{"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":"2026-04-17 16:22:48","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"}],"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":""}},"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":""}},"689660":{"#nid":"689660","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Guide to Birdwatching at Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMore than 11 million people live in Georgia, but on April nights, the state\u2019s residents on the ground are outnumbered by tens of millions of small songbirds flying overhead.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESpring migration season typically runs from March through May, peaking in April, according to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/benjamin%20freeman\u0022\u003EBen Freeman\u003C\/a\u003E, an ecologist and assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech. Georgia lies along the Atlantic Flyway, aiding migratory birds \u2014 such as warblers, sparrows, and flycatchers \u2014 with a path to the Appalachians, the Great Lakes, and their home territories, where they will breed in the spring.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EAtlanta is often called a city in a forest, but the Tech campus offers additional green space, food, and shelter for many of the area\u2019s native species. From above, it attracts migrating birds in search of a rest stop along their route.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EFor birds native to the Atlanta metro area, like the Brown-headed Nuthatch and Northern Parula, Freeman says April is also the best time to see and hear them.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cApril is the prime bird month in Georgia,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s because, in addition to the migrating species passing through, our birds are breeding, they\u2019re out looking for food, and singing to defend their territory and impress a mate. This is also the time of year when they have their fanciest feathers, making it a beautiful time to observe them in nature.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2026\/04\/guide-birdwatching-georgia-tech\u0022\u003ERead the full story\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/45127\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E. \u00bb\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EApril is peak bird season in Georgia, so expect to see and hear plenty of species on campus.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"April is peak bird season in Georgia, so expect to see and hear plenty of species on campus."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2026-04-13 16:13:16","changed_gmt":"2026-04-13 17:21:12","author":"lvidal7","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":{"679923":{"id":"679923","type":"image","title":"American Robin","body":null,"created":"1776096880","gmt_created":"2026-04-13 16:14:40","changed":"1776096880","gmt_changed":"2026-04-13 16:14:40","alt":"American Robin sitting on Georgia Tech sign ","file":{"fid":"264145","name":"Early-Bird-Gets-the-Worm--American-Robin-.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/Early-Bird-Gets-the-Worm--American-Robin-.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/13\/Early-Bird-Gets-the-Worm--American-Robin-.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2277086,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/13\/Early-Bird-Gets-the-Worm--American-Robin-.JPG?itok=zHoUjJMu"}}},"media_ids":["679923"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"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":"4620","name":"bird"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["steven.gagliano@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":""}},"688552":{"#nid":"688552","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Generating Buzz: A Protein-Packed Industry","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003EIf you\u2019ve walked the aisles of a grocery store, scrolled through social media, watched television, or\u0026nbsp;set\u0026nbsp;foot in a fast-casual restaurant chain in recent months, you know that protein is having its moment.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003ESo, why are brands pushing protein?\u0026nbsp;An \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ific.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IFIC-Spotlight-Survey-Protein-Perceptions.pdf\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInternational Food Information Council study\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;found that 70% of adults are looking to increase their protein\u0026nbsp;intake. But as it makes\u0026nbsp;its way into more products than ever before,\u0026nbsp;is it\u0026nbsp;too much of a good thing?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/lesley-baradel\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELesley Baradel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;is a\u0026nbsp;registered dietitian,\u0026nbsp;nutritionist,\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;lecturer\u0026nbsp;in the College of Sciences at Georgia Tech. She joined\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Generating Buzz\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eto\u0026nbsp;discuss\u0026nbsp;the protein-packed trend, with implications ranging from health and wellness to marketing and how the rise of GLP-1s factors into the increased focus on the macronutrient.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp lang=\u0022EN-US\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/features\/2026\/02\/generating-buzz-protein-packed-industry\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EListen to the \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGenerating Buzz \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Epodcast episode.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the latest episode of \u003Cem\u003EGenerating Buzz\u003C\/em\u003E, Lesley Baradel explores\u0026nbsp;the high-protein food craze and explains how the rise of GLP-1s factors into the increased focus on this essential macronutrient.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In the latest episode of Generating Buzz, Lesley Baradel explores\u00a0the high-protein food craze and explains how the rise of GLP-1s factors into the increased focus on this essential macronutrient. "}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2026-02-26 17:55:16","changed_gmt":"2026-02-26 21:11:20","author":"lvidal7","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":{"679457":{"id":"679457","type":"image","title":"Generating Buzz: A Protein-Packed Industry","body":null,"created":"1772128534","gmt_created":"2026-02-26 17:55:34","changed":"1772128534","gmt_changed":"2026-02-26 17:55:34","alt":"Colorful containers of \u0022high protein\u0022 ice cream","file":{"fid":"263621","name":"Protein-Header-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/26\/Protein-Header-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/26\/Protein-Header-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1360642,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/26\/Protein-Header-2.jpg?itok=5K6rmlcI"}}},"media_ids":["679457"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"88601","name":"podcast"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"688133":{"#nid":"688133","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Biophysicist Lynn Kamerlin Becomes Institute of Physics Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E Professor and Georgia Research Alliance Vasser Woolley Chair in Molecular Design\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/lynn-kamerlin\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELynn Kamerlin\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has become an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iop.org\/\u0022\u003EInstitute of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E (IOP) Fellow. It is the highest degree of membership awarded by the society.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022The IOP has a long and distinguished history as the primary learned society and professional body for physicists in the U.K., Ireland, and beyond,\u201d says Kamerlin, who completed both a Master of Natural Sciences and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Organic Chemistry\u0026nbsp;from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.birmingham.ac.uk\/\u0022\u003EUniversity of Birmingham\u003C\/a\u003E in the United Kingdom. \u201cAs a society, it plays an important role in building community, promoting science, advancing advocacy for our discipline, and supporting the next generation of physicists.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKamerlin joins a list of distinguished Fellows that includes legendary physicists such as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iop.org\/about\/support-grants\/bell-burnell-fund\/woman-behind-fund\u0022\u003EDame\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJocelyn Bell Burnell\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a preeminent astrophysicist responsible for the discovery of pulsars (a previously unknown type of star) and the first female president of the IOP.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt is a great honor to be awarded Fellowship of the IOP, particularly as women more broadly remain vastly underrepresented in physics,\u201d Kamerlin says. \u201cI look forward to giving back to the physics community, supporting the mission of the society, and working to remind the next generation that physics is for everyone.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Lynn Kamerlin\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKamerlin\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kamerlinlab.com\/\u0022\u003Eresearch in computational biophysics\u003C\/a\u003E is at the intersection of chemistry and biology, where she focuses on investigating fundamental physical chemistry and using computational tools to understand complex biomolecular problems. Currently, she is interested in leveraging machine learning tools to design new enzymes and in predicting protein structures and behaviors using large language models.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn addition to her roles at Georgia Tech, Kamerlin\u0026nbsp;is a senior editor of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/journal\/1469896x\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProtein Science\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the editor-in-chief of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/publishingsupport.iopscience.iop.org\/journals\/electronic-structure\/about-electronic-structure\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EElectronic Structure\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, and was named a 2025-27 visiting professor at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/portal.research.lu.se\/en\/persons\/lynn-kamerlin\/\u0022\u003ELund University\u003C\/a\u003E. She\u0026nbsp;was also named a\u0026nbsp;Fellow of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.rsc.org\/\u0022\u003ERoyal Society of Chemistry\u003C\/a\u003E, received the 2026\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/lynn-kamerlin-receives-biochemical-society-honor\u0022\u003EInspiration and Resilience Award\u003C\/a\u003E from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biochemistry.org\/\u0022\u003EBiochemical Society\u003C\/a\u003E, and was the 2023\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.biophysics.org\/\u0022\u003EBiophysical Society\u003C\/a\u003E Theory \u0026amp; Computation Subgroup Mid-Career Award Winner.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EIt is the highest degree of membership awarded by the society. \u0022I look forward to giving back to the physics community, supporting the mission of the society, and working to remind the next generation that physics is for everyone,\u0022 says Kamerlin.\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" It is the highest degree of membership awarded by the society. "}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-02-09 17:30:13","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 17:32:36","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677019":{"id":"677019","type":"image","title":"Lynn Kamerlin","body":null,"created":"1746193435","gmt_created":"2025-05-02 13:43:55","changed":"1746193435","gmt_changed":"2025-05-02 13:43:55","alt":"Lynn Kamerlin headshot","file":{"fid":"260878","name":"lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104455,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/05\/02\/lynn-kamerlin_portrait.jpg?itok=UCfaKKYb"}}},"media_ids":["677019"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"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 \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\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":""}},"688310":{"#nid":"688310","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mapping Mountain Birds in a Changing World: Benjamin Freeman Awarded Sloan Fellowship For Mountain Bird Ecology Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/benjamin%20freeman\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBenjamin Freeman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been named a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/fellowships\/2026-Fellows\u0022\u003E2026 Sloan Research Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/\u0022\u003EAlfred P. Sloan Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E. Regarded as one of the\u0026nbsp;most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career scholars, the Fellowship recognizes researchers\u0026nbsp;\u201cwhose creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of leaders.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Sloan Research Fellows are among the most promising early-career researchers in the U.S. and Canada, already driving meaningful progress in their respective disciplines,\u201d \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sloan.org\/storage\/app\/media\/files\/press_releases\/2026_Sloan%20Research%20Fellowship_Announcement.pdf\u0022\u003Esays\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EStacie Bloom\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, president and chief executive officer of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. \u201cWe look forward to seeing how these exceptional scholars continue to unlock new scientific advancements, redefine their fields, and foster the wellbeing and knowledge of all.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022This is a wonderful and welcome surprise that will support my ongoing research on mountains across the globe,\u201d says Freeman. \u201cIt\u0027s a vote of confidence and will let me get out there and get to work.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman is one of 126 scientists selected this year for the honor and will receive a two-year $75,000 grant of flexible funding to support his research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHe joins the ranks of nearly 50 faculty from Georgia Tech who have received Sloan Research Fellowships, including School of Mathematics\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAlex Blumenthal\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2024,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHannah Choi\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2022,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYao Yao\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2020,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EKonstantin Tikhomirov\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2019,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELutz Warnke\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2018,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EZaher Hani\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2016,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJen Hom\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2015, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EGreg Blekherman\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2012; School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EVinayak Agarwal\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2018; School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u0027\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher Reinhard\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2015; and School of Physics\u2019\u003Cstrong\u003E Chunhui (Rita) Du\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2024 and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ETamara Bogdanovi\u0107\u003C\/strong\u003E in 2013.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman joined the Institute in 2023 and\u0026nbsp;was also recently named a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-takes-flight-benjamin-freeman-named-2024-packard-fellow\u0022\u003E2024 Packard Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the\u0026nbsp;David and Lucile Packard Foundation and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/benjamin-freeman-named-early-career-fellow-ecological-society-america\u0022\u003E2025 Early Career Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the Ecological Society of America.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUnderstanding the \u2018escalator to extinction\u2019\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKnown for his groundbreaking research in climate change and bird ecology, Freeman studies birds worldwide from Appalachia to Ecuador. He specializes in tropical populations where his work is centered on understanding how mountain species respond to a changing climate \u2014 and how to facilitate their survival.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cTropical mountains are some of Earth\u2019s largest biodiversity hotspots; they harbor an extraordinary number of species,\u201d shares Freeman. \u201cAdditionally, tropical mountain birds are particularly sensitive to environmental change, so they can serve as an early warning system for global conservation efforts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPreviously, his research has shown that some species are on an \u2018escalator to extinction\u2019 with vulnerable groups moving to higher elevations to escape warming temperatures. At the top of the escalator, some summit-dwelling species are disappearing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe know that many species are on this escalator,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cThe next step is to figure out which species are most vulnerable and why. In order to direct conservation efforts, we need to know who\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eis vulnerable, why\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Esmall increases in temperature have dramatic effects, and what\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ecan be done to help.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA worldwide early warning system\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo uncover those answers, Freeman is taking two approaches: mapping global patterns with big picture data and conducting on-the-ground research in the tropics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo target the former, he created the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/mountainbirdnetwork\u0022\u003EMountain Bird Network\u003C\/a\u003E, which supports community scientists in conducting bird surveys on their local mountains. The goal is to create a system that allows researchers to diagnose vulnerable species before they are too sparse to save.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201c\u003C\/strong\u003EWhen a species is in trouble, we need to know as soon as possible,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cOnce a population is small enough to be at risk of extinction, it\u2019s very hard to reverse that process. The Mountain Bird Network collects data on mountain bird abundances and distributions across the globe, which, when used with data from a global citizen science program called eBird, can be leveraged to build models to identify which species might be vulnerable before those populations become critically small.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA living lab on Tech Mountain\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman\u2019s other avenue of research involves building an ambitious living laboratory in Pinchincha, Ecuador. The research site will span thousands of meters along the flanks of a local mountain, spanning lowland rainforest, foothill rainforest, and cloud forest ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe mountain is home to thousands of birds from hundreds of species,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cMy goal is to track and understand their daily lives \u2014 and how climate changes impact them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUsing cutting-edge tracking technology, he will tag and monitor their daily movements, mapping those against microclimate sensors placed at different elevations along the mountain\u2019s slopes. The challenge of placing and maintaining thousands of tiny sensors in rugged conditions means that it has never been done before.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe\u2019ll track these birds for at least five years \u2013- but hopefully for decades,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cThe data we gather at Tech Mountain will be the first of its kind, and my hope is that it makes a real difference in conservation efforts worldwide.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003EThe fellowship is one of the\u0026nbsp;most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career scholars, and will support Freeman as he studies birds worldwide from Appalachia to Ecuador, investigating how mountain species respond to a changing climate \u2014 and how to facilitate their survival.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The fellowship is one of the\u00a0most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career scholars."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-02-17 14:36:04","changed_gmt":"2026-02-19 14:23:25","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-02-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-02-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675323":{"id":"675323","type":"image","title":"Benjamin Freeman","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Benjamin Freeman\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729016793","gmt_created":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","changed":"1729016793","gmt_changed":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","alt":"Benjamin Freeman","file":{"fid":"258934","name":"BenjaminFreeman.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2771976,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png?itok=fugaKOaT"}}},"media_ids":["675323"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/sloan.org\/storage\/app\/media\/files\/press_releases\/2026_Sloan%20Research%20Fellowship_Announcement.pdf","title":"2026 Sloan Research Fellows Announced"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/30-year-snapshot-pacific-northwestern-birds-shows-their-surprising-resilience","title":"A 30-Year \u201cSnapshot\u201d of Pacific Northwestern Birds Shows Their Surprising Resilience"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-takes-flight-benjamin-freeman-named-2024-packard-fellow","title":"Research Takes Flight: Benjamin Freeman Named 2024 Packard Fellow"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/benjamin-freeman-named-early-career-fellow-ecological-society-america","title":"Benjamin Freeman Named Early Career Fellow by Ecological Society of America"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"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":""}},"687192":{"#nid":"687192","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Coastal Resilience Project Secures Nearly $1 Million to Restore Wetlands","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has awarded an interdisciplinary team nearly $1 million in funding through the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nfwf.org\/programs\/national-coastal-resilience-fund\u0022\u003ENational Coastal Resilience Fund\u003C\/a\u003E to restore coastal wetlands in Georgia. It was the only project in Georgia to be selected for funding from the program\u0027s 2025 call for proposals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe award will support the design of nature-based solutions including\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/insight\/understanding-living-shorelines\u0022\u003Eliving shorelines\u003C\/a\u003E and marsh restoration in flood-prone areas of Camden County, Georgia, adjacent to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Cumberland Island National Seashore, and the city of St. Marys.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cRestoring wetlands in Camden County is not just an environmental priority \u2014 it\u2019s a resilience strategy for the entire region,\u201d says principal investigator (PI)\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor, associate chair for Research in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, and faculty director of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joel-kostka-named-director-georgia-tech-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u201cEach acre of restored marshland protects coastal communities from natural hazards like storms and flooding, provides essential marine habitat, and has the potential to aid the Navy and the Army Corps of Engineers in developing management alternatives for dredged materials. When our wetlands flourish, our whole coastline does.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn addition to Kostka, co-PI\u2019s include University of Georgia (UGA) Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Director\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EClark Alexander\u003C\/strong\u003E, UGA Associate Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/engineering.uga.edu\/team_member\/matthew-v-bilskie\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatt Bilskie\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/engineering.uga.edu\/team_member\/brian-bledsoe-2\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBrian Bledsoe\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.org\/georgia\u0022\u003EThe Nature Conservancy\u003C\/a\u003E Coastal Climate Adaptation Director\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAshby Worley\u003C\/strong\u003E, and Georgia Tech alumnus\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ENolan Williams\u003C\/strong\u003E of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.rde.us\/\u0022\u003ERobinson Design Engineers\u003C\/a\u003E, a firm dedicated to the engineering of natural infrastructure in the Southeast that is owned and operated by Georgia Tech alumnus\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJoshua Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA coastal collaboration\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new project, known as a \u201cpipeline project\u201d by NFWF,\u0026nbsp; builds on multiple resilience plans and years of previous research conducted by the established team. \u201cThis is a testament to the value of the long-term collaborations and partnerships that enable coastal resilience work,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cWe\u2019re working closely with local communities and a range of city, state, and federal stakeholders to ensure these solutions align with local priorities and protect what matters most.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s not the first time that the team has brought this type of collaboration to the coastline. Since 2019, Kostka has worked alongside the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the South Carolina Aquarium, and Robinson Design Engineers in a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/maryville-marsh-restoration\u0022\u003E$2.6 million effort to restore degraded salt marshes in historic Charleston\u003C\/a\u003E, also funded by NFWF. Now in the implementation phase, much of the marsh restoration in Charleston involves planting salt-tolerant grasses, restoring oyster reefs, and excavating new tidal creeks \u2014 work that is being spearheaded by local volunteers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cCoastal resilience isn\u2019t something one group can tackle alone,\u201d Kostka adds. \u201cThat shared, community-driven vision is what makes these projects possible.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe award will support the design of nature-based solutions including\u0026nbsp;living shorelines and marsh restoration in flood-prone areas of Camden County, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The award will support the design of nature-based solutions including\u00a0living shorelines and marsh restoration in flood-prone areas of Camden County, Georgia."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2026-01-12 13:20:04","changed_gmt":"2026-01-12 13:31:16","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678950":{"id":"678950","type":"image","title":"Degraded marsh on Cumberland Island, Georgia.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDegraded marsh on Cumberland Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768224154","gmt_created":"2026-01-12 13:22:34","changed":"1768224154","gmt_changed":"2026-01-12 13:22:34","alt":"Degraded marsh on Cumberland Island, Georgia.","file":{"fid":"263053","name":"Degraded-marsh-on-Cumberland.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/Degraded-marsh-on-Cumberland.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/Degraded-marsh-on-Cumberland.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5430100,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/12\/Degraded-marsh-on-Cumberland.png?itok=rblZWU1k"}},"678953":{"id":"678953","type":"image","title":"Kostka sampling transects of marshland on Cumberland Island, Georgia.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKostka sampling transects of marshland on Cumberland Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768224154","gmt_created":"2026-01-12 13:22:34","changed":"1768224154","gmt_changed":"2026-01-12 13:22:34","alt":"Kostka sampling transects of marshland on Cumberland Island, Georgia.","file":{"fid":"263056","name":"Transect-sampling-on-Cumberland-Island.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/Transect-sampling-on-Cumberland-Island.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/Transect-sampling-on-Cumberland-Island.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5222904,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/12\/Transect-sampling-on-Cumberland-Island.png?itok=xBr-zea0"}},"678951":{"id":"678951","type":"image","title":"Erosion around the historic property \u201cDungeness\u201d on Cumberland Island, Georgia.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EErosion around the historic property \u201cDungeness\u201d on Cumberland Island, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768224154","gmt_created":"2026-01-12 13:22:34","changed":"1768224154","gmt_changed":"2026-01-12 13:22:34","alt":"Erosion around the historic property \u201cDungeness\u201d on Cumberland Island, Georgia.","file":{"fid":"263054","name":"Erosion-in-front-of-Dungeness-on-Cumberland.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/Erosion-in-front-of-Dungeness-on-Cumberland.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/Erosion-in-front-of-Dungeness-on-Cumberland.png","mime":"image\/png","size":6900758,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/12\/Erosion-in-front-of-Dungeness-on-Cumberland.png?itok=uvmJsn8X"}},"678952":{"id":"678952","type":"image","title":"Flooding in the town of St. Marys, a town in Camden County, Georgia.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFlooding in the town of St. Marys, a town in Camden County, Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1768224154","gmt_created":"2026-01-12 13:22:34","changed":"1768224154","gmt_changed":"2026-01-12 13:22:34","alt":"Flooding in the town of St. Marys, a town in Camden County, Georgia.","file":{"fid":"263055","name":"Flooding-in-St.-Marys.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/Flooding-in-St.-Marys.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/12\/Flooding-in-St.-Marys.png","mime":"image\/png","size":4918395,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/12\/Flooding-in-St.-Marys.png?itok=Ug-RLMae"}}},"media_ids":["678950","678953","678951","678952"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/maryville-marsh-restoration","title":"Researchers and Alumni Aid in $2.6 Million Effort to Restore Salt Marshes in Historic Charleston"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"194611","name":"State Impact"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"},{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"686924":{"#nid":"686924","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Outside the Box: The Adaptation of Georgia Tech\u2019s Beekeeper in Residence From Advertising to Apiaries ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDuring her years working in the advertising and marketing industry,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EDeb DeWitt\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ebecame increasingly intrigued by beekeeping. The timing, however, was never quite right.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBusy with her career and family, DeWitt tucked the idea away \u2014 until she stepped back from the professional world and knew it was time to pursue keeping bees. She enrolled in a one-day beekeeping class that was offered by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/metroatlantabeekeepers.org\/\u0022\u003EMetro Atlanta Beekeepers Association\u003C\/a\u003E. From there, DeWitt learned the fundamentals, purchased her first honey bees, and began the fascinating \u2014 and sometimes mystifying \u2014 work of caring for them in her backyard.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELike many new beekeepers, she faced steep challenges: sick bees, failing colonies, secondary pests, and ensuring her hives had enough resources to survive winter. But DeWitt says that she also discovered how remarkably generous and supportive the beekeeping community is. She connected with mentors and attended local bee club meetings and state conferences where researchers shared their latest findings. Beekeeping became meaningful in ways she had never anticipated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI fell in love with honey bees and all things related. There is an innate spirituality in keeping bees,\u201d she says. \u201cOnce I put the veil on, life slows to a standstill and becomes a walking meditation into a delicately complex and endlessly fascinating world.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHer marketing background came full circle too. \u201cLike any creative endeavor, beekeepers must be keenly observant,\u201d DeWitt explains. \u201cWe have to think outside the box, pivot quickly, anticipate problems, and plan ahead.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs her colony numbers grew, so did her reach. DeWitt established apiaries at several metro Atlanta schools and at sites in Chattahoochee Hills, Grant Park, Brookhaven, Arabia Mountain, and Brevard, North Carolina. Along the way, she earned her Master Beekeeper certification from Cornell University, served as the central regional director for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gabeekeeping.com\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Beekeepers Association\u003C\/a\u003E, taught beekeeping to incarcerated individuals through the Georgia Department of Corrections, and partnered with tree companies to rescue wild honey bee colonies living in trees slated for removal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EServing as the Beekeeper in Residence\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis breadth of experience prepared her for a unique opportunity: becoming Georgia Tech\u2019s 2025 Beekeeper in Residence with the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/bees\/\u0022\u003EUrban Honey Bee Project\u003C\/a\u003E. The one-year residency, DeWitt says, offered \u201ca rare opportunity to be part of the Georgia Tech community,\u201d allowing her to explore new ideas in beekeeping while tending to and expanding the rooftop hives at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/livingbuilding.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EThe Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Urban Honey Bee Project, an interdisciplinary initiative of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EOffice of Sustainability\u003C\/a\u003E, established the Beekeeper in Residence program to maintain colonies at The Kendeda Building and in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/facilities.gatech.edu\/ecocommons\u0022\u003EEcoCommons\u003C\/a\u003E, mentor student beekeepers, and enrich the program with diverse expertise.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cDeb did so much this year \u2014 working closely with the Beekeeping Club, keeping our hives healthy, and even rehoming a wild hive from a dead tree on campus,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/expert\/jennifer-leavey\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Leavey\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant dean for faculty mentoring in the College of Sciences and director of the Urban Honey Bee Project. \u201cMost importantly, Deb showed our students how an expert beekeeper approaches hive care. She took every opportunity to include them, and it made a real impact.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech undergraduate\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAlyssa Zhang\u003C\/strong\u003E agrees. \u201cThe Beekeeping Club loved working with Deb. She was always happy to teach us \u2014 whether it was managing Varroa mites last summer, when she helped reduce counts from 17% to below 1%, or preparing the hives for winter.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProtecting intelligent pollinators\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Varroa mite is one of many pressures beekeepers face. \u201cThe biggest challenges affecting honey bees \u2014 as well as native bees and other pollinators \u2014 are climate change, habitat loss, pesticide use, pests, and pathogens,\u201d DeWitt explains. \u201cThese factors contributed to U.S. commercial beekeepers losing a devastating average of 62% of their colonies last year.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHoney bees play a critical role in pollinating food crops and producing honey and beeswax. These threats fuel DeWitt\u2019s passion for education, mentorship, and advocacy at the local, state, and national levels. Yet, the most meaningful rewards are personal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cHoney bee colonies are superorganisms \u2014 tens of thousands of individuals working together for the good of the hive,\u201d she adds. \u201cBees are intelligent, endlessly fascinating creatures, and I never stop learning from them. Beekeeping has made me a better gardener, horticulturist, ecologist, conservationist, carpenter, biologist, scientist, student, teacher, problem solver\u2026 you name it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERecognized across Georgia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHer passion for the craft is unmistakable. In 2025, DeWitt received one of the state\u2019s highest honors: Georgia Beekeepers Association\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gabeekeeping.com\/Beekeeper-of-the-Year\u0022\u003EBeekeeper of the Year Award\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am profoundly grateful to the state\u2019s beekeeping community for recognizing my efforts over the past eight years,\u201d says DeWitt. \u201cThis award reflects the mentorship I\u2019ve received from some truly exceptional beekeepers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMarketer-turned-beekeeper Deb DeWitt serves as Georgia Tech\u0027s Beekeeper in Residence and receives the Georgia Beekeepers Association\u2019s Beekeeper of the Year Award.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Marketer-turned-beekeeper Deb DeWitt serves as Georgia Tech\u0027s Beekeeper in Residence and receives the Georgia Beekeepers Association\u2019s Beekeeper of the Year Award."}],"uid":"27465","created_gmt":"2025-12-16 22:19:18","changed_gmt":"2025-12-17 20:36:58","author":"Annette Filliat","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":{"678876":{"id":"678876","type":"image","title":"Deb DeWitt serves as Georgia Tech\u2019s 2025 Beekeeper in Residence with the Urban Honey Bee Project. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDeb DeWitt serves as Georgia Tech\u2019s 2025 Beekeeper in Residence with the Urban Honey Bee Project.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1766001431","gmt_created":"2025-12-17 19:57:11","changed":"1766002974","gmt_changed":"2025-12-17 20:22:54","alt":"Woman standing with a honeycomb.","file":{"fid":"262966","name":"Deb-DeWitt.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/17\/Deb-DeWitt.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/17\/Deb-DeWitt.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6215201,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/17\/Deb-DeWitt.jpg?itok=L_TiZuFL"}},"678878":{"id":"678878","type":"image","title":"Left to right: Beekeeper in Residence Deb DeWitt, alumna Tosin Adedipe (BME 2025), and Jennifer Leavey, assistant dean for faculty mentoring in the College of Sciences and director of the Urban Honey Bee Project","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELeft to right: Beekeeper in Residence Deb DeWitt, alumna Tosin Adedipe (BME 2025), and Jennifer Leavey, assistant dean for faculty mentoring in the College of Sciences and director of the Urban Honey Bee Project\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1766001666","gmt_created":"2025-12-17 20:01:06","changed":"1766003099","gmt_changed":"2025-12-17 20:24:59","alt":"Three women with one of them holding beekeeping equipment.","file":{"fid":"262968","name":"DDewitt-JLeavey-Tosin.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/17\/DDewitt-JLeavey-Tosin.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/17\/DDewitt-JLeavey-Tosin.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":762068,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/17\/DDewitt-JLeavey-Tosin.jpeg?itok=3PPC0_Gs"}},"678882":{"id":"678882","type":"image","title":"Beekeeper in Residence Deb DeWitt (center) educates undergraduate students Omar Malik (left) and Alyssa Zhang (right). ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBeekeeper in Residence Deb DeWitt\u0026nbsp;(center) educates undergraduate students Omar Malik (left) and Alyssa Zhang (right).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1766003609","gmt_created":"2025-12-17 20:33:29","changed":"1766003609","gmt_changed":"2025-12-17 20:33:29","alt":"Three people, including a woman in a bee-keeping hat.","file":{"fid":"262972","name":"Dewitt-AlyssaZhang-OmarMalik--1-.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/17\/Dewitt-AlyssaZhang-OmarMalik--1-_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/17\/Dewitt-AlyssaZhang-OmarMalik--1-_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":676158,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/17\/Dewitt-AlyssaZhang-OmarMalik--1-_0.jpg?itok=EFEO_Mfn"}},"678883":{"id":"678883","type":"image","title":"Beekeeper in Residence Deb DeWitt discusses important pollinators at Georgia Tech\u0027s Honeypalooza. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBeekeeper in Residence Deb DeWitt discusses important pollinators at Georgia Tech\u0027s Honeypalooza.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1766003727","gmt_created":"2025-12-17 20:35:27","changed":"1766003727","gmt_changed":"2025-12-17 20:35:27","alt":"Woman teaching a class and holding a honeycomb.","file":{"fid":"262973","name":"Honeypalooza_Kendeda.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/17\/Honeypalooza_Kendeda_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/17\/Honeypalooza_Kendeda_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3074892,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/17\/Honeypalooza_Kendeda_0.jpg?itok=IVXudvBm"}}},"media_ids":["678876","678878","678882","678883"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/happy-world-bee-day-inside-urban-honey-bee-project","title":"Happy World Bee Day: Inside the Urban Honey Bee Project\u00a0"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/janelle-dunlap-turns-beekeeping-art","title":"Janelle Dunlap Turns Beekeeping Into Art "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"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":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"177142","name":"beekeeping"},{"id":"180897","name":"honey bees"},{"id":"70141","name":"Georgia Tech Urban Honey Bee Project"},{"id":"187127","name":"Georgia Tech College of Sciences"},{"id":"192081","name":"office of sustainability"},{"id":"177739","name":"Kendeda Building"},{"id":"79481","name":"ecocommons"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"194566","name":"Sustainable Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: Annette Filliat\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEditor: Selena Langner\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["afilliat@gatech.edu"],"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":""}},"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":""}},"686380":{"#nid":"686380","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A 30-Year \u201cSnapshot\u201d of Pacific Northwestern Birds Shows Their Surprising Resilience","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA 30-year \u201csnapshot study\u201d of birds in the Pacific Northwest is showing their surprising resilience in the face of climate change. The project started when School of Biological Sciences Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/benjamin%20freeman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBenjamin Freeman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Efound\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/jem-online.org\/index.php\/jem\/article\/view\/232\u0022\u003Ea study by\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELouise Waterhouse\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E detailing birds in the mountains near Vancouver three decades ago. What followed was an ecological scavenger hunt: Freeman revisited each of the old field sites, navigating using his local knowledge and Waterhouse\u2019s hand-drawn maps.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman, who grew up in Seattle, mainly studies the ecology of tropical birds \u2014 but the discovery of Waterhouse\u2019s paper made him curious about research closer to home. The results were surprising: over the last three decades, most of the bird populations in the region were stable and had been increasing in abundance at higher elevations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/ecy.70193\u0022\u003EPacific Northwest birds have shifted their abundances upslope in response to 30\u2009years of warming temperatures\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d was published in the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EEcology\u003C\/em\u003E this fall.\u0026nbsp;In addition to lead author Freeman, the team also included\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EHarold Eyster\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(The Nature Conservancy),\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJulian Heavyside\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(University of British Columbia),\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EDaniel Yip\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(Canadian Wildlife Service),\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EMonica Mather\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(British Columbia Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship), and Waterhouse\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Coast Area Research).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt is great news that most birds in the region are resilient, and by doing this work, we can focus on the species that do need help, like the Canada Jay, which is struggling in this region,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cStudies like this help us focus resources and effort.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESongbirds and snow\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EConducting the fieldwork was a detective game, Freeman says. Each day, he would wake up at four in the morning to locate and visit the research areas \u2014 often navigating trails, open forest, and rough terrain on foot.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis area of the Pacific Northwest is punctuated with old-growth stands of trees \u2014 sections of forest that have never been logged or altered. \u201cThese areas feel like islands,\u201d Freeman shares. \u201cThey feel ancient and untouched, but even in pristine habitats, birds are still responding to climate change.