2019t have that same gait control, so I\u2019m swinging my foot around and overcompensating on my right leg. With our leg, I\u2019m walking up the ramp normally, and it\u2019s creating a movement that I\u0027ve never felt before,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with the improved performance of the leg, Wallace and the team intend to use machine learning to assist in fitting patients with prosthetics that meet their unique needs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u0027re trying to get away from patients having to spend hours in an office tuning a prosthetic to their preferences. Instead, it allows the machine learning model to learn as the person walks on it. This can help reduce costs related to both time and personnel,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGrowing up, Wallace was an active child at recess and eventually became a high school wrestler. While there were times he felt he couldn\u2019t keep up with his classmates, he found ways to adapt. He credits his condition for helping him develop a strong work ethic and a desire to help others find the same confidence he has found as he\u2019s gotten older.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLearning to embrace who I am has made me the person I am today. It\u2019s given me perspective and a capacity for empathy and sympathy for others in the disabled community,\u201d he said. \u201cMy past and my condition have driven me to where I am today, and I feel privileged to be at Georgia Tech. It touches a special place in my heart to know that this kind of work is going on, and that I can be a part of it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOutside of the lab, Wallace is a member of the student organization \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.campuslabs.com\/engage\/organization\/tikkun-olam-makers\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETikkun Olam Makers\u003C\/a\u003E, which develops open-source solutions for members of disabled communities. He also creates props for DramaTech, and, continuing to push himself beyond his comfort zone, he recently starred in the student-run theater\u2019s production of \u003Cem\u003EEurydice\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Born with a congenital limb disorder, Wallace wants to use his own experience to develop new prosthetics.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBorn with a congenital limb disorder, Wallace wants to use his own experience to develop new prosthetics.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Born with a congenital limb disorder, Wallace wants to use his own experience to develop new prosthetics.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-09-30 17:08:41","changed_gmt":"2025-10-08 16:14:02","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678226":{"id":"678226","type":"image","title":"Nathan Wallace","body":"\u003Cp\u003ENathan Wallace testing the microprocessor-powered leg in the Exoskeleton and Prosthetic Intelligent Controls (EPIC) Lab at Georgia Tech. Submitted photo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1759252630","gmt_created":"2025-09-30 17:17:10","changed":"1759252630","gmt_changed":"2025-09-30 17:17:10","alt":"Nathan Wallace in the lab","file":{"fid":"262221","name":"Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-1.15.01-PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/30\/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-1.15.01-PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/30\/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-1.15.01-PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2233040,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/30\/Screenshot-2025-09-29-at-1.15.01-PM.png?itok=zWrJLCKm"}}},"media_ids":["678226"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.epic.gatech.edu","title":"EPIC Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"179350","name":"biomedical egnineering"},{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"13559","name":"EPIC"},{"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:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685070":{"#nid":"685070","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Robotic Breakthrough That Could Help Stroke Survivors Reclaim Their Stride","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECrossing a room shouldn\u2019t feel like a marathon. But for many stroke survivors, even the smallest number of steps carries enormous weight. Each movement becomes a reminder of lost coordination, muscle weakness, and physical vulnerability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of Georgia Tech researchers wanted to ease that struggle, and robotic exoskeletons offered a promising path. Their findings point to a simple but powerful shift: exoskeletons that adapt to people, rather than forcing people to adapt to the machine. Using artificial intelligence (AI) to learn the rhythm of patients\u2019 strides in real time, the team showed how these devices can reduce strain and increase efficiency. They also demonstrated how the technology can help restore confidence for stroke survivors.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Robot Finds the Rhythm\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA robotic exoskeleton is a wearable device that helps people move with mechanical support. Traditional exoskeletons require endless manual adjustments \u2014 turning knobs, calibrating settings, and tweaking controls.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt can be frustrating, even nearly impossible, to get it right for each person,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/young\u0022\u003EAaron Young\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.\u003C\/a\u003E \u201cWith AI, the exoskeleton figures out the mapping itself. It learns the timing of someone\u2019s gait through a neural network, without an engineer needing to hand-tune everything.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe software monitors each step, instantly updates, and fine-tunes the support it provides. Over time, the exoskeleton aligns its movements with the unique gait of the person wearing it. In this study, the research team used a hip exoskeleton, which provides torque at the hip joint \u2014 in other words, adding power to help stroke survivors walk or move their legs more easily.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETaking Smarter Steps\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWalking after a stroke can be tough and unpredictable. A patient\u2019s stride can change from one day to the next, and even from one step to the next. Most exoskeletons aren\u2019t built for that kind of variation. They are designed around the steady, even gait of healthy young adults, which can leave stroke survivors feeling more unsteady than supported.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYoung\u2019s breakthrough, detailed in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ieeexplore.ieee.org\/abstract\/document\/11112638\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIEEE Transactions on Robotics\u003C\/em\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E is a neural network \u2014 a type of AI that learns patterns much like the human brain does. Sensors at the hip pick up how someone is moving, and the network translates those signals into just the right boost of power to support each step. It quickly figures out a person\u2019s unique walking pattern. But lead clinician Kinsey Herrin said the AI\u2019s learning doesn\u2019t stop there. It keeps adjusting as the patient walks, so the exoskeleton can stay in sync even during stride shifts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe speed really surprised us,\u201d Young said. \u201cIn just one to two minutes of walking, the system had already learned a person\u2019s gait pattern with high accuracy. That\u2019s a big deal, to adapt that quickly and then keep adapting as they move.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETests showed the system was far more accurate than the standard exoskeleton. It reduced errors in tracking stroke patients\u2019 walking patterns by 70%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYoung emphasized that this research is about more than metrics. \u201cWhen you see someone able to walk farther without becoming exhausted, that\u2019s when you realize this isn\u2019t just about robotics \u2014 it\u2019s about giving people back a measure of independence,\u201d he said.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdapting Anywhere\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEvery exoskeleton comes with its own set of sensors, so the data they collect can look completely different from one device to the next. A neural network trained on one machine often stumbles when it\u2019s moved to another. To get around that, Young\u2019s team designed software that works like a universal adapter plug \u2014 no matter what device it\u2019s connected to, it converts the signals into a form the AI can use. After just 10 strides of calibration, the system cut error rates by more than 75%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe goal is that someone could strap on a device, and, within a minute, it feels like it was built just for them,\u201d Young said.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Step Toward the Future\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile the study centered on stroke survivors, the implications are far broader. The same adaptive approach could support older adults coping with age-related muscle weakness, people with conditions like Parkinson\u2019s or osteoarthritis, or even children with neurological disabilities.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EYoung and his team are now running clinical trials to measure how well the AI-powered exoskeleton supports people in a wide range of everyday activities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere\u2019s no such thing as an \u2018average\u2019 user,\u201d Young said. \u201cThe real challenge is designing technology that can adapt to the full spectrum of human mobility.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf Georgia Tech\u2019s exoskeleton can rise to that challenge, the promise goes well beyond the lab. It could mean a world where technology doesn\u2019t just help people walk \u2014 it learns to walk with them.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInseung Kang, who holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Georgia Tech, is the paper\u2019s lead author and now an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. He explained that the real promise is in what comes next.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ve developed a system that can adjust to a person\u2019s walking style in just minutes. But the potential is even greater. Imagine an exoskeleton that keeps learning with you over your lifetime, adjusting as your body and mobility change. Think of it as a robot companion that understands how you walk and gives you the right assistance every step of the way.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAaron Young is affiliated with Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/robotics\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EInstitute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was primarily funded by a grant (DP2HD111709-01)\u0026nbsp;from the National Institutes of Health New Innovator Award Program. \u003C\/em\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have created the first lung-on-a-chip with a functioning immune system, allowing it to respond to infections much like a real human lung. The breakthrough, published in \u003Cem\u003ENature Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/em\u003E, provides a more accurate way to study diseases, test therapies, and reduce reliance on animal models. With potential applications in conditions from influenza to cancer, the technology opens the door to personalized medicine that predicts how individual patients will respond to treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed an AI-powered hip exoskeleton that adapts in real time to a stroke survivor\u2019s changing gait, reducing errors by 70% and helping patients walk with greater ease and confidence. Unlike traditional devices that require constant manual tuning, the system learns each person\u2019s unique stride within minutes and continues adjusting as they move. The breakthrough could extend beyond stroke recovery, offering personalized mobility support for people of all ages and conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s AI-fueled exoskeleton adapts to every step, helping patients relearn to walk with less effort and more confidence."}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2025-09-18 15:26:54","changed_gmt":"2025-09-24 15:08:59","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678071":{"id":"678071","type":"video","title":"The Robotic Breakthrough That Could Help Stroke Survivors Reclaim Their Stride","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s AI-fueled exoskeleton adapts to every step, helping patients relearn to walk with less effort and more confidence.\r\n\r\nTraditional robotic exoskeleton models require extensive manual calibration, but Aaron Young, associate professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and his team developed AI-driven software that automatically adapts to each user\u2019s gait. By using a neural network, the system continuously monitors and adjusts support with each step, gradually syncing with the wearer\u2019s unique movement. In this study, the team used a hip exoskeleton that delivers torque at the hip joint to help stroke survivors walk more easily.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758208325","gmt_created":"2025-09-18 15:12:05","changed":"1758208325","gmt_changed":"2025-09-18 15:12:05","video":{"youtube_id":"RPHz2mU9sBA","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/RPHz2mU9sBA"}}},"media_ids":["678071"],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194701","name":"go-resarchnews"},{"id":"13169","name":"autonomous robots"},{"id":"98751","name":"College of Engineering; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"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\u003EMichelle Azriel Sr. Writer - Editor\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mazriel3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684795":{"#nid":"684795","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Nexus of Ideas","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recently awarded $20 million NSF Nexus Supercomputer grant to Georgia Tech and partner institutes promises to bring incredible computing power to the CODA building. But what makes this supercomputer different and how will it impact research in labs on campus, across disciplinary units, and across institutions?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPurpose Built for AI Discovery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENexus is Georgia Tech\u2019s next-generation supercomputer, replacing the HIVE. Most operational high-performance computing systems utilized for research were designed before the explosion in Machine Learning and AI. This revolution has already shown successes for scientific research and data analysis in many domains, but the compute power, complex connectivity, and data storage needs for these systems have limited their access to the academic research community. The Nexus supercomputer design process retained a robust HPC system as a base while integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning and large-scale data science analysis from the ground up.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpert Support for Faculty and Researchers\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/data\u0022\u003EInstitute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS)\u003C\/a\u003E and the College of Computing house the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Science and Engineering (ARTISAN) group. This team has collective experience in working with national computational, cloud, commercial and institutional resources for computational activities, and decades of experience in scientific tools that aid in assisting both teaching and research faculty. Nexus is the next logical step, bringing together everything they\u2019ve learned to build a national resource optimized for the future of AI-driven science.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrincipal Research Scientist for the ARTISAN team, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/suresh-marru\u0022\u003ESuresh Marru\u003C\/a\u003E, highlighted the need for this new resource, \u201cAI is a core part of the Nexus vision. Today, researchers often spend more time setting up experiments, managing data, or figuring out how to run jobs on remote clusters than doing science. With Nexus, we\u2019re flipping that script. By embedding AI into the platform, we help automate routine tasks, suggest optimal ways to run simulations, and even assist in generating input or analyzing results. This means researchers can move faster from question to insight. Instead of wrestling with infrastructure, they can focus on discovery.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn Accessible AI Resource for GT \u0026amp; US Scientific Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E90% of Nexus capacity will be made available to the national research community through the NSF Advanced Computing Systems \u0026amp; Services (ACSS) program. Researchers from across the country, at universities, labs, and institutions of all sizes, will have access to this next-generation AI-ready supercomputer. For Georgia Tech research faculty and staff, the new system has multiple benefits:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E10% of the time on the machine will be available for use by Georgia Tech researchers\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENexus will allow GT researchers a chance to try out the latest hardware for AI computing\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThanks to cyberinfrastructure tools from the ARTISAN group, Nexus will be easier to access than previous NSF supercomputers\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EInterim Executive Director of IDEaS and Regents\u0027 Professor David Sherrill notes, \u0022Nexus brings Georgia Tech\u0027s leadership in research computing to a whole new level.\u0026nbsp;It will be the first NSF Category I Supercomputer hosted on Georgia Tech\u0027s campus.\u0026nbsp;The Nexus hardware and software will boost research in the foundations of AI, and applications of AI in science and engineering.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"How the NSF Nexus Supercomputer at Georgia Tech will impact campus and national research"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA recently awarded $20 million NSF Nexus Supercomputer grant to Georgia Tech and partner institutes promises to bring incredible computing power to the CODA building. But what makes this supercomputer different and how will it impact research in labs on campus, across disciplinary units, and across institutions?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Nexus is Georgia Tech\u2019s next-generation supercomputer, replacing the HIVE. "}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2025-09-11 20:55:48","changed_gmt":"2025-09-22 20:01:24","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677982":{"id":"677982","type":"image","title":"Network-cubes-fotoplot.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGraphic Representation of networked system: Adobe Stock\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1757624171","gmt_created":"2025-09-11 20:56:11","changed":"1757624171","gmt_changed":"2025-09-11 20:56:11","alt":"Graphic Representation of networked system: Adobe Stock","file":{"fid":"261951","name":"Network-cubes-fotoplot.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/11\/Network-cubes-fotoplot.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/11\/Network-cubes-fotoplot.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8203776,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/11\/Network-cubes-fotoplot.jpeg?itok=lxZczU8j"}}},"media_ids":["677982"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"187023","name":"go-data"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683155":{"#nid":"683155","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Improved Cancer Detection, Better MRI Imaging Among 2025-2026 Biolocity Awardees","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFive teams of researchers from Georgia Tech and Emory University were selected to accelerate their journey from lab to market. Projects include improved cancer detection and therapies, a precise surgical tool and better MRI imaging. Teams will receive funding and commercialization support during the year. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/improved-cancer-detection-better-mri-imaging-among-2025-2026-biolocity-awardees\u0022\u003ERead more about each project here\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECommercialization program in Coulter BME announces project teams who will receive support to get their research to market.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Commercialization program in Coulter BME announces project teams who will receive support to get their research to market."}],"uid":"35963","created_gmt":"2025-07-16 15:50:54","changed_gmt":"2025-09-11 17:21:40","author":"kpetty30","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677435":{"id":"677435","type":"image","title":"Biolocity 2025 Social and Full Pitch Day ","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommercialization program in Coulter BME announces project teams who will receive support to get their research to market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1752679867","gmt_created":"2025-07-16 15:31:07","changed":"1752680057","gmt_changed":"2025-07-16 15:34:17","alt":"A photo shot from the back of a conference room with people sitting at conference tables while a person at the front of the room shows a presentation on a flat TV screen","file":{"fid":"261331","name":"biolocity-pitch-day-2025.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/16\/biolocity-pitch-day-2025.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/16\/biolocity-pitch-day-2025.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":12505488,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/16\/biolocity-pitch-day-2025.jpg?itok=OCwrhaMN"}}},"media_ids":["677435"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"182840","name":"Biolocity"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"},{"id":"192256","name":"go-commercializationreserach"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kelly.petty@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKelly Petty\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications\u003Cbr\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"684036":{"#nid":"684036","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech, Shepherd Center Award Inaugural Seed Grants","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and Shepherd Center recently awarded four seed grants totaling nearly $200,000 to researchers focusing on projects that will advance discoveries in neurorehabilitation, including acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and other neurological conditions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech-Shepherd Center Seed Grant Program is part of an ongoing partnership between the two institutions that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.shepherd.org\/georgia-tech-partners-with-shepherd-center-to-advance-rehabilitative-patient-care-and-research\/\u0022\u003Estarted in 2023\u003C\/a\u003E with the goal of advancing rehabilitative patient care and research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe seed grant program is intended to stimulate new interdisciplinary research collaborations by providing seed funding to obtain preliminary data or prototypes necessary for the submission of an external grant or industry opportunities,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/shepherd.org\/staff-directory\/deborah-backus\/\u0022\u003EDeborah Backus\u003C\/a\u003E, vice president of Research and Innovation\u0026nbsp;at Shepherd Center. \u201cAs two leading research institutions, we know the potential for advancing rehabilitation therapies is even greater when we work together. We look forward to the solutions, treatments, and therapies that emerge from these initial seed grants.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExperts from both institutions evaluated and scored seed grant applications based on the research\u2019s innovation, approach, and potential for training opportunities, as well as its anticipated impact, prospects for commercial translation, and strategy for securing continued funding.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThis year, each awardee team received close to $50,000.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are very excited to launch this new seed grant program, which will spur ideas and propel research forward,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/michelle-laplaca\u0022\u003EMichelle LaPlaca\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003ECoulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the Georgia Tech lead of the Collaborative. \u201cThe complementary expertise of Georgia Tech and Shepherd Center researchers, combined with the motivation to find solutions for individuals with neurological injury and disability, is a winning formula for innovation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Offering new hope for neurorehabilitation patients requires bringing together interdisciplinary researchers to explore new and creative ideas,\u201d adds \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3728\u0022\u003EChris Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E, Julian T. Hightower Chaired professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the inaugural executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute of Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E (INNS) at Georgia Tech. \u201cI\u0027m excited to see the talent at these world class institutions coming together to develop new solutions for these complex problems.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s seed grants were awarded to the following projects:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProof of Concept Development of the Recovery Cushion\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Stephen Sprigle,\u0026nbsp;professor, School of Industrial Design and School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech; Jennifer Cowhig, research physical therapist, Shepherd Center.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPaving a Smooth Path from Hospital to Home: A Feasibility Study of an Integrated Smart Transitional Home Lab to Support Stroke Rehabilitation Patients\u2019 Transition to Home\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 John Morris, senior clinical research scientist, Shepherd Center; Hui Cai, professor in the School of Architecture, executive director of the SimTigrate Design Center, Georgia Tech.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Comparative Analysis of Lower-Limb Exoskeleton Technology for Non-Ambulatory Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury \u003C\/strong\u003E\u2013\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EMaegan Tucker, assistant professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech; Nicholas Evans (AP 2023), clinical research scientist, Shepherd Center.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImproving Accessibility and Precision in Neurorehabilitation at the Point of Care with AI-Driven Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Solutions \u003C\/strong\u003E\u2013\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EBrad Willingham, clinical research scientist, director of Multiple Sclerosis Research, Shepherd Center; May Dongmei Wang, professor,\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGrants include projects on improving seating surfaces for wheelchair users, easing the transition home after stroke rehabilitation, evaluating lower limb exoskeletons, and using AI in remote rehabilitation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Grants include projects on improving seating surfaces for wheelchair users, easing the transition home after stroke rehabilitation, evaluating lower limb exoskeletons, and using AI in remote rehabilitation."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-08-21 13:14:54","changed_gmt":"2025-08-26 20:14:39","author":"adavidson38","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":{"677761":{"id":"677761","type":"image","title":"Shepherd-Center-Beyond-Therapy-Main-Image-jpg.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe seed grants will fund projects focused on enhancing wheelchair seating surfaces, supporting stroke patients as they transition home from rehabilitation, assessing lower limb exoskeleton technologies, and exploring the use of AI in remote rehab settings. \u003Cem\u003EPhoto: Shepherd Center.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1755784271","gmt_created":"2025-08-21 13:51:11","changed":"1755784271","gmt_changed":"2025-08-21 13:51:11","alt":"The seed grants will fund projects focused on enhancing wheelchair seating surfaces, supporting stroke patients as they transition home from rehabilitation, assessing lower limb exoskeleton technologies, and exploring the use of AI in remote rehab settings. Photo: Shepherd Center.","file":{"fid":"261696","name":"Shepherd-Center-Beyond-Therapy-Main-Image-jpg.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/21\/Shepherd-Center-Beyond-Therapy-Main-Image-jpg.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/21\/Shepherd-Center-Beyond-Therapy-Main-Image-jpg.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":378411,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/21\/Shepherd-Center-Beyond-Therapy-Main-Image-jpg.jpeg?itok=NxoGoFal"}}},"media_ids":["677761"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.shepherd.org\/georgia-tech-partners-with-shepherd-center-to-advance-rehabilitative-patient-care-and-research\/","title":"Georgia Tech Partners with Shepherd Center to Advance Rehabilitative Patient Care and Research"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"179356","name":"Industrial Design"},{"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":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"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:kerry.ludlam@shepherd.org\u0022\u003EKerry Ludlam\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EShepherd Center\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kerry.ludlam@shepherd.org"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683589":{"#nid":"683589","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Advances 500+ Technologies Toward Market for Real-World Impact ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has posted its strongest year ever in research commercialization, breaking multiple records for invention disclosures, issued patents, and licensed technologies \u2014 clear indicators of the Institute\u2019s expanding role in delivering research-driven innovation to the marketplace.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cInvention is only the beginning. What sets Georgia Tech apart is our ability to\u202fmove our ideas out of the lab and into the marketplace, where they can make a tangible impact on human life and contribute to our economy,\u201d said \u00c1ngel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. \u201cThis year\u2019s record results show that our researchers aren\u2019t just pushing the boundaries of knowledge \u2014 they\u2019re\u202fcreating marketable solutions with the power to improve\u202feveryday lives.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor fiscal year 2025, Georgia Tech reported:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMore than 460 new invention disclosures \u2014 a 30% increase\u003C\/strong\u003E over the previous year and the highest ever recorded by the Institute.\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E70 invention disclosures \u003C\/strong\u003Efor the Georgia Tech Research Institute, marking a \u003Cstrong\u003E70% increase\u003C\/strong\u003E year over year.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA \u003Cstrong\u003E210% increase in technologies licensed\u003C\/strong\u003E, and \u003Cstrong\u003E140% in total licenses executed\u003C\/strong\u003E, reflecting unprecedented industry interest, with \u003Cstrong\u003E65 licenses\u003C\/strong\u003E in total. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E124 U.S. patents were issued\u003C\/strong\u003E, representing a \u003Cstrong\u003E20% increase\u003C\/strong\u003E compared to the prior year.\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAccording to the most recent rankings from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academyofinventors.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/2024-Top-100-US-Universities.pdf\u0022\u003ENational Academy of Inventors\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech is in the \u003Cstrong\u003Etop 15 public universities\u003C\/strong\u003E for U.S. utility patents filed.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis momentum strengthens Atlanta\u2019s position as one of the nation\u2019s fastest-growing innovation economies. Georgia Tech plays a leading role in advancing the region\u2019s ambition to become a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2024\/02\/making-atlanta-top-5-tech-hub\u0022\u003Etop 5 tech hub\u003C\/a\u003E by connecting world-class research with industry, supporting a thriving startup ecosystem, and fueling talent pipelines that serve emerging sectors like AI, cybersecurity, and clean energy. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOmer Inan, a Georgia Tech researcher and faculty member, has launched multiple companies with the support of the Institute\u2019s commercialization resources. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cardiosense.com\/\u0022\u003ECardiosense\u003C\/a\u003E is a medical AI company that leverages sensors to provide better management of cardiovascular disease. Having just achieved FDA 501(k) clearance, its latest device \u2014 CardioTag \u2014 is the first multimodal, wearable sensor that simultaneously captures three cardio signals to provide noninvasive solutions for heart health. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The med tech research I conduct at Georgia Tech delivers new technologies to keep patients with heart failure out of the hospital and enables them to monitor their health status at home,\u201d said Inan. \u201cNow, we are commercializing the technology our lab helped develop, so that this dream of improving the quality of care and life for millions of Americans with heart failure can one day become reality.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs we look to solidify Georgia Tech\u2019s status as a national innovation hub, we are moving research into the marketplace so it can truly make a difference in people\u2019s lives,\u201d said Raghupathy \u201cSiva\u201d Sivakumar, vice president of Commercialization and chief commercialization officer at Georgia Tech. \u201cWe are at a pivotal moment to put Atlanta on the map as a leader in research commercialization and have an opportunity to capitalize on our $1.4 billion in research expenditures that drive meaningful inventions, IP, and industry partnerships.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about the licensing and commercialization process at Georgia Tech, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/licensing.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Elicensing.research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAvailable for Media Interviews\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/raghupathy-sivakumar-phd\u0022\u003ERaghupathy \u0022Siva\u0022 Sivakumar\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EVice President of Commercialization and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EChief Commercialization Officer\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/omer-t-inan\u0022\u003EOmer Inan\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EProfessor and Regents\u2019 Entrepreneur \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedia Contact:\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ELauren Schiffman\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EPressFriendly \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:lauren@pressfriendly.com\u0022\u003Elauren@pressfriendly.com\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAngela Barajas Prendiville \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Media Relations \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:aprendiville@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eaprendiville@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERecord-breaking numbers from the Office of Commercialization drive meaningful inventions, IP, and industry partnerships.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Record-breaking numbers from the Office of Commercialization drive meaningful inventions, IP, and industry partnerships."}],"uid":"28766","created_gmt":"2025-08-06 16:55:57","changed_gmt":"2025-08-12 18:27:37","author":"Shelley Wunder-Smith","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677597":{"id":"677597","type":"image","title":"Omer-Inan-lab.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECardioTag,\u0026nbsp;a device\u0026nbsp;developed in Omer Inan\u2019s lab, is now FDA-cleared and on the path to market through Cardiosense.\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;supported the technology\u2019s transition from research to real-world application.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1754499369","gmt_created":"2025-08-06 16:56:09","changed":"1754499369","gmt_changed":"2025-08-06 16:56:09","alt":"A man with tan skin and dark hair, wearing a mint-green shirt, is seated at a table and looking at the CardioTag device.","file":{"fid":"261510","name":"Omer-Inan-lab.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/06\/Omer-Inan-lab.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/06\/Omer-Inan-lab.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7222477,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/06\/Omer-Inan-lab.jpeg?itok=9avC1vJH"}}},"media_ids":["677597"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"},{"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":""}},"683686":{"#nid":"683686","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Research Combining Humans, Robots, and Unicycles Receives NSF Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearch into tailored assistive and rehabilitative devices has seen recent advancements but the goal remains out of reach due to the sparsity of data on how humans learn complex balance tasks. To address this gap, a collaborating team of interdisciplinary faculty from Florida State University and Georgia Tech have been awarded ~$798,000 by the NSF to launch a study to better understand human motor learning as well as gain greater understanding into human robot interaction dynamics during the learning process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Led by PI:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rthmlab.wixsite.com\/taylorgambon\u0022\u003ETaylor Higgins\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, FAMU-FSU Department of Mechanical Engineering, partnering with Co-PIs\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.shreyaskousik.com\/\u0022\u003EShreyas Kousik\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, Georgia Tech, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/annescollege.fsu.edu\/faculty-staff\/dr-brady-decouto\u0022\u003EBrady DeCouto,\u003C\/a\u003E Assistant Professor, FSU\u0026nbsp;Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the research will use the acquisition of unicycle riding skill by participants to gain a better grasp on human motor learning in tasks requiring balance and complex movement in space. Although it might sound a bit odd, the fact that most people don\u2019t know how to ride a unicycle, and the fact that it requires balance, mean that the data will cover the learning process from novice to skilled across the participant pool.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing data acquired from human participants, the team will develop a \u201crobotics assistive unicycle\u201d that will be used in the training of the next pool of novice unicycle riders. \u0026nbsp;This is to gauge if, and how rapidly, human motor learning outcomes improve with the assistive unicycle. The participants that engage with the robotic unicycle will also give valuable insight into developing effective human-robot collaboration strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe fact that deciding to get on a unicycle requires a bit of bravery might not be great for the participants, but it\u2019s great for the research team. The project will also allow exploration into the interconnection between anxiety and human motor learning to discover possible alleviation strategies, thus increasing the likelihood of positive outcomes for future patients and consumers of these devices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAuthor\u003Cbr\u003E-Christa M. Ernst\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis Article Refers to NSF Award # 2449160\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Trio from Florida State University and Georgia Tech aim to develop better assistive and rehabilitative technologies and strategies using novel approach."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA collaborating team of interdisciplinary faculty from Florida State University and Georgia Tech have been awarded ~$798,000 by the NSF to launch a study to better understand human motor learning as well as gain greater understanding into human robot interaction dynamics during the learning process.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Novel research to improve tailored assistive and rehabilitative devices wins NSF Grant"}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2025-08-08 19:35:55","changed_gmt":"2025-08-12 14:15:37","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677632":{"id":"677632","type":"image","title":"Kousik-NSF-Award-News-Graphic.png","body":null,"created":"1754681767","gmt_created":"2025-08-08 19:36:07","changed":"1754681767","gmt_changed":"2025-08-08 19:36:07","alt":"Graphic of person using an assistive device thinking about how a robot could hep learn riding a unicycle","file":{"fid":"261548","name":"Kousik-NSF-Award-News-Graphic.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/08\/Kousik-NSF-Award-News-Graphic.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/08\/Kousik-NSF-Award-News-Graphic.png","mime":"image\/png","size":267611,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/08\/Kousik-NSF-Award-News-Graphic.png?itok=mwCCwIQv"}}},"media_ids":["677632"],"groups":[{"id":"545781","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"142761","name":"IRIM"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"78841","name":"human-robot interaction"},{"id":"5525","name":"assistive technologies"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"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":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChrista M. Ernst\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EKlaus Advance Computing Building 1120E | 266 Ferst Drive | Atlanta GA | 30332\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETopic Expertise: Robotics | Data Sciences | Semiconductor Design \u0026amp; Fab\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003Echrista.ernst@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["christa.ernst@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683527":{"#nid":"683527","#data":{"type":"news","title":" Stepping Into the Future: A Paralyzed Veteran Returns to Georgia Tech for His Ph.D.","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIgnacio Montoya was on a flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta in 2024 with a serendipitous seatmate. The biomedical engineer was seated next to Georgia Tech President \u00c0ngel Cabrera, and the two had a conversation about Montoya\u2019s personal story and career aspirations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECabrera introduced Montoya to a professor who could take his work to the next level \u2014 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Cassie-S.-Mitchell\u0022\u003ECassie Mitchell\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (BME). Montoya\u2019s research uses AI to study how robotic exoskeletons and spinal cord stimulation can reawaken dormant neural circuits and help people with paralysis regain sensation, mobility, autonomy, and vital physiological functions once thought permanently lost. Drawing on his experience in leading-edge clinical research, he aims to turn scientific discoveries into real-world solutions that improve independence, quality of life, and health for those with spinal cord injuries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s not only a curiosity for him, though. In 2012, Montoya was about to graduate from Georgia Tech and become a fighter pilot in the Air Force. Then, one night, he got into a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEver since, he has worked to better understand his injury and his options. After earning a master\u2019s in biomedical engineering from Georgia Tech in 2018, Montoya moved to Los Angeles and joined a prestigious neurophysiology and neurorehabilitation lab at UCLA known for pioneering spinal stimulation and activity-based training to restore movement after paralysis. Now he\u2019s taking everything he\u2019s learned back to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMitchell, also a faculty member in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ethe Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/a\u003E, applies AI to data science to parse and predict complex medical research. She is also quadriplegic and personally understands the value of spinal cord research. At first, Mitchell mentored Montoya through the BME Ph.D. application process. Now she is his advisor. Montoya starts the program this fall \u2014 and he hopes to bring his personal injury recovery insights to the entire spinal cord injury survivor community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cMy experience as a research participant gives me a unique perspective as I transition into a doctoral researcher,\u201d he said. \u201cIt helps me bridge the gap between understanding the science and translating it into real-world clinical practice.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Complete Paralysis to Possibility\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMontoya nearly died in the accident. It left him with a complete spinal cord injury and severe peripheral nerve damage in his right arm.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe doctor told me my spinal cord was like a banana \u2014 and mine had been crushed in the middle,\u201d he recalled. \u201cHe said I had a 1% chance of regaining any mobility, function, or sensation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut Montoya\u2019s life has always been about beating the odds. At 6, he and his father immigrated to the U.S. from Cuba. Years later, he earned a rated pilot slot in the Air Force \u2014 a distinction achieved by fewer than 1% of cadets. Then came the motorcycle crash. He flatlined for 15 minutes \u2014 a medical event with less than a 1% chance of survival, and even lower odds of returning with full brain function. If anyone was going to defy that prognosis, it was Montoya. He set out not just to walk again, but to rebuild his life and transform his recovery into a blueprint for others to follow.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExoskeleton Endeavors\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter finishing his master\u2019s at Tech, Montoya went to work with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ranchoresearch.org\/team\/reggie-edgerton\u0022\u003EReggie Egerton\u003C\/a\u003E, a pioneering neurobiologist at UCLA. With Egerton\u2019s guidance, Montoya experimented with neuromodulation \u2014 using electrodes to stimulate the spinal cord. The stimulus helps to excite the neurons below the injury that no longer communicate with the brain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile wearing electrodes, Montoya trained in a robotic exoskeleton that progressively reduced its robotic assistance. This encouraged him to contribute increasing effort through each step. Over time, the device provided less support during the swing and stance phases of walking, requiring more active participation. Beyond stepping, Montoya performed standing and weight-shifting exercises, all demanding maximum effort to retrain his nervous system through repetitive, weight-bearing sensory input.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNeuromodulation creates a bridge of signals that helps the remaining intact nerve fibers below the injury communicate with each other, enhancing neuroplasticity within the system,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf the neuromodulation works as intended, it can effectively remodel the nervous system. Through this process and two nerve transfers, Montoya has regained some function in his paralyzed right arm. He has also reversed many common medical complications from paralysis: temperature regulation, body awareness, sexual function, bone density, muscle mass, and digestive health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy injury is no longer considered complete, and I believe I\u2019m the first person to achieve that through a combination of spinal stimulation, intensive training, and daily weight-bearing rehabilitation,\u201d Montoya said. \u201cI\u2019m constantly out of my wheelchair \u2014 standing, moving, and training. That consistency has been the key. Every day, I walk in an exoskeleton.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EReturning to Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat was supposed to be a 12-month clinical research study turned into the next five years of Montoya\u2019s life. He also wanted to better understand human physiology and how locomotor training worked, so he did a master\u2019s in kinesiology from California State University, Los Angeles. Despite the progress Montoya had made with advancing the field of spinal cord injury and his own mobility, he wanted to bring all his expertise together. That\u2019s when he happened to board a flight to Atlanta in the spring of 2024 with Cabrera.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInitially, Montoya and Mitchell connected so she could help guide him through the Ph.D. application process, but they quickly realized their research was complementary. Montoya is an expert in clinical trials, and Mitchell is an expert in taking clinical trial data and using AI to gather insights.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIgnacio wants to diversify his skill set and take his research career further, and data science is what he needs to do that,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cWe will look at his exoskeleton data and try to optimize the exoskeleton to the patient using AI.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the start of his Ph.D., Montoya will remain in Los Angeles to continue his exoskeleton experiments in Edgerton\u2019s lab, which has been collecting terabytes of data he\u2019s never been able to analyze in full. Mitchell\u2019s lab will analyze all that data and pull predictive insights that can feed back to Egerton\u2019s lab and improve the patient experience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAI can identify patterns the human eye wouldn\u0027t be able to detect,\u201d Mitchell noted. \u201cAI can help us better understand how and why an exoskeleton paired with spinal stimulation could help with spinal cord injury and function or quality of life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMontoya will travel between both coasts to conduct each element of the research before returning to Atlanta full-time. In the process, he\u2019ll build a better knowledge base and exoskeleton training protocol.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis may not have been the path Montoya expected to take when he left Georgia Tech that night in 2012, but it\u2019s a full circle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m back where my journey paused \u2014 this time to push the boundaries of what we believe the human body and spirit can achieve,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m not just walking again. I\u2019m building a future where no one is beyond recovery.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;When Ignacio Montoya left Georgia Tech, he became paralyzed in a motorcycle accident. Now he\u2019s pursuing a Ph.D. to improve life for all spinal cord injury survivors.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" When Ignacio Montoya left Georgia Tech, he became paralyzed in a motorcycle accident. Now he\u2019s pursuing a Ph.D. to improve life for all spinal cord injury survivors."}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2025-08-05 14:58:15","changed_gmt":"2025-08-05 15:00:33","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677567":{"id":"677567","type":"image","title":"ignacio.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1754405991","gmt_created":"2025-08-05 14:59:51","changed":"1754405991","gmt_changed":"2025-08-05 14:59:51","alt":"Ignacio Montoya stands in LA","file":{"fid":"261480","name":"ignacio.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/05\/ignacio.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/05\/ignacio.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":170465,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/05\/ignacio.jpeg?itok=nDyMfNFe"}}},"media_ids":["677567"],"groups":[{"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":"187582","name":"go-ibb"}],"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\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683114":{"#nid":"683114","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Rozell Named Inaugural Executive Director of New Neuroscience Institute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3728\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChristopher Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E, Julian T. Hightower Chaired Professor 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, will serve as the inaugural executive director of Georgia Tech\u2019s new \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).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EINNS is one of two new Interdisciplinary Research Institutes (IRIs) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-launches-two-new-interdisciplinary-research-institutes\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Elaunched at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E on July 1. Dedicated to advancing neuroscience and neurotechnology, the institute aims to drive societal progress through discovery, innovation, and public engagement. By bridging disciplines across the sciences, engineering, computing, ethics, policy, and the humanities, INNS will serve as a collaborative hub for exploring the brain in all its complexity \u2014 from molecular mechanisms to behavior and cognition, and from foundational research to clinical and technological applications.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur neuro-related research community has built such a strong transdisciplinary vision for an IRI that I remain fully committed to its growth, even as we face a period of extreme uncertainty about federal research funding,\u201d said Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3763\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIn fact, under Chris\u2019s leadership I expect INNS to make our faculty more competitive and successful, bringing Georgia Tech closer to patient communities living with neurological conditions so that our research increasingly impacts people\u2019s lives. INNS will also connect artists, social scientists, neuroscientists and engineers with entrepreneurial opportunities and non-traditional funding pipelines.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe launch of INNS builds on more than a decade of groundwork laid by Georgia Tech\u2019s neuroscience community. Rozell has played a key role in shaping the vision for INNS as a member of the Neuro Next Initiative\u2019s executive committee, and before that, as a steering committee member as the initiative was developed. The executive committee included \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3736\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg,\u003C\/a\u003E Dunn Family Associate Professor in the School of Physics and the School of Biological Sciences; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/11576\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJennifer Singh\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the School of History and Sociology; and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/sarah-peterson\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESarah Peterson\u003C\/a\u003E, Neuro Next Initiative program manager.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m excited to serve the INNS community in this next phase to build on the momentum generated across campus over many years,\u201d said Rozell. \u201cThe brain is one of the great remaining frontiers, where discovery and innovation can unlock the future of human health and flourishing. INNS is uniquely positioned to lead in the modern interdisciplinary research necessary to address this grand challenge.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERozell brings a unique blend of technical expertise, interdisciplinary leadership, and public engagement to his role as the inaugural executive director of INNS. His work spans neuroscience, data and computer science, neuroengineering, and cognitive science, with a particular focus on developing \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/researchers-identify-crucial-biomarker-tracks-recovery-treatment-resistant-depression\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Escalable brain stimulation therapies\u003C\/a\u003E for treatment-resistant depression. Rozell also serves on advisory boards for organizations at the forefront of neuroethics and scientific rigor, reflecting his commitment to responsible innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInterdisciplinary from the outset, Rozell\u2019s training in neuroscience has been shaped by a unique educational path that bridges engineering, the arts, machine learning, neuroscience and translational research. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music alongside his engineering degrees and has developed multiple initiatives that incorporate the arts into neuroscience research and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/ai-and-neuroscience-become-dance-partners-georgia-tech-arts-event\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epublic engagement\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERozell\u2019s research has been widely recognized, with over 130 peer-reviewed publications, multiple patents, and invitations to speak at high-profile venues, including a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/neurotech-moonshot-georgia-tech-researcher-shares-impact-brain-initiative-congressional-briefing\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EU.S. Congressional briefing\u003C\/a\u003E celebrating the NIH BRAIN Initiative. A first-generation scholar, Rozell co-founded \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuromatch.io\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENeuromatch\u003C\/a\u003E, a nonprofit dedicated to building an inclusive global neuroscience community. His contributions have earned him numerous honors, including the James S. McDonnell Foundation \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/12\/rozell-chosen-mcdonnell-foundation-award\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E21st Century Science Initiative Scholar Award\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/rozell-inducted-american-institute-medical-and-biological-engineering-college-fellows\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eelected Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E of American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and Georgia Tech\u2019s top teaching accolades, underscoring his impact both in and beyond the lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChristopher Rozell to lead Georgia Tech\u2019s new Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society, uniting disciplines to tackle the brain\u2019s greatest challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Christopher Rozell to lead Georgia Tech\u2019s new Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society, uniting disciplines to tackle the brain\u2019s greatest challenges."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-07-14 14:26:51","changed_gmt":"2025-07-14 14:29:03","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677404":{"id":"677404","type":"image","title":"Rozell_2023.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Rozell, a first-generation scholar and interdisciplinary researcher, serves as the inaugural executive director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS).\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1752503219","gmt_created":"2025-07-14 14:26:59","changed":"1752503219","gmt_changed":"2025-07-14 14:26:59","alt":"Christopher Rozell, a first-generation scholar and interdisciplinary researcher, serves as the inaugural executive director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS).","file":{"fid":"261299","name":"Rozell_2023.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/14\/Rozell_2023.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/14\/Rozell_2023.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":41148,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/14\/Rozell_2023.jpg?itok=1eNKaz8m"}}},"media_ids":["677404"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-launches-two-new-interdisciplinary-research-institutes","title":"Georgia Tech Launches Two New Interdisciplinary Research Institutes"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"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\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683097":{"#nid":"683097","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Pancaked Water Droplets Help Launch Europe\u2019s Fastest Supercomputer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJUPITER became the world\u2019s fourth fastest supercomputer when it debuted last month. Though housed in Germany at the J\u00fclich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), Georgia Tech played a supporting role in helping the system land on the latest\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/top500.org\/lists\/top500\/2025\/06\/\u0022\u003ETOP500 list\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn November 2024, JSC granted Assistant Professor Spencer Bryngelson exclusive access to the system through the JUPITER Research and Early Access Program (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fz-juelich.de\/en\/ias\/jsc\/jupiter\/jureap\u0022\u003EJUREAP\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy preparing\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fz-juelich.de\/en\/news\/archive\/press-release\/2025\/jupiter-supercomputer-propels-european-computing-power\u0022\u003EEurope\u2019s fastest supercomputer\u003C\/a\u003E for launch, the joint project yielded valuable simulation data on the effects of shock waves in medicine and transportation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe shock-droplet problem has been a hallmark test problem in fluid dynamics for some decades now. It is sufficiently challenging to study that it keeps me scientifically interested, though the results are manifestly important,\u201d Bryngelson said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnderstanding the droplet behavior in some extreme regimes remains an open scientific problem of high engineering value.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough JUREAP, JSC engineers tested Bryngelson\u2019s Multi-Component Flow Code (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mflowcode.github.io\/\u0022\u003EMFC\u003C\/a\u003E) on their computers. The project simulated how liquid droplets behave when struck by a large, high-velocity shock wave moving much faster than the speed of sound.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETests produced visualizations of droplets deforming into pancake shapes before ejecting vortex rings as they broke apart from the shock wave. The experiments measured the swirls of air flow formed behind the droplets, known as vorticity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVorticity is one variable aerospace engineers consider when building aircraft designed to fly at supersonic and hypersonic speeds. Small droplets and vortices pose significant hazards for high-Mach vessels.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese computer models reduce the risk and cost associated with physical test runs. By simulating extreme scenarios, the JUREAP project demonstrated a safer and more efficient way to evaluate aerospace systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe human body is another fluid space where fast, high-energy flows can occur.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimulations help medical researchers create less invasive shock wave treatments. This technology can be further applied for uses ranging from breaking up kidney stones to treating inflammation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMFC\u2019s versatility for large- and small-scale applications made it suitable for testing JUPITER in its early stages. The project\u2019s success even earned it a JUREAP certificate for scaling efficiency and node performance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe use of application codes to test supercomputers is common. We\u2019ve participated in similar programs for OLCF Frontier and LLNL El Capitan,\u201d said Bryngelson, a faculty member with Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Computational Science and Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEngineers at supercomputer sites usually find and sort most problems on their own. But deploying workloads characteristic of what the JUPITER will run in practice stresses it in new ways. In these instances, we usually end up identifying some failure modes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe JSC and Georgia Tech researchers named their joint project Exascale Multiphysics Flows (ExaMFlow).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExaMFlow helps keep JUPITER on pace to become Europe\u2019s first exascale supercomputer. This designation refers to any machine capable of computing one exaflop, or one quintillion (\u201c1\u201d followed by 18 zeros) calculations per second.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll three systems that rank ahead of JUPITER are exascale supercomputers. They are\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/asc.llnl.gov\/exascale\/el-capitan\u0022\u003EEl Capitan\u003C\/a\u003E at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.olcf.ornl.gov\/frontier\/\u0022\u003EFrontier\u003C\/a\u003E at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anl.gov\/aurora\u0022\u003EAurora\u003C\/a\u003E at Argonne National Laboratory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJUPITER calculates more than 60 billion operations per watt. This makes the supercomputer the most energy-efficient system among the top five.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExaMFlow ran Bryngelson\u2019s software on JSC\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fz-juelich.de\/en\/ias\/jsc\/systems\/supercomputers\/juwels\u0022\u003EJUWELS Booster\u003C\/a\u003E and JUPITER Exascale Transition Instrument (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fz-juelich.de\/en\/news\/archive\/press-release\/2024\/new-jupiter-module-strengthens-leading-position-of-europe2019s-upcoming-exascale-supercomputer\u0022\u003EJETI\u003C\/a\u003E). The two modules form the backbone of JUPITER\u2019s full design.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExaMFlow\u2019s report showed that MFC performed with near-ideal scaling behavior on JUWELS and JETI compared to similar systems based on NVIDIA A100 GPUs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccess to NVIDIA hardware at Georgia Tech played a key role in ExaMFlow\u2019s success.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute hosts the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pace.gatech.edu\/phoenix-cluster\/\u0022\u003EPhoenix Research Computing Cluster\u003C\/a\u003E, which includes A100 GPUs among its arsenal of components. Bryngelson\u2019s lab owns NVIDIA A100 GPUs and four\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/researchers-blazing-new-trails-superchip-named-after-computing-pioneer\u0022\u003EGH200 Grace Hopper Superchips\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince JUPITER is equipped with around 24,000 Grace Hopper Superchips, Bryngelson\u2019s work with the hardware proved especially insightful for the ExaMFlow project.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Grace Hopper chip is interesting. It\u2019s not challenging to use like a regular GPU device when one is familiar with running NVIDIA hardware. The more fun part is using its tightly coupled CPU to GPU interconnect to make use of the CPU as well,\u201d Bryngelson said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s not immediately obvious how to best do this, though we used a few tricks to tune its use to our application. They appear to work nicely.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJSC researchers \u003Cstrong\u003ELuis Cifuentes\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003ERakesh Sarma\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Cstrong\u003ESeong Koh\u003C\/strong\u003E, and \u003Cstrong\u003ESohel Herff\u003C\/strong\u003E played important roles in running Bryngelson\u2019s MFC software on early JUPITER modules.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ExaMFlow team included NVIDIA scientists \u003Cstrong\u003ENikolaos Tselepidis\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EBenedikt Dorschner\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe pair observed their company\u2019s hardware used in the field. They return to NVIDIA with notes that help the corporation build the next devices tailored to the need of scientific computing researchers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe try to be prepared for the latest, biggest computers. Being able to take immediate advantage of the largest systems is a valuable capability,\u201d Bryngelson said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen the early access systems arrive, it\u2019s a great opportunity for the teams involved to test the machines, demonstrate and tune scientific software, and meet very capable new collaborators.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJUPITER became the world\u2019s fourth fastest supercomputer when it debuted last month. Though housed in Germany at the J\u00fclich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), Georgia Tech played a supporting role in helping the system land on the latest\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/top500.org\/lists\/top500\/2025\/06\/\u0022\u003ETOP500 list\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn November 2024, JSC granted Assistant Professor Spencer Bryngelson exclusive access to the system through the JUPITER Research and Early Access Program (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fz-juelich.de\/en\/ias\/jsc\/jupiter\/jureap\u0022\u003EJUREAP\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy preparing\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fz-juelich.de\/en\/news\/archive\/press-release\/2025\/jupiter-supercomputer-propels-european-computing-power\u0022\u003EEurope\u2019s fastest supercomputer\u003C\/a\u003E for launch, the joint project yielded valuable simulation data on the effects of shock waves in medicine and transportation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Assistant Professor Spencer Bryngelson participated in the JUPITER Research and Early Access Program, which innovated his fluid dynamics software while stress testing Europe\u0027s fastest supercomputer in preparation for launch."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-07-11 13:05:43","changed_gmt":"2025-07-11 13:14:02","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677392":{"id":"677392","type":"image","title":"SHB-Pancaked-Droplet.png","body":null,"created":"1752239195","gmt_created":"2025-07-11 13:06:35","changed":"1752239195","gmt_changed":"2025-07-11 13:06:35","alt":"ExaMFlow Droplet","file":{"fid":"261287","name":"SHB-Pancaked-Droplet.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/11\/SHB-Pancaked-Droplet.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/11\/SHB-Pancaked-Droplet.png","mime":"image\/png","size":254160,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/11\/SHB-Pancaked-Droplet.png?itok=cN-20Szr"}},"677393":{"id":"677393","type":"image","title":"JUPITER-Booster.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1752239237","gmt_created":"2025-07-11 13:07:17","changed":"1752239237","gmt_changed":"2025-07-11 13:07:17","alt":"JSC JUPITER Booster","file":{"fid":"261288","name":"JUPITER-Booster.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/11\/JUPITER-Booster.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/11\/JUPITER-Booster.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":61966,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/11\/JUPITER-Booster.jpeg?itok=yY-RRh5o"}},"677394":{"id":"677394","type":"image","title":"SHB.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1752239292","gmt_created":"2025-07-11 13:08:12","changed":"1752239292","gmt_changed":"2025-07-11 13:08:12","alt":"Spencer Bryngelson","file":{"fid":"261289","name":"SHB.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/11\/SHB.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/11\/SHB.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":97248,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/11\/SHB.jpeg?itok=FCxuiSy2"}}},"media_ids":["677392","677393","677394"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/pancaked-water-droplets-help-launch-europes-fastest-supercomputer","title":"Pancaked Water Droplets Help Launch Europe\u2019s Fastest Supercomputer"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"15030","name":"high-performance computing"},{"id":"168929","name":"supercomputers"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682959":{"#nid":"682959","#data":{"type":"news","title":"These \u2018Exploding\u2019 Capsules Could Deliver Insulin Without a Needle","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech engineers have created a pill that could effectively deliver insulin and other injectable drugs, making medicines for chronic illnesses easier for patients to take, less invasive, and potentially less expensive.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with insulin, it also could be used for semaglutide \u2014 the popular GLP-1 medication sold as Ozempic and Wegovy \u2014 and a host of other top-selling protein-based medications like antibodies and growth hormone that are part of a $400 billion market.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese drugs usually have to be injected because they can\u2019t overcome the protective barriers of the gastrointestinal tract. Georgia Tech\u2019s new capsule uses a small pressurized \u201cexplosion\u201d to shoot medicine past those barriers in the small intestine and into the bloodstream. Unlike other designs, it has no complicated moving parts and requires no battery or stored energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jconrel.2025.113963\u0022\u003EThis study\u003C\/a\u003E introduces a new way of drug delivery that is as easy as swallowing a pill and replaces the need for painful injections,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/mark-prausnitz\u0022\u003EMark Prausnitz\u003C\/a\u003E, who created the pill in his lab with former Ph.D. student Joshua Palacios and other student researchers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn animal lab tests, they showed their capsule lowered blood sugar levels just like traditional insulin injections. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jconrel.2025.113963\u0022\u003EThe researchers reported their pill design and study results DATE in the \u003Cem\u003EJournal of Controlled Release\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/07\/these-exploding-capsules-can-deliver-insulin-without-needle\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead about the technology on the College of Engineering website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEngineers use sodium bicarb to \u201cself-pressurize\u201d a pill able to deliver drugs that usually require injection directly to the small intestine.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Engineers use sodium bicarb to \u201cself-pressurize\u201d a pill able to deliver drugs that usually require injection directly to the small intestine."}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2025-06-30 21:28:19","changed_gmt":"2025-07-08 15:32:58","author":"Joshua Stewart","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":{"677313":{"id":"677313","type":"image","title":"Mark-Prausnitz-needle-capsule-closeup_5169.jpg","body":null,"created":"1751318916","gmt_created":"2025-06-30 21:28:36","changed":"1751318916","gmt_changed":"2025-06-30 21:28:36","alt":"Prototype of an \u0022exploding\u0022 capsule next to a syringe. The capsule can deliver medications that are typically only effective if injected.","file":{"fid":"261199","name":"Mark-Prausnitz-needle-capsule-closeup_5169.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/30\/Mark-Prausnitz-needle-capsule-closeup_5169.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/30\/Mark-Prausnitz-needle-capsule-closeup_5169.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":600837,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/30\/Mark-Prausnitz-needle-capsule-closeup_5169.jpg?itok=8W1f8FQY"}}},"media_ids":["677313"],"groups":[{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"495","name":"Mark Prausnitz"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"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:jstewart@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jstewart@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683001":{"#nid":"683001","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Next-Gen Brain Implants Offer New Hope for Depression","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAI-powered brain monitoring is helping psychiatry shift from reactive care to proactive intervention.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAs featured in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spectrum.ieee.org\/deep-brain-stimulation-depression\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIEEE Spectrum\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/directory\/christopher-john-rozell\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Rozell\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0027s AI model identifies signs of depression relapse five weeks before symptoms appear. The system has uncovered a neural biomarker linked to both relapse and sleep quality, giving clinicians a valuable early warning signal.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThis is one of many exciting developments in deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression that are helping turn research into real-world tools for mental health care.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/spectrum.ieee.org\/deep-brain-stimulation-depression\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EREAD THE ARTICLE\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Chris Rozell\u2019s AI model, featured in IEEE Spectrum, predicts depression relapse weeks in advance and signals a broader shift as deep brain stimulation tools move from lab to clinic.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Chris Rozell\u2019s AI model, featured in IEEE Spectrum, predicts depression relapse weeks in advance and signals a broader shift as deep brain stimulation tools move from lab to clinic."}],"uid":"36172","created_gmt":"2025-07-03 13:14:47","changed_gmt":"2025-07-07 14:07:01","author":"dwatson71","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"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\u003EDan Watson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["dwatson@ece.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682798":{"#nid":"682798","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researcher Receives $2.9M Grant to Develop Ingestible Probes for Breath-Based Cancer Detection","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., colorectal cancer is rising in the number of cases in younger adults. To combat this and offer a less-invasive alternative to a colonoscopy, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Leslie Chan and her lab has been awarded a grant to develop an innovative diagnostic to detect colorectal cancer through a simple breath test. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/georgia-tech-researcher-receives-29m-grant-develop-ingestible-probes-breath-based-cancer?utm_source=newsletter\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_content=Researcher%20to%20Develop%20Breath-Based%20Cancer%20Detection\u0026amp;utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20May%2015%2C%202025\u0022\u003ERead more\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe grant will fund the development of cutting-edge technology that could detect colorectal cancer through a simple breath test.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The grant will fund the development of cutting-edge technology that could detect colorectal cancer through a simple breath test."}],"uid":"35963","created_gmt":"2025-06-16 15:06:05","changed_gmt":"2025-06-16 15:13:39","author":"kpetty30","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677233":{"id":"677233","type":"image","title":"Leslie Chan and Vishal Manickam, graduate student who works on the design and testing of the ingestible probes. ","body":null,"created":"1750085457","gmt_created":"2025-06-16 14:50:57","changed":"1750085838","gmt_changed":"2025-06-16 14:57:18","alt":"Photo of Leslie Chan and graduate student Vishal Manickam","file":{"fid":"261113","name":"thumbnail_IMG_0819.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/16\/thumbnail_IMG_0819.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/16\/thumbnail_IMG_0819.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":322709,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/16\/thumbnail_IMG_0819.jpg?itok=Au6RCoQi"}}},"media_ids":["677233"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kelly.petty@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKelly Petty\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Depratment of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682769":{"#nid":"682769","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Acclimation and Hydration Are Keys to Beating Summer Heat","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs temperatures and humidity levels rise in the summer months, hydration and heat acclimatization become increasingly vital in maintaining physical and mental health and maximizing performance.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/exercisephysiology\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExercise Physiology Laboratory\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, led by Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mindy-millard-stafford\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMindy Millard-Stafford\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, director, and Adjunct Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/michael-sawka\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMike Sawka \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003Ein the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, aims to help athletes and occupational workers better understand and prevent sweat loss and dehydration through the development of predictive tools.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHeat Acclimation Takes Time\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Millard-Stafford, it can take between five and seven days of active exposure in hot conditions to properly acclimate the body to extreme temperatures. During this period, taking frequent breaks, along with proper hydration, is necessary while the body attempts to thermoregulate through the evaporation of perspiration. She also advises easing into a full workload or exercise routine, if possible, and seeking shade with intermittent breaks when working outdoors for long periods.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESawka, retired senior scientist for environmental medicine, stressed that even those familiar with summer conditions can be susceptible to the symptoms of overheating following months of cooler temperatures or indoor activity. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.canberra.edu.au\/research\/centres\/uc-rise\/research\/environmental-physiology\/exercise-heat-acclimation-predictor\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA predictive tool\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E developed by collaborating with the University of Canberra, Australia, and recently published in the \u003Cem\u003EJournal of Comprehensive Physiology\u003C\/em\u003E illustrates the benefits of heat acclimation based on environmental factors like temperature, humidity, duration of exposure, and other factors to inform their training and recovery plans.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Just like you train for your activity, whether it\u0027s running or tennis or basketball, it\u0027s the same with adapting to environmental extremes. It\u0027s specific, and the tool allows you to input the unique conditions you will attempt to acclimate to,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStaggering start times can also effectively mitigate injury and heat-related incidents until an individual is properly acclimated to the climate. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStaying Sharp\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudies from the Exercise Physiology Laboratory have revealed a drop in performance and cognitive function when subjects lose 2% of their body mass during exposure to heat. Without proper planning and fluid replacement, thermoregulation can be hindered, cardiovascular strain increases, and an individual\u0027s energy levels and performance can diminish. As more body water is lost, more significant symptoms can occur.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe amount of sweat lost during heat exposure is another key indicator of how much fluid an individual needs to avoid these symptoms. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sweatratecalculator.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA sweat loss prediction calculator\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, recently published in the \u003Cem\u003EJournal of Applied Physiology\u003C\/em\u003E and funded by Coca-Cola in collaboration with the University of Sydney and Canberra University, uses predicted output and other factors to help individuals plan hydration management strategies for exercise in hot conditions. Relying solely on thirst as a guide frequently leads to underhydration by nearly 50%; therefore, fluids should be consumed before, during, and after exposure to heat.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding sweat loss can also help individuals avoid the dangers of overhydration. \u0022This is not a \u0027more-is-always-better\u0027 kind of approach. You can run into problems by drinking too much over extended periods while exercising,\u0022 Millard-Stafford said. \u0022Hyponatremia, or water intoxication, can be lethal. You want to follow the Goldilocks theory of \u2018not too much and not too little\u2019 to maintain fluid balance with the sweat loss calculator.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EElderly adults are at an increased risk of heat-related incidents, even if they aren\u0027t outside as much, due to differences in their body\u0027s ability to regulate temperature and potential adverse effects of medication such as diuretics. Older adults also have a diminished thirst sensation when dehydrated, so they tend to underdrink.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMore Than One Way to Hydrate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEighty percent of human hydration comes from consuming liquids, while the remaining 20% comes from food. Millard-Stafford recommends adding more fresh fruits and vegetables as a part of your diet over the summer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrinking fluids remains the primary combatant against dehydration, but she and Sawka also recommend pre-planning meals that include sodium to better retain fluids and nutrients. Humans generally rehydrate at mealtime, with food stimulating thirst and fluid consumption,\u0026nbsp; helping cells maintain balance. Electrolytes in sports drinks can also help hydrate during and after sustained heat exposure.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many, simply choosing not to go outdoors in the heat is not an option. So, Millard-Stafford and Sawka continue to share best practices and strategies to avoid heat-related illness and dehydration while optimizing performance.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs temperatures rise, proper hydration and heat acclimatization can help maintain physical and mental health. School of Biological Sciences Professor Mindy Millard-Stafford and Adjunct Professor Mike Sawka discuss best practices and strategies to avoid heat-related illness and dehydration while optimizing performance.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As temperatures rise, proper hydration and heat acclimatization can help maintain physical and mental health. School of Biological Sciences Professor Mindy Millard-Stafford and Adjunct Professor Mike Sawka share best practices and strategies."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-06-11 17:20:29","changed_gmt":"2025-06-11 17:27:13","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677221":{"id":"677221","type":"image","title":"Summer Hydration","body":null,"created":"1749660141","gmt_created":"2025-06-11 16:42:21","changed":"1749660141","gmt_changed":"2025-06-11 16:42:21","alt":"Woman drinks water under summer sun.","file":{"fid":"261094","name":"GettyImages-686734091.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/GettyImages-686734091.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/GettyImages-686734091.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5037594,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/11\/GettyImages-686734091.jpg?itok=fTgHmybH"}}},"media_ids":["677221"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/exercisephysiology\/","title":"Exercise Physiology Laboratory"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"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"},{"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":"191863","name":"Exercise Physiology Lab"},{"id":"185238","name":"summer heat"}],"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\u003ESteven Gagliano\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682472":{"#nid":"682472","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Peptides, Persistence, and Publication","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhen Marielle Frooman joined the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mcshanlab.com\/\u0022\u003EMcShan Lab\u003C\/a\u003E, she brought a strong passion for chemistry, but no lab experience. Today, the fourth-year Georgia Tech biochemistry student is the first co-author of a groundbreaking malaria study published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-025-92191-6\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScientific Reports\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Portfolio\u003C\/em\u003E journal. Through extensive experimentation coupled with computer modeling, Frooman led a team of undergraduate and graduate researchers that uncovered eight peptides that can help the immune system recognize and fight the malaria parasite.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMalaria kills over 500,000 annually with the mortality rate substantially higher in Africa,\u201d says Frooman. \u201cOur research explores how specific peptides bind to proteins that trigger immune responses.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFrooman originally hoped the research would help her learn how to think like a scientist and gain basic lab knowledge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EShe gained those skills and more, quickly becoming recognized as an exceptional researcher.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMarielle is one of the most passionate and talented undergraduate researchers I have ever worked with,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/andrew-mcshan\u0022\u003EAndrew McShan\u003C\/a\u003E, McShan Lab principal investigator and associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cShe is also a caring mentor and motivated future leader who wants to change the world. Her malaria research has the potential to provide\u0026nbsp;real therapeutic outcomes, including better designs for vaccines and immunotherapy.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom curiosity to contribution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFrooman\u2019s journey into undergraduate research began with persistence. After a year and a half of searching for lab opportunities, she attended a School of Chemistry and Biochemistry research showcase. She approached several graduate students and professors with no success, until she met McShan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOur first meeting was so relaxed and friendly that I didn\u2019t even realize Professor McShan was the principal investigator,\u201d admits Frooman. \u201cThat\u2019s how it all started.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOnce she officially joined the lab, Frooman contributed to every stage of the research, including designing experiments, performing computational and wet lab work, analyzing data, and writing and presenting the paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELessons in resilience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team faced several challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe research was delayed by failure after failure,\u201d says Frooman. \u201cBut each setback taught us something valuable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team\u2019s biggest challenge involved trying to grow crystals of the peptide\/HLA (protein) complexes to determine how they fit together. They spent two years attempting various methods, but nothing worked.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGuided by McShan, Frooman and the team then came up with the idea of using computational modeling to enable a deeper understanding of how the peptides and proteins interact at both biophysical and structural levels.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cUtilizing the computational modeling enabled us to see the best bindings and turned into a game-changing insight for our research, potentially leading to the design of more effective malaria treatments and vaccines,\u201d explains Frooman.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EShe is quick to credit Georgia Tech and McShan for providing her with such a valuable learning experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAt many universities, undergraduates rarely do meaningful research, but at Tech, it\u2019s a priority,\u201d explains Frooman. \u201cI\u2019m extremely grateful for the opportunity to grow in such a supportive environment, and to learn from mentors like Professor McShan who lead by example and make time for every student.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHer advice to other undergraduates entering research?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cEmbrace your failures. They make the successes even more rewarding,\u201d shares Frooman.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOutside the lab\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOn campus, Frooman is president of the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society and Cleanup Crew at GT, a member of Alpha Phi International Fraternity, and a campus tour guide who serves on their executive board.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EShe especially loves being a tour guide as it allows her to share her love of Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;and its people:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cEveryone is unapologetically themselves and fully invested in their major or interests. As someone who loves chemistry, I enjoy being surrounded by people who are just as dedicated to their passions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFrooman is a recipient of the Chance Family Scholarship, presented to two School of Chemistry and Biochemistry upperclassmen, recognizing their academic excellence, research contributions, and potential for career success in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ERecently, she shifted her research focus to organic synthetic chemistry and now works in the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gutekunstlab.com\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Gutekunst Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. Her career goals include earning a Ph.D. in Chemistry with an emphasis on natural product synthesis, the lab-based creation of complex chemical compounds found in nature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019ve seen what university labs can do,\u201d says Frooman. \u201cI hope to one day lead my own lab, advancing impactful research and mentoring the next generation of scientists.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Marielle Frooman\u2019s Undergraduate Research Path"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor her first undergraduate research experience,\u0026nbsp;Marielle Frooman did more than work in the McShan lab \u2014\u0026nbsp;she helped lead research that could shape the future of malaria treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"For her first undergraduate research experience, Marielle Frooman did more than work in the McShan lab \u2014 she helped lead research that could shape the future of malaria treatment."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2025-05-20 14:23:34","changed_gmt":"2025-06-10 18:50:11","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677093":{"id":"677093","type":"image","title":"\u0022I\u0027m passionate about this research because of its potential for worldwide impact,\u0022 says Frooman.","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I\u0027m passionate about this research because of its potential for worldwide impact,\u0022 says Frooman.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1747751096","gmt_created":"2025-05-20 14:24:56","changed":"1747759733","gmt_changed":"2025-05-20 16:48:53","alt":"a woman in a lab coat","file":{"fid":"260957","name":"33466402-2DE7-4116-8AFC-F2EB90676614_1_105_c.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/20\/33466402-2DE7-4116-8AFC-F2EB90676614_1_105_c.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/20\/33466402-2DE7-4116-8AFC-F2EB90676614_1_105_c.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":159264,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/20\/33466402-2DE7-4116-8AFC-F2EB90676614_1_105_c.jpeg?itok=Ffgeg5p0"}},"677099":{"id":"677099","type":"image","title":"Frooman\u0027s Georgia Tech honors include the President\u2019s Undergraduate Research Award and the Judith Priddy Award, given to a Panhellenic woman with demonstrated high scholarship and leadership.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrooman\u0027s Georgia Tech honors include the President\u2019s Undergraduate Research Award and the Judith Priddy Award, given to a Panhellenic woman with demonstrated high scholarship and leadership.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1747760188","gmt_created":"2025-05-20 16:56:28","changed":"1748441123","gmt_changed":"2025-05-28 14:05:23","alt":"Young woman posting with Georgia Tech mascot Buzz.","file":{"fid":"260968","name":"froobuzz264920A4-D6F4-4A68-A1FB-C4363C192C36.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/20\/froobuzz264920A4-D6F4-4A68-A1FB-C4363C192C36.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/20\/froobuzz264920A4-D6F4-4A68-A1FB-C4363C192C36.png","mime":"image\/png","size":14783219,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/20\/froobuzz264920A4-D6F4-4A68-A1FB-C4363C192C36.png?itok=zeqKCU4E"}}},"media_ids":["677093","677099"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-frontier-immune-research-andrew-mcshan-awarded-career-grant-protein-lipid-research","title":"A New Frontier of Immune Research: Andrew McShan Awarded CAREER Grant for Protein-Lipid Research"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/undergraduate-anu-iyer-leads-parkinsons-research-study","title":"Undergraduate Anu Iyer Leads Parkinson\u2019s Research Study"}],"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":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"48951","name":"featured student research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"7629","name":"malaria"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and 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\u003EWriter: Laura S. Smith\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682491":{"#nid":"682491","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Photo of a Fingernail Can Now be Used to Detect and Monitor for Anemia, Emory and Georgia Tech Research Finds","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers from Emory University and Georgia Tech, led by IBB researcher\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/wilbur-lam\u0022\u003EWilbur Lam\u003C\/a\u003E, have developed a groundbreaking, non-invasive way to screen and monitor anemia using just a smartphone photo of a fingernail. The AI-powered app analyzes the fingernail\u2019s paleness to detect anemia with high accuracy instead of requiring a conventional blood test. The technology can be personalized for users with chronic anemia by incorporating their clinical hemoglobin levels to enhance precision. This approach makes anemia screening more accessible, particularly for underserved communities, and removes barriers to care. The team\u2019s findings were recently published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2424677122\u0022\u003EPNAS\u003C\/a\u003E, with Lam as the paper\u2019s senior author.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead the full press release\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.emory.edu\/stories\/2025\/05\/hs-anemia-detection-technology_13-05-2025\/story.html\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation:\u003C\/strong\u003E Robert G. Mannino, Julie Sullivan, Jennifer K. Frediani, Wilbur A. Lam. \u201cReal-world Implementation of a Noninvasive, AI-augmented, Anemia-screening Smartphone App and Personalization for Hemoglobin Level Self-monitoring,\u201d \u003Cem\u003EPNAS\u003C\/em\u003E. DOI: 10.1073\/pnas.2424677122\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers from Emory University and Georgia Tech, led by IBB researcher\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/wilbur-lam\u0022\u003EWilbur Lam\u003C\/a\u003E, have developed a groundbreaking, non-invasive way to screen and monitor anemia using just a smartphone photo of a fingernail.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A team of researchers from Emory University and Georgia Tech, led by IBB researcher Wilbur Lam, have developed a groundbreaking, non-invasive way to screen and monitor anemia using just a smartphone photo of a fingernail. "}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2025-05-21 15:29:01","changed_gmt":"2025-05-27 21:45:54","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677107":{"id":"677107","type":"image","title":"lam.jpg","body":null,"created":"1747841349","gmt_created":"2025-05-21 15:29:09","changed":"1747841349","gmt_changed":"2025-05-21 15:29:09","alt":"Lam","file":{"fid":"260975","name":"lam.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/21\/lam.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/21\/lam.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":132393,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/21\/lam.jpg?itok=yxyK9S7E"}}},"media_ids":["677107"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.emory.edu\/stories\/2025\/05\/hs-anemia-detection-technology_13-05-2025\/story.html","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"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\u003EBy Savannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682481":{"#nid":"682481","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Working Smarter: Improving Personalized Stem Cell Treatments for Kids","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStem cell therapies are improving recovery and survival rates for pediatric cancer patients. But the treatments can be risky. They can weaken the immune system, making children highly vulnerable to infections. And there are other potential long-term complications, including damage to tissues and organs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers at Georgia Tech has addressed this challenge, creating a new way to predict how these cutting-edge treatments might work in a particular patient. And it could revolutionize treatments for kids with complex immune system challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead full story \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/working-smarter-improving-personalized-stem-cell-treatments-kids\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research from Georgia Tech helps doctors predict how therapies will interact with a child\u0027s immune system, potentially improving outcomes and reducing risks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New research from Georgia Tech helps doctors predict how therapies will interact with a child\u0027s immune system, potentially improving outcomes and reducing risks."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2025-05-20 19:28:43","changed_gmt":"2025-05-20 19:30:34","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677102":{"id":"677102","type":"image","title":"stem.png","body":null,"created":"1747769331","gmt_created":"2025-05-20 19:28:51","changed":"1747769331","gmt_changed":"2025-05-20 19:28:51","alt":"stem ","file":{"fid":"260969","name":"stem.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/20\/stem.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/20\/stem.png","mime":"image\/png","size":861736,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/20\/stem.png?itok=LQNVwSG6"}}},"media_ids":["677102"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/working-smarter-improving-personalized-stem-cell-treatments-kids","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003EBy Jerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682026":{"#nid":"682026","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Computing Framework Could Reveal Signs of Neuro Disorders Hidden within Brain Data","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech doctoral student\u2019s dissertation could help physicians diagnose neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease. The new approach leverages data science and algorithms instead of relying on traditional methods like cognitive tests and image scans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. candidate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/a-rahaman.github.io\/\u0022\u003EMd Abdur Rahaman\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s dissertation studies brain data to understand how changes in brain activity shape behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComputational tools Rahaman developed for his dissertation look for informative patterns between the brain and behavior. Successful tests of his algorithms show promise to help doctors diagnose mental health disorders and design individualized treatment plans for patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027ve always been fascinated by the human brain and how it defines who we are,\u201d Rahaman said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe fact that so many people silently suffer from neuropsychiatric disorders, while our understanding of the brain remains limited, inspired me to develop tools that bring greater clarity to this complexity and offer hope through more compassionate, data-driven care.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERahaman\u2019s dissertation introduces a framework focusing on granular factoring. This computing technique stratifies brain data into smaller, localized subgroups, making it easier for computers and researchers to study data and find meaningful patterns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGranular factoring overcomes the challenges of size and heterogeneity in neurological data science. Brain data is obtained from neuroimaging, genomics, behavioral datasets, and other sources. The large size of each source makes it a challenge to study them individually, let alone analyze them simultaneously, to find hidden inferences.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERahaman\u2019s research allows researchers and physicians to move past one-size-fits-all approaches. Instead of manually reviewing tests and scans, algorithms look for patterns and biomarkers in the subgroups that otherwise go undetected, especially ones that indicate neuropsychiatric disorders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy dissertation advances the frontiers of computational neuroscience by introducing scalable and interpretable models that navigate brain heterogeneity to reveal how neural dynamics shape behavior,\u201d Rahaman said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy uncovering subgroup-specific patterns, this work opens new directions for understanding brain function and enables more precise, personalized approaches to mental health care.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERahaman defended his dissertation on April 14, the final step in completing his Ph.D. in computational science and engineering. He will graduate on May 1 at Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/commencement.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPh.D. Commencement\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter walking across the stage at McCamish Pavilion, Rahaman\u2019s next step in his career is to go to Amazon, where he will work in the generative artificial intelligence (AI) field.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGraduating from Georgia Tech is the summit of an educational trek spanning over a decade. Rahaman hails from Bangladesh where he graduated from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology in 2013. He attained his master\u2019s from the University of New Mexico in 2019 before starting at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMunna is an amazingly creative researcher,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/vince-calhoun\u0022\u003EVince Calhoun\u003C\/a\u003E, Rahman\u2019s advisor. Calhoun is the founding director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/trendscenter.org\/\u0022\u003ETranslational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science Center (TReNDS)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETReNDS is a tri-institutional center spanning Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, and Emory University that develops analytic approaches and neuroinformatic tools. The center aims to translate the approaches into biomarkers that address areas of brain health and disease. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHis work is moving the needle in our ability to leverage multiple sources of complex biological data to improve understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders that have a huge impact on an individual\u2019s livelihood,\u201d said Calhoun.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech doctoral student\u2019s dissertation could help physicians diagnose neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease. The new approach leverages data science and algorithms instead of relying on traditional methods like cognitive tests and image scans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. candidate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/a-rahaman.github.io\/\u0022\u003EMd Abdur Rahaman\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s dissertation studies brain data to understand how changes in brain activity shape behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComputational tools Rahaman developed for his dissertation look for informative patterns between the brain and behavior. Successful tests of his algorithms show promise to help doctors diagnose mental health disorders and design individualized treatment plans for patients.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech doctoral student\u2019s dissertation could help physicians diagnose neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer\u2019s disease. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-04-25 13:48:26","changed_gmt":"2025-05-05 13:58:06","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676932":{"id":"676932","type":"image","title":"Computational-Brain.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EInstead of relying on traditional methods like cognitive tests and image scans, this new approach leverages data science and algorithms.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1745519173","gmt_created":"2025-04-24 18:26:13","changed":"1745519173","gmt_changed":"2025-04-24 18:26:13","alt":"Instead of relying on traditional methods like cognitive tests and image scans, this new approach leverages data science and algorithms.","file":{"fid":"260783","name":"Computational-Brain.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/24\/Computational-Brain.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/24\/Computational-Brain.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3553157,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/24\/Computational-Brain.jpeg?itok=TXN2msvN"}},"676941":{"id":"676941","type":"image","title":"Md-Abdur-Rahaman-v2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1745588923","gmt_created":"2025-04-25 13:48:43","changed":"1745588923","gmt_changed":"2025-04-25 13:48:43","alt":"Md Abdur Rahaman","file":{"fid":"260792","name":"Md-Abdur-Rahaman-v2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/25\/Md-Abdur-Rahaman-v2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/25\/Md-Abdur-Rahaman-v2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":112744,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/25\/Md-Abdur-Rahaman-v2.jpg?itok=-nKAgxet"}},"676933":{"id":"676933","type":"image","title":"pic_me.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. candidate\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/a-rahaman.github.io\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMd Abdur Rahaman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s dissertation studies brain data to understand how changes in brain activity shape behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1745519217","gmt_created":"2025-04-24 18:26:57","changed":"1745519217","gmt_changed":"2025-04-24 18:26:57","alt":"Ph.D. candidate Md Abdur Rahaman\u2019s dissertation studies brain data to understand how changes in brain activity shape behavior. ","file":{"fid":"260784","name":"pic_me.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/24\/pic_me.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/24\/pic_me.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":352796,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/24\/pic_me.jpg?itok=cN2myp7c"}}},"media_ids":["676932","676941","676933"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/computing-framework-could-reveal-signs-neuro-disorders-hidden-within-brain-data","title":"Computing Framework Could Reveal Signs of Neuro Disorders Hidden within Brain Data"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"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"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\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":""}},"681734":{"#nid":"681734","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Faculty Earn Fellowships for Heart Modeling and Data Optimization Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo faculty members represented Georgia Tech as new fellows to the world\u2019s leading organization dedicated to applied mathematics, computational science, and data science.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) selected\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/elizabeth-cherry\u0022\u003EElizabeth Cherry\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/katya-scheinberg\u0022\u003EKatya Scheinberg\u003C\/a\u003E as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.siam.org\/publications\/siam-news\/articles\/siam-announces-2025-class-of-fellows\/\u0022\u003EClass of 2025 fellows\u003C\/a\u003E. The two Georgia Tech faculty join an illustrious class of 23 other researchers from around the globe in this year\u2019s class.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESIAM selected Cherry to recognize her contributions to mathematical and computational modeling and extensive service to the SIAM community. She studies the electrical behavior of cardiac cells and tissue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECherry\u2019s computer models and simulations improve understanding of cardiac dynamics in normal and diseased states. Using these tools, she designs advanced strategies for preventing and treating arrhythmias.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSIAM has played a huge role in my professional development\u2014the first conference I attended as a graduate student was a SIAM conference, and I\u2019ve attended at least one SIAM conference almost every year since then,\u201d Cherry said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGiven this long history, it means a lot to me for SIAM to acknowledge my contributions in this way.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScheinberg, from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Engineering, was selected for her foundational contributions to derivative-free optimization and optimization applications in data science and her dedicated service to the optimization community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/news\/coca-cola-foundation-chair-katya-scheinberg-selected-2025-class-siam-fellows\u0022\u003ECoca-Cola Foundation Chair Katya Scheinberg selected for 2025 Class of SIAM Fellows\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECherry is the fifth faculty member from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/fellowships-and-awards\u0022\u003ESchool of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) to be selected as a SIAM Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECherry\u2019s announcement as a SIAM Fellow comes weeks after serving in a leadership role at a SIAM conference. She co-chaired the organizing committee of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/school-present-research-weather-prediction-carbon-storage-nuclear-fusion-and-more-computing\u0022\u003ESIAM Conference on Computational Science and Engineering (CSE25)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2023,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.siam.org\/publications\/siam-news\/articles\/siam-introduces-its-newly-elected-leadership\/\u0022\u003ESIAM members reelected Cherry\u003C\/a\u003E to a second term as a council member-at-large. She began her three-year term in January 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022SIAM Fellows are selected for deep mathematical contributions. Receiving Fellow status is a high honor for any applied mathematician,\u0022 said Regents\u2019 Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/faculty-wins-award-trailblazing-work-computing-and-biology\u0022\u003ESrinivas Aluru\u003C\/a\u003E, senior associate dean of the College of Computing and Class of 2020 SIAM Fellow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Not only are Elizabeth\u0027s contributions technically outstanding, but her work also provides deep insights into the functioning of the heart and its abnormalities.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECherry\u2019s leadership and service extends outside of SIAM, influencing students and faculty across Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn December, the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-team-associate-deans-ready-advance-college-initiatives\u0022\u003ECollege of Computing appointed Cherry as associate dean for graduate education\u003C\/a\u003E. Before this appointment, she served as associate chair for academic affairs of the School of CSE.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith her new role as associate dean, Cherry continues serving as director of CSE programs at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn March 2024, Cherry was among five Georgia Tech faculty members selected for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/03\/04\/new-cohort-acc-academic-leaders-network-fellows-selected\u0022\u003EACC Academic Leaders Network (ACC ALN) Fellows program\u003C\/a\u003E. The ALN program fosters cross-institutional networking and collaboration between ACC schools, increasing each institution\u2019s academic leadership capacity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECherry was part of a team of Georgia Tech and Emory University researchers who won a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-and-emory-researchers-win-award-arrhythmia-research\u0022\u003EGeorgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance award in 2023\u003C\/a\u003E. The group earned the Team Science Award of Distinction for Early Stage Research Teams award for work that captures high-resolution visualizations of spiral waves that create heart arrhythmias.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESIAM will recognize Cherry, Scheinberg, and Class of 2025 fellows during a reception at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.siam.org\/conferences-events\/siam-conferences\/an25\/\u0022\u003ESIAM\/CAIMS Annual Meetings\u003C\/a\u003E this July in Montr\u00e9al.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is such an honor to be recognized as a SIAM Fellow,\u201d Cherry said. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to join my CSE colleagues who have also received this recognition.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo faculty members represented Georgia Tech as new fellows to the world\u2019s leading organization dedicated to applied mathematics, computational science, and data science.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) selected\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/elizabeth-cherry\u0022\u003EElizabeth Cherry\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/katya-scheinberg\u0022\u003EKatya Scheinberg\u003C\/a\u003E as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.siam.org\/publications\/siam-news\/articles\/siam-announces-2025-class-of-fellows\/\u0022\u003EClass of 2025 fellows\u003C\/a\u003E. The two Georgia Tech faculty join an illustrious class of 23 other researchers from around the globe in this year\u2019s class.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESIAM selected Cherry to recognize her contributions to mathematical and computational modeling and extensive service to the SIAM community. She studies the electrical behavior of cardiac cells and tissue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScheinberg, from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Engineering, was selected for her foundational contributions to derivative-free optimization and optimization applications in data science and her dedicated service to the optimization community.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) selected Elizabeth Cherry and Katya Scheinberg as Class of 2025 fellows. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-04-11 13:11:10","changed_gmt":"2025-04-25 14:41:38","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676817":{"id":"676817","type":"image","title":"2025-SIAM-Fellow-v2.jpg","body":null,"created":"1744386291","gmt_created":"2025-04-11 15:44:51","changed":"1744386291","gmt_changed":"2025-04-11 15:44:51","alt":"Elizabeth Cherry SIAM Fellow","file":{"fid":"260661","name":"2025-SIAM-Fellow-v2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/11\/2025-SIAM-Fellow-v2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/11\/2025-SIAM-Fellow-v2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":133435,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/11\/2025-SIAM-Fellow-v2.jpg?itok=PzGSlgfb"}}},"media_ids":["676817"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"167311","name":"SIAM"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681431":{"#nid":"681431","#data":{"type":"news","title":"TopoDx: Pioneering Antibiotic Resistance Testing \u2014 From Lab to Market","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPeter Yunker boils down his advice for researchers wanting to commercialize their lab advances.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can\u2019t go it alone,\u201d said Yunker, an associate professor of physics at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn January, Yunker co-founded the biotechnology startup TopoDx LLC, with David Weiss, an Emory University School of Medicine researcher and director of the Emory Antibiotic Resistance Center, and Yogi Patel, a Georgia Tech alumnus with a background in business development and bioengineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cResearchers often think that they have a good commercialization idea to help people, but that alone does not guarantee success,\u201d said Yunker. \u201cLook for partners with complementary skills who understand aspects of the commercialization process that you don\u2019t. Find mentors with business and scientific backgrounds in the specific industry you want to enter.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETopoDx has developed a microbial test to identify antibiotic resistance and susceptibility rapidly and accurately. Current tests produce a result in three to five days. TopoDx\u2019s approach can gain a result within four hours. Every hour counts in treating serious infections. Delays in accurate treatment can increase antibiotic resistance, which is a global challenge, causing up to 1 million deaths a year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe company\u2019s testing method was inspired by a fundamental biophysics project in Yunker\u2019s lab. His team was interested in understanding how bacterial colonies behave. They tested white-light interferometry, a technology that can measure bacterial colonies down to the nanometer level.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhite-light interferometry allowed us to identify changes in the topography of a colony that indicated larger changes in the volume of cells in the entire colony,\u201d said Yunker. \u201cWe thought this might have practical applications.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe next step was giving research talks at meetings and looking for collaborators. \u201cI wanted to find someone with expertise on the bacteriology side, and I was very fortunate to meet David Weiss,\u201d Yunker said, noting his proficiency in heteroresistance, a phenomenon where a small subset of a bacterial colony resists an antibiotic.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you have just one antibiotic-resistant cell in a hundred cells, it can cause treatments to fail,\u201d said Yunker.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two collaborators hoped to commercialize their technology, identifying heteroresistance in microbial samples. However, they needed guidance in creating a business model. They consulted Harold Solomon, an entrepreneur with Georgia Tech VentureLab and a principal in the Quadrant-i program, a specialized program helping Georgia Tech faculty and students commercialize research.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESolomon became a key mentor. He guided them away from an ill-advised partnership and instead introduced them to Yogi Patel, who became a co-founder and the company CEO.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis new collaboration provided the team with an important lesson \u2014 one that Yunker passes along to other researchers looking to commercialize their discoveries. \u201cSeek expertise outside your field, be humble about your knowledge limitations, and view collaboration as a strategic partnership,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen Patel came on board, he conducted extensive interviews with more than 15 clinical professionals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou need to interview end users or purchasers of whatever solution you want to build,\u201d said Patel. \u201cAsk them if the problem you think you may have solved is a problem with scale, with a market need.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EClinicians, Patel learned, did not see heteroresistance as a significant issue. Instead, the slow pace of antibiotic testing was identified as a major problem. Faster testing could allow clinicians to prescribe targeted drugs more quickly and accurately, reducing unnecessary antibiotic use and the risk of multi-resistant infections.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith this survey information, Patel asked Yunker and Weiss to rethink how their technology could be commercialized.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA company must solve a real-world problem,\u201d said Patel. \u201cI recommended that we switch from heteroresistance to solving slow antibiotic testing. We could keep heteroresistance as something we can still do as a second or third priority.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETopoDx\u2019s new technology can\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Emeasure, with single-nanometer accuracy, how bacterial colonies are responding to antibiotics in real time. This method could revolutionize how antibiotics are tested and prescribed. Testing would be conducted on a countertop device about the size of a large microwave. The co-founders envision the device as eventually being used by urgent care facilities and hospitals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to make microbial testing susceptibility accessible anywhere and everywhere,\u201d said Patel.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdam Krueger, once a Ph.D. student in Yunker\u0027s lab, has continued to refine the technology. Now a post-doctoral researcher, Krueger joined TopoDx in a technical leadership role to expand the technology\u2019s capabilities for microbiological diagnostics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe will keep pushing the envelope forward scientifically while we try to commercialize the accomplishments that we have already made,\u201d Yunker said. \u201cWe hope that some fundamental studies we are doing now out of scientific curiosity could lead to further commercial applications.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech faculty members and graduate students, join the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/quadrant-i-startup-launch\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQuadrant-i Startup Launch Program\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E to commercialize your research this summer\u003C\/strong\u003E: Over 12 weeks, you\u0027ll receive comprehensive support including guidance from experienced mentors, a $10,000 commercialization grant, and $150,000 worth of in-kind services. Showcase your innovation at Demo Day, where you\u0027ll have the opportunity to present to over 1,500 attendees, including industry leaders and investors. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/airtable.com\/appaTqlTL2zQkXBBR\/pagdkIvjQbvDbSD2F\/form\u0022\u003EApply today\u003C\/a\u003E! \u003Cstrong\u003EApplications close April 11\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPeter Yunker, an associate professor of physics at Georgia Tech, co-founded TopoDx LLC to revolutionize microbial testing. With partners David Weiss and Yogi Patel, TopoDx developed a test that identifies antibiotic resistance in just four hours, addressing a critical global challenge. Yunker advises researchers to seek complementary skills and mentorship for successful commercialization. Join the Quadrant-i Startup Launch Program to turn your research into real-world solutions!\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"TopoDx LLC, co-founded by Peter Yunker, David Weiss, and Yogi Patel, developed a microbial test that identifies antibiotic resistance within four hours."}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-03-28 15:35:22","changed_gmt":"2025-04-16 19:43:23","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"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":["623758"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/quadrant-i-startup-launch","title":"Apply to Quadrant-i Startup Launch"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"},{"id":"168707","name":"Peter Yunker"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"194429","name":"TopoDx"},{"id":"194430","name":"David Weiss"},{"id":"194431","name":"Yogi Patel"},{"id":"194432","name":"biotechnology startup"},{"id":"194433","name":"microbial test"},{"id":"174503","name":"antibiotic resistance"},{"id":"194434","name":"susceptibility"},{"id":"194435","name":"white-light interferometry"},{"id":"182260","name":"bacterial colonies"},{"id":"2579","name":"commercialization"},{"id":"340","name":"collaboration"},{"id":"14601","name":"mentorship"},{"id":"194436","name":"Quadrant-I"},{"id":"194437","name":"Startup Launch Program"},{"id":"174430","name":"research commercialization"},{"id":"341","name":"innovation"},{"id":"194438","name":"urgent care facilities"},{"id":"4499","name":"hospitals"},{"id":"194439","name":"microbiological diagnostics"},{"id":"194440","name":"real-time testing"},{"id":"194441","name":"scientific curiosity"},{"id":"6713","name":"business development"},{"id":"569","name":"bioengineering"},{"id":"2161","name":"founders"},{"id":"3472","name":"entrepreneurship"},{"id":"166973","name":"startup"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"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\u003EWritten By John H. Tibbetts\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInternal Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBreanna Durham\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Strategist\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["breanna.durham@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681493":{"#nid":"681493","#data":{"type":"news","title":"PatchPals Pitches Wound Care Evolution at ACC InVenture Prize ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of biomedical engineering students represented Georgia Tech at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.accinventureprize.com\/teams#gt\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EACC InVenture Prize Competition\u003C\/a\u003E in South Bend, Indiana, pitching an invention that could improve wound care for chronic patients and efficiency in healthcare systems.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy is commonly used to treat the 6.5 million people affected by chronic wounds annually, but dressing changes can be frequent and time-consuming. PatchPals aims to cut the time it takes to treat each patient by up to 30% by automating a critical step of the process using artificial intelligence. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInitially developed by Aya Samadi and Deniz Onalir, BME 2024, for the pair\u0027s capstone design project in Spring 2024, PatchPals would allow nurses and technicians to take a photo of a wound, outline it, and upload it to the device, which begins cutting a precise piece of foam in 15 seconds. Typically, nurses must manually cut foam to fit each wound, which can be inexact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project began with the goal of creating a better bandage for everyday cuts and scrapes, but conversations with medical professionals led them to think more broadly. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Each time we share our device with professionals in the field, they all have the same reaction, saying, \u0027Finally.\u0027 It\u0027s validating and rewarding to know that we were able to identify a real problem in healthcare and provide a potential solution,\u0022 said Samadi, now a biomedical engineering graduate student. \u0022By eliminating the biggest bottleneck in the wound care process, we\u0027re not just saving nurses time, we\u0027re ensuring patients get the treatment they need, without the wait.\u0022 \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough demos at the Emory Wound \u0026amp; Hyperbaric Center and other medical facilities, the team has been able to refine its product and understand its potential place in the wound care market.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022If the foam doesn\u0027t fit the wound perfectly, it can damage the margins or lead to infections. As a nurse, I\u0027d love to use this device in a clinical setting,\u201d said Meg Winata, a medical student at Emory University. \u201cAutomating that process eliminates a lot of the human error of wound VAC dressing changes, so this could be a game-changer.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFollowing Onalir\u0027s graduation, Samadi recruited two new team members, Valeria Perez and Hayden Johnson, both master\u0027s students in biomedical engineering, to help develop the product. PatchPals is the subject of a clinical study at the Emory Wound \u0026amp; Hyperbaric Center, and the team intends to gather patient data by the semester\u0027s end. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the device evolves, the team credits the Institute\u0027s resources for the ability to reach this milestone.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has an amazing atmosphere around research and development and entrepreneurship. Without \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/academics\/ai-for-engineering\/ai-makerspace\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ethe AI makerspace\u003C\/a\u003E or the BME design shop, we wouldn\u0027t be able to do any of the exploratory research into wound segmentation, automated cuttings, or create our prototypes,\u0022 Johnson said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerez added that the innovation begins in the classroom. \u0022The BME curriculum is one where there are so many different project-based courses built into it, so it has given us a foundation to work on this device.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPatchPals was selected by the judges during the on-campus portion of the competition to represent the Institute at the ACC final, where the team received the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/inventureprize.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPeople\u0027s Choice Award\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 a $5,000 prize to continue the development of their invention \u2014\u0026nbsp;following an online and text vote concluding during Wednesday\u2019s televised final.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The device, created by Georgia Tech students, uses AI to make chronic wound dressings 30% more efficient, which could save time and money.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe device, created by Georgia Tech students, uses AI to make chronic wound dressings 30% more efficient, which could save time and money. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The device, created by Georgia Tech students, uses AI to make chronic wound dressings 30% more efficient, which could save time and money.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-04-01 15:45:35","changed_gmt":"2025-04-03 19:12:55","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676731":{"id":"676731","type":"image","title":"PatchPals Meeting With Nurse","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAya Samadi (left), co-founder of PatchPals, and Valeria Perez (right) describe the device, which could improve wound care for chronic patients and efficiency in healthcare systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743524230","gmt_created":"2025-04-01 16:17:10","changed":"1743524598","gmt_changed":"2025-04-01 16:23:18","alt":"PatchPals Team With Nurse","file":{"fid":"260556","name":"25-10010-P1-009.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/01\/25-10010-P1-009.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/01\/25-10010-P1-009.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4037265,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/01\/25-10010-P1-009.jpg?itok=TN-KUFiy"}},"676733":{"id":"676733","type":"image","title":"PatchPals Team New","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe PatchPals team representing Georgia Tech at the ACC InVenture Prize Competition. From left: Valeria Perez, Hayden Johnson, Aya Samadi, and Deniz Onalir.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1743536742","gmt_created":"2025-04-01 19:45:42","changed":"1743536742","gmt_changed":"2025-04-01 19:45:42","alt":"The PatchPals Team","file":{"fid":"260559","name":"Unknown.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/01\/Unknown.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/04\/01\/Unknown.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":436120,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/04\/01\/Unknown.jpeg?itok=eptVYOxB"}}},"media_ids":["676731","676733"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/taplink.cc\/patchpalsinventure","title":"Vote for PatchPals!"}],"groups":[{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"281961","name":"Office of Undergraduate Education \u0026 Student Success"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"193158","name":"Student Competition Winners (academic, innovation, and research)"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"171868","name":"ACC InVenture Prize"},{"id":"1613","name":"Biomedical Engieering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"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:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681215":{"#nid":"681215","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Bringing Miniaturization Science to the Classroom","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the movies, Ant-Man can shrink down to the size of an insect to carry out his superhero missions. It makes for fun cinema, but of course, it is impossible. For starters, biological systems can\u2019t scale up or down and stay proportional. The hero would die before throwing his first teeny, tiny punch.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s miniaturization science for you. It\u2019s the study of how materials and systems behave at microscopic scales, and it\u2019s transforming biomedical engineering. And though it has led to breakthroughs in diagnostics and treatments, \u201cteaching students about the subject is really challenging,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/david-myers-phd\u0022\u003EDavid Myers\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s because the behavior of fluids and materials at such small scales defies intuition, and you can\u2019t really observe what\u2019s going on,\u201d added Myers, who understands the instructional challenge well \u2014 he teaches a graduate level course focused on translational microsystems, which is heavily integrated with his \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sensors.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Elab\u2019s research\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecognizing the limitations of traditional coursework, Myers and his collaborators have developed a different approach. In Myers\u2019 class, students build and test and observe the workings of microfluidic devices, a hallmark of miniaturization science \u2014 microfluidics is the manipulation of tiny volumes of fluids in miniaturized devices.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir new approach has made all the difference, even earning Myers a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/best-georgia-tech-teachers-bme-students-choose-david-myers-and-bala-pai\u0022\u003ECIOS Award\u003C\/a\u003E for teaching excellence. But Myers is quick to emphasize that this was a team effort. He and his lab developed a hands-on activity to help students learn device construction (and the underlying technical concepts).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThen he reached out to Todd Fernandez, senior lecturer and Coulter BME\u2019s director of learning innovation. Together they optimized the activity to maximize students\u2019 learning. That has evolved into an ongoing partnership between technical and educational research faculty in the department, resulting in an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.rsc.org\/en\/content\/articlelanding\/2024\/lc\/d3lc00912b\u0022\u003Earticle in the journal \u003Cem\u003ELab on a Chip\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022In other microfluidics courses, you walk through the step-by-step process of fabrication, but actually seeing the device come together in front of you provides such valuable insight into the underlying concepts and manufacturing techniques,\u201d explained Priscilla Delgado, a fifth-year graduate student in Myers\u2019 lab and lead author of the published study. \u201cThat hands-on experience is crucial for truly understanding this technology.