{"602490":{"#nid":"602490","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Guldberg Gets Top Georgia Bio Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBob Guldberg, executive director of the Petit institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Institute of Technology, took center stage Thursday night at the 2018 Georgia Bio Life Science Health Impact Awards Gala at the Cobb Energy Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGuldberg, along with James Wehenmeyer, vice president of research and economic development at Georgia State University, received the Industry Growth Awards, the highest honors bestowed each year by Georgia Bio, the state\u0026rsquo;s life science advocacy and business association, now in its 20\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E year. The award recognizes individuals in the public and private sectors who have made extraordinary contributions to the growth of Georgia\u0026rsquo;s life sciences industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This award from Georgia Bio is a great honor and really a recognition of the efforts of the entire Petit Institute team,\u0026rdquo; Guldberg said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s remarkable how many more start-ups are being launched now compared to 10 or 20 years ago.\u0026nbsp;I am so proud of the collaborative entrepreneurial culture that we have built, where our students and faculty increasingly expect to successfully translate their lab work into commercial products and new clinical therapies.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech and the Petit Institute were well represented at the awards podium as nearly 300 of the state\u0026rsquo;s life science industry leaders gathered to celebrate the contribution and achievements of people and organizations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Guldberg, other award winners with Tech connections included Sherry Farrugia (chief operating and strategy officer of the Pediatric Technology Center, a partnership of Georgia Tech and Children\u0026rsquo;s Healthcare of Atlanta), who won a Community Award, and the NSF Engineering Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT) at Georgia Tech, which won a Deal of the Year Award.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We are excited to recognize the individuals and organizations improving and saving lives worldwide through their healthcare innovations and leadership here in Georgia.\u0026rdquo; said Russell Allen, president and CEO of Georgia Bio.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHere\u0026rsquo;s a list of the 2018 Georgia Bio Life Sciences Health Impact Award winners:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGEORGIA BIO INDUSTRY GROWTH AWARDS:\u003C\/strong\u003E Presented to two people who have made an extraordinary contribution to the growth of the life sciences industry in Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003ERobert E. Guldberg, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E, The Petit Director\u0026#39;s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience; Executive Director, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience; and Professor, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EJames Weyhenmeyer, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E, VP Research \u0026amp; Economic Development, Georgia State University and Chairman, GSU Research Foundation Inc.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPHOENIX AWARD:\u003C\/strong\u003E Presented to two Georgia honorees who have forged academic and industry relationships that will drive translation and lead to new treatments and cures. This award is sponsored by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.metroatlantachamber.com\/\u0022\u003EMetro Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.metroatlantachamber.com\/\u0022\u003EChamber.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; UGA Center for Vaccines and Immunology \/ Sanofi Pasteur\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDEALS OF THE YEAR AWARDS:\u003C\/strong\u003E Presented to one or more companies or institutions for the most significant financial or commercial transactions closed from November 1, 2016-October 31, 2017, based on the importance of the transaction to Georgia\u0026rsquo;s life sciences industry.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine at Augusta University\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECryoLife\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; Femasys\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Clinical \u0026amp; Translational Science Alliance\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; NSF Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT) at Georgia Tech\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVertera Spine\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECOMMUNITY AWARDS:\u003C\/strong\u003E Presented to a small number of individuals, companies or institutions whose contributions to Georgia\u0026rsquo;s life sciences community are worthy of special recognition.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003ESherry N. Farrugia\u003C\/strong\u003E, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer, Pediatric Technology Center, Georgia Institute of Technology; Director, Children\u0026rsquo;s Healthcare of Atlanta Partnership\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EChristopher D. McKinney, DA, MBA\u003C\/strong\u003E, Associate Vice President, Innovation Commercialization; Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Augusta University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; Suzanne Prichett\u003C\/strong\u003E, Field Sales Manager - Education \u0026amp; Medical Research Division, VWR International LLC\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; Atlanta Center for Medical Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EINNOVATION AWARDS:\u003C\/strong\u003E Presented to the department, institution, company or individuals who are forging new ground by thinking outside traditional paradigms to create some unique technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; Aruna Biomedical\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EGeorge Hsu, M.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E, Chief Medical Officer \/ Interim CEO, Cathaid Inc.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EJames Ross, Ph.D.\u003C\/strong\u003E, Chief Technology Officer, Axion BioSystems\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026bull; PanXome\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEMERGING LEADER OF THE YEAR AWARDS:\u003C\/strong\u003E Presented to young individuals who have made a significant impact on the life sciences industry through their studies or employment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EAshley Bohn, Ph.D, M.S., R.V.T.