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMost of the work was conducted during the birds\u2019 breeding season, from late May into June. This is when the birds are most vocal, which is ideal for surveys, Freeman says. The downside? Even in June, there is often snow in the mountains. \u201cI was out at dawn, hiking through snow in the freezing cold, wondering why I didn\u2019t stay in bed,\u201d he recalls. \u201cBut then I\u2019d hear birds singing all around me and realize it was all worth it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUpward expansion \u2014 and resilience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBy comparing the two \u201csnapshots,\u201d the team showed that while temperatures have increased over the last 30 years, most bird populations in the region haven\u2019t declined \u2014 but they have become more abundant at higher elevations. \u201cIt\u2019s encouraging,\u201d Freeman says. \u201cThirty years of warming has led to changes, but for the most part, these bird populations are mostly stable or improving.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOne reason for this resilience could be the stability that old growth forests provide, and Freeman suggests that conserving wide swaths of mountain habitat might help birds thrive as they continue to adapt, while still supporting populations at lower elevations. The study also helps identify which bird species need additional support, like the Canada Jay \u2014 a gray and white bird known for following hikers in pursuit of dropped snacks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s just one piece of Freeman\u2019s larger research goal \u2014 he aims to do this type of snapshot research in many different places to identify general patterns, especially differences in temperate versus tropical environments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIn the tropics, most bird species are vulnerable, with only a few resilient species. In the Pacific Northwest, we saw the opposite,\u201d he says. \u201cA pattern is emerging: temperate zones show more resilience, tropics more vulnerability.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman is also conducting research with a group of students in Northern Georgia. \u201cWe predict that these Appalachian birds will be resilient as well,\u201d he says, \u201cbut we need to study and understand what\u2019s happening in nature \u2014 not just make predictions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDOI:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ecy.70193\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ecy.70193\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: Packard Foundation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAfter discovering a historic bird survey in the Pacific Northwest, Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBen Freeman\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Elocated the original sites, repeating the surveys three decades later. Each day, he would wake up at four in the morning to locate and visit the research areas \u2014 often navigating trails, open forest, and rough terrain on foot.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"After discovering a historic bird survey in the Pacific Northwest, Georgia Tech\u2019s\u00a0Ben Freeman\u00a0located the original sites, repeating the surveys three decades later."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-11-12 14:22:25","changed_gmt":"2025-11-14 21:26:39","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678597":{"id":"678597","type":"image","title":"The Canada Jay is one of the birds struggling in the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Mason Maron)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Canada Jay is one of the birds struggling in the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Mason Maron)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762959555","gmt_created":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","changed":"1762959555","gmt_changed":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","alt":"The Canada Jay is one of the birds struggling in the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Mason Maron)","file":{"fid":"262652","name":"Canada_Jay.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/Canada_Jay.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/Canada_Jay.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":11607706,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/12\/Canada_Jay.jpg?itok=-KvA6Vn1"}},"678599":{"id":"678599","type":"image","title":"A placard still standing from the original surveys conducted in the early 90\u0027s. Finding these original sites was a \u0022scavenger hunt,\u0022 Freeman says. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA placard still standing from the original surveys conducted in the early 90\u0027s. Finding these original sites was a \u0022scavenger hunt,\u0022 Freeman says. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762959555","gmt_created":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","changed":"1762959555","gmt_changed":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","alt":"A placard still standing from the original surveys conducted in the early 90\u0027s. Finding these original sites was a \u0022scavenger hunt,\u0022 Freeman says. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)","file":{"fid":"262654","name":"placard_leftover_from_early90s_surveys.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/placard_leftover_from_early90s_surveys.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/placard_leftover_from_early90s_surveys.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3900939,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/12\/placard_leftover_from_early90s_surveys.jpeg?itok=qHVcLO0k"}},"678598":{"id":"678598","type":"image","title":"A large downed cedar tree in one of the lowland old-growth forests that Freeman navigated. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA large downed cedar tree in one of the lowland old-growth forests that Freeman navigated. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762959555","gmt_created":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","changed":"1762959555","gmt_changed":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","alt":"A large downed cedar tree in one of the lowland old-growth forests that Freeman navigated. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)","file":{"fid":"262653","name":"lowland_oldgrowth_massive_downed_cedar.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/lowland_oldgrowth_massive_downed_cedar.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/lowland_oldgrowth_massive_downed_cedar.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5162509,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/12\/lowland_oldgrowth_massive_downed_cedar.jpeg?itok=qsBpKQgV"}},"678600":{"id":"678600","type":"image","title":"Townsend\u0027s Warbler, a small songbird that lives in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Melissa Hafting, @bcbirdergirl)","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETownsend\u0027s Warbler, a small songbird that lives in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Melissa Hafting, @bcbirdergirl)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762959555","gmt_created":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","changed":"1762959555","gmt_changed":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","alt":"Townsend\u0027s Warbler, a small songbird that lives in the forests of the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Melissa Hafting, @bcbirdergirl)","file":{"fid":"262655","name":"Townsend-s_Warbler.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/Townsend-s_Warbler.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/Townsend-s_Warbler.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6682884,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/12\/Townsend-s_Warbler.jpeg?itok=tZA3VVj5"}},"678596":{"id":"678596","type":"image","title":"While locating the field sites, Freeman spotted this bear on an old road. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile locating the field sites, Freeman spotted this bear on an old road. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762959555","gmt_created":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","changed":"1762959555","gmt_changed":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","alt":"While locating the field sites, Freeman spotted this bear on an old road. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)","file":{"fid":"262651","name":"bear_on_road.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/bear_on_road.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/bear_on_road.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4431217,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/12\/bear_on_road.jpeg?itok=9jCCrqlU"}},"678595":{"id":"678595","type":"image","title":"An overgrown and abandoned road that Freeman traversed. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn overgrown and abandoned road that Freeman traversed. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762959555","gmt_created":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","changed":"1762960403","gmt_changed":"2025-11-12 15:13:23","alt":"An overgrown and abandoned road that Freeman traversed. (Credit: Benjamin Freeman)","file":{"fid":"262650","name":"abandoned_road_difficult_to_walk_on.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/abandoned_road_difficult_to_walk_on.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/abandoned_road_difficult_to_walk_on.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5305167,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/12\/abandoned_road_difficult_to_walk_on.jpeg?itok=5imBlQae"}},"678601":{"id":"678601","type":"image","title":"The Varied Thrush is another bird common in the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Melissa Hafting, @bcbirdergirl)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Varied Thrush is another bird common in the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Melissa Hafting, @bcbirdergirl)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1762959555","gmt_created":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","changed":"1762959555","gmt_changed":"2025-11-12 14:59:15","alt":"The Varied Thrush is another bird common in the Pacific Northwest. (Credit: Melissa Hafting, @bcbirdergirl)","file":{"fid":"262656","name":"Varied_Thrush.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/Varied_Thrush.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/12\/Varied_Thrush.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6078901,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/12\/Varied_Thrush.jpg?itok=Qz8fEy9T"}}},"media_ids":["678597","678599","678598","678600","678596","678595","678601"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"194836","name":"Sustainability"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"166890","name":"sustainability"}],"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 \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"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":""}},"686022":{"#nid":"686022","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Digital Dissection: Anatomage Table Brings Anatomy to Life","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECenturies ago, some aspiring doctors resorted to grave robbing to study human anatomy. Today, using the recently purchased Anatomage Table, Georgia Tech students can virtually dissect the human body with a swipe of a touchscreen\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;no scalpels, no skeletons, and no midnight raids required.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA state-of-the-art anatomy and medical education system, the seven-foot-long Anatomage Table features life-size human\u0026nbsp;\u2014 as well as several animal\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;bodies in digital formats,\u0026nbsp;providing accurate representations of three-dimensional anatomy, physiology, and digital pathology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cCadaver dissection is still the gold standard,\u201d explains Senior Academic Professional and Director of Anatomical Sciences\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/adam-decker\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdam Decker\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E who has taught anatomy and other courses at Georgia Tech since 2010. \u201cBut the Anatomage Table lets students interact with living systems digitally\u0026nbsp;\u2014 and that\u2019s something we couldn\u2019t offer before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDecker is a passionate advocate for using the best tools available to prepare students for medical careers. After leading efforts to bring prosections (pre-dissected specimens that students learn from) to Georgia Tech in 2021, he set his sights on acquiring the Anatomage Table.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cProviding the table was the logical next step,\u201d says Decker. \u201cIt\u2019s a way to bridge the tactile experience with dynamic visualization.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Anatomage Table was purchased with College of Sciences Technology Fee funds, designed to enhance students\u0027 experiences using modern instruments and techniques.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a great resource for our students, especially for those who are interested in pursuing any field of medicine,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EDavid Collard\u003C\/strong\u003E, senior associate dean in the College of Sciences. \u201cIt supports active learning that will enhance students\u0027 applications to medical programs, and gives them experiences with technologies they will encounter in post-graduate professional training.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnatomy in action\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Series 11 Anatomage Table is housed in the Gilbert Hillhouse Boggs Building and offers a one-to-one display of actual cadavers with five different bodies available for virtual dissection. Students can click on a structure and instantly access detailed information.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s one thing to sit in a classroom and have a professor explain which body parts are which,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYusuf Abdalla,\u003C\/strong\u003E a second-year biology student with a pre-med focus. \u201cBut being able to independently manipulate the screen to view various parts of the body takes learning to the next level.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe table offers a cleaner environment with less exposure to odors and chemicals than traditional cadaver dissection.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cCadavers don\u2019t come with labels. Using the table enables us to see how the body works as a system rather than just viewing individual parts,\u201d adds\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ERayhan Quraishi\u003C\/strong\u003E, a fourth-year neuroscience major pursuing a career in medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDecker emphasizes that while the Anatomage Table is a game changer, it doesn\u2019t replace prosections.\u0026nbsp;Students will continue to work with real hearts, lungs, and even full spinal cords, thanks to a partnership with Emory University\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/med.emory.edu\/education\/omesa\/ume\/resources\/body-donor-program.html\u0022\u003EBody Donation Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECombining cadaver dissection with the table enhances the overall learning experience, explains Decker:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWith prosections, they learn how the veins and arteries feel when you cut into them. With the Anatomage Table, students will see what it looks like when the heart beats or the lungs expand. They can virtually follow a drop of blood through the blood vessel, then use the touch screen to see what that same drop of blood would look like under a microscope. You can\u2019t do that with a cadaver.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom anatomy to imaging\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOne of the table\u2019s most powerful features is its integration of diagnostic imaging. Students can compare anatomical structures side-by-side with CT and MRI scans and overlay images as they simulate physiological processes like heartbeats and brain activity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDecker is currently designing a new course, Anatomy for Diagnostic Imaging, that will use the table to teach students how to interpret MRI, CT, and ultrasound scans. The Anatomage Table contains built-in datasets of MRIs of the spine, heart, and brain, so students can look at the diagnostic image and the actual structure at the same time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cSome students enter medical school without once taking an anatomy course,\u201d says Decker. \u201cGeorgia Tech students, on the other hand, will already have an introduction to imaging and pathology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESameeha Lalani\u003C\/strong\u003E, a third-year biology major who works as an EMT praises the clinical features found in the table. \u201cAfter one of my EMT shifts, I went back and recreated what happened to my patient using the table. It really made the clinical experience click, so I could better understand what happened.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding access\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe table will soon be in use in BIOS 3754 (Anatomy Lab), which runs five lab sections each fall. Decker is also exploring ways to integrate the table into live lectures, transmitting demonstrations from the table directly into large lecture halls.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPlans are currently underway to use the table in the wellness requirement course, APPH 1040 (Scientific Foundations of Health). Students will be able to visualize cardiovascular anatomy and heart disease by rotating the heart, opening chambers, and simulating conditions, such as a stroke or heart attack.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EDecker is eager to collaborate with other departments and make the table a campuswide resource. He sees opportunities in health-related subjects across campus, including biomedical and mechanical engineering, neuroscience, and physiology. Student clubs like the Student Neuroscience Association, Physician Assistant Club, and Pre-Dental Society are also expected to rotate through the lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAnatomy is an ancient science, but it\u2019s the foundation of all healthcare. There are going to be many students who benefit from this\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;all across campus,\u201d Decker says. \u201cWe\u2019ve barely scratched the surface of what it can do.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3 dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhat Can Students Do With the Anatomage Table?\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPerform virtual dissections\u003C\/strong\u003E of life-size, digitized human cadavers with touch-responsive controls.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERotate, label, and isolate anatomical structures\u003C\/strong\u003E to study systems in detail.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECompare anatomy with diagnostic imaging\u003C\/strong\u003E, including CT MRI, and ultrasound scans.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESimulate physiological processes\u003C\/strong\u003E, such as heartbeats, blood flow, and brain activity.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExplore built-in pathologies\u003C\/strong\u003E, including stroke, tumors, and liver disease.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAccess thousands of annotated structures\u003C\/strong\u003E from male, female, geriatric, pregnant, and animal cadavers.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOverlay diagnostic images\u003C\/strong\u003E directly onto anatomical models for side-by-side analysis.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUse real frozen cadaveric slices\u003C\/strong\u003E reconstructed into three-dimensional digital formats.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EConduct pre- and post-lab activities\u003C\/strong\u003E to reinforce learning before and after cadaver dissection.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETake anatomy tests,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eidentifying pinned organs and structures.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s new Anatomage Table blends traditional dissection with digital technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u2014\u003Cem\u003E preparing students for the future of medicine.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s new Anatomage Table blends traditional dissection with digital technology \u2014 preparing students for the future of medicine."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2025-10-27 17:44:43","changed_gmt":"2025-10-30 17:02:10","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678457":{"id":"678457","type":"image","title":"Adam Decker demonstrates how the Anatomage Table turns traditional dissection into a high-tech learning experience.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAdam Decker demonstrates how the Anatomage Table turns traditional dissection into a high-tech learning experience.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1761587203","gmt_created":"2025-10-27 17:46:43","changed":"1761587203","gmt_changed":"2025-10-27 17:46:43","alt":"Man standing over table embedded with 3-D skeleton.","file":{"fid":"262481","name":"Decker4IMG_0501.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/27\/Decker4IMG_0501.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/27\/Decker4IMG_0501.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1787993,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/27\/Decker4IMG_0501.jpg?itok=bdm2iVtH"}},"678474":{"id":"678474","type":"image","title":"Preparing for careers in medicine, Yoojin Jeong (front left), Sameeha Lalani (back left), Yusuf Abdalla (back left),  and Rayhan Quraishi (front left), dive into digital anatomy.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPreparing for careers in medicine, Yoojin Jeong (front left), Sameeha Lalani (back left), Yusuf Abdalla (back left), \u0026nbsp;and Rayhan Quraishi (front left), dive into digital anatomy.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1761663141","gmt_created":"2025-10-28 14:52:21","changed":"1761843787","gmt_changed":"2025-10-30 17:03:07","alt":"Four students huddle around a lighted table with a virtual human body on it.","file":{"fid":"262502","name":"studentsIMG_0781.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/28\/studentsIMG_0781.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/28\/studentsIMG_0781.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":907716,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/28\/studentsIMG_0781.jpg?itok=CcpbvdmX"}}},"media_ids":["678457","678474"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/hands-anatomy-one-foot-medical-school-one-foot-undergrad","title":"Hands-On Anatomy: \u2018One Foot in Medical School, One Foot in Undergrad\u2019"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187864","name":"anatomy class"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"177768","name":"Adam Decker"},{"id":"14513","name":"teaching technology"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Segraves Smith, writer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685709":{"#nid":"685709","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Mapping Evolution: James Stroud Named 2025 Packard Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/stroudlab\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Stroud\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been named a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.packard.org\/approach\/fellowships-for-science-engineering\/\u0022\u003E2025 Packard Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E for his pioneering research in evolutionary biology. Stroud, Elizabeth Smithgall-Watts Early Career Assistant Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, will receive $875,000 over five years to fund his work on \u201cLizard Island\u201d in South Florida. His goal? To create evolution\u2019s first high-definition map \u2014 with the help of 1,000 backpack-wearing lizards.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAwarded annually to just 20 individuals by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.packard.org\/\u0022\u003EDavid and Lucile Packard Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E, Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering support researchers pursuing cutting-edge research and ambitious goals. \u201cThese visionary Packard Fellows are pushing the boundaries of knowledge, and their bold ideas will become tomorrow\u2019s real-world solutions,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ENancy Lindborg\u003C\/strong\u003E, president and CEO of the Packard Foundation \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.packard.org\/2025fellows\u0022\u003Ein a recent press release\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe flexible funding allows researchers to maximize their creativity and ingenuity. Stroud will spend the next five years transforming Lizard Island into the world\u2019s premier evolutionary observatory, merging groundbreaking technology with long-term field research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOn Lizard Island, that means equipping every lizard with an ultra-lightweight sensor \u201cbackpack.\u201d Although the sensors weigh just six-hundredths of a gram each \u2014 the same as two grains of rice \u2014 when combined with innovations in mapping technology, they will help Stroud investigate the role that behavior plays in driving evolution in the wild.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019m incredibly honored to be named a 2025 Packard Fellow,\u201d says Stroud. \u201cThis support allows me to pursue a question that has fascinated evolutionary biologists for centuries: how does behavior shape evolution? It\u2019s a transformative opportunity, and I\u2019m deeply grateful to the Packard Foundation for believing in the potential of this work.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETiny sensors, big questions\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBegun in 2015, Stroud\u2019s work on Lizard Island is one of the longest-running evolutionary studies of its kind: for the last 10 years, he has carefully caught and released every lizard on the island, measuring evolution through documenting their body characteristics, habitat use, and survival.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThrough his studies, he has captured\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/when-two-lizards-meet-first-time-scientists-witness-evolution-action\u0022\u003Eevolution in action\u003C\/a\u003E, but monitoring and measuring behavior in evolutionary studies has historically been an extremely difficult and elusive task. The problem? While smaller animals tend to have higher population densities and reproduce more quickly (making them ideal candidates for evolutionary field studies), it has been difficult to find durable and long-lasting sensors small enough for these animals to carry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis has been a missing link because behavior is a critical component of evolution,\u201d Stroud says. \u201cBehavior can both expose individuals to \u2014 or shield them from \u2014 natural selection. For example, an animal with a less favorable trait, like bad eyesight, could change its behavior to avoid situations where it is disadvantaged.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThese decisions can ultimately determine whether they survive and reproduce in the wild, directly influencing the outcome of natural selection. However, until now, we just haven\u2019t had the technology to measure these types of extremely intricate behaviors across many individuals before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMapping the future\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud won\u2019t just know exactly where each lizard is \u2014 he\u2019ll also create a detailed three-dimensional map of the entire island using remote sensing technology called LiDAR, updating it each year. \u201cBy shooting millions of laser beams, we can create a highly detailed three-dimensional map of Lizard Island, capturing the shape of every branch, rock, and blade of grass on the island,\u201d he explains. \u201cWhen connected to our lizard backpacks, we\u2019ll know the exact microhabitats and resources available to each lizard as they move through this environment.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud will also deploy hundreds of microclimate sensors to understand how species are reacting to changes in temperature and climate. The result will be the world\u2019s first comprehensive database: a record of minute lizard movements, the resources each individual uses, daily interactions, and changes in the environment spanning seasons and years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cFor evolutionary scientists, it has been seemingly impossible to track the moment-by-moment decisions of individual organisms\u2026 until now,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cToday, it\u2019s possible to study what Darwin could only dream of \u2014 evolution occurring in real time,\u201d Stroud adds. \u201cBehavior is a critical component of evolution, understanding evolution is critical to understanding life on Earth, and understanding life on Earth is more important than ever.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe award will support Stroud as he creates evolution\u2019s first high-definition map \u2014 with the help of 1,000 backpack-wearing lizards.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The award will support Stroud as he creates evolution\u2019s first high-definition map \u2014 with the help of 1,000 backpack-wearing lizards."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-10-14 15:33:34","changed_gmt":"2025-10-22 00:44:10","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678350":{"id":"678350","type":"image","title":"A lizard wearing one of the sensors, which weigh just three-hundredths of a gram each \u2014 the same as a two grains of rice. (Credit: Jon Suh)","body":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA lizard wearing one of the sensors, which weigh just three-hundredths of a gram each \u2014 the same as a two grains of rice. (Credit: Jon Suh)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1760456026","gmt_created":"2025-10-14 15:33:46","changed":"1760546990","gmt_changed":"2025-10-15 16:49:50","alt":"A lizard wearing one of the sensors, which weigh just three-hundredths of a gram each \u2014 the same as a two grains of rice. (Credit: Jon Suh)","file":{"fid":"262368","name":"AB4A1966.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/14\/AB4A1966.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/14\/AB4A1966.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2677038,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/14\/AB4A1966.jpg?itok=AFpraiZV"}},"678351":{"id":"678351","type":"image","title":"Stroud will spend the next five years transforming Lizard Island into the world\u2019s premier evolutionary observatory (Credit: Jon Suh)","body":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud will spend the next five years transforming Lizard Island into the world\u2019s premier evolutionary observatory (Credit: Jon Suh)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1760456026","gmt_created":"2025-10-14 15:33:46","changed":"1760547098","gmt_changed":"2025-10-15 16:51:38","alt":"Stroud will spend the next five years transforming Lizard Island into the world\u2019s premier evolutionary observatory (Credit: Jon Suh)","file":{"fid":"262369","name":"AB4A2042.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/14\/AB4A2042.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/14\/AB4A2042.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9084848,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/14\/AB4A2042.jpg?itok=xnivhidD"}},"678098":{"id":"678098","type":"image","title":"James Stroud examines a lizard in the field. (Credit: Day\u2019s Edge Productions)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJames Stroud examines a lizard in the field. (Credit: Day\u2019s Edge Productions)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758636184","gmt_created":"2025-09-23 14:03:04","changed":"1760547417","gmt_changed":"2025-10-15 16:56:57","alt":"James Stroud examines a lizard in the field. (Credit: Day\u2019s Edge Productions)","file":{"fid":"262081","name":"brighter_StroudResearchMiami_003_DaysEdgeProds.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/23\/brighter_StroudResearchMiami_003_DaysEdgeProds.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/23\/brighter_StroudResearchMiami_003_DaysEdgeProds.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2817190,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/23\/brighter_StroudResearchMiami_003_DaysEdgeProds.png?itok=8uLh4VRQ"}}},"media_ids":["678350","678351","678098"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.packard.org\/2025fellows","title":"The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Announces the 2025 Class of Packard Fellows for Science and Engineering"},{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/3-legged-lizards-can-thrive-against-all-odds-challenging-assumptions-about-how-evolution-works-in-the-wild-262467","title":"3-legged lizards can thrive against all odds, challenging assumptions about how evolution works in the wild"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/when-two-lizards-meet-first-time-scientists-witness-evolution-action","title":"When Two Lizards Meet for the First Time, Scientists Witness Evolution in Action"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/natures-time-machine-how-long-term-studies-unlock-evolutions-secrets","title":"Nature\u0027s Time Machine: How Long-Term Studies Unlock Evolution\u0027s Secrets"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/james-stroud-receives-maxwellhanrahan-award-field-biology","title":"James Stroud Receives Maxwell\/Hanrahan Award in Field Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"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 \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"685591":{"#nid":"685591","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Undergraduate Bioinformatics Class Produces Published Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis fall, 20 Georgia Tech students published a peer-reviewed scientific paper\u0026nbsp;\u2014 the culmination of work done during\u0026nbsp;a semester-long laboratory course. During the semester,\u0026nbsp;students analyzed genomes sequenced from marine samples collected in Key West, Florida \u2014 doing\u0026nbsp;hands-on original bioinformatics research on par with graduate students and\u0026nbsp;working with bioinformatics tools to explore drug discovery potential.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe course, BIOS 4590, is a research project lab for senior biology majors that provides an opportunity for professors to share their expertise with students in a hands-on environment. In his class, Associate Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/vinayak-agarwal\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVinayak (Vinny) Agarwal\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\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u003C\/strong\u003E aimed to introduce undergraduates to advanced bioinformatics tools through applied research using new-to-science raw data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe resulting paper, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/full\/10.1021\/acschembio.5c00507\u0022\u003EPhylogenomic Identification of a Highly Conserved Copper-Binding RiPP Biosynthetic Gene Cluster in Marine\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EMicrobulbifer\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003EBacteria\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d which was recently published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EACS Chemical Biology\u003C\/em\u003E, involves the historically understudied genus of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EMicrobulbifer\u003C\/em\u003E, a type of bacteria often associated with sponges and corals. These microbial communities are rich sources of natural products, small biological molecules often associated with medicine and drug discovery.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022This class, and the resulting research, is a testament to the transformative power of hands-on learning,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ESusan Lozier\u003C\/strong\u003E, dean of the College of Sciences, Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair, and professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. \u201cThe success of this course \u2014 and the students\u2019 remarkable achievement \u2014 reflects Georgia Tech\u0027s commitment to fostering curiosity, collaboration, and scientific rigor and to empowering the next generation of scientists and leaders.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFunded by Agarwal\u2019s 2023\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/news\/making-medicines-vinayak-agarwal-awarded-nsf-career-grant-peptide-research\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation CAREER grant\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/vinayak-agarwal-named-camille-dreyfus-teacher-scholar\u0022\u003ECamille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar award\u003C\/a\u003E, the class also received support from leadership in the College of Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, and School Chemistry and Biochemistry. The study\u2019s lead author, graduate student\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EYifan (Grace) Tang,\u003C\/strong\u003E served as the class teaching assistant, and was funded in part by a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/gaann-fellowship-program-biochemistry-and-biophysics\u0022\u003EBiochemistry and Biophysics\u0026nbsp;Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need fellowship\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe students in this class are working on important, novel work \u2014 this cohort worked with real genomic data that had never been sequenced before,\u201d she says. \u201cTypically, researchers might work with one or two genome sequences, but we provided students with 42 \u2014 this might be the first time anyone has looked at\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EMicrobulbifer\u003C\/em\u003E at such a wide scope.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom classroom to publication\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ETo prepare for the class, Tang worked alongside Laboratory Manager\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/alison-onstine\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlison Onstine\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u003C\/strong\u003E who manages the School of Biological Sciences teaching laboratory spaces, to sequence the Key West bacterial genomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOur work in the Agarwal Lab is in natural product discovery. We focus on finding new pharmaceutical drugs through marine bacteria \u2014 but with a bioinformatics spin,\u201d Tang explains. \u201cWe wanted to bring this type of experience to undergraduates, so we gave fully sequenced genomes to students and asked them to look for potential properties.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThroughout the class, students learned different techniques for analyzing bacterial genome sequences and extracting data with various tools \u2014 gaining both lab and computational skills through hands-on experiences, live demos, and troubleshooting sessions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe highlight was showing students just how much we can learn about a bacterial genus, especially one that hasn\u2019t been studied at this scale before,\u201d Tang shares. \u201cThis is a growing field, so there are so many opportunities for students to make meaningful contributions while learning new skills.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmpowering future students\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor many students, it was their first time using these types of tools, but Agarwal says that it\u2019s something they\u0027ll likely encounter in both industry and research. He sees this type of research experience as especially helpful for seniors, who are often deciding between entering the workforce or continuing their education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cBioinformatics is increasingly important for analyzing big data. Students need the ability to manipulate and understand data using computational tools, and this class plays an important role in familiarizing them with this process,\u201d he shares. \u201cOur goal is to demystify research and give students the confidence and tools for both graduate school and for the workforce after graduation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe class will be offered for a third time in Fall 2026. While the exact course of research hasn\u2019t yet been decided, \u201cwe always aim for something new that can produce publication-quality research \u2014 students don\u2019t repeat past year\u2019s work,\u201d Agarwal says. This recent cohort of students built on the success of 18 undergraduates who took the class in 2023, who\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/news\/curriculum-innovation-drives-undergraduate-research-tech\u0022\u003Ealso published a paper\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThis course truly underscores Georgia Tech\u2019s commitment to pioneering meaningful undergraduate experiences \u2014 no other peer institution I know of is exposing undergraduates to bioinformatics at this level.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding:\u0026nbsp;NSF CAREER and the Dreyfus Foundation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis course truly underscores Georgia Tech\u2019s commitment to pioneering meaningful undergraduate experiences,\u201d says teacher Vinayak (Vinny) Agarwal. \u201cNo other peer institution I know of is exposing undergraduates to bioinformatics at this level.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u201cThis course truly underscores Georgia Tech\u2019s commitment to pioneering meaningful undergraduate experiences,\u201d says teacher Vinayak (Vinny) Agarwal. \u201cNo other peer institution I know of is exposing undergraduates to bioinformatics at this level.\u201d"}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-10-08 14:32:26","changed_gmt":"2025-10-13 19:13:13","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678300":{"id":"678300","type":"image","title":"Grace Tang (Left) and Alison Onstine (Right) holding bacteria plates that spell \u0022BIOL 4590\u0022 (Credit: Tang and Onstine)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGrace Tang (Left) and Alison Onstine (Right) holding bacteria plates that spell \u0022BIOL 4590\u0022 (Credit: Tang and Onstine)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1759934162","gmt_created":"2025-10-08 14:36:02","changed":"1759934162","gmt_changed":"2025-10-08 14:36:02","alt":"Grace Tang (Left) and Alison Onstine (Right) holding bacteria plates that spell \u0022BIOL 4590\u0022 (Credit: Tang and Onstine)","file":{"fid":"262310","name":"Grace-left-_Alison-right-_No_Glasses.JPEG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/Grace-left-_Alison-right-_No_Glasses.JPEG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/Grace-left-_Alison-right-_No_Glasses.JPEG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3698314,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/08\/Grace-left-_Alison-right-_No_Glasses.JPEG?itok=MCTBHuIX"}},"678301":{"id":"678301","type":"image","title":"A collection of the undergraduate students who co-authored the paper. (Credit: Tang and Onstine)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA collection of the undergraduate students who co-authored the paper. (Credit: Tang and Onstine)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1759934162","gmt_created":"2025-10-08 14:36:02","changed":"1759934162","gmt_changed":"2025-10-08 14:36:02","alt":"A collection of the undergraduate students who co-authored the paper. (Credit: Tang and Onstine)","file":{"fid":"262311","name":"Headshots_Layout_2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/Headshots_Layout_2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/08\/Headshots_Layout_2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5159554,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/08\/Headshots_Layout_2.png?itok=6fgzlfju"}}},"media_ids":["678300","678301"],"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"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"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":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"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 \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"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":""}},"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":""}},"683838":{"#nid":"683838","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Jim Pope Fellow to Offer New Course on Biotechnology Commercialization this Fall","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEpilepsy, Parkinson\u2019s, Alzheimer\u2019s, Huntington\u2019s disease \u2014 as a Jim Pope Fellow, Adam McCallum is dedicated to helping students search for solutions to these and other devastating diseases. McCallum is a translational research advocate in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, currently ranked No. 2 in the nation by \u003Cem\u003EU.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u003C\/em\u003E. He hopes to accelerate the commercialization of the most promising biotech advances. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen McCallum learned about the Jim Pope Fellowship, he saw it as a tremendous opportunity. \u201cBiomedical engineering research has so much potential to be translated into products and solutions that tackle unmet clinical needs, that could be shaped to enhance society in general,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s a collaboration between biology, medicine, and engineering. The Pope Fellowship is a unique opportunity to explore new projects dedicated to entrepreneurship.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcCallum is one of five faculty members to receive the Jim Pope Fellowship, which supports faculty in becoming entrepreneurial instructors and mentors in CREATE-X. He hopes to leverage this fellowship to instill entrepreneurial confidence in biomedical engineering graduate students and faculty and help them translate their research into IP and healthcare-focused products to be used in and out of the clinic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince being named a fellow, McCallum has applied the funding to attend conferences to learn more about new methods for teaching commercialization and entrepreneurship, develop programming to enhance the student experience, increase student understanding and interest in entrepreneurship, and explore creative new projects he has envisioned while at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEstablishing a New Commercialization Course\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeginning in the fall, he will teach a new course, Fundamentals of Biotechnology Commercialization, targeting BME graduate students. McCallum developed the curriculum, which begins with an overview of technology commercialization and the commercialization process, followed by modules on IP \u2014 how to protect one\u2019s inventions; financing, with a focus on early-stage commercialization funding opportunities; and choosing a commercialization path.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn the second part of the course, students will simulate a patent filing,\u201d says McCallum. \u201cIt\u2019s a really important step in the commercialization process. In future iterations of the course, I would love to have students file real disclosures and provisional patent applications with our Tech Transfer Office and have a licensing associate talk to them about managing the IP.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBME Innovations Pivotal to Georgia Tech\u2019s IP Ecosystem\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcCallum sees Georgia Tech BME researchers as an important driver of innovation, and the Institute\u2019s patent track record reflects their critical role: More than 21% of U.S.-issued patents to Georgia Tech have at least one BME inventor listed, according to the Office of Commercialization.