{"672055":{"#nid":"672055","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Challenges of Regulating Artificial Intelligence","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn 1950, Alan Turing asked, \u201cCan machines think?\u201d More than 70 years later, advancements in artificial intelligence are creating exciting possibilities and questions about its potential pitfalls.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA recent executive order issued by President Joe Biden seeks to establish \u0022new standards for AI safety and security\u0022 while addressing consumer privacy concerns and promoting innovation. Georgia Tech experts have examined the key elements of the order and offer their thoughts on its scope and what comes next.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EA Precautionary Tale\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe order calls for the development of standards, tools, and tests to ensure the safe use of AI. From voice scams and phishing campaigns to larger-scale threats, the technology\u2019s potential dangers have been widely documented. But \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/iac.gatech.edu\/people\/person\/margaret-e-kosal\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMargaret Kosal\u003C\/a\u003E, associate professor in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, says that additional context is often needed to dispel hysteria.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022No one is going to be hooking up AI to launch nuclear weapons, but AI capabilities may enable targeting, or enable the command and control and the decision-making time to be compressed,\u201d she said. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nThe order will create an AI Safety and Security Board tasked with addressing critical threats. Companies developing foundation models that \u0022pose a serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health and safety\u201d will be required to notify the federal government when training the model and required to share the results of all red-team safety tests \u2014 a simulated cyberattack to test a system\u0027s defenses.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESince the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2023\/11\/28\/ai-like-chatgpt-is-creating-huge-increase-in-malicious-phishing-email.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ea CNBC report\u003C\/a\u003E details a 1,267% rise in phishing emails. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/faculty.cc.gatech.edu\/~srijan\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESrijan Kumar\u003C\/a\u003E, assistant professor in the College of Computing, attributes the increase to the technology\u0027s availability and an inability to rein in \u0022bad actors.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHe says these scams will only continue to get more sophisticated and personalized. They \u201ccan be created by knowing what you might be willing to fall prey to versus what I might fall prey to,\u201d said Kumar, whose systems have influenced misinformation detection on sites like X (formerly Twitter) and Wikipedia. \u201cAI is not going to autonomously do all of those bad things, but this order can ensure there are consequences for people who misuse it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EA Delicate Balance\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBuilding an AI platform requires large amounts of data regardless of its intended application. Two primary goals of the executive order are protecting privacy and advancing equity.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo protect personal data, the order tasks Congress with evaluating how agencies collect and use commercially available information and address algorithmic discrimination.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAcknowledging that everyone should be allowed to have their voice represented in the outputs of AI data sets, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/directory\/faculty\/desai\/index.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDeven Desai,\u003C\/a\u003E associate professor in the Scheller College of Business, noted, \u0022There are people who don\u0027t want to be part of data sets, which is their right, but this means their voices won\u0027t be reflected in the outputs.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe order also includes sections to address intellectual property concerns among inventors and creators, though legal challenges will likely set new precedents in the years ahead.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen that time comes, Kosal says that \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/12\/27\/business\/media\/new-york-times-open-ai-microsoft-lawsuit.html\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Edefining \u201ctheft\u201d in the context of AI becomes the true challenge\u003C\/a\u003E and that, ultimately, money will play a significant role. \u0022If you spit out a Harry Potter book and read it yourself, nobody will care. It\u0027s when you start selling it to make money, and you don\u0027t share proceeds with the original people, then it becomes an issue,\u0022 she said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EWhat Does AI-Generated Mean?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe order instructs the Department of Commerce to develop guidelines for content authentication and watermarking to label AI-generated content. Desai questions what it means for something to be truly created by AI.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAn important distinction lies between using AI to assist a writer in organizing their thoughts and using the technology to generate content. He likens the trend to the music industry in the 1980s.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Synthesizers really changed people\u0027s ability to generate music and, for a while, people thought that was horrible. They can just program the music. They\u0027re not. I am still the human responsible for that music, or that article in this case, so what is the point of the label?\u0022 he asks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs AI assistance becomes commonplace in content creation, trusting the source of information is increasingly important. Recently, articles published on Sports Illustrated\u0027s website \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/futurism.com\/sports-illustrated-ai-generated-writers\u0022\u003Efeatured AI-generated content\u003C\/a\u003E provided by a third-party company that had used a machine to write the content and create fake bylines. Sports Illustrated, which may not have known of the problem, ran the material without disclosure to readers. CEO Ross Levinsohn was ousted shortly after the story broke.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPerhaps if the third party had disclosed its use of AI software, SI would have been able to assess how much AI was used and then chosen not to run the material, or to run it with a disclaimer that AI helped write the material,\u201d Desai said. \u0022Of course, even if they label the content as AI-generated, a reader still won\u0027t know exactly how much of the content came from AI or a human.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EAI and the Workforce\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs AI systems and models become more sophisticated, workers may become more concerned about being replaced. To counteract these concerns, the order calls for a study to examine AI\u2019s potential impact on labor markets and investments in workforce training efforts.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EKumar compares the rise of AI to similar technological innovations throughout history and sees it as an opportunity for workers and industries to adapt. \u0022It\u0027s less a matter of AI replacing workers and more of reskilling people to use the new technology. It\u0027s no different from when assembly lines in the auto industry were created.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EPromoting Innovation and Competition\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe power to harness the full potential of AI has initiated a race to the top. Desai believes that part of the executive order providing resources to smaller developers can help level the playing field.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022There is a possibility here for markets to open up. Current players using models that weren\u0027t built with transparency in mind might struggle, but maybe that\u0027s OK.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe issue of reliability and transparency comes into focus for Desai, especially as it relates to government usage of AI. The order calls on agencies to \u0022acquire specified AI products and services faster, more cheaply, and more effectively through more rapid and efficient contracting.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen taxpayer dollars are at stake, government can\u2019t afford to trust a technology it doesn\u2019t fully understand \u2014 a topic Desai \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2959472\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ehas explored elsewhere\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0022You can\u2019t just say, \u2018We don\u2019t know how it works, but we trust it.\u2019 That\u2019s not going to work. So that\u2019s where there may be a slowdown in the government\u2019s ability to use private sector software if they can\u2019t explain how the thing works and to show that it doesn\u2019t have discriminatory issues.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch3\u003EWhat\u0027s Next\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPromoting and policing the safe use of AI cannot be done independently. Georgia Tech experts agree that participation on a global scale is necessary. To that end, the European Union will unveil its comprehensive EU AI Act, which includes a similar framework to the president\u0027s executive order.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EDue to the evolving nature of AI, the executive order or the EU\u0027s actions will not be all-encompassing. Law often lags behind technology, but Kosal points out that it\u0027s crucial to think beyond what currently exists when crafting policy.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExperts also agree that AI cannot be regulated or governed through a single document and that this order is likely the first in a series of policymaking moves. Kosal sees tremendous opportunity with the innovation surrounding AI but hopes the growing fear of its rise does not usher in another AI winter, in which interest and research funding fade.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"As innovation surrounding artificial intelligence continues, Georgia Tech experts offer their thoughts on the scope of the recent executive order and the challenges ahead in regulating AI."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs innovation surrounding artificial intelligence continues, Georgia Tech experts offer their thoughts on the scope of the recent executive order and the challenges ahead in regulating AI.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"As innovation surrounding artificial intelligence continues, Georgia Tech experts offer their thoughts on the scope of the recent executive order and the challenges ahead in regulating AI."}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2024-01-11 19:25:53","changed_gmt":"2024-01-12 14:58:52","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-01-11T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-01-11T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672744":{"id":"672744","type":"image","title":"Artificial Intelligence and Policy","body":null,"created":"1705003002","gmt_created":"2024-01-11 19:56:42","changed":"1705003002","gmt_changed":"2024-01-11 19:56:42","alt":"Artificial Intelligence and Policy","file":{"fid":"256040","name":"GettyImages-1191080384.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/GettyImages-1191080384.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/11\/GettyImages-1191080384.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":15716234,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/11\/GettyImages-1191080384.jpg?itok=jMax8j8O"}}},"media_ids":["672744"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/ai-am-i","title":"AI: Am I...The Future of Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"151","name":"Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"8144","name":"Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets"},{"id":"187812","name":"artificial intelligence (AI)"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"145171","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E - Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Steven.gagliano@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648985":{"#nid":"648985","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Lindsey Receives $2.5M to Develop Interventional Cardiology Imaging System","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and coronary artery disease specifically is responsible for 366,000 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite the impact and widespread nature of coronary artery disease, gaps in information make treating the condition a challenge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the support of a four-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Brooks-Lindsey\u0022\u003EBrooks Lindsey\u003C\/a\u003E will \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/project-details\/10298582\u0022\u003Elead a team developing an imaging system to fill these gaps and guide treatment based on assessing the risk of heart attack in patients with coronary artery disease.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMany of those patients are treated via a minimally-invasive procedure that places a stent to re-open arteries that have become narrowed with plaques. Partially occluded coronary arteries can result in heart attack in some of these patients. However, other patients have a similar blockage but have stable disease and do not require intervention. The challenge is deciding which patients are which.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;In the cardiac catheterization lab where these procedures are performed, there are a number of separate approaches for quantifying functional markers, such as local blood pressure, blood flow velocity, and plaque composition. However, all of these tools function independently and in isolation from one another,\u0026rdquo; said Lindsey, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u0026ldquo;Most are one-dimensional measurements, which makes it difficult to measure everything going on in the complex, 3D, local biomechanical environment. This includes tissue and plaque mechanical properties, artery geometry, and hemodynamics, all of which vary dynamically as the heart beats.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile current tools can measure blood flow velocity or blood pressure and characterize plaque composition independently, all of these factors together contribute to the likelihood of plaque rupture and heart attack. No current method can acquire all this information with spatial and temporal information intact.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELindsey\u0026rsquo;s lab will address this gap by developing a tiny ultrasound imaging device approximately 1 millimeter in diameter to measure these properties in 3D from the tip of the catheter during procedures in the cardiac catheterization lab. Their approach will be designed to allow simultaneous measurement of blood flow velocity, mechanical properties of tissue, and artery geometry for the first time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;More than 1 million cardiac catheterizations are performed each year in the U.S.,\u0026rdquo; Lindsey said. \u0026ldquo;Even patients who ultimately do not require intervention undergo diagnostic catheterization, but there is no way to measure all the properties simultaneously. The goal of this project is to develop a system that uses ultrasound on the tip of catheter to give cardiologists a complete picture of the patient\u0026rsquo;s individual anatomy and physiology, including dynamic behavior in coronary arteries as the heart beats. This imaging information, in turn, allows development of improved computational models of coronary arteries in health and disease.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELindsey will lead engineering efforts, including development of the imaging device and algorithms to quantify hemodynamics. Clinical aspects of the project will be handled by \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doctors.nghs.com\/provider\/Habib+Samady\/1805181\u0022\u003EHabib Samady\u003C\/a\u003E, a cardiologist at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville who is an expert in imaging hemodynamics in clinical practice. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.math.emory.edu\/people\/faculty\/individual.php?NUM=126\u0022\u003EAlessandro Veneziani\u003C\/a\u003E, professor in Emory\u0026rsquo;s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, will lead computational modeling efforts. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.surgery.emory.edu\/about-us\/faculty_directory\/faculty_profile_muralidhar_padala.html\u0022\u003EMuralidhar Padala\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the Structural Heart Research \u0026amp; Innovation Program and associate professor in Emory\u0026rsquo;s Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, will lead testing in coronary artery disease models. Coulter BME Professor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/John-Oshinski\u0022\u003EJohn Oshinski\u003C\/a\u003E will provide expertise in imaging-derived fluid dynamics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe catheter-based ultrasound system will simultaneously measure plaque composition, artery structure, and hemodynamics in 3D.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The catheter-based ultrasound system will simultaneously measure plaque composition, artery structure, and hemodynamics in 3D"}],"uid":"27446","created_gmt":"2021-07-22 14:20:06","changed_gmt":"2021-07-22 14:20:06","author":"Joshua Stewart","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-07-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-07-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"648982":{"id":"648982","type":"image","title":"Catheter Ultrasound Design","body":null,"created":"1626960177","gmt_created":"2021-07-22 13:22:57","changed":"1626960177","gmt_changed":"2021-07-22 13:22:57","alt":"Proposed design of a 1mm catheter-based ultrasound device designed to simultaneously measure plaque composition, artery structure, and hemodynamics in 3D in coronary arteries. The device minimizes disturbances to blood flow from the catheter itself. Assistant Professor Brooks Lindsey is leading a new $2.5 million project to develop the device, which will help doctors assess whether patients need aggressive treatment to prevent a heart attack. (Image Courtesy: Brooks Lindsey)","file":{"fid":"246393","name":"Catheter-Ultrasound-Design-Brooks-Lindsey-h.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Catheter-Ultrasound-Design-Brooks-Lindsey-h.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Catheter-Ultrasound-Design-Brooks-Lindsey-h.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":213577,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Catheter-Ultrasound-Design-Brooks-Lindsey-h.jpg?itok=dl87UKqd"}},"648984":{"id":"648984","type":"image","title":"Catheter Ultrasound Data","body":null,"created":"1626962989","gmt_created":"2021-07-22 14:09:49","changed":"1626962989","gmt_changed":"2021-07-22 14:09:49","alt":"This figure shows 3D functional imaging with a prototype forward-viewing device in laboratory models of narrowed vessels: (A) Conventional ultrasound imaging of lesion morphology in straight and stenotic, or narrowed, vessels, with extracted lumen shape shown in yellow, (B) 3D vector velocity imaging in straight and stenotic vessels, and (C) Strain rate imaging of a control vessel model and a model with a soft inclusion on the right inner surface. (Image Courtesy: Brooks Lindsey)","file":{"fid":"246394","name":"Catheter-Ultrasound-Data-Brooks-Lindsey-v.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Catheter-Ultrasound-Data-Brooks-Lindsey-v.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Catheter-Ultrasound-Data-Brooks-Lindsey-v.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":245894,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Catheter-Ultrasound-Data-Brooks-Lindsey-v.jpg?itok=2T6B5Bon"}},"585424":{"id":"585424","type":"image","title":"Brooks Lindsey, Ph.D.","body":null,"created":"1483459407","gmt_created":"2017-01-03 16:03:27","changed":"1483459407","gmt_changed":"2017-01-03 16:03:27","alt":"Brooks Lindsey, Ph.D.","file":{"fid":"223182","name":"BrooksLindsey_photo.jpg-edited-cropped.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BrooksLindsey_photo.jpg-edited-cropped.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BrooksLindsey_photo.jpg-edited-cropped.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":506177,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/BrooksLindsey_photo.jpg-edited-cropped.jpg?itok=tewlakBt"}}},"media_ids":["648982","648984","585424"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/reporter.nih.gov\/project-details\/10298582","title":"Project Summary: \u00223D Multi-Functional Catheter-Based Imaging of Coronary Lesion Composition, Structure, and Hemodynamics ... \u0022"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/bme\/faculty\/Brooks-Lindsey","title":"Brooks Lindsey"}],"groups":[{"id":"1254","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"180398","name":"coronary artery imaging"},{"id":"94271","name":"coronary artery disease"},{"id":"7677","name":"ultrasound"},{"id":"23701","name":"heart attack"},{"id":"188318","name":"Brooks Lindsey"},{"id":"2270","name":"National Institutes of Health"},{"id":"249","name":"Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jstewart@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJoshua Stewart\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECommunications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jstewart@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"648906":{"#nid":"648906","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Wearable Brain-Machine Interface Turns Intentions into Actions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new wearable brain-machine interface (BMI) system could improve the quality of life for people with motor dysfunction or paralysis, even those struggling with locked-in syndrome \u0026ndash; when a person is fully conscious but unable to move or communicate.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EA multi-institutional, international team of researchers led by the lab of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/yeo\u0022\u003EWoon-Hong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E at the Georgia Institute of Technology combined wireless soft scalp electronics and virtual reality in a BMI system that allows the user to imagine an action and wirelessly control a wheelchair or robotic arm.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team, which included researchers from the University of Kent (United Kingdom) and Yonsei University (Republic of Korea), describes the new motor imagery-based BMI system this month in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/advs.202101129\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAdvanced Science\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The major advantage of this system to the user, compared to what currently exists, is that it is soft and comfortable to wear, and doesn\u0026rsquo;t have any wires,\u0026rdquo; said Yeo, associate professor on the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBMI systems are a rehabilitation technology that analyzes a person\u0026rsquo;s brain signals and translates that neural activity into commands, turning intentions into actions. The most common non-invasive method for acquiring those signals is ElectroEncephaloGraphy, EEG, which typically requires a cumbersome electrode skull cap and a tangled web of wires.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThese devices generally rely heavily on gels and pastes to help maintain skin contact, require extensive set-up times, are generally inconvenient and uncomfortable to use. The devices also often suffer from poor signal acquisition due to material degradation or motion artifacts \u0026ndash; the ancillary \u0026ldquo;noise\u0026rdquo; which may be caused by something like teeth grinding or eye blinking. This noise shows up in brain-data and must be filtered out.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe portable EEG system Yeo designed, integrating imperceptible microneedle electrodes with soft wireless circuits, offers improved signal acquisition. Accurately measuring those brain signals is critical to determining what actions a user wants to perform, so the team integrated a powerful machine learning algorithm and \u0026nbsp;virtual reality component to address that challenge.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new system was tested with four human subjects, but hasn\u0026rsquo;t been studied with disabled individuals yet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This is just a first demonstration, but we\u0026rsquo;re thrilled with what we have seen,\u0026rdquo; noted Yeo, Director of Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chcie.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Human-Centric Interfaces and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E under the Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, and a member of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EPetit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew Paradigm\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EYeo\u0026rsquo;s team originally introduced soft, wearable EEG brain-machine interface in a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rh.gatech.edu\/news\/626486\/wearable-brain-machine-interface-could-control-wheelchair-vehicle-or-computer\u0022\u003E2019 study published in the \u003Cem\u003ENature Machine Intelligence\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/a\u003E The lead author of that work, Musa Mahmood, was also the lead author of the team\u0026rsquo;s new research paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This new brain-machine interface uses an entirely different paradigm, involving imagined motor actions, such as grasping with either hand, which frees the subject from having to look at too much stimuli,\u0026rdquo; said Mahmood, a Ph. D. student in Yeo\u0026rsquo;s lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the 2021 study, users demonstrated accurate control of virtual reality exercises using their thoughts \u0026ndash; their motor imagery. The visual cues enhance the process for both the user and the researchers gathering information.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The virtual prompts have proven to be very helpful,\u0026rdquo; Yeo said. \u0026ldquo;They speed up and improve user engagement and accuracy. And we were able to record continuous, high-quality motor imagery activity.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Mahmood, future work on the system will focus on optimizing electrode placement and more advanced integration of stimulus-based EEG, using what they\u0026rsquo;ve learned from the last two studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH R21AG064309), the Center Grant (Human-Centric Interfaces and Engineering) at Georgia Tech, the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2018M3A7B4071109 and NRF-2019R1A2C2086085) and Yonsei-KIST Convergence Research Program. Georgia Tech has a pending patent application related to the work described in this paper.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation\u003C\/strong\u003E: Musa Mahmood, et al., \u0026ldquo;Wireless Soft Scalp Electronics and Virtual Reality System for Motor Imagery-based Brain-Machine Interfaces.\u0026rdquo; (\u003Cem\u003EAdvanced Science\u003C\/em\u003E, July 2021)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELinks\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/yeo\u0022\u003EWoon-Hong Yeo\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/advs.202101129\u0022\u003E\u0026ldquo;Wireless Soft Scalp Electronics and Virtual Reality System for Motor Imagery-based Brain-Machine Interfaces.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chcie.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Human-Centric Interfaces and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/bio\u0022\u003EPetit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\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":"New system based on user\u2019s motor-imagery could control wheelchair, robotic arm, or other devices"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew system based on user\u0026rsquo;s motor-imagery could control wheelchair, robotic arm, or other devices\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New system based on user\u2019s motor-imagery could control wheelchair, robotic arm, or other devices"}],"uid":"28153","created_gmt":"2021-07-20 13:34:00","changed_gmt":"2021-07-21 17:56:32","author":"Jerry Grillo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2021-07-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2021-07-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"648902":{"id":"648902","type":"image","title":"Woon-Hong Yeo","body":null,"created":"1626785689","gmt_created":"2021-07-20 12:54:49","changed":"1626785689","gmt_changed":"2021-07-20 12:54:49","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246334","name":"18C10200-P27-004.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/18C10200-P27-004.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/18C10200-P27-004.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":557799,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/18C10200-P27-004.jpg?itok=HPi6jcnc"}},"648903":{"id":"648903","type":"image","title":"Advanced Science cover","body":null,"created":"1626786249","gmt_created":"2021-07-20 13:04:09","changed":"1626786249","gmt_changed":"2021-07-20 13:04:09","alt":"","file":{"fid":"246335","name":"cover image.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cover%20image.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/cover%20image.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1413635,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/cover%20image.png?itok=3lvpgGHv"}}},"media_ids":["648902","648903"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"9791","name":"wearable electronics"},{"id":"107","name":"Nanotechnology"},{"id":"2294","name":"materials science"},{"id":"182422","name":"brain-machine interface"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"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\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWriter\/Communications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Jerry.grillo@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"129881":{"#nid":"129881","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Successful Stem Cell Differentiation Requires DNA Compaction, Study Finds","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research findings show that embryonic stem cells unable to fully compact the DNA inside them cannot complete their primary task: differentiation into specific cell types that give rise to the various types of tissues and structures in the body.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University found that chromatin compaction is required for proper embryonic stem cell differentiation to occur. Chromatin, which is composed of histone proteins and DNA, packages DNA into a smaller volume so that it fits inside a cell.