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBridging Critical Gaps\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMyers\u2019 course bridges several critical gaps, including the high cost of advanced learning activities. It also addresses student misconceptions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe primary objective isn\u2019t just the successful construction of devices, but a deeper conceptual understanding of miniaturization science and design principles,\u201d said Myers, whose approach emphasizes conceptual change.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents often come into the course with misunderstandings about microscale phenomena, \u201cassuming that fluid flow at this scale behaves the same way as in larger systems,\u201d Myers said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDelgado added, \u201cbut it\u2019s wild how fluid behavior changes at the microscale. If you mix two colored liquids in a regular cup, you get a third color. But in microfluidics, the laminar flow and reliance on diffusion can keep those streams separate \u2014 it really challenges your intuition about mixing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe class allows students to build and test microfluidic kits \u2014 mixers, valves, and bubble generators, using inexpensive, widely available materials. This activity is structured to help students encounter misunderstandings and work through them. Rather than simply presenting correct information, instructors guide students through a learning cycle in which they identify errors, reflect on their mistakes, and refine their understanding.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can see their brains just sizzle,\u201d said Myers. \u201cThen you kind of add a little bit of structure. You ask, \u2018Are you sure you have all the layers there that you\u2019re thinking about?\u2019 And then they\u2019ll go back, count, and realize\u2014oh, there\u2019s this missing middle layer.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe layer-by-layer assembly technique uses laser-cut adhesive films to construct microfluidic devices. Because the devices are assembled from transparent layers, students can see how their designs function and they can troubleshoot any errors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the best things about these sticker-based microfluidic devices is how easy they are to prototype,\u201d said Delgado. \u201cI can literally have a new design laser-cut and assembled within an hour, rather than waiting months using traditional methods. The accessibility and speed of iteration is a game-changer.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding the Possibilities\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond its accessibility, the sticker-based microfluidic approach also expands the possibilities for innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe really cool thing is, this is a sticker,\u201d Myers said. \u201cYou can place it on your skin. You can place it on the table. You can place it on the wall, if you really felt like it. And when you integrate it with high-end instrumentation like advanced sensors, suddenly you have a resource that traditional microfluidics can\u2019t easily replicate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis kind of flexibility enables students to explore microfluidics in new ways. The study involved 57 students, some of whom took their designs beyond the classroom.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI cannot say enough how much I love how accessible it is and the portability of it,\u201d Delgado said. \u201cYou can do this anywhere. You could do this at home. We\u2019ve done it at science fairs for high school students to really challenge the way they think about mixing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe impact of the work has also influenced the direction Delgado wants to take in her career. She\u2019s found herself drawn deeper into the field, inspired by microfluidic design.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe first time I laid eyes on that microfluidic device I had just built, I was captivated,\u201d she said. \u201cI remember thinking, \u2018This is so cool; I have to dive deeper into this field.\u2019 That\u2019s when I knew a PhD was in my future, even though I had initially planned otherwise.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis approach to teaching miniaturization science not only enhances learning but also democratizes access to innovation, according to Myers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe really cool thing that I love about this activity is that you\u2019re sharing knowledge and power with the people using the technology,\u201d he said. \u201cInstead of them receiving technology from some high-resource institution, they\u2019re able to look at the problems and start addressing them themselves.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMiniaturization science plays a crucial role in developing point-of-care medical devices and other low-cost diagnostic tools, particularly in resource-limited settings. Equipping students around the world with the ability to create microfluidic systems could help empower future researchers and engineers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFernandez believes this hands-on approach represents a shift in how miniaturization science will be taught.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy focusing on student-driven exploration and conceptual understanding rather than rote device assembly, educators can better prepare the next generation of engineers and scientists to navigate and contribute to the ever-expanding world of microsystems,\u201d he said. \u201c And what\u2019s really cool is, you let them play, and they learn more. They discover things that we didn\u2019t even have time to teach them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDavid Myers\u0027 hands-on microfluidics course lets students build sticker-based devices, enhancing understanding of miniaturization science through active learning.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"David Myers\u0027 hands-on microfluidics course lets students build sticker-based devices, enhancing understanding of miniaturization science through active learning."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2025-03-18 19:30:18","changed_gmt":"2025-03-28 14:08:59","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676579":{"id":"676579","type":"image","title":"Miniaturization science photo","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStudents in David Myers\u0027 class on translational microsystems build and test microfluidics kits. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/shorts\/xdubZHQOPDI\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWatch a video on how they do it.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742325803","gmt_created":"2025-03-18 19:23:23","changed":"1742325885","gmt_changed":"2025-03-18 19:24:45","alt":"Making microfluidic devices","file":{"fid":"260383","name":"Coverphoto_LoC.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/18\/Coverphoto_LoC.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/18\/Coverphoto_LoC.png","mime":"image\/png","size":6957110,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/18\/Coverphoto_LoC.png?itok=foKeu1Op"}}},"media_ids":["676579"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"}],"keywords":[{"id":"175264","name":"microfludics"},{"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"},{"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:jerry.grillo@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681369":{"#nid":"681369","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Curing the Incurable: Georgia Tech\u2019s $40M Medical Mission ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech stands on the brink of a medical revolution, fueled by a monumental award from the Marcus Foundation. This transformative $40 million endeavor, with a principal investment of $20 million from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/marcusfoundation.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMarcus Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E, promises to make high-quality, life-saving cell therapies more affordable, reliable, and accessible than ever before.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis was among the final initiatives personally directed by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/marcusfoundation.org\/#obituary\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBernie Marcus,\u003C\/a\u003E the philanthropist, entrepreneur, and The Home Depot co-founder, before his passing in November 2024. Marcus invited Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera to his home in Boca Raton, Florida, to discuss Georgia Tech\u2019s capability to usher in a new era of regenerative medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019ll never forget my conversation with Bernie,\u201d Cabrera said. \u201cHis challenge to Georgia Tech was clear: Use our engineering expertise to make cell therapies more accessible and cost-effective and develop cures for incurable diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis generous award is a testament to our shared belief in the power of innovation and technology to improve lives, and it\u2019s an honor for Georgia Tech to fulfill Bernie\u2019s vision for the future of healthcare,\u201d he added.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe funding will ignite innovation at Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMarcus Center of Excellence for Cell Biomanufacturing\u003C\/a\u003E, formerly named the\u202fMarcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing, which has been bioengineering potential cellular cures for more than seven years. \u202fIt will enable Georgia Tech engineers to advance work at the center and within the National Science Foundation-funded \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturingusa.org\/\u0022\u003EEngineering Research Center in Cell Manufacturing Technologies\u003C\/a\u003E (CMaT), to develop automated bioreactor systems that eliminate the need for costly cleanrooms.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarcus\/CMaT Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Johnna-S.-Temenoff\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJohnna Temenoff\u003C\/a\u003E compared the current state of cell therapies to the early days of the automobile industry. She explained this new injection of funds will allow her team to shift from handcrafted production to an assembly-line approach.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI firmly believe that for us to make good on the promises of these biotechnologies to improve healthcare worldwide, we must be able to manufacture them in a more reproducible and cost-effective manner. Georgia Tech\u2019s distinctive strength lies in our engineering expertise, allowing us to tackle difficult biological problems,\u201d Temenoff said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe impact of this award extends beyond the laboratory. It has the potential to significantly boost Georgia\u0027s bioeconomy, making the state a hub for advanced therapy development and biomanufacturing. It will attract jobs and top-tier talent to the region.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jonathan-w-simons-md-a4247911\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDr. Jonathan Simons\u003C\/a\u003E, chief science officer and medical director of the Marcus Foundation, said Bernie Marcus liked to think of cells as \u201cliving drugs.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimons explained, \u201cThis is life-extending, lifesaving, and life-changing material. It\u0027s not like making a drug like penicillin or Tylenol. This is not like a little blister pack of pills. This is a whole new frontier for pharmacology and the pharmaceutical industry.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimons emphasized this is the latest chapter of both the Marcus Foundation\u2019s investment in biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and Bernie Marcus\u2019s enduring biomedical research philanthropy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think Bernie would say, \u2018I\u2019m not interested in my legacy. I\u2019m interested in how many patients in five years will benefit from this $40 million effort. It\u2019s all about lives changed, lives saved, and diseases ended,\u2019\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about Georgia Tech\u2019s research in cell and gene therapy biomanufacturing, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ecellmanufacturing.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA significant grant from the Marcus Foundation will support the Institute\u0027s research into making cell therapies more affordable.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A significant grant from the Marcus Foundation will support the Institute\u0027s research into making cell therapies more affordable."}],"uid":"28766","created_gmt":"2025-03-26 13:00:26","changed_gmt":"2025-03-26 13:58:34","author":"Shelley Wunder-Smith","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":{"676668":{"id":"676668","type":"image","title":"A researcher in the Marcus Center of Excellence for Cell Biomanufacturing removes cultured cells from an incubator for further characterization and testing.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA researcher in the Marcus Center of Excellence for Cell Biomanufacturing removes cultured cells from an incubator for further characterization and testing.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742946387","gmt_created":"2025-03-25 23:46:27","changed":"1742946492","gmt_changed":"2025-03-25 23:48:12","alt":"A researcher in the Marcus Center of Excellence for Cell Biomanufacturing removes cultured cells from an incubator for further characterization and testing.","file":{"fid":"260481","name":"image001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/25\/image001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/25\/image001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1166641,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/25\/image001.jpg?itok=Os-wYfZj"}}},"media_ids":["676668"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"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":[{"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:swundersmith3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Research Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swundersmith3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681214":{"#nid":"681214","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Heart Fellows: BME Grad Students Training to Become Next Generation Cardiovascular Leaders","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn 2023 the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering launched a new program designed to train the next generation of leaders in cardiovascular research. Five first-year graduate students formed the first cohort that fall.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, there are nine students in the Cardiovascular Biomechanics Graduate Training Program at Emory and Georgia Tech (CBT@EmTech). The program offers two years of training in an assortment of disciplines, including cardiovascular biomechanics, mechanobiology, medical imaging, computational modeling, medical devices, therapeutics discovery and delivery, and data science.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe goal of the program is to stimulate interdisciplinary training,\u201d so we expose the students to multiple areas of research,\u201d says Hanjoong Jo, CBT@EmTech director, Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Professor.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAnd we have a very diverse group of trainees interested in various aspects of cardiovascular research and medicine,\u201d Jo added. \u201cFour out of five students from our first cohort already have secured prestigious fellowships, demonstrating the caliber of the trainees in the program.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe students from that cohort brought a wide range of experiences, interests, and ambitions to the program. Now in their final months as CBT@EmTech trainees, they took time to share their stories.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYohannes Akiel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrincipal Investigator: Michael Davis\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECampus: Emory\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUndergraduate: University of Texas-San Antonio\u003Cbr\u003EI\u0027ve always had a passion for helping people and I feel that I\u2019m doing this through my research on aortic valve tissue engineering for pediatric patients. Aortic valve disease is found in 1-2% of live births, because of congenital heart defects or infections. Current valve replacements are limited \u2014 for one thing, they\u2019re incapable of growing and remodeling with the patient. This presents a need for a new tissue-engineered valve that can address these challenges. In the Davis lab, we\u2019re working on a tissue engineered heart valve to provide a better, long-term solution.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThroughout my time in the CBT@EmTech program, I\u0027ve gained a range of knowledge in the cardiovascular space, learning about atherosclerosis, peripheral artery disease, valve disease, as well as computational and imaging techniques to help solve some of these problems. As part of the program, we are also required to take an Advanced Seminar class in the cardiovascular area.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough this class, I was able to participate in some interesting clinical observations in the Emory University Hospital cardiology department. For example, I watched a cardiologist perform a transesophageal echocardiogram. The doctor was checking for heart blockages on a patient who had atrial fibrillation. This procedure was followed by a cardioversion to restore a normal heart rhythm. This was a profound demonstration of biomedical technology in action that left a lasting impression on me.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELeandro Choi\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrincipal Investigator: Hanjoong Jo\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECampus: Emory\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUndergraduate: Duke University\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a PhD student in the Jo Lab, I am studying how disturbed flow influences transcriptional regulation in endothelial cell reprogramming and atherosclerosis. Our goal is to identify and develop therapeutics that target non-lipid residual pathways contributing to this widespread and deadly disease.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI initially became interested in this line of research due to a family history of cardiovascular disease. As an undergraduate, I worked in a tissue engineering lab where I employed stem cell and tissue engineering methods to model the circulatory system. A desire to further explore the role of mechanosensitive genes and proteins in cardiovascular disease led me to pursue a PhD in this field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the most valuable aspects of the CBT@EmTech program has been the opportunity to connect with a network of students and faculty who are leaders in cardiovascular research. Through monthly meetings, we share our work and gain insights into the diverse engineering applications our interdisciplinary program brings to the field, with the common goal of improving cardiovascular health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAniket Venkatesh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrincipal Investigator: Lakshmi Prasad\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECampus: Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUndergraduate: Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;October 2024 marked the three-year anniversary of my uncle\u2019s passing due to complications from a mild heart attack. His angiogram showed 30% vessel blockage, leading to heart surgery. Sadly, he suffered a brain stroke days later, resulting in deteriorating speech, muscle movement, and eventually death at 48. This personal tragedy brought urgency to my research questions: Can the risk of complications following cardiovascular treatments be predicted? Can underlying cardiovascular pathology be treated before it progresses to a heart attack or stroke? Was my uncle\u2019s death preventable? These questions drive my cardiovascular research, focused on predicting post-procedural heart valve outcomes through computational modeling.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeing part of the prestigious CBT@EmTech program at Emory and Georgia Tech has significantly advanced my research journey. Learning from fellow trainees, presenting my research, and attending academia-focused workshops (like one about grant writing) have helped me stand out in heart valve computational modeling. The program, along with my PI, Dr. Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, and co-PI, Dr. John Oshinski, has provided the resources needed to translate my research from the lab to the clinic through regular meetings with clinicians and data transfer to and from hospitals. I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue my long-term goal of predicting risks of complications before cardiovascular treatments and helping prevent adverse clinical outcomes like those experienced by my uncle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIsabel Wallgren\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrincipal Investigator: Simone Douglas-Green\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECampus: Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUndergraduate Degree: University of Virginia\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPeripheral artery disease (PAD) occurs when atherosclerotic plaque accumulates in limb arteries, blocking blood flow. Current interventions limit disease progression, but surgery is often needed to prevent critical limb ischemia. A less invasive approach promotes angiogenesis and arteriogenesis to strengthen collateral vessels and bypass blockages. The Hansen Lab studies satellite cells (SCs), which repair muscle fibers and release growth factors, as a potential PAD therapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy research focuses on improving the delivery of SCs using a special fibrin scaffold in a mouse model of blocked blood flow in the legs. By adjusting the properties of the fibrin scaffold, we can create an environment that helps these cells grow and renew themselves. We study how quickly the fibrin forms to ensure the cells stay where we inject them and how it breaks down to keep a steady supply of renewing SCs. We believe that with fibrin, the cells will move into the damaged tissue, repair muscle fibers, and release growth factors to encourage new blood vessel growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe goal is to create alternative treatments for PAD that prevent disease progression and improve patients\u0027 quality of life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe CBT@EmTech program has given me a supportive network of peers and mentors, enhancing my growth as a researcher. The program chairs have tailored the curriculum to our needs and allowed us to shape it. For example, I\u2019ve had the privilege of co-planning our biannual retreat. We recruited guests for two panels and invited a guest speaker for a storytelling workshop. This retreat shows how the program imparts knowledge beyond research, aiming to improve our scientific storytelling and self-presentation skills, valuable for any career.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeborah Wood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrincipal Investigator: Simone Douglas-Green\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECampus: Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUndergraduate Degree: University of Virginia\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a researcher, I am challenged to explore the unknown. Moreover, my role as an engineer is rooted in using knowledge that has already been conceptualized. Combining these perspectives as a biomedical engineer has led me to pursue research with an emphasis on improving human health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EToday, cardiovascular diseases represent the global leading cause of death. While this glaring statistic indicates the egregious burden of cardiovascular diseases, my parents\u0027 lived experiences with cardiovascular diseases is what drives me to use my life\u2019s work to address critical challenges at the intersection of the cardiovascular field and biomedical engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy research seeks to alleviate cardiovascular diseases by using nanoparticles to target endothelial cells, which line the innermost layer of blood vessels and contribute to blood vessel function. The Cardiovascular Biomechanics and Mechanobiology Program at Emory (CBT@EmTech) has given me an avenue to pursue this research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough my CBT@EmTech co-mentorship, I have developed a foundation in endothelial cell biology and atherosclerosis. I have also been challenged to think critically about how my research benefits both science and society through my exposure to prominent cardiovascular researchers. My experiences with CBT@EmTech have made me eager to use my training to pursue a postdoc in the and eventually lead a lab answering critical questions in cardiovascular research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Cardiovascular Biomechanics Graduate Training Program (CBT@EmTech) was launched in 2023 to develop future leaders in cardiovascular research. Meet some of the students who are getting interdisciplinary training in biomechanics, imaging, modeling, and therapeutics, and gaining clinical exposure, conducting impactful research, and securing prestigious fellowships.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Launched in 2023, CBT@EmTech trains future cardiovascular research leaders through interdisciplinary study, clinical exposure, and impactful research."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2025-03-18 19:01:41","changed_gmt":"2025-03-18 19:05:50","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676575":{"id":"676575","type":"image","title":"Heart Fellows","body":null,"created":"1742322048","gmt_created":"2025-03-18 18:20:48","changed":"1742323340","gmt_changed":"2025-03-18 18:42:20","alt":"Heart Fellows main photo","file":{"fid":"260379","name":"main-photo.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/18\/main-photo.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/18\/main-photo.png","mime":"image\/png","size":819571,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/18\/main-photo.png?itok=y_KOGzEb"}},"676577":{"id":"676577","type":"image","title":"heart fellows collage","body":"\u003Cp\u003EClockwise from top left: Yohannes Akiel, Leandro Choi, Isabel Wallgren, Deborah Wood, the entire current cohort of Fellows, Deborah Wood, and Aniket Venkatesh.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742322283","gmt_created":"2025-03-18 18:24:43","changed":"1742323220","gmt_changed":"2025-03-18 18:40:20","alt":"Heart Fellows individual pics and group shot","file":{"fid":"260380","name":"Heart-Fellows-Collage.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/18\/Heart-Fellows-Collage.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/18\/Heart-Fellows-Collage.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3129598,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/18\/Heart-Fellows-Collage.jpg?itok=bZyTRHy4"}}},"media_ids":["676575","676577"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"185949","name":"doctoral trainees"},{"id":"3184","name":"cardiovascular disease"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681137":{"#nid":"681137","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Virtual Reality Transforms Assessment of Patients With Upper Limb Movement Challenges","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EShriners Children\u2019s is a pediatric healthcare system for orthopedic, spine, and burn injuries, as well as other specialty care and rehabilitation. Shriners provides treatment for nearly 20,000 children and families from over 130 countries around the world with one mission: compassionate, innovative care that improves the quality of life for children and their families. As part of its research mission, Shriners Children\u0027s collaborates with academic and industry partners to develop leading tools, processes, and programs that improve pediatric care.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pediatrics.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Innovation Network\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E(PIN) has collaborated with Shriners Children\u2019s since 2017. The initiative connects researchers \u2014 including engineers, data analysts, scientists, and others \u2014 with frontline pediatric clinicians to create new technologies for unmet pediatric healthcare needs. This dynamic collaboration began with a conversation between Marc Lalande, vice president of research at Shriners\u2019 Children\u2019s, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/leanne-west\u0022\u003ELeanne West\u003C\/a\u003E, chief engineer of pediatric technologies at Georgia Tech, who were introduced by a mutual colleague.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat conversation has resulted in 22 projects to date, spanning topics such as artificial intelligence, data management, robotic exoskeletons, augmented reality games, wearable sensors, and more. The collaboration between Shriners Children\u2019s and GT PIN works to engage faculty and students within Georgia Tech\u2019s cutting-edge research ecosystem and multiple hospitals within Shriners\u2019 network.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom the very beginning, this has been an amazing collaboration. Our faculty love working on the real-world problems brought to us by Shriners\u2019 clinicians,\u201d said West.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.shrinerschildrens.org\/en\/news-and-media\/news\/2025\/03\/virtual-reality-helps-upper-limb-challenges\u0022\u003ELearn more\u003C\/a\u003E about one of these projects on how virtual reality is transforming assessment of patients with upper limb movement challenges.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHighlighting an Innovative Collaboration Between Georgia Tech\u0027s Pediatric Innovation Network and Shriners Children\u0027s\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"An innovative collaboration between Georgia Tech\u0027s Pediatric Innovation Network and Shriners Children\u0027s is improving patient care."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2025-03-12 20:57:47","changed_gmt":"2025-03-12 21:07:58","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.shrinerschildrens.org\/en\/news-and-media\/news\/2025\/03\/virtual-reality-helps-upper-limb-challenges","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Manager, IBB\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@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":""}},"680790":{"#nid":"680790","#data":{"type":"news","title":"This Pacifier Could Monitor Babies\u2019 Vitals in the NICU","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed a pacifier that can constantly monitor a baby\u2019s electrolyte levels in real time, eliminating the need for repeated invasive blood draws.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/42622\u0022\u003ERead more \u00bb\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed a pacifier that can constantly monitor a baby\u2019s electrolyte levels in real time, eliminating the need for repeated invasive blood draws.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The baby-friendly device measures electrolyte levels in real time, eliminating the need for repeated, painful blood draws. "}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2025-02-28 16:51:08","changed_gmt":"2025-03-10 16:16:20","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676425":{"id":"676425","type":"image","title":"hg-pacifier-image.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHong Yeo, associate professor and Harris Saunders Jr. Endowed Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, came up with the pacifier idea at a pediatric technology conference.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740761476","gmt_created":"2025-02-28 16:51:16","changed":"1740761476","gmt_changed":"2025-02-28 16:51:16","alt":"Hong Yeo holding a white pacifier under development at Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"260210","name":"hg-pacifier-image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/28\/hg-pacifier-image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/28\/hg-pacifier-image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1199948,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/28\/hg-pacifier-image.jpg?itok=rBZv2BD5"}}},"media_ids":["676425"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"},{"id":"193652","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680641":{"#nid":"680641","#data":{"type":"news","title":"LA Fires Trigger Temporary Spike in Airborne Lead Levels","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the Los Angeles fires quickly spread starting Jan. 7, with wind gusts approaching 100 mph, scientists observed a 110-fold rise in airborne lead levels. This spike had receded by Jan. 11.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe fires enabled the first real-time data on airborne lead, thanks to a pioneering air quality measurement network known as Atmospheric Science and Chemistry (ASCENT), a nationwide initiative funded by the National Science Foundation, operating in 12 sites across the U.S. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ascent.research.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EASCENT\u003C\/a\u003E measured tiny particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5) \u2014 small enough to enter the lungs and bloodstream. Unlike typical wildfires that burn natural materials such as grass and trees, the Eaton Canyon and Palisades fires burned through infrastructures like homes, including painted surfaces, pipes, vehicles, plastics, and electronic equipment. This raised concerns about the toxicity of these particles in the air, especially since many of the buildings were constructed before 1978, when lead paint was still commonly used.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELead is a toxic air contaminant that poses significant health risks, particularly for children, who are more vulnerable to its neurodevelopmental effects. While chronic lead exposure is well-documented, the effects of short-term spikes, like those recorded during these fires, are less understood.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur work through ASCENT,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/nga-lee-sally-ng\u0022\u003ESally Ng\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech\u2019s Love Family Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the network\u2019s principal investigator, \u201chas provided us with new insights into the air we breathe, with unprecedented levels of detail and time resolution. Beyond the mass concentration of PM2.5 that is typically measured, we are now able to detect a wide range of chemical components in the aerosols in real time, to better understand and evaluate to what extent one is exposed to harmful pollutants.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInvestigators used several instruments to obtain hourly measurements at the ASCENT monitoring site in Pico Rivera, approximately 14 miles south of the Eaton Canyon fire, to assess atmospheric lead during the wildfires.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur findings showcased the importance of having real-time measurements of the chemical species that comprise particulate matter,\u201d said California Institute of Technology Ph.D. candidate in atmospheric chemistry and ASPIRE researcher Haroula Baliaka. \u201cDuring the LA fires, we provided the public with timely information about what they were breathing and how air quality evolved in the days that followed.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research has been published in the CDC\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/74\/wr\/mm7405a4.htm?s_cid=mm7405a4_w\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMorbidity and Mortality Weekly Report\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the Los Angeles fires quickly spread starting Jan. 7 and wind gusts approached 100 mph, scientists observed a 110-fold rise in airborne lead levels. This spike had receded by Jan. 11.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The fires enabled the first real-time data on airborne lead, thanks to a pioneering air quality measurement network."}],"uid":"36573","created_gmt":"2025-02-20 19:46:27","changed_gmt":"2025-02-24 16:37:13","author":"aprendiville3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676361":{"id":"676361","type":"image","title":"The Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT) site collects real-time data during the Los Angeles wildfires. Courtesy: Haroula Baliaka","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT) site collects real-time data during the Los Angeles wildfires. Courtesy: Haroula Baliaka\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740151674","gmt_created":"2025-02-21 15:27:54","changed":"1740152990","gmt_changed":"2025-02-21 15:49:50","alt":"The Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT) site collects real-time data during the Los Angeles wildfires. Courtesy: Haroula Baliaka","file":{"fid":"260134","name":"WhatsApp-Image-2025-02-06-at-08.56.50.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/21\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-02-06-at-08.56.50.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/21\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-02-06-at-08.56.50.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":146018,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/21\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-02-06-at-08.56.50.jpeg?itok=BFTgfKQ1"}},"676360":{"id":"676360","type":"image","title":"Investigators used measurements recorded hourly at the ASCENT monitoring site in Pico Rivera, approximately 14 miles south of the Eaton Canyon fire, to assess atmospheric lead during the Eaton Canyon and Palisades fires. Courtesy: Haroula Baliaka","body":"\u003Cp\u003EInvestigators used measurements recorded hourly at the ASCENT monitoring site in Pico Rivera, approximately 14 miles south of the Eaton Canyon fire, to assess atmospheric lead during the Eaton Canyon and Palisades fires. Courtesy: Haroula Baliaka\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740151574","gmt_created":"2025-02-21 15:26:14","changed":"1740151574","gmt_changed":"2025-02-21 15:26:14","alt":"Investigators used measurements recorded hourly at the ASCENT monitoring site in Pico Rivera, approximately 14 miles south of the Eaton Canyon fire, to assess atmospheric lead during the Eaton Canyon and Palisades fires. Courtesy: Haroula Baliaka","file":{"fid":"260133","name":"403755238_885266183265183_29513148794895043_n--1-.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/21\/403755238_885266183265183_29513148794895043_n--1-.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/21\/403755238_885266183265183_29513148794895043_n--1-.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":138391,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/21\/403755238_885266183265183_29513148794895043_n--1-.jpg?itok=tcYL7Vsk"}},"676362":{"id":"676362","type":"image","title":"The ASCENT facility in Pico Rivera is equipped with a range of aerosol measurement instruments, including the Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) for non-refractory aerosols, Xact for detecting trace metals, Aethalometer for assessing black\/brown c","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe ASCENT facility in Pico Rivera is equipped with a range of aerosol measurement instruments, including the Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) for non-refractory aerosols, Xact for detecting trace metals, Aethalometer for assessing black\/brown carbon, and the Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) to analyze aerosol size distribution and concentration. Courtesy: Haroula Baliaka\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740151710","gmt_created":"2025-02-21 15:28:30","changed":"1740151710","gmt_changed":"2025-02-21 15:28:30","alt":"The ASCENT facility in Pico Rivera is equipped with a range of aerosol measurement instruments, including the Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) for non-refractory aerosols, Xact for detecting trace metals, Aethalometer for assessing black\/brown carbon, and the Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) to analyze aerosol size distribution and concentration. Courtesy: Haroula Baliaka","file":{"fid":"260135","name":"WhatsApp-Image-2025-01-26-at-17.50.04.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/21\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-01-26-at-17.50.04.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/21\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-01-26-at-17.50.04.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":205519,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/21\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-01-26-at-17.50.04.jpeg?itok=rH_i0D2e"}}},"media_ids":["676361","676360","676362"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"}],"keywords":[],"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: aprendiville@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAngela Barajas Prendiville\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDirector, Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680495":{"#nid":"680495","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Faculty Wins Award for Trailblazing Work in Computing and Biology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Regents\u2019 Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/people\/srinivas-aluru\u0022\u003ESrinivas Aluru\u003C\/a\u003E is the recipient of the Charles Babbage Award for 2025. Aluru was awarded for pioneering research contributions that intersect parallel computing and computational biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a very well-deserved recognition for Srinivas as he joins the illustrious list of past recipients of the Charles Babbage Award,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EVivek Sarkar\u003C\/strong\u003E, the John P. Imlay Jr. Dean of the College of Computing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSrinivas\u2019 accomplishments reflect positively on himself and all of us at Georgia Tech. This is indeed an occasion to celebrate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe IEEE Computer Society presents the Babbage Award annually. The award recognizes significant contributions to parallel computation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.computer.org\/publications\/tech-news\/insider-membership-news\/2025-charles-babbage-award-winner\u0022\u003EIEEE-CS interview with Aluru on his award-winning career\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.computer.org\/profiles\/srinivas-aluru\u0022\u003EThe award\u003C\/a\u003E is named after Charles Babbage, widely considered to be a \u201cfather of the computer.\u201d Babbage and Ada Lovelace are credited with inventing the first mechanical computers in the 19th century, eventually leading to more complex designs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAluru is a pioneer in computational genomics, an area of biology that studies the order, structure, function, and evolution of genetic material. Throughout his career, his lab has developed software and algorithms to analyze the genomes of several species of plants, animals, and microorganisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGenome base pair sizes can number into the billions, which can be interpreted as massive datasets. Ever since the early years of his career, Aluru championed parallel computing as a practical approach to studying these challenging datasets.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParallelism divides a large problem into smaller ones, allowing different processors on a computer to solve the simpler tasks simultaneously. This approach breaks a genome into smaller segments, allowing computers to efficiently transcribe genetic code and identify insightful patterns.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSrinivas Aluru\u2019s groundbreaking contributions have profoundly shaped the intersection of parallel processing and bioinformatics. His work is nothing short of extraordinary,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EYves Robert\u003C\/strong\u003E, awards chair of the IEEE Computer Society Babbage Committee.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is a privilege to recognize a researcher whose work will undoubtedly have a lasting impact for generations to come.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIEEE selected Aluru as a fellow in 2010, and he recently served as the editor-in-chief of the journal \u003Cem\u003EIEEE\/ACM Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAluru has fellowships with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics. He is a past recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, IBM Faculty Award, and the Swarnajayanti Fellowship from the government of India.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with receiving the Babbage Award, Aluru\u2019s leadership acumen earned him the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-team-associate-deans-ready-advance-college-initiatives\u0022\u003Erecent appointment as senior associate dean\u003C\/a\u003E of Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAluru helped form the Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS) at Georgia Tech in 2016, serving as co-executive director. Later, he became the institute\u2019s sole executive director from 2019 to 2025. Regents\u2019 Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/david-sherril-serve-interim-director-institute-data-engineering-and-science\u0022\u003EC. David Sherrill became interim executive director of IDEaS\u003C\/a\u003E when Aluru accepted his associate dean appointment. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAluru started at Georgia Tech in 2013 to join the new School of Computational Science and Engineering, established in 2010. He served as the School\u2019s interim chair from 2019 to 2020. In 2023, the University System of Georgia appointed Aluru as Regents\u2019 Professor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAluru completed his Ph.D. at Iowa State University in 1994. He then worked at Ames National Laboratory, Syracuse University, and New Mexico State University before returning to his alma mater from 1999 to 2013.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis award is a recognition of over two and a half decades of research efforts in my group, reflecting not only my work but that of numerous graduate students and collaborators,\u201d said Aluru.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI hope the award draws attention to the importance of parallel methods in computational biology and points key advancements to new entrants in the field.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Regents\u2019 Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/people\/srinivas-aluru\u0022\u003ESrinivas Aluru\u003C\/a\u003E is the recipient of the Charles Babbage Award for 2025. Aluru was awarded for pioneering research contributions that intersect parallel computing and computational biology.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Regents\u2019 Professor Srinivas Aluru is the recipient of the Charles Babbage Award for 2025. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-02-14 17:22:17","changed_gmt":"2025-02-14 17:28:03","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-14T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-14T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676289":{"id":"676289","type":"image","title":"Aluru Babbage Award Head Photo.jpg","body":null,"created":"1739553755","gmt_created":"2025-02-14 17:22:35","changed":"1739553755","gmt_changed":"2025-02-14 17:22:35","alt":"Srinivas Aluru IEEE-CS Charles Babbage Award","file":{"fid":"260044","name":"Aluru Babbage Award Head Photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/14\/Aluru%20Babbage%20Award%20Head%20Photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/14\/Aluru%20Babbage%20Award%20Head%20Photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":93891,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/14\/Aluru%20Babbage%20Award%20Head%20Photo.jpg?itok=ibf8NKff"}}},"media_ids":["676289"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/faculty-wins-award-trailblazing-work-computing-and-biology","title":"Faculty Wins Award for Trailblazing Work in Computing and Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"170447","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680344":{"#nid":"680344","#data":{"type":"news","title":"BME Researcher Co-Leading ARPA-H Cancer Initiative","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBME researcher Anant Madabhushi is co-leading a team from Emory University, including researchers at Winship Cancer Institute, in a project that has been awarded up to $17.6 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team is developing innovative technology aimed at improving outcomes for patients undergoing cancer surgery. The project, entitled \u201cMarginCall,\u201d is set to transform how surgical margins are evaluated during cancer surgeries, with an initial focus on breast and ovarian cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis innovative system enables real-time, precise evaluation of surgical margins, potentially reducing the need for repeat surgeries and enhancing patient care. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/winshipcancer.emory.edu\/newsroom\/articles\/2025\/emory-researchers-awarded-up-to-17.6-million-dollars-from-arpa-h-to-innovate-cancer-surgery-improve-outcomes.php\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story here\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMarginCall\u201d is set to transform how surgical margins are evaluated during cancer surgeries, with an initial focus on breast and ovarian cancer. (Image: iStock.com)\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u201cMarginCall\u201d is set to transform how surgical margins are evaluated during cancer surgeries, with an initial focus on breast and ovarian cancer. (Image: iStock.com)"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2025-02-10 16:23:57","changed_gmt":"2025-02-10 16:24:32","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676245":{"id":"676245","type":"image","title":"close-up-of-surgeon-in-the-or_0.jpg","body":null,"created":"1739204654","gmt_created":"2025-02-10 16:24:14","changed":"1739204654","gmt_changed":"2025-02-10 16:24:14","alt":"surgeon","file":{"fid":"259988","name":"close-up-of-surgeon-in-the-or_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/10\/close-up-of-surgeon-in-the-or_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/10\/close-up-of-surgeon-in-the-or_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":70292,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/10\/close-up-of-surgeon-in-the-or_0.jpg?itok=bxJhX_jX"}}},"media_ids":["676245"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications\u003Cbr\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"680250":{"#nid":"680250","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda Awarded 2025 Biomaterials Global Impact Award ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIBB is excited to announce that\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/garcia\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E is the recipient of the \u003Cstrong\u003E2025 Biomaterials Global Impact Award\u003C\/strong\u003E, which\u0026nbsp;aims to recognize distinguished research and development accomplishments in the field of biomaterials. \u003Cem\u003EBiomaterials\u003C\/em\u003E is an international journal covering the science and clinical application of biomaterials and is the flagship title in Elsevier\u0027s biomaterials science portfolio.\u0026nbsp;Garc\u00eda is executive director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, the Petit Director\u2019s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience, and Regents\u2019 Professor in the George Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. He has also co-founded three start-up companies. Garc\u00eda\u2019s research centers on cellular and tissue engineering, areas which integrate engineering and biological principles to control cell function in order to restore and\/or enhance function in injured or diseased organs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am deeply honored by this recognition,\u201d shared\u0026nbsp;Garc\u00eda. \u201cI am thankful to all of those that made this award possible, notably my exceptional past and current trainees and collaborators as well as sponsors and funders. A big shout out to IBB and Georgia Tech \u2013 the supportive and collaborative multi-disciplinary ecosystem is truly unique and I am very proud to be part of this fantastic team.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda was nominated for the award by IBB faculty member Ankur Singh.\u0026nbsp;Singh is Carl Ring Family Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(BME)\u0026nbsp;and directs\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u201cAndr\u00e9s is an extraordinary, internationally acknowledged scholar who has also made exceptional contributions to the intellectual advancement of the field of bioengineering as a whole,\u201d said Singh. \u201cHis work has revolutionized the design and application of biomaterial platforms, focusing on eliciting targeted tissue repair and developing innovative technologies that exploit cell-adhesive interactions. His work has generated deep mechanistic insights into the complex interplay between cell biology and mechanics, which have led to impactful translational applications that have significantly advanced healthcare solutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda will be honored and present his recent work at an\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAward Ceremony\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eduring\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ETERMIS EU 2025\u003C\/strong\u003E, which will take place from May 20-23 in Freiburg, Germany.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFull press release\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/journal\/biomaterials\/about\/news\/biomaterials-award-announcement-2025\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda announced as recipient of the prestigious 2025 Biomaterials Global Impact Award\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u00a0Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda announced as recipient of the prestigious 2025 Biomaterials Global Impact Award"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2025-02-05 21:36:41","changed_gmt":"2025-02-05 21:43:25","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674493":{"#nid":"674493","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech to Offer Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, New Minor","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe University System of Georgia Board of Regents has approved a new \u003Cstrong\u003ENeuroscience and Neurotechnology\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003EPh.D. Program \u003C\/strong\u003Eat Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe interdisciplinary degree is a joint effort across the Colleges of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESciences\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EComputing\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEngineering\u003C\/a\u003E. The program expects to enroll its first graduate students in Fall 2025, pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute Curriculum Committee has also approved a new \u003Cstrong\u003EMinor in Neuroscience\u003C\/strong\u003E, set to become available in the Georgia Tech 2024-2025 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/catalog.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECatalog\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EB.S. in Neuroscience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Ph.D. and Minor offerings build on the recently launched \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/18\/georgia-tech-launch-interdisciplinary-neurosciences-research-program\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative in Research\u003C\/a\u003E, and the established \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuroscience.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EUndergraduate Program in Neuroscience\u003C\/a\u003E, respectively.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApproved by the Board of Regents in 2017, the interdisciplinary \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/undergraduate-studies-neuroscience\u0022\u003EB.S. in Neuroscience\u003C\/a\u003E degree in the College of Sciences enrolled more than 400 undergraduate students in 2022, and has been\u0026nbsp; the fastest growing undergraduate major at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe B.S. in Neuroscience is also key to a strong ecosystem of undergraduate neuroscience education across the state, which includes peer programs at Mercer University, Augusta University, Georgia State University, Agnes Scott College, and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPh.D. in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new doctoral degree will provide a path for the rapidly growing pipeline of in-state neuroscience undergraduate students and young alumni \u2014 while also welcoming a wider slate of graduate researchers to campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Ph.D. Program\u2019s mission is focused on educating students to advance the field of neuroscience through an interdisciplinary approach, with scientists and engineers of different backgrounds \u2014 ultimately integrating neuroscience research and technological development to study all levels of nervous system function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBiological Sciences Professor \u003Cstrong\u003ELewis A. Wheaton\u003C\/strong\u003E, who chaired the Ph.D. Program Planning Committee, shares that a cohort model will fuse \u201cexperimental and quantitative skill development, creating opportunities for students to work in science and engineering labs to promote collaborations, while also fostering a program and community that\u2019s unique to the state and against national peer offerings.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding innovation \u2014 and impact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWheaton explains that the new Ph.D. aims to equip graduates for a wide range of employment opportunities and growing specializations, including computational neuroscience, neurorehabilitation, cultural and social neuroscience, neuroimaging, cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, and neurolinguistics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new degree will also help meet the country\u2019s growing demand for a neuro-centric workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for medical scientists (including neuroscientists) tracked around 13% between 2012 and 2022, faster than the average for all tracked occupations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWheaton adds that the program will equip neuroscientists to conduct research that can significantly improve lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESeeking students\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Planning Committee anticipates a tentative February 1, 2025 application deadline for Fall 2025 enrollments \u2014 and encourages students with the following interests to learn more and apply in the coming school year:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDeveloping deeper quantitative, computing and\/or engineering skills to make scientific discoveries that support innovations in neuroscience\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA clear, comprehensive understanding of the nervous system at all scales from molecular to systems\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUnderstanding how to use and innovate new tools and approaches to investigate the nervous system at all levels\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EBecoming uniquely qualified to translate knowledge across neuroscience and related disciplines to create new knowledge in their professional pursuits\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDirector search\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe participating Colleges will soon conduct a search for a \u003Cstrong\u003Eprogram director\u003C\/strong\u003E, engaging a tenured member of the Georgia Tech faculty to serve as the new program\u2019s administrator. A \u003Cstrong\u003Egraduate program committee\u003C\/strong\u003E composed of five faculty members and mentors across the Colleges of Sciences, Computing, and Engineering, will also be created.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDuring their April 2024 meeting,\u003C\/strong\u003E Regents also announced \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/17\/board-regents-approves-funding-and-tuition-increases-fiscal-year-2025\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ebudget approvals and tuition changes\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E for Georgia\u0027s 26 member institutions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Ph.D. Program Planning Committee\u003C\/strong\u003E included the following faculty:\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELewis Wheaton (Committee Chair, Biological Sciences)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EConstantine Dovrolis (Computer Science)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EChristopher Rozell (Electrical and Computer Engineering)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEric Schumacher (Psychology)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGarrett Stanley (Biomedical Engineering)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDavid Collard (College of Sciences Office of the Dean)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The new interdisciplinary Ph.D. is expected to enroll its first graduate students in Fall 2025. Sciences will also offer a new Minor in Neuroscience, beginning Fall 2024. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology is expected to enroll its first graduate students in Fall 2025. The interdisciplinary degree is a joint effort with the Colleges of Sciences, Computing, and Engineering. Sciences will also offer a new Minor in Neuroscience, beginning Fall 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The new interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology is expected to enroll its first graduate students in Fall 2025. Sciences will also offer a new Minor in Neuroscience, beginning Fall 2024. "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2024-05-02 19:41:10","changed_gmt":"2025-01-27 19:58:53","author":"jhunt7","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":{"673931":{"id":"673931","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech (Allison Carter)","body":null,"created":"1714680532","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 20:08:52","changed":"1714680532","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 20:08:52","alt":"Georgia Tech (Allison Carter)","file":{"fid":"257388","name":"Georgia Tech.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/Georgia%20Tech.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/Georgia%20Tech.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2458522,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/02\/Georgia%20Tech.jpg?itok=qlj9ANYs"}}},"media_ids":["673931"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/18\/georgia-tech-launch-interdisciplinary-neurosciences-research-program","title":"Georgia Tech to Launch Interdisciplinary Neurosciences Research Program"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-minor-science-mental-health-and-well-being-launches-school-psychology","title":"New Minor in the Science of Mental Health and Well-Being Launches"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-georgia-tech-environmental-science-degree-launches","title":"New Georgia Tech Environmental Science Degree Launches "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"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\u003Cstrong\u003EPrograms:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPh.D. in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EContact Professor \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/lewis-wheaton\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELewis Wheaton\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, Planning Committee Chair\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/academics\/degrees\/bachelors\/neuroscience-bs\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUndergraduate Program in Neuroscience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/academics\/degrees\/bachelors\/neuroscience-bs\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMinor in Neuroscience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Neuro and Neuro Next\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPress Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\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\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeuro Next Initiative:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sarahpeterson@gatech.edu \u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESarah Peterson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EProgram Manager\u003Cbr\u003EGT Neuro\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager\u003Cbr\u003ENeuro Next Initiative at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"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":""}},"679470":{"#nid":"679470","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Biosensors Could Revolutionize Cancer Detection","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed biosensors with advanced sleuthing skills and the technology may revolutionize cancer detection and monitoring.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe tiny detectives can identify key biological markers using logical reasoning inspired by the \u201cAND\u201d function in computers \u2014 like, when you need your username and password to log in. And unlike traditional biosensors comprised of genetic materials \u2014\u0026nbsp;cells, bits of DNA \u2014 these are made of manufactured molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese new biosensors are more precise and simpler to manufacture, reducing the number of false positives and making them more practical for clinical use. And because the sensors are cell-free, there\u2019s a reduced risk for immunogenic side effects.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe think the accuracy and simplicity of our biosensors will lead to accessible, personalized, and effective treatments, ultimately saving lives,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/gabe-kwong\u0022\u003EGabe Kwong\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor and Robert A. Milton Endowed Chair in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, who led the study, published this month in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41565-024-01834-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Nanotechnology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBreaking With Tradition\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers set out to address the limitations in current biosensors for cancer, like the ones designed for CAR-T cells to allow them to recognize tumor cells. These advanced biosensors are made of genetic material, and there is growing interest to reduce the potential for off-target toxicity by using Boolean \u201cAND-gate\u201d computer logic. That means they\u2019re designed to release a signal only when two specific conditions are met.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTraditionally, these biosensors involve genetic engineering using cell-based systems, which is a complex, time-consuming, and expensive process,\u201d said Kwong.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, his team developed biosensors made of iron oxide nanoparticles and special molecules called cyclic peptides. Synthesizing nanomaterials and peptides is a simpler, less costly process than genetic engineering, according to Kwong, \u201cwhich means we can likely achieve large-scale, economical production of high-precision biosensors.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUnlocking the AND-gate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBiosensors detect cancer signals and track treatment progress by turning biological signals into readable outputs for doctors. With AND-gate logic, two distinct inputs are required for an output.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccordingly, the researchers engineered cyclic peptides \u2014 small amino acid chains \u2014 to respond only when they encounter two specific types of enzymes, proteases called granzyme B (secreted by the immune system) and matrix metalloproteinase (from cancer cells). The peptides generate a signal when both proteases are present and active.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThink of a high-security lock that needs two unique keys to open. In this scenario, the peptides are the lock, activating the sensor signal only when cancer is present and being confronted by the immune system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur peptides allow for greater accuracy in detecting cancer activity,\u201d said the study\u2019s lead author, Anirudh Sivakumar, a postdoctoral researcher in Kwong\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lsi.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELaboratory for Synthetic Immunity\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt\u2019s very specific, which is important for knowing when immune cells are targeting and killing tumor cells.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESuper Specific\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn animal studies, the biosensors successfully distinguished between tumors that responded to a common cancer treatment called immune checkpoint blockade therapy \u2014 ICBT, which enhances the immune system \u2014 from tumors that resisted treatment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring these tests, the sensors also demonstrated their ability to avoid false signals from other, unrelated health issues, such as when the immune system confronted a flu infection in the lungs, away from the tumor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis level of specificity can be game changing,\u201d Kwong said. \u201cImagine being able to identify which patients are responding to the therapy early in their treatment. That would save time and improve patient outcomes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first step toward this simpler, precise form of cancer diagnostics began with an ambitious but humble ($50,000) seed grant from the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience five years ago for a collaboration between Kwong\u2019s lab and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/finnlab\/\u0022\u003Elab of M.G. Finn\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and chair in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt evolved into a multi-institutional project supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health that included researchers from the University of California-Riverside, as well as Georgia Tech faculty researchers Finn and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Peng-Qiu\u0022\u003EPeng Qiu\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the Coulter Department.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe progression of the research, from an initial seed grant all the way to animal studies, was very smooth,\u201d Kwong said. \u201cUltimately, a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort turned our early vision into something that could have a great impact in healthcare.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation:\u003C\/strong\u003E Anirudh Sivakumar,\u0026nbsp;Hathaichanok Phuengkham,\u0026nbsp;Hitha Rajesh,\u0026nbsp;Quoc D. Mac,\u0026nbsp;Leonard C. Rogers, Aaron D. Silva Trenkle, Swapnil Subhash Bawage,\u0026nbsp;Robert Hincapie,\u0026nbsp;Zhonghan Li,\u0026nbsp;Sofia Vainikos,\u0026nbsp;Inho Lee,\u0026nbsp;Min Xue,\u0026nbsp;Peng Qiu,\u0026nbsp;M. G. Finn, Gabriel A. Kwong. \u201cAND-gated protease-activated nanosensors for programmable detection of anti-tumour immunity.\u201d \u003Cem\u003ENature Nanotechnology\u003C\/em\u003E (January 2025).\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41565-024-01834-8\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41565-024-01834-8\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;This research was supported in part by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants 5U01CA265711, 5R01CA237210, 1DP2HD091793, and 5DP1CA280832.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"BME researchers combine precision and simplicity in transforming diagnostic tools."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBME researchers combine precision and simplicity in cell-free biosensors, transforming diagnostic tools.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"BME researchers combine precision and simplicity in cell-free biosensors, transforming diagnostic tools."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2025-01-13 14:43:32","changed_gmt":"2025-01-13 14:54:09","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675994":{"id":"675994","type":"image","title":"Gabe and Anirudh","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnirudh Sivakumar (right) and Gabe Kwong led development of new gene-free biosensors for cancer detection. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1736779096","gmt_created":"2025-01-13 14:38:16","changed":"1736780077","gmt_changed":"2025-01-13 14:54:37","alt":"Anirudh Sivakumar (right) and Gabe Kwong led development of new gene-free biosensors for cancer detection.  ","file":{"fid":"259691","name":"Gabe research.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/13\/Gabe%20research.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/13\/Gabe%20research.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3604973,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/13\/Gabe%20research.jpg?itok=Uqf-tUst"}}},"media_ids":["675994"],"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":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"385","name":"cancer"},{"id":"9513","name":"Cancer Reserach"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10454","name":"biosensors"},{"id":"143471","name":"Cancer diagnostics"},{"id":"173581","name":"go-COS"}],"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\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"639191":{"#nid":"639191","#data":{"type":"news","title":"IBB\u2019s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESince its inception, the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) has been an example of how spaces and behaviors in bioengineering and biosciences can be reimagined to facilitate interdisciplinary research at the highest levels. The members of the IBB community are leaders, and through our collective leadership we create the future not only for our disciplines but also for the society as a whole. The repeated failures of our society to address the challenges of police violence and systemic racism are extending an opportunity to us to collectively lead in the effort in creating a safer, more inclusive, and more highly prosperous environment for our historically underrepresented minority faculty, trainees, and staff.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EThe message from our most recent town hall forum is that now is a time for action. As such, \u003Cstrong\u003Ewe have established a new IBB committee for diversity, equity, and inclusion\u003C\/strong\u003E to help coordinate our work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe committee is constituted of our IBB members including:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEdward Botchwey (BME, committee Chair)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda (ME, IBB Director)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMar\u00eda Coronel (ME, Postdoctoral Representative)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENettie Brown (BME, Pre-doctoral Representative)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELakeita Servance (Staff Representative)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMilan Riddick (BME, Undergraduate Representative)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis committee is now meeting regularly to plan activities and new events in the coming months. Our committee has several immediate areas of focus:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECreating a new distinguished lecture series focused on inclusion and diversity excellence. The inaugural lecture will take place in Feb 2021, and we are thrilled to announce that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.kamaubobb.com\/\u0022\u003EKamau Bobb\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;will be this year\u2019s distinguished speaker.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPromoting and leading diversity and inclusion curriculum-based training across IBB.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEngaging with existing trainee and student groups to advance the culture of inclusion.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESharing personal experiences with racial injustice and bias.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe are also committed to re-examining the roster of speakers in our ongoing seminar series to recruit perspectives from underrepresented minorities. Recent events in Kenosha (Jacob Blake) and Rochester (Daniel Prude) have led us to plan another town hall forum this fall, and we hope to introduce the committee formally where we will solicit additional ideas and suggestions from our community.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOne thing that is clear to the IBB community is that the time to change is now. We\u2019re here, we\u0027re listening. Let\u0027s talk.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe time to change is now. We\u0027re here, we\u0027re listening, and we\u0027re taking action.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The time to change is now. We\u0027re here, we\u0027re listening, and we\u0027re taking action."}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2020-09-17 12:28:23","changed_gmt":"2025-01-10 13:36:15","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-09-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-09-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"639246":{"id":"639246","type":"image","title":"Diversity","body":null,"created":"1600372061","gmt_created":"2020-09-17 19:47:41","changed":"1600372061","gmt_changed":"2020-09-17 19:47:41","alt":"Diverse team of individuals in a circle with their hands stacked together in the middle of the circle","file":{"fid":"243057","name":"Diversity.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Diversity.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Diversity.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":140691,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Diversity.jpg?itok=xusWJZ-4"}}},"media_ids":["639246"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/petitinstitute.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute website"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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":""}},"679023":{"#nid":"679023","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Special Delivery Nanoparticle Sidesteps the \u2018Middlemen\u2019","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMiddlemen get a bad rap for adding cost and complications to an operation. So, eliminating the go-betweens can reduce expense and simplify a process, increasing efficiency and consumer happiness.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/James-Dahlman\u0022\u003EJames Dahlman\u003C\/a\u003E and his research team have been thinking along those same lines for stem cell treatments. They\u2019ve created a technique that eliminates noisome middlemen and could lead to new, less-invasive treatments for blood disorders and genetic diseases. It sidesteps the discomfort and risks of current treatments, making life easier for patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis would be an alternative to invasive hematopoietic stem cell therapies \u2014 we could just give you an IV drip,\u201d said Dahlman, McCamish Early Career Professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. \u201cIt simplifies the process and reduces the risks to patients. That\u2019s why this work is important.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDahlman and a team of investigators from Georgia Tech, Emory University, and the University of California, Davis, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41587-024-02470-2\u0022\u003Epublished their approach in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Biotechnology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMinding the Parents\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are like parent cells. Residing in the bone marrow, they produce all types of cells needed to sustain the blood and immune systems. Their versatility makes HSCs a valuable therapeutic tool in treating genetic blood diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, immune deficiencies, and some cancers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHSC therapies usually involve extracting cells from the patient\u2019s bone marrow and re-engineering them in a lab. Meanwhile, the patient endures chemotherapy to help prepare their body to receive the modified HSCs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese therapies are effective but also hard on the patients,\u201d Dahlman said. \u201cPatients undergo chemotherapy to wipe out their immune systems so the body will accept the therapeutic cells without a fight. The procedure can be life-threatening. We\u2019re hoping to change that.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHSCs can also be modified directly inside the body. The procedure uses lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to carry genetic instructions to the stem cells. The LNPs have targeting ligands attached \u2014 molecules designed to find specific target cells. Precisely engineering them adds layers of time, complexity, and cost to the process. They are, like extraction from bone marrow and chemotherapy, another middleman.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers wanted something simpler. They found it in a specific nanoparticle called LNP67.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnlike other nanoparticle designs, this one doesn\u2019t require a targeting ligand,\u201d Dahlman said. \u201cIt\u2019s chemically simple, which means it\u2019s easier to manufacture and opens the door to eventually scaling production, like mRNA vaccines.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOvercoming the Liver\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe key to LNP67\u2019s success is its ability to dodge the liver, the body\u2019s primary blood filter. Foreign invaders, even helpful invaders delivered through an IV as medicine, can be captured by a healthy liver.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe liver absorbs almost everything,\u201d Dahlman said. \u201cBut, by reducing what it captures by even as little as 10 percent, we can double delivery to other tissues where the nanoparticles and their payloads are needed.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers developed 128 unique nanoparticles, narrowing the list down to 105 LNPs that didn\u2019t have targeting ligands. These were ultimately screened and evaluated for their performance in delivering genetic instructions (in the form of mRNA) effectively and safely.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELNP67 emerged as the best performer thanks to its stealthy design. For example, the surface is designed to repel proteins and other molecules that would mark the LNP for capture by the liver. This feature helped the particles circulate more evenly in the body and reach the HSCs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe achieved low-dose delivery without a target ligand, which is exciting,\u201d Dahlman said. \u201cThis is something we\u2019ve been working toward for years, and I\u2019m very happy we got there.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation:\u003C\/strong\u003E Hyejin Kim, Ryan Zenhausern, Kara Gentry, Liming Lian, Sebastian G. Huayamares, Afsane Radmand, David Loughrey, Ananda Podilapu, Marine Z. C. Hatit, Huanzhen Ni, Andrea Li, Aram Shajii, Hannah E. Peck, Keyi Han, Xuanwen Hua, Shu Jia, Michele Martinez, Charles Lee, Philip J. Santangelo, Alice Tarantal, James E. Dahlman. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41587-024-02470-2\u0022\u003ELipid Nanoparticle Study, Nov. 2024\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Cem\u003ENature Biotechnology.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding:\u003C\/strong\u003E This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health grants UL1TR002378, UH3-TR002855, U42 OD027094, and TL1DK136047; National Science Foundation grant 0923395. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any funding agency.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECompeting Interests:\u003C\/strong\u003E James Dahlman, Marine Z. C. Hatit, and Huanzhen Ni have filed a provisional patent related to this manuscript (US patent application number 63\/632,354).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Researchers demonstrate stem cell treatment without chemotherapy and painful bone marrow procedure"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers develop a lipid nanoparticle that can program stem cells while inside the body, avoiding the need for chemotherapy and bone marrow extraction in stem cell treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers develop nanoparticle that can program stem cells while inside the body, avoiding the need for chemotherapy and bone marrow extraction in stem cell treatments."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-12-21 12:43:16","changed_gmt":"2024-12-21 13:02:54","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675906":{"id":"675906","type":"image","title":"Lipid nanoparticle","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELipid nanoparticles in their element: This computer generated image shows lipid nanoparticles, which are used to transport payloads to targets inside the body.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1734785517","gmt_created":"2024-12-21 12:51:57","changed":"1734785634","gmt_changed":"2024-12-21 12:53:54","alt":"Lipid nanoparticle AI generated image from adobe stock","file":{"fid":"259580","name":"Screen Shot 2024-12-17 at 12.14.01 PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/21\/Screen%20Shot%202024-12-17%20at%2012.14.01%20PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/21\/Screen%20Shot%202024-12-17%20at%2012.14.01%20PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":9829642,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/21\/Screen%20Shot%202024-12-17%20at%2012.14.01%20PM.png?itok=g8m6iQ-v"}}},"media_ids":["675906"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"189917","name":"lipid nanoparticles"},{"id":"186748","name":"lipid nanoparticle"},{"id":"169030","name":"stem cell treatment"},{"id":"171013","name":"stem cell therapy"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"182868","name":"blood cells"}],"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:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678833":{"#nid":"678833","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NSF RAPID Grant to Analyze Plume Chemistry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOn September 29, 2024, a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/experts\/scientists-atlanta-monitoring-air-conyers-chemical-plume\u0022\u003Echemical plume\u003C\/a\u003E of chlorine- and bromine-containing compounds spread across the Atlanta area. The result of a fire at the BioLab pool chemical manufacturing facility in Conyers, Georgia, the plume impacted communities for several weeks, prompting a stay-at-home order and the temporary evacuation of approximately 17,000 people for the surrounding county.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/huey.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGreg Huey\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been awarded an NSF RAPID grant to\u0026nbsp;unravel the chemical composition of the emission plumes.\u0026nbsp;The grant,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=2509330\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003E\u0022Identification and Measurement of Emissions from the Biolab Incident Impacting the Atlanta Urban Area\u0022\u003C\/a\u003E, will support the analysis of air chemistry data collected during a three-week span that the plume impacted the Atlanta area.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDuring the incident, Huey\u2019s lab collected real-time air chemistry data in two locations \u2014 at Georgia Tech in Midtown Atlanta, and near the BioLab facility, in Conyers, GA.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHuey, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/huey-dr-greg\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;has spent the last fifteen years measuring halogens \u2014 including chlorine and bromine \u2014\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ein remote locations like Barrow, Alaska. \u201cNormally, there are no halogens detectable in the Atlanta area,\u201d he says. \u201cBut spending the last 15 years making observations in other locations means that we were well-equipped to measure the halogens from the BioLab plume, and untangle some of the plume\u2019s chemistry.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOur goal is to understand and\u0026nbsp;report what was in the plume, then establish a website and make the data publicly available,\u201d Huey adds. \u201cWe aim to share valuable public knowledge about this incident.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA rapid response\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhen the plume first became visible, Huey recognized the ability to collect data in real-time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe decided to turn our high resolution mass spectrometer on and start sampling air,\u201d he says. This piece of scientific equipment is\u0026nbsp;capable of capturing and identifying chemical signatures, and is\u0026nbsp;sensitive to measuring levels of specific chemicals, such as chlorine and bromine. \u201cWe have a port measure on the roof of our building at Georgia Tech, which allowed us to start observing the first day,\u201d he adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHowever, this kind of data collection also depends on wind direction blowing chemicals to different regions, Huey explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELeveraging the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u2019 mobile air quality trailer, the team deployed a second mass spectrometer near the BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia. \u201cThe City was very supportive,\u201d Huey shares. \u201cWe set up the mobile lab in the parking lot of Conyers City Hall with the goal of seeing what we could measure \u2014 and if we were seeing high levels of chlorine.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWith both sites established, Huey says the team was able to simultaneously measure in Conyers and in Midtown Atlanta \u2014 and began to see that the plume was more chemically complex than initially thought.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA proactive approach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECollected data in tow, the NSF RAPID grant will support Huey and a graduate student in the analysis of those site readings, including calibration and publication of chemical data \u2014 to be archived to a publicly accessible site; analysis of mass spectra associated with the plumes and identification of chemical compounds; calibration of the species identified, prioritized based on toxicity; and publication of a report on all species detected in the plumes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EData from the project will help inform communities potentially impacted by the plume \u2014 while helping predict the impacts of similar chemical incidents, enabling a better understanding of how to address accidental chemical emissions in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cWe want to have a better idea of what this type of incident can produce for future incidents, and we want to have a better idea of what people may have been exposed to,\u201d Huey says.\u0026nbsp; \u201cWhile we can\u2019t measure and identify everything, this project will help us become better informed for the future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENSF AGS Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=2509330\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003E#2509330\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ELed by School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Professor Greg Huey, the NSF RAPID grant is for analyzing air chemistry data collected during a three-week span when a chemical plume impacted the Atlanta area.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Led by School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Professor Greg Huey, the NSF RAPID grant is for analyzing air chemistry data collected during a three-week span when a chemical plume impacted the Atlanta area."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-12-11 15:46:57","changed_gmt":"2024-12-18 15:26:40","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675829":{"id":"675829","type":"image","title":"Atlanta, GA","body":null,"created":"1733941920","gmt_created":"2024-12-11 18:32:00","changed":"1733941920","gmt_changed":"2024-12-11 18:32:00","alt":"Atlanta, GA","file":{"fid":"259500","name":"Image.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/11\/Image.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/11\/Image.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":219913,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/11\/Image.jpeg?itok=LWv7kpbQ"}},"675834":{"id":"675834","type":"image","title":"The School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u0027 air quality trailer in Conyers, Georgia (Photo Credit: Greg Huey Research Group)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u0027 air quality trailer in Conyers, Georgia (\u003Cem\u003EPhoto Credit: Greg Huey Research Group\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733952206","gmt_created":"2024-12-11 21:23:26","changed":"1733952206","gmt_changed":"2024-12-11 21:23:26","alt":"The School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u0027 air quality trailer in Conyers, Georgia (Photo Credit: Greg Huey Research Group)","file":{"fid":"259505","name":"eas-trailer - credit dr greg huey research group.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/11\/eas-trailer%20-%20credit%20dr%20greg%20huey%20research%20group.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/11\/eas-trailer%20-%20credit%20dr%20greg%20huey%20research%20group.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8767237,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/11\/eas-trailer%20-%20credit%20dr%20greg%20huey%20research%20group.jpg?itok=eQtHLI1A"}},"675835":{"id":"675835","type":"image","title":"Mass spectrometry equipment (Photo Credit: Greg Huey Research Group)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMass spectrometry equipment (Photo Credit: Greg Huey Research Group)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733952206","gmt_created":"2024-12-11 21:23:26","changed":"1733952206","gmt_changed":"2024-12-11 21:23:26","alt":"Mass spectrometry equipment (Photo Credit: Greg Huey Research Group)","file":{"fid":"259506","name":"MS-equipment - credit dr greg huey research group.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/11\/MS-equipment%20-%20credit%20dr%20greg%20huey%20research%20group.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/11\/MS-equipment%20-%20credit%20dr%20greg%20huey%20research%20group.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6406692,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/11\/MS-equipment%20-%20credit%20dr%20greg%20huey%20research%20group.jpg?itok=TAlNJfv0"}}},"media_ids":["675829","675834","675835"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"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\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":""}},"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":""}},"678806":{"#nid":"678806","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Keeping Tabs on RNA Inside of Cells","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/saurabh-sinha-phd\u0022\u003ESaurabh Sinha\u003C\/a\u003E and a multi-institutional team of researchers have created a computational toolkit with the detection power and precision of a spy satellite. But instead of keeping tabs of human traffic on the ground, or infrastructure development in a city, they\u2019re focusing on RNA with unprecedented clarity at the subcellular level.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir intracellular spatial transcriptomic analysis toolkit, or InSTAnT, can analyze cellular data and chart RNA interactions, providing new insights into the molecular processes of life and advancing an evolving field of research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cConventional spatial transcriptomics maps RNA at the tissue level,\u201d said Sinha, professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u201cBut InSTAnT represents a step forward. It provides, for the first time, an analytic technique to fully exploit single-molecule resolution. This means we can explore the intricate architecture, machinery, and activity of cells in ways that were not possible before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Georgia Tech and Emory, the team included researchers from from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/illinois.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign\u003C\/a\u003E. With Anurendra Kumar, a grad student in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.google.com\/view\/sinhalaboratorygatech\u0022\u003ESinha lab\u003C\/a\u003E, as lead author, they explained their innovative work recently in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-49457-w\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESubcellular GPS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpatial transcriptomics has enhanced the study of gene expression (how genes regulate cellular functions and behaviors), revealing molecular activity in its natural environment. The aim is to gain a deeper understanding of biology, health, and disease, with the hope of developing targeted treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the biggest challenges in the field was the lack of systematic tools to analyze spatial relationships at the subcellular level,\u201d Sinha said. \u201cWe saw this gap as an opportunity to innovate and solve a problem that was truly spatial in nature.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInSTAnT was designed to work in tandem with imaging-based spatial transcriptomics technologies like MERFISH (Multiplexed Error-Robust Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization, developed by Harvard in 2015), which can observe thousands of RNA molecules inside single cells, gathering detailed information about gene activity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s like a GPS for tissue, looking all the way down to city street level,\u201d said Sinha. \u201cThe little dots on this GPS aren\u2019t people. They\u2019re RNA molecules called gene transcripts. But we didn\u2019t really know how to make sense of this distribution of molecules in the cytoplasm or the nucleus, or generally within the cell.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInSTAnT translates what MERFISH gathers, using advanced statistical tests and algorithms, analyzing the distribution of RNA molecules that carry genetic information needed for various cell functions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Cities in Our Cells\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf a cell was a busy little city, think of the gene transcripts \u2014 RNA molecules, the dots in Sinha\u2019s GPS scenario \u2014 as workers moving around town, performing their important tasks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;InSTAnT keeps tabs on this activity, investigating where and how these workers interact, and what they might be up to. So, InSTAnT identifies RNA pairs in specific areas, observing molecular interactions that are critical for cellular functions like protein production.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur toolkit provides a level of detail crucial for understanding complex biological processes and how they contribute to diseases,\u201d said Sinha, whose team tested the toolkit on a variety of datasets, including human and mouse cells, and across multiple cell types and brain regions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe expects InSTAnT to transform how researchers study RNA interactions and explore unknown aspects of cellular organization and function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think we\u2019ve opened new possibilities for studying how cells coordinate their activities and adapt to challenges,\u201d said Sinha, adding, \u201cand it was a true team effort, with two other PIs from another institution, and a talented Ph.D. student as the lead author. This is a great example of how collaboration and data-driven science can uncover new biological frontiers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E Aunrendra Kumar, Alex Schrader, Bhavay Aggarwal, Ali Ebrahimpour Boroojeny, Marisa Asadian, JuYeon Lee, You Jin Song, Sihai Dave Zhao, Hee-Sun Han, Saurabh Sinha. \u201cIntracellular spatial transcriptomic analysis toolkit (InSTAnT),\u201d \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-49457-w\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-49457-w\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFUNDING:\u003C\/strong\u003E This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, grant Nos. R35GM131819, R35GM147420, R21HG013180, and T32- 842 GM136629; Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson (WiSTEM2D Award for Science). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any funding agency.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Researchers develop spatial transcriptomics toolkit that provides new insights into the molecular processes of life"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers develop spatial transcriptomics toolkit that provides new insights into the molecular processes of life. It\u0027s like a spy satellite that keeps tabs on the workings of RNA inside of cells.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers develop spatial transcriptomics toolkit that provides new insights into the molecular processes of life."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-12-10 19:46:15","changed_gmt":"2024-12-10 19:49:27","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675817":{"id":"675817","type":"image","title":"Sinha research team","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESaurabh Sinha (center) and his collaborators are advancing the field of spatial transcriptomics with development of InSTAnT. Flanking Sinha are trainees from his lab (left to right), Bhavay Aggarwal and lead author of the recently published study, Anurendra Kumar.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733857850","gmt_created":"2024-12-10 19:10:50","changed":"1733860236","gmt_changed":"2024-12-10 19:50:36","alt":"BME researcher Saraubh Sinha (in foreground) and his grad students, Bhavay Aggarwal and Anurendra Kumar","file":{"fid":"259484","name":"Sinha team.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/Sinha%20team.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/Sinha%20team.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4028966,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/10\/Sinha%20team.jpg?itok=4CqjT5VT"}}},"media_ids":["675817"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"20571","name":"Transcriptomics"},{"id":"194125","name":"spatial transcriptomics"}],"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:Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678802":{"#nid":"678802","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Making a Difference in Global Health","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKristine Lacek vividly remembers watching news coverage of the West Africa Ebola outbreak while she was in high school. Inspired by the brave scientists investigating the disease, she wrote one of her Georgia Tech application essays about her aspiration to work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and contribute to their mission of preventing, detecting, and responding to disease threats.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELess than 10 years later, her high school dream became a hectic, fast-paced \u2014 and fulfilling \u2014 reality. Armed with an accelerated bachelor\u2019s degree in biology and a master\u2019s degree in bioinformatics from Georgia Tech, the double Jacket started a fellowship at the CDC during a pivotal time in history \u2014 the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt was sink or swim for sure,\u201d says Lacek. \u201cKnowing I was working on public health decision-making that could make a lifesaving difference worldwide showed me I had chosen the right path.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EToday, Lacek continues her drive to make a positive global impact as a bioinformatics scientist at the CDC, specializing in influenza and SARS-CoV-2 genomics. Her career has taken her around the world, with time spent in places like Ghana, Oman, Panama, Algeria, India, Thailand, and the Republic of Georgia. She currently lives in Denver, but will return to Georgia Tech to provide the graduation speech at the College of Sciences\u2019 inaugural master\u2019s commencement ceremony this December.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWe recently sat down with Lacek to talk about her career and Georgia Tech experience:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your favorite memory from Georgia Tech?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELacek\u003C\/strong\u003E: I always enjoyed the Georgia Tech nights at various Atlanta special event locations like the aquarium and Six Flags. When I was in grad school, the grad gala was held at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Halfway through the night, my then-boyfriend-and-now husband looked around and said we should get married here \u2014 and we did!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat were some of your college activities?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELacek\u003C\/strong\u003E: I worked a lot to fund my way through school. I tutored at the Center for Academic Success and worked as an athletic training aid with the track and field team. I gained research experience in the Exercise Physiology Laboratory as an undergrad and in the Gibson Lab as a grad student. Each summer, I served as the teaching assistant for the Biomolecular Engineering, Science, and Technology (BEST) Study Abroad Program in Lyon, France.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did Georgia Tech prepare you for success?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELacek:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThe mix of coursework in my undergraduate and graduate studies was ideal for my career. As an undergrad biology major, I learned key theories and scientific concepts that I still use daily. Studying bioinformatics in grad school, I refined my technical skills in coding, math, and computer science. My two skill sets work well together. Because I understand the molecular side of the interdisciplinary coin, I can better apply technical tools to get the answers I need from the data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat advice do you have for Georgia Tech students, particularly those looking for a career in bioinformatics?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELacek\u003C\/strong\u003E: Being a fast learner is the best skill you can have, especially as technology continues to rapidly evolve. The things you are learning right now may not be the exact language or application you will use as a young professional, so the ability to learn new products, programs, and schema quickly will make you very valuable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOn the public health side of things, I think being a really good collaborator and communicator is quintessential for success. One of my biggest regrets is not learning another language. As someone who does a large amount of technical support for other countries and overseas partners, working well with others and good communication is vital.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow do you define bioinformatics?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELacek:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ETo me, bioinformatics is like a triangle of biology, computer science, and mathematics\/statistics. I\u2019m kind of halfway between the biology and computer science side, focusing a lot on next generation sequencing. I use code and statistical applications to make global health predictions based on the data analytics available.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETell us more about what you do.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELacek\u003C\/strong\u003E: I do a lot of genomic surveillance, which is basically tracking and monitoring genetic material to detect new mutations and variants. Influenza, for example, circulates year-round worldwide, and we are constantly sequencing samples from all over the place to track what the virus currently looks like and project what will happen globally. At the same time, we\u0027re also monitoring for novel outbreaks, with a posture of pandemic preparedness so that if something new and scary pops up, we are already looking for it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow are you making a difference in the world today?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELacek\u003C\/strong\u003E: After the COVID-19 emergency response wound down, I moved my focus to influenza. Over the last two years I have been going around the world to train other ministries of health in bioinformatics and next generation sequencing to do what we do in the United States for respiratory virus surveillance.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EI believe I\u0027ve trained and supported scientists from 89 different countries. Because of this effort, we\u2019ve detected some novel variants, such as a new swine flu in Vietnam. It\u2019s thrilling to know that we are making a worldwide impact by helping countries who don\u2019t always have the technical resources and informatics personnel we enjoy here in the U.S.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are your hobbies?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELacek\u003C\/strong\u003E: I love to read; I read 106 books last year! I live in Denver, so of course, I enjoy hiking. I recently completed my first 14er (hiking a mountain peak that\u2019s 14,000 feet above sea level). I also love to thrift, cook, and eat out!\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Conversation with the College of Sciences Master\u2019s Commencement Speaker Kristine Lacek, BIO 2019, M.S. BI 2020"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom tracking viruses like COVID-19 and influenza to training health professionals worldwide, Kristine Lacek, Georgia Tech\u2019s first B.S.\/M.S. bioinformatics master\u2019s graduate, is making a global impact in public health. She will return to Georgia Tech to deliver the keynote speech at the College of Sciences\u2019 inaugural master\u2019s commencement ceremony.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From tracking viruses like COVID-19 and influenza to training health professionals worldwide, Kristine Lacek, Georgia Tech\u2019s first B.S.\/M.S. bioinformatics master\u2019s graduate, is making a global impact in public health."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2024-12-10 18:25:53","changed_gmt":"2024-12-10 19:39:05","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675810":{"id":"675810","type":"image","title":"In her dream career at the CDC, Kristine Lacek, Georgia Tech\u2019s first B.S.\/M.S. bioinformatics master\u2019s graduate, plays a key role in shaping the future of global disease surveillance and response.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIn her dream career at the CDC, Kristine Lacek, Georgia Tech\u2019s first B.S.\/M.S. bioinformatics master\u2019s graduate, plays a key role in shaping the future of global disease surveillance and response.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733858016","gmt_created":"2024-12-10 19:13:36","changed":"1733858016","gmt_changed":"2024-12-10 19:13:36","alt":"Split screen photo shows a woman in a graduation gown and a woman speaking into a microphone.","file":{"fid":"259475","name":"collage.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/collage_1.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/collage_1.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4253356,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/10\/collage_1.png?itok=lVvy_uee"}}},"media_ids":["675810"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192258","name":"cos-data"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of 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\u003EWriter: Laura S. Smith\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer II\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Elaura.smith@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678801":{"#nid":"678801","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Protein Handshake Holds Key to Immune Response","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA firm handshake between proteins on immune cells is important for the body\u2019s ability to fight infection. Meanwhile, a weak grip helps explain the poor immune deficiencies caused by a rare genetic disorder.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new study led by Georgia Tech and Emory University researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/cheng-zhu\u0022\u003ECheng Zhu\u003C\/a\u003E explores the role of physical force on the immune system\u2019s ability to fight an infection. The team\u2019s discoveries could lead to new therapies that boost immune responses and improve the outcomes of patients battling a rare and devastating disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWith this research, we\u2019ve shown how dynamic and physical the immune system truly is,\u201d said Zhu, Regents\u0027 Professor and J. Erskine Love Jr. Chair in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (BME).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work focuses on the interaction of B cells and T cells in the body\u2019s immune system via two proteins \u2014 CD40 on B cells and CD40L on T cells \u2014 in an immune deficiency disease called X-linked Hyper IgM syndrome, or X-HIgM. It\u2019s a genetic disorder affecting two out of every million newborn boys, 80% of whom die before the age of 25.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found mechanical forces generated by these interactions create a \u201ccatch bond\u201d between the proteins. It\u2019s like a strong handshake that only gets firmer when each person tries to pull away.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen the bond is strong, it causes T cells to signal B cells they need to make antibodies to fight an invading pathogen. In fact, the B cells can actually switch gears, producing antibodies that are different from what they had been making.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut people with X-HIgM have damaged CD40L proteins, resulting in weak bonds, poor signaling, and the inability to make the right antibodies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adl5815\u0022\u003Epublished their findings in \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The work emphasizes the role of mechanotransduction \u2014 the conversion of physical force into chemical activity \u2014 in the immune system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhu\u2019s fellow principal investigators in the study included Georgia Tech researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Ankur-Singh\u0022\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/a\u003E and Juergen Wienands of the University Medical Center G\u00f6ttingen in Germany. Lead authors were BME PhD student Stefano Travaglino and former postdoc Hyun-Kyu Choi (now an assistant professor at Yonsei University in South Korea).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ETraining Camp for B Cells\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the body\u2019s defense system, B cells are produced in the bone marrow and migrate to a part of the lymph nodes called the germinal center.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s like a training camp where B cells undergo improvement processes, including affinity maturation and antibody class switch, enhancing their ability to make effective antibodies,\u201d Travaglino said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EB cells interact with and receive instructive signals from T cells to make antibodies that are most effective in coping with the pathogen invader. It\u2019s a process that relies heavily on the interaction of CD40 and CD40L.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing techniques like fluorescence microscopy, the researchers were able to look closely at activity in germinal centers. They used force spectroscopy tools like the biomembrane force probe which revealed that the strong, tugging handshake is suppressed by X-HIgM mutation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe findings suggest that the physical environment and activity within the germinal center is just as important as the chemical signals at play between the proteins. By demonstrating how X-HIgM mutations impair catch bonds, the researchers provided a mechanistic explanation for the condition\u2019s antibody deficiencies \u2014 knowledge that could open the door to future innovations in therapeutic intervention and immunotherapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh called the team\u2019s findings \u201cnothing short of revolutionary.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe significance of the research extends far beyond understanding X-HIgM, offering a fresh perspective on how to approach a variety of immune disorders,\u201d he said. \u201cAs this field of study evolves, the potential for advancements in immune therapies looks bright.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E Hyun-Kyu Choi, Stefano Travaglino, Matthias M\u00fcnchhalfen, Richard G\u00f6rg, Zhe Zhong, Jintian Lyu, David M. Reyes-Aguilar, J\u00fcrgen Wienands, Ankur Singh, and Cheng Zhu. \u201cMechanotransduction governs CD40 function and underlies X-linked Hyper IgM syndrome,\u201d \u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/sciadv.adl5815\u0022\u003EDOI: 10.1126\/sciadv.adl5815\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFUNDING:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;This research was supported by National Institutes of Health grants U01CA250040, U01CA280984, R01CA238745, and R01CA266052; The Hyper IgM Foundation AWD-004331; German Research Foundation SFB TRR 274, project A08; National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant RS-2024-00337196; and the Yonsei University Research Fund 2024-22-0036. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any funding agency.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"BME researchers explore the critical role of mechanical force in rare genetic disorder"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBiomedical engineering researchers explore the role of mechanical force in the immune responses of a rare genetic disorder. Their work focuses on mechanotransduction - or how physical force influences chemical processes.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Biomedical engineering researchers explore the role of mechanical force in the immune responses of a rare genetic disorder."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-12-10 16:46:31","changed_gmt":"2024-12-10 18:08:25","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675803":{"id":"675803","type":"image","title":"Immune Protein interactions","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research team used advanced microscopy techniques to capture these images of CD40 and CD40L interactions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733848794","gmt_created":"2024-12-10 16:39:54","changed":"1733848898","gmt_changed":"2024-12-10 16:41:38","alt":"Cd40 and Cd40L interactions","file":{"fid":"259469","name":"CD40 image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/CD40%20image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/CD40%20image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2748962,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/10\/CD40%20image.jpg?itok=oknRnXcT"}},"675804":{"id":"675804","type":"image","title":"Zhu and Singh","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers Cheng Zhu and Ankur Singh\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733848930","gmt_created":"2024-12-10 16:42:10","changed":"1733849016","gmt_changed":"2024-12-10 16:43:36","alt":"Cheng Zhu and Ankur Singh","file":{"fid":"259470","name":"Zhu and Singh.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/Zhu%20and%20Singh.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/Zhu%20and%20Singh.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":601925,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/10\/Zhu%20and%20Singh.jpg?itok=nnjPm2Dy"}}},"media_ids":["675803","675804"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"8963","name":"biomechanics"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"182426","name":"mechanoimmunology"},{"id":"13419","name":"Mechanotransduction"},{"id":"1895","name":"Immunology"}],"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:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674733":{"#nid":"674733","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Chatbots Are Poor Multilingual Healthcare Consultants, Study Finds","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers say non-English speakers shouldn\u2019t rely on chatbots like ChatGPT to provide valuable healthcare advice.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers from the College of Computing at Georgia Tech has developed a framework for assessing the capabilities of large language models (LLMs).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. students\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mohit3011.github.io\/\u0022\u003EMohit Chandra\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ahren09.github.io\/\u0022\u003EYiqiao (Ahren) Jin\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;are the co-lead authors of the paper\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/pdf\/2310.13132\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBetter to Ask in English: Cross-Lingual Evaluation of Large Language Models for Healthcare Queries\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir paper\u2019s findings reveal a gap between LLMs and their ability to answer health-related questions. Chandra and Jin point out\u0026nbsp;the limitations of LLMs for users and developers but also highlight their potential.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir XLingEval framework cautions non-English speakers from using chatbots as alternatives to doctors for advice. However, models can improve by deepening the data pool with multilingual source material such as their proposed XLingHealth benchmark.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor users, our research supports what ChatGPT\u2019s website already states: chatbots make a lot of mistakes, so we should not rely on them for critical decision-making or for information that requires high accuracy,\u201d Jin said.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSince we observed this language disparity in their performance, LLM developers should focus on improving accuracy, correctness, consistency, and reliability in other languages,\u201d Jin said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing XLingEval, the researchers found chatbots are less accurate in Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi compared to English. By focusing on correctness, consistency, and verifiability, they discovered:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECorrectness decreased by 18% when the same questions were asked in Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAnswers in non-English were 29% less consistent than their English counterparts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ENon-English responses were 13% overall less verifiable.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EXLingHealth contains question-answer pairs that chatbots can reference, which the group hopes will spark improvement within LLMs. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe HealthQA dataset uses specialized healthcare articles from the popular healthcare website\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EPatient\u003C\/em\u003E. It includes 1,134 health-related question-answer pairs as excerpts from original articles.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELiveQA is a second dataset containing 246 question-answer pairs constructed from frequently asked questions (FAQs) platforms associated with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor drug-related questions, the group built a MedicationQA component. This dataset contains 690 questions extracted from anonymous consumer queries submitted to MedlinePlus. The answers are sourced from medical references, such as MedlinePlus and DailyMed.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn their tests, the researchers asked over 2,000 medical-related questions to ChatGPT-3.5 and MedAlpaca. MedAlpaca is a healthcare question-answer chatbot trained in medical literature. Yet, more than 67% of its responses to non-English questions were irrelevant or contradictory.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe see far worse performance in the case of MedAlpaca than ChatGPT,\u201d Chandra said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe majority of the data for MedAlpaca is in English, so it struggled to answer queries in non-English languages. GPT also struggled, but it performed much better than MedAlpaca because it had some sort of training data in other languages.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EGaurav Verma\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;and postdoctoral researcher\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/snowood1.github.io\/\u0022\u003EYibo Hu\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;co-authored the paper.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJin and Verma study under\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~srijan\/\u0022\u003ESrijan Kumar\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the School of Computational Science and Engineering, and Hu is a postdoc in Kumar\u2019s lab. Chandra is advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMunmun De Choudhury\u003C\/strong\u003E, an associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;School of Interactive Computing.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EThe team will present their paper at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www2024.thewebconf.org\/\u0022\u003EThe Web Conference\u003C\/a\u003E, occurring May 13-17 in Singapore. The annual conference focuses on the future direction of the internet. The group\u2019s presentation is a complimentary match, considering the conference\u0027s location.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnglish and Chinese are the most common languages in Singapore. The group tested Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi because they are the world\u2019s most spoken languages after English. Personal curiosity and background played a part in inspiring the study.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cChatGPT was very popular when it launched in 2022, especially for us computer science students who are always exploring new technology,\u201d said Jin. \u201cNon-native English speakers, like Mohit and I, noticed early on that chatbots underperformed in our native languages.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESchool of Interactive Computing communications officer Nathan Deen and School of Computational Science and Engineering communications officer Bryant Wine contributed to this report.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers from the College of Computing at Georgia Tech has developed a framework for assessing the capabilities of large language models (LLMs). Using their XLingEval framework, the researchers found chatbots are less accurate in Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi compared to English, notably lacking correctness, consistency, and verifiability.\u0026nbsp;However, models can improve by deepening the data pool with multilingual source material such as their proposed XLingHealth benchmark.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers found that chatbots are less accurate in Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi compared to English when asked health-related questions. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2024-05-15 18:33:19","changed_gmt":"2024-12-09 17:36:57","author":"Bryant Wine","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":{"674017":{"id":"674017","type":"image","title":"Better to Ask in English.jpg","body":null,"created":"1715798007","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 18:33:27","changed":"1715798007","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 18:33:27","alt":"The Web Conference 2024","file":{"fid":"257480","name":"Better to Ask in English.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/Better%20to%20Ask%20in%20English.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/Better%20to%20Ask%20in%20English.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":107118,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/Better%20to%20Ask%20in%20English.jpg?itok=2orTn8D2"}},"674018":{"id":"674018","type":"image","title":"The Web Conference.jpg","body":null,"created":"1715798047","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 18:34:07","changed":"1715798047","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 18:34:07","alt":"Mohit Chandra and Yiqiao (Ahren) Jin ","file":{"fid":"257481","name":"The Web Conference.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/The%20Web%20Conference.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/15\/The%20Web%20Conference.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":49308,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/15\/The%20Web%20Conference.jpg?itok=fWWPrBQP"}},"674027":{"id":"674027","type":"image","title":"Poster.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1715868226","gmt_created":"2024-05-16 14:03:46","changed":"1715868226","gmt_changed":"2024-05-16 14:03:46","alt":"The Web Conference 2024","file":{"fid":"257491","name":"Poster.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/16\/Poster.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/16\/Poster.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":173843,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/16\/Poster.jpeg?itok=o9Jnpk6r"}}},"media_ids":["674017","674018","674027"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/chatbots-are-poor-multilingual-healthcare-consultants-study-finds","title":"Chatbots Are Poor Multilingual Healthcare Consultants, Study Finds"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"7846","name":"Georgia Tech Office of the Provost"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"193556","name":"large language models"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENathan Deen, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ndeen6@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Endeen6@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670184":{"#nid":"670184","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Meet CSE Profile: Ph.D. Student Rafael Orozco","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe start of the fall semester can be busy for most Georgia Tech students, but this is especially true for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERafael Orozco\u003C\/strong\u003E. The Ph.D. student in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) is part of a research group that presented at a major conference in August and is now preparing to host a research meeting in November.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe used the lull between events, research, and classes to meet with Orozco and learn more about his background and interests in this Meet CSE profile.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStudent:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ERafael Orozco\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch Interests:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EMedical Imaging;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ESeismic Imaging; Generative Models;\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EInverse Problems; Bayesian Inference; Uncertainty Quantification\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHometown\u003C\/strong\u003E: Sonora, Mexico\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETell us briefly about your educational background and how you came to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nI studied in Mexico through high school. Then, I did my first two years of undergrad at the University of Arizona and transferred to Bucknell University. I was attracted to Georgia Tech\u2019s CSE program because it is a unique combination of domain science and computer science. It feels like I am both a programmer and a scientist.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did you first become interested in computer science and machine learning?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn high school, I saw a video demonstration of a genetic algorithm on the internet and became interested in the technology. My high school in Mexico did not have a computer science class, but a teacher mentored me and helped me compete at the Mexican Informatics Olympiad. When I started at Arizona, I researched the behavior of clouds from a Bayesian perspective. Since then, my research interests have always involved using Bayesian techniques to infer unknowns.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou mentioned your background a few times. Since it is National Hispanic Heritage Month, what does this observance mean to you?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EI am quite proud to be a part of this group. In Mexico and the U.S., fellow Hispanics have supported me and my pursuits, so I know firsthand of their kindness and resourcefulness. I think that Hispanic people welcome others, celebrating the joy our culture brings, and they appreciate that our country uses the opportunity to reflect on Hispanic history.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou study in Professor Felix Herrmann\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/slim.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESeismic Laboratory for Imaging and Modeling (SLIM)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;group. In your own words, what does this research group do?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe develop techniques and software for imaging Earth\u2019s subsurface structures. These range from highly performant partial differential equation solvers to randomized numerical algebra to generative artificial intelligence (AI) models.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of the driving goals of each software package we develop is that it needs to be scalable to real world applications. This entails imaging seismic areas that can be kilometers cubed in volume, represented typically by more than 100,000,000 simulation grid cells. In my medical applications, high-resolution images of human brains that can be resolved to less than half a millimeter.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.imageevent.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInternational Meeting for Applied Geoscience and Energy (IMAGE)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;is a recent conference where SLIM gave nine presentations. What research did you present here?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe challenge of applying machine learning to seismic imaging is that there are no examples of what the earth looks like. While making high quality reference images of human tissues for supervised machine learning is possible, no one can \u201ccut open\u201d the earth to understand exactly what it looks like. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo address this challenge, I presented an algorithm that combines generative AI with an unsupervised training objective. We essentially trick the generative model into outputting full earth models by making it blind to which part of the Earth we are asking for. This is like when you take an exam where only a few questions will be graded, but you don\u2019t know which ones, so you answer all the questions just in case.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhile seismic imaging is the basis of SLIM research, there are other applications for the group\u2019s work. Can you discuss more about this?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe imaging techniques that the energy industry has been using for decades toward imaging Earth\u2019s subsurface can be applied almost seamlessly to create medical images of human sub tissue.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELately, we have been tackling the particularly difficult modality of using high frequency ultrasound to image through the human skull. In our\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2303.03478\u0022\u003Erecent paper\u003C\/a\u003E, we are exploring a powerful combination between machine learning and physics-based methods that allows us to speed up imaging while adding uncertainty quantification.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nWe presented the work at this year\u2019s MIDL conference (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/2023.midl.io\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMedical Imaging with Deep Learning\u003C\/a\u003E) in July. The medical community was excited with our preliminary results and gave me valuable feedback on how we can help bring this technique closer to clinical viability.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe start of the fall semester can be busy for most Georgia Tech students, but this is especially true for\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERafael Orozco\u003C\/strong\u003E. The Ph.D. student in Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) is part of a research group that presented at a major conference in August and is now preparing to host a research meeting in November.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWe used the lull between events, research, and classes to meet with Orozco and learn more about his background and interests in this Meet CSE profile.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Profile story of School of CSE Ph.D. student Rafael Orozco"}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2023-10-05 14:18:04","changed_gmt":"2024-12-09 17:36:57","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671947":{"id":"671947","type":"image","title":"Meet CSE Rafael Orozco.jpg","body":null,"created":"1696515509","gmt_created":"2023-10-05 14:18:29","changed":"1696515509","gmt_changed":"2023-10-05 14:18:29","alt":"Meet CSE Profile Rafael Orozco","file":{"fid":"255112","name":"Meet CSE Rafael Orozco.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/05\/Meet%20CSE%20Rafael%20Orozco.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/05\/Meet%20CSE%20Rafael%20Orozco.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":260567,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/05\/Meet%20CSE%20Rafael%20Orozco.jpg?itok=3uLgcBd_"}}},"media_ids":["671947"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/meet-cse-profile-phd-student-rafael-orozco","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"76231","name":"Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"183261","name":"artificial intelligence; College of Engineering"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nbryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667381":{"#nid":"667381","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Discover Neural Clock That May Synchronize Visual Behavior","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbout half of the brain is devoted in some way to vision. Our eyes observe the visual field, and that information is sent to the back of the brain, where it is processed. Then very quickly \u2013 almost instantaneously \u2013 we recognize the objects in front us. And we can shake the hand of an approaching friend, or we can move out of the way of oncoming traffic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s lot to take in. All that precise recognition in a single glance takes an enormous amount of computation and synchronization. Driving this activity are neurons firing and communicating across the vast space between our ears so we can focus quickly and reliably on the right features. How all this complicated collaboration comes together is not entirely understood.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut a team of Georgia Tech researchers trying to solve the mystery has discovered an internal \u201cclock\u201d that timestamps and synchronizes visual computation across different areas of the brain. The results of their studies help explain the remarkable precision of visual processing in a healthy brain.\u0026nbsp; Their findings also suggest new ways to think about brain activity when visual perception is neurologically impaired.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s like what happens in a computer chip,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Bilal-Haider\u0022\u003EBilal Haider\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, whose lab published their work recently in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biorxiv.org\/content\/10.1101\/2022.05.19.491028v1\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENeuron\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cAll the instructions from open apps and software have to flow in a precise sequence so messages don\u2019t get scrambled \u2013 and so your apps don\u2019t crash!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EElectrified silicon chips are super-fast, so in a computer, the clock stamps and runs instructions millions of times a second. Haider and his team found that the visual processing clock, made of wet, squishy neurons, does pretty good, too.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe found that the visual system runs instructions 60 times a second and makes sure each cycle of the clock is precisely timed across multiple visual regions of the brain,\u201d Haider said. \u201cWe suspect that desynchronizing this clock could potentially underlie all sorts of visual processing deficits, which could mean scrambled, jumbled visual messages.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENarrowing the Frequency\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENeurons work well together when one group sends a message, and the other group is standing ready to receive it. Rhythmic brain oscillations are thought to play a key role in this process of communication and computation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEEG-based neural oscillations are often observed in neurological diseases, noted the study\u2019s lead author, Donghoon Shin, \u201cbut the specific function of neural oscillations remains an open question. Our paper provides a fascinating example at the intersection of neural oscillation, cooperation between brain areas, temporal coding, and visual perception.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EShin, who was a graduate student in the Haider lab during the research, led the examination of narrowband gamma (NBG) oscillation, focusing on the relationship between oscillation timing and visual function.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOscillations occur at different frequencies in the brain, with higher frequency gamma oscillations controlling communication between different regions of the brain. Previous studies of the visual system have proposed that broadband gamma oscillations facilitate brain-wide signal coordination underlying visual perception.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut the broadband frequency between different brain areas varies widely and doesn\u2019t seem to provide the precise synchronization needed for optimum neural activity. Shin, Haider, and team performed new experiments that demonstrate how narrowband gamma oscillations can propagate and synchronize throughout an awake brain\u2019s visual system with great precision.