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the past year, he has already seen the value of infusing an entrepreneurial spirit into his curriculum. Annabelle Singer (BME) and Levi Wood (ME) were mentored by McCallum while they were developing an audiovisual device to help stimulate brain activity in patients with Alzheimer\u2019s disease and epilepsy. Through this mentorship, Singer and Wood recognized possible use cases and commercialization pathways for their technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTheir device has potential applications in a wide range of other neurological conditions \u2014 to lessen the impact of these disorders on people in their everyday life,\u201d says McCallum, adding, \u201cI\u2019m excited about Georgia Tech and Emory\u2019s commitment to developing programs to enhance neuroscience and neural engineering research. There\u2019s so much potential in that space, especially for being able to significantly impact diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s, Parkinson\u2019s, and Huntington\u2019s disease, as well as strokes and epilepsy. We are moving in the right direction with being able to improve the efficacy of the modalities to diagnose and treat these conditions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to McCallum, his close connection to CREATE-X has given him a unique opportunity to see the impact of the program on the entrepreneurial endeavors of students and even faculty members.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPrevious fellows have been very successful with developing new educational programs and courses, as well as creating new spaces to spawn innovation, to instill entrepreneurial confidence in undergraduate students, and I want to use those successes as inspiration to make an impact on graduate student entrepreneurial confidence in BME, with much more to come,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs one of President \u00c1ngel Cabrera\u0027s four Big Bets, the drive for entrepreneurial education and opportunities has accelerated at Georgia Tech. In 2023, over a third of all Georgia Tech applicants selected entrepreneurship as an interest. Pope Fellows have a unique opportunity to help students tap into entrepreneurial pathways with CREATE-X, access an abundance of resources, and solve real-world problems. For faculty interested in joining, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.co1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_8cOnwIrm4eKEh9Q\u0022\u003Eapplications\u003C\/a\u003E are open for the 2025 Jim Pope Fellowship until Sept. 2. For more information, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/faculty\/jim-pope-fellowship\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/faculty\/jim-pope-fellowship\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdam McCallum, a Jim Pope Fellow and translational research advocate in Georgia Tech\u2019s Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, is committed to helping students develop solutions for neurological diseases like epilepsy, Parkinson\u2019s, Alzheimer\u2019s, and Huntington\u2019s. Through the fellowship, he mentors students and faculty in entrepreneurship, guiding them to translate biomedical research into impactful healthcare innovations. He has launched a new course on biotechnology commercialization and actively supports projects like an audiovisual device for neurological stimulation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Adam McCallum, a Jim Pope Fellow at Georgia Tech, is advancing entrepreneurial education in biomedical engineering by mentoring students, launching a new commercialization course, and supporting innovations that address neurological diseases t"}],"uid":"36436","created_gmt":"2025-08-15 13:10:32","changed_gmt":"2025-08-15 13:29:03","author":"bdurham31","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-08-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-08-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677699":{"id":"677699","type":"image","title":"Adam-MacCallum-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAdam-MacCallum, Jim Pope Fellow and translational research advocate in Georgia Tech\u2019s Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1755263450","gmt_created":"2025-08-15 13:10:50","changed":"1755263450","gmt_changed":"2025-08-15 13:10:50","alt":"Adam-MacCallum,Jim Pope Fellow and translational research advocate in Georgia Tech\u2019s Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, sits pensively, looking out.","file":{"fid":"261632","name":"Adam-MacCallum-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/15\/Adam-MacCallum-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/08\/15\/Adam-MacCallum-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png","mime":"image\/png","size":953658,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/08\/15\/Adam-MacCallum-Jim-Pope-Web-Article--1200-x-630-px-.png?itok=WFMkpC2X"}}},"media_ids":["677699"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/faculty\/jim-pope-fellowship","title":"Jim Pope Fellowship Website"},{"url":"https:\/\/gatech.co1.qualtrics.com\/jfe\/form\/SV_8cOnwIrm4eKEh9Q","title":"Jim Pope Fellowship Application"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"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 Anne Wainscott-Sargent\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInternal Contact\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":""}},"683257":{"#nid":"683257","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Deep Dive Into Shark Ecology Provides Path to Conservation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFew animals captivate people\u2019s imagination like sharks. From the enduring cultural legacy of \u003Cem\u003EJaws\u003C\/em\u003E, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, to the continued popularity of the Discovery Channel\u0027s Shark Week, now in its 37th year, media portrayals of the apex predator can shape public perception, illuminate their role within Earth\u0027s ecosystems, and influence conservation efforts. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Cameron Perry, every week is shark week. The Georgia Tech alumnus earned his Ph.D. in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ocean.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eocean science and engineering\u003C\/a\u003E in 2024 and now leads the whale shark and manta ray initiatives at Georgia Aquarium. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a 6-year-old listening to his mother read him \u003Cem\u003ETwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea\u003C\/em\u003E and imagining the creatures Captain Nemo encountered, Perry had dreams of exploring the oceans for himself. When he saw his first whale shark in Georgia Aquarium\u0027s 6.3-million-gallon tank, he set out to learn as much as he could about the gentle giants and help to conserve the endangered species. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerry\u0027s research has taken him around the world to observe whale shark behaviors in St. Helena and the Galapagos Islands, working to understand their migration habits, reproduction, and global ecology. While most people won\u0027t encounter sharks daily as he does, Perry sees the aquarium as well as the media as effective tools in showcasing sharks in the proper light. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022They are kind of mysterious and unknown. For many people, they\u0027ve never encountered sharks in their lifetime, and part of that captivation could lead to fear, but education can turn that fear into wonder and awe. There\u0027s a narrative that these animals are mindless eating machines, but the more you learn, you realize that\u0027s not the case,\u0022 he said. \u201cThese creatures have existed for 400 million years; they\u0027re older than trees, and understanding their role on our planet is important to changing the narrative around sharks.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerry likens sharks to the white blood cells of the ecosystems in which they live, as they help prevent the spread of disease through the consumption of dead or diseased prey, contribute to population control, and provide balance to the ocean\u0027s biodiversity.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003EUnderstanding Our Role\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile at Georgia Tech, Perry worked alongside Regents\u2019 Chair and Harry and Anna Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/a\u003E, whose research has highlighted the role that sharks, and other large predators, play in habitat regulation within coral reefs. Hay explains that overfishing and other human activities have decimated shark populations in certain parts of the world, significantly affecting coral reefs and the populations that rely on them. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the manager of a freshwater beach in Kentucky in 1975, Hay saw firsthand the impact that \u003Cem\u003EJaws\u003C\/em\u003E had on the beachgoing public at the time \u2014 including his lifeguards.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI had about 25 lifeguards, and I made them swim a mile every day on our buoy line. After we all went to see \u003Cem\u003EJaws\u003C\/em\u003E, about half of them refused to swim the mile for over a week. They\u0027d look at me and say, \u0027You can fire me. I\u0027m not going in,\u0027 and I\u0027d laugh and say, \u2018We\u0027re in freshwater. Jaws isn\u0027t in there.\u2019\u0022 \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHay said that while the movie remains a favorite of his, its depiction of sharks isn\u0027t representative of their behavior in the wild, as shark attacks are often accidents, not predatory actions. Like Perry, Hay believes that education can help protect sharks and bring a renewed focus to solving the ongoing issues facing the oceans. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These ecosystems are degrading, and it\u0027s us that\u0027s doing it. What I am trying to do in my teaching is to go beyond cataloging the demise and take a more Georgia Tech-type approach by saying, \u0027If the bridge is broken, we have to be the ones to rebuild it,\u0027\u0022 he said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHay keeps a saber-toothed tiger fossil on his desk as a constant reminder to himself that \u0022everything I study was shaped by what used to be here,\u0022 and how understanding nature can help preserve it for the future. Sharks are a captivating species, and both Perry and Hay stress that continued research and a commitment to education are the key to their conservation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Experts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems.  "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EExperts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Experts say that more accurate depictions of sharks can help protect them and highlight their role in global ecosystems.  "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-07-24 16:47:25","changed_gmt":"2025-07-24 19:08:53","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677479":{"id":"677479","type":"image","title":"Cameron Perry with Whale Shark","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECameron Perry swims alongside a whale shark on a Georgia Aquarium expedition off the coast of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Submitted photo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1753377191","gmt_created":"2025-07-24 17:13:11","changed":"1753377191","gmt_changed":"2025-07-24 17:13:11","alt":"Whale shark in the ocean. ","file":{"fid":"261381","name":"Unknown-1.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/24\/Unknown-1.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/24\/Unknown-1.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":116048,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/24\/Unknown-1.jpeg?itok=PECHZ5jE"}}},"media_ids":["677479"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"565971","name":"Ocean Science and Engineering (OSE)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"169673","name":"Sharks"},{"id":"50821","name":"Whale Sharks"},{"id":"783","name":"conservation"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683036":{"#nid":"683036","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Jenny McGuire Named Teasley Professor","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe College of Sciences is pleased to announce\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/jenny-mcguire\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Jenny McGuire\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003Eas the recipient of the Harry and Anna Teasley Professorship\u0026nbsp;in Ecology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe newly endowed faculty position supports research and teaching that meaningfully advances the understanding and responsible stewardship of species and community dynamics amid evolving ecological interactions driven by global environmental change.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcGuire, an associate professor in the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences,\u003C\/a\u003E was selected for her pioneering ecological research and exceptional teaching efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cJenny\u2019s creative and fundamental research in spatial and community ecology is helping to position Georgia Tech as a leader in biodiversity and ecosystem conservation,\u201d\u0026nbsp;says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/todd-streelman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETodd Streelman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and chair of the School of Biological Sciences. \u201cHer appointment continues a trend in the School to award research endowments to our most promising early- and mid-career scientists and\u0026nbsp;highlights the strong support and generosity of alumni such as the Teasley family.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet Jenny McGuire\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcGuire joined the Georgia Tech faculty in 2017 as an assistant professor. She earned a Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from the\u0026nbsp;University of California, Berkeley,\u0026nbsp;and completed postdoctoral research at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center and the University of Washington.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHer research explores how plants and animals respond to environmental changes across space and time \u2014\u0026nbsp;from the ancient past to modern urban environments to the future. She leads the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mcguire.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Spatial Ecology and Paleontology Lab\u003C\/a\u003E, which integrates paleontological data, ecological modeling, and fieldwork to understand how biodiversity shifts in response to climate change and human development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal isn\u2019t just to preserve biodiversity, but also to help it thrive in a changing landscape,\u201d says McGuire.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe plans to use the Teasley endowment to advance wildlife redistribution research in the Southeastern U.S.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cGeorgia is a climate change highway,\u201d explains McGuire. \u201cSpecies are moving northeast toward the Appalachian Mountains, but roads, development, and fragmented habitats often block their paths.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcGuire believes Georgia Tech is uniquely positioned to lead in this field, thanks to its technological strengths. She and her team will collaborate across campus and the Southeast, implementing cutting-edge biodiversity monitoring to better understand how species experience and respond to environmental changes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cConducting this research in urban areas like Atlanta \u2014 where green infrastructure can serve as vital wildlife corridors \u2014 is especially important,\u201d adds McGuire.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Teasley Professorship will also support student involvement at all levels. McGuire hopes to build a more connected and proactive research community that brings together students, ecologists, biologists, engineers, computer scientists, and community partners to address biodiversity challenges across the Southeast.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMcGuire is a 2024 Cullen-Peck Fellow, a Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems Faculty Fellow since 2023, and an NSF CAREER Award winner. Her long-running outreach program,\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EFossil Fridays\u003C\/strong\u003E, invites students, families, and community members into the lab to sort and study real fossil specimens.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELooking ahead, she\u2019s eager to explore the possibilities provided by the Teasley Professorship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s an incredible opportunity to elevate Georgia Tech\u2019s role in shaping how we understand and protect life on a changing planet.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA legacy of excellence\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHarry E. Teasley, Jr\u003C\/strong\u003E. graduated from Georgia Tech in 1959 with a degree in industrial engineering and worked for over 33 years for The Coca-Cola Company. In addition to the many leadership roles he held at Coca-Cola, Mr. Teasley is remembered for pioneering the\u0026nbsp;first Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to be used in an industrial context. LCA was a pioneering analytical framework assessing environmental impacts of a product\u0027s life from \u0022cradle to grave,\u0022 and it is used across most major industries today.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Harry and Anna Teasley Professorship in Ecology is the second Teasley Professorship supporting environmental research at Georgia Tech. School of Biological Sciences Regents\u2019 Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/mark-hay\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Hay\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has held the Harry and Anna Teasley Chair in Environmental Biology since 1999.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMrs. Teasley provided an official statement regarding the Harry and Anna Teasley Professorships at Georgia Tech:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u201cIt was the intent of my late husband Harry E. Teasley Jr. that the funds he gave to Professor Mark Hay at Georgia Tech would be to support excellence in the field of environmental biology and to provide him with the freedom to study any concept, hypothesis, or organism that his experience-honed intuition guided him to.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWith time, Professor Hay has proven to have been a very worthy choice and has made my late husband and I very proud through the breadth and depth of his studies, discoveries, and highest possible awards he has received. Once this was established, and along with the profound esteem both men had developed for each other, there was the wish to leave a legacy beyond the research: the human values and scientific approach to research that Professor Hay has demonstrated from the start.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHaving been the unanimous choice of the evaluating committee, Associate Professor Jenny McGuire seems to be an excellent first recipient, and I am very proud to welcome her as I know my late husband would have been as well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EI wish her many successes in pursuing and teaching her very promising research, and I look forward to learning about the impact she will have in her field as we have through the years admired Professor Mark Hay\u2019s achievements.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETo learn more about\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETransforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, visit\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/transformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Etransformingtomorrow.gatech.edu\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJenny McGuire has been named a Teasley Professor, advancing Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in biodiversity research and climate resilience.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Jenny McGuire has been named a Teasley Professor, advancing Georgia Tech\u2019s leadership in biodiversity research and climate resilience."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2025-07-08 12:04:17","changed_gmt":"2025-07-14 15:58:25","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-07-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-07-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677350":{"id":"677350","type":"image","title":"Jenny McGuire","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJenny McGuire\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1751976281","gmt_created":"2025-07-08 12:04:41","changed":"1751976281","gmt_changed":"2025-07-08 12:04:41","alt":"A woman stands behind a row of skulls.","file":{"fid":"261242","name":"16C10200-P42-001.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/08\/16C10200-P42-001.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/08\/16C10200-P42-001.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6048126,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/08\/16C10200-P42-001.jpg?itok=1SzW21M_"}}},"media_ids":["677350"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.gtalumni.org\/s\/1481\/alumni\/17\/magazine-pages.aspx?sid=1481\u0026gid=21\u0026pgid=22870","title":"Tech\u0027s Fossil Hunters"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"76631","name":"endowed chairs and professorships"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"166926","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"10936","name":"Biodiversity"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura S. Smith, writer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"683000":{"#nid":"683000","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Shriners Children\u2019s to Establish Research Institute at Science Square","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGov. Brian P. Kemp has announced \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/officeofgeorgiagovernorbrianpkemp.cmail19.com\/t\/y-e-qgatl-hrjhiulryk-u\/\u0022\u003Ea new world-renowned tenant\u003C\/a\u003E for Science Square, signaling Georgia Tech\u0027s role in Atlanta and Georgia\u0027s expanding life sciences sector. According to the governor\u2019s office, Shriners Children\u2019s will establish a new pediatric medical research facility at Science Square, investing more than $153 million into the facility and creating 470 new jobs. The move by this nonprofit healthcare system, which has locations across North America and a global reach, shows the continued momentum in the region for this important area of research and development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Shriners Children\u2019s Research Institute will be in Science Square Labs, positioned across from Georgia Tech\u2019s North Avenue Research Area. The institute will serve as a multidisciplinary innovation hub focused on advancing healthcare for children. Areas of research will include cell and gene therapies, robotics, artificial intelligence, medical devices, biologics, and data informatics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Georgia Tech is excited to welcome Shriners Children\u2019s to Science Square,\u201d said Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera. \u201cWe developed Science Square to create a leading hub for life sciences research and innovation, and Shriners\u2019 decision to be here will accelerate our progress to drive medical innovation, create high-impact jobs, and greatly strengthen Atlanta\u0027s thriving innovation ecosystem.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s proximity and research strengths were key factors in the decision to locate the institute in Atlanta. The collaboration is expected to enhance the region\u2019s growing reputation in life sciences and advanced research. Projected to be the largest tenant of Science Square, Shriners Children\u0027s would put the facility at 82% occupancy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShriners Children\u2019s, founded in 1922 by members of the Shriners International fraternity, focuses on orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions, burn injuries, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, and cleft lip and palate. The organization also maintains a strong commitment to education and research. In 2024, Shriners Children\u2019s served patients from all 50 U.S. states, every Canadian province, and 128 countries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis news comes after \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/18\/georgia-tech-emory-expand-research-science-square\u0022\u003ETech\u2019s recent announcement \u003C\/a\u003Eregarding the move-in of about seven biomedical research labs into Science Square.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScience Square, a mixed-use development adjacent to Georgia Tech\u2019s Midtown campus, continues to attract leading organizations in healthcare, technology, and research. The addition of Shriners Children\u2019s further establishes the district as a hub for global innovation and community impact.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Governor\u2019s office touts move that will create 470 new jobs."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EShriners Children\u2019s will establish a new pediatric medical research facility at Science Square in Atlanta, investing more than $153 million into the project. Located across from Georgia Tech\u2019s North Avenue Research Area, the facility will collaborate with Georgia Tech researchers and focus on advancing care in areas such as orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions, burn injuries, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, and cleft lip and palate.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Shriners Children\u2019s will open a $153 million pediatric medical research facility at Science Square, becoming the largest tenant in the development and contributing to Georgia Tech\u2019s growing role in Atlanta\u2019s life sciences sector."}],"uid":"35797","created_gmt":"2025-07-03 12:54:36","changed_gmt":"2025-07-07 13:52:01","author":"Siobhan Rodriguez","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":[],"hg_media":{"677340":{"id":"677340","type":"image","title":"Science-Square-Ribbon-Cutting-007--1-.JPG","body":null,"created":"1751547287","gmt_created":"2025-07-03 12:54:47","changed":"1751547287","gmt_changed":"2025-07-03 12:54:47","alt":"Image of Science Square building","file":{"fid":"261230","name":"Science-Square-Ribbon-Cutting-007--1-.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/03\/Science-Square-Ribbon-Cutting-007--1-.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/07\/03\/Science-Square-Ribbon-Cutting-007--1-.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7251315,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/07\/03\/Science-Square-Ribbon-Cutting-007--1-.JPG?itok=VRaJk5qw"}}},"media_ids":["677340"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/06\/18\/georgia-tech-emory-expand-research-science-square","title":"Georgia Tech, Emory Expand Research at Science Square"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"194640","name":"Shriners Children\u2019s"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"191083","name":"science square"},{"id":"176032","name":"pediatric research"},{"id":"194641","name":"medical research facility"},{"id":"489","name":"atlanta"},{"id":"194642","name":"orthopedic conditions"},{"id":"194643","name":"neuromuscular conditions"},{"id":"170899","name":"spinal cord injury"},{"id":"194644","name":"burn injuries"},{"id":"194645","name":"cleft lip and palate"},{"id":"249","name":"Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"14566","name":"Gene Therapy"},{"id":"4460","name":"Medical Devices"},{"id":"194646","name":"biologics"},{"id":"181980","name":"data informatics"},{"id":"190859","name":"research collaboration"},{"id":"5153","name":"Life Sciences"},{"id":"187570","name":"healthcare innovation"},{"id":"72981","name":"research institute"},{"id":"174576","name":"North Avenue Research Area"},{"id":"1171","name":"investment"},{"id":"194647","name":"nonprofit healthcare"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"},{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESiobhan Rodriguez\u003Cbr\u003ESenior Media Relations\u0026nbsp;Representative\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["media@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682906":{"#nid":"682906","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joel Kostka re\u00adceives Hum\u00adboldt Re\u00adsearch Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis week, Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/kostkalab\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E was awar\u00added the pres\u00adti\u00adgi\u00adous\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.humboldt-foundation.de\/en\/apply\/sponsorship-programmes\/humboldt-research-award\u0022\u003EHumboldt Research Award\u003C\/a\u003E by the Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Found\u00ada\u00adtion\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.humboldt-foundation.de\/en\/explore\/newsroom\/press-releases\/humboldt-foundations-annual-meeting-and-reception-with-federal-president-steinmeier-3\u0022\u003Eduring its annual meeting\u003C\/a\u003E and reception with Germany\u2019s Federal President Steinmeier in Berlin. Every year, the Foundation grants up to 100 Humboldt Research Awards worldwide, which recognize internationally leading researchers of all disciplines.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe award\u2019s \u20ac80,000 endowment will support a research trip to Germany for up to a year \u2014 during which Kostka will collaborate with Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mpi-bremen.de\/en\/Biogeochemistry-Group\/People\/Marcel-Kuypers.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMar\u00adcel Kuypers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mpi-bremen.de\/en\/Home.html\u0022\u003EMax Planck In\u00adsti\u00adtute for Mar\u00adine Mi\u00adcro\u00adbi\u00ado\u00adlogy\u003C\/a\u003E in Bre\u00admen, Germany \u2014 to as\u00adsess the role of mar\u00adine plant mi\u00adcro\u00adbi\u00ado\u00admes in coastal mar\u00adine eco\u00adsys\u00adtem health and climate re\u00adsi\u00adli\u00adence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka, who holds joint appointments in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003ESchool of Bio\u00adlo\u00adgical Sci\u00adences\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/kostka-joel\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, is also the as\u00adso\u00adci\u00adate chair for re\u00adsearch in Bio\u00adlo\u00adgical Sci\u00adences. He was\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joel-kostka-named-director-georgia-tech-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003E\u200b\u200brecently named the inaugural faculty director\u003C\/a\u003E of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-center-science-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow\u003C\/a\u003E. The new Center, announced by the College of Sciences in December 2024, will drive research aimed at improving life across the state of Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWetlands in a changing climate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cHuman population is centered on coastlines, and coastal ecosystems provide many services for people,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cAlthough they cover less than 1 percent of the ocean, coastal wetlands store over 50 percent of the seafloor\u2019s rich carbon reserves.\u201d But researchers aren\u2019t sure how these ecosystems will respond to a changing climate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EMicrobes may be the key. Microbes play a critical role in maintaining plant health and helping them adapt to stressors, Kostka says. Similar to human bodies, plants have microbiomes: a community of microbes intimately associated with the plant that help it take up nutrients, stimulate the plant\u2019s immune system, and regulate plant hormones.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOur research indicates that plant microbiomes are fundamental to wetland ecosystem health, yet almost everything we know about them is from agricultural systems,\u201d he adds. \u201cWe know very little about the microbes associated with these important marine plants that dominate coastal ecosystems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka\u2019s work in Germany will investigate how microbiomes help coastal marine plants adapt to stress and keep them healthy. From there, he will investigate how plant microbiomes contribute to the carbon and nutrient cycles of coastal ecosystems \u2014 and how they contribute to ecosystem resilience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding collaboration \u2014 and insights\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EOne goal of the collaboration is to exchange information on two types of marine plants that dominate coastal ecosystems worldwide: those associated with seagrass meadows and salt marshes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019ve investigated salt marsh plants in the intertidal zone between tides, and my colleagues at the Max Planck Institute have focused on seagrass beds and seagrass meadows, which are subtidal, below the tides,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cWhile these two ecosystems have some different characteristics, they both cover large areas of the global coastline and are dominated by salt-tolerant plants.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn salt marshes, Kostka has shown that marine plants have symbiotic microbes in their roots that help them to take up nitrogen and deal with stress by removing\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/experts\/sulfur-oxidation-and-reduction-are-coupled-nitrogen-fixation-roots-salt-marsh-foundation\u0022\u003Etoxic sulfides\u003C\/a\u003E. He suspects that these plant-microbe interactions are critical to the resilience of coastal ecosystems. \u201cThe Max Planck Institute made similar observations in seagrass meadows as we did in salt marshes,\u201d Kostka explains. \u201cBut they found different bacteria.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom Georgia to Germany\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBeyond supporting excellence in research, another key goal of the Humboldt Research Award is to support international collaboration \u2014 something very familiar to Kostka. \u201cI\u0027ve been working with Professor Kuypers and the Max Planck Institute in Bremen for many years,\u201d he says, adding that he completed his postdoctoral research at the Institute. \u201cMax Planck\u0027s labs are some of the best in the world for what they do, and their imaging technology can give us an unprecedented look at plant-microbe interactions at the cellular level.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis project is also special because I am collaborating with other scientists in northern Germany,\u201d Kostka adds. \u201cThe University of Bremen is home to the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.marum.de\/en\/index.html\u0022\u003ECen\u00adter for Mar\u00adine En\u00advir\u00adon\u00admental Sci\u00adences\u003C\/a\u003E (MARUM), which is designated as a Cluster of Excellence by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.dfg.de\/en\u0022\u003EGerman National Science Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E, so there are a number of fantastic research centers in Bremen to work with.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHis hope is that this project will deepen collaboration between the research at Georgia Tech and research in Germany. \u201cI look forward to seeing what we can uncover about these critical systems while working together.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe award will support Kostka\u2019s research on the role of marine plant microbiomes in coastal climate resilience in collaboration with Germany\u2019s Max Planck Institute.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The award will support Kostka\u2019s research on the role of marine plant microbiomes in coastal climate resilience in collaboration with Germany\u2019s Max Planck Institute."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-06-26 17:04:12","changed_gmt":"2025-06-26 21:08:14","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677294":{"id":"677294","type":"image","title":"Professor\u00a0Joel Kostka at the Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Found\u00ada\u00adtion\u00a0annual meeting and reception in Germany this week.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;Joel Kostka at the Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Found\u00ada\u00adtion\u0026nbsp;annual meeting and reception in Germany this week.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1750971890","gmt_created":"2025-06-26 21:04:50","changed":"1750971890","gmt_changed":"2025-06-26 21:04:50","alt":"Professor\u00a0Joel Kostka at the Al\u00adex\u00adan\u00adder von Hum\u00adboldt Found\u00ada\u00adtion\u00a0annual meeting and reception in Germany this week.","file":{"fid":"261178","name":"Humboldt---Joel-Kostka---web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Humboldt---Joel-Kostka---web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/26\/Humboldt---Joel-Kostka---web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":801832,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/26\/Humboldt---Joel-Kostka---web.jpg?itok=7jfMRjYH"}}},"media_ids":["677294"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"194631","name":"cos-georgia"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Selena Langner\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"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":""}},"682766":{"#nid":"682766","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unveiling the Human Stories Behind Brain Implants","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EElecting to have invasive brain surgery isn\u2019t something most people have done. Ian Burkhart isn\u2019t most people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen I finished rehabilitation, my doctors and therapist and, most importantly, the insurance company said, \u2018For someone with your condition, we feel like you\u0027ve made all the improvement that you will, have a nice life,\u2019\u201d said Burkhart, who was left with limited feeling and mobility below the neck after a 2010 diving accident injured his spinal cord. \u201cThat didn\u0027t sit well with me.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHoping even a fraction of hand mobility would increase his independence, Burkhart turned to a clinical research trial on a brain-computer interface (BCI) designed to detect movement signals in the brain and send them to a computer to stimulate the arm muscles, bypassing the spinal cord in the hopes of restoring movement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI had had four and a half years of never thinking my hand was going to move again,\u201d he recalled. When testing to see if he qualified for the study, researchers stimulated his hand muscles. \u201cI saw my hand move, and that was all I needed to know \u2014 I was ready to risk it all for something that may or may not work.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBurkhart\u2019s story is one of many that reveal the deeply personal side of neurotechnology research. Centering lived experiences like his is central to the mission of the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS), a new Interdisciplinary Research Institute launching this July at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf we want to build neurotechnology that truly serves people, their voices should be part of the scientific process from the very beginning,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/3728\u0022\u003EChris Rozell\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and one of the many researchers at Georgia Tech working to understand and advance BCIs. \u201cHearing from individuals who live with these devices helps guide more ethical, inclusive, and effective research. The entire field benefits from inclusive conversations like these.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELife With a Brain Implant\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBurkhart and three others recently shared their stories live on the Ferst Center stage at \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/wired-lives-personal-stories-brain-implants\u0022\u003EWired Lives: Personal Stories of Brain-Computer Interfaces\u003C\/a\u003E, an event organized by Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E. Their stories gave over 200 attendees a rare, honest glimpse into the realities of neurological conditions and the path to brain-computer interface research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI was at a crossroads in my life at 47 years old,\u201d said Brandan Mehaffie, who told his story of living with early-onset Parkinson\u2019s disease. \u201cI was trying to figure out, do I continue with the status quo and watch my career dwindle into nothing? Watch my life with my family, my kids, not being able to go on hikes or family vacations?\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMehaffie eventually qualified for deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment, a procedure where a pacemaker-like device is implanted into the brain to provide electrical stimulation. \u201cIt changed my life for the better in ways that I can\u0027t even tell you.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen former U.S. Air Force Sgt. Jennifer Walden\u2019s doctor told her about a clinical trial testing DBS as an epilepsy treatment, she jumped at the chance. \u201cThe 48 hours after those seizures are 48 hours where you don\u0027t want to live anymore.\u201d Walden explained that her response to medication had dwindled after years of traditional treatment, increasing the frequency and severity of her seizures. \u201cI feared suicide. It\u0027s something I didn\u0027t want to do, but if something happened in those 48 hours to end my life, I didn\u0027t care,\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am now probably 99% seizure-free,\u201d she beamed as she recalled her response to DBS on stage. \u201cI don\u0027t know how I got so lucky in life, but I don\u0027t take it for granted.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECommon themes in their stories were resilience, hope, and a deep desire to give back.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen I joined the study, it had no physical benefit to me, but that\u0027s not why I joined it,\u201d said Scott Imbrie, who experienced a major spinal cord injury and participates in a clinical BCI study at the University of Chicago. \u201cI decided to have invasive brain surgery and have electrodes implanted on my brain to help other people.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA New Approach to Interdisciplinary Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETimed alongside the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/interfaceneuro-highlights-atlantas-growing-role-neurotech-revolution\u0022\u003EInterfaceNeuro conference at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E, the gathering offered a rare opportunity for scientists, engineers, and clinicians to engage directly with the lived experiences of individuals using brain-computer interfaces \u2014 a perspective often missing from traditional research settings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt makes you think about how we ethically conduct research and how we recruit and interface with patients,\u201d said Eric Cole, a postdoctoral researcher at Emory University, who was reminded that many patients participating in BCI research have been on a long, difficult journey before interacting with researchers. \u201cWe should remember to take their experiences seriously and respect them. They\u0027re giving up something for research \u2014 that part we should always remember.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWired Lives\u201d was one in a series of events highlighting the lived experience of individuals with neurological conditions organized by the Neuro Next Initiative, which has served as the precursor to INNS.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA core mission of INNS is to consider how neuroscience and neurotechnology impact people\u2019s lives,\u201d\u0026nbsp;said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/11576\u0022\u003EJennifer Singh\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/hsoc.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of History and Sociology\u003C\/a\u003E, a member of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/about-us\/leadership\u0022\u003ENNI\u2019s executive committee\u003C\/a\u003E, and a co-organizer of the event. \u201cTheir stories matter when it comes to the types of science and technology we pursue and how they benefit the human condition. Many scientists and engineers may never encounter people living with neurological conditions outside of events like this. That will be a priority for INNS \u2014 to bring the expertise of lived experiences to the research process.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIan Burkhart\u2019s lived experience reminded the audience that not every clinical trial has a happy ending. His BCI was ultimately removed after seven years as research funding ran short, taking his newly improved hand mobility with it. Despite this, Burkhart remained positive.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027m so glad I was able to take that risk and have that voluntary brain surgery and participate in this type of research because it\u0027s defined my life.\u201d Burkhart went on to found the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bcipioneers.org\/\u0022\u003EBCI Pioneers Coalition\u003C\/a\u003E and his own \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ianburkhartfoundation.org\/\u0022\u003Enonprofit\u003C\/a\u003E because of his research participation. \u201cIt gave me a lot of hope for the future, and a lot of hope that these types of devices are going to be able to help people and improve their quality of life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThis event was produced in partnership with\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.storycollider.org\/atlanta\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Story Collider\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E and made possible through support from\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/blackrockneurotech.com\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBlackrock Neurotech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.medtronic.com\/en-us\/index.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedtronic\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFour people who have experienced brain implants shared their personal journeys, offering rare insight into the human side of neurotechnology.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Four people who have experienced brain implants shared their personal journeys, offering rare insight into the human side of neurotechnology."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-06-11 16:31:48","changed_gmt":"2025-06-11 16:41:18","author":"adavidson38","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":{"677215":{"id":"677215","type":"image","title":"Wired-Lives_050725-41_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom clinical trial participant to BCI advocate, Ian Burkhart shares his story at \u201cWired Lives,\u201d organized by Georgia Tech\u2019s Neuro Next Initiative. Photo: Chris McKenney\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749658538","gmt_created":"2025-06-11 16:15:38","changed":"1749660241","gmt_changed":"2025-06-11 16:44:01","alt":"From clinical trial participant to BCI advocate, Ian Burkhart shares his story at \u201cWired Lives,\u201d organized by Georgia Tech\u2019s Neuro Next Initiative. Photo: Chris McKenney","file":{"fid":"261095","name":"Wired-Lives_050725-41_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-41_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-41_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1260961,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-41_0.jpg?itok=VROpiXK7"}},"677216":{"id":"677216","type":"image","title":"Wired-Lives_050725-20_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EBrandan Mehaffie shares how deep brain stimulation transformed his life after an early-onset Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis. Photo: Chris McKenney\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749658790","gmt_created":"2025-06-11 16:19:50","changed":"1749660272","gmt_changed":"2025-06-11 16:44:32","alt":"Brandan Mehaffie shares how deep brain stimulation transformed his life after an early-onset Parkinson\u2019s diagnosis. Photo: Chris McKenney","file":{"fid":"261096","name":"Wired-Lives_050725-20_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-20_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-20_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1338785,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-20_0.jpg?itok=I-Q-JR-2"}},"677217":{"id":"677217","type":"image","title":"Wired-Lives_050725-30.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJennifer Walden reflects on the emotional and physical challenges of epilepsy \u2014 and the relief that came with a breakthrough treatment. Photo: Chris McKenney\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749658956","gmt_created":"2025-06-11 16:22:36","changed":"1749660299","gmt_changed":"2025-06-11 16:44:59","alt":"Jennifer Walden reflects on the emotional and physical challenges of epilepsy \u2014 and the relief that came with a breakthrough treatment. Photo: Chris McKenney","file":{"fid":"261097","name":"Wired-Lives_050725-30.