\u003C\/strong\u003E, Georgia State University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003ETami Hutto\u003C\/strong\u003E, MSPP, Program Manager \u0026ndash; Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta BEST Program\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD:\u003C\/strong\u003E Presented to a Georgia biotechnology high school teacher who exhibits excellence in STEM teaching and support for the biotechnology pathway.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026bull; \u003Cstrong\u003EWilliam E. Schuyler\u003C\/strong\u003E, Forsyth Central High School\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor a list of past Georgia Bio Industry Growth Award recipients, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/docs.wixstatic.com\/ugd\/dd6885_db6a70b5493d45a3bda6d477455050ec.pdf\u0022\u003Eclick here.\u003C\/a\u003E\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","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Petit Institute executive director among Georgia Tech winners at annual life sciences industry gala"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPetit Institute executive director among Georgia Tech winners at annual life sciences industry gala\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Petit Institute executive director among Georgia Tech winners at annual life sciences industry gala"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2018-02-16 18:53:23","changed_gmt":"2018-02-16 18:53:55","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2018-02-16T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2018-02-16T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"602484":{"id":"602484","type":"image","title":"Guldberg Georgia Bio","body":null,"created":"1518805410","gmt_created":"2018-02-16 18:23:30","changed":"1518805410","gmt_changed":"2018-02-16 18:23:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229624","name":"Bob Award.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bob%20Award.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bob%20Award.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2177960,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Bob%20Award.jpg?itok=YVozG-w3"}},"602485":{"id":"602485","type":"image","title":"Guldberg sign","body":null,"created":"1518805470","gmt_created":"2018-02-16 18:24:30","changed":"1518805470","gmt_changed":"2018-02-16 18:24:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229625","name":"Bob sign.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bob%20sign.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Bob%20sign.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2098456,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Bob%20sign.jpg?itok=jl9j8bC7"}},"602488":{"id":"602488","type":"image","title":"CMaT student","body":null,"created":"1518805903","gmt_created":"2018-02-16 18:31:43","changed":"1518805903","gmt_changed":"2018-02-16 18:31:43","alt":"","file":{"fid":"229626","name":"GA bio 5.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/GA%20bio%205.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/GA%20bio%205.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2793284,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/GA%20bio%205.jpg?itok=AnWcWU96"}}},"media_ids":["602484","602485","602488"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"126571","name":"go-PetitInstitute"},{"id":"176933","name":"go-cmat"},{"id":"171346","name":"go-rem"},{"id":"126611","name":"go-RegenMed"}],"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"592878":{"#nid":"592878","#data":{"type":"news","title":"REM Leveraging its Success","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen the Center for Regenerative Engineering and Medicine (REM) gathered for its annual retreat and workshop at the University of Georgia (UGA) in May, there were the usual conversations about interdisciplinary research between the organization\u0026rsquo;s three partner universities (Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, and UGA).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut this time, there was some added excitement over future potential with the introduction of an innovative, additional granting mechanism from the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA). The Allen Fund, a $1 million gift (from Dr. J. David Allen and family), to be disbursed over 10 years to the GRA to advance cellular manufacturing research and development at REM\u0026rsquo;s three member institutions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The Allen gift represents a significant milestone in the partnership between Emory, Georgia Tech, and the University of Georgia, in that this is the first gift that was given to the Georgia Research Alliance specifically to be split between all three partner institutions to support joint projects,\u0026rdquo; said Johnna Temenoff, Petit Institute researcher and REM co-director from Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I believe this is reflective of our collective leadership in the field of regenerative medicine as a whole, and cell manufacturing in particular,\u0026rdquo; Temenoff added.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince 2011, the REM has fostered the fundamental transformation of treatment options and outcomes for human disease and injuries through the development and translation of new technologies that boost the body\u0026rsquo;s ability to heal itself.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EREM\u0026rsquo;s roots actually go back 30 years, to 1987 when Emory and Georgia Tech forged a historic alliance with creation of the Emory\/Georgia Tech Biomedical Technology Research Center. That partnership evolved in 1998 with creation of the Georgia Tech\/Emory Center or the Engineering of Living Tissues (GTEC, a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGTEC evolved to become REM, an Emory-Georgia Tech initiative until 2014, when UGA and its vaunted Regenerative Bioscience Center (RBC) joined.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The purpose of these retreats has always been about getting people together from the three institutions to continue the discussion of how we can collaborate on our research,\u0026rdquo; says Steve Stice, the REM co-director from UGA, where he is a professor and director of the RBC, and a researcher with the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech. \u0026ldquo;We\u0026rsquo;ve been doing this for some time now and some fantastic things that have come from it, and we expect more of that going forward.