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe consistent rate of NBG oscillations (between 55 to 65 times per second, versus 30 to 80 times for broadband gamma) makes it easier for different brain areas to sync up, Shin said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMore broadly, NBG oscillations across brain areas might be a way to \u2018pay attention\u2019 to the right features or locations for effective visual behavior,\u201d Haider said. \u201cSo, a next step in the research would be to test the NBG clock, to see how it might be altered in neurological conditions where visual behavior is impaired and try to figure out if we need to \u2018reset\u2019 the visual clock to help improve behavior or attention.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECITATION:\u0026nbsp; Donghoon Shin, Kayla Peelman, Joseph Del Rosario, Bilal Haider. \u201cNarrowband gamma oscillations propagate and synchronize \u2026\u201d\u0026nbsp; \u003Cem\u003ENeuron\u003C\/em\u003E https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1101\/2022.05.19.491028\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\u003ENarrowband gamma oscillations across brain areas might be a way to \u2018pay attention\u2019 to the right features or locations for effective visual behavior\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Narrowband gamma oscillations across brain areas might be a way to \u2018pay attention\u2019 to the right features or locations for effective visual behavior"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2023-04-17 15:33:55","changed_gmt":"2024-12-09 17:36:57","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670564":{"id":"670564","type":"image","title":"Donghoon and Bilal.jpg","body":null,"created":"1681749072","gmt_created":"2023-04-17 16:31:12","changed":"1681749072","gmt_changed":"2023-04-17 16:31:12","alt":"BME researchers shin and haider","file":{"fid":"253447","name":"Donghoon and Bilal.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/17\/Donghoon%20and%20Bilal_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/17\/Donghoon%20and%20Bilal_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1452160,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/17\/Donghoon%20and%20Bilal_2.jpg?itok=JAdHu1yu"}}},"media_ids":["670564"],"related_files":{"253446":{"fid":null,"name":"Shin and Haider","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/17\/Donghoon%20and%20Bilal_1.jpg","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/17\/Donghoon%20and%20Bilal_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1452160,"description":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers Donghoon Shin and Bilal Haider\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n"}},"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"183799","name":"Gamma"},{"id":"187234","name":"gamma brain waves"},{"id":"180998","name":"visual cortex"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022jerry.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":""}},"674511":{"#nid":"674511","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Partners with Children\u2019s Hospital on New Heart Surgery Planning Tool","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECardiologists and surgeons could soon have a new mobile augmented reality (AR) tool to improve collaboration in surgical planning.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EARCollab is an iOS AR application designed for doctors to interact with patient-specific 3D heart models in a shared environment. It is the first surgical planning tool that uses multi-user mobile AR in iOS.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe application\u2019s collaborative feature overcomes limitations in traditional surgical modeling and planning methods. This offers patients better, personalized care from doctors who plan and collaborate with the tool.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers partnered with Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) in ARCollab\u2019s development.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/github.com\/twixupmysleeve\u0022\u003EPratham Mehta\u003C\/a\u003E, a computer science major, led the group\u2019s research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe have conducted two trips to CHOA for usability evaluations with cardiologists and surgeons. The overall feedback from ARCollab users has been positive,\u201d Mehta said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThey all enjoyed experimenting with it and collaborating with other users. They also felt like it had the potential to be useful in surgical planning.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/pdf\/2402.05075\u0022\u003EARCollab\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s collaborative environment is the tool\u2019s most novel feature. It allows surgical teams to study and plan together in a virtual workspace, regardless of location.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EARCollab supports a toolbox of features for doctors to inspect and interact with their patients\u0027 AR heart models. With a few finger gestures, users can scale and rotate, \u201cslice\u201d into the model, and modify a slicing plane to view omnidirectional cross-sections of the heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDeveloping ARCollab on iOS works twofold. This streamlines deployment and accessibility by making it available on the iOS App Store and Apple devices. Building ARCollab on Apple\u2019s peer-to-peer network framework ensures the functionality of the AR components. It also lessens the learning curve, especially for experienced AR users.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EARCollab overcomes traditional surgical planning practices of using physical heart models. Producing physical models is time-consuming, resource-intensive, and irreversible compared to digital models. It is also difficult for surgical teams to plan together since they are limited to studying a single physical model.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDigital and AR modeling is growing as an alternative to physical models.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2208.10639\u0022\u003ECardiacAR\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is one such tool the group has already created.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHowever, digital platforms lack multi-user features essential for surgical teams to collaborate during planning. ARCollab\u2019s multi-user workspace progresses the technology\u2019s potential as a mass replacement for physical modeling.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOver the past year and a half, we have been working on incorporating collaboration into our prior work with CardiacAR,\u201d Mehta said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis involved completely changing the codebase, rebuilding the entire app and its features from the ground up in a newer AR framework that was better suited for collaboration and future development.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIts interactive and visualization features, along with its novelty and innovation, led the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/chi-2024\/\u0022\u003EConference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2024)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to accept ARCollab for presentation. The conference occurs May 11-16 in Honolulu.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECHI is considered the most prestigious conference for human-computer interaction and one of the top-ranked conferences in computer science.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EM.S. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/harshakaranth.com\/\u0022\u003EHarsha Karanth\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and alumnus\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/alexanderyang.me\/\u0022\u003EAlex Yang\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(CS 2022, M.S. CS 2023) co-authored the paper with Mehta. They study under\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/\u0022\u003EPolo Chau\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the School of Computational Science and Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech group partnered with Timothy Slesnick and Fawwaz Shaw from CHOA on ARCollab\u2019s development.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWorking with the doctors and having them test out versions of our application and give us feedback has been the most important part of the collaboration with CHOA,\u201d Mehta said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese medical professionals are experts in their field. We want to make sure to have features that they want and need, and that would make their job easier.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECardiologists and surgeons could soon have a new mobile augmented reality (AR) tool to improve collaboration in surgical planning.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EARCollab is an iOS AR application designed for doctors to interact with patient-specific 3D heart models in a shared environment. It is the first surgical planning tool that uses multi-user mobile AR in iOS.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe application\u2019s collaborative feature overcomes limitations in traditional surgical modeling and planning methods. This offers patients better, personalized care from doctors who plan and collaborate with the tool.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers partnered with Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) in ARCollab\u2019s development.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Cardiologists and surgeons could soon have a new mobile augmented reality (AR) tool to improve collaboration in surgical planning."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2024-05-06 00:16:54","changed_gmt":"2024-12-09 17:36:57","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673978":{"id":"673978","type":"image","title":"A pediatrician listens to a young patient\u0027s heartbeat with a stethoscope","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn Adobe Stock image of a pediatrician listening to a young patient\u0027s heartbeat with a stethoscope.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715354643","gmt_created":"2024-05-10 15:24:03","changed":"1715354643","gmt_changed":"2024-05-10 15:24:03","alt":"A pediatrician listens to a young patient\u0027s heartbeat with a stethoscope.","file":{"fid":"257440","name":"AdobeStock_285408398 (1).jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/AdobeStock_285408398%20%281%29.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/AdobeStock_285408398%20%281%29.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104275,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/10\/AdobeStock_285408398%20%281%29.jpeg?itok=pgzOyLoe"}},"673948":{"id":"673948","type":"image","title":"ARCollab.png","body":null,"created":"1714954623","gmt_created":"2024-05-06 00:17:03","changed":"1714954623","gmt_changed":"2024-05-06 00:17:03","alt":"CHI 2024 ARCollab","file":{"fid":"257405","name":"ARCollab.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/05\/ARCollab.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/05\/ARCollab.png","mime":"image\/png","size":203974,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/05\/ARCollab.png?itok=uo3me70m"}}},"media_ids":["673978","673948"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-partners-childrens-hospital-new-heart-surgery-planning-tool","title":"Georgia Tech Partners with Children\u2019s Hospital on New Heart Surgery Planning Tool"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"7846","name":"Georgia Tech Office of the Provost"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678746":{"#nid":"678746","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Multipurpose Model Enhances Forecasting Across Epidemics, Energy, and Economics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new machine learning (ML) model from Georgia Tech could protect communities from diseases, better manage electricity consumption in cities, and promote business growth, all at the same time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers from the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) created the Large Pre-Trained Time-Series Model (LPTM) framework.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2311.11413\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELPTM\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is a single foundational model that completes forecasting tasks across a broad range of domains.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with performing as well or better than models purpose-built for their applications, LPTM requires 40% less data and 50% less training time than current baselines. In some cases, LPTM can be deployed without any training data.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe key to LPTM is that it is pre-trained on datasets from different industries like healthcare, transportation, and energy. The Georgia Tech group created an adaptive segmentation module to make effective use of these vastly different datasets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech researchers will present LPTM in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at the 2024 Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nips.cc\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeurIPS 2024\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E). NeurIPS is one of the world\u2019s most prestigious conferences on artificial intelligence (AI) and ML research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe foundational model paradigm started with text and image, but people haven\u2019t explored time-series tasks yet because those were considered too diverse across domains,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~badityap\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EB. Aditya Prakash\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, one of LPTM\u2019s developers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur work is a pioneer in this new area of exploration where only few attempts have been made so far.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/neurips-2024\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMICROSITE: Georgia Tech at NeurIPS 2024\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFoundational models are trained with data from different fields, making them powerful tools when assigned tasks. Foundational models drive GPT, DALL-E, and other popular generative AI platforms used today. LPTM is different though because it is geared toward time-series, not text and image generation. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech researchers trained LPTM on data ranging from epidemics, macroeconomics, power consumption, traffic and transportation, stock markets, and human motion and behavioral datasets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter training, the group pitted LPTM against 17 other models to make forecasts as close to nine real-case benchmarks. LPTM performed the best on five datasets and placed second on the other four.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe nine benchmarks contained data from real-world collections. These included the spread of influenza in the U.S. and Japan, electricity, traffic, and taxi demand in New York, and financial markets.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe competitor models were purpose-built for their fields. While each model performed well on one or two benchmarks closest to its designed purpose, the models ranked in the middle or bottom on others.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn another experiment, the Georgia Tech group tested LPTM against seven baseline models on the same nine benchmarks in zero-shot forecasting tasks. Zero-shot means the model is used out of the box and not given any specific guidance during training. LPTM outperformed every model across all benchmarks in this trial.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELPTM performed consistently as a top-runner on all nine benchmarks, demonstrating the model\u2019s potential to achieve superior forecasting results across multiple applications with less and resources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur model also goes beyond forecasting and helps accomplish other tasks,\u201d said Prakash, an associate professor in the School of CSE.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cClassification is a useful time-series task that allows us to understand the nature of the time-series and label whether that time-series is something we understand or is new.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne reason traditional models are custom-built to their purpose is that fields differ in reporting frequency and trends.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor example, epidemic data is often reported weekly and goes through seasonal peaks with occasional outbreaks. Economic data is captured quarterly and typically remains consistent and monotone over time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELPTM\u2019s adaptive segmentation module allows it to overcome these timing differences across datasets. When LPTM receives a dataset, the module breaks data into segments of different sizes. Then, it scores all possible ways to segment data and chooses the easiest segment from which to learn useful patterns.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELPTM\u2019s performance, enhanced through the innovation of adaptive segmentation, earned the model acceptance to NeurIPS 2024 for presentation. NeurIPS is one of three primary international conferences on high-impact research in AI and ML. NeurIPS 2024 occurs Dec. 10-15.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.harsha-pk.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHarshavardhan Kamarthi\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E partnered with Prakash, his advisor, on LPTM. The duo are among the 162 Georgia Tech researchers presenting over 80 papers at the conference.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrakash is one of 46 Georgia Tech faculty with research accepted at NeurIPS 2024. Nine School of CSE faculty members, nearly one-third of the body, are authors or co-authors of 17 papers accepted at the conference.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with sharing their research at NeurIPS 2024, Prakash and Kamarthi released an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/github.com\/AdityaLab\/Samay\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eopen-source library of foundational time-series modules\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E that data scientists can use in their applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGiven the interest in AI from all walks of life, including business, social, and research and development sectors, a lot of work has been done and thousands of strong papers are submitted to the main AI conferences,\u201d Prakash said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAcceptance of our paper speaks to the quality of the work and its potential to advance foundational methodology, and we hope to share that with a larger audience.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new machine learning (ML) model from Georgia Tech could protect communities from diseases, better manage electricity consumption in cities, and promote business growth, all at the same time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers from the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) created the Large Pre-Trained Time-Series Model (LPTM) framework.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2311.11413\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELPTM\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E is a single foundational model that completes forecasting tasks across a broad range of domains.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with performing as well or better than models purpose-built for their applications, LPTM requires 40% less data and 50% less training time than current baselines. In some cases, LPTM can be deployed without any training data.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe key to LPTM is that it is pre-trained on datasets from different industries like healthcare, transportation, and energy. The Georgia Tech group created an adaptive segmentation module to make effective use of these vastly different datasets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech researchers will present LPTM in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at the 2024 Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nips.cc\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeurIPS 2024\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E). NeurIPS is one of the world\u2019s most prestigious conferences on artificial intelligence (AI) and ML research.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Large Pre-Trained Time-Series Model (LPTM) framework completes forecasting tasks across a broad range of domains, outperforms current models,  and requires 40% less data and 50% less training time than current baselines."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2024-12-04 12:32:04","changed_gmt":"2024-12-05 20:53:31","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675764":{"id":"675764","type":"image","title":"LPTM Head photo.jpg","body":null,"created":"1733315535","gmt_created":"2024-12-04 12:32:15","changed":"1733315535","gmt_changed":"2024-12-04 12:32:15","alt":"CSE NeurIPS 2024","file":{"fid":"259428","name":"LPTM Head photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/04\/LPTM%20Head%20photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/04\/LPTM%20Head%20photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":138121,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/04\/LPTM%20Head%20photo.jpg?itok=-_oqygAy"}},"675765":{"id":"675765","type":"image","title":"Aditya and Harsha.jpg","body":null,"created":"1733315572","gmt_created":"2024-12-04 12:32:52","changed":"1733315572","gmt_changed":"2024-12-04 12:32:52","alt":"CSE NeurIPS 2024","file":{"fid":"259429","name":"Aditya and Harsha.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/04\/Aditya%20and%20Harsha.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/04\/Aditya%20and%20Harsha.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54358,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/04\/Aditya%20and%20Harsha.jpg?itok=Dv3sFphr"}}},"media_ids":["675764","675765"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/multipurpose-model-enhances-forecasting-across-epidemics-energy-and-economics","title":"Multipurpose Model Enhances Forecasting Across Epidemics, Energy, and Economics"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"142","name":"City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"191912","name":"Data Science at GT"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677935":{"#nid":"677935","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Graduate Students Chosen for ARCS Scholar Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFour Ph.D. candidates from the College of Sciences have been selected as new recipients of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.arcsfoundation.org\/about-arcs-scholars\u0022\u003EAchievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation Scholar Award\u003C\/a\u003E. The award recognizes doctoral students who show exceptional promise in making a significant contribution to the worldwide advancement of science and technology. The new recipients join three returning scholars from the College of Sciences. To view all of the current Georgia Tech ARCS Scholars, visit:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atlanta.arcsfoundation.org\/current-scholars-2024-25\u0022\u003E2024-25 ARCS Atlanta Scholars\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet the 2024-25 ARCS Scholars\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlivia Eng\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EEng is a Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) Fellow. Her research compares rover and orbital datasets of Mars to increase the spatial resolution of quantitative geologic mapping.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am excited to receive this award as it validates the importance of my research and my abilities as a scientist,\u201d says Eng.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENominated by her advisor, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Assistant Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/rivera-hernandez-dr-frances\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrances Rivera-Hern\u00e1ndez\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Eng is also a part of Georgia Tech\u0027s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute and Center for Lunar Environment and Volatile Exploration Research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAlivia is an exceptional graduate student and planetary scientist,\u201d says Rivera-Hern\u00e1ndez. \u201cHer curiosity, passion, and question-driven approach have sparked multiple new projects at Georgia Tech and led my research group in exciting new directions. Beyond her research, Alivia is deeply committed to community engagement, aiming to inspire future generations to pursue careers in planetary geology. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with her.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMarrissa Izykowicz, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIzykowicz\u2019s research focuses on synthesizing nanoparticles designed to target and retain anti-cancer drugs in both primary and metastatic tumors of various cancers. Her research tackles the challenge of treating metastatic lesions, which are difficult to target due to their small size and abundance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am deeply passionate about my work because it addresses an issue that has plagued humanity for centuries,\u201d says Izykowicz. \u201cMy research investigates the\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ecomplexities of metastatic cancer, building on the knowledge of those who came before me to pave the way toward a potential cure.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EShe was nominated for the award by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/mg-finn\u0022\u003EM.G. Finn\u003C\/a\u003E, who serves as a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the James A. Carlos Family Chair for Pediatric Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMarrissa is a wonderful student and colleague\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;always willing to do whatever is needed to advance her studies,\u201d says Finn. \u201cHer research is tremendously exciting, working with collaborator\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EStephen Housley\u003C\/strong\u003E on nanoparticles that can deliver medications directly to cancerous tumors. The project involves chemistry, cell biology, immunology, and analytical biochemistry, and Marrissa does it all with great dedication and expertise.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZach Mobille, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMobille is pursuing a Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences, specializing in computational neuroscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am passionate about my research because it sheds light on how the brain\u2019s structure and abilities are related quantitatively,\u201d says Mobille. \u201cIt targets a deeper understanding of how information is processed in networks of neurons, which may influence how computational devices are designed in the future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMobille serves as chair of the community impact committee of the Georgia Tech\/Emory Computational Neural-engineering Training Program (CNTP) and is a past recipient of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;InQuBATE Training grant.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics Assistant Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/hannah-choi\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Choi\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who advises Mobille, states: \u201cZach is driven by curiosity and determined to solve complex research problems. He has consistently impressed me with his creativity and motivation in computational neuroscience. Zach proposes innovative ideas, is never afraid of learning new techniques, and takes initiative in his research. I am thrilled that the ARCS fellowship has recognized his qualities as an independent and creative researcher.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Pederson\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPederson uses computer simulations to study chemistry at solid\/liquid interfaces at the molecular scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cComputational modeling across length- and time-scales is a powerful technique for gaining insight into chemical and physical processes,\u201d says Pederson. \u201cWith my research, I hope to promote wider adoption of these multi-scale computational techniques to enable the design of cleaner and safer chemical processes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn addition to his research work, Pederson helped organize and run ComSciCon-ATL 2024, an interdisciplinary science communications conference for Southeast STEM graduate students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJohn is an outstanding researcher and problem-solver,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/jesse-mcdaniel\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJessie McDaniel\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E associate professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry who nominated Pederson. \u201dHe has contributed substantially to software and method development efforts that form the core of our group\u2019s work on studying chemical reaction mechanisms in complex environments related to electrochemistry and surface chemistry. John exemplifies excellence in all facets of research, scholarship, and service.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHighlighting their potential to make significant contributions to science and technology, four College of Sciences Ph.D. candidates have earned the prestigious Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation Scholar Award. The new scholars join three returning College of Sciences ARCS recipients.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Highlighting their potential to make significant contributions to science and technology, four College of Sciences Ph.D. candidates have earned the prestigious Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation Scholar Award."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2024-10-28 13:48:45","changed_gmt":"2024-12-04 20:55:20","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675442":{"id":"675442","type":"image","title":"New College of Sciences ARCS Scholars (from left to right): Alivia Eng, Marrissa Izykowicz, Zach Mobille, and John Pederson.","body":"\u003Cp\u003ENew College of Sciences ARCS Scholars (from left to right): Alivia Eng, Marrissa Izykowicz, Zach Mobille, and John Pederson.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1730123358","gmt_created":"2024-10-28 13:49:18","changed":"1730123358","gmt_changed":"2024-10-28 13:49:18","alt":"Four headshots","file":{"fid":"259066","name":"ARCS Scholars.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/28\/ARCS%20Scholars.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/28\/ARCS%20Scholars.png","mime":"image\/png","size":6025244,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/28\/ARCS%20Scholars.png?itok=cyUjwaWY"}}},"media_ids":["675442"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"18691","name":"graduate student awards"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"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: Laura Smith, College of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676414":{"#nid":"676414","#data":{"type":"news","title":"$3 Million NSF Grant Will Support Training in Sustainable Medical Devices","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/w-hong-yeo\u0022\u003EW. Hong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E has been awarded a $3 million grant to help develop a new generation of engineers and scientists in the field of sustainable medical devices.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe workforce that will emerge from this program will tackle a global challenge through sustainable innovations in device design and manufacturing,\u201d said Yeo, Woodruff Faculty Fellow and associate professor in the\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:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe funding, from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/new.nsf.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/us-national-science-foundation-research\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation (NSF) Research Training (NRT) program\u003C\/a\u003E, will address the environmental impacts resulting from the mass production of medical devices, including the increase in material waste and greenhouse gas emissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder Yeo\u2019s leadership, the Georgia Tech team comprises multidisciplinary faculty:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/andres-j-garcia\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003C\/a\u003E (bioengineering),\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/id.gatech.edu\/people\/hyunjoo-oh\u0022\u003EHyunJoo Oh\u003C\/a\u003E (industrial design and interactive computing),\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/lewis-wheaton\u0022\u003ELewis Wheaton\u003C\/a\u003E (biology), and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/josiah-hester\u0022\u003EJosiah Hester\u003C\/a\u003E (sustainable computing). Together, they\u2019ll train 100 graduate students, including 25 NSF-funded trainees, who will develop reuseable, reliable medical devices for a range of uses.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe plan to educate students on how to develop medical devices using biocompatible and biodegradable materials and green manufacturing processes using low-cost printing technologies,\u201d said Yeo. \u201cThese wearable and implantable devices will enhance disease diagnosis, therapeutics, rehabilitation, and health monitoring.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents in the program will be challenged by a comprehensive, multidisciplinary curriculum, with deep dives into bioengineering, public policy, physiology, industrial design, interactive computing, and medicine. And they\u2019ll get real-world experience through collaborations with clinicians and medical product developers, working to create devices that meet the needs of patients and care providers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech NRT program aims to attract students from various backgrounds, fostering a diverse, inclusive environment in the classroom \u2014 and ultimately in the workforce.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program will also introduce a new Ph.D. concentration in smart medical devices as part of Georgia Tech\u0027s bioengineering program, and a new M.S. program in the sustainable development of medical devices. Yeo also envisions an academic impact that extends beyond the Tech campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201c\u003C\/strong\u003ECollectively, this NRT program\u0027s curriculum, combining methods from multiple domains, will help establish best practices in many higher education institutions for developing reliable and personalized medical devices for healthcare,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019d like to broaden students\u0027 perspectives, move past the current technology-first mindset, and reflect the needs of patients and healthcare providers through sustainable technological solutions.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher W. Hong Yeo has received a $3 million NSF grant to lead a multidisciplinary team in training graduate students to develop sustainable, biocompatible medical devices that address environmental impacts, aiming to establish best practices in higher education for creating reliable and personalized healthcare solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researcher W. Hong Yeo has received a $3 million NSF grant to lead a multidisciplinary team in training graduate students to develop sustainable, biocompatible medical devices that address environmental impacts, aiming to establish best pract"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-08-30 12:39:46","changed_gmt":"2024-12-04 16:25:14","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674771":{"id":"674771","type":"image","title":"W. Hong Yeo","body":"\u003Cp\u003EW. Hong Yeo is leading a $3 million \u0026nbsp;NSF research training program to develop a new generation of engineers focused on creating sustainable medical devices.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1725021364","gmt_created":"2024-08-30 12:36:04","changed":"1725021453","gmt_changed":"2024-08-30 12:37:33","alt":"W. Hong Yeo is leading a $3 million  NSF research training program to develop a new generation of engineers focused on creating sustainable medical devices.","file":{"fid":"258332","name":"Yeo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/30\/Yeo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/30\/Yeo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":588968,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/30\/Yeo.jpg?itok=br_cUvwZ"}}},"media_ids":["674771"],"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":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"363","name":"NSF"},{"id":"191934","name":"National Science Foundation (NSF)"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"9535","name":"medical device"},{"id":"86321","name":"career training"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"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\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678411":{"#nid":"678411","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A New Carbon-Negative Method to Produce Essential Amino Acids","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAmino acids are essential for nearly every process in the human body. Often referred to as \u2018the building blocks of life,\u2019 they are also critical for commercial\u0026nbsp;use in products ranging from pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements, to cosmetics, animal feed, and industrial chemicals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAnd while our bodies naturally make amino acids, manufacturing them for commercial use can be costly \u2014 and that process often emits greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide (CO2).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn a landmark study, a team of researchers has created a first-of-its kind methodology for synthesizing amino acids that uses more carbon than it emits. The research also makes strides toward making the system cost-effective and scalable for commercial use.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cTo our knowledge, it\u2019s the first time anyone has synthesized amino acids in a carbon-negative way using this type of biocatalyst,\u201d says lead corresponding author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/peralta-yahya.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPamela Peralta-Yahya\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who emphasizes that the system provides a win-win for industry and environment. \u201cCarbon dioxide is readily available, so it is a low-cost feedstock \u2014 and the system has the added bonus of removing a powerful greenhouse gas from the atmosphere, making the synthesis of amino acids environmentally friendly, too.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acssynbio.4c00359\u0022\u003ECarbon Negative Synthesis of Amino Acids Using a Cell-Free-Based Biocatalyst,\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d published today in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/journal\/asbcd6\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EACS Synthetic Biology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is publicly available. The research was led by Georgia Tech in collaboration with the University of Washington, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the University of Minnesota.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Georgia Tech research contingent includes\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EPeralta-Yahya, a professor with joint appointments in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/pamela-peralta-yahya\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ChBE); first author\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EShaafique Chowdhury\u003C\/strong\u003E, a Ph.D. student in ChBE;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERay Westenberg\u003C\/strong\u003E, a Ph.D student in Bioengineering; and Georgia Tech alum\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKimberly Wennerholm\u003C\/strong\u003E (B.S. ChBE \u201923).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECostly chemicals\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThere are two key challenges to synthesizing amino acids on a large scale: the cost of materials, and the speed at which the system can generate amino acids.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhile many living systems like cyanobacteria can synthesize amino acids from CO2, the rate at which they do it is too slow to be harnessed for industrial applications, and these systems can only synthesize a limited number of chemicals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECurrently, most commercial amino acids are made using bioengineered microbes. \u201cThese specially designed organisms convert sugar or plant biomass into fuel and chemicals,\u201d explains first author Chowdhury, \u201cbut valuable food resources are consumed if sugar is used as the feedstock \u2014 and pre-processing plant biomass is costly.\u201d These processes also release CO2 as a byproduct.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EChowdhury says the team was curious \u201cif we could develop a commercially viable system that could use carbon dioxide as a feedstock. We wanted to build a system that could quickly and efficiently convert CO2 into critical amino acids, like glycine and serine.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team was particularly interested in what could be accomplished by a \u2018cell-free\u2019 system that leveraged some process of a cellular system \u2014 but didn\u2019t actually involve living cells, Peralta-Yahya says, adding that systems using living cells need to use part of their CO2 to fuel their own metabolic processes, including cell growth, and have not yet produced sufficient quantities of amino acids.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cPart of what makes a cell-free system so efficient,\u201d Westenberg explains, \u201cis that it can use cellular enzymes without needing the cells themselves. By generating the enzymes and combining them in the lab, the system can directly convert carbon dioxide into the desired chemicals. Because there are no cells involved, it doesn\u2019t need to use the carbon to support cell growth \u2014 which vastly increases the amount of amino acids the system can produce.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA novel solution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhile scientists have used cell-free systems before, one of the necessary chemicals, the cell lysate biocatalyst, is extremely costly. For a cell-free system to be economically viable at scale, the team needed to limit the amount of cell lysate the system needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAfter creating the ten enzymes necessary for the reaction, the team attempted to dilute the biocatalyst using a technique called \u2018volumetric expansion.\u2019 \u201cWe found that the biocatalyst we used was active even after being diluted 200-fold,\u201d Peralta-Yahya explains. \u201cThis allows us to use significantly less of this high-cost material \u2014 while simultaneously increasing feedstock loading and amino acid output.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s a novel application of a cell-free system, and one with the potential to transform both how amino acids are produced, and the industry\u2019s impact on our changing climate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis research provides a pathway for making this method cost-effective and scalable,\u201d Peralta-Yahya says. \u201cThis system might one day be used to make chemicals ranging from aromatics and terpenes, to alcohols and polymers, and all in a way that not only reduces our carbon footprint, but improves it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: Advanced Research Project Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research Program.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/10.1021\/acssynbio.4c00359\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E10.1021\/acssynbio.4c00359\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a landmark study led by Georgia Tech, researchers demonstrate a first-of-its kind way to synthesize amino acids that uses more carbon than it emits. 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By generating the enzymes and combining them in the lab, the system can directly convert carbon dioxide into ","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPart of what makes a cell-free system so efficient,\u201d Westenberg says, \u201cis that it can use cellular enzymes without needing the cells themselves. By generating the enzymes and combining them in the lab, the system can directly convert carbon dioxide into the desired chemicals.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1731680456","gmt_created":"2024-11-15 14:20:56","changed":"1731680456","gmt_changed":"2024-11-15 14:20:56","alt":"\u201cPart of what makes a cell-free system so efficient,\u201d Westenberg says, \u201cis that it can use cellular enzymes without needing the cells themselves. By generating the enzymes and combining them in the lab, the system can directly convert carbon dioxide into the desired chemicals.\u201d","file":{"fid":"259295","name":"Peralta-Yahya_Formate to amino acids_TOC.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/15\/Peralta-Yahya_Formate%20to%20amino%20acids_TOC.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/15\/Peralta-Yahya_Formate%20to%20amino%20acids_TOC.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":228824,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/15\/Peralta-Yahya_Formate%20to%20amino%20acids_TOC.jpg?itok=9TrUQQoK"}}},"media_ids":["675623","675620","675622","675621","675647"],"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":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188020","name":"go-rbi"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39461","name":"Manufacturing, Trade, and Logistics"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"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":["sperrin6@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678583":{"#nid":"678583","#data":{"type":"news","title":"LLS Funds Immunoengineers and Cancer Specialists to Tackle Health Disparities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA multi-institutional research initiative aims to address lymphoma survival disparities in African American and EBV-infected patients.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new interdisciplinary initiative with researchers at Georgia Tech, Emory University, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Weill Cornell Medical aims to address the knowledge gap in lymphomas \u2014 particularly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common form of blood cancer. Survival rates for DLBCL are lower among African American patients and those with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is prevalent in Latin America. The team uses immunoengineering tools to facilitate this discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETackling Health Disparities in Lymphoma Treatment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address these health disparities, the team combines expertise in cancer biology and immunoengineering. At Georgia Tech, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/7480\u0022\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/a\u003E works with oncologists and cancer biologists from partner institutions to create innovative cancer technologies, such as lab-grown, lymph node-mimicking models of DLBDL tumors. Singh is Carl Ring Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (BME)\u0026nbsp;and directs\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering\u003C\/a\u003E. These models will mimic the tumor environments in lymphoma from African American patients and\u0026nbsp;model specific mutations prevalent in these patients. Researchers will observe how various genetic changes work in concert with the\u0026nbsp;immune system to impact a tumor\u0027s response to treatments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to understand the full makeup of these tumors; not just the cancer cells but the surrounding supportive cells and proteins,\u201d said Singh, who serves as co-investigator for LLS SCOR.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThis study will help us pinpoint which parts of the tumor are critical for its survival and how we can disrupt those mechanisms, including the immune cells.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChallenges for Understanding Tumor Biology in High-Risk Groups\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common form of blood cancer. While many patients respond well to standard therapies, a significant portion \u2014 including a disproportionate number of African Americans and individuals with EBV-related conditions, experience poorer outcomes. The reasons behind these disparities are still largely unknown. Current barriers include a lack of diverse representation in research studies and a paucity of engineered technologies dedicated to understanding cancers in patients from underrepresented backgrounds.\u003Ca\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Most lymphoma studies don\u0027t include nearly enough African American or Hispanic patients,\u0022 said Jean Koff, lead investigator and associate professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University\u2019s Winship Cancer Institute. \u201cThis means we are likely missing key insights into the unique biology and treatment needs of these populations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Collaboration Focused on Advancing Lymphoma Research and Care\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis new initiative, funded by The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lls.org\/research\/specialized-center-research-program-scor\u0022\u003ELeukemia \u0026amp; Lymphoma Society\u0027s Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) Program\u003C\/a\u003E, will analyze a comprehensive collection of DLBCL tumor samples that includes many cases from Black and Hispanic patients. By examining genetic differences and tumor structures, the researchers hope to identify the factors most important for improving therapy for these groups.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis program is groundbreaking because it addresses both biological and structural barriers in treatment, leveraging the\u0026nbsp;latest bioengineered technologies,\u201d Singh noted. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at factors that have been overlooked for too long in cancer research, especially in high-risk communities.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo explore the composition and diversity of cells within tumors of African American patients and better understand how they grow and respond to treatments, the team leverages the expertise of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/5349\u0022\u003EAhmet Coskun\u003C\/a\u003E. Coskun is a Georgia Tech immunoengineer known for his innovative approaches to understanding the immune response to cancer. An assistant professor in BME, Coskun holds the Bernie Marcus Early Career Professorship. He and his team use advanced imaging techniques and engineering principles to analyze tumor microenvironments in unprecedented detail. By examining how different immune cells interact with cancer cells, they hope to uncover the complexities of tumor biology and identify factors that contribute to treatment resistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis five-year, multi-million-dollar LLS SCOR award is the culmination of years of collaboration among leading researchers in the field of lymphoma. Singh, with colleagues Koff, Coskun, Christopher Flowers at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and\u0026nbsp;Cornell Medicine\u2019s Ari Melnick, Ethel Cesarman, and Leandro Cerchietti, are fostering a partnership in lymphomas and EBV-related cancers, which is instrumental in advancing research on lymphoma treatment health disparities. Their longstanding partnership reflects a commitment to addressing the complex challenges different populations face when battling deadly cancers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022With this unique partnership, leveraging new cancer technologies, biology, and clinical expertise, we hope to make breakthroughs in lymphoma research and begin to address health disparities in lymphoma at multiscale levels,\u201d said Melnick, a co-lead for LLS SCOR and Gebroe Family Professor of Hematology and Oncology\u0026nbsp;at New York\u2019s Weill Cornell Medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe group also played a significant role in organizing, moderating, and presenting at the inaugural conference \u201cHealth Disparities in Hematologic Malignancies: From Genes to Outreach,\u201d held in May 2023 in New York. The conference served as a vital platform for discussing the latest research, sharing best practices, and highlighting the importance of outreach initiatives aimed at improving care for underserved populations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The research will provide a unique window into the intricate structure of lymphomas and how these complexities influence treatment,\u201d said Flowers, a physician-scientist and division head of\u0026nbsp;Cancer Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. \u201cBy studying lymphoma microenvironments in patient tissues and organoids, we can begin addressing health disparities in lymphoma, identifying why certain populations may respond differently to therapies. No other technology currently provides this level of insight or potential for tailored patient care.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis unique research collaboration is crucial, as understanding tumor heterogeneity can inform the development of more personalized treatment strategies, particularly for underserved communities that often face disparities in cancer care. By integrating engineering with oncology, the team hopes to create more effective therapies tailored to individual patient profiles, ultimately aiming to improve outcomes for all lymphoma patients. This multi-site collaboration aims to fast-track the development of therapies against lymphomas in African Americans and individuals with EBV-related conditions and eventually bring them to clinical trials\u003Ca\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject Title: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lls.org\/award\/translating-molecular-profiles-treatment-approaches-target-disparities-lymphoma\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETranslating molecular profiles into treatment approaches to target disparities in lymphoma\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E(Funding and award period: $5 million, October 1, 2024 - September 30, 2029)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA multi-institutional research initiative aims to address lymphoma survival disparities in African American and EBV-infected patients.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A multi-institutional research initiative aims to address lymphoma survival disparities in African American and EBV-infected patients."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-11-21 14:19:08","changed_gmt":"2024-11-21 16:30:41","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675692":{"id":"675692","type":"image","title":"AnkurKoff.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJean Louise Koff and Ankur Singh\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1732198779","gmt_created":"2024-11-21 14:19:39","changed":"1732198779","gmt_changed":"2024-11-21 14:19:39","alt":"Jean Louise Koff and Ankur Singh","file":{"fid":"259344","name":"AnkurKoff.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/AnkurKoff.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/AnkurKoff.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":182419,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/21\/AnkurKoff.jpg?itok=ycics0US"}},"675693":{"id":"675693","type":"image","title":"Immunoengineering.jpg","body":null,"created":"1732198838","gmt_created":"2024-11-21 14:20:38","changed":"1732198838","gmt_changed":"2024-11-21 14:20:38","alt":"Immunoengineering","file":{"fid":"259345","name":"Immunoengineering.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/Immunoengineering.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/Immunoengineering.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":189295,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/21\/Immunoengineering.jpg?itok=euHjBY_v"}}},"media_ids":["675692","675693"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"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\u003EBy: Savannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678582":{"#nid":"678582","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mapping Protein Interactions to Fight Lung Cancer: Coskun Pioneering New Field of Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs Ahmet F. Coskun and his team of researchers continue their mission to create a 3D atlas of the human body, mapping cells and tissues, they\u2019re making discoveries that could lead to better treatments for the most common type of lung cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile they\u2019re at it, they\u2019re pioneering new fields of research, and possibly spinning the work into a new commercial venture.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast year, Coskun and his team introduced a new study in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/12\/20\/coskun-lab-pioneering-new-field-research-single-cell-spatial-metabolomics\u0022\u003E\u201csingle cell spatial metabolomics,\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E which explores the distribution of small molecules \u2014 metabolites \u2014 within tissues and organs. Now they\u2019re spearheading \u201cspatial interactomics,\u201d a research area concerned with interactions between various biomolecules inside of individual cells.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo study these interactions, they\u2019ve developed an innovative technique, or tool, to better understand why non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, resists treatment in so many patients. They call it the \u201cintelligent sequential proximity ligation assay,\u201d or iseqPLA.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a smart test that can look at proteins and how they interact with each other in space,\u201d said Coskun, Bernie Marcus Early Career Professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBasically, we\u2019re the first to create a new research area on spatial protein-protein interactions, which can tell us more about cell types and their functions,\u201d said Coskun. \u201cWith spatial interactomics, we can validate how cells physically touch, sense, and regulate nearby cells through the interaction of pairs of proteins.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESo, the immediate goal of spatial interactomics is to investigate how protein-protein interactions drive drug resistance in NSCLC. And iseqPLA allows researchers to visualize how it\u2019s all happening at the subcellular level. Coskun\u2019s team described its work recently in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41551-024-01271-x\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. He\u2019s also forming a company to commercialize the technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESmarter Tools\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDrugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs, like Osimertinib) have been successful in treating people with NSCLC. But many patients who initially respond well to the regimen, eventually develop a resistance. Protein interactions, a molecular kind of crosstalk, are a prime suspect in causing this resistance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProteins interact with each other all the time, and this mingling controls how cells grow, divide, or survive. Coskun and his team want to see how these interactions change in response to cancer treatment, and iseqPLA shows them, essentially attaching glowing tags to proteins, lighting up their locations and interactions under a microscope.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThink of it like a super detailed map showing how different proteins in a cell are connected,\u201d Coskun said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe iseqPLA can examine 47 protein interactions in a single sample, which saves a lot of time (and resources) when compared to older methods, which look at two to three interactions at a time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also created a computer model to analyze the spatial data they collected from iseqPLA, identifying patterns in protein interactions to help predict whether a cell was responding to a treatment or developing resistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe showed that the test works not only in lab-grown cells but also in tissues from mice and humans,\u201d Coskun said. \u201cIt can really help us understand how patients respond to certain treatments.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding a Spatial Omics Market\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGoing forward, Coskun aims to enhance iseqPLA to study interactions among RNA, proteins, and metabolites, as well as the RNA, proteins, metabolites, etc., and other subcellular dynamics. He also hopes to get the technology into the hands of other researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe believe it will be a groundbreaking tool,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith that in mind, Coskun is planning to form a startup company called SpatAllize. He\u2019s working with VentureLab, the nonprofit organization at Georgia Tech that provides entrepreneurship programs for students and faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are currently performing customer interviews and forming a strategy for a viable plan towards the marketplace,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe also plans to expand iseqPLA\u2019s utility into other areas of research, focusing on how protein interactions influence the immune system, the heart, and brain health. His team is also developing a spatial interactomics robot that integrates iseqPLA with advanced imaging and automated deep learning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis will allow us to map all molecules within cells and tissues for an even better understanding of drug-cell interactions, particularly in cancer treatment planning,\u201d Coskun said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E Shuangyi Cai, Thomas Hu, Abhijeet Venkataraman, Felix G. Rivera Moctezuma, Efe Ozturk, Nicholas Zhang, Mingshuang Wang, Tatenda Zvidzai, Sandip Das, Adithya Pillai, Frank Schneider, Suresh S. Ramalingam, YouTake Oh, Shi-Yong Sun, and Ahmet F. Coskun. \u201cSpatially resolved subcellular protein\u2013protein interactomics in drug-perturbed lung-cancer cultures and tissues.\u201d \u003Cem\u003ENature Biomedical Engineering.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41551-024-01271-x\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41551-024-01271-x\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFUNDING:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, grant Nos. P50CA217691, P30CA138292, and R33CA291197; and the National Science Foundation, grant No. R35GM151028. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any funding agency.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECOMPETING INTERESTS:\u003C\/strong\u003E Coskun, Cai, and Hu declare a patent application related to the spatial-signaling interactomics assay (U.S. Provisional 63\/399,427 and U.S. Application No. 18\/452,178).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Coskun\u2019s team developed new tool for mapping protein interactions in cells to study drug resistance in the most common form of lung cancer and its part of a new research area called \u0022spatial interactomics.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Spatial Interactomics: Mapping Protein Interactions to Fight Lung Cancer Coskun pioneering new research area and building a company around iseqPLA technology "}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-11-21 14:15:54","changed_gmt":"2024-11-21 15:13:42","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675691":{"id":"675691","type":"image","title":"Ahmet in lab","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Coskun\u0027s lab has developed iseqPLA to map protein interactions.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1732198211","gmt_created":"2024-11-21 14:10:11","changed":"1732198270","gmt_changed":"2024-11-21 14:11:10","alt":"Ahmet in lab with iseqPLA","file":{"fid":"259343","name":"ahmet robot4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/ahmet%20robot4.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/ahmet%20robot4.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3061812,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/21\/ahmet%20robot4.jpg?itok=0DMsSbGA"}},"675690":{"id":"675690","type":"image","title":"Cell activity","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn artistic rendering of sub-cellular activity: The cell membrane is seen at the top, nucleus on the bottom\/right. Protein pairs are being targeted by antibodies (sets of two). Then antibodies are linked to DNA pieces that glow when proteins were found to be closely interacting with each other. The glowing fluorescence DNA signal is then imaged by a microscope indicating the spatial locations of protein interactions as dots, which researchers use to generate graph models. The straight lines connecting the antibody and protein pairs indicate their graph wiring that gets altered in drug resistance. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1732198084","gmt_created":"2024-11-21 14:08:04","changed":"1732198196","gmt_changed":"2024-11-21 14:09:56","alt":"An artistic rendering of sub-cellular activity","file":{"fid":"259342","name":"cell world.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/cell%20world.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/cell%20world.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5629141,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/21\/cell%20world.jpg?itok=mc1snlho"}}},"media_ids":["675691","675690"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"14906","name":"lung cancer"},{"id":"168013","name":"spatial"},{"id":"184359","name":"Omics"},{"id":"14641","name":"protein-protein interactions"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"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:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678571":{"#nid":"678571","#data":{"type":"news","title":" Douglas-Green Lab Advancing Nanoparticle Research for Drug Delivery","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESimone Douglas-Green, an asst. professor at the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, has recently been awarded the 2024 Sloan Scholars Mentoring Network (SSMN) seed grant.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThis $10,000 award, the first independent funding for the Douglas-Green lab, will support her research on protein coronas \u2014 protein complexes that form when proteins are absorbed to the surface of nanoparticles.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re excited about receiving the grant,\u201d said Douglas-Green. \u201cSloan was integral to my career as a Ph.D. student, and now the SSMN Seed Grant is a catalyst for our research group\u2019s first project.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe grant was established specifically to support research. But the SSMN program, formed through a collaboration between the Social Science Research Council and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, does more than offer grants. It also provides workshops, mentoring, and networking opportunities to support scholars in their academic journey.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWith this grant, the Douglas-Green lab will address the challenge of isolating and characterizing protein coronas on nanoparticles, particularly small ones like polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers, a class of nanoparticles which hold significant potential for drug delivery.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cHaving the right tools and techniques to accurately study bio-nano interactions will make this endeavor possible, and our new group will be at the forefront in developing them,\u201d said Douglas-Green.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWhat sets her research apart is her lab\u2019s use of the electrophoresis process to characterize protein coronas. Building on her post-doctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Douglas-Green\u2019s lab is employing a nondenaturing electrophoresis technique combined with mass spectrometry to separate and identify these tiny protein coronas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EElectrophoresis is a lab technique used to separate molecules, like proteins, based on their size and charge, helping scientists understand the composition and behavior of these proteins. When an electric current is applied, proteins move through a gel at different speeds depending on their size and charge, so researchers can analyze the types of proteins involved. The technique can be used to study nanoparticle-protein complexes on nanoparticles with smaller sizes and densities in ways that existing methods, like centrifugation or dynamic light scattering, cannot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDouglas-Green\u2019s lab has turned the challenges of nanoparticle-protein separation into an opportunity for innovation. By avoiding the use of SDS, a common detergent that interferes with PEG (a polymer that makes nanoparticles more compatible with the body), they found a way to better characterize protein coronas on PEG-coated nanocarriers.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe separation technique developed by Douglas-Green\u2019s lab ensured compatibility with the surface chemistry of dendrimers, a priority as the research team continues advancing nanoparticle separation techniques.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cOur engineering goal is to develop tools and techniques to study protein coronas on various types of nanoparticles,\u201d said Douglas-Green. \u201cUsing these tools, we can uncover some biological questions to understand person- or disease-specific protein coronas.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EThe work is part of a broader effort to build a toolkit of techniques for scientists to better understand bio-nanoparticles interactions\u2013leading to more targeted nanoparticle-based treatments and therapeutics.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cFor me, this is more than seed funding to pursue science,\u201d Douglas-Green said. \u201cThis is funding the start of a dream realized!\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBME assistant professor using Sloan Scholars Mentoring Network seed grant to support her lab\u0027s work\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"BME assistant professor using Sloan Scholars Mentoring Network seed grant to support her lab\u0027s work"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-11-20 18:35:50","changed_gmt":"2024-11-20 18:36:35","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675684":{"id":"675684","type":"image","title":"simone-douglas-green_0.png","body":null,"created":"1732127758","gmt_created":"2024-11-20 18:35:58","changed":"1732127758","gmt_changed":"2024-11-20 18:35:58","alt":"SDG","file":{"fid":"259336","name":"simone-douglas-green_0.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/20\/simone-douglas-green_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/20\/simone-douglas-green_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1100158,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/20\/simone-douglas-green_0.png?itok=SwOyBsAp"}}},"media_ids":["675684"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/douglas-green-lab-advancing-nanoparticle-research-drug-delivery","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003EBy Yanet Chernet\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EContact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kelly.petty@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EKelly Petty\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications\u003Cbr\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678523":{"#nid":"678523","#data":{"type":"news","title":"College of Sciences Students Earn Walk-on Stamps President\u2019s Scholarships","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThree College of Sciences students with aspirations of making a difference in medicine were selected as recipients of the prestigious \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/stampsps.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStamps President\u2019s Scholarship\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Though this scholarship is typically given to 40 exceptional incoming first-year students, a select few second- and third-year students are chosen to receive the honor for exemplifying the program\u2019s pillars of scholarship, leadership, progress, and service.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new Scholars include \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\/\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/modlangs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Modern Languages\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Estudent\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ESonali Kaluri,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Estudent\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ESeth Kinoshita\u003C\/strong\u003E, and School of Biological Sciences student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMedina McCowin\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs part of the program, the selected students will receive a full-ride scholarship, special mentoring, and travel opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the Scholars\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESonali Kaluri\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eis a third-year\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Estudent double majoring in biology and applied languages and intercultural studies (with a concentration in Spanish). Deeply passionate about women\u0027s health, she has researched clinical considerations of treating liver disease in pregnant women and the impact of a virtual lactation program on maternal and infant health outcomes at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EIn her spare time, she volunteers at the Winship Cancer Institute and the March of Dimes and is a member of the Yellow Jacket Fencing Club.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI hope to attend medical school and pursue a career in academic medicine after graduation from Georgia Tech,\u201d says Kaluri. \u201cMy research experience has made me acutely aware of the gaps in medical knowledge regarding the different ways disease processes affect women, and I hope to become an advocate for change through research and clinical practice!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESeth Kinoshita\u003C\/strong\u003E is a third-year biochemistry major with a minor in health and medical sciences. As an undergraduate research assistant with the Department of Biomedical Engineering, he focuses on a novel drug delivery structure that can be surgically inserted to decrease recovery time and minimize invasiveness for tendon injuries. His work has been published in several academic journals. He serves as an undergraduate research ambassador and a pre-health mentor \u2014\u0026nbsp;and spends his free time with Sympathetic Vibrations, Georgia Tech\u0027s male a cappella group. Kinoshita also works as the medical coordinator for Aurora Day Camp, a camp for children with cancer and their siblings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022After graduation, I want to pursue an M.D.\/Ph.D. in regenerative orthopedic medicine to bridge my tendon repair research with direct implementation into patients,\u201d says Kinoshita. \u201cI aim to develop innovative treatments that can restore mobility in the extremities and improve the quality of life for patients with musculoskeletal disorders.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedina McCowin\u003C\/strong\u003E is a third-year biology major researching cancer treatment methods in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sulchek2.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESulchek BioMEMS and Biomechanics Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. She also worked for Lachance Laboratories as an undergraduate researcher, investigating cancer genetics\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EActive on campus, she is the biology representative for the Georgia Tech Undergraduate House of Representatives and president of the Georgia Tech Public Health Student Association. McCowin has also held several leadership roles with the Georgia Tech American Medical Student Association.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIn the future, I hope to pursue an M.D.\/Ph.D. and become a pediatric oncologist and cancer treatment researcher, focusing on improving pediatric cancer treatments,\u201d says McCowin. \u201cWorking in the healthcare field and experiencing personal loss has taught me that empathy and compassion are the most important factors in becoming a doctor. As a doctor, I want to contribute to the advancements of pediatric medicine, but also be dedicated to improving the emotional and mental well-being of my patients and their families.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESonali Kaluri, Seth Kinoshita, and Medina McCowin have been selected as walk-on recipients of the prestigious Stamps President\u0027s Scholarship. Chosen for their academic achievements, leadership, and commitment to service, they will receive full scholarships, mentoring, and unique growth opportunities\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Sonali Kaluri, Seth Kinoshita, and Medina McCowin have been selected as walk-on recipients of the prestigious Stamps President\u0027s Scholarship, recognizing their exceptional academic accomplishments, leadership, and dedication to service."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2024-11-19 14:48:13","changed_gmt":"2024-11-19 16:42:42","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675663":{"id":"675663","type":"image","title":"Congratulations to the walk-on Stamps President\u0027s Scholars from the College of Sciences: Sonali Kaluri, Seth Kinoshita, and Medina McCowin.","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations to the walk-on Stamps President\u0027s Scholars from the College of Sciences: Sonali Kaluri, Seth Kinoshita, and Medina McCowin.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1732027981","gmt_created":"2024-11-19 14:53:01","changed":"1732027981","gmt_changed":"2024-11-19 14:53:01","alt":"Three student headshots","file":{"fid":"259311","name":"Stampsscholars.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/19\/Stampsscholars.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/19\/Stampsscholars.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4760255,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/19\/Stampsscholars.png?itok=ZmfDlsPk"}}},"media_ids":["675663"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/news\/two-college-sciences-students-earn-walk-stamps-presidents-scholarships","title":"Two College of Sciences Students Earn Walk-on Stamps President\u0027s Scholarships"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"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":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"167103","name":"student honors"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"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\u003EWriter: Laura S. Smith\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Elaura.smith@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678391":{"#nid":"678391","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Facundo Fern\u00e1ndez Receives 2024 Anachem Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/fernandez\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFacundo Fern\u00e1ndez\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Vasser Woolley Foundation Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry and Regents\u2019 Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/facundo-m-fernandez\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, has been selected as this year\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.anachem.org\/awards\u0022\u003EAnachem Award\u003C\/a\u003E recipient by the Association of Analytical Chemists.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPresented as a part of a symposium arranged and given by former students and colleagues to honor the recipient, the award recognizes an outstanding analytical chemist that has advanced the field through exemplary research, teaching, or other endeavors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis award is very significant to me as it is given to the most accomplished scientists in the field of analytical chemistry, including some of my long-time heroes, such as\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBob Kennedy\u003C\/strong\u003E of the University of Michigan,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ECatherine Fenselau\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eof the University of Maryland and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EScott McLuckey\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eof Purdue University,\u201d says Fern\u00e1ndez.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAnachem award winners include\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERosalyn Yallow\u003C\/strong\u003E, who received the Nobel Prize for the development of the radioimmunoassay technique,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt is enormously significant to be recognized by such close peers who appreciate the value of measurement science in general, and analytical chemistry in particular.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFern\u00e1ndez is a noted leader in the field of metabolomics and molecular imaging, where his\u0026nbsp;research encompasses the development of new ionization, imaging, machine learning and ion mobility spectrometry tools for probing composition and structure in complex molecular mixtures.\u0026nbsp;He is the author of over 225 peer-reviewed publications and has received the NSF CAREER award, the CETL\/BP Teaching award, the Ron A. Hites best paper award from the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, and the Beynon award from Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, among others.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe award recognizes an outstanding analytical chemist that has advanced the field through exemplary research, teaching, or other endeavors.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The award recognizes an outstanding analytical chemist that has advanced the field through exemplary research, teaching, or other endeavors."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-11-13 15:27:08","changed_gmt":"2024-11-13 15:43:25","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675618":{"id":"675618","type":"image","title":"Facundo Fern\u00e1ndez","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFacundo Fern\u00e1ndez\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1731511889","gmt_created":"2024-11-13 15:31:29","changed":"1731511889","gmt_changed":"2024-11-13 15:31:29","alt":"Facundo Fern\u00e1ndez","file":{"fid":"259260","name":"March 2022 cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/March%202022%20cropped_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/March%202022%20cropped_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":97986,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/13\/March%202022%20cropped_0.jpg?itok=z1AJ-Wxu"}}},"media_ids":["675618"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"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"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"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\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["sperrin6@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678390":{"#nid":"678390","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lab-Grown Human Immune System Model Uncovers Weakened Response in Cancer Patients","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETo better\u0026nbsp;understand why some cancer patients struggle to fight off infections, Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;researchers have created tiny lab-grown models of human immune systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese miniature models \u2014 known as human immune organoids \u2014\u0026nbsp;mimic the\u0026nbsp;real-life environment where immune cells learn to\u0026nbsp;recognize and attack harmful invaders\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;respond to vaccines. Not only are these organoids powerful new tools for studying and observing immune function in cancer, their use is likely to accelerate vaccine development, better predict disease treatment response for patients, and even speed up clinical trials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur synthetic hydrogels create a breakthrough environment for human immune organoids, allowing us to model antibody production from scratch, more precisely, and for a longer duration,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/singh\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Carl Ring Family Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and professor in\u0026nbsp;the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech and Emory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor the first time, we can recreate and sustain complex immunological processes in a synthetic gel, using blood, and effectively track B cell responses,\u201d he added. \u201cThis is a gamechanger for understanding and treating immune vulnerabilities in patients with lymphoma who have undergone cancer treatment \u2014 and hopefully other disorders too.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELed by Singh, the team created lab-grown immune systems that mimic human tonsils and lymph node tissue to study immune responses more accurately. Their \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41563-024-02037-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eresearch findings\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, published in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Materials\u003C\/em\u003E, mark a shift toward in vitro models that more closely represent human immunology. The team also included investigators from Emory University, Children\u2019s Hospital of Atlanta, and Vanderbilt University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDesigning a Tiny Immune System Model\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers were inspired to address a critical issue in biomedical science: the poor success rate of translating preclinical findings from animal models into effective clinical outcomes, especially in the context of immunity, infection, and vaccine responses.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile animal models are valuable for many types of research, they often fail to accurately mirror realistic human immune biology, disease mechanisms, and treatment responses,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioengineering.gatech.edu\/user\/1585\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMonica (Zhe) Zhong\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a Bioengineering Ph.D. student and the paper\u2019s first author. \u201cTo address this, we designed a new model that faithfully replicates the unique complexity of human immune biology across molecular, cellular, tissue, and system levels.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team used synthetic hydrogels to recreate a microenvironment where B cells from human blood and tonsils can mature and produce antibodies. When immune cells from healthy donors or lymphoma patients are cultured in these gel-like environments, the organoids support longer cell function, allowing processes like antibody formation and adaptation to occur \u2014\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Esimilar to the human body. Utilizing the organoids for individual patients helps predict how that individual will respond to infection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe models also enable researchers to control and test immune responses under various conditions. The team discovered that not all tissue sources are the same, and tonsil cells struggled with longevity issues. They used a specialized setup to study how healthy immune cells react to signals that help them fight infections, which failed to trigger the same response in cells from lymphoma survivors who seemingly have recovered from immunotherapy treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing organoids embedded in a novel immune organ-on-chip technology, the team observed that immune cells from lymphoma survivors treated with certain immunotherapies do not organize themselves into specific \u201czones,\u201d the way they normally would in a strong immune response. This lack of organization may help explain some immune challenges cancer survivors face, as evidenced by recent clinical findings.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Game-Changing Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis research is primarily of interest to infectious disease researchers, cancer researchers, immunologists, and healthcare professionals\u0026nbsp; dedicated to improving patient outcomes. By studying these miniature immune systems, they can identify why current treatments may not be effective and explore new strategies to enhance immune defenses.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Lymphoma patients treated with CD20-targeted therapies often face increased susceptibility to infections that can persist years after completing therapy.Understanding these long-term impacts on antibody responses could be key to improving both safety and quality of life for lymphoma survivors,\u201d said Dr. Jean Koff, associate professor in the department of Hematology and Oncology at Emory University\u2019s Winship Cancer Institute and a co-author on the paper.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis technology provides deeper biological insights and an innovative way to monitor for recovery of immunological defects over time. It could help clinicians better identify patients who would benefit from specific interventions that reduce infection risk,\u201d Koff added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother critical and promising aspect of the research is its scalability: An individual researcher can make hundreds of organoids in a single sitting. The model\u2019s capability to target different populations \u2014 both healthy and immunosuppressed patients \u2014 vastly increases its usability for vaccine and therapeutic testing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Singh, who directs the \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the team is already pushing the research into new dimensions, including developing cellular therapies and an aged immune system model to address aging-related questions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt the end of the day, this work most immediately affects cancer patients and survivors, who often struggle with weakened immune responses and may not respond well to standard treatments like vaccines,\u201d Singh explained. \u201cThis breakthrough could lead to new ways of boosting immune defenses, ultimately helping vulnerable patients stay healthier and recover more fully.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work was initially funded by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wellcomeleap.org\/hope\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWellcome Leap HOPE program\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. This support has led to a boost in recent funding, including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nih-awards-75-million-ankur-singh-pioneering-human-immune-organoid-research\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ea recent $7.5M grant\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation\u003C\/strong\u003E: Zhong, Z., Qui\u00f1ones-P\u00e9rez, M., Dai, Z.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Eet al.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;Human immune organoids to decode B cell response in healthy donors and patients with lymphoma.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENat. Mater.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;(2024).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI\u003C\/strong\u003E: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41563-024-02037-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41563-024-02037-1\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding\u003C\/strong\u003E: Wellcome Leap HOPE Program, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Cancer Institute, and Georgia Tech Foundation\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe miniature models could exponentially accelerate vaccine development, cancer treatment research, and improved health outcomes across a spectrum of diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The miniature models could exponentially accelerate vaccine development, cancer treatment research, and improved health outcomes across a spectrum of diseases."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-11-13 15:23:24","changed_gmt":"2024-11-13 15:30:00","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675617":{"id":"675617","type":"image","title":"Ankur article.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe left image shows the immune organ-on-chip, where the organoids (right) are grown to study the response of human donors. The right image shows development of types of immune cells relevant to the antibody response. (Credit: Ankur Singh)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1731511766","gmt_created":"2024-11-13 15:29:26","changed":"1731511766","gmt_changed":"2024-11-13 15:29:26","alt":"Ankur","file":{"fid":"259259","name":"Ankur article.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/Ankur%20article_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/Ankur%20article_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":687294,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/13\/Ankur%20article_0.png?itok=vk-5bjmJ"}},"675616":{"id":"675616","type":"image","title":"singh zhong.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAnkur Singh, Carl Ring Family Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory, and Monica (Zhe) Zhong, a Bioengineering Ph.D. student and the paper\u2019s first author.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1731511717","gmt_created":"2024-11-13 15:28:37","changed":"1731511717","gmt_changed":"2024-11-13 15:28:37","alt":"Singh Zhong","file":{"fid":"259258","name":"singh zhong.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/singh%20zhong.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/singh%20zhong.png","mime":"image\/png","size":63422,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/13\/singh%20zhong.png?itok=OLp4Y6o7"}}},"media_ids":["675617","675616"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/11\/12\/lab-grown-human-immune-system-model-uncovers-weakened-response-cancer-patients","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ECatherine Barzler, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["catherine.barzler@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678347":{"#nid":"678347","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Frugal Science Academy Enhancing Science Education across Georgia","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELevi Phillips\u0027 path to enrollment as a first-year major in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) in fall 2024 included interning in the Frugal Science Academy, which a ChBE professor created to nurture the next generation of engineers, inventors, and change makers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhillips learned of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/fsa.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrugal Science Academy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (FSA) as a student at Lambert High School through his biotechnology teacher Janet Standeven, who had developed a collaboration with FSA founder \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bhamla.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESaad Bhamla\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in ChBE.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Frugal Science Academy is building a world where synthetic biology is accessible to everyone who wishes to participate through the creation of affordable equipment,\u201d Bhamla said. \u201cWe help high school students build synthetic biology tools using everyday objects and share those technologies with others.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrugal innovations that have emerged from the Bhamla lab include an automated tracking microscope, a 3D-printed centrifuge, and an inexpensive cell lysis device for molecular biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring his senior year at Lambert in Suwanee, Georgia, Phillips worked remotely with Bhamla\u2019s FSA conducting an independent project on a PIO reactor, an affordable open-source bioreactor.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFSA Boot Camp and Teacher Training\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhillips\u2019 project continued in summer 2024 as he worked in campus labs at Georgia Tech as part of the two-week\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EFSA Boot Camp and Teacher Training, which involved, at various times, 15 high school interns and 20 other high school students working with undergraduate mentors on various projects from new hardware devices to innovative synthetic biology projects.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESix high school teachers also took part in the teacher development portion of the Boot Camp.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhillips, who said the overall experience with the FSA attracted him to apply and enroll at Georgia Tech, described the mentorship and lab experiences during the\u0026nbsp;Boot Camp as exceptional.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf I had to give a star rating, it would be six stars out of five, just fantastic,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFormation and Funding of FSA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPhillips\u2019 former biotechnology teacher at Lambert, Janet Standeven, organized the Boot Camp in her role as program manager of the FSA.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe began partnering with ChBE\u2019s Professor Bhamla in 2017 when her Lambert students wanted to take part in the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition. Standeven reached out to Bhamla to see if her students could use an open-source centrifuge from his lab for a project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/478da80b-3e65-42f5-97e9-9b61a3c7c9e1%20%281%29.jpg?itok=mPcI84F8\u0022 alt=\u0022Teachers participating in the lab \u0022 width=\u00221024\u0022 height=\u0022768\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETeachers from across Georgia participated in the Frugal Science Academy Boot Camp and Teacher Training.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/461990296_10161002267828823_8459367522110830400_n.jpg?itok=NaeW34iV\u0022 alt=\u0022Undergraduate mentor in the lab\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u00221600\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUndegraduate mentors assisted the 35 high school students participating the Summer Boot Camp and Teacher Training\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough the years, their partnership continued and evolved into Standeven, a former Georgia Biotechnology Teacher of the Year, joining the FSA in ChBE full time in 2023. Earlier this year, Georgia Tech\u0027s Center for Teaching Learning recognized FSA with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ctl.gatech.edu\/faculty\/awards\/ed-partnership\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEducation Partnership Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA five-year Science Education Partnership Award from the National Institutes of Health has enabled Bhamla and Standeven to expand frugal science access beyond Lambert to high schools across Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to students, the grant focuses on training teachers on how to conduct academic-level research from anywhere using frugal equipment. Teachers in rural areas often do not have access to university research labs that those in Atlanta and other larger cities might.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe will grow a STEM-engaged workforce by enabling teachers to provide immersive research opportunities at their high schools.\u201d Standeven said. \u201cWe\u2019ve found teachers are the multiplier of shared resources.\u0026nbsp;When you train teachers in rapidly evolving technology, they can bring real-life examples into the classroom, enriching\u0026nbsp;their\u0026nbsp;teaching content and student understanding.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIGEM Competition Preparation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA major focus of the teacher and student training in the summer 2024 FSA Boot Camp included the frugal technologies of a Lambert High School project for the International Genetically Engineering Machine Competition (IGEM).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELambert is one of only eight high schools in the country to have a team competing in IGEM, which is typically intended for college students.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom 2018 -2023, Lambert IGEM teams won gold medals at the Grand Jamboree International Competition. In 2022, the Lambert team was awarded The Grand Prize for the best high school project in the world for their early diagnostic tool detecting micro RNA associated with Coronary Artery Disease.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELambert\u2019s current team, consisting of 24 students, will compete at the 2024 international competition in October in Paris, France.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECombating Antimicrobial Resistance\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis team is developing a multi-faceted approach (called SHIELD) for combating the growing threats posed by antimicrobial resistance, which can be accelerated by the misuse of antibiotics in agriculture.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne component of SHIELD is ThermoX, a portable device for diagnosing bacterial diseases quickly. Another is a CRISPR-interference (CRISPRi) system designed to target and suppress essential genes in antibiotic-resistant bacteria without using traditional antibiotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo measure the effectiveness of CRISPRi in real-world scenarios, the team designed a biosensor called a \u0022toehold,\u0022 which helps quantify CRISPRi\u0027s impact by detecting changes in bacterial genes. Team members also investigated local water contamination caused by antibiotic runoff from livestock, highlighting how this practice fosters resistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELambert senior Christiana Cho, a member of the IGEM team, said that the opportunity to use Georgia Tech\u2019s labs over the summer was a great experience and huge help in advancing their project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe didn\u2019t have to cram all of all experiments into the fall, so the boot camp was great in getting our project moving and ensuring that we have results,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re able to get everything set in time for the IGEM competition.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EValuable Lab Time\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKate Sharer, a biotechnology teacher and IGEM advisor at Lambert, reiterated the value of the lab time made possible by the generosity of the School of Biological Sciences\u2019 lab manager Alison Onstine, who provided space in the Boggs building.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo have a solid eight hours a day in the lab is something we never get in high school,\u201d said Sharer, a Georgia Tech alum (CHEM 1996).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo have that has been wonderful as well as the collaborations with the undergraduate mentors and access to the postdocs and faculty members who\u2019ve been generous with their time and expertise.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnstine said: \u201cThe biology labs are delighted to support these valuable and impactful outreach programs. We are fortunate to have a set of newly renovated teaching labs in the Boggs building that can easily accommodate summer programs and special events. That this program is having such an outsized impact on science education in the local community is all the better.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/462105081_10161002261333823_771834687092981532_n.jpg?itok=T1BZRYJL\u0022 alt=\u0022Poster competition\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u0022900\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHigh school students in the Frugal Science Academy presented their work in a poster showcase at the end of the two-week Boot Camp.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/d19516df-586f-4a97-9da8-7d8421bba364.jpg?itok=wNkJuyZy\u0022 alt=\u0022Poster Competition\u0022 width=\u00221024\u0022 height=\u0022768\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFrugal Science Academy Founder Saad Bhamla learns about a student\u0027s research project in the poster showcase.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EImage\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/a62c3911-5e1a-4e5e-b327-b9c76e54a086.jpg?itok=XGbtLWWX\u0022 alt=\u0022High school students in group setting\u0022 width=\u00221024\u0022 height=\u0022768\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThirty-five high school students participated in the Boot Camp.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EImage\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/16b28b04-2dd9-4827-ad17-99757ff3145b.jpg?itok=yKFh1_ft\u0022 alt=\u0022Teachers in lab\u0022 width=\u00221024\u0022 height=\u0022768\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Frugal Science Academy instructs teachers on how to conduct academic-level research from anywhere using frugal equipment.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaking Impact Statewide\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMelissa Rowe, a teacher at Chattooga High School in Summerville, Georgia, attended the FSA boot camp in both 2023 and 2024.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s really increased the rigor of my classes and provided my students with new lab experiences, skills, and knowledge,\u201d she said. \u201cMy goal is to help my students understand the topics or concepts of science are not standalone but interconnected.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe said that learning lab techniques and technology involved in the IGEM student project on preventing antimicrobial resistance (aggravated by the misuse of antibiotics in agriculture) was of particular interest to her because of personal background. She lives on her family\u2019s farm, and many of the people in her community grow some of their own crops.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFuture Farmers of America and 4-H are big in our area,\u201d Rowe said. \u201cI\u2019m planning to apply for grants to test soil from different areas for antibiotic resistance. That\u2019s important to us in the health of our crops and farm animals in our area.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERowe said she is grateful to be part of the growing impact that FSA is making on science education across Georgia. \u201cIt\u2019s been an amazing experience coming and working in the labs at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESharing FSA Resources\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFSA student projects are added to a website open-sources that other classrooms can access for their experiments. The formation of virtual networks of teachers and classrooms to test new designs and give critiques to the inventors will provide a feedback loop to improve the projects as well as data for possible publications.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStudents at every high school need and deserve these opportunities,\u201d Standeven said. \u201cEventually, every high school will be able to support a\u0026nbsp;bio-engineering mindset and the opportunity to develop ideas into projects.\u0026nbsp; Eventually, communities will see that synthetic biology is doable,\u0026nbsp;achievable, and a way to solve major world problems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBoot Camp Provided Campus Lab Experience to Students, Teachers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Boot Camp Provided Campus Lab Experience to Students, Teachers"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-11-12 15:00:55","changed_gmt":"2024-11-12 15:05:36","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675586":{"id":"675586","type":"image","title":"frugalscience.jpg","body":null,"created":"1731423919","gmt_created":"2024-11-12 15:05:19","changed":"1731423919","gmt_changed":"2024-11-12 15:05:19","alt":"frugal science","file":{"fid":"259226","name":"frugalscience.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/12\/frugalscience.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/12\/frugalscience.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":133575,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/12\/frugalscience.jpg?itok=vEbVO05b"}}},"media_ids":["675586"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/10\/frugal-science-academy-enhancing-science-education-across-georgia?utm_source=newsletter\u0026utm_medium=email\u0026utm_content=Frugal%20Science%20Academy%20Enhancing%20Education%20in%20Georgia\u0026utm_campaign=The%20Whistle%20-%20Nov.%204%2C%202024","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003EBrad Dixon\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678346":{"#nid":"678346","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Pinar Keskinocak Named Chair of H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/users\/pinar-keskinocak\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPinar Keskinocak\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been selected as the next leader of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EH. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. She will serve as the H. Milton and Carolyn J. Stewart School Chair beginning January 1.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKeskinocak is the\u0026nbsp;William W. George Chair and Professor and serves as ISyE\u2019s associate chair for faculty development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe will be ISyE\u2019s ninth permanent chair, leading a school renowned for its top-ranked graduate and undergraduate industrial engineering programs.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/09\/undergrad-engineering-program-ranks-no-4-us-news-best-colleges\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has consistently ranked ISyE as the nation\u0027s best since the mid-1990s.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPinar is a proven and respected leader both on campus and within her academic and research community,\u201d said Raheem Beyah, dean of the College of Engineering and Southern Company Chair. \u201cShe is well-positioned to continue advancing ISyE\u2019s national prominence and accelerate the School\u2019s trajectory.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKeskinocak is the cofounder and director Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chhs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Health and Humanitarian Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an interdisciplinary research center focused on education, outreach, and developing innovative solutions via advanced modeling, analytics, and systems engineering.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EKeskinocak\u2019s research has had broad societal impact. This includes policies and practices for improved emergency preparedness\u0026nbsp;and response, disease prevention and public health, healthcare access, resource allocation, and supply chain management.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKeskinocak has collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Carter Center, and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations to translate research into real-world solutions that benefit people and communities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am honored to have the privilege of serving our School in this important leadership role,\u201d Keskinocak said. \u201cAs ISyE continues to expand our core activities in education and research, we will strive to advance our excellence and leadership and grow our impact. I look forward to collaborating with our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as with the leadership of the College, Georgia Tech, and our broader community and partners.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA highly regarded researcher, Keskinocak has published extensively in top-tier academic journals. She served in various leadership roles within professional societies, including as the 2020 president and a two-time board member of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.informs.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EINFORMS (The Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. She is the cofounder, and has been president, of multiple INFORMS subdivisions. She also has served on several National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committees.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKeskinocak is a fellow of INFORMS and recipient of the society\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.informs.org\/Recognizing-Excellence\/INFORMS-Prizes\/George-E.-Kimball-Medal\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge E. Kimball Medal\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.informs.org\/Recognizing-Excellence\/INFORMS-Prizes\/INFORMS-President-s-Award\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPresident\u2019s Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.informs.org\/Recognizing-Excellence\/Wagner-Prize\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDaniel H. Wagner Prize\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. At Georgia Tech, she has been recognized with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/institute-research-awards\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOutstanding Achievement in Research Program Development\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E Award, Class of 1934 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2022\/05\/11\/tech-celebrates-outstanding-faculty-staff-members\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOutstanding Service Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/provost.gatech.edu\/news\/pinar-keskinocak-honored-outstanding-professional-education-award\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOutstanding Professional Education Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2016\/03\/faculty-spotlight-isye-health-humanitarian-faculty-members-receive-denning-faculty\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDenning Award for Global Engagement\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA dedicated mentor, educator, and advocate for broadening participation in STEM fields, Keskinocak served as the College\u2019s ADVANCE Professor from 2014 to 2020. She was recognized with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/news\/pinar-keskinocak-honored-2021-recipient-award-advancement-women-orms#:~:text=Pinar%20Keskinocak%2C%20the%20William%20W,of%20Women%20in%20OR%2FMS.\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EINFORMS Women in OR\/MS Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and the Georgia Tech Women in Engineering Excellence Teaching Faculty Award.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKeskinocak replaces Edwin Romeijn, who will return to the ISyE faculty after 10 years as chair.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am thankful to Edwin for his very successful tenure, during which ISyE enrollment grew from 1,800 students to more than 8,000,\u201d Beyah said. \u201cI\u2019m also grateful to our search committee and chair Arijit Raychowdhury. This group of students, faculty, and staff diligently worked to help identify a national, diverse pool of strong candidates.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDistinguished ISyE professor will lead the nation\u2019s No. 1 industrial engineering program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Distinguished ISyE professor will lead the nation\u2019s No. 1 industrial engineering program. "}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-11-12 14:57:56","changed_gmt":"2024-11-12 14:59:07","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675585":{"id":"675585","type":"image","title":"Pinar-Keskinocak-headshot2.png","body":null,"created":"1731423487","gmt_created":"2024-11-12 14:58:07","changed":"1731423487","gmt_changed":"2024-11-12 14:58:07","alt":"Pinar","file":{"fid":"259225","name":"Pinar-Keskinocak-headshot2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/12\/Pinar-Keskinocak-headshot2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/12\/Pinar-Keskinocak-headshot2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2944409,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/12\/Pinar-Keskinocak-headshot2.png?itok=GuYKC1db"}}},"media_ids":["675585"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/11\/pinar-keskinocak-named-chair-h-milton-stewart-school-industrial-and-systems","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003EJason Maderer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"678252":{"#nid":"678252","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Physical Force Affects Cancer Treatment","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProgrammed Cell Death-1, or PD-1, has become a headline-grabbing molecule best known for its role in cancer immunotherapies called checkpoint inhibitors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2\u0022\u003EA study from Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E researchers is offering improved understanding of why these inhibitors work \u2014 and how to make them effectively fight cancer for more patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a normal, healthy body, PD-1 is a receptor protein that serves as an important off-switch, or checkpoint. Found on a cell\u2019s surface, it binds with a ligand \u2014 either PD-L1 or PD-L2 \u2014 on another cell surface. This interaction signals the immune systems\u2019 T cells not to attack healthy cells. But sometimes, invading cancer cells also carry a ligand that will bind with PD-1, fooling the body\u2019s immune system into calling off the attack when T cells are needed most.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPD-1 blockade therapy is a checkpoint inhibitor that blocks this signaling process, unleashing the full fury of T cells. Still, only 20% to 40% of patients receive clear benefits from this kind of immunotherapy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere\u2019s the thing: Part of what remains unclear is how PD-1 initiates the stand-down order to T cells. Sometimes, ligands bind with PD-1 and \u003Cem\u003Edon\u2019t\u003C\/em\u003E suppress T cell activity. So, solving the mystery of what else causes PD-1 to work as a checkpoint can open the door to more effective cancer therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering researcher \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Cheng-Zhu\u0022\u003ECheng Zhu\u003C\/a\u003E and his collaborators may have found a key: physical force.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMechanical forces are an important but previously overlooked component of immunology in general, and specifically in PD-1 activity,\u201d said Zhu, professor Regents\u0027 Professor and J. Erskine Love Jr. Chair. \u201cThey play a critical role in regulating immune responses.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EZhu and his team presented their research in \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E, demonstrating that PD-1 is not activated just through interacting or binding with ligands. These ligands must also be anchored to a surface, like a cell membrane, which enables T cells to exert small but measurable forces.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe show that T cells exert force on this interaction between PD-1 and the ligand. Without that reactive force on the cancer cell ligand, PD-1 doesn\u2019t function,\u201d Zhu said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd that means T cells can be fully armed and ready for the fight.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeasuring the Force\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe recent study is a sequel to research \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/zhu-lab-explains-inhibitory-role-worlds-most-famous-molecule-0\u0022\u003EZhu\u2019s team published in 2021\u003C\/a\u003E that explained PD-1\u2019s suppressive role and its value in immunotherapy. This time, the researchers went deeper, identifying and measuring the physical force involved in PD-1\u2019s function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey used special tools called molecular tension probes and biomembrane force probes to evaluate the tiny physical force exerted by T cells and understand the connection between this molecular jostling and PD-1 activity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn a solid cell membrane with the appropriate ligand (PD-L1 for example), T cells exert a force of 4.7 to 12 piconewtons. When the force applied was less than 7 piconewtons, the bond between PD-1 and the ligand got stronger and lasted longer. When the force was higher than 8, the bond weakened and broke more easily.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf the force is too high, the bond breaks, and that weakens PD-1\u2019s ability to stop T cells,\u201d Zhu explained. \u201cIt\u2019s a molecular balancing act, and the right amount of physical force makes all the difference.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile they confirmed that T cells exert small forces on PD-1 attached to a surface-bound ligand, they also discovered that soluble PD-L1 ligands floating freely in the bloodstream lack the mechanical support needed to activate PD-1.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis explains why soluble ligands don\u2019t trigger T cell inhibition in the same way,\u201d Zhu said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, the research showed that immune cells need physical as well as chemical cues to properly manage PD-1 activity, and even the tiniest show of force could play a role in our body\u2019s ability to protect itself, against cancer and potentially other diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNext, we would like to test our in vitro findings in an in vivo setting, using animal models,\u201d Zhu said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Kaitao-Li-Aff1-Aff2-Aff7\u0022\u003EKaitao Li\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Paul-Cardenas_Lizana-Aff1-Aff2-Aff8\u0022\u003EPaul Cardenas-Lizana\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Jintian-Lyu-Aff1-Aff2-Aff9\u0022\u003EJintian Lyu\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Anna_V_-Kellner-Aff1-Aff10\u0022\u003EAnna V. Kellner\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Menglan-Li-Aff1-Aff2\u0022\u003EMenglan Li\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Peiwen-Cong-Aff1-Aff2\u0022\u003EPeiwen Cong\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Valencia_E_-Watson-Aff1-Aff2\u0022\u003EValencia E. Watson\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Zhou-Yuan-Aff1-Aff2-Aff3-Aff11\u0022\u003EZhou Yuan\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Eunseon-Ahn-Aff4-Aff5-Aff12\u0022\u003EEunseon Ahn\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Larissa-Doudy-Aff1-Aff2\u0022\u003ELarissa Doudy\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Zhenhai-Li-Aff1-Aff3-Aff13\u0022\u003EZhenhai Li\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Khalid-Salaita-Aff1-Aff6\u0022\u003EKhalid Salaita\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Rafi-Ahmed-Aff4-Aff5\u0022\u003ERafi Ahmed\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52565-2#auth-Cheng-Zhu-Aff1-Aff2-Aff3\u0022\u003ECheng Zhu\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cMechanical force regulates ligand binding and function of PD-1.\u201d \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E. doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-52565-2\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFUNDING:\u003C\/strong\u003E This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, grant No. MCA08X014, and the National Institutes of Health, grant Nos. R01CA243486, U01CA250040, U01CA250040S2, RM1GM145394, and F31CA243502. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any funding agency.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Cheng Zhu and collaborators probe the underlying mechanisms of PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECheng Zhu and collaborators probe the underlying mechanisms of PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy and discover the critical role of physical force at the molecular level.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Cheng Zhu and collaborators probe the underlying mechanisms of PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy and discover the critical role of physical force."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-11-07 15:56:19","changed_gmt":"2024-11-08 15:32:26","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-11-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-11-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675541":{"id":"675541","type":"image","title":"Zhu lab","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECheng Zhu\u0027s research team studied how mechanical force plays a critical role in the body\u0027s immune system. \u0026nbsp; \u2014 Photo by Jerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1730993470","gmt_created":"2024-11-07 15:31:10","changed":"1730994774","gmt_changed":"2024-11-07 15:52:54","alt":"Cheng Zhu lab","file":{"fid":"259177","name":"Cheng Zhu lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/07\/Cheng%20Zhu%20lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/07\/Cheng%20Zhu%20lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3148396,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/07\/Cheng%20Zhu%20lab.jpg?itok=z1Zs4JCB"}}},"media_ids":["675541"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187886","name":"PD-1"},{"id":"181927","name":"BME cancer"},{"id":"2470","name":"cancer therapy"},{"id":"187887","name":"checkpoint inhibitor"},{"id":"194075","name":"programmed cell death"},{"id":"1613","name":"Biomedical Engieering"},{"id":"108031","name":"College of Engineering; Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"}],"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:Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677141":{"#nid":"677141","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researcher Leads $6 Million NASA Astrobiology Study","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBillions of years ago, self-replicating systems of molecules became separated from one another by membranes, resulting in the first cells. Over time, evolving cells enriched the living world with an astonishing diversity of new shapes and biochemical innovations, all made possible by compartments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECompartmentalization is how all\u0026nbsp;living systems\u0026nbsp;are organized today\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;from proteins and small molecules sharing space in separate phases\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;dividing labor and specialized functions\u0026nbsp;within and among cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, with $6 million in support from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003ENASA\u003C\/a\u003E, a team of researchers led by Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/frank-rosenzweig\u0022\u003EFrank Rosenzweig\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;will study the organizing principles of compartmentalization in a five-year project called Engine of Innovation: How Compartmentalization Drives Evolution of Novelty and Efficiency Across Scales\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s one of seven new projects selected recently by NASA as part of its\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/nasa-selects-cross-divisional-teams-for-astrobiology-research\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Consortia for Astrobiology Research (ICAR) program\u003C\/a\u003E. ICAR is embedded among NASA\u2019s five\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/research\/astrobiology-at-nasa\/rcns\/\u0022\u003EAstrobiology Research Coordination Networks (RCNs).\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Rosenzweig is co-lead for the RCN launched in 2022,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/nasa-astrobiology-unveils-new-research-coordination-network-abscicon-2022\u0022\u003ELIFE: Early Cells to Multicellularity\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re excited by the prospect of exploring this fundamental question through the interplay of theory and experiment,\u201d said Rosenzweig, professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, whose team of co-Investigators includes biochemists, geologists, cell biologists, and theoreticians from leading NASA research centers: Jeff Cameron, Shelley Copley, Alexis Templeton, and Boswell Wing from the University of Colorado Boulder; Josh Goldford and Victoria Orphan from California Institute of Technology; and John McCutcheon from Arizona State University. Collaborating with them is Chris Kempes, professor at the Santa Fe Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERosenzweig is also eager to eventually collaborate with existing ICAR teams, such as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/museastrobiology.org\/\u0022\u003EMUSE\u003C\/a\u003E, led by the University of Wisconsin\u2019s Bet\u00fcl Ka\u00e7ar, a former Georgia Tech postdoctoral researcher, and newly selected teams, such as Retention of Habitable Atmospheres in Planetary Systems, led by Dave Brain at University of Colorado Boulder.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, he plans to build upon Georgia Tech\u2019s outstanding reputation in astrobiology, where a cluster of researchers, such as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003EJen Glass\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hud.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ENick Hud\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/thomas-orlando\u0022\u003EThom Orlando\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/amanda-stockton\u0022\u003EAmanda Stockton\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/williams.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ELoren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E, among others, is engaged in a diverse range of work supported by NASA.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is just the latest chapter in a long history of excellence in NASA research at Georgia Tech, one written by my colleagues across the Institute,\u201d Rosenzweig said.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENASA awarded $6 million to a research team led by Georgia Tech\u2019s Frank Rosenzweig to study how compartmentalization drives evolution. This five-year project, part of NASA\u2019s Interdisciplinary Consortia for Astrobiology Research (ICAR) program, aims to explore how the organization of molecules within cells fosters evolutionary efficiency and novelty.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"NASA awarded $6 million to a research team led by Georgia Tech\u2019s Frank Rosenzweig to study how compartmentalization drives evolution. "}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-09-26 16:54:46","changed_gmt":"2024-10-30 19:43:35","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-08-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-08-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675131":{"id":"675131","type":"image","title":"FrankRosenzweig","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrank Rosenzweig, professor in the School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727369409","gmt_created":"2024-09-26 16:50:09","changed":"1727369538","gmt_changed":"2024-09-26 16:52:18","alt":"Frank Rosenzweig, astrobiology researcher","file":{"fid":"258726","name":"FrankRosenzweig.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/26\/FrankRosenzweig.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/26\/FrankRosenzweig.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2235954,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/26\/FrankRosenzweig.jpg?itok=DRHl8EYt"}}},"media_ids":["675131"],"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":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"1325","name":"aerospace"},{"id":"722","name":"Astrobiology"},{"id":"1757","name":"Astrobiology Institute"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"}],"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677688":{"#nid":"677688","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Brain Change: Ming-fai Fong using CAREER Award to enhance lives through community-driven research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Ming-fai-Fong\u0022\u003EMing-fai Fong\u003C\/a\u003E has always been interested in what she thinks of as the existential struggle embedded in her research; this notion of focusing simultaneously on the science and the people it can impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt turns out, the struggle is more like a loop, with the research impacting the people, and the people impacting the direction of the research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m interested in how things work, in the science, in exploring and researching. But I always ask myself, \u2018what or who am I doing this for?\u2019 So, I try my best to stay connected with the community, with the people whose health and wellbeing we\u2019re ultimately working to improve,\u201d said Fong, assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFong\u2019s desire to stay connected to communities through her work manifested while she was an undergraduate mechanical engineering student at M.I.T. She wanted to make assistive devices for individuals with disabilities. So, she moved to northwestern Mexico for a fellowship designing wheelchairs for people who had been impacted by drug violence in the region.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat experience indirectly led her to the Coulter Department, where \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/fong-lab.github.io\/\u0022\u003Ethe Fong lab\u003C\/a\u003E studies how activity and experience shape brain circuits, with the goal of developing treatments for neurological disorders. Currently, her team is investigating the central visual pathway and visual impairments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd when they aren\u2019t working on research, Fong and the students in her lab volunteer with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cviga.org\/\u0022\u003ECenter for the Visually Impaired\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gablindsports.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Blind Sports Association\u003C\/a\u003E. And whether they are repairing specialized typewriters called Braillers or working with athletes and coaches at a goalball match, those activities are helping to guide the research. It\u2019s all part of the existential loop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur latest research proposal really grew out of our interactions with the blind and visually impaired community in Atlanta,\u201d said Fong, who recently won a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, and will use the funding to support her lab\u2019s study of plasticity \u2014 the ability to adapt and learn \u2014 in the adult brain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were inspired by the residual sensory abilities of many people we\u2019ve interacted with,\u201d Fong added. \u201cFor example, some visually impaired people may develop a heightened sense of hearing. Motivated by a lack of accommodations and infrastructure for this community, we want to study how these enhanced sensory capacities emerge in people with irreversible visual impairment.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPlasticity City\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile Fong is referring to a lack of real-world infrastructure suitable for blind and visually impaired people, the concept is an appropriate metaphor when explaining the brain and plasticity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThink of the brain as a growing city when we\u2019re young, constantly under construction, new infrastructure rapidly emerging everywhere. This is known as the \u201ccritical period.\u201d When we\u2019re children, that\u2019s a period time when the brain is very adaptable and capable of easily learning new things. As our brains age (or the city grows), development slows down \u2014 because neuroplasticity decreases as we get older.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen you experience vision loss, it\u2019s kind of like what happens when a major road closes and the city has to work quickly to find other routes to keep traffic moving. When vision is lost, the flexible brain reconfigures itself to adapt, finding new ways to process information through other senses, like hearing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut it\u2019s a matter of timing, a window of opportunity that Fong and her team want to keep open, if possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to understand the critical period, and how this reconfiguration process works,\u201d said Fong. \u201cUltimately, we think that by depriving the brain of one sense, like vision, we can reopen the critical period, making the brain more adaptable again, even in adulthood.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo test their ideas, Fong\u2019s team will observe how the brains of mice change when vision is impaired, paying close attention to areas of the brain responsible for hearing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHopefully, we can reveal new ways to help people with sensory impairments by making their brains more adaptable, like they were in childhood,\u201d said Fong, who is quick to point out a common misconception: losing your vision does not automatically improve your audition, or sense of hearing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYes, there are people with vision loss who learn to expertly use echolocation \u2014 making sounds and listening to the echoes \u2014 to navigate their surroundings. But that may be the exception, particularly when thinking of people who lose their vision as adults.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor every one of those stories, there are 100 others in which someone can\u2019t tell you what direction a sound is coming from,\u201d said Fong.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to studying ways to identify and leverage the critical period of plasticity, Fong will use the CAREER Award to help support her lab\u2019s education initiatives targeting blind and visually impaired youth. With hands-on Brailler repair workshops and multi-sensory teaching tools, the program seeks to create inclusive learning environments for all non-visual learners, while promoting broader diversity in STEM fields.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the lab and the research, Fong is considering her initial motivation for the work, \u201cthe lack of inclusive infrastructure for individuals with disabilities. One long term goal we have is to provide a neuro-scientific basis for advocating for improved accommodations,\u201d she said. \u201cIf our work can help make it possible for this remarkable community to participate in and contribute to society more broadly, that would be huge.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMing-fai Fong, assistant professor at Georgia Tech and Emory, researches brain plasticity and its role in adapting to vision loss. Her work, informed by community outreach with the visually impaired, aims to develop treatments for neurological disorders and advocate for inclusive infrastructure.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Ming-fai Fong, assistant professor at Georgia Tech and Emory, researches brain plasticity and its role in adapting to vision loss."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-10-17 14:22:33","changed_gmt":"2024-10-29 15:40:25","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675340":{"id":"675340","type":"image","title":"Ming-fai Fong in lab","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen we lose one sense, like vision, do our other senses get stronger? Ming-fai Fong is using her NSF CAREER Award to find out. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Photo by Jerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729174508","gmt_created":"2024-10-17 14:15:08","changed":"1729174620","gmt_changed":"2024-10-17 14:17:00","alt":"Ming-fai Fong, BME researcher","file":{"fid":"258951","name":"Ming in lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/17\/Ming%20in%20lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/17\/Ming%20in%20lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2617818,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/17\/Ming%20in%20lab.jpg?itok=NIx3zm2O"}}},"media_ids":["675340"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194034","name":"brain plasticity"},{"id":"173478","name":"neural plasticity"},{"id":"194035","name":"visual impairment"},{"id":"194036","name":"blindness"},{"id":"1912","name":"brain"},{"id":"187320","name":"brain activity"},{"id":"11322","name":"brain adaptation"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"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\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677938":{"#nid":"677938","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Ahmet Coskun Named CMBE Young Innovator for 2024","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-10\/Coskun1_0.jpg\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/max_1300x1300\/public\/2024-10\/Coskun1_0.jpg?itok=JNN6kRgy\u0022 alt=\u0022Coskun with sample slide\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECoulter BME\u0027s Ahmet Coskun is a CMBE Young Innovator for his research into drug resistant cancers. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Photo by Jerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBy Jerry Grillo\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESome cancers are stubbornly resistant to the drugs designed to kill them, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Ahmet-F-Coskun\u0022\u003EAhmet Coskun\u003C\/a\u003E wants to know why. So, the Georgia Tech biomedical engineer and his research team has developed a precise molecular tool to help clear up the mystery.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir graph-based super-resolution protein-protein interaction (GSR-PPI) technique creates a detailed, three-dimensional map of protein interactions within single cells. And it could lead to a better understanding and treatment of drug-resistant cancers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECoskun will share the results of their work with the rest of the biomedical engineering world this week. As one of this year\u2019s 12 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s12195-024-00826-x\u0022\u003EYoung Innovators of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering\u003C\/a\u003E (CMBE), he\u2019s been invited to present a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s12195-024-00822-1\u0022\u003Epaper about his research\u003C\/a\u003E on Friday, Oct. 25, at the 2024 Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bmes.org\/bmes2024\u0022\u003EAnnual Meeting\u003C\/a\u003E in Baltimore.