{"688718":{"#nid":"688718","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Receives Up to $21.8M Award in \u2018Unprecedented\u2019 Push to Treat Lymphatic Disease","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology has been awarded up to $21.8 million from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arpa-h.gov\/\u0022\u003EAdvanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)\u003C\/a\u003E to deliver a first-of-its-kind therapy to patients with lymphatic disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor many of these patients, care has long meant pain and disfigurement alongside other severe side effects, rather than receiving treatment that addresses the disease itself. This new ARPA-H award marks a potential turning point.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELead researcher\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/thomas\u0022\u003ESusan Napier Thomas\u003C\/a\u003E, Woodruff 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:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E (IBB), has collaborated with her colleague\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/dixon\u0022\u003EJ. Brandon Dixon\u003C\/a\u003E, Woodruff Professor in the Woodruff School and IBB, for more than a decade on this project. The research partners are driven by the lack of meaningful treatment options available to patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFunding support at this level is unprecedented,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cIt finally gives us a chance to move beyond symptom management and toward real treatment. We\u2019re addressing an underserved population with a huge unmet need.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Gap in Care\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe lymphatic system helps keep fluid moving through the body and plays a key role in immune health. When it does not function properly, fluid can build up in tissues, causing chronic pain and other long-term complications. Thomas noted that despite its toll on patients, lymphatic disease has lagged decades behind cardiovascular care in both treatment and research investment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are excited about this groundbreaking project in lymphatic engineering,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/garcia\u0022\u003EAndr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda,\u003C\/a\u003E IBB executive director. \u201cBy uniting interdisciplinary expertise, this work addresses long-standing challenges in lymphatic disease and moves meaningful solutions closer to the patients who need them most.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat Comes Next\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the coming years, Thomas, Dixon, and their research partners will work toward an initial human trial, with an early focus on rare lymphatic conditions in children, as well as chronic disease in adults.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis award reflects Georgia Tech\u2019s growing leadership in using engineering to solve some of healthcare\u2019s biggest challenges,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/user\/1078\u0022\u003ECarolyn Seepersad\u003C\/a\u003E, Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. School Chair and professor in the Woodruff School. \u201cIt reinforces the Institute\u2019s role in advancing innovations that improve patient care and strengthen Georgia\u2019s position as a hub for health technology and biomedical innovation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe award was made through ARPA-H\u2019s Groundbreaking Lymphatic Interventions and Drug Exploration (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arpa-h.gov\/explore-funding\/programs\/glide\u0022\u003EGLIDE\u003C\/a\u003E) program led by Dr. Kimberley Steele.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was funded, in part, by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) under Agreement No. 1AY2AX000137-01. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. government.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has been awarded up to $21.8 million from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to develop a first-of-its-kind therapy for lymphatic disease, a condition that has long lacked effective treatment options. Led by Woodruff Professors Susan Napier Thomas and J. Brandon Dixon, the project aims to move beyond symptom management and address the disease itself, offering hope to patients who often experience chronic pain and disfigurement. Funded through ARPA-H\u2019s GLIDE program, the initiative will focus on advancing the therapy toward initial human trials, including for rare pediatric conditions. The award highlights Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in engineering-driven healthcare innovation and its commitment to improving care for underserved patient populations.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The project aims to move lymphatic disease out of the medical margins and toward patients who have had few meaningful treatment options."}],"uid":"36410","created_gmt":"2026-03-04 14:45:56","changed_gmt":"2026-03-13 21:29:44","author":"mazriel3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-03-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679638":{"id":"679638","type":"image","title":"Thomas\/Dixon REVISED headshots","body":null,"created":"1773436990","gmt_created":"2026-03-13 21:23:10","changed":"1773437095","gmt_changed":"2026-03-13 21:24:55","alt":"Headshots of Susan Thomas and J. Brandon DIxon","file":{"fid":"263821","name":"biggiesmalls.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/13\/biggiesmalls.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/03\/13\/biggiesmalls.png","mime":"image\/png","size":6814046,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/03\/13\/biggiesmalls.png?itok=ujVE7fCX"}}},"media_ids":["679638"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"385","name":"cancer"}],"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\u003EMichelle Azriel \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Writer, Editor Research Communications\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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}}}