{"692738":{"#nid":"692738","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Launches ETHOS Initiative to Accelerate Human-Centered Medical Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s ETHOS initiative brings together expertise from across the Institute to advance human-centered research models that could accelerate the development of safer, more effective therapies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore a promising new therapy can reach a patient, researchers need to answer a deceptively simple question: Will it work?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor decades, part of the answer has come from animal testing. Animal models have helped scientists make countless medical advances and understand how potential treatments behave in a living system. But they also present scientific and ethical challenges, including one unavoidable limitation: A mouse isn\u0027t a human. This limitation is one reason \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aeb0045\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Emany promising drug candidates fail during human clinical trials\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, Georgia Tech is launching a new Institute-wide initiative focused on technologies that help researchers close that gap by studying human health and disease in ways that more closely reflect human biology. This interdisciplinary venture, called Emerging Technologies for Human-Oriented Systems (ETHOS), will advance human-centered research technologies, including new approach methodologies (NAMs) that improve prediction of human responses and support the development of safer, more effective therapies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cETHOS reflects Georgia Tech\u0027s commitment to advancing innovative approaches to some of society\u0027s most pressing health challenges,\u201d said Executive Vice President for Research Tim Lieuwen. \u201cBy bringing together expertise from across the Institute and investing in technologies that more closely reflect human biology, we have an opportunity to accelerate discovery, strengthen translation, and help shape the future of biomedical research.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EUnifying Research\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESupported by the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, ETHOS is built on an interdisciplinary framework that connects researchers across Georgia Tech and with clinical and translational partners. The initiative draws on expertise in bioengineering, materials science, device engineering, computing, and data science. It will be led jointly by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E (IBB) and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ideas.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EInstitute for Data Engineering and Science\u003C\/a\u003E (IDEaS).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat sets Georgia Tech apart is our ability to unify deep expertise in foundational life sciences, bioengineering, and materials science with artificial intelligence and data science,\u201d said Vice President for Interdisciplinary Research Julia Kubanek. \u201cETHOS creates a framework for connecting those strengths, fostering new collaborations, and enabling researchers to tackle complex health challenges in ways that no single discipline could accomplish alone.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh, Carl Ring Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E (BME), will lead ETHOS in his new administrative role as deputy director of IBB. Although ETHOS is a new initiative, Georgia Tech researchers have already begun building a NAMs community through an institutional task force and other collaborative efforts. That momentum will continue with the 2027 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/bioresearch.gatech.edu\/news\/events\/suddath-symposium\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESuddath Symposium\u003C\/a\u003E, which will focus on NAMs and bring researchers together across disciplines.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech has expertise across the full spectrum of these approaches, from AI and computational modeling to engineered tissues and experimental systems,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/james-gumbart\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJC Gumbart\u003C\/a\u003E, Dunn Family Professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cETHOS gives us a framework to connect those strengths and accelerate human-centered biomedical research.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGumbart co-led the NAMs task force and is co-organizing the symposium with \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/people.research.gatech.edu\/shuichi-takayama\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EShuichi Takayama\u003C\/a\u003E, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and chair of regenerative engineering medicine within BME.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EAdvancing Discovery\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat are new approach methodologies, or NAMs, and how can they help researchers address human health challenges?\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENAMs include both physical models, such as organoids and organ-on-chip technologies, and computational models that use artificial intelligence. Each approach has its own advantages and limitations.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOrganoids and organ-on-chip are living tissue systems grown in the lab that mimic key features of human biology and help researchers study how the body may respond to new drugs or treatments. These models allow researchers to observe biological responses in human tissue systems, but they are limited by the steep cost of time and resources required to create them.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComputational models take advantage of AI and supercomputing technology to rapidly explore and predict thousands of possibilities. They use existing datasets to examine complex relationships at scale and simulate how potential changes might affect a system. Though these simulations can provide a large-scale prediction of what might happen, they can\u2019t provide evidence of how cells actually respond.