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA study published on May 10, 2012 in the journal \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgen.1002691\u0022\u003EPLoS Genetics\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E found that embryonic stem cells lacking several histone H1 subtypes and exhibiting reduced chromatin compaction suffered from impaired differentiation under multiple scenarios and demonstrated inefficiency in silencing genes that must be suppressed to induce differentiation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile researchers have observed that embryonic stem cells exhibit a relaxed, open chromatin structure and differentiated cells exhibit a compact chromatin structure, our study is the first to show that this compaction is not a mere consequence of the differentiation process but is instead a necessity for differentiation to proceed normally,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/yuhong-fan\/?id=yuhong-fan\u0022\u003EYuhong Fan\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech School of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFan and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=78\u0022\u003ETodd McDevitt\u003C\/a\u003E, an associate professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E, led the study with assistance from Georgia Tech graduate students Yunzhe Zhang and Kaixiang Cao, research technician Marissa Cooke, and postdoctoral fellow Shiraj Panjwani.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe work was supported by the National Institutes of Health\u2019s National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the National Science Foundation, a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar Award, and a Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson\/Georgia Tech Healthcare Innovation Award.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo investigate the impact of linker histones and chromatin folding on stem cell differentiation, the researchers used embryonic stem cells that lacked three subtypes of linker histone H1 -- H1c, H1d and H1e -- which is the structural protein that facilitates the folding of chromatin into a higher-order structure. They found that the expression levels of these H1 subtypes increased during embryonic stem cell differentiation, and embryonic stem cells lacking these H1s resisted spontaneous differentiation for a prolonged time, showed impairment during embryoid body differentiation and were unsuccessful in forming a high-quality network of neural cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis study has uncovered a new, regulatory function for histone H1, a protein known mostly for its role as a structural component of chromosomes,\u201d said Anthony Carter, who oversees epigenetics grants at NIGMS.\u0026nbsp; \u201cBy showing that H1 plays a part in controlling genes that direct embryonic stem cell differentiation, the study expands our understanding of H1\u2019s function and offers valuable new insights into the cellular processes that induce stem cells to change into specific cell types.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring spontaneous differentiation, the majority of the H1 triple-knockout embryonic stem cells studied by the researchers retained a tightly packed colony structure typical of undifferentiated cells and expressed high levels of Oct4 for a prolonged time. Oct4 is a pluripotency gene that maintains an embryonic stem cell\u2019s ability to self-renew and must be suppressed to induce differentiation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cH1 depletion impaired the suppression of the Oct4 and Nanog pluripotency genes, suggesting a novel mechanistic link by which H1 and chromatin compaction may mediate pluripotent stem cell differentiation by contributing to the epigenetic silencing of pluripotency genes,\u201d explained Fan. \u201cWhile a significant reduction in H1 levels does not interfere with embryonic stem cell self-renewal, it appears to impair differentiation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also used a rotary suspension culture method developed by McDevitt to produce with high efficiency homogonous 3D clumps of embryonic stem cells called embryoid bodies. Embryoid bodies typically contain cell types from all three germ layers -- the ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm -- that give rise to the various types of tissues and structures in the body. However, the majority of the H1 triple-knockout embryoid bodies formed in rotary suspension culture lacked differentiated structures and displayed gene expression signatures characteristic of undifferentiated stem cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cH1 triple-knockout embryoid bodies displayed a reduced level of activation of many developmental genes and markers in rotary culture, suggesting that differentiation to all three germ layers was affected.\u201d noted McDevitt. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe embryoid bodies also lacked the epigentic changes at the pluripotency genes necessary for differentiation, according to Fan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhen we added one of the deleted H1 subtypes to the embryoid bodies, Oct4 was suppressed normally and embryoid body differentiation continued,\u201d explained Fan. \u201cThe epigenetic regulation of Oct4 expression by H1 was also evident in mouse embryos.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn another experiment, the researchers provided an environment that would encourage embryonic stem cells to differentiate into neural cells. However, the H1 triple-knockout cells were defective in forming neuronal and glial cells and a neural network, which is essential for nervous system development. Only 10 percent of the H1 triple-knockout embryoid bodies formed neurites and they produced on average eight neurites each. In contrast, half of the normal embryoid bodies produced, on average, 18 neurites.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn future work, the researchers plan to investigate whether controlling H1 histone levels can be used to influence the reprogramming of adult cells to obtain induced pluripotent stem cells, which are capable of differentiating into tissues in a way similar to embryonic stem cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award number GM085261 and the National Science Foundation under award number CBET-0939511. The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigators and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research findings show that embryonic stem cells unable to fully compact the DNA inside them cannot complete their primary task: differentiation into specific cell types that give rise to the various types of tissues and structures in the body.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New research findings show that embryonic stem cells unable to fully compact the DNA inside them cannot differentiate into specific cell types."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-05-10 18:24:11","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:13","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-05-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"129851":{"id":"129851","type":"image","title":"Impaired embryoid body differentiation","body":null,"created":"1449178634","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:37:14","changed":"1475894754","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:54","alt":"Impaired embryoid body differentiation","file":{"fid":"194630","name":"embryoid-body-impaired-differentiation_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/embryoid-body-impaired-differentiation_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/embryoid-body-impaired-differentiation_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":223571,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/embryoid-body-impaired-differentiation_hires_0.jpg?itok=m40LQuyX"}},"129861":{"id":"129861","type":"image","title":"Stem cell neural differentiation impairment","body":null,"created":"1449178634","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:37:14","changed":"1475894754","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:54","alt":"Stem cell neural differentiation impairment","file":{"fid":"194631","name":"neural-impairment_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/neural-impairment_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/neural-impairment_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":75404,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/neural-impairment_hires_0.jpg?itok=ak_mMV4T"}},"129871":{"id":"129871","type":"image","title":"Embryonic stem cell neural impairment","body":null,"created":"1449178634","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:37:14","changed":"1475894754","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:54","alt":"Embryonic stem cell neural impairment","file":{"fid":"194632","name":"neural-impairment2_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/neural-impairment2_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/neural-impairment2_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":65712,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/neural-impairment2_hires_0.jpg?itok=tR_NU5YN"}}},"media_ids":["129851","129861","129871"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"33241","name":"Chromatin"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"11533","name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"13436","name":"embryoid bodies"},{"id":"33211","name":"Embryonic Stem Cell"},{"id":"33281","name":"Epigenetics"},{"id":"33221","name":"Histone"},{"id":"33231","name":"histone H1"},{"id":"33261","name":"linker histone h1"},{"id":"33251","name":"neural differentiation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E Research News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E 404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"128531":{"#nid":"128531","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Robot Reveals the Inner Workings of Brain Cells","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGaining access to the inner workings of a neuron in the living brain offers a wealth of useful information: its patterns of electrical activity, its shape, even a profile of which genes are turned on at a given moment. However, achieving this entry is such a painstaking task that it is considered an art form; it is so difficult to learn that only a small number of labs in the world practice it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut that could soon change: Researchers at MIT and the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a way to automate the process of finding and recording information from neurons in the living brain. The researchers have shown that a robotic arm guided by a cell-detecting computer algorithm can identify and record from neurons in the living mouse brain with better accuracy and speed than a human experimenter.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new automated process eliminates the need for months of training and provides long-sought information about living cells\u2019 activities. Using this technique, scientists could classify the thousands of different types of cells in the brain, map how they connect to each other, and figure out how diseased cells differ from normal cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project is a collaboration between the labs of Ed Boyden, associate professor of biological engineering and brain and cognitive sciences at MIT, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/forest.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECraig Forest\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorge W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur team has been interdisciplinary from the beginning, and this has enabled us to bring the principles of precision machine design to bear upon the study of the living brain,\u201d Forest says. His graduate student, Suhasa Kodandaramaiah, spent the past two years as a visiting student at MIT, and is the lead author of the study, which appears in the May 6 issue of \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nmeth.1993\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENature Methods\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe method could be particularly useful in studying brain disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson\u2019s disease, autism and epilepsy, Boyden says. \u201cIn all these cases, a molecular description of a cell that is integrated with [its] electrical and circuit properties \u2026 has remained elusive,\u201d says Boyden, who is a member of MIT\u2019s Media Lab and McGovern Institute for Brain Research. \u201cIf we could really describe how diseases change molecules in specific cells within the living brain, it might enable better drug targets to be found.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAutomation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKodandaramaiah, Boyden and Forest set out to automate a 30-year-old technique known as whole-cell patch clamping, which involves bringing a tiny hollow glass pipette in contact with the cell membrane of a neuron, then opening up a small pore in the membrane to record the electrical activity within the cell. This skill usually takes a graduate student or postdoc several months to learn.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKodandaramaiah spent about four months learning the manual patch-clamp technique, giving him an appreciation for its difficulty. \u201cWhen I got reasonably good at it, I could sense that even though it is an art form, it can be reduced to a set of stereotyped tasks and decisions that could be executed by a robot,\u201d he says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo that end, Kodandaramaiah and his colleagues built a robotic arm that lowers a glass pipette into the brain of an anesthetized mouse with micrometer accuracy. As it moves, the pipette monitors a property called electrical impedance \u2014 a measure of how difficult it is for electricity to flow out of the pipette. If there are no cells around, electricity flows and impedance is low. When the tip hits a cell, electricity can\u2019t flow as well and impedance goes up.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe pipette takes two-micrometer steps, measuring impedance 10 times per second. Once it detects a cell, it can stop instantly, preventing it from poking through the membrane. \u201cThis is something a robot can do that a human can\u2019t,\u201d Boyden says.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce the pipette finds a cell, it applies suction to form a seal with the cell\u2019s membrane. Then, the electrode can break through the membrane to record the cell\u2019s internal electrical activity. The robotic system can detect cells with 90 percent accuracy, and establish a connection with the detected cells about 40 percent of the time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also showed that their method can be used to determine the shape of the cell by injecting a dye; they are now working on extracting a cell\u2019s contents to read its genetic profile.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDevelopment of the new technology was funded primarily by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the MIT Media Lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENew era for robotics\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers recently created a startup company, Neuromatic Devices, to commercialize the device.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are now working on scaling up the number of electrodes so they can record from multiple neurons at a time, potentially allowing them to determine how different parts of the brain are connected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey are also working with collaborators to start classifying the thousands of types of neurons found in the brain. This \u201cparts list\u201d for the brain would identify neurons not only by their shape \u2014 which is the most common means of classification \u2014 but also by their electrical activity and genetic profile.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIf you really want to know what a neuron is, you can look at the shape, and you can look at how it fires. Then, if you pull out the genetic information, you can really know what\u2019s going on,\u201d Forest says. \u201cNow you know everything. That\u2019s the whole picture.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoyden says he believes this is just the beginning of using robotics in neuroscience to study living animals. A robot like this could potentially be used to infuse drugs at targeted points in the brain, or to deliver gene therapy vectors. He hopes it will also inspire neuroscientists to pursue other kinds of robotic automation \u2014 such as in optogenetics, the use of light to perturb targeted neural circuits and determine the causal role that neurons play in brain functions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENeuroscience is one of the few areas of biology in which robots have yet to make a big impact, Boyden says. \u201cThe genome project was done by humans and a giant set of robots that would do all the genome sequencing. In directed evolution or in synthetic biology, robots do a lot of the molecular biology,\u201d he says. \u201cIn other parts of biology, robots are essential.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther co-authors include MIT grad student Giovanni Talei Franzesi and MIT postdoc Brian Y. Chow.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or Caroline McCall (cmccall5@mit.edu; 617-253-1682)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAnne Trafton, MIT News\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have automated the process of finding and recording information from neurons in the living brain. A robotic arm guided by a cell-detecting computer algorithm can identify and record from neurons in the living mouse brain with better accuracy and speed than a human experimenter.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have automated the process of finding and recording information from neurons in the living brain."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-05-06 18:15:11","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:09","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-05-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-05-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"128501":{"id":"128501","type":"image","title":"Craig Forest robotic neural recordings","body":null,"created":"1449178622","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:37:02","changed":"1475894751","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:51","alt":"Craig Forest robotic neural recordings","file":{"fid":"194578","name":"forest_autopatching_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/forest_autopatching_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/forest_autopatching_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":775735,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/forest_autopatching_hires_0.jpg?itok=vdfef1_u"}},"128521":{"id":"128521","type":"image","title":"Whole-cell patching robot schematic","body":null,"created":"1449178622","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:37:02","changed":"1475894751","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:51","alt":"Whole-cell patching robot schematic","file":{"fid":"194580","name":"autopatching_schematic_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/autopatching_schematic_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/autopatching_schematic_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":151885,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/autopatching_schematic_hires_0.jpg?itok=1ge0_Nkx"}},"128511":{"id":"128511","type":"image","title":"Neuromatic Devices research team","body":null,"created":"1449178622","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:37:02","changed":"1475894751","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:51","alt":"Neuromatic Devices research team","file":{"fid":"194579","name":"autopatching_team_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/autopatching_team_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/autopatching_team_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1108663,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/autopatching_team_hires_0.jpg?itok=hvVbN3LH"}}},"media_ids":["128501","128521","128511"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1912","name":"brain"},{"id":"32681","name":"brain cell"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"12333","name":"Craig Forest"},{"id":"32711","name":"electrical activity"},{"id":"7276","name":"neuron"},{"id":"1304","name":"neuroscience"},{"id":"32691","name":"patch clamp"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"167377","name":"School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"32701","name":"whole-cell patch clamping"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E Research News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E 404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"127601":{"#nid":"127601","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Graduate Summer Course in Biotechnology \u0026 International Security","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGrad students! Minoring in policy? Want to take something really different, but relevant to your technical training, this summer? Want to take a SUMMER course?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the SUMMER 2012 session Margaret Kosal, PhD, (INTA professor) and Robert Butera, PhD, are offering this course in Biotechnology and International Affairs which is cross-listed between BMED and INTA. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENOTE: This is a 5 week session, taught 3 hours\/day 3 days\/week for 5 weeks. Take note of the dates\/days when registering!\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EINTA 8803 MK \/ BMED 8813 BIS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBiotechnology and International Security\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis course will explore the interface between biotechnology and national security concerns. Rapid biotechnological changes are anticipated to occur over the ensuing decades in a globalized world characterized by complex security challenges. What security concerns are posed by rapid developments in biotechnology? How do governments deal with these concerns? Can regulatory frameworks keep pace with rapid developments in biotechnology? How are these issues handled at an international level? We will consider the role of government and non-governmental organizations in efforts to control these technologies. Finally, we will examine the role of the industry and the open market in shaping policy on these technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"5 week session being offered - registration open now"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew Graduate Summer Course in Biotechnology \u0026amp; International Security\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New Graduate Summer Course in Biotechnology \u0026 International Security"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2012-05-01 08:49:45","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:09","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-05-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"128631":{"id":"128631","type":"image","title":"New Summer Course in Biotechnology \u0026 International Security","body":null,"created":"1449178622","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:37:02","changed":"1475894751","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:51","alt":"New Summer Course in Biotechnology \u0026 International Security","file":{"fid":"194584","name":"08c3021-p1-008.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/08c3021-p1-008_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/08c3021-p1-008_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3768962,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/08c3021-p1-008_0.jpg?itok=7GMTSnWq"}}},"media_ids":["128631"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"32391","name":"New Graduate Summer Course in Biotechnology and International Security"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:rbutera@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ERob Butera, PhD\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["rbutera@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"125941":{"#nid":"125941","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Molecular Probes Can Identify Strain-induced Changes in Fibronectin Protein That May Lead to Disease","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFibronectin plays a major role in wound healing and embryonic development. The protein, which is located in the extracellular matrix of cells, has also been linked to pathological conditions including cancer and fibrosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring physiological processes, fibronectin fibers are believed to experience mechanical forces that strain the fibers and cause dramatic structural modifications that change their biological activity. While understanding the role of fibronectin strain events in development and disease progression is becoming increasingly important, detecting and interrogating these events is difficult.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn a new study, researchers identified molecular probes capable of selectively attaching to fibronectin fibers under different strain states, enabling the detection and examination of fibronectin strain events in both culture and living tissues.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe mechano-sensitive molecular probes we identified allow us to dynamically examine the relevance of mechanical strain events within the natural cellular microenvironment and correlate these events with specific alterations in fibronectin associated with the progression of disease,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=96\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EThomas Barker\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was published on April 23, 2012 in the online early edition of the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1118088109\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Barker worked on the study with Georgia Tech graduate student Lizhi Cao and Harry Bermudez, an assistant professor in the University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Polymer Science and Engineering. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have hypothesized that mechanical forces emanating from cells may partially unfold fibronectin and regulate what proteins bind to it. While simulation and tissue culture experiments support this hypothesis, direct evidence that such molecular events occur in living organisms has not yet been presented, according to Barker.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA technique called intramolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) has been used to detect molecular strain events in fibronectin fibers, but the technique has limitations because it cannot be used on living tissues and requires the fibronectin to be chemically labeled.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe molecular probes we identified can be used to map molecular strain events in native extracellular matrix and living lung tissues,\u201d explained Barker. \u201cThe probes can also be used to study the mechanism by which cells control the mechanical forces that alter fibronectin\u2019s conformation, control the exposure of its binding sites and regulate cell signaling.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers used a controlled fibronectin fiber deposition and extension technique to apply tension to the fibers and stretch them to 2.6 times their original length without significant breakage. Then they used a technique called phage display to identify peptides capable of discriminating fibronectin fibers under relaxed and strained conditions. The molecular probes displaying peptide sequences LNLPHG and RFSAFY showed the greatest binding affinity to fibronectin fibers and the greatest efficiency in discriminating between relaxed and strained fibers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor proof-of-concept demonstrations, the researchers used the probes to discriminate fibronectin fibers within native extracellular matrix and mouse lung slices. LNLPHG preferentially attached to relaxed fibronectin fibers, whereas RFSAFY bound to strained fibers. The probes never attached to the same fiber, which confirmed their ability to selectively discriminate regions within a fibronectin fiber network.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis study strongly suggests that fibronectin fibers under strain display markedly different biochemical signatures that can be used for the molecular-level detection of fibronectin fiber strain,\u201d explained Barker. \u201cThe data also show the potential for living tissue to be interrogated for mechano-chemical alterations that lead to physiological and pathological progression.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the future, the researchers hope to use these fibronectin strain-sensitive probes to target therapeutics to fibronectin fibers based on their mechanical signature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis work was supported in part by training grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Award Nos. T32-GM008433 and T32-EB006343). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigators and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have identified molecular probes capable of selectively attaching to fibronectin fibers under different strain states, enabling the detection and examination of fibronectin strain events that have been linked to pathological conditions including cancer and fibrosis.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have identified molecular probes capable of selectively attaching to fibronectin fibers under different strain states, enabling the detection and examination of fibronectin strain events that have been linked to pathological conditions in"}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-04-24 10:56:55","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:04","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-04-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"125921":{"id":"125921","type":"image","title":"Molecular probes fibronectin strain ECM","body":null,"created":"1449178604","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:36:44","changed":"1475894749","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:49","alt":"Molecular probes fibronectin strain ECM","file":{"fid":"194507","name":"probes_ecm_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/probes_ecm_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/probes_ecm_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":658024,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/probes_ecm_hires_0.jpg?itok=QBO0Eb40"}},"125931":{"id":"125931","type":"image","title":"Molecular probes fibronectin strain lung tissue","body":null,"created":"1449178604","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:36:44","changed":"1475894749","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:49","alt":"Molecular probes fibronectin strain lung tissue","file":{"fid":"194508","name":"probes_lung_tissue_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/probes_lung_tissue_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/probes_lung_tissue_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":259866,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/probes_lung_tissue_hires_0.jpg?itok=ik-SiJEt"}}},"media_ids":["125921","125931"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"385","name":"cancer"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"31451","name":"embryonic development"},{"id":"31411","name":"extracellular matrix"},{"id":"7320","name":"fibronectin"},{"id":"31441","name":"fibrosis"},{"id":"31421","name":"molecular probe"},{"id":"3003","name":"protein"},{"id":"169489","name":"strain"},{"id":"14574","name":"Thomas Barker"},{"id":"3264","name":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"12463","name":"Wound Healing"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E Research News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E 404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"123991":{"#nid":"123991","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Applications Sought for the Nerem International Travel Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EApplications are being sought for the 2012-2013 Robert M. Nerem International Travel Award. This award was endowed in 2005 by friends and colleagues of Nerem\u0027s to honor his life-long contributions in the bioengineering and bioscience field and encourage predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees to broaden their research experiences by establishing an international collaboration and traveling to an international destination.