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCancer treatments fail in many individuals and pinpointing what goes on at the single cell level is paramount,\u201d said Coskun, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, where he holds the Bernie Marcus Early Career Professorship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe noted that while sequencing and molecular imaging have shed light on the molecules associated with disease, there is no definitive test available to decode the communication between two interacting molecules that lead to drug resistance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt BMES we\u2019ll showcase a novel direction that creates a high-definition view of lung cancers in individual cells using a graphical representation of molecular wiring diagrams,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent methods don\u2019t adequately capture the detailed spatial interactions of proteins in cells, which is crucial for understanding drug resistance. Coskun\u2019s team used single-cell spatial proximity ligation assays and advanced microscopy to examine protein interactions in lung cancer cells treated with the drug Osimertinib. Deep learning models analyzed these images to classify the drug treatment states of the cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGSR-PPI significantly outperformed the traditional methods in predicting how cells respond to the drug. It classified how drugs performed in both cancer cells and human lung tissues with high accuracy and differentiated between single and combination drug therapies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBasically, it\u2019s like watching a 4k movie of cancer,\u201d said Coskun, the first person from Georgia Tech to receive the Young Innovator honor from CMBE, a leading research journal, in more than a decade.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGetting acknowledged by peers and mentors is an affirming feeling,\u201d he said. \u201cOur curiosity driven projects, and their translational impacts are being recognized. meets expectations. It\u2019s a sign of my group\u2019s passion to take chances and try new things.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBiomedical engineer will present groundbreaking mapping tool aimed at drug resistant cancers at BMES Annual Meeting\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Biomedical engineer will present groundbreaking mapping tool aimed at drug resistant cancers at BMES Annual Meeting"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-10-28 16:06:27","changed_gmt":"2024-10-28 16:08:54","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/ahmet-coskun-named-cmbe-young-innovator-2024","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003Cstrong\u003EBy Jerry Grillo\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677937":{"#nid":"677937","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Andrei Fedorov and Collaborators Awarded $4.81 Million to Develop New Instrumentation for Biomedical Research ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/fedorov\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrei Fedorov\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair, and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has received two Research Project Grants (R01) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe funding, a combined $4.81 million to be distributed over the next five years, will be used to develop new instrumentation for biomedical research.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGuided Intracellular Delivery using Precise Area Introduction and Transfection (PAINT)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first project, supported by $1.87 million from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), aims to develop a new method for highly localized, versatile, and efficient biochemical delivery for \u0022direct-write\u0022 guided administration at single-cell to multi-cell resolution. PAINT permits the simple and quick production of heterogeneously modified samples, including in vitro cell and tissue cultures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EModifying cells by introducing biomolecules has become a critical process for fundamental biomedical research and is gaining traction as a treatment approach. This project will provide a significant leap forward in the capability and utility of microinjection and other state-of-the-art delivery methods.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis novel approach to cell modification, invented in Fedorov\u2019s lab, is primarily based on its versatility, ease of use, and rapidity. As PAINT modification of cells does not require direct contact, several steps of the cargo introduction process for micro-injection are eliminated, allowing for continuous, more straightforward cell modification.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis project is a collaboration with Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/ravi-kane\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERavi Kane\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and Professor Randolph Ashton from the University of Wisconsin.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynergistic Advancements in MR Thermometry and Predictive Thermal Modeling Towards Improved Characterization of Human Brain Temperature\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second project, supported by $2.94 million from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, aims to develop non-invasive, repeatable, in vivo magnetic resonance (MR) brain thermometry and a novel, quantitative, hemodynamic biophysical model for interpreting MR images and predicting brain temperature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Brain thermoregulation is a poorly understood but critical modulator of neural activity and hemodynamics,\u0022 said Fedorov. Though brain and body temperatures are highly correlated indicators of health, the way the body regulates them is distinct. Brain temperature fluctuations can contribute to ischemia-induced brain damage and mortality after traumatic brain injury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project will leverage the expertise in MR thermometry, thermal modeling, clinical neurology, and neuroradiology to facilitate the development of clinically viable methods for in vivo brain thermometry and temperature predictions, provide mechanistic insight into brain thermoregulation, and identify urgently needed biomarkers for injury and neuroprotection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis interdisciplinary project is a long-term collaboration with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Candace-Fleischer\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECandace Fleischer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the Department of Radiology at Emory University School of Medicine and assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Emory University and Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-10\/Fedorov_R01.png\u0022 alt=\u0022Malik McRae (front) and Ire Adaramola (back) are conducting experiments with the early prototype of the PAINT device for \u0026quot;direct-write\u0026quot; guided drug delivery to biological cells.\u0022 width=\u0022907\u0022 height=\u00221128\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMalik McRae (front) and Ire Adaramola (back) are conducting experiments with the early prototype of the PAINT device for \u0022direct-write\u0022 guided drug delivery to biological cells. McRae, a Morehouse College student and a Petit Scholar in Bioengineering in the Fedorov laboratory, won the Marshall Fellowship for his research and is currently pursuing his MD\/Ph.D. at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Adaramola is completing the first year of her master\u2019s degree in mechanical engineering at the Woodruff School.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/fedorov\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrei Fedorov\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair, and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has received two Research Project Grants (R01) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Andrei Fedorov, Associate Chair for Graduate Studies, Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair, and professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has received two Research Project Grants (R01) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-10-28 16:03:10","changed_gmt":"2024-10-28 16:04:13","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675444":{"id":"675444","type":"image","title":"Andrei_FEdorov_22x3web.jpg","body":null,"created":"1730131399","gmt_created":"2024-10-28 16:03:19","changed":"1730131399","gmt_changed":"2024-10-28 16:03:19","alt":"Andrei Federov","file":{"fid":"259068","name":"Andrei_FEdorov_22x3web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/28\/Andrei_FEdorov_22x3web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/28\/Andrei_FEdorov_22x3web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":127964,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/28\/Andrei_FEdorov_22x3web.jpg?itok=LkQBAHfe"}}},"media_ids":["675444"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/news\/andrei-fedorov-and-collaborators-awarded-481-million-develop-new-instrumentation-biomedical","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003Cem\u003EBy Chloe Arrington\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677864":{"#nid":"677864","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Bridge to Employment Program Shows Students How STEM Can Shape Their Future","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/Bridge-to-Employment-Group-9953-banner.jpg?itok=8zflQC19\u0022 alt=\u0022Group photo of Bridge to Employment participants in a building atrium\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u0022473\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn a quiet Saturday morning, while many high school students were sleeping in or making weekend plans, Rhyland Oneill and Axum Nickerson were sitting in a college classroom, fully immersed in the story of a guest speaker who had overcome immense obstacles to achieve success.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese two juniors are among nearly 50 high school students spending one Saturday a month at Georgia Tech in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projectengages.gatech.edu\/bridge-to-employment\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ea new program called Bridge to Employment\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (BTE). Yet for Oneill and Nickerson, the program is more than just a monthly commitment \u2014 it\u2019s a glimpse into career paths and opportunities they might never have imagined.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough hands-on activities, mentorship, and field trips to places like the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, BTE is showing students from underserved communities how science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) can shape their futures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaunched in October 2023 through a partnership with Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson, the BTE program connects high school students from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities to STEM careers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt each monthly session, about a dozen Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson volunteers, along with professionals from various fields, lead students through workshops, field trips, and guest lectures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBTE is a national program that works with students for three years starting in 10th grade. The program Georgia Tech has a unique flavor however: It\u2019s the only site bringing students to a college campus rather than going to their schools.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou can\u2019t see yourself in a college environment if you\u2019ve never been there,\u201d said Lakeita Servance, assistant\u0026nbsp;director of K-20 programs in the College of Engineering. \u201cOur goal is to make them feel comfortable here and show them what\u2019s possible when they put in the effort.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EServance said this approach gives students positive experience a college environment and makes Georgia Tech a more familiar place.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/Bridge-to-Employment-pipette-9868-h.jpg?itok=-0Ki7tbb\u0022 alt=\u0022A student at a table holding a pipette over a green tray of samples. \u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u0022801\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA student practices using a pipette to work with samples. (Photo: Jihoon Kim)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to STEM activities and exposure, the program also focuses on college readiness \u2014\u0026nbsp; writing application essays, FAFSA and financial aid support, and preparing for college visits \u2014 particularly in the second year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want them to be ready for whatever path they choose \u2014 college, apprenticeships, or straight into careers. But it\u2019s about more than that. We\u2019re preparing them for life,\u201d Servance said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENickerson and Oneill, both sophomores when they started, had been thinking about studying engineering but weren\u2019t sure what that might look like.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI joined because my counselor recommended it, and I thought it would be good for my resume and college applications. But I didn\u2019t realize how much it would open my eyes to different career paths,\u201d Oneill said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENickerson echoed the sentiment: \u201cI thought I wanted to do just engineering, but now I see all these different ways I could pursue it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-10\/Bridge-to-Employment-portable-pcr-test-9937-sq_0.jpg?itok=IEdGWoyD\u0022 alt=\u0022Two hands holding a smartphone over a box sitting on a small blue platform. On the screen, the camera app is showing a biological sample in the box. (Photo: Jihoon Kim)\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u00221200\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents in the Bridge to Employment program participate in a variety of workshops and hands-on activities, like this one using a simple system and a smartphone to do electrophoresis tests. (Photo: Jihoon Kim)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program\u2019s mix of guest speakers, field trips, and hands-on activities is helping the students understand the wide range of opportunities available in STEM.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth Oneill and Nickerson talked about how inspiring it was to hear speakers share stories of persevering through hardship to achieve impactful careers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the most memorable moments for was a guest speaker\u2019s emotional account of overcoming poverty to become successful in STEM: \u201cIt motivated me to keep chasing my dreams,\u201d he reflected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENickerson said that field trips, such as the visit to the Tellus Museum and a session on optics, were highlights of the program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt gave us a chance to see the science in action, and it was eye-opening,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to the BTE program, both Nickerson and Oneill have gotten involved in Georgia Tech\u2019s research-focused \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projectengages.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EENGAGES program\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E for 11th and 12th graders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOneill is working in John Blazeck\u2019s lab in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, while Nickerson is part of Edward Botchwey\u2019s lab in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBTE helped connect them to these opportunities earlier in their high school careers, allowing them to gain practical experience in real-world lab settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the BTE program moves into its second year, and the focus on college readiness intensifies, Servance and the Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson volunteers will continue to guide students and help them gain the confidence and skills they\u2019ll needed for whatever path they choose.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Oneill and Nickerson, that future now seems full of possibilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s made me more focused on going to a STEM-based college,\u201d Oneill said, \u201cand now I know there are so many different paths I could take.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBTE is a partnership with Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson to offer high schoolers from underserved communities hands-on experience and mentorship in STEM fields, providing a pathway to college and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"BTE is a partnership with Johnson \u0026 Johnson to offer high schoolers from underserved communities hands-on experience and mentorship in STEM fields, providing a pathway to college and beyond."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-10-23 15:58:29","changed_gmt":"2024-10-23 16:06:53","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/10\/bridge-employment-program-shows-students-how-stem-can-shape-their-future","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003EDhanesh Amin\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677788":{"#nid":"677788","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Improving the Odds for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAtrial fibrillation, or AF, is the unpredictable musician throwing the symphony of the heart out of whack, causing the upper chambers to beat haphazardly, out of sync with the steady rhythm of the lower chambers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd unfortunately, AF is all too common, affecting one in 100 people. It can be brief or persistent. It can wear you out, leaving you dizzy and out of breath, causing chest pains and palpitations. By itself, AF usually isn\u2019t life-threatening, but it reduces the heart\u2019s efficiency and can lead to blood clots and strokes \u2014 which definitely are life threatening.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are some helpful treatments for AF, but they are suboptimal,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Yue-Chen\u0022\u003EYue Chen\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the Coulter Department, where he runs the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.google.com\/view\/bm2lab\u0022\u003EBiomedical Mechatronics Lab\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cFor too many patients, the treatment is incomplete.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETreatments like radiofrequency ablation (RFA), for example, have proven effective. \u0026nbsp;A catheter delivers radiofrequency energy to create scar tissue inside the heart. Scar tissue can\u2019t conduct electricity, so it blocks AF\u2019s abnormal signals, restoring normal rhythm to the heart. But 30-50% of patients have a recurrence of symptoms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s partly because controlling the surgical tools inside the heart\u2019s complex environment isn\u2019t easy. The idea is to create a continuous line of lesions without any gaps, to completely block the faulty electric signals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSometimes, there are gaps,\u201d said Chen, who aims to close them, and he\u2019s using a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to find a solution. Chen and his collaborators are developing a continuum robotic system that can efficiently perform procedures like RFA while the patient is inside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis CAREER Award means a lot to me and my lab,\u201d said Chen, one of three Coulter BME faculty members, with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/investigating-brain-change\u0022\u003EMing-fai Fong\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/news\/ahmet-coskun-wins-nsf-career-award\u0022\u003EAhmet Coskun\u003C\/a\u003E, to win the honor this year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m honored that my past work as well as my future research visions are being recognized,\u201d he added. \u201cThis is a great opportunity for us to explore some new directions \u2014 MRI-safe continuum robots. Our goal is to develop robot-based medical interventions for improved treatment outcomes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESmart Snake\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContinuum robots are long and slender and made of flexible materials that allow them to bend and twist and move with a great deal of dexterity, like a snake.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt makes them perfect for minimally invasive surgeries, such as cardiac ablation, intracerebral hemorrhage removal, drug delivery, and many other procedures,\u201d Chen said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut that\u2019s not what makes the Chen team\u2019s system unique. Unlike traditional robotic systems, this one is designed to work inside an MRI machine, offering doctors more precision than ever.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMRI provides high-resolution tissue imaging and real-time tracking, making it superior to other types of imaging. In addition to its diagnostic power, MRI is being used increasingly as part of clinical procedures.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut most robotic surgical systems haven\u2019t been compatible with MRI, said Chen, \u201cmainly due to the strong magnetic field generated by the MRI scanner, which precludes the use of ferromagnetic materials.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo overcome this problem, Chen\u2019s team created a new type of flexible robot made from polymers, including a plastic, 3D-printed transmission mechanism. The motors that give the robot mobility are made of 3D-printed resin and are powered by pressurized air. Since no electricity is used, there is no interference with the MRI\u2019s magnetic fields.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ve also devised a controller that ensures the motors will move accurately and designed them in a way that allows easy customization with just a few key settings,\u201d Chen said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EControlling the Outcome\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA key challenge in RFA is manipulating the catheter in the heart, which is not unlike driving a car through a twisting, unfamiliar road. Chen\u2019s robotic system is basically a smart GPS that ensures the car stays on the right path at the right speed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur system will use MR imaging and catheter tracking to provide real-time feedback to the physician, which will help them guide the catheter more accurately,\u201d Chen said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, the research team has developed sensors that will monitor the contact force between the catheter and the heart tissue \u2014 the right amount of pressure is crucial for delivering heat energy, creating effective and continuous lesions, and reducing the chances of AF recurrence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe project has multiple phases,\u201d Chen said. \u201cFirst, we\u2019ll develop the navigation software to merge MR imaging, catheter tracking, and contact force estimation into a single interface. This will provide physicians with comprehensive feedback during the procedure.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team will enhance the robotic system to control both the catheter, developing algorithms to ensure precise placement inside the patient. Then they\u2019ll test the system on a heart model in an MRI scanner before testing it on animal models.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is a multi-institutional effort. In addition to Chen\u2019s students \u2014 Yifan Wang, Anthony L. Gunderman, and Milad Azizkhani \u2014 his collaborators include Ehud Schmidt and Aravindan Kolandaivelu from Johns Hopkins University, and Junichi Tokuda from Harvard University.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe believe this platform will significantly improve the outcomes of AF treatments by providing physicians with better tools to perform precise, effective ablations,\u201d said Chen. \u201cThis technology could improve the quality of life for many patients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech biomedical engineer Yue Chen using NSF CAREER Award to develop MRI-safe surgical robot"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech biomedical engineer Yue Chen\u0027s team is developing new MRI-safe robots to improve atrial fibrillation treatment, making heart procedures more precise and effective.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech biomedical engineer Yue Chen using NSF CAREER Award to develop MRI-safe surgical robot."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-10-21 21:06:22","changed_gmt":"2024-10-23 15:17:18","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675384":{"id":"675384","type":"image","title":"Yue Chen, BME researcher","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher Yue Chen is using his NSF CAREER Award to lead development of a new MRI-safe surgical robot.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729544395","gmt_created":"2024-10-21 20:59:55","changed":"1729544513","gmt_changed":"2024-10-21 21:01:53","alt":"Yue Chen, BME roboticist","file":{"fid":"258999","name":"YueChen2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/21\/YueChen2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/21\/YueChen2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3610936,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/21\/YueChen2.jpg?itok=618dqrD4"}},"675385":{"id":"675385","type":"image","title":"Yue Chen with robotic device","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYue Chen\u0027s MRI-safe surgical robot\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729544530","gmt_created":"2024-10-21 21:02:10","changed":"1729544595","gmt_changed":"2024-10-21 21:03:15","alt":"Yue Chen and his surgical robot","file":{"fid":"259000","name":"Yue with Device.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/21\/Yue%20with%20Device.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/21\/Yue%20with%20Device.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4723014,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/21\/Yue%20with%20Device.jpg?itok=Au2EMpXe"}}},"media_ids":["675384","675385"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187991","name":"go-robotics"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"167861","name":"surgical robotics"},{"id":"194041","name":"atrial fibrillation"},{"id":"194042","name":"MRI-safe robots"},{"id":"1613","name":"Biomedical Engieering"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"}],"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\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677366":{"#nid":"677366","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unlocking the Brain: Using Microbubbles and Ultrasound for Drug Delivery","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe brain is a stronghold, the central command center for the body, protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This network of blood vessels and tissues acts as a biological gatekeeper, a selective filter that prevents harmful substances in the bloodstream from entering the brain\u2019s complex ecosystem.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s protection that comes at a cost. While the BBB lets some things in \u2014 like water, oxygen, general anesthetics made of very small molecules \u2014 it also prevents many vital therapeutics from reaching the brain, limiting the treatment options for neurological problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut a multinational team of researchers led by Georgia Tech biomedical engineer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/costas-arvanitis\u0022\u003ECostas Arvanitis\u003C\/a\u003E is tackling the challenge with a technique that combines microbubbles \u2014 tiny gas-filled spheres \u2014 and ultrasound technology. Their innovative approach aims to temporarily open the BBB, allowing drugs or immune cells in to take on the fight against disease, offering therapeutic hope for patients battling conditions like brain cancer or Alzheimer\u2019s disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe found that microbubble-enhanced ultrasound, an emerging technology that offers a noninvasive way to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier, allows blood-borne therapeutics to reach the brain,\u201d said Arvanitis, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe technique can potentially be fine-tuned to establish windows of opportunity to target brain diseases, he added. Costas and his collaborators\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52329-y\u0022\u003Edescribe their work in a recent edition of \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBouncing Bubbles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMicrobubbles, smaller than the diameter of human hair, have shells made of a lipid or protein. In healthcare, they\u2019re often used to help enhance visibility in ultrasound, acting as contrast agents, illuminating details inside the body.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUltrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create images. When microbubbles are exposed to focused ultrasound waves, they rapidly expand and contract. This gentle mechanical force shakes the protective barrier surrounding the brain, creating small openings for aid to pass through.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDespite their simple structure, microbubbles have complex behaviors,\u201d Arvanitis said. \u201cThey can resonate at specific frequencies, allowing us to manipulate their oscillations to enhance permeability at the blood-brain barrier. And their behavior also depends on their size and shell composition.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor instance, microbubbles with elastic shells are more effective in increasing the permeability of the BBB. In their research, Arvanitis and his collaborators noted a 12-fold increase in drug delivery effectiveness using elastic-shelled (lipid-based) microbubbles.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMath Before Mice\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers conducted studies using mice but began with a mathematical model to simulate microbubble dynamics in brain vessels. They identified a resonant frequency that enhances microbubble movement and explored the correlation between frequency, bubble dynamics, and inflammatory responses in the brain.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir model and later experiments showed that specific ultrasound frequencies can enhance immune cell movement and increase drug accumulation in brain tumors. They also found that higher ultrasound frequencies, while effective in opening the BBB, were also accompanied by increased expression of inflammatory markers on the endothelia cells of the BBB \u2014 an important finding, as excessive inflammation can lead to further complications in patients with neurological disorders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022By understanding and controlling the frequency dynamics of microbubbles, we can create a system that maximizes drug delivery efficacy,\u201d Arvanitis said. \u201cOur findings suggest that using lower frequencies may be beneficial for delivering therapeutics while reducing inflammation, which can be crucial for treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer\u0027s and Parkinson\u0027s.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research has implications that could extend beyond drug delivery, paving the way for new diagnostic techniques. Using ultrasound to open the BBB could allow clinicians to gather important information directly from the brain, improving diagnostic techniques, like ultrasound-enhanced biopsies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe scientific principles established by our work not only enhance our ability to develop safer and more effective treatments for brain diseases, but also lays the groundwork for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies within and beyond the brain,\u201d said Arvanitis, whose team included graduate students from his lab as well as researchers from the University of California (San Francisco), Stanford, and the University of Edinburgh.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe added, \u201cThe dynamics of microbubbles interacting with blood vessels could have important implications in other areas of medicine that we haven\u2019t yet explored.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E Yutong Guo, Hohyun Lee, Chulyong Kim, Christian Park, Akane Yamamichi, Pavlina Chuntova, Marco Gallus, Miguel Bernabeu, Hideho Okada, Hanjoong Jo, Costas Arvanitis.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52329-y\u0022\u003E\u201cUltrasound frequency-controlled microbubble dynamics in brain vessels regulate the enrichment of inflammatory pathways in the blood-brain barrier.\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E Nature Communications \u0026nbsp;doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-52329-y\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFUNDING:\u003C\/strong\u003E This study was supported by NIH grants R37 CA239039, R01CA273878, R35NS105068, HL119798, HL139757, HL151358, and T32HL166146. This study was also supported by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Ians Friends Foundation, and the German Research Foundation, and the Leducq Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers led by Costas Arvanitis at Georgia Tech have developed a method using microbubbles and ultrasound to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), enhancing drug delivery to the brain. This breakthrough could improve treatments for brain cancer, Alzheimer\u0027s, and more, by safely targeting the BBB.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers led by Costas Arvanitis at Georgia Tech have developed a method using microbubbles and ultrasound to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), enhancing drug delivery to the brain"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-10-08 13:50:22","changed_gmt":"2024-10-23 14:36:57","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675241":{"id":"675241","type":"image","title":"Costas Arvanitis","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECostas Arvanitis is developing a method using microbubbles and ultrasound to breach the blood-brain barrier. \u2014 Photo by Jerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1728395115","gmt_created":"2024-10-08 13:45:15","changed":"1728395197","gmt_changed":"2024-10-08 13:46:37","alt":"Costas Arvanitis BME researcher","file":{"fid":"258843","name":"Costas Lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/08\/Costas%20Lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/08\/Costas%20Lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7213847,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/08\/Costas%20Lab.jpg?itok=Jo_fxvYz"}}},"media_ids":["675241"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193999","name":"microbubbles"},{"id":"7677","name":"ultrasound"},{"id":"7615","name":"ultrasound drug delivery pharmaceutical therapy"},{"id":"178946","name":"blood-brain barrier"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"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":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677783":{"#nid":"677783","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Couple Celebrates 25 Years at Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the summer of 2023, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/garcia\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E Regents\u0027 Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Michelle-C.-LaPlaca\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMichelle C. LaPlaca\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Chair for Faculty Development and professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, reached a joint milestone, their 25th anniversary at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe pair\u0027s achievement was celebrated earlier this year at a symposium, \u0022Celebration of Science and Mentoring,\u0022 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The event was attended by Georgia Tech alumni and trainees and organized by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/singh\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Carl Ring Family Professor in the Woodruff School, as well as alumnus Charles Gersbach, Ph.D. BME 2006. Gershbach now serves as the John W. Strohbehn Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Andr\u00e9s and Michelle have had a remarkable 25 years. It was a great time reflecting on careers, camaraderie, mentoring, and science,\u0022 said Singh.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarc\u00eda and LaPlaca, who married after they met at the University of Pennsylvania in grad school, joined Georgia Tech in 1998 after completing their postdoctoral fellowships. \u0022It was a combination of excitement, nervousness, and fear,\u0022 said Garc\u00eda when describing his first weeks at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022A blur!\u0022 said LaPlaca, remembering her excitement in those first few days. \u0022But I also sensed the endless possibilities ahead of me.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E25 years is an impressive term, and both have achieved incredible success and distinction over their time at Georgia Tech. Garc\u00eda serves as executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine, and National Academy of Inventors. In addition to her Associate Chair position, LaPlaca is an elected fellow in the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the Biomedical Engineering Society.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor some, remaining in one place for 25 years may be unfathomable, and the fear of monotony may be too much. However, Garc\u00eda and LaPlaca have only felt themselves and their careers grow and expand with Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The school has grown in many ways.\u0026nbsp;The new buildings and international reputation are what some people see. However, I have also seen the continued excellence in education and research reflect the commitment and caring of the faculty, staff, and students,\u0022 said LaPlaca.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I feel very valued by the whole community. I have enjoyed working with outstanding faculty and staff and the best students in the world,\u0022 said Garc\u00eda.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is undoubtedly a family affair for the pair. Their two sons are both graduates of the Woodruff School, and their beloved family dog carries a namesake famous in the Jackets\u0027 community, Buzz.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"In the summer of 2023, Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, Regents\u0027 Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and Michelle C. LaPlaca, Associate Chair for Faculty Development and professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engin"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the summer of 2023, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/garcia\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E Regents\u0027 Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Michelle-C.-LaPlaca\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMichelle C. LaPlaca\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Chair for Faculty Development and professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, reached a joint milestone, their 25th anniversary at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In the summer of 2023, Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, Regents\u0027 Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and Michelle C. LaPlaca, Associate Chair for Faculty Development and professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engin"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-10-21 17:06:59","changed_gmt":"2024-10-21 17:13:34","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675376":{"id":"675376","type":"image","title":"Garci\u0301a_LaPlaca_0.jpg","body":null,"created":"1729530461","gmt_created":"2024-10-21 17:07:41","changed":"1729530461","gmt_changed":"2024-10-21 17:07:41","alt":"AG","file":{"fid":"258990","name":"Garci\u0301a_LaPlaca_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/21\/Garci%CC%81a_LaPlaca_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/21\/Garci%CC%81a_LaPlaca_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1149862,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/21\/Garci%CC%81a_LaPlaca_0.jpg?itok=gwiOA4nR"}}},"media_ids":["675376"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/news\/couple-celebrates-25-years-georgia-tech","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"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\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBy Chloe Arrington\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677707":{"#nid":"677707","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Faculty Pluses School\u2019s Expertise in Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo new assistant professors joined the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) faculty this fall.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lumimim.github.io\/\u0022\u003ELu Mi\u003C\/a\u003E comes to Georgia Tech from the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, where she was a Shanahan Foundation Fellow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe sat down with Mi to learn more about her background and to introduce her to the Georgia Tech and College of Computing communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFaculty:\u003C\/strong\u003E Lu Mi, assistant professor, School of CSE\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch Interests:\u003C\/strong\u003E Computational Neuroscience, Machine Learning\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEducation:\u003C\/strong\u003E Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; B.S. in Measurement, Control, and Instruments from Tsinghua University\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHometown:\u003C\/strong\u003E Sichuan, China (home of the giant pandas)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow have your first few months at Georgia Tech gone so far?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve really enjoyed my time at Georgia Tech. Developing a new course has been both challenging and rewarding. I\u2019ve learned a lot from the process and conversations with students. My colleagues have been incredibly welcoming, and I\u2019ve had the opportunity to work with some very smart and motivated students here at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYou hit the ground running this year by teaching your CSE 8803 course on brain-inspired machine intelligence. What important concepts do you teach in this class?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis course focuses on comparing biological neural networks with artificial neural networks. We explore questions like: How does the brain encode information, perform computations, and learn? What can neuroscience and artificial intelligence (AI) learn from each other? Key topics include spiking neural networks, neural coding, and biologically plausible learning rules. By the end of the course, I expect students to have a solid understanding of neural algorithms and the emerging NeuroAI field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen and how did you become interested in computational neuroscience in the first place?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve been fascinated by how the brain works since I was young. My formal engagement with the field began during my Ph.D. research, where we developed algorithms to help neuroscientists map large-scale synaptic wiring diagrams in the brain. Since then, I\u2019ve had the opportunity to collaborate with researchers at institutions like Harvard, the Janelia Research Campus, the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and the University of Washington on various exciting projects in this field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat about your experience and research are you currently most proud of?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019m particularly proud of the framework we developed to integrate black-box machine learning models with biologically realistic mechanistic models. We use advanced deep-learning techniques to infer unobserved information and combine this with prior knowledge from mechanistic models. This allows us to test hypotheses by applying different model variants. I believe this framework holds great potential to address a wide range of scientific questions, leveraging the power of AI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat about Georgia Tech convinced you to accept a faculty position?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech CSE felt like a perfect fit for my background and research interests, particularly within the AI4Science initiative and the development of computational tools for biology and neuroscience. My work overlaps with several colleagues here, and I\u2019m excited to collaborate with them. Georgia Tech also has a vibrant and impactful \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E community, which is another great attraction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are your hobbies and interests when not researching and teaching?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI enjoy photography and love spending time with my two corgi dogs, especially taking them for walks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat have you enjoyed most so far about living in Atlanta?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve really appreciated the peaceful, green environment with so many trees. I\u2019m also looking forward to exploring more outdoor activities, like fishing and golfing.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo new assistant professors joined the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) faculty this fall.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lumimim.github.io\/\u0022\u003ELu Mi\u003C\/a\u003E comes to Georgia Tech from the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, where she was a Shanahan Foundation Fellow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe sat down with Mi to learn more about her background and to introduce her to the Georgia Tech and College of Computing communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Two new assistant professors joined the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) faculty this fall. Lu Mi comes to Georgia Tech from the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, where she was a Shanahan Foundation Fellow. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2024-10-17 19:00:39","changed_gmt":"2024-10-17 19:06:02","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675349":{"id":"675349","type":"image","title":"Story Cover.jpg","body":null,"created":"1729191699","gmt_created":"2024-10-17 19:01:39","changed":"1729191699","gmt_changed":"2024-10-17 19:01:39","alt":"New CSE Faculty Lu Mi","file":{"fid":"258962","name":"Story Cover.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/17\/Story%20Cover.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/17\/Story%20Cover.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":68737,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/17\/Story%20Cover.jpg?itok=EU-819PB"}}},"media_ids":["675349"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-faculty-pluses-schools-expertise-neuroscience-and-artificial-intelligence","title":"New Faculty Pluses School\u2019s Expertise in Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"172288","name":"School of Computational Science Engineering"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677620":{"#nid":"677620","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Heart Doctors Describe New Collaborative Planning Tool as \u2018Extremely Beneficial\u2019","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new surgery planning tool powered by augmented reality (AR) is in development for doctors who need closer collaboration when planning heart operations. Promising results from a recent usability test have moved the platform one step closer to everyday use in hospitals worldwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers partnered with medical experts from Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) to develop and test\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/05\/06\/georgia-tech-partners-childrens-hospital-new-heart-surgery-planning-tool\u0022\u003EARCollab\u003C\/a\u003E. The iOS-based app leverages advanced AR technologies to let doctors collaborate together and interact with a patient\u2019s 3D heart model when planning surgeries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2408.03249\u0022\u003Eusability evaluation\u003C\/a\u003E demonstrates the app\u2019s effectiveness, finding that ARCollab is easy to use and understand, fosters collaboration, and improves surgical planning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis tool is a step toward easier collaborative surgical planning. ARCollab could reduce the reliance on physical heart models, saving hours and even days of time while maintaining the collaborative nature of surgical planning,\u201d said M.S. student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/pratham2903\/\u0022\u003EPratham Mehta\u003C\/a\u003E, the app\u2019s lead researcher.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNot only can it benefit doctors when planning for surgery, it may also serve as a teaching tool to explain heart deformities and problems to patients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo cardiologists and three cardiothoracic surgeons from CHOA tested ARCollab. The two-day study ended with the doctors taking a 14-question survey assessing the app\u2019s usability. The survey also solicited general feedback and top features.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech group determined from the open-ended feedback that:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EARCollab enables new collaboration capabilities that are easy to use and facilitate surgical planning.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAnchoring the model to a physical space is important for better interaction.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPortability and real-time interaction are crucial for collaborative surgical planning.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsers rated each of the 14 questions on a 7-point Likert scale, with one being \u201cstrongly disagree\u201d and seven being \u201cstrongly agree.\u201d The 14 questions were organized into five categories: overall, multi-user, model viewing, model slicing, and saving and loading models.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe multi-user category attained the highest rating with an average of 6.65. This included a unanimous 7.0 rating that it was easy to identify who was controlling the heart model in ARCollab. The scores also showed it was easy for users to connect with devices, switch between viewing and slicing, and view other users\u2019 interactions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe model slicing category received the lowest, but formidable, average of 5.5. These questions assessed ease of use and understanding of finger gestures and usefulness to toggle slice direction.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased on feedback, the researchers will explore adding support for remote collaboration. This would assist doctors in collaborating when not in a shared physical space. Another improvement is extending the save feature to support multiple states.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe surgeons and cardiologists found it extremely beneficial for multiple people to be able to view the model and collaboratively interact with it in real-time,\u201d Mehta said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe user study took place in a CHOA classroom. CHOA also provided a 3D heart model for the test using anonymous medical imaging data. Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oria.gatech.edu\/irb\u0022\u003EInstitutional Review Board (IRB)\u003C\/a\u003E approved the study and the group collected data in accordance with Institute policies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe five test participants regularly perform cardiovascular surgical procedures and are employed by CHOA.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech group provided each participant with an iPad Pro with the latest iOS version and the ARCollab app installed. Using commercial devices and software meets the group\u2019s intentions to make the tool universally available and deployable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe plan to continue iterating ARCollab based on the feedback from the users,\u201d Mehta said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe participants suggested the addition of a \u2018distance collaboration\u2019 mode, enabling doctors to collaborate even if they are not in the same physical environment. This allows them to facilitate surgical planning sessions from home or otherwise.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech researchers are presenting ARCollab and the user study results at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ieeevis.org\/year\/2024\/welcome\u0022\u003EIEEE VIS 2024\u003C\/a\u003E, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) visualization conference.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIEEE VIS is the world\u2019s most prestigious conference for visualization research and the second-highest rated conference for computer graphics. It takes place virtually Oct. 13-18, moved from its venue in St. Pete Beach, Florida, due to Hurricane Milton.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe ARCollab research group\u0027s presentation at IEEE VIS comes months after they shared their work at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/chi-2024\/\u0022\u003ECHI 2024\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUndergraduate student\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/rahul-ozhur-narayanan-0899a8217\/\u0022\u003ERahul Narayanan\u003C\/a\u003E and alumni\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/harshakaranth.com\/\u0022\u003EHarsha Karanth\u003C\/a\u003E (M.S. CS 2024) and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/alexanderyang.me\/\u0022\u003EHaoyang (Alex) Yang\u003C\/a\u003E (CS 2022, M.S. CS 2023) co-authored the paper with Mehta. They study under\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/\u0022\u003EPolo Chau\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Computational Science and Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech group partnered with Dr. \u003Cstrong\u003ETimothy Slesnick\u003C\/strong\u003E and Dr. \u003Cstrong\u003EFawwaz Shaw\u003C\/strong\u003E from CHOA on ARCollab\u2019s development and user testing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I\u0027m grateful for these opportunities since I get to showcase the team\u0027s hard work,\u0022 Mehta said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI can meet other like-minded researchers and students who share these interests in visualization and human-computer interaction. There is no better form of learning.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new surgery planning tool powered by augmented reality (AR) is in development for doctors in need of better collaboration when planning heart operations. Promising results from a recent usability test have moved the platform one step closer to everyday use in hospitals worldwide.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers partnered with medical experts from Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) to develop and test\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/05\/06\/georgia-tech-partners-childrens-hospital-new-heart-surgery-planning-tool\u0022\u003EARCollab\u003C\/a\u003E. The iOS-based app leverages advanced AR technologies to let doctors collaborate together and interact with a patient\u2019s 3D heart model when planning surgeries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2408.03249\u0022\u003Eusability evaluation\u003C\/a\u003E demonstrates the app\u2019s effectiveness, finding that ARCollab is easy to use and understand, fosters collaboration, and improves surgical planning.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A usability evaluation of ARCollab demonstrated the app\u2019s effectiveness, finding it easy to use and understand, fosters collaboration, and improves heart surgery planning."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2024-10-16 14:12:35","changed_gmt":"2024-10-16 15:16:02","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675333":{"id":"675333","type":"image","title":"ARCollab Head Image.jpg","body":null,"created":"1729087961","gmt_created":"2024-10-16 14:12:41","changed":"1729087961","gmt_changed":"2024-10-16 14:12:41","alt":"ARCollab Usability Evaluation","file":{"fid":"258944","name":"ARCollab Head Image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/16\/ARCollab%20Head%20Image.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/16\/ARCollab%20Head%20Image.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":167048,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/16\/ARCollab%20Head%20Image.jpg?itok=nA2bDcOj"}},"675334":{"id":"675334","type":"image","title":"PM at CHI.png","body":null,"created":"1729087994","gmt_created":"2024-10-16 14:13:14","changed":"1729087994","gmt_changed":"2024-10-16 14:13:14","alt":"Pratham Mehta at CHI 2024","file":{"fid":"258945","name":"PM at CHI.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/16\/PM%20at%20CHI.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/16\/PM%20at%20CHI.png","mime":"image\/png","size":407347,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/16\/PM%20at%20CHI.png?itok=NmqqLc3T"}},"675335":{"id":"675335","type":"image","title":"VIS Graphic.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1729088018","gmt_created":"2024-10-16 14:13:38","changed":"1729088018","gmt_changed":"2024-10-16 14:13:38","alt":"Georgia Tech @ VIS 2024","file":{"fid":"258946","name":"VIS Graphic.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/16\/VIS%20Graphic.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/16\/VIS%20Graphic.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":125923,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/16\/VIS%20Graphic.jpeg?itok=fBVRzr59"}}},"media_ids":["675333","675334","675335"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/heart-doctors-describe-new-collaborative-planning-tool-extremely-beneficial","title":"Heart Doctors Describe New Collaborative Planning Tool as \u2018Extremely Beneficial\u2019"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677155":{"#nid":"677155","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Impact of Data Augmentation: Georgia Tech Researchers Lead NSF Study","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the past year, Georgia Tech researchers\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vmuthukumar.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVidya Muthukumar\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Eva-Dyer\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEva Dyer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;have made a powerful impression on the National Science Foundation (NSF), forging partnerships between their labs and the foundation that may ultimately lead to more efficient, equitable, human-centered, and human-like artificial intelligence, or AI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking at the forefront of research in AI and machine learning, the two are both recent\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/03\/nsf-awards-sought-after-career-funding-5-engineering-faculty\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENSF CAREER Award winners\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u2013 and are collaborators in a multi-institutional, three-year, $1.2 million effort supported by the NSF\u2019s Division of Information and Intelligent Systems.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal is to provide a precise understanding of the impact of data augmentation on generalization,\u201d said Muthukumar, assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Industrial and Systems Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. She\u2019s also principal investigator of the NSF project called,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=2212182\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201cDesign principles and theory for data augmentation.\u201d\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeneralization is a hallmark of basic human intelligence \u2013 if you eat a food that makes you sick, you\u2019ll likely avoid foods that look or smell like that food in the future. That\u2019s generalization at work, something that we do naturally, but takes a greater effort to do efficiently in artificial intelligence.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo build more generalizable AI, developers use data augmentation (DA), in which new data samples are generated from existing datasets to improve the performance of machine learning models. For example, data augmentation is often used in computer vision \u2013 existing image data is augmented through techniques like rotation, cropping, flipping, resizing, and so forth.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBasically, data augmentation artificially increases the amount of training data used in machine learning models. The idea is, a machine learning model trained on augmented images of dogs is better equipped to recognize dogs in different environments, poses, and angles, even if the environments, poses, and angles are different from those seen during initial model training.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBut data augmentation procedures are currently done in an in an ad-hoc manner,\u201d said Muthukumar. \u201cIt\u2019s like, let\u2019s apply this and see if it works.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey are designed and tested on a dataset-by-dataset basis, which isn\u2019t very efficient. Also, augmented data does not always have the desired effects \u2013 it can do more harm than good. So, Muthukumar, Dyer, and their collaborators are developing a theory, a set of fundamental principles to understand DA and its impact on machine learning and AI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur aim is to leverage what we learn to design novel augmentations that can be used across multiple applications and domains,\u201d said Dyer, assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGood, Bad, and Weird\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMuthukumar became interested in data augmentation when she was a graduate student at University of California at Berkeley.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat I found intriguing was how everyone seemed to view the role of data augmentation so differently,\u201d she said. During a summer internship she was part of an effort to resolve racial disparities in a machine\u2019s classification of facial images, \u201ca commonly encountered problem in which the computer might perform well with classifying white males, but not so well with dark-skinned females.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers employed artificial data augmentation techniques \u2013 essentially, boosting their learning model\u2019s dataset by adding virtualized facial images with different skin tones and colors. But to Muthukumar\u2019s surprise, the solution didn\u2019t work very well.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThis was an example of data augmentation not living up to its promise,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat we\u2019re finding is, sometimes data augmentation is good, sometimes it\u2019s bad, sometimes it\u2019s just weird.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat assessment, in fact, is almost the title of a paper Muthukumar and Dyer have submitted to a leading journal: \u201cThe good, the bad and the ugly sides of data augmentation: An implicit spectral regularization perspective.\u201d Currently under revision before publication, the paper lays out their foundational theory for understanding how DA impacts machine learning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work is the latest manifestation of a research partnership that began when Muthukumar arrived at Georgia Tech in January 2021, and connected with\u0026nbsp;Dyer,\u0026nbsp;whose\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dyerlab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENerDS Lab\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has a wide-angled focus, spanning the areas of machine learning, neuroscience, and neuro AI (her work is fostering a knowledge loop \u2013 the development of new AI tools for brain decoding and new neuro-inspired AI systems).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe started talking about how data augmentation does something very subtle to a dataset, changing what the learning model does at a very fundamental level,\u201d Muthtukumar said. \u201cWe asked, \u2018what the heck is this data augmentation doing? Why is it working, or why isn\u2019t it? And, what types of augmentation work and what types don\u2019t?\u2019\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose questions led to their current NSF project, supported through September 2025. Muthukumar is leading the effort, joined by co-principal investigators Dyer;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mdav.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Davenport\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cs.umd.edu\/~tomg\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETom Goldstein\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Maryland.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EClever, Informed DA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe four researchers comprise a kind of super-team of machine learning experts. Davenport, a member of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ml.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Machine Learning\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/csip.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Signal and Information Processing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech, aims his research on the complex interaction of signal processing, statistical inference, and machine learning. He\u2019s collaborated with both Dyer and Muthukumar on recent research papers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGoldstein\u2019s work lies at the intersection of machine learning and optimization. A member of the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies at Maryland, he was part of the research team that recently developed a \u201cwatermark\u201d that can expose text written by artificial intelligence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDyer is a computational neuroscientist whose research has blurred the line between neuroscience and machine learning, and her lab has made advances in neural recording and gathering data. Muthukumar is orchestrating all of this expertise to thoroughly characterize data augmentation\u2019s impact on generalization in machine learning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe hope to gain a full understanding of its influence on learning \u2013 when it helps and when it hurts,\u201d Muthukumar said. Furthermore, the team aims to broaden the promise of data augmentation, expanding its effective use in other areas, such as neuroscience, graphs, and tabular data.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOverall, there\u2019s promise in being able to do a lot more with data augmentations, if we do it in a clever and informed kind of way,\u201d Dyer said. \u201cWe can build more robust brain-machine interfaces, we can improve fairness and transparency. This work can have tremendous long-range impact, especially regarding neuroscience and biomedical data.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s Vidya Muthukumar and Eva Dyer are spearheading a $1.2 million NSF-funded project to understand how data augmentation (DA) influences generalization in machine learning, a key component of AI\u0027s ability to make human-like decisions. Their research seeks to refine DA techniques for broader applications by developing more efficient and reliable methods across various domains.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers Vidya Muthukumar and Eva Dyer are leading a multi-institutional project to develop a theory for data augmentation, aiming to improve the generalization and fairness of AI systems."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-09-26 18:35:08","changed_gmt":"2024-09-26 18:49:50","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675133":{"id":"675133","type":"image","title":"VidyaEva","body":"\u003Cp\u003EVidya Muthukumar and Eva Dyer have formed a research partnership that may lead tohuman-centered, and human-like artificial intelligence. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Photo by Jerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727375152","gmt_created":"2024-09-26 18:25:52","changed":"1727375300","gmt_changed":"2024-09-26 18:28:20","alt":"Vidya Muthukumar and Eva Dyer","file":{"fid":"258727","name":"VidyaEva.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/26\/VidyaEva.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/26\/VidyaEva.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3617213,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/26\/VidyaEva.jpg?itok=SwMY48HG"}},"675134":{"id":"675134","type":"image","title":"EvaVidya","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEva Dyer and Vidya Muthukumar\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727375315","gmt_created":"2024-09-26 18:28:35","changed":"1727375360","gmt_changed":"2024-09-26 18:29:20","alt":"Eva Dyer and Vidya Muthukumar","file":{"fid":"258729","name":"EvaVidya.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/26\/EvaVidya.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/26\/EvaVidya.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4246920,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/26\/EvaVidya.jpg?itok=CrMhbIPq"}}},"media_ids":["675133","675134"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"193860","name":"Artifical Intelligence"},{"id":"192783","name":"data augmentation"},{"id":"177339","name":"AI machine learning"},{"id":"175946","name":"Eva Dyer"},{"id":"186736","name":"Vidya Muthukumar"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"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:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677140":{"#nid":"677140","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Dahlman, Kwong Named to AIMBE College of Fellows","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo faculty members in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering \u2014 associate professors James Dahlman and Gabe Kwong \u2014 have been elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s considered one of the highest professional accolades for medical and biological engineers. Dahlman and Kwong are among 163 colleagues in this year\u2019s induction class, joining only two percent of engineers in their fields who are accorded this distinction. Inductees are nominated and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMany of the scientists I look up to are part of this organization, so I\u2019m deeply honored to be named an AIMBE Fellow,\u201d said Dahlman, McCamish Foundation Early Career Professor in Coulter BME, a joint department of Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAIMBE recognized him \u201cfor his sophisticated in vivo screens to develop clinically relevant lipid nanoparticles for delivering targeted RNA-based therapies outside the liver.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDahlman\u2019s lab has developed nanoparticle barcodes that allow them rapidly to screen hundreds of potential drug delivery molecules at once, accelerating the discovery and delivery of new RNA therapeutics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m grateful for the recognition, but this honor really goes to the excellent trainees we have at Georgia Tech and Emory. Without their creativity and hard work, this recognition simply does not happen,\u201d said Dahlman, who also called out his personal advisors, undergraduate mentor Daniel Miracle, and pioneering biotechnologists Robert Langer and Feng Zhang: \u201cThey believed in me and gave me the confidence to pursue high-risk, high-reward science at Georgia Tech and Emory.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKwong was elected, according to the AIMBE citation, \u201cfor pioneering advances in immunoengineering and the clinical translation of such advancements for early cancer detection and immunotherapy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe\u2019s leading a $50 million project as part of President Biden\u2019s Cancer Moonshot initiative to map the metabolic signatures of cancer. Project CODA (for Cancer and Organ Degradome Atlas) will use this information to build bioengineered sensors for the early detection of multiple cancers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s the kind of multi-institutional project with a potential for great impact that every researcher dreams about,\u201d noted Kwong, who said he did not develop a passion for research until college.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat\u2019s when I discovered that I liked solving problems \u2014 the harder the better,\u201d said Kwong, whose Laboratory for Synthetic Immunity engineers medicines to intercept and treat disease. \u201cAfter avoiding classes like chemistry in high school, I realized that I enjoy peeking under the hood, so to speak, and learning about the body, about cells and molecules.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe added, \u201cIt just goes to show that there are multiple paths we can take to make contributions to human health. And this honor from AIMBE is personally significant, because it comes from a group of professionals that I sincerely admire, and that inspire me.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAIMBE Fellows are some of the nation\u2019s most distinguished medical and biological engineers, including three Nobel Prize laureates and 22 winners of the Presidential Medal of Science or Medal of Technology and Innovation. Also, 214 Fellows have been inducted to the National Academy of Engineering, 117 to the National Academy of Medicine, and 48 to the National Academy of Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECoulter BME faculty members James Dahlman and Gabe Kwong have been elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Coulter BME faculty members James Dahlman and Gabe Kwong have been elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-09-26 16:36:12","changed_gmt":"2024-09-26 16:44:41","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675130":{"id":"675130","type":"image","title":"Dahlman Kwong AIMBE Fellows","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECoulter BME faculty members James Dahlman and Gabe Kwong have been elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727367838","gmt_created":"2024-09-26 16:23:58","changed":"1727368487","gmt_changed":"2024-09-26 16:34:47","alt":"Dahlman Kwong AIMBE Fellows","file":{"fid":"258724","name":"Dahlman Kwong.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/26\/Dahlman%20Kwong.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/26\/Dahlman%20Kwong.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1043398,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/26\/Dahlman%20Kwong.jpg?itok=xS0wr1TX"}}},"media_ids":["675130"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"1007","name":"AIMBE"},{"id":"16371","name":"AIMBE Fellow"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"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":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJerry Grillo\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676545":{"#nid":"676545","#data":{"type":"news","title":"mRNA and Gene Editing Tools Offer New Hope for Dengue Virus Treatment","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDengue virus, a painful and sometimes fatal mosquito-borne infection well known in tropical countries, is surging rapidly across the planet. Now, 4 billion people live in places \u2014 like the southeastern United States \u2014 at risk for the disease, which doesn\u2019t have an effective antiviral treatment. Yet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA team of researchers led by biomedical engineer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Philip-Santangelo\u0022\u003EPhil Santangelo\u003C\/a\u003E has developed a breakthrough therapy to target and kill the virus using the gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas13. The team\u2019s systemic delivery of the treatment was successful in treating dengue virus in mice, as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41564-024-01726-6\u0022\u003Ethe researchers explained in \u003Cem\u003ENature Microbiology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDengue is difficult to treat in part because there are four different serotypes of the virus, which means four different targets for a vaccine. People infected with one serotype who then contract a second version of the virus can end up with a serious disease. That second attack can end up amplifying the first. Symptoms include fever, nausea, rash, aches and pains (including behind the eyes), and in some cases, internal bleeding, shock, and death.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere are several challenges with trying to treat dengue, so we wondered, is it possible for us to produce an mRNA-based, CRISPR-based antiviral where one shot can clear the virus,\u201d said Santangelo, professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u201cAnd that\u2019s basically what we\u2019ve shown.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew Use for the Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith the global proliferation of the Aedes mosquito that spreads dengue and other viruses, the timing of such a treatment would be fortuitous.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnfortunately, climate change is enabling an increase of these virus-causing mosquitos,\u201d said Santangelo, also a researcher in the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech. \u201cSo, it\u2019s a good idea to be prepared.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is the first time an mRNA-based CRISPR treatment has worked against systemic viral infections in animal models. But Santangelo demonstrated its efficacy in earlier studies focused on lung diseases, including a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/healing-breath-researchers-dramatically-improve-inhalable-mrna-therapy\u0022\u003Etreatment for coronavirus\u003C\/a\u003E. That was an inhalable treatment using polymeric nanoparticles \u2014 large, biodegradable molecules ideal for delivering medicine directly to the lungs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the dengue virus study, the team used lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which are like tiny fat bubbles that transport drugs through the bloodstream and into cells. The nanoparticles carried a custom-coded messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mRNA was encoded with Cas13a (a CRISPR protein that can cut viral RNA) and guide RNAs (to direct the Cas13a to the viral RNA that needs to be cut). The process basically created a set of instructions. When the encoded mRNA is delivered to infected cells via the LNPs, the cell uses those instructions to build Cas13a and guide RNAs, which degrade the viral RNA within those targeted cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMilitary Precision\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA single dose of the treatment was given to mice infected with lethal doses of two serotypes of dengue virus, DENV-2 and DENV-3. All the treated mice survived with no unintended damage to their RNA. Following treatment, the researchers also looked for evidence of the virus in the mice\u2019s brains but couldn\u2019t find any.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt looks like our treatment precludes the virus from getting into the brain,\u201d Santangelo said. \u201cThis may not be super critical for dengue, which doesn\u2019t end up in the human brain. But this discovery could be really important for Zika virus, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, and other viruses that do affect the human brain.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is interested in protecting soldiers from mosquito-borne illnesses. Santangelo\u2019s team now is testing their approach on dengue\u2019s other serotypes and will study the treatment in other viruses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re very interested in trying these kinds of approaches to go after as many viruses as we can with one, potent treatment,\u201d said Santangelo, whose team included researchers from Georgia State University as well as Emory\u2019s Computational Core. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to find the most efficient way to kill these viruses. We\u2019re not quite there yet, but we\u2019re going to get there eventually.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E Basu, M., Zurla, C., Auroni, T.T. \u003Cem\u003Eet al.\u003C\/em\u003E mRNA-encoded Cas13 can be used to treat dengue infections in mice. \u003Cem\u003ENat Microbiol\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Cstrong\u003E9\u003C\/strong\u003E, 2160\u20132172 (2024). \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41564-024-01726-6\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41564-024-01726-6\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, grant No. HR0011-19-2-0008. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any funding agency.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPhil Santangelo has developed a treatment for dengue virus using mRNA and CRISPR technology. It could also work for other mosquito-borne viruses.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Phil Santangelo has developed a treatment for dengue virus using mRNA and CRISPR technology."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-09-05 15:56:30","changed_gmt":"2024-09-12 16:33:26","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-09-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-09-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674832":{"id":"674832","type":"image","title":"Phil Santangelo","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhil Santangelo has led development of a new treatment for dengue virus, using mRNA and CRISPR technology. \u0026nbsp;\u2014 Photo by Jack Kearse\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1725551522","gmt_created":"2024-09-05 15:52:02","changed":"1725551669","gmt_changed":"2024-09-05 15:54:29","alt":"Phil Santangelo, faculty member of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, has led development of a new treatment for dengue virus, using mRNA and CRISPR technology.","file":{"fid":"258396","name":"M110701-23JK-058 Final06.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/05\/M110701-23JK-058%20Final06.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/05\/M110701-23JK-058%20Final06.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1746442,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/05\/M110701-23JK-058%20Final06.jpg?itok=uiPzaROU"}}},"media_ids":["674832"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"6718","name":"Phil Santangelo"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"193939","name":"Dengue"},{"id":"191727","name":"mRNA therapies"},{"id":"985","name":"mRNA"},{"id":"170522","name":"CRISPR"}],"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\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676492":{"#nid":"676492","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Generating Buzz:  Using AI to Detect and Treat Cancer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwenty million people\u0026nbsp;worldwide\u0026nbsp;were diagnosed with cancer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/about-cancer\/understanding\/statistics#:~:text=Cancer%20is%20among%20the%20leading,related%20deaths%20to%2015.3%20million.\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/about-cancer\/understanding\/statistics#:~:text=Cancer%20is%20among%20the%20leading,related%20deaths%20to%2015.3%20million.\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ein 2022\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;However, misdiagnoses, high costs, and the toxic side effects of\u0026nbsp;some\u0026nbsp;treatments are common\u0026nbsp;roadblocks.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Anant-Madabhushi\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Anant-Madabhushi\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnant\u0026nbsp;Madabhushi\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, is\u0026nbsp;using\u0026nbsp;artificial intelligence to improve the diagnosis and\u0026nbsp;treatment of\u0026nbsp;certain cancers. As the executive director of the Emory Empathetic AI for Health Institute,\u0026nbsp;Madabhushi\u0027s\u0026nbsp;research aims to expand access to testing and reduce the financial and emotional\u0026nbsp;strain on\u0026nbsp;patients and providers when developing\u0026nbsp;treatment plans.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnant Madabhushi, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, is using artificial intelligence to improve the diagnosis and treatment of certain cancers.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" Anant Madabhushi, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, is using artificial intelligence to improve the diagnosis and treatment of certain cancers."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-09-03 19:55:42","changed_gmt":"2024-09-10 17:48:56","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674862":{"id":"674862","type":"image","title":"GettyImages-1477214805 copy.jpg","body":null,"created":"1725646361","gmt_created":"2024-09-06 18:12:41","changed":"1725646361","gmt_changed":"2024-09-06 18:12:41","alt":"buzz","file":{"fid":"258427","name":"GettyImages-1477214805 copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/06\/GettyImages-1477214805%20copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/06\/GettyImages-1477214805%20copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":365486,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/06\/GettyImages-1477214805%20copy.jpg?itok=vjR4IfP-"}}},"media_ids":["674862"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2024\/08\/generating-buzz-using-ai-detect-and-treat-cancer?utm_source=newsletter\u0026utm_medium=email\u0026utm_content=Listen%20Now%0A\u0026utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20Sept.%203%2C%202024","title":""},{"url":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/gatech\/generating-buzz-using-ai-to-detect-and-treat-cancer?utm_source=clipboard\u0026utm_campaign=wtshare\u0026utm_medium=widget\u0026utm_content=https%253A%252F%252Fsoundcloud.com%252Fgatech%252Fgenerating-buzz-using-ai-to-detect-and-treat-cancer","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676149":{"#nid":"676149","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Johnna Temenoff Appointed Director of Marcus Center for MC3M","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M) at the Georgia Institute of Technology is excited to officially welcome \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/johnna-temenoff\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohnna Temenoff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E as the center\u2019s new director. MC3M brings together clinicians, industry researchers, and product developers with scientists and engineers of multiple disciplines to tackle the challenge of highly controlled, well-characterized, efficient, reproducible, and high-quality cell manufacturing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am extremely honored to be named the director of the Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing,\u201d said Temenoff. \u201cThe Center has demonstrated significant and sustained impact on the field of cell manufacturing since its founding in 2016, and along with our NSF ERC on Cell Manufacturing Technologies, has positioned Georgia Tech on the cutting edge of technologies to improve quality and affordability of cell-based therapeutics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETemenoff joined the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) at Georgia Tech\/Emory University in 2005 and is currently the\u0026nbsp;Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Professor in BME. She also currently serves as the director of the NSF Engineering Research Center in Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT). Temenoff has received several awards and honors for her work in scaling culture of therapeutic cells and biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications. These include the Society for Biomaterials (SFB) Clemson Award for Contributions to the Literature, College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineers (AIMBE), Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), Fellow of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE) and Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering (IUSBSE).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETemenoff is preceded by Krishnendu \u201cKrish\u201d Roy, professor in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. In August, Roy left Georgia Tech\/Emory to begin a leadership position at Vanderbilt University as Dean of Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am particularly excited to be taking on a leadership role in MC3M at this time as the field has grown tremendously in the past five-plus years. The types of tools and technologies we are developing are increasingly important to assure that advanced biotherapeutics are available to all who need them,\u201d stated Temenoff.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M) at the Georgia Institute of Technology is excited to officially welcome \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/johnna-temenoff\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohnna Temenoff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E as the center\u2019s new director.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M) at the Georgia Institute of Technology is excited to officially welcome Johnna Temenoff as the center\u2019s new director. "}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:18:25","changed_gmt":"2024-09-09 17:51:50","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674664":{"id":"674664","type":"image","title":"JT Headshot","body":null,"created":"1724248684","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 13:58:04","changed":"1724248684","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 13:58:04","alt":"JT Headshot","file":{"fid":"258216","name":"JohnnaTemenoff_headshot.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/JohnnaTemenoff_headshot.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/JohnnaTemenoff_headshot.png","mime":"image\/png","size":322847,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/JohnnaTemenoff_headshot.png?itok=l741Lu5e"}}},"media_ids":["674664"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676609":{"#nid":"676609","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Summer of STEM Exploration, From Soda Bottles to Bioplastics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn a humid June morning, 50 students are gathered in The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design to learn how to make a water filtration system. They use everyday materials \u2014 a soda bottle and cotton balls \u2014 and watch as dirty water becomes clean. Of all the places to try the experiment on Georgia Tech\u2019s campus, Kendeda is the ideal spot because of its focus on sustainability and the environment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn this day, however, the students pouring water over cotton, sand, and charcoal aren\u2019t Yellow Jackets \u2014 at least, not yet. They\u2019re rising ninth and 10th graders participating in an intensive experiential learning camp called \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.stemgemsbook.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESTEM Gems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The program introduces girls and young women to careers and women in STEM through hands-on activities, career exploration, and mindful conversations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI love the arts, but STEM is my main focus. That\u2019s why I applied to this camp,\u201d said Niema Spears, a rising ninth grader at Atlanta\u2019s Coretta Scott King Young Women\u0027s Leadership Academy. \u201cI never knew you could filter water using natural materials. It\u2019s consistent with what I\u2019ve seen all week: I didn\u2019t know I could do any of this.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EImage\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-06\/two-people-looking-soil-stem-gems.jpg?itok=YnOIj-n9\u0022 alt=\u0022two girls look at soil in a cup\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u0022800\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo campers measure soil before putting it into their water filtration system.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis is the second consecutive summer STEM Gems has chosen the College of Engineering as the best location to expose their participants to the possibilities of science, technology, engineering, and math and learn about the significant impact Georgia Tech research has in the world.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe College supports STEM Gems because of its focus on growing the engineering pipeline of women and people from underserved communities. The program\u2019s goals are aligned with other College-organized summer events that include the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/06\/summer-engineering-institute-gives-high-schoolers-taste-college\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESummer Engineering Institute\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2022\/08\/diversifying-stem-one-summer-time\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESummer Undergraduate Research Experience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEmpowering K-12 students in Georgia with STEM education is not just about teaching science, technology, engineering, and math. It\u0027s about igniting curiosity, fostering innovation, and preparing the next generation to lead and thrive in a rapidly evolving world,\u201d said Associate Dean Damon Williams. \u201cSTEM Gems is a premier summer camp experience for Georgia students that does just that.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESTEM Gems was created by Atlanta native Stephanie Espy, a chemical engineer-turned-entrepreneur. After seeing few women in the engineering field during her college internships, Espy wrote a book about women in STEM fields and their careers. It was aimed at middle and high schoolers and has spawned the camp, an annual summit, and a K-12 club that currently has chapters in 100 schools around the nation.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAt the camp, the students visit Georgia Tech labs, hear from faculty and admissions officers, and enjoy a series of interactive activities. On their \u201cengineering day,\u201d they built the water filtration system, made eco-friendly jewelry from bioplastics, and created a hidden alarm to prank their parents. \u201cScience day\u201d included extracting DNA from strawberries, building a terrarium and tracking map for insects, and testing forensic evidence from a hypothetical crime scene. \u201cTechnology day,\u201d \u201cmath day,\u201d and \u201cmy STEM journey day\u201d rounded out the week.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe camp is free for participants because of funding from the Avantor Foundation. The grant also pays for camp facilitators, six of whom are Georgia Tech students.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSeeing the campers engaged in thoughtful STEM-career-focused activities and learning about women in a diverse range of STEM careers has been very rewarding for me,\u201d Espy said. \u201cAnd Georgia Tech is a natural home for our STEM Gems camp. Tech enrolls and graduates the most women engineers every year. We want our campers to be on this campus and see themselves as future students, no matter which STEM path they choose.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech is a natural home for our STEM Gems camp. Tech enrolls and graduates the most women engineers every year. We want our campers to be on this campus and see themselves as future students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESTEPHANIE ESPY\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBioengineering Ph.D. student Makala Faniel spends the majority of her summer in the biomedical engineering lab of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Cheng-Zhu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECheng Zhu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E researching cancer immunotherapy molecules and the immune system. This is the second year she took a week off to serve as a STEM Gems facilitator.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI participated in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projectengages.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProject ENGAGES\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E at Tech when I was in high school, and the program helped me figure out that I wanted to pursue materials science as an undergrad,\u201d Faniel said. \u201cThis is a chance to give back and provide some of the same assistance others gave me when I was that age. If I had more information as a high schooler, I would have been better prepared. This program and this week allow that.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ETiffany Franklin said Georgia Tech was a big draw for her. She will start 10th grade at Smyrna\u2019s Campbell High School in August and applied to the camp because she loves math and science and couldn\u2019t pass up the chance to come to campus.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThis week has been fun, empowering, and therapeutic. It\u2019s a rare opportunity to bring out the nerd in me,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cAnd seeing these labs and doing these activities here at Georgia Tech makes everything seem so official.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"A group of high schoolers come to campus to experience hands-on STEM activities and explore careers as part of the STEM Gems camp.\r\n\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A group of high schoolers come to campus to experience hands-on STEM activities and explore careers as part of the STEM Gems camp."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-09-06 18:54:43","changed_gmt":"2024-09-06 18:56:12","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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":"\u003Cdiv\u003EBy: Jason Maderer (maderer@gatech.edu)\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EPhotos: Malcolm Davie\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676605":{"#nid":"676605","#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\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Biophysical Basis of Bacterial Colony Growth\u003C\/strong\u003E\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\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/strong\u003E\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\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ewho is also a Ph.D. student in Yunker\u2019s lab\u003C\/strong\u003E\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\u003EFrom plaque sticking to teeth to scum on a pond, biofilms can be found nearly everywhere.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"From plaque sticking to teeth to scum on a pond, biofilms can be found nearly everywhere."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-09-06 18:48:57","changed_gmt":"2024-09-06 18:49:39","author":"swilliamson40","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":{"674870":{"id":"674870","type":"image","title":"biofilm.jpg","body":null,"created":"1725648543","gmt_created":"2024-09-06 18:49:03","changed":"1725648543","gmt_changed":"2024-09-06 18:49:03","alt":"biofilm","file":{"fid":"258434","name":"biofilm.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/06\/biofilm.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/06\/biofilm.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":826490,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/06\/biofilm.jpg?itok=SDxd0Hpo"}}},"media_ids":["674870"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:%20sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["sperrin6@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676527":{"#nid":"676527","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cassie Mitchell Pursues a 4th Paralympic Medal at Her 4th Straight Games","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s tough to say what keeps pushing Cassie Mitchell to compete in the Paralympics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaybe it\u2019s stubbornness, a refusal to let the degenerative neurological condition that has paralyzed much of her body control what she does.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaybe it\u2019s the fact that, despite three trips to the Paralympic Games going back to London in 2012 and despite medaling in 2016 and 2021, she still doesn\u2019t have an elusive gold medal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaybe it\u2019s simply that she\u2019s been an athlete her entire life and thrives by pushing herself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhatever the motivation, Mitchell has qualified for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.teamusa.com\/profiles\/cassie-mitchell-849540\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eher fourth straight Paralympic Games\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and will compete in the discus throw in Paris when \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.teamusa.com\/paris-2024\/paralympics\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ethe events get underway Aug. 28 \u2013 Sept. 8\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy goal has been to be on the top of the podium, to see the flag come up, to hear the national anthem at a Paralympic Games. I have been blessed to get that at World Championships and some other events, but not at a Paralympic Games,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Cassie-S.-Mitchell\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMitchell\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u201cThat just keeps me coming back. It\u2019s like this sign I keep on my shelf: \u2018Never, never, never give up.\u2019 As long as I am able to go out, be competitive, and have a chance, then I want to keep going.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDiscus has been one of Mitchell\u2019s signature events for multiple Paralympic cycles. She won silver in 2016 and just missed the medal stand at the Covid-delayed 2021 Games.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo of her nine American Paralympic track and field records are in discus, and she currently holds the world record for athletes with her level of physical disability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EImage\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-08\/Cassie-Mitchell-US-Para-Trials-rev.jpg?itok=YqBofvOJ\u0022 alt=\u0022Cassie Mitchell throws the discus\u0022 width=\u00221075\u0022 height=\u00221354\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMitchell at the Paralympic Team Trials. (Photo: Joe Kusumoto, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStill, Mitchell said she\u2019ll likely need to best her own record to have a chance at a medal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s because the discus event will combine athletes with different levels of capability. Mitchell is classified as a 51 athlete, those with the most physical impairment. She will compete against women in the 52 and 53 classes, which have significantly more function in their limbs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen you start to mix classes, a paraplegic is going to throw farther than a quadriplegic. I can train to the ends of the Earth, and there\u2019s only a certain amount I\u2019m going to be able to overcome based upon the degree of paralysis in my upper body,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cI\u2019m doing my best to find what that limit is.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EImage\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/gtcoe_wide\/public\/2024-08\/Cassie-Mitchell-US-Para-Trials-qualified.jpg?itok=O8Gv-z2s\u0022 alt=\u0022Cassie Mitchell holds an oversized ticket as a qualifier for the Paralympic Games\u0022 width=\u00221200\u0022 height=\u0022960\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMitchell at the naming ceremony for the 2024 Paralympic Games after the track and field trials. (Photo: Joe Kusumoto, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn fact, she said she\u2019s training harder now than she ever has. Partly, that\u2019s a result of focusing her training on this discus rather than the club throw, an event where she has won Paralympic silver and bronze but that\u2019s not on the event schedule for these Games.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough she\u2019s always competed in both events, she always felt she had a better shot at a medal with the club, so she focused on cardio and speed training. Now she\u2019s dialing in on power and strength so she can compete with the athletes she\u2019ll face in Paris.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s going to take a world record to get on the medal stand, and even then, it may not happen. But that\u2019s all I can control. If I can go and break my own world record as a 51, what more can you do?\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cI\u2019ll know I left everything out there.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMitchell has been training in Atlanta and Oklahoma, where her coach is based. Throughout, Mitchell has continued to teach classes and conduct research focused on harnessing the power of big data and machine learning to forecast disease, identify new therapeutics, and optimize treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer engineering mindset is part of her athletic endeavors, too, helping her train smarter rather than just harder, she said: \u201cI\u2019ve always done a biomechanical breakdown in my throw. I also am coming in with a different throwing chair setup to try to get better balance. Discus is heavier, so I\u2019m trying to get a little bit more balanced and see if that helps me go farther.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStill, stubbornness sometimes wins out, which is when it\u2019s nice to have her coach also happen to be her mom \u2014 the first time that\u2019s officially been the case prior to a Paralympic Games.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe nice thing about having my mom as coach is she can control that knob a little better than some people,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cShe probably lets me throw more than what most coaches would. She\u2019s also still mom. She will still put her foot down and say, \u2018Enough.\u2019\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt 43, Mitchell doesn\u2019t think she\u2019s hit her ceiling yet. She\u2019s really drawn to the idea of competing on home turf at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. She\u2019s picked up another sport called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.lakeshore.org\/activity\/boccia-united-states\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eboccia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to increase her chances of making those Games. It\u2019s somewhat similar to bocce, where players have to throw balls as close to a target ball as possible. She has teamed with former wheelchair tennis player \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.teamusa.com\/profiles\/nick-taylor\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENick Taylor\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and they\u2019ve already medaled in an international competition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m a very patriotic person,\u201d she said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t say Mitchell on my uniform, it says USA. And I think to compete on home soil would be really special.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt may be harder than ever to medal this time, but the BME faculty member is also working harder than ever to make it happen.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"It may be harder than ever to medal this time, but the BME faculty member is also working harder than ever to make it happen."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-09-04 17:41:34","changed_gmt":"2024-09-06 18:13:59","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674863":{"id":"674863","type":"image","title":"Cassie-Mitchell-US-Para-Trials-rev.png","body":null,"created":"1725646417","gmt_created":"2024-09-06 18:13:37","changed":"1725646417","gmt_changed":"2024-09-06 18:13:37","alt":"Cassie Mitchell","file":{"fid":"258428","name":"Cassie-Mitchell-US-Para-Trials-rev.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/06\/Cassie-Mitchell-US-Para-Trials-rev.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/06\/Cassie-Mitchell-US-Para-Trials-rev.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2098601,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/06\/Cassie-Mitchell-US-Para-Trials-rev.png?itok=uk8Mzj9m"}}},"media_ids":["674863"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/08\/cassie-mitchell-pursues-4th-paralympic-medal-her-4th-straight-games?utm_source=newsletter\u0026utm_medium=email\u0026utm_content=Full%20Story%0A\u0026utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20Aug.%2027%2C%202024","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003EJoshua Stewart\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jstewart@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676510":{"#nid":"676510","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Regenerative Engineering and Medicine Center Collaborative Seed Grant Awardees Announced","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIBB is excited to announce the awardees of the \u003Cstrong\u003E2024-25 \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.regenerativeengineeringandmedicine.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERegenerative Engineering and Medicine Center (REM)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E Collaborative Seed Grant\u003C\/strong\u003E. REM is a partnership with Georgia Tech, Emory University, and the University of Georgia that supports and facilitates inter-institutional collaborations in research in regenerative medicine.\u0026nbsp;Since 2010, competitive peer-reviewed seed grants have been awarded annually to groups with representation from at least two of the three institutions, leading to external funding for new research.\u0026nbsp;In addition to the center\u2019s core focus areas, this year\u2019s cycle was particularly interested in proposals that explore the intersection of regenerative medicine and aging.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn Cho\u003C\/strong\u003E of the University of Georgia and \u003Cstrong\u003EPeng Jin\u003C\/strong\u003E of Emory were selected for funding for their proposal, \u0022Developing Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular\u0026nbsp;Assembloid.\u201d\u0026nbsp;This project\u0026nbsp;aims to create\u0026nbsp;a\u0026nbsp;pioneering 3D organoid model that replicates the interactions between these critical tissues. The research could lead to breakthroughs in understanding male reproductive health\u0026nbsp;and fertility, potentially paving the way for new therapeutic strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis grant builds on the pioneering works of our collaborative team, including my work with Charles Easley on the in vitro spermatogenesis and testicular organoid model and Peng Jin at Emory on the brain-region-specific organoid model,\u201d Cho said. \u201cThe development of\u0026nbsp;3D hypothalamic-pituitary-testis\u0026nbsp;assembloids will facilitate important research on male reproductive health and disease.\u0026nbsp;It will also offer solutions to many of the challenges inherent in this field by providing more relevant, ethical, and detailed models for research, ultimately holding the promise of improved understanding, prevention, and treatment of male reproductive health issues.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJin Xie\u003C\/strong\u003E of the University of Georgia and \u003Cstrong\u003EYong Teng\u003C\/strong\u003E of Emory were selected for funding for their proposal, \u201cEnhancing Dendritic Cell Migration\u0026nbsp;and Maturation in\u0026nbsp;Aged Individuals Using Calcium Nanoparticles.\u201d Focused on\u0026nbsp;addressing the challenges of\u0026nbsp;aging in cancer treatment, this project seeks to enhance the function of dendritic cells in older individuals using cutting-edge calcium nanoparticle technology. The goal is to improve immune response in\u0026nbsp;aged patients, making cancer immunotherapies more effective\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;accessible for this vulnerable population.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cImmune checkpoint blockade has revolutionized cancer treatment, but many patients, especially the elderly, fail to respond effectively due to a lack of tumor infiltration of conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s), which are crucial for robust antitumor immunity,\u201d Xie said. \u201cTo address this issue, we propose a novel approach using calcium nanoparticles to enhance cDC1 migration, maturation, and function. This strategy has the potential to improve immunotherapy outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and potentially other cancers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENicole Schmitt\u003C\/strong\u003E of Emory and \u003Cstrong\u003EGabe Kwong\u003C\/strong\u003E of Georgia Tech were selected for funding for their proposal, \u201cNLRC5 Lipid Nanoparticles for Rescue of Sensitivity to Immunotherapy in Head\u0026nbsp;and Neck Cancer.\u201d This research\u0026nbsp;aims to revolutionize the treatment of head\u0026nbsp;and neck cancers by developing lipid nanoparticles that enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy. By targeting immune signaling pathways, this project holds promise for significantly improving patient outcomes in cancers that\u0026nbsp;are notoriously difficult to treat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cResistance to immunotherapy is a major problem in head and neck cancers, due to deficiencies in the cellular machinery needed to process and present tumor antigens to T lymphocytes,\u201d said Schmidt. \u201cThis project will explore the use of a lipid nanoparticle to deliver mRNA encoding a deficient transcription factor called NLRC5 as a potential strategy for restoring sensitivity to immunotherapy in preclinical models of head and neck cancer.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFranklin West\u003C\/strong\u003E of the University of Georgia and \u003Cstrong\u003ELevi Wood\u003C\/strong\u003E of Georgia Tech were selected for funding for their proposal, \u201cIlluminating the Neuroprotective\u0026nbsp;and Regenerative Effects of NSC-Derived Extracellular Vesicles for Treatment of TBI in\u0026nbsp;a\u0026nbsp;Translationally Relevant Swine Model.\u201d This\u0026nbsp;ambitious project explores the potential of neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles to promote healing\u0026nbsp;and regeneration in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Utilizing\u0026nbsp;a\u0026nbsp;swine model, which closely resembles human biology, this research could lead to new, effective treatments for TBI, ultimately improving recovery outcomes for patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating\u0026nbsp;condition that affects over 2 million people in the U.S. every year with no FDA-approved treatment,\u201d said West and Wood in a joint statement. \u201cIn this study, we are evaluating neural stem cell extracellular vesicles as a promising therapeutic that is neuroprotective and regenerative and is now going into human clinical trials for stroke. This study is foundational and will likely lead to rapid translation to clinical trials for TBI.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIBB is excited to announce the awardees of the \u003Cstrong\u003E2024-25 \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.regenerativeengineeringandmedicine.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERegenerative Engineering and Medicine Center (REM)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E Collaborative Seed Grant\u003C\/strong\u003E. REM is a partnership with Georgia Tech, Emory University, and the University of Georgia that supports and facilitates inter-institutional collaborations in research in regenerative medicine.\u0026nbsp;Since 2010, competitive peer-reviewed seed grants have been awarded annually to groups with representation from at least two of the three institutions, leading to external funding for new research.\u0026nbsp;In addition to the center\u2019s core focus areas, this year\u2019s cycle was particularly interested in proposals that explore the intersection of regenerative medicine and aging.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"IBB is excited to announce the awardees of the 2024-25 Regenerative Engineering and Medicine Center (REM) Collaborative Seed Grant. "}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-09-04 15:20:50","changed_gmt":"2024-09-04 15:22:35","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-09-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-09-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674814":{"id":"674814","type":"image","title":"REM2.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1725463302","gmt_created":"2024-09-04 15:21:42","changed":"1725463302","gmt_changed":"2024-09-04 15:21:42","alt":"REM","file":{"fid":"258377","name":"REM2.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/04\/REM2.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/04\/REM2.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1979731,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/04\/REM2.jpeg?itok=KRuencrZ"}},"674813":{"id":"674813","type":"image","title":"REM1.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1725463273","gmt_created":"2024-09-04 15:21:13","changed":"1725463273","gmt_changed":"2024-09-04 15:21:13","alt":"REM","file":{"fid":"258376","name":"REM1.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/04\/REM1.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/04\/REM1.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1535555,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/04\/REM1.jpeg?itok=r6EqS6s-"}}},"media_ids":["674814","674813"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676420":{"#nid":"676420","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Ph.D. Student Receives Patent for Thermographic Breast Cancer Detection Device ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMammograms can be an effective resource for detecting breast cancer, but for some women, it can be an invasive and uncomfortable experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s why Gianna Slusher, Ph.D. student in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, developed a device that could serve as an effective alternative to traditional early detection methods for breast cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESlusher and her partner, Caitlin Reina, received an official patent for inventing a mounted thermographic imaging system that can be used at home to detect medical issues such as breast cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe device includes a mount that can attach to a wall and a clamp that holds a smartphone or tablet. Through an app programmed by the pair, it uses thermal images as a non-invasive and radiation-free way to capture changes in breast temperature associated with cancerous tumors. The mount can be positioned in multiple discreet and various angles, which can allow for consistent imaging. The user would be instructed on the app to see a doctor if an anomaly is detected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-07\/Device_Patent.jpeg\u0022 alt=\u0022Breast cancer screening device\u0022 width=\u00222611\u0022 height=\u0022707\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESlusher and Reina began working on the project at the Invention Factory \u2013 a summer program they attended at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City while the pair were working towards their bachelor\u0027s degrees in mechanical engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESlusher hopes the thermal imaging system and ease of use can help women battle all types of breast cancer in the early stages from the convenience of their own home.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring the summer of the Invention Factory when the device was created, Slusher\u2019s aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer, which Slusher says deeply influenced her work.\u201cHer journey inspired the creation of this device, and I am pleased to share that she is now healthy!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow Slusher hopes the invention can help other women gain easier access to a solution to a problem that many women will face in their lifetime.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs a woman in mechanical engineering, I have strived to use my education and research to contribute to efforts that benefit other women,\u201d she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter graduating from Cooper Union, Slusher was inspired to continue her research at the Georgia Institute of Technology through the bioengineering Ph.D. program under the supervision of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/fedorov\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrei Fedorov\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, who serves as associate chair for graduate studies, professor, Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair, \u0026nbsp;and Regents\u0027 Entrepreneur in the Woodruff School.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe patent was filed independently by Slusher and Reina. However, Slusher credits her advisor, Fedorov, as a significant source of support and inspiration when it comes to innovation and design throughout her research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFedorov says Slusher embodies the Georgia Tech motto of \u201cProgress and Service,\u201d and is grateful the graduate program can attract such brilliant and caring students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecoming a lead inventor on a patented technology speaks volumes about the student\u2019s thoughtfulness and ingenuity, as well as fearlessness of an innovator,\u201d Fedorov says. \u201cIt takes not only the engineering talent and confidence in one\u2019s ability to innovate and invent, but also the passion for helping others.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe next stages of the invention involve refining the technology, conducting clinical trials if necessary, and ultimately bringing the innovation to market. Slusher hopes the patent gains recognition and interest from potential collaborators and investors.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESlusher continues to research cancer technologies in her Ph.D. studies, but at a micro-level, focusing on therapeutic cells and microfluidic device design and fabrication. She is designing and fabricating devices aimed at enabling rapid processing and analyses of cell therapies, thereby making this life-changing treatment more easily monitored, manufactured, affordable, and accessible to all.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESlusher is undecided on her plans after completing her Ph.D., but hopes to continue working in a capacity that allows her the freedom to research and design topics that inspire her, and where she can contribute meaningfully to advancements in her field.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-07\/PatentImage1_0.png\u0022 alt=\u0022Breast cancer screening device\u0022 width=\u0022852\u0022 height=\u0022717\u0022\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGianna Slusher, Ph.D. student in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, developed a device that could serve as an effective alternative to traditional early detection methods for breast cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Gianna Slusher, Ph.D. student in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, developed a device that could serve as an effective alternative to traditional early detection methods for breast cancer."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-30 16:16:55","changed_gmt":"2024-08-30 16:19:39","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674776":{"id":"674776","type":"image","title":"Gianna Slusher_0.jpg","body":null,"created":"1725034718","gmt_created":"2024-08-30 16:18:38","changed":"1725034718","gmt_changed":"2024-08-30 16:18:38","alt":"GS","file":{"fid":"258337","name":"Gianna Slusher_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/30\/Gianna%20Slusher_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/30\/Gianna%20Slusher_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1072384,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/30\/Gianna%20Slusher_0.jpg?itok=JWZq-LjZ"}}},"media_ids":["674776"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/phd-student-receives-patent-thermographic-breast-cancer-detection-device?utm_source=newsletter\u0026utm_medium=email\u0026utm_content=Full%20Story%0A\u0026utm_campaign=Daily%20Digest%20-%20July%2019%2C%202024","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003Cem\u003EBy Mikey Fuller\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676151":{"#nid":"676151","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Partners With Shepherd Center to Advance Rehabilitative Patient Care and Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShepherd Center and Georgia Tech have announced a partnership that will unite researchers and clinicians to improve care and create more success stories for people with spinal cord and brain injuries, pain, multiple sclerosis, and related neurological conditions. Areas of collaboration will include the development of new technologies, strategies, and approaches to improve neurorehabilitation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.shepherd.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShepherd Center\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an Atlanta hospital that provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions \u2014 including spinal cord and brain injuries, multitrauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain \u2014 is ranked among the top rehabilitation hospitals in the nation by \u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENinety percent of Shepherd\u2019s patients return to their communities after receiving care at Shepherd Center, which exceeds the national average by more than 30%. In addition to patient care, Shepherd Center has a robust research program, typically participating in 20 grants and\u0026nbsp;75\u0026nbsp;research projects concurrently. It is also one of the few institutions recognized as both a Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model System by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShepherd and Georgia Tech will build upon Shepherd\u2019s expertise to conduct and integrate research and technology throughout the entire continuum of care and Georgia Tech\u2019s research and technology development to create new solutions for the people Shepherd serves and beyond,\u201d said Deborah Backus, vice president of Research and Innovation at Shepherd Center. \u201cPotential collaborative research and development efforts can occur in many disciplines \u2014 from developing new devices and technologies to fellowships and training for the next generation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELeaders from Georgia Tech and Shepherd Center met in late August to celebrate the partnership.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShepherd Center leads the world in treating brain and spinal cord injuries with an innovative research program that implements technology throughout inpatient and outpatient programs to get patients back to leading active, independent lives,\u201d said Julia Kubanek, professor and vice president for Interdisciplinary Research at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKubanek was joined by Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda, executive director of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB), Petit Director\u2019s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience, and Regents\u2019 Professor; and Stephen Sprigle, a professor and researcher in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering who directs Georgia Tech\u2019s Rehabilitation Engineering and Applied Research Lab (REARLab), which focuses on applied disability research and development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were inspired by our recent visit and tour, where we observed clinicians and researchers working directly with patients,\u201d Garc\u00eda said. \u201cGeorgia Tech\u2019s mission of using technology to improve the human condition is a perfect fit for our collaboration with Shepherd. I\u2019m grateful for Stephen Sprigle and IBB for their goals of increasing the breadth and depth of our partnership. There will be wonderful upcoming opportunities for Georgia Tech students and faculty to bring their expertise in data science, AI, robotics, cell therapies, exercise physiology, and neuroscience, among many strengths, to join with Shepherd clinicians to help patients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDriven by a shared vision for transforming healthcare, the two institutions will utilize their complementary capabilities to provide technical solutions for clinical needs. The teams are identifying challenges to tackle and will establish a series of workshops to bring researchers and clinicians together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor inquiries to support the collaboration, please contact \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jaimie.hayes@me.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJaimie Hayes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (Senior Director of Development, Office of Development at Georgia Tech)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EShepherd Center and Georgia Tech have announced a partnership that will unite researchers and clinicians to improve care and create more success stories for people with spinal cord and brain injuries, pain, multiple sclerosis, and related neurological conditions. Areas of collaboration will include the development of new technologies, strategies, and approaches to improve neurorehabilitation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Shepherd Center and Georgia Tech have announced a partnership that will unite researchers and clinicians to improve care and create more success stories for people with spinal cord and brain injuries, pain, multiple sclerosis, and related neurological con"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:26:14","changed_gmt":"2024-08-29 17:54:56","author":"swilliamson40","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":{"674686":{"id":"674686","type":"image","title":"ShepherdTech.png","body":null,"created":"1724266742","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 18:59:02","changed":"1724266742","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 18:59:02","alt":"Group Photo of Shepard Center and Georgia Tech partnership","file":{"fid":"258239","name":"ShepherdTech.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/ShepherdTech.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/ShepherdTech.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1214750,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/ShepherdTech.png?itok=UWOmQEsB"}}},"media_ids":["674686"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676015":{"#nid":"676015","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Undergraduate Anu Iyer Leads Parkinson\u2019s Research Study","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnu Iyer\u003C\/strong\u003E, a Georgia Tech Dean\u2019s Scholar, published her first research article as a first-year\u0026nbsp;student \u2014 based on research conducted while she was in high school. She is the lead co-author of the paper published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41598-023-47568-w\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EScientific Reports\u003C\/a\u003E, a\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Portfolio\u003C\/em\u003E journal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIyer, now a second-year undergraduate majoring in biology with a pre-med focus, worked with researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to develop a novel voice-based diagnostic tool for Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cEssentially, we proved the feasibility of a telemedicine approach towards detecting PD,\u201d says Iyer. \u201cThrough a three-second phone call, our machine-learning model recognizes patterns in data to detect Parkinson\u2019s with a 97 percent accuracy rate.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIyer states that additional strengths of the project include the potential for\u0026nbsp;detecting PD at an early stage, leading to improved treatment outcomes, and the practical benefits of a virtual diagnostic tool.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cParkinson\u2019s disease is a nervous system disorder that primarily affects the elderly population, and one of the many issues with detection is that symptoms must be analyzed in person,\u201d explains Iyer. \u201cIn Arkansas, 75 percent of our population resides in medically underserved areas\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;it can be hard for them to access health facilities. Our research addresses the need for convenient detection via telemedicine.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom science fairs to academic researcher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIyer\u2019s teachers at her STEM middle school encouraged her passion for science and discovery. A science fair enthusiast, Iyer led a sixth-grade team to win the state title for the\u0026nbsp;Verizon Innovative Learning app, creating a smartphone app that turns off text notifications when a car reaches more than five miles per hour.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIyer credits her middle school teachers for inspiring her to seek answers beyond what she found in her textbooks.\u0026nbsp;During the summer between eighth and ninth grade, Iyer watched YouTube videos to teach herself machine learning, appreciating the opportunity to use artificial intelligence to analyze data and make predictions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMachine learning fascinates me because it holds so much potential,\u201d says Iyer. \u201cI\u0027ve always been interested in computer science, but machine learning opened my eyes to new possibilities and taught me that I can pay it forward through applied bioinformatics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn ninth grade, she emailed UAMS professors with a research idea incorporating medicine and computer science. Her outreach led to a post as an undergraduate researcher, helping create a computer algorithm to detect eye disease. While working on a diagnostic AI model for malignancy, she began collaborating with\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EFred Prior\u003C\/strong\u003E, the chair of Bioinformatics at UAMS, who became a valued mentor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cDr. Prior introduced me to the joys of research and how small changes can make a big difference in our world,\u201d says Iyer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPrior assigned her to the team focusing on Parkinson\u2019s in her 11th grade year\u0026nbsp;\u2014 and she soon began taking on more of an active leadership role in the research. She spent the rest of high school juggling coursework with constructing code and drafting proposals to create the computer algorithm capable of detecting PD.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProgress and service\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIyer\u2019s desire to improve the world through research led her to Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOne thing that spoke to me is the Progress and Service motto,\u201d says Iyer. \u201cMy career goals include becoming an empathetic researcher focused on reducing healthcare disparities. Specifically, I hope to specialize in developing diagnostic tools that are affordable and available for underserved areas.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs lead co-author of the PD research study, Iyer spent much of her first year working with Prior and UAMS,\u0026nbsp;participating in Zoom calls every Saturday.\u0026nbsp;As a second-year,\u0026nbsp;Iyer intends to continue working with UAMS on PD and machine-learning research. She has also taken on a new role as multiple principal investigator for a study related to chronic back pain management.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELainie Pomerleau,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ewho taught Iyer\u2019s first-year English course, and is now an assistant professor of English at the College of Coastal Georgia, helped Iyer prepare the PD paper for publication. \u201cAnu embodies Georgia Tech\u0027s mission to develop leaders who advance technology to improve the human condition,\u201d says Pomerleau.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDespite her busy schedule, Iyer has immersed herself in the Georgia Tech community. She loves the climbing wall at the Campus Recreation Center and points to Cognitive Psychology as her favorite class. Iyer\u0026nbsp;considers\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/explorellc.cos.gatech.edu\/home\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EExplore\u003C\/a\u003E, the science-centered living and learning community, to be one of the highlights of her first year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI really enjoyed being a part of Explore, living with other students who prioritize science,\u201d says Iyer. \u201cIt was easy to make friends because we all had similar classes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn the spring of her first year, she was selected as a College of Sciences Ambassador, accompanying prospective students and their parents to science-related courses and answering their questions about\u0026nbsp;campus life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EShe plans to get more involved with researchers at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am a biology major, but one amazing thing about Georgia Tech is that there is a lot of encouragement to join labs outside of your major and pursue your interests,\u201d says Iyer. \u201cI\u2019d like to work in a Georgia Tech lab, particularly in neurology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELooking forward to her next few years at the Institute, she\u2019s excited about the possibilities ahead:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is well known for groundbreaking research,\u201d she says. \u201cI want to take advantage of Tech\u2019s many opportunities\u0026nbsp;\u2014 and fulfill my ultimate goal of making a positive impact in the world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESecond-year biology student Anu Iyer\u2019s groundbreaking research is revolutionizing Parkinson\u2019s disease detection.\u0026nbsp;Through a three-second phone call, her team\u2019s machine-learning model can detect Parkinson\u2019s with 97 percent accuracy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Biology major Anu Iyer wants to make a positive difference in the world; her groundbreaking research detecting Parkinson\u2019s disease demonstrates she\u2019s already well on her way."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2024-08-15 12:25:48","changed_gmt":"2024-08-28 15:38:30","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674588":{"id":"674588","type":"image","title":"Iyer completed much of her research while in high school and submitted the paper for publication as a Georgia Tech first-year.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIyer completed much of her research while in high school and submitted the paper for publication as a Georgia Tech first-year.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1723725121","gmt_created":"2024-08-15 12:32:01","changed":"1723823011","gmt_changed":"2024-08-16 15:43:31","alt":"Young woman standing in front of a poster describing her Parkinson\u0027s Disease research","file":{"fid":"258135","name":"Anu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/15\/Anu.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/15\/Anu.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":86911,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/15\/Anu.jpg?itok=JLHlMjep"}},"674597":{"id":"674597","type":"image","title":"As a first-year, Iyer enjoyed diving into Tech\u0027s many events and activities, such as Georgia Tech Night at the Aquarium.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAs a first-year, Iyer enjoyed diving into Tech\u0027s many events and activities, such as Georgia Tech Night at the Aquarium.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1723729875","gmt_created":"2024-08-15 13:51:15","changed":"1724082962","gmt_changed":"2024-08-19 15:56:02","alt":"Four students pose with Georgia Tech mascot Buzz at the Georgia Aquarium.","file":{"fid":"258144","name":"AquariumBuzz.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/15\/AquariumBuzz.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/15\/AquariumBuzz.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":81209,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/15\/AquariumBuzz.jpg?itok=fuf9fNtq"}}},"media_ids":["674588","674597"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/undergradresearch.gatech.edu\/research-opportunities","title":"Undergraduate Research Opportunities"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/celebrating-decade-explore-llc","title":"Celebrating a Decade of Explore LLC"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"77121","name":"parkinson\u0027s disease"},{"id":"48951","name":"featured student research"},{"id":"98111","name":"telemedicine"},{"id":"189331","name":"diagnostic testing"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"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: Laura S. Smith\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer II\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Elaura.smith@cos.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676148":{"#nid":"676148","#data":{"type":"news","title":"2023 Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Annual Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2023\u0026nbsp;ABOVE \u0026amp; BEYOND AWARDS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations to these members of the IBB community, who were recognized for their dedication and excellence in 2023!\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFaculty\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/levi-wood\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELevi Wood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E - \u003Cem\u003EAssociate Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELevi is a collaborative and supportive PI and provides amazing mentorship to his trainees. He goes above and beyond for everyone he interacts with. His research focuses on applying systems analysis approaches and engineering tools to identify novel clinical therapeutic targets for inflammatory diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/hang-lu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHang Lu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E - \u003Cem\u003EAssociate Dean for Research and Innovation, College of Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHang provides tremendous leadership for the Bio-E program and through her guidance, the number of Bio-E students has grown. She knows the importance of community building for both the students and advisors and oversees several events each year to accomplish that sense of community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEntrepreneurship\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ozlinktech.