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EParticipants in this year\u0026rsquo;s retreat also set out to demonstrate examples of commercial and academic success as a way to highlight the impact that traditional REM seed grants have had on fostering collaborative research and commercial translation across the state.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We then tried to capture that momentum to establish more intra-institutional collaborations through interactions at the poster and speed dating sessions, and make next year\u0026rsquo;s grants even more successful,\u0026rdquo; Temenoff said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESeveral accounts were shared from fledgling companies that either emerged from REM collaborations, or were assisted by REM interactions and grants, or exist within the realm of regenerative medicine in general. The companies \u0026ndash; Sanguina, ArunA Biomedical, and Cambium Medical Technologies \u0026ndash; represent the kind of success stories that REM, and its seed grants program, was built for. Since 2010 (a year before the actual launch of the REM center), the seed grants have resulted in nearly $18 million in leveraged funding (a return on investment of over 3:1).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn her presentation on the \u0026lsquo;academic path to success,\u0026rsquo; Petit Institute researcher Susan Thomas emphasized the importance of the REM seed grant she and Emory researcher Ian Copland (who passed away suddenly in July 2015) received in 2014-2015. \u0026ldquo;That grant has helped us expand our research,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;It opened up doors to new directions and additional funding and to new avenues that we\u0026rsquo;re still exploring.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERepresentatives from each REM institution also had a chance to present their distinct SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analyses before adjourning for a poster session featuring research from previous seed grant winners. Then they moved onto a \u0026lsquo;research speed dating\u0026rsquo; networking session. (\u0026ldquo;Now is the time to practice your elevator speech,\u0026rdquo; quipped Stice, who wore a referee\u0026rsquo;s whistle around his neck and used it to move the conversations along).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThat was followed by a \u0026lsquo;wrap session,\u0026rsquo; to discuss the REM seed grants and how best to utilize those going forward. Seed grant applications for the coming year are due in July.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, the goal is to keep the momentum going, and that may include expanding the partnership that currently comprises REM. Present for last month\u0026rsquo;s gathering were representatives from Augusta University (AU), including David Hess, dean of AU\u0026rsquo;s Medical College of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s great to see this become a broader group,\u0026rdquo; said Ned Waller, REM co-director from Emory. \u0026ldquo;The spirit of REM is to encourage collaboration, and a Georgia-wide initiative is to the benefit of everyone.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/regenerativeengineeringandmedicine.com\/\u0022\u003EREM Center\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Annual gathering of regenerative medicine researchers looks to new opportunities"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnnual gathering of regenerative medicine researchers looks to new opportunities\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Annual gathering of regenerative medicine researchers looks to new opportunities"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2017-06-22 13:24:10","changed_gmt":"2017-06-23 20:14:16","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-06-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-06-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"592874":{"id":"592874","type":"image","title":"REM Athens intro","body":null,"created":"1498135554","gmt_created":"2017-06-22 12:45:54","changed":"1498135554","gmt_changed":"2017-06-22 12:45:54","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225982","name":"REM intro.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/REM%20intro.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/REM%20intro.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1746131,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/REM%20intro.jpg?itok=zgZCyKR9"}},"592875":{"id":"592875","type":"image","title":"REM directors","body":null,"created":"1498135785","gmt_created":"2017-06-22 12:49:45","changed":"1498135785","gmt_changed":"2017-06-22 12:49:45","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225983","name":"three directors.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/three%20directors.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/three%20directors.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4602537,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/three%20directors.jpg?itok=fAVUNQaE"}},"592876":{"id":"592876","type":"image","title":"REM poster session","body":null,"created":"1498136948","gmt_created":"2017-06-22 13:09:08","changed":"1498136948","gmt_changed":"2017-06-22 13:09:08","alt":"","file":{"fid":"225984","name":"poster.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/poster_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/poster_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1973579,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/poster_0.jpg?itok=n0nGuBQ0"}}},"media_ids":["592874","592875","592876"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"1489","name":"Regenerative Medicine"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"171346","name":"go-rem"},{"id":"172087","name":"go_rem"},{"id":"126611","name":"go-RegenMed"}],"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"588571":{"#nid":"588571","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Regenerative Medicine Workshop, Part 21","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Regenerative Medicine Workshop at Hilton Head began its third decade with a long and diverse lineup of researchers who presented their latest work on a spacious range of topics, from DNA barcoded technology to strategies to reverse tissue degeneration in rotator cuff injuries.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn other words, the usual dizzying array of up-to-the-minute research from some of the world\u0026rsquo;s leading scientists and engineers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBut if there was a topical theme to last week\u0026rsquo;s 21\u003Csup\u003Est\u003C\/sup\u003E annual workshop (March 1-4), it was immunology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The Hilton Head summit has always been a place where you can learn about the great, late breaking innovations in regenerative medicine,\u0026rdquo; says Ned Waller, professor in the Emory University School of Medicine, and a researcher with the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech. \u0026ldquo;What\u0026#39;s striking this year is, half the talks are about immunology.