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe award provides up to $3,000 for the selected applicant to travel abroad with preference given to those who will learn new tools or techniques. To be eligible for the award the trainee must have one year remaining in their research and complete their travel by August 31, 2013. For the 2012-2013 award, the applications are due May 11, 2012.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the Petit Institute\u2019s founding director, Bob passionately served the community for 14 years and successfully led the institute to national and international prominence in the fields of bioengineering \u0026amp; bioscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEveryone that knows Bob, knows he loves to travel. His travels have brought him to all corners of the world and it is through his travel that he has served as a great champion of Georgia Tech and the \u2028biocommunity as a whole.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Nerem International Travel Award has allowed trainees an opportunity to travel to a wide variety of international universities and research institutes, including the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Japan; the National University of Singapore;\u0026nbsp; University of Twente, The Netherlands; Queensland University of Technology, Australia; and Consorzio Interuniversitario Lombardo per L\u2019Elaborazione Automatica, Milan, Italy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENerem came to Georgia Tech in the winter of 1987 as a professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering and as the Parker H. Petit Distinguished Chair for Engineering in Medicine. He is one of the grandfathers of the booming bio-community that exists on campus today. Prior to coming to Georgia Tech, he was a professor and chairman in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston from 1979 to 1986 and on the faculty at the Ohio State University form 1964 to 1979.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"2012-2013 Robert M. Nerem International Travel Award."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EApplications are being sought for the Robert M. Nerem International Travel Award.\u0026nbsp;The award provides up to $3,000 for the chosen applicant to travel abroad with preference given to those that will learn new tools or techniques. To be eligible for the award the trainee must have one year remaining in their research and complete their travel by August 31, 2013. For the 2012-2013 award, the applications are due May 11, 2012.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"2012-2013 Robert M. Nerem International Travel Award."}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2012-04-13 13:55:21","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:52","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"70893":{"id":"70893","type":"image","title":"Robert Nerem","body":null,"created":"1449177328","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:28","changed":"1475894625","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:45"}},"media_ids":["70893"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/ibb.gatech.edu\/nerem-travel-award-2012","title":"Nerem Interational Travel Award Information"},{"url":"http:\/\/ibb.gatech.edu\/robert-m-nerem","title":"About Robert M. Nerem"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"858","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute"},{"id":"3414","name":"Robert Nerem"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMegan McDevitt\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMarketing Communications Director\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:james.godard@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EJames Godard\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAdministrative Director\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["connect@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"123841":{"#nid":"123841","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AbSciCon 2012 \u201cExploring Life: Past and Present, Near and Far\u201d Hosted at Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EApril 13, 2012 \u003C\/em\u003E\u2013 Georgia Institute of Technology is hosting the fifth biennial Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon), April 16-20 at the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatechhotel.com\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in Atlanta. Loren Williams, Ph.D., professor, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Eric Gaucher, Ph.D., associate professor, School of Biology at Georgia Tech are the co-chairs of the conference.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAbSciCon attracts a community of scientists working in the multidisciplinary field of astrobiology \u2013 the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe \u2013 and highlights research supported by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/astrobiology.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003ENASA\u0027s Astrobiology Program.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENASA\u2019s Astrobiology program addresses three fundamental questions: How does life begin and evolve? Is there life beyond Earth and, if so, how can we detect it? What is the future of life on Earth and in the universe? \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn striving to answer these questions and improve understanding of biological, planetary, cosmic phenomena and relationships among them, experts will discuss astrobiology research to help advance laboratory and field research into the origins and early evolution of life on Earth and studies of the potential for life to adapt to challenges on Earth and in space.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA record number of abstracts (more than 800) were accepted for this meeting, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/abscicon2012.arc.nasa.gov\/scientific-program\/\u0022\u003Ethe scientific program\u003C\/a\u003E is packed with talks on current research. Among hot topics on the AbSciCon 2012 agenda are Mars exploration and the Mars Science Laboratory mission, current research on extrasolar planet habitability and latest results from analyses of extraterrestrial materials such as meteorites and comet dust samples. All plenary sessions and four selected technical sessions will be webcast live.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne highlight of the conference will be the final round of the NASA Astrobiology Program\u2019s first annual \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/astrobiologyfamelab.arc.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003EFamelab Astrobiology\u003C\/a\u003E science communication competition, April 16 at 7 pm.\u0026nbsp; Nichelle Nichols, known for her portrayal of Lt. Uhura in the original \u201cStar Trek\u201d television series, will be hosting this public event which also will be webcast live. Other highlights include a welcome reception at the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech on Sunday April 15, 5-7 p.m., and conference dinner at the Georgia Aquarium on Wednesday April 18, 5-9 p.m.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech is hosting the fifth biennial Astrobiology Science Conference, April 16-20 at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology is hosting the fifth biennial Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon), April 16-20 at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. Loren Williams, Ph.D., professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Eric Gaucher, Ph.D., associate professor from the School of Biology at Georgia Tech are the co-chairs of the conference.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech is hosting the fifth biennial Astrobiology Science Conference, April 16-20 at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center"}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2012-04-12 21:43:12","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:00","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-04-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"123851":{"id":"123851","type":"image","title":"Astrobiology","body":null,"created":"1449178593","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:36:33","changed":"1475894746","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:46","alt":"Astrobiology","file":{"fid":"194450","name":"astrobiology.3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astrobiology.3_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/astrobiology.3_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9402,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/astrobiology.3_0.jpg?itok=sSr2uAff"}}},"media_ids":["123851"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/connect.arc.nasa.gov\/abscicon2012\/","title":"View Live Webcast"},{"url":"internal:\/!\/AbSciCon12","title":"Twitter"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AbSciCon2012","title":"Facebook"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"722","name":"Astrobiology"},{"id":"5079","name":"Eric Gaucher"},{"id":"10720","name":"Loren Williams"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"},{"id":"10722","name":"RiboEvo"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMegan Graziano McDevitt\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMarketing Communications Director\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering \u0026amp; Bioscience\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-7001\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:libillin@gwu.edu\u0022\u003ELinda Billings\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESchool of Media and Public Affairs\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorge Washington University \u003Cbr \/\u003EChair, AbSciCon 2012 Communications Committee\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"123401":{"#nid":"123401","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Hosts FameLab Astrobiology Final Competition","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EApril 10, 2012 \u003C\/em\u003E\u2013 Georgia Institute of Technology will host the Famelab Astrobiology Finals, Monday April 16, 7-9 p.m., in the Grand Ballroom of the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. The event is free and open to the public.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFamelab Astrobiology is a science communication competition intended to encourage up-and-coming new scientists to hone their skills in communicating complex scientific concepts to public audiences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENichelle Nichols, known for her portrayal of Lt. Uhura in the original \u201cStar Trek\u201d television series, will host this event, which also will be webcast live and broadcast on NASA TV.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFameLab Astrobiology finalists will have three minutes to explain a science topic of their choice to a public audience \u2013 no slides, no charts, and only props they can carry onstage. A panel of experts in science and science communication will judge the competition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince January more than 70 early-career astrobiologists have competed in Famelab Astrobiology preliminary competitions in Houston, Denver, Washington, D.C., and online. The \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.astrobio.net\/paleblueblog\/?p=990\u0022\u003E10 finalists\u003C\/a\u003E, from all over the country, will compete in the Atlanta finals. The winner in Atlanta will compete in International \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/famelab.org\/\u0022\u003EFameLab\u003C\/a\u003E\u2019s final competition in the U.K. this summer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Atlanta finals are the culmination of the first annual Famelab Astrobiology competition, sponsored by NASA\u2019s Astrobiology Program. Famelab Astrobiology, an offshoot of International FameLab, aims to provide experience and training in science communication to the next generation of astrobiologists.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe FameLab Astrobiology competition is being held in conjunction with AbSciCon 2012, an astrobiology science conference with over 750 attendees taking place on the campus of Georgia Tech. \u0026nbsp;Loren Williams, Ph.D., professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Eric Gaucher, Ph.D., associate professor from the School of Biology at Georgia Tech are the co-chairs of the conference.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The AbSciCon conference, held every two years, focuses on the multidisciplinary field of astrobiology \u2013 the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe \u2013 and highlights research supported by NASA\u0027s Astrobiology Program.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAbSciCon 2012 on Twitter: \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/#%21\/AbSciCon12\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/AbSciCon12\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAbSciCon 2012 on Facebook :\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AbSciCon2012\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AbSciCon2012\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Institute of Technology will host the Famelab Astrobiology Finals, Monday April 16, 7-9 pm, in the Grand Ballroom of the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. The event is free and open to the public."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology will host the Famelab Astrobiology Finals, Monday April 16, 7-9 p.m., in the Grand Ballroom of the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. The event is free and open to the public.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Institute of Technology will host the Famelab Astrobiology Finals, Monday April 16, 7-9 pm, in the Grand Ballroom of the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. The event is free and open to the public."}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2012-04-11 11:11:42","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:00","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-04-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-04-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"123411":{"id":"123411","type":"image","title":"FameLab","body":null,"created":"1449178582","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:36:22","changed":"1475894743","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:43","alt":"FameLab","file":{"fid":"194434","name":"50289_409038049121925_8186518_n.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/50289_409038049121925_8186518_n_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/50289_409038049121925_8186518_n_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":6446,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/50289_409038049121925_8186518_n_0.jpg?itok=abK4WPZv"}}},"media_ids":["123411"],"related_links":[{"url":"internal:\/!\/AbSciCon12","title":"Twitter"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AbSciCon2012","title":"AbSciCon Facebook"},{"url":"http:\/\/livestream.com\/FameLabAstrobiology","title":"View Live Webcast"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"12963","name":"AbSciCon"},{"id":"5079","name":"Eric Gaucher"},{"id":"29931","name":"FameLab"},{"id":"10720","name":"Loren Williams"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMegan Graziano McDevitt\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Communications Director\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for\u003Cbr \/\u003EBioengineering \u0026amp; Bioscience\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-7001\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:%20libillin@gwu.edu\u0022\u003ELinda Billings\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESchool of Media and Public Affairs\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorge Washington University\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EChair, AbSciCon 2012 \u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Committee\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"121811":{"#nid":"121811","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Boyan Pushes for Reauthorization of Pediatric Medical Device Legislation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBarbara Boyan, the Price Gilbert, Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory, and director of the Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium, traveled to Washington D.C. recently to support legislation that encourages the development of pediatric medical devices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring her visit in February, Boyan met with several congressmen, urging them to reauthorize \u201cThe Pediatric Medical Device Safety and Improvement Act.\u0022 The law provides grants to fund non-profit pediatric device consortia, such as the Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium. The grants connect scientists and innovators with device manufacturers, providing them financial resources and regulatory guidance needed to advance the development of devices for children.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe funding from the FDA has opened many doors and some of our small companies have been able to secure venture capital funding to pursue these devices,\u201d Boyan said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of three FDA-sponsored consortia awarded last year, the Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium is a partnership between Georgia Tech, Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Atlanta Pediatric Consortium provides assistance with engineering design, prototype development, pre-clinical and clinical studies and commercialization for novel pediatric medical devices. It is currently composed of nine projects, three main projects and six pilot projects, which were incorporated from the first Pediatric Device Competition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis consortium has brought excitement to the Atlanta Community and strengthened our research partnerships to develop the future of pediatric medical devices,\u201d Boyan said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPassed in 2007, \u201cThe Pediatric Medical Device Safety and Improvement Act\u0022 includes important incentives that promote the development of medical devices for children, which currently lags five to 10 years behind those for adults.\u0026nbsp;Significant barriers to pediatric device development exist, including physiological differences in pediatric patients and challenges with recruiting pediatric participants for clinical trial.\u0026nbsp;The law helps to support the creation of more pediatric devices, with 107 device projects developed during the program\u2019s first two years, according to a report by the General Accounting Office.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoyan was accompanied to D.C. by consortium co-directors Kevin Maher, MD, a cardiologist and researcher specializing in pediatrics with appointments at the Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta Sibley Heart Center and Emory University and Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD, a pediatric hematologist\/oncologist and bioengineer with appointments at Emory, the Aflac Cancer Center of Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta and Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe Pediatric Medical Device Safety and Improvement Act\u0022 provides grants to fund non-profit pediatric device consortia, such as the Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium. Boyan and others in the field are pushing lawmakers to reauthorize the legislation before the end of September.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"\u201cThe Pediatric Medical Device Safety and Improvement Act\u0022 provides grants to fund non-profit pediatric device consortia, such as the Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2012-04-03 12:19:11","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:56","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-04-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"109231":{"id":"109231","type":"image","title":"Dr. Barbara Boyan","body":null,"created":"1449178201","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:30:01","changed":"1475894728","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:28","alt":"Dr. Barbara Boyan","file":{"fid":"194040","name":"boyan.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/boyan_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/boyan_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4865995,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/boyan_0.jpg?itok=QPglXo42"}},"121841":{"id":"121841","type":"image","title":"Dr. Boyan in DC","body":null,"created":"1449178582","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:36:22","changed":"1475894743","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:43","alt":"Dr. Boyan in DC","file":{"fid":"194401","name":"boyan_dc.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/boyan_dc_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/boyan_dc_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1948122,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/boyan_dc_0.jpg?itok=DbvuOQAV"}}},"media_ids":["109231","121841"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/newsroom\/release.html?nid=71150","title":"FDA Launches Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.fda.gov\/downloads\/Drugs\/DevelopmentApprovalProcess\/DevelopmentResources\/UCM049870.pdf","title":"The Pediatric Medical Device Safety and Improvement Act"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=48","title":"Barbara Boyan"}],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[{"id":"155","name":"Congressional Testimony"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14684","name":"atlanta pediatric device consortium"},{"id":"9548","name":"Barbara Boyan"},{"id":"29221","name":"pediatric devices"},{"id":"29211","name":"The Pediatric Medical Device Safety and Improvement Act"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"121121":{"#nid":"121121","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Research \u2018Puts Learning into Practice\u2019 for Student","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn class, Lin Fan has listened to his professors explain the theory behind mechanical engineering. But his experiences in Todd Sulchek\u2019s lab \u2014 both the challenges and successes \u2014 have ensured that he actually learned and understood it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI wanted to put what I was learning in lecture into practice, and getting involved in research was a way to make this happen,\u201d said Fan, who will receive his bachelor of science in Mechanical Engineering next month.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFan is one of 165 students who will present at this year\u2019s Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium on April 10 from 1 to 6 p.m. The event is an opportunity for undergraduate students to share their research with students, faculty and staff from across campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Chris Reaves, director of undergraduate research, about 42 percent of graduating seniors indicate that they had an undergraduate research experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFan began working with Sulchek, an assistant professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering, two years ago. Sulchek\u2019s interest in working with undergraduates stemmed from his own positive experience as a student.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAs an undergraduate, I was able to get involved with research and had a great experience,\u201d Sulchek said. \u201cSo it\u2019s important to me to provide students with the same opportunity. I just wish more undergraduates would take advantage of these opportunities while they\u2019re at Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen Fan began working in Sulchek\u2019s lab, there were some initial challenges. For example, the first project he worked on wasn\u2019t the best fit for him. It was more chemical engineering-based than mechanical, and it was difficult to collaborate with fellow students in the lab because none of them were working on a project similar to Fan\u2019s.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBut I appreciated that Dr. Sulchek let me pursue the project and figure this out for myself,\u201d Fan said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBefore Fan could get frustrated, Sulchek offered him the opportunity to work on another project that was a better fit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne aspect of Sulchek\u2019s research in nanotechnology is using an atomic force\u003Cbr \/\u003Emicroscope (AFM). The AFM \u201csees\u201d tiny objects (such as molecules) with the help of a small probe that touches the object\u2019s surfaces and creates an image based on what it feels.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnfortunately, the probe or the surface often gets damaged during the process. To remedy the problem, Fan created a method to hover the AFM\u2019s probe at a fixed distance above the surface, which decreases the risk of damage to the probe and the surface.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast month, Fan\u2019s research was published for the first time in an academic journal, the Review of Scientific Instruments \u2014 which doesn\u2019t happen to most undergraduates, Sulchek added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s so amazing to see more than a year\u2019s work finally pay off, \u201d said Fan, who will spend the summer working in Sulchek\u2019s lab before he moves on to graduate school.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe two do have a few words of advice for faculty members who work with undergraduate researchers. For example, Sulchek recommends that the faculty member ensure that the student\u2019s project be well defined so that progress can be made in the time the student is working in the lab. He also suggests that a graduate student mentor be assigned to each undergraduate researcher.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFan suggests that faculty members make time to meet with the students one-on-one, as that was an important part of his success in Sulchek\u2019s lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more about the spring symposium and other undergraduate research opportunities at Tech, click \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.undergradresearch.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn class, Lin Fan has listened to his professors explain the theory behind mechanical engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"In class, Lin Fan has listened to his professors explain the theory behind mechanical engineering."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2012-04-02 09:04:07","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:56","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"120951":{"id":"120951","type":"image","title":"Todd Sulchek and Lin Fan","body":null,"created":"1449178279","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:31:19","changed":"1475894741","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:41","alt":"Todd Sulchek and Lin Fan","file":{"fid":"194379","name":"dscn0197.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dscn0197_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dscn0197_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2553101,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dscn0197_0.jpg?itok=Foh27wf2"}}},"media_ids":["120951"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.undergradresearch.gatech.edu\/","title":"Undergraduate Research at Georgia Tech"}],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"541","name":"Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"13574","name":"Todd Sulchek"},{"id":"28941","name":"undergraduate research spring symposium"},{"id":"12918","name":"undergraduate students"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.pavlik@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Pavlik\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications \u0026amp; Marketing\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-4142\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"121621":{"#nid":"121621","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Scientists Study the Catalytic Reactions Used by Plants to Split Oxygen from Water","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESplitting hydrogen and oxygen from water using conventional electrolysis techniques requires considerable amounts of electrical energy. But green plants produce oxygen from water efficiently using a catalytic technique powered by sunlight \u2013 a process that is part of photosynthesis and so effective that it is the Earth\u2019s major source of oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf mimicked by artificial systems, this photocatalytic process could provide abundant new supplies of oxygen and, possibly hydrogen, as a by-product of producing electricity. However, despite its importance to the survival of the planet, scientists don\u2019t fully understand the complex process plants use to harness the sun\u2019s energy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA paper published April 2 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E moves scientists closer to that understanding by showing the importance of a hydrogen bonding water network in that portion of the photosynthetic machinery known as photosystem II. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) on photosystem II extracted from ordinary spinach, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology tested the idea that a network of hydrogen-bonded water molecules plays a catalytic role in the process that produces oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy substituting ammonia, an analog of the water molecule that has a similar structure, we were able to show that the network of hydrogen-bonded water molecules is important to the catalytic process,\u201d said Bridgette Barry, a professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences. \u201cSubstituting ammonia for water inhibited the activity of the photosystem and disrupted the network. The network could be reestablished by addition of a simple sugar, trehalose.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and published in the Early Edition of the journal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the chloroplasts of green plants, algae and cyanobacteria, oxygen is produced by the accumulation of photo-induced oxidizing equivalents in a structure known as the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC). The OEC contains manganese and calcium ions. Illumination causes oxidation of manganese ions in the OEC. Short laser flashes can be used to step through the reaction cycle, which involves four sequential light-induced oxidation reactions. Oxygen is produced on the fourth step, and then is released from the OEC.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis so-called S state cycle resets with the binding of the substrate, water. Scientists have proposed that a hydrogen bond network, which includes multiple water molecules bound to manganese ions, calcium ions, and protein amide carbonyl (C=O) groups, forms an electrostatic network surrounding the OEC. In this scenario, the extensive hydrogen-bond network would then serve as a component of the catalyst, which splits off oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo study the process, Barry and graduate student Brandon Polander used precision FT-IR spectroscopy to describe how the network reacts to a short laser flash. The second harmonic of a pulsed Nd-Yag laser was used as the light source. This illumination causes the OEC to undergo one step in its catalytic cycle, the so-called S\u003Csub\u003E1\u003C\/sub\u003E to S\u003Csub\u003E2 \u003C\/sub\u003Etransition. An infrared spectrum was recorded before and after a laser flash to the photosystem sample, which was isolated from supermarket spinach.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe exquisite sensitivity of FT-IR spectroscopy allowed them to measure changes in the bond strength of the protein C=O groups. The energies of these C=O groups were used as markers of hydrogen bond strength. The brief laser flash oxidized a manganese ion and caused a change in the strength of the C=O bond, which reported an increase in hydrogen bonding to water molecules. When ammonia was added as an inhibitor, a decrease in C=O hydrogen bonding was observed instead. Addition of trehalose, which is known to change the ordering of water molecules at the surface of proteins, blocked this effect of ammonia.