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOZ-Link Technologies \u0026amp; Team\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E - Kasie Collins, CEO (Postdoc), Jasmine Hwang, CSO (Postdoc), Steve Seo, COO (GT Affiliate), Wenting Shi, Lead Scientist (Ph.D. Candidate), Prof. M.G. Finn, Scientific Advisor\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis team\u2019s groundbreaking research has consistently translated scientific discoveries into practical, real-world solutions. The group\u0027s work in developing innovative diagnostics and therapeutics has had a profound impact on our field, demonstrating exceptional ability to bridge the gap between research and tangible, game-changing solutions. They have participated in Create-X and Nucleate and fostered collaboration from other academic institutions and stakeholders to maximize their technology and real-world impact for patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETrainees\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAthena Chien, Ph.D. \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E- Biomedical Engineering, Craig Forest, Advisor\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAthena provides outstanding contributions as the leader in the BBUGS Outreach and Education Committee. She spends a significant amount of her free time visiting schools, organizing science and engineering demonstrations, and actively engaging with students to spark their interest in these fields. Her passion for science outreach comes through in every exchange with her! Athena does all of this while remaining an exemplary student in her academic pursuits. Her dedication to both research and community engagement demonstrates a well-rounded commitment to advancing her field of research while actively contributing to the broader community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDaniel Shah, Ph.D. \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E- Biomedical Engineering, Edward Botchwey, Advisor\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDaniel is a CTENG trainee and has\u0026nbsp;served as a mentor for CMaT and\u0026nbsp;as a Petit mentor, passing down his scientific skills to underprivileged students in the Atlanta area. He also supports graduate recruitment efforts year-after-year, engaging with his cohort, and incoming cohorts bringing a sense of ease into every conversation while including others to make the community more inviting.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStaff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELisa Redding\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cem\u003EAcademic Program Manager, Bioinformatics and Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELisa is foundational to the operation of the QBioS and Bioinformatics Ph.D. programs. She provides prompt and personalized support to dozens of students and excellent co-ordination and management for the Bioinformatics Program. She values and prioritizes every student\u0027s needs, and\u0026nbsp;her unfailing optimism is inspiring.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELeonard Law\u003C\/strong\u003E - \u003Cem\u003EBuilding Coordinator\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELeonard makes a great first impression on all visitors thanks to his smile and positive attitude. He brings joy to IBB in all that he does, from welcoming visitors, rearranging our atrium for events, and answering and unending stream of questions from new students, faculty and guests.\u0026nbsp;He embodies Bob Nerem\u0027s Rule of Life #10 - \u0022People will remember not what you said, but only how you made them feel.\u0022 He exhibits a contagious earnestness and warmth. Leonard is a true gem to have as part of our community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news-images\/holidayparty2023_ibb.jpeg\u0022 alt=\u0022Holiday Party 2023\u0022 width=\u00222090\u0022 height=\u00221574\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIBB\u0027s 2023 Holiday Party\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations to these members of the IBB community, who were recognized for their dedication and excellence in 2023!\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Congratulations to these members of the IBB community, who were recognized for their dedication and excellence in 2023!"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:13:26","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 18:58:21","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674685":{"id":"674685","type":"image","title":"2023awards_agleonard.png","body":null,"created":"1724266666","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 18:57:46","changed":"1724266666","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 18:57:46","alt":"A. G. Leonard","file":{"fid":"258238","name":"2023awards_agleonard.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/2023awards_agleonard.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/2023awards_agleonard.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3316088,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/2023awards_agleonard.png?itok=VFUUX0WG"}}},"media_ids":["674685"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676142":{"#nid":"676142","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Honoring the Legacy of Lee Herron","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt is with deep sadness that the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) announces the recent passing of Lee Herron, an accomplished scientist known for his brilliant mind and deep devotion to his family and community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHerron worked as an entrepreneur and veterinarian with a passion for scientific and medical research. He spent the final 16 years of his career with the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gra.org\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Research Alliance (GRA)\u003C\/a\u003E, where he served as the senior vice president and university startup advisor until the spring of 2024. The initiative Herron oversaw in his final role helped drive more university inventions to benefit Georgia farmers and food producers and strengthened the relationships between Georgia\u2019s universities and the state\u2019s agriculture sector.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHerron\u2019s impact and influence were felt by many members of the Georgia Tech community. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/ajit-yoganathan\u0022\u003EAjit Yoganathan\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u0027 Professor Emeritus and Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering, recalled their time working together.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI met Lee for the first time around 2002, when he came to meet with me in the BME Department to discuss the fledgling Coulter Translational Program. Over the next decade, we worked together closely on establishing and enhancing the Coulter Program, and he advised me on how best to translate my inventions and patents from \u2018Bench to Bedside.\u2019 To this day, I clearly remember him sitting in my office in the Whitaker Building saying, \u2018Ajit, the more shots you take on goal, the higher the percentage of being successful with your ideas and affecting patient lives.\u2019 That mantra has been true for me, and I credit Lee for his advice and friendship over the past 20 years. Since my retirement four years ago, we served on the Coulter review panel for translational research, most recently in March. I will miss his intellect and insights into assessing projects that have the opportunity to help patients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLee Herron was an extremely patient and dedicated mentor to me and many colleagues as we navigated entrepreneurship,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/michelle-laplaca\u0022\u003EMichelle LaPlaca\u003C\/a\u003E, associate chair for faculty development and professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia \u0026nbsp;Tech and Emory University. \u201cHe was sincere and had a unique insight into the challenges facing faculty. He not only taught us about the entrepreneurial process, but coached us on how to think like entrepreneurs, how to interact with board members and investors, and how to pivot our ideas. While secretly a Bulldog, he was an enthusiastic member of the Georgia Tech community before moving to the Georgia Research Alliance and will certainly have a lasting impact on people across Georgia and the entire biotechnology business sector.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHerron joined the GRA in 2008 and directed its award-winning venture development program for 15 years. In that time, the GRA successfully launched more than 200 university-based companies that attracted $2 billion in equity investment. Before the GRA, he managed the biosciences division of Georgia Tech\u2019s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) and founded four biosciences companies: SeaLite Sciences Inc., Biopool International Inc., CytRx Corporation, and Theragenics Corporation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I am greatly saddened to hear about the passing of Lee Herron. I have known Lee for over 10 years,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/cynthia-lee-sundell\u0022\u003ECynthia Sundell\u003C\/a\u003E, senior director of life sciences and VentureLab principal at Georgia Tech. \u201cDuring that time, he was a mentor to me and a wonderful colleague at GRA. Lee was knowledgeable about what it takes to commercialize life science technologies and provided useful feedback to countless entrepreneurs. He was a brave warrior in his fight against cancer and I will always remember his indomitable spirit.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHerron received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Georgia and completed an internship at Cornell University. He also studied experimental pathology at Emory University. He served as a director on multiple boards and was known for his love of family and youth sports. He is survived by his wife, Rita, three children, and eight grandchildren.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt is with deep sadness that the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) announces the recent passing of Lee Herron, an accomplished scientist known for his brilliant mind and deep devotion to his family and community.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"It is with deep sadness that the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) announces the recent passing of Lee Herron, an accomplished scientist known for his brilliant mind and deep devotion to his family and community."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 15:36:12","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 18:57:01","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674684":{"id":"674684","type":"image","title":"LeeHerron.png","body":null,"created":"1724266591","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 18:56:31","changed":"1724266591","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 18:56:31","alt":"Lee Heron","file":{"fid":"258237","name":"LeeHerron.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/LeeHerron.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/LeeHerron.png","mime":"image\/png","size":378232,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/LeeHerron.png?itok=fZIQ5Ia2"}}},"media_ids":["674684"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676154":{"#nid":"676154","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Announcing the Recipients of the 2022-2023 Krish Roy \u2013 GRA Travel Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Krish Roy - GRA Travel Award is a new travel award endowed by Professor Krishnendu Roy with funding provided by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA). Roy is a Regents\u2019 Professor and the Robert A. Milton Endowed Chair in Biomedical Engineering. He also serves as Director of the NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), the Marcus Center for Cell Therapy Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M), and the Center for ImmunoEngineering.\u0026nbsp;The award was designed to support to IBB-affiliated undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees conducting research in cell manufacturing, drug delivery, immunoengineering, and regenerative medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETen finalists (pictured left) were selected to receive a stipend to travel to a domestic or international conference or workshop to present their research work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Krish Roy\u0026nbsp;Travel\u0026nbsp;award allowed me to participate in my first conference of my\u0026nbsp;graduate school career.\u0022 said\u0026nbsp;Parisa Keshavarz-Joud.\u0026nbsp;\u0022I had the opportunity to present a poster on my research at the Physical Virology Gordon Research Conference in January 2023 and interact with experts in the field. This experience broadened my knowledge of the field and helped me in developing new ideas about the next steps of my project.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EElijah Holland used his award in January to attend the\u0026nbsp;Fibronectin Gordon Research Conference in Ventura, California. In expressing gratitude for the award, Holland shared that he was able to meet leaders in the cell adhesion field and gave his first oral research presentation, titled \u0022Mechanotransduction at Focal Adhesions: Interplay among Force, FAs, and YAP.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFourth-year ChemE PhD student Hyun Jee Lee plans to use the award to her\u0026nbsp;support her first experience at an international seminar and conference, where she will present her research and connect with other researchers around the world. Lee\u0027s research focus is developing microfluidic tools to study cellular and molecular mechanisms in small organisms. \u0022I\u0027m particularly interested in investigating brain activity changes associated with learning in\u0026nbsp;C. elegans.\u0022 Lee explained. \u0022I\u0027m very\u0026nbsp;grateful to have received the award.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAwardees (pictured from top left to right):\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJohn Cox, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYarelis Gonzalez-Vargas, Graduate Student, Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETravis Rotterman, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Biological Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWenting Shi, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKamisha Hill, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParis Keshavarz-Joud, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EElijah Holland, Graduate Research Assistant, Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHun Jee Lee, Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMaeve Janecka,\u0026nbsp;Undergraduate Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESunny (Chao-yi) Lu, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Krish Roy - GRA Travel Award is a new travel award endowed by Professor Krishnendu Roy with funding provided by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA). The award was designed to support to IBB-affiliated undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees conducting research in cell manufacturing, drug delivery, immunoengineering, and regenerative medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Krish Roy - GRA Travel Award is a new travel award endowed by Professor Krishnendu Roy with funding provided by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA)."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:41:16","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:57:14","author":"swilliamson40","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":{"674676":{"id":"674676","type":"image","title":"Final_GRA awardees 1.png","body":null,"created":"1724263000","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 17:56:40","changed":"1724263000","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 17:56:40","alt":"GRA Awardees","file":{"fid":"258229","name":"Final_GRA awardees 1.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/Final_GRA%20awardees%201.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/Final_GRA%20awardees%201.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2099833,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/Final_GRA%20awardees%201.png?itok=xouriBMi"}}},"media_ids":["674676"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676153":{"#nid":"676153","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Inside IBB\u0027s First Summer Art Show","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Thursday, July 27, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInstitute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IBB) held a highly anticipated summer art show. Co-hosted by IBB and BBUGS, the\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bbugs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience Unified Graduate Students\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the art show featured over 70 submissions from members of the broader IBB community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe art show proved to be a summer highlight and source of excitement in the community. Participants showcased their creative talents through diverse mediums ranging from oil paintings to photography and blues music. More than 350 attendees admired the art pieces and mingled while enjoying refreshments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The intention of the IBB Art Show was to bring the IBB and Georgia Tech communities together for a fun event to highlight the fantastic talents of our faculty, staff, and trainees,\u0022 said IBB Executive Director\u0026nbsp;Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda. \u0022I was blown away at the tremendous response, beautiful and creative works of art, and fellowship that we shared in this special event.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA panel of judges selected the winners and attendees voted for a fan favorite award. Garc\u00eda presented awards to the competition\u0027s winners, listed below. The winning submissions will be displayed at IBB.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFirst Place\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMadolyn Penuel \u003C\/strong\u003E\u2013 Executive assistant to the dean of the Scheller College of Business. Penuel has worked at Georgia Tech for more than six years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtwork Title: \u003Cem\u003EAtlantis\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedium\/Description: Digital print on canvas, 16\u0022x30\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESecond Place (Tie)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYenho Chen\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Machine learning Ph.D. student and research assistant in the Signal and Information Processing Lab advised by Christopher Rozell. Research focus is on interpretable ML models for complex time series data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtwork Title: \u003Cem\u003EDon\u2019t Forget to Breathe\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedium\/Description: Digital video\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChad Pozarycki\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Ph.D. candidate in analytical chemistry and graduate student in the lab of Amanda Stockton studying analytical chemistry and applications of capillary electrophoresis to the detection of astrobiologically relevant small molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtwork Title:\u003Cem\u003E Ninety-Five Theses\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedium\/Description: Mixed media\u0026nbsp;\u2013 door with a stack of thesis papers with a stake driven through them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThird Place\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn McDonald\u003C\/strong\u003E - Emeritus professor, School of Biological Sciences, and director, Integrated Cancer Research Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtwork Title: \u003Cem\u003ETouched by the Blues\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedium\/Description: Original music album\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFan Favorite\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETimothy Hunter\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Graduate student at Georgia Tech in the lab of Will R. Gutekunst.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArtwork Title: \u003Cem\u003EFree Thugger\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMedium\/Description: 5\u0027x4\u0027 oil portrait painting on canvas of a woman surrounded by various doodles found in a notebook.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news-images\/MadolynPenuel.jpeg\u0022 alt=\u0022Madolyn Penuel\u0022 width=\u00221500\u0022 height=\u0022998\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMadolyn Penuel poses with her piece \u003Cem\u003EAtlantis\u003C\/em\u003E, which won first place.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news-images\/artshow.jpeg\u0022 alt=\u0022IBB summer art show\u0022 width=\u00221500\u0022 height=\u0022998\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIBB\u0027s summer art show.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Thursday, July 27, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInstitute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(IBB) held a highly anticipated summer art show. Co-hosted by IBB and BBUGS, the\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bbugs.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience Unified Graduate Students\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the art show featured over 70 submissions from members of the broader IBB community.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"On Thursday, July 27, the Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u00a0(IBB) held a highly anticipated summer art show. "}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:35:39","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:37:29","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-07-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-07-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674674":{"id":"674674","type":"image","title":"Timothy\u0026Chad.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETimothy Hunter (left) poses with his fan favorite piece \u003Cem\u003EFree Thugger\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;Chad Pozarycki (right) tied for second place with his recreation of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENinety-Five Theses.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1724261745","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 17:35:45","changed":"1724261745","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 17:35:45","alt":"Timothy and Chad","file":{"fid":"258226","name":"Timothy\u0026Chad.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/Timothy%26Chad.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/Timothy%26Chad.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2967518,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/Timothy%26Chad.jpeg?itok=726kP652"}}},"media_ids":["674674"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676152":{"#nid":"676152","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Partners With UH BRAIN Center","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe World Health Organization reports that millions of adults worldwide live with neurological disorders and brain or brain-related injuries. Globally, 5 million people are left permanently disabled each year after suffering a stroke or spinal cord injury, creating a critical need for advances in patient care and support. The IUCRC BRAIN Center (Industry-University Cooperative Research Center for Building Reliable Advances and Innovations in Neurotechnology) was formed in 2017 to address complex challenges and opportunities in the field of neurotechnology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHoused at the University of Houston, the BRAIN Center is a collaborative and creative research effort to develop new neurotechnologies. It began as a partnership between the University of Houston and Arizona State University and is supported by the National Science Foundation. The partnership recently expanded to include the Georgia Institute of Technology and West Virginia University.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is very excited to join the BRAIN IUCRC with other leading neuroengineering institutions, all passionate about bringing faculty and students together with industry to collaborate on cutting-edge neurotechnology development,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Michelle-C.-LaPlaca\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMichelle C. LaPlaca\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. LaPlaca\u0027s broad research interests are in neurotrauma, injury biomechanics, and neuroengineering as they relate to traumatic brain injury. \u201cThe Center partnerships are an excellent opportunity for small and large companies to invest in pre-translational research that both meets industry needs and harnesses academic expertise in order to ultimately improve patients\u2019 lives.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead more about the partnership and the BRAIN Center in the University of Houston\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.uh.edu\/news-events\/stories\/2023\/august-2023\/08232023-brain-center-expands-two-universities.php\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Epress release\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news-images\/MichelleLaPlaca.jpeg\u0022 alt=\u0022Michelle LaPlaca\u0022 width=\u0022500\u0022 height=\u0022500\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Michelle-C.-LaPlaca\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMichelle C. LaPlaca\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGlobally, 5 million people are left permanently disabled each year after suffering a stroke or spinal cord injury, creating a critical need for advances in patient care and support. The IUCRC BRAIN Center (Industry-University Cooperative Research Center for Building Reliable Advances and Innovations in Neurotechnology) was formed in 2017 to address complex challenges and opportunities in the field of neurotechnology.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Globally, 5 million people are left permanently disabled each year after suffering a stroke or spinal cord injury, creating a critical need for advances in patient care and support. The IUCRC BRAIN Center (Industry-University Cooperative Research Center f"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:32:34","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:33:10","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-08-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-08-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674673":{"id":"674673","type":"image","title":"brain-center-and-pepe-newsroom.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;UH\u0026nbsp;Brain Center, supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, allows research that would not be possible within the traditional silos of academic, industry, regulatory and clinical communities.\u0026nbsp;At right, center director Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal prepares to map brain activity during a creative task.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1724261559","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 17:32:39","changed":"1724261559","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 17:32:39","alt":"Brain Center","file":{"fid":"258225","name":"brain-center-and-pepe-newsroom.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/brain-center-and-pepe-newsroom.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/brain-center-and-pepe-newsroom.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":56304,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/brain-center-and-pepe-newsroom.jpg?itok=hdL_qjd6"}}},"media_ids":["674673"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676150":{"#nid":"676150","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Industry Visit Spotlight: Resilience","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn early July, IBB professors and researchers Ed Botchwey and Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda led a team of graduate students from the NIH \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\/nih-cell-and-tissue-engineering\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECell and Tissue Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CTEng) and NSF Engineering Research \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturingusa.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Cell Manufacturing Technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CMaT) programs on an industry visit to\u0026nbsp;Resilience\u0026nbsp;in Pennsylvania. With 11 locations across the U.S., the Resilience Cell Therapy Center of Excellence is dedicated to creating processes and platforms that will allow scientists to make their novel therapies quickly, safely, and at scale. Resilience offers solutions with expertise across five core modalities: biologics, cell therapy, gene therapy, nucleic acids, and vaccines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Industry Visit Program is a key component of IBB\u2019s NIH\/NIGMS-funded T32 Biotechnology Training Program focused on developing the next generation of leaders for biotechnology industries. The program supports some of Georgia Tech\u2019s brightest Ph.D. students, with professional development activities and travel expenses to biotech industry sites covered. These visits provide students with a firsthand look inside some of the best biotech companies, as well as excellent networking opportunities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuiza DaMotta, a second-year bioengineering Ph.D. student in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, was among the students who joined the trip. DaMotta is researching antimicrobial hydrogels for bone healing in Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u2019s lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis trip to the\u0026nbsp;Resilience\u0026nbsp;site was an exciting experience to meet like-minded Ph.D. students interested in pursuing a career in industry,\u201d DaMotta said. \u201cThis was my first exposure to the CTEng students and first time touring a bioindustry site. I was introduced to industry terminology and the operations of industries from the inside through this unique opportunity. My favorite part was talking to current employees about their journey from Ph.D. students to industry and their advice for current students. Everyone was incredibly friendly and truly enjoyed working there. I learned a lot about myself, and I am stepping into my second year more confident in the direction of my future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPast companies visited include Genentech, Celgene, Boston Scientific, and Kimberly Clark. Several of our trainees have obtained internships or permanent employment with these companies, highlighting the immense value of industry visits and partnerships.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news-images\/Resilience2.png\u0022 alt=\u0022Resilience and IBB researchers\u0022 width=\u00221219\u0022 height=\u0022721\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn early July, IBB professors and researchers Ed Botchwey and Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda led a team of graduate students from the NIH \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\/nih-cell-and-tissue-engineering\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECell and Tissue Engineering\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CTEng) and NSF Engineering Research \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturingusa.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Cell Manufacturing Technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CMaT) programs on an industry visit to\u0026nbsp;Resilience\u0026nbsp;in Pennsylvania. With 11 locations across the U.S., the Resilience Cell Therapy Center of Excellence is dedicated to creating processes and platforms that will allow scientists to make their novel therapies quickly, safely, and at scale.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In early July, IBB professors and researchers Ed Botchwey and Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda led a team of graduate students from the NIH Cell and Tissue Engineering (CTEng) and NSF Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT) programs on an indu"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:23:23","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:24:00","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674672":{"id":"674672","type":"image","title":"Resiliencetrip.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIBB researchers and trainees made an industry visit to Resilience in Pennsylvania.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1724261010","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 17:23:30","changed":"1724261010","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 17:23:30","alt":"Resilience Trip","file":{"fid":"258224","name":"Resiliencetrip.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/Resiliencetrip.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/Resiliencetrip.png","mime":"image\/png","size":390770,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/Resiliencetrip.png?itok=dghAVl-7"}}},"media_ids":["674672"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676147":{"#nid":"676147","#data":{"type":"news","title":"2024 Suddath Winners Announced","body":[{"value":"\u003Ch6\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoin us in congratulating the 2024 Suddath Award Winners!\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe \u0026nbsp;F.L. \u0022Bud\u0022 Suddath and Frances \u0022Lee\u0022 Gafford Suddath Fellowship Award was established by Bud Suddath\u0027s family, friends, and colleagues in memory of his contributions to Georgia Tech. The award is given annually to graduate students at Georgia Tech who have\u0026nbsp;demonstrated significant bio-research accomplishments while conducting biological or biochemical research at the molecular or cellular level.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAfter considerable deliberation, a committee of IBB faculty selected three Ph.D. candidates as the 2024 Suddath Award winners from an extremely strong group of applicants:\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIn Third place, with a cash award of $250\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaghav Tandon\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERaghav is working on his Ph.D. in Machine Learning with Prof. Cassie S. Mitchell within the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERaghav\u2019s research is focused on using machine learning algorithms to identify biomarkers, from diverse data modalities such as omics and neuroimaging, to model the progression of neuro-degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer\u2019s Disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIn Second place, with a cash award of $500\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKathryn Loeffler\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKathryn is working on her Ph.D. in Bioengineering with Prof. Ravi Kane within the School of Chemical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKathryn\u2019s research has focused on the design of broadly protective coronavirus vaccines. This includes a vaccine that protects against multiple coronaviruses variants, as well as a cocktail vaccine developed to protect against not just SARS-CoV-2 and CoV-1 variants, but also various bat and pangolin coronaviruses that could pose a threat to humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIn First place, with a cash award of $1000, and the opportunity to present a research seminar at the start of the 2024 Suddath Symposium this coming March.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndrew Cazier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndrew is working on his Ph.D. with Prof. Johnny Blazeck within the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAndrew\u0027s research has focused on the development of technologies for targeted DNA diversification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for applications in antibody engineering and directed evolution. Thenovel yeast-based platform developed by Andrew will facilitate the study of immune receptor repertoires and the isolation of clinically relevant antibodies with enhanced affinities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIBB is excited to congratulate our 2024 Suddath Awardees and to all of the year\u2019s applicants for their impressive accomplishments!\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoin us in congratulating the 2024 Suddath Award Winners!\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Join us in congratulating the 2024 Suddath Award Winners!"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:10:49","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:16:05","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-01-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-01-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674671":{"id":"674671","type":"image","title":"andrewcazier_suddith2024.jpg","body":null,"created":"1724260256","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 17:10:56","changed":"1724260256","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 17:10:56","alt":"Andrew Cazier","file":{"fid":"258223","name":"andrewcazier_suddith2024.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/andrewcazier_suddith2024.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/andrewcazier_suddith2024.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":456738,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/andrewcazier_suddith2024.jpg?itok=aHINR88a"}}},"media_ids":["674671"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676144":{"#nid":"676144","#data":{"type":"news","title":"IBB Shines in Second Annual Art Show","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn Wednesday, July 17, the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) held its second annual summer art show. One of the summer\u2019s most anticipated events, the show featured 46 submissions from members of the broader IBB community. Participants again showcased their talent and creativity through various mediums, ranging from paintings and photography to a sculpture and even a garden-inspired chair. More than 200 attendees were dazzled by the art pieces and enjoyed a reception.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cIBB is so proud to host this fantastic event to showcase the tremendous artistic talents of our community,\u201d said IBB Executive Director Andr\u00e9s J. Garc\u00eda, Regents\u2019 Professor and the Petit Director\u2019s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience. \u201cExperiencing the exhibits, talking with the artists, and sharing this fun event with the community were wonderful.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EA panel of judges voted for awards and selected the winners in three categories, while attendees voted for the Best in Show award. \u003Cstrong\u003EBest in Show\u003C\/strong\u003E was awarded to a submission that stands out across all mediums for its outstanding creativity, innovation, and artistic quality. The \u003Cstrong\u003EFan Favorite\u003C\/strong\u003E award was voted on by IBB Art Show attendees to reflect the collective sentiment of the community and celebrate the artist\u0027s ability to connect with viewers. The new \u003Cstrong\u003EIBB ArtSci Award\u003C\/strong\u003E was a special recognition celebrating the most striking and poignant display of the intersection of art and science. Additionally, the new \u003Cstrong\u003EBRAINiArts Award\u003C\/strong\u003E was given to a piece honoring creative artistic expression through the lens of neuroscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBRAINiArts Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESakthi Priya Ramamoorthy \u2013 Undergraduate student in neuroscience.\u003Cbr\u003EArtwork Title: \u003Cem\u003EThe Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMedium\/Description: 3D clay sculpture\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIBB ArtSci Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EHannah Usadi \u2013 Strategy and operations management at McMaster Carr and visual communicator for the Williams Lab at IBB.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EArtwork Title: \u003Cem\u003EWater in the Origin of Life\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMedium\/Description: 6 pages of 16\u0027\u0027x20\u0027\u0027 digitally illustrated prints\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBest in Show Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESophia Schumaecker \u2013 Undergraduate Student in Chemical Engineering.\u003Cbr\u003EArtwork Title: \u003Cem\u003EThe Gap\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EMedium\/Description: 12\u0022 x 9\u0022 acrylic painting on canvas\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFan Favorite Award\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EHannah Usadi \u2013 \u003Cem\u003EWater in the Origin of Life\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news-images\/SakthiR.jpeg\u0022 alt=\u0022Sakthi R.\u0022 width=\u00222899\u0022 height=\u00222804\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESakthi Priya Ramamoorthy recieved the new BRAINiArts for \u0022The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news-images\/BestinShow2024.jpeg\u0022 alt=\u0022Best in Show\u0022 width=\u00224096\u0022 height=\u00222300\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESophia Schumaecker received Best in Show award for \u0022The Gap\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/news-images\/gardeninspiredchair.jpeg\u0022 alt=\u0022Chair\u0022 width=\u00224096\u0022 height=\u00222300\u0022\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIesha M. Jones and her garden-inspired chair \u0022Blooming Serenity\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Wednesday, July 17, the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) held its second annual summer art show. One of the summer\u2019s most anticipated events, the show featured 46 submissions from members of the broader IBB community.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"On Wednesday, July 17, the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) held its second annual summer art show. One of the summer\u2019s most anticipated events, the show featured 46 submissions from members of the broader IBB community. "}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 16:54:25","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:05:00","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674668":{"id":"674668","type":"image","title":"HannahUsadi.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHannah Usadi received the IBB ArtiSci and Fan Favorite awards for \u0022Water and the Origin of Life\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1724259270","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 16:54:30","changed":"1724259270","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 16:54:30","alt":"HannahUsadi","file":{"fid":"258220","name":"HannahUsadi.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/HannahUsadi.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/HannahUsadi.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":316917,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/HannahUsadi.jpeg?itok=SsAEh0Zi"}}},"media_ids":["674668"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676145":{"#nid":"676145","#data":{"type":"news","title":"IBB Announces Changes to External Advisory Board","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) is excited to announce the following updates to its external advisory board.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/chrisgemmiti\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChris Gemmiti\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E will serve as the new board chair. Gemmiti was the vice president of technical operations at CRISPR Therapeutics. He has dedicated his 25-year career to cell therapy and regenerative medicine, through both industry and academic roles. Before his last role, Gemmiti was the CMC lead for CASGEVY, the first CRISPR gene-edited therapeutic approved by any health authority (sickle cell anemia and b-thalassemia). He is also credited with establishing TechOps and CMC for the In Vivo delivery franchise, resulting in two programs currently in clinical trials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPreviously, he was the senior vice president of operations at Sentien, where he had broad operational responsibilities for the clinical-stage MSC company. He held a key role in opening and executing Sentien\u2019s IND for Covid-19 patients experiencing multi-organ failure. Gemmiti joined Sentien from Harvard\u2019s Wyss Institute, where he guided translation strategy and technical development of early-stage regenerative medicine technologies. While at Organogenesis Inc., he was the business unit director responsible for the clinical development, FDA approval (2012), and commercial launch of GINTUIT\u2122, the first manufactured allogeneic cell therapy approved by BLA. He holds a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Georgia Tech, where he was an NSF fellow in entrepreneurship, and a B.S. in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Gemmiti has served on advisory boards at Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins, Duke University, TERMIS, Cell Therapy Bioprocessing, and Alliance for Regenerative Medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/erin-d-1b13b12b\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EErin Dasher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E will serve as vice chair of the board. She is the founder and CEO of Glui Inc., a global advertising company that creates engagement experiences in all digital environments. An accomplished entrepreneur, investor, and lawyer, Dasher has more than 25 years of experience in venture capital, private equity, M\u0026amp;A, and investment management. Her diverse career includes serving as principal and general counsel at STW Fixed Income Management, where she helped grow assets under management to more than $12 billion and co-led the firm\u0027s sale to Schroders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDasher began her career as an attorney at O\u2019Melveny \u0026amp; Myers and Sheppard, Mullin, Richter \u0026amp; Hampton, managing significant transactions in venture capital, public and private offerings, and M\u0026amp;A. Her passion for innovation and community involvement is evident through her support of the Georgia Tech community and local scientific research. Dasher serves on the advisory boards for the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience and the Alexander-Tharpe Athletic Fund at Georgia Tech and is a member, past board member, and president-elect of the ARCS Foundation, which supports STEM students at Morehouse, Emory, UGA, and Georgia Tech. She graduated magna cum laude from Cornell Law School and is a member of the Order of the Coif. She also holds an undergraduate degree in European intellectual history, graduating with honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vincentling\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVincent Ling\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E will serve as a new board member. Ling is the senior director of search and evaluation at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. For more than 30 years, Ling led successful research and business innovation groups in diverse biotechnology fields, including cell devices, protein engineering, biosimilars, stem cell differentiation, checkpoint inhibitors, and molecular evolution of antibody scaffolds. He has held leadership positions in large, midsized, and startup environments, creating practical biotherapeutics. His current interests lie in novel drug delivery technologies, which include drug particles, energy guidance, and biomaterial scaffolds. Ling currently serves as senior director within search and evaluation, and business development at Takeda, after directorship roles in external innovation and pharmaceutical sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore Takeda, Ling was head of biological sciences developing cell therapies for wet AMD at Neurotech. He has held positions including vice president at Dragonfly Sciences, managing all scientific operations and marketing functions, director of molecular genetics at Adnexus (Compound Therapeutics), and other scientific roles in discovery research at Genetics Institute and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Ling earned a B.A. in molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley, followed by an M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, and postdoctoral training at the Harvard Biological Laboratories.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EIBB extends its gratitude to \u003Cstrong\u003EAnjali Kumar\u003C\/strong\u003E for her service as the board chair. Kumar will remain on the board as a member. Additionally, we would like to thank \u003Cstrong\u003EBruce Rowan\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003ERandy Schiestl\u003C\/strong\u003E for their service on the board.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) is excited to announce the following updates to its external advisory board.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) is excited to announce the following updates to its external advisory board."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 16:57:48","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:04:32","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674669":{"id":"674669","type":"image","title":"IBBboardchanges_June2024.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELeft to right: Chris Gemmiti, Vincent Ling, and Erin Dasher\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1724259473","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 16:57:53","changed":"1724259473","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 16:57:53","alt":"IBB EAB","file":{"fid":"258221","name":"IBBboardchanges_June2024.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/IBBboardchanges_June2024.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/IBBboardchanges_June2024.png","mime":"image\/png","size":648910,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/IBBboardchanges_June2024.png?itok=QVrAyrFW"}}},"media_ids":["674669"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676146":{"#nid":"676146","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center (PTC) Announces Gian-Gabriel Garcia, Ph.D., as New Pillar 1-Co Lead","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech (PTC) is excited to announce that \u003Cstrong\u003EGian-Gabriel Garcia \u003C\/strong\u003Ewill serve as its Pillar 1 Co-Lead. Pillar 1 focuses on data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. In his new role, Garcia\u2019s responsibilities will include setting the pillar\u2019s strategy and vision, selecting and managing projects, overseeing various pillar activities, and working collaboratively across research groups and institutions. He will also identify cutting-edge technology and engineering solutions to implement priority projects while balancing the pragmatism and feasibility of these approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ptc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPTC\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;brings\u0026nbsp;clinical experts together with Georgia Tech scientists and engineers to develop technological solutions to problems in the health and care of children. The Center provides extraordinary opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatrics, creating breakthrough discoveries that often can only be found at the intersection of multiple disciplines.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarcia will work under the leadership of PTC Co-Directors Dr. Stanislav Emelianov (Georgia Tech) and Dr. Wilbur Lam (Children\u2019s) of Georgia Tech\u2019s Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. Dr. Naveen Muthu of Children\u2019s Physician Group will be Garcia\u2019s counterpart in leading Pillar 1.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 2021, Garcia has served as an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. His research group has published numerous journal and conference papers, and book chapters related to data-driven machine learning and optimization in healthcare, including various applications in diagnosis and disease management of concussion, opioids, cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, and maternal health. He has received federal funding as a primary investigator from both the National Institutes for Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. He and his research group have received several national and international recognitions for their work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarcia also teaches graduate-level courses in machine learning and optimization for healthcare. He received his Ph.D. in industrial and operations engineering at the University of Michigan and was a postdoctoral fellow at the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech (PTC) is excited to announce that \u003Cstrong\u003EGian-Gabriel Garcia \u003C\/strong\u003Ewill serve as its Pillar 1 Co-Lead.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech (PTC) is excited to announce that Gian-Gabriel Garcia will serve as its Pillar 1 Co-Lead."}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:01:24","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 17:02:18","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674670":{"id":"674670","type":"image","title":"garcia-gian-gabriel.jpg","body":null,"created":"1724259689","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 17:01:29","changed":"1724259689","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 17:01:29","alt":"Garcia Gian Gabriel ","file":{"fid":"258222","name":"garcia-gian-gabriel.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/garcia-gian-gabriel.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/garcia-gian-gabriel.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":70606,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/garcia-gian-gabriel.jpg?itok=T3Ffc7Ct"}}},"media_ids":["674670"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676143":{"#nid":"676143","#data":{"type":"news","title":"IBB Announces FY25 Seed Grant Recipients","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIBB is excited to announce the awardees of the FY25 IBB Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grant Program. Designed to stimulate interdisciplinary research, IBB proudly supports seed grant programs that provide funding opportunities for bio-related breakthroughs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/amirali-aghazadeh\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAmirali Aghazadeh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E were selected for funding for their proposal, \u0022Harnessing Generative AI to Identify Mutations Causing Early-Onset Glaucoma.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAghazadeh is an assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and also program faculty of the Machine Learning, Bioinformatics, and Bioengineering Ph.D. programs. He has affiliations with the Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEAS) and the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. His research focuses on developing machine learning and deep learning solutions for protein and small molecular design and engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELieberman is the Sepcic-Pfeil Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Her research focuses on the biophysical and structural characterization of proteins and the impact of disease-associated mutations on function or dysfunction (e.g., aggregation).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis project will combine our expertise to harness the power of generative artificial intelligence, large language models, and protein sequences to comprehend genetic mutations that cause a severe form of glaucoma that primarily affects children,\u201d said Aghazedeh.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/singh\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/mg-finn\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EM.G. Finn\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E were also selected for funding for their proposal, \u0022Modeling Human Immune Responses to \u03b1-Galactosyl Immunogen in Hydrogel-Based Organoids.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh is Carl Ring Family Professor with a joint appointment in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. He is also the director of the Center of Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech. His laboratory develops immune organoids and enabling technologies to understand healthy and diseased immune cells and translate therapeutics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFinn is a professor and school chair in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the chief scientific officer of the Georgia Tech Pediatric Innovation Network. His lab develops chemical and biological tools for research in a wide range of fields, such as chemistry, biology, immunology, and evolution with viruses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere is an increasing need to find stronger immunogens that can be used to create more effective vaccines. One promising candidate is \u03b1-galactosyl immunogens, which have shown great potential in animals, but we don\u0027t know much about if and how they would work in humans,\u201d said Singh. \u201cWe are excited that the IBB seed grant will allow us to combine the Singh lab\u2019s expertise in creating human immune tissues in the lab with the Finn lab\u2019s unique skills in designing these immunogens. This collaboration will help us better understand how these potential vaccine ingredients perform in human-like systems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe projects will each receive an award of $40,000 to be spent by June 30, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIBB is excited to announce the awardees of the FY25 IBB Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grant Program. Designed to stimulate interdisciplinary research, IBB proudly supports seed grant programs that provide funding opportunities for bio-related breakthroughs.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"IBB is excited to announce the awardees of the FY25 IBB Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grant Program. Designed to stimulate interdisciplinary research, IBB proudly supports seed grant programs that provide funding opportunities for bio-related breakthrou"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 16:47:59","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 16:49:41","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674667":{"id":"674667","type":"image","title":"FY25seedgrantwinners.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom top left: M.G. Finn, Raquel Lieberman, Ankur Singh, and Amirali Aghazadeh\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1724258936","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 16:48:56","changed":"1724258936","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 16:48:56","alt":"FY25seedgrantwinners","file":{"fid":"258219","name":"FY25seedgrantwinners.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/FY25seedgrantwinners_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/FY25seedgrantwinners_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":848957,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/FY25seedgrantwinners_0.png?itok=cjt3C3UC"}}},"media_ids":["674667"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676141":{"#nid":"676141","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Johnna Temenoff Receives Rosalind Franklin Award in Biotechnology and Regenerative Medicine","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience is excited to announce that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/johnna-temenoff\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohnna Temenoff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has received a Rosalind Franklin Award in Biotechnology and Regenerative Medicine. Temenoff is the Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. She is also the director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturingusa.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENSF Engineering Research Center in Cell Manufacturing Technologies\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturing.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMarcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Rosalind Franklin Society Awards are given annually to recognize outstanding scientific papers from women and minorities and, in partnership with Mary Ann Liebert Inc., the Rosalind Franklin Society has awarded $100,000 to exceptional researchers featured in their 2023 anthology. The anthology includes the biography of each winner and an abstract of their published paper. Temenoff is among 14 award winners in biotechnology and regenerative medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer paper features a collaboration with former IBB researcher Manu Platt and current IBB researcher Younan Xia to develop a new controlled release platform for the localized delivery of a drug that can inhibit enzymatic activity to reduce tissue damage in orthopedic conditions such as osteoarthritis and rotator cuff tears.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am extremely honored to receive this award from the Rosalind Franklin Society for our publication in \u003Cem\u003ETissue Engineering Methods\u003C\/em\u003E (Part C),\u201d said Temenoff. \u201cI remember first hearing about Franklin\u2019s pioneering work in my undergraduate biochemistry class and she has always been an inspiration to me.\u0026nbsp;Special thanks and recognition goes to my laboratory, especially former trainee Elda Trevino, who led this work.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETemenoff\u2019s research is focused on scaling culture of therapeutic cells and developing new biomaterials as carriers for proteins and cells for use in regenerative medicine applications.\u0026nbsp;Her laboratory focuses primarily on promoting the repair of orthopedic tissues, including cartilage, tendon, and muscle.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFind more award details \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.rosalindfranklinsociety.org\/rfs-award-in-science\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ehere\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience is excited to announce that Johnna Temenoff has received a Rosalind Franklin Award in Biotechnology and Regenerative Medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience is excited to announce that Johnna Temenoff has received a Rosalind Franklin Award in Biotechnology and Regenerative Medicine. "}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2024-08-21 13:57:29","changed_gmt":"2024-08-21 14:03:32","author":"swilliamson40","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674664":{"id":"674664","type":"image","title":"JT Headshot","body":null,"created":"1724248684","gmt_created":"2024-08-21 13:58:04","changed":"1724248684","gmt_changed":"2024-08-21 13:58:04","alt":"JT Headshot","file":{"fid":"258216","name":"JohnnaTemenoff_headshot.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/JohnnaTemenoff_headshot.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/21\/JohnnaTemenoff_headshot.png","mime":"image\/png","size":322847,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/21\/JohnnaTemenoff_headshot.png?itok=l741Lu5e"}}},"media_ids":["674664"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eswilliamson40@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675467":{"#nid":"675467","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Using Deep Learning Techniques to Improve Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHepatic, or liver, disease affects more than 100 million people in the U.S. About 4.5 million adults (1.8%) have been diagnosed with liver disease, but it is estimated that between 80 and 100 million adults in the U.S. have undiagnosed fatty liver disease in varying stages. Over time, undiagnosed and untreated hepatic diseases can lead to cirrhosis, a severe scarring of the liver that cannot be reversed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost hepatic diseases are chronic conditions that will be present over the life of the patient, but early detection improves overall health and the ability to manage specific conditions over time. Additionally, assessing patients over time allows for effective treatments to be adjusted as necessary. The standard protocol for diagnosis, as well as follow-up tissue assessment, is a biopsy after the return of an abnormal blood test, but biopsies are time-consuming and pose risks for the patient. Several non-invasive imaging techniques have been developed to assess the stiffness of liver tissue, an indication of scarring, including magnetic resonance elastography (MRE).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMRE combines elements of ultrasound and MRI imaging to create a visual map showing gradients of stiffness throughout the liver and is increasingly used to diagnose hepatic issues. MRE exams, however, can fail for many reasons, including patient motion, patient physiology, imaging issues, and mechanical issues such as improper wave generation or propagation in the liver. Determining the success of MRE exams depends on visual inspection of technologists and radiologists. With increasing work demands and workforce shortages, providing an accurate, automated way to classify image quality will create a streamlined approach and reduce the need for repeat scans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biorobotics.gatech.edu\/wp\/\u0022\u003EJun Ueda\u003C\/a\u003E in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and robotics Ph.D. student Heriberto Nieves, working with a team from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, have successfully applied deep learning techniques for accurate, automated quality control image assessment. The research,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/jmri.29490\u0022\u003E\u201cDeep Learning-Enabled Automated Quality Control for Liver MR Elastography: Initial Results,\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E was published in the\u003Cem\u003E Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing five deep learning training models, an accuracy of 92% was achieved by the best-performing ensemble on retrospective MRE images of patients with varied liver stiffnesses. The team also achieved a return of the analyzed data within seconds. The rapidity of image quality return allows the technician to focus on adjusting hardware or patient orientation for re-scan in a single session, rather than requiring patients to return for costly and timely re-scans due to low-quality initial images.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis new research is a step toward streamlining the review pipeline for MRE using deep learning techniques, which have remained unexplored compared to other medical imaging modalities.\u0026nbsp; The research also provides a helpful baseline for future avenues of inquiry, such as assessing the health of the spleen or kidneys. It may also be applied to automation for image quality control for monitoring non-hepatic conditions, such as breast cancer or muscular dystrophy, in which tissue stiffness is an indicator of initial health and disease progression. Ueda, Nieves, and their team hope to test these models on Siemens Healthineers magnetic resonance scanners within the next year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPublication\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ENieves-Vazquez, H.A., Ozkaya, E., Meinhold, W., Geahchan, A., Bane, O., Ueda, J. and Taouli, B. (2024), Deep Learning-Enabled Automated Quality Control for Liver MR Elastography: Initial Results. J Magn Reson Imaging.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/jmri.29490\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/jmri.29490\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPrior Work\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/robotically-precise-diagnostics-and-therapeutics-degenerative-disc-disorder\u0022\u003ERobotically Precise Diagnostics and Therapeutics for Degenerative Disc Disorder\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERelated Material\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/jmri.29492\u0022\u003EEditorial for \u201cDeep Learning-Enabled Automated Quality Control for Liver MR Elastography: Initial Results\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biorobotics.gatech.edu\/wp\/\u0022\u003EJun Ueda\u003C\/a\u003E in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and robotics Ph.D. student Heriberto Nieves, working with a team from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, have successfully applied deep learning techniques for accurate, automated quality control image assessment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"With increasing work demands and workforce shortages, providing an accurate, automated way to classify image quality will create a streamlined approach and reduce the need for repeat scans. "}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2024-07-15 19:33:24","changed_gmt":"2024-07-17 15:20:20","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674351":{"id":"674351","type":"image","title":"Ueda MRE News","body":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biorobotics.gatech.edu\/wp\/\u0022\u003EJun Ueda\u003C\/a\u003E in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and robotics Ph.D. student Heriberto Nieves.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1721071536","gmt_created":"2024-07-15 19:25:36","changed":"1721071827","gmt_changed":"2024-07-15 19:30:27","alt":"Professor\u00a0Jun Ueda in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and robotics Ph.D. student Heriberto Nieves.","file":{"fid":"257851","name":"Heriberto and Ueda DL-MRE 6 half sized.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/15\/Heriberto%20and%20Ueda%20DL-MRE%206%20half%20sized.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/15\/Heriberto%20and%20Ueda%20DL-MRE%206%20half%20sized.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4165537,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/15\/Heriberto%20and%20Ueda%20DL-MRE%206%20half%20sized.png?itok=2FyY2iUP"}}},"media_ids":["674351"],"groups":[{"id":"142761","name":"IRIM"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"81491","name":"Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM)"},{"id":"11689","name":"Institute for Bioengineeirng and Bioscience"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"98751","name":"College of Engineering; George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"9540","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"97611","name":"research news"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"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\u003EChrista M. Ernst |\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager |\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETopic Expertise: Robotics, Data Sciences, Semiconductor Design \u0026amp; Fab |\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch @ the Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["christa.ernst@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675438":{"#nid":"675438","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hybrid Machine Learning Model Untangles Web of Communication in the Brain","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new machine learning (ML) model created at Georgia Tech is helping neuroscientists better understand communications between brain regions. Insights from the model could lead to personalized medicine, better brain-computer interfaces, and advances in neurotechnology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech group combined two current ML methods into their hybrid model called MRM-GP (Multi-Region Markovian Gaussian Process).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENeuroscientists who use MRM-GP learn more about communications and interactions within the brain. This in turn improves understanding of brain functions and disorders.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cClinically, MRM-GP could enhance diagnostic tools and treatment monitoring by identifying and analyzing neural activity patterns linked to various brain disorders,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=qW4_NR4AAAAJ\u0026amp;hl=en\u0022\u003EWeihan Li\u003C\/a\u003E, the study\u2019s lead researcher.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNeuroscientists can leverage MRM-GP for its robust modeling capabilities and efficiency in handling large-scale brain data.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMRM-GP reveals where and how communication travels across brain regions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe group tested MRM-GP using spike trains and local field potential recordings, two kinds of measurements of brain activity. These tests produced representations that illustrated directional flow of communication among brain regions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EExperiments also disentangled brainwaves, called oscillatory interactions, into organized frequency bands. MRM-GP\u2019s hybrid configuration allows it to model frequencies and phase delays within the latent space of neural recordings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMRM-GP combines the strengths of two existing methods: the Gaussian process (GP) and linear dynamical systems (LDS). The researchers say that MRM-GP is essentially an LDS that mirrors a GP.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELDS is a computationally efficient and cost-effective method, but it lacks the power to produce representations of the brain. GP-based approaches boost LDS\u0027s power, facilitating the discovery of variables in frequency bands and communication directions in the brain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConverting GP outputs into an LDS is a difficult task in ML. The group overcame this challenge by instilling separability in the model\u2019s multi-region kernel. Separability establishes a connection between the kernel and LDS while modeling communication between brain regions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough this approach, MRM-GP overcomes two challenges facing both neuroscience and ML fields. The model helps solve the mystery of intraregional brain communication. It does so by bridging a gap between GP and LDS, a feat not previously accomplished in ML.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe introduction of MRM-GP provides a useful tool to model and understand complex brain region communications,\u201d said Li, a Ph.D. student in the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis marks a significant advancement in both neuroscience and machine learning.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFellow doctoral students\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/github.com\/JerrySoybean\u0022\u003EChengrui Li\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/github.com\/yulewang97\u0022\u003EYule Wang\u003C\/a\u003E co-authored the paper with Li. School of CSE Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.google.com\/site\/anqiwuresearch\u0022\u003EAnqi Wu\u003C\/a\u003E advises the group.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach MRM-GP student pursues a different\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/phd-programs\u0022\u003EPh.D. degree offered by the School of CSE\u003C\/a\u003E. W. Li studies computer science, C. Li studies computational science and engineering, and Wang studies machine learning. The school also offers Ph.D. degrees in bioinformatics and bioengineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWu is a 2023 recipient of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/anqi-wu-awarded-2023-sloan-research-fellowship\u0022\u003ESloan Research Fellowship\u003C\/a\u003E for neuroscience research. Her work straddles two of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cse.gatech.edu\/research\u0022\u003ESchool\u2019s five research areas\u003C\/a\u003E: machine learning and computational bioscience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMRM-GP will be featured at the world\u2019s top conference on ML and artificial intelligence. The group will share their work at the International Conference on Machine Learning (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/icml.cc\/\u0022\u003EICML 2024\u003C\/a\u003E), which will be held July 21-27 in Vienna.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EICML 2024 also accepted for presentation a second paper from Wu\u2019s group intersecting neuroscience and ML. The same authors will present\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2402.01263\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA Differentiable Partially Observable Generalized Linear Model with Forward-Backward Message Passing\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwenty-four Georgia Tech faculty from the Colleges of Computing and Engineering will present 40 papers at ICML 2024. Wu is one of six faculty representing the School of CSE who will present eight total papers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe group\u2019s ICML 2024 presentations exemplify Georgia Tech\u2019s focus on neuroscience research as a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/strategic-initiatives\u0022\u003Estrategic initiative\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWu is an affiliated faculty member with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/18\/georgia-tech-launch-interdisciplinary-neurosciences-research-program\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E, a new interdisciplinary program at Georgia Tech that will lead research in neuroscience, neurotechnology, and society. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents recently approved a new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/05\/02\/georgia-tech-offer-phd-neuroscience-and-neurotechnology-new-minor\u0022\u003Eneuroscience and neurotechnology Ph.D. program\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPresenting papers at international conferences like ICML is crucial for our group to gain recognition and visibility, facilitates networking with other researchers and industry professionals, and offers valuable feedback for improving our work,\u201d Wu said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt allows us to share our findings, stay updated on the latest developments in the field, and enhance our professional development and public speaking skills.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVisit \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/icml-2024\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/icml-2024\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E for news and coverage of Georgia Tech research presented at ICML 2024.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new machine learning (ML) model created at Georgia Tech is helping neuroscientists better understand communications between brain regions. Insights from the model could lead to personalized medicine, better brain-computer interfaces, and advances in neurotechnology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech group combined two current ML methods into their hybrid model called MRM-GP (Multi-Region Markovian Gaussian Process).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENeuroscientists who use MRM-GP learn more about communications and interactions within the brain. This in turn improves understanding of brain functions and disorders.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new machine learning (ML) model created at Georgia Tech is helping neuroscientists better understand communications between brain regions. "}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2024-07-11 19:37:12","changed_gmt":"2024-07-12 15:25:01","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674337":{"id":"674337","type":"image","title":"MRM-GP Head Photo.jpg","body":null,"created":"1720726656","gmt_created":"2024-07-11 19:37:36","changed":"1720726656","gmt_changed":"2024-07-11 19:37:36","alt":"Weihan Li ICML 2024","file":{"fid":"257837","name":"MRM-GP Head Photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/MRM-GP%20Head%20Photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/MRM-GP%20Head%20Photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":92978,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/11\/MRM-GP%20Head%20Photo.jpg?itok=CyGJUal2"}},"674338":{"id":"674338","type":"image","title":"YW Poster.jpg","body":null,"created":"1720726696","gmt_created":"2024-07-11 19:38:16","changed":"1720726696","gmt_changed":"2024-07-11 19:38:16","alt":"Yule Wang ICML 2024 CSE","file":{"fid":"257838","name":"YW Poster.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/YW%20Poster.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/YW%20Poster.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":37723,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/11\/YW%20Poster.jpg?itok=nnjhmwZN"}},"674339":{"id":"674339","type":"image","title":"CSE_ICML2024.png","body":null,"created":"1720726742","gmt_created":"2024-07-11 19:39:02","changed":"1720726742","gmt_changed":"2024-07-11 19:39:02","alt":"CSE ICML 2024","file":{"fid":"257839","name":"CSE_ICML2024.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/CSE_ICML2024.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/07\/11\/CSE_ICML2024.png","mime":"image\/png","size":173722,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/07\/11\/CSE_ICML2024.png?itok=uiGRsZ3_"}}},"media_ids":["674337","674338","674339"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\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":""}},"675221":{"#nid":"675221","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center (PTC) Announces Gian-Gabriel Garcia, Ph.D., as New Pillar 1-Co Lead","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech (PTC) is excited to announce that \u003Cstrong\u003EGian-Gabriel Garcia \u003C\/strong\u003Ewill serve as its Pillar 1 Co-Lead. Pillar 1 focuses on data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. In his new role, Garcia\u2019s responsibilities will include setting the pillar\u2019s strategy and vision, selecting and managing projects, overseeing various pillar activities, and working collaboratively across research groups and institutions. He will also identify cutting-edge technology and engineering solutions to implement priority projects while balancing the pragmatism and feasibility of these approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ptc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPTC\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;brings\u0026nbsp;clinical experts together with Georgia Tech scientists and engineers to develop technological solutions to problems in the health and care of children. The Center provides extraordinary opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in pediatrics, creating breakthrough discoveries that often can only be found at the intersection of multiple disciplines.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarcia will work under the leadership of PTC Co-Directors Dr. Stanislav Emelianov (Georgia Tech) and Dr. Wilbur Lam (Children\u2019s) of Georgia Tech\u2019s Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. Dr. Naveen Muthu of Children\u2019s Physician Group will be Garcia\u2019s counterpart in leading Pillar 1.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 2021, Garcia has served as an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. His research group has published numerous journal and conference papers, and book chapters related to data-driven machine learning and optimization in healthcare, including various applications in diagnosis and disease management of concussion, opioids, cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, and maternal health. He has received federal funding as a primary investigator from both the National Institutes for Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. He and his research group have received several national and international recognitions for their work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGarcia also teaches graduate-level courses in machine learning and optimization for healthcare. He received his Ph.D. in industrial and operations engineering at the University of Michigan and was a postdoctoral fellow at the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech (PTC) is excited to announce that \u003Cstrong\u003EGian-Gabriel Garcia \u003C\/strong\u003Ewill serve as its Pillar 1 Co-Lead. Pillar 1 focuses on data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. In his new role, Garcia\u2019s responsibilities will include setting the pillar\u2019s strategy and vision, selecting and managing projects, overseeing various pillar activities, and working collaboratively across research groups and institutions. He will also identify cutting-edge technology and engineering solutions to implement priority projects while balancing the pragmatism and feasibility of these approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Technology Center at Georgia Tech (PTC) is excited to announce that Gian-Gabriel Garcia will serve as its Pillar 1 Co-Lead. "}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2024-06-24 20:25:00","changed_gmt":"2024-06-26 21:18:01","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674235":{"id":"674235","type":"image","title":"garcia-gian-gabriel_1.jpg","body":null,"created":"1719259011","gmt_created":"2024-06-24 19:56:51","changed":"1719259011","gmt_changed":"2024-06-24 19:56:51","alt":"Gian-Gabriel Garcia","file":{"fid":"257725","name":"garcia-gian-gabriel_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/24\/garcia-gian-gabriel_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/24\/garcia-gian-gabriel_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":70711,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/24\/garcia-gian-gabriel_1.jpg?itok=q2mNErYb"}}},"media_ids":["674235"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"6185","name":"pediatrics"},{"id":"8899","name":"Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta"},{"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":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675142":{"#nid":"675142","#data":{"type":"news","title":"  Novel Use of Existing Drug Could Significantly Cut Heart Attack Risk","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHeart attacks have been the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.heart.org\/news\/more-than-half-of-u-s-adults-dont-know-heart-disease-is-leading-cause-of-death-despite-100-year-reign#:~:text=According%20to%20the%202024%20Heart,the%20U.S.%20for%20100%20years.\u0022\u003Eleading\u003C\/a\u003E cause of death in the U.S. for a century. While most treatments for cardiac events target breaking down blood clots, Georgia Tech researchers have found a way to prevent blood clots from even forming. Dramatically, their drug is shown to completely knock out the formation of blood clots without increasing the risks of bleeds \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis drug is both affordable and already widely available for other uses, meaning patients could experience these benefits sooner than waiting for a completely new drug to go through FDA approval. Eventually, the drug could be used to prevent second heart attacks for high-risk patients or even primary heart attacks, strokes, and other complications caused by blood clots.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers presented their findings in the paper, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38126172\/\u0022\u003EN-Acetyl Cysteine Prevents Arterial Thrombosis in a Dose-Dependent Manner In Vitro and in Mice\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d in \u003Cem\u003EArteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology\u003C\/em\u003E in April.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow Blood Clots Form\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost existing preventive treatments for clots involve anti-platelet drugs that can cause bad side effects for the patient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDoctors are between a rock and a hard place \u2014 we can give you a drug that may help prevent a second cardiac event, but it might also cause a lot of bleeding,\u201d said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/ku\u0022\u003EDavid Ku\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;Lawrence P. Huang Endowed Chair for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Regents\u0027 Professor in the\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ME). \u201cThese blood clots are held together by a protein called von Willebrand factor (VWF), which is a different target for drugs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EVWF is a long protein, occurring naturally in plasma, that allows blood clots to form quickly.\u0026nbsp; Under normal conditions, it functions like an inert ball of yarn, but when VWF unravels, it becomes sticky and catches platelets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cThe VWF grabs platelets and the platelets activate, so they release more VWF, which grabs more platelets, creating a positive feedback loop that leads to really fast clot formation,\u201d explained Christopher Bresette, an ME postdoctoral researcher.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBreaking Down Blood Clots\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBresette and Ku sought to break down VWF proteins using a drug already on the market, \u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EN-\u003C\/strong\u003Eacetyl cysteine\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;(\u003Cem\u003ENAC\u003C\/em\u003E), typically used\u0026nbsp;to treat acetaminophen overdose. Earlier researchers had tried using NAC to break down clots after formation, but Ku\u2019s team wanted to stop clots before they even started.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe chose NAC because of its current clinical use and safety history,\u201d Bresette said. \u201cUsing an existing drug for off-label use can speed up the time it takes to start helping patients.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EPetit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, the researchers ran blood through a small channel similar to a narrowing artery that could lead to a heart attack or stroke. NAC completely prevented a clot from forming under these conditions. Next, they tested NAC in a mouse model and found comparable results. Even better, NAC\u2019s benefits lasted six hours after it left the bloodstream, keeping arteries clear for longer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers envision the drug will be most useful if a patient has already had a heart attack but is at risk of having a second one soon after. An IV injection of NAC could lower immediate risk. Eventually, NAC derivatives could be administered orally as a daily pill to reduce heart attack risk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHeart attacks and strokes are just the beginning. From stopping embolisms to other blockages, the future with NAC is only just beginning. The researchers are hoping to conduct a clinical trial and receive FDA approval so NAC can help patients as soon as possible.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHeart attacks have been the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/newsroom.heart.org\/news\/more-than-half-of-u-s-adults-dont-know-heart-disease-is-leading-cause-of-death-despite-100-year-reign#:~:text=According%20to%20the%202024%20Heart,the%20U.S.%20for%20100%20years.\u0022\u003Eleading\u003C\/a\u003E cause of death in the U.S. for a century. While most treatments for cardiac events target breaking down blood clots, Georgia Tech researchers have found a way to prevent blood clots from even forming. Dramatically, their drug is shown to completely knock out the formation of blood clots without increasing the risks of bleeds \u003Cem\u003Ein vivo\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"While most treatments for cardiac events target breaking down blood clots, Georgia Tech researchers have found a way to prevent blood clots from even forming. "}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2024-06-18 17:28:03","changed_gmt":"2024-06-25 13:49:22","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674209":{"id":"674209","type":"image","title":"Chris Bresette lab","body":"\u003Cp\u003EChristopher Bresette in the lab. [Photo by Rob Felt.]\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1718731750","gmt_created":"2024-06-18 17:29:10","changed":"1718731750","gmt_changed":"2024-06-18 17:29:10","alt":"Chris Bresette in the lab","file":{"fid":"257694","name":"24-R10400-P64-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/18\/24-R10400-P64-001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/18\/24-R10400-P64-001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1888807,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/18\/24-R10400-P64-001.jpg?itok=9W4_g882"}},"674211":{"id":"674211","type":"image","title":"24-R10400-P64-003.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe blood comes in from the top and splits into four channels that can be observed separately. The middle region is where the channel narrows to mimic an atherosclerotic plaque. [Photo by Rob Felt]\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1718731824","gmt_created":"2024-06-18 17:30:24","changed":"1718731824","gmt_changed":"2024-06-18 17:30:24","alt":"The microfluidic device the researchers use to quantify clot formation. ","file":{"fid":"257695","name":"24-R10400-P64-003.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/18\/24-R10400-P64-003.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/18\/24-R10400-P64-003.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2889930,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/18\/24-R10400-P64-003.jpg?itok=jzVj7oE9"}}},"media_ids":["674209","674211"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"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\u003ETess Malone, Senior Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:tess.malone@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Etess.malone@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"675091":{"#nid":"675091","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nanowires Create Elite Warriors to Enhance T Cell Therapy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdoptive T-cell therapy has revolutionized medicine. A patient\u2019s T-cells \u2014 a type of white blood cell that is part of the body\u2019s immune system \u2014 are extracted and modified in a lab and then infused back into the body, to seek and destroy infection, or cancer cells.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow Georgia Tech bioengineer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/singhlab.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EAnkur Singh\u003C\/a\u003E and his research team have developed a method to improve this pioneering immunotherapy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir solution involves using nanowires to deliver therapeutic miRNA to T-cells. This new modification process retains the cells\u2019 na\u00efve state, which means they\u2019ll be even better disease fighters when they\u2019re infused back into a patient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy delivering miRNA in na\u00efve T cells, we have basically prepared an infantry, ready to deploy,\u201d Singh said. \u201cAnd when these na\u00efve cells are stimulated and activated in the presence of disease, it\u2019s like they\u2019ve been converted into samurais.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003ELean and Mean\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrently in adoptive T-cell therapy, the cells become stimulated and preactivated in the lab when they are modified, losing their na\u00efve state. Singh\u2019s new technique overcomes this limitation. The approach is described in a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41565-024-01649-7\u0022\u003Enew study\u003C\/a\u003E published in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Nanotechnology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNa\u00efve T-cells are more useful for immunotherapy because they have not yet been preactivated, which means they can be more easily manipulated to adopt desired therapeutic functions,\u201d said Singh, the Carl Ring Family Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWoodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe raw recruits of the immune system, na\u00efve T-cells are white blood cells that haven\u2019t been tested in battle yet. But these cellular recruits are robust, impressionable, and adaptable \u2014 ready and eager for programming.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis process creates a well-programmed na\u00efve T-cell ideal for enhancing immune responses against specific targets, such as tumors or pathogens,\u201d said Singh.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe precise programming na\u00efve T-cells receive sets the foundational stage for a more successful disease fighting future, as compared to preactivated cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGiving Fighter Cells a Boost\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWithin the body, na\u00efve T-cells become activated when they receive a danger signal from antigens, which are part of disease-causing pathogens, but they send a signal to T-cells that activate the immune system.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdoptive T-cell therapy is used against aggressive diseases that overwhelm the body\u2019s defense system. Scientists give the patient\u2019s T-cells a therapeutic boost in the lab, loading them up with additional medicine and chemically preactivating them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s when the cells lose their na\u00efve state. When infused back into the patient, these modified T-cells are an effective infantry against disease \u2014 but they are prone to becoming exhausted. They aren\u2019t samurai. Na\u00efve T-cells, though, being the young, programmable recruits that they are, could be.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe question for Singh and his team was: How do we give cells that therapeutic boost without preactivating them, thereby losing that pristine, highly suggestable na\u00efve state? Their answer: Nanowires.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENanoPrecision: The Pointed Solution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESingh wanted to enhance na\u00efve T-cells with a dose of miRNA. miRNA is a molecule that, when used as a therapeutic, works as a kind of volume knob for genes, turning their activity up or down to keep infection and cancer in check. The miRNA for this study was developed in part by the study\u2019s co-author, Andrew Grimson of Cornell University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf we could find a way to forcibly enter the cells without damaging them, we could achieve our goal to deliver the miRNA into na\u00efve T cells without preactivating them,\u201d Singh explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETraditional modification in the lab involves binding immune receptors to T-cells, enabling the uptake of miRNA or any genetic material (which results in loss of the na\u00efve state). \u201cBut nanowires do not engage receptors and thus do not activate cells, so they retain their na\u00efve state,\u201d Singh said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe nanowires, silicon wafers made with specialized tools at Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/nano\u0022\u003EInstitute for Electronics and Nanotechnology\u003C\/a\u003E, form a fine needle bed. Cells are placed on the nanowires, which easily penetrate the cells and deliver their miRNA over several hours. Then the cells with miRNA are flushed out from the tops of the nanowires, activated, eventually infused back into the patient. These programmed cells can kill enemies efficiently over an extended time period.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe believe this approach will be a real gamechanger for adoptive immunotherapies, because we now have the ability to produce T-cells with predictable fates,\u201d says Brian Rudd, a professor of immunology at Cornell University, and co-senior author of the study with Singh.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers tested their work in two separate infectious disease animal models at Cornell for this study, and Singh described the results as \u201ca robust performance in infection control.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the next phase of study, the researchers will up the ante, moving from infectious disease to test their cellular super soldiers against cancer and move toward translation to the clinical setting.\u0026nbsp; New funding from the Georgia Clinical \u0026amp; Translational Science Alliance is supporting Singh\u2019s research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Kristel J. Yee Mon, Sungwoong Kim, Zhonghao Dai, Jessica D. West, Hongya Zhu5, Ritika Jain, Andrew Grimson, Brian D. Rudd, Ankur Singh. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41565-024-01649-7\u0022\u003E\u201cFunctionalized nanowires for miRNA-mediated therapeutic programming of na\u00efve T cells,\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Cem\u003ENature Nanotechnology\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFUNDING:\u003C\/strong\u003E Curci Foundation, NSF (EEC-1648035, ECCS-2025462, ECCS-1542081), NIH (5R01AI132738-06, 1R01CA266052-01, 1R01CA238745-01A1, U01CA280984-01, R01AI110613 and U01AI131348).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech have developed a method using nanowires to deliver miRNA to T-cells, preserving their na\u00efve state and significantly enhancing their effectiveness in adoptive T-cell therapy for fighting infections and potentially cancer.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a method using nanowires to deliver miRNA to T-cells, preserving their na\u00efve state and significantly enhancing their effectiveness in adoptive T-cell therapy for fighting infections and potentially cancer."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-06-12 14:09:49","changed_gmt":"2024-06-12 17:43:33","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-06-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674172":{"id":"674172","type":"image","title":"Ankur Singh","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh has developed a new way of programming T cells that retains their na\u00efve state, making them better fighters. \u2014 Photo by Jerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1718200954","gmt_created":"2024-06-12 14:02:34","changed":"1718201119","gmt_changed":"2024-06-12 14:05:19","alt":"Ankur Singh","file":{"fid":"257652","name":"ankur1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/12\/ankur1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/12\/ankur1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7331552,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/12\/ankur1.jpg?itok=aUhlcb_c"}},"674173":{"id":"674173","type":"image","title":"nanowires cells","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThis is an image of a T cell on a nanowire array. The arrow indicates where a nanowire has penetrated the cell, delivering therapeutic miRNA.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1718201149","gmt_created":"2024-06-12 14:05:49","changed":"1718201202","gmt_changed":"2024-06-12 14:06:42","alt":"Nanowires and cell","file":{"fid":"257653","name":"nanowire cell.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/12\/nanowire%20cell.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/06\/12\/nanowire%20cell.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":158813,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/06\/12\/nanowire%20cell.jpg?itok=cpBiHfWS"}}},"media_ids":["674172","674173"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"7074","name":"nanowires"},{"id":"179643","name":"T cell activation"},{"id":"9513","name":"Cancer Reserach"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"}],"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\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674719":{"#nid":"674719","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Family Loss Brings About Medical Breakthrough","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe call from his mom is still vivid 20 years later. Moments this big and this devastating can define lives, and for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/yeo\u0022\u003EHong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E, today a Georgia Tech mechanical engineer, this call certainly did. Yeo was a 21-year-old in college studying car design when his mom called to tell him his father had died in his sleep. A heart attack claimed the life of the 49-year-old high school English teacher who had no history of heart trouble and no signs of his growing health threat. For the family, it was a crushing blow that altered each of their paths.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt was an uncertain time for all of us,\u201d said Yeo. \u201cThis loss changed my focus.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Yeo, thoughts and dreams of designing cars for Hyundai in Korea turned instead toward medicine. The shock of his father going from no signs of illness to gone forever developed into a quest for medical answers that might keep other families from experiencing the pain and loss his family did \u2014 or at least making it less likely to happen.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYeo\u2019s own research and schooling in college pointed out a big problem when it comes to issues with sleep and how our bodies\u2019 systems perform \u2014 data. He became determined to invent a way to give medical doctors better information that would allow them to spot a problem like his father\u2019s before it became life-threatening.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHis answer: a type of wearable sleep data system. Now very close to being commercially available, Yeo\u2019s device comes after years of working on the materials and electronics for an easy-to-wear, comfortable mask that can gather data about sleep over multiple days or even weeks, allowing doctors to catch sporadic heart problems or other issues. Different from some of the bulky devices with straps and cords currently available for at-home heart monitoring, it offers the bonuses of ease of use and comfort, ensuring little to no alteration to users\u2019 bedtime routine or wear. This means researchers can collect data from sleep patterns that are as close to normal sleep as possible.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMost of the time now, gathering sleep data means the patient must come to a lab or hospital for sleep monitoring. Of course, it\u2019s less comfortable than home, and the devices patients must wear make it even less so. Also, the process is expensive, so it\u2019s rare to get multiple nights of data,\u201d says Audrey Duarte, University of Texas human memory researcher.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuarte has been working with Yeo on this system for more than 10 years. She says there are so many mental and physical health outcomes tied to sleep that good, long-term data has the potential to have tremendous impact.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe results we\u2019ve seen are incredibly encouraging, related to many things \u2014from heart issues to areas I study more closely like memory and Alzheimer\u2019s,\u201d said Duarte.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYeo\u2019s device may not have caught the arrhythmia that caused his father\u2019s heart attack, but nights or weeks of data would have made effective medical intervention much more likely.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInspired by his own family\u2019s loss, Yeo\u2019s life\u2019s work has become a tool of hope for others.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen he was in college, Hong Yeo\u0027s father died in his sleep from a heart attack, and Yeo changed his academic and research efforts as a result. Now, he and his research collaborators have developed a device that monitors vital signs during sleep, and it\u0027s the type of thing that may have helped doctors intervene in his father\u0027s illness if it had been available. This Sleep Scan device is a type of mask you can easily take on and off, and it has now been tested with human subjects and is close to being available commercially.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Family tragedy changed Hong Yeo\u2019s life, with his new direction leading to a new potentially lifesaving medical device."}],"uid":"36174","created_gmt":"2024-05-14 18:51:07","changed_gmt":"2024-06-10 20:28:28","author":"Blair Meeks","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674015":{"id":"674015","type":"video","title":"Family Loss Brings About Medical Breakthrough","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen he was in college, Hong Yeo\u0027s father died in his sleep from a heart attack, and Yeo changed his academic and research efforts as a result. Now, he and his research collaborators have developed a device that monitors vital signs during sleep, and it\u0027s the type of thing that may have helped doctors intervene in his father\u0027s illness if it had been available. This Sleep Scan device is a type of mask you can easily take on and off, and it has now been tested with human subjects and is close to being available commercially.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715781745","gmt_created":"2024-05-15 14:02:25","changed":"1715781745","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 14:02:25","video":{"youtube_id":"vZX_NZCxezg","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/vZX_NZCxezg"}},"674008":{"id":"674008","type":"image","title":"Yonghyun Yeo","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHong Yeo\u2019s father, Yonghyun Yeo, with his mother in Korea.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715716401","gmt_created":"2024-05-14 19:53:21","changed":"1715777504","gmt_changed":"2024-05-15 12:51:44","alt":"This is a picture of Hong Yeo\u0027s father and mother in Korea.","file":{"fid":"257471","name":"Hong Yeo father.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20father_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20father_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2440599,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20father_0.jpg?itok=6M2BUNNi"}},"674009":{"id":"674009","type":"image","title":"Taewoog Kang","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETaewoog Kang, a post-doctoral student in mechanical engineering, works to repair a tiny circuit in Hong Yeo\u2019s lab on Georgia Tech\u2019s campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715716558","gmt_created":"2024-05-14 19:55:58","changed":"1715719772","gmt_changed":"2024-05-14 20:49:32","alt":"This is a picture of a post-doctoral student in Hong Yeo\u0027s lab working on one of the tiny circuits used in the device.","file":{"fid":"257472","name":"Hong Yeo lab.Taewoog Kang.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20lab.Taewoog%20Kang_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20lab.Taewoog%20Kang_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1197264,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20lab.Taewoog%20Kang_0.jpg?itok=KgB7AkPW"}},"674010":{"id":"674010","type":"image","title":"Hong Yeo with Sleep Scan device","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHong Yeo shows off the latest version of his wearable sleep monitoring device.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715716657","gmt_created":"2024-05-14 19:57:37","changed":"1715719743","gmt_changed":"2024-05-14 20:49:03","alt":"This is a picture of Hong Yeo holding the latest version of his wearable sleep monitoring device.","file":{"fid":"257473","name":"Hong Yeo with Sleep Scan.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20with%20Sleep%20Scan_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20with%20Sleep%20Scan_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1452560,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/14\/Hong%20Yeo%20with%20Sleep%20Scan_0.jpg?itok=xl-5cO9X"}}},"media_ids":["674015","674008","674009","674010"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/03\/18\/real-time-heat-protection-device-being-tested-florida","title":" Real-Time Heat Protection Device Being Tested in Florida "},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/05\/24\/researchers-develop-wireless-monitoring-detect-sleep-apnea-home","title":" Researchers Develop Wireless Monitoring to Detect Sleep Apnea at Home "}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1613","name":"Biomedical Engieering"},{"id":"4460","name":"Medical Devices"},{"id":"193723","name":"Sleep Apnea"},{"id":"193724","name":"Memory Research"},{"id":"2832","name":"microelectronics"},{"id":"10454","name":"biosensors"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Blair.Meeks@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBlair Meeks\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Blair.Meeks@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674829":{"#nid":"674829","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Asthma\u0027s New Treatment Frontier","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAsthma impacts more than 40 million Americans, and 10% of the world\u2019s population.\u0026nbsp;However, current anti-inflammatory treatments only partially control the disease\u2019s symptoms.\u0026nbsp;Now,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELiang Han,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ean associate professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ehas been\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/project-details\/10856495\u0022\u003Eawarded a $2.47M grant by the National Institute of Health\u003C\/a\u003E to study the role our nervous system plays in asthma\u0026nbsp;\u2014 and the potential for new treatments. The grant will fund five years of research, with work beginning this spring.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAsthma is typically considered an allergic inflammatory disease,\u201d Han says, \u201cand so the majority of research has previously focused on immune responses. But there is emerging evidence that the nervous system plays a critical role in the disease.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHan highlights that our lungs are full of sensory nerves, which help monitor their internal state, and play an important role in regulating our breathing patterns and respiratory system. Vagal sensory neurons help send information from the lungs to the brain.\u0026nbsp;Recent data collected by\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYanyan Xing\u003C\/strong\u003E, a former postdoctoral researcher in the Han lab and now a scientist at Empress Therapeutics, suggested that blocking a group of vagal sensory neurons stopped the development of asthma symptoms in mice.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cSince these sensory neurons are\u0026nbsp;responsible for responses like coughing, bronchoconstriction, and mucus\u0026nbsp;secretion, all of which are asthma symptoms, we want to investigate whether blocking these neurons can help inhibit asthma in humans,\u201d Han says. \u201cIf so, this might prove a promising treatment avenue for asthma.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe nervous system connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn her lab at Georgia Tech,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/liang-han\u0022\u003EHan\u2019s research\u003C\/a\u003E team investigates the role the nervous system plays in creating and behavioral responses, and how that contributes to chronic diseases.\u0026nbsp; \u201cWe want to understand how the nervous system receives, transmits, and interprets various stimuli to induce physiological and behavioral responses,\u201d she explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis year, Han also received a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/itching-answers-liang-han-receives-nsf-grant-dig-deeper-sensory-circuits\u0022\u003E$550k grant from the National Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E to investigate the neural circuit controlling itch sensation. The research has the potential to uncover new treatments for sensory conditions like chronic itch.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Liang Han awarded $2.47M NIH Grant to Study Nervous System\u0027s Role in Asthma "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAsthma impacts more than 10% of the world\u2019s population, but current anti-inflammatory treatments only partially control the disease. Now, with a $2.47M grant, \u003Cstrong\u003ELiang Han\u003C\/strong\u003E is exploring the role our nervous systems play, potentially leading to new treatments.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Han will investigate whether blocking specific neurons can help inhibit asthma \u2014 which may provide a new avenue for developing treatments."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-05-21 14:21:13","changed_gmt":"2024-06-10 15:44:10","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674049":{"id":"674049","type":"image","title":"The Han Lab: (from left to right) Liang Han, Katy Lawson, Rossie Nho, William Hancock","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Han Lab: (from left to right) Liang Han, Katy Lawson, Rossie Nho, William Hancock\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1716301460","gmt_created":"2024-05-21 14:24:20","changed":"1716301460","gmt_changed":"2024-05-21 14:24:20","alt":"The Han Lab: (from left to right) Liang Han, Katy Lawson, Rossie Nho, William Hancock","file":{"fid":"257515","name":"Han Lab photo 2024 (1).jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/21\/Han%20Lab%20photo%202024%20%281%29.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/21\/Han%20Lab%20photo%202024%20%281%29.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3307240,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/21\/Han%20Lab%20photo%202024%20%281%29.jpeg?itok=RlZwF5PQ"}}},"media_ids":["674049"],"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":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"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 \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"671293":{"#nid":"671293","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Faculty to use AI for Protein Design and Discovery with Support of $1.8 Million NIH Grant","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded \u003Cstrong\u003EYunan Luo\u003C\/strong\u003E a grant for more than $1.8 million to use artificial intelligence (AI) to advance protein research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENew AI models produced through the grant will lead to new methods for the design and discovery of functional proteins. This could yield novel drugs and vaccines, personalized treatments against diseases, and other advances in biomedicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis project provides a new paradigm to analyze proteins\u2019 sequence-structure-function relationships using machine learning approaches,\u201d said Luo, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe will develop new, ready-to-use computational models for domain scientists, like biologists and chemists. They can use our machine learning tools to guide scientific discovery in their research.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/search\/j3MVxRlf6EG3ZhrN8vk3tQ\/project-details\/10712082\u0022\u003ELuo\u2019s proposal\u003C\/a\u003E improves on datasets spearheaded by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/alphafold.ebi.ac.uk\/\u0022\u003EAlphaFold\u003C\/a\u003E and other recent breakthroughs. His AI algorithms would integrate these datasets and craft new models for practical application.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of Luo\u2019s goals is to develop machine learning methods that learn statistical representations from the data. This reveals relationships between proteins\u2019 sequence, structure, and function. Scientists then could characterize how sequence and structure determine the function of a protein.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENext, Luo wants to make accurate and interpretable predictions about protein functions. His plan is to create biology-informed deep learning frameworks. These frameworks could make predictions about a protein\u2019s function from knowledge of its sequence and structure. It can also account for variables like mutations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the end, Luo would have the data and tools to assist in the discovery of functional proteins. He will use these to build a computational platform of AI models, algorithms, and frameworks that \u2018invent\u2019 proteins. The platform figures the sequence and structure necessary to achieve a designed proteins desired functions and characteristics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy students play a very important part in this research because they are the driving force behind various aspects of this project at the intersection of computational science and protein biology,\u201d Luo said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think this project provides a unique opportunity to train our students in CSE to learn the real-world challenges facing scientific and engineering problems, and how to integrate computational methods to solve those problems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe $1.8 million grant is funded through the Maximizing Investigators\u2019 Research Award (MIRA). The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) manages the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nigms.nih.gov\/Research\/mechanisms\/MIRA\u0022\u003EMIRA program\u003C\/a\u003E. NIGMS is one of 27 institutes and centers under NIH.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMIRA is oriented toward launching the research endeavors of young career faculty. The grant provides researchers with more stability and flexibility through five years of funding. This enhances scientific productivity and improves the chances for important breakthroughs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELuo becomes the second School of CSE faculty to receive the MIRA grant. NIH awarded the grant to \u003Cstrong\u003EXiuwei Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2021. Zhang is the J.Z. Liang Early-Career Assistant Professor in the School of CSE.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/award-winning-computer-models-propel-research-cellular-differentiation\u0022\u003EAward-winning Computer Models Propel Research in Cellular Differentiation\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAfter NIH, of course, I first thanked my students because they laid the groundwork for what we seek to achieve in our grant proposal,\u201d said Luo.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI would like to thank my colleague, Xiuwei Zhang, for her mentorship in preparing the proposal. I also thank our school chair, Haesun Park, for her help and support while starting my career.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYunan Luo\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;a grant for more than $1.8 million to use artificial intelligence (AI) to advance protein research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENew AI models produced through the grant will lead to new methods for the design and discovery of functional proteins. This could yield novel drugs and vaccines, personalized treatments against diseases, and other advances in biomedicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded Yunan Luo a grant for more than $1.8 million to use artificial intelligence (AI) to advance protein research."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2023-11-29 13:25:24","changed_gmt":"2024-06-04 01:23:01","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-29T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-29T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672465":{"id":"672465","type":"image","title":"Luo NIH Grant2.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1701264332","gmt_created":"2023-11-29 13:25:32","changed":"1701264332","gmt_changed":"2023-11-29 13:25:32","alt":"Yunan Luo $1.8 Million NIH Grant","file":{"fid":"255703","name":"Luo NIH Grant2.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/29\/Luo%20NIH%20Grant2.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/29\/Luo%20NIH%20Grant2.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":77115,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/11\/29\/Luo%20NIH%20Grant2.jpeg?itok=PzgqoaYM"}}},"media_ids":["672465"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/faculty-use-ai-protein-design-and-discovery-support-18-million-nih-grant","title":"Faculty to use AI for Protein Design and Discovery with Support of $1.8 Million NIH Grant"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"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"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"76231","name":"Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"}],"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\u003EBryant Wine, Communications Officer\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674932":{"#nid":"674932","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nakia Melecio to Lead Innovation Lab Effort at Enterprise Innovation Institute","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMelecio, who has also served as the deep tech catalyst in the Enterprise Innovation Institute\u2019s ATDC startup incubator, will lead Innovation Lab, which encompasses new business development efforts in life sciences and biosciences. The Innovation Lab initiative centers on three core activities:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGrow healthcare research, innovation, and workforce development practice.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpand\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/global.innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEI2 Global\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0027s international footprint.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESupport\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/venturelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVentureLab\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0027s National Science Foundation I-Corps activities.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNakia has been instrumental in helping to expand Georgia\u2019s life sciences community and ecosystem,\u201d said David Bridges, vice president of the Enterprise Innovation Institute, Georgia Tech\u2019s chief economic development arm. \u201cLeading Innovation Lab already builds on a foundation he created since joining us in 2019 and further supports our broad economic development mission.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe\u0027s already leading in the healthcare research practice expansion with his work in the MedTech Center and\u0026nbsp;running the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scaleuplab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EScaleUp Lab Program\u003C\/a\u003E for deep tech innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnder Melecio\u2019s leadership as founding director, the MedTech Center, which has the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Global Center for Medical Innovation as partners, has worked with and evaluated the innovations of more than 200 companies. Since launching in 2021, the MedTech Center\u2019s 66 active startups have raised $13.1 million in investment capital and an additional $6.4 million in federal, non-dilutive funding grants.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2023, the MedTech Center was selected to join the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/center-for-medtech-excellence-named-inaugural-member-of-arpa-h-investor-catalyst-hub-spoke-network\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Research Projects Agency for Health\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s ARPA-H Investor Catalyst Hub to accelerate the commercialization of practical, accessible biomedical solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe is supporting Georgia Tech\u2019s efforts to collaborate with Atlanta University Center schools \u2014\u0026nbsp;Spelman College, Clark-Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and the Morehouse School of Medicine \u2014 to collaborate with those minority-serving institutions as they build out capacity for their scientists and researchers to create more life sciences technology companies, following an award from the Economic Development Administration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESimilarly, Melecio is working with the University of Alabama at Birmingham on a collaborative project in biologics and medical devices to move more of its researchers\u2019 innovations out of the lab and into commercial markets.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Innovation Lab lead, Melecio, who has secured more than $5.76 million in federal grants and awards to Georgia Tech,\u0026nbsp;will also work to develop biomanufacturing partnerships for Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith EI2 Global, the Enterprise Innovation Institute\u2019s program that fosters economic opportunity through collaborations with universities, innovators, governments, and nonprofit organizations worldwide, Melecio will serve as an instructor on Lab-to-Market and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/11\/ei2-kicks-programming-colombia-create-x\u0022\u003ECREATE-X programming\u003C\/a\u003E for entrepreneurs. He will also create and provide educational content for EI2 Global\u2019s university and ecosystem partners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECloser to home, his Innovation Lab work includes ongoing projects as a principal in VentureLab, a program of Georgia Tech\u2019s Office of Commercialization. In that capacity, he will work on VentureLab\u2019s National Science Foundation-related Innovation Corps (I-Corps) programming. Those efforts, overseen by Commercialization Vice President\u0026nbsp;Raghupathy \u0022Siva\u0022 Sivakumar,\u0026nbsp;include the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/icorpshubacademy.org\/\u0022\u003ENSF I-Corps Hub Academy\u003C\/a\u003E, where Melecio will serve as director.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur efforts with Innovation Lab are centered around finding new opportunities, new markets, and new industries by leveraging our areas of expertise at the Enterprise Innovation Institute and Georgia Tech to build economic development capacity in the life sciences and biosciences space,\u201d Melecio said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re looking to take a broader perspective, away from being hyper-focused in one or two niche areas in life sciences, to ensure that we maximize opportunities to support new ideas, build stronger practice areas in this space, and secure funding to bring those innovations to scale.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENakia Melecio, senior extension professional and director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medtech.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for MedTech Excellence\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, will lead a new effort focused on economic development support for life sciences companies and bioscience commercialization and ecosystem building.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Melecio will focus on economic development for life sciences and biosciences."}],"uid":"28137","created_gmt":"2024-05-29 17:16:29","changed_gmt":"2024-05-29 17:26:54","author":"P\u00e9ralte Paul","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674086":{"id":"674086","type":"image","title":"Nakia Melecio - Enterprise Innovation Institute","body":"\u003Cp\u003ENakia Melecio head\u0027s Innovation Lab at Georgia Tech\u0027s Enterprise Innovation Institute. (PHOTO: P\u00e9ralte Paul)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1717003327","gmt_created":"2024-05-29 17:22:07","changed":"1717768298","gmt_changed":"2024-06-07 13:51:38","alt":"Headshot of Nakia Melecio","file":{"fid":"257556","name":"Nakia-Melecio.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/29\/Nakia-Melecio.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/29\/Nakia-Melecio.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":176811,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/29\/Nakia-Melecio.jpg?itok=qLO8AQZo"}}},"media_ids":["674086"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7043","name":"biosciences"},{"id":"5153","name":"Life Sciences"},{"id":"815","name":"economic development"},{"id":"193760","name":"Innovation Lab"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193761","name":"Nakia Melecio"},{"id":"3671","name":"Enterprise Innovation Institute"},{"id":"2579","name":"commercialization"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EP\u00e9ralte C. Paul\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:peralte@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eperalte@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E404.316.1210\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["peralte@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":""}},"659102":{"#nid":"659102","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Undergraduate Student Research Round-up: Summer Across the College of Sciences","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs the mercury climbed across Atlanta this summer, student research heated up across the College of Sciences, thanks to special summer programs for undergraduates from around the globe that help undergraduates get a head start on research experience for STEM careers in academia, industry, and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s initiatives included \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/crssprgm\/reu\/\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU)\u003C\/a\u003E programs, a new initiative to engage Georgia community college students, summer workshops in computational chemistry and quantitative biosciences, and more.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThrough the workshops, students learned to navigate new methods of research that involve data analysis and computational aspects of disciplines like chemistry and biology \u2014 as well as communicate connections across concepts like group theory, topology, combinatorics, and number theory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, the NSF REU programs across the College\u2019s six Schools of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EChemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEarth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPhysics\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPsychology\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMathematics\u003C\/a\u003E, as well as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/academics\/degrees\/bachelors\/neuroscience-bs\u0022\u003EUndergraduate Neuroscience Program\u003C\/a\u003E, allowed early-year students to get their first taste of in-depth research with unique expertise and equipment available at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther students took advantage of special fellowships to attend summer conferences in their chosen disciplines, where they networked with fellow young scientists and mathematicians while soaking up knowledge from peers and mentors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere\u2019s a roundup of some of the 2022 summer undergraduate student research programs and events led by the College of Sciences at Georgia Tech:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/stacc-workshop\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Summer Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (STACC) Workshop\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUndergraduates eager to try calculations in areas such as quantum dynamics, electronic structure theory, and classical molecular dynamics \u2014 and who want to know more about new data science and machine learning tools \u2014 got their chance during this two-week early summer computational chemistry workshop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTheoretical and computational studies provide a necessary complement to experimental investigations because they are able to obtain the atomistic level of detail that is near impossible to probe with experiment,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-kretchmer\u0022\u003EJoshua Kretchmer\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is becoming more and more routine to use these techniques, even outside of pure theory research groups, as computers have become more powerful and more easy-to-use software is being developed to perform these calculations,\u201d Kretchmer said. \u201cIt is thus important for students to be exposed to these techniques early on in their undergraduate education so they have a basic understanding of how and when the slew of different computational techniques are best utilized.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E2022 was the first year for the STACC Workshop, and Kretchmer added that the students \u201cseem to be engaged and excited by the material, both in terms of learning the technical skills necessary to utilize high-performance computers and the unique aspects that can be learned about chemical systems from computer simulations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThose thoughts were echoed by University of South Florida student Nicholas Giunto. \u201cAfter simulating and calculating these various processes, I realized how theoretical chemistry can do so much more than just simulate these scenarios. This technique of chemistry can be used in many other fields of science as well,\u201d Giunto said. \u201cThis workshop has broadened my perspective of chemistry, and taught me a whole new field of science that is innovative and prudent.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information, check out the STACC website \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/stacc-workshop\/\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESummer College Research Internship\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThanks to a grant from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sutherlandchair.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBetsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Dean\u2019s Chair\u003C\/a\u003E, community college students in Georgia were paired up with a Georgia Tech College of Sciences lab \u2014 at no cost to the students \u2014 for the inaugural \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scri.cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESummer College Research Internship (SCRI)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe idea for SCRI grew from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/shania.khatri.io\/\u0022\u003EShania Khatri\u2019s\u003C\/a\u003E experiences conducting research for the first time. Khatri, a fourth-year Biological Sciences major scheduled to graduate in December 2022, began research in high school through a program at a local university that placed students, especially those historically underrepresented in STEM, in labs to complete their own summer research projects.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI felt firsthand how important mentorship was in building confidence in STEM, promoting belonging, and ultimately influencing my decision to pursue higher education and research,\u201d Khatri said. \u201cResearch shows that students who complete high school and undergraduate programs are more likely to pursue STEM majors and consider doctoral degrees, underscoring that mentorship early in careers can improve achievement and retention of these students.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESCRI students helped design experiments, collected and analyzed data, and presented the results of their work. They worked closely with their Ph.D. student mentors, learning from them as well as the broader community of their host labs. They also heard weekly lectures from College of Science faculty as they learned about the broader research environment at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe accepted students have strong scholastic potential, and we hope that we can excite them about the research happening at Georgia Tech and potentially recruit them to join our programs, either as transfer students or future graduate students,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWilliam Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences and co-director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences Program\u003C\/a\u003E. Ratcliff also co-leads the SCRI with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/todd-streelman\u0022\u003ETodd Streelman\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and chair of the School of Biological Sciences at Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThree students from two-year community college programs in Georgia were chosen for the inaugural SCRI, Ratcliff said. With diverse interests, all three researched in labs within the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile this was not part of our review criteria, two of the three students are members of groups that are underrepresented in science according to National Institutes of Health criteria, so this is a great opportunity to broaden participation in academic research,\u201d Ratcliff added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen discussing diversity in STEM and retention of underrepresented minorities, community college students should be at the forefront of the discussion,\u201d Khatri said. \u201cIt is my hope that through this program the students will gain confidence in their own abilities, and learn skills of science communication, data analysis, critical thinking, collaborative work, and problem solving that will aid them in any career path.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore information on the Summer College Research Internship\u0026nbsp;is available \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/scri.cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChild Lab Day\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChild Lab Day is the capstone assignment for students in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E course \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oscar.gatech.edu\/pls\/bprod\/bwckctlg.p_disp_course_detail?cat_term_in=202102\u0026amp;subj_code_in=PSYC\u0026amp;crse_numb_in=2103\u0022\u003EPSYC 2103 Human Development\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/christopher-stanzione\u0022\u003EChristopher Stanzione\u003C\/a\u003E, senior lecturer and associate chair for undergraduate studies for the School, said his students conducted cognitive, language, and conceptual assessments in June on children ranging in age from four months to nine years old.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a great applied experience for the Georgia Tech students,\u201d Stanzione said. \u201cAll semester we study these concepts, but to see development in action is special. They\u2019ll likely see the gradual change between concepts by administering the assessments to kids of different ages.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first Child Lab Day was in 2019. This summer, students majoring in psychology, biomedical engineering, computer science, biology, neuroscience, and economics took part in this second one. \u201cThey loved it,\u201d Stanzione said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENational Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REUs)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the first time, this year all six schools across the College of Sciences \u2014 plus the Neuroscience program at Tech \u2014 led Research Experiences for Undergraduates, a National Science Foundation initiative.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach student was associated with a specific research project, and worked closely with school faculty and other researchers. Students were given stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel to help cover the experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSince most of the undergraduate participants are recruited from institutions that do not have extensive research infrastructure, the immersive research experience available to them in these programs can be transformational,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/david-collard\u0022\u003EDavid Collard\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and senior associate dean in the College, who previously led the REU program in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry for more than a decade.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA measure of success of the REU programs in the College of Sciences is that many of the undergraduate participants subsequently go on to complete their Ph.D., some at Georgia Tech, and others elsewhere,\u201d Collard added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe following are the details for each College of Sciences school\u2019s REU program. Learn more about future Summer Research Programs for Undergraduates \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/gtcosreuprograms\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences REU:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/easreu.