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-30.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-30.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1354530,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-30.jpg?itok=-Pj3Tior"}},"677218":{"id":"677218","type":"image","title":"Wired-Lives_050725-12.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EScott Imbrie shares his decision to undergo brain surgery \u2014 not for personal benefit, but to advance research that could help others. Photo: Chris McKenney\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749659052","gmt_created":"2025-06-11 16:24:12","changed":"1749660330","gmt_changed":"2025-06-11 16:45:30","alt":"Scott Imbrie shares his decision to undergo brain surgery \u2014 not for personal benefit, but to advance research that could help others. Photo: Chris McKenney","file":{"fid":"261098","name":"Wired-Lives_050725-12.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-12.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-12.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1089856,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-12.jpg?itok=uKZdrxF8"}},"677219":{"id":"677219","type":"image","title":"Wired-Lives_050725-01_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EStorytellers, event organizers, and sponsor representatives at \u0022Wired Lives.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749659164","gmt_created":"2025-06-11 16:26:04","changed":"1749660353","gmt_changed":"2025-06-11 16:45:53","alt":"Storytellers, event organizers, and sponsor representatives at \u0022Wired Lives.\u0022","file":{"fid":"261099","name":"Wired-Lives_050725-01_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-01_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-01_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1623011,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-01_0.jpg?itok=7JLEXHFw"}},"677220":{"id":"677220","type":"image","title":"Wired-Lives_050725-34_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers, students, and community members came together to explore the lived experiences behind cutting-edge neurotechnology. Photo: Chris McKenney\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749659211","gmt_created":"2025-06-11 16:26:51","changed":"1749660376","gmt_changed":"2025-06-11 16:46:16","alt":"Researchers, students, and community members came together to explore the lived experiences behind cutting-edge neurotechnology. Photo: Chris McKenney","file":{"fid":"261100","name":"Wired-Lives_050725-34_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-34_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-34_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1842020,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/11\/Wired-Lives_050725-34_0.jpg?itok=OtVK7dM3"}}},"media_ids":["677215","677216","677217","677218","677219","677220"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/interfaceneuro-highlights-atlantas-growing-role-neurotech-revolution","title":"InterfaceNeuro Highlights Atlanta\u2019s Growing Role in the Neurotech Revolution"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/new-wearable-brain-computer-interface","title":"New Wearable Brain-Computer Interface"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/tragedy-transformation","title":"From Tragedy to Transformation"}],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"},{"id":"142761","name":"IRIM"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"42891","name":"Georgia Tech Arts"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"42931","name":"Performances"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"}],"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\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682660":{"#nid":"682660","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Volcano \u0027Hidden in Plain Sight\u0027 Could Help Date Mars \u2014 and its Habitability","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech scientists have uncovered evidence that a mountain on the rim of Jezero Crater \u2014 where NASA\u2019s Perseverance Rover is currently collecting samples for possible return to Earth \u2014 is likely a volcano. Called Jezero Mons,\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eit is nearly half the size of the crater itself and could add critical clues to the habitability and volcanism of Mars, transforming how we understand Mars\u2019 geologic history.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s43247-025-02329-7\u0022\u003EEvidence for a composite volcano on the rim of Jezero crater on Mars\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d was published this May in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E-family journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ECommunications Earth \u0026amp; Environment,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eand\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Eunderscores\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ehow much we have left to learn about one of the most well-studied regions of Mars.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELead author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/deeps.brown.edu\/people\/sara-cuevas-quinones\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESara C. Cuevas-Qui\u00f1ones\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E completed the research as an undergraduate during a summer program at Georgia Tech; she is now a graduate student at Brown University. The team also included corresponding author Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wray.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames J. Wray\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E (\u003C\/strong\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences), Assistant Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/people\/rivera-hernandez-dr-frances\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrances Rivera-Hern\u00e1ndez\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences), and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/search.asu.edu\/profile\/2095063\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJacob Adler\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ethen a postdoctoral fellow at Georgia Tech and now an assistant research professor at Arizona State University.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cVolcanism on Mars is intriguing for a number of reasons \u2014 from the implications it has on habitability, to better constraining the geologic history,\u201d Wray says. \u201cJezero Crater is one of the best studied sites on Mars. If we are just now identifying a volcano here, imagine how many more could be on Mars. Volcanoes may be even more widespread across Mars than we thought.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA mountain in the margins\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWray\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Efirst noticed\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ethe mountain in 2007, while considering Jezero Crater as a graduate student.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI was looking at low-resolution photos of the area and noticed a mountain on the crater\u2019s rim,\u201d he recalls. \u201cTo me, it looked like a volcano, but it was difficult to get additional images.\u201d At the time, Jezero Crater was newly discovered, and imaging focused almost entirely on its intriguing water history, which is on the opposite side of the 28-mile-wide crater.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThen, Jezero Crater, due to these lake-like sedimentary deposits, was selected as the landing spot for the 2020 Perseverance Rover \u2014 an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/mars-2020-perseverance\/\u0022\u003Eongoing NASA mission seeking signs of ancient Martian life and collecting rock samples for possible return to Earth\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHowever, after landing, some of the first rocks Perseverance encountered were not the sedimentary deposits one might expect from a previously-flooded area \u2014 they were volcanic. Wray suspected he might know the origin of these rocks, but to make a case for it, he would need to show that the mountain on the edge of Jezero Crater could indeed be a volcano.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA new researcher \u2014 and old data\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe opportunity presented itself several months after Perseverance landed when Cuevas-Qui\u00f1ones applied to a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/easreu.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESummer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program hosted by the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E to work with Wray.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0019103518306067?via%3Dihub\u0022\u003EA previous study\u003C\/a\u003E led by\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBriony Horgan\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(professor of planetary science at Purdue University) had also suggested that Jezero Mons could be volcanic,\u201d Cuevas-Qui\u00f1ones says. \u201cI began wondering if there was a way to home in on these suspicions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe team partnered with study coauthor Rivera-Hern\u00e1ndez, who specializes in characterizing the surface of planets and their habitability. They decided to use datasets gathered from spacecraft orbiting Mars to compare the properties of Jezero Mons to other, known, volcanoes. \u201cWe can\u2019t visit Mars and definitively prove that Jezero Mons is a volcano, but we can show that it shares the same properties with existing volcanoes \u2014 both here on Earth and Mars,\u201d Wray explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe used data from the Mars Odyssey Orbiter, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, and Perseverance Rover, all in combination to puzzle this out,\u201d he adds. \u201cI think this shows that these older spacecraft can be extremely valuable long after their initial missions end \u2014 these old spacecraft can still make important discoveries and help us answer tricky questions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor Cuevas-Qui\u00f1ones, it also underscores the importance of REU programs and opportunities for undergraduates. \u201cI was an undergraduate student at the time, and this was my first time conducting research,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was fascinating to learn how different data sets could be used to decode the origin of a landscape. After Jezero Mons, it became clear to me that I would continue to study Mars and other planetary bodies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe search for life \u2014 and determining Mars\u2019 age\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe discovery makes the crater even more intriguing in the search for past life on Mars. A volcano so close to watery Jezero Crater could add a critical source of heat on an otherwise cold planet, including the potential for hydrothermal activity \u2014 energy that life could use to thrive.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis type of system also holds interest for Mars as a whole. \u201cThe coalescence of these two types of systems makes Jezero more interesting than ever,\u201d shares Wray. \u201cWe have samples of incredible sedimentary rocks that could be from a habitable region alongside igneous rocks with important scientific value.\u201d If returned to Earth, igneous rocks can be radioisotope dated to know their age very precisely. Dating the Jezero Crater samples could be used to calibrate age estimates, providing an unprecedented window into the geologic history of the planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe take home message? \u201cMars is the best place we have to look in our solar system for signs of life, and thanks to the Perseverance Rover collecting samples in Jezero, the United States has samples from the best rocks in the best place on Mars,\u201d Wray says. \u201cIf these samples are returned to Earth, we can do incredible, groundbreaking science with them.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s43247-025-02329-7\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s43247-025-02329-7\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: Cuevas-Qui\u00f1ones was supported by Georgia Tech\u2019s 2021 Research Experience for Undergraduates program sponsored by NSF and 3M corporation. Wray was supported by NASA funding for Co-Investigators on HiRISE and CaSSIS. CaSSIS is a project of the University of Bern and funded through the Swiss Space Office via ESA\u2019s PRODEX program. The instrument hardware development was also supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) (ASI-INAF agreement 2020-17-HH.0), INAF\/Astronomical Observatory of Padova, and the Space Research Center (CBK) in Warsaw. Support from SGF (Budapest), the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Lab, and NASA are also gratefully acknowledged. Operation support from the UK Space Agency is also acknowledged.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have discovered evidence that a mountain on the rim of Jezero Crater \u2014 where NASA\u2019s Perseverance Rover is currently collecting samples for possible return to Earth \u2014 is likely a volcano. The research could add critical clues to the habitability and volcanism of Mars, transforming how we understand Mars\u2019 geologic history.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech scientists have uncovered evidence that a mountain on the rim of Jezero Crater \u2014 where NASA\u2019s Perseverance Rover is currently collecting samples for possible return to Earth \u2014 is likely a volcano."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-06-05 13:27:33","changed_gmt":"2025-06-06 14:10:08","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677188":{"id":"677188","type":"image","title":"A view of Jezero Mons from the publication. The mountain is ~21\u2009km across.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA view of Jezero Mons from the publication. The mountain is ~21\u2009km across.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749130319","gmt_created":"2025-06-05 13:31:59","changed":"1749130319","gmt_changed":"2025-06-05 13:31:59","alt":"A view of Jezero Mons from the publication. The mountain is ~21\u2009km across.","file":{"fid":"261062","name":"JezeroMons.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroMons.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroMons.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":121995,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroMons.jpg?itok=shnhPfCc"}},"677189":{"id":"677189","type":"image","title":"An image from the publication showing an oblique view from north-northeast of Jezero crater, with topography exaggerated ~3x","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn image from the publication showing an oblique view from north-northeast of Jezero crater, with topography exaggerated ~3x\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749130628","gmt_created":"2025-06-05 13:37:08","changed":"1749130628","gmt_changed":"2025-06-05 13:37:08","alt":"An image from the publication showing an oblique view from north-northeast of Jezero crater, with topography exaggerated ~3x","file":{"fid":"261063","name":"JezeroMons2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroMons2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroMons2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":297855,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroMons2.jpg?itok=GbDAiEfg"}},"677190":{"id":"677190","type":"image","title":"An illustration of Jezero Crater as it may have looked billions of years go on Mars, when it was a lake. Jezero Mons is visible on the front right-side of the crater rim. (Credit: NASA)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAn illustration of Jezero Crater as it may have looked billions of years go on Mars, when it was a lake. Jezero Mons is visible on the front right-side of the crater rim. (Credit: NASA)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1749130808","gmt_created":"2025-06-05 13:40:08","changed":"1749130808","gmt_changed":"2025-06-05 13:40:08","alt":"An illustration of Jezero Crater as it may have looked billions of years go on Mars, when it was a lake. Jezero Mons is visible on the front right-side of the crater rim. (Credit: NASA)","file":{"fid":"261064","name":"JezeroCrater3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroCrater3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroCrater3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":965001,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/05\/JezeroCrater3.jpg?itok=-IU8GxrG"}}},"media_ids":["677188","677189","677190"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/mars-stars-james-wray-wins-simons-fellowship-study-interstellar-objects","title":"From Mars to the Stars: James Wray Wins Simons Fellowship to Study Interstellar Objects"}],"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":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"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":""}},"681618":{"#nid":"681618","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joel Kostka Named Director of Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe College of Sciences has named Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joel-kostka\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E the inaugural faculty director of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-center-science-georgias-tomorrow\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow\u003C\/a\u003E. The new center, announced by the College in December 2024, will drive research aimed at improving life\u0026nbsp;across the state of Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cJoel is perfectly suited to lead this new initiative, especially since his research for a number of years has focused on Georgia and the vulnerability of both humans and ecosystems to climate change,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/dean-susan-lozier\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESusan Lozier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, dean of the College of Sciences, Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair, and professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cI look forward to seeing how Science for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow takes shape and evolves under his thoughtful leadership.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI believe that my experience in research administration and in leading multidisciplinary research programs, along with the focus of my research on the vulnerability of Georgia\u2019s communities to climate change, have prepared me well for this role,\u201d says Kostka, who is the Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cI am excited about the opportunity to lead the center as its inaugural director.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka\u2019s appointment will begin on May 1, 2025.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChampioning science in Georgia\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGeorgia\u0027s Tomorrow was created to foster research related to the health and resilience of Georgia\u2019s people, ecosystems, and communities. Specifically, it\u0026nbsp;will serve to boost research collaboration across the Institute, pave the way for public-private partnerships, and expand opportunities for Georgia students and communities to engage with Institute research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAmong Kostka\u2019s first tasks as faculty director will be the development of the center\u2019s strategic plan and the completion of two dedicated cluster hires from within the College of Sciences\u2019 six schools.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet Joel Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka is known for bridging biogeochemistry and microbiology to elucidate the role of microorganisms in ecosystem function. He has emerged as an international leader in ecosystem biogeoscience, providing a quantitative predictive understanding of how ecosystems function as well as determining the mechanisms by which climate change alters ecosystem resilience. He partners with a variety of stakeholders to conduct research on the restoration and adaptive management of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/roots-resilience-investigating-vital-role-microbes-coastal-plant-health\u0022\u003Ecoastal ecosystems in Georgia\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka has also served as the PI of a range of multidisciplinary research projects focused on environmental change as well as scientific advisory boards including Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E, the NSF-funded Plum Island Estuary Long-term Ecological Research program, and the Johnston Center for Coastal Sustainability on Bald Head Island.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka received a B.S. in Biology from Western Illinois University and a Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of Delaware. Prior to joining Georgia Tech in 2011, he was a professor at the Department of Oceanography and Associate Director of the Institute of Energy Systems, Economics, and Sustainability at Florida State University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EInitial support for Georgia Tech for Georgia\u2019s Tomorrow is generously provided by the College of Sciences Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Dean\u0027s Chair fund. Cluster hire funding has been awarded by Provost Steven W. McLaughlin. The initiative will also seek funding from state, national and international organizations, private foundations, and government agencies to expand impact. Philanthropic support will also be sought in the form of professorships, programmatic support for the center, and seed funding.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow\u003C\/strong\u003E initially launched under the working name \u003Cstrong\u003EScience for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow (Sci4GT)\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new center, announced by the College in December 2024, will drive research aimed at improving life\u0026nbsp;across the state of Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The new center, announced by the College in December 2024, will drive research aimed at improving life\u00a0across the state of Georgia. "}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-04-07 13:25:49","changed_gmt":"2025-05-21 19:46:10","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675025":{"id":"675025","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka ","body":null,"created":"1726693287","gmt_created":"2024-09-18 21:01:27","changed":"1726693287","gmt_changed":"2024-09-18 21:01:27","alt":"Joel Kostka","file":{"fid":"258612","name":"Joel Kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":422897,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg?itok=zIPhfLUz"}}},"media_ids":["675025"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-center-science-georgias-tomorrow","title":"New Center: Georgia Tech for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow"},{"url":"https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/kostkalab\/","title":"Kostka Lab"}],"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":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"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":"194451","name":"Science for Georgia\u0027s Tomorrow"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"194452","name":"Georgia science"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\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":""}},"682018":{"#nid":"682018","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Richard Nichols Receives 2025 Bernstein Prize","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EProfessor Emeritus\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/richard-nichols\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERichard Nichols\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E of the School of Biological Sciences has been awarded the 2025 Bernstein Prize by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/i-s-m-c.org\/\u0022\u003EInternational Society of Motor Control\u003C\/a\u003E (ISMC). This prize, the highest honor bestowed by the ISMC, recognizes significant contributions to the field of motor control and learning in the spirit of the Russian neurophysiology pioneer Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bernstein.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis is a meaningful prize that honors the longstanding impact of two Russian scientists, Anatol Feldman and Mark Latash. They founded the ISMC and were influential in building a community of scientists in the United States and Canada focused on motor systems research following in the tradition of Bernstein,\u201d says Nichols, who retired from the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E in 2023. \u201cReceiving this prize is thrilling. It\u2019s a cap on my career.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENichols will receive the award during ISMC\u2019s biennial meeting this summer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom basic research to potential treatments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENichols began his decades-long career researching the spinal cord, a key component of the central nervous system that relays information between the brain and periphery (muscles, joints, skin, etc.). He notes that the spinal cord is more than a simple communications highway; it contains neural networks that can exert some control.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhen we walk across the room, the spinal cord\u0026nbsp;\u2014 not the brain\u0026nbsp;\u2014 generates and sends detailed messages to our muscles. The brain simply says, \u2018It\u2019s time to walk across a room and avoid this or that obstacle.\u2019 The spinal cord contains the machinery to do so,\u201d explains Nichols.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENichols\u0027 research initially centered on understanding how sensory information from the periphery is used by the spinal cord and brain to control movement. More recently, his focus shifted to possible real-world applications of his findings.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFor example, Nichols collaborated with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/louisville.edu\/bucksforbrains\/faculty\/dena-r-howland.html\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDena Howland\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E of the University of Louisville on research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that are centered on understanding spinal cord injury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cHad it not been for my collaboration with Dena over the past 11 years, my work would have remained limited to the fundamental science of how the spinal cord and brain function. Our translational project has broadened the scope and impact of my research,\u201d he adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAccording to Nichols, the NIH and VA grants were synergistic: the NIH grant focused on spinal cord function, while the VA grant centered on rehabilitation strategies following spinal cord injury. Through this complementary research, the team uncovered insights about the spinal cord\u0026nbsp;\u2014 potentially revealing new treatment pathways to aid motor control recovery after spinal cord injury.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ENichols retired from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023 after 16 years of service. Before joining the Institute in 2007 as chair of the School of Applied Physiology (now the School of Biological Sciences), he chaired the Department of Physiology at Emory University. Nichols received a B.S. in Biology from Brown University and a Ph.D. in Physiology from Harvard University.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Emeritus\u0026nbsp;Richard Nichols of the School of Biological Sciences has been recognized for his significant contributions to the field of motor control and learning.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Emeritus\u00a0Richard Nichols of the School of Biological Sciences has been recognized for his significant contributions to the field of motor control and learning. "}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-04-25 12:51:21","changed_gmt":"2025-05-02 15:26:13","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"593197":{"id":"593197","type":"image","title":"Richard Nichols","body":null,"created":"1498854592","gmt_created":"2017-06-30 20:29:52","changed":"1745585799","gmt_changed":"2025-04-25 12:56:39","alt":"Richard Nichols","file":{"fid":"226114","name":"T RICHARD NICHOLS DSC_9125.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS%20DSC_9125_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS%20DSC_9125_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":194757,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/T%20RICHARD%20NICHOLS%20DSC_9125_0.jpg?itok=I6UGmsvx"}}},"media_ids":["593197"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"682181":{"#nid":"682181","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Benjamin Freeman Named Early Career Fellow by Ecological Society of America","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/benjamin%20freeman\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBenjamin Freeman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor and Elizabeth Smithgall-Watts Endowed Faculty\u0026nbsp;in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, has been named a 2025 Early Career Fellow by the\u0026nbsp; \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/esa.org\/\u0022\u003EEcological Society of America\u003C\/a\u003E (ESA).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman is one of only 10 Early Career Fellows and eight Fellows honored by ESA this year for advancing the knowledge and application of ecological science in a way that strengthens the field and benefits communities and ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cEcological science tells us how nature works, and my research uses birds as \u2018canaries in the coal mine\u2019 to learn how animals are responding to the rapid changes taking place on our planet,\u201d he says. \u201cI am delighted by this honor.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman studies why species live where they do and how their ranges are changing in response to climate change. He is recognized for integrating evolutionary and ecological approaches to address fundamental questions in bird biology and for communicating science to the public. Freeman leads the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/\u0022\u003EMountain Bird Lab\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech and launched the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/mountainbirdnetwork\u0022\u003EMountain Bird Network\u003C\/a\u003E, which aims to compile systematic survey data on mountain birds across the globe. He is currently developing \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-takes-flight-benjamin-freeman-named-2024-packard-fellow\u0022\u003ETech Mountain\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d a first-of-its-kind field site\u0026nbsp;to study\u0026nbsp;how\u0026nbsp;birds and other organisms are responding to climate change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman, who joined the Institute in 2023, received a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFreeman is one of only 10 Early Career Fellows honored by the Ecological Society of America this year for advancing the knowledge and application of ecological science in a way that strengthens the field and benefits communities and ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Freeman is one of only 10 Early Career Fellows honored by the Ecological Society of America this year for advancing the knowledge and application of ecological science in a way that strengthens the field and benefits communities and ecosystems."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-05-01 19:40:44","changed_gmt":"2025-05-02 14:12:42","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675323":{"id":"675323","type":"image","title":"Benjamin Freeman","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Benjamin Freeman\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729016793","gmt_created":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","changed":"1729016793","gmt_changed":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","alt":"Benjamin Freeman","file":{"fid":"258934","name":"BenjaminFreeman.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2771976,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png?itok=fugaKOaT"}}},"media_ids":["675323"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com","title":"Freeman\u2019s Mountain Bird Lab"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/research-takes-flight-benjamin-freeman-named-2024-packard-fellow","title":"Research Takes Flight: Benjamin Freeman Named 2024 Packard Fellow"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.11alive.com\/article\/tech\/science\/climate-science\/10-million-birds-fly-over-georgia-migration\/85-89f97e9d-5e78-46f0-8d56-6d476da9c217","title":"11 Alive: Benjamin Freeman discusses bird migration (April 28, 2025)"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172106","name":"Ecological Society of America"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"12240","name":"faculty awards"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"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":""}},"681961":{"#nid":"681961","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Thesis on Human-Centered AI Earns Honors from International Computing Organization","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech alum\u2019s dissertation introduced ways to make artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible, interpretable, and accountable. Although it\u2019s been a year since his doctoral defense,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zijie.wang\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZijie (Jay) Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) work continues to resonate with researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang is a recipient of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medium.com\/sigchi\/announcing-the-2025-acm-sigchi-awards-17c1feaf865f\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The award recognizes Wang for his lifelong work on democratizing human-centered AI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThroughout my Ph.D. and industry internships, I observed a gap in existing research: there is a strong need for practical tools for applying human-centered approaches when designing AI systems,\u201d said Wang, now a safety researcher at OpenAI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy work not only helps people understand AI and guide its behavior but also provides user-friendly tools that fit into existing workflows.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E[Related: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/research\/chi-2025\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Computing Swarms to Yokohama, Japan, for CHI 2025\u003C\/a\u003E]\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang\u2019s dissertation presented techniques in visual explanation and interactive guidance to align AI models with user knowledge and values. The work culminated from years of research, fellowship support, and internships.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang\u2019s most influential projects formed the core of his dissertation. These included:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/cnn-explainer\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECNN Explainer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: an open-source tool developed for deep-learning beginners. Since its release in July 2020, more than 436,000 global visitors have used the tool.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/diffusiondb\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiffusionDB\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: a first-of-its-kind large-scale dataset that lays a foundation to help people better understand generative AI. This work could lead to new research in detecting deepfakes and designing human-AI interaction tools to help people more easily use these models.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/interpret.ml\/gam-changer\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGAM Changer\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: an interface that empowers users in healthcare, finance, or other domains to edit ML models to include knowledge and values specific to their domain, which improves reliability.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.jennwv.com\/papers\/gamcoach.pdf\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGAM Coach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: an interactive ML tool that could help people who have been rejected for a loan by automatically letting an applicant know what is needed for them to receive loan approval. \u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/new-tool-teaches-responsible-ai-practices-when-using-large-language-models\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFarsight\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E: a tool that alerts developers when they write prompts in large language models that could be harmful and misused. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI feel extremely honored and lucky to receive this award, and I am deeply grateful to many who have supported me along the way, including Polo, mentors, collaborators, and friends,\u201d said Wang, who was advised by School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/polochau\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPolo Chau\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis recognition also inspired me to continue striving to design and develop easy-to-use tools that help everyone to easily interact with AI systems.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELike Wang, Chau advised Georgia Tech alumnus\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/fredhohman.com\/\u0022\u003EFred Hohman\u003C\/a\u003E (Ph.D. CSE 2020).\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/alumnus-building-legacy-through-dissertation-and-mentorship\u0022\u003EHohman won the ACM SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation Award in 2022\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/poloclub.github.io\/\u0022\u003EChau\u2019s group\u003C\/a\u003E synthesizes machine learning (ML) and visualization techniques into scalable, interactive, and trustworthy tools. These tools increase understanding and interaction with large-scale data and ML models.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChau is the associate director of corporate relations for the Machine Learning Center at Georgia Tech. Wang called the School of CSE his home unit while a student in the ML program under Chau.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang is one of five recipients of this year\u2019s award to be presented at the 2025 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chi2025.acm.org\/\u0022\u003ECHI 2025\u003C\/a\u003E). The conference occurs April 25-May 1 in Yokohama, Japan.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESIGCHI is the world\u2019s largest association of human-computer interaction professionals and practitioners. The group sponsors or co-sponsors 26 conferences, including CHI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang\u2019s outstanding dissertation award is the latest recognition of a career decorated with achievement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMonths after graduating from Georgia Tech,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/research-ai-safety-lands-recent-graduate-forbes-30-under-30\u0022\u003EForbes named Wang to its 30 Under 30 in Science for 2025\u003C\/a\u003E for his dissertation. Wang was one of 15 Yellow Jackets included in nine different 30 Under 30 lists and the only Georgia Tech-affiliated individual on the 30 Under 30 in Science list.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile a Georgia Tech student, Wang earned recognition from big names in business and technology. He received the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/student-named-apple-scholar-connecting-people-machine-learning\u0022\u003EApple Scholars in AI\/ML Ph.D. Fellowship in 2023\u003C\/a\u003E and was in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-machine-learning-students-earn-jp-morgan-ai-phd-fellowships\u0022\u003E2022 cohort of the J.P. Morgan AI Ph.D. Fellowships Program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with the CHI award, Wang\u2019s dissertation earned him awards this year at banquets across campus. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com\/sites.gatech.edu\/dist\/0\/283\/files\/2025\/03\/2025-Sigma-Xi-Research-Award-Winners.pdf\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech chapter of Sigma Xi presented Wang with the Best Ph.D. Thesis Award\u003C\/a\u003E. He also received the College of Computing\u2019s Outstanding Dissertation Award.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech attracts many great minds, and I\u2019m glad that some, like Jay, chose to join our group,\u201d Chau said. \u201cIt has been a joy to work alongside them and witness the many wonderful things they have accomplished, and with many more to come in their careers.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech alum\u2019s dissertation introduced ways to make artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible, interpretable, and accountable. Although it\u2019s been a year since his doctoral defense,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/zijie.wang\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZijie (Jay) Wang\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) work continues to resonate with researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWang is a recipient of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/medium.com\/sigchi\/announcing-the-2025-acm-sigchi-awards-17c1feaf865f\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The award recognizes Wang for his lifelong work on democratizing human-centered AI.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" Zijie (Jay) Wang (Ph.D. ML-CSE 2024) is a recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (ACM SIGCHI)."}],"uid":"36319","created_gmt":"2025-04-22 14:24:46","changed_gmt":"2025-04-22 14:29:07","author":"Bryant Wine","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676903":{"id":"676903","type":"image","title":"Jay-Wang-SIGCHI-Dissertation-Award.jpg","body":null,"created":"1745331896","gmt_created":"2025-04-22 14:24:56","changed":"1745331896","gmt_changed":"2025-04-22 14:24:56","alt":"Zijie (Jay) Wang CHI 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CHI.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/05\/Farsight%20CHI.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/05\/Farsight%20CHI.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":139358,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/05\/Farsight%20CHI.jpg?itok=6genJVjw"}}},"media_ids":["676903","673947"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/news\/thesis-human-centered-ai-earns-honors-international-computing-organization","title":"Thesis on Human-Centered AI Earns Honors from International Computing Organization"}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"50877","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"155","name":"Congressional Testimony"},{"id":"143","name":"Digital Media and Entertainment"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"42921","name":"Exhibitions"},{"id":"42891","name":"Georgia Tech Arts"},{"id":"179356","name":"Industrial Design"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"194248","name":"International Education"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"147","name":"Military Technology"},{"id":"148","name":"Music and Music Technology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"42931","name":"Performances"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"166983","name":"School of Computational Science and Engineering"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"},{"id":"181991","name":"Georgia Tech News Center"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"9153","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"},{"id":"39431","name":"Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\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":""}},"681779":{"#nid":"681779","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lewis Wheaton Elected President of the American Society of Neurorehabilitation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBiology Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/Lewis-Wheaton\u0022\u003ELewis Wheaton\u003C\/a\u003E has been named president of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asnr.com\/\u0022\u003EAmerican Society of Neurorehabilitation\u003C\/a\u003E (ASNR). Established in 1990, the organization is dedicated to advancing the science of neurorehabilitation and helping patients with chronic neurological disabilities by advancing clinical care and research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cASNR is a great society because of the range and breadth of its work, spanning cellular neuroscientists all the way to people that do massive multicenter phase three clinical drug trials,\u201d says Wheaton, who has been involved in the organization for nearly two decades. \u201cI am excited to serve as its president.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWheaton\u2019s research interests initially drew him to ASNR\u0026nbsp;\u2014 his research examines changes in the brain following a stroke or upper limb loss in order to inform the design of therapies that promote better limb function and prosthetics; his belief in the organization\u2019s mission led him to join its leadership team.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI got involved in the executive board because I appreciated the vision of the society and the opportunities it provides for engaging more people in neurorehabilitation-based research and training the next generation of neurorehabilitation researchers,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWheaton was elected ASNR vice president in 2022 and worked during the subsequent three years to develop the organization\u2019s strategic plan. When he assumes the role of ASNR president this April, he will implement that plan.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re focusing on how to broaden and improve the sense of community within the society,\u201d he shares. \u201cTwo of our goals are centered on enhancing our multidisciplinary focus and expanding engagement. We want to bring in not only people from other disciplines\u0026nbsp;\u2014 as other disciplines are connected to the goals of neurorehabilitation\u0026nbsp;\u2014 but also develop a culture that supports diverse groups of people entering the field.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWheaton recognizes the parallels between his work at ASNR and the College of Sciences: \u201cIt is very consistent with many of the things that I\u0027ve always enjoyed at the College: creating a community that brings people together, that people want to be a part of, and that they see a home for themselves in,\u201d he explains, referencing his efforts as director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cpies.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Programs to Increase Engagement in the Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E (C-PIES) and mentoring students in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/thecmclab.com\/\u0022\u003Ehis research lab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Lewis Wheaton\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWheaton joined the Institute as an assistant professor in the School of Applied Physiology (now the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E) in 2008. He is currently a professor in Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech, an adjunct professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/med.emory.edu\/departments\/rehabilitation-medicine\/index.html\u0022\u003EDepartment of Rehabilitation at the Emory School of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E, and a member of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pedsresearch.org\/centers\/ccnr\u0022\u003EChildren\u2019s Center for Neurosciences Research at the Emory Children\u2019s Pediatric Research Center\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWheaton received a B.S. in biology from Radford University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience and cognitive science from the University of Maryland, College Park. He studied neural function and recovery of motor control after stroke as a fellow at the Medical Neurology Branch of the National Institutes of Health and performed neuroscience research in aging and stroke motor control as a postdoctoral fellow at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Maryland.