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd that suits Waller just fine. He is director of the Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory, where he also directs the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center. And his research presentation at Hilton Head was entitled, \u0026ldquo;Another Arrow in the Anti-cancer Quiver: VIP Immunotherapy.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWaller also is one of three co-directors of the Regenerative Engineering and Medicine (REM) research center, a consortium of research institutes in Georgia: Emory, Georgia Tech, and the University of Georgia. REM is one of four organizing partners of the workshop, the others being the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center at the University of Wisconsin, the Mayo Clinic\u0026rsquo;s Center for Regenerative Medicine, and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAccordingly, faculty, post-doctoral, and student researchers from those institutions were well represented. But the workshop also drew researchers from across the spectrum and the planet. Among the speakers were Ronald Germain from the National Institutes of Health, Molly Stevens from Imperial College in London, and\u0026nbsp;Rolando Gittens, who earned his Ph.D. in bioengineering at Georgia Tech in 2012 and is now a research scientist at the Institute for Scientific Research and High Technology Services of Panama.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeep Roster of Research\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere were also deep-dive presentations from researchers based at Duke, Harvard, Tufts, and Yale universities, among others, and Jeff Hubbell, the Nerem Lecturer from the University of Chicago (who delivered a talk on \u0026ldquo;Biomolecular Engineering in Regenerative Medicine and Immunotherapies\u0026rdquo;).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESteve Stice, as co-director of the REM from the University of Georgia (UGA), the newest member of the consortium, appreciated the geographic range of work that was presented.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;One of the nice things this year\u0026nbsp;is that UGA and other institutions are well represented,\u0026rdquo; says Stice, professor and director of the Regenerative Bioscience Center at UGA and a Petit Institute researcher. \u0026ldquo;So it\u0026rsquo;s not just Emory and Georgia Tech, it\u0026rsquo;s also Mayo, and Wisconsin, and Pittsburgh, and we\u0026rsquo;ve brought in speakers from all over. It\u0026rsquo;s really grown and become a highly recommended event in the regenerative medicine community.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETrainees \u0026ndash; postdocs, grad students, and at least one undergraduate \u0026ndash; had a chance to present their work, also. First there were rapid fire presentations (5 minutes) on Thursday afternoon, then a research poster competition that night, featuring 65 different projects on display.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe winning poster came from Daniel Hachim, a grad student at the University of Pittsburgh, whose project is entitled, \u0026ldquo;Unveiling Macrophage Populations and Mechanisms Driving the Better Remodeling Outcomes Associated with Shifting Phenotype in the Host Response Against Biomaterials.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGoing Live\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECheryl San Emeterio, a Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech, has presented posters the last three years at this event, but this was her first rapid fire presentation.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I thought it was flattering and inspiring, to talk among so many distinguished scientists here,\u0026rdquo; says San Emeterio, who does her research in the lab of Ed Botchwey, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering (a joint department of Emory and Georgia Tech).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s great to get my work out there on this scale, and I hope that people are interested and want to discuss it further. And maybe we can form some sort of productive collaboration,\u0026rdquo; adds San Emeterio, whose research is entitled, \u0026ldquo;Age-dependent immune Dysregulation during Repair of Volumetric Muscle Injury.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStanding near her poster for most of the evening was Madeline Smerchansky, a Petit Undergraduate Scholar from Georgia Tech attending her first Hilton Head conference. She saw the opportunity as something of an investment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This is practice for the future,\u0026rdquo; says Smerchansky, a third-year student.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt least one researcher during the four-day workshop offered a glimpse into the future from a perspective that did not include biomolecular science or immunology. Aaron Levine, associate professor in the School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech and a Petit Institute researcher, delivered a presentation called, \u0026ldquo;Regenerative Medicine in a Time of Policy Uncertainty.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We haven\u0026rsquo;t seen a lot of clear signals yet with how the policy environment is going to play out from the current presidential administration,\u0026rdquo; says Levine, who focused his Friday morning talk on, among other things, potential policy drivers for regenerative medicine, such as the 21\u003Csup\u003Est\u003C\/sup\u003E Century Cures Act (will it be implemented by this administration, and if so, how much of it?), and the appointment of a commissioner for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe future of the Cures Act may be largely dependent on who the next FDA commissioner is, noted Arnie Caplan (of Case Western University) during Levine\u0026rsquo;s post-talk Q\u0026amp;A session.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELater that evening, it was Caplan\u0026rsquo;s turn to take center stage\u0026nbsp;with Chris Evans of the Mayo Clinic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey were the main event, you might say. With a backdrop of Caplan and Evans as photo-enhanced boxers\u0026nbsp;the mood was light for their Friday night debate, entitled, \u0026ldquo;MSCs are Not Stem Cells.