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EETHOS emphasizes a bidirectional approach that combines engineered biological systems with predictive computational models. For instance, a scientist who is testing a new drug on an organoid may use AI to predict how the drug could affect a larger population with differing demographics. Conversely, a researcher using a computational model may use an organ-on-chip experiment to validate (or disprove) the computer\u2019s prediction.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese human platforms allow us to look broad \u2014 exploring how therapies behave across populations \u2014 and look deep, engineering precise models that reflect an individual patient\u2019s unique health profile,\u201d Singh said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ELeading the Way\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe adaptability of NAMs gives researchers a more human-centered way to study \u2014 and hopefully one day treat \u2014 some of humanity\u2019s most pervasive health problems, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, infection, and more. Therapies developed using NAMs could be broad-use solutions that impact entire populations or tailored treatments for personalized healthcare. By bringing together strengths in engineering, computing, data science, and the life sciences, ETHOS positions Georgia Tech to help shape the future of NAMs research and technology development.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe next generation of medical research increasingly relies on models that are both more human and more intelligent. Georgia Tech\u0027s strength lies in connecting the physical and digital worlds of biology,\u201d Singh said. \u201cThat closed loop between human biology and computation gives us a powerful advantage in developing the next generation of non-animal models for research and drug development.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe initiative will also include the development of a platform designed to connect researchers across the Institute and help them identify complementary expertise, shared experimental systems, and collaborative funding opportunities. The digital matchmaking system, along with pilot research and technology development, AI integration, grant development, and community building, makes ETHOS a potentially groundbreaking program launching at an opportune time.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cETHOS is an initiative of convergence. Few institutions combine strengths in advanced human tissue systems, engineering, AI, and data science at the scale of Georgia Tech. ETHOS provides a framework to unite those capabilities and accelerate biomedical discovery and translation,\u201d Singh said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EETHOS is designed to strengthen connections between fundamental research and real-world health applications. By developing research models that more closely reflect human biology, the initiative could help researchers identify promising therapies earlier and better understand how they may perform in people. ETHOS could also strengthen collaborations among Atlanta\u0027s academic, clinical, and industry partners, creating new opportunities for translational research and technology development.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore a promising new therapy can reach a patient, researchers need to answer a deceptively simple question: Will it work?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor decades, part of the answer has come from animal testing. Animal models have helped scientists make countless medical advances and understand how potential treatments behave in a living system. But they also present scientific and ethical challenges, including one unavoidable limitation: A mouse isn\u0027t a human. This limitation is one reason \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.aeb0045\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Emany promising drug candidates fail during human clinical trials\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, Georgia Tech is launching a new Institute-wide initiative focused on technologies that help researchers close that gap by studying human health and disease in ways that more closely reflect human biology.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u0027s ETHOS initiative brings together expertise from across the Institute to advance human-centered research models that could accelerate the development of safer, more effective therapies."}],"uid":"36479","created_gmt":"2026-09-21 15:58:51","changed_gmt":"2026-09-21 18:39:54","author":"abowman41","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-09-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-09-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681214":{"id":"681214","type":"image","title":"_0000_NAMs-1.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAnkur Singh will lead Georgia Tech\u2019s new ETHOS initiative to advance New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and transform drug discovery through human-relevant systems. Singh is pictured alongside Ph.D. student Olivia Jones, holding a human immune organ engineered on-a-chip, a breakthrough innovation developed at Georgia Tech to model complex immune responses outside the body.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1790006443","gmt_created":"2026-09-21 16:00:43","changed":"1790006443","gmt_changed":"2026-09-21 16:00:43","alt":"A woman with brown hair wearing a navy blue blouse holds a microscope slide up to the camera. To her right is a male researcher wearing a suit holding a round lab dish with plastic organ-on-chip experiments inside.","file":{"fid":"265577","name":"_0000_NAMs-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/21\/_0000_NAMs-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/21\/_0000_NAMs-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":128202,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/21\/_0000_NAMs-1.jpg?itok=Cgtrcz6B"}}},"media_ids":["681214"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"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":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"188776","name":"go-research"},{"id":"187082","name":"go-ideas"}],"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\u003EAshlie Bowman | Communications Manager\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}