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the American Society of Neurorehabilitation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.asnr.com\/i4a\/pages\/index.cfm?pageid=1\u0022\u003EAmerican Society of Neurorehabilitation (ASNR)\u003C\/a\u003E was created in 1990 to advance clinical care and the science of neurorehabilitation and neural repair. The 2025 edition of the ASNR annual meeting will take place in Atlanta in late April.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Wheaton has been involved in the American Society of Neurorehabilitation (ASNR) for nearly two decades. His research interests initially drew him to ASNR; his belief in the organization\u2019s mission led him to join its leadership team.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Wheaton has been involved in the American Society of Neurorehabilitation (ASNR) for nearly two decades. His research interests initially drew him to ASNR; his belief in the organization\u2019s mission led him to join its leadership team."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-04-14 19:14:27","changed_gmt":"2025-04-16 18:49:37","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-04-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-04-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"660552":{"id":"660552","type":"image","title":"Lewis Wheaton (Photo: Jess Hunt-Ralston)","body":null,"created":"1661458762","gmt_created":"2022-08-25 20:19:22","changed":"1680031849","gmt_changed":"2023-03-28 19:30:49","alt":"","file":{"fid":"250299","name":"Lewis Wheaton web.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lewis%20Wheaton%20web.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Lewis%20Wheaton%20web.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2855249,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Lewis%20Wheaton%20web.jpg?itok=eQ6bCbjC"}}},"media_ids":["660552"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/thecmclab.com","title":"Cognitive Motor Control Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"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":"189888","name":"Neurorehabilitation"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"681221":{"#nid":"681221","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nature\u0027s Time Machine: How Long-Term Studies Unlock Evolution\u0027s Secrets","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech scientists are revealing how decades-long research programs have transformed our understanding of evolution, from laboratory petri dishes to tropical islands \u2014 along the way uncovering secrets that would remain hidden in shorter studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThrough a new review paper published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the researchers underscore how long-term studies have captured evolution\u0027s most elusive processes, including the real-time formation of new species and the emergence of biological innovations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022Evolution isn\u0027t just about change over millions of years in fossils \u2014 it\u0027s happening all around us, right now,\u0022 says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/james-stroud\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Stroud\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the paper\u2019s lead author and an Elizabeth Smithgall Watts Early Career Assistant Professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech. \u0022However, to understand evolution, we need to watch it unfold in real time, often over many generations. Long-term studies allow us to do that by giving us a front-row seat to evolution in action.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe paper, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-025-08597-9\u0022\u003ELong-term studies provide unique insights into evolution\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d is the first-ever comprehensive analysis of these types of long-term evolutionary studies, and examines some of the longest-running evolutionary experiments and field studies to date, highlighting how they provide new perspectives on evolution. For example, in the Gal\u00e1pagos, a 40-year field study of Darwin\u2019s finches \u2014 songbirds named after evolutionary biology\u2019s famous founder \u2014 documented the formation of a new species through hybridization. In the lab, a study spanning 75,000 generations of bacteria showed populations unexpectedly evolving completely new metabolic abilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThese remarkable evolutionary events were only caught because of the long-term nature of the research programs,\u201d Stroud says. \u201cEven if short-term studies captured similar events, their evolutionary significance would be hard to assess without the historical context that long-term research provides.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe most fascinating results from long-term evolution studies are often completely unexpected \u2014 they\u0027re serendipitous discoveries that couldn\u0027t have been predicted at the start,\u201d explains the paper\u2019s co-author,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Sutherland Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and co-director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EInterdisciplinary Ph.D. in Quantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhile we can accelerate many aspects of scientific research today, evolution still moves at its own pace,\u201d Ratcliff adds. \u201cThere\u0027s no technological shortcut for watching species adapt across generations.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDecades of discovery \u2014 from labs to islands\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe new paper also highlights a growing challenge in modern science: the critical importance of supporting long-term research in an academic landscape that increasingly favors quick results and short-term funding. Yet, they say, some of biology\u0027s most profound insights emerge only through multi-decadal efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThose challenges and rewards are familiar to Stroud and Ratcliff, who operate their own long-term evolutionary research programs at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn South Florida, Stroud\u2019s \u2018Lizard Island\u2019 is helping document evolution in action across the football field-sized island\u2019s 1,000-lizard population. By studying a community of five species, his research is providing unique insights into\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2222071120\u0022\u003Ehow evolution maintains species\u2019 differences\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-54302-1\u0022\u003Ehow species evolve when new competitors arrive\u003C\/a\u003E. Now operating for a decade, it is one of the world\u2019s longest-running active evolutionary studies of its kind.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn his lab at Georgia Tech, Ratcliff studies the origin of complex life \u2014 specifically,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-023-06052-1\u0022\u003Ehow single-celled organisms become multicellular\u003C\/a\u003E. His\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-study-discovers-how-altered-protein-folding-drives-multicellular-evolution\u0022\u003EMulticellularity Long Term Evolution Experiment\u003C\/a\u003E (MuLTEE) on snowflake yeast has run for more than 9,000 generations, with aims to continue for the next 25 years. The work has shown how key steps in the evolutionary transition from single-celled organisms to multi-celled organisms occur far more easily than previously understood.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImportant work in a changing world\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud says that the insights from these types of studies, and this review paper, are arriving at a crucial moment. \u201cThe world is rapidly changing, which poses unprecedented challenges to Earth\u0027s biodiversity,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt has never been more important to understand how organisms adapt to changing environments over time.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cLong-term studies provide our best window into achieving this,\u201d he adds. \u201cWe can document, in real time, both short-term and long-term evolutionary responses of species to changes in their environment like climate change and habitat modification.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBy drawing together evolution\u0027s longest-running experiments and field studies for the first time, Stroud and Ratcliff offer key insights into studying this fundamental process, suggesting that understanding life\u0027s past \u2014 and predicting its future \u2014 requires not just advanced technology or new methods, but also the simple power of time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EFunding: The US National Institutes of Health and the NSF Division of Environmental Biology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-025-08597-9\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-025-08597-9\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThrough a new review paper published in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature\u003C\/em\u003E, Georgia Tech scientists are revealing how decades-long research programs have transformed our understanding of evolution, uncovering secrets that would remain hidden in shorter studies.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Through a new review paper published in\u00a0Nature, Georgia Tech scientists are revealing how decades-long research programs have transformed our understanding of evolution, uncovering secrets that would remain hidden in shorter studies."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-03-19 13:26:28","changed_gmt":"2025-03-26 19:06:08","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676594":{"id":"676594","type":"image","title":"A 40-year field study of Gal\u00e1pagos ground finches (Geospiza sp.) has provided unparalleled insights into how natural selection operates in the wild and how new species might form. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA 40-year field study of Gal\u00e1pagos ground finches (\u003Cem\u003EGeospiza\u003C\/em\u003E sp.) has provided unparalleled insights into\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.1070315\u0022\u003Ehow natural selection operates in the wild\u003C\/a\u003E and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aao4593\u0022\u003Ehow new species might form\u003C\/a\u003E. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742392983","gmt_created":"2025-03-19 14:03:03","changed":"1742392983","gmt_changed":"2025-03-19 14:03:03","alt":"A 40-year field study of Gal\u00e1pagos ground finches (Geospiza sp.) has provided unparalleled insights into how natural selection operates in the wild and how new species might form. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","file":{"fid":"260401","name":"StroudRatcliff_Fig1-copy.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig1-copy_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig1-copy_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":443498,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig1-copy_0.jpg?itok=_c3-8gIx"}},"676593":{"id":"676593","type":"image","title":"A long-term field study of Californian stick insects (Timema cristinae) reveals how competing selection pressures shape their evolution. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.aap9125\u0022\u003EA long-term field study of Californian stick insects (\u003Cem\u003ETimema cristinae\u003C\/em\u003E)\u003C\/a\u003E reveals how competing selection pressures shape their evolution. While brown-colored stick insects experience lower predation rates from Californian scrub jays (\u003Cem\u003EAphelocoma californica\u003C\/em\u003E) than their green counterparts during hot, dry years when bright green leaves are scarce, they face higher mortality due to reduced heat tolerance. This trade-off demonstrates how climate and predation simultaneously drive evolutionary adaptation in natural populations, and this case study has been used to develop statistical models that predict future evolutionary outcomes. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742392614","gmt_created":"2025-03-19 13:56:54","changed":"1742392614","gmt_changed":"2025-03-19 13:56:54","alt":"A long-term field study of Californian stick insects (Timema cristinae) reveals how competing selection pressures shape their evolution. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","file":{"fid":"260399","name":"StroudRatcliff_Fig2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":611105,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig2.jpg?itok=cmUnaXaz"}},"676595":{"id":"676595","type":"image","title":"Founded in 1988, the Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE) is the world\u2019s longest-running ongoing evolution experiment now spanning 75,000 generations. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFounded in 1988,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00239-023-10095-3\u0022\u003Ethe Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE)\u003C\/a\u003E is the world\u2019s longest-running ongoing evolution experiment now spanning 75,000 generations. Twelve genetically identical populations of the bacterium\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E have been allowed to evolve under constant conditions, and have uncovered\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nature24287\u0022\u003Egeneral principles of evolutionary dynamics\u003C\/a\u003E, such\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.0803151105\u0022\u003E as how evolutionary novelties arise\u003C\/a\u003E. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742393278","gmt_created":"2025-03-19 14:07:58","changed":"1742393278","gmt_changed":"2025-03-19 14:07:58","alt":"Founded in 1988, the Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE) is the world\u2019s longest-running ongoing evolution experiment now spanning 75,000 generations. Twelve genetically identical populations of the bacterium Escherichia coli have been allowed to evolve under constant conditions, and have uncovered general principles of evolutionary dynamics, such as how evolutionary novelties arise. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","file":{"fid":"260402","name":"StroudRatcliff_Fig55.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig55.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig55.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":247886,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig55.jpg?itok=9VV-tQAF"}},"676596":{"id":"676596","type":"image","title":"Long-term studies at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado, USA, reveal that Drummond\u2019s rockcress (Boechera stricta), a North American wildflower, bloom almost 4 days earlier each decade since the 1970s. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSci)","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELong-term studies at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado, USA, reveal that\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1098\/rspb.2012.1051\u0022\u003EDrummond\u2019s rockcress (\u003Cem\u003EBoechera stricta\u003C\/em\u003E), a North American wildflower, now bloom almost 4 days earlier each decade since the 1970s\u003C\/a\u003E, responding to earlier snowmelt in the region. Long-term field studies are the key to understanding how species in the wild are evolving in response to climate change. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742393474","gmt_created":"2025-03-19 14:11:14","changed":"1742393474","gmt_changed":"2025-03-19 14:11:14","alt":"Long-term studies at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Colorado, USA, reveal that Drummond\u2019s rockcress (Boechera stricta), a North American wildflower, now bloom almost 4 days earlier each decade since the 1970s, responding to earlier snowmelt in the region. Long-term field studies are the key to understanding how species in the wild are evolving in response to climate change. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","file":{"fid":"260403","name":"StroudRatcliff_Fig44.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig44.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig44.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":273664,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/19\/StroudRatcliff_Fig44.jpg?itok=iuGEubZG"}},"676597":{"id":"676597","type":"image","title":"A series of experiment spanning 40 years on small islands in the Bahamas have revealed how prey species, like small brown anole lizards (Anolis sagrei), evolve in response to predators. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1643\/CE-16-549\u0022\u003EA series of experiment spanning 40 years on small islands in the Bahamas\u003C\/a\u003E have revealed how prey species, like small brown anole lizards (\u003Cem\u003EAnolis sagrei\u003C\/em\u003E),\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/nature03039\u0022\u003Eevolve in response to predators\u003C\/a\u003E, like the larger curly-tailed lizard (\u003Cem\u003ELeiocepahlus carinatus\u003C\/em\u003E). Importantly, due to the long-term nature of this research,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1890\/0012-9615(2002)072[0383:POACAL]2.0.CO;2\u0022\u003Escientists were able to track ecosystem changes in response to this predator-driven rapid evolution\u003C\/a\u003E. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742393920","gmt_created":"2025-03-19 14:18:40","changed":"1742393920","gmt_changed":"2025-03-19 14:18:40","alt":"A series of experiment spanning 40 years on small islands in the Bahamas have revealed how prey species, like small brown anole lizards (Anolis sagrei), evolve in response to predators, like the larger curly-tailed lizard (Leiocepahlus carinatus). Importantly, due to the long-term nature of this research, scientists were able to track ecosystem changes in response to this predator-driven rapid evolution. (Illustration: Mark Belan\/ArtSciStudios)","file":{"fid":"260404","name":"JamesStroud_LizardImage.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/JamesStroud_LizardImage.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/19\/JamesStroud_LizardImage.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":396641,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/19\/JamesStroud_LizardImage.jpg?itok=S7ODWT8q"}}},"media_ids":["676594","676593","676595","676596","676597"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/when-two-lizards-meet-first-time-scientists-witness-evolution-action","title":"When Two Lizards Meet for the First Time, Scientists Witness Evolution in Action"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/scientists-uncover-key-mechanism-evolution-whole-genome-duplication-drives-long-term-adaptation","title":"Scientists uncover key mechanism in evolution: Whole-genome duplication drives long-term adaptation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by 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":""}},"681260":{"#nid":"681260","#data":{"type":"news","title":"CoS Graduate Researchers Earn Travel Grants","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESix College of Sciences graduate students were awarded $1,000 in research travel grants after presenting their research at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/grad.gatech.edu\/news\/cridc-2025-awards-40000-competition-winners\u0022\u003E16th annual Career, Research, Innovation, and Development Conference (CRIDC) poster competition\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;The grants will cover expenses related to research trips or travel to other conferences (domestic or international).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EEighty-four graduate students from across the Institute participated in the poster competition, presenting their research to faculty and staff judges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations to the poster competition winners from the College of Sciences:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIsabel Berry\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\u003EA second-year Ph.D. student in computational chemistry, Berry works in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vergil.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESherrill Group\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy research focuses on advancing computational quantum mechanical (QM) methods to feasibly model biological systems,\u201d says Berry. \u201cA specialized QM method developed in our group, F-SAPT, has the potential to reveal why certain drug molecules are favored over others, advancing the field of rational drug design. If we can accurately model protein-ligand interactions using quantum mechanics, it could ultimately pave the way for integrating these methods into computer-aided drug discovery workflows.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGretchen Johnson\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EJohnson is working on a Ph.D. in ocean science, studying how corals respond to environmental stressors as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kubanek.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EKubanek Group\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cCorals can\u0027t move,\u201d says Johnson. \u201cInstead of hiding when it is hot or bright out, they must respond physiologically. I use a technique called metabolomics to study the cellular physiology of corals and look for metabolic changes over time. Understanding what makes a coral more resistant to stress is useful for protecting and restoring coral reefs.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EShreya Kothari\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKothari conducts research for the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kubanek.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EKubanek Group\u003C\/a\u003E and is pursuing a Ph.D. in biology. She attempts to discover natural dispersant-like biomolecules helpful for oil spill remediation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhile some microbes can degrade and clean up oil from the contaminated sites, the process is often slow,\u201d says Kothari. \u201cHowever, dispersant-like biomolecules can speed up oil degradation by breaking oil into smaller droplets and increasing its availability to oil-degrading microbes. I aim to determine the chemical structure and function of such biomolecules and test their effectiveness in treating real-world environmental spills by applying them in small-scale experiments that mimic oil spill conditions.\u0026nbsp;These biomolecules may\u0026nbsp;offer an eco-friendly alternative to toxic chemical dispersants and improve\u0026nbsp;existing bioremediation strategies\u0026nbsp;to mitigate environmental damage caused by oil pollution.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMonica Monge\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\u003EAs part of her Ph.D. studies, Monge works in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.garglab-microbiomegt.com\/\u0022\u003EGarg Lab\u003C\/a\u003E and focuses on understanding marine bacteria community dynamics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am specifically trying to decipher how disease-causing bacteria (pathogenic) and bacteria that doesn\u2019t harm its host (commensal) communicate with one another via chemical signals and the metabolic changes resulting from those interactions,\u201d says Monge. \u201cMy ultimate goal is to identify beneficial traits from commensal bacteria that we can leverage to alleviate coral diseases.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESidney Scott-Sharoni\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EScott-Sharoni is earning a Ph.D. in engineering psychology and works in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/sonify.psych.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESonification Lab\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy research focuses on human interaction with AI technologies,\u201d says Scott-Sharoni.\u0026nbsp;\u201cSpecifically, I examine how different features of AI agents, such as anthropomorphism and social intelligence, impact how people psychologically perceive and behave in collaboration with these agents. This work helps improve the effectiveness of AI systems by aligning them to human social and cognitive expectations, leading to better joint performance and proper trust.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMaggie Straight\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA third-year Ph.D. student studying ocean science and engineering, Straight conducts research in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/kubanek.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EKubanek Group\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cSometimes I consider myself a microbial spy as I listen in to the chemical conversation between microbes and analyze how each microbe is affected by the interaction,\u201d says Straight. \u201cMy current work is focused on the interaction between two types of marine microbes, bacteria and microscopic algae. By understanding how bacteria can be good or bad for algal growth, I hope to shed light on the mechanisms by which bacteria can help algae form algal blooms, including harmful algal blooms. This understanding could help scientists predict the beginning and ending of harmful algal blooms and keep beachgoers and shellfish farms safe from harmful algae.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"CoS Graduate Researchers Earn Travel Grants"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe College of Sciences proudly recognizes the six graduate scholars awarded $1,000 in research travel grants during the\u0026nbsp;Career, Research, Innovation, and Development Conference (CRIDC) poster competition.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The College of Sciences proudly recognizes the six graduate scholars awarded $1,000 in research travel grants during the Career, Research, Innovation, and Development Conference (CRIDC) poster competition."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2025-03-20 17:45:10","changed_gmt":"2025-03-20 21:19:18","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676622":{"id":"676622","type":"image","title":"Gretchen Johnson explains her research to a judge during the competition.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGretchen Johnson explains her research to a judge during the competition.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742494381","gmt_created":"2025-03-20 18:13:01","changed":"1742494381","gmt_changed":"2025-03-20 18:13:01","alt":"A man looks at a woman who is explaining her research via a poster.","file":{"fid":"260432","name":"Johnson-1-.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/20\/Johnson-1-.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/20\/Johnson-1-.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":68520,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/20\/Johnson-1-.jpg?itok=PQX6wReV"}},"676625":{"id":"676625","type":"image","title":"Isabel Berry, Gretchen Johnson, and Shreya Kothari","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIsabel Berry, Gretchen Johnson, and Shreya Kothari\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742494609","gmt_created":"2025-03-20 18:16:49","changed":"1742499350","gmt_changed":"2025-03-20 19:35:50","alt":"Separate headshots of three women","file":{"fid":"260433","name":"CRIDC.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/20\/CRIDC.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/20\/CRIDC.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3001801,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/20\/CRIDC.png?itok=hbc9RMut"}},"676626":{"id":"676626","type":"image","title":"Monica Monge, Sidney Scott-Sharoni, and Maggie Straight","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMonica Monge, Sidney Scott-Sharoni, and Maggie Straight\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1742494971","gmt_created":"2025-03-20 18:22:51","changed":"1742499400","gmt_changed":"2025-03-20 19:36:40","alt":"Headshots of three separate women.","file":{"fid":"260435","name":"CRIDC-image.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/20\/CRIDC-image.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/20\/CRIDC-image.png","mime":"image\/png","size":3136557,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/20\/CRIDC-image.png?itok=Lvq0wnZA"}}},"media_ids":["676622","676625","676626"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/grad.gatech.edu\/news\/cridc-2025-awards-40000-competition-winners","title":"CRIDC 2025 Awards $40,000 to competition winners"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"193158","name":"Student Competition Winners (academic, innovation, and research)"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"167103","name":"student honors"},{"id":"174421","name":"graduate student research"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELaura Segraves Smith, writer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["laura.smith@cos.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":""}},"680724":{"#nid":"680724","#data":{"type":"news","title":"How Earth\u0027s Early Cycles Shaped the Chemistry of Life","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EA new study explores how complex chemical mixtures change under shifting environmental conditions, shedding light on the prebiotic processes that may have led to life on Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELed by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/loren-williams\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELoren Williams\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (Georgia Institute of Technology) and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mfp-lab.com\/copy-of-team\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMoran Frenkel-Pinter\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41557-025-01734-x\u0022\u003Epublished\u003C\/a\u003E in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003ENature Chemistry,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003Ethe team\u2019s paper investigates how chemical mixtures evolve over time, offering new insights into the origins of biological complexity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOur research applies concepts from evolutionary biology to chemistry,\u201d explains Williams, a\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eprofessor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/loren-williams\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWe know that everything in biology can be reduced to chemistry, but the idea of this paper is that in the right conditions, chemistry can evolve, too. We call this chemical evolution.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhile much research has focused on individual chemical reactions that could lead to biological molecules, this study establishes an experimental model to explore how entire chemical systems evolve when exposed to environmental changes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cChemical evolution is chemistry that keeps changing and doing new things,\u201d Williams explains. \u201cIt\u2019s unending chemical change, but with exploration of new chemical spaces. We wondered if we could set up a system that does that without introducing new molecules ourselves \u2014 instead we had the system oscillate between wet and dry conditions.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn nature, these systems might look like a landscape where water condenses, and then dries out, over and over again \u2014 conditions that arise naturally from the day-night cycles of our planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrom simple molecules to complex systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe study identified three key findings \u2014 chemical systems can continuously evolve without reaching equilibrium, avoid uncontrolled complexity through selective chemical pathways, and exhibit synchronized population dynamics among different molecular species. This suggests that environmental factors played a key role in shaping the molecular complexity needed for life to emerge.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis research offers a new perspective on how molecular evolution might have unfolded on early Earth,\u201d says Frenkel-Pinter, assistant professor in the Institute of Chemistry at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. \u201cBy demonstrating that chemical systems can self-organize and evolve in structured ways, we provide experimental evidence that may help bridge the gap between prebiotic chemistry and the emergence of biological molecules.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBeyond its relevance to origins-of-life research, the study\u2019s findings may have broader applications in synthetic biology and nanotechnology. Controlled chemical evolution could be harnessed to design new molecular systems with specific properties, potentially leading to innovations in materials science, drug development, and biotechnology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research is shared jointly with The Hebrew University of Jerusalem\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/en.huji.ac.il\/news\/how-earths-early-cycles-shaped-chemistry-life\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Enewsroom\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study explores how complex chemical mixtures change under shifting environmental conditions, shedding light on the prebiotic processes that may have led to life on Earth.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study explores how complex chemical mixtures change under shifting environmental conditions, shedding light on the prebiotic processes that may have led to life on Earth."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2025-02-25 20:40:13","changed_gmt":"2025-03-04 19:02:27","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676392":{"id":"676392","type":"image","title":"In the Painted Desert of Northern Arizona (shown here in a palette of purples), wet-dry cycling has contributed to the formation of the colorful layers visible in the landscape. (Credit: USGS)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the Painted Desert of Northern Arizona (shown here in a palette of purples), wet-dry cycling has contributed to the formation of the colorful layers visible in the landscape. (Credit: USGS)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1740516020","gmt_created":"2025-02-25 20:40:20","changed":"1740516020","gmt_changed":"2025-02-25 20:40:20","alt":"In the Painted Desert of Northern Arizona (shown here in a palette of purples), wet-dry cycling has contributed to the formation of the colorful layers visible in the landscape. (Credit: USGS)","file":{"fid":"260176","name":"usgs-PqP_d9duxpk-unsplash.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/25\/usgs-PqP_d9duxpk-unsplash.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/25\/usgs-PqP_d9duxpk-unsplash.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7061101,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/25\/usgs-PqP_d9duxpk-unsplash.jpg?itok=TM5R0MHV"}}},"media_ids":["676392"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/en.huji.ac.il\/news\/how-earths-early-cycles-shaped-chemistry-life","title":"The Hebrew University of Jerusalem: How Earth\u0027s Early Cycles Shaped the Chemistry of Life"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\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":""}},"680735":{"#nid":"680735","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Algorithms Developed at Georgia Tech are Lunar Bound","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the past five years, five lunar landers have launched into space, marking a series of first successful landings in decades. The future will see more of these type of missions, including \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/humans-in-space\/artemis\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s Artemis program\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and various private ventures. These missions need reliable and quick navigation abilities to successfully complete missions, especially if ground stations on Earth are overburdened or disconnected.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/seal.ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpace Exploration and Analysis Laboratory\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (SEAL) has developed new algorithms that are headed to the Moon, as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.intuitivemachines.com\/im-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIntuitive Machine\u2019s\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E IM-2 mission. The mission is sending a Nova-C class lunar lander named Athena to the Moon\u2019s south pole region to test technologies and collect data that aim to enable future exploration. The mission is part of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/commercial-lunar-payload-services\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CLPS) initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESEAL\u2019s Space Odyssey\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESEAL, led by AE professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/john-christian\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Christian\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, collaborated with Intuitive Machines to develop algorithms to guide Athena to the Shackleton crater: a region known for its limited sunlight and cold temperatures. In coordination with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.spacex.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpaceX\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, launch of the company\u2019s IM-2 mission is targeted for a multi-day launch window that opens no earlier than February 26 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAthena will transport NASA\u0027s\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/polar-resources-ice-mining-experiment-1-prime-1\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPRIME-1\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1) which includes two instruments: a drill and spectrometer. The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT) is designed to drill up to three feet of lunar surface to extract soil, while the mass spectrometer (MSOLO) will measure the amount of ice in the soil samples.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter launch, Athena will separate from the rocket and begin a roughly five-to-four-day cruise to the Moon\u2019s orbit. The lander will orbit the Moon for approximately three to 1.5 days before its descent to the south pole.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Fall 2022, Research Engineer \u003Cstrong\u003EAva Thrasher\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E(AE 2022, M.S. AE 2024)\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ebegan working on IM-2, developing new algorithms to guide Athena to the Shackleton crater using optical terrain relative navigation (TRN). Her approach looked at developing a crater detection algorithm (CDA) using image processing techniques that capture crater center locations on the Moon which are then used to determine Athena\u0027s position estimations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThen, she developed a crater identification algorithm (CIA) to match craters found in the image to a catalog of known lunar craters. By using CDA and CIA in tandem, Athena is able to estimate its location and orientation with a single photo, autonomously, and in real-time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe wanted to strike a balance between creating something that would be done quickly on board, but also something that was reliable,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe ended up using simple crater geometry and knowledge of the sun angle to render what we expect a crater to look like in the image.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe CDA finds craters by calculating a similarity score between the image and the rendered crater at each image pixel point. This process, also known as template matching, marks crater centers at points of very high similarity. CIA then uses these crater center locations to match them with known craters in a catalog. By matching pixel locations in an image to known three-dimensional positions on the Moon, the spacecraft is able to produce an estimation of its position.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter two years of research and testing, Thrasher, Christian, and the Intuitive Machines team successfully demonstrated the CDA and CIA on synthetic imagery and Thrasher handed off the algorithms to Intuitive Machines to convert them into flight software for Athena.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe first got involved with optical navigation (OPNAV) research after she took AE 4342: Senior Design with Prof. Christian as an undergraduate student. \u201cI found optical navigation to be really interesting. I liked the idea of being able to figure out where you are and how you\u2019re moving in real-time based on a picture,\u201d she said. In Fall 2022, she started her first graduate semester at Tech and was a new member of SEAL, where she quickly began demonstrating the idea of detecting craters and prototyping the CDA and CIA programmed into Athena. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter she graduated with her master\u2019s degree in aerospace engineering in May 2024, \u0026nbsp;she loved what she did so much, that she decided to stay and work as a full-time research engineer in SEAL. Now, she\u2019s gearing up to see her work make its way to the Moon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u0027s been really exciting and humbling to contribute to the massive task of putting a lander on the Moon. I never really appreciated the scale of work and collaboration needed to make it happen until I was lucky enough to be a part of it. I\u0027ll certainly be watching the launch and tracking the mission with great anticipation of both the engineering and scientific results,\u201d said Thrasher.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIM-1 Makes History\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of a multi-year collaboration, Christian helped \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/02\/georgia-tech-algorithm-headed-moon\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Edevelop a key navigation algorithm for Intuitive Machines\u2019 first space mission (IM-1\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E) which launched a Nova-C lunar lander named Odysseus to the Malapert A crater on the Moon\u2019s south pole region; about 11 miles away from IM-2\u2019s targeted Shackleton crater.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe IM-1 mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on February 15, 2024 and soft-landed on the Moon on February 22, 2024---making Odysseus the first U.S. lunar landing since the Apollo program and the first-ever successful commercial lunar landing. Odysseus had a rougher-than-expected soft landing due to an anomaly with the altimeter that was supposed to provide insight into the lander\u2019s height above the lunar surface. In the absence of these altimeter measurements, Odysseus relied critically on the visual odometry technique that was jointly developed by Christian and Intuitive Machines.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite these challenges, Odysseus captured images of the Moon during landing and operated on the lunar surface for 144 hours before entering standby mode.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Christian and SEAL have more projects on the horizon to develop new technologies for exploring our Moon, other planets, asteroids, and the solar system. These technologies will enable future scientific missions to safely explore challenging destinations and answer scientific questions that were impossible with yesterday\u2019s technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/seal.ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESpace Exploration and Analysis Laboratory\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (SEAL) has developed new algorithms that are headed to the Moon, as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.intuitivemachines.com\/im-2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIntuitive Machine\u2019s\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E IM-2 mission. The mission is sending a Nova-C class lunar lander named Athena to the Moon\u2019s south pole region to test technologies and collect data that aim to enable future exploration. The mission is part of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/commercial-lunar-payload-services\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (CLPS) initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESEAL, led by Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Christian\u003C\/strong\u003E, collaborated with Intuitive Machines to develop algorithms to guide Athena to the Shackleton crater: a region known for its limited sunlight and cold temperatures. Research Engineer \u003Cstrong\u003EAva Thrasher\u003C\/strong\u003E (AE 2022, M.S. AE 2024) led Georgia Tech\u0027s SEAL team on developing the algorithms used for Athena\u0027s flight software.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"AE researchers have developed new algorithms to help Intuitive Machine\u2019s lunar lander find water ice on the Moon.  "}],"uid":"34736","created_gmt":"2025-02-26 16:19:31","changed_gmt":"2025-02-26 16:27:39","author":"Kelsey Gulledge","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-02-25T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676397":{"id":"676397","type":"image","title":"54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIntuitive Machines\u0027 IM-2 mission lunar lander, Athena, in the company\u0027s Lunar Production and Operations Center. Credit: Intuitive Machines\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\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1740586783","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 16:19:43","changed":"1740586783","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 16:19:43","alt":"Intuitive Machines\u0027 IM-2 mission lunar lander, Athena, in the company\u0027s Lunar Production and Operations Center. Credit: Intuitive Machines","file":{"fid":"260181","name":"54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5213520,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/54284511327_9ca21c7337_o.jpg?itok=-2RtZOQq"}},"676398":{"id":"676398","type":"image","title":"Christian-John.jpg","body":null,"created":"1740586840","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 16:20:40","changed":"1740586840","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 16:20:40","alt":"Headshot of John Christian, AE School Professor","file":{"fid":"260182","name":"Christian-John.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/Christian-John.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/Christian-John.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1385478,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/Christian-John.jpg?itok=E0GH0VXB"}},"676399":{"id":"676399","type":"image","title":"HeadShotThrasher.JPG","body":null,"created":"1740586878","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 16:21:18","changed":"1740586878","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 16:21:18","alt":"Headshot of Ava Thrasher, AE School alumna and research engineer","file":{"fid":"260183","name":"HeadShotThrasher.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/HeadShotThrasher.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/HeadShotThrasher.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":630760,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/HeadShotThrasher.JPG?itok=P_w4muA9"}},"676401":{"id":"676401","type":"image","title":"AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png","body":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EIllustration of the steps used to detect and identify craters to ultimately determine the vehicles state estimation. Credit: Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E","created":"1740587067","gmt_created":"2025-02-26 16:24:27","changed":"1740587067","gmt_changed":"2025-02-26 16:24:27","alt":"Illustration of the steps used to detect and identify craters to ultimately determine the vehicles state estimation. Credit: Georgia Tech ","file":{"fid":"260185","name":"AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/02\/26\/AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png","mime":"image\/png","size":201361,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/02\/26\/AAS_2024_CraterDetection_final-2.png?itok=neltaeuF"}}},"media_ids":["676397","676398","676399","676401"],"groups":[{"id":"660364","name":"Aerospace Engineering"},{"id":"1237","name":"College of Engineering"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"130","name":"Alumni"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKelsey Gulledge\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kelsey.gulledge@aerospace.gatech.edu"],"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":""}},"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":""}},"679342":{"#nid":"679342","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society Begins Search for Executive Director","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS) at Georgia Tech has initiated an internal search for its inaugural executive director. This new Interdisciplinary Research Institute (IRI) will build upon the foundation laid by the\u202f\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, fostering cutting-edge research and innovation at the intersection of neuroscience, neurotechnology, and societal impact.