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Broadening Participation in Atmospheric Science, Oceanography, and Geosciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking under the supervision of a School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS) faculty member, participants focused on a single research project, but also gained a broad perspective on research in Earth and atmospheric sciences by participating in the dynamic research environment. This interdisciplinary REU program had projects ranging from planetary science to meteorology to oceanography. In addition to full time research, undergraduate researchers participated in a number of professional development activities, seminars with faculty and research scientists, presentation and research poster symposiums, and social activities with other summer REU students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchools of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering REU:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reu.biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAquatic Chemical Ecology (ACE) at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Aquatic Chemical Ecology REU gave students the opportunity to perform research with faculty from five Georgia Tech schools.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents participated in research with one or more faculty members, learned about careers in science and engineering, and saw how scientists blend knowledge and skills from physics, chemistry, and biology to investigate some of the most challenging problems in environmental sciences.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis was the first REU experience for Jenn Newlon, a rising senior at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/uncw.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of North Carolina Wilmington\u003C\/a\u003E. In fact, \u201cI\u2019d actually never heard of an REU before I came here,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a really good experience. I never really saw this side of research in my institution. While I did get to do undergraduate research, it was more of, \u2018do this in a lab, this is what happens.\u2019 I had to present my findings every week to my PI (principal investigator), who gave really good feedback. And all the people in my lab were really kind and helpful.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchools of Psychology, Biological Sciences REU:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reu.neuroscience.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeuroscience Research Experience for Undergraduates\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first week of the inaugural Neuroscience\/Psychology REU was a Neuroscience Bootcamp, where students engaged in hands-on activities to learn about brain anatomy, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), encephalography, and other techniques.\u0026nbsp; Then the student researchers spent time working on projects in the laboratories of mentors in either the School of Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, or with researchers at Georgia State University. They also attended professional development and social activities with other REU students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere is tremendous interest in neuroscience, and we have seen an incredible expansion of technology in our ability to record from the human nervous system,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/Lewis-Wheaton\u0022\u003ELewis Wheaton\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the School of Biological Sciences and co-director of the Neuroscience\/Psychology REU.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt the same time, many students do not have access to these technologies at their academic institutions because of expense,\u201d Wheaton said. \u201cWe feel that it is vital to ensure that students who do not have access to these technologies at their universities get exposure to the tools and approaches to understand the human brain. I am excited to further focus on providing opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities to engage in this research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA unique feature of the Neuroscience REU program is that it allows some students to come back for a two-year experience, \u201cwhich can really provide a great opportunity to enhance their research, and put these students in a stronger position to advance their careers,\u201d Wheaton added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is also great that we can show them the research and educational environment at Georgia Tech and in the broader Atlanta area,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/eric-schumacher\u0022\u003EEric Schumacher,\u003C\/a\u003E professor in the School of Psychology and co-director of the Neuroscience\/Psychology REU. \u201cThis is an opportune time to showcase our two schools and the Institute, given that both schools are working with the College and Institute to offer a cross-disciplinary Neuroscience Ph.D. program soon.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat was the impression that Alexa Toliver came away with. The fourth year student at Arizona State University is majoring in neurobiology, \u201cbut I always wanted to do neuroscience research,\u201d she said during the recent REUs poster session at the Ford Environmental Science and Technology Building. \u201cIt was a little new, but it was a great opportunity and I never felt uncomfortable with any of the topics. This was the only neuroscience REU that I could find, and I applied to it and I got it, so I was excited.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Physics REU:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physicsreu.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Broadening Participation in Physics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWorking under the supervision of a physics faculty member, participants focused on a single research project but also gained a broad perspective on research in physics by participating in the dynamic research environment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAvailable projects for the REU spanned the field of physics ranging from quantum materials, quantum simulation\/sensing, astrophysics, physics of living systems, and non-linear dynamics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to full time research, undergraduate researchers participated in a number of professional development seminars, research horizon lunches, and social activities with other summer REU students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBrendan D\u2019Aquino, a rising senior at Northeastern University in Boston, had planned to use his computer science background to get an industry job after graduation. Then he attended the 2022 School of Physics REU.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAfter doing an internship last year at a software company that does physics, I kind of realized I wanted to make the switch,\u201d D\u2019Aquino said. \u201cSo I applied to the program. I got to work here. And I thought it was super cool. So this was my first time doing research. I kind of had grad school in the back of my mind for a while. But 10 weeks here kind of makes me more sure that I want to get into that in the future.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/undergraduate-research\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Mathematics REU\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe School of Mathematics has a rich tradition of offering summer undergraduate research programs. The projects have been mentored by faculty and postdocs covering a range of topics, such as graph coloring, random matrices, contact homology, knots, bounded operators, harmonic analysis, and toric varieties.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrevious Math REU students have published many papers, won a number of awards, and have been very successful in their graduate school applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe main purpose of our REU is to give students research experience which should help them decide if they want to do math research for a living, and in particular, go to a math grad school,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.math.gatech.edu\/~ib\/\u0022\u003EIgor Belegradek\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and director of Teaching Effectiveness in the School of Mathematics. Belegradek also coordinates the Math REU. \u201cAlso, if there is a publication or poster at a conference, their grad school application will definitely become more competitive.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESometimes that application is sent to Georgia Tech. \u201cWe did have a few students who were accepted to our grad school after attending an REU with us,\u201d Belegradek said. \u201cIt definitely helps put Georgia Tech Mathematics on the map. This summer we have 22 REU students, and only two of them are from Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMathematics topics for the 2022 REU included aspects of graph coloring, Legendrian contact homology, Eigenvectors from eigenvalues and Gaussian random matrices, and applications of Donaldson\u0027s Diagonalization theorem.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERead more about the 2021 Mathematics REUs \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/news\/reus-2021-0\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn July, the School of Mathematics also hosted its biennial \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/events\/topology-students-workshop\u0022\u003ETopology Students Workshop\u003C\/a\u003E, organized by Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/dmargalit7.math.gatech.edu\/index.shtml\u0022\u003EDan Margalit\u003C\/a\u003E since 2012.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEvents included a public lecture on campus, \u201cJuggling Numbers, Algebra, and Topology\u201d, accessible for curious people of all ages and backgrounds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne goal of mathematics is to describe the patterns in the world, from weather to population growth to disease transmission,\u201d event organizers said. The workshop used mathematics to describe juggling patterns, count the different kinds of patterns, and create new patterns, \u201cmaking surprising connections to group theory, topology, combinatorics, and number theory.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.proteinsociety.org\/page\/annual-symposium\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe 36th Annual Symposium of the Protein Society\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFrom microproteins, protein condensates, synthetic biology and biosensors, to the latest developments in machine learning and imaging technologies, to addressing health disparities, the Protein Society Symposium, held in San Francisco in early July, provided a state-of-the-art view of the most exciting areas of research in biology and medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFour students of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/raquel-lieberman\u0022\u003ERaquel Lieberman\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E lab attended, thanks to Protein Society travel fellowships:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003ELydia Kenney, fourth-year undergraduate and Beckman Scholar in the Lieberman lab. Kenney was also selected to give an oral presentation in a dedicated session to undergraduates\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMinh Thu (Alice) Ma, fourth-year Ph.D.student\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EEmily Saccuzzo, fourth-year Ph.D. student\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGwendell Thomas, first-year Ph.D. student\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKenney and Ma won Best Poster awards at the symposium, and Saccuzzo won an honorable mention.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe conference was amazing! We saw so many great speakers and presentations about protein science, and it was a great way to meet scientists from all over the world,\u201d Kenney said. \u201cI\u2019m so grateful for this experience, especially as I begin to apply to graduate school and think about my future career in science. It was a great experience, and one that has truly deepened my appreciation for science and research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo have each of these superstars selected for travel fellowships puts them in an elite cohort of trainees at this 500-plus person meeting,\u201d Lieberman said. \u201cI am so excited for them to present their thesis research and to get feedback from colleagues in our field from all over the world. I\u2019m sure new ideas, collaborations, and other opportunities will emerge from this experience. It\u2019s just the boost they and I need after a challenging couple of years as experimental biochemists.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"NSF REUs, a new community college initiative, conferences and workshops offer ample opportunities for students \u2014 current, prospective, and visiting \u2014 to hone their research skills in the College of Sciences."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENational Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REUs), Georgia community college initiative, and workshops centered on new scientific methods and communicating key concepts offer ample opportunities for students \u0026mdash; current, prospective, and visiting \u0026mdash; to hone their research skills in the College of Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"NSF REUs, a new community college initiative, conferences and workshops offer ample opportunities for students \u2014 current, prospective, and visiting \u2014 to hone their research skills in the College of Sciences."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2022-06-27 13:56:47","changed_gmt":"2024-05-22 13:23:22","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-08-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2022-08-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"659821":{"id":"659821","type":"image","title":"Students conduct poster sessions during 2022\u0027s Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in the Ford Environmental Science and Technology building. 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","body":null,"created":"1656614270","gmt_created":"2022-06-30 18:37:50","changed":"1656614270","gmt_changed":"2022-06-30 18:37:50","alt":"","file":{"fid":"249879","name":"Emily Saccuzzo .png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Emily%20Saccuzzo%20.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Emily%20Saccuzzo%20.png","mime":"image\/png","size":302109,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Emily%20Saccuzzo%20.png?itok=xlod9K3b"}},"659203":{"id":"659203","type":"image","title":"Gwendell Thomas ","body":null,"created":"1656614348","gmt_created":"2022-06-30 18:39:08","changed":"1656614348","gmt_changed":"2022-06-30 18:39:08","alt":"","file":{"fid":"249880","name":"Gwendell Thomas.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Gwendell%20Thomas.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Gwendell%20Thomas.png","mime":"image\/png","size":387186,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Gwendell%20Thomas.png?itok=B0gPJ6eE"}}},"media_ids":["659821","659829","659832","659205","659917","659916","659192","659816","659200","659201","659202","659203"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/how-i-spent-my-summer-nsf-reus-welcome-undergraduate-researchers","title":"How I Spent My Summer 2021: NSF REUs Welcome Undergraduate Researchers"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/gtcosreuprograms","title":"College of Sciences Summer Research Programs for Undergraduates"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/2021-and-beyond-research-opportunities-undergraduate-students","title":"2021 and Beyond: Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/reu-phd-georgia-tech","title":"From REU to Ph.D. at Georgia Tech"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"167710","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"172181","name":"Research Experiences for Undergraduates"},{"id":"175073","name":"REUs"},{"id":"190854","name":"Child Lab Day"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Renay San Miguel\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003Cbr\u003E404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEditor: Jess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674629":{"#nid":"674629","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Flicker Stimulation Shines in Clinical Trial for Epilepsy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBiomedical engineer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/singer.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EAnnabelle Singer\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has spent the past decade developing a noninvasive therapy for Alzheimer\u2019s disease that uses flickering lights and rhythmic tones to modulate brain waves. Now she has discovered that the technique, known as flicker, also could benefit patients with a host of other neurological disorders, from epilepsy to multiple sclerosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPreviously, Singer and her collaborators demonstrated that the lights and sounds, delivered to patients through goggles and headphones, have beneficial effects. Flicker has been successful in animal studies and in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2021\/05\/24\/early-feasibility-study-shows-flickering-lights-and-sound-could-be-new-weapon-0\u0022\u003Eearly human feasibility trials\u003C\/a\u003E, where it was tested for safety, tolerance, and patient adherence.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, thanks to a clinical trial for people with epilepsy, the researchers quantified flicker\u2019s effects with unprecedented precision. They also made an unexpected, but encouraging, discovery: The treatment reduced interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) in the brain.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese large, intermittent electrophysiological events are observed between seizures in people with epilepsy. They appear as sharp spikes on an EEG readout.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat\u2019s interesting about these IEDs is that they don\u2019t just occur in epilepsy,\u201d said Singer, McCamish Foundation Early Career Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThey occur in autism, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer\u2019s, and other neurological disorders, too.\u201d And IEDs disrupt normal brain function, causing memory impairment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESinger and her team published their findings recently in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-47263-y\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Rhythm in Our Heads\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInside the brain are elaborate symphonies of electrical activity: brain waves, or oscillations, that compose our memories, thoughts, and emotions. Singer wants to modulate those oscillations for therapeutic purposes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt specific frequencies of light and sound, the flicker treatment can induce gamma oscillations in mice. This helps the brain recruit microglia, cells responsible for removing beta amyloid, which is believed to play a central role in Alzheimer\u2019s pathology. Part of the work is in recording what\u2019s happening in the brain during treatment to verify how it\u2019s working.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe patients in the trial were under the care of physician\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neurosurgery.wustl.edu\/people\/jon-t-willie\/\u0022\u003EJon Willie\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at the Emory University Hospital Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. (Willie, co-corresponding author of the study with Singer, is now at Washington University in St. Louis.) They were awaiting surgery to remove an area of the brain where seizures occur. Before that could happen, they had to undergo intracranial seizure monitoring \u2014 recording electrodes are placed in the brain to pinpoint the seizure onset zone and determine exactly which tissue should be removed. Then, patients and their care team wait for a seizure to happen. It can take days.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn human studies, we\u2019ve used noninvasive methods like functional MRI or scalp EEG, but they have real downsides in terms of resolution,\u201d Singer said. \u201cWorking with these patients was a game changer. These are people with treatment-resistant epilepsy, which means that drugs aren\u2019t working for them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPathway to Healing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESinger\u2019s team recruited 19 patients. Lead author of the study, Lou Blanpain, a former Ph.D. student in Singer\u2019s lab and now a medical student at Emory, went from patient to patient with the flicker stimulation and recording equipment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause these patients already had recording probes implanted for clinical reasons, we were able to record directly from the brain,\u201d Singer said. \u201cWe\u2019ve never been able to get recordings of this quality during flicker treatment before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs the researchers expected, flicker modulated the visual and auditory brain regions that respond strongly to stimuli. But it also reached deeper, into the medial temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex, brain regions crucial for memory. And across the brain, in regions Singer hadn\u2019t fully explored before, she found IEDs were decreasing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThat has important implications for whether flicker is therapeutically relevant for people with Alzheimer\u2019s, but also in general if we want to target anything beyond the primary sensory regions,\u201d she said. \u201cAll of this points to the potential use of flicker in a lot of different contexts. Going forward, we\u2019re definitely going to look at other conditions and other potential implications.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Lou T. Blanpain, Eric R. Cole, Emily Chen, James K. Park, Michael Y. Walelign, Robert E. Gross, Brian T. Cabaniss, Jon T. Willie, Annabelle C. Singer.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-47263-y\u0022\u003E\u201cMultisensory Flicker Modulates Widespread Brain Networks and Reduces Interictal Epileptiform Discharges,\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ENational Institutes of Health (R01 NS109226, RF1NS109226, RF1AG078736,\u0026nbsp;R01 MH120194, P41 EB018783, MH12019), DARPA, McCamish Foundation, Packard Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECompeting interests:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Annabelle Singer owns shares in Cognito Therapeutics, which aims to develop gamma stimulation-related products. These conflicts are managed by Georgia Tech\u2019s Office of Research Integrity Assurance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBiomedical engineer\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/singer.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EAnnabelle Singer\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has spent the past decade developing a noninvasive therapy for Alzheimer\u2019s disease that uses flickering lights and rhythmic tones to modulate brain waves. Now she has discovered that the technique, known as flicker, also could benefit patients with a host of other neurological disorders, from epilepsy to multiple sclerosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Biomedical engineer\u00a0Annabelle Singer\u00a0has spent the past decade developing a noninvasive therapy for Alzheimer\u2019s disease that also could benefit patients with a host of other neurological disorders, from epilepsy to multiple sclerosis."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-05-09 21:09:38","changed_gmt":"2024-05-10 18:25:26","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673971":{"id":"673971","type":"image","title":"Annabelle Singer in lab","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA scientist and her tools: Annabelle Singer has quantified her flicker technology with unprecedented precision in a new clinical trial. \u0026nbsp;\u2014 Photo by Jerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715288693","gmt_created":"2024-05-09 21:04:53","changed":"1715288806","gmt_changed":"2024-05-09 21:06:46","alt":"Annabelle singer in laB","file":{"fid":"257433","name":"Annabelle3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/09\/Annabelle3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/09\/Annabelle3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2465554,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/09\/Annabelle3.jpg?itok=n9zhEfd6"}}},"media_ids":["673971"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"44881","name":"Alzheimer\u0027s Disease"},{"id":"107981","name":"epilepsy"},{"id":"183802","name":"Flicker"},{"id":"187624","name":"gamma flicker"},{"id":"1613","name":"Biomedical Engieering"},{"id":"187320","name":"brain activity"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"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\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674484":{"#nid":"674484","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Science Square Ushers in New Era of Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAgainst the breathtaking backdrop of Midtown, Georgia Tech recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of Science Square\u0027s first phase. In collaboration with its partner, Trammell Crow Company (TCC), the Institute celebrated the opening of this cutting-edge space dedicated to scientific discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech President \u00c1ngel\u0026nbsp;Cabrera underscored the transformative power of partnerships like the one with TCC that has enabled Tech to create this space for innovation and collaboration, declaring, \u201cTalent alone is not sufficient. We need to create spaces where ideas and talent can translate into solutions, businesses, startups, and economic opportunity!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe purpose-built tower stands ready to welcome science and medical researchers. It\u2019s a new dawn for Atlanta, said Katherine Lynch, TCC\u2019s vice president, who emphasized the importance of this being the city\u2019s first innovation district: \u201cToday, we celebrate an important milestone: the opening of Science Square \u2014 the premier innovation district in the Southeast!\u201d Lynch also spoke of Science Square\u2019s pivotal role of providing Atlanta with the unique opportunity to \u201cattract and retain these companies that would otherwise seek commercial lab space in other cities and states.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ceremony also paid tribute to the legacy of Professor Robert Nerem, a trailblazer in biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech. His vision led to the establishment of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/projectengages.gatech.edu\/project-engages-overview\/\u0022\u003EProject ENGAGES\u003C\/a\u003E, which focuses on supporting high school students from underserved communities who are underrepresented in STEM. In a grand gesture of commitment to education, TCC presented a generous donation to the high school science education program. Lakeita Servance, assistant director of Outreach Initiatives at Georgia Tech, expressed gratitude for the endowment, saying, \u0022We are immensely thankful that the Trammell Crow Company has decided to provide an endowment to Project ENGAGES to ensure the legacy of the program continues for many more years.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn bringing the ceremony to a close, Atlanta City Councilman Byron Amos highlighted Science Square\u2019s numerous benefits, including the development of an environment conducive to both work and recreation, funds allocated for community training initiatives, and the potential creation of 3,000 jobs. Noting that his District 3 is home to Science Square, Amos said, \u201cScience Square has been what the relationship between the institution, a community, state and local elected leaders, and a developer really should look like. It has set the bar high for future plans\u0022.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of Science Square\u0027s first phase. In collaboration with its partner, Trammell Crow Company (TCC), the Institute celebrated the opening of this cutting-edge space dedicated to scientific discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"First phase of innovation district promises to encourage medical advances, drive economic growth, and inspire future generations"}],"uid":"35798","created_gmt":"2024-05-02 13:41:40","changed_gmt":"2024-05-07 21:44:33","author":"Ayana Isles","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":{"673916":{"id":"673916","type":"video","title":"Science Square Opens in Atlanta","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and the Trammell Crow Company have launched the first phase of Science Square, a pioneering mixed-use development dedicated to biological sciences and medical research. A ribbon-cutting ceremony April 25 heralded the opening to the Atlanta community and all businesses, universities, and organizations that conduct work in these fields.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1714658017","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 13:53:37","changed":"1714658017","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 13:53:37","video":{"youtube_id":"AIVckuDEypg","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AIVckuDEypg\u0026t=12s"}}},"media_ids":["673916"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2022\/08\/18\/georgia-tech-breaks-ground-science-square-announces-fund-connecting-local-community","title":"Georgia Tech Breaks Ground on Science Square"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/25\/new-science-and-medical-research-hub-opens-atlanta","title":"New Science and Medical Research Hub Opens in Atlanta"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"179355","name":"Building Construction"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"191083","name":"science square"},{"id":"292","name":"Biotech"},{"id":"129681","name":"biomedical research"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAyana Isles\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESenior Media Relations Representative\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["aisles3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674494":{"#nid":"674494","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cellular Study Uncovers \u0027Whole-Body\u0027 Impacts of Endurance Exercise","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06877-w\u0022\u003Egroup of papers\u003C\/a\u003E released May 1 in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature,\u003C\/em\u003E scientists \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-024-01200-7\u0022\u003Eare one step closer\u003C\/a\u003E to a whole-body map of the body\u2019s cellular responses to endurance exercise \u2014 identifying striking \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/news-events\/news-releases\/endurance-exercise-affects-all-tissues-body-even-those-not-normally-associated-movement\u0022\u003E\u201call tissue effects\u201d of training\u003C\/a\u003E, even in tissues from organs not normally associated with movement.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings are the latest product of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.motrpac.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMolecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a ten-year effort launched in 2016 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to uncover how exercise improves and maintains our health at the molecular level.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/a\u003E bioanalytical chemist \u003Cstrong\u003EFacundo Fern\u00e1ndez\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.emory.edu\/home\/research\/index.html\u0022\u003EEmory University\u003C\/a\u003E biochemist \u003Cstrong\u003EEric Ortlund\u003C\/strong\u003E lead one of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.emory.edu\/stories\/2020\/06\/emory_georgia_tech_exercise_study\/index.html\u0022\u003EConsortium\u2019s Chemical Analysis Sites\u003C\/a\u003E, joining researchers across the country to collect and translate data from animals and more than 2,000 volunteers into comprehensive maps of the cellular changes throughout the body in response to exercise.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe $226 million MoTrPAC NIH Common Fund investment also hopes to help people with chronic illnesses identify specific physical activities to improve individual health, and to potentially unearth therapeutic targets \u2014 medicines that might mimic the positive effects of exercise.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMoTrPAC\u2019s latest group of papers details data from studies in rats, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/news-events\/news-releases\/endurance-exercise-affects-all-tissues-body-even-those-not-normally-associated-movement\u0022\u003Euncovering how endurance exercise\u003C\/a\u003E affects biological molecules and \u201call tissues of the body,\u201d as well as tissues and gene expression, along with striking tissue differences between male and female organisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more: \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENature\u003C\/strong\u003E | \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/d41586-024-01200-7\u0022\u003EWhy is exercise good for you? Scientists are finding answers in our cells\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENIH\u003C\/strong\u003E | \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/news-events\/news-releases\/endurance-exercise-affects-all-tissues-body-even-those-not-normally-associated-movement\u0022\u003EEndurance exercise affects all tissues of the body, even those not normally associated with movement\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDOI\u003C\/strong\u003E | \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06877-w\u0022\u003E\u201cTemporal dynamics of the multi-omic response to endurance exercise training\u201d\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFacundo M. Fernandez\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, is Regents\u2019 Professor and Vasser Woolley Foundation Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry at Georgia Tech. He also serves as associate editor of the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry (JASMS).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEric Ortlund\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E is a professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Emory University and a member of the Discovery and Developmental Therapeutics Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EStudy co-authors from Georgia Tech\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E also include \u003Cstrong\u003EDavid A. Gaul\u003C\/strong\u003E (School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, along with \u003Cstrong\u003ESamuel G. Moore \u003C\/strong\u003E(Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences). \u003Cstrong\u003EEmory University co-authors \u003C\/strong\u003Ealso include \u003Cstrong\u003ETiantian Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EZhenxin Hou \u003C\/strong\u003E(Department of Biochemistry).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFunding: \u003C\/strong\u003EThe MoTrPAC Study is supported by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06877-w\u0022\u003Emultiple NIH grants and institutes\u003C\/a\u003E, as well as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and NORC at the University of Chicago.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENIH grants include: U24OD026629 (Bioinformatics Center), U24DK112349, U24DK112342, U24DK112340, U24DK112341, U24DK112326, U24DK112331, U24DK112348 (Chemical Analysis Sites), U01AR071133, U01AR071130, U01AR071124, U01AR071128, U01AR071150, U01AR071160, U01AR071158 (Clinical Centers), U24AR071113 (Consortium Coordinating Center), U01AG055133, U01AG055137 and U01AG055135 (PASS\/Animal Sites); as well as NHGRI Institutional Training Grant in Genome Science 5T32HG000044; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institute of Health F32 postdoctoral fellowship award F32HL154711; National Institute on Aging P30AG044271 and P30AG003319.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"MoTrPAC scientists are creating a whole-body map of molecular responses to endurance training \u2014 finding striking \u201call tissue effects\u201d in a new set of studies"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EExercise is good for you. To understand why, MoTrPAC scientists are creating a whole-body map of molecular responses to endurance training \u2014 finding striking \u201call tissue effects\u201d in a new set of studies, featured on this month\u2019s cover of the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Exercise is good for you. To understand why, MoTrPAC scientists are creating a whole-body map of molecular responses to endurance training \u2014 finding striking \u201call tissue effects\u201d in a new set of studies, featured on the May cover of the journal Nature."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2024-05-02 20:40:54","changed_gmt":"2024-05-02 20:44:59","author":"jhunt7","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":{"673933":{"id":"673933","type":"image","title":"The May 2024 cover of the journal Nature, featuring MoTrPAC findings.","body":null,"created":"1714682479","gmt_created":"2024-05-02 20:41:19","changed":"1714682479","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 20:41:19","alt":"The May 2024 cover of the journal Nature, featuring MoTrPAC findings.","file":{"fid":"257390","name":"naturecover-motrpac.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/naturecover-motrpac.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/02\/naturecover-motrpac.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":247686,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/02\/naturecover-motrpac.jpg?itok=mymjzQ9a"}},"636490":{"id":"636490","type":"image","title":"Facundo M. Fernandez and Eric Ortlund ","body":null,"created":"1593099266","gmt_created":"2020-06-25 15:34:26","changed":"1714682596","gmt_changed":"2024-05-02 20:43:16","alt":"Facundo M. Fernandez and Eric Ortlund ","file":{"fid":"242165","name":"Fernandez and Ortlund.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Fernandez%20and%20Ortlund.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Fernandez%20and%20Ortlund.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2379860,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Fernandez%20and%20Ortlund.jpg?itok=emr7a46k"}}},"media_ids":["673933","636490"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/emory-georgia-tech-participating-six-year-exercise-research-study","title":"Emory, Georgia Tech Participating in MoTrPAC Exercise Research Study"}],"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"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192258","name":"cos-data"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"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\u003EPress Contacts:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:anthony.van.witsen@emory.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnthony (Tony) Van Witsen\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nHealth Sciences Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nWoodruff Health Sciences Center\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nEmory University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:andrea.harris@nih.gov\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAndr\u00e9a Harris\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., S.C.P.M.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nHealth Science Policy Analyst\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOffice of Strategic Coordination \u2013 The Common Fund\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDivision of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOffice of the Director, NIH\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":""}},"674432":{"#nid":"674432","#data":{"type":"news","title":"One in a Million  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the weeks after Commencement, Andrew Rogers, a master\u0027s medical physics candidate, will begin looking for a place to live in Texas for his residency, take a family vacation to Alaska, and return to his hometown of Augusta, Georgia, to pack for his big move.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut a busy travel schedule is nothing new for Rogers. Diagnosed with hepatoblastoma at the age of 3, he spent over a decade traveling between Augusta, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, with lengthy hospital stays in between, undergoing treatment for the rare childhood liver cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGiven a prognosis with a \u0022one-in-a-million\u0022 chance of survival, Rogers had two liver transplants before the cancer spread to his lungs and brain. In total, he endured 50 surgeries before his 13th birthday, and it was during the countless trips to Atlanta that he dreamed of two things \u2014 attending Georgia Tech and making a difference for kids facing similar struggles.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnlike chemotherapy or other procedures, Rogers found radiation therapy to be a painless experience, in part thanks to the radiation therapists administering the treatment.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022They may not have thought much of it at the time, but in those moments, by playing with me, making me laugh, making me a Spiderman radiation mask, they helped me forget \u2014 even for a second \u2014 that I had cancer and helped me enjoy life. I think about that every day. I hope to one day change a child\u0027s life like my therapists did for me,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow 18 years cancer-free, Rogers earned a bachelor\u0027s degree in radiation therapy from Augusta University. A program director told him about Georgia Tech\u0027s medical physics program, and, since arriving at the Institute in 2021, he has sought hands-on experience in the field. Completing the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nre.gatech.edu\/clinical-rotation-course\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eclinical portion of the program\u003C\/a\u003E through a partnership with the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Rogers learned each role within the rotation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022From booting up machines and checking on patients to everything else, I just started wanting to come in every day. I\u0027d go in for free just because I love what I\u0027m doing,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERogers wasn\u0027t immune to the stresses of everyday college life, but he approached them with a positive perspective.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022My parents told me that there\u0027s always a light at the end of every tunnel, and it\u0027s always going to be worth it in the end. So, I will keep telling myself and everybody else that when they\u0027re going through a hard time, keep pushing,\u201d he said. \u201cThings may be painful and stressful now, but think about what you will achieve in the future and the people you will help get through battles of their own. That will always keep me motivated.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERogers isn\u0027t done with medical appointments, but with each yearly checkup, he never tires of hearing the words he hopes to deliver in his career: \u0022All clear.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Andrew Rogers was given a week to live at 3 years old. Now cancer-free, he wants to make sure no child with cancer goes through it alone.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAndrew Rogers was given a week to live at 3 years old. Now cancer-free, he wants to make sure no child with cancer goes through it alone.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Andrew Rogers was given a week to live at 3 years old. Now cancer-free, he wants to make sure no child with cancer goes through it alone.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2024-04-29 19:38:56","changed_gmt":"2024-05-01 17:01:55","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673885":{"id":"673885","type":"video","title":"One in a Million","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAndrew Rogers was given a week to live at 3 years old. Now cancer-free, he wants to make sure no child with cancer goes through it alone.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1714482805","gmt_created":"2024-04-30 13:13:25","changed":"1714482805","gmt_changed":"2024-04-30 13:13:25","video":{"youtube_id":"qWhuY8pvoiY","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qWhuY8pvoiY"}},"673881":{"id":"673881","type":"image","title":"Andrew Rogers in the hospital with his dad by his side. ","body":null,"created":"1714420832","gmt_created":"2024-04-29 20:00:32","changed":"1714421351","gmt_changed":"2024-04-29 20:09:11","alt":"Andrew Rogers in the hospital with his dad by his side. ","file":{"fid":"257332","name":"Screenshot 2024-04-29 at 3.55.06\u202fPM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/29\/Screenshot%202024-04-29%20at%203.55.06%E2%80%AFPM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/29\/Screenshot%202024-04-29%20at%203.55.06%E2%80%AFPM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3602414,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/29\/Screenshot%202024-04-29%20at%203.55.06%E2%80%AFPM.png?itok=SnCrhfdS"}}},"media_ids":["673885","673881"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"167101","name":"Spring Commencement"},{"id":"280","name":"Cancer research"}],"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:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674386":{"#nid":"674386","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Science and Medical Research Hub Opens in Atlanta       ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology and the Trammell Crow Company are transforming Atlanta\u2019s booming\u0026nbsp;skyline with the launch of the first phase of Science Square, a pioneering mixed-use development dedicated to biological sciences and medical research and the technology to advance those fields. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for April 25.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe opening of Science Square\u2019s first phase represents one of the most exciting developments to come to Atlanta in recent years,\u201d said \u00c1ngel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. \u201cThe greatest advances in innovation often emerge from dense technological ecosystems, and Science Square provides our city with its first biomedical research district, which will help innovators develop and scale their ideas into marketable solutions.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScience Square\u2019s first phase includes Science Square Labs, a 13-story purpose-built tower with state-of-the-art infrastructure to accommodate wet and dry labs and clean room space. To promote overall energy efficiency as well as sustainability, the complex houses a massive 38,000-square-foot solar panel. The solar panel system is in addition to an energy recovery system that extracts energy from the building\u2019s exhaust air and returns it to the building\u2019s HVAC system, reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Electrochromic windows, which tint during the day to block ultraviolet rays and steady the temperature while also controlling the environment \u2014 key in research labs \u2014 are also featured throughout the building.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEquipped with technologically advanced amenities and infrastructure, Science Square Labs serves as a nexus for groundbreaking research, enabling collaboration between academia, industry, and startup ventures. Portal Innovations, a company specializing in life sciences venture development, is among the first tenants to establish operations at Science Square, as Atlanta takes center stage as the country\u2019s top city for research and development employment growth.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe opening of the complex\u2019s first phase, just south of Georgia Tech\u2019s campus and totaling 18 acres, also features retail space and The Grace Residences developed by High Street Residential, TCC\u0027s residential subsidiary. The 280-unit multifamily tower, already welcoming tenants, is named in honor of renowned Atlanta leader and Georgia State Representative Grace Towns Hamilton who spent many years championing this community.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond its scientific endeavors, Science Square embodies Georgia Tech\u2019s commitment to uplifting the local community. By collaborating with organizations like Westside Works, Science Square aims to empower residents through targeted workforce development initiatives and economic opportunities.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis mixed-use development adds immense value to Atlanta\u2019s west side and will lead the development of pioneering medical advances with the power to improve and save lives,\u201d President Cabrera added.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The ribbon-cutting ceremony is taking place on April 25"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology and the Trammell Crow Company are transforming Atlanta\u2019s booming skyline with the launch of the first phase of Science Square, a pioneering mixed-use development dedicated to biological sciences and medical research and the technology to advance those fields. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for April 25.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Trammell Crow Company delivers first phase of Georgia Tech district devoted to advancing sciences that improve the human condition"}],"uid":"27262","created_gmt":"2024-04-25 19:28:24","changed_gmt":"2024-04-26 15:58:24","author":"Fletcher Moore","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673851":{"id":"673851","type":"video","title":"New Science and Medical Research Hub Opens in Atlanta","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETrammell Crow Company delivers first phase of Georgia Tech district devoted to advancing sciences that improve the human condition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1714065027","gmt_created":"2024-04-25 17:10:27","changed":"1714073020","gmt_changed":"2024-04-25 19:23:40","video":{"youtube_id":"7NDImY4yZGQ","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7NDImY4yZGQ"}},"673844":{"id":"673844","type":"image","title":"Science Square\u2019s first phase includes Science Square Labs, a 13-story tower with built in, state-of-the-art lab and clean room space.","body":null,"created":"1714006796","gmt_created":"2024-04-25 00:59:56","changed":"1714008304","gmt_changed":"2024-04-25 01:25:04","alt":"Trammell Crow Company delivers first phase of Georgia Tech district devoted to advancing life sciences","file":{"fid":"257293","name":"PerkinsWill_ScienceSquare1-Print-06.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/PerkinsWill_ScienceSquare1-Print-06.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/PerkinsWill_ScienceSquare1-Print-06.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":16871436,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/PerkinsWill_ScienceSquare1-Print-06.jpg?itok=TOYZNjCr"}},"673848":{"id":"673848","type":"image","title":"Equipped with technologically advanced amenities and infrastructure, Science Square Labs serves as a nexus for groundbreaking research, enabling collaboration between academia, industry, and startup ventures. ","body":null,"created":"1714052161","gmt_created":"2024-04-25 13:36:01","changed":"1714052339","gmt_changed":"2024-04-25 13:38:59","alt":"Equipped with technologically advanced amenities and infrastructure, Science Square Labs serves as a nexus for groundbreaking research, enabling collaboration between academia, industry, and startup ventures. ","file":{"fid":"257297","name":"IMG_0067.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/25\/IMG_0067.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/25\/IMG_0067.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3957361,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/25\/IMG_0067.jpg?itok=qMiJWhr5"}},"673845":{"id":"673845","type":"image","title":"Georgia Institute of Technology and the Trammell Crow Company are transforming Atlanta\u2019s booming  skyline with the launch of the first phase of Science Square","body":null,"created":"1714008280","gmt_created":"2024-04-25 01:24:40","changed":"1714008411","gmt_changed":"2024-04-25 01:26:51","alt":"Science Square is just south of Georgia Tech\u2019s campus and totaling 18 acres.","file":{"fid":"257294","name":"PerkinsWill_ScienceSquare1-Print-07.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/PerkinsWill_ScienceSquare1-Print-07.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/PerkinsWill_ScienceSquare1-Print-07.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":19735520,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/PerkinsWill_ScienceSquare1-Print-07.jpg?itok=JyZUrMja"}}},"media_ids":["673851","673844","673848","673845"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2022\/08\/18\/georgia-tech-breaks-ground-science-square-announces-fund-connecting-local-community","title":"Georgia Tech Breaks Ground on Science Square"},{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2022\/04\/14\/construction-begin-science-square-life-science-hub","title":""}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological 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":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"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:aprendiville3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAngela Barajas Prendiville\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDirector, Media Relations\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:aisles3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAyana Isles\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESenior Media Relations Representative\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674366":{"#nid":"674366","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Neurotech Moonshot: Georgia Tech Researcher Shares Impact of BRAIN Initiative in Congressional Briefing ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor the past 10 years, the National Institutes of Health have led an unprecedented effort to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain. The aptly named \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/braininitiative.nih.gov\/about\/overview\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBRAIN (Brain Research Through Advancing Neurotechnologies) Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E has led to remarkable technological advancements, insights into the structure and function of the brain, and budding therapies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecently, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/School of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E (ECE) Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/user\/1109\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EChris Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E traveled to Washington, D.C. to share the impact of his BRAIN Initiative research with U.S. Congressional offices \u2014 and offer insights on how critical this program is to society. The briefing took on a particular urgency because BRAIN Initiative funding was cut over 40% this year, and future funding appears to be in jeopardy in the current federal budget climate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe millions of patients suffering with intractable neurologic disorders and mental illness deserve a moonshot to develop new solutions for their conditions,\u201d said Rozell, who also holds the Julian T. Hightower Chair in ECE and serves on the executive committee for Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cYou can\u0027t get to the moon with a paper plane, and you can\u2019t get there without a map. The BRAIN Initiative is a vital program because it\u0027s one of the few places that brings together interdisciplinary teams that include the scientists who have been building maps of brain circuits and the engineers who have been building rockets to understand and intervene with those circuits.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m proud to have had the chance to represent not only our own research, but the incredible community here at Georgia Tech and around the country working to understand many different aspects of the brain, developing new neurotechnologies, and advancing therapies for neurologic disorders.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EInterdisciplinary impacts\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe main message we presented to Congress is that the interdisciplinary combination of rigorous science and technical innovation can have enormous societal impact over the next few decades,\u201d said Rozell.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA stark example of that impact was published in \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06541-3\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENature\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E this past fall. In this research, Rozell and his collaborators at the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/icahn.mssm.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai\u003C\/a\u003E and\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/med.emory.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEmory University School of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E identified the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/researchers-identify-crucial-biomarker-tracks-recovery-treatment-resistant-depression\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Efirst known biomarker\u003C\/a\u003E of disease recovery with deep brain stimulation in treatment-resistant depression.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe fact that an engineer can advance clinical therapies is a testament to the new era we\u0027re in,\u201d says Rozell, \u201cwhere disciplinary boundaries are fading, and technological innovation accelerates our scientific and translational breakthroughs.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis research served as a focal point of the congressional briefing, where Rozell presented with BRAIN Initiative Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ninds.nih.gov\/about-ninds\/who-we-are\/staff-directory\/john-ngai\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJohn J. Ngai\u003C\/a\u003E, clinical collaborators, and a family whose lives have been transformed by this work. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEvents like last week are dream come true,\u201d shared Jon Nelson, who was treated with deep brain stimulation as part of the study and presented with Rozell in D.C. After living through 10 years of debilitating, treatment-resistant depression, Nelson says \u201cremission of depression still doesn\u0027t feel real. It\u0027s been a year and a half, and I still am in awe every single day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe fact that I have come out of this study and found that the disease is purely an electrical deficiency in my brain has fueled me to completely pulverize the stigma of mental illness,\u201d Nelson explained. \u201cWhen you have an opportunity to go speak to Congress \u2014 that\u2019s about as great of a platform as you can get for that. Being able to put a face to what the BRAIN Initiative funding can do for people was just amazing.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen meeting with local representatives, Rozell also relayed his work as co-executive leader of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E, a budding Interdisciplinary Research Institute at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI was thrilled to highlight that Georgia Tech is leading the charge with the Neuro Next Initiative, which will evolve into a full Interdisciplinary Research Institute in 2025,\u201d said Rozell. \u201cGeorgia Tech has the ingredients\u0026nbsp;to become a leading center for modern technology-driven interdisciplinary brain research and workforce development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis visit was a reminder to me that research funding is not guaranteed and it\u2019s important to keep communicating the critical value that research plays in advancing our understanding, training our workforce, fueling our economy, and ultimately making a better tomorrow for society.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Professor Chris Rozell recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to present his groundbreaking research on treatment-resistant depression to Congress. There, Rozell shared insights on the impact of 10 years of the NIH BRAIN Initiative \u2014 and share with local representatives how Georgia Tech is playing a key role in leading the charge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Chris Rozell traveled to Washington, D.C. to share the impacts of the past decade of brain research funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative with Congress \u2014 and share with local representatives how Georgia Tech is playing a key role in leading the charge."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-04-24 19:01:17","changed_gmt":"2024-04-26 15:55:05","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673835":{"id":"673835","type":"image","title":"Rozell was joined by BRAIN Initiative Director John J. Ngai, clinical collaborators, and a family whose lives have been transformed by this work. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERozell was joined by BRAIN Initiative Director John J. Ngai, clinical collaborators, and a family whose lives have been transformed by this work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713985800","gmt_created":"2024-04-24 19:10:00","changed":"1713985800","gmt_changed":"2024-04-24 19:10:00","alt":"Rozell was joined by BRAIN Initiative Director John J. Ngai, clinical collaborators, and a family whose lives have been transformed by this work. ","file":{"fid":"257282","name":"Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Group-Photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Group-Photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Group-Photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3133594,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Group-Photo.jpg?itok=oOiNIDaf"}},"673836":{"id":"673836","type":"image","title":"Rozell presented to members of U.S. Congress as well as local representatives during his visit.","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERozell presented to members of U.S. Congress as well as local representatives during his visit.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713985859","gmt_created":"2024-04-24 19:10:59","changed":"1713985859","gmt_changed":"2024-04-24 19:10:59","alt":"Rozell presented to members of U.S. Congress as well as local representatives during his visit.","file":{"fid":"257283","name":"Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Room.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Room.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Room.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":407458,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Briefing-Room.jpeg?itok=I_wOe-Z6"}},"673837":{"id":"673837","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Engineering Professor Chris Rozell shared his research and the impacts of the past decade of brain research funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative with Congress.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Engineering Professor Chris Rozell shared his research and the impacts of the past decade of brain research funded by the NIH BRAIN Initiative with 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Congress.","file":{"fid":"257284","name":"Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Congressional-Briefing.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Congressional-Briefing_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Congressional-Briefing_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":414430,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/24\/Chris-Rozell-BRAIN-Initiative-Congressional-Briefing_0.jpg?itok=QAcnntWA"}}},"media_ids":["673835","673836","673837"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/researchers-identify-crucial-biomarker-tracks-recovery-treatment-resistant-depression","title":"Researchers Identify Crucial Biomarker That Tracks Recovery from Treatment-Resistant Depression"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu","title":"Learn more about the Neuro Next Initiative"},{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2021\/09\/ai-and-neuroscience-become-dance-partners-georgia-tech-arts-event","title":"AI and Neuroscience Become Dance Partners for Georgia Tech Arts Event"}],"groups":[{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"155","name":"Congressional Testimony"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"111361","name":"BRAIN initiative"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\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":""}},"674348":{"#nid":"674348","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Identify Novel Gene Networks Associated with Aggressive Type of Breast Cancer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBreast cancer is the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/cancer\/breast\/basic_info\/index.htm#:~:text=Cancer%20is%20a%20disease%20in,women%20in%20the%20United%20States.\u0022\u003Esecond-most common cancer diagnosis for U.S. women\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/cancer\/types\/breast-cancer\/about\/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html\u0022\u003Esecond-leading cause of female cancer deaths\u003C\/a\u003E. In recent years, breast cancer treatments have improved significantly, thanks to targeted gene therapy and immunotherapy. However, for the small group of patients diagnosed with the most aggressive basal-like type of breast cancer, such approaches are less successful.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERecently, scientists in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/icrc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Integrated Cancer Research Center (ICRC)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;have found that this particular breast cancer displays a unique interactive gene network structure. Using a type of mathematics called \u201cgraph theory,\u201d which models relationships between a pair of objects, the researchers computationally detected changes in gene-gene interactions as \u003Ca\u003Ethis breast\u003C\/a\u003E cancer occurs and develops.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe discovery of novel gene networks associated with basal-like breast cancers has helped us identify potential new gene targets to treat this very aggressive type of breast cancer,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/john-mcdonald\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn McDonald\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, ICRC founding director, professor emeritus in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, and the study\u2019s corresponding author. \u201cWe would not have discovered these possible treatments through analyses of gene expression alone.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile causing just 10-20% of breast cancer diagnoses, basal-like breast cancer is much more aggressive than other subtypes \u2014 and if not identified early, when it can be treated by surgery and\/or radiation therapy, effective anti-cancer drug treatment can be challenging. The basal-like subtype does not respond to traditional hormonal therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/molecular-cancer.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/1476-4598-7-4\u0022\u003EOne theory\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca\u003Eas\u003C\/a\u003E to why, advocated by many cancer researchers, is that individual genes do not function autonomously; as such, changes in how genes interact with one another in cancer may be as important as the cancer-driving genes themselves.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe components of any complex system, like the human genome, are certainly important,\u201d said McDonald. \u201cThe way in which these independent components interact with one another is also critical.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca\u003EFor this study, the researchers analyzed three major subtypes of breast cancer, with particular emphasis on the most aggressive basal-like subtype.\u003C\/a\u003E The researchers found that gene-gene interactive networks are quite different in the aggressive basal-like subtype, compared to the more prevalent luminal A and luminal B subtypes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMany of the genes comprising these unique networks were found to be involved in functions not previously associated with breast cancer. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Stephen-Housley\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStephen Housley\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a neurobiology researcher in the School of Biological Sciences and a co-author on the paper, noted that \u201can unexpected and intriguing result from our study is that neural processes appear to play a prominent role in distinguishing the highly aggressive basal-like tumors from the less aggressive luminal A and luminal B subtypes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca\u003EIn total, the researchers examined more than 300 million pairs of genes, comparing healthy women to those with breast cancer. Study co-author \u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/zainab-arshad-a81673178\/\u0022\u003EZainab Ashard\u003C\/a\u003E, a computational biologist who recently worked in McDonald\u2019s lab,\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Eexplained, \u201cDifferences in the gene network structure between healthy individuals and breast cancer patients allowed us to identify changes in patterns of gene-gene interactions within breast cancer development.\u201d\u003Ca href=\u0022#_msocom_1\u0022 id=\u0022_anchor_1\u0022\u003E[s1]\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u2019s results are detailed\u0026nbsp;in a new paper,\u0026nbsp;\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1089\/genbio.2024.0002\u0022\u003EChanges in Gene Network Interactions in Breast Cancer Onset and Development\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d which appeared\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003Ein the April 2024 issue of \u003Cem\u003EGEN Biotechnology\u003C\/em\u003E. Based on the results of this study and their \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cell.com\/iscience\/pdf\/S2589-0042(21)01493-0.pdf\u0022\u003Epreviously published analyses of eight other types of cancer\u003C\/a\u003E, the researchers believe they have established the usefulness of network analysis in identifying potential new candidates for the diagnosis of and targeted gene therapy treatment for breast and other types of cancers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to McDonald, Housley, and Ashard, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kara-keun-lee\u0022\u003EKara Keun Lee\u003C\/a\u003E, a former bioinformatics Ph.D. student who worked in McDonald\u2019s lab, is also a co-author on the paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results shown here are in whole or in part based on data generated by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/tcga\u0022\u003ETCGA Research Network.\u003C\/a\u003E The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) Project was supported by the Common Fund of the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and by NCI, NHGRI, NHLBI, NIDA, NIMH, and NINDS.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis research was supported by the Mark Light Integrated Cancer Research Center Student Fellowship, the Deborah Nash Endowment Fund, Northside Hospital (Atlanta), and the Ovarian Cancer Institute (Atlanta).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECitation: \u201cChanges in Gene Network Interactions in Breast Cancer Onset and Development,\u201d Zainab\u0026nbsp;Arshad,\u0026nbsp;Stephen N.\u0026nbsp;Housley,\u0026nbsp;Kara Keun\u0026nbsp;Lee, and\u0026nbsp;John F.\u0026nbsp;McDonald, GEN Biotechnology, April 2024,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDOI: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1089\/genbio.2024.0002\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1089\/genbio.2024.0002\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe team used a computational math theory to identify gene-gene interactions that may be good targets for treating basal-like cancers that are resistant to traditional hormone therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The team used a computational math theory to identify gene-gene interactions that may be good targets for treating basal-like cancers that are resistant to traditional hormone therapies."}],"uid":"34760","created_gmt":"2024-04-23 18:35:04","changed_gmt":"2024-04-24 18:34:55","author":"Laurie Haigh","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":{"670488":{"id":"670488","type":"image","title":"John McDonald, Emeritus Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech","body":null,"created":"1681145806","gmt_created":"2023-04-10 16:56:46","changed":"1681145862","gmt_changed":"2023-04-10 16:57:42","alt":"John McDonald, Emeritus Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"253352","name":"john_mcdonald_0.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/10\/john_mcdonald_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/10\/john_mcdonald_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1099148,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/10\/john_mcdonald_0.png?itok=VHjiP2YI"}}},"media_ids":["670488"],"groups":[{"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"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"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: savannah.williamson@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nResearch Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674277":{"#nid":"674277","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NIH awards $2.9M to Annoviant to advance heart disease technology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EATLANTA \u2014\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EAnnoviant Inc. a health technology company and member startup in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medtech.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for MedTech Excellence\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, is receiving a $2.99 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to further scale the development and commercialization of its TxGuard\u2122 pulmonary-valved conduit for pediatric heart disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe award follows two Phase I NIH grants the company received, the most recent being in 2021.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnnoviant\u0027s patented TxGuard\u2122 stands at the forefront of technological innovation in conduit replacements for treating congenital heart disease (CHD), the most prevalent birth defect globally and a leading cause of birth-related mortality, the company said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECHD encompasses a broad range of abnormalities that disrupt blood flow to and from the heart. It affects approximately 40,000 newborns annually \u2014 or 1% of births in the U.S. \u2014 and 1.35 million worldwide. With an estimated 2.9 million CHD patients in the U.S. alone, the need for advanced solutions is paramount.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This marks a significant milestone for Annoviant as we accelerate our pursuit of impactful innovation to save lives,\u0022 said Annoviant CEO and co-founder Ajay Houde, Ph.D. \u0022It validates our hypothesis and shows the NIH\u0027s confidence in our ability to make good progress. Because we are a small startup, it gives private investors the confidence to invest with us and more companies working with us across the broader ecosystem.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAddressing critical shortcomings observed in current commercial devices, TxGuard\u2122 offers clinical advantages, notably its resistance to calcification, thrombosis, infection, and the host cell integration. This cutting-edge technology marks a new era in pediatric cardiac interventions, providing durable pulmonary valved grafts that adapt and regenerate alongside patients, minimizing the need for multiple re-operations over their lifetimes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in the U.S. and is the most common birth defect in our newborns,\u0022 said Center for MedTech Excellence Director Nakia Melecio, who worked with Annoviant to help it scale and reviewed its federal funding submissions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Center for MedTech Excellence, which launched in 2022, works with early-stage life sciences startups that have specific obstacles that young tech companies in other sectors don\u0027t face.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This is a critical milestone for the company, and validates its research and work, thus far,\u0022 Melicio said. \u0022Annoviant\u0027s technology is tackling several challenges that the market currently faces and elevating the possibility for better patient outcomes in management of congestive heart failure.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPediatric patients with CHD often undergo multiple cardiovascular surgeries throughout their lives, with associated costs totaling billions for the U.S. healthcare industry. TxGuard\u2122 offers a transformative solution to this ongoing challenge, promising extended durability and reduced healthcare burden for patients and providers alike.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe credited the company\u0027s work with the Center for MedTech Excellence and being a health tech startup in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/atdc.org\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)\u003C\/a\u003E, the Enterprise Innovation Institute\u0027s startup incubator, as being pivotal in Annoviant\u0027s growth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EATDC SBIR\/STTR Catalyst Connie Casteel, who works with the incubator\u0027s portfolio companies to help the prepare for these federal, non-dilutive funding grants, had worked with Annoviant on its federal funding approach and strategy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We went through the 16-week program with the MedTech Center and it really helped us think through the various aspects of the commercialization process and operational challenges we would face,\u0022 Houde said. \u0022Greg Jungles at ATDC was also instrumental in helping us. \u0026nbsp;I\u0027m really thankful for Nakia and his work with the MedTech Center and Greg and the team at ATDC.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECompany to deploy resources toward scaling its pediatric heard disease technology and commercialization efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Grant is third NIH award for health technology startup."}],"uid":"28137","created_gmt":"2024-04-19 15:29:34","changed_gmt":"2024-04-19 15:43:01","author":"P\u00e9ralte Paul","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673766":{"id":"673766","type":"image","title":"Innoviant Co-Founders","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnnoviant co-founders Ajay Houde and Naren Vyavahare, CEO and chief technology officer, respectively.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713540668","gmt_created":"2024-04-19 15:31:08","changed":"1713541083","gmt_changed":"2024-04-19 15:38:03","alt":"Headshots of the two co-founders.","file":{"fid":"257202","name":"Annoviant Co Founders.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/19\/Annoviant%20Co%20Founders.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/19\/Annoviant%20Co%20Founders.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2180405,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/19\/Annoviant%20Co%20Founders.png?itok=Vvs8TKFg"}}},"media_ids":["673766"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193646","name":"annoviant"},{"id":"4238","name":"atdc"},{"id":"193647","name":"Center for MedTech Excellence"},{"id":"8949","name":"Heart Disease"},{"id":"6185","name":"pediatrics"},{"id":"136201","name":"Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"106361","name":"Business and Economic Development"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EP\u00e9ralte C. Paul\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nperalte@gatech.edu\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404.316..1210\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["peralte@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673469":{"#nid":"673469","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Itching for Answers: Liang Han Receives NSF Grant to Dig Deeper into Sensory Circuits","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe skin on our hands and feet collectively makes up roughly 5% of our surface area \u2014 at least, when it comes to our bodies. When you look at an important sensory area of the brain called the somatosensory cortex, which receives information about things like touch and pain from everywhere on the body\u2019s surface, that number jumps to about 30%.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/liang-han\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELiang Han\u003C\/a\u003E recently received $550k from the National Science Foundation to uncover where in our nervous system that discrepancy in neural real estate might stem from.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe somatosensory cortex is like the output of the whole neural circuit \u2014 but the neural circuit takes multiple steps,\u201d explains Han, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cHow does this neural circuit generate such a biased representation, and exactly which neurons are involved?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPinning down which step in the neural circuit is causing areas like the hands and feet to take up so much of the somatosensory cortex may give us insights into how our sensory systems evolved \u2014 and where best to treat them when things go wrong.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EItching for answers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe somatosensory cortex is on the surface of the brain and receives information from specialized sensors on the surface of the body about touch, bodily movement, pain, temperature, and itch. Though it\u2019s organized in a way that roughly matches our body\u2019s structure \u2014 areas receiving information from the feet light up next to areas sensing the legs versus the ears, for example \u2014 the surface area of the somatosensory cortex is heavily biased towards certain body parts, like the hands.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo find out where in the nervous system this bias originates, Han and her team are planning to examine the cellular mechanisms of one particular sensation: itch. Specifically, itch on glabrous (or hairless) skin, like that on the hands and feet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ve been studying itch sensation for a long time, and our previous study identified a group of neurons that control glabrous skin itch sensation,\u201d says Han. Led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/haley-steele-84292b148\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHaley Steele\u003C\/a\u003E, a former Ph.D. student working with Liang, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/itch-insight-skin-itch-mechanisms-differ-hairless-versus-hairy-skin\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eresearch\u003C\/a\u003E gave Han and her team the ability to isolate and study the neurons responsible for sending glabrous skin itch sensation all the way from the fingertips, through the spinal cord, and finally to the somatosensory cortex in the brain.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInterestingly for Han\u2019s team, recent data collected by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/profile\/Yanyan-Xing\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EYanyan Xing\u003C\/a\u003E, a former postdoctoral researcher in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/klawson34.wixsite.com\/hanlab\u0022\u003EHan lab\u003C\/a\u003E, suggested that there were potential physical differences in the itch-sensing neural circuits for central body parts (like the torso) versus the overrepresented peripheral body parts (like the hands).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you ask me why we started this project, that\u0027s why,\u201d says Hand, \u201cbecause we saw that data and we thought, \u2018Oh, this is interesting.\u2019\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGoing more than skin deep\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThose physical differences are just one potential piece of the puzzle. When it comes to the cellular origins of brain\u2019s sensory biases, there could also be more itch-sensing neurons in peripheral areas of the body, their physiology could be different, their signals could be amplified somewhere down the line (like in the spinal cord or brain stem), or it could be a combination.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing their previously developed tools to genetically label neurons specific to glabrous skin itch sensation in mice, Han and her team plan on studying all that \u2014 plus how these neural circuits develop over time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur nervous system evolved in a way that our central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) allocated more neural resources to those distal (peripheral) parts of the body for sensory processing,\u201d explains Han. From exploring our environment to manipulating objects, having keen sensation in distal body parts like the hands and feet has been crucial for our survival. By understanding these sensory circuits, Han is hopeful that \u201cthis study will help us to understand how the nervous system evolved.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond gaining key insights into the sensory system, understanding this particular sensation may help improve treatments for chronic itch \u2014 an experience that roughly one in five people will have in their lifetime.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cItch is associated with so many different conditions,\u201d says Han. \u201cUnderstanding the basic mechanisms of the neural circuit will help us to eventually treat the condition.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research will be funded by the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=2334697\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENational Science Foundation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) reviews all research and teaching activities that involve vertebrate animal subjects. IACUC approval is required in advance for all activities conducted by faculty, staff, or students, regardless of location and funding source.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe School of Biological Sciences associate professor will be digging deep into itch-sensing neural circuits to gain insights into how the sensory system is wired \u2014 and where best to treat it when things go wrong.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The School of Biological Sciences associate professor will be digging deep into itch-sensing neural circuits to gain insights into how the sensory system is wired \u2014 and where best to treat it when things go wrong."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-03-12 14:31:13","changed_gmt":"2024-04-16 20:44:51","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-03-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673365":{"id":"673365","type":"image","title":"School of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Liang Han (left) with members of her lab, including Laboratory Technicians Katy Lawson (center left) and William Hancock (right), as well as biology Ph.D. student Rossie Nho.","body":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Liang Han (left) with members of her lab, including Laboratory Technicians Katy Lawson (center left) and William Hancock (right), as well as biology Ph.D. student Rossie Nho.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1710261770","gmt_created":"2024-03-12 16:42:50","changed":"1710261576","gmt_changed":"2024-03-12 16:39:36","alt":"School of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Liang Han (left) with members of her lab, including Laboratory Technicians Katy Lawson (center left) and William Hancock (right), as well as biology Ph.D. student Rossie Nho.","file":{"fid":"256752","name":"Han Lab photo 2024.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/12\/Han%20Lab%20photo%202024.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/12\/Han%20Lab%20photo%202024.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3307240,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/12\/Han%20Lab%20photo%202024.jpeg?itok=K0rmMUQE"}}},"media_ids":["673365"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/itch-insight-skin-itch-mechanisms-differ-hairless-versus-hairy-skin","title":"Itch Insight: Skin Itch Mechanisms Differ on Hairless Versus Hairy Skin"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/itch-you-cant-scratch-researchers-find-itch-receptors-throats-mice","title":"An Itch You Can\u2019t Scratch: Researchers Find Itch Receptors in the Throats of Mice"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/scratching-out-new-clues-sources-certain-itch-sensations","title":"Scratching Out New Clues on the Sources of Certain Itch Sensations"}],"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"}],"keywords":[{"id":"191961","name":"somatosensory feedback"},{"id":"189893","name":"sensory cortex"},{"id":"187337","name":"glabrous skin"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"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:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Audra Davidson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673880":{"#nid":"673880","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Develop More Broadly Protective Coronavirus Vaccine","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EScientists have been searching for the optimal coronavirus vaccine since the Covid-19 pandemic started. The mRNA vaccines developed through the federal government\u0027s \u0022Operation Warp Speed\u0022 program were a massive innovation; however, annually updating those boosters for specific SARS-CoV-2 variants is inefficient for scientists and patients. SARS-CoV-2 is just one member of the Sarbecovirus (\u003Cstrong\u003ESAR\u003C\/strong\u003ES \u003Cstrong\u003EBe\u003C\/strong\u003Eta\u003Cstrong\u003Eco\u003C\/strong\u003Erona\u003Cstrong\u003Evirus\u003C\/strong\u003E) subfamily (others\u0026nbsp; include SARS-CoV-1, which caused the 2002 SARS outbreak, as well as other viruses circulating in bats that could cause future pandemics).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a new vaccine that offers broad protection against not only SARS-CoV-2 variants, but also other bat sarbecoviruses. The groundbreaking trivalent vaccine has shown complete protection with no trace of virus in the lungs, marking a significant step toward a universal vaccine for coronaviruses.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe had been working on strategies to make a broadly protective vaccine for a while,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/kaneresearchgroup\/\u0022\u003ERavi Kane\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003EGarry Betty\/V Foundation Chair\u0026nbsp;and GRA Eminent Scholar in Cancer Nanotechnology and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eprofessor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThis vaccine may protect not just against the current strain circulating that year, but also future variants.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThey presented their findings in \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC10350183\/\u0022\u003EBroad protection against clade 1\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC10350183\/\u0022\u003Esarbecoviruses after a single immunization with cocktail spike-protein-nanoparticle\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC10350183\/\u0022\u003Evaccine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E,\u201d published in the February edition of \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKane and his research group have been working on the technologies to develop more widely protective vaccines for viruses since he joined Georgia Tech in 2015. Although the team didn\u2019t specifically foresee Covid-19 arising when it did, pandemics have regularly occurred throughout human history. While the team pivoted their vaccine research to address coronaviruses, they were surprised by how rapidly each new variant arose, making their broader vaccine even more necessary.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOnce they realized the challenge inherent in how fast SARS-CoV-2 mutates, they had two options for how to build a vaccine: design one to be widely preventative against the virus, or use the influenza vaccine, which updates annually for the anticipated prevalent variant, as a model. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMaking a broad vaccine is more appealing because it enables patients to get one shot and be protected for years. To create their general vaccine, Kane\u2019s team capitalized on the key to the original mRNA vaccines \u2014 the spike protein, which binds the virus to healthy cells. Their vaccine uses three prominent spike proteins, or a trivalent vaccine, to elicit a broad enough antibody response to make the vaccine effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as other sarbecoviruses that have been identified as having pandemic potential. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cIf you know which variant is circulating, you can immunize with the spike protein of that variant,\u201d Ph.D. student and co-author Kathryn Loeffler said. \u201cBut a broad vaccine is more difficult to develop because you\u2019re protecting against many different antigens versus just one.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECollaborators in the Kawaoka group at the University of Wisconsin tested their vaccine in hamsters, which they had previously identified as an appropriate animal model to evaluate vaccines and immunotherapies against SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine was able to neutralize all SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants tested, as well as non-SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses circulating in bats. Even better, the vaccine provided complete protection with no detectable virus in the lungs.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKane hopes that the vaccine strategy his team identified can be applied to other viruses \u2014 other coronavirus subfamilies as well as other viruses such as influenza viruses. They also expect that some of the specific antigens they describe in this paper can be moved toward preclinical trials. Someday, a trivalent vaccine could comprise a routine part of people\u2019s medical treatment.\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\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a new vaccine that offers broad protection against not only SARS-CoV-2 variants, but also other bat sarbecoviruses. The groundbreaking trivalent vaccine has shown complete protection with no trace of virus in the lungs, marking a significant step toward a universal vaccine for coronaviruses.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a new vaccine that offers broad protection against not only SARS-CoV-2 variants, but also other bat sarbecoviruses"}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2024-04-01 17:43:25","changed_gmt":"2024-04-09 21:30:08","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"603574":{"id":"603574","type":"image","title":"vaccine","body":null,"created":"1520613963","gmt_created":"2018-03-09 16:46:03","changed":"1520613963","gmt_changed":"2018-03-09 16:46:03","alt":"Patient getting a vaccine","file":{"fid":"230060","name":"9399_lores.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/9399_lores.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/9399_lores.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":36793,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/9399_lores.jpg?itok=JJb0FqbS"}}},"media_ids":["603574"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"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\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":""}},"673593":{"#nid":"673593","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Real-Time Heat Protection Device Being Tested in Florida","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EResearchers with Georgia Tech and Emory University are field testing a new device that could help protect people who work outside from heat related injury. It\u2019s a skin patch you can wear while working that sends detailed information to a smartphone or other device about important health markers like skin hydration and body temperature. The device takes different measurements than health wearables on the market currently and will be paired with an artificial intelligence program to predict health hazards. The team is calling the device BioPatch, and it\u2019s being put to the test with landscaping crews. Researchers hope use of the device can guide better decisions about working in the heat.\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\u003EThe project involves collaboration between principal investigators Vicki Hertzberg from Emory University, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/yeo\u0022\u003EW. Hong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E from Georgia Tech, and Li Xiong from Emory University. Their expertise spans statistics, mechanical and biomedical engineering, and computer science, respectively. Roxana Chicas of the Emory School of Nursing and Jeff Sands of the Emory School of Medicine, along with members of the Farmworker Association of Florida, are also part of the team. This video shows the device and data collection during a key component of testing during the summer.\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\u003EEmory University and Georgia Institute of Technology researchers are using a $2.46 million grant to test and continue developing a wearable BioPatch for farmworkers and others who work outside, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. This BioPatch will use multiple sensors to predict heat-related illnesses, dehydration, and acute kidney injury. By transmitting data to a smartphone or other device, artificial intelligence tools will provide real-time warnings to workers with the goal of reducing health risks associated with occupational heat exposure. \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":"Wearable bio-measurement device could alert people who work outside to dangerous levels of rising body temperature and dehydration that could help avoid heat-related injury."}],"uid":"36174","created_gmt":"2024-03-18 19:58:41","changed_gmt":"2024-03-28 15:31:43","author":"Blair Meeks","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-03-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673430":{"id":"673430","type":"video","title":"Real-time heat protection device tested in Florida","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEmory University and Georgia Institute of Technology researchers are using a $2.46 million grant to test and continue developing a wearable BioPatch for farmworkers and others who work outside, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. This BioPatch will use multiple sensors to predict heat-related illnesses, dehydration, and acute kidney injury. By transmitting data to a smart phone or other device, artificial intelligence tools will provide real-time warnings to workers with the goal of reducing health risks associated with occupational heat exposure. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1710790950","gmt_created":"2024-03-18 19:42:30","changed":"1710790950","gmt_changed":"2024-03-18 19:42:30","video":{"youtube_id":"uhIaAVuWTHo","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/uhIaAVuWTHo"}},"673432":{"id":"673432","type":"image","title":"Wearable biosensors in the lab","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers in Hong Yeo\u0027s lab at Georgia Tech work on wearable sensor technology that\u0027s being field-tested through a collaboration with Emory University and the Farmworker Association of Florida.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1710791831","gmt_created":"2024-03-18 19:57:11","changed":"1710791624","gmt_changed":"2024-03-18 19:53:44","alt":"Researchers in Hong Yeo\u0027s lab work on the electronics of wearable biosensors","file":{"fid":"256828","name":"Group in Yeo lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/18\/Group%20in%20Yeo%20lab_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/18\/Group%20in%20Yeo%20lab_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2198696,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/18\/Group%20in%20Yeo%20lab_0.jpg?itok=kY3r4O7H"}}},"media_ids":["673430","673432"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/05\/24\/researchers-develop-wireless-monitoring-detect-sleep-apnea-home","title":"Other wearable sensor research"}],"groups":[{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"108731","name":"School of Mechanical Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1503","name":"Biotechnology"},{"id":"193573","name":"Health and Technology"},{"id":"193574","name":"Heat Related Injury"},{"id":"10442","name":"Wearable Sensors"}],"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:Blair.Meeks@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EBlair Meeks\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"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":""}},"673759":{"#nid":"673759","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Two-Way Cell-based Treatment Repairs Muscle After Rotator Cuff Injury","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA team of Georgia Tech researchers has introduced a \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37897061\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Enew therapeutic system\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E to offset the poor clinical outcomes often associated with common rotator cuff surgery. \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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIt\u2019s the kind of surgery that makes headlines whenever a famous athlete is sidelined with a torn rotator cuff. Major League Baseball All-Star pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander, for example, both had rotator cuff surgeries and made successful comebacks.\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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFor those of us who can\u2019t throw baseballs 95 miles an hour, the rotator cuff may tear over time from repeated overhead motions (painters and carpenters, for instance). Or an injury can occur as we age and our body\u2019s tissues naturally degenerate. And although rotator cuff injuries are common, they can be serious, leading to muscle degeneration after surgery. \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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENow, two professors from the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, a joint department of Georgia Tech and Emory University, have addressed the problem with a novel cell-based dual treatment, which they describe in a study published recently in the journal \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/home.liebertpub.com\/publications\/tissue-engineering-parts-a-b-and-c\/595\/overview\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETissue Engineering\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\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\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re thinking mainly of an aging population with this study \u2014 the people most likely to have these injuries,\u201d said \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Johnna-S.-Temenoff\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJohnna Temenoff\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, whose research group collaborated with the lab of \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Edward-Botchwey\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEd Botchwey\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E on this work. \u201cThe great thing about this system is, it isn\u2019t specific to a particular population. These are cells we all have, and this treatment system might work even better in younger patients.\u201d\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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELocal Delivery\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\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\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons surrounding and protecting the shoulder joint, keeping the head of the upper arm bone firmly in the shallow socket of the shoulder. It\u2019s tight jumble of tissues, and not an easy environment for muscle regeneration.\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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cWith a rotator cuff injury, you\u2019re actually tearing the tendon,\u201d said Temenoff, director of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cellmanufacturingusa.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECMaT\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E) at Georgia Tech. \u201cAnd that causes the muscle to atrophy.\u201d\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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;While pro athletes have access to world-class training and rehabilitation to help rebuild the shoulder following surgery, for many patients that rotator cuff muscle doesn\u2019t fully regenerate, even after a successful surgery. Temenoff isn\u2019t sure why. \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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cThat\u2019s a big unknown,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s a big field of study right now, an active area of research. There is a need for regenerative therapies that can be used in conjunction with rotator cuff restoration surgery, as a long-term treatment option \u2014that is what we are addressing.\u201d\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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn previous studies using mouse models, Temenoff found that she could change the cellular environment in the muscle with the local injection of microparticles loaded with a protein called stromal cell-derived factor (SDF), which can attract various pre-regenerative cells circulating to the muscle.\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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe Push-Pull Effect\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\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\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe idea is to mobilize the cells that can heal, the cells that rebuild muscle at the source. Getting enough of them to do the work is the trick. \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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/temenoff.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETemenoff\u2019s lab\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E has developed microparticles that use heparin, a natural sugar-based molecule found in the body that has a high negative charge. SDF is positive-charged, so that electrostatic interaction between the two particles allows for controlled release of SDF over time.\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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESDF interacts almost magnetically with a receptor on pro-regenerative cells in bone marrow or circulation to \u201ccall\u201d them to a certain location. However, older people may not have enough of these cells in circulation to make much of a difference in healing. That\u2019s where \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/botchweylab.super.site\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EBotchwey\u2019s lab\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E entered with the major assist. \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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHis team provided experience with a bone marrow mobilizing agent (called VPC01091) that can send healing cells into circulation around the body. In clinical settings, bone marrow mobilizing agents are used to \u201cpush\u201d stem cells out of the marrow and into the blood. These cells can regenerate and differentiate into all kinds of cells in multiple tissue environments. \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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe researchers set out to develop a single therapeutic option by combining the two technologies. Here\u0027s what happened when they tested the system in rats: The mobilizing agent was injected systemically while the SDF was injected locally into the shoulder. So, while the mobilizing agent \u201cpushed\u201d pro-healing cells into circulation, SDF\u2019s magnetic effect \u201cpulled\u201d them to the injury site, resulting in the desired regenerative effects.\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\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe researchers found different levels of regeneration spatially\u2014in other words, where they applied the local injection really matters. Further research will aim to fine-tune the process, so clinicians can recruit healing cells to even more specific areas of the damaged muscle. Temenoff and her collaborators believe they are onto something that will result in better muscle regeneration, with potential applications beyond the rotator cuff.\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\/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\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant no. R01AR071026).\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E Leah Anderson, Liane Tellier, Keshav Shah, Joseph Pearson, Alexandra Brimeyer, Ed Botchwey, Johnna Temenoff. \u201cBone Marrow Mobilization and Local Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1a Delivery Enhances Nascent Supraspinatus Muscle Fiber Growth,\u201d \u003Cem\u003ETissue Engineering\u003C\/em\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\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDOI: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1089\/ten.tea.2023.0128\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1089\/ten.tea.2023.0128\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\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\u003ENew treatment developed by BME researchers Johnna Temenoff and Ed Botchwey rallies regenerative cells to heal damaged muscle following rotator cuff injury and surgery.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New treatment helps muscle regenerate following shoulder surgery"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-03-26 17:48:23","changed_gmt":"2024-03-26 17:56:19","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-03-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673491":{"id":"673491","type":"image","title":"Rotator Cuff injury repair","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA combination of mobilizing agent, designed to \u201cpush\u201d pro-healing cells into the blood, and SDF-1a, designed to \u201cpull\u201d the cells into the injury site, leads to an increase in muscle regeneration following a rotator cuff tear. Muscle regeneration was characterized based on the number of centrally located nuclei (marked with the white arrows).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1711473853","gmt_created":"2024-03-26 17:24:13","changed":"1711473989","gmt_changed":"2024-03-26 17:26:29","alt":"Rotator cuff treatment","file":{"fid":"256890","name":"Rotator cuff image.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/26\/Rotator%20cuff%20image.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/26\/Rotator%20cuff%20image.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2068638,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/26\/Rotator%20cuff%20image.png?itok=QGQe3y9J"}},"673492":{"id":"673492","type":"image","title":"Temenoff and Botchwey","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECoulter BME researchers Johnna Temenoff and Ed Botchwey\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1711474201","gmt_created":"2024-03-26 17:30:01","changed":"1711474261","gmt_changed":"2024-03-26 17:31:01","alt":"Temenoff and Botchwey","file":{"fid":"256891","name":"Temenoff and Botchwey.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/26\/Temenoff%20and%20Botchwey.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/26\/Temenoff%20and%20Botchwey.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":221678,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/26\/Temenoff%20and%20Botchwey.jpg?itok=Jw92Aaxm"}}},"media_ids":["673491","673492"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9534","name":"cell therapy"},{"id":"1489","name":"Regenerative Medicine"},{"id":"176933","name":"go-cmat"},{"id":"175498","name":"CMaT"},{"id":"80831","name":"rotator cuff"}],"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: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":""}},"673641":{"#nid":"673641","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Andrew McShan Awarded Curci Grant for Cutting-Edge Cancer Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAndrew McShan\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, assistant professor in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\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\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E at Georgia Tech, has been awarded a prestigious Curci grant for research in cutting-edge cancer treatments.\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 award, provided by the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/curcifoundation.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EShurl and Kay Curci Foundation\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, supports innovative research at the forefront of its field. \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\u003EThe new funding will provide two years of support for McShan\u0027s investigation into developing the next generation of universal immunotherapies.\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 aim to understand how the immune system works and learn how it plays roles in disease,\u201d McShan says. \u201cWe\u0027re using biochemistry and structural biology to characterize biomolecules at the atomic level, and harness their intrinsic features for new therapeutic avenues.\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\u003EMcShan\u2019s research will center on lipids \u2014 a previously understudied avenue in cancer treatment \u2014 and it has two major components: identifying new cancer lipid signatures in tumor cells, and characterizing known cancer lipid antigens to develop a \u201cmolecular blueprint\u201d for immunotherapy. Since lipid antigens provide broad, more universal signatures than current techniques, the applications of the research span a wide range of cancers and immune disorders.\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\u201cIt\u0027s a really interesting new way of thinking about this problem,\u201d McShan says. \u201cWe hope that it\u0027s a paradigm shift in the way that we think about not only general immune system functions, but also the way that you can target cancer. This same protein system also works with pathogens and autoimmune disease \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\u2014\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 it\u2019s an incredibly important system.\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\u003EA new paradigm\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\u003EPreviously, immunotherapy research has largely centered on developing treatments around targeting mutated peptides, because cancer often causes 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\u003E mutated 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\u003EWhile peptide-based treatments have proven to be highly effective, the strategy isn\u2019t universal \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\u2014\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 different people present different peptide mutations to the immune system. \u201cYou would have to spend years developing an immunotherapy for just one person who has one type of cancer,\u201d McShan explains, \u201cand that therapy might not work for the next person.\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\u003EHowever, recent research indicates that lipids \u2014 fatty and waxy substances in the body that don\u0027t dissolve in water, like cholesterol \u2014 might provide a more effective avenue. \u201cLipid signals present more universal signatures to the immune system than peptides, and immune system responses to lipids are less dependent on the person,\u201d McShan 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\u003EResearch into lipid-based immunotherapies has historically been limited because lipids are notoriously difficult to study in the lab. However, new tools needed to study lipids have recently become available, opening the door to this groundbreaking research.\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\u003EBecause these tools are so new, though, \u201ca lot of the foundational basic research hasn\u2019t been completed yet,\u201d McShan says. \u201cThis grant is a two year grant, and we plan to do this foundational research. This research will provide what the scientific community needs to start thinking about how to move lipid antigens into a clinical area.\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\u003EUniversal treatments and the next generation of scientists\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 McShan\u2019s research team will focus on cancer for the Curci grant, lipid-based treatments could open the door for additional cost-effective, timely treatments \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\u2014\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 treatments that could also apply to multiple types of cancers, and to other diseases. \u201cIf we can understand these cancer lipid antigens \u2014 how they\u0027re functioning and what they\u2019re doing \u2014 there is a translation to the other applications in immunotherapy,\u201d McShan 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\u003E\u201cThe protein that we\u0027re studying, called CD1, plays roles in nearly every immunological response or disease,\u201d McShan adds. \u201cThis type of research could be important for responses to viral infection, bacteria and parasite pathogens, and autoimmune 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\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELipids can aid in the development of new and improved vaccines. For example, a lipid-based tuberculosis vaccine has been shown to have the same efficacy as a tuberculosis vaccine made from a live attenuated bacterium. \u201cIf we were to discover new cancer lipids \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\u2014\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 these could potentially be used as prophylactic cancer vaccines,\u201d McShan 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\u003EAs a newer member of the Georgia Tech community, McShan is also already making an impact across the campus community. \u201cWe care a lot about making science accessible, and being equitable and inclusive,\u201d McShan, who joined the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/new-faculty-members\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECollege of Sciences faculty in summer 2022\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, says. \u201cOur lab is almost entirely women, and so the research that this grant is going to support is also going to support the next generation of women doing science amazing science \u2014 and that\u2019s something that gets me really excited.\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","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe two-year grant will support McShan\u2019s innovative research on lipid-based immunotherapies, which could \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\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehelp develop the next generation of universal immunotherapies.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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 grant will support innovative research on lipid-based immunotherapies, which could help develop the next generation of universal immunotherapies."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-03-21 14:50:42","changed_gmt":"2024-03-26 00:32:36","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-03-25T00:00:00-04:00","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":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"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 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":""}},"673745":{"#nid":"673745","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Growing Bacteria in Space with Astronauts ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis story by Kelsey Gulledge first appeared in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022 title=\u0022Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering\u0022\u003EDaniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E newsroom. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/03\/growing-bacteria-space-astronauts\u0022\u003ESee the full feature here\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are teaming up with NASA to study bacteria on the International Space Station to help define how scientists and healthcare professionals combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria for long-duration space missions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pxl.earth\/\u0022\u003EPlanetary eXploration Lab\u003C\/a\u003E (PXL), researchers will work with astronauts living on the International Space Station as they collect air, water, and surface samples. Using testing methods created on campus, the astronauts and scientists will watch microbes grow to learn which bacteria are resistant to specific antibiotics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work is part of NASA\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/biological-physical\/investigations\/gears\/\u0022\u003EGenomic Enumeration of Antibiotic Resistance in Space\u003C\/a\u003E (GEARS) study, led by \u003Cstrong\u003EAaron Burton\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003ESarah Wallace\u003C\/strong\u003E from \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/johnson\/\u0022\u003ENASA Johnson Space Center\u003C\/a\u003E. Marking SpaceX\u2019s 30th Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA, the GEARS research is on board a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft, scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida on March 21. If all goes according to plan, the Dragon capsule will reach the International Space Station on the morning of March 23.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur lab has previously studied bacteria colonies from the International Space Station and found \u003Cem\u003EEnterococcus faecalis\u003C\/em\u003E (EF) was resistant to many antibiotics,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher E. Carr\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Edirector of the PXL and assistant professor in the School of Aerospace Engineering (AE) and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E (EAS). \u201cThis particular bacteria species is a core member of the human gut and has evolved over the past 400 million years, making it a difficult pathogen to treat in humans and on surfaces.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEF is the second leading cause of hospital-acquired infections after Staphylococci. Much like hospital environments, on the International Space Station is built in such a way that studying antibiotic-resistant microbes there could provide insight into how these organisms survive, adapt, and evolve in space and on Earth.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe 30-day GEARS mission will supplement the routine microbial surveillance testing conducted on the International Space Station with an antibiotic-resistant screening step. Astronauts onboard will collect samples and observe what microbes grow on their pre-treated contact slides, a rectangular-shaped petri dish.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe contact slides contain antibiotic-infused agar, a gel-like fuel source for bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. Therefore, anything that grows on the slides will be identified as antibiotic-resistant to that particular antibiotic. Astronauts will then use a pipet to carefully extract DNA from a bacterial colony and sequence it using the Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION, nanopore sequencing device, which will identify the microbe that is present, as well as sequence its entire genome in real-time.\u0026nbsp;\u201cIf we found a new organism that we\u2019ve never seen before, we\u2019d be able to detect it, sequence its entire genome, and determine how it might be resistant to different types of antibiotics,\u201d said Carr.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis new technology will allow humans to travel further - and longer - into space without having to send data back to Earth for processing. \u201cFor the purposes of this study and to maximize the science yield, these bacteria will travel back to Earth,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EJordan McKaig\u003C\/strong\u003E, PXL researcher and Ph.D. candidate in the EAS. \u201cThen we can study them more extensively to better reveal their genomic features, how they are adapting to the built environment, and understand the risks \u2013 if any -- they may pose to astronauts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists and researchers at NASA Johnson will use this information to figure out what may make astronauts sick in space, how to optimize their health, and make plans for potential counter measures and treatments. This data is critical because astronauts\u2019 immune systems often become compromised due to space flight conditions. The GEARS mission will launch a total of four times over the next year to study the bacteria and data thoroughly. The second mission is expected to launch later this summer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to hopefully traveling to the launch and getting to see the science that we\u2019ve been working on for a couple of years go to space. It\u2019s really a dream come true,\u201d said McKaig.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile GEARS is in orbit, Carr and the PXL team will prepare for their next study, EnteroGAIT, which will investigate thousands of mutants simultaneously to see what genes are involved in adapting to the space environment.\u0026nbsp; It is currently in the science verification testing phase.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are collaborating with NASA to study antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the International Space Station. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are teaming up with NASA to study bacteria on the International Space Station to help define how scientists and healthcare professionals combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria for long-duration space missions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are teaming up with NASA to study bacteria on the International Space Station to help define how scientists and healthcare professionals combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria for long-duration space missions."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2024-03-25 20:30:41","changed_gmt":"2024-03-25 20:33:04","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-03-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673485":{"id":"673485","type":"image","title":"jordan.jpgGeorgia Tech Ph.D. student Jordan McKaig demonstrates how NASA astronauts onboard the International Space Station will use the MinION sequencing device to identify bacteria genomes. Credit: Georgia Tech","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Ph.D. student Jordan McKaig demonstrates how NASA astronauts onboard the International Space Station will use the MinION sequencing device to identify bacteria genomes. Credit: Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1711398650","gmt_created":"2024-03-25 20:30:50","changed":"1711398650","gmt_changed":"2024-03-25 20:30:50","alt":"Georgia Tech Ph.D. student Jordan McKaig demonstrates how NASA astronauts onboard the International Space Station will use the MinION sequencing device to identify bacteria genomes. Credit: Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"256884","name":"jordan.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/25\/jordan.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/03\/25\/jordan.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":664351,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/03\/25\/jordan.jpg?itok=GePLJjEl"}}},"media_ids":["673485"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"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\u003EKelsey Gulledge\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDaniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"673415":{"#nid":"673415","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Study Discovers How Altered Protein Folding Drives Multicellular Evolution","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis news was originally released in the University of Helsinki newsroom. Read the full story \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.helsinki.fi\/en\/hilife-helsinki-institute-life-science\/news\/new-study-discovers-how-altered-protein-folding-drives-multicellular-evolution\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehere\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\u003EIn a new study led by Georgia Tech and University of Helsinki, researchers have discovered a mechanism steering the evolution of multicellular life.\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\u003ECo-authored by the School of Biological Sciences\u2019 \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\u003EDung Lac\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\u003EAnthony Burnetti\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\u003EOzan Bozdag\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\u003EWill Ratcliff, \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\u003Ethe study, \u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adn2706\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EProteostatic tuning underpins the evolution of novel multicellular traits\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\u003EScience Advances\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 this month, and uncovers how altered protein folding drives multicellular evolution.\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 team\u2019s research centers on the ongoing Multicellularity Long Term Evolution Experiment (MuLTEE) experiment, in which laboratory yeast are evolving novel multicellular functions, enabling researchers to investigate how these functions arise.\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\u003EAmong the most important multicellular innovations is the origin of robust bodies: over 3,000 generations, these \u2018snowflake yeast\u2019 started out weaker than gelatin but evolved to be as strong and tough as wood.\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\u003EFrom an evolutionary perspective, this work highlights the power of non-genetic mechanisms in rapid evolutionary change.\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\u201cWe tend to focus on genetic change and were quite surprised to find such large changes in the behavior of chaperone proteins,\u201d says Ratcliff. \u201cThis underscores how creative and unpredictable evolution can be when finding solutions to new problems, like building a tough body.\u0022\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\u003EIn a new study led by Georgia Tech and University of Helsinki, researchers have discovered a mechanism steering the evolution of multicellular life.\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\u003ECo-authored by the School of Biological Sciences\u2019 \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\u003EDung Lac\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\u003EAnthony Burnetti\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\u003EOzan Bozdag\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\u003EWill Ratcliff, \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\u003Ethe study, \u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adn2706\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EProteostatic tuning underpins the evolution of novel multicellular traits\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\u003EScience Advances\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 this month, and uncovers how altered protein folding drives multicellular evolution.\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":"Researchers at Georgia Tech and University of Helsinki have discovered a mechanism steering the evolution of multicellular life. They identified how altered protein folding drives multicellular evolution."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-03-08 14:50:18","changed_gmt":"2024-03-11 16:39:05","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-03-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-03-11T00:00:00-04:00","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":"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":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"176339","name":"multicellularity"}],"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\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":""}},"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":""}},"655262":{"#nid":"655262","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Surveillance Testing Shown to Reduce Community Covid-19 Spread","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECovid-19 is often asymptomatic and can lead infected individuals to spread the disease without knowing it. Yet, regular surveillance testing of a community can catch these cases and prevent outbreaks.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn early 2020, Georgia Tech researchers designed a saliva-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and encouraged community members to test weekly to track the health of the campus. Their strategy confirmed 62% of the campus\u2019\u0026nbsp;positive cases in the Fall 2020 semester. The method of surveillance testing \u2014 focusing on case clusters and then having patients isolate \u2014 reduced positivity rates from 4.1% in the beginning of the semester to below 0.5% mid-semester. Their findings were published in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.lww.com\/epidem\/Abstract\/9000\/Surveillance_to_Diagnostic_Testing_Program_for.98198.aspx\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEpidemiology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOne of the ways you can mitigate spread is not to think about testing as just an indicator for how bad things are, but actually use enough testing that you can begin to pull infected people out of circulation to reduce the spread,\u201d said Joshua Weitz, Georgia Tech professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E who developed the infectious disease models used to monitor campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESurveillance testing not only kept the community safe, but also enabled an open campus during a period of the pandemic when vaccines were not available. The strategy showed that combining multiple mitigation efforts \u2014 from testing to social distancing \u2014 can keep a university operational.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDesigning the Test\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe program relied on saliva PCR tests compared to the more common nasal swab PCR tests.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI saw data very early on that the saliva tests were actually probably a little bit more sensitive than the nasal ones,\u201d said Greg Gibson, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cI just knew that students would be more likely to do something that takes 30 seconds to give us spit. It\u2019s easy and safe, so it was just a no-brainer.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESaliva-based tests were a practical solution for a campus. The test could be self-administered, requiring fewer medical personnel and creating ease of access for students. The tests were also safer than nasal swabs because the collection tube contained a viral deactivation buffer that killed active virus but preserved the RNA at room temperature for analysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech campus biomedical research labs were also ideal for this type of test. Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda, executive director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering \u0026amp; Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E, realized robotics labs could build and run tests and make the program scalable.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTesting requires precisely distributing different amounts of fluid to volumes, and this is a task really well suited for a robot,\u201d Garc\u00eda said. \u201cWith the large number of tests that we were expecting to need to administer, there was really no choice because having the robot really cut down on the human error.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnother novel strategy was double pooling. Each saliva sample was pooled twice into a group of five samples and processed. This had multiple advantages, according to Gibson. One was it prevented false results because each sample had to test positive twice to be considered positive. And, by pooling, the testing system could clear dozens of individuals at once, while also focusing on a positive individual and then referring them for further diagnostic testing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA purely surveillance test where you don\u0027t give anybody results can be done without much regulation, but it\u2019s minimally useful,\u201d said Gibson, who is a Regents\u2019 Professor, Tom and Marie Patton Chair in Biological Sciences, and serves as director of the Center for Integrative Genomics at Georgia Tech. \u201cThe double pooling strategy was a way for us to be able to identify exactly who was responsible for positive tests, and then go back to their original test and do a diagnostic one in a CLIA-certified lab.\u201d CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) certification indicates a lab has met federal quality standards for diagnostic testing on human samples.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Testing Strategy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECreating an effective testing infrastructure was also key to the success of the program. A university is a high-density environment where a community lives, learns, and works. When the program was first implemented in the Fall 2020 semester, Georgia Tech had 7,370 people in residence and 5,000 students, faculty, and staff who visited daily.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the ability to run 1,500 tests at the beginning of the semester and up to 2,850 by the end, the program enabled most people on campus to test weekly. Testing weekly helped catch cases early with Covid-19\u2019s seven-day incubation period, and positive individuals isolated for 10 days.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPart of why this approach was so successful was because of what Gibson calls \u201csynergistic effectiveness.\u201d By combining testing with mitigation strategies like masking and social distancing, Georgia Tech was able to reduce positivity rates.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u0027ve shown that testing doesn\u0027t have to be comprehensive with everybody testing every other day to be effective,\u201d Gibson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis strategy enabled the researchers to focus on campus hotspots and control spread. In the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester, campus positivity was at 0.5% until a cluster was identified in Greek housing in August. This enabled a targeted campaign where 90% of on-campus residents were tested. The asymptomatic positivity rate peaked at 4.1%, but steadily declined back to 0.5% by mid-September thanks to rapid identification and isolation of positive individuals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are a technical university \u2014 that doesn\u0027t have a medical school or a school of public health \u2014 that developed its own effective testing program and was able to deploy it to test a large segment of the population and keep the campus in operation,\u201d said Garc\u00eda, who additionally holds the Petit Director\u2019s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience and is a Regents\u2019 Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDue to the success of surveillance testing, cases were kept at a manageable number. Most importantly, campus was able to stay open throughout the pandemic. The Georgia state legislature also adopted Georgia Tech\u2019s surveillance testing system in January 2021 and is using the program to track and manage cases during this year\u2019s legislative session. The strategy continues to keep Georgia Tech an active campus with in-person learning as the pandemic evolves. Ideally, the\u0026nbsp;program established at Georgia Tech will remain in place, prepared to deal quickly with future infectious disease epidemics should the need arise, according to Gibson.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe developed a program that in practice \u2013 and psychologically \u2013 provided a benefit to community members,\u201d said Weitz, who also serves as the Tom and Marie Patton Chair in Biological Sciences and co-director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences. \u201cMany people could go get tested and know that they weren\u0027t infectious so that they had a less likely chance of infecting others. Or, if they did end up testing positive, they were able to isolate themselves so they didn\u0027t infect others. That is of significant benefit.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION\u003C\/strong\u003E: G. Gibson, J.S. Weitz, M.P. Shannon et. al, \u201cSurveillance-to-Diagnostic Testing Program for Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections on a Large, Urban Campus in Fall 2020.\u201d (\u003Cem\u003EEpidemiology\u003C\/em\u003E, Dec. 2021)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDOI: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/journals.lww.com\/epidem\/Fulltext\/2022\/03000\/Surveillance_to_Diagnostic_Testing_Program_for.8.aspx\u0022\u003E10.1097\/EDE.0000000000001448\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E###\u003C\/em\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 44,000 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\u003EWriter: Tess Malone\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMedia Contacts:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Parmelee | \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Georgia.Parmelee@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGeorgia.Parmelee@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nSteven Norris | \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Stephen.Norris@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EStephen.Norris@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn early 2020, Georgia Tech researchers designed a saliva-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and encouraged community members to test weekly to track the health of the campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In early 2020, Georgia Tech researchers designed a saliva-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and encouraged community members to test weekly to track the health of the campus. "}],"uid":"34541","created_gmt":"2022-02-07 17:10:19","changed_gmt":"2024-02-20 20:38:00","author":"Tess Malone","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-02-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2022-02-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"655264":{"id":"655264","type":"image","title":"Student testing","body":null,"created":"1644254697","gmt_created":"2022-02-07 17:24:57","changed":"1644254697","gmt_changed":"2022-02-07 17:24:57","alt":"A student participates in Covid-19 surveillance testing.","file":{"fid":"248428","name":"21C10400-P3-005.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/21C10400-P3-005.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/21C10400-P3-005.