\u0026rdquo; Or, as Nerem put it, \u0026ldquo;is an MSC a mesenchymal stem cells, a medical signaling cell, or a mediocre scientific concept.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBy all accounts, they verbally fought to a draw. But who knows. Maybe there will be a rematch in 2018, when the Regenerative Medicine Workshop returns to Hilton Head (March 21-24).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Annual gathering of researchers at Hilton Head begins third decade with heavy focus on immunology"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAnnual gathering of researchers at Hilton Head begins third decade with heavy focus on immunology\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Annual gathering of researchers at Hilton Head begins third decade with heavy focus on immunology"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2017-03-10 14:15:25","changed_gmt":"2017-06-23 20:13:29","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-03-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-03-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"588565":{"id":"588565","type":"image","title":"Hilton Head clubhouse","body":null,"created":"1489152512","gmt_created":"2017-03-10 13:28:32","changed":"1489152512","gmt_changed":"2017-03-10 13:28:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224294","name":"club.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/club.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/club.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1841949,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/club.jpg?itok=U_YnX7G6"}},"588562":{"id":"588562","type":"image","title":"Nerem Lecture","body":null,"created":"1489152086","gmt_created":"2017-03-10 13:21:26","changed":"1489152086","gmt_changed":"2017-03-10 13:21:26","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224291","name":"Nerem speaker.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Nerem%20speaker.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Nerem%20speaker.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2044198,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Nerem%20speaker.jpg?itok=6bdfNag7"}},"588563":{"id":"588563","type":"image","title":"Packed room","body":null,"created":"1489152272","gmt_created":"2017-03-10 13:24:32","changed":"1489152272","gmt_changed":"2017-03-10 13:24:32","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224292","name":"packed morning room.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/packed%20morning%20room.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/packed%20morning%20room.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2278884,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/packed%20morning%20room.jpg?itok=5F5ooEpW"}},"588566":{"id":"588566","type":"image","title":"Cheryl San Emeterio","body":null,"created":"1489152777","gmt_created":"2017-03-10 13:32:57","changed":"1489152777","gmt_changed":"2017-03-10 13:32:57","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224295","name":"cheryl.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cheryl.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cheryl.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3974834,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cheryl.jpg?itok=zJ8nwz4z"}},"588564":{"id":"588564","type":"image","title":"Madeline Smerchansky","body":null,"created":"1489152351","gmt_created":"2017-03-10 13:25:51","changed":"1489152351","gmt_changed":"2017-03-10 13:25:51","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224293","name":"Madeline.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Madeline.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Madeline.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1402194,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Madeline.jpg?itok=vQs1wJqF"}},"588567":{"id":"588567","type":"image","title":"Winning poster","body":null,"created":"1489153230","gmt_created":"2017-03-10 13:40:30","changed":"1489153230","gmt_changed":"2017-03-10 13:40:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224296","name":"winning poster.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/winning%20poster.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/winning%20poster.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1103271,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/winning%20poster.jpg?itok=RcAgHzFh"}},"588568":{"id":"588568","type":"image","title":"Arnie and Chris","body":null,"created":"1489153350","gmt_created":"2017-03-10 13:42:30","changed":"1489153350","gmt_changed":"2017-03-10 13:42:30","alt":"","file":{"fid":"224297","name":"Chris and Arnie.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chris%20and%20Arnie.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Chris%20and%20Arnie.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3171249,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Chris%20and%20Arnie.jpg?itok=t-q79Xjx"}}},"media_ids":["588565","588562","588563","588566","588564","588567","588568"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"171346","name":"go-rem"},{"id":"172087","name":"go_rem"},{"id":"126611","name":"go-RegenMed"}],"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\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"591638":{"#nid":"591638","#data":{"type":"news","title":"First Possible Drug Treatment for Lymphedema","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETracey Campbell has lived for seven years with lymphedema, a chronic condition that causes unsightly swelling in her left leg.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe disease, which stems from a damaged lymphatic system, can lead to infections, disfigurement, debilitating pain and disability. There is no cure. The only available treatment is to wear compression garments or use massage to suppress the swelling, which can occur throughout the body in some cases. Campbell \u0026mdash; who had two quarts of excess water in her left leg by the time she was diagnosed \u0026mdash; has for years worn restrictive garments 24 hours a day and has spent an hour each night massaging the lymph fluid out of her leg.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELymphedema is uncomfortable, exhausting and dangerous if left uncontrolled. As many as 10 million Americans and hundreds of millions of people worldwide suffer from the condition, many from the after-effects of cancer therapy treatments.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There\u0026rsquo;s this extra layer of emotional burden,\u0026rdquo; said Campbell, who added that she has to be constantly vigilant to protect against infection. \u0026ldquo;All you want to be is normal.