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study describes the coordinated changes that must occur in the protein to facilitate the reaction and shows that the strength of the hydrogen-bonded network is important.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis research helps to clarify how ammonia inhibits the photosystem, which is something that researchers have been wondering about for many years,\u201d Barry explained. \u201cOur work suggests that ammonia can inhibit the reaction by disrupting this network of hydrogen bonds.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research also suggests that in design of artificial devices that carry out this reaction, sustaining a similar hydrogen-bonding network may be important. The stabilizing effect of trehalose discovered by Polander and Barry may also be important.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBeyond the importance of understanding the photosynthetic process, the work could lead to new techniques for producing hydrogen and oxygen using sunlight. One possibility would be to add a biomimetic photocatalytic process to a photovoltaic system producing electricity from the sun.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u201cIn terms of providing new sources of energy, we still have lessons to learn from plants about how they carry out these critical processes,\u201d Barry said. \u201cIt would be a great advance for the planet to have new, sustainable, and inexpensive processes to carry out this reaction.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, she hopes the full water oxidizing cycle can be explored and potentially harnessed or imitated for oxygen and energy production.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are only looking at a single part of the overall reaction now, but we would like to study the entire cycle, in which oxygen is produced, to see how the interactions in the water network change and how the interactions with the protein change,\u201d Barry said. \u201cThe work is another step in understanding how plants carry out this amazing series of photosynthetic reactions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30308\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Assistance\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Abby Robinson (404-385-3364)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Catalysis process provides most of the Earth\u0027s oxygen"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGreen plants produce oxygen from water using a catalytic technique powered by sunlight. Scientists have now shown the importance of a hydrogen-bonding water network to that process -- which is the major source of the Earth\u0027s oxygen.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have discovered a new component of the reaction plants use to create oxygen."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2012-04-02 20:38:01","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:56","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-04-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"121601":{"id":"121601","type":"image","title":"Preparing FT-IR Equipment","body":null,"created":"1449178582","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:36:22","changed":"1475894743","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:43","alt":"Preparing FT-IR Equipment","file":{"fid":"194396","name":"understanding-photosynthesis79.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/understanding-photosynthesis79_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/understanding-photosynthesis79_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1204705,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/understanding-photosynthesis79_0.jpg?itok=YdBXSUed"}},"121611":{"id":"121611","type":"image","title":"Preparing FT-IR Equipment2","body":null,"created":"1449178582","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:36:22","changed":"1475894743","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:43","alt":"Preparing FT-IR Equipment2","file":{"fid":"194397","name":"understanding-photosynthesis96.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/understanding-photosynthesis96_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/understanding-photosynthesis96_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1337762,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/understanding-photosynthesis96_0.jpg?itok=qAdBizvX"}}},"media_ids":["121601","121611"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"29171","name":"Bridgette Barry"},{"id":"479","name":"Green Buzz"},{"id":"1657","name":"oxygen"},{"id":"29181","name":"photocatalyst"},{"id":"18531","name":"photosynthesis"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"},{"id":"39541","name":"Systems"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Toon\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6986\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"120541":{"#nid":"120541","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Leading Minority Engineering Researchers Convene at Georgia Tech for National Workshop","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn response to both a critical need for technological innovation and for ways to address the disturbing shortage of minority engineering faculty across the country, the Minority Faculty Development Workshop: Engineering Enterprise and Innovation was held at Georgia Tech from March 15 to 18.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation, Gilda Barabino, professor of biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech, organized the workshop to bring together distinguished, talented and innovative engineering professionals to address this challenge, which is\u0026nbsp;related to enhanced global competiveness and an improved national economy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe workshop attracted more than 70 engineering faculty and innovators from Harvard, Stanford, North Carolina A \u0026amp;T State University and other leading institutions. Researchers who attended gained insight, resources and knowledge toward activities that support innovation, entrepreneurial endeavors and ultimately, the economic status of our nation, Barabino said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an internationally recognized researcher and educator and the newly elected president of the Biomedical Engineering Society, Barabino has committed herself to her technical career and to impacting the future by developing opportunities for innovation and career success among minority faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy providing opportunities for professional development linked to a better understanding of research innovation and translation, the [workshop] contributes to the development and retention of a well equipped faculty cadre,\u201d Barabino said. \u201cIt broadens the talent pool for translational research that drives company formation, job creation, a healthy economy and global competitiveness.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Dean of Engineering Gary May, who was one of the conference sponsors, said the workshop is a positive step toward increasing underrepresented faculty in the STEM fields.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFaculty are the intellectual life blood of universities, so faculty development is a critical issue,\u201d May said. \u201cThis is particularly true for underrepresented faculty in STEM fields, as there are too few of us to allow any to be unsuccessful. I applaud the Minority Faculty Development Workshop for seeking solutions which will contribute to successful, enriched, and fulfilling careers for its participants.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENational Science Foundation Program Director Omnia El-Hakim stressed the importance of attracting more women to engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWomen constitute 50 percent of the U.S. Population, but are not represented fully in the engineering disciplines nor in entrepreneurship,\u201d El-Hakim said. \u201cThe NSF believes in broadening participation through these types of programs because diversification in these realms brings important perspectives in solving challenges of national concern while maintaining excellence.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;NSF Minority Faculty Development Workshop: Engineering Enterprise and Innovation was the sixth in a series that began in 2001 with funding under the\u0026nbsp;NSF\u0026nbsp;Engineering Directorate. The workshop addressed strategic goals of the National Science Foundation and critical needs of the nation related to enhanced global competiveness and an improved national economy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn response to both a critical need for technological innovation and for ways to address the disturbing shortage of minority engineering faculty across the country, the Minority Faculty Development Workshop: Engineering Enterprise and Innovation was held at Georgia Tech from March 15 to 18.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The workshop was held in response to both a critical need for technological innovation and for ways to address the disturbing shortage of minority engineering faculty across the country."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2012-03-29 10:18:01","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:56","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-03-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-03-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"63743":{"id":"63743","type":"image","title":"Gilda A. Barabino","body":null,"created":"1449176708","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:08","changed":"1475894559","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:39","alt":"Gilda A. Barabino","file":{"fid":"191864","name":"Gilda_A._Barabino.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Gilda_A._Barabino_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Gilda_A._Barabino_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1833894,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Gilda_A._Barabino_0.jpg?itok=NjsucJ_E"}}},"media_ids":["63743"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/serc.carleton.edu\/facultyequity\/workshop12\/index.html","title":"Workshop website"}],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"120171":{"#nid":"120171","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Novel Compound Halts Tumor Spread, Improves Brain Cancer Treatment in Animal Studies","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETreating invasive brain tumors with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation has improved clinical outcomes, but few patients survive longer than two years after diagnosis. The effectiveness of the treatment is limited by the tumor\u2019s aggressive invasion of healthy brain tissue, which restricts chemotherapy access to the cancer cells and complicates surgical removal of the tumor.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo address this challenge, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University have designed a new treatment approach that appears to halt the spread of cancer cells into normal brain tissue in animal models. The researchers treated animals possessing an invasive tumor with a vesicle carrying a molecule called imipramine blue, followed by conventional doxorubicin chemotherapy. The tumors ceased their invasion of healthy tissue and the animals survived longer than animals treated with chemotherapy alone.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur results show that imipramine blue stops tumor invasion into healthy tissue and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy, which suggests that chemotherapy may be more effective when the target is stationary,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=59\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERavi Bellamkonda\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cThese results reveal a new strategy for treating brain cancer that could improve clinical outcomes.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe results of this work were published on March 28, 2012 in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/stm.sciencemag.org\/content\/4\/127\/127ra36\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScience Translational Medicine\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. The research was supported primarily by the Ian\u2019s Friends Foundation and partially by the Georgia Cancer Coalition, the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation and a National Science Foundation graduate research fellowship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Bellamkonda, collaborators on the project include Jack Arbiser, a professor in the Emory University Department of Dermatology; Daniel Brat, a professor in the Emory University Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; and the paper\u2019s lead author, Jennifer Munson, a former Fulbright Scholar who was a bioengineering graduate student in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E when the research was conducted.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EArbiser designed the novel imipramine blue compound, which is an organic triphenylmethane dye. After \u003Cem\u003Ein vitro\u003C\/em\u003E experiments showed that imipramine blue effectively inhibited movement of several cancer cell lines, the researchers tested the compound in an animal model of aggressive cancer that exhibited attributes similar to a human brain tumor called glioblastoma.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere were many reasons why we chose to use the RT2 astrocytoma rat model for these experiments,\u201d said Brat. \u201cThe tumor exhibited properties of aggressive growth, invasiveness, angiogenesis and necrosis that are similar to human glioblastoma; the model utilized an intact immune system, which is seen in the human disease; and the model enabled increased visualization by MRI because it was a rat model, rather than a mouse.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause imipramine blue is hydrophobic and doxorubicin is cytotoxic, the researchers encapsulated each compound in an artificially-prepared vesicle called a liposome so that the drugs would reach the brain. The liposomal drug delivery vehicle also ensured that the drugs would not be released into tissue until they passed through leaky blood vessel walls, which are only present where a tumor is growing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnimals received one of the following four treatments: liposomes filled with saline, liposomes filled with imipramine blue, liposomes filled with doxorubicin chemotherapy, or liposomes filled with imipramine blue followed by liposomes filled with doxorubicin chemotherapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAll of the animals that received the sequential treatment of imipramine blue followed by doxorubicin chemotherapy survived for 200 days -- more than 6 months -- with no observable tumor mass. Of the animals treated with doxorubicin chemotherapy alone, 33 percent were alive after 200 days with a median survival time of 44 days. Animals that received capsules filled with saline or imipramine blue \u2013 but no chemotherapy -- did not survive more than 19 days.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur results show that the increased effectiveness of the chemotherapy treatment is not because of a synergistic toxicity between imipramine blue and doxorubicin. Imipramine blue is not making the doxorubicin more toxic, it\u2019s simply stopping the movement of the cancer cells and containing the cancer so that the chemotherapy can do a better job,\u201d explained Bellamkonda, who is also the Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Chair in Biomedical Engineering and a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholar.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMRI results showed a reduction and compaction of the tumor in animals treated with imipramine blue followed by doxorubicin chemotherapy, while animals treated with chemotherapy alone presented with abnormal tissue and glioma cells. MRI also indicated that the blood-brain barrier breach often seen during tumor growth was present in the animals treated with chemotherapy alone, but not the group treated with chemotherapy and imipramine blue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to the researchers, imipramine blue appears to improve the outcome of brain cancer treatment by altering the regulation of actin, a protein found in all eukaryotic cells. Actin mediates a variety of essential biological functions, including the production of reactive oxygen species. Most cancer cells exhibit overproduction of reactive oxygen species, which are thought to stimulate cancer cells to invade healthy tissue. The dye\u2019s reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton is thought to inhibit production of enzymes that produce reactive oxygen species.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI formulated the imipramine blue compound as a triphenylmethane dye because I knew that another triphenylmethane dye, gentian violet, exhibited anti-cancer properties, and I decided to use imipramine -- a drug used to treat depression -- as the starting material because I knew it could get into the brain,\u201d said Arbiser.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor future studies, the researchers are planning to test imipramine blue\u2019s effect on animal models with invasive brain tumors, metastatic tumors, and other types of cancer such as prostate and breast.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile we need to conduct future studies to determine if the effect of imipramine blue is the same for different types of cancer diagnosed at different stages, this initial study shows the possibility that imipramine blue may be useful as soon as any tumor is diagnosed, before anti-cancer treatment begins, to create a more treatable tumor and enhance clinical outcome,\u201d noted Bellamkonda.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBy stopping the spread of cancer cells into normal brain tissue in animal models, researchers from Georgia Tech and Emory University have developed a new strategy for treating brain cancer that could improve clinical outcomes. The researchers treated animals possessing an invasive tumor with a novel molecule called imipramine blue, followed by conventional doxorubicin chemotherapy. The tumors ceased their invasion of healthy tissue and the animals survived longer than animals treated with chemotherapy alone.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers have designed a new treatment approach that appears to halt the spread of cancer cells into normal brain tissue in animal models."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-03-28 15:18:40","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:56","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"120181":{"id":"120181","type":"image","title":"Imipramine blue","body":null,"created":"1449178268","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:31:08","changed":"1475894741","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:41","alt":"Imipramine blue","file":{"fid":"194355","name":"imipramine_blue_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/imipramine_blue_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/imipramine_blue_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":90121,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/imipramine_blue_hires_0.jpg?itok=x00IaSfV"}},"120191":{"id":"120191","type":"image","title":"Imipramine blue inhibits glioblastoma cells","body":null,"created":"1449178268","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:31:08","changed":"1475894741","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:41","alt":"Imipramine blue inhibits glioblastoma cells","file":{"fid":"194356","name":"ib-effect-glioblastoma-cells-hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ib-effect-glioblastoma-cells-hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ib-effect-glioblastoma-cells-hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":226151,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ib-effect-glioblastoma-cells-hires_0.jpg?itok=iL84lBXA"}},"120201":{"id":"120201","type":"image","title":"Imipramine blue tumor invasion","body":null,"created":"1449178268","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:31:08","changed":"1475894741","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:41","alt":"Imipramine blue tumor invasion","file":{"fid":"194357","name":"ib-effect-tumor_invasion-hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ib-effect-tumor_invasion-hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ib-effect-tumor_invasion-hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1511508,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ib-effect-tumor_invasion-hires_0.jpg?itok=3k96CjPZ"}}},"media_ids":["120181","120191","120201"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"28591","name":"Actin"},{"id":"28521","name":"Brain Cancer"},{"id":"10365","name":"Brain Tumor"},{"id":"8084","name":"Cancer treatment"},{"id":"1439","name":"chemotherapy"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"11533","name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"1445","name":"doxorubicin"},{"id":"28561","name":"Glioblastoma"},{"id":"28581","name":"Glioma"},{"id":"28571","name":"Liposome"},{"id":"2471","name":"Ravi Bellamkonda"},{"id":"28601","name":"triphenylmethane dye"},{"id":"1442","name":"tumor"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E Research News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E 404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"117871":{"#nid":"117871","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Team Sweeps Business Plan Competition","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u201cMAID\u201d Team (Magnetically Assisted Intubation Device) of biomedical engineering undergraduates swept the Georgia Tech Business Plan Competition finals on March 9.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETeam MAID is composed of seniors Alex Cooper, Elizabeth Flanagan, Shawna Hagen and Jacob Thompson.\u0026nbsp; Their plan and presentation won first place in the Undergraduate Competition, 1st Place in the Overall Competition, Most Commercializable Plan and the Alumni Award in the poster session for total winnings of $42,500.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir win represents the first time a team of undergraduates has won the overall competition, which draws undergraduate and graduate students from across Georgia Tech. The Business Plan Competition is organized annually by Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Management.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMAID is a simplified approach to intubation that utilizes magnets to guide the endotracheal tube into the airway of a patient easily and quickly, with less risk and without the need for visualization. MAID has two components: the single-use magnetic stylet and the reusable guide magnet. The external guide magnet is placed above the cricoid cartilage of the patient. When the endotracheal tube with the magnetic stylet is inserted into the patient\u2019s mouth, it is pulled directly into the airway by the guide magnet, resulting in near effortless intubation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast year the team MAID also won second place in Georgia Tech\u2019s InVenture Prize competition, winning $10,000 cash and a patent application by the Office of Technology Licensing. In summer 2011, the Translational Research Institute for Biomedical Engineering \u0026amp; Science awarded the team a seed grant of $25,000 to for further prototype development of the device.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Saint Joseph Translation Research Institute has tested their functioning prototype on multiple human cadavers with considerable success. The Office of Technology Licensing filed a full non-provisional patent in March 2012. Currently, additional design work is being conducted to improve manufacturability and reliability. The MAID design concept to improve the safety and effectiveness of the intubation procedure began as a team design project in BMED 2300, Projects in Biomedical Engineering. Franklin Bost, Professor of the Practice in biomedical engineering, and Leanne West at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, continue to advise the MAID team.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKevin Lewis, another biomedical engineering student, whose plan for \u201cCold Crate\u201d came in third in the Undergraduate Track of the Business Plan competition. Graduate student Melissa Li was a finalist for her team\u2019s CARDIAM device and the winner of a $10,000 services package for Most Innovative Technology. \u0026nbsp;The CARDIAM Team was also a co-winner in the Elevator Pitch Competition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWritten by Adrianne Proeller,\u0026nbsp;Wallace H. Coulter Dept.\u0026nbsp;of Biomedical Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \u201cMAID\u201d Team (Magnetically Assisted Intubation Device) of biomedical engineering undergraduates swept the Georgia Tech Business Plan Competition finals.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The \u201cMAID\u201d Team (Magnetically Assisted Intubation Device) of biomedical engineering undergraduates earns top prize."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2012-03-20 11:43:28","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:52","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-03-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"117881":{"id":"117881","type":"image","title":"Magnetically Assisted Intubation Device team","body":null,"created":"1449178256","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:30:56","changed":"1475894736","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:36","alt":"Magnetically Assisted Intubation Device team","file":{"fid":"194274","name":"11c2647-p1-354.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/11c2647-p1-354_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/11c2647-p1-354_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2396093,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/11c2647-p1-354_0.jpg?itok=oSqk1QoC"}}},"media_ids":["117881"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/mgt.gatech.edu\/fac_research\/centers_initiatives\/bpc\/","title":"2012 Business Plan Results"},{"url":"http:\/\/mgt.gatech.edu\/news_room\/news\/2012\/articles\/bpcwinners.html","title":"College of Management article"}],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"27541","name":"College of Engineering; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering; Emory; MAID"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"116431":{"#nid":"116431","#data":{"type":"news","title":"BioEngineering Student and Faculty Awards Winners","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThrough the generous support of Dean Gary S. May and the College of Engineering, the BioEngineering Interdisciplinary graduate program is pleased announce the \u003Cstrong\u003Ewinners\u003C\/strong\u003E of the\u0026nbsp; three new BioEngineering Awards for calendar year 2011 as follows:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBest BioE Student Paper\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERolando Gittens - Ph.D. Student - Boyan Lab - Award Recipient 2012\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBest BioE Ph.D. Thesis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEdward Phelps, Ph.D. - Garcia Lab -\u0026nbsp; Award Recipient 2012\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBest BioE Advisor\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDr. Melissa Kemp, BMED - Award Recipient 2012\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo honor these recipients, an awards ceremony will be held Fall semester 2012.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"\u0022Rewarding Excellence...\u0022"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Through the generous support of Dean Gary S. May and the College of Engineering, the BioEngineering Interdisciplinary graduate program is pleased announce the creation of three new BioEngineering Awards.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Through the generous support of Dean Gary S. May and the College of Engineering, the BioEngineering Interdisciplinary graduate program is pleased announce the creation of three new BioEngineering Awards."}],"uid":"27547","created_gmt":"2012-03-13 08:20:26","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:52","author":"Chris Ruffin","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-03-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-03-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69773":{"id":"69773","type":"image","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience","body":null,"created":"1449177264","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:24","changed":"1475894611","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:31","alt":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience","file":{"fid":"192836","name":"10c3041-p1-266.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2271177,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg?itok=aplnv5pz"}}},"media_ids":["69773"],"groups":[{"id":"65448","name":"Bioengineering Graduate Program"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"569","name":"bioengineering"},{"id":"35431","name":"BioEngineering Awards"},{"id":"14347","name":"Edward Phelps"},{"id":"5084","name":"Melissa Kemp"},{"id":"35441","name":"Rolando Gittens"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMr. Christopher Ruffin\u003Cbr \/\u003EIBB Building, Room 1103\u003Cbr \/\u003E(404)385-6655\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["chris.ruffin@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"116491":{"#nid":"116491","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Graduate Programs Earn High Marks In National Rankings","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology graduate programs continue\nto earn high marks from U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u0027s annual rankings. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Institute\u2019s College of Engineering ranked No. 4 for the\neighth consecutive year and all eleven of the programs within the college are\nranked in the top 10 including industrial engineering (No. 1), biomedical and bioengineering (No.\n2), civil (No. 3), aerospace (No. 4), electrical (No. 5), nuclear (No. 5), environmental\n(No. 6), computer (No. 6), mechanical (No. 6), materials (No. 7) and chemical\n(No. 10).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAll of Georgia Tech\u2019s graduate\nengineering programs are ranked in the top ten in the nation.\u0026nbsp; We\u2019re proud that our College of Engineering\nis not only one of the best in the U.S., but also the largest, preparing nearly\n3,000 graduates each year,\u201d said Georgia Tech President G. P. \u201cBud\u201d\nPeterson.\u0026nbsp; \u201cWe commend our outstanding\nfaculty, staff and students who helped make this a reality.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech appears on the top 10 list of engineering specialties more than any other ranked institution.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech College of Management full-time MBA program\nranked No. 32, while the Institute\u2019s part-time MBA program ranked No. 28. \u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology graduate programs continue\nto earn high marks from U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u0027s annual rankings.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech graduate programs continue to earn high marks from U.S. News \u0026 World Report."}],"uid":"27304","created_gmt":"2012-03-13 09:03:36","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:52","author":"Matthew Nagel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-03-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-03-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"83641":{"id":"83641","type":"image","title":"Tech Tower","body":null,"created":"1449178095","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:15","changed":"1475894700","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:00"}},"media_ids":["83641"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com\/best-graduate-schools","title":"U.S. News \u0026 World Report"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\/home","title":"College of Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/mgt.