{"685150":{"#nid":"685150","#data":{"type":"event","title":"Immunoengineering Trainee Seminar","body":[{"value":"\u003Ch6\u003ERefreshments for In-person attendees.\u003Cbr\u003E**\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.zoom.us\/webinar\/register\/WN_dBskOiBKSRizz6WGmsERLw\u0022\u003EClick HERE\u003C\/a\u003E to register for Zoom link\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFeatured Speakers:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0022Graph-based 2D and 3D Spatial Gene Neighborhood Networks of Single Cells in Gels and Tissues\u003C\/strong\u003E\u201d - \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/zhou-fang-54714b158\/\u0022\u003EZhou Fang\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D. Student, Coskun Lab\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESpatially resolved transcriptomic technologies such as multiplexed error-robust fluorescence\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003Ein situ\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;hybridization (MERFISH) and sequential FISH generate high-dimensional datasets that reflect the organization of molecules within cells. Further advancements also allow the imaging of cells grown in 3D environments, such as hydrogel and Matrigel. Therefore, we developed the spatially-resolved gene neighborhood network (spaGNN) pipeline to identify subcellular spatially-resolved features that achieve cell-type identification and cell-cell communication (CCC) prediction. We first developed the spaGNN\u0026nbsp;for 2D subcellular spatial transcriptomics data. This algorithm quantifies the physical proximity of RNA molecules. Spatially resolved gene neighborhoods are used to identify networks that are distinct at different parts of a single cell. We then examined the cell-type identification using the gene proximity features. We then extended the spaGNN pipeline into 3D environments and applied the pipeline to examine local CCC between MSCs in hydrogel, between MSCs and immune cells coculture in Matrigel, and between astrocytes and neurons in brain tissues.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0022A Lymphoid\u2013Gut-on-a-Chip Model to Recapitulate Human Immune Responses to Intestinal Inflammation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u201d - \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/valeria-juarez\/\u0022\u003EValeria Juarez\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D. Student, Singh Lab\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch6\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbstract\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h6\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe immune system plays a central role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, and its dysregulation contributes to a range of chronic conditions, including inflammatory diseases, persistent infections, and cancer. While existing in vitro intestinal models capture epithelial differentiation, they lack a functional immune component, limiting their ability to model intestinal homeostasis and disease. Therefore, we developed a lymphoid\u2013gut-on-a-chip platform that integrates a human B cell follicle organoid embedded within a fully synthetic hydrogel matrix and a perfusable intestinal epithelium derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Upon exposure to Escherichia coli (E. coli) lysate, the epithelial layer exhibits increased barrier permeability and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion. In parallel, the lymphoid organoid shows enhanced antibody production, demonstrating immune\u2013epithelial functional connectivity. Our lymphoid\u2013gut-on-a-chip system provides a promising tool for investigating human gut\u2013immune interactions and inflammatory responses in vitro.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Immunoengineering Training Seminar Series is supported by the NIH T32 Research Training Program in Immunoengineering and housed within the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/immunoengineering.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECenter for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech\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\u003E\u0026nbsp;Zhou Fang, Ph.D. Student, Coskun Lab and Valeria Juarez, Ph.D. Student, Ankur Singh, Advisor\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":" Zhou Fang, Ph.D. Student, Coskun Lab and Valeria Juarez, Ph.D. Student, Ankur Singh, Advisor"}],"uid":"35486","created_gmt":"2025-09-22 17:15:51","changed_gmt":"2025-10-02 11:38:16","author":"Christina Wessels","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2025-10-03T09:30:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2025-10-03T10:30:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2025-10-03T10:30:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2025-10-03 13:30:00","gmt_time_end":"2025-10-03 14:30:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2025-10-03 14:30:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"location":"Petit Biotech Building (IBB), Suddath Seminar Room 1128, 315 Ferst Drive","extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"189814","name":"go-researchevents"},{"id":"126601","name":"go-ImmunoEngineering"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1795","name":"Seminar\/Lecture\/Colloquium"}],"invited_audience":[{"id":"78761","name":"Faculty\/Staff"},{"id":"177814","name":"Postdoc"},{"id":"174045","name":"Graduate students"}],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}