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow there\u0026rsquo;s new hope for a possible pharmaceutical treatment for patients like Campbell. A study led by scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine has uncovered for the first time the molecular mechanism responsible for triggering lymphedema, as well as a drug with the potential for inhibiting that process. Contributing to the study was the lab of Brandon Dixon, researcher with the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our main role was to provide the functional imaging of the lymphatics that showed that the therapeutic directly resulted in improved lymphatic function,\u0026rdquo; said Dixon, associate professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and one of the study\u0026rsquo;s co-authors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study was published May 10 in\u003Cem\u003E\u0026nbsp;Science Translational Medicine\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We figured out that the biology behind what has been historically deemed the irreversible process of lymphedema is, in fact, reversible if you can turn the molecular machinery around,\u0026rdquo; said Stanley Rockson, MD, professor of cardiovascular medicine and the Allan and Tina Neill Professor of Lymphatic Research and Medicine at Stanford. Rockson shares senior authorship of the study with Mark Nicolls, MD, professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine. Stanford research scientists Wen \u0026ldquo;Amy\u0026rdquo; Tian, PhD, and Xinguo Jiang, MD, PhD, share lead authorship of the study and are also affiliated with the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026lsquo;Fundamental new discovery\u0026rsquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This is a fundamental new discovery,\u0026rdquo; said Nicolls, who is also a researcher at the VA Palo Alto.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that the buildup of lymph fluid is actually an inflammatory response within the tissue of the skin, not merely a \u0026ldquo;plumbing\u0026rdquo; problem within the lymphatic system, as previously thought.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWorking in the lab, scientists discovered that a naturally occurring inflammatory substance known as leukotriene B4, or LTB4, is elevated in both animal models of lymphedema and in humans with the disease, and that at elevated levels it causes tissue inflammation and impaired lymphatic function.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFurther research in mice showed that by using pharmacological agents to target LTB4, scientists were able to induce lymphatic repair and reversal of the disease processes.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There is currently no drug treatment for lymphedema,\u0026rdquo; Tian said. Based on results of the study, the drug bestatin, which is not approved for use in the United States but which has been used for decades in Japan to treat cancer, was found to work well as an LTB4 inhibitor, with no side effects, she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBased on the research, bestatin (also known as ubenimex), is being tested in a clinical trial that started in May 2016 \u0026mdash; known as ULTRA \u0026mdash; as a treatment for secondary lymphedema, which occurs because of damage to the lymphatic system from surgery, radiation therapy, trauma or infection. Primary lymphedema, on the other hand, is hereditary. The results of the research pertain to both types.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERockson is principal investigator for this multisite phase-2 clinical trial.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The cool thing about this story \u0026mdash; which you almost never see \u0026mdash; is that a clinical trial testing the therapy has already started before the basic research was even published,\u0026rdquo; Nicolls said. \u0026ldquo;This is the first pharmaceutical company-sponsored trial for a medical treatment of lymphedema, a condition that affects millions.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENicolls and Tian are co-founders of Eiccose LLC. Eiccose is now part of Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, which gets the drug from Nippon Kayaku in Japan. Eiger is sponsoring the clinical trial. Nicolls and Rockson are both scientific advisers to the company.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETwo labs, two diseases\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, which got underway about four years ago, began somewhat uniquely as a collaboration between two labs that were studying two completely different diseases. At the time, the Nicolls lab, where Tian works, was studying pulmonary hypertension. The Rockson lab was conducting lymphedema research.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two teams met through SPARK, a Stanford program designed to help scientists translate biomedical research into treatments for patients.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I was in a privileged position of seeing two faculty conducting important research and recognizing the possible link in causality,\u0026rdquo; said Kevin Grimes, MD, associate professor of chemical and systems biology and co-founder of SPARK. \u0026ldquo;It occurred to me that both diseases affected vascular tissues and had strong inflammatory components.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;He blind-dated us,\u0026rdquo; Nicolls said. \u0026ldquo;When Amy Tian and I looked at the data from Stan\u0026rsquo;s research, Amy said, \u0026lsquo;It looks like it could be the same molecular process.\u0026rsquo;\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was an arranged marriage between us and Stan which worked out great,\u0026rdquo; Tian said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the time, Rockson had begun to suspect that lymphedema was an inflammatory disease. This led to his team\u0026rsquo;s discovery that the anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen successfully helped to relieve lymphedema symptoms, although it wasn\u0026rsquo;t a perfect drug; side effects were a concern, and it remained unclear how the drug worked at the molecular level.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, the Nicolls lab had discovered that LTB4 was part of the cycle of inflammation and injury that keeps pulmonary hypertension progressing. When researchers blocked LTB4 in rats with the disease, their symptoms lessened and blood vessels became less clogged, lowering blood pressure in the lungs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When we became aware of Mark\u0026rsquo;s work, we began to realize that we were both possibly dealing with the activation of steps downstream of the 5-LO [5-lipoxygenase] pathway,\u0026rdquo; Rockson said. \u0026ldquo;This became intriguing and formed the basis of our relationship.