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech College of Management"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2008","name":"College of Management"},{"id":"516","name":"engineering"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"1209","name":"MBA"},{"id":"834","name":"Rankings"},{"id":"1875","name":"U.S. News \u0026 World Report"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mattnagel@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"112651":{"#nid":"112651","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Two Georgia Tech Faculty Help to Define Emerging U.S Stem Cell Engineering Field through International Study","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERobert M. Nerem, Ph.D., professor in mechanical engineering and Todd C.\nMcDevitt, Ph.D., director of the Stem Cell Engineering Center at Georgia Tech,\nwere invited by the lead sponsor, Semahat S.\nDemir Ph.D. of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to take part in an\ninternational assessment of the stem cell engineering field.\u0026nbsp; Nerem will\nlead the panel and the findings of this study will result in recommendations to\nthe NSF and other funding agencies on future research directions and\ninvestments, recommendations on global initiatives with international partners\nand public workshops.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe study, which is being conducted by the World Technology Evaluation Center\n(WTEC), aims to assess the current status and the trends of stem cell\nengineering, and compare U.S. research and development programs with those\nabroad.\u0026nbsp; In addition to the NSF, the study is co-sponsored by the National\nInstitutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Standards and\nTechnology (NIST).\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u201cTech is fortunate to have two out of the six experts on this panel,\u201d Nerem\nsaid. \u201cIt conveys Georgia Tech\u0027s nascent leadership in this relatively new and\nrapidly growing field and it is a great opportunity to provide input and\nleadership to our funding agencies and help our government understand where\nbest to invest.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nPresident Obama, Congress and numerous states have recognized the value of stem\ncell research. Knowledge of research activities abroad will help to formulate\nand prioritize research directions to support President Obama\u0027s executive order\nfor expanding stem cell research so that it has the greatest potential for\nclinical and commercial applications.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nDozens of companies have recently entered the stem cell engineering field in\nsearch of clinical and commercial applications.\u0026nbsp; There is clear impetus\nfor the U.S. to support stem cell research and continue its leadership in the\nbasic sciences for the betterment of humankind.\u0026nbsp; A Congressional Research\nService report on stem cell research, which reviewed the political, moral and\nethical issues of the subject, indicated the strengthening interest and\neconomic commitment for stem cell research in the U.S. and the rest of the\nworld.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThis study will use WTEC\u0027s methodology and an expert panel of six to conduct\nsite visits to overseas laboratories where work in stem cell engineering is\ndone. The panelists began their study in November, when they traveled to China\nand Japan, and will continue their evaluation this week in Europe.\u0026nbsp; These\nvisits, combined with the panel\u0027s own research experiences and assessments,\nwill help shape a report.\u0026nbsp; Like the previous WTEC studies on the tissue\nengineering and nanotechnology fields, this effort will act as a guide for U.S.\nresearch investments in this emerging field and will help identify key issues\nof critical importance to program officers. \u2028\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u201cThis is an excellent opportunity to learn what other countries are doing and\nbenchmark against other programs in order to position the U.S. to become\nleaders in stem cell research and development,\u201d said McDevitt, who is also an\nassociate professor in the Wallace H. Counter Department of Biomedical\nEngineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u201cManufacturing, clinical\ntrials and commercializing stem cell-based products, if done strategically, is\nsomething that could boost our nation\u2019s economy.\u201d \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThis week the scientists will travel to Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. In addition to Nerem and McDevitt, other panelists include Jeanne\nLoring, Ph.D., The Scripps Institute; Sean Palecek, Ph.D., University of\nWisconsin; David Schaffer, Ph.D., University California at Berkeley; and Peter\nZandstra, Ph.D., University of Toronto.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nWTEC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) research institute, which is a spin-off of\nLoyola University Maryland.\u0026nbsp; Since 1989, WTEC has provided such assessment\nstudies in more than 60 fields of R\u0026amp;D under peer-reviewed grants from NSF.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech faculty invited by the National Science Foundation to take part in an international assessment of the Stem Cell Engineering field."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERobert M. Nerem, Ph.D., professor in mechanical engineering and Todd C.\nMcDevitt, Ph.D., director of the Stem Cell Engineering Center at Georgia Tech,\nwere invited by the lead sponsor, Semahat S.\nDemir Ph.D. from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to take part in an\ninternational assessment of the stem cell engineering field.\u0026nbsp; Nerem will\nlead the panel and the findings of this study will result in recommendations to\nthe NSF and other funding agencies on future research directions and\ninvestments, recommendations on global initiatives with international partners\nand public workshops.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech faculty invited by the National Science Foundation to take part in an international assessment of the Stem Cell Engineering field."}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2012-02-27 16:16:04","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:44","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-03-01T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-03-01T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"60434":{"id":"60434","type":"image","title":"Robert Nerem \u0026 Todd McDevitt","body":null,"created":"1449176267","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:57:47","changed":"1475894523","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:03","alt":"Robert Nerem \u0026 Todd McDevitt","file":{"fid":"191125","name":"tpb17928.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tpb17928_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tpb17928_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1599704,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tpb17928_0.jpg?itok=qHDHZJYj"}},"70893":{"id":"70893","type":"image","title":"Robert Nerem","body":null,"created":"1449177328","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:28","changed":"1475894625","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:45"},"70131":{"id":"70131","type":"image","title":"Todd McDevitt","body":null,"created":"1449177288","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:48","changed":"1475894616","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:36"}},"media_ids":["60434","70893","70131"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.wtec.org\/SCE\/","title":"Study website"},{"url":"http:\/\/scec.gatech.edu\/","title":"Stem Cell Engineering Center"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/","title":"National Science Foundation"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.nist.gov\/index.html","title":"National Institute of Standards and Technology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"}],"keywords":[{"id":"215","name":"manufacturing"},{"id":"362","name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"3414","name":"Robert Nerem"},{"id":"167490","name":"SCEC"},{"id":"167603","name":"Stem Cell Engineering"},{"id":"760","name":"Todd McDevitt"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EColly Mitchell\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing \u0026amp; Events\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"111891":{"#nid":"111891","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Research Alliance Names First Eminent Scholar in Nanomedicine","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EYounan Xia, an internationally recognized leader in the field of nanotechnology, recently joined the Georgia Institute of Technology as the first Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) Eminent Scholar in Nanomedicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EXia is the Brock Family Chair and GRA Eminent Scholar in Nanomedicine in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, with a joint appointment in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. His research focuses on nanocrystals --\u0026nbsp;a novel class of materials with features smaller than 100 nm -- as well as the development of innovative technologies enabled by nanocrystals. These technologies span the fields of molecular imaging, early cancer diagnosis, targeted drug delivery, biomaterials, regenerative medicine and catalysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe possible applications of nanotechnology in medicine have only begun to be explored, said Michael Cassidy, President and CEO of the Georgia Research Alliance. \u201cDr. Xia\u2019s expertise and collaborative vision will lead to vital new scientific discoveries that can be transformed into new tools to help people live healthier lives.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EXia received his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Harvard University in 1996, his M.S. in inorganic chemistry from University of Pennsylvania (with the late Professor Alan G. MacDiarmid, a Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 2000) in 1993. He has received a number of prestigious awards, including AIMBE Fellow (2011), MRS Fellow (2009), NIH Director\u0027s Pioneer Award (2006), Leo Hendrik Baekeland Award (2005), Camille Dreyfus Teacher Scholar (2002), David and Lucile Packard Fellowship in Science and Engineering (2000), Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (2000), NSF Early Career Development Award (2000) and the ACS Victor K. LaMer Award (1999).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDr. Xia is a world-renowned teacher and leader at the forefront of nanomedicine and materials science,\u201d said Larry McIntire, the Wallace H. Coulter Chair of Biomedical Engineering. \u201cHis reputation and innovative research in these areas will clearly strengthen our expanding efforts in nanomedicine and biomaterials. We are honored to welcome him to the department and to the Institute.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EYounan Xia, an internationally recognized leader in the field of nanotechnology, recently joined the Georgia Institute of Technology as the first Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) Eminent Scholar in Nanomedicine.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Nanotechnology expert Younan Xia joins Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2012-02-23 12:19:28","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:44","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.gra.org\/","title":"Georgia Research Alliance"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"1464","name":"Georgia Research Alliance"},{"id":"24841","name":"Younan Xia"}],"core_research_areas":[],"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\u003Cp\u003EAdrianne Proeller\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-894-2357\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["adrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"111361":{"#nid":"111361","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Blast from the past: resurrecting ancient life (with confidence)","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIf we were able to resurrect a dinosaur in the laboratory today how could we be certain that the particular dinosaur actually existed in the distant past and does not simply represent some mutant frankensaurus?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOngoing research at Georgia Tech aims to answer this question in an experimental approach by adding rigor to the methods and protocols used to resurrect components of ancient life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDr. Eric Gaucher, Associate Professor in the School of Biology, was recently awarded $700K from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to, for the first time, benchmark ancestral sequence reconstruction methods. Prof. Gaucher\u2019s approach involves generating a known experimental phylogeny in the lab using fluorescent proteins cloned into bacteria. Generating such a \u201cknown\u201d phylogeny with evolved sequences will, in turn, allow the group to test resurrection predictions since the true ancestral proteins are generated in the laboratory and are thus known.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn important component of the funding involves integrating evolutionary and molecular biology research into the greater Atlanta community. In collaboration with Dunwoody High school, Dr. Gaucher and Ryan Randall have developed a new Biotechnology curriculum whereby students are introduced to the connections between genotype and phenotype by evolving fluorescent proteins at the high school. In addition, The Gaucher Group annually hosts a team of Dekalb county high school students competing in the National Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology, that involves bioengineering of fluorescent proteins.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor his efforts, Prof. Gaucher is also a recent recipient of Georgia Tech\u2019s Class of 1934 Teaching Award. This award is based on student evaluations and presented to faculty with the highest ratings in overall effectiveness in teaching.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIf we were able to resurrect a dinosaur in the laboratory today how could we be certain that the particular dinosaur actually existed in the distant past and does not simply represent some mutant frankensaurus?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOngoing research at Georgia Tech aims to answer this question in an experimental approach by adding rigor to the methods and protocols used to resurrect components of ancient life.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"If we were able to resurrect a dinosaur in the laboratory today how could we be certain that the particular dinosaur actually existed in the distant past and does not simply represent some mutant frankensaurus?"}],"uid":"27245","created_gmt":"2012-02-22 10:15:14","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:44","author":"Troy Hilley","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-02-22T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-02-22T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"111341":{"id":"111341","type":"image","title":"Eric Gaucher and Ryan Randall","body":null,"created":"1449178213","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:30:13","changed":"1475894731","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:31","alt":"Eric Gaucher and Ryan Randall","file":{"fid":"194096","name":"gaucherimage1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gaucherimage1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gaucherimage1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":59010,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/gaucherimage1_0.jpg?itok=6lNFur0s"}},"111351":{"id":"111351","type":"image","title":"Siemens competition","body":null,"created":"1449178213","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:30:13","changed":"1475894731","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:31","alt":"Siemens competition","file":{"fid":"194097","name":"gaucherimage2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gaucherimage2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gaucherimage2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":48435,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/gaucherimage2_0.jpg?itok=FFnwW5IS"}}},"media_ids":["111341","111351"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/eric-gaucher","title":"Eric Gaucher"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.gauchergroup.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"Gaucher Group"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.siemens-foundation.org\/en\/competition.htm","title":"Siemens Competition"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cetl.gatech.edu\/","title":"Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL)"}],"groups":[{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"5079","name":"Eric Gaucher"},{"id":"24721","name":"Gaucher Group"},{"id":"169462","name":"Siemens Competition"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["david.terraso@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"108801":{"#nid":"108801","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Develops Computational Algorithm to Assist in Cancer Treatments","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHigh-throughput DNA sequencing technologies are leading to\na revolution in how clinicians diagnose and treat cancer. The molecular\nprofiles of individual tumors are beginning to be used in the design of\nchemotherapeutic programs optimized for the treatment of individual patients. The\nreal revolution, however, is coming with the emerging capability to\ninexpensively and accurately sequence the entire genome of cancers, allowing\nfor the identification of specific mutations responsible for the disease in\nindividual patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThere is only one downside. Those sequencing technologies\nprovide massive amounts of data that are not easily processed and translated by\nscientists. That\u2019s why Georgia Tech has created a new data analysis algorithm\nthat quickly transforms complex RNA sequence data into usable content for\nbiologists and clinicians. The RNA-Seq analysis pipeline (R-SAP) was developed\nby School of Biology Professor John McDonald and Ph.D. Bioinformatics candidate\nVinay Mittal. Details of the pipeline are published in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/nar.oxfordjournals.org\/cgi\/reprint\/gks047?%20ijkey=Fd2USew6iX9nbaM\u0026amp;keytype=ref\u0022\u003ENucleic\nAcids Research\u003C\/a\u003E. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA major bottleneck in the realization of the dream of\npersonalized medicine is no longer technological. It\u2019s computational,\u201d said\nMcDonald, director of Georgia Tech\u2019s newly created Integrated Cancer Research\nCenter. \u201cR-SAP follows a hierarchical decision-making procedure to accurately characterize\nvarious classes of gene transcripts in cancer samples.\u201d \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThere are at least 23,000 pieces of RNA in the human\ngenome that encode the sequence of proteins. Millions of other pieces help\nregulate the production of proteins. R-SAP is able to quickly determine every\ngene\u2019s level of RNA expression and provide information about splice variants,\nbiomarkers and chimeric RNAs. Biologists and clinicians will be able to more\nreadily use this data to compare the RNA profiles or \u201ctranscriptomes\u201d of normal\ncells with those of individual cancers and thereby be in a better position to\ndevelop optimized personal therapies. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPersonalized approaches to cancer medicine are already in\nwidespread use for a few \u201ccancer biomarkers\u201d including variants of the BRAC 1\ngene that can be used to identify women with a high risk of developing breast\nand ovarian cancer. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur goal was to design a pipeline that is easily\ninstallable with parallel processing capabilities,\u201d said Mittal. \u201cR-SAP can\nmake 100 million reads in just 90 minutes. Running the program simultaneously\non multiple CPUs can further decrease that time.\u201d\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ER-SAP is open source software, freely accessible at the\nMcDonald Lab \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mcdonaldlab.biology.gatech.edu\/r-sap.htm\u0022\u003Ewebsite\u003C\/a\u003E.\n\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis is another example of Georgia Tech\u2019s ability to\nmerge computer technology with science to create an essential feature of\nnext-generation bioinformatics tools,\u201d said McDonald. \u201cWe hope that R-SAP will\nbe a useful and user-friendly instrument for scientists and clinicians in the\nfield of cancer biology.\u201d \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New software key for personalized cancer medicine"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech has created a new data analysis algorithm that quickly \ntransforms complex RNA sequence data into usable content for biologists \nand clinicians. Scientists will be able to more readily use this data to\n compare the RNA profiles or \u201ctranscriptomes\u201d of normal cells with those\n of individual cancers and thereby be in a better position to develop \noptimized personal therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech has created a new data analysis algorithm that quickly transforms complex RNA sequence data into usable content for cancer biologists and clinicians."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2012-02-13 13:30:19","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:40","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-02-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-02-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"101211":{"id":"101211","type":"image","title":"John McDonald","body":null,"created":"1449178159","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:29:19","changed":"1475894717","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:17"}},"media_ids":["101211"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/","title":"College of Sciences"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2546","name":"bioinformatics"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"2371","name":"John McDonald"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-2966\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"108701":{"#nid":"108701","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Research: Good for the Heart","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EValentine\u2019s Day evokes images of a stylized heart shape, but for a group of Georgia Institute of Technology researchers, the heart is a complex organ that interests them throughout the year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are developing new ways to diagnose and treat heart problems -- from advanced imaging techniques and guidance for drug therapies to sophisticated surgical procedures. Georgia Tech\u2019s emphasis on translational research accelerates the pace at which new heart-related discoveries are put to use in patient care.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImproving Heart Surgery\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo advance the goal of minimally invasive cardiac surgery, researchers have developed a technology that simplifies and standardizes the technique for opening and closing the beating heart during surgery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EApica Cardiovascular, a Georgia Tech and Emory University medical device startup, licensed the technology from the two institutions. The firm recently received a $5.5 million investment to further develop the system, which will make the transapical access and closure procedure required for delivering therapeutic devices to the heart more routine for cardiac surgeons. The goal is to expand the use of surgery techniques that are less invasive and do not require stopping the heart.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith research and development support from the Coulter Foundation Translational Research Program and the Georgia Research Alliance, the company has already completed a series of pre-clinical studies to test the functionality of the device and its biocompatibility. James Greene currently serves as the CEO of the company, which has offices in Galway, Ireland, and in Atlanta.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information on this work, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/apica-cardiovascular\/\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/apica-cardiovascular\/\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDiagnosing Heart Disease\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/degertekin.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ELevent Degertekin\u003C\/a\u003E is designing tiny devices micromachined from silicon that may make diagnosing and treating coronary artery diseases easier.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDegertekin, the George W. Woodruff Chair in Mechanical Systems, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/about\/personnel\/bio.php?id=45\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPaul Hasler\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech, micromachined intravascular ultrasound imaging arrays with integrated electronics. Placed on catheters inserted into the body, the devices image the arteries of the heart in three dimensions at high resolution using high-frequency ultrasound waves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe system boasts a more compact design and three-dimensional imaging capability for guiding cardiologists during interventions, such as those for completely blocked arteries. The technology also offers higher resolution than current intravascular ultrasound systems, which help diagnose vulnerable plaque, a leading cause of heart attacks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFunding for this research currently is provided by the National Institutes of Health. To commercialize the technology, the researchers have formed a startup company called SIBUS Medical, which is receiving assistance from \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/venturelab.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EVentureLab\u003C\/a\u003E, a unit of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/innovate.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEnterprise Innovation Institute\u003C\/a\u003E that nurtures faculty startup companies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDetecting and Treating Atherosclerosis\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith a five-year $14.6 million contract from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Georgia Tech and Emory University researchers are developing nanotechnology and biomolecular engineering tools and methodologies for detecting and treating atherosclerosis. The award supports the interdisciplinary Center for Translational Cardiovascular Nanomedicine, which is led by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=2\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGang Bao\u003C\/a\u003E, the Robert A. Milton Chair in Biomedical Engineering in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAtherosclerosis typically occurs in branched or curved regions of arteries where plaques form because of cholesterol build-up. Inflammation can alter the structure of plaques so they become more likely to rupture, potentially causing a blood vessel blockage and leading to heart attack or stroke.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are working to accomplish four goals:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EUsing nanoparticle probes to image and characterize atherosclerotic plaques\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDiagnosing cardiovascular disease from a blood sample\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDesigning new methods for delivering anti-atherosclerosis drugs and genes into the body\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDeveloping stem cell based therapies to repair damaged heart tissue\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditional researchers from the Coulter Department and from Emory University are also contributing to the project. For more information on this work, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/cardiovascular-nanomedicine-center\/\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/cardiovascular-nanomedicine-center\/\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EImproving Drug Dosing Following a Heart Attack\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA research team led by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech mechanical engineering\u003C\/a\u003E assistant professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/forest.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECraig Forest\u003C\/a\u003E is designing a device to quickly and accurately personalize a patient\u2019s drug dosage to prevent blood clots that can cause heart attacks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen someone experiencing heart attack symptoms arrives at an emergency room, he or she typically receives a standard dose of aspirin and\/or clopidogrel to prevent further blood clotting. But that standard dose may not be the best dose for a given individual.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith Forest\u2019s device, a small blood sample is sent through a microchip containing a network of microfabricated capillaries that mimic the branching coronary arteries around the human heart. Because the branches contain flow restrictions of different sizes, the failure of blood to flow through the branches with smaller restrictions indicates that a higher drug dose may be required.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDetermining the necessary dose of anti-clotting drugs can be difficult. Too much of the drug may cause the patient to experience gastrointestinal bleeding. Too little drug may allow additional clot formation and set the stage for another heart attack. Forest\u2019s device should help determine the right dosage for each patient.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEmory University Department of Emergency Medicine assistant professor Jeremy Ackerman and Georgia Tech Regents\u2019 professor of mechanical engineering \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/ku.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDavid Ku\u003C\/a\u003E are working with Forest on this project, which is supported by the American Heart Association.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExamining Heart Valve Leakage\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn estimated 1.6 million Americans suffer moderate to severe leakage through their tricuspid valve, a complex structure that closes off the heart\u2019s right ventricle from the right atrium. If left untreated, severe leakage can affect an individual\u2019s quality of life and can even lead to death.