{"492911":{"#nid":"492911","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nelson Wins Fellowship","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ETyler Nelson always imagined that some day he\u2019d be working for a large corporation engaged in the work of biotechnology. But the fourth-year PhD student in bioengineering has broadened his scope.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u2019m starting to realize that maybe I want something different and the idea of entrepreneurship is really attractive,\u201d says Nelson. \u201cMaking something based on your research, and looking back to say it succeeded or failed \u2013 that kind of independence appeals to me.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ENelson recently got a substantial boost for his research efforts when he was named an American Heart Association (AHA) Fellowship Award winner. The award began January 1 and will extend through 2017.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EAHA is supporting Nelson\u2019s project, titled \u2018The effects of diet induced obesity on lymphatic function and therapeutic intervention in lymphedema progression,\u2019 with an award totaled at $52,000 over two years.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cLymphedema affects about one in six cancer survivors,\u201d says Nelson, who works in the lab of J. Brandon Dixon, faculty member of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. \u201cIt basically occurs as the result of some common cancer treatments, like lymph node removal, chemotherapy, radiation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThe disease causes irreversible swelling, mostly in the arms or legs. It results from a blockage in the lymphatic system (part of your immune system). This blockage prevents lymph fluid from draining well and that fluid buildup leads to swelling. There is presently no cure, but lymphedema can be managed with early diagnosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cIt turns out that people who are obese develop lymphedema at a much higher rate than the rest of the population,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cWe want to understand how obesity affects the lymphatic system and its function.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ENelson, who is from the Nashville, Tennessee, area, earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Mississippi State. After enrolling at the Georgia Institute of Technology, he joined Dixon\u2019s Laboratory of Lymphatic Biology and Bioengineering (LLBB), where researchers focus on developing non-invasive methods to quantify lymphatic function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EHe\u2019s always been interested in pursuing a career in industry once he earns his PhD. But since arriving at Georgia Tech, is thoughts on what that might look like have shifted a little bit.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cNow, I\u2019m thinking that I\u2019d really like to start up a small company, or work with an early-stage company,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThat line of thought is driven in part by his experience in the TI:GER (Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results) program, administered through the Scheller College of Business at Tech. The program is designed to teach students how to address the multidisciplinary issues that are part of technology commercialization.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThrough TI:GER, Nelson has teamed with two MBA students and two Emory Law students. Together, they\u2019re focused on the commercialization of diagnostic and monitoring devices for lymphedema.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EThe team, called Lumenostics, is working on a product designed to detect swelling in the earliest stages of the disease. This semester, the students will be engaged in business plan competitions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003E\u201cThe training I\u2019ve gotten through TI:GER is irreplaceable,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cIt really sets you apart and gives you great exposure to the business side of research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECONTACT:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022p2\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Bioengineering student using American Heart Association award for lymphedema research"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EBioengineering student using American Heart Association award for lymphedema research\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Bioengineering student using American Heart Association award for lymphedema research"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2016-01-29 15:37:49","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:20:31","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-01-29T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-01-29T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"492901":{"id":"492901","type":"image","title":"Tyler Nelson","body":null,"created":"1454115600","gmt_created":"2016-01-30 01:00:00","changed":"1475895251","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:54:11","alt":"Tyler Nelson","file":{"fid":"204500","name":"tyler_cell_wall.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tyler_cell_wall.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tyler_cell_wall.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1354957,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tyler_cell_wall.jpg?itok=H9I0FqLs"}}},"media_ids":["492901"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"52891","name":"BioE Program news"},{"id":"1808","name":"graduate students"}],"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=\u0022http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/node\/jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJerry Grillo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Officer II\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}