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch5\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJoining forces\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h5\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe two teams joined forces to figure out the mechanism that triggered lymphedema, hopefully revealing a target for drug treatment in humans. After determining that ketoprofen was primarily working on the 5-LO pathway, the researchers began blocking the various endpoint pathways after 5-LO activation in mouse models of lymphedema, Rockson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It turned out that, in fact, we were both dealing with the same branch, which is LTB4,\u0026rdquo; Rockson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;So now it became clear we really were dealing with a very similar biological process in two different diseases,\u0026rdquo; he said. \u0026ldquo;Because of Mark\u0026rsquo;s work in pulmonary hypertension, we knew that we had an ideal form of therapy that we could try in lymphedema as well.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Nicolls lab had used the drug bestatin, which blocks the enzyme that generates LTB4, to reverse pulmonary hypertension disease processes. When researchers tested bestatin in the mouse lymphedema model, it worked to reverse symptoms of that disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I\u0026rsquo;m still in awe,\u0026rdquo; Rockson said. \u0026ldquo;There are few situations where you take a problem at the bedside, and go into the lab, and then take discoveries back to the bedside. It\u0026rsquo;s amazingly gratifying.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECampbell, who is now participating in the double-blinded, placebo-controlled bestatin trial at Stanford, remains hopeful.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;When all of the sudden one of your limbs begins to swell, you want to understand what the heck is going on,\u0026rdquo; she said. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s a tough condition that few people seem to care about, even though millions and millions suffer with it. We\u0026rsquo;re hoping for something that gives some relief.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Stanford and Georgia Tech, researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Michigan Health Systems and the University of Illinois at Chicago are also co-authors.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETracie White, Stanford University\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:traciew@stanford.edu\u0022\u003Etraciew@stanford.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Petit Institute researcher Brandon Dixon contributes to groundbreaking Stanford-led study"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPetit Institute researcher Brandon Dixon contributes to groundbreaking Stanford-led study\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Petit Institute researcher Brandon Dixon contributes to groundbreaking Stanford-led study"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2017-05-10 17:53:20","changed_gmt":"2017-06-23 20:13:02","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"176201":{"id":"176201","type":"image","title":"Brandon Dixon","body":null,"created":"1449179022","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:43:42","changed":"1494438878","gmt_changed":"2017-05-10 17:54:38","alt":"","file":{"fid":"195870","name":"brandon_dixon.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/brandon_dixon_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/brandon_dixon_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":34120,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/brandon_dixon_0.jpg?itok=sdJM4UxU"}}},"media_ids":["176201"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"73601","name":"lymphedema"},{"id":"23201","name":"brandon dixon"},{"id":"126221","name":"go-immuno"},{"id":"171346","name":"go-rem"},{"id":"172087","name":"go_rem"},{"id":"126611","name":"go-RegenMed"}],"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":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"587115":{"#nid":"587115","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Joint Effort","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohnna Temenoff is only jesting a little when she describes her lab\u0026rsquo;s recent collaboration with two other labs at the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This was very much, pardon the pun, a joint effort,\u0026rdquo; Temenoff says about the research, which demonstrates for the first time the degenerative effects of tendon overuse (tendinopathy) on surrounding tissues in the shoulder joint.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Temenoff team worked with the labs of Manu Platt and Robert Guldberg, resulting in a research article recently published in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EJournal of Orthopaedic Research\u003C\/em\u003E, entitled \u0026ldquo;Supraspinatus Tendon Overuse Results in Degenerative Changes to Tendon Insertion Region and Adjacent Humeral Cartilage in a Rat Model.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0026rsquo;s a partnership that could lead, down the road, to new therapeutics and preventive medicine for people with shoulder injuries \u0026ndash; \u0026ldquo;athletes, or quite honestly, anyone, particularly people who do a lot of overhead reaching,\u0026rdquo; says Temenoff, professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and co-director of the center for Regenerative Engineering and Medicine (a partnership with Emory University and the University of Georgia).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We wanted to understand how tissues degenerate, particularly the supraspinatus, one of the major rotator cuff tendons,\u0026rdquo; Temenoff adds. \u0026ldquo;So we paired with Dr. Platt\u0026rsquo;s lab to better understand and characterize the enzymes that were present at various stages.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn previous work, Temenoff and her research partners analyzed torn rotator cuff (supraspinatus) tendon tissue that had been damaged from overuse for the presence of proteases (an enzyme that breaks down proteins and peptides), and also examined structural damage changes in rats, where the tendon meets the bone. They saw more degeneration in the area close to the bone and cartilage, rather than where the tendon enters into muscle tissue.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Our work has really been trying to demonstrate how members of this class of enzymes are involved in more tissue destructive diseases than are being investigated,\u0026rdquo; says Platt, associate professor in the Coulter Department.