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearch teams led by \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=5\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAjit Yoganathan\u003C\/a\u003E, Georgia Tech Regents\u2019 professor and Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering, have discovered causes for the tricuspid valve\u2019s leakage and ways to predict the severity of leakage in the valve. These study results could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of the condition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA study published in the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1161\/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.003897\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECirculation\u003C\/em\u003E \u003C\/a\u003Efound that either dilating the tricuspid valve opening or displacing the papillary muscles that control its operation can cause the valve to leak. A combination of the two actions can increase the severity of the leakage, which is called tricuspid regurgitation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStandard clinical procedures that detail when and how tricuspid valve repairs should be performed need to be developed and this study suggests several items that should be considered in developing those protocols, according to the researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn another study published in the journal \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1161\/CIRCIMAGING.111.965707\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECirculation: Cardiovascular Imaging\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E, researchers found that the anatomy of the heart\u2019s tricuspid valve can be used to predict the severity of leakage in the valve. Using 3-D echocardiograms from 64 individuals who exhibited assorted grades of tricuspid leakage, the researchers found that pulmonary arterial pressure, the size of the valve opening and papillary muscle position measurements could be used to predict the severity of an individual\u2019s tricuspid regurgitation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study will change the focus and direction of future surgical therapies for tricuspid regurgitation to make them better and more durable, the researchers said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers from the Coulter Department, Emory University, Children\u2019s Hospital Boston and Mount Sinai Medical Center contributed to these two studies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor more information on this work, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/tricuspid-valve-leakage\/\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/tricuspid-valve-leakage\/\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/tricuspid-regurgitation\/\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/tricuspid-regurgitation\/\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers are developing new ways to diagnose and treat heart problems -- from advanced imaging techniques and guidance for drug therapies to sophisticated surgical procedures.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are developing new ways to diagnose and treat heart problems -- from advanced imaging techniques and guidance for drug therapies to sophisticated surgical procedures."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-02-13 09:55:44","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:40","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-02-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-02-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"64187":{"id":"64187","type":"image","title":"Apica Cardiovascular co-founders","body":null,"created":"1449176735","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:35","changed":"1475894564","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:44","alt":"Apica Cardiovascular co-founders","file":{"fid":"191965","name":"tzf68716.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tzf68716_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tzf68716_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1161006,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tzf68716_0.jpg?itok=JAF5uj-l"}},"61422":{"id":"61422","type":"image","title":"Gang Bao Biomedical Engineering","body":null,"created":"1449176337","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:58:57","changed":"1475894536","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:16","alt":"Gang Bao Biomedical Engineering","file":{"fid":"191354","name":"txa10075.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/txa10075_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/txa10075_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":597562,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/txa10075_0.jpg?itok=s74eKrMB"}},"108721":{"id":"108721","type":"image","title":"Tricuspid valve - heart research","body":null,"created":"1449178188","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:29:48","changed":"1475894725","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:25","alt":"Tricuspid valve - heart research","file":{"fid":"194024","name":"tricuspid_valve_hires_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tricuspid_valve_hires_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tricuspid_valve_hires_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":308309,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tricuspid_valve_hires_0_0.jpg?itok=Lo5STPzi"}}},"media_ids":["64187","61422","108721"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2582","name":"Ajit Yoganathan"},{"id":"7270","name":"atherosclerosis"},{"id":"23731","name":"blood clotting"},{"id":"7104","name":"cardiovascular"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"12333","name":"Craig Forest"},{"id":"11881","name":"David Ku"},{"id":"11533","name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"2639","name":"Gang Bao"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E Research News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E 404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"108061":{"#nid":"108061","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Model Analyzes Shape-Memory Alloys for Use in Earthquake-Resistant Structures","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERecent earthquake damage has exposed the vulnerability of\nexisting structures to strong ground movement. At the Georgia Institute of\nTechnology, researchers are analyzing shape-memory alloys for their potential\nuse in constructing seismic-resistant structures.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShape-memory alloys exhibit unique characteristics that you\nwould want for earthquake-resistant building and bridge design and retrofit\napplications: they have the ability to dissipate significant energy without\nsignificant degradation or permanent deformation,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ce.gatech.edu\/people\/faculty\/891\/overview\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EReginald DesRoches\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor\nin the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ce.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers have developed a model that\ncombines thermodynamics and mechanical equations to assess what happens when\nshape-memory alloys are subjected to loading from strong motion. The researchers\nare using the model to analyze how shape-memory alloys in a variety of\ncomponents -- cables, bars, plates and helical springs -- respond to different loading\nconditions. From that information, they can determine the optimal\ncharacteristics of the material for earthquake applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe model was developed by DesRoches, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Mechanical\nEngineering\u003C\/a\u003E graduate student Reza Mirzaeifar, School of Civil and Environmental\nEngineering associate professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ce.gatech.edu\/people\/faculty\/421\/overview\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EArash Yavari\u003C\/a\u003E, and School of Mechanical Engineering\nand \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mse.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Materials Science and Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E professor \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/gall.shtml\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EKen Gall\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EA paper describing the thermo-mechanical model was published\nonline Feb. 3 in the \u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ijnonlinmec.2012.01.007\u0022\u003EInternational\nJournal of Non-Linear Mechanics\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E. This research was supported by the\nTransportation Research Board IDEA program.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETo improve the performance of structures during earthquakes,\nresearchers around the world have been investigating the use of \u201csmart\u201d\nmaterials, such as shape-memory alloys, which can bounce back after\nexperiencing large loads. The most common shape-memory alloys are made of metal\nmixtures containing copper-zinc-aluminum-nickel, copper-aluminum-nickel or\nnickel-titanium. Potential applications of shape-memory alloys in bridge and\nbuilding structures include their use in bearings, columns and beams, or\nconnecting elements between beams and columns. But before this class of\nmaterials can be used, the effect of extreme and repetitive loads on these\nmaterials must be thoroughly examined.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFor standard civil engineering materials, you can use\nmechanics to look at force and displacement to measure stress and strain, but\nfor this class of shape-memory alloys that changes properties when it undergoes\nloading and unloading, you have to consider thermodynamics and mechanics,\u201d explained\nYavari.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech team found that the generation and\nabsorption of heat during loading and unloading caused a temperature gradient\nin shape-memory alloys, which caused a non-uniform stress distribution in the\nmaterial even when the strain was uniform.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cShape-memory alloys previously examined in detail were\nreally thin wires, which can exchange heat with the ambient environment rapidly\nand no temperature change is seen,\u201d said Mirzaeifar. \u201cWhen you start to examine\nalloys in components large enough to be used in civil engineering applications,\nthe internal temperature is no longer uniform and needs to be taken into\naccount.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETo predict the internal temperature distribution of\nshape-memory alloys under loading-unloading cycles, which could then be used to\ndetermine the stress distribution, the researchers developed a model that used\nthe surface thermal boundary conditions, diameter and loading rate of the alloy\nas inputs.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team included ambient conditions in the model because\nshape-memory alloys for seismic applications could operate in a variety of\nenvironments -- such as water if used in bridge structures or air if used in\nbuilding structures -- which would produce different rates of heat transfer. The\nresearchers used a thermal camera to record the variation in surface\ntemperature of shape-memory alloys experiencing loading and unloading.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing their model, the researchers were able to accurately\npredict internal temperature and stress distributions for shape-memory alloys. The\nmodel results were verified with experimental tests. In one test, they found\nthat a shape-memory alloy loaded at a very slow rate had time to exchange the\nheat created with the ambient environment and exhibited uniform stress. If it was\nloaded very rapidly, it did not have enough time to exchange the heat, leading\nto a non-uniform stress distribution.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur analytical solutions are exact, fast and capable of simulating\nthe complicated coupled thermo-mechanical response of shape-memory alloys\nconsidering temperature changes and loading rate dependency,\u201d said Mirzaeifar.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn future work, the researchers plan to examine more\ncomplicated shapes and the effects of combination loading -- tension, bending\nand torsion -- to optimize shape-memory alloys for earthquake applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project is\nsupported by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies (Award\nNo. NCHRP-147). The National Academies has rights to the data and the content\nis solely the responsibility of the principal investigators and does not\nnecessarily represent the official views of the National Academies.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations\nContacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John\nToon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby\nRobinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERecent earthquake damage has exposed the vulnerability of\nexisting structures to strong ground movement. At Georgia Tech, researchers are\nanalyzing shape-memory alloys for their potential use in constructing\nseismic-resistant structures.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers are analyzing shape-memory alloys for their potential use in constructing seismic-resistant structures."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-02-09 11:02:50","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:40","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-02-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-02-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"108021":{"id":"108021","type":"image","title":"Shape-memory alloy temperature","body":null,"created":"1449178188","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:29:48","changed":"1475894725","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:25","alt":"Shape-memory alloy temperature","file":{"fid":"194009","name":"u_temp_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/u_temp_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/u_temp_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":139408,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/u_temp_hires_0.jpg?itok=d4bfHtKq"}}},"media_ids":["108021"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"23471","name":"Arash Yavari"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"1400","name":"Construction"},{"id":"5770","name":"Earthquake"},{"id":"9575","name":"Ken Gall"},{"id":"1692","name":"materials"},{"id":"23461","name":"Reginald DesRoches"},{"id":"167864","name":"School of Civil and Environmental Engineering"},{"id":"167535","name":"School of Materials Science and Engineering"},{"id":"167377","name":"School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"169458","name":"shape-memory alloy"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"97711":{"#nid":"97711","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Bio-Graduate Student Group Launches New Website","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe \nBioengineering and Bioscience Unified Graduate Students (BBUGS) have launched a \nnew website. The new BBUGS website offers features that will enhance the \ncommunication and interactions among the students and the bio-community. BBUGS \nmembers can now create profiles that will be viewable to the public which allow \nstudents to share their current research and accomplishments with other academic \nand industry organizations within the bioengineering and bioscience fields. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditionally, \nthe new BBUGS website has incorporated a message board whereby BBUGS members can \npost announcements pertaining to job openings, scholarship\/grant availabilities, \nseminars\/workshops or upcoming social activities. The new website design \nincludes new and improved functionality to make navigation throughout the \nwebsite less complicated and more manageable.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBBUGS \nis currently the largest, most diverse, graduate student group on the Georgia \nTech campus and is an interdisciplinary student group, comprised of 8 different \ndepartments, with their home in the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering \nand Bioscience. Comprised of over 500 members, BBUGS serves as the core student \ngroup for the bioengineering and bioscience community and is open to all Georgia \nTech and Emory University students from bio-related fields. \u0026nbsp;Existing members \nare encouraged to go to the new website and create a profile to stay engaged.\u0026nbsp; \n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Bio-Graduate Student Group Launches New Website"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Bio-Graduate Student Group Launches New Website"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2012-01-27 11:00:17","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:02","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68922":{"id":"68922","type":"image","title":"Bioengineering \u0026 Bioscience Unified Graduate Students (BBUGS)","body":null,"created":"1449177214","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:34","changed":"1475894599","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:19","alt":"Bioengineering \u0026 Bioscience Unified Graduate Students (BBUGS)","file":{"fid":"192686","name":"bugs_on_grass.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bugs_on_grass_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bugs_on_grass_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":376131,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bugs_on_grass_0.png?itok=o0GbGwWn"}}},"media_ids":["68922"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.bbugs.gatech.edu\/","title":"http:\/\/www.bbugs.gatech.edu\/"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4943","name":"BBUGS"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:floyd.wood@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EFloyd Wood\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60409":{"#nid":"60409","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Uncovering Life\u0027s Beginnings: Tech Awarded $20M for Chemical Center","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA team of institutions led by the Georgia Institute of Technology has been awarded a $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to pursue research that could lead to a better understanding of how life started on Earth. Researchers will focus their efforts on exploring chemical processes that enable the spontaneous formation of functional polymers \u2014 such as proteins and DNA - from much smaller and simpler starting materials.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our research team seeks to understand how certain molecules in a complex mixture can work together to form highly ordered assemblies that exhibit chemical properties similar to those associated with biological molecules,\u0022 said Nicholas V. Hud, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u0022Such a process was likely an essential and early stage of life, so we are also working to understand what chemicals were present on the prebiotic Earth and what processes helped these chemicals form the complex substances ultimately needed for life.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHud will direct the effort, which is known as the Center for Chemical Evolution. The five-year grant will support research in more than 15 laboratories at institutions including Georgia Tech, Emory University, the Scripps Research Institute, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Jackson State University, Spelman College, Furman University and the SETI Institute.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAll of the researchers will work together to accomplish the Center for Chemical Evolution\u2019s three main research goals:\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E    * To identify potential biological building blocks among the products of model prebiotic reactions,\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n    * To investigate the chemical components and conditions that promote the spontaneous assembly of increasingly complex multi-component structures, and\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n    * To prepare and characterize highly-ordered chemical assemblies, and to study their potential to function like biological substances.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We will work backward from the complex substances found in living organisms today, such as proteins and DNA, and make materials that are a little bit different and simpler in chemical structure,\u0022 explained Hud. \u0022We will then strive to determine if there were possibly chemicals and conditions on the early Earth that would have given rise to these and similar substances.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the researchers will translate technological developments into commercially viable products. Facundo Fernandez, an associate professor in the Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is leading the Center\u0027s commercialization efforts.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the first research theme, which is being led by Georgia Tech chemistry professor Thomas Orlando, creating a model inventory of the chemicals present on the early Earth will require the development of new tools and approaches for analyzing and sorting complex mixtures.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Complex mixtures are found in many chemical industries - including petroleum, food and pharmaceuticals,\u0022 said Fernandez. \u0022The instruments and protocols we develop to sort through the complex mixtures that result from model prebiotic chemical reactions are going to be valuable to these industries too.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECharles Liotta, a Regents professor in the Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is leading the second research theme, which involves exploring alternative media that could have facilitated the assembly of complex substances in the prebiotic world. This research could produce environmentally-friendly procedures leading to new chemical processes, according to the team.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the third research theme, led by David Lynn, chair of the Department of Chemistry at Emory University, and Ram Krishnamurthy, an associate professor of chemistry at the Scripps Research Institute, methods will be developed to create polymers and assemblies that mimic natural macromolecules, such as DNA and proteins. The resulting methods could be used as a platform to create a range of substances with broad commercial applications across the spectrum of therapeutics, diagnostics and drug delivery materials. Lynn will also lead the Center\u0027s education and public outreach programs.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research efforts of the Center will build on the knowledge and results gained during the past three years, during which time a smaller group of laboratories were funded by the National Science Foundation to conduct collaborative research projects and to develop a larger center.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResearch progress made during the initial phase of funding includes a paper published June 14 in the journal ChemBioChem. Center laboratories showed for the first time that guanine, a component of DNA, could be produced from formamide (H2NCOH), a simple chemical known to exist in outer space.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPrevious research had shown that the other three building blocks of nucleic acids - cytosine, adenine and uracil - could be synthesized by heating formamide in the presence of mineral catalysts, but not guanine.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECenter researchers produced guanine from formamide by subjecting the sample to ultraviolet light during the heating process. The results also demonstrated that guanine, adenine and another building block called hypoxanthine could be produced at lower temperatures than previously reported.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our ultimate goal is to create a complete chemical pathway showing how relatively simple substances can interact with the environment and each other to spontaneously produce complex assemblies that exhibit properties normally associated with biological substances, and perhaps shed some light on the earliest stages of life on Earth,\u0022 noted Hud.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"With a new grant from NSF and NASA, Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry professor Nicholas Hud (standing) and graduate student Aaron Engelhart will explore chemical processes that enable the spontaneous formation of functional polymers -- such as proteins and DNA -- from much smaller and simpler starting materials.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Uncovering Life\u0027s Beginnings: Georgia Tech Awarded a $20M Cent"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-08-04 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:15","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-08-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-08-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"60410":{"id":"60410","type":"image","title":"Nick Hud","body":null,"created":"1449176267","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:57:47","changed":"1475894523","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:03"}},"media_ids":["60410"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10338","name":"center for chemical innovation"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"},{"id":"362","name":"National Science Foundation"},{"id":"5959","name":"Nick Hud"},{"id":"167860","name":"Spelman College"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"97011":{"#nid":"97011","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Show How New Viruses Evolve, and in Some Cases, Become Deadly","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn\nthe current issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E,\nresearchers at Michigan State University, the Georgia Institute of Technology\nand the University of Texas at Austin demonstrate how a new virus evolves,\nwhich sheds light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous\nmutations.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\nscientists showed for the first time how the virus called \u201cLambda\u201d evolved to\nfind a new way to attack host cells, an innovation that took four mutations to\naccomplish. This virus infects bacteria, in particular the common \u003Cem\u003EE. coli\u003C\/em\u003E bacterium. Lambda isn\u2019t\ndangerous to humans, but this research demonstrated how viruses evolve complex\nand potentially deadly new traits, said Justin Meyer, MSU graduate student, who\nco-authored the paper with Richard Lenski, MSU Hannah Distinguished Professor\nof Microbiology and Molecular Genetics.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\nwere surprised at first to see Lambda evolve this new function, this ability to\nattack and enter the cell through a new receptor\u0026shy; \u2013 and it happened so fast,\u201d\nMeyer said. \u201cBut when we re-ran the evolution experiment, we saw the same thing\nhappen over and over.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis\npaper comes on the heels of news that scientists in the U.S. and the\nNetherlands produced a deadly version of bird flu. Even though bird flu is a\nmere five mutations away from becoming transmissible between humans, it\u2019s\nhighly unlikely the virus could naturally obtain all of the beneficial\nmutations all at once. However, it might evolve sequentially, gaining benefits\none-by-one, if conditions are favorable at each step, he added.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThrough\nresearch conducted at BEACON, MSU\u2019s National Science Foundation Center for the\nStudy of Evolution in Action, Meyer and his colleagues\u2019 ability to duplicate\nthe results implied that adaptation by natural selection, or survival of the\nfittest, had an important role in the virus\u2019 evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen\nthe genomes of the adaptable virus were sequenced, they always had four\nmutations in common.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe\nparallelism shown in the evolutionary history of adaptable viruses was striking\nand was far beyond what is expected by chance,\u201d noted paper co-author \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E, an\nassistant professor in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of\nBiology\u003C\/a\u003E at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn\ncontrast, the viruses that didn\u2019t evolve the new way of entering cells had some\nof the four mutations but never all four together, said Meyer, who holds the\nBarnett Rosenberg Fellowship in MSU\u2019s College of Natural Science.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn\nother words, natural selection promoted the virus\u2019 evolution because the\nmutations helped them use both their old and new attacks,\u201d Meyer said. \u201cThe\nfinding raises questions of whether the five bird flu mutations may also have\nmultiple functions, and could they evolve naturally?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditional\nauthors of the paper include Devin Dobias, former MSU undergraduate (now a\ngraduate student at Washington University in St. Louis); Ryan Quick, MSU\nundergraduate; and Jeff Barrick, a former Lenski lab researcher now on the\nfaculty at the University of Texas at Austin.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFunding\nfor the research was provided in part by the National Science Foundation,\nDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency, James S. McDonnell Foundation and\nBurroughs Wellcome Fund.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis research was supported in part by\nthe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) (Award No.\nHR0011-09-1-0055) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The content is\nsolely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not\nnecessarily represent the official views of DARPA or NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations\nContacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Georgia Tech -- Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John\nToon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986); Michigan State University -- Layne Cameron (layne.cameron@ur.msu.edu; 517-353-8819)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003ELayne Cameron\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the current issue of the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E, researchers demonstrate how a new virus evolves, which sheds light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"researchers demonstrate how a new virus evolves, which sheds light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-01-26 15:30:01","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:02","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-26T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-26T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"96991":{"id":"96991","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449178133","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:53","changed":"1475894709","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:09","alt":"Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"193921","name":"weitzr094_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":860240,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/weitzr094_hires_0.jpg?itok=24dijiOR"}},"97001":{"id":"97001","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz","body":null,"created":"1449178133","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:53","changed":"1475894709","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:09","alt":"Joshua Weitz","file":{"fid":"193922","name":"weitzr073_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr073_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/weitzr073_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1138693,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/weitzr073_hires_0.jpg?itok=WO9wszhz"}}},"media_ids":["96991","97001"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"4292","name":"virus"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"85791":{"#nid":"85791","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Julie Champion Receives Grant for Breast Cancer Therapy Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Julie Champion a research grant as part of its Biomaterials Program. Champion, an assistant professor in the School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, will investigate engineering effector protein nanoclusters for breast cancer therapy with the grant, valued at $300,000.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGiven that breast cancer is the most common cancer in U.S. women and the second leading cause of cancer death, many people could benefit from the development of effector nanoclusters,\u201d Champion says. \u201cThis work validates the idea of using bacterial proteins for therapeutic applications and the concept can be expanded for a variety of drug development and delivery needs for other diseases.