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":449028,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/21C10400-P3-005.JPG?itok=ybxmlUyd"}},"655263":{"id":"655263","type":"image","title":"Covid Surveillance Lab","body":null,"created":"1644254394","gmt_created":"2022-02-07 17:19:54","changed":"1644254394","gmt_changed":"2022-02-07 17:19:54","alt":"Covid-19 Surveillance Lab","file":{"fid":"248426","name":"CovidSurviellanceLab.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CovidSurviellanceLab.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CovidSurviellanceLab.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":972793,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CovidSurviellanceLab.JPG?itok=iRM1aI3J"}},"655266":{"id":"655266","type":"image","title":"Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda 22","body":null,"created":"1644255251","gmt_created":"2022-02-07 17:34:11","changed":"1644256616","gmt_changed":"2022-02-07 17:56:56","alt":"Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda","file":{"fid":"248429","name":"Andres Garcia-IBB headshot-v2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Andres%20Garcia-IBB%20headshot-v2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Andres%20Garcia-IBB%20headshot-v2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":598955,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Andres%20Garcia-IBB%20headshot-v2_0.jpg?itok=tsLlHP8g"}},"655270":{"id":"655270","type":"image","title":"Greg Gibson 22","body":null,"created":"1644256033","gmt_created":"2022-02-07 17:47:13","changed":"1644256220","gmt_changed":"2022-02-07 17:50:20","alt":"Greg Gibson","file":{"fid":"248431","name":"greg_gibson.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/greg_gibson.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/greg_gibson.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":234224,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/greg_gibson.jpeg?itok=q835EI5j"}},"655268":{"id":"655268","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz 22","body":null,"created":"1644255506","gmt_created":"2022-02-07 17:38:26","changed":"1644256236","gmt_changed":"2022-02-07 17:50:36","alt":"Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"248430","name":"Joshua Weitz - headshot copy 2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz%20-%20headshot%20copy%202_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz%20-%20headshot%20copy%202_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4948855,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joshua%20Weitz%20-%20headshot%20copy%202_0.jpg?itok=pztDI-sP"}}},"media_ids":["655264","655263","655266","655270","655268"],"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":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:tess.malone@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ETess Malone\u003C\/a\u003E, Research Writer\/Editor\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["tess.malone@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"647519":{"#nid":"647519","#data":{"type":"news","title":"CMDI: Mighty Microbial Dynamics for a Healthier People and Planet","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EShaping the shared future of microbes and human health is the mission for Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYes, there are similar academic-based centers studying infectious diseases and the microbes that cause them, but to understand what makes Georgia Tech\u2019s center different, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022\u003ESam Brown\u003C\/a\u003E, CMDI co-director and a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, says to concentrate on that third letter in the Center\u0027s name.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFocus on dynamics,\u201d says Brown. \u201cThat\u2019s basically how microbes are changing over time and space as well as how they\u2019re changing \u003Cem\u003Esystems\u003C\/em\u003E in time. This notion of dynamics operates on different scales. It operates, as I see it, on a behavioral scale \u2014 individual bugs making decisions and changing their behavior in time.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEcological dynamics are \u201chow populations are changing with time, and how they\u2019re interacting with other communities \u2014 for example in biofilms,\u201d Brown adds, referring to the name for communities of microorganisms that stick to surfaces and create their own \u201cneighborhoods.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are also evolutionary dynamics, which are worrying to Brown and other researchers, as they can mean bacteria increase resistance to antibiotics. And then there are epidemiological dynamics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re all glued to our screens watching the epidemiological dynamics of Covid-19 play out in real time,\u201d he explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAll of this involves the study of some of the natural world\u2019s tiniest troublemakers \u2014 and helpers. Humans are pathetically outnumbered by microbes. They live in, on, and around all of us. They are at both ends of the human food chain, helping farmers grow food, and then assisting us in digesting our meals.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou have trillions of bacteria in your gut,\u201d points out \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/marvin-whiteley\u0022\u003EMarvin Whiteley\u003C\/a\u003E, CMDI\u2019s founding co-director who serves as a professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech Bennie H. and Nelson D. Abell Chair in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and co-director for Emory-Children\u2019s CF Center. So, in the spectrum of these tiny communities, there are helpful and harmful microbes alike \u2014 and the latter can often make us very sick. That\u2019s where CMDI experts step in.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCMDI is working to transform how we study microbes in an environmental context, and ultimately find new microbial strategies to improve human and environmental health,\u201d Brown says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECMDI\u2019s science is conducted in an interdisciplinary manner, like many other research centers at Georgia Tech, with research that reaches into a number of other disciplines \u2014 microbial ecology, microbiome dynamics, biogeochemistry, microbial biophysics, socio-microbiology, infection dynamics, host-pathogen interactions, marine and aquatic microbiology, microbial evolution, viral ecology, spatial imaging, and math\/computational modeling.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Center is fairly new, beginning operations in 2018. Yet it\u2019s already closing in on 100 researchers \u2014 faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral students \u2014 and is aggressively recruiting early career scientists from around the world to research at CMDI.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are a unique interdisciplinary research center since our expertise spans such broad subjects from coral reef ecosystems, to antibiotic resistant bacteria, to new infectious diseases therapies,\u201d explains \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/maria-avdonina\u0022\u003EMaria Avdonina\u003C\/a\u003E, CMDI manager.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding CMDI\u2019s foundation, and using it to attack \u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHow does a pathogen do what it does at the molecular level?\u201d Marvin Whiteley asks.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is a question that he began asking at The University of Texas at Austin, where he founded another center to study infectious disease before coming to Georgia Tech in 2017. Back then, Whiteley was looking for the kind of interdisciplinary mix of researchers that can be found widely across the Institute, so he moved to Atlanta and built that into the CMDI\u2019s mission as its founding co-director.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s the idea of not just working with pure microbiologists, but working with those interested in how things change, and their dynamic aspects, even daily changes in the microbiome,\u201d he says, referring to the term used to describe all the microorganisms that live in a particular environment, whether it\u2019s a human body or a body of land or water. \u201cIt requires modelers \u2014 people used to looking at big data sets \u2014 and people who think about evolutionary biology. It\u2019s a unique kind of expertise that I don\u2019t have in my lab, but the folks who work for me in the lab can take advantage of it within CMDI.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhiteley\u2019s research interests include the study of cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disease that results in bacteria chronically attacking the lungs of its patients. To combat disease, Whiteley is focusing research on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (\u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E), a particularly dangerous bacteria that\u2019s often found in CF patients\u2019 lungs. He notes that the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/drugresistance\/pdf\/threats-report\/pseudomonas-aeruginosa-508.pdf\u0022\u003ECenters for Disease Control\u003C\/a\u003E (CDC) lists it as one of the primary pathogens that is cause for clinical concern.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt lives in nature, but we published a paper showing it\u2019s not everywhere. It\u2019s located near human activity, so wherever we are, it seems to grow and do really well. It\u2019s in a lot of different diseases \u2014 and CF is one of them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EP. aeruginosa\u003C\/em\u003E is also \u201ca really important cause of wound infections,\u201d Whiteley adds, citing a CDC estimate that by 2050, about 20 percent of the entire U.S. healthcare budget could be spent treating chronic wound infections.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe biggest problem in environments where it\u2019s problematic is hospitals,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s very tolerant of antimicrobials, and it acquires resistance fairly quickly. That causes it to enrich in its environment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETaking on Covid-19\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, who is a CMDI faculty member, professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair in Biological Sciences, and founding director of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences program, is a key scientist behind Georgia Tech\u2019s Covid-19 surveillance testing efforts, along with Covid-19 event risk and population immunity modeling research around nation and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz has led a series of concurrent efforts to estimate epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, develop novel approaches to use large-scale testing as an intervention, and leverage mathematical models and real-time datasets to inform the public of ongoing transmission risk.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz recently received a best paper award \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-papers-estimating-covid-19-risk-events-hidden-symmetries-origami-capture-annual-sigma\u0022\u003Efrom the Georgia Tech Chapter of Sigma Xi\u003C\/a\u003E for his work on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECovid-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool\u003C\/a\u003E, which calculates the odds of being exposed to an infected individual in groups of different sizes; it has received more than 8 million unique visitors who have generated more than 40 million risk estimates since the planning tool\u2019s launch in July 2020.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz also joined fellow faculty and staff in sharing an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biological-sciences-and-chemistry-faculty-receive-trio-2020-2021-institute-research-awards\u0022\u003EInstitute Research Award\u003C\/a\u003E and Institute Service Award in recognition of collective efforts to design, develop, implement, deploy an asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 saliva-based testing program to address the coronavirus pandemic across campus. \u201cWe\u2019re very proud of what Joshua has done,\u201d Sam Brown says, \u201cboth in the context of Covid-19 and also in exploring new therapeutic angles for bacterial infections, by harnessing the viral natural enemies of bacteria: phages.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe search for new antibiotics \u2014 and how best to use them\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile Covid-19 is a virus that has dominated headlines since early 2020, bacterial resistance to antibiotics \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/drugresistance\/about.html\u0022\u003Ehas been a problem\u003C\/a\u003E for decades. Penicillin was first available as an antibiotic in 1941. \u003Cem\u003EStaphylococcus aureus\u003C\/em\u003E was found to be resistant to it as early as 1942.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECMDI faculty member \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/julia-kubanek\u0022\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor of in the School of Biological Sciences and School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, former associate dean for Research in the College of Sciences and newly appointed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/julia-kubanek-named-vice-president-interdisciplinary-research\u0022\u003Evice president for Interdisciplinary Research (VPIR)\u003C\/a\u003E for all of Georgia Tech, has spent the past 17 years diving into the waters near Fiji and the Solomon Islands, looking for natural marine products that could fill that widening gap in resistance-free drugs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s been a long time since entirely new classes of antibiotics were brought to market,\u201d Kubanek explains. \u201cPharmaceutical companies have reduced their investments in antibiotic drug discovery, despite the continuing rise of antimicrobial resistance among existing drugs. More resistant strains of infectious bacteria and fungi are evolving constantly and present severe threats to public health.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Covid-19 pandemic is a related example. It has revealed that science\u2019s arsenal of antiviral drugs is inadequate, she notes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKubanek and CMDI faculty colleague \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents Professor and Harry and Linda Teasley Chair in the School of Biological Sciences, are both part of Georgia Tech\u2019s drug discovery program, which looks at small molecule natural products from marine organisms as sources for potential future medicines against infectious diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA partnership with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.med.emory.edu\/\u0022\u003EEmory University School of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E helps researchers screen Georgia Tech\u2019s natural product library \u2014 what Kubanek and her research team found on those South Pacific trips \u2014 for potential drug candidates has resulted in encouraging news for viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the specific coronavirus that causes Covid-19.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re currently following three promising classes of natural products from marine algae and sponges that show preliminary activity against this coronavirus,\u201d Kubanek says. Those molecules are distinct from currently marketed antivirals and antibiotics, and that could mean more weapons in science\u2019s arsenal for fighting infectious diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECMDI researchers also approach the antibiotic resistance crisis through an epidemiological and evolutionary lens. For example, recent work from the Brown Lab has identified new strategies to slow or even reverse the increase in drug-resistant strains, by changing how doctors dose their drugs, and how they make use of diagnostic information.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMicrobes, climate, and environmental health\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond human infections and pathogen control, CMDI also focuses on the significant impacts that microbes have on human and environmental health. CMDI faculty member \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and associate chair of Research in the School of Biological Sciences who also serves as a professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, is a leading researcher in environmental microbiology, bringing the power of \u201comics\u201d technologies to discover the role of environmental microbes in shaping key aspects of our shared world, from bioremediation to climate change.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka\u2019s work \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/deepwater-horizon-and-rise-omics-decade-breakthroughs-microbial-science\u0022\u003Eled to the discovery of key marine microbes\u003C\/a\u003E that played an important role in cleaning up the oil spilled during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Disaster \u2014 microbes that turned out to be abundant in oil-contaminated soils around the world.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka\u2019s work in this space \u201crevealed a natural capacity for rare microbes in the Gulf of Mexico to catalyze the bioremediation, or natural cleanup, of petroleum hydrocarbons,\u201d he explains. \u201cThese microbes show promise as biological indicators to direct emergency response efforts, as well as to elucidate the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joel-kostka-details-microbial-legacy-deepwater-horizon-disaster\u0022\u003Eimpacts of oil exposure on ecosystem health during oil spills\u003C\/a\u003E and other environmental disasters,\u201d he adds.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Kostka Lab has also long characterized the role of the environment in shaping microbial communities that limit the release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a large scale climate change experiment that\u2019s being conducted in northern Minnesota with funding by the U.S. Department of Energy, Kostka\u2019s research recently \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/temperate-glimpse-warming-world\u0022\u003Eshowed that warming accelerates the production of greenhouse gases from soil microbial respiration\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 and that microbial activity \u201cwas fueled by the release of plant metabolites, suggesting that enhanced greenhouse gas production is likely to persist and result in amplified climate feedbacks.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJoel is our key player in this space,\u201d Brown says. \u201cHe\u2019s done incredible research on how the environment can dictate microbial species abundance and their behavioral contributions to the functioning of Earth\u2019s ecosystems. He\u2019s shown that different \u2018taxa\u2019, or groups of organisms, become metabolically active or \u2018switched on\u2019 depending on environmental factors like temperature. His research contributes to building better climate models as well as to develop new geoengineering strategies to adapt to climate change. He\u2019s doing beautiful work.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECMDI\u2019s global call to early career microbiologists\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECMDI\u2019s research is funded by grants from agencies like the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nsf.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nih.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Institutes of Health\u003C\/a\u003E to individual labs run by faculty \u2014 and by money distributed directly to the Center from across Georgia Tech, including the College of Sciences and its Office of the Dean and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/12-proposals-achieve-college-sciences-strategic-goals-funded-sutherland-deans-chair\u0022\u003ESutherland Dean\u0027s Chair\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese sources \u201care getting healthier by the minute, and that\u2019s a testament to the scientists at the Center,\u201d Brown points out \u2014 so much so that two new positions have recently been created: a senior research scientist who will assist postdoctoral and graduate students with grant and fellowship applications, and a CMDI Early Career Award Fellowship that seeks out \u201csuperstars, people who are going to go on to be faculty success stories.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe want to get them early,\u201d Brown says. \u201cWe\u2019re interviewing some great candidates just out of their Ph.D.s. We\u2019ll give them maximum independence, their own space, their own office, their own pot of money. They\u2019ll be sitting at the intersection of our research interests but can run their own lab and their own research program.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis allows postdoctoral students to focus on research projects, Julia Kubanek says. \u201cBecause postdocs generally don\u2019t enroll in formal courses, nor are they generally expected to teach in the classroom, they get to immerse themselves in research in collaboration with faculty, students, and other postdocs. The CMDI is rapidly growing as a collaborative environment, where postdocs can try out their best ideas and learn from others how to tackle the most pressing scientific questions in microbial dynamics, microbial communication, ecosystem health, and infectious disease.\u201d Kubanek adds that a related fellowship program \u201cwill augment postdoctoral salaries to attract the very best candidates, enabling grant dollars to stretch further, leading to new discoveries.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Center is also ratcheting up outreach, including what it calls its \u0022Research Envoys Program.\u0022 The intitiative features graduate students giving seminars at local institutions throughout the Atlanta area, including at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Although it\u2019s mostly on pause right now due to the pandemic, two Ph.D. students and a postdoctoral student working with CMDI faculty member \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/brian-hammer\u0022\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/a\u003E \u2014 a professor in the School of Biological Sciences who is also chair of the Institute Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, and co-director of the Aquatic Chemical Ecology Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program \u2014 recently gave remote seminars at Spelman College and Kennesaw State University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur trainees get practice in speaking, and it opens doors to folks seeing Georgia Tech as an option,\u201d Brown explains. The CMDI is also working with Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/diversity.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInstitute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sreb.org\/\u0022\u003ESouthern Regional Education Board\u003C\/a\u003E to continue to increase the number of underrepresented minorities at all levels of recruitment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re really interested in educating the next generation of scientists in biology,\u201d Whiteley adds. \u201cEverybody says that \u2014 but we\u2019re actually developing programs to recruit the best talent in the world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECMDI research areas and faculty:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESam Brown\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVirulence, microbiomes, biofilms, cystic fibrosis\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESteve Diggle\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBiofilms, virulence\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeha Garg\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECystic fibrosis, coral reef microbial disease\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrian Hammer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EVibrio cholerae (cholera), microbial interactions\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMarine ecology\/coral reefs\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEnvironmental microbiology, biogeochemistry, microbiomes, wetlands, bioremediation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENatural product drug discovery, marine chemical ecology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWilliam Ratcliff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMulticellular evolution, biofilm dynamics\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrank Rosenzweig\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECellular genomics and evolution\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPeter Yunker\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ESoft matter physics, biofilms, multicellular evolution\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EViruses\/viral modeling, bacteriophages, microbial ecology\/evolution\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMarvin Whiteley\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMicrobial ecology\/virulence, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cystic fibrosis\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/faculty\u0022\u003ELearn more about each faculty member\u2019s area of research on the CMDI website.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Renay San Miguel\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditors and Contributors:\u003C\/strong\u003E Jess Hunt-Ralston, Joel Kostka, Joshua Weitz, Julia Kubanek, Maria Avdonina, Marvin Whiteley, Sam Brown\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI) merges disciplines, aggressively recruiting microbiologist \u2018superstars\u2019 to take back the high ground from antibiotic-resistant pathogens and emerging diseases \u2014 and to harness microbes to provide new medicines, cleaner environments, and solutions to the challenges of climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"CMDI merges disciplines, aggressively recruiting microbiologist \u2018superstars\u2019 to take back the high ground from antibiotic-resistant pathogens and emerging diseases \u2014 and to harness microbes for new medicines, cleaner environments, and climate solutions."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-05-17 19:17:41","changed_gmt":"2024-02-20 20:35:41","author":"Renay San 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(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-"}},"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 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Chair"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/researchers-team-microbial-dynamics-and-infection","title":"Researchers Team Up for Microbial Dynamics and Infection"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/problematic-pathogen-develops-antibiotic-tolerance-without-previous-exposure","title":"A Problematic Pathogen Develops Antibiotic Tolerance \u2014 Without Previous Exposure"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/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:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/small-things-considered-suddath-symposium","title":"Small Things Considered at Suddath Symposium"},{"url":"https:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/","title":"Covid-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-science-forum-spotlights-coronavirus-outbreak","title":"Georgia Tech Science Forum Spotlights Coronavirus Outbreak"},{"url":"http:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/temperate-glimpse-warming-world","title":"Temperate Glimpse Into a Warming World: SPRUCE "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joel-kostka-details-microbial-legacy-deepwater-horizon-disaster","title":"The Microbial Legacy of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/deepwater-horizon-and-rise-omics-decade-breakthroughs-microbial-science","title":"Deepwater Horizon and the Rise of the Omics: A Decade of Breakthroughs in Microbial Science"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/when-coral-species-vanish-their-absence-can-imperil-surviving-corals","title":"When Coral Species Vanish, Their Absence Can Imperil Surviving Corals"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-leading-quest-ocean-solutions-0","title":"Georgia Tech Leading in the Quest for Ocean Solutions "}],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"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"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"167226","name":"Samuel Brown"},{"id":"172754","name":"Marvin Whiteley"},{"id":"4647","name":"Julia Kubanek"},{"id":"13884","name":"Mark Hay"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"11384","name":"viruses"},{"id":"5696","name":"Microbiology"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"184289","name":"covid-19"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"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\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":""}},"656498":{"#nid":"656498","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Salt Marsh Grass On Georgia\u2019s Coast Gets Nutrients for Growth From Helpful Bacteria in Its Roots","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESalt marshes cover much of the state of Georgia\u2019s coast and perform key \u0022ecosystem services\u201d for people. They clean the water, protect coastlines against storm surges, and provide a habitat for fish and shellfish. A new study finds that a species of grass that dominates those marshes has bacteria in its roots and surrounding soil that affects productivity by providing nutrients, highlighting the importance of soil microorganisms in the entire ecosystem.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s40168-021-01187-7\u0022\u003E\u201cThe core root microbiome of \u003Cem\u003ESpartina alterniflora\u003C\/em\u003E is predominated by sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria in Georgia saltmarshes, USA\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E is published in \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com\/\u0022\u003EMicrobiome\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E. The research team includes Georgia Tech Ph.D. students \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jose-rolando\u0022\u003EJose Rolando\u003C\/a\u003E (the study\u2019s lead author) and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/tianze-song\u0022\u003ETianze Song\u003C\/a\u003E; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/maxkolton.com\/members\/current\/\u0022\u003EMax Kolton\u003C\/a\u003E, a former postdoctoral researcher, now senior lecturer and principal investigator with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/in.bgu.ac.il\/en\/pages\/default.aspx\u0022\u003EBen-Gurion University of the Negev\u003C\/a\u003E in Beer Sheva, Israel; and corresponding author \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and associate chair for Research in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, who is also a member of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study shows that diverse and abundant microbes associated with spartina cordgrass help mineralize sediment organic matter and release bioavailable nutrients to the plant, suggesting that the microbes help support plant productivity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe work could assist efforts to restore salt marshes that will help to strengthen the coastline to be more resilient in the face of sea level rise and climate change.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka says about 40% of salt marshes have disappeared in the U.S. over the past 100 years. \u201cSo coastal ecosystem restoration has become a huge field, with an important goal to manage or restore marshes so that they continue to provide critical ecosystem services to people,\u201d he explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka adds that certain bacteria benefit plants not only by removing potentially toxic sulfide from the root zone, but also by giving the plant nutrients and potentially carbon. \u201cIn other words, this is an example of how we think the classic lines might be blurred by what we generally think of as autotrophs (plants that grow via photosynthesis) and heterotrophs (microbes) in ecosystems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESulfur in the roots\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study was conducted at salt marshes near Sapelo and Skidaway Islands on the Georgia coast in 2018 and 2019. There, ocean water washes over the salt marsh grasses, and that water is rich in sulfate. \u201cSulfide is a phytotoxin or plant toxin,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cA lot of sulfide will kill plants or at least stress them out, but when you add just a little bit (to \u003Cem\u003ESpartina alterniflora\u003C\/em\u003E), it fuels microbial factories in the plant roots.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka\u2019s team found that \u003Cem\u003ESpartina alterniflora\u003C\/em\u003E has concentrated sulfur bacteria in its roots, and those bacteria are in two categories: sulfur oxidizers, which use sulfide as an energy source \u2014 \u201cthen you have sulfate reducers which breathe or respire sulfate from seawater, producing sulfide.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn this microbial cell factory, bacteria are using sulfide as an energy source to fix nitrogen \u2014 and possibly carbon \u2014 which then is passed to the grasses. Nitrogen fixation happens when a microbe takes nitrogen gas from air or water and makes usable ammonium out of it. In nature, soil microbes primarily perform this process \u2014 occasionally lightning in the atmosphere can also spark it.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u2019s findings suggest that fixation is happening via chemoautotrophy (using chemical reactions for energy) by bacteria living inside the plant roots.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe next chapter of this story is to learn how the plant and bacteria exchange nitrogen and the environmental controls of that exchange,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cWe also know these bacteria can fix carbon, and could potentially be passing carbon to the plant. The plant may have a cell factory that\u2019s making biomass from chemical energy rather than photosynthesis.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFinding climate clues in plants\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new study\u2019s research in salty wetlands is similar to climate-related work Kostka leads on peat mosses in freshwater bogs at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mnspruce.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003ESpruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments (SPRUCE)\u003C\/a\u003E research facility in northern Minnesota. The facility is managed by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nrs.fs.fed.us\/disturbance\/climate_change\/spruce\/\u0022\u003EU.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Forest Service\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003EOak Ridge National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/temperate-glimpse-warming-world\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E Kostka and his team published in 2021 showed that warming peat bogs are releasing higher amounts of the greenhouse gas methane that is trapped inside them. Peatlands comprise just about 3% of the Earth\u2019s landmass, but they store around one-third of the planet\u2019s soil carbon. As they warm, bogs may also start releasing more carbon along with their methane into ecosystems, a harmful one-two punch for the environment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe saltwater marshes that Kostka\u2019s team studies have also been termed \u201cblue carbon\u201d sinks because they act to mitigate climate change by sequestering large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere on a global scale. \u201cSalt marshes or coastal marshes are not only critical as habitat for fish and shellfish that we like to eat \u2014 along with other vegetated coastal ecosystems \u2014 they store as much or more carbon as the remainder of the seafloor,\u201d Kostka says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA triumph for omics, and what\u2019s next\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka credits \u2018omics\u2019, technologies which allow for the study of microbes in the environment without cultivation, for advances in uncovering microbiomes \u2014 all the microorganisms in a specific environment. Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, the sequencing of all genes or expressed genes in the environment, allows scientists to chart the potential for microbes to carry out important ecosystem functions like nitrogen fixation. This is critical since very few microbes out of the large diversity that is out there can be grown in the lab, Kostka explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe work is another example of how we are uncovering plant microbiomes \u2014 the microbes that live inside or on the tissues of environmentally relevant plants that help the plants to grow better,\u201d Kostka adds. \u201cIf we can add microbes to the roots when we plant them, and therefore increase the survival of those plants, we can improve restoration efforts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported in part by an institutional grant (NA18OAR4170084) to the Georgia Sea Grant College Program from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/seagrant.noaa.gov\/\u0022\u003ENational Sea Grant Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\u003C\/a\u003E, US Department of Commerce, and by a grant from the National Science Foundation (DEB 1754756).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ERolando, J.L., Kolton, M., Song, T. et al. The core root microbiome of Spartina alterniflora predominated by sulfur-oxidizing and sulfate-reducing bacteria in Georgia salt marshes, USA. Microbiome 10, 37 (2022). https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s40168-021-01187-7\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\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 44,000 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","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A new study points to possible help for restoring marine ecosystems \u2014 and provides more data on the role microbes play in marsh plant health and productivity. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study points to possible help for restoring marine ecosystems \u2014 and provides\u0026nbsp;more data on the role microbes play in marsh plant health and productivity.\u0026nbsp;\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 points to possible help for restoring marine ecosystems \u2014 and provides more data on the role microbes play in marsh plant health and productivity. "}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2022-03-21 18:05:09","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 21:31:14","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-03-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2022-03-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"656499":{"id":"656499","type":"image","title":"School of Biological Sciences researchers set up a study site near Dean Creek on Sapelo Island. 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(Photo Joel Kostka)","body":null,"created":"1647886602","gmt_created":"2022-03-21 18:16:42","changed":"1647886602","gmt_changed":"2022-03-21 18:16:42","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248854","name":"Kostka saltmarsh 3.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kostka%20saltmarsh%203.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kostka%20saltmarsh%203.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1399386,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Kostka%20saltmarsh%203.jpeg?itok=vskTPf_r"}},"656503":{"id":"656503","type":"image","title":"Spartina alterniflora, the dominant plant in salt marshes on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the U.S, in the Dean Creek marsh. (Photo Joel Kostka)","body":null,"created":"1647886843","gmt_created":"2022-03-21 18:20:43","changed":"1647886843","gmt_changed":"2022-03-21 18:20:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248855","name":"Kostka saltmarsh 4.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kostka%20saltmarsh%204.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Kostka%20saltmarsh%204.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1893562,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Kostka%20saltmarsh%204.jpeg?itok=I_Khl8Z-"}},"656513":{"id":"656513","type":"image","title":"Clockwise from left: Researchers Joel Kostka, Jose Rolando, Tianze Song, Max Kolton. (Photo: Joel Kostka Lab)","body":null,"created":"1647898313","gmt_created":"2022-03-21 21:31:53","changed":"1647898313","gmt_changed":"2022-03-21 21:31:53","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248861","name":"kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kostka.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kostka.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":990066,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/kostka.jpg?itok=QIuGHQ31"}}},"media_ids":["656499","656500","656501","656503","656513"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/temperate-glimpse-warming-world","title":"Temperate Glimpse into a Warming World"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/nsf-supports-research-microbes-peat-moss","title":"NSF Supports Research on the Microbes in Peat Moss"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-8-digging-climate-clues-peat-moss","title":"ScienceMatters - Season 3, Episode 8 - Digging Up Climate Clues in Peat Moss"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joel-kostka-details-microbial-legacy-deepwater-horizon-disaster","title":"Joel Kostka Details the Microbial Legacy of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/microbial-research-may-be-key-salt-marsh-restoration","title":"Microbial Research may be the Key to Salt Marsh Restoration"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/getting-root-plant-soil-interactions-optical-instrument-give-clearest-3d-images-yet-rhizosphere","title":"Getting to the Root of Plant-Soil Interactions: Optical Instrument to Give Clearest 3D Images Yet of Rhizosphere"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/deepwater-horizon-and-rise-omics-decade-breakthroughs-microbial-science","title":"Deepwater Horizon and the Rise of the Omics: A Decade of Breakthroughs in Microbial Science"}],"groups":[{"id":"620089","name":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection (CMDI)"},{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"},{"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"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"190187","name":"Jose Rolando"},{"id":"190188","name":"Tianze Song"},{"id":"182973","name":"Max Kolton"},{"id":"190189","name":"salt marshes"},{"id":"190190","name":"salt grass"},{"id":"176431","name":"marine ecosystems"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"7572","name":"microbes"},{"id":"184359","name":"Omics"},{"id":"190191","name":"Spartina"},{"id":"831","name":"climate change"},{"id":"190192","name":"salt marsh restoration"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Renay 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\u003EEditor: Jess Hunt-Ralston\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"653325":{"#nid":"653325","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Getting to the Root of Plant-Soil Interactions: Optical Instrument to Give Clearest 3D Images Yet of Rhizosphere ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAn interdisciplinary team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology has received a $2 million federal grant to create tools that will provide the clearest three-dimensional images yet of the chemical and biomolecular interactions between plants and the soil in which they grow.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt just a few inches underground, the rhizosphere \u2014 the thin strip of earth that includes the soil-root interface \u2014 has so far been difficult to visualize on site. If scientists can build instruments that capture in real-time clearer images of the physical associations of microbes attached to roots, along with the oxygen-carbon-nitrogen chemical exchanges they mediate, it could help mitigate the effects of climate change and lead to the development of more sustainable fuels and fertilizers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFrom a microbiological perspective, we have catalogued what microbes are in the root zone and how abundant they are,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \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 at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cBut there\u0027s been very little work to understand their dynamics under real soil conditions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka, who also serves as associate chair for Research in Biological Sciences, joins \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/cicerone\/marcus\u0022\u003EMarcus Cicerone\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and principal investigator for the new grant from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/science\/ber\/biological-and-environmental-research\u0022\u003EU.S. Department of Energy\u2019s Office of Biological and Environmental Research\u003C\/a\u003E. The research team also includes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Francisco-E-Robles\u0022\u003EFrancisco Robles\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/people\/lily-cheung\u0022\u003ELily Cheung\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETogether, the researchers plan to produce a new optical instrument that will provide 3D images of dynamic metabolic processes with chemical specificity \u2014 meaning it will be able to identify carbon sources (sugars, organic acids) exuded by plant roots and nitrogen-rich compounds provided to the root by nitrogen-fixing (diazotrophic) microbes. The instrument will be built with commercially available components, and with an eye towards simplicity so that it can be easily leveraged by Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Research Centers and field sites.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA \u2018hotspot for microbes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u2019\u003Cstrong\u003E in 3D\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding more about the metabolic processes happening in the rhizosphere will help the DOE develop a wider range of sustainable products like new types of biofertilizers and biofuels. The research will also help create practices for better crop management \u2014 and will help researchers use plants and soil as more effective carbon traps that sequester greenhouse gases from the atmosphere into the soil.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe problem is that we don\u2019t know much about the free-living bacteria in the soil, because we can\u2019t get in there and look,\u201d Cicerone said. \u201cThe DOE wanted somebody to build an instrument that would allow them to image or gather information about the metabolic processes, the interaction \u2014 the metabolic interactions between the microbes and the plants, in real time.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKostka adds that the rhizosphere is \u201ca hotspot for microbes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s often where the plant is communicating with the outside world,\u201d he explained. \u201cOur goal is to develop an instrument that they (the DOE) can use to better understand those interactions between plants and microbes and how those can be tweaked, say, to optimize plant production, crop production, biofuels and biomass production. And that\u0027s the long-term goal for us.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow light gets scattered, smothered, and covered in soil\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECicerone says the visibility issue with soil involves how photons \u2014 or particles of light \u2014 scatter once they hit the soil. He likens it to someone putting a red light up to the back of their thumb.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou turn your thumb around, your thumb glows red, right? So, the light comes through, but most of it scatters. The unscattered light contains the spatial information, but it is so weak that you can\u2019t detect it by eye, and you lose the spatial information. The same thing happens with the soils. You get a lot of light scattering, and you lose spatial information,\u201d Cicerone said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECicerone and Robles will build instrumentation that will focus light into the soil and that is \u201cexquisitely sensitive to the minuscule amount of light that only scatters when it reaches its target.\u201d Evaluating that light will help scientists learn even more about the chemical processes in the rhizosphere.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe visibility enhancements will be implemented in optical techniques with names like \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/robleslab.gatech.edu\/coherent-raman-scattering\/\u0022\u003Ecoherent Raman scattering\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.1957169\u0022\u003Eoptical coherence tomography\u003C\/a\u003E, which are commonly used for non-invasive imaging of thin biological material, like the retina of the eye \u2014 or the tiniest of plant roots.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe learn two things from the light coming out of the sample. The amount of light coming out tells you about the refractive index of the material, and the light\u2019s frequency change tells you about the chemical composition of the material,\u201d Cicerone explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s through imaging and then optimizing those microbe-plant interactions that the DOE aims to design more sustainable products and practices, based on the chemistry to be learned from the team\u2019s new optical instruments.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is a three-year funded project, and we hope at the end of the three years to have an experimental system, where we can do something that nobody else can do,\u201d Cicerone added. \u201cAnd that is that we can follow the biochemistry under the soil, \u003Cem\u003Ein situ\u003C\/em\u003E, in real time, to clearly see what\u0027s going on there and find out what the microbes really are doing in natural conditions. At that point, we can start manipulating the biology, start doing the experiments that the DOE is primarily interested in.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAward Number:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;DE-SC0022121\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ETitle:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Deep Chemical Imaging of the Rhizosphere\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EInstitution:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EPrincipal Investigator:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Cicerone, Marcus\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\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","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers receive $2 million DOE grant to build optical instrument focused on understanding and imaging the rhizosphere "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech scientists and engineers are building a new DOE-funded instrument that captures 3D images of plant-microbe chemical reactions underground in an interdisciplinary effort to develop biofuels and fertilizers \u2014 and help mitigate climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech scientists and engineers are building a new DOE-funded instrument that captures 3D images of plant-microbe chemical reactions underground in an interdisciplinary effort to develop biofuels and fertilizers \u2014 and help mitigate climate change."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2021-12-02 17:21:44","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 21:30:43","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-12-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2021-12-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"653303":{"id":"653303","type":"image","title":"At just a few inches under our feet, the rhizosphere is described as a \u0022hotspot for microbes.\u0022 (Photo by Chad Ralston)","body":null,"created":"1638386785","gmt_created":"2021-12-01 19:26:25","changed":"1638386785","gmt_changed":"2021-12-01 19:26:25","alt":"","file":{"fid":"247796","name":"islay-peat-bog-roots.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/islay-peat-bog-roots.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/islay-peat-bog-roots.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":563963,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/islay-peat-bog-roots.jpg?itok=LRc9gFQB"}},"653302":{"id":"653302","type":"image","title":"A section of the soil-root interface that makes up the rhizosphere. (Photo by Joel Kostka)","body":null,"created":"1638384330","gmt_created":"2021-12-01 18:45:30","changed":"1638384330","gmt_changed":"2021-12-01 18:45:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"247795","name":"IMG_1394.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1394.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1394.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1118879,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_1394.JPG?itok=OjCocfr_"}},"653301":{"id":"653301","type":"image","title":"The rhizosphere is the thin strip of earth that includes the soil-root interface. (Photo by Joel Kostka)","body":null,"created":"1638384183","gmt_created":"2021-12-01 18:43:03","changed":"1638384183","gmt_changed":"2021-12-01 18:43:03","alt":"","file":{"fid":"247794","name":"IMG_1387.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1387.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/IMG_1387.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1243347,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/IMG_1387.JPG?itok=9gpKLqnP"}},"653326":{"id":"653326","type":"image","title":"Marcus Cicerone","body":null,"created":"1638466007","gmt_created":"2021-12-02 17:26:47","changed":"1638466007","gmt_changed":"2021-12-02 17:26:47","alt":"","file":{"fid":"247801","name":"Marcus Cicerone.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Marcus%20Cicerone.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Marcus%20Cicerone.png","mime":"image\/png","size":497043,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Marcus%20Cicerone.png?itok=SNMctgW2"}},"653327":{"id":"653327","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka","body":null,"created":"1638466111","gmt_created":"2021-12-02 17:28:31","changed":"1638466111","gmt_changed":"2021-12-02 17:28:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"247802","name":"Joel Kostka.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.png","mime":"image\/png","size":387460,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Joel%20Kostka.png?itok=ejixhcRB"}},"643048":{"id":"643048","type":"image","title":"Francisco Robles","body":null,"created":"1611008910","gmt_created":"2021-01-18 22:28:30","changed":"1611008910","gmt_changed":"2021-01-18 22:28:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"244176","name":"FRobles.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/FRobles.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/FRobles.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":714777,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/FRobles.jpg?itok=KpPf9g0D"}},"653355":{"id":"653355","type":"image","title":"Lily Cheung","body":null,"created":"1638479185","gmt_created":"2021-12-02 21:06:25","changed":"1638479185","gmt_changed":"2021-12-02 21:06:25","alt":"","file":{"fid":"247809","name":"cheung2018.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cheung2018.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cheung2018.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":87976,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cheung2018.jpg?itok=vo4RJyR3"}}},"media_ids":["653303","653302","653301","653326","653327","643048","653355"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/college-sciences-welcomes-seven-faculty-members","title":"College of Sciences Welcomes Seven Faculty Members"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/college-sciences-postdocs-shine-research-symposium","title":"College of Sciences Postdocs Shine in Research Symposium"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joel-kostka-details-microbial-legacy-deepwater-horizon-disaster","title":"Joel Kostka Details the Microbial Legacy of the Deepwater Horizon Disaster"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/microbial-research-may-be-key-salt-marsh-restoration","title":"Microbial Research may be the Key to Salt Marsh Restoration"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/nsf-supports-research-microbes-peat-moss","title":"NSF Supports Research on the Microbes in Peat Moss"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/science-matters\/sciencematters-season-3-episode-8-digging-climate-clues-peat-moss","title":"ScienceMatters - Season 3, Episode 8 - Digging Up Climate Clues in Peat Moss"},{"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\/cmdi-mighty-microbial-dynamics-healthier-people-and-planet","title":"CMDI: Mighty Microbial Dynamics for a Healthier People and Planet"}],"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":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"189460","name":"Marcus Cicerone"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"189456","name":"rhizosphere"},{"id":"188073","name":"optical imaging"},{"id":"189461","name":"soil-plant interaction"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Renay 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\u003EEditors: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:georgia.parmelee@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGeorgia Parmelee\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"658234":{"#nid":"658234","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NASA Astrobiology Unveils New Research Coordination Network at AbSciCon 2022","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis release first published in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\u0022\u003ENASA.gov\u003C\/a\u003E newsroom:\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/nasa-astrobiology-unveils-new-research-coordination-network-at-abscicon-2022\u0022\u003ENASA\u0027s Astrobiology program has announced its newest Research Coordination Network\u003C\/a\u003E (RCN)\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003E\u2018LIFE: Early Cells to Multicellularity,\u2019\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/em\u003Ebringing together a collaboration of researchers from around the world that will spend the next five years investigating the earliest biological processes and the evolution of life into more complex organisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new RCN was officially launched today at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agu.org\/AbSciCon\u0022\u003E2022 Astrobiology Science Conference\u003C\/a\u003E, hosted by the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. The field of astrobiology seeks to understand how life originated and evolved on Earth so we can search for life elsewhere in the universe.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENASA\u2019s RCNs are virtual collaboration structures designed to support groups of investigators to communicate and coordinate their research across disciplinary, organizational, divisional, and geographic boundaries.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe LIFE RCN is co-led by the University of Wisconsin\u2013Madison\u2019s Bet\u00fcl Ka\u00e7ar, alongside Georgia Institute of Technology\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/frank-rosenzweig\u0022\u003EFrank Rosenzweig\u003C\/a\u003E, Arizona State University\u2019s Ariel Anbar, and University of California Riverside\u2019s Mary Droser.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLIFE will discern rules of co-evolution (between organisms and their environment) that will enable us to predict how life could evolve on worlds other than our own, and how we might search for it,\u201d said Ka\u00e7ar. \u201cWe know that the journey from single cells to multicellularity relied on critical environmental and biological innovations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of five cross-divisional networks, RCNs are inherently crosscutting and focus on interdisciplinary science questions. LIFE joins:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nexss.info\/about\/about-nexss\u0022\u003ENexus for Exoplanet System Science\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(NExSS) focuses on the study and characterization of planets with the greatest potential for signs of life.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nfold.org\/\u0022\u003ENetwork for Life Detection\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(NfoLD) investigates life detection research, including biosignature creation and preservation, as well as related technology development.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EPrebiotic Chemistry and Early Earth Environments (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/prebioticchem.info\/\u0022\u003EPCE3\u003C\/a\u003E) Consortium strives to transform the origins of life community by breaking down language and ideological barriers and enhancing communication across the disciplinary divide between early earth geoscientists and prebiotic chemists.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oceanworlds.space\/\u0022\u003ENetwork for Ocean Worlds\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;advances comparative studies to characterize Earth and other ocean worlds across their interiors, oceans, and cryospheres; to investigate their habitability; to search for biosignatures; and to understand life\u2014in relevant ocean world analogues and beyond.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAstrobiology has been a part of NASA since its inception and is the focus of a growing number of NASA\u2019s science missions,\u201d said Mary Voytek, senior scientist for NASA\u2019s Astrobiology Program. \u201cWe are excited for the important work that members of our LIFE RCN will accomplish in support of NASA\u2019s objective to understand the distribution of life beyond Earth.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe goal of NASA\u2019s Astrobiology Program is the study of the origins, evolution, and distribution of life in the Universe. The Program is central to NASA\u2019s continued exploration of our solar system and beyond and supports research into the origin and early evolution of life, the potential of life to adapt to different environments, and the implications for life elsewhere. NASA, together with the science community, has developed an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/research\/astrobiology-at-nasa\/astrobiology-strategy\/\u0022\u003EAstrobiology Strategy\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that describes the scientific goals and objectives of NASA\u2019s Astrobiology Program.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELearn more: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003Eastrobiology.nasa.gov\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"School of Biological Sciences\u0027 Frank Rosenzweig to co-lead \u0022LIFE: Early Cells to Multicellularity\u0022 Astrobiology Research Coordination Network"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFrank Rosenzweig, professor in the School of Biological Sciences and Georgia Tech Astrobiology faculty member, will serve as co-leader of\u0026nbsp;the NASA Astrobiology Research Coordination Network, \u003Cem\u003E\u0027LIFE: Early Cells to Multicellularity.\u0027 \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Frank Rosenzweig, professor in the School of Biological Sciences and Georgia Tech Astrobiology faculty member, will serve as co-leader of the NASA Astrobiology Research Coordination Network, \u0022LIFE: Early Cells to Multicellularity.\u0022"}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2022-05-16 15:15:06","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 21:24:54","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-05-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2022-05-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"658238":{"id":"658238","type":"image","title":"Former College of Sciences postdoctoral fellow Bet\u00fcl Ka\u00e7ar (left) is an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (Photo NASA: Jeff Miller)","body":null,"created":"1652714736","gmt_created":"2022-05-16 15:25:36","changed":"1652714736","gmt_changed":"2022-05-16 15:25:36","alt":"","file":{"fid":"249513","name":"kacar betul.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kacar%20betul.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kacar%20betul.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":504686,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/kacar%20betul.jpeg?itok=0pTBtMtY"}},"627775":{"id":"627775","type":"image","title":"Frank Rosenzweig","body":null,"created":"1571410329","gmt_created":"2019-10-18 14:52:09","changed":"1571410329","gmt_changed":"2019-10-18 14:52:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"239047","name":"Frank.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Frank.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Frank.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2511963,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Frank.jpg?itok=m4-x_GvO"}},"658248":{"id":"658248","type":"image","title":"Petri dishes containing cultures of ancient DNA molecules are pictured in the research lab of Bet\u00fcl Ka\u00e7ar, assistant professor of bacteriology, in the Microbial Sciences Building at the University of Wisconsin\u2013Madison on Oct. 21, 2021. (Jeff Miller)","body":null,"created":"1652724518","gmt_created":"2022-05-16 18:08:38","changed":"1652724518","gmt_changed":"2022-05-16 18:08:38","alt":"","file":{"fid":"249522","name":"kacar_betul_lab21_1314.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kacar_betul_lab21_1314.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/kacar_betul_lab21_1314.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":132946,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/kacar_betul_lab21_1314.jpg?itok=cjDHSiRY"}}},"media_ids":["658238","627775","658248"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2022\/05\/evolution-astrobiology","title":"Feature: An Evolution of Astrobiology  "},{"url":"https:\/\/www.agu.org\/AbSciCon","title":"2022 AbSciCon"},{"url":"https:\/\/astrobiology.gatech.edu","title":"Georgia Tech Astrobiology "}],"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":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"123971","name":"Frank Rosenzweig"},{"id":"175345","name":"Georgia Tech Astrobiology"},{"id":"190624","name":"2022 AbSciCon"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"722","name":"Astrobiology"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"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\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648675":{"#nid":"648675","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Inaugural CMDI-CDC Symposium Offers Perspectives on Infectious Disease Dynamics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAt the first ever CMDI-CDC Meeting on Infectious Disease Dynamics, held on June 10, 2021, researchers from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/\u0022\u003ECenters for Disease Control and Prevention\u003C\/a\u003E (CDC) and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E (CMDI) came together virtually to discuss ecological and evolutionary\u0026nbsp;perspectives on infectious disease dynamics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe mission of the CMDI is to transform the study and the sustainable control of microbial dynamics in contexts of human and environmental health,\u201d notes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/sam-brown\u0022\u003ESam Brown\u003C\/a\u003E, director of CMDI and professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech. \u201cIn keeping with this work, the CMDI-CDC Meeting on Infectious Disease Dynamics brought together these scientists as neighbors in Atlanta, and as organizations committed to the research of disease prevention and control.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn addition to showcasing the overlapping research interests of the CMDI and the CDC, the symposium also offered members of the Georgia Tech and CDC communities an open platform to ask questions of researchers in real time, as well as an opportunity to make new connections and encourage collaboration,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jennifer-farrell-93416a92\u0022\u003EJennifer Farrell\u003C\/a\u003E, a Ph.D. student studying microbiology at Georgia Tech who helped organize the meeting.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFarrell shares:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe online symposium drew 178 participants from across Georgia Tech and the CDC, setting the stage for continued communication and collaboration between the two institutions. The day kicked off with opening remarks from Brown and Juliana Cyril, director of the Office of Technology and Innovation, Office of Science, CDC. \u0026nbsp;Cyril and Brown each highlighted the unique relationships and collaborative potential between the two organizations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETalks spanned pathogen systems, from the bacteria \u003Cem\u003EPseudomonas aeruginosa \u003C\/em\u003Eand \u003Cem\u003EStreptococcus pneumoniae \u003C\/em\u003E(Rich Stanton and Davina Campbell, CDC; Pengbo Cao, CMDI; Bernie Beall, CDC), to colonization dynamics of the fungal pathogen, \u003Cem\u003ECandida auris \u003C\/em\u003E(Joe Sexton, CDC), to shield immunity in SARS-CoV-2 (Adriana Lucia-Sans and Andreea Magalie, CMDI).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETalks were further divided into research themes such as biofilm control (Pablo Bravo, CMDI; Rodney Donlan, CDC; Sheyda Azimi, CMDI) and microbiomes in infection (Commander Alison Laufer-Halpin, CDC; Jennifer Farrell, CMDI).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn line with the commitment of the CMDI to promote trainee career development, the CMDI-CDC Meeting on Infectious Disease Dynamics was organized and run by Center graduate students and post-doctoral scientists, and CMDI talks were presented exclusively by Center trainees,\u201d adds Farrell. \u201cWe look forward to continuing the conversation with our CDC colleagues in the future!\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn June, the first ever joint symposium of the Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection at Georgia Tech (CMDI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) brought together interdisciplinary researchers to discuss infectious disease dynamics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In June, the first ever joint symposium of the Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection at Georgia Tech (CMDI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) brought together interdisciplinary researchers to discuss infectious disease dynamics."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2021-07-09 18:40:05","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 20:27:11","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-07-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"647521":{"id":"647521","type":"image","title":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection Logo","body":null,"created":"1621279753","gmt_created":"2021-05-17 19:29:13","changed":"1621279753","gmt_changed":"2021-05-17 19:29:13","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245816","name":"CMDI Logo.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CMDI%20Logo.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/CMDI%20Logo.png","mime":"image\/png","size":196647,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/CMDI%20Logo.png?itok=LL23cFPA"}}},"media_ids":["647521"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/microdynamics.gatech.edu\/","title":"Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection at Georgia Tech (CMDI) "}],"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"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"123","name":"CDC"}],"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"634548":{"#nid":"634548","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Keeping Connected with Science: The Stay at Home Journal Club","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith classes moved online and face-to-face interaction minimized to talking through a screen, students and faculty are searching for creative ways to stay in touch with their colleagues. Since teleportation is not yet feasible, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jennifer-leavey\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJennifer Leavey\u003C\/a\u003E has turned to another channel to connect with her students: YouTube!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn April 1, Leavey published her first edition of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLt829xJ4naD9EQYcYkZFkK3NPAhq8QDK8\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EStay-at-Home Journal Club\u003C\/a\u003E (SAHJC), a regular series in which she analyzes and explains a recent scientific article in two minutes or less. So far, she has focused on articles about COVID-19, but is interested in discussing a wide range of topics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI had been seeing friends and family post links to articles and websites about COVID-19 that varied widely in how much they were based on science,\u201d said Leavey. \u201cI wanted to counter some of the conspiracy theories and give people hope that science would find a way to prevent or cure the disease.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the first edition of the SAHJC, Leavey discussed the article \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.sciencemag.org\/content\/367\/6485\/1444.full\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u201cStructural basis for the recognition of the SARS-CoV-2 by full-length human ACE2\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E. She briefly explained the research\u2019s objective, methods, results, and long-term impacts before ending the video with a smile goodbye. Her calming and positive presence ensures that the videos discussing important topics aren\u2019t intimidating to people that may be unfamiliar with certain vocabulary or concepts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo find the articles that she covers, Leavey starts with exploring the topics that interests her.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUsually I get curious about something I read in the news and then I look up peer-reviewed research articles or pre-publication manuscripts,\u201d says Leavey.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor Leavey, the SAHJC has served several purposes. Researching articles encourages her to explore fascinating scientific research, while creating video allows her to promote continuous visual and verbal contact with others.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI have been teaching online and I feel so much better when I can see my students faces,\u201d says Leavey. \u201cI really miss being in the classroom and seeing everyone and having discussions about science. I hope watching these videos can help people feel more connected.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELeavey has published \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLt829xJ4naD9EQYcYkZFkK3NPAhq8QDK8\u0022\u003Eseven videos to the SAHJC\u003C\/a\u003E and has already felt the positive impacts of using visual media to connect with others. She hopes to create more while working and is encouraging anyone interested to get involved in the SAHJC. Leavey says that people interested can ask questions in the comments of her videos, share the videos with friends, or even create their own videos.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003ECollaboration and Community\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe goals of collaboration and building strong relationships are prominent in Leavey\u2019s life. Though physical distance separates her from her peers, Leavey is making the most of her time at home while by intentionally and meaningfully connecting with friends.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLast night I went on a \u0027walk\u0027 with one of my colleagues from work,\u201d says Leavey. \u201cWe just had a phone call while we were each walking around our neighborhoods and it was great!\u0026nbsp; We got a little exercise, shared an experience, and talked about our classes. It was a lot more satisfying than a BlueJeans meeting for me.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether she\u2019s teaching in the classroom or through a screen, Jennifer Leavey\u2019s passion for learning is tangible. The Stay at Home Journal Club is educational, energetic, and enchanting, and is a prime example of Leavey\u2019s steadfast support of her students and colleagues.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWatch the latest episodes of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLt829xJ4naD9EQYcYkZFkK3NPAhq8QDK8\u0022\u003EStay at Home Journal Club\u003C\/a\u003E, and learn how to get involved in the project.\u003C\/strong\u003E\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:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/sneaking-science-punk-rock-sciencematters-episode-7-starring-jennifer-leavey\u0022\u003ESneaking Science into Punk RocK: ScienceMatters Episode 7, Starring Jennifer Leavey\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/jennifer-leavey-honey-bees-science-rock\u0022\u003EJennifer Leavey: From Honey Bees to Science Rock \u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/jennifer-leavey-and-her-favorite-element\u0022\u003EJennifer Leavey and Her Favorite Element\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EBy: Grace Pietkiewicz\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\u003C\/div\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHow Jennifer Leavey\u2019s videos use research articles to build personal contact and educate online communities about COVID-19 research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"How Jennifer Leavey\u2019s videos use research articles to build personal contact and educate online communities about COVID-19 research."}],"uid":"35185","created_gmt":"2020-04-20 16:46:53","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 20:20:52","author":"kpietkiewicz3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"634551":{"id":"634551","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Leavey\u0027s Stay at Home Journal Club","body":null,"created":"1587402171","gmt_created":"2020-04-20 17:02:51","changed":"1587402451","gmt_changed":"2020-04-20 17:07:31","alt":"","file":{"fid":"241479","name":"2020 04 20 Stay at Home Journal Club.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2020%2004%2020%20Stay%20at%20Home%20Journal%20Club_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2020%2004%2020%20Stay%20at%20Home%20Journal%20Club_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":319639,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2020%2004%2020%20Stay%20at%20Home%20Journal%20Club_0.jpg?itok=d9WI1o-E"}}},"media_ids":["634551"],"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)"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"91501","name":"Research paper"},{"id":"1564","name":"community"},{"id":"7492","name":"connection"},{"id":"69551","name":"Community Connections"}],"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\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nkatiegracepz@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kpietkiewicz3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"633910":{"#nid":"633910","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Scientists Discuss COVID-19 with GPB, 11Alive, Kurzgesagt, National Geographic","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPlease note: This page is a compilation of faculty media mentions.\u0026nbsp;For up-to-date information on Georgia Tech\u0027s response to coronavirus (COVID-19) please see\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttp:\/\/health.gatech.edu\/coronavirus\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECOVID-19 has sent many to seek out the latest information and ask questions about the spread of the virus in Georgia and whether initial sources of the coronavirus in the state can be tracked.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Sciences faculty \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/crowds-vaccines-climate-comparisons-sciences-faculty-share-covid-19-insights-expertise-media\u0022\u003Econtinue to share\u003C\/a\u003E insights and expertise in news reports focused on the topic:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoshua Weitz on viral spread modeling\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gpbnews.org\/post\/political-rewind-closer-look-georgias-outbreak-numbers\u0022\u003EGPB Political Rewind: A Closer Look At Georgia\u0027s Outbreak Numbers\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022 target=\u0022_self\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;is a professor of biological sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology and founding director of the Quantitative Biosciences Ph.D. program at Georgia Tech. He was part of a Political Rewind panel that included Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editor Kevin Riley, and Dr. Mark Rosenberg, former CEO of the Task Force for Global Health.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWeitz: \u201cWe are connected, and we\u2019re connected in the sense that the steps individuals take to social distance from others to try not to get infected also reduces infection that could affect other people. That really is the core idea of what we\u2019ve done in terms of these models of the epidemic\u2019s spread.\u201d\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gpbnews.org\/post\/political-rewind-closer-look-georgias-outbreak-numbers\u0022\u003ERead more and listen to the show on GPBnews.org.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EM.G. Finn on the difficulty of viral source tracking\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.11alive.com\/article\/news\/health\/coronavirus\/kemp-suggests-covid-19-entered-georgia-before-march\/85-34faf5b1-d0fd-400a-abdc-9706021f8927\u0022\u003EWXIA 11Alive: Kemp suggests COVID-19 entered state before March; Scientists believe tracking first cases possible, but challenging\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe first coronavirus cases were confirmed in Georgia just a few weeks ago, but Governor Brian Kemp thinks the illness was in the state long before that.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/finn\/m.g.\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EM.G. Finn\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E said backtracking to find the earliest cases of this specific virus could be very challenging.\u0026nbsp;Finn is a professor and the chair of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0022Imagine if you\u0027re looking at a smooth lake and somebody throws a single rock into the lake and you see the waves come out, it is very easy to track those waves back any you will know exactly where the rock landed,\u0022 Finn said. \u0022The problem now is that it is raining pebbles.\u0022\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.11alive.com\/article\/news\/health\/coronavirus\/kemp-suggests-covid-19-entered-georgia-before-march\/85-34faf5b1-d0fd-400a-abdc-9706021f8927\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ERead more and watch on 11Alive.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDaniel Cornforth, James Gurney, Joshua Weitz lend expertise to a widely watched coronavirus video\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/youtu.be\/BtN-goy9VOY\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKurzgesagt \u2013 In a Nutshell: The Coronavirus Explained \u0026amp; What You Should Do\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/daniel-cornforth\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDaniel Cornforth\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/james-gurney\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJames R. Gurney\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, and \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJoshua S. Weitz\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E from Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection helped inform this instructional video, which illustrates how COVID-19 attacks and how to slow its spread. To date, the video has 20 million views.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BtN-goy9VOY\u0026amp;feature=emb_title\u0022\u003EWatch on YouTube.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoshua Weitz on the mathematics of crowds and viruses \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/science\/2020\/03\/graphic-see-why-small-groups-are-safer-during-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic\/#close\u0022\u003ENational Geographic: See why keeping groups small can save lives in the era of COVID-19\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWhy are large events so dangerous in a pandemic? Just look at the math: As COVID-19 cases increase across the U.S., the risk of exposing members of a group to the virus goes up exponentially with event size, according to Georgia Institute of Technology biologist Joshua Weitz.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWeitz says that the increased risk strongly justifies recent efforts to limit event sizes. Testing delays in the U.S. have further compounded the issue by obscuring the disease\u2019s true prevalence.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u201cThings have moved fast (as they do in epidemics),\u201d Weitz says in an email. \u201cWe should be physically distancing whenever feasible.\u201d\u003C\/em\u003E\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\/#close\u0022\u003ERead more at National Geographic. \u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERelated Stories:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/gtsciences\u0022\u003EFollow @GTSciences on Twitter for more news and stories\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/crowds-vaccines-climate-comparisons-sciences-faculty-share-covid-19-insights-expertise-media\u0022\u003ECrowds, Vaccines, Climate Comparisons: Sciences Faculty Share COVID-19 Insights, Expertise with Media\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2020\/03\/31\/truckloads-personal-protection-equipment-donated-healthcare-workers\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETruckloads of Personal Protection Equipment Donated for Healthcare Workers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2020\/03\/23\/do-it-yourself-medical-devices-protective-gear-fuel-battle-against-covid-19\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDo-It-Yourself Medical Devices \u0026amp; Protective Gear Fuel Battle Against COVID-19\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.news.gatech.edu\/2020\/04\/06\/simple-low-cost-ventilator-builds-available-resuscitation-bags\u0022\u003ESimple, Low-Cost Ventilator Builds on Available Resuscitation Bags\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Assistance\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986) (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Joshua Weitz, M.G. Finn, Daniel Cornforth, and James Gurney share COVID-19 expertise with media in Atlanta and around the globe. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECOVID-19 has sent many to seek out the latest information and ask questions about the spread of the virus in Georgia and whether initial sources of the coronavirus in the state can be tracked. Georgia Tech College of Sciences faculty and researchers \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/crowds-vaccines-climate-comparisons-sciences-faculty-share-covid-19-insights-expertise-media\u0022\u003Econtinue to share\u003C\/a\u003E insights and expertise in news reports focused on the topic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Joshua Weitz, M.G. Finn, Daniel Cornforth, and James Gurney share COVID-19 expertise with media in Atlanta and around the globe. "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2020-03-30 21:22:56","changed_gmt":"2024-02-15 20:20:26","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2020-03-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"633909":{"id":"633909","type":"image","title":"From the video, \u0022The Coronavirus Explained \u0026 What You Should Do,\u0022 by Kurzgesagt \u2013 In a Nutshell.","body":null,"created":"1585603251","gmt_created":"2020-03-30 21:20:51","changed":"1585603251","gmt_changed":"2020-03-30 21:20:51","alt":"From the video, \u0022The Coronavirus Explained \u0026 What You Should Do,\u0022 by Kurzgesagt \u2013 In a Nutshell.","file":{"fid":"241205","name":" Kurzgesagt \u2013 In a Nutshell.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/%20Kurzgesagt%20%E2%80%93%20In%20a%20Nutshell.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/%20Kurzgesagt%20%E2%80%93%20In%20a%20Nutshell.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":199301,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/%20Kurzgesagt%20%E2%80%93%20In%20a%20Nutshell.jpg?itok=gl5NdZcB"}}},"media_ids":["633909"],"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":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"184289","name":"covid-19"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"183843","name":"coronavirus"},{"id":"96831","name":"M.G. Finn"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"184346","name":"Daniel Cornforth"},{"id":"184347","name":"James Gurney"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\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":""}},"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":""}},"672052":{"#nid":"672052","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Create Light-Powered Yeast, Providing Insights Into Evolution, Biofuels, Cellular Aging","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EYou may be familiar with yeast as the organism content to turn carbs into products like bread and beer when left to ferment in the dark. In these cases, exposure to light can hinder or even spoil the process.\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\u003EIn a \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2023.12.044\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Enew study\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 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\u003ECurrent 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, researchers in Georgia Tech\u2019s \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 have engineered one of the world\u2019s first strains of yeast that may be happier with the lights on.\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 were frankly shocked by how simple it was to turn the yeast into phototrophs (organisms that can harness and use energy from light),\u201d says \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/anthony-burnetti\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAnthony Burnetti\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, a research scientist working in Associate Professor \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWilliam Ratcliff\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\u2019s laboratory and corresponding author of the study. \u201cAll we needed to do was move a single gene, and they grew 2% faster in the light than in the dark. Without any fine-tuning or careful coaxing, it just worked.\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\u003EEasily equipping the yeast with such an evolutionarily important trait could mean big things for our understanding of how this trait originated \u2014 and how it can be used to study things like biofuel production, evolution, and cellular aging.\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\u003ELooking for an energy boost\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe research was inspired by the group\u2019s past work investigating the evolution of multicellular life. The group published their first report on their \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/journey-origins-multicellular-life-long-term-experimental-evolution-lab\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMulticellularity Long-Term Evolution 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 (MuLTEE) in \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\/s41586-023-06052-1\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENature\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E last year, uncovering how their single-celled model organism, \u201csnowflake yeast,\u201d was able to evolve multicellularity over 3,000 generations.\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\u003EThroughout these evolution experiments, one major limitation for multicellular evolution appeared: energy.\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\u201cOxygen has a hard time diffusing deep into tissues, and you get tissues without the ability to get energy as a result,\u201d says Burnetti. \u201cI was looking for ways to get around this oxygen-based energy limitation.\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\u003EOne way to give organisms an energy boost without using oxygen is through light. But the ability to turn light into usable energy can be complicated from an evolutionary standpoint. For example, the molecular machinery that allows plants to use light for energy involves a host of genes and proteins that are hard to synthesize and transfer to other organisms \u2014 both in the lab and naturally through evolution.\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\u003ELuckily, plants are not the only organisms that can convert light to energy.\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\u003EKeeping it simple\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA simpler way for organisms to use light is with rhodopsins: proteins that can convert light into energy without additional cellular machinery.\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\u201cRhodopsins are found all over the tree of life and apparently are acquired by organisms obtaining genes from each other over evolutionary time,\u201d says \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/autumn-peterson\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAutumn Peterson\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, a biology Ph.D. student working with Ratcliff and lead author of 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\u003EThis type of genetic exchange is called horizontal gene transfer and involves sharing genetic information between organisms that aren\u2019t closely related. Horizontal gene transfer can cause seemingly big evolutionary jumps in a short time, like how bacteria are quickly able to develop resistance to certain antibiotics. This can happen with all kinds of genetic information and is particularly common with rhodopsin 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\u201cIn the process of figuring out a way to get rhodopsins into multi-celled yeast,\u201d explains Burnetti, \u201cwe found we could learn about horizontal transfer of rhodopsins that has occurred across evolution in the past by transferring it into regular, single-celled yeast where it has never been 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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo see if they could outfit a single-celled organism with solar-powered rhodopsin, researchers added a rhodopsin gene synthesized from a parasitic fungus to common baker\u2019s yeast. This specific gene is coded for a form of rhodopsin that would be inserted into the cell\u2019s vacuole, a part of the cell that, like mitochondria, can turn chemical gradients made by proteins like rhodopsin into energy.\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\u003EEquipped with vacuolar rhodopsin, the yeast grew roughly 2% faster when lit \u2014 a huge benefit in terms of evolution.\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\u201cHere we have a single gene, and we\u0027re just yanking it across contexts into a lineage that\u0027s never been a phototroph before, and it just works,\u201d says Burnetti. \u201cThis says that it really is that easy for this kind of a system, at least sometimes, to do its job in a new organism.\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\u003EThis simplicity provides key evolutionary insights and says a lot about \u201cthe ease with which rhodopsins have been able to spread across so many lineages and why that may be so,\u201d explains Peterson, who Peterson \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\/graduate-student-and-advisor-pair-awarded-hhmi-gilliam-fellowship\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Erecently received\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 a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship for her work. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/cmdi\/writing-support\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECarina Baskett\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, grant writer for Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/cmdi\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection\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, also worked 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\u003EBecause vacuolar function may contribute to cellular aging, the group has also initiated collaborations to study how rhodopsins may be able to reduce aging effects in the yeast. Other researchers are already starting to use similar new, solar-powered yeast to study advancing bioproduction, which could mark big improvements for things like synthesizing biofuels.\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\u003ERatcliff and his group, however, are mostly keen to explore how this added benefit could impact the single-celled yeast\u2019s journey to a multicellular organism.\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\u201cWe have this beautiful model system of simple multicellularity,\u201d says Burnetti, referring to the long-running \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/journey-origins-multicellular-life-long-term-experimental-evolution-lab\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EMulticellularity Long-Term Evolution Experiment (MuLTEE)\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. \u201cWe want to give it phototrophy and see how it changes its evolution.\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\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\u003EPeterson et al., 2024, Current Biology 34, 1\u20137.\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\u003EDOI: \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2023.12.044\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.cub.2023.12.044\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\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\u003EResearchers in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Biological Sciences have engineered one of the world\u0027s first yeast cells able to turn light into usable metabolic energy, giving a glimpse into how this trait may have been passed between organisms across evolution \u2014 and how it could be synthesized to advance our understanding of biofuel production and cellular aging. \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 have engineered one of the world\u2019s first yeast cells able to harness energy from light, expanding our understanding of the evolution of this trait \u2014 and paving the way for advancements in biofuel production and cellular aging."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-01-11 18:24:49","changed_gmt":"2024-02-08 16:43:13","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672738":{"id":"672738","type":"image","title":"Green rhodopsin proteins inside the blue cell walls help these yeast grow faster when exposed to light. Photo: Anthony Burnetti, Georgia Institute of Technology.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGreen rhodopsin proteins inside the blue cell walls help these yeast grow faster when exposed to light. Photo: Anthony Burnetti, Georgia Institute of Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1704997508","gmt_created":"2024-01-11 18:25:08","changed":"1704997508","gmt_changed":"2024-01-11 18:25:08","alt":"A constellation of blue and green cell clusters. Blue cell walls surround small green compartments.","file":{"fid":"256034","name":"_20230421nid_yeast.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/_20230421nid_yeast.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/_20230421nid_yeast.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":131682,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/11\/_20230421nid_yeast.jpg?itok=k1_3FC9y"}},"672739":{"id":"672739","type":"image","title":"Biology researchers who worked on the study include (from left to right) Assistant Professor William Ratcliff, CMDI grant writer Carina Baskett, biology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, and Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti. Photo: Audra Davidson","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBiology researchers who worked on the study include (from left to right) Assistant Professor William Ratcliff, CMDI grant writer Carina Baskett, biology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, and Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti. Photo: Audra Davidson\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1704997748","gmt_created":"2024-01-11 18:29:08","changed":"1704997748","gmt_changed":"2024-01-11 18:29:08","alt":"Group of people standing outside in the sun smiling.","file":{"fid":"256035","name":"Ratcliff-group-outside.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/Ratcliff-group-outside.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/Ratcliff-group-outside.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3671131,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/11\/Ratcliff-group-outside.jpg?itok=RtKOnFN-"}},"672751":{"id":"672751","type":"image","title":"Biology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, the study\u0027s lead author, looks at yeast cells with Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti, the study\u0027s corresponding author, in the lab. (Photo: Audra Davidson)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBiology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, the study\u0027s lead author, looks at yeast cells with Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti, the study\u0027s corresponding author, in the lab. (Photo: Audra Davidson)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1705077426","gmt_created":"2024-01-12 16:37:06","changed":"1705077426","gmt_changed":"2024-01-12 16:37:06","alt":"Biology Ph.D. student Autumn Peterson, the study\u0027s lead author, looks at yeast cells with Research Scientist Anthony Burnetti, the study\u0027s corresponding author, in the lab. (Photo: Audra Davidson)","file":{"fid":"256047","name":"AutumnPeterson-AnthonyBurnetti-lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/12\/AutumnPeterson-AnthonyBurnetti-lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/12\/AutumnPeterson-AnthonyBurnetti-lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2157697,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/12\/AutumnPeterson-AnthonyBurnetti-lab.jpg?itok=E2BzH-GN"}},"672750":{"id":"672750","type":"image","title":"William Ratcliff, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, chats with Carina Baskett, grant writer for Georgia Tech\u0027s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection. Ratcliff\u0027s group led the study. (Photo: Audra Davidson)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWilliam Ratcliff, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, chats with Carina Baskett, grant writer for Georgia Tech\u0027s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection. Ratcliff\u0027s group led the study. (Photo: Audra Davidson)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1705077367","gmt_created":"2024-01-12 16:36:07","changed":"1705077367","gmt_changed":"2024-01-12 16:36:07","alt":"William Ratcliff, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, chats with Carina Baskett, grant writer for Georgia Tech\u0027s Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection. Ratcliff\u0027s group led the study. (Photo: Audra Davidson)","file":{"fid":"256046","name":"WilliamRatcliff-CarinaBaskett-lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/12\/WilliamRatcliff-CarinaBaskett-lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/12\/WilliamRatcliff-CarinaBaskett-lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2972476,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/12\/WilliamRatcliff-CarinaBaskett-lab.jpg?itok=b9dedK0j"}}},"media_ids":["672738","672739","672751","672750"],"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"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/graduate-student-and-advisor-pair-awarded-hhmi-gilliam-fellowship","title":"Graduate Student and Advisor Pair Awarded HHMI Gilliam Fellowship"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/sciences-scholars-named-university-center-exemplary-mentoring-program-fellows","title":"Sciences Scholars Named University Center of Exemplary Mentoring Program Fellows"}],"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":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"188231","name":"CMDI"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"136661","name":"origins of life"},{"id":"170334","name":"yeast"},{"id":"2056","name":"biofuel"},{"id":"16631","name":"artificial photosynthesis"}],"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\u003EAudra Davidson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II, College of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\ndavidson.audra@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669830":{"#nid":"669830","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Study Abroad Program Uses Silk to Weave Together Science and Culture","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA visit to any new country would be incomplete without exploring the local culture and history. This summer, eight Georgia Tech students did some of their exploring of Lyon, France in an unlikely place: a biology lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe biology, neuroscience, and biochemistry undergraduates were enrolled in a special offering of the Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory (BIOS 3451) as part of the Georgia Tech \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/academics\/best-study-abroad-program\u0022\u003EBiomolecular Engineering, Science, and Technology study abroad program in Lyon\u003C\/a\u003E (BEST-Lyon). As it was the first time the lab was offered as part of the program, the instructors took the budding course as an opportunity to try something new, aiming to mesh the lab with the local culture surrounding them while abroad. And for Lyon, that meant incorporating silk.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead more about the unique experience on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/study-abroad-program-uses-silk-weave-together-science-and-culture\u0022\u003ECollege of Sciences website\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/strong\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\u003EThis summer, eight students in the Biomolecular Engineering, Science, and Technology study abroad program in Lyon, France (BEST-Lyon) were able to explore the rich cultural, scientific, and economic history of silk production in the city in an unlikely place: a biology lab.\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":"This summer, eight students in the Biomolecular Engineering, Science, and Technology study abroad program in Lyon, France were able to explore the city\u0027s rich history of silk production in an unlikely place: a biology lab."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2023-09-21 17:38:54","changed_gmt":"2024-02-01 15:11:25","author":"adavidson38","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":{"671786":{"id":"671786","type":"image","title":"The students and instructors and some of the students in the BEST-Lyon program.","body":null,"created":"1695317942","gmt_created":"2023-09-21 17:39:02","changed":"1695317942","gmt_changed":"2023-09-21 17:39:02","alt":"A group of people gathering for a smiling selfie while wearing lab coats and gloves.","file":{"fid":"254911","name":"Silk-Worm-Selfie.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/21\/Silk-Worm-Selfie.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/21\/Silk-Worm-Selfie.png","mime":"image\/png","size":533604,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/21\/Silk-Worm-Selfie.png?itok=6bHxRg4_"}}},"media_ids":["671786"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/academics\/best-study-abroad-program","title":"BEST-Lyon, France Study Abroad Program Summer 2024"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/taste-science-and-french-culture","title":"A Taste of Science and French Culture"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/sciences-lands-howard-hughes-medical-institute-inclusive-excellence-grant","title":"Sciences Lands Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence Grant"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1316","name":"Green Buzz"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"178736","name":"BEST Study Abroad Program"},{"id":"173604","name":"BEST Lyon"},{"id":"3355","name":"Lyon"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"182200","name":"biology labs"}],"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\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAudra Davidson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EContributor:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nJennifer Leavey\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAssistant Dean for Faculty Mentoring\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor and Contact:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess.hunt@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":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670133":{"#nid":"670133","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Sea Spray, Water Worlds, and the Search for Life","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAlong coastal shorelines, tiny drops of sea spray are flung everywhere \u2013 sometimes reaching the atmosphere, where they\u2019re transported around the world. And within these sea spray aerosols are particles, chemicals, and even microbes.\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\u201cSea spray aerosols are very important here on Earth,\u201d explains \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\/amanda-stockton\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAmanda Stockton\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, an associate professor in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\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\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E. \u201cEarth has a complex biology contributing to and living in the oceans.\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\u003ENow, with support from a $50,0000 Scialog grant, Stockton is studying what other roles these aerosols might play, digging into how they may have impacted the evolution of life on Earth, and how they may help us search for life beyond Earth.\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\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rescorp.org\/news\/2023\/07\/8-teams-win-awards-in-final-year-of-scialog-signatures-of-life-in-the-universe\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EScialog: Signatures of Life in the Universe\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 an initiative launched in 2021 by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) foundation to catalyze fundamental science in the search for life beyond Earth. Scialog, which stands for \u201cScience + Dialogue,\u201d funds innovative, cutting-edge research, while supporting dialogue and community-building across fields.\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\u003EFor this project, Stockton will partner 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\u003ETyler Robinson\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 at the University of Arizona who specializes in exoplanet observation and modeling. \u201cTyler and I met at the Scialog Conference, which aims to generate new ideas between cross cutting disciplines that are very unrelated,\u201d Stockton says. \u201cSo what we were thinking here is Tyler\u0027s really good at exoplanet observation and modeling. My group\u0027s really good at microfluidic generation. At first, it seems like we don\u2019t have anything to work on together. But it turns out we do.\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\u003EAdditionally, \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\u003EAugustine Atta Debrah\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 second-year Chemistry Ph.D. student in Stockton\u2019s Lab, is playing a key role \u2014 Debrah\u2019s research interests are rooted in analytical chemistry, and encompass analytical method development, mass spectrometry-based applications, microfluidics, chromatography-based applications, biosensors, and lab-on-chip devices..\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 are excited to explore the fascinating world of sea sprays through our research,\u201d Debrah says. \u201cBy recreating and analyzing the behavior of these aerosols under controlled laboratory conditions, we aim to learn more about how they might have played a role in the early Earth\u0027s chemistry and what they could tell us about other planets.\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 team has no shortage of questions to answer together. \u201cHow might these aerosols impact what we would observe here from Earth with a telescope?\u201d Stockton asks. \u201cHow might aerosols on other planetary bodies impact our search for life? And how did sea spray aerosols contribute to the emergence of life here on Earth?\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETiny droplets, big impact\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile sea spray aerosols have been previously studied, \u201cWe don\u0027t necessarily have a good handle on how sea spray aerosols might impact other planetary bodies, like a water world,\u201d Stockton says, adding that \u201can exoplanet water world that doesn\u2019t have continents and doesn\u0027t have the same sort of chemistry that Earth has\u201d might have a different spectrographic \u2018signature\u2019 through a telescope.\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\u003ETo better understand this, Stockton\u2019s group will generate microfluidic droplets with different chemistries, which they will cycle through different conditions, including different UV irradiation conditions and different temperatures, to model the various ways that aerosols could be transported through atmospheres.\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\u201cThen we could look at how the chemistry changes based on that transport phenomenon and also how the UV spectra or visible spectra changes,\u201d Stockton adds. Scientists observe spectra \u2013 the light coming from each planetary object \u2013 as a way of better understanding what is present. Different properties can emit different spectra. \u201cEventually, we\u2019d like to be able to see these from a distance and start to figure out what type of spectra you\u2019d see for different conditions. For example, if the ocean has very simple organics, what you might find from just meteorites accreting to make the planet, versus the sort of spectra you might see if complex organic chemistry is taking place.\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 team also aims to uncover chemistries pertaining to early Earth by mimicking spectra from ocean chemistries that might have been present on early Earth, which could help researchers better understand how life emerged on our planet.\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\u0027s a lot of things that also result from sea sprays on Earth that aren\u0027t necessarily being studied to the fullest extent,\u201d Stockton adds. \u201cFor example, what are the stressors on these microorganisms and how does being confined in a droplet contribute to what pathways get turned on or off in the microbe, especially when that droplet may be evaporating, sublimating, or freezing?\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEarly life on Earth \u2014 and life beyond\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile Stockton notes that this research is still just beginning, there\u2019s excitement in its focus \u2013 this year\u2019s research will start to determine what is possible, and potential applications for the new model. \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\u201cT\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\u003Ehis is a proof of concept year where we want to see what we can build, what we can learn from what we can build, what the applications are of the system,\u201d Stockton adds. \u201cWe hope that this will feed into bigger types of projects where we want to catalog what happens in multiple different types of conditions.\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 research has the potential to touch on some of the most fundamental questions humanity faces: who we are, how we got here \u2014 and many researchers, including \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech astrobiologists\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, are seeking to better understand water worlds like Encledeus, Titan, and early Europa.\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 project shows our dedication to uncovering the mysteries of the origins of life and expanding our knowledge about planets far beyond our own,\u201d Debrah 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\u003E\u201cThere are entire fields that we can branch into at varying levels of complexity,\u201d Stockton adds. \u201cWe\u0027re very interested in what we can apply this to once we can build the hardware and show that we can do some of this controllably.\u201d\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":[{"value":"Amanda Stockton is harnessing aerosols to better understand the emergence of life on Earth, and our search for life beyond"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith a new Scialog grant, Amanda Stockton is studying what roles sea spray aerosols might play, digging into how they may have impacted the evolution of life on Earth, and how they may help us search for life beyond Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Amanda Stockton is harnessing aerosols to better understand the emergence of life on Earth, and our search for life beyond"}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2023-10-03 17:03:47","changed_gmt":"2024-02-01 15:04:11","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"626911":{"id":"626911","type":"image","title":" Amanda Stockton","body":null,"created":"1569868878","gmt_created":"2019-09-30 18:41:18","changed":"1696354922","gmt_changed":"2023-10-03 17:42:02","alt":" Amanda Stockton","file":{"fid":"238695","name":"S3 E3 Amanda Stockton photo in office rectangular.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/S3%20E3%20Amanda%20Stockton%20photo%20in%20office%20rectangular.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/S3%20E3%20Amanda%20Stockton%20photo%20in%20office%20rectangular.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":86718,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/S3%20E3%20Amanda%20Stockton%20photo%20in%20office%20rectangular.JPG?itok=JGzQVivn"}},"671930":{"id":"671930","type":"image","title":"Augustine Atta Debrah, a second-year Chemistry Ph.D. student in Stockton\u2019s Lab, is playing a key role in the research.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAugustine Atta Debrah, a second-year Chemistry Ph.D. student in Stockton\u2019s Lab, is playing a key role in the research.\u0026nbsp;\u201cThis project shows our dedication to uncovering the mysteries of the origins of life and expanding our knowledge about planets far beyond our own,\u201d he says\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1696352656","gmt_created":"2023-10-03 17:04:16","changed":"1696352930","gmt_changed":"2023-10-03 17:08:50","alt":"Augustine Atta Debrah, a second-year Chemistry Ph.D. student in Stockton\u2019s Lab, sits in a white lab coat holding a sample.","file":{"fid":"255090","name":"MicrosoftTeams-image (8).png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/03\/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%288%29.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/03\/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%288%29.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1123575,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/03\/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%288%29.png?itok=NKz1NFNU"}}},"media_ids":["626911","671930"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"1316","name":"Green Buzz"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"193234","name":"Campaign Stories"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"},{"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\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"671866":{"#nid":"671866","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Improving Mental Health Care, with the Help of an AI Teammate","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhile increasing numbers of people are seeking mental health care, mental health providers are facing critical shortages. Now, an interdisciplinary team of investigators at Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Penn State aim to develop an interactive AI system that can provide key insights and feedback to help these professionals improve and provide higher quality care, while satisfying the increasing demand for highly trained, effective mental health professionals.\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\u003EA new $2,000,000 grant fr\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\u003Eom the National Science Foundation (NSF) will support the research.\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\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 research builds on \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/awardsearch\/showAward?AWD_ID=1915504\u0026amp;HistoricalAwards=false\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Eprevious collaboration\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 between \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\/people\/rosa-arriaga\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERosa Arriaga\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\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, an associate 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.cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\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\/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\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/med.emory.edu\/directory\/profile\/?u=AMSHERR\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAndrew Sherrill\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\u003E an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University, who worked together on a computational system for PTSD therapy.\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\u003EArriaga and \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/christopher-w-wiese\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChristopher Wiese\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\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, 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:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\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\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E will lead the Georgia Tech team, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ist.psu.edu\/directory\/sua425\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESaeed Abdullah\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\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, an assistant professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology will lead the Penn State team, 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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESherrill will serve as overall project lead and Emory team lead.\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 grant, for \u201c\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\u003EUnderstanding the Ethics, Development, Design, and Integration of Interactive Artificial Intelligence Teammates in Future Mental Health Work\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\u201d will allocate $801,660 of support to the Georgia Tech team, supporting four years of research.\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 initial three years of our project are dedicated to understanding and defining what functionalities and characteristics make an AI system a \u0027teammate\u0027 rather than just a tool,\u201d Wiese says. \u201cThis involves extensive research and interaction with mental health professionals to identify their specific needs and challenges. We aim to understand the nuances of their work, their decision-making processes, and the areas where AI can provide meaningful support.In the final year, we plan to implement a trial run of this AI teammate philosophy with mental health professionals.\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\u003EWhile the project focuses on mental health workers, the impacts of the project range far beyond. \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\u201cAI is going to fundamentally change the nature of work and workers,\u201d Arriaga says. \u201cAnd, as such, there\u2019s a significant need for research to develop best practices for integrating worker, work, and future technology.\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 team underscores that sectors like business, education, and customer service could easily apply this research. The ethics protocol the team will develop will also provide a critical framework for best practices. \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\u003EThe team also hopes that their findings could inform policymakers and stakeholders making key decisions regarding AI.\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\u201cThe knowledge and strategies we develop have the potential to revolutionize how AI is integrated into the broader workforce,\u201d Wiese adds. \u201cWe are not just exploring the intersection of human and synthetic intelligence in the mental health profession; we are laying the groundwork for a future where AI and humans collaborate effectively across all areas of work.\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECollaborative project\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\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 project aims to develop an AI coworker called TEAMMAIT (short for \u201cthe Trustworthy, Explainable, and Adaptive Monitoring Machine for AI Team\u201d). Rather than functioning as a tool, as many AI\u2019s currently do, TEAMMAIT will act more as a human teammate would,\u0026nbsp; providing constructive feedback and helping mental healthcare workers develop and learn new skills.\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\u201cUnlike conventional AI tools that function as mere utilities, an AI teammate is designed to work collaboratively with humans, adapting to their needs and augmenting their capabilities,\u201d Wiese explains. \u201cOur approach is distinctively human-centric, prioritizing the needs and perspectives of mental health professionals\u2026 it\u2019s important to recognize that this is a complex domain and interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary to create the most optimal outcomes when it comes to integrating AI into our lives.\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\u003EWith both technical and human health aspects to the research, the project will leverage an interdisciplinary team of experts spanning clinical psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, human-computer interaction, and information science.\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\u201cWe need to work closely together to make sure that the system, TEAMMAIT, is useful and usable,\u201d adds Arriaga. \u201cChris (Wiese) and I are looking at two types of challenges: those associated with the organization, as Chris is an industrial organizational psychology expert \u2014 and those associated with the interface, as I am a computer scientist that specializes in human computer interaction.\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELong-term timeline\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\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\u003Cspan\u003EThe project\u2019s long-term timeline reflects the unique challenges that it faces.\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\u201cA key challenge is in the development and design of the AI tools themselves,\u201d Wiese says. \u201cThey need to be user-friendly, adaptable, and efficient, enhancing the capabilities of mental health workers without adding undue complexity or stress. This involves continuous iteration and feedback from end-users to refine the AI tools, ensuring they meet the real-world needs of mental health professionals.\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 team plans to deploy TEAMMAIT in diverse settings in the fourth year of development, and incorporate data from these early users to create development guidelines for Worker-AI teammates in mental health work, and to create ethical guidelines for developing and using this type of system.\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 will be a crucial phase where we test the efficacy and integration of the AI in real-world scenarios,\u201d Wiese says. \u201cWe will assess not just the functional aspects of the AI, such as how well it performs specific tasks, but also how it impacts the work environment, the well-being of the mental health workers, and ultimately, the quality of care provided to patients.\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\u003EAssessing the psychological impacts on workers, including how TEAMMAIT impacts their day-to-day work will be crucial in ensuring TEAMMAIT has a positive impact on healthcare worker\u2019s skills and wellbeing.\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\u201cWe\u2019re interested in understanding how mental health clinicians interact with TEAMMAIT and the subsequent impact on their work,\u201d Wiese adds. \u201cHow long does it take for clinicians to become comfortable and proficient with TEAMMAIT? How does their engagement with TEAMMAIT change over the year? Do they feel like they are more effective when using TEAMMAIT? We\u2019re really excited to begin answering these questions.\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","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAn interdisciplinary team of investigators at Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Penn State aim to develop an interactive AI system that can provide key insights and feedback to help these professionals improve and provide higher quality care, while satisfying the increasing demand for highly trained, effective mental health professionals.\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","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Rather than functioning as a tool, as many AIs currently do, TEAMMAIT will act more as a human teammate would,\u00a0 providing constructive feedback and helping mental healthcare workers develop and learn new skills"}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-01-04 14:55:19","changed_gmt":"2024-01-16 15:25:33","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"643611":{"id":"643611","type":"image","title":"Artificial Intelligence","body":null,"created":"1611926616","gmt_created":"2021-01-29 13:23:36","changed":"1611926616","gmt_changed":"2021-01-29 13:23:36","alt":"Artificial Intelligence","file":{"fid":"244352","name":"artificial-intelligence-4469138_1280.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/artificial-intelligence-4469138_1280.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/artificial-intelligence-4469138_1280.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":212458,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/artificial-intelligence-4469138_1280.jpg?itok=6bKOxBNr"}},"672671":{"id":"672671","type":"image","title":"Rosa Arriaga","body":null,"created":"1704380385","gmt_created":"2024-01-04 14:59:45","changed":"1704380385","gmt_changed":"2024-01-04 14:59:45","alt":"Photograph of Rosa Arriaga","file":{"fid":"255951","name":"Rosa_Arriaga.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/04\/Rosa_Arriaga.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/04\/Rosa_Arriaga.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":16326,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/04\/Rosa_Arriaga.jpeg?itok=-cSmt7Fn"}},"672672":{"id":"672672","type":"image","title":"Christopher Wiese","body":null,"created":"1704380385","gmt_created":"2024-01-04 14:59:45","changed":"1704380385","gmt_changed":"2024-01-04 14:59:45","alt":"Photograph of Christopher Wiese","file":{"fid":"255952","name":"Wiese.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/04\/Wiese.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/04\/Wiese.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":35136,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/04\/Wiese.jpeg?itok=N-4IeM0f"}}},"media_ids":["643611","672671","672672"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192258","name":"cos-data"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"167710","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"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\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EContact: Jess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"671656":{"#nid":"671656","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Coskun Lab Pioneering New Field of Research: Single Cell Spatial Metabolomics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Coskun and his collaborators plan to create a chemical atlas of all the immune cells in the human body, a 3D micromap to help clinicians navigate the complex role of the entire immune system in the presence of different diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s the kind of massive undertaking that would result in vastly improved precision therapies for patients. And it\u2019s the kind of journey that starts with a single cell. Coskun and team are off to a fast start with the introduction of a new integrative technique for profiling human tissue that enables researchers to capture the geography, structure, movement, and function of molecules in a 3D picture.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers described their new approach, the Single Cell Spatially resolved Metabolic (scSpaMet) framework, in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-023-43917-5\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;on Dec. 13.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003EThe study builds on a technique Coskun\u2019s team developed and described in a 2021 article, \u201c3D Spatially resolved Metabolomic profiling Framework,\u201d published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.abd0957\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience Advances\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;In that work, the team introduced a technique that measures the activity of metabolites and proteins as part of a comprehensive profile of human tissue samples.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cEarlier we couldn\u2019t achieve single-cell resolution, but with this new approach, we can,\u201d said Coskun,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Ahmet-F-Coskun\u0022\u003EBernie Marcus Early Career Professor\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u201cWith this new approach, we can get spatial details of proteins and metabolites in single cells\u2013 no one else has yet reached this level of high subcellular resolution.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe added, \u201cWe\u2019re pioneering a new field of research with this work, single cell spatial metabolomics.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Bigger, Better Molecular Picture\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHuman tissue is spatially crowded with all kinds of stuff, so investigators need tools that can see clearly into, through, and around that multilayered biological traffic \u2013 everything, all at once, in high-definition 3D. With scSpaMet, Coskun\u2019s team can capture single cell details such as the naturally occurring lipids, proteins, as well as metabolites (with their multiple functions, including energy conversion and cell signaling). And other details, like those provided by researchers: Intracellular and surface markers are used to label and track cell activity and behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team broadened the scope of this study, extending its investigation beyond human tonsil tissue.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe showed the crucial role of immune cells in lung cancer for the study of lung cancer for the study of immunometabolism of T cells and macrophages as they interact with tumors,\u201d Coskun said. \u201cThen we created dynamic immune metabolic changes in tonsils as they go through germinal center reactions to give rise to the antibody-producing cells. Finally, we demonstrated the role of immune cells in the endometrium, a membrane in the uterus that might lead to conditions impacting a woman\u2019s health.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe wide-angled study required plenty of cross-country collaboration with other institutions, although\u0026nbsp;Coskun\u2019s lab guided the wide-angled study, integrating its expertise in bioimaging, chemistry, tissue biology, and artificial intelligence.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cshl.edu\/\u0022\u003ECold Spring Harbor Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(New York) provided access to its endometrium tissue bank.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/\u0022\u003EOak Ridge National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Tennessee) provided data from its complex metabolic imaging instrumentation, to further demonstrate how single cell spatial metabolomics imaging can generate rich data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ucdavis.edu\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of California-Davis\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;provided kidney biospecimens as both fixed tissue and frozen embedded tissue, in two halves of the same sample, \u201cso we could demonstrate the effect of tissue preparation on the sensitivity of our single cell spatial metabolomics pipeline,\u201d Coskun said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team also included Thomas Hu and Mayar Allam, graduate researchers in Coskun\u2019s lab, who guided the research as lead authors, and Walter Henderson, a research scientist who manages the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/mcf.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EIEN\/IMat Materials Characterization Facility\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConsidering the Whole Person\u0027s Biochemistry\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ability to generate single cell spatial metabolic profiling of individual patients can reveal a world of possibility and potential for clinicians who need to fully understand a patient\u2019s biophysical makeup to contrive the best treatment options.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor example, it can provide mechanisms of how immune responses can be boosted by adding dietary molecules along with immunotherapies,\u201d Coskun said. \u201cIt can also help adjust the dose of cell-based treatments, based on the body mass index of individual patients, whether they are obese or not.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECoskun believes this new arena of single cell metabolomics research his lab is developing will complement the field of single cell genomics, which has led to genomic medicine. His team\u2019s comprehensive exploration and imaging of the geography of normal and unhealthy human tissues \u2013 of every single cell \u2013 can further explain cellular regulation in ways that were previously overlooked, due to the lack of technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe envisions a future in which a patient\u2019s BMI, dietary habits, and exercise commitments, along with their single cell spatial metabolomic atlas of disease progression, will be analyzed all together to find optimum therapies that can work with biologics and metabolic boosting regimens, potentially increasing the survival of cancers, women\u2019s diseases, and metabolic disorders.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe will have opportunities to talk about spatial single cell metabolomic medicine, to stratify patients and design next-generation combination therapies with an integrated view of genes and chemical activity roadmaps, for more efficient management of cancer and other diseases,\u201d Coskun said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn creating their scSpaMet framework, the researchers must integrate expensive machines that live in the worlds of nanotechnology and chemistry right now. The system will require clinical-friendly optimizations to be able to run single cell metabolic imaging measurements in healthcare settings. Coskun expects the cost and user-friendliness will be improved in the near future to reach the bedside.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen researchers achieved single cell sequencing, it was a revolutionary moment in medicine,\u201d Coskun said. \u201cNow, we believe single cell spatial metabolic profiling will push the medical practice into new heights.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by\u0026nbsp;the Burroughs\u0026nbsp;Wellcome Fund, and the Bernie Marcus Early Career Professorship, as well as the National Science Foundation (Grant ECCS-1542174), (Grant ECCS-2-25462), American Cancer Society, and National Institutes of Health grants (R21AG081715, R21AI173900, and R35GM151028)\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Thomas Hu, Mayar Allam, Shuangyi Cai, Walter Henderson, Brian Yueh, Aybuke Garipcan, Anton V. Ievlev, Maryam Afkarian, Semir Beyaz, and Ahmet F. Coskun.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-023-43917-5#Ack1\u0022\u003E\u201cSingle-cell spatial metabolomics with cell-type specific protein profiling for tissue systems biology,\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;(Dec. 13, 2023)\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"BME researcher\u0027s immunometabolism approach pioneers single cell spatial metabolomics"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECoskun lab developed scSpaMet framework, to capture 3D images of single cell details such as the naturally occurring lipids, proteins, as well as metabolites (with their multiple functions, including energy conversion and cell signaling), in hopes of creating 3D map of all human tissues.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"BME researcher\u0027s immunometabolism approach pioneers single cell spatial metabolomics"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2023-12-20 15:07:06","changed_gmt":"2024-01-04 14:13:26","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-12-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-12-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672621":{"id":"672621","type":"image","title":"spatial meta","body":"\u003Cp\u003EImages of time in space: The top panel image shows pseudo-time single cell metabolic trajectories across distinct biogeographical regions. The dark purple represents early metabolic changes, while the bright yellow represents later metabolic activities. The bottom panel is a spatial projection of single\u0026nbsp;cells\u2019\u0026nbsp;metabolic trajectories (denoted by arrows in the dark zone and light zone regions) in tonsil tissue. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EPhoto provided by Coskun Lab\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1703084190","gmt_created":"2023-12-20 14:56:30","changed":"1703084235","gmt_changed":"2023-12-20 14:57:15","alt":"spatal metabololomics","file":{"fid":"255896","name":"Metabolomics.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/20\/Metabolomics.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/20\/Metabolomics.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3649852,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/12\/20\/Metabolomics.jpg?itok=-1LySKl7"}},"672622":{"id":"672622","type":"image","title":"lead authors","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELead authors Mayar Allam and Thomas Hu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1703084247","gmt_created":"2023-12-20 14:57:27","changed":"1703084298","gmt_changed":"2023-12-20 14:58:18","alt":"Mayam and Thomas","file":{"fid":"255897","name":"Allam and Hu.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/20\/Allam%20and%20Hu.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/20\/Allam%20and%20Hu.