{"669956":{"#nid":"669956","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Computing Faculty Supporting Research That Could Cut Cancer Deaths in Half","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA surgically implantable device the size of a pinky finger could be a huge step toward a cure for cancer. A multi-institutional team of researchers that includes Georgia Tech faculty received $45 million from the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/arpa-h.gov\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to develop sense-and-respond implant technology for cancer treatment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe National Cancer Institute estimates more than 600,000 people will die of cancer in the U.S. in 2023, but the researchers say their project could reduce the number of U.S. cancer-related deaths by 50%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJosiah Hester, an associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Interactive Computing, is a co-principal investigator on the project and is responsible for the sensing and computing technology in the implantable device. He will also assist with large-scale experimentations and coordinate the integration of the technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHester specializes in developing sensing, battery-free, and sustainable technology for wearable and mobile devices. He previously worked on a team that developed the first battery-free handheld gaming console.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECeline Lin, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Computer Science, is working with Hester to develop ultra-energy-efficient chips for signal processing and embedded control. Together, they will develop a robust platform that is energy-efficient enough to last for months.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe device contains genetically engineered cells catered to each individual patient that attack and eliminate cancer cells in the body. Thanks to Hester\u2019s efforts, the device can monitor a patient\u2019s cancer and adjust the dosage of the genetically engineered cells in real time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe must keep the cells alive to fight the cancer, and we must understand and control our progress in delivering this treatment,\u201d Hester said. \u201cReleasing too many cells could be toxic, and not releasing enough could be ineffective.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOmid Veiseh, a bioengineer at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.rice.edu\/news\/2023\/feds-fund-research-could-slash-us-cancer-deaths-50\u0022\u003ERice University\u003C\/a\u003E, serves as principal investigator on the project and genetically engineers the cancer-attacking cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlong with Hester and Lin, Veiseh\u2019s team consists of 19 co-PIs from the University of Texas, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University, Northwestern University, the University of Houston, and Johns Hopkins University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers named their project Targeted Hybrid Oncotherapeutic Regulation (THOR) and named the implantable device Hybrid Advanced Molecular Manufacturing Regulator (HAMMR).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the next five years, the team will test this unique approach to cancer treatment on patients with ovarian, pancreatic, and other difficult-to-treat cancers. They expect to not only improve immunotherapy outcomes for patients, but to make treatment more accessible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHester said once the device is surgically implanted, it is designed to remain in the body for six months or more, making it a minimally invasive alternative to chemotherapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you\u2019re a patient with advanced stage cancer, you might be going in weekly to do various invasive and painful procedures,\u201d Hester said. \u201cThis implant could remove a lot of the burden and make cancer treatment more accessible.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cInstead of driving three or four hours to get your treatment \u2014 which is expensive, and you may not be able to do it \u2014 you can have this implant. You come for the surgery, then you leave, and it stays with you for six months. The localized treatment should reduce the pain and terrible symptoms that chemotherapy and other systemic treatments cause in current protocols.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EARPA-H is a federal funding agency established in 2022 to support research that has \u201cthe potential to transform entire areas of medicine and health.\u201d THOR is the second program to receive funding from ARPA-H after its first Open Broad Agency Announcement solicitation for research proposals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first funding contract went to a team of researchers led by Philip Santangelo, a professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory\u003C\/a\u003E. Their project, known as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/08\/bme-researchers-lead-24m-project-using-mrna-turn-helpful-immune-responses\u0022\u003ECUREIT\u003C\/a\u003E, uses mRNA drugs to activate or switch off certain genes to help the immune system fight cancer and other chronic diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA multi-institutional team, including Georgia Tech researchers, has received $45 million from ARPA-H to develop a surgically implantable device the size of a pinky finger, called HAMMR, which contains genetically engineered cells for real-time cancer treatment and monitoring, potentially reducing U.S. cancer-related deaths by 50%.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A multi-institutional team, including Georgia Tech researchers, has received $45 million from ARPA-H to develop a surgically implantable device that may potentially reduce U.S. cancer-related deaths by 50%."}],"uid":"32045","created_gmt":"2023-09-26 17:34:27","changed_gmt":"2024-08-27 16:11:46","author":"Ben Snedeker","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671840":{"id":"671840","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Associate Professor of Interactive Computing Josiah Hester","body":null,"created":"1695750013","gmt_created":"2023-09-26 17:40:13","changed":"1695750013","gmt_changed":"2023-09-26 17:40:13","alt":"Georgia Tech Associate Professor of Interactive Computing Josiah Hester","file":{"fid":"254978","name":"Josiah Hester_86A0504.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Josiah%20Hester_86A0504.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/26\/Josiah%20Hester_86A0504.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":598031,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/26\/Josiah%20Hester_86A0504.jpg?itok=9adMnFyo"}}},"media_ids":["671840"],"groups":[{"id":"197261","name":"Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"660369","name":"Matter and Systems"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"10199","name":"Daily Digest"},{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENathan Deen, Communications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Interactive Computing\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}