{"687053":{"#nid":"687053","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Garg Recognized as Rising Star","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAssociate Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/neha-garg\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENeha Garg,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E Blanchard Early Career Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been selected as a recipient of the American Chemical Society\u2019s (ACS) 2026 Women Chemists Committee (WCC)\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/acswcc.org\/awards\/rising-star-award\/\u0022\u003ERising Star Award\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;This national honor\u0026nbsp;recognizes exceptional early- to mid-career women chemists who have demonstrated outstanding promise for contributions to their respective fields.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe School of Chemistry and Biochemistry is thrilled to see that Neha Garg is included in the current WCC Rising Star cohort,\u201d says School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Chair and Professor\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EVicki Wysocki.\u003C\/strong\u003E \u201cShe is richly deserving of this award, given her excellent work on the interactions between eukaryotes (e.g., humans) and the microbiome.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGarg obtained her Ph.D. from the\u0026nbsp;University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and conducted postdoctoral research at\u0026nbsp;UC San Diego (UCSD)\u0027s Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She has been at Georgia Tech since 2017.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThis award is a tremendous source of personal pride as it acknowledges my lab\u2019s hard work in the field of microbial chemistry,\u201d says Garg. \u201cIt\u2019s especially meaningful that it\u0027s a WCC award because it serves as a powerful platform for me to inspire young women.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EShe adds that visibility remains essential for advancing women in STEM.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cImposter syndrome is real, so awards like this are important for women in science,\u201d explains Garg. \u201cI\u2019m grateful this recognition exists, and I\u2019m proud and happy to be honored.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EAs part of the Rising Star Award, Garg will be honored at a WCC luncheon and deliver a scientific talk highlighting her career path and current research at the ACS Spring 2026 Meeting in March.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EChemical communication and connection\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGarg\u2019s lab studies the chemistry that underlies crosstalk between the human microbiome and its host. The microbiome includes vast communities of bacteria living on and inside the body \u2014\u0026nbsp;from the skin and mouth to the gut, reproductive system, and lungs. Her group examines how these microbes and human tissues exchange information through small molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cOur work aims to understand the chemistry of collaboration between the microbiome and its host,\u201d says Garg. \u201cWe focus on the lungs and airways, studying how epithelial cells and microbial communities interact through nutrients and microbial compounds. These molecules form a chemical dialogue, and my lab builds models to decode and investigate it.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBy mapping this communication network, Garg hopes to shape future therapeutic strategies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cUnderstanding collaboration between the microbiome and the host will help develop microbiome-targeted therapies,\u201d she explains. \u201cThese therapeutics could prevent respiratory infections, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, limit harmful bacteria, or influence host tissues in ways that improve health.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHer work also extends to marine systems. Garg\u2019s team studies similar chemical interactions between microbes and corals, offering insight into ecosystem resilience and ocean health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGarg was co-nominated by\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EPieter Dorrestein\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor at UCSD\u2019s Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EBradley Moore\u003C\/strong\u003E, distinguished professor of marine chemical biology and director of the Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine at UCSD\u2019s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Moore also serves as a distinguished professor at the UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cShe\u2019s a multidisciplinary wizard leading a revolution in functional metabolomics,\u201d says Moore. \u201cNeha gives me great hope for a better tomorrow in science.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cNeha is a remarkable scientist taking on deeply compelling questions in metabolic communication,\u201d adds Dorrestein. \u201cHer leadership, integrity, and commitment to mentorship make her a true role model for emerging scientists.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAwards and accolades\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGarg has earned numerous honors throughout her career, including the Royal Society of Chemistry\u0027s 2024 Natural Product Reports Emerging Investigator Lectureship Award, the 2023 ACS Academic Young Investigator Award from the Division of Organic Chemistry, Georgia Tech\u2019s 2022 Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, and a 2021 NSF CAREER Award. While working on her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she received the Anne A. Johnson Work Award for Excellence in Biochemistry, which recognizes one female student per year for excellence in Ph.D. thesis research.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECulture and community at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EGarg credits her experience at Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;and the Institute\u2019s strong support of women in STEM\u0026nbsp;\u2014\u0026nbsp;for shaping her path as a scientist and mentor. She praises the collaborative environment, helpful colleagues, and the number of women in leadership roles. Garg also appreciates the work of Georgia Tech organizations such as\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/wic\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Women+ in Chemistry\u003C\/a\u003E and the\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/wst.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;Center for the Study of Women, Science, and Technology\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech provides a supportive, collegial, and respectful environment where women in STEM can thrive and truly make a difference,\u201d says Garg.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGarg\u2019s groundbreaking research on chemical communication between humans and microbes \u2014 and her dedication to advancing women in STEM \u2014 has earned her national recognition as a WCC Rising Star.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Garg\u2019s groundbreaking research on chemical communication between humans and microbes \u2014 and her dedication to advancing women in STEM \u2014 has earned her national recognition as a WCC Rising Star."}],"uid":"36607","created_gmt":"2026-01-05 14:49:18","changed_gmt":"2026-01-13 19:31:54","author":"ls67","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678921":{"id":"678921","type":"image","title":"Neha Garg","body":"\u003Cp\u003ENeha Garg\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1767634559","gmt_created":"2026-01-05 17:35:59","changed":"1767634559","gmt_changed":"2026-01-05 17:35:59","alt":"Women standing in front of railing","file":{"fid":"263018","name":"Portrait-NG.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/05\/Portrait-NG.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/01\/05\/Portrait-NG.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":11005063,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/01\/05\/Portrait-NG.jpg?itok=KHb9Xi4S"}}},"media_ids":["678921"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.garglab-microbiomegt.com\/","title":"The Garg Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192250","name":"cos-microbial"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"26011","name":"faculty honors"}],"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":""}}}