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the newly established IRI, the executive director will profoundly shape a unifying vision for neuroscience research and innovation at Georgia Tech, integrating various disciplines and fostering collaboration across campus. They will translate research into practical applications, engage students, and connect them to industry networks. The ideal candidate will have a visionary, innovative, and entrepreneurial leadership style, with experience in leading large-scale, interdisciplinary research initiatives, securing external funding, and promoting large-scale initiatives both internally and externally.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EINNS aims to advance our understanding of the brain and nervous system, develop transformative technologies, and address critical societal challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement.\u202fINNS is dedicated to advancing innovative research and educational programs in neuroscience, neurotechnology, and society; fostering a broad and engaged community; and empowering society through public engagement and responsible technology deployment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/institute-neuroscience-neurotechnology-and-society-executive-director-search#job-description\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EClick here\u003C\/a\u003E to learn more about this position and how to apply.\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe internal search will identify an inaugural executive director for the new Interdisciplinary Research Institute, fostering cutting-edge research and innovation at the intersection of neuroscience, neurotechnology, and societal impact.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The internal search will identify an inaugural executive director for the new Interdisciplinary Research Institute, fostering cutting-edge research and innovation at the intersection of neuroscience, neurotechnology, and societal impact."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2025-01-09 19:27:42","changed_gmt":"2025-01-24 21:27:58","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-01-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675986":{"id":"675986","type":"image","title":"INNS-brain.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EInstitute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS) is set to launch July 1, 2025.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1736451017","gmt_created":"2025-01-09 19:30:17","changed":"1736451017","gmt_changed":"2025-01-09 19:30:17","alt":"Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS) is set to launch July 1, 2025.","file":{"fid":"259676","name":"INNS-brain.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/09\/INNS-brain.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/01\/09\/INNS-brain.png","mime":"image\/png","size":5381537,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/01\/09\/INNS-brain.png?itok=xYKEtbHH"}}},"media_ids":["675986"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/institute-neuroscience-neurotechnology-and-society-executive-director-search","title":"Learn more about the INNS executive director search"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/","title":"About the Neuro Next Initiative"}],"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":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"186857","name":"go-gtmi"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"193656","name":"Neuro Next Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:pmardhanan3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EPunya Mardhanan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["pmardhanan3@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":""}},"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":""}},"678852":{"#nid":"678852","#data":{"type":"news","title":"When Two Lizards Meet for the First Time, Scientists Witness Evolution in Action","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIn South Florida, two Caribbean lizard species met for the first time. What followed provided some of the clearest evidence to date of evolution in action.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ELead author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/stroudlab\/join-the-lab\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames Stroud\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ean\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eassistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/james-stroud\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, was studying Cuban brown anoles (\u003Cem\u003EAnolis sagrei\u003C\/em\u003E) in South Florida when the Puerto Rican crested anole (\u003Cem\u003EAnolis cristatellus\u003C\/em\u003E), suddenly appeared in the region.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EPublished in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-54302-1.epdf?sharing_token=cCJvKIK6rVqpik19O88JwtRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0NwUorP476Y4jLsgGuqSAy15EWx6cY5SdIF2hXP_GmsRUYQro-0wMfbHCY1D8ONB1QWEQXaYt15UBeD7OpG167UviXAMCzzoBMrp53-BYvE3IoF1JS6UoKl6ekAt8Whmyk%3D\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, the study documents what happens as the two\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAnolis\u003C\/em\u003E lizards adapted in response to the new competitor, while helping to resolve a longstanding challenge in evolutionary biology \u2014 directly observing the role of natural selection in character displacement: how similar animals adapt in response to competition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022Most of what we know about how animals change in response to this process comes from studying patterns that evolved long ago,\u201d Stroud says. \u201cThis was a rare opportunity where we could watch evolution as it happened.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECompetition from coexistence\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhile these two small, brown lizards diverged evolutionarily between 40-60 million years ago and evolved on completely separate Caribbean islands, the two species are nearly identical, and fill similar ecological niches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESo, when the Puerto Rican crested anole suddenly appeared in Cuban brown anole habitat at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in 2018, the two were competing for similar habitats and food sources.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhen two similar species compete for the same resources, like food and territory, they often evolve differences that allow them to coexist,\u201d Stroud says. But, while scientists have found many examples of similar species developing different traits to ease this overlap, \u201cscientists have rarely been able to observe this process as it unfolds in nature.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud\u2019s team had already been studying Cuban brown anoles at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens in Miami, Florida, two years prior to when the crested anoles invaded. The team was able to quickly pivot to observe how the invasion changed both species, analyzing the lizards\u2019 changing diets, measuring if the lizards were moving through foliage or on the forest floor, and recording the different species\u2019 locations relative to each other. For over a thousand lizards, they also measured perch height \u2014 the distance from the ground that the lizard is perching \u2014 a primary marker of how\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAnolis\u003C\/em\u003E lizards divvy up habitat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe not only observed how these lizards changed their habitat use and behavior when they encountered each other,\u201d says Stroud, \u201cbut we also documented the natural selection pressures driving their physical evolution in real-time.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHuman-made habitats and natural experiments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe research team found that when these lizard species occur together, they divide up their habitat in predictable ways \u2014 the Cuban brown anole shifted to spend more time on the ground, and evolved longer legs to run faster in this habitat, while the slightly larger Cuban crested anole lived in vegetation above the ground.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022We found that brown anoles with longer legs had higher survival after crested anoles showed up,\u0022 says Stroud. \u0022This matches perfectly with the physical differences we see in populations where these species have been living together for many generations.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud adds that while the research provides some of the strongest observations of evolution in action to date, it also demonstrates how human activities can create natural experiments that help us understand fundamental evolutionary processes \u2014 both species of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EAnolis\u003C\/em\u003E lizard in the study were originally non-native to South Florida.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cAs species increasingly come into contact due to human-mediated introductions and climate change, these studies may be important for predicting how communities will respond,\u201d he says. \u0022By studying these non-native lizards who are meeting each other for the first time in their existence, we had a unique opportunity to see the actual process unfold and connect it to the patterns we observe in nature.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Georgia Tech-led study captures two lizard species adapting in response to competition. The study provides some of the clearest evidence to date of evolution in action.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Georgia Tech-led study captures two lizard species adapting in response to competition. The study provides some of the clearest evidence to date of evolution in action."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-12-12 17:18:34","changed_gmt":"2024-12-20 15:15:11","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2024-12-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-12-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675843":{"id":"675843","type":"image","title":"Two Cuban brown anoles, Anolis sagrei (Credit: Day\u0027s Edge Productions)","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo Cuban brown anoles, \u003Cem\u003EAnolis sagrei \u003C\/em\u003E(Credit: Day\u0027s Edge Productions)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1734023998","gmt_created":"2024-12-12 17:19:58","changed":"1734023998","gmt_changed":"2024-12-12 17:19:58","alt":"Two Cuban brown anoles, Anolis sagrei (Credit: Day\u0027s Edge Productions)","file":{"fid":"259515","name":"Cuban brown anoles (Anolis sagrei).jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/12\/Cuban%20brown%20anoles%20%28Anolis%20sagrei%29.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/12\/Cuban%20brown%20anoles%20%28Anolis%20sagrei%29.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":350467,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/12\/Cuban%20brown%20anoles%20%28Anolis%20sagrei%29.jpeg?itok=v9AkCjMp"}},"675842":{"id":"675842","type":"image","title":"A Cuban brown anole (Anolis sagrei) in Miami (Credit: Day\u0027s Edge Productions)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA Cuban brown anole (\u003Cem\u003EAnolis sagrei\u003C\/em\u003E) in Miami (Credit: Day\u0027s Edge Productions)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1734023998","gmt_created":"2024-12-12 17:19:58","changed":"1734023998","gmt_changed":"2024-12-12 17:19:58","alt":"A Cuban brown anole (Anolis sagrei) in Miami (Credit: Day\u0027s Edge Productions)","file":{"fid":"259514","name":"Cuban brown anoles (Anolis sagrei 3) in miami.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/12\/Cuban%20brown%20anoles%20%28Anolis%20sagrei%203%29%20in%20miami.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/12\/Cuban%20brown%20anoles%20%28Anolis%20sagrei%203%29%20in%20miami.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":143809,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/12\/Cuban%20brown%20anoles%20%28Anolis%20sagrei%203%29%20in%20miami.jpeg?itok=nQ1x7isA"}},"675841":{"id":"675841","type":"image","title":"A Puerto Rican crested anole, Anolis cristatellus (Credit: Day\u0027s Edge Productions)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA Puerto Rican crested anole, \u003Cem\u003EAnolis cristatellus\u003C\/em\u003E (Credit: Day\u0027s Edge Productions)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1734023998","gmt_created":"2024-12-12 17:19:58","changed":"1734024620","gmt_changed":"2024-12-12 17:30:20","alt":"A Puerto Rican crested anole, Anolis cristatellus (Credit: Days Edge Productions)","file":{"fid":"259513","name":"2Peurto Rican crested anole (Anolis cristatellus).jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/12\/2Peurto%20Rican%20crested%20anole%20%28Anolis%20cristatellus%29.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/12\/2Peurto%20Rican%20crested%20anole%20%28Anolis%20cristatellus%29.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":162707,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/12\/2Peurto%20Rican%20crested%20anole%20%28Anolis%20cristatellus%29.jpeg?itok=M_qLT6-n"}}},"media_ids":["675843","675842","675841"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.sun-sentinel.com\/2024\/11\/30\/the-lizard-wars-of-south-florida-help-reveal-how-evolution-works\/?share=ptwandslsauw0r2peiaw","title":"The lizard wars of South Florida help reveal how evolution works"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-54302-1","title":"Observing character displacement from process to pattern in a novel vertebrate community"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.nbcmiami.com\/news\/local\/will-iguanas-fall-from-trees-in-south-florida-with-this-upcoming-cold-front\/3483732\/","title":"How cold does it need to get before frozen iguanas start falling from trees in South Florida?"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"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 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":""}},"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":""}},"678800":{"#nid":"678800","#data":{"type":"news","title":"From Brain to AI and Back: Georgia Tech Hosts Inaugural Computational Cognition Conference","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe human brain is often seen as the world\u0027s most complex computer, processing vast amounts of information, learning from experiences, and making complex decisions. Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coco.psych.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECenter of Excellence in Computational Cognition (CoCo)\u003C\/a\u003E was established in 2023 to better understand this \u201cbiological computer\u201d using the principles of computation and mathematics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cResearch on computational cognition leads to a deep, mechanistic understanding of the human mind. It also teaches us how to build more robust and generalizable AI,\u201d says \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/node\/21227\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDoby Rahnev\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E and the Center\u2019s founding director. \u201cCoCo aims to bring together researchers from Georgia Tech, Atlanta, the Southeast, and beyond to advance this field.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Center recently hosted its first annual \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coco.psych.gatech.edu\/coco-conference-2024\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EComputational Cognition Conference\u003C\/a\u003E, gathering over 100 Atlanta-area researchers to explore cutting-edge work in computation, perception, decision-making, and more. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Growing Field\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComputational cognition as a field merges psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to understand how our brains work. By creating sophisticated models and simulations, researchers are not only uncovering the secrets of cognition but also paving the way for advancements in AI and technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you go back just five years, there were only three faculty in the School of Psychology working in computational cognition,\u201d said Rahnev. Now, with over a dozen faculty working in the area, a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/college-sciences-announces-new-minors-phd-program-and-curriculum-additions\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Enew minor in Computation and Cognition\u003C\/a\u003E, and the establishment of CoCo, \u201cComputational cognition has gone from something that barely existed in the School to something that is a recognized strength.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECoCo was created as a Center of Excellence in the School of Psychology. Since its founding, it has been supported by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECollege of Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E, the precursor to Georgia Tech\u2019s burgeoning Interdisciplinary Research Institute on neuroscience, neurotechnology, and society.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHeld on Nov. 15, the Center\u2019s inaugural conference connected students and faculty from across Atlanta, featuring over 25 lightning talks by faculty from Georgia Tech and Emory University on a wide range of topics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis was a special moment for me and everyone else involved,\u201d said Rahnev, who worked with psychology Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/sashank-varma\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESashank Varma\u003C\/a\u003E and inaugural CoCo graduate fellow Alish Dipani to organize the event. \u201cThis conference felt like a coming-of-age event and made it clear that there is a very large community of people working on this topic right here in Atlanta.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThough Rahnev recently stepped down as the Center\u2019s director after his appointment as the School of Psychology\u2019s associate chair for Research, he says, \u201cThe future is bright for CoCo.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cExciting things are happening at Georgia Tech,\u201d said newly appointed CoCo Director \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/robert-wilson\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBob Wilson\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in psychology. \u201cIn the last few years, there\u0027s been a hiring spree bringing in experts in computation and cognition across psychology, biology, BME, interactive computing, and beyond. Combined with Georgia Tech\u2019s already established excellence in computation and tech, this offers a unique environment where computational approaches are encouraged, and synergies and collaborations between people can grow.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHosted by the School of Psychology\u2019s Center of Excellence in Computational Cognition, the event gathered over 100 researchers in the Atlanta area to explore cutting-edge work in computation, perception, decision-making, and more.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Hosted by the School of Psychology\u2019s Center of Excellence in Computational Cognition, the event gathered over 100 researchers in the Atlanta area to explore cutting-edge work in computation, perception, decision-making, and more."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-12-10 16:31:25","changed_gmt":"2024-12-10 16:40:29","author":"adavidson38","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":{"675801":{"id":"675801","type":"image","title":"IMG_0821.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrom left to right: Alish Dipani, inaugural graduate fellow for the Center of Excellence in Computational Cognition (CoCo); Doby Rahnev, psychology professor and founding director of CoCo; Bob Wilson, associate professor in psychology and newly appointed CoCo director; Sashank Varma, psychology professor and conference co-organizer.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733848605","gmt_created":"2024-12-10 16:36:45","changed":"1733848605","gmt_changed":"2024-12-10 16:36:45","alt":"From left to right: Alish Dipani, inaugural graduate fellow for the Center of Excellence in Computational Cognition (CoCo); Doby Rahnev, psychology professor and founding director of CoCo; Bob Wilson, associate professor in psychology and newly appointed CoCo director; Sashank Varma, psychology professor and conference co-organizer.","file":{"fid":"259467","name":"IMG_0821.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/IMG_0821.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/IMG_0821.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3875101,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/10\/IMG_0821.jpeg?itok=1x8xnpQh"}},"675802":{"id":"675802","type":"image","title":"IMG_0755.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EOver 100 Atlanta-area researchers attended the inaugural CoCo conference.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1733848777","gmt_created":"2024-12-10 16:39:37","changed":"1733848777","gmt_changed":"2024-12-10 16:39:37","alt":"Over 100 Atlanta-area researchers attended the inaugural CoCo conference.","file":{"fid":"259468","name":"IMG_0755.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/IMG_0755.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/12\/10\/IMG_0755.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4662063,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/12\/10\/IMG_0755.jpeg?itok=-SzzMJeX"}}},"media_ids":["675801","675802"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/coco.psych.gatech.edu","title":"About CoCo"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-offer-phd-neuroscience-and-neurotechnology-new-minor","title":"Georgia Tech to Offer Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, New Minor"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/psychology-pioneers-ai-generated-podcast","title":"Psychology Pioneers AI-Generated Podcast"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-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\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\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu"],"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":""}},"677092":{"#nid":"677092","#data":{"type":"news","title":"  Five Graduate Scholars Earn O\u2019Hara Fellowships","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECongratulations to the students awarded the Larry S. O\u2019Hara Graduate Scholarship for the 2024-25 academic year.\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThe early career fellowship from the College of Sciences recognizes outstanding doctoral students scheduled to graduate in the calendar year following their nominations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWe are proud and excited to honor this year\u2019s recipients of the O\u2019Hara Fellowships,\u201d says College of Sciences Senior Associate Dean\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/david-m-collard\u0022\u003EDavid Collard\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThey represent the best of our amazing Ph.D. students with impressive research, teaching, service, and leadership accomplishments.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet the 2024-25 O\u2019Hara Fellows\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAnthony (Tony) Boever, \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\u003EBoever is a fifth-year EAS student, conducting research for\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/taillefert.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMartial Taillefert\u2019s Group\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. His research spans the land-to-ocean continuum and includes studies on how groundwater fluctuations control the fate and transport of uranium in stream sediments, how wetland changes affect methane emissions, and how river pulses influence carbon transformations in low-oxygen ocean sediments. Boever\u0026nbsp;has been extremely active in field research, participating in six research cruises and leading the field component of a Department of Energy-funded project at the Savannah River National Laboratory that included more than six research trips in two years. As a result of his extensive field work,\u0026nbsp;Boever is working on three first-author publications and co-authoring three additional articles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI play in the mud, using sensors to monitor chemical changes that affect the environment,\u201d says Boever. \u201cField studies are tough, but what we learn is invaluable not only for improving our current understanding of these processes but also informing us of their potential influence on future ecosystem function and global climate impacts.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EErin Connolly, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EConnolly will earn her Ph.D. in bioinformatics. As a member of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ggibsongt.wixsite.com\/gibsongatech\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGibson Lab\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, she studies\u0026nbsp;single-cell genomics, data visualization, gene regulation, autoimmunity, cancer, and personalized medicine. In addition to her research activities, Connolly has presented posters or presentations at five national and international meetings, was active in the Women-in-Science promotion, and has mentored high school and undergraduate students.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy research focuses on understanding how our immune system differs between sexes, changes with age, and responds to treatments such as radiation and immunotherapy,\u201d says Connolly. \u201cBy studying these differences, I aim to uncover details that can lead to more personalized and effective therapies for cancer and age-related diseases. This work can potentially make healthcare more effective, improving patient outcomes across diverse populations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESierra Knavel\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKnavel, whose research focuses on symplectic topology and is advised by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/people\/john-etnyre\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Etnyre\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, is an avid mentor and teacher. She served on the Graduate Council and runs the Directed Reading Program for the School of Mathematics, pairing undergraduate students with graduate students to pursue advanced topics in mathematics. She also developed a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) based on her Ph.D. research. As a teaching assistant, she has been recognized with an Outstanding Student Evaluation Award and numerous Thank-a-Teacher certificates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy time at Georgia Tech grows more enriching each year,\u201d says Knavel. \u201cThe community is welcoming, with abundant mentorship. I\u0027ve received support at every level for my decisions to attend conferences, teach abroad, and help organize activities in the School of Mathematics. Because of the supportive community, I\u2019ve gained the skills and knowledge necessary to teach and motivate undergraduate students in both classroom and research settings.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EXing Xu, \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\u003EXu will receive her Ph.D. in chemistry and has published two first-author papers, with three more in preparation. She has contributed to four additional publications as a second or third author. Additionally, she mentored several undergraduate and first-year graduate students within the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wu.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWu Research Group\u003C\/a\u003E and served as a mentor for the Summer 2023 National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022My research focuses on identifying glycoprotein alterations in human cancer,\u201d says Xu. \u201cI\u2019m particularly fascinated by how I can use chemical probes and mass spectrometry to \u0027visualize\u0027 changes in glycoproteins within clinical cancer models. This area of study interests me because glycoproteins play a crucial role in cancer progression and metastasis, and understanding these alterations could lead to new therapeutic strategies.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKai Xue, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EXue specializes in cognition and brain science. Although she has been a part of the Ph.D. program for only two years,\u0026nbsp;she has published three scientific papers and has several others submitted and under review. She has also served as a highly ranked teaching assistant.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022My research centers on perceptual decision-making and metacognition, focused on using computational modeling and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to advance our understanding of how confidence is computed,\u201d says Xue. \u201cThis exploration into the mechanisms of human confidence computation deeply fascinates me; I am incredibly grateful to my supervisor, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/people\/dobromir-rahnev\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDobromir Rahnev\u003C\/strong\u003E,\u003C\/a\u003E whose unwavering support and guidance have been invaluable throughout this journey.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe College of Sciences proudly recognizes the five graduate scholars awarded O\u2019Hara Fellowships for the 2024-25 school year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The College of Sciences proudly recognizes the five graduate scholars awarded O\u2019Hara Fellowships for the 2024-25 school year. "}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2024-09-25 13:35:21","changed_gmt":"2024-12-04 21:02:07","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675100":{"id":"675100","type":"image","title":"Introducing the 2024-25 O\u2019Hara Graduate Fellowship winners \u2014 dedicated scholars making significant contributions to research and education","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations to the 2024 - 25 O\u0027Hara Fellows!\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727273093","gmt_created":"2024-09-25 14:04:53","changed":"1727273787","gmt_changed":"2024-09-25 14:16:27","alt":"Tech Tower","file":{"fid":"258693","name":"Tech Tower.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/Tech%20Tower.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/Tech%20Tower.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":70474,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/25\/Tech%20Tower.jpg?itok=TIsfUc2D"}},"675094":{"id":"675094","type":"image","title":"Anthony Boever","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnthony Boever\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727271364","gmt_created":"2024-09-25 13:36:04","changed":"1727271364","gmt_changed":"2024-09-25 13:36:04","alt":"Man in suit smiling","file":{"fid":"258687","name":"Anthony-Boever_headshot_2024cropped.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/Anthony-Boever_headshot_2024cropped.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/Anthony-Boever_headshot_2024cropped.png","mime":"image\/png","size":8430630,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/25\/Anthony-Boever_headshot_2024cropped.png?itok=sOIbZfb6"}},"675095":{"id":"675095","type":"image","title":"Erin Connolly","body":"\u003Cp\u003EErin Connolly\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727271936","gmt_created":"2024-09-25 13:45:36","changed":"1727271936","gmt_changed":"2024-09-25 13:45:36","alt":"Female with dark hair headshot","file":{"fid":"258688","name":"Connolly_headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/Connolly_headshot.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/Connolly_headshot.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":84514,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/25\/Connolly_headshot.jpg?itok=L16-fUNC"}},"675096":{"id":"675096","type":"image","title":"Sierra Knavel","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESierra Knavel\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727272080","gmt_created":"2024-09-25 13:48:00","changed":"1727272080","gmt_changed":"2024-09-25 13:48:00","alt":"woman sitting in front of window","file":{"fid":"258689","name":"Image.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/Image.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/Image.png","mime":"image\/png","size":849567,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/25\/Image.png?itok=t_lqZFPj"}},"675098":{"id":"675098","type":"image","title":"Xing Xu","body":"\u003Cp\u003EXing Xu\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727272306","gmt_created":"2024-09-25 13:51:46","changed":"1727272306","gmt_changed":"2024-09-25 13:51:46","alt":"woman in lab coat","file":{"fid":"258691","name":"photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":649856,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/25\/photo.jpg?itok=yAdOas71"}},"675099":{"id":"675099","type":"image","title":"Kai Xue","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKai Xue\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727272436","gmt_created":"2024-09-25 13:53:56","changed":"1727272436","gmt_changed":"2024-09-25 13:53:56","alt":"woman in sweatshirt in field","file":{"fid":"258692","name":"IMG_KX.JPEG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/IMG_KX.JPEG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/25\/IMG_KX.JPEG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2780744,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/25\/IMG_KX.JPEG?itok=9Gg_ibai"}}},"media_ids":["675100","675094","675095","675096","675098","675099"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/news\/top-graduate-students-gather-ohara-fellowship-honors-0","title":"Top Graduate Students Gather O\u0027Hara Fellowship Honors"}],"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":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"}],"keywords":[{"id":"167103","name":"student honors"},{"id":"174421","name":"graduate student research"},{"id":"5731","name":"fellowships"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"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 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":""}},"676745":{"#nid":"676745","#data":{"type":"news","title":"College of Sciences Celebrates New Haley Fellows","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFive College of Sciences students have been selected to receive the Herbert P. Haley Fellowship. The scholarship recognizes and rewards significant accomplishments and outstanding academic achievements of graduate students at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHaley scholars receive a one-time merit award of up to $4,000 thanks to the generosity of the late Marion Peacock Haley. Haley\u2019s estate established the merit-based graduate fellowships in honor of her late husband, Herbert P. Haley (ME 1933).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet the 2024-2025 Haley Fellows\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmily Gleaton, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/psychology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Psychology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGleaton specializes in engineering psychology. Since 2020, she has served as president, secretary, webmaster, and treasurer of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society student chapter and held multiple leadership positions in the Psychology Graduate Student Council. She was recognized by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/studentengagement.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Center for Student Engagement\u003C\/a\u003E as part of the 2023 Celebrating Student Leadership Project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy research focuses on how to reduce the disuse of assistive technologies and improve user outcomes through enhanced instruction and training,\u201d says Gleaton. \u201cThese technologies, from mobility aids to smart devices like wearables and conversational agents, help people perform tasks more easily.\u0026nbsp; I hope my work fosters the successful adoption of assistive technology \u2014 and supports individuals aging in place, improving health, and gaining greater independence.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAlex Havrilla\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA third-year Ph.D. student studying mathematics, Havrilla focuses on both theoretical and applied topics in generative machine learning. He has published several papers in academic journals and is an active attendee\/presenter in the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics student chapter seminar series. Outside of Georgia Tech, Alex co-founded CarperAI, an open-source research group studying reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) for large language models.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022My theoretical work tries\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eto understand how well models generalize depending on model size and the amount and makeup of training data. My applied research improves the mathematical reasoning abilities of generative models through synthetic data generation,\u0022 says Havrilla. \u0022I love the interplay between both theory and application. Knowing the theory helps give me a more principled understanding of what is done in practice, and knowing the practice helps me decide what are the most relevant questions to study theoretically.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharles \u201cRoss\u201d Lindsey, \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs part of the\u0026nbsp;Rosenzweig Lab, Lindsey investigates the evolution of multicellularity and cell differentiation. He also assists Team Phoenix Supercomputing via Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/vip.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EVertically Integrated Projects program\u003C\/a\u003E, which\u0026nbsp;engages undergraduate and graduate students in long-term, large-scale, multidisciplinary project teams led by faculty.\u0026nbsp;Lindsey trains the Team Phoenix Supercomputing to compete in high-performance computing (HPC) competitions while equipping them with fundamental skills necessary for HPC research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy research has largely focused on a small group of freshwater green algae known informally as the \u2018volvocine algae\u2019,\u201d says Lindsey. \u201cThe varying levels of developmental and sexual complexity make these organisms a useful model system for investigating major evolutionary questions. I infer the phylogenetic relationships of this group and perform ancestral-state reconstructions of key traits thought necessary for the evolution of differentiated, multicellularity.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJordan McKaig\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\u003EMcKaig has two first-author publications and has presented her research nationally and internationally. She participated in the International Space Station (ISS) analog experiment at Jules\u2019 Undersea Lodge in Key Largo and NASA outreach for the Atlanta Science Festival. On campus, she was the 2023 President of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.gatech.edu\/exo\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExplOrigins\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a group of young scientists interested in the origins and evolution of life, the exploration of our solar system, and the search for habitable planets beyond Earth.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cMy research focuses on detecting signs of life and characterizing microbes in very salty environments,\u201d says McKaig. \u201cI am interested in life at the fringe of habitability, where the environmental conditions are harsh, but adequate for living things to exist. By learning about life in the extremes on Earth, we can make predictions about what life may look like if it exists on other planets or moons, and how we might be able to detect such life forms. In my lab work, I explore the applications that nanopore instrumentation may have in the search for extraterrestrial life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKellie Stellmach\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\u003EStellmach is a Ph.D. student in chemistry. She is heavily involved in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/spn.gatech\u0022\u003EStudent Polymer Network\u003C\/a\u003E, serving as secretary, vice president, and president. As an adamant supporter of reducing the gender gap in STEM fields, Kellie frequently invites female researchers to Georgia Tech to share their science research and assists with outreach events through the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wst.gatech.edu\/girls-excelling-math-and-science-gems\u0022\u003EGirls Excelling in Math and Science (GEMS) program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022My research focuses on the chemical recycling of polymers back to their monomers, a process that enables plastic waste to be recycled in a circular fashion,\u201d says Stellmach. \u201cI\u0027m particularly interested in this area of research because it combines the challenge of developing new chemical methods with the potential for significant environmental impact. By improving the efficiency of recycling processes, my work aims to reduce plastic waste and support a more sustainable future.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe College of Sciences congratulates the five graduate scholars who won Herbert P. Haley Fellowships for the 2024-2025 school year. The award may be held in conjunction with other funding, assistantships, or fellowships, if applicable.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The College of Sciences congratulates the five graduate scholars who won Herbert P. Haley Fellowships for the 2024-2025 school year."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2024-09-11 18:06:41","changed_gmt":"2024-12-04 21:01:42","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-09-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-09-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674958":{"id":"674958","type":"image","title":"Congratulations to the 2024 - 2025 Haley Fellows!","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECongratulations to the 2024 - 2025 Haley Fellows!\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1726081941","gmt_created":"2024-09-11 19:12:21","changed":"1726081941","gmt_changed":"2024-09-11 19:12:21","alt":"Brick tower with words spelling out Tech","file":{"fid":"258531","name":"0331991-P3-3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/0331991-P3-3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/0331991-P3-3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1023360,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/11\/0331991-P3-3.jpg?itok=s3fNLtC5"}},"674948":{"id":"674948","type":"image","title":"Emily Gleaton","body":"\u003Cp\u003EEmily Gleaton\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1726079277","gmt_created":"2024-09-11 18:27:57","changed":"1726079277","gmt_changed":"2024-09-11 18:27:57","alt":"Headshot of a female","file":{"fid":"258520","name":"Gleaton 2 - square.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/Gleaton%202%20-%20square_0.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/Gleaton%202%20-%20square_0.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":17875,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/11\/Gleaton%202%20-%20square_0.JPG?itok=8ibUbCc4"}},"674949":{"id":"674949","type":"image","title":"Alex Havrilla","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAlex Havrilla\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1726079445","gmt_created":"2024-09-11 18:30:45","changed":"1726079445","gmt_changed":"2024-09-11 18:30:45","alt":"Headshot of a man standing on a tennis court","file":{"fid":"258521","name":"alex.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/alex.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/alex.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":344034,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/11\/alex.jpg?itok=zx6lpoDP"}},"674955":{"id":"674955","type":"image","title":"Charles \u201cRoss\u201d Lindsey","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECharles \u201cRoss\u201d Lindsey\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1726080787","gmt_created":"2024-09-11 18:53:07","changed":"1726080787","gmt_changed":"2024-09-11 18:53:07","alt":"Man in blue shirt","file":{"fid":"258528","name":"Havrilla.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/Havrilla_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/Havrilla_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":720746,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/11\/Havrilla_0.jpg?itok=d3RlepWL"}},"674956":{"id":"674956","type":"image","title":"Jordan McKaig","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJordan McKaig\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1726080876","gmt_created":"2024-09-11 18:54:36","changed":"1726080876","gmt_changed":"2024-09-11 18:54:36","alt":"Young lady with blond hair standing in front of a hedge.","file":{"fid":"258529","name":"Jordan McKaig.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/Jordan%20McKaig_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/Jordan%20McKaig_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":263982,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/11\/Jordan%20McKaig_0.jpg?itok=EFA83AyR"}},"674957":{"id":"674957","type":"image","title":"Kellie Stellmach ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EKellie Stellmach\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1726080966","gmt_created":"2024-09-11 18:56:06","changed":"1726080966","gmt_changed":"2024-09-11 18:56:06","alt":"Headshot of a young woman","file":{"fid":"258530","name":"Stellmach Headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/Stellmach%20Headshot_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/11\/Stellmach%20Headshot_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":82540,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/11\/Stellmach%20Headshot_0.jpg?itok=ssII8gvS"}}},"media_ids":["674958","674948","674949","674955","674956","674957"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/news\/six-sciences-graduate-scholars-join-ranks-haley-fellows","title":"Six Sciences Graduate Scholars Join the Ranks of Haley Fellows"}],"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":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"193157","name":"Student Honors and Achievements"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187690","name":"Haley Fellowship"},{"id":"191233","name":"Haley Fellowships"},{"id":"191277","name":"Herbert P. Haley Fellowship"},{"id":"192259","name":"cos-students"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: 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":""}},"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":""}},"678595":{"#nid":"678595","#data":{"type":"news","title":"RNA\u2019s Surprising Role in DNA Repair","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA multi-institutional team of researchers, led by Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/francesca-storici\u0022\u003EFrancesca Storici\u003C\/a\u003E, has discovered a previously unknown role for RNA. Their insights could lead to improved treatments for diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders while changing our understanding of genetic health and evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERNA molecules are best known as protein production messengers. They carry genetic instructions from DNA to ribosomes \u2014 the factories inside cells that turn amino acids into the proteins necessary for many cell functions. But Storici\u2019s team found that RNA can also help cells repair a severe form of DNA damage called a double-strand break, or DSB.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA DSB means both strands of the DNA helix have been severed. Cells have the tools to make some repairs, but a DSB is significant damage \u2014 and if not properly fixed can lead to mutations, cell death, or cancer. (Interestingly, cancer treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, can cause DSBs.)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStorici, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, has dedicated her research to studying the molecules and mechanisms underlying damaged DNA repairs. Ten years ago, she and collaborators discovered that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/nature13682\u0022\u003ERNA could serve as a template for DSB repair\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNow we\u2019ve learned that RNA can directly promote DSB repair mechanisms,\u201d said Storici, whose lab teamed with mathematics experts in the lab of Nata\u0161a Jonoska from the University of South Florida. They\u2019re all part of the Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology based at Georgia Tech. They \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-51457-9\u0022\u003Eexplain their discovery\u003C\/a\u003E in the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Communications\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese findings open up a new understanding of RNA\u0027s potential role in maintaining genome integrity and driving evolutionary changes,\u201d added Storici.