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;There have also been major pushes by pharmaceutical companies to develop inhibitors to block these enzyme\u0026rsquo;s activities,\u0026rdquo; he adds. \u0026ldquo;They keep failing in clinical trials due to side effects, not efficacy, indicating their importance in the disease progression, but also in many regulatory functions that still need to be understood.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the most recent study, the researchers wanted to focus just on the area of the humeral head \u0026ndash; where the tendon inserts into the bone and the articular cartilage that covers the head. What they found confirmed some suspicions, showing degeneration in multiple tissues adjacent to the humeral head \u0026ndash; in both tendon and cartilage \u0026ndash; as a result of an overuse protocol.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Indeed, we found damage in both places,\u0026rdquo; Temenoff says. \u0026ldquo;Now we have a better idea of the enzyme activity in the tendon over time. Going forward, we have a better of understanding of what enzymes to target and what tissues might need to be targeted for some effective therapies.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is the first confirmation showing that overuse injury in the shoulder tendon could damage the adjacent cartilage.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Guldberg lab employed its expertise in micro computed tomography (microCT) to assess the damage to the articular cartilage, \u0026ldquo;and it showed that tendon overuse resulted in significant changes in the joint surface, consistent with the early stages of osteoarthritis,\u0026rdquo; says Guldberg, executive director of the Petit Institute and professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research, funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), offers a new, broader view of rotator cuff disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We and others are starting to think of it as a disease of the entire joint rather than just the tendons,\u0026rdquo; Temenoff says. \u0026ldquo;The aim is to prevent further damage. Of course, over the longer term we\u0026rsquo;d also love to be able to regenerate what\u0026rsquo;s been lost.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings suggest a necessity to treat both the tendon and nearby cartilage to slow or reverse tissue damage during overuse injuries.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s important to let clinicans know that they should monitor this because they may have patients that might be putting themselves at risk for a total shoulder replacement,\u0026rdquo; Temenoff says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELead author of the paper is Akia Parks, a biomedical engineering graduate student who is based in the Platt lab. In addition to Guldberg, Platt, and Temenoff, her co-authors include Jennifer McFaline-Figueroa (research technician in the Temenoff lab), and BME undergrads Anne Coogan and Emma Poe-Yamagata.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EParks, whose studies are supported by the NIH\u0026rsquo;s Cellular and Tissue Engineering (CTEng) grant, served as a critical human link, straddling different research areas and exemplifying the multidisciplinary approach that is emblematic of the Petit Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Akia has been a great bridge between the Platt and Temenoff labs by interfacing with the enzymology\/biochemistry from our lab with the tendon structure, remodeling, and mechanical engineering insights of the Temenoff lab,\u0026rdquo; says Platt. \u0026ldquo;She is a great example of the education and preparation these scholars receive to communicate across a number of disciplines.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELINKS:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/jor.23496\/full\u0022\u003E\u0026quot;Supraspinatus tendon overuse results in degenerative changes to tendon insertion region and ajacent humeral cartilage in a rat model\u0026quot;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Trio of Petit Institute labs link tendon overuse injury to degenerative changes in shoulder cartilage"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETrio of Petit Institute labs link tendon overuse injury to degenerative changes in shoulder cartilage\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Trio of Petit Institute labs link tendon overuse injury to degenerative changes in shoulder cartilage"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2017-02-08 12:26:31","changed_gmt":"2017-05-15 17:27:41","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-02-08T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-02-08T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"587114":{"id":"587114","type":"image","title":"Shoulder injury","body":null,"created":"1486555594","gmt_created":"2017-02-08 12:06:34","changed":"1486555594","gmt_changed":"2017-02-08 12:06:34","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223754","name":"bigstock--D-Illustration-Of-Shoulder-Pa-136360229.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bigstock--D-Illustration-Of-Shoulder-Pa-136360229.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bigstock--D-Illustration-Of-Shoulder-Pa-136360229.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":342777,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bigstock--D-Illustration-Of-Shoulder-Pa-136360229.jpg?itok=Fn7UZnSq"}},"319751":{"id":"319751","type":"image","title":"Johnna Temenoff, PhD - Director of GTBioMAT program, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering","body":null,"created":"1449244997","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 16:03:17","changed":"1475895029","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:50:29","alt":"Johnna Temenoff, PhD - Director of GTBioMAT program, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering","file":{"fid":"200068","name":"johnnatemenoff2014.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/johnnatemenoff2014_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/johnnatemenoff2014_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1229257,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/johnnatemenoff2014_0.jpg?itok=dK9HXXrW"}}},"media_ids":["587114","319751"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"171346","name":"go-rem"},{"id":"126611","name":"go-RegenMed"},{"id":"126221","name":"go-immuno"}],"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\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}