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4160802,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/12\/20\/Allam%20and%20Hu.jpg?itok=_E3dph37"}},"672623":{"id":"672623","type":"image","title":"Coskun photo","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Coskun\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1703084315","gmt_created":"2023-12-20 14:58:35","changed":"1703084361","gmt_changed":"2023-12-20 14:59:21","alt":"Ahmet Coskun photo","file":{"fid":"255898","name":"New Coskun photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/20\/New%20Coskun%20photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/20\/New%20Coskun%20photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4491737,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/12\/20\/New%20Coskun%20photo.jpg?itok=o0qvPX3w"}}},"media_ids":["672621","672622","672623"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"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"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"11538","name":"Metabolomics"},{"id":"7206","name":"metabolite"},{"id":"176713","name":"metabolites"},{"id":"181801","name":"metabolome"}],"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: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":""}},"671580":{"#nid":"671580","#data":{"type":"news","title":"GTRI, Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory Use Wearable Sensors to Address Healthcare Worker Burnout ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHealthcare worker burnout, a topic that received significant attention during COVID-19, continues to pose risks for the nation\u2019s health and economic wellbeing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn 2022, nearly half of healthcare workers reported feeling burned out, up from 32% in 2018, and the number of healthcare workers who intended to look for a new job increased by 33% over that same time period, according to a recent \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/vitalsigns\/health-worker-mental-health\/index.html\u0022\u003Ereport\u003C\/a\u003E from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Annual burnout-related turnover costs are estimated to be $9 billion for nurses and $2.6 billion to $6.3 billion for physicians, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/surgeongeneral\/priorities\/health-worker-burnout\/index.html\u0022\u003Eper\u003C\/a\u003E the U.S. Surgeon General.\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo address this challenge,\u00ad the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University\u2019s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing have conducted a study using wearable sensors to better understand how the interplay of workload, stress, and sleep contribute\u00ad\u00ad to an elevated risk of burnout among healthcare workers and how to mitigate those risks going forward.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe group recently measured real-time movement patterns of physicians and nurses in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) at Children\u2019s and collected data on their stress levels, work and sleep cycles, healthcare delivery and perceived workloads. The goal of the study is to develop a methodology that can be used by other healthcare systems across the state to minimize turnover costs by better predicting and addressing factors that trigger burnout.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur ultimate goal with this project is to be able to offer our methodology framework to other healthcare systems throughout Georgia so that they can identify and address the specific challenges they are facing on a more granular level,\u201d said Khatereh Hadi, a senior research scientist at GTRI who is leading this project.\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo measure stress, workload and sleep among the study participants, the team used actigraphy sensors developed by Empatica, a spin-off of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that designs and develops artificial intelligence (AI) systems to monitor human health through wearable sensors.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese sensors are among the few on the market that let you directly download the data you collect,\u201d explained GTR Senior Research Scientist Matthew Swarts who led the sensor development aspects of this project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe participants also wore tags that were connected to ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor systems installed in the ceiling of the CICU to track their movements throughout their shifts.\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause UWB takes up more radio frequency space, it avoids interference issues that affect other technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This allowed us to have more penetration and better accuracy,\u201d Swarts said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study collected data on 40 total participants, who were evaluated over a four-week time period.\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003EThe team also used the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), a widely used assessment tool that rates perceived workload, to gather data on the participants\u2019 workload perceptions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPaula Gomez, a GTRI senior research engineer who led the development of the project\u2019s research methodology, said it was rewarding bringing the theoretical aspects of this project into practical application.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cSince GTRI is the applied research arm of Georgia Tech, it is really important for us to have access to a real-world environment to test and validate the theoretical research,\u201d Gomez said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGTRI conducted this study with Dr. Michael Fundora, a pediatric cardiologist at Children\u2019s who specializes in congenital heart disease and clinical research, and Christina Calamaro, the Director of Nursing \u0026amp; Allied Health Research and Evidence Based Practice at Children\u2019s and an associate professor at Emory\u2019s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFundora and Calamaro noted that current data collection methods that examine healthcare worker burnout are done retroactively and may miss certain nuances that are crucial for developing a comprehensive understanding of the issue.\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA lot of the literature that\u0027s been done in this area looks at big data sets that, for the most part, aren\u2019t in real time\u201d said Calamaro. \u201cThis is one study that\u2019s able to quantify what are the factors that may impact care at the current time and can set the stage, with the use of technology, for giving us a better measurement of what issues nurses and physicians are facing, versus going back and doing a secondary analysis of big data.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile burnout is commonly perceived as just affecting those experiencing it, if left unchecked, it could also lead to diminished patient care and higher mortality rates, said Fundora.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPeople talk about burnout in the sense that it\u0027s about the individual, and that\u0027s certainly important,\u201d Fundora said. \u201cBut we conducted this study to understand how burnout also affects our patients because that\u0027s the only way I believe that we\u0027re going to get to the root of the problem.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow that the data has been the collected, it will be analyzed and interpreted before potential solutions are evaluated. The team agreed that the interdisciplinary nature of the study will help them generate more impactful solutions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs a physician, working on this study opened my eyes to everything I didn\u2019t know about nurses \u2013 they are operating very sophisticated, complex equipment and nearly everything they do in the ICU has a life-or-death impact,\u201d said Fundora. \u201cThe solution-oriented approach of GTRI also gave me a fresh perspective.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECalamaro added: \u201cI think every healthcare study should have an engineer involved in some way because they see things that we as healthcare professionals don\u2019t. It\u0027s like, I never thought of that.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWriter: Anna Akins\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EPhotos: Sean McNeil\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EGTRI Communications\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtri.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E 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\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Emillion 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\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHealthcare professionals and researchers from \u003C\/span\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University\u2019s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing have conducted a study using wearable sensors to better understand how the interplay of workload, stress, and sleep contribute\u00ad\u00ad to an elevated risk of burnout among healthcare workers and how to mitigate those risks going forward.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research collaboration between GTRI, Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Emory University are conducting studies using wearable sensors to better understand burnout among healthcare works and how to mitigate those risks going forward."}],"uid":"35832","created_gmt":"2023-12-15 13:27:58","changed_gmt":"2023-12-15 13:46:17","author":"Michelle Gowdy","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672600":{"id":"672600","type":"image","title":"GTRI and CHOA Research Team","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe team leading this project includes, from left to right: GTRI Senior Research Scientist Khatereh Hadi, Children\u0027s pediatric cardiologist Dr. Michael Fundora, GTRI Senior Research Engineer Paula Gomez, GTRI Senior Research Scientist Matthew Swarts, and Children\u0027s Director of Nursing \u0026amp; Allied Health Research and Evidence Based Practice Christina Calamaro, who is also an associate professor at Emory\u2019s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing (Photo Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1702646323","gmt_created":"2023-12-15 13:18:43","changed":"1702646538","gmt_changed":"2023-12-15 13:22:18","alt":"GTRI and CHOA Research Team","file":{"fid":"255871","name":"2023_1116_image_CIPHER_CHOA Sensor_13.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_1116_image_CIPHER_CHOA%20Sensor_13.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_1116_image_CIPHER_CHOA%20Sensor_13.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1886715,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_1116_image_CIPHER_CHOA%20Sensor_13.JPG?itok=nEJyK5k8"}},"672601":{"id":"672601","type":"image","title":"Wearable Healthcare Sensor","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EA close-up of the tags and sensors that were used to measure stress, workload and sleep among the study participants (Photo Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1702646632","gmt_created":"2023-12-15 13:23:52","changed":"1702646771","gmt_changed":"2023-12-15 13:26:11","alt":"Wearable Healthcare Sensor","file":{"fid":"255874","name":"2023_1116_image_CIPHER_CHOA Sensor_10.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_1116_image_CIPHER_CHOA%20Sensor_10.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_1116_image_CIPHER_CHOA%20Sensor_10.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":898750,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/12\/15\/2023_1116_image_CIPHER_CHOA%20Sensor_10.JPG?itok=jJDj-TPi"}}},"media_ids":["672600","672601"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"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":"1129","name":"healthcare"},{"id":"193359","name":"healthcare works"},{"id":"2305","name":"Emory University"},{"id":"166852","name":"CHOA"},{"id":"193360","name":"Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta"},{"id":"10442","name":"Wearable Sensors"},{"id":"398","name":"health"},{"id":"193361","name":"human condition"},{"id":"179852","name":"work stress"}],"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\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":""}},"664290":{"#nid":"664290","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AF2Complex \u2018Computational Microscope\u2019 Predicts Protein Interactions, Potential Paths to New Antibiotics  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThough it is a cornerstone of virtually every process that occurs in living organisms, the proper folding and transport of biological proteins is a notoriously difficult and time-consuming process to experimentally study.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a new paper published in \u003Cem\u003EeLife\u003C\/em\u003E, researchers in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Computer Science\u003C\/a\u003E have shown that AF2Complex may be able to lend a hand.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBuilding on the models of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.deepmind.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDeepMind\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.deepmind.com\/research\/highlighted-research\/alphafold\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAlphaFold 2\u003C\/a\u003E, a machine learning tool able to predict the detailed three-dimensional structures of individual proteins, AF2Complex \u2014 short for AlphaFold 2 Complex \u2014 is a deep learning tool designed to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/af2complex-researchers-leverage-deep-learning-predict-physical-interactions-protein-complexes\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Epredict the physical interactions of multiple proteins\u003C\/a\u003E. With these predictions, AF2Complex is able to calculate which proteins are likely to interact with each other to form functional complexes in unprecedented detail.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe essentially conduct computational experiments that try to figure out the atomic details of supercomplexes (large interacting groups of proteins) important to biological functions,\u201d explained \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/jeffrey-skolnick\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u2019 Professor and Mary and Maisie Gibson Chair in the School of Biological Sciences, and one of the corresponding authors of the study. With AF2Complex, which was developed last year by the same research team, it\u2019s \u201clike using a computational microscope powered by deep learning and supercomputing.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn their latest study, the researchers used this \u2018computational microscope\u2019 to examine a complicated protein synthesis and transport pathway, hoping to clarify how proteins in the pathway interact to ultimately transport a newly synthesized protein from the interior to the outer membrane of the bacteria \u2014 and identify players that experiments might have missed. Insights into this pathway may identify new targets for antibiotic and therapeutic design while providing a foundation for using AF2Complex to computationally expedite this type of biology research as a whole.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EComputing complexes\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECreated by London-based artificial intelligence lab DeepMind, AlphaFold 2 is a deep learning tool able to generate accurate predictions about the three-dimensional structure of single proteins using just their building blocks, amino acids. Taking things a step further, AF2Complex uses these structures to predict the likelihood that proteins are able to interact to form a functional complex, what aspects of each structure are the likely interaction sites, and even what protein complexes are likely to pair up to create even larger functional groups called supercomplexes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe successful development of AF2Complex earlier this year makes us believe that this approach has tremendous potential in identifying and characterizing the set of protein-protein interactions important to life,\u201d shared \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mu_gao\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMu Gao\u003C\/a\u003E, a senior research scientist at Georgia Tech. \u201cTo further convince the broad molecular biology community, we [had to] demonstrate it with a more convincing, high impact application.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers chose to apply AF2Complex to a pathway in \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E (\u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E), a model organism in life sciences research commonly used for experimental DNA manipulation and protein production due to its relative simplicity and fast growth.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo demonstrate the tool\u2019s power, the team examined the synthesis and transport of proteins that are essential for exchanging nutrients and responding to environmental stressors: outer membrane proteins, or OMPs for short. These proteins reside on the outermost membrane of gram-negative bacteria, a large family of bacteria characterized by the presence of inner and outer membranes, like \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E. However, the proteins are created inside the cell and must be transported to their final destinations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAfter more than two decades of experimental studies, researchers have identified some of the protein complexes of key players, but certainly not all of them,\u201d Gao explained. AF2Complex \u201ccould enable us to discover some novel and interesting features of the OMP biogenesis pathway that were missed in previous experimental studies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003ENew insights\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.olcf.ornl.gov\/summit\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESummit\u003C\/a\u003E supercomputer at the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ornl.gov\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EOak Ridge National Laboratory\u003C\/a\u003E, the team, which included computer science undergraduate \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/davinan.github.io\/dna\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavi Nakajima An\u003C\/a\u003E, put AF2Complex to the test. They compared a few proteins known to be important in the synthesis and transport of OMPs to roughly 1,500 other proteins \u2014 all of the known proteins in \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E\u2019s cell envelope \u2014 to see which pairs the tool computed as most likely to interact, and which of those pairs were likely to form supercomplexes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo determine if AF2Complex\u2019s predictions were correct, the researchers compared the tool\u2019s predictions to known experimental data. \u201cEncouragingly,\u201d said Skolnick, \u201camong the top hits from computational screening, we found previously known interacting partners.\u201d Even within those protein pairs known to interact, AF2Complex was able to highlight structural details of those interactions that explain data from previous experiments, lending additional confidence to the tool\u2019s accuracy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to known interactions, AF2Complex predicted several unknown pairs. Digging further into these unexpected partners revealed details on what aspects of the pairs might interact to form larger groups of functional proteins, likely active configurations of complexes that have previously eluded experimentalists, and new potential mechanisms for how OMPs are synthesized and transported.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSince the outer membrane pathway is both vital and unique to gram-negative bacteria, the key proteins involved in this pathway could be novel targets for new antibiotics,\u201d said Skolnick. \u201cAs such, our work that provides molecular insights about these new drug targets might be valuable to new therapeutic design.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond this pathway, the researchers are hopeful that AF2Complex could mean big things for biology research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cUnlike predicting structures of a single protein sequence, predicting the structural model of a supercomplex can be very complicated, especially when the components or stoichiometry of the complex is unknown,\u201d Gao noted. \u201cIn this regard, AF2Complex could be a new computational tool for biologists to conduct trial experiments of different combinations of proteins,\u201d potentially expediting and increasing the efficiency of this type of biology research as a whole.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAF2Complex is an open-source tool available to the public and can be downloaded \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/github.com\/FreshAirTonight\/af2complex\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported in part by the DOE Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research (DOE DE-SC0021303) and the Division of General Medical Sciences of the National Institute Health (NIH R35GM118039).\u0026nbsp;DOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.82885\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.7554\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a new paper published in \u003Cem\u003EeLife,\u003C\/em\u003E School of Biological Sciences and School of Computer Science researchers show how AF2Complex, a deep learning tool designed to predict the physical interactions of proteins, is lending new insights into protein synthesis and transport \u2014 and paving the way to computationally expedite biology research as a whole.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers are using AF2Complex, a deep learning tool designed to predict the physical interactions of proteins, to shed light on an important biological pathway \u2014 and pave the way to computationally expedite biology research."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2023-01-03 17:14:14","changed_gmt":"2023-12-14 17:03:35","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"657354":{"id":"657354","type":"image","title":"Researchers Jeffrey Skolnick and Mu Gao at the Engineered Biosystems Building at Georgia Tech. (Photo: Jess Hunt-Ralston)","body":null,"created":"1650045007","gmt_created":"2022-04-15 17:50:07","changed":"1650045007","gmt_changed":"2022-04-15 17:50:07","alt":"","file":{"fid":"249155","name":"2022 04 Jeffrey Skolnick and Mu Gao - Biosci research copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2022%2004%20Jeffrey%20Skolnick%20and%20Mu%20Gao%20-%20Biosci%20research%20copy.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/2022%2004%20Jeffrey%20Skolnick%20and%20Mu%20Gao%20-%20Biosci%20research%20copy.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2689047,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/2022%2004%20Jeffrey%20Skolnick%20and%20Mu%20Gao%20-%20Biosci%20research%20copy.jpg?itok=8mMpA7I0"}},"664288":{"id":"664288","type":"image","title":"Examples of protein complexes modeled by AF2Complex residing between the inner and outer membranes of E. coli","body":null,"created":"1672765216","gmt_created":"2023-01-03 17:00:16","changed":"1672766090","gmt_changed":"2023-01-03 17:14:50","alt":"","file":{"fid":"251396","name":"cover image v7.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cover%20image%20v7.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cover%20image%20v7.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1849243,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cover%20image%20v7.png?itok=i1aNOFpt"}}},"media_ids":["657354","664288"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ascr-discovery.org\/2023\/01\/computing-function-from-form\/","title":"ASCR Discovery: Computing function from form"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/af2complex-researchers-leverage-deep-learning-predict-physical-interactions-protein-complexes","title":"AF2Complex: Researchers Leverage Deep Learning to Predict Physical Interactions of Protein Complexes"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/ai-tool-pairs-protein-pathways-clinical-side-effects-patient-comorbidities-suggest-targeted-covid","title":"AI Tool Pairs Protein Pathways with Clinical Side Effects, Patient Comorbidities to Suggest Targeted Covid-19 Treatments"},{"url":"https:\/\/github.com\/FreshAirTonight\/af2complex","title":"Download AF2Complex"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"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"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192258","name":"cos-data"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"190336","name":"AF2Complex"},{"id":"12761","name":"E. Coli Bacteria"},{"id":"191799","name":"outer membrane proteins"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"}],"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\u003EWriter:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:davidson.audra@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\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":""}},"671250":{"#nid":"671250","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Explore LLC Students Go Outside the Curriculum in New Sciences Course ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EEvolutionary Biology in Health and Disease is not a regular course offering at Georgia Tech. However, first-year students in the College of Sciences\u2019 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/explorellc.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EExplore Living Learning Community (Explore LLC)\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 got to dive deep into the subject anyway \u2014 which meant reading lots of scientific papers and medical case studies while engaging in research.\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\u003EOffered as a one-credit College of Sciences special topics course, Explore LLC undergraduates who are interested in research and pre-health studies get to learn about special science and mathematics topics that are not regularly offered in a typical curriculum.\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 instructors for the new course are postdoctoral scholars and research scientists in the College, including \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/peterlconlin\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPeter Conlin\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, the first instructor to participate in the course.\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\u003EIn addition to research and pre-health course opportunities, Explore LLC gives first-year students majoring in College of Sciences-related disciplines (biology, chemistry and biochemistry, earth and atmospheric sciences, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, and psychology) a unique opportunity to live among the highest concentration of science and math majors on campus in the same residence halls.\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\u003E\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\u003EGeorgia Tech undergraduates often take general education\/core classes in year one and two of their studies. However, undergraduates are also curious about research and advances in science and mathematics, especially in health-related areas and in improving the human condition,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/cameron-tyson\u0022\u003ECam Tyson\u003C\/a\u003E, College of Sciences Assistant Dean. \u201cA special topics course offered for Explore LLC participants was the perfect setting to bring together students with these interests, along with postdoctoral scholars and research scientists interested in sharing their knowledge and experience.\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\u003EConlin\u2019s inaugural course, \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\u003ECOS 3801 HP: Special Topics: Evolutionary Biology in Health and Disease\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, hosted 16 Explore LLC students in the spring of 2023. Below are some of his comments:\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\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETell me how you approached developing this course in a way that would make the subject matter relevant to the Explore students?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPeter Conlin:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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\u003EThe original call for proposals requested \u201ccourses that will be of interest to first-year and sophomore students with a specific interest in a healthcare career and\/or performing undergraduate research.\u201d So, my course, Evolutionary Biology in Health and Disease, was designed from the ground up with this purpose in mind.\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\u003EI wanted to connect the basic biological research with its medical applications, and encourage students to pursue undergraduate research opportunities. To this end, our in-class discussions, the homework assignments, and the final presentations for the class were all centered on reading and interpreting results from scientific literature and medical case studies. I also featured ongoing research at Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/cmdi\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECenter for Microbial Dynamics and Infection \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\u003Ewhenever possible.\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\u003EI made a point to advertise upcoming out-of-class seminars each week (especially those featuring speakers from Georgia Tech labs). Students could attend and summarize the talk they heard for extra credit points.\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAny lasting lessons?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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\u003EInitially, I think some of the students were a little shocked that their first assignment was to read a scientific paper for class. (Admittedly, the paper was not an easy one!) But by the end of the semester, after reading seven more papers for class and likely several others for their final presentation, I think they all felt much more confident about their ability to pick up an article, even on an unfamiliar topic, and work their way through 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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHow did teaching the course help you as an instructor?\u202f\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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\u003EAt the beginning of the semester, I was consistently overestimating how much material I could get through in a single 50-minute class period. By the end of the semester, I felt that I had a better understanding of how long different activities would take, and we ended up finishing on time much more frequently.\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\u003EI was so thankful for the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ctl.gatech.edu\/content\/tech-teaching-0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETech to Teaching \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\u003Efor Postdocs class taught by \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ctl.gatech.edu\/tammy-mccoy-phd\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETammy McCoy\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 (Teaching Assistant Development and Future Faculty Specialist at the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ctl.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECenter for Teaching and Learning\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) while I was developing my syllabus. McCoy and College of Sciences Assistant Dean \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\/cameron-tyson\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECam Tyson\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 really helped me to make this course a reality, so I\u2019m very grateful to both of them for giving me this opportunity.\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe feedback from the students?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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\u003EThe feedback from my students was critical to my success as an instructor. I explained to the students at the start of the course that I wanted to improve my teaching, that I would be actively seeking their feedback, and that I would do my best to make changes based on the feedback I received. Some of the changes included modifying the course content, as I did when I saw the level of enthusiasm and participation when we discussed cancer evolution. I revised my syllabus to continue discussions on this topic.\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\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\u003EI also changed up homework assignments and in-class activities based on student feedback. This gave students more experiences with reading and discussing research papers.\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\u003EI tried to experiment with different in-class activities and teaching styles, ranging from primarily lecture-based classes with occasional discussion questions, to a \u201cflipped\u201d classroom where students spent the majority of the time discussing the papers they had read in small groups. It was such a great experience to watch the students take such an active role in their learning.\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\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESebastian Horbulewicz, a second-year biochemistry major, was a student in Conlin\u2019s Special Topics course:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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\u003EI enjoyed the fact that we delved into a wide variety of topics, giving us small pieces with which we could use to build a broader understanding of evolution. Dr. Conlin\u2019s succinct lessons gave me a lot to think about, and introduced me to new aspects of cancer, antibiotic resistance, virulence, and more. I think the course really shined in its ability to draw from current literature and the subsequent discussions we had in class.\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\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFor more information on Explore LLC and College Sciences Special Topics Courses:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\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\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/explorellc.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EExplore Living Learning Community (LLC) of the College of Sciences\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 strives to connect undergraduate students with faculty, and staff across the institute in order to encourage learning of career options, develop technical and team-building skills, and promote early access to undergraduate research and\/or health-care affiliated co-curricular activities.\u0026nbsp; The LLC fosters a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and self-discovery through a range of courses and activities offered to its participants.\u0026nbsp;\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\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\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\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA request for 2024-2025 academic year CoS special topics course proposals is expected to be distributed to CoS postdoctoral fellows and research sciences in February 2024.\u0026nbsp;\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A group of first-year students are conducting undergraduate research and learning about special science and math subjects through a new special topics course that\u2019s also giving postdoctoral scholars and research scientists a chance to teach."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EA group of first-year students are conducting undergraduate research and learning about special science and math subjects through a new special topics course that\u2019s also giving postdoctoral scholars and research scientists a chance to design a course and hone their teaching skills\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\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A group of first-year students are conducting undergraduate research and learning about special science and math subjects through a new special topics course that\u2019s also giving postdoctoral scholars and research scientists a chance to teach."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2023-11-27 20:20:11","changed_gmt":"2023-12-12 19:40:19","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-30T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-30T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672454":{"id":"672454","type":"image","title":"Peter Conlin","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPeter Conlin\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1701117152","gmt_created":"2023-11-27 20:32:32","changed":"1701117152","gmt_changed":"2023-11-27 20:32:32","alt":"Peter Conlin","file":{"fid":"255690","name":"Peter Conlin 1-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/27\/Peter%20Conlin%201-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/27\/Peter%20Conlin%201-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4822644,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/11\/27\/Peter%20Conlin%201-2.jpg?itok=ob1pkuCB"}}},"media_ids":["672454"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"193309","name":"Explore Living Learning Community"},{"id":"192606","name":"Peter Conlin"},{"id":"193310","name":"Cam Tyson"},{"id":"193311","name":"Tammy McCoy"},{"id":"171122","name":"special topics course"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"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\u003EWriter: Renay 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\u003EEditor: Jess Hunt-Ralston\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":""}},"670665":{"#nid":"670665","#data":{"type":"news","title":"David Hu Elected Fellow of American Physical Society","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/hu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Hu\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech,\u0026nbsp;has been elected a 2023 American Physical Society (APS) Fellow for his innovative experiments in biological fluid mechanics and his willingness to share them with young scientists. Hu\u2019s nomination came from the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (DFD).\u0026nbsp;\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe APS Fellowship Program recognizes members who have made exceptional contributions in physics research, important applications of physics, leadership in or service to physics, or significant contributions to physics education. Each year, less than 10 members from the APS DFD community receive this elevation and this year only eight Fellows were selected.\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cI am humbled to be elected among my teachers and mentors who have taught me everything I know,\u201d said Hu.\u0026nbsp;\u201cI see that I have a responsibility, like the previous generation of fellows, to represent the subject matter well, make the difficult decisions, and help foster the next generation of fluid mechanics, whatever it may look like.\u201d\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/news\/david-hu-elected-fellow-american-physical-society\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERead more about David Hu\u0027s journey in fluid mechanics on the Mechanical Engineering website.\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\u003EDavid Hu, professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech, has been elected a 2023 American Physical Society (APS) Fellow for his innovative experiments in biological fluid mechanics and his willingness to share them with young scientists.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"David Hu, professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech, has been elected a 2023 American Physical Society Fellow for his innovative experiments in biological fluid mechanics."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2023-10-25 19:55:20","changed_gmt":"2023-12-12 19:38:05","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672178":{"id":"672178","type":"image","title":"David Hu holding two popular science books he\u0027s authored.","body":null,"created":"1698262768","gmt_created":"2023-10-25 19:39:28","changed":"1698262768","gmt_changed":"2023-10-25 19:39:28","alt":"David Hu holding two popular science books he\u0027s authored.","file":{"fid":"255368","name":"Hu_Web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/25\/Hu_Web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/25\/Hu_Web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":801229,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/25\/Hu_Web.jpg?itok=iA6_JgN8"}}},"media_ids":["672178"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2022\/09\/fire-ant-rafts-form-thanks-force-known-cheerios-effect","title":"Fire Ant Rafts Form Thanks to a Force Known as the \u2018Cheerios Effect\u2019"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/engineering-new-way-feed-gorillas","title":"Engineering A New Way to Feed Gorillas"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/want-better-kimchi-make-it-ancients-did","title":"Want Better Kimchi? Make It Like the Ancients Did"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"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"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"297","name":"David Hu"},{"id":"189046","name":"American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics"},{"id":"53281","name":"American Physical Society"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"193353","name":"cos-"}],"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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nre.gatech.edu\/user\/1065\u0022\u003EChloe Arrington\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical 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\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Chloe.Arrington@me.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670950":{"#nid":"670950","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Coskun Receives $1.86 Million NIH MIRA Award to Map Spatial Molecular Neighborhoods","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Coskun has a saying on the homepage of his\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.coskunlab.org\/\u0022\u003Elab\u2019s website\u003C\/a\u003E: \u201cSeeing is believing. Quantifying is proving.\u201d So, with that in mind, Coskun and his team have developed multiplex imaging tools and combined them with machine learning techniques \u2013 for believing and quantifying.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, to support Coskun\u2019s research, the National Institutes of Health has granted him the prestigious\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nigms.nih.gov\/Research\/mechanisms\/MIRA\u0022\u003EMaximizing Investigator\u2019s Research Award\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(MIRA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.\u0026nbsp;Coskun and his team will use the five-year, $1.86 million award for a project entitled,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/search\/5p7V3M55MEmKfNbVMqn87g\/project-details\/10713565\u0022\u003E\u201cDissecting subcellular and cellular organization by spatial molecular neighborhood networks.\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey plan to probe subcellular and cellular organization, counting molecular neighborhoods\u0026nbsp;and building maps to help researchers better understand the spatial organization of cells and molecules, insights that can open the door to game-changing personalized treatments for multiple diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe spatial organization of these neighborhoods, of RNA and protein molecules, is important for cellular function,\u201d said Coskun,\u0026nbsp;a Bernie Marcus Early Career Professor in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u201cSo, we\u2019re basically making maps of molecules within the cell.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe maps can ultimately help researchers identify cell types that would best treat various diseases, while also explaining why some patients will respond to a particular treatment, and others won\u2019t.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe NIH\u2019s MIRA program provides researchers with greater stability and flexibility in funding while enhancing their ability to creatively tackle ambitious scientific problems. And part of the aim, said Coskun, \u201cis to address basic biology questions that have implications on multiple diseases in the future. This single cell work has that kind of potential.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor Coskun, the MIRA is the next phase of support in a flurry of awards that have come his way recently: it\u2019s the fifth NIH grant his lab has received this year, with a total value of $3.6 million.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis year has been a great year for us,\u201d said Coskun. \u201cIt\u2019s encouraging to receive this kind of recognition and support for research and technology that we believe will play an important role in the lives of patients.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researcher probing subcellular and cellular organization, counting molecular neighborhoods\u0026nbsp;and building maps to better understand the spatial organization of cells and molecules, opening the door to game-changing personalized treatments for multiple diseases.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researcher plans to probe subcellular and cellular organization, counting molecular neighborhoods and building to better understand the spatial organization of cells."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2023-11-08 17:20:38","changed_gmt":"2023-11-08 19:03:58","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-11-08T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2023-11-08T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672304":{"id":"672304","type":"image","title":"Ahmet Co\u015fkun","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAhmet Co\u015fkun\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1699463592","gmt_created":"2023-11-08 17:13:12","changed":"1699463781","gmt_changed":"2023-11-08 17:16:21","alt":"Ahmet Coskun was awarded $1.86 Million to map spatial molecular neighborhoods.","file":{"fid":"255523","name":"New Coskun photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/08\/New%20Coskun%20photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/11\/08\/New%20Coskun%20photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4425299,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/11\/08\/New%20Coskun%20photo.jpg?itok=0FXnO7Kp"}}},"media_ids":["672304"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"191366","name":"multiplexed imaging"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"2270","name":"National Institutes of Health"},{"id":"186853","name":"Ahmet Coskun"}],"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: \u003Ca href=\u0022jerry.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":""}},"670645":{"#nid":"670645","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Remembering James Reedy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and the College of Sciences community sends its condolences to the family and friends of James (Jim) Reedy, a former professor and chair of the College\u0027s former Department of Health \u0026amp; Physical Education. His family held a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dignitymemorial.com\/obituaries\/atlanta-ga\/james-reedy-11488477\u0022\u003Ememorial service\u003C\/a\u003E on October 23 in Atlanta, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/phillip-sparling\u0022\u003EPhilip Sparling\u003C\/a\u003E, professor emeritus in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, shared the following message in honor of Reedy:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDr. Jim Reedy, a longtime department chair at Georgia Tech, passed away on October 4th at age 85. Recruited in 1978, he led major changes in his unit\u2019s mission and curriculum that included an expansion from physical training classes to courses in lifetime fitness, human anatomy, exercise physiology, and biomechanics. He provided resources to new faculty to develop research programs and transformed the Department of Physical Education \u0026amp; Recreation into the Department of Health \u0026amp; Performance Sciences, a unit within the College of Sciences (today as part of the School of Biological Sciences). He served as chair for 20 years under four different deans (1978-1998). He retired in 2000. Dr. Reedy was a charismatic, passionate, and gifted administrator who had a lasting impact on the GT community.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dignitymemorial.com\/obituaries\/atlanta-ga\/james-reedy-11488477\u0022\u003EJames Reedy obituary\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJames Alan Reedy, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend passed away peacefully on October 4, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 85 years old. Born in Clintwood, Virginia, he was preceded in death by his parents Corbett and Lelia Reedy, loving wife Kay Reedy and sister Nancy Olson. He is survived by his children Jody Reedy Andrade (Billy), Betsy Reedy Sawyer (Ryan), Bryan Dunlap (Kelley), Bo Dunlap (Jill), and Greg Kershner (Leigh). Jim was a proud grandfather to his fourteen grandchildren: Cameron, Grace, Tyler, Eli, Sidney, Paige, Grant, Jackson, Meredith, Eliza, Isabella, Sechaba, Talia and Meti.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJim was a graduate of John Marshall High School in Richmond, Virginia and Bridgewater College where he resides in the Hall of Fame for men\u2019s basketball. He earned a master\u2019s degree from Long Beach State and doctorate degree from Vanderbilt University.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJim had a strong Christian faith grounded from his youth and his parental teachings. This led to a work ethic that was admired for its integrity and dedication to the field of health and physical education. A life-long educator, he served in many roles including teacher, coach, athletic director and college administrator. He began his career at Bridgewater College and finished at Georgia Tech as department head and professor of the Health and Performance Sciences Department. His influence upon those with whom he taught and mentored lingers to this day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJim enjoyed daily exercise, delicious food, a good old movie, anything sports related and especially time with family. He had a gift for storytelling and could captivate an audience with his humorous tales and poems. Over the past several years, he began to write novels and had several published that relied on the connections he had with people throughout his life. He chose joy daily and his encouraging spirit will be forever missed.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and the College of Sciences community sends its condolences to the family and friends of James (Jim) Reedy, a former professor and chair of the College\u0027s former Department of Health \u0026amp; Physical Education.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech and the College of Sciences community sends its condolences to the family and friends of James (Jim) Reedy, a former professor and chair of the College\u0027s former Department of Health \u0026 Physical Education. "}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2023-10-24 21:01:49","changed_gmt":"2023-10-24 21:09:15","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-10-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-10-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672166":{"id":"672166","type":"image","title":"James (Jim) Reedy, former professor and chair in the Department of Health \u0026 Performance Sciences in the College of Sciences.","body":null,"created":"1698181356","gmt_created":"2023-10-24 21:02:36","changed":"1698181356","gmt_changed":"2023-10-24 21:02:36","alt":"A photo of Jim Reedy smiling","file":{"fid":"255356","name":"james-reedy-atlanta-ga-obituary.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/24\/james-reedy-atlanta-ga-obituary.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/24\/james-reedy-atlanta-ga-obituary.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":49792,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/24\/james-reedy-atlanta-ga-obituary.jpg?itok=5woLTa_P"}},"672167":{"id":"672167","type":"image","title":"James Reedy during his time at Georgia Tech","body":null,"created":"1698181439","gmt_created":"2023-10-24 21:03:59","changed":"1698181439","gmt_changed":"2023-10-24 21:03:59","alt":"A young James Reedy","file":{"fid":"255357","name":"Jim Reedy.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/24\/Jim%20Reedy.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/10\/24\/Jim%20Reedy.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1487007,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/10\/24\/Jim%20Reedy.png?itok=pdEuohe9"}}},"media_ids":["672166","672167"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"6015","name":"memorial service"},{"id":"193211","name":"James Reedy"}],"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=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mindy-millard-stafford\u0022\u003EMindy Millard-Stafford\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nProfessor, School of Biological Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nmindy.millardstafford@ap.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mindy.millardstafford@ap.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"670043":{"#nid":"670043","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Provide Insight into Evolving Drug-Delivery Systems Technology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EImagine having a tiny device inside your body that can continuously monitor your health and deliver the right treatment when needed. That\u0027s what closed-loop drug delivery systems (CLDDs) can provide, automatically monitoring, adjusting, and administering medication in response to specific signals within the body.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, CLDDs can be used to manage chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, where maintaining precise control over mediation dosage is critical.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile they hold immense promise for improving patient outcomes and treatment adherence, CLDDs have only recently entered clinical use due to the difficulty in integrating the sensing and actuating components of human-machine Interfaces (HMIs).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering have published an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cell.com\/device\/fulltext\/S2666-9986(23)00144-8\u0022\u003Earticle\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EDevice\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;that provides a comprehensive overview of advancements, strengths, and challenges associated with various CLDD approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExamples of devices already in use include insulin pumps, implantable pain pumps, and epilepsy neurostimulators.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the paper, titled \u201cCommunication Protocols Integrating Wearables, Ingestibles, and Implantables for Closed-Loop Therapies,\u201d the researchers explore both passive and active CLDDs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPassive devices (typically implantable or ingestible) can release drugs over extended periods without active, real-time monitoring, while active CLDDs incorporate real-time monitoring and feedback mechanisms to adjust drug delivery in response to changing circumstances.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cActive closed-loop, drug-delivery systems are poised to usher in a new generation of remote, personalized healthcare driven by human-machine interfaces,\u201d said study co-author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.abramsonlab.com\/\u0022\u003EAlex Abramson\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBut to accentuate the shift from passive to active CLDDs, the integration of advanced sensors and actuators is crucial,\u201d added Ramy Ghanim, a PhD student in Abramson\u2019s lab and co-author of the paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESensors in CLDDs continuously monitor specific health parameters in the body (e.g., blood glucose levels for diabetics), and that data is fed to actuators that determine if a specific treatment is needed (such as releasing insulin).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommunication Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the article, the researchers explore various methods for communication transmission in CLDDs, including hardwiring, radio frequency (RF) wireless communication such as Bluetooth, ultrasound, and in-body communication (harnessing the body itself for data transfer through methods like ionic, biochemical, and optical communication). Each method comes with unique advantages and challenges, according to the researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChallenges in developing advanced HMIs include battery size constraints, powering requirements, data transmission rates, and locational dependance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne big challenge is making sure these devices work no matter where they are inside a patient. Like a cellphone working best near a Wi-Fi router, these devices need to be in the right place to communicate effectively. Sometimes, they move around inside the body, which can be a problem.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper explores potential solutions to various challenges, including energy harvesting techniques, wireless powering, and location tracking systems. Ensuring secure data transmission and protection against hacking is also crucial, the researchers noted.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBenefits to Patients\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBenefits of CLDDs include simplicity by automating treatment, reducing side effects by delivering medication precisely in a timely manner, and cost-effectiveness by reducing hospitalizations and complications associated with patient non-compliance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUp to half of all patients requiring frequent and redundant dosages are noncompliant, sometimes missing doses due to complex treatment regimens, according to the researchers.\u0026nbsp;Consequences include decreased quality of life, preventable disease progression, and an estimated annual cost of $528.4 billion in U.S. healthcare expenditure solely due to suboptimal medication therapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cClosed-loop drug delivery systems are poised to transform the landscape of chronic illness treatment by enhancing therapeutic release profiles and easing drug administration, thereby improving patients\u2019 quality of life, decreasing medical expenditures, and improving compliance,\u201d Abramson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECITATION: Ramy Ghanim, Anika Kaushik, Jihoon Park, and Alex Abramson, \u201cCommunication Protocols Integrating Wearables, Ingestibles, and Implantables for Closed-Loop Therapies,\u201d Device,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cell.com\/device\/fulltext\/S2666-9986(23)00144-8\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.cell.com\/device\/fulltext\/S2666-9986(23)00144-8\u003C\/a\u003E, 2023 \u0026nbsp;\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\u003EWhile closed-loop drug delivery systems hold immense promise for improving patient outcomes and treatment adherence, CLDDs have only recently entered clinical use due to the difficulty in integrating the sensing and actuating components of human-machine Interfaces (HMIs).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Closed-loop drug delivery systems can be used to manage chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, where maintaining precise control over mediation dosage is critical"}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2023-09-29 17:28:37","changed_gmt":"2023-10-02 14:03:42","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671902":{"id":"671902","type":"image","title":"Closed-loop Drug Delivery Systems","body":null,"created":"1696007769","gmt_created":"2023-09-29 17:16:09","changed":"1696007915","gmt_changed":"2023-09-29 17:18:35","alt":"Closed-loop Drug Delivery Systems graphic","file":{"fid":"255052","name":"CLDDs.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/CLDDs.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/CLDDs.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":44689,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/29\/CLDDs.jpg?itok=uathdz8p"}},"671903":{"id":"671903","type":"image","title":"Alex Abramson","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAlex Abramson, assistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1696008000","gmt_created":"2023-09-29 17:20:00","changed":"1696008099","gmt_changed":"2023-09-29 17:21:39","alt":"Alex Abramson","file":{"fid":"255053","name":"Alex Abramsonweb.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/Alex%20Abramsonweb.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/Alex%20Abramsonweb.png","mime":"image\/png","size":204292,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/29\/Alex%20Abramsonweb.png?itok=HdUMBVzh"}},"671904":{"id":"671904","type":"image","title":"Ramy Ghanim","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERamy Ghanim, PhD student in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1696008225","gmt_created":"2023-09-29 17:23:45","changed":"1696008297","gmt_changed":"2023-09-29 17:24:57","alt":"Ramy Ghanim","file":{"fid":"255054","name":"Ramy GhanimWEB.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/Ramy%20GhanimWEB.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/Ramy%20GhanimWEB.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":113137,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/29\/Ramy%20GhanimWEB.jpg?itok=lvBl2sK-"}}},"media_ids":["671902","671903","671904"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"},{"id":"186870","name":"go-imat"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"560","name":"chemical engineering"},{"id":"9540","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"13603","name":"Drug Delivery Systems"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebraddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"669757":{"#nid":"669757","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Identify Crucial Biomarker That Tracks Recovery from Treatment-Resistant Depression","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team of clinicians, engineers, and neuroscientists has made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of treatment-resistant depression. By analyzing the brain activity of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS), the researchers identified a unique pattern in brain activity that reflects the recovery process in patients with treatment-resistant depression. This pattern, known as a biomarker, serves as a measurable indicator of disease recovery and represents a significant advance in treatment for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.emoryhealthcare.org\/centers-programs\/treatment-resistant-depression-program\/index.html\u0022\u003Ethe most severe and untreatable forms of depression\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u2019s findings, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06541-3\u0022\u003Epublished in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E Sept. 20\u003C\/a\u003E, offer the first window into the intricate workings and mechanistic effects of DBS on the brain during treatment for severe depression.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDBS involves implanting thin electrodes in a specific brain area to deliver small electrical pulses, similar to a pacemaker. Although DBS has been approved and used for movement disorders such as Parkinson\u2019s disease for many years, it remains experimental for depression.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis study is a crucial step toward using objective data collected directly from the brain via the DBS device to inform clinicians about the patient\u2019s response to treatment. This information can help guide adjustments to DBS therapy, tailoring it to each patient\u2019s unique response and optimizing their treatment outcomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/09\/researchers-identify-crucial-biomarker-tracks-recovery-treatment-resistant-depression\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story on the College of Engineering website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHarnessing the power of explainable AI, researchers have unveiled the first insights into the complex workings of deep-brain stimulation therapy for severe depression.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Harnessing the power of explainable AI, researchers have unveiled the first insights into the complex workings of deep-brain stimulation therapy for severe depression."}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2023-09-18 19:57:10","changed_gmt":"2023-09-26 11:36:27","author":"Joshua Stewart","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671741":{"id":"671741","type":"image","title":"Depression DBS Brain Illustration","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn illustration created from scans of the white matter brain structure of a patient in the study by Georgia Tech, Mount Sinai, and Emory University researchers. The highlighted paths are the regions targeted in deep-brain stimulation therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Recordings of brain activity during treatment paired with new explainable AI tools can provide objective data about recovery to physicians. (Illustration: Mike Halerz, TeraPixel)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1695067711","gmt_created":"2023-09-18 20:08:31","changed":"1695222163","gmt_changed":"2023-09-20 15:02:43","alt":"Copper-colored illustration of a hair-like mass shaped like a brain. The strands are the white matter structure of a patient brain.  It\u0027s encircled by ones \u0026 zeros that connect to a bright spot in the frontal lobe with brightly lit pathways extending from that spot \u2014 the target pathways for a deep-brain stimulation therapy to treat severe depression. (Illustration: Mike Halerz, TeraPixel)","file":{"fid":"254849","name":"SCC-DBS-Copper-Brain-Illus-Mike-Halerz-TeraPixel_crop.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/18\/SCC-DBS-Copper-Brain-Illus-Mike-Halerz-TeraPixel_crop.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/18\/SCC-DBS-Copper-Brain-Illus-Mike-Halerz-TeraPixel_crop.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3164889,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/18\/SCC-DBS-Copper-Brain-Illus-Mike-Halerz-TeraPixel_crop.jpg?itok=b2EI1erz"}}},"media_ids":["671741"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"177256","name":"Chris Rozell"},{"id":"9024","name":"depression"},{"id":"189654","name":"deep brain stimulation"},{"id":"1925","name":"Electrical and Computer Engineering"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"126591","name":"go-NeuralEngineering"},{"id":"126201","name":"go-neural"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:aisles3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAyana Isles\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMedia Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404.660.2927\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["aisles3@gatech.edu"],"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":""}},"669157":{"#nid":"669157","#data":{"type":"news","title":"BME Researchers Lead $24M Project Using mRNA to \u2018Turn On\u2019 Helpful Immune Responses","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPresident Joe Biden and the White House \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/statements-releases\/2023\/08\/23\/as-part-of-president-bidens-unity-agenda-biden-cancer-moonshot-announces-launch-of-arpa-hs-cureit-project-led-by-emory-university-to-develop-new-tools-to-strengthen-the-immune-syste\/\u0022\u003Eannounced $24 million in support Aug. 23\u003C\/a\u003E for a team led by Georgia Tech and Emory University biomedical engineers who want to use mRNA to unlock new treatments for cancer and other chronic diseases.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETheir project, called Curing the Uncurable via RNA-Encoded Immunogene Tuning (CUREIT), aims to use mRNA to essentially turn genes on or off in individual immune cells. The idea is to reverse the suppression or dysregulation of the immune system that is common in chronic diseases like cancer.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cBy combining mRNA-encoded antigens with gene modulation technology, we will be able to radically enhance specific immune responses,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Philip-Santangelo\u0022\u003EPhilip Santangelo\u003C\/a\u003E, the project\u2019s leader and a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThis technology, which operates transiently without modifying DNA, can offer a potential breakthrough in treating cancers, autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases.\u201d\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/08\/bme-researchers-lead-24m-project-using-mrna-turn-helpful-immune-responses\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERead the full story on the College of Engineering website.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPhilip Santangelo wants to build a toolbox of mRNA drugs to activate or shut off specific genes to help the immune system fight cancer and other disorders.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Philip Santangelo wants to build a toolbox of mRNA drugs to activate or shut off specific genes to help the immune system fight cancer and other disorders."}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2023-08-24 18:22:26","changed_gmt":"2023-08-31 15:16:00","author":"Joshua Stewart","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-08-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-08-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671478":{"id":"671478","type":"image","title":"Philip Santangelo mRNA Gene Modulation","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers, from left, Lorena Chaves, Jose Assumpcao, and Philip Santangelo will be part of a collaborative effort to use mRNA drugs to enhance the body\u2019s immune response. Santangelo is leading the $24 million project supported by the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. (Photo: Jack Kearse\/Emory University)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1692814966","gmt_created":"2023-08-23 18:22:46","changed":"1692901366","gmt_changed":"2023-08-24 18:22:46","alt":"Emory researchers Lorena Chaves, Jose Assumpcao, and Philip Santangelo working at a hood in their lab. (Photo: Jack Kearse)","file":{"fid":"254547","name":"Philip-Santangelo-mRNA-Cancer-Gene-Modulation-ARPA-H.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/24\/Philip-Santangelo-mRNA-Cancer-Gene-Modulation-ARPA-H.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/24\/Philip-Santangelo-mRNA-Cancer-Gene-Modulation-ARPA-H.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":129479,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/24\/Philip-Santangelo-mRNA-Cancer-Gene-Modulation-ARPA-H.jpg?itok=5pQcBoyQ"}}},"media_ids":["671478"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13850","name":"Philip Santangelo"},{"id":"249","name":"Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"985","name":"mRNA"},{"id":"191727","name":"mRNA therapies"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jstewart@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jstewart@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"668734":{"#nid":"668734","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Celebrating the 2023 Class of 40 Under 40","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAn extraordinary group of young alumni were recently recognized by the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EGeorgia Tech Alumni Association\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 with their release of the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/s\/1481\/alumni\/19\/interior.aspx?sid=1481\u0026amp;gid=21\u0026amp;pgid=19274\u0026amp;sitebuilder=1\u0026amp;contentbuilder=1#gsc.tab=0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E2023 class of 40 under 40\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. Four College of Sciences alumni from three schools are members of this class of Jackets.\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\u003ELaunched in \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\/alumni-association-honors-three-sciences-grads-inaugural-40-under-40-list\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E2020\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ethis annual program recognizes 40 alumni under the age of 40 who innovate their fields and positively impact the world.\u0026nbsp;\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\u003EThe Alumni Association notes that they are \u201cproud to celebrate this exceptional class of Jackets who have done the impossible; from furthering space exploration to revolutionizing healthcare, these individuals have made the Tech community exceptionally proud.\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\u003ENominees, who must have completed at least one semester at Georgia Tech and be under the age of 40 as of June 30, 2023, were scored using a 25-point rubric by a committee of 24 faculty, staff, and volunteers who collectively represented all Georgia Tech colleges.\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\u003ELearn more about the 2023 class on the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/s\/1481\/alumni\/19\/interior.aspx?sid=1481\u0026amp;gid=21\u0026amp;pgid=19274\u0026amp;sitebuilder=1\u0026amp;contentbuilder=1#gsc.tab=0\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAlumni Association\u2019s website\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, or explore quick stats about the class \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/views\/GeorgiaTech40Under40Alumni2023\/Dashboard1?:showVizHome=no\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ehere\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFrom making groundbreaking discoveries on Mars to revolutionizing healthcare, meet the four trailblazing Sciences alumni in the 2023 class:\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\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStephen Crooke, Ph.D. Chem \u201818\u0026nbsp;\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELead Microbiologist, Vaccine Immunology | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention\u0026nbsp;\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\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStephen Crooke leads the Vaccine Immunology Team in the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where his team supports global and international disease surveillance and researches the development of new vaccines and diagnostics. He is a recipient of the Maurice R. Hilleman Early-Stage Career Investigator Award from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, and he is also an investigator in the Center for Childhood Immunizations and Vaccines at Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta. In his free time, Crooke enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with his wife and young daughter.\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\u003EFavorite Tech Memory: Watching the Jackets defeat UGA in Athens (in overtime, no less!) circa 2014 has to claim the top spot!\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJasreet Hundal, M.S. BI \u201809\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EPrincipal Project Lead \/ Senior Scientist | McDonnell Genome Institute\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\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\u003EJasreet Hundal has revolutionized personalized medicine through her innovative work in computational genomics. After completing her master\u2019s in bioinformatics at Georgia Tech, she joined the Genome Institute at Washington University, focusing on cancer genomics and researching neoantigens. Realizing her computational skills and passion for innovation, she pursued her doctoral degree and developed pVACtools, a computational suite that revolutionizes cancer treatment by predicting individualized neoantigens. Clinical trials across various tumor types now utilize pVACtools to design personalized cancer vaccines. Hundal\u2019s expertise in computational analysis and her pioneering contributions to precision medicine have been widely recognized and published in top-tier scientific journals.\u0026nbsp;\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\u003EFavorite Tech Memory: Doing late night collaborative assignments in one of the oldest buildings\u2014Cherry Emerson, where the biological sciences program was housed!\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELujendra Ojha, Ph.D. EAS \u201816\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAssistant Professor | Rutgers University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\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\u003ELujendra Ojha is a planetary scientist and assistant professor of planetary sciences at Rutgers University. He gained widespread recognition for his discovery of Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) on Mars, which are seasonal features that may indicate the presence of liquid water on the planet. Ojha\u2019s groundbreaking discovery led to numerous media appearances, including interviews with major news networks and an article in Rolling Stone magazine. He has since published numerous papers in prestigious scientific journals, including Science and Nature Communications. Ojha is committed to advancing our understanding of planetary evolution and the potential for habitability beyond Earth.\u0026nbsp;\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\u003EFavorite Tech Memory: Midtown Tavern, seminars in the Ford ES\u0026amp;T Building, followed by midnight dinner at Waffle House on 5th street.\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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ELavanya Rishishwar, M.S. BI \u201812, Ph.D. BI \u201816\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\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\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ESenior Technical Manager | Pillar Biosciences\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\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\u003ELavanya Rishishwar extracts meaningful and actionable insights from vast genomic datasets. Collaborating with federal and state government partners, he has contributed to outbreak investigations, developed infrastructure for laboratory preparedness, and pioneered scalable computational tools for the future. Through mentoring and training, he nurtures the next generation of scientists. Rishishwar\u2019s dedication to translating genomics into real-world impact has earned him recognition and appreciation. His work exemplifies the tremendous potential bioinformatics holds in advancing our understanding of the biological world. Rishishwar received a bachelor\u2019s of science in Bioinformatics from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\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\u003EFavorite Tech Memory: Walking onto the set of The Internship and being playfully scolded by Vince Vaughn for working late on a Friday night.\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\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFour College of Sciences alumni from three schools were recently selected as members of the Alumni Association\u2019s 2023 class of 40 under 40. From making groundbreaking discoveries on Mars to revolutionizing healthcare, meet the Sciences alums working to change the world.\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":"From making groundbreaking discoveries on Mars to revolutionizing healthcare, meet the four trailblazing College Sciences alumni in the Alumni Association\u2019s 2023 class of 40 under 40. "}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2023-08-03 17:34:06","changed_gmt":"2023-08-15 15:30:38","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-08-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-08-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671313":{"id":"671313","type":"image","title":"College of Sciences alumni in the Alumni Association\u0027s 2023 class of 40 under 40.","body":null,"created":"1691084071","gmt_created":"2023-08-03 17:34:31","changed":"1691084071","gmt_changed":"2023-08-03 17:34:31","alt":"A logo for the Georgia Tech Alumni Association\u0027s 40 under 40 class of 2023, with headshots of the four College of Sciences alumni in the class.","file":{"fid":"254345","name":"40u40-2023-email-02.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40u40-2023-email-02.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40u40-2023-email-02.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1029939,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/03\/40u40-2023-email-02.png?itok=4Ncghyo-"}},"671314":{"id":"671314","type":"image","title":"Stephen Crooke, Ph.D. Chem \u201818 (Lead Microbiologist, Vaccine Immunology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)","body":null,"created":"1691084213","gmt_created":"2023-08-03 17:36:53","changed":"1691084213","gmt_changed":"2023-08-03 17:36:53","alt":"A headshot of Stephen Crooke with the 40 under 40 logo","file":{"fid":"254346","name":"40U40-2023-IG-Crooke.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Crooke.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Crooke.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":443179,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Crooke.jpg?itok=bjHASKfE"}},"671315":{"id":"671315","type":"image","title":"Jasreet Hundal, M.S. BI \u201809 (Principal Project Lead \/ Senior Scientist at the McDonnell Genome Institute)","body":null,"created":"1691084360","gmt_created":"2023-08-03 17:39:20","changed":"1691084360","gmt_changed":"2023-08-03 17:39:20","alt":"A headshot of Jasreet and the 40 under 40 logo.","file":{"fid":"254347","name":"40U40-2023-IG-Hundal.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Hundal.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Hundal.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":495375,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Hundal.jpg?itok=aZHxxTCX"}},"671316":{"id":"671316","type":"image","title":"Lujendra Ojha, Ph.D. EAS \u201816 (Assistant Professor at Rutgers University)","body":null,"created":"1691084455","gmt_created":"2023-08-03 17:40:55","changed":"1691084455","gmt_changed":"2023-08-03 17:40:55","alt":"A headshot of Lujendra and the 40 under 40 logo.","file":{"fid":"254348","name":"40U40-2023-IG-Ojha.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Ojha.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Ojha.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":439405,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Ojha.jpg?itok=-n9fwOwv"}},"671317":{"id":"671317","type":"image","title":"Lavanya Rishishwar, M.S. BI \u201812, Ph.D. BI \u201816 (Senior Technical Manager at Pillar Biosciences)","body":null,"created":"1691084547","gmt_created":"2023-08-03 17:42:27","changed":"1691084547","gmt_changed":"2023-08-03 17:42:27","alt":"A headshot of Lavanya with the 40 under 40 logo.","file":{"fid":"254349","name":"40U40-2023-IG-Rishishwar.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Rishishwar.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Rishishwar.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":536421,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/03\/40U40-2023-IG-Rishishwar.jpg?itok=Mkexvc0d"}}},"media_ids":["671313","671314","671315","671316","671317"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/s\/1481\/alumni\/19\/interior.aspx?sid=1481\u0026gid=21\u0026pgid=19777","title":"40 Under 40 Class of 2022"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-alumni-40-under-40-meet-2021-class","title":"40 Under 40 Class of 2021"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/alumni-association-honors-three-sciences-grads-inaugural-40-under-40-list","title":"40 Under 40 Class of 2020"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"15050","name":"40 under 40"},{"id":"188317","name":"Georgia Tech 40 Under 40"},{"id":"596","name":"Alumni Association"},{"id":"192920","name":"Jasreet Hundal"},{"id":"192921","name":"Stephen Crooke"},{"id":"192922","name":"Lavanya Rishishwar"},{"id":"176757","name":"Lujendra Ojha"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAudra Davidson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"668374":{"#nid":"668374","#data":{"type":"news","title":"OZ-Link Technologies Aims to Improve Controlled Drug Delivery","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFor many patients battling a disease, or trying to prevent one, the best treatment option is controlled drug delivery. \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 those cases, a delivery system must bind with the drug and then release it precisely where and when it will be most effective. However, the same system doesn\u2019t work for every drug \u2014 for example, the methods used for capturing and releasing a small-molecule medication won\u2019t work if you want to deliver a biologic drug.\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\u003EThat\u2019s where \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ozlinktech.com\/\u0022\u003EOZ-Link\u003C\/a\u003E hopes to make a significant impact.\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\u201cWhat\u2019s unique about our technology is that, whether the carrier system is an antibody, nanoparticle, polymer, or hydrogel, it connects to whatever the drug is,\u201d said Kasie Collins, CEO and co-founder of OZ-Link, a startup company growing in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.finnlabresearch.org\/index.html\u0022\u003Elab of Georgia Tech researcher M.G. Finn\u003C\/a\u003E, professor, chair, and James A. Carlos Family Chair for Pediatric Technology in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u201cOur technology is designed to be compatible with both small molecules and biologics.\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 early-stage company is working to demonstrate that its system can provide sustained, extended release in ways that can be varied from days to weeks. Small-molecule drugs (the most common drugs on the market) and biologics (the fastest emerging class of drugs) can both benefit from this type of delivery, but in different ways and over different time frames, depending on the target. \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\u003ECurrently, there is nothing on the market capable of doing that effectively, and drug manufacturers large and small are intrigued by the notion of such precise biocompatible delivery. Based on the feedback that OZ-Link has received from its potential client base, the company is at work now on its next phase of research and development.\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\u2019re in the process of developing our first preclinical prototype, featuring our programmable drug delivery system for the extended release of protein therapeutics,\u201d said Collins, whose team has entered a new partnership that will help the fledgling company focus on developing its technology.\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\u003EOZ-Link was notified recently that it had been selected for commercialization support and funding through the Biolocity Fund for 2023-24. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biolocity.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiolocity\u003C\/a\u003E, based in 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, is a philanthropic program that supports early-stage medical technologies from both campuses.\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 addition to CEO Collins, OZ-Link\u2019s founding leadership team includes Steve Seo, chief operating officer; Jasmine Hwang, chief scientific officer; and Wenting Shi, a Ph.D. candidate whose dissertation research plays a critical role in the further development of the Oz-Link technology. All are members or affiliates of the Finn lab.\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\u003EThey recently participated in Biolocity U, a program that provides business and legal counseling, lectures, internship opportunities, and other tools for startups. After making a final pitch, they were selected for funding.\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 just finished doing customer discovery at a local conference when we got the news about Biolocity, which was so important. It allows us to do critical feasibility studies, which are necessary for follow-on funding efforts,\u201d Collins said. \u201cAdditionally, it allows the team to work on OZ-Link research and development full time.\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 company also was part of the inaugural cohort that completed the Nucleate Activator program in Atlanta last semester. This program supports next generation bioentrepreneurs with mentorship, workshops, networking, and a pitch competition. OZ-Link won the Regional High Impact Culture Award, \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ewhich recognizes cutting-edge scientific ideas with the greatest positive impact on society\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\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 foundation of the company is right there in its name, which comes from the chemical structures in OZ-Link\u2019s technology: ozanorbornadiene (also called OND) and azanorbornadiene (ZND) molecules. \u201cWe use this small-molecule technology as a means of linking the therapeutic cargo to a drug delivery system,\u201d Collins said. \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 company is in the process of developing its first viable product, which would deliver injectable protein drugs. But that\u2019s just the beginning.\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 technology is at a nascent stage now, but our feasibility data will help us secure co-development partnerships down the road,\u201d Collins said. \u201cSuch partnerships would give us an opportunity to broaden our scope and demonstrate that we can deliver different types of drugs in an efficient, programmable manner.\u201d\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\u003EEarly stage company from M.G. Finn lab developing drug delivery system for sustained, extended release that can vary from days to weeks.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Early stage company from M.G. Finn lab developing drug delivery system for sustained, extended release that can vary from days to weeks"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2023-07-06 16:51:56","changed_gmt":"2023-07-11 02:12:52","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671112":{"id":"671112","type":"image","title":"OzLink Team","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe OZ-Link team includes (left to right): Professor M.G. Finn, Wenting Shi, Kasie Collins, Jasmine Hwang, and Steve Seo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1688661772","gmt_created":"2023-07-06 16:42:52","changed":"1688661966","gmt_changed":"2023-07-06 16:46:06","alt":"OZ-Link team","file":{"fid":"254117","name":"OzLink Team.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/07\/06\/OzLink%20Team.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/07\/06\/OzLink%20Team.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3087116,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/07\/06\/OzLink%20Team.jpg?itok=okBl-wg5"}}},"media_ids":["671112"],"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":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"173581","name":"go-COS"},{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"},{"id":"3346","name":"drug delivery"},{"id":"180395","name":"controlled-release drug delivery systems"}],"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\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667807":{"#nid":"667807","#data":{"type":"news","title":"On The Edge: Georgia Tech Professors Awarded Curci Grants for Emerging Bio Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo Georgia Tech Professors,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/people\/lily-cheung\u0022\u003ELily Cheung\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/simon-sponberg\u0022\u003ESimon Sponberg\u003C\/a\u003E, have been awarded prestigious Curci Grants, which will fund cutting-edge research in their fields. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/curcifoundation.org\/\u0022\u003EShurl and Kay Curci Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;supports science-based research striving for the advancement of a healthy and sustainable future for humans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Curci Foundation funds research that\u2019s just emerging, that\u2019s on the edge,\u201d Sponberg says. \u201cPart of the goal is to develop fundamental knowledge that will seed all sorts of future research.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECheung\u2019s research has the potential to improve medical treatments \u2014 including many cancer treatments \u2014 and also to help create plants that are more resilient to climate change, which could help feed communities of the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESponberg\u2019s research into agile movement also has medical applications \u2014 potentially changing the way we approach physical therapy for degenerative diseases \u2014 as well as a number of other applications, including building better robots.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/edge-georgia-tech-professors-awarded-curci-grants-emerging-bio-research-0\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story on the College of Sciences website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECheung\u2019s research has the potential to improve medical treatments \u2014 including many cancer treatments \u2014 and also to help create plants that are more resilient to climate change, which could help feed communities of the future.\u0026nbsp;Sponberg\u2019s research into agile movement also has medical applications \u2014 potentially changing the way we approach physical therapy for degenerative diseases \u2014 as well as a number of other applications, including building better robots.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Awarded to Lily Cheung and Simon Sponberg, the grants will fund cutting-edge research in their fields."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2023-05-18 13:11:33","changed_gmt":"2023-06-20 15:01:54","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670832":{"id":"670832","type":"image","title":"Lily Cheung and Simon Sponberg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELily Cheung and Simon Sponberg have been awarded Curci Grants to support their cutting-edge research.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1684415759","gmt_created":"2023-05-18 13:15:59","changed":"1684419384","gmt_changed":"2023-05-18 14:16:24","alt":"Two side-by-side portraits of Lily Cheung (Left) and Simon Sponberg (Right)","file":{"fid":"253769","name":"Cheung \u0026 Sponberg_ Non-Styleized .png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/18\/Cheung%20%26%20Sponberg_%20Non-Styleized%20.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/05\/18\/Cheung%20%26%20Sponberg_%20Non-Styleized%20.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2470695,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/05\/18\/Cheung%20%26%20Sponberg_%20Non-Styleized%20.png?itok=HPiXaSIw"}}},"media_ids":["670832"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"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":"1503","name":"Biotechnology"},{"id":"61021","name":"\u003Cb\u003EThe School of Chemical \u0026 Biomolecular Engineering"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"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":["jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667339":{"#nid":"667339","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nucleic Acid-Based Devices Will Rapidly Diagnose Sepsis, Respiratory Infections","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA multidisciplinary team led by Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) researchers has received $14.7 million in funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop novel diagnostic devices able to rapidly identify the bacteria causing sepsis \u2013 and viruses that cause respiratory infections such as RSV, SARS-CoV-2, and influenza.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe novel nucleic acid detection devices will use the CRISPR Cas13a enzyme to initiate a synthetic biology workflow that will lead to the production of a visible signal if a targeted infectious agent is present in a sample of blood \u2013 or fluid from a nasal or throat swab. The devices will be simple to use, similar to the lateral-flow technology in home pregnancy tests. The devices will provide diagnostic capabilities to low-resource areas such as clinics and battlefield medical units, allowing treatment of infections to begin more quickly \u2013 potentially saving lives.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis new technology will make it much faster and more cost-effective to diagnose these infections,\u201d said \u003Cstrong\u003EMike Farrell\u003C\/strong\u003E, a Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) principal research scientist who is leading the project. \u201cYou would obtain a sample, put it into a device, diagnose the underlying pathogen, and be able to provide a treatment. This could be a huge leap forward in rapidly diagnosing these diseases where sophisticated laboratory testing isn\u2019t available.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFunded by DARPA\u2019s Detect It with Gene Editing Technologies (DIGET) program, the project \u2013 known as Tactical Rapid Pathogen Identification and Diagnostic Ensemble (TRIAgE) \u2013 also includes researchers from Emory University and two private sector companies. The goal will be to detect 10 different pathogens with each device.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDetection Reaction Begins with CRISPR Cas13a Enzyme\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDetection of a pathogen will begin with exposure of a patient sample to the CRISPR Cas13a enzyme with guide proteins containing RNA genetic sequences from the targeted pathogens. If a genetic sequence in the device matches a sequence in the patient sample, the enzyme will begin breaking down the targeted RNA.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDevelopment of the CRISPR Cas13a component of the project will be led by \u003Cstrong\u003EPhil Santangelo\u003C\/strong\u003E, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University and one of the team\u2019s collaborators. CRISPR Cas13a differs from Cas9 technology, which has become known for its ability to edit DNA, which Cas13A will not do.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOnce the Cas13a enzyme breaks down the pathogen RNA, that will trigger additional reactions to amplify the signal and create a visible blue line in the device within 15 minutes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESynthetic Biology Workflow Signals Pathogen Presence\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe will be assembling a synthetic biology workflow that takes an initial signal created by CRISPR-based nucleic acid detection and amplifies it using the same cell-free synthetic biology approaches we have used to create sensors for detecting small molecules and metals: turning on genes that create a visual readout so that expensive instruments, and even electricity, are unnecessary,\u201d explained Mark Styczynski, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and another team collaborator.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs part of the DIGET project, we will be leveraging my group\u2019s expertise in minimal-equipment diagnostics,\u201d he added. \u201cThe biological \u2018parts\u2019 we develop can be reused to transduce signals for the detection of essentially any nucleic acid sequence.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnother Georgia Tech researcher, \u003Cstrong\u003EI. King Jordan\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor and director of the Bioinformatics Graduate Program in the School of Biological Sciences, will mine the genomes of the targeted pathogens for optimal Cas13a target sequences as well as the corresponding Cas13a RNA guide sequences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDevices Must be Both Sensitive and Specific\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond specifically identifying the pathogen or pathogens causing an infection, the diagnostic devices being developed must also be very sensitive \u2013 able to detect as few as 10 copies of the target pathogen in a sample. \u201cA major technological challenge is achieving the level of signal amplification within the device\u2019s synthetic biology circuit to reach the needed level of sensitivity,\u201d Farrell said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ability to detect 10 different pathogens with a single lateral-flow assay is an ambitious goal for a device that depends on a synthetic biology circuit and is designed for use in the field, he added. Lateral-flow assays commonly used in home or point-of-care medical tests operate by applying a liquid sample to a pad containing reactive molecules. The molecules may create visible positive or negative reactions, depending on the design.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cYou just put the sample on the device and it does its thing,\u201d Farrell said. \u201cIf the target pathogen is present, a line turns blue and you can see it with your eye.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEarly Diagnosis Can be Life-Saving\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESepsis is an infection of the bloodstream by any of a number of different bacteria. These bacteria can originate from a lower respiratory infection, kidney or bladder infection, digestive system breakdown, catheter site, wound, or burn. Sepsis results in a severe and persistent inflammatory response that can lead to disrupted blood flow, tissue damage, organ failure, and death.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s important to identify the specific bacteria causing the sepsis because that informs the type of antimicrobial therapy that\u2019s needed,\u201d said Farrell. \u201cThe sooner you can identify the underlying pathogen, the faster you can provide the proper medical care, and the more likely it is that the patient will survive. Current laboratory-based diagnostic methods can take between 24 and 72 hours, and that is just too long.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EImproving diagnostics for sepsis and respiratory diseases will have applications to both the military and civilian worlds, particularly in locations without easy access to laboratory testing.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWounded soldiers in the field are very susceptible to sepsis blood infections, and common respiratory diseases can affect troop readiness, so from a military standpoint, having this rapid diagnostic test would be very significant,\u201d Farrell said. \u201cIn low-resource environments, being able to diagnose these diseases with a single test would be huge as well. Being able to identify the underlying bacteria behind sepsis more quickly could save a lot of lives.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the university researchers, the project includes Global Access Diagnostics, a manufacturer of lateral-flow devices, and Ginkgo Bioworks, which manufactures proteins essential to the diagnostics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe five-phase project is expected to last for four years and will conclude with field validation and a transition to manufacturing. The devices will need to win FDA approval before they can be used, so there is a significant regulatory review aspect to the project, Farrell said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EApproved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWriter: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:john.toon@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGTRI Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAtlanta, Georgia\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) 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 $800 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\u003EMike Farrell, I. King Jordan, and Phil Santangelo working on $14.7 million DARPA funded project to developing novel diagnostic devices able to rapidly identify the bacteria causing sepsis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Mike Farrell, I. King Jordan, and Phil Santangelo working on $14.7 million DARPA funded project to developing novel diagnostic devices able to rapidly identify the bacteria causing sepsis. "}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2023-04-14 01:26:47","changed_gmt":"2023-05-16 21:33:46","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-03-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-03-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"}],"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\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["john.toon@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667313":{"#nid":"667313","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Announcing the Recipients of the 2022-2023 Krish Roy \u2013 GRA Travel Awards ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Krish Roy - GRA Travel Award is a new travel award endowed by Professor Krishnendu Roy with funding provided by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA). Roy is a Regents\u2019 Professor and the Robert A. Milton Endowed Chair in Biomedical Engineering. He also serves as Director of the NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), the Marcus Center for Cell Therapy Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M), and the Center for ImmunoEngineering.\u0026nbsp;The award was designed to support to IBB-affiliated undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees conducting research in cell manufacturing, drug delivery, immunoengineering, and regenerative medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETen finalists (pictured left) were selected to receive a stipend to travel to a domestic or international conference or workshop to present their research work.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Krish Roy\u0026nbsp;Travel\u0026nbsp;award allowed me to participate in my first conference of my\u0026nbsp;graduate school career.\u0022 said\u0026nbsp;Parisa Keshavarz-Joud.\u0026nbsp;\u0022I had the opportunity to present a poster on my research at the Physical Virology Gordon Research Conference in January 2023 and interact with experts in the field. This experience broadened my knowledge of the field and helped me in developing new ideas about the next steps of my project.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EElijah Holland used his award in January to attend the\u0026nbsp;Fibronectin Gordon Research Conference in Ventura, California. In expressing gratitude for the award, Holland shared that he was able to meet leaders in the cell adhesion field and gave his first oral research presentation, titled \u0022Mechanotransduction at Focal Adhesions: Interplay among Force, FAs, and YAP.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFourth-year ChemE PhD student Hyun Jee Lee plans to use the award to her\u0026nbsp;support her first experience at an international seminar and conference, where she will present her research and connect with other researchers around the world. Lee\u0027s research focus is developing microfluidic tools to study cellular and molecular mechanisms in small organisms. \u0022I\u0027m particularly interested in investigating brain activity changes associated with learning in\u0026nbsp;C. elegans.\u0022 Lee explained. \u0022I\u0027m very\u0026nbsp;grateful to have received the award.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAwardees (pictured from top left to right):\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJohn Cox, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYarelis Gonzalez-Vargas, Graduate Student, Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETravis Rotterman, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Biological Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWenting Shi, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKamisha Hill, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EParis Keshavarz-Joud, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EElijah Holland, Graduate Research Assistant, Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHun Jee Lee, Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMaeve Janecka,\u0026nbsp;Undergraduate Student, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESunny (Chao-yi) Lu, Graduate Research Assistant, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Krish Roy - GRA Travel Award is a new travel award endowed by Professor Krishnendu Roy with funding provided by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA). Roy is a Regents\u2019 Professor and the Robert A. Milton Endowed Chair in Biomedical Engineering. He also serves as Director of the NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), the Marcus Center for Cell Therapy Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M), and the Center for ImmunoEngineering.\u0026nbsp;The award was designed to support to IBB-affiliated undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees conducting research in cell manufacturing, drug delivery, immunoengineering, and regenerative medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETen finalists (pictured left) were selected to receive a stipend to travel to a domestic or international conference or workshop to present their research work.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Spotlight on the recipients of the award"}],"uid":"36454","created_gmt":"2023-04-13 14:27:42","changed_gmt":"2023-05-16 21:30:54","author":"swilliamson40","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":{"670528":{"id":"670528","type":"image","title":"Final_GRA awardees.png","body":null,"created":"1681406289","gmt_created":"2023-04-13 17:18:09","changed":"1681406289","gmt_changed":"2023-04-13 17:18:09","alt":"Awardees pictured.","file":{"fid":"253407","name":"Final_GRA awardees.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/13\/Final_GRA%20awardees.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/13\/Final_GRA%20awardees.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2092506,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/13\/Final_GRA%20awardees.png?itok=dNowNokF"}}},"media_ids":["670528"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"}],"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\u003ESavannah Williamson\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch Communications Program Manager, IBB\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["swilliamson40@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"656751":{"#nid":"656751","#data":{"type":"news","title":"College of Sciences Advances in U.S. News Best Graduate School Rankings","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E continues to make progress in the graduate school rankings published by U.S. News and World Report.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EReleased on March 29, the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-graduate-schools\/georgia-institute-of-technology-139755\/overall-rankings\u0022\u003E 2023 U.S. News Best Graduate School Rankings\u003C\/a\u003E highlights all six College of Sciences schools as \u003Cstrong\u003Ebest overall science programs for graduate studies\u003C\/strong\u003E:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBiology \u2013 No. 37\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChemistry \u2013 No. 21\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEarth Sciences \u2013 No. 28\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMathematics \u2013 No. 21\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhysics \u2013 No. 28\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPsychology \u2013 No. 39\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E rose 17 places (from No. 54) in a nine-way tie with Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, Dartmouth College, Indiana University-Bloomington, Ohio State University, University of Utah, and UT Health MD Anderson Cancer Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EChemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E shifted from No. 20 in a four-way tie with Johns Hopkins University, University of California (UC)-San Diego, and Texas A\u0026amp;M University-College Station.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEarth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E rose by 10 (from No. 38) in a tie with Ohio State University, University of Southern California, and Washington University in St. Louis.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMathematics\u003C\/a\u003E advanced by five, up from No. 26 in a tie with Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, UC-San Diego, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPhysics\u003C\/a\u003E maintains its No. 28 ranking in a tie with Brown University, Duke University, and Rice University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EPsychology\u003C\/a\u003E rose six spots to No. 39 in a tie with Arizona State University, Michigan State University, Stony Brook University, University of Florida, University of Iowa, and University of Pittsburgh.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EU.S. News \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/discrete-mathcombinatorics-moves-no-2-us-news-graduate-school-rankings\u0022\u003Epreviously ranked graduate science programs\u003C\/a\u003E in their 2019 Best Graduate Schools Edition (published in March 2018) with the exception of Psychology, which is categorized under U.S. News \u201cSocial Sciences and Humanities\u201d programs and was last ranked in the 2017 Edition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAmong specialty graduate programs\u003C\/strong\u003E, Analytical Chemistry and Condensed Matter (Physics) both rank in the top 20, while previously unranked Applied Math climbed into the top 16 to No. 11.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMathematical Analysis and Topology tied for No. 18 and No. 15, respectively, and Tech remains top five in the nation for Discrete Math and Combinatorics. Uniquely organized across the Colleges of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESciences\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EComputing\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEngineering\u003C\/a\u003E, the Institute\u2019s\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/aco.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E Algorithms, Combinatorics, and Optimization\u003C\/a\u003E program previously held a rank of No. 2.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnalytical Chemistry \u2013 No. 17\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EApplied Math \u2013 No. 11\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECondensed Matter \u2013 No. 18\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiscrete Math and Combinatorics \u2013 No. 5\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMathematical Analysis \u2013 No. 18\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETopology \u2013 No. 15\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\t\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI was very happy to see that several of our schools in the College of Sciences moved up in the rankings, in some cases quite significantly,\u201d shares\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/people\/matt-baker\u0022\u003E Matthew Baker\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in the School of Mathematics and associate dean for Faculty Development in the College.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFellow colleges on campus are also on the rise in the latest U.S. News \u201cBest Graduate Schools\u201d set, with Engineering remaining in the top ten in its overall disciplines, and Business, Computing, and Public Affairs also ranking among top programs in the nation. The full roster of current Georgia Institute of Technology rankings \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-graduate-schools\/georgia-institute-of-technology-139755\/overall-rankings\u0022\u003Ecan be found here\u003C\/a\u003E, along with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/best-graduate-schools\/articles\/rankings-methodologies\u0022\u003EU.S. News\u2019 methodology for graduate rankings here\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"U.S. News ranks all six schools among the best in the nation for graduate studies, with Biology rising by 17, Earth Sciences by 10, Mathematics by five, and Psychology by six. Specialty programs also take home high marks, with six in the top 20."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EU.S. News and World Report ranks all six College of Sciences schools among the best overall science programs in the nation for graduate studies. In the 2023 edition, Biology rises 17 places, Earth Sciences by 10, Mathematics by five, and Psychology by six. Specialty programs also take home high marks, with six in the top 20.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"U.S. News ranks all six schools among the best in the nation for graduate studies, with Biology rising by 17, Earth Sciences by 10, Mathematics by five, and Psychology by six. Specialty programs also take home high marks, with six in the top 20."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2022-03-29 14:44:31","changed_gmt":"2023-05-16 21:26:32","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-03-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2022-03-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"656752":{"id":"656752","type":"image","title":"U.S. News ranks all six College of Sciences schools among the best in the nation for graduate studies.","body":null,"created":"1648565216","gmt_created":"2022-03-29 14:46:56","changed":"1648565587","gmt_changed":"2022-03-29 14:53:07","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248953","name":"RankingsGraphic-01.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/RankingsGraphic-01.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/RankingsGraphic-01.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":979819,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/RankingsGraphic-01.jpg?itok=nZFfrxSw"}}},"media_ids":["656752"],"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":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"167710","name":"School of Psychology"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1875","name":"U.S. News \u0026 World Report"},{"id":"177494","name":"U.S. News \u0026 World Report graduate program rankings"},{"id":"173735","name":"U.S. News and World Report rankings"},{"id":"2448","name":"Graduate Rankings"},{"id":"2447","name":"Graduate Programs"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"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\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":""}},"667449":{"#nid":"667449","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Internet Search Data Can Help Predict a Looming \u2018Twindemic\u2019","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe most widely used source of medical advice in modern society might be the Google search box.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEnough people turn to the site with searches like \u201closs of taste\u201d or \u201chow long contagious\u201d that researchers at Georgia Tech can use that data to accurately predict looming waves of influenza-like illness and Covid-19 infections. Their forecasting models work for the nation overall and for each state, offering a new source of data about potential \u201ctwindemics\u201d that could burden healthcare systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe model, developed by Shihao Yang and his team in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, is published in the Nature journal \u003Cem\u003ECommunications Medicine\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/04\/internet-search-data-can-help-predict-looming-twindemic\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERead the full story on the College of Engineering website.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EShihao Yang\u2019s model forecasts when spikes in Covid-19 and flu infections will strain hospitals and health care resources.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Shihao Yang\u2019s model forecasts when spikes in Covid-19 and flu infections will strain hospitals and health care resources."}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2023-04-20 18:17:40","changed_gmt":"2023-04-28 16:09:38","author":"Joshua Stewart","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-04-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670594":{"id":"670594","type":"image","title":"Simin Ma and Shihao Yang","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. student Simin Ma, left, and Shihao Yang, assistant professor in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. They developed a model that uses search data to predict coming waves of serious Covid-19 and flu cases that could burden healthcare resources. (Photo: Candler Hobbs)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1682014672","gmt_created":"2023-04-20 18:17:52","changed":"1682014672","gmt_changed":"2023-04-20 18:17:52","alt":"Ph.D student Simin Ma sits with Assistant Professor Shihao Yang at his desk. A computer monitor shows flu data and Google search trends that they used in their Covid and flu forecasting models.","file":{"fid":"253480","name":"Simin-Ma-Shihao-Yang-Covid-Flu-Forecasting-by-Candler-Hobbs-h.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/20\/Simin-Ma-Shihao-Yang-Covid-Flu-Forecasting-by-Candler-Hobbs-h.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/20\/Simin-Ma-Shihao-Yang-Covid-Flu-Forecasting-by-Candler-Hobbs-h.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":747006,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/20\/Simin-Ma-Shihao-Yang-Covid-Flu-Forecasting-by-Candler-Hobbs-h.jpg?itok=_mRbuWB0"}}},"media_ids":["670594"],"groups":[{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1242","name":"School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISYE)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"185603","name":"Shihao Yang"},{"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:jstewart@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jstewart@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667407":{"#nid":"667407","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Making Medicines: Vinayak Agarwal Awarded NSF CAREER Grant for Peptide Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENatural products \u2013 small organic molecules made by living things like bacteria, fungi, and plants \u2013 are at the forefront of medical innovation. The\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 majority of clinically used antibiotics and drugs are derived from these unique molecules, and innovations in their development, identification, and synthesis are driving the fight against 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\u003EIn the race to develop new pharmaceuticals, an increasing number of biochemists are looking to discover new natural products \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\u2013\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 and uncover\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 the mechanisms that produce and influence them. And Georgia Tech \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/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 Assistant Professor \u003C\/span\u003E\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\/vinayak-agarwal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EVinayak Agarwal\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 helping lead that charge. \u201cI\u2019m interested in how and why natural products are created in nature, what we can learn from their processes, and how we can harness nature\u0027s capabilities for interesting applications,\u201d Agarwal says.\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\u003ENow a $700,000 NSF CAREER grant will help him do so. \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 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award is a five-year funding mechanism designed to help promising researchers establish a personal foundation for a lifetime of leadership in their field. Known as CAREER awards, the grants are NSF\u2019s most prestigious funding for untenured assistant professors.\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\u003EAgarwal\u2019s award specifically focuses on his research into peptides, short strings of amino acids that make up proteins. \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\u201cWe\u2019re making new types of peptides and modified peptides,\u201d Agarwal explains. \u201cModifications in a lot of antibiotics that we use are actually peptides.\u201d Over 100 peptide-based drugs are currently available in the US, where they\u2019re used to treat conditions ranging from type-2 diabetes to MS.\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\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EChanging the tides with peptides\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\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 peptides are naturally made in the body, they can also be synthesized in the lab, where they\u2019re modified using different enzymes. By harnessing these enzymes, peptides can be better tailored to suit needs \u2013 they can be changed to interact with biologies in different ways, an essential aspect of creating new medicines.\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\u003EDiscovering and studying the enzymes that modify peptides is a key part of Agarwal\u2019s research, as is understanding the mechanisms that these enzymes use to recognize and bind to the peptides. This is called \u201cenzymatic modification,\u201d and it\u2019s a lush playing field for discovering new chemical reactions. \u201cWe want to solve the need of the chemistry community when it comes to peptide modifications, providing new reactions to the community regarding peptide development and peptide modification,\u201d Agarwal 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\u003EWhile gene mining has revealed some enzymes that might be useful in modifying peptides, the reactions caused by these enzymes and the resulting structure of the peptide are not fully understood: in-situ research is needed.\u0026nbsp; Agarwal\u2019s first goal is to discover new chemical reactions between peptides and enzymes by leveraging \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\u003Ein vivo\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 synthetic biology (inside living organisms) 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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ein vitro\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 biochemistry experiments (outside of living organisms).\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\u0026nbsp;\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\u003EAgarwal also hopes to better understand how peptides and proteins interact, and why so many chemical reactions depend on them. \u201cPeptide-protein interactions and modification of peptides is a central tenet of all biological processes,\u201d Agarwal explains. \u201cWe want to know how and why peptides are chosen by nature as scaffolding for chemical reactions.\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\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EHands-on research and the student connection\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\u003ELeveraging \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\u003Ein vivo\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 synthetic biology 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\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ein vitro\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 biochemistry experiments means a lot of hands-on research. \u201cThe team is making peptides in the lab using an \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\u003EE. coli\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 bacteria,\u201d Agarwal explains. \u201cWe provide genes to an \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\u003EE. coli \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\u003Ebacteria, and it modifies the chemistries using specific enzymes.\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\u003EWhat does this research look like? Petri dishes. \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\u003EA lot \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\u003Eof petri dishes. And a lot of opportunities for students. \u201cOne of our key goals is to use our interdisciplinary training to engage underserved students in research and lab experience. We want to educate, train, and diversify the next generation of scientists,\u201d Agarwal says. \u201cWe are designing new courses in the laboratory which introduces undergraduates to new coursework and experiments in peptide science.\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\u003ESome of these opportunities are already bearing fruit: Agarwal recently collaborated with a team of undergraduates over \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/news\/curriculum-innovation-drives-undergraduate-research-tech\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Ea semester-long lab course, which included conducting laboratory research and publishing their findings\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\u003ENow, Agarwal plans to use this new CAREER grant to further expand opportunities for undergraduates, and will develop original curriculum starting with peptide-based lab research together with scientific communication and writing.\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\u201cThe training that students are going to get provides a broad experience in biological and chemical science,\u201d Agarwal says. \u201cWe want our students to learn mechanisms for peptide modifications, but the training is broadly applicable. It will prepare them to move forward in STEM \u2013 and especially graduate studies \u2013 but will also prepare them for industry careers, government and regulatory science, graduate studies, and more. This kind of background is applicable in all fields.\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\u003EAll in all, Agarwal expects the research to span across this decade and into the next. There\u2019s excitement in that timeline, too \u2013 ten-plus years of teaching, discovery, and opportunities for students, at Georgia Tech and beyond.\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\u201cFor me, the biggest thing is student progress, as well as curriculum development and training,\u201d Agarwal says. \u201cThat\u2019s my driving force.\u201d\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\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAgarwal\u2019s award specifically focuses on his research into peptides, short strings of amino acids that make up proteins. \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\u201cWe\u2019re making new types of peptides and modified peptides,\u201d Agarwal explains. \u201cModifications in a lot of antibiotics that we use are actually peptides.\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","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Over 100 peptide-based drugs are currently available in the US, where they\u2019re used to treat conditions ranging from type-2 diabetes to MS"}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2023-04-18 16:40:51","changed_gmt":"2023-04-21 16:07:39","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670575":{"id":"670575","type":"image","title":"Petri Dish Mosaic","body":null,"created":"1681836224","gmt_created":"2023-04-18 16:43:44","changed":"1681836644","gmt_changed":"2023-04-18 16:50:44","alt":"A mosaic-like image showing a petri dish","file":{"fid":"253460","name":"Petri_Dish_Mosaic.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/18\/Petri_Dish_Mosaic.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/18\/Petri_Dish_Mosaic.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1532499,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/18\/Petri_Dish_Mosaic.png?itok=csLp_kVr"}},"670576":{"id":"670576","type":"image","title":"Agarwal Portrait","body":null,"created":"1681836683","gmt_created":"2023-04-18 16:51:23","changed":"1681836734","gmt_changed":"2023-04-18 16:52:14","alt":"A portrait of Vinayak Agarwal.","file":{"fid":"253461","name":"agarwal_2_1.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/18\/agarwal_2_1.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/18\/agarwal_2_1.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9339584,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/18\/agarwal_2_1.jpeg?itok=zVsW7JPL"}}},"media_ids":["670575","670576"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/chemistry-chaos-peptides-and-infinite-problems-georgia-tech-researchers-pioneer-new-frontiers","title":"Chemistry, Chaos, Peptides, and (Infinite) Problems: Georgia Tech Researchers Pioneer New Frontiers with NSF CAREER Grants"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/fundamental-questions-jesse-mcdaniel-awarded-nsf-career-grant-research-new-method-predicting","title":"The Fundamental Questions: Jesse McDaniel Awarded NSF CAREER Grant for Research Into New Method of Predicting Chemical Reaction Rates, Leveraging Computer Modeling"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/chasing-chaos-alex-blumenthal-awarded-career-grant-research-chaos-fluid-dynamics","title":"Chasing Chaos: Alex Blumenthal Awarded CAREER Grant for Research in Chaos, Fluid Dynamics"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/solving-infinite-problems-anton-bernshteyn-awarded-nsf-career-grant-developing-new-unified","title":"Solving Infinite Problems: Anton Bernshteyn Awarded NSF CAREER Grant for Developing a New, Unified Theory of Descriptive Combinatorics and Distributed Algorithms"}],"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":"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":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"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","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667354":{"#nid":"667354","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Kosal Talks Biotechnology and Security in SIPRI Video Series on Emerging Technology Risks","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMargaret E. Kosal\u003C\/strong\u003E, associate professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, is featured in a new video series on biosecurity risks and emerging technology produced by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe series features international experts from fields such as genetics, bioethics, international security, and microbiology and is part of SIPRI\u2019s efforts to develop a bio-risk assessment toolkit for academics and researchers in the life sciences. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKosal, who earned a Ph.D. in chemistry, focuses her research on reducing the threat of weapons of mass destruction and understanding the role of emerging technologies for security. She was the only expert chosen from the Western hemisphere.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn her interview, Kosal discusses the key security challenges related to biosecurity and the importance of addressing them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe need to start thinking about groups of technologies, about how these things converge, and so that, I would say, is one of the biggest challenges,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKosal\u2019s involvement in the workshop and series illustrates the commitment of the Nunn School and Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts to impactful global engagement and interdisciplinary work bridging the social sciences and technology. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKosal emphasized the value of collaborative efforts such as SIPRI\u2019s workshop in establishing global norms and reducing the risks surrounding emerging technologies. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s the culmination of these different efforts that build up as we go back, some of us go back to teaching, some go back to positions in governments or if they have chances to influence political actors. There\u2019s a great value in this kind of work.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Nunn School Associate Professor Margaret E. Kosal is featured in a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute video series on biosecurity risks and emerging technology."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENunn School Associate Professor Margaret E. Kosal is featured in a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute video series on biosecurity risks and emerging technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Nunn School Associate Professor Margaret E. Kosal is featured in a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute video series on biosecurity risks and emerging technology."}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2023-04-14 16:56:46","changed_gmt":"2023-04-14 17:00:26","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_files":{"253314":{"fid":null,"name":"White hand holding a smartphone with an opaque digital screen in front.","file_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%2839%29.png","file_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%2839%29.png","mime":"image\/png","size":163400,"description":null}},"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"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":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMichael Pearson\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michael.pearson@iac.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"667209":{"#nid":"667209","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Founding Director of Integrated Cancer Research at Tech Publishes \u2018A Patient\u2019s Guide to Cancer: Understanding the Causes and Treatments of a Complex Disease\u2019","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThere are times when John McDonald, emeritus professor in the School of Biological Sciences and founding director of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/icrc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E Integrated Cancer Research Center\u003C\/a\u003E, is asked to share his special insight into cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOver the years, I\u2019ve gotten calls from non-scientist friends and others who have been diagnosed with cancer, and they call me to get more details on what\u2019s going on, and what options are available,\u201d said McDonald, also a former chief scientific officer with the Atlanta-based Ovarian Cancer Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s the primary motivation why McDonald wrote \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Patients-Guide-Cancer-Understanding-Treatments\/dp\/B0BXNJLYM4\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=\u0026amp;sr=\u0022\u003EA Patient\u0027s Guide to Cancer: Understanding the Causes and Treatments of a Complex Disease\u003C\/a\u003E, which was published by Raven Press LLC (Atlanta) and is now available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble in paperback and ebook editions. The book describes in non-technical language the processes that cause cancer, and details on how recent advances and experimental treatments are offering hope for patients and their families.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA book for the proactive patient\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMcDonald said he couldn\u2019t go into detail for every type of cancer, but provides a generally applicable background for the disease. For those who want more information, he provides links to other resources, including videos, that provide more detail on specific types of cancer. \u201cThere\u2019s not much out there in one place for patients who want to understand the underlying causes of cancer, and the spectrum of therapies currently available,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMcDonald, who was honored in January by the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education (CORE) as one of \u201cToday\u2019s Innovators,\u201d also didn\u2019t want A Patient\u2019s Guide to Cancer to be a lengthy book, and it checks in at only 86 pages.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMcDonald believes that when patients talk to their physicians about cancer treatments, \u0026nbsp;they should ideally have a basic understanding of the underlying cause of their cancer, as well as a general awareness of the range of therapies currently available, and what may be coming down the road in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy book is specifically designed to provide newly diagnosed cancer patients who are not scientists with this kind of background information, empowering them to play a more informed role in the selection of appropriate treatments for their disease\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe current experimental treatment landscape; McDonald\u2019s 2023 research goals\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMcDonald\u2019s own cancer research has led to two related startup companies, co-founded with School of Biological Sciences colleagues.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMcDonald is working with postdoctoral researcher Nick Housley on using nanoparticles to deliver powerful drugs to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. The other company, founded in collaboration with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Patients-Guide-Cancer-Understanding-Treatments\/dp\/B0BXNJLYM4\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8\u0026amp;qid=\u0026amp;sr=\u0022\u003EJeffrey Skolnick\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u0027 Professor, Mary and Maisie Gibson Chair \u0026amp; Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Computational Systems Biology, uses machine learning to create personalized diagnostic tools for ovarian cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe and his lab team are also preparing to submit a research paper that builds off their 2021 study on gene network interactions that could provide new chemotherapy targets for breast cancer. That paper focuses on the three major subtypes of breast cancer. McDonald and his colleagues will also soon submit another study detailing genetic changes that happen with the onset and progression of ovarian cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen it comes to current experimental treatments, McDonald says he\u2019s especially excited about \u0026nbsp;the potential of cancer immunotherapy, which uses the body\u2019s own immune system to fight cancer cells. But he writes in A Patient\u2019s Guide to Cancer that because these drugs are also delivered systemically, healthy tissues can also be affected, potentially leading to autoimmunity or the self-destruction of our normal cells.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn the future, I believe many of the negative side-effects currently associated with the system-wide delivery of cancer drugs will be averted by the use of nanoparticles designed to target therapies specifically to tumors\u201d.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProviding newly diagnosed cancer patients with basic understanding of the underlying cause of their cancer, a general awareness of the range of therapies currently available, and what may be coming down the road in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Providing newly diagnosed cancer patients with basic understanding of the underlying cause of their cancer, a general awareness of the range of therapies currently available, and what may be coming down the road in the future.\u00a0"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2023-04-10 16:48:24","changed_gmt":"2023-04-11 16:49:38","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670488":{"id":"670488","type":"image","title":"John McDonald, Emeritus Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech","body":null,"created":"1681145806","gmt_created":"2023-04-10 16:56:46","changed":"1681145862","gmt_changed":"2023-04-10 16:57:42","alt":"John McDonald, Emeritus Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Tech","file":{"fid":"253352","name":"john_mcdonald_0.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/10\/john_mcdonald_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/10\/john_mcdonald_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1099148,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/10\/john_mcdonald_0.png?itok=VHjiP2YI"}}},"media_ids":["670488"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:renay.san@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}