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers used variation-distance graphs to visualize millions of DSB repair events, offering a comprehensive snapshot of sequence variations. The graphs highlighted major differences in repair patterns, depending on the DSB position.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis mathematical approach also uncovered significant differences in repair efficiency, pointing to RNA\u0027s potential in modulating DSB repair outcomes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese findings underscore the critical role of mathematical visualization in understanding complex biological mechanisms and could pave the way for targeted interventions in genome stability and therapeutic research,\u201d said Jonoska.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMolecular Grunt Work\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen a DSB happens in DNA, it\u2019s like a load-bearing beam in a building breaking. A careful, precise repair is needed to ensure the building\u2019s \u2014 or the DNA\u2019s \u2014 stability. The pieces must be rejoined accurately to prevent further damage or mutation. Repairing a damaged building requires having a reliable foreman on the job site. A DSB requires something very similar.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA key mechanism we identified is that RNA can help position and hold the broken DNA ends in place, facilitating the repair process,\u201d explained Storici, whose team conducted the research in both human and yeast cells.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpecifically, they found that RNA molecules and the broken section of DNA can match up like puzzle pieces. When RNA has this kind of complementarity with the DNA break site, it acts as a scaffold, or a guide, beyond its traditional coding function, showing the cellular machinery where to make repairs. Over millennia, cells have evolved complex mechanisms to fix DSB, each of them functioning like different tools from the same toolbox.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStorici\u2019s team showed that RNA can influence which tools are used, depending on its complementarity to the broken DNA strands. This means that in addition to being the important protein production messenger, RNA acts as both a foreman and laborer when it comes to DNA repair.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA deeper understanding of RNA\u2019s role in DNA repair could lead to new strategies for strengthening repair mechanisms in healthy cells, potentially reducing the harmful effects of treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRNA has a much broader function than we knew,\u201d Storici said. \u201cWe still have a lot of research to do into these mechanisms, but this work opens up new ways for exploring how RNA could be harnessed in healthcare, potentially leading to new treatments for cancer and other genetic diseases.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Storici and other researchers continue probing RNA\u2019s effects in DNA repair, their revelations could have a lasting impact on human health and evolution. That means better gene therapies, new cancer treatments and anti-aging strategies \u2014 and also the ability to influence how organisms adapt and evolve.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECITATION:\u003C\/strong\u003E Youngkyu Jeon, Yilin Lu, Margherita Maria Ferrari, Tejasvi Channagiri, Penghao Xu, Chance Meers, Yiqi Zhang, Sathya Balachander, Vivian S. Park, Stefania Marsili, Zachary F. Pursell, Nata\u0161a Jonoska, Francesca Storici. \u201cRNA-mediated double-strand break repair by end-joining mechanisms.\u201d\u003Cem\u003E Nature Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-51457-9\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-024-51457-9\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFUNDING:\u003C\/strong\u003E NIH grants GM115927, ES028271; NSF grant MCB-1615335; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty Scholar grant 55108574; Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology NSF DMS-1764406; Simons Foundation grant 59459; NSF grants CCF-2107267 and DMS-2054321.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New insights could lead to improved treatments for cancer and other diseases."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStorici lab discovers RNA\u2019s surprising role in DNA repair, developing new insights could lead to improved treatments for cancer and other diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"RNA\u2019s Surprising Role in DNA Repair New insights could lead to improved treatments for cancer and other diseases."}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2024-11-21 19:07:26","changed_gmt":"2024-11-22 18:33:11","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":{"675715":{"id":"675715","type":"image","title":"Storici in lab_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFrancesca Storici and her research team discovered a surprising role for RNA in DNA repair, insights that could lead to better treatments for cancer and other diseases. \u0026nbsp;Photo by Chris McKenney\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1732215541","gmt_created":"2024-11-21 18:59:01","changed":"1732220465","gmt_changed":"2024-11-21 20:21:05","alt":"Francesca Storici in her lab studying RNA and DNA","file":{"fid":"259374","name":"Storici in lab_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/Storici%20in%20lab_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/Storici%20in%20lab_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1617361,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/21\/Storici%20in%20lab_0.jpg?itok=FllsbSfh"}},"675716":{"id":"675716","type":"image","title":"Janoska and Jeon","body":"\u003Cp\u003ENata\u0161a Jonoska and Youngkyu Jeon. Jonoska\u0027s lab collaborated with the lab of Francesca Storici. Jeon, a former PhD student in the Storici lab, was lead author of the study.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1732215675","gmt_created":"2024-11-21 19:01:15","changed":"1732215925","gmt_changed":"2024-11-21 19:05:25","alt":"Janoska and Jeon co authors","file":{"fid":"259372","name":"Jonoska and Jeon.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/Jonoska%20and%20Jeon.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/21\/Jonoska%20and%20Jeon.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":794283,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/21\/Jonoska%20and%20Jeon.jpg?itok=b2UBwq8H"}}},"media_ids":["675715","675716"],"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":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"173581","name":"go-COS"},{"id":"2638","name":"DNA repair"},{"id":"174619","name":"RNA repair"},{"id":"9513","name":"Cancer Reserach"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"}],"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":""}},"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. The research also makes strides toward making the system cost-effective and scalable for commercial use.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In 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."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-11-13 16:33:58","changed_gmt":"2024-11-21 17:00:44","author":"sperrin6","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":{"675623":{"id":"675623","type":"image","title":"Glycine, one of the critical amino acids that the system coverts carbon dioxide into. (Image Credit: NASA)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGlycine, one of the critical amino acids that the system coverts carbon dioxide into. (Image Credit: NASA)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1731515929","gmt_created":"2024-11-13 16:38:49","changed":"1731515929","gmt_changed":"2024-11-13 16:38:49","alt":"Glycine, one of the critical amino acids that the system coverts carbon dioxide into. (Image Credit: NASA)","file":{"fid":"259268","name":"jsc2024e038399~orig.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/jsc2024e038399~orig.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/jsc2024e038399~orig.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":863828,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/13\/jsc2024e038399~orig.jpg?itok=Qpjl97vz"}},"675620":{"id":"675620","type":"image","title":"Professor Pamela Peralta-Yahya","body":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Pamela Peralta-Yahya\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1731515691","gmt_created":"2024-11-13 16:34:51","changed":"1770754138","gmt_changed":"2026-02-10 20:08:58","alt":"Professor Pamela Peralta-Yahya","file":{"fid":"259265","name":"Peralta-Yahya_headshot_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/Peralta-Yahya_headshot_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/Peralta-Yahya_headshot_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5917331,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/13\/Peralta-Yahya_headshot_0.jpg?itok=ZlbM5Za_"}},"675622":{"id":"675622","type":"image","title":"Ph.D. Student Shaafique Chowdhury, first author of the study.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. Student Shaafique Chowdhury, first author of the study.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1731515691","gmt_created":"2024-11-13 16:34:51","changed":"1731515691","gmt_changed":"2024-11-13 16:34:51","alt":"Ph.D. Student Shaafique Chowdhury, first author of the study.","file":{"fid":"259267","name":"Chowdhury_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/Chowdhury_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/Chowdhury_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7759023,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/13\/Chowdhury_0.jpg?itok=M2c4BqHk"}},"675621":{"id":"675621","type":"image","title":"Ph.D. Student Ray Westerberg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. Student Ray Westerberg\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1731515691","gmt_created":"2024-11-13 16:34:51","changed":"1731515691","gmt_changed":"2024-11-13 16:34:51","alt":"Ph.D. Student Ray Westerberg","file":{"fid":"259266","name":"Westenberg_0.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/Westenberg_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/11\/13\/Westenberg_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":20118,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/11\/13\/Westenberg_0.png?itok=0sm1x2SP"}},"675647":{"id":"675647","type":"image","title":"\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 ","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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"677593":{"#nid":"677593","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Research Takes Flight: Benjamin Freeman Named 2024 Packard Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBenjamin Freeman\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been named a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.packard.org\/insights\/news\/the-david-and-lucile-packard-foundation-announces-the-2024-class-of-packard-fellows-for-science-and-engineering\/\u0022\u003E2024 Packard Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E for groundbreaking research in climate change and bird ecology. Freeman, an assistant professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/benjamin%20freeman\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, will receive $875,000 to fund his work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cFrom all of us in Biological Sciences, we\u2019re thrilled to see Ben Freeman named a Packard Fellow,\u201d says School Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EJeffrey (Todd) Streelman\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u201cBen\u2019s research is important, compelling, and creative \u2014 a triple-threat combination that justifies this recognition.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAwarded annually to only 20 individuals by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Packard Fellows are known for pursuing cutting-edge research, never-before-done projects, and ambitious goals.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThese scientists and engineers are the architects of tomorrow, leading innovation with bold ideas and unyielding determination,\u201d shares\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ENancy Lindborg\u003C\/strong\u003E, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Packard Foundation. \u201cTheir work today will be the foundation for the breakthroughs of the future, inspiring the next wave of discovery and invention.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u0027m flabbergasted to receive this prestigious award,\u201d says Freeman. \u201cPackard support will be transformative. It will give me the freedom to do the sorts of risky projects that I\u0027ve dreamed about, and will support the intense fieldwork that I\u0027m convinced is necessary to understand big questions in climate change ecology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Packard funding will support Freemans most ambitious project to date: developing \u201cTech Mountain\u201d in the tropics, a long-term field project focused on surveying thousands of individual birds. From mountain slope to summit, he will track their motions, their nests and predators, where they live, eat, move, and die \u2014 and how this changes as temperatures warm.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe pioneer study will shape a window into how birds and other organisms are responding to our changing climate, while developing technology and methodology that could revolutionize the fields of ecology and biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe escalator to extinction\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman\u2019s previous research has shown that, in general, birds are moving to higher elevations as our climate changes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI found that as it\u0027s gotten warmer in the tropics, it\u0027s set in motion what I call an escalator to extinction,\u201d he explains. \u201cBirds are living at higher and higher elevations, and those that were common on a mountain top when I was a toddler in Peru are now gone from that mountain.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EWhile this previous research has shown that tropical birds are on this escalator, it hasn\u2019t been possible to determine the specifics: which birds might be most vulnerable and what the key stressors are.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman explains that \u201cTech Mountain\u201d will be a first-of-its-kind field site, equipped with innovative sensors and trackers \u2014 think cameras placed on nets, recording equipment, climatic sensors, and small individual trackers on each bird.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI want to figure out what drives their birth rates, where they\u0027re dying, and where they\u0027re moving during the course of their life,\u201d he shares. \u201cThat will help us unravel how this escalator to extinction works.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuilding \u2018Tech Mountain\u2019\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESeveral thousand meters tall, encompassing lowland rainforest, foothill rainforest, and cloud forest, Freeman\u2019s field site will feature dense vegetation, steep grades, and encompass several different climatic zones \u2014 each with unique species.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAlong its slopes, Freeman\u2019s team will find, catch, mark, and follow the lives of thousands of individual birds across hundreds of species \u2014 for a minimum of five years, but potentially for decades. It\u2019s never been done before.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECurrently, most GPS trackers are too large for small birds, and smaller trackers capture limited information. Additionally, these smaller trackers cannot wirelessly transfer data \u2014 in order to download and access the data, each bird must be recaptured.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe conditions are tough. It\u2019s rugged. It\u2019s humid. It\u2019s cloudy and wet. We\u2019ll need to put resources into developing technology that fits our needs, and experiment with different ways of tracking individuals in these difficult conditions,\u201d Freeman says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman will also leverage\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ebird.org\/home\u0022\u003EeBird\u003C\/a\u003E, an online hub where community scientists can upload their observations. \u201cMillions upon millions of observations are uploaded by community scientists, citizen scientists, birders \u2014 people,\u201d he adds. \u201cAnd using this data, we can estimate the vulnerability of mountain bird species \u2014 which species seem to be shrinking their ranges and declining in abundance.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThis builds on Freeman\u2019s current work creating the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/benjamingfreeman.com\/mountainbirdnetwork\u0022\u003EMountain Bird Network\u003C\/a\u003E, which supports community scientists in conducting bird surveys on their local mountains.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech and global connections\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EFreeman\u2019s tools and methodologies could revolutionize fieldwork for ecologists and biologists, opening the door for rigorous new field studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EIt will also provide opportunities to deepen collaborations abroad. \u201cI\u0027m planning on working closely with Dr.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EElisa Bonaccorso\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usfq.edu.ec\/es\/perfiles\/elisa-bonaccorso\u0022\u003Elab\u003C\/a\u003E at the University of San Francisco, Quito (\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usfq.edu.ec\/en\u0022\u003EUSFQ Ecuador\u003C\/a\u003E),\u201d Freeman says, \u201cand I\u2019m looking forward to that collaboration. The Packard funding will also support work in Ecuador conducted by an Ecuadorian graduate student who is studying at Georgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThroughout the research, students will be at the heart of the projects. \u201cI take mentoring scientists very seriously,\u201d Freeman shares. \u201cUndergraduates will have the opportunity to get involved on the biology side of this research, the computational side, and on the engineering side of the research. They\u2019ll even help develop new tracking technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Packard Fellowship will not only support my research \u2014 but help me provide these opportunities in the coming years to Georgia Tech\u2019s future scientists.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EClimate change has set in motion an \u201cescalator to extinction\u201d as mountain species move uphill to cooler elevations, occupy shrinking ranges, and then go extinct. The Freeman lab investigates why some species are riding this \u201cescalator\u201d \u2014 and how mountain biodiversity can persist in a warming world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Fellowship will support the Freeman lab as it The Freeman lab investigates how mountain biodiversity persists in a warming world."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-10-15 18:24:43","changed_gmt":"2024-11-01 13:12:03","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675324":{"id":"675324","type":"image","title":"A rufous-tailed jacamar (Photo by Benjamin Freeman)","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA rufous-tailed jacamar (Photo by Benjamin Freeman)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729016793","gmt_created":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","changed":"1729016793","gmt_changed":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","alt":"A rufous-tailed jacamar (Photo by Benjamin Freeman)","file":{"fid":"258935","name":"Bird.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/Bird.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/Bird.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":669493,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/15\/Bird.jpeg?itok=o_dGNfhK"}},"675323":{"id":"675323","type":"image","title":"Benjamin Freeman","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Benjamin Freeman\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1729016793","gmt_created":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","changed":"1729016793","gmt_changed":"2024-10-15 18:26:33","alt":"Benjamin Freeman","file":{"fid":"258934","name":"BenjaminFreeman.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2771976,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/15\/BenjaminFreeman.png?itok=fugaKOaT"}}},"media_ids":["675324","675323"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.packard.org\/insights\/news\/the-david-and-lucile-packard-foundation-announces-the-2024-class-of-packard-fellows-for-science-and-engineering\/","title":"The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Announces the 2024 Class of Packard Fellows for Science and Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EContact: \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess.hunt@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677470":{"#nid":"677470","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Genome Sequencing Could Unlock Answers to Yellow Jacket Behavior ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe most recognizable yellow jacket at Georgia Tech is made of fabric and foam, but Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.goodismanlab.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EMike Goodisman\u003C\/a\u003E and a team of researchers revealed a far more complex cellular structure by successfully sequencing the genome of two local species of yellow jacket wasps \u2014 \u003Cem\u003EVespula squamosa\u003C\/em\u003E (the southern yellow jacket) and \u003Cem\u003EVespula maculifrons\u003C\/em\u003E (the eastern yellow jacket).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHaving the genome sequences of yellow jacket wasps expands biologists\u0027 understanding of the behaviors and evolution of social insects, including the intricacies of the caste system made up of queens, males, and workers.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The genome is fundamental for a lot of questions that we ask,\u0022 Goodisman said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/aesa\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/aesa\/saae023\/7823582\u0022\u003Epublished in \u003Cem\u003EAnnals of the Entomological Society of America\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, identifies rates of gene evolution among the different species, which Goodisman says could offer explanations for the various roles each wasp plays in their colonies as well as their ability to adapt and thrive in different environments. Variations in the genomes will also help scientists dissect the interactions between the two local species.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESouthern and eastern yellow jacket queens produce all caste members in the colony, and while mated queens from both species hibernate in the winter following the decline of their colonies, \u003Cem\u003EV. squamosa\u003C\/em\u003E will stay in hibernation slightly longer. Southern queens then actively seek out established eastern yellow jacket nests, kill the resident queen, and take over her colony. Goodisman and his research team hope the genome provides insight into the southern queens\u2019 parasitic behavior.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe typical colony will survive six to eight months, but in certain climates, colonies can outlast the winter months to become \u0022supercolonies.\u0022 These larger colonies take on multiple queens as they grow to the size of a couch or a car. Goodisman\u0027s team will use the genome to look for clues as to how these supercolonies thrive for multiple years and how natural selection operates in the two species.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThroughout the study, Goodisman relied on the Georgia Tech community\u0027s shared interest in the social insect to gather the necessary samples. Through ads in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/whistle\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThe Whistle\u003C\/a\u003E and other campus publications, he collected yellow jacket wasps\u2019 nests from faculty, staff, and alumni, in addition to samples from around the region. DNA was extracted from individual wasp samples and then sent to the University of Georgia for DNA sequencing. The resulting genomes, which are about 200 million base pairs in length, were then jointly analyzed by scientists at Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen you get the data back, you get these long sequences of the building blocks of DNA. Part of the game is putting that together like a puzzle, and then we analyze the sequence to figure out what it means,\u201d he said.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith the genome sequenced, the team can then compare the local species to each other and all species of yellow jacket wasps worldwide. Unlike honeybees, yellow jacket wasps are not considered significant pollinators, but because their diet consists of insects and carrion, Goodisman explains that understanding their place in the ecosystems they inhabit is equally important.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe is enthused to be on a campus that shares his interest in the group of social insects known as Hymenoptera. That interest led him to study insects like fruit flies at Cornell University and fire ants at the University of Georgia before beginning his postdoctoral research on other members of the Hymenoptera order.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, when discussing his research with members of the Georgia Tech community, he finds himself answering one question more than any other. His response is always the same. \u0022Because of the stinger, Buzz is anatomically female.\u0022\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnd while he can\u0027t definitively say which species of yellow jacket the mascot would be, Goodisman said Buzz\u0027s feisty nature would lean toward the more aggressive and charismatic southern yellow jacket, \u003Cem\u003EV. squamosa\u003C\/em\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech professor and his team are cracking the code on the Institute\u0027s most recognizable social insect. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech professor and his team are cracking the code on the Institute\u0027s most recognizable social insect.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech professor and his team are cracking the code on the Institute\u0027s most recognizable social insect. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2024-10-16 14:31:34","changed_gmt":"2024-10-16 14:53:00","author":"sgagliano3","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":{"675286":{"id":"675286","type":"image","title":"Vespula maculifrons queen, gyne, and males. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhoto courtesy of Goodisman Research Group.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1728593899","gmt_created":"2024-10-10 20:58:19","changed":"1728593899","gmt_changed":"2024-10-10 20:58:19","alt":"Vespula maculifrons queen, gyne, and males. ","file":{"fid":"258893","name":"Vmac-queen-gyne-and-males-in-nest.LG_-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/10\/Vmac-queen-gyne-and-males-in-nest.LG_-1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/10\/Vmac-queen-gyne-and-males-in-nest.LG_-1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":174335,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/10\/Vmac-queen-gyne-and-males-in-nest.LG_-1_0.jpg?itok=-cyqUHdn"}}},"media_ids":["675286"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/aesa\/advance-article\/doi\/10.1093\/aesa\/saae023\/7823582","title":" Genomic analyses of the southern and eastern yellowjacket wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) reveal evolutionary signatures of social life "},{"url":"https:\/\/www.goodismanlab.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"Goodisman Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2223","name":"yellow jackets"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"677219":{"#nid":"677219","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines Announces New Initiative Leads","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM) launched a new initiatives program, starting with several winning proposals, with corresponding initiative leads that will broaden the scope of IRIM\u2019s research beyond its traditional core strengths. A major goal is to stimulate collaboration across areas not typically considered as technical robotics, such as policy, education, and the humanities, as well as open new inter-university and inter-agency collaboration routes. In addition to guiding their specific initiatives, these leads will serve as an informal internal advisory body for IRIM. Initiative leads will be announced annually, with existing initiative leaders considered for renewal based on their progress in achieving community building and research goals. We hope that initiative leads will act as the \u201cfaculty face\u201d of IRIM and communicate IRIM\u2019s vision and activities to audiences both within and outside of Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMeet 2024 IRIM Initiative Leads\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStephen Balakirsky; Regents\u0027 Researcher, Georgia Tech Research Institute \u0026amp; Panagiotis Tsiotras; David \u0026amp; Andrew Lewis Endowed Chair, Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace\u0026nbsp;Engineering | Proximity Operations for Autonomous Servicing\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy It Matters:\u003C\/strong\u003E Proximity operations in space refer to the intricate and precise maneuvers and activities that spacecraft or satellites perform when they are in close proximity to each other, such as docking, rendezvous, or station-keeping. These operations are essential for a variety of space missions, including crewed spaceflights, satellite servicing, space exploration, and maintaining satellite constellations. While this is a very broad field, this initiative will concentrate on robotic servicing and associated challenges. In this context, robotic servicing is composed of proximity operations that are used for servicing and repairing satellites in space. In robotic servicing, robotic arms and tools perform maintenance tasks such as refueling, replacing components, or providing operation enhancements to extend a satellite\u0027s operational life or increase a satellite\u2019s capabilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOur Approach:\u003C\/strong\u003E By forming an initiative in this important area, IRIM will open opportunities within the rapidly evolving space community. This will allow us to create proposals for organizations ranging from NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. This will also position us to become national leaders in this area. While several universities have a robust robotics program and quite a few have a strong space engineering program, there are only a handful of academic units with the breadth of expertise to tackle this problem. Also, even fewer universities have the benefit of an experienced applied research partner, such as the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), to undertake large-scale demonstrations. Georgia Tech, having world-renowned programs in aerospace engineering and robotics, is uniquely positioned to be a leader in this field. In addition, creating a workshop in proximity operations for autonomous servicing will allow the GTRI and Georgia Tech space robotics communities to come together and better understand strengths and opportunities for improvement in our abilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMatthew Gombolay; Assistant Professor, Interactive Computing | Human-Robot Society in 2125: IRIM Leading the Way\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy It Matters:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThe coming robot \u201capocalypse\u201d and foundation models captured the zeitgeist in 2023 with \u201cChatGPT\u201d becoming a topic at the dinner table and the probability occurrence of various scenarios of AI driven technological doom being a hotly debated topic on social media. Futuristic visions of ubiquitous embodied Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics have become tangible. The proliferation and effectiveness of first-person view drones in the Russo-Ukrainian War, autonomous taxi services along with their failures, and inexpensive robots (e.g., Tesla\u2019s Optimus and Unitree\u2019s G1) have made it seem like children alive today may have robots embedded in their everyday lives. Yet, there is a lack of trust in the public leadership bringing us into this future to ensure that robots are developed and deployed with beneficence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOur Approach:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThis proposal seeks to assemble a team of bright, savvy operators across academia, government, media, nonprofits, industry, and community stakeholders to develop a roadmap for how we can be the most trusted voice to guide the public in the next 100 years of innovation in robotics here at the IRIM. We propose to carry out specific activities that include conducting the activities necessary to develop a roadmap about Robots in 2125: Altruistic and Integrated Human-Robot Society. We also aim to build partnerships to promulgate these outcomes across Georgia Tech\u2019s campus and internationally.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGregory Sawicki; Joseph Anderer Faculty Fellow, School of Mechanical Engineering \u0026amp; Aaron Young; Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering | Wearable Robotic Augmentation for Human Resilience\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy It Matters:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThe field of robotics continues to evolve beyond rigid, precision-controlled machines for amplifying production on manufacturing assembly lines toward soft, wearable systems that can mediate the interface between human users and their natural and built environments. Recent advances in materials science have made it possible to construct flexible garments with embedded sensors and actuators (e.g., exosuits). In parallel, computers continue to get smaller and more powerful, and state-of-the art machine learning algorithms can extract useful information from more extensive volumes of input data in real time. Now is the time to embed lean, powerful, sensorimotor elements alongside high-speed and efficient data processing systems in a continuous wearable device.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOur Approach:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThe mission of the Wearable Robotic Augmentation for Human Resilience (WeRoAHR) initiative is to merge modern advances in sensing, actuation, and computing technology to imagine and create adaptive, wearable augmentation technology that can improve human resilience and longevity across the physiological spectrum\u0026nbsp;\u2014 from behavioral to cellular scales. The near-term effort (~2-3 years) will draw on Georgia Tech\u2019s existing ecosystem of basic scientists and engineers to develop WeRoAHR systems that will focus on key targets of opportunity to increase human resilience (e.g., improved balance, dexterity, and stamina). These initial efforts will establish seeds for growth intended to help launch larger-scale, center-level efforts (\u0026gt;5 years).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPanagiotis Tsiotras; David \u0026amp; Andrew Lewis Endowed Chair, Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace\u0026nbsp;Engineering \u0026amp; Sam Coogan; Demetrius T. Paris Junior Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Initiative on Reliable, Safe, and Secure Autonomous Robotics\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy It Matters:\u003C\/strong\u003E The design and operation of reliable systems is primarily an integration issue that involves not only each component (software, hardware) being safe and reliable but also the whole system being reliable (including the human operator). The necessity for reliable autonomous systems (including AI agents) is more pronounced for \u201csafety-critical\u201d applications, where the result of a wrong decision can be catastrophic. This is quite a different landscape from many other autonomous decision systems (e.g., recommender systems) where a wrong or imprecise decision is inconsequential.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOur Approach:\u003C\/strong\u003E This new initiative will investigate the development of protocols, techniques, methodologies, theories, and practices for designing, building, and operating safe and reliable AI and autonomous engineering systems and contribute toward promoting a culture of safety and accountability grounded in rigorous objective metrics and methodologies for AI\/autonomous and intelligent machines designers and operators, to allow the widespread adoption of such systems in safety-critical areas with confidence. The proposed new initiative aims to establish Tech as the leader in the design of autonomous, reliable engineering robotic systems and investigate the opportunity for a federally funded or industry-funded research center (National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and Technology Centers\/Engineering Research Centers) in this area.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EColin Usher; Robotics Systems and Technology Branch Head, GTRI | Opportunities for Agricultural Robotics and New Collaborations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy It Matters:\u003C\/strong\u003E The concepts for how robotics might be incorporated more broadly in agriculture vary widely, ranging from large-scale systems to teams of small systems operating in farms, enabling new possibilities. In addition, there are several application areas in agriculture, ranging from planting, weeding, crop scouting, and general growing through harvesting. Georgia Tech is not a land-grant university, making our ability to capture some of the opportunities in agricultural research more challenging. By partnering with a land-grant university such as the University of Georgia (UGA), we can leverage this relationship to go after these opportunities that, historically, were not available.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOur Approach:\u003C\/strong\u003E We plan to build collaborations first by leveraging relationships we have already formed within GTRI, Georgia Tech, and UGA. We will achieve this through a significant level of networking, supported by workshops and\/or seminars with which to recruit faculty and form a roadmap for research\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Ewithin the respective universities. Our goal is to identify and pursue multiple opportunities for robotics-related research in both row-crop and animal-based agriculture. We believe that we have a strong opportunity, starting with formalizing a program with the partners we have worked with before, with the potential to improve and grow the research area by incorporating new faculty and staff with a unified vision of ubiquitous robotics systems in agriculture. We plan to achieve this through scheduled visits with interested faculty, attendance at relevant conferences, and ultimately hosting a workshop to formalize and define a research roadmap.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EYe Zhao; Assistant Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering | Safe, Social, \u0026amp; Scalable Human-Robot Teaming: Interaction, Synergy, \u0026amp; Augmentation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy It Matters:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ECollaborative robots in unstructured environments such as construction and warehouse sites show great promise in working with humans on repetitive and dangerous tasks to improve efficiency and productivity. However, pre-programmed and nonflexible interaction behaviors of existing robots lower the naturalness and flexibility of the collaboration process. Therefore, it is crucial to improve physical interaction behaviors of the collaborative human-robot teaming.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOur Approach:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThis proposal will advance the understanding of the bi-directional influence and interaction of human-robot teaming for complex physical activities in dynamic environments by developing new methods to predict worker intention via multi-modal wearable sensing, reasoning about complex human-robot-workspace interaction, and adaptively planning the robot\u2019s motion considering both human teaming dynamics and physiological and cognitive states. More importantly, our team plans to prioritize efforts to (i) broaden the scope of IRIM\u2019s autonomy research by incorporating psychology, cognitive, and manufacturing research not typically considered as technical robotics research areas; (ii) initiate new IRIM education, training, and outreach programs through collaboration with team members from various Georgia Tech educational and outreach programs (including Project ENGAGES, VIP, and CEISMC) as well as the AUCC (World\u2019s largest consortia of African American private institutions of higher education) which comprises Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, \u0026amp; Spelman College; and (iii) aim for large governmental grants such as DOD MURI, NSF NRT, and\u0026nbsp;NSF Future of Work\u0026nbsp;programs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E-Christa M. Ernst\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM) launched a new initiatives program, starting with several winning proposals, with corresponding initiative leads that will broaden the scope of IRIM\u2019s research beyond its traditional core strengths.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"We hope that initiative leads will act as the \u201cfaculty face\u201d of IRIM and communicate IRIM\u2019s vision and activities to audiences both within and outside of Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"27863","created_gmt":"2024-10-01 15:46:55","changed_gmt":"2024-10-02 13:12:33","author":"Christa Ernst","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675178":{"id":"675178","type":"image","title":"Initiative Leads Graphic Fall2024.png","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIndustrial Robots sloving a puzzle\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1727797626","gmt_created":"2024-10-01 15:47:06","changed":"1727797626","gmt_changed":"2024-10-01 15:47:06","alt":"Two Industrial Robots sloving a puzzle","file":{"fid":"258779","name":"Initiative Leads Graphic Fall2024.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/01\/Initiative%20Leads%20Graphic%20Fall2024.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/01\/Initiative%20Leads%20Graphic%20Fall2024.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1103961,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/01\/Initiative%20Leads%20Graphic%20Fall2024.png?itok=Asj7NaS0"}}},"media_ids":["675178"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"545781","name":"Institute for Data Engineering and Science"},{"id":"142761","name":"IRIM"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"179356","name":"Industrial Design"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"187582","name":"go-ibb"},{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"id":"187023","name":"go-data"},{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"},{"id":"188360","name":"go-bbiss"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39521","name":"Robotics"},{"id":"193657","name":"Space Research Initiative"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["christa.ernst@research.gatech.edu"],"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":""}},"676968":{"#nid":"676968","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joel Kostka Named AGU Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EProfessor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/kostkalab\/people\/joel-kostka\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoel E. Kostka\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E has been\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agu.org\/user-profile?cstkey=20e4119e-4554-4bbf-8b04-65cee0261307\u0022\u003Enamed a Union Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the American Geophysical Union, joining a slate of 53 international researchers selected as 2024 AGU Fellows for \u201csignificant contributions to the Earth and space sciences.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka serves as Tom and Marie Patton Distinguished Professor and associate chair for Research in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EBiological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E with a joint appointment in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EEarth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EEach year, AGU recognizes individuals and teams for their accomplishments in research, education, science communication and outreach. \u201cThese recipients have transformed our understanding of the world, impacted our everyday lives, improved our communities and contributed to solutions for a sustainable future,\u201d shared AGU President\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ELisa J. Graumlich\u003C\/strong\u003E and the organization\u2019s Honors and Recognition Committee in a September 18\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agu.org\/honors-home\/announcement\u0022\u003Eannouncement\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EKostka is an expert in ecosystem biogeoscience, which couples biogeochemistry with microbiology to uncover the role of microorganisms in ecosystem function \u2014 along with determining the mechanisms by which environmental perturbations (climate change) alter microbially-mediated biogeochemical cycles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cTo be named as a fellow of the American Geophysical Union is very special to me, in particular because it signifies the trust and respect of my colleagues,\u201d Kostka says. \u201cI am honored to stand on the shoulders of such a great group of researchers that have moved this field forward.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOf course,\u201d he adds, \u201cI would not be in this position without amazing mentors, colleagues, students, and postdocs from whom I have learned so much.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI want to congratulate Dr. Kostka on this tremendous honor,\u201d adds Biological Sciences Professor and Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003ETodd Streelman\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u201cHis passion for ecology and understanding the impacts of environmental change on ecosystems is evident. I am delighted that his significant contributions have been recognized by his colleagues in the American Geophysical Union.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHonorees will be celebrated at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.agu.org\/annual-meeting\u0022\u003EAGU24\u003C\/a\u003E, which will convene more than 25,000 attendees from over 100 countries in Washington, D.C. this December under the theme \u201cWhat\u2019s Next for Science.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Joel E. Kostka has been named a Union Fellow by the American Geophysical Union, joining a slate of 53 international researchers selected as 2024 AGU Fellows for \u201csignificant contributions to the Earth and space sciences.\u201d \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Joel E. Kostka has been named a Union Fellow by the American Geophysical Union, joining a slate of 53 international researchers selected as 2024 AGU Fellows for \u201csignificant contributions to the Earth and space sciences.\u201d  "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2024-09-18 20:59:30","changed_gmt":"2024-09-18 21:01:52","author":"jhunt7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-09-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675025":{"id":"675025","type":"image","title":"Joel Kostka ","body":null,"created":"1726693287","gmt_created":"2024-09-18 21:01:27","changed":"1726693287","gmt_changed":"2024-09-18 21:01:27","alt":"Joel Kostka","file":{"fid":"258612","name":"Joel Kostka.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":422897,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/09\/18\/Joel%20Kostka.jpg?itok=zIPhfLUz"}}},"media_ids":["675025"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/roots-resilience-investigating-vital-role-microbes-coastal-plant-health","title":"From Roots to Resilience: Investigating the Vital Role of Microbes in Coastal Plant Health "},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/rising-temperatures-alter-missing-link-microbial-processes-putting-northern-peatlands-risk","title":"Rising Temperatures Alter \u2018Missing Link\u2019 of Microbial Processes, Putting Northern Peatlands at Risk "},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/joel-kostka-awarded-32-million-keep-digging-how-soils-and-plants-capture-carbon-and-keep-it-out","title":"Joel Kostka Awarded $3.2 Million to Keep Digging into How Soils and Plants Capture Carbon \u2014 And Keep It Out of Earth\u2019s Atmosphere "},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/salt-marsh-grass-georgias-coast-gets-nutrients-growth-helpful-bacteria-its-roots","title":"Salt Marsh Grass On Georgia\u2019s Coast Gets Nutrients for Growth From Helpful Bacteria in Its Roots "}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"172458","name":"biological sciences"},{"id":"20131","name":"Joel Kostka"},{"id":"61541","name":"Earth and Atmospheric Sciences"},{"id":"179951","name":"AGU"},{"id":"172013","name":"Faculty Awards and Honors"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jess@cos.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJess Hunt-Ralston\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EDirector of Communications\u003Cbr\u003ECollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"676504":{"#nid":"676504","#data":{"type":"news","title":"James Stroud Awarded British Ecological Society Founder\u0027s Prize","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/stroudlab\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames T. Stroud\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, Elizabeth Smithgall Watts Early Career Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech, has been awarded the prestigious\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.britishecologicalsociety.org\/bes-awards-2024-meet-the-winners\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFounder\u0027s Prize\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E by the\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.britishecologicalsociety.org\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBritish Ecological Society\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (BES), the largest scientific society for ecologists in Europe.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ECommemorating the enthusiasm and vision of the organization\u2019s founders, the Founder\u0027s Prize is awarded to an outstanding early career ecologist who is beginning to make a significant contribution to the science of ecology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud is being recognized for his groundbreaking research as an integrative evolutionary ecologist, investigating how ecological and evolutionary processes may underlie patterns of biological diversity at the macro-scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EEarlier this year, Stroud was also named an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/30\/james-stroud-named-early-career-fellow-ecological-society-america\u0022\u003EEarly Career Fellow\u003C\/a\u003E by the Ecological Society of America (ESA). He is the first person to win both seminal early career researcher awards from ESA and BES \u2014 the two largest and most influential ecological societies in the world \u2014 in the same year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe British Ecological Society could not have selected a more deserving recipient of this prestigious award,\u201d says David Collard, senior associate dean in the College of Sciences and professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u201cJames is a model of faculty excellence in his innovative research, commitment to education, and leadership in the field. We look forward to his continued impact in driving forward the field of ecology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud\u0027s highly multidisciplinary research combines field studies with macro-ecological and evolutionary comparative analyses, primarily studying lizards. His current interests focus on measuring natural selection in the wild, often leveraging non-native lizards as natural experiments in ecology and evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u0022I am completely overwhelmed and honored to receive this award,\u201d Stroud says, \u201cand especially from a society very close to my heart. My first ever scientific conference was a BES meeting.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EStroud will be presented with an honorarium prize during a ceremony at the BES Annual Meeting in Liverpool this December. The meeting brings together over 1,000 ecologists to discuss the latest advances in ecological research. For more than a century, the BES has been championing ecology through its journals, meetings, grants, education, and policy work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis award really symbolizes the amazing support and guidance I have received throughout my career from an incredible network of mentors and colleagues,\u201d Stroud adds, \u201cand now, the amazing people I get to work with in my own\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/stroudlab\/\u0022\u003Eresearch group\u003C\/a\u003E, as well.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E###\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout the British Ecological Society\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.britishecologicalsociety.org\u0022\u003EBritish Ecological Society\u003C\/a\u003E (BES), founded in 1913, is the oldest ecological society in the world, championing the study of ecology for over a century. With over 7,000 members in more than 120 countries, the BES is the largest scientific society for ecologists in Europe and promotes the study of ecology through its six academic journals, conferences, grants, education initiatives and policy work.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E, \u003C\/strong\u003Eor \u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;is one of the top public research universities in the U.S., developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute offers\u202fbusiness, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts,\u202f and\u202f sciences degrees. Its more than 47,000 undergraduate and graduate students represent 54 U.S. states and territories and more than 143 countries. They study at the main campus in Atlanta, at instructional sites around the world, or 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.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJames Stroud has been awarded the British Ecological Society Founder\u0027s Prize. Commemorating the enthusiasm and vision of the Society\u2019s founders, the annual honor is bestowed upon \u201can outstanding early career ecologist who is starting to make a significant contribution to the science of ecology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Stroud is being recognized for his groundbreaking research as an integrative evolutionary ecologist."}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2024-09-04 13:25:03","changed_gmt":"2024-09-04 13:29:25","author":"jhunt7","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":{"673890":{"id":"673890","type":"image","title":"James Stroud examines an anole (Day\u2019s Edge Productions)","body":null,"created":"1714494317","gmt_created":"2024-04-30 16:25:17","changed":"1714494317","gmt_changed":"2024-04-30 16:25:17","alt":"James Stroud examines an anole (Day\u2019s Edge Productions)","file":{"fid":"257341","name":"original_stroudresearchmiami_003_daysedgeprods.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/30\/original_stroudresearchmiami_003_daysedgeprods.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/30\/original_stroudresearchmiami_003_daysedgeprods.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":494176,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/30\/original_stroudresearchmiami_003_daysedgeprods.jpg?itok=cfKU82J9"}}},"media_ids":["673890"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/30\/james-stroud-named-early-career-fellow-ecological-society-america","title":"James Stroud Named Early Career Fellow by Ecological Society of America "},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/evolution-lizard-study","title":"Long-Term Lizard Study Challenges the Rules of Evolutionary Biology"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/winners-seed-grant-challenge-climate-solutions-announced","title":"Winners of the Seed Grant Challenge for Climate Solutions Announced"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/temperatures-climb-flying-insects-slower-migrate-cooler-elevations","title":"As Temperatures Climb, Flying Insects Slower to Migrate to Cooler Elevations"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/19932","title":"\u2018Living Fossil\u2019 Lizards Are Constantly Evolving\u2014You Just Can\u2019t See It"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/node\/19858","title":"Evolution: Fast or Slow? Lizards Help Resolve a Paradox."}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"276","name":"Awards"},{"id":"12240","name":"faculty awards"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\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\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Davy@britishecologicalsociety.org\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDavy Falkner\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EMedia Relations Officer\u003Cbr\u003EBritish Ecological Society\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"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":""}},"674642":{"#nid":"674642","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Weaker Ocean Currents Lead to Decline in Nutrients for  North Atlantic Ocean Life During Prehistoric Climate Change, Research Shows","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have finished investigating how the prehistoric weakening of a major ocean current led to a decline in ocean nutrients and negative impacts on North Atlantic ocean life. The results support predictions about how our oceans might react to a changing climate \u2014 and what that means for ocean life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe North Atlantic ocean is a hub of biological activity, due in large part to the Gulf Stream, which supplies a rich current of nutrients. Scientists have speculated that our changing climate may lead to a decline of nutrients and biological activity in the North Atlantic due to a weakening of the ocean circulation \u2014 but this theory has previously been supported only by models.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, by studying sediments buried at the Gulf Stream\u2019s origin, the team has conducted a first-of-its-kind investigation into the impact of a similar climate-induced decline nearly 13,000 years ago, when Earth exited the last ice age.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper, \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adi5543\u0022\u003EA Diminished North Atlantic Nutrient Stream During Younger Dryas Climate Reversal\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d was published in \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E this week. Led by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/jls.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJean Lynch-Stieglitz\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth of Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, the team also included Lynch-Stieglitz\u2019s past students: \u003Cstrong\u003ETyler Vollmer, Shannon Valley,\u003C\/strong\u003E and \u003Cstrong\u003EEric Blackmon\u003C\/strong\u003E, along with \u003Cstrong\u003ESifan Gu \u003C\/strong\u003E(Jiao Tong University School of Oceanography), and \u003Cstrong\u003EThomas Marchitto \u003C\/strong\u003E(University of Colorado, Boulder).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe research tests a concept that has previously only been explored in theory and models,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz says. \u201cThe large-scale Atlantic overturning circulation provides the nutrients that underly biological productivity in the North Atlantic.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince the current is expected to continue weakening over the next century as a result of greenhouse gas emissions, researchers anticipate that the North Atlantic will receive fewer and fewer nutrients.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis concept has real-world implications for the future health of the oceans and fisheries,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz explains. Impacts range from a decline in fish populations to potentially impacting the amount of CO2 the ocean can uptake.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe dramatic climate changes the Earth has experienced in the past can help us understand what parts of the Earth system are vulnerable to change, and help us evaluate ideas about the impacts of the ongoing climate change,\u201d she adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAn unlikely mystery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team studied the Younger Dryas, a period of time during the transition out of the last ice age when there was a weakening of the Atlantic circulation. By examining how the nutrient stream changed when circulation weakened in the past, the researchers hoped to better understand what we may expect from today\u0027s warming oceans.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the team didn\u2019t initially set out with this goal in mind \u2014 the work began as an undergraduate research project with an intriguing mystery. Eric Blackmon, then a student in Lynch-Stieglitz\u2019s lab, was interested in investigating the disappearance of a species of plankton from the North Atlantic Ocean during the last ice age.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe outcome of this study was puzzling,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz recalls. The team decided to use a rarely used technique to better understand the results. The method of reconstructing seawater oxygen concentration produced an unusually clear record of how oxygen concentration in the seawater had changed through time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur team realized that when combined with an earlier reconstruction of seawater chemistry, the technique provided key information on the history and mechanisms of nutrient delivery into the North Atlantic Ocean,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz says. \u201cWe set out to answer a small question, and along the way discovered our data has broader implications than we anticipated.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeautiful tiny shells\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith this new technique, the team analyzed layers of sediment in the Florida Straits, a narrow passage between the Florida Keys and Cuba, where the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean meet. By coring into these layers and taking a cylindrical sample, \u201cthe layers of accumulating sediments provide an environmental history at the site,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz explains. In this instance, \u201cwe looked at how the shells of single-celled organisms called \u003Cem\u003Eforaminifera\u003C\/em\u003E changed with time.\u201d Because \u003Cem\u003Eforaminifera \u003C\/em\u003Elive on the ocean floor, their shells accumulate within each layer of sediment, preserving important chemical signatures that can be used to reconstruct the chemistry of the ocean in which they resided.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is pretty amazing that ocean chemistry of the past can be reconstructed in such detail using beautiful, tiny shells,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research showed that during the Younger Dryas, as the overturning circulation weakened, nutrients in the Gulf Stream decreased and the amount of oxygen in the Florida Straits increased. The team also found that as the nutrient stream decreased, the amount of biological productivity in the North Atlantic decreased as well.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe study represents an important development of the carbon isotope-based proxy for past oxygen concentrations,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz says. \u201cThe record is very clean, and the magnitude and timing of the changes in dissolved oxygen are mirrored to an astonishing degree in the phosphate reconstruction.\u201d\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeyond climate\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBeyond these findings about how the ocean works, the team\u2019s study of \u003Cem\u003Eforaminifera \u003C\/em\u003Ealso provides new ways to understand how nutrients are cycled around the ocean, and how we investigate this. These windows into\u0026nbsp;how Earth\u2019s oceans changed in the past provide a critical tool for testing models, letting us better predict how our oceans and the resources they provide may respond to climate change in the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe physical changes in the earth system can have profound changes on life in the ocean, and far-reaching impacts,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz notes. \u201cClimate change is about more than climate,\u201d\u0026nbsp;\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\u003EThis study was supported by National Science Foundation grant OCE-1459563 (J.L.-S.) and National Science Foundation grant OCE-1851900 (J.L.-S.).\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDOI: \u003Ca href=\u0022science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adi5543\u0022\u003Escience.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adi5543\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn a first-of-its kind study, Georgia Tech researchers have investigated how the prehistoric weakening of a major ocean current led to a decline in ocean nutrients and negative impacts on North Atlantic ocean life. The results support predictions about how our oceans might react to a changing climate \u2014 and what that means for ocean life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" The study, lead by researchers at Georgia Tech, uncovers how weakening prehistoric ocean currents impacted North Atlantic nutrient levels and ocean life,\u00a0supporting predictions about how today\u0027s oceans might react to a changing climate."}],"uid":"35599","created_gmt":"2024-05-10 14:04:26","changed_gmt":"2024-05-10 18:14:21","author":"sperrin6","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673977":{"id":"673977","type":"image","title":"Taking a sediment core from the Florida Straits.","body":null,"created":"1715350068","gmt_created":"2024-05-10 14:07:48","changed":"1715350068","gmt_changed":"2024-05-10 14:07:48","alt":"Taking a sediment core from the Florida Straits.","file":{"fid":"257439","name":"SedimentCore.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/SedimentCore.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/SedimentCore.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":230926,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/10\/SedimentCore.jpeg?itok=jD1DUnzB"}},"673975":{"id":"673975","type":"image","title":"\u201cIt is pretty amazing that ocean chemistry of the past can be reconstructed in such detail using beautiful, tiny shells,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz says.","body":null,"created":"1715350068","gmt_created":"2024-05-10 14:07:48","changed":"1715350068","gmt_changed":"2024-05-10 14:07:48","alt":"\u201cIt is pretty amazing that ocean chemistry of the past can be reconstructed in such detail using beautiful, tiny shells,\u201d Lynch-Stieglitz says.","file":{"fid":"257437","name":"TinyShells2.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/TinyShells2.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/TinyShells2.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":279559,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/10\/TinyShells2.jpeg?itok=Z3_5uqqN"}},"673976":{"id":"673976","type":"image","title":"Foraminifera shells accumulated within each layer of sediment, preserving important chemical signatures.","body":null,"created":"1715350068","gmt_created":"2024-05-10 14:07:48","changed":"1715350068","gmt_changed":"2024-05-10 14:07:48","alt":"Foraminifera shells accumulated within each layer of sediment, preserving important chemical signatures.","file":{"fid":"257438","name":"TinyBeautifulShells.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/TinyBeautifulShells.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/TinyBeautifulShells.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":134491,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/10\/TinyBeautifulShells.jpeg?itok=9_cMFy6e"}}},"media_ids":["673977","673975","673976"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adi5543","title":"A diminished North Atlantic nutrient stream during Younger Dryas climate reversal"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"192254","name":"cos-climate"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWritten by \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: sperrin6@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESelena Langner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"674643":{"#nid":"674643","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Awarded $2.6 Million NIH Grant to Use AI to Advance Exoskeleton Assistance Post Stroke","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFaculty from the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, including Associate Professors\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/sawicki\u0022\u003EGregory Sawicki\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/young\u0022\u003EAaron Young\u003C\/a\u003E, have been awarded a five-year, $2.6 million Research Project Grant (R01) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are grateful to our NIH sponsor for this award to improve treatment of post-stroke individuals using advanced robotic solutions,\u201d said Young, who is also affiliated with Georgia Tech\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022neuro.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ENeuro Next Initiative\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe R01 will support a project focused on using optimization and artificial intelligence to personalize exoskeleton assistance for individuals with symptoms resulting from stroke. Sawicki and Young will collaborate with researchers from the Emory Rehabilitation Hospital including Associate Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/med.emory.edu\/directory\/profile\/?u=TKESAR\u0022\u003ETrisha Kesar\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs a stroke researcher, I am eagerly looking forward to making progress on this project, and paving the way for leading-edge technologies and technology-driven treatment strategies that maximize functional independence and quality of life of people with neuro-pathologies,\u0022 said Kesar.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe intervention for study participants will include a training therapy program that will use biofeedback to increase the efficiency of exosuits for wearers.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/herrin\u0022\u003EKinsey Herrin\u003C\/a\u003E, senior research scientist in the Woodruff School and Neuro Next Initiative affiliate, explained the extended benefits of the study, including being able to increase safety for stroke patients who are moving outdoors. \u201cOne aspect of this project is testing our technologies on stroke survivors as they\u0027re walking outside. Being outside is a small thing that many of us take for granted, but a devastating loss for many following a stroke.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESawicki, who is also an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and core faculty in Georgia Tech\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/robotics\u0022\u003EInstitute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines\u003C\/a\u003E, is also looking forward to the project. \u0022This new project is truly a tour de force that leverages a highly talented interdisciplinary team of engineers, clinical scientists, and prosthetics\/orthotics experts who all bring key elements needed to build assistive technology that can work in real-world scenarios.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMechanical engineering researchers\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/sawicki\u0022\u003EGregory Sawicki\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/young\u0022\u003EAaron Young\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;recently received $2.6 million from NIH to pursue a project focused on using optimization and artificial intelligence to personalize exoskeleton assistance for individuals with symptoms resulting from stroke.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Gregory Sawicki and Aaron Young will use artificial intelligence to personalize exoskeleton assistance for people with symptoms resulting from stroke."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2024-05-10 17:24:55","changed_gmt":"2024-05-10 17:37:41","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673980":{"id":"673980","type":"image","title":"Greg-Sawicki-and-Aaron-Young_0.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMechanical Engineering and Biological Sciences Associate Professor Gregory Sawicki (left) and Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Aaron Young.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1715361934","gmt_created":"2024-05-10 17:25:34","changed":"1715361934","gmt_changed":"2024-05-10 17:25:34","alt":"Mechanical Engineering and Biological Sciences Associate Professor Gregory Sawicki (left) and Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Aaron Young.","file":{"fid":"257442","name":"Greg-Sawicki-and-Aaron-Young_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/Greg-Sawicki-and-Aaron-Young_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/05\/10\/Greg-Sawicki-and-Aaron-Young_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":873186,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/05\/10\/Greg-Sawicki-and-Aaron-Young_0.jpg?itok=RCHlu6gw"}}},"media_ids":["673980"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/universal-controller-could-push-robotic-prostheses-exoskeletons-real-world-use","title":"Universal Controller Could Push Robotic Prostheses, Exoskeletons Into Real-World Use"},{"url":"https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/news\/1000-steps-100-days-high-heels-may-help-improve-walking","title":"1,000 Steps for 100 Days in High Heels May Help Improve Walking"},{"url":"https:\/\/neuro.gatech.edu\/georgia-tech-partners-15m-nsf-grant-explore-muscle-dynamics","title":"Georgia Tech Partners on $15M NSF Grant to Explore Muscle Dynamics"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"66220","name":"Neuro"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"172970","name":"go-neuro"},{"id":"192253","name":"cos-neuro"},{"id":"188087","name":"go-irim"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"190256","name":"G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"},{"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":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/user\/1065\u0022\u003EChloe Arrington\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["carrington30@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":""}},"674443":{"#nid":"674443","#data":{"type":"news","title":"James Stroud Named Early Career Fellow by Ecological Society of America ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJames T. Stroud \u003C\/strong\u003Ehas been named an Early Career Fellow by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.esa.org\u0022\u003EEcological Society of America\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.esa.org\/blog\/2024\/04\/30\/ecological-society-of-america-announces-2024-fellows\/\u0022\u003Ejoins the ranks\u003C\/a\u003E of nine newly appointed ESA Fellows and ten 2024-2028 ESA Early Career Fellows, elected for \u0022advancing the science of ecology and showing promise for continuing contributions\u0022 and recently confirmed by the organization\u0027s Governing Board.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStroud, an Elizabeth Smithgall Watts Early Career Assistant Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E, is an integrative evolutionary ecologist who investigates how ecological and evolutionary processes may underlie patterns of biological diversity at the macro-scale.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe primarily \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/evolution-lizard-study\u0022\u003Estudies lizards\u003C\/a\u003E and his research is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/temperatures-climb-flying-insects-slower-migrate-cooler-elevations\u0022\u003Ehighly multidisciplinary\u003C\/a\u003E, combining field studies with macro-ecological and evolutionary comparative analyses. Stroud\u2019s current interests are particularly focused on measuring natural selection in the wild, often taking advantage of non-native lizards as natural experiments in ecology and evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EEarlier this month, Stroud presented his recent work at the inaugural College of Sciences \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/2024-frontiers-science-climate-action\u0022\u003EFrontiers in Science: Climate Action Conference and Symposium\u003C\/a\u003E, joining more than \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/frontiers-climate\u0022\u003E20 faculty experts and 100 stakeholders\u003C\/a\u003E from across all six colleges at Georgia Tech to discuss climate change, challenges, and solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStroud joined the Georgia Tech faculty in August 2023. He earned a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolution from Florida International University.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I am thrilled to recognize the exceptional contributions of our newly selected Fellows and Early Career Fellows,\u201d says ESA President \u003Cstrong\u003EShahid Naeem\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u201cTheir groundbreaking research, unwavering commitment to mentoring and teaching and advocacy for sound science in management and policy decisions have not only advanced ecological science but also inspired positive change within our community and beyond. We celebrate their achievements and eagerly anticipate the profound impacts they will continue to make in their careers.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EESA will formally acknowledge and celebrate its new Fellows for their exceptional achievements during a ceremony at ESA\u2019s 2024 Annual Meeting in Long Beach, California.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout ESA Fellowships\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EESA established its Fellows program in 2012 with the goal of honoring its members and supporting their competitiveness and advancement to leadership positions in the Society, at their institutions, and in broader society. Past ESA Fellows and Early Career Fellows are listed on the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.esa.org\/about\/esa-fellows-program\/esa-fellows\/\u0022 id=\u0022OWAb825d058-c243-bc8d-bb7d-cb7c1c41e5bb\u0022 title=\u0022https:\/\/www.esa.org\/about\/esa-fellows-program\/esa-fellows\/\u0022\u003EESA Fellows page\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout ESA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Ecological Society of America, founded in 1915, is the world\u2019s largest community of professional ecologists and a trusted source of ecological knowledge, committed to advancing the understanding of life on Earth. The 8,000 member Society publishes \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Esix journals and a membership bulletin\u003C\/a\u003E and broadly shares ecological information through policy, media outreach, and education initiatives. The Society\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.esa.org\/longbeach2024\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAnnual Meeting\u003C\/a\u003E attracts 4,000 attendees and features the most recent advances in ecological science. Visit the ESA website at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.esa.org\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.esa.org\u003C\/a\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\u003EStroud,\u0026nbsp;an Elizabeth Smithgall Watts Early Career Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences, joins nine newly appointed Fellows and ten Early Career Fellows, elected for \u0022advancing the science of ecology and showing promise for continuing contributions\u0022 in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Stroud joins nine newly appointed Fellows and ten ESA Early Career Fellows, elected for \u0022advancing the science of ecology and showing promise for continuing contributions\u0022 in the field. "}],"uid":"34528","created_gmt":"2024-04-30 16:24:17","changed_gmt":"2024-04-30 16:32:47","author":"jhunt7","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":{"673890":{"id":"673890","type":"image","title":"James Stroud examines an anole (Day\u2019s Edge Productions)","body":null,"created":"1714494317","gmt_created":"2024-04-30 16:25:17","changed":"1714494317","gmt_changed":"2024-04-30 16:25:17","alt":"James Stroud examines an anole (Day\u2019s Edge Productions)","file":{"fid":"257341","name":"original_stroudresearchmiami_003_daysedgeprods.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/30\/original_stroudresearchmiami_003_daysedgeprods.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/30\/original_stroudresearchmiami_003_daysedgeprods.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":494176,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/30\/original_stroudresearchmiami_003_daysedgeprods.jpg?itok=cfKU82J9"}},"673891":{"id":"673891","type":"image","title":"James Stroud lassos a lizard.","body":null,"created":"1714494357","gmt_created":"2024-04-30 16:25:57","changed":"1714494357","gmt_changed":"2024-04-30 16:25:57","alt":"James Stroud lassos a lizard.","file":{"fid":"257342","name":"b-Original-StroudResearchMiami-009.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/30\/b-Original-StroudResearchMiami-009.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/30\/b-Original-StroudResearchMiami-009.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":104826,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/30\/b-Original-StroudResearchMiami-009.jpg?itok=WVC6Y21e"}}},"media_ids":["673890","673891"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/evolution-lizard-study","title":"Long-Term Lizard Study Challenges the Rules of Evolutionary Biology"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.esa.org\/blog\/2024\/04\/30\/ecological-society-of-america-announces-2024-fellows\/","title":"Ecological Society of America announces 2024 Fellows"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/temperatures-climb-flying-insects-slower-migrate-cooler-elevations","title":"As Temperatures Climb, Flying Insects Slower to Migrate to Cooler Elevations "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/2024-frontiers-science-climate-action","title":"2024 Frontiers in Science: Climate Action"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.quantamagazine.org\/evolution-fast-or-slow-lizards-help-resolve-a-paradox-20240102","title":"Quanta Magazine | Evolution: Fast or Slow? Lizards Help Resolve a Paradox."},{"url":"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/article\/living-fossil-lizards-are-constantly-evolving-you-just-cant-see-it\/","title":"Scientific American | \u2018Living Fossil\u2019 Lizards Are Constantly Evolving \u2014 You Just Can\u2019t See It"},{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/climate-change-is-already-forcing-lizards-insects-and-other-species-to-evolve-and-most-cant-keep-up-215222","title":"The Conversation | Climate change is already forcing lizards, insects and other species to evolve \u2013 and most can\u2019t keep up "},{"url":"https:\/\/sites.gatech.edu\/stroudlab\/","title":"The Stroud Lab at Georgia Tech"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"193266","name":"cos-research"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"4320","name":"ecology"},{"id":"2262","name":"climate"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:mayda@esa.org\u0022\u003EMayda Nathan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nEcological Society of America\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jess@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"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 Congress.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1713985921","gmt_created":"2024-04-24 19:12:01","changed":"1713985921","gmt_changed":"2024-04-24 19:12:01","alt":"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.","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":""}},"674307":{"#nid":"674307","#data":{"type":"news","title":"2024 Frontiers in Science: Climate Action","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis Earth Month more than 100 campus and community stakeholders gathered near the Georgia Tech EcoCommons for the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/frontiers-climate\u0022\u003E2024 Frontiers in Science: Climate Action Conference and Symposium\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOn April 18, the College of Sciences hosted more than 20 speakers and panelists from across the Institute and Atlanta community presenting groundbreaking research and discussing innovations and ideas in climate change, challenges, and solutions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech President \u003Cstrong\u003E\u00c1ngel Cabrera\u003C\/strong\u003E (M.S. PSY 1993, Ph.D. PSY 1995) kicked off the morning sessions by highlighting the Institute\u2019s new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/04\/05\/climate-action-plan-provides-road-map-net-zero-emissions\u0022\u003EClimate Action Plan\u003C\/a\u003E, which outlines the pathway to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Cabrera\u2019s remarks focused on Georgia Tech\u2019s role on the frontlines of research and education informing how we respond to climate challenges \u2014 and noted that the Institute\u2019s work must extend beyond our laboratories and classrooms.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt is essential that we not only do the science, but that we also tell that science to the world,\u201d Cabrera says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInterdisciplinary inquiry\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis year, Frontiers in Science featured an array of climate research and initiatives led by the College of Sciences, fellow colleges across Georgia Tech, and the wider Atlanta community.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a three-year hiatus of the Frontiers series, the 2024 edition re-envisioned the signature annual event as a research conference and symposium to convene campus experts \u2014 and to incubate seed grant proposals to support the work of early career faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFrontiers previously hosted Nobel laureates and invited thought leaders for individual talks across the College\u2019s six schools, and celebrated milestones like the International Year of the Periodic Table of the Chemical Elements.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis year, we wanted to showcase what we are doing right here in the College of Sciences and throughout the Institute,\u201d says \u003Cstrong\u003ESusan Lozier\u003C\/strong\u003E, dean of the College of Sciences, Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair and professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. \u201cOur faculty are at the forefront of broadening our knowledgebase and uncovering solutions in areas critical to the planet and our well-being. We wanted to uplift that work and see what sort of connections could be made.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EConnections and collaboration were key themes of the day as faculty, staff, students, and alumni participants representing all six Georgia Tech colleges shared research results and ongoing work and discussed collaborative ideas for horizons ahead.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cScientists alone cannot [create accurate models],\u201d noted \u003Cstrong\u003EAnnalisa Bracco\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and associate chair for Research, who shared her own research alongside Lozier, who presented a version of her \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ted.com\/talks\/susan_lozier_is_climate_change_slowing_down_the_ocean\u0022\u003E2024 TED Talk\u003C\/a\u003E on ocean overturning. \u201cEngineers alone cannot do it. We need social scientists, policy makers, communicators.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe importance of an interdisciplinary approach was reinforced by the\u0026nbsp;Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Tech (SEI)\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBrook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems (BBISS)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E,\u003C\/strong\u003E which announced an \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/seibbissclimatechallenge\u0022\u003Einterdisciplinary seed grant funding\u003C\/a\u003E opportunity for assistant professors with ideas for new climate solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFrontiers in focus\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAcross three themed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/frontiers-climate\u0022\u003Esessions\u003C\/a\u003E, faculty and leadership from the Colleges of Sciences, Engineering, and Design spearheaded talks on the ocean and cryosphere, biodiversity, carbon cycling, coastal wetlands, biofuels production, and beyond.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPanels on climate challenges across community, technological, and policy initiatives were hosted by Georgia Tech Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research and Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry \u003Cstrong\u003EJulia Kubanek\u003C\/strong\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a networking lunch with climate table topics, Georgia Tech Executive Vice President for Research and Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering \u003Cstrong\u003EChaouki T. Abdallah\u003C\/strong\u003E (M.S. ECE 1982, Ph.D. ECE 1988) kicked off the afternoon sessions \u2014 which also announced the scholarship recipients of a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/climatevideocontest\u0022\u003Estudent video competition\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and featured videos with a pair of alumnae working in meteorology, climate research, and policy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAfternoon highlights also included discussions on the Georgia Tech Climate Action Plan and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sustain.gatech.edu\/sustainabilitynext-plan\/\u0022\u003ESustainability Next\u003C\/a\u003E initiative, led by \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Chirico\u003C\/strong\u003E (B.S. MGMT 1997, Ph.D. PUBP 2011), associate vice president of Sustainability for Georgia Tech Infrastructure and Sustainability, and \u003Cstrong\u003EJennifer Leavey\u003C\/strong\u003E (B.S. CHEM 1995), assistant dean for Faculty Mentoring in the College of Sciences and interim assistant director for Interdisciplinary Education in the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough many of the presentations provided a stern outlook of the state of our ecosystems, the conference concluded with a sense of hope. This optimism was grounded in the range of opportunities that exist to address climate challenges \u2014 thanks, in part, to the body of knowledge and solutions being tested and explored by Georgia Tech researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the day, \u003Cstrong\u003EKatie Griffin\u003C\/strong\u003E, a first year undergraduate student in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/new-georgia-tech-environmental-science-degree-launches\u0022\u003EEnvironmental Science\u003C\/a\u003E, read Amanda Gorman\u2019s poem \u003Cem\u003EEarthrise\u003C\/em\u003E and provided this reminder:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAll of us bring light to exciting solutions never tried before\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nFor it is our hope that implores us, at our uncompromising core,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nTo keep rising up for an earth more than worth fighting for.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EExperience the event in pictures with the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/gtsciences\/albums\/72177720316401948\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECollege of Sciences\u2019 Flickr account\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E, and discover the highlights through the day\u2019s live tweets on \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/GTSciences\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECollege of Sciences\u2019 X account\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis Earth Month more than 100 campus and community stakeholders gathered near the Georgia Tech EcoCommons for the 2024 Frontiers in Science: Climate Action Conference and Symposium. On April 18, the College of Sciences hosted more than 20 speakers and panelists from across the Institute and Atlanta community presenting groundbreaking research and discussing innovations and ideas in climate change, challenges, and solutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Inaugural College of Sciences research conference and symposium showcases Georgia Tech\u2019s contributions to climate research and solutions."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2024-04-22 19:35:12","changed_gmt":"2024-04-23 16:23:40","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-04-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"673802":{"id":"673802","type":"image","title":"Frontiers in Science Banner Outside at Sunrise","body":null,"created":"1713815897","gmt_created":"2024-04-22 19:58:17","changed":"1713821670","gmt_changed":"2024-04-22 21:34:30","alt":"Frontiers in Science Banner Outside at Sunrise","file":{"fid":"257242","name":"frontiers in science banner outside main doors at sunrise.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/frontiers%20in%20science%20banner%20outside%20main%20doors%20at%20sunrise.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/frontiers%20in%20science%20banner%20outside%20main%20doors%20at%20sunrise.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7141885,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/22\/frontiers%20in%20science%20banner%20outside%20main%20doors%20at%20sunrise.jpg?itok=vPgE5iia"}},"673809":{"id":"673809","type":"image","title":"Jenny McGuire","body":null,"created":"1713819926","gmt_created":"2024-04-22 21:05:26","changed":"1713821501","gmt_changed":"2024-04-22 21:31:41","alt":"Jenny McGuire","file":{"fid":"257251","name":"Frontiers in Science Jenny McGuire Presents.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20Jenny%20McGuire%20Presents.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20Jenny%20McGuire%20Presents.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4795581,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20Jenny%20McGuire%20Presents.jpg?itok=inkbtEFf"}},"673806":{"id":"673806","type":"image","title":"Frontiers in Science Policy Discussion Panelists: Michelle Midanier, Valerie Thomas and Joe F. Bozeman III","body":null,"created":"1713819458","gmt_created":"2024-04-22 20:57:38","changed":"1713821607","gmt_changed":"2024-04-22 21:33:27","alt":"Frontiers in Science Policy Discussion Panelists: Michelle Midanier, Valerie Thomas and Joe F. Bozeman III","file":{"fid":"257247","name":"53671630866_a3c6f3a583_o.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/53671630866_a3c6f3a583_o.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/53671630866_a3c6f3a583_o.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8750938,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/22\/53671630866_a3c6f3a583_o.jpg?itok=N8o4cbZn"}},"673805":{"id":"673805","type":"image","title":"Frontiers in Science Participants","body":null,"created":"1713819380","gmt_created":"2024-04-22 20:56:20","changed":"1713821634","gmt_changed":"2024-04-22 21:33:54","alt":"Frontiers in Science Participants","file":{"fid":"257246","name":"Frontiers in Science Participants Conversation2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20Participants%20Conversation2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20Participants%20Conversation2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6014932,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20Participants%20Conversation2.jpg?itok=aOTXfKKE"}},"673808":{"id":"673808","type":"image","title":"President \u00c1ngel Cabrera","body":null,"created":"1713819780","gmt_created":"2024-04-22 21:03:00","changed":"1713821547","gmt_changed":"2024-04-22 21:32:27","alt":"President \u00c1ngel Cabrera","file":{"fid":"257249","name":"Frontiers in Science President Cabrera.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20President%20Cabrera.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20President%20Cabrera.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8107933,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/04\/22\/Frontiers%20in%20Science%20President%20Cabrera.jpg?itok=HgeEV_zD"}},"673807":{"id":"673807","type":"image","title":"Susan Lozier, Julia Kubanek, L. 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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":""}}}