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA select group of bacterial pathogens secrete proteins called effectors during infection, which enable them to survive and grow in a hostile host. Some of these effectors have the capability to interfere with the same pathways that are altered in breast cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe goal of my research is to use these effector proteins as novel breast cancer therapies,\u201d Champion says. \u201cIn order for these proteins to be used as anticancer drugs, the normal bacterial delivery mechanisms must be replaced by a drug delivery system able to deliver biologically active protein to breast cancer cells.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo engineer this modified drug delivery system, the effector proteins must be linked together into nano-sized clusters that can enter breast cancer cells and then fall apart to allow the individual proteins to act inside the cells. By fabricating effector nanoclusters, Champion will be able to access their ability to restore normal behaviors in breast cancer cells, such as increased apoptotic cell death, decreased proliferation, decreased metastasis, and increased sensitivity to chemotherapeutics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter receiving her PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2007, Champion completed a postdoctoral appointment as a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow at the California Institute of Technology. She joined the faculty at Georgia Tech in 2009, where she focuses her research on protein engineering strategies to synthesize novel materials capable of specific interactions with cells or other proteins. The overall goal of her research is to reverse disease through interference with inflammatory pathways or promotion of healing mechanisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Award No. DMR-1105248). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigators and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChampion will investigate engineering effector protein nanoclusters for novel breast cancer therapies and a variety of other diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Champion will investigate engineering effector protein nanoclusters for novel breast cancer therapies and a variety of other diseases."}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2012-01-24 01:58:21","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-24T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-24T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"85771":{"id":"85771","type":"image","title":"Dr. Julie Champion","body":null,"created":"1449178110","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:30","changed":"1475894706","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:06","alt":"Dr. Julie Champion","file":{"fid":"193904","name":"champion3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion3_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion3_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1258945,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/champion3_0.jpg?itok=WIE1_K7U"}},"85781":{"id":"85781","type":"image","title":"Dr. Julie Champion","body":null,"created":"1449178110","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:30","changed":"1475894706","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:06","alt":"Dr. Julie Champion","file":{"fid":"193905","name":"champion_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion_1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion_1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":796389,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/champion_1_0.jpg?itok=YuG2ae1J"}}},"media_ids":["85771","85781"],"groups":[{"id":"1240","name":"School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1450","name":"Biomolecular Engineering"},{"id":"280","name":"Cancer research"},{"id":"1303","name":"chbe"},{"id":"560","name":"chemical engineering"},{"id":"10961","name":"julie champion"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJosie Giles\u003Cbr \/\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E(404) 385-2299\u003Cbr \/\u003Enews@gatech.edu\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["news@chbe.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"85691":{"#nid":"85691","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech\u2019s EVP for Research Testifies before House Armed Services Committee","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\nExecutive Vice President for Research Steve Cross testified before the U.S. House\nArmed Services Committee\u2019s panel on Business Challenges within the Defense\nIndustry earlier today.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECross was invited\nto present testimony at the hearing entitled, \u201cDoing Business with the DOD:\nGetting Innovative Solutions from Concept to the Hands of the Warfighter.\u201d The\npanel asked for insight on the role that universities, research institutions\nand laboratories play in developing innovative technologies for the Department\nof Defense, particularly in the effort to transition research from academic\nconcept into production. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAs part of\nhis testimony, Cross highlighted Georgia Tech\u2019s FY 2011 $643 million in research\nexpenditures and how the institute supports and translates defense research\nthrough technology transition and innovation programs. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDefense\nresearch and associated technology transition and innovation programs are vital\nfor ensuring the United States retains a competitive advantage in its national\nsecurity posture,\u201d Cross said. \u201cAs shown time and time again, the fruits of\ndefense research seed economic development helping accelerate new technologies to\nmarket.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to\nCross, such technologies are available for use in defense systems at a fraction\nof what they would otherwise cost and in a much reduced time frame.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Representatives from the Stanford Research Institute and the\nMITRE Corporation joined Cross in presenting testimony. A copy of his testimony\ncan be found at the link below.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp align=\u0022center\u0022\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Defense Business Panel Requests Input from University and Research Institution Leaders"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s\nExecutive Vice President for Research Steve Cross testified before the House\nArmed Services Committee\u2019s panel on Business Challenges within the Defense\nIndustry earlier today.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s Executive Vice President for Research Steve Cross testified before the House Armed Services Committee."}],"uid":"27281","created_gmt":"2012-01-23 19:01:31","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Lisa Grovenstein","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"85701":{"id":"85701","type":"image","title":"Steve Cross - Executive Vice President for Research","body":null,"created":"1449178110","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:28:30","changed":"1475894706","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:06","alt":"Steve Cross - Executive Vice President for Research","file":{"fid":"194099","name":"steve_cross_headshot.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/steve_cross_headshot_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/steve_cross_headshot_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":40762,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/steve_cross_headshot_0.jpg?itok=wdKmAdvA"}}},"media_ids":["85701"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/armedservices.house.gov\/index.cfm\/2012\/1\/doing-business-with-dod-getting-innovative-solutions-from-concept-to-the-hands-of-the-warfighter","title":"Testimony Video"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"155","name":"Congressional Testimony"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2144","name":"Armed Services Committee"},{"id":"7158","name":"cross"},{"id":"8402","name":"Executive Vice President for Research"},{"id":"18101","name":"House of Represenatives"},{"id":"167317","name":"Steve Cross"},{"id":"1881","name":"testimony"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ELisa Grovenstein, 404-894-8835\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lisa.grovenstein@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"78921":{"#nid":"78921","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Petit Institute Announces its 2012 Class of Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech announces its 2012 class of Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars. \u0026nbsp;The \u0022Petit Scholars\u0022 are top undergraduate students from Atlanta-area universities chosen from a highly competitive selection process to conduct independent research projects for a full year at the Petit Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Petit Scholars program is administered by the Petit Institute and Todd McDevitt, a Petit Faculty Fellow and\u0026nbsp;associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, who volunteers as the faculty advisor for the program. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0022We had a very competitive applicant pool this year,\u0022 McDevitt said. \u0026nbsp;\u0022Due to the generosity of various donors, we were able to award nineteen research scholarships this year.\u0022\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrom January through December of 2012, each of the 19 scholars will be mentored by a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow in a Petit Institute laboratory. \u0026nbsp;During this period, the scholars will work to develop their own research projects which they themselves have selected after a thorough interview process with potential mentors. \u0026nbsp;Research is conducted within the areas of cancer biology, biomaterials, drug design, development and delivery, molecular evolution, molecular cellular and tissue biomechanics, regenerative medicine, stem cell engineering and systems biology. \u0026nbsp;Many scholars will have made enough progress in their research by the end of the year\u0026nbsp;to participate on scientific publications and\/or present at conferences. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe class of 2012 is represented by students from Georgia Tech, Emory University, Spelman College and Agnes Scott College.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2012 Class of Petit Scholars:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMichael Butler - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrederick Damen - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EKyle Ferguson - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EKelsey Gratton - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlexandria Harrison - Spelman College\u003Cbr \/\u003ESusan Hastings - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EKathleen Heller - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EJacob Johnson - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003ETaylor Kavanaugh - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003ELu Ling - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003ERobert Mannino - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EMohamad Ali Najia - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EMarc Powell - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003ESydney Rowson - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EAbhinav Sharma - Emory University\u003Cbr \/\u003EAndrew St. James - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EPatrick Strane - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnirudh Sundararaghavan - Georgia Tech\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlexandra Wagner - Agnes Scott College\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESince its inception in 2000, the program has supported hundreds of top undergraduate researchers who have gone on to distinguished careers in research, medicine and industry.\u0026nbsp; Originally established as a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program from a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant awarded to the Georgia Tech\/Emory Center for Tissue Engineering, the program was expanded to a full year research opportunity that has grown from funding 10 scholars per year to 19 scholars in 2012.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFunding for the Petit Scholars is supported by Atlanta area community members, including the Friends of the Petit Institute, as well as corporate sponsorship. \u0026nbsp;If you are interested in donating to this valuable program, please\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Econtact us\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/petit-scholars\u0022\u003EPetit Scholars program information\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"19 top undergraduate scholars chosen from competitive selection process"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPetit Institute announces its 2012 class of Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars -\u0026nbsp;19 top undergraduate scholars chosen from competitive selection process\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"19 top undergraduate scholars chosen from competitive selection process"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2012-01-17 15:33:14","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"81151":{"id":"81151","type":"image","title":"2012 Class of Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars","body":null,"created":"1449178079","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:59","changed":"1475894696","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:56","alt":"2012 Class of Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars","file":{"fid":"193901","name":"photo-2012_scholars-200pixels.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/photo-2012_scholars-200pixels_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/photo-2012_scholars-200pixels_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":66343,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/photo-2012_scholars-200pixels_0.jpg?itok=GJg_qM4n"}}},"media_ids":["81151"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/petit-scholars","title":"Petit Scholars info and application"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"17541","name":"2012 class announced"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"857","name":"Petit Scholars"},{"id":"760","name":"Todd McDevitt"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EColly Mitchell\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"79691":{"#nid":"79691","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Select Petit Institute Cores Begin to Recover Costs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn order to continue to provide Georgia Tech researchers with \u0022state of the art\u0022 equipment, unparalleled performance and more opportunities to access shared resources, select research cores in the Petit Institute will begin to recover materials, supplies and maintenance-related costs by charging a minimal fee for the use of various pieces of equipment. \u2028\u2028While the Micro CT and histology cores are already set up as cost recovery service centers, we plan to bring the microscopy core online as a cost recovery service center in February of 2012. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOther cores will follow as rates are developed and approved by the Georgia Tech Office of Grants and Contracts Accounting. A phased approach will be used in setting the rates to aid laboratories in planning and provide researchers with an opportunity to make adjustments to budgets.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBeginning in February 2012, users will be charged a small percentage of the cost-based rate for usage. The initial charge to Georgia Tech users for confocal time is anticipated to be $2.75\/hr. The rates will be increased in subsequent years but remain highly subsidized by the Petit Institute. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn order to administer the new cost recovery service center, users will access Petit Institute core facilities resources through a new online reservation system, serviced by iLab. The Petit Institute website will remain intact and the only change is that users will register, view and reserve equipment, request services, view bills and enter payment information through the iLab Solutions website.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Petit Institute core facilities will begin to recover costs for select pieces of equipment."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPetit Institute core facilities begin to\nrecover materials, supplies and maintenance-related costs by charging a minimal\nfee for the use of selected pieces of equipment.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Petit Institute core facilities will begin to recover costs for select pieces of equipment."}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2012-01-20 13:55:02","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-20T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-20T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69773":{"id":"69773","type":"image","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience","body":null,"created":"1449177264","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:24","changed":"1475894611","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:31","alt":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience","file":{"fid":"192836","name":"10c3041-p1-266.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2271177,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg?itok=aplnv5pz"}}},"media_ids":["69773"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"17991","name":"IBB Core Facilities"},{"id":"167422","name":"Steve Woodard"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steve.woodard@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteve Woodard\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECore Facilities Manager and Safety Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for \nBioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["steve.woodard@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"79331":{"#nid":"79331","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Snakes Improve Search-and-Rescue Robots","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDesigning an all-terrain robot for search-and-rescue\nmissions is an arduous task for scientists. The machine must be flexible enough\nto move over uneven surfaces, yet not so big that it\u2019s restricted from tight\nspaces. It might also be required to climb slopes of varying inclines. Existing\nrobots can do many of these things, but the majority require large amounts of energy\nand are prone to overheating. Georgia Tech researchers have designed a new machine\nby studying the locomotion of a certain type of flexible, efficient animal. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy using their scales to control frictional properties,\nsnakes are able to move large distances while exerting very little energy,\u201d\nsaid Hamid Marvi, a Mechanical Engineering Ph.D. candidate at Georgia Tech. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile studying and videotaping the movements of 20 different\nspecies at Zoo Atlanta, Marvi developed Scalybot 2, a robot that replicates\nrectilinear locomotion of snakes. He unveiled the robot this month at the\nSociety for Integrative \u0026amp; Comparative Biology (SICB) annual meeting in\nCharleston, S.C. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cDuring \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TuyjtX0tdkU\u0022\u003Erectilinear\nlocomotion\u003C\/a\u003E, a snake doesn\u2019t have to bend its body laterally to move,\u201d\nexplained Marvi. \u201cSnakes lift their ventral scales and pull themselves forward\nby sending a muscular traveling wave from head to tail. Rectilinear locomotion is\nvery efficient and is especially useful for crawling within crevices, an\ninvaluable benefit for search-and-rescue robots.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScalybot 2 can automatically change the angle of its scales when\nit encounters different terrains and slopes. This adjustment allows the robot\nto either fight or generate friction. The two-link robot is controlled by a\nremote-controlled joystick and can move forward and backward using four motors.\n\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSnakes are highly maligned creatures,\u201d said Joe Mendelson, curator\nof herpetology at Zoo Atlanta. \u201cI really like that Hamid\u2019s research is showing\nthe public that snakes can help people.\u201d \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarvi\u2019s advisor is David Hu, an assistant professor in the\nSchools of Mechanical Engineering and Biology. Hu and his research team are\nprimarily focused on animal locomotion. They\u2019ve studied how dogs and other\nanimals shake water off their bodies and how mosquitos fly through rainstorms. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis isn\u2019t the first time Hu\u2019s lab has looked at snake locomotion.\nLast summer the team developed Scalybot 1, a two-link climbing robot that replicates\nconcertina locomotion. The push-and-pull, accordion-style movement features\nalternating scale activity. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF)\n(Award No. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cem\u003EPHY-0848894\u003Cem\u003E). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal\ninvestigators and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New Robot is Designed to Use Less Energy"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDesigning an all-terrain robot for search-and-rescue\nmissions is an arduous task for scientists. The machine must be flexible enough\nto move over uneven surfaces, yet not so big that it\u2019s restricted from tight\nspaces. It might also be required to climb slopes of varying inclines. Existing\nrobots can do many of these things, but the majority require large amounts of energy\nand are prone to overheating. Georgia Tech researchers have designed a new machine\nby studying the locomotion of snakes. \u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech researchers have designed a new machine by studying the locomotion of a certain type of flexible, efficient animal: snakes."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2012-01-19 10:17:32","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"79321":{"id":"79321","type":"image","title":"Scalybot 2 Photo","body":null,"created":"1449178063","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:43","changed":"1475894693","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:53","alt":"Scalybot 2 Photo","file":{"fid":"193888","name":"screen_shot_2012-01-13_at_9.47.24_am_0.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/screen_shot_2012-01-13_at_9.47.24_am_0_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/screen_shot_2012-01-13_at_9.47.24_am_0_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":629275,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/screen_shot_2012-01-13_at_9.47.24_am_0_0.png?itok=5ajQ51cO"}}},"media_ids":["79321"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=kIHlRLKMG9M","title":"Scalybot 2 Demonstration"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/","title":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.zooatlanta.org\/","title":"Zoo Atlanta website"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"277","name":"Biology"},{"id":"297","name":"David Hu"},{"id":"541","name":"Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"169002","name":"Snakes"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-2966\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"79101":{"#nid":"79101","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Non-Invasive Measurements of Tricuspid Valve Anatomy Can Predict Severity of Valve Leakage","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAn estimated 1.6 million Americans suffer moderate to severe\nleakage through their tricuspid valves, which are complex structures that allow\nblood to flow from the heart\u2019s upper right chamber to the ventricle. If left\nuntreated, severe leakage can affect an individual\u2019s quality of life and can even\nlead to death.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EA new study finds that the anatomy of the heart\u2019s tricuspid\nvalve can be used to predict the severity of leakage in the valve, which is a\ncondition called tricuspid regurgitation. The study, conducted by researchers\nfrom the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, found that pulmonary\narterial pressure, the size of the valve opening and papillary muscle position measurements\ncould be used to predict the severity of an individual\u2019s tricuspid\nregurgitation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy being able to identify and measure an individual\u2019s\nparticular tricuspid valve anatomical features that we have shown are\ncorrelated with increased leakage, clinicians should be able to better target their repair efforts and create more\ndurable repairs,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=5\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EAjit Yoganathan\u003C\/a\u003E, Regents\u2019 professor in the\n\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and\nEmory University\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study was published in the January issue of the journal \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1161\/CIRCIMAGING.111.965707\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECirculation: Cardiovascular\u003C\/em\u003E \u003Cem\u003EImaging\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E. Funding for this work was\nprovided by the American Heart Association and a donation from Tom and Shirley\nGurley.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EYoganathan and recent Coulter Department doctoral graduate Erin\nSpinner teamed with Stamatios Lerakis, a professor of medicine (cardiology), radiology\nand imaging sciences at Emory University, to non-invasively collect 3-D\nechocardiograms from 64 individuals who exhibited assorted grades of tricuspid leakage.\nSubjects included 20 individuals with \u201ctrace,\u201d 13 with \u201cmild,\u201d 17 with \u201cmoderate\u201d\nand 14 with \u201csevere\u201d tricuspid regurgitation. The subjects with \u201cmild\u201d to\n\u201csevere\u201d leakage exhibited a mix of isolated right, isolated left, and both\nright and left ventricle dilation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom the 3-D echocardiography images of the heart they\ncollected, the researchers measured (1) the area of the annulus, which is the\nfibrous ring that surrounds the tricuspid valve opening; (2) the distance\nbetween the annulus and the three right ventricle papillary muscles, which keep\nthe valve shut when the ventricle contracts; and (3) the position of the papillary\nmuscles with respect to the center of the annulus. The clinicians also measured\npulmonary arterial pressure using standard clinical methods and assessed the\ngrade of tricuspid regurgitation from \u201ctrace\u201d to \u201csevere\u201d with color Doppler\nimaging.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn collaboration with Emir Veledar, an assistant professor\nand statistician in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, the\nresearchers found statistical differences between individuals with ventricular dilation\nand the control subjects in the parameters of pulmonary arterial pressure,\nannulus area and papillary muscle displacement. They also found that all three factors were correlated with the grade\nof tricuspid regurgitation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis study\u2019s use of\nadvanced cardiovascular imaging, and more specifically 3-D echocardiography, provided\nnew insight into the pathophysiology of tricuspid regurgitation and a good\nunderstanding as to why current surgical treatments for tricuspid regurgitation\nare not good enough,\u201d explained Lerakis. \u201cI believe this study will change the\nfocus and direction of future surgical therapies for tricuspid regurgitation\nonly to make them better and more durable.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBased on the findings of this study, said Lerakis, future surgical therapies\nshould not only be focused on the tricuspid annulus, but on the entire\ntricuspid valve apparatus, including the tricuspid valve papillary muscles and\ntheir three-dimensional location within the apparatus.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIndividuals in the study with left ventricle dilation exhibited\nsignificant displacement of one of the papillary muscles and patients with both ventricles dilated had\nsignificant displacement of two papillary muscles. Subjects with right\nventricle dilation showed significant displacement of all three papillary\nmuscles. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also found that patients with a dilated right\nventricle were more likely to have a dilated annulus and exhibited the highest\npulmonary arterial pressures and highest levels of tricuspid regurgitation. However,\nnot all patients with a dilated right ventricle had significant increases in\nannulus area, providing evidence that the right ventricle may become dilated\nwithout the annulus being affected.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe think an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure caused\ngeometric changes in the ventricle, which resulted in alterations to the\nannulus and papillary muscles,\u201d explained\nYoganathan. \u201cThe combination of displacement of all three papillary\nmuscles and annular dilatation may account for the patients with isolated right\nventricle dilatation having the largest percentage of severe tricuspid regurgitation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EKnowing which parameters are responsible for significant tricuspid\nregurgitation and having a non-invasive imaging technique to measure these\nparameters should help clinicians target repairs to the specific cause of an individual\u2019s\ntricuspid leakage, according to Yoganathan.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn future studies, the researchers plan to study papillary\nmuscle displacements in individuals with specific diseases to see if different\ndisease manifestations exhibit different characteristics.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAlthough it has long been accepted that pulmonary\nhypertension may result in tricuspid regurgitation, this study is one of the\nfirst to provide a clinical correlation between the two,\u201d said Yoganathan, who\nis also the Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical\nEngineering. \u201cWe want to know whether treating an individual\u2019s pulmonary hypertension,\nand thus decreasing one\u2019s pulmonary arterial pressure, can reverse the\ngeometric changes that are causing tricuspid regurgitation and return the annulus\nand papillary muscles to their original positions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EEmory University sonographers Jason Higginson, Maria Pernetz\nand Sharon Howell also contributed to the study.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations\nContacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John\nToon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby\nRobinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study finds that the anatomy of the heart\u2019s tricuspid valve can be used to predict the severity of leakage in the valve, which is a condition called tricuspid regurgitation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study finds that the anatomy of the heart\u2019s tricuspid valve can be used to predict the severity of leakage in the valve."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2012-01-18 09:53:57","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"79081":{"id":"79081","type":"image","title":"Tricuspid valve2","body":null,"created":"1449178063","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:43","changed":"1475894693","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:53","alt":"Tricuspid valve2","file":{"fid":"193883","name":"tricuspid_valve_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tricuspid_valve_hires_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tricuspid_valve_hires_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":308309,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tricuspid_valve_hires_1.jpg?itok=TUrhX-Do"}},"79071":{"id":"79071","type":"image","title":"Ajit Yoganathan","body":null,"created":"1449178063","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:43","changed":"1475894693","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:53","alt":"Ajit Yoganathan","file":{"fid":"193882","name":"yoganathan_nicole_cappello.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yoganathan_nicole_cappello_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/yoganathan_nicole_cappello_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1897466,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/yoganathan_nicole_cappello_0.jpg?itok=SsCGR_rW"}}},"media_ids":["79081","79071"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2582","name":"Ajit Yoganathan"},{"id":"7521","name":"circulatory"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"14219","name":"Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"2583","name":"heart"},{"id":"13949","name":"tricuspid regurgitation"},{"id":"13947","name":"tricuspid valve"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n404-385-3364\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"79111":{"#nid":"79111","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Institute of Technology Receives Grand Challenges Explorations Funding","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology announces that it will receive funding through Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative created by the Bill \u0026amp; Melinda Gates Foundation that enables researchers worldwide to test unorthodox ideas that address persistent health and development challenges. Dr. Mark Styczynski, assistant professor in the School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering, will pursue an innovative global health research project, titled \u201cPigment-Based, Low-Cost, Portable Nutrition Status Tests.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGrand Challenges Explorations funds scientists and researchers worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how we solve persistent global health and development challenges. Styczynski\u2019s project is one of 108 Grand Challenges Explorations grants announced in November 2011 as part of Round 7 of the program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe believe in the power of innovation\u2014that a single bold idea can pioneer solutions to our greatest health and development challenges,\u201d said Chris Wilson, Director of Global Health Discovery for the Bill \u0026amp; Melinda Gates Foundation. \u201cGrand Challenges Explorations seeks to identify and fund these new ideas wherever they come from, allowing scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs to pursue the kinds of creative ideas and novel approaches that could help to accelerate the end of polio, cure HIV infection, or improve sanitation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProjects that are receiving funding show promise in tackling priority global health issues where solutions do not yet exist. This includes finding effective methods to eliminate or control infectious diseases such as polio and HIV as well as discovering new sanitation technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo learn more about Grand Challenges Explorations, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.grandchallenges.org\u0022\u003Ewww.grandchallenges.org\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStyczynski\u2019s project proposes to create portable, low-cost, bacteria-based genetic circuits to measure blood micronutrient levels without requiring sophisticated instrumentation to perform or read the test. These circuits would provide an inexpensive, rapid method to diagnose nutrition levels, such as vitamins and minerals, in the field.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSophisticated equipment is not easily operated in the field, which means that samples must be sent to regional labs for nutritional analysis, resulting in delays of potentially life-saving treatment,\u201d Styczynski says. \u201cWe are looking to enable more point-of-care diagnostics using synthetic biology to eliminate the long wait and enable more rapid diagnosis and treatment of those with deficiencies.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStyczynski received his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2007. He joined the faculty at Georgia Tech in 2009 after a postdoctoral appointment at the Broad Institute, a world-renowned genomic medicine research center located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Assistant Professor in Chemical \u0026 Biomolecular Engineering Mark Styczynski Will Pursue an Innovative Global Health Research Project"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAssistant Professor Mark Styczynski will pursue an innovative global health research project, titled \u201cPigment-Based, Low-Cost, Portable Nutrition Status Tests.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Assistant Professor Mark Styczynski will pursue an innovative global health research project, titled \u201cPigment-Based, Low-Cost, Portable Nutrition Status Tests.\u201d"}],"uid":"27255","created_gmt":"2012-01-18 11:20:12","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Josie Giles","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68544":{"id":"68544","type":"image","title":"Dr. Mark Styczynski","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894594","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:14","alt":"Dr. Mark Styczynski","file":{"fid":"192600","name":"styczynski.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/styczynski_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/styczynski_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1311463,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/styczynski_2.jpg?itok=SHUxP8YY"}},"79121":{"id":"79121","type":"image","title":"Dr. Mark Styczynski working in his lab.","body":null,"created":"1449178063","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:43","changed":"1475894693","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:53","alt":"Dr. Mark Styczynski working in his lab.","file":{"fid":"193884","name":"styczynski_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/styczynski_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/styczynski_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":532601,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/styczynski_0_0.jpg?itok=sUjeSByr"}}},"media_ids":["68544","79121"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/chbe.gatech.edu\/","title":"Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.grandchallenges.org\/Explorations\/Pages\/Introduction.aspx","title":"Grand Challenges Explorations"}],"groups":[{"id":"1240","name":"School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2548","name":"biomedical"},{"id":"9502","name":"Biomolecular"},{"id":"1303","name":"chbe"},{"id":"1364","name":"chemical"},{"id":"1704","name":"chemical \u0026 biomolecular engineering"},{"id":"9315","name":"Gates Foundation"},{"id":"14886","name":"global health"},{"id":"13510","name":"Mark Styczynski"},{"id":"4131","name":"nutrition"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJosie Giles\u003Cbr \/\u003ESchool of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E(404) 385-2299\u003Cbr \/\u003Enews@chbe.gatech.edu\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["news@chbe.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"78611":{"#nid":"78611","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Focus on Glaucoma Origins Continues Path Toward Potential Cure","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGlaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. Nearly 4\nmillion Americans have the disorder, which affects 70 million worldwide. There\nis no cure and no early symptoms. Once vision is lost, it\u2019s permanent. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENew findings at Georgia Tech, published in January during Glaucoma\nAwareness Month, explore one of the many molecular origins of glaucoma and\nadvance research dedicated to fighting the disease. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGlaucoma is typically triggered when fluid is unable to\ncirculate freely through the eye\u2019s trabecular meshwork (TM) tissue. Intraocular\npressure rises and damages the retina and optic nerve, which causes vision loss.\nIn certain cases of glaucoma, this blockage results from a build-up of the\nprotein myocilin. Georgia Tech Chemistry and Biochemistry Assistant Professor\nRaquel Lieberman focused on examining the structural properties of these myocilin\ndeposits. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe were surprised to discover that both genetically defected\nas well as normal, or wild-type (WT), myocilin are readily triggered to produce\nvery stable fibrous residue containing a pathogenic material called amyloid,\u201d\nsaid Lieberman, whose work \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0022283611013052\u0022\u003Ewas published\u003C\/a\u003E in the most recent \u003Cem\u003EJournal of Molecular Biology\u003C\/em\u003E. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAmyloid formation, in which a protein is converted from its\nnormal form into fibers, is recognized as a major contributor to numerous\nnon-ocular disorders, including Alzheimer\u2019s, certain forms of diabetes and Mad\nCow disease (in cattle). Scientists are currently studying ways to destroy\namyloid fibrils as an option for treating these diseases. Further research,\nbased on Lieberman\u2019s findings, could potentially result in drugs that prevent\nor stop myocilin amyloid formation or destroy existing fibrils in glaucoma\npatients. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUntil this point, amyloids linked to glaucoma had been\nrestricted to the retinal area. In those cases, amyloids kill retina cells,\nleading to vision loss, but don\u2019t affect intraocular pressure. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe amyloid-containing myocilin deposits we discovered kill\ncells that maintain the integrity of TM tissue,\u201d said Lieberman. \u201cIn addition\nto debris from dead cells, the fibrils themselves may also form an obstruction\nin the TM tissue. Together, these mechanisms may hasten the increase of\nintraocular pressure that impairs vision.\u201d \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETogether with her research team, Lieberman produced WT and\ngenetically defected myocilin variants that had been documented in patients who\ndevelop glaucoma in childhood or early adulthood. The experiments were\nconducted in collaboration with Georgia Tech Biology Professor Ingeborg Schmidt-Krey\nand Stanford Genetics Professor Douglas Vollrath. Three Georgia Tech\nstudents also participated in the research: Susan Orwig (Ph.D. graduate,\nChemistry and Biochemistry), Chris Perry (current undergraduate, Biochemistry)\nand Laura Kim (master\u0027s graduate, Biology).\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe National Institutes of Health (award number\nR01EY021205 from the National Eye Institute) funded the research. The content\nis solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent\nthe official views of the National Eye Institute or the National Institutes of\nHealth.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Findings Advance Glaucoma Research"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGlaucoma is typically triggered when fluid is unable to\ncirculate freely through the eye\u2019s trabecular meshwork (TM) tissue. Intraocular\npressure rises and damages the retina and optic nerve, which causes vision loss.\nIn certain cases of glaucoma, this blockage results from a build-up of the\nprotein myocilin. Georgia Tech Chemistry and Biochemistry Assistant Professor\nRaquel Lieberman focused on examining the structural properties of these myocilin\ndeposits. She was surprised to discover that both genetically\ndefected as well as normal, or wild-type (WT), myocilin are readily triggered\nto produce very stable fibrous residue containing a pathogenic material called\namyloid.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New findings at Georgia Tech explore one of the many molecular origins of glaucoma and advance research dedicated to fighting the disease."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2012-01-17 10:54:43","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"78581":{"id":"78581","type":"image","title":"Raquel Lieberman","body":null,"created":"1449178063","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:43","changed":"1475894691","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:51","alt":"Raquel Lieberman","file":{"fid":"193873","name":"raquel_lieberman.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/raquel_lieberman_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/raquel_lieberman_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":421808,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/raquel_lieberman_0.jpg?itok=R4p2f0zS"}},"78591":{"id":"78591","type":"image","title":"Amyloid fibril formations","body":null,"created":"1449178063","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:43","changed":"1475894691","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:51","alt":"Amyloid fibril formations","file":{"fid":"193874","name":"fibrils.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fibrils_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/fibrils_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":89970,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/fibrils_0.jpg?itok=_RqHUuAZ"}}},"media_ids":["78581","78591"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/","title":"College of Sciences"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0022283611013052","title":"Read the full report"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Lieberman\/","title":"Raquel Lieberman"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"17401","name":"Glaucoma"},{"id":"10858","name":"Raquel Lieberman"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-2966\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"78701":{"#nid":"78701","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Searching for Solution in South Africa","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s not easy battling HIV on two fronts, let alone on two continents, but with the help of his colleagues in Atlanta and in South Africa that\u2019s exactly what Dr. Manu Platt is doing.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EIf all goes according to plan the Georgia Tech biomedical engineering professor\u2019s cutting-edge research will give doctors the ability to predict, treat, and prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in HIV patients while he also develops a low-cost diagnostic tool that could help monitor patient success with treatment to help stem the spread of HIV in Africa.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EAt the time not much was known about the connection between HIV and cardiovascular disease; although it was clear that HIV patients were at much higher risk of suffering cardiovascular events than the general population. The risk was even higher for children born with HIV, something that is far too common in countries like South Africa where 10-15% of the population is HIV positive.Dr. Platt, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s Wallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, began his foray into HIV research as a first-year professor in 2009 when he answered a call for new researchers that was jointly sponsored by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the International AIDS Society (IAS).\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile attending the 2009 IAS conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Cape Town, South Africa, Platt realized that his lab at Georgia Tech was ideally suited for addressing this critical gap in HIV research.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cHere at Georgia Tech we do tissue engineering,\u201d says Platt. \u201cWe\u2019ve been doing it for years and we\u2019ve been doing it very effectively in the cardiovascular arena.\u201d\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cWe can make tissue-engineered arteries with human cells that can be infected by this human virus. We\u2019re also great at having bioreactors that can recreate the human physiological flow environment with shear stress and pressure. We have an excellent test system for HIV-mediated cardiovascular disease. \u201c\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe difficulty is that there is limited access to HIV samples within the United States, and that\u2019s where Platt\u2019s collaboration with Dr. Denise Evans in South Africa comes in. The duo met at the IAS conference in Cape Town and instantly realized that their areas of research dovetailed very nicely. Evans works out of the Helen Joseph Clinic in Johannesburg that sees over 400 HIV positive patients per day, that agree to donate their for research purposes and get reimbursed for travel while awaiting their chance to see the doctor.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EKnowing what enzymes are tied to cardiovascular events in HIV negative patients, Platt and his Georgia Tech collaborator, Dr. Rudy Gleason (Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering), travelled to South Africa\u2019s University of Witwatersrand last fall and ran tests on samples drawn from patients at the Helen Joseph Clinic in order to determine if those markers were higher than in the general population.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cWe knew that these enzymes are important to the disease and we had already developed a test to measure them,\u201d said Platt, \u201cbut we had not measured them in HIV patients.\u201d\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPlatt and Gleason will continue analyzing their results over the next few months while they also work with their other collaborator, Dr. Roy Sutliff, from the Emory University School of Medicine\u2019s Department of Pulmonology, who specializes in mouse models which have been instrumental in the group\u2019s cardiovascular research. Once they complete their analysis of the results the trio should be able to guide other researchers and drug companies in developing new and more effective ways to treat cardiovascular disease in HIV patients.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut that\u2019s not all. Like many fields of research, Dr. Platt\u2019s work had an unforeseen application. When he was developing tests for the enzymes that cause cardiovascular disease it was suggested to Platt by Dr. Evans that he also look for a few other key markers in the samples drawn from the South African samples. The theory was that by measuring viral load and T-cell counts conclusions could be drawn about how well patients are following their drug regimen since t-T-cell counts should be tied to how regularly they are taking the antiretroviral drug cocktail used by HIV patients in Africa.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe problem is that the drugs have to be taken daily, and a single lapse could cause a patient\u2019s viral load to spike and their T-cell count to drop, greatly endangering their health.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhile many patients are very adherent to the drug regimen not all are, and local community groups have been looking for a simple, low-cost bio-marker that would help indicate how adherent a patient has been and how well the antiretroviral cocktail is working. Platt and his colleagues are developing that test and are in the process of adapting it for the field so that it can be easily transported and used by traveling doctors.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cIf it starts to pan out we\u2019ll have a great test to send out in the field to see if people are taking their drugs,\u201d said Platt. \u201cThat\u2019s where the engineering comes in- we\u2019re trying to optimize it to make it even simpler, easier, and inexpensive.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cIt\u2019s a test that we also use for cancer studies in my lab. We already have a post-doc working on improving the device so it can be put on a cancer clinician\u2019s bench. While they\u2019re doing that it will totally work in parallel with the HIV analysis.\u201d\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EHIV patients who are undergoing regular drug treatments greatly reduce their risk of transmitting the virus which is why the phrase \u201cTreatment is Prevention\u201d is the mantra in the world of AIDS.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBy developing a tool that can help clinicians monitor patient progress Platt is helping to stem the spread of HIV while simultaneously using his cardiovascular research to improve the lives of those already living with the virus.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Research of Manu Platt, PhD, aims to give doctors the ability to predict, treat, and prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in HIV patients"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESearching for Solution in South Africa -\u0026nbsp;Research of Manu Platt, PhD, aims to give doctors the ability to predict, treat, and prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in HIV patients\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research of Manu Platt, PhD, aims to give doctors the ability to predict, treat, and prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in HIV patients"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2012-01-17 12:28:55","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:57","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"78751":{"id":"78751","type":"image","title":"Manu Platt, PhD - Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering","body":null,"created":"1449178063","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:43","changed":"1475894693","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:53","alt":"Manu Platt, PhD - Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering","file":{"fid":"193878","name":"platt_lab_011112.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/platt_lab_011112_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/platt_lab_011112_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1306938,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/platt_lab_011112_0.jpg?itok=MZbaLseg"}}},"media_ids":["78751"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\/","title":"College of Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/groups.bme.gatech.edu\/groups\/platt\/","title":"Platt lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"10832","name":"Manu Platt"},{"id":"171149","name":"Searching for Solution in South Africa"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology - \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"76011":{"#nid":"76011","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Startup Receives $4 Million to Develop Drug Delivery Targeted to the Back of the Eye","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETechnology developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University for delivering drugs and other therapeutics to specific locations in the eye provides the foundation for a startup company that has received a $4 million venture capital investment.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Atlanta-based startup, Clearside Biomedical, plans to develop microinjection technology that will use hollow microneedles to precisely target therapeutics within the eye. If the technique proves successful in clinical trials and wins regulatory approval, it could provide an improved method for treating diseases that affect the back of the eye, including age-related macular degeneration. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe technology was developed in collaboration between the research groups of Mark Prausnitz, a Regents\u0027 professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Henry Edelhauser, a professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Emory School of Medicine. Research leading to development of the technology was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We expect that targeting drug delivery within the eye will be helpful because we should be able to concentrate drugs at the disease sites where they need to act, and keep them away from other locations,\u0022 said Prausnitz. \u0022This could reduce side effects and possibly also decrease the dose required.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPrior to this development, drugs could be delivered to the retinal tissues at the back of the eye in three indirect ways: (1) injection by hypodermic needle into the eye\u0027s vitreous humor, the gelatinous material that fills the eyeball, (2) eye drops, which are limited in their ability to reach the back of the eye, and (3) pills taken by mouth that expose the whole body to the drug. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe technology developed by Georgia Tech and Emory uses a hollow micron-scale needle to inject therapeutics into the suprachoroidal space located between the outer surface of the eye -- known as the sclera -- and the choroid -- a deeper layer that provides nutrients to the rest of the eye. Preclinical research has demonstrated that fluid can flow between the two layers, where it can spread out to the entire eye, including structures such as the retina that are now difficult to reach.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBy targeting this suprachoroidal space using microscopic needles, the researchers believe they can reduce trauma to the eye, make drugs more effective and reduce complications. The new delivery method could help advance a new series of drugs being developed to target the retina, choroid and other structures in the back of the eye.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This is a significant advance in the field of ophthalmology,\u0022 said Edelhauser. \u0022Until now, it has been difficult to target drug delivery to specific locations within the eye. This new microneedle technology enables precise drug targeting to the suprachoroidal space and other locations within the eye.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn research reported in the January 2011 issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EPharmaceutical Research\u003C\/em\u003E, the Georgia Tech-Emory team demonstrated for the first time that this technique can be used to deliver nanoparticles and microparticles to specific parts of the eye. In later research, they also showed that microneedle injections into the suprachoroidal space rapidly resulted in concentrations of drugs and particles that could be maintained for several months.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBetween two and three million eye injections are made each year, many of them to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  The researchers believe that the microneedle-based technique could be useful for treating both AMD and glaucoma, as well as other ocular conditions related to diabetes.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe $4 million in funding for Clearside Biomedical will come from Hatteras Venture Partners, a venture capital firm based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Hatteras focuses on seed and early-stage investments in companies developing products in biopharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic and related human health areas.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Clearside Biomedical represents an ideal fit for Hatteras Discovery as the platform technology is highly innovative, based on elegant science and the lead product is expected to be in clinical trials in the United States in less than 18 months,\u0022 said Christy Shaffer, Ph.D., venture partner and managing director of the Hatteras Discovery Fund.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESo far, the technique has been tested only in animals. The Hatteras funding will allow the company to conduct additional efficacy and safety testing needed to seek regulatory approval. The company\u0027s first product is expected to address macular edema and retinal vein occlusion.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EClearside was formed with the assistance of Georgia Tech\u0027s VentureLab program, which helped obtain early-stage seed funding from the Georgia Research Alliance.  Georgia Tech VentureLab also helped the founders connect with the company\u0027s president and CEO, Daniel White, a veteran ophthalmic entrepreneur. Before joining Clearside, White was a co-founder of Alimera Sciences, an Atlanta company that is developing ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETwo researchers from the Prausnitz lab who have been involved in development of the ocular drug delivery technique will also join the company. They are Samirkumar Patel, a postdoctoral researcher and Vladimir Zarnitsyn, a research scientist.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EResearch leading to the development of the technology has been supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the principal investigators and does not necessarily represent the official view of the NIH.\n\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\n\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHenry Edelhauser, Samirkumar Patel, Mark Prausnitz, Vladimir Zarnitsyn, Emory University and Georgia Tech have financial interests in Clearside Biomedical and its ocular platform. Edelhauser, Patel, Prausnitz and Zarnitsyn own equity in Clearside and the terms of this arrangement have been reviewed and approved by Emory University or Georgia Tech in accordance with their conflict of interest policies.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Georgia Tech -- John Toon (404-894-6986)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Abby Robinson (404-385-3364)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E); Emory University -- Holly Korschun (404-727-3990)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:hkorsch@emory.edu\u0022\u003Ehkorsch@emory.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETechnology developed by Georgia Tech and Emory University researchers for delivering drugs and other therapeutics to specific locations in the eye provides the foundation for a startup company that has received a $4 million venture capital investment.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New technology may enable doctors to deliver drugs to the back of the eye."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2012-01-05 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:53","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-01-05T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2012-01-05T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"76021":{"id":"76021","type":"image","title":"Microneedle for eye injections","body":null,"created":"1449178055","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:35","changed":"1475894688","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:48"},"76031":{"id":"76031","type":"image","title":"Microneedle for eye injection","body":null,"created":"1449178055","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:35","changed":"1475894688","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:48"},"76041":{"id":"76041","type":"image","title":"Microneedle for eye injection","body":null,"created":"1449178055","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:35","changed":"1475894688","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:48"}},"media_ids":["76021","76031","76041"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Chemical \u0026 Biomolecular Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/prausnitz.php","title":"Mark Prausnitz"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"3346","name":"drug delivery"},{"id":"495","name":"Mark Prausnitz"},{"id":"16531","name":"microinjection"},{"id":"7496","name":"microneedles"},{"id":"16521","name":"ophthalmology"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=jt7\u0022\u003EContact John Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"75841":{"#nid":"75841","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Eberhard Voit Elected to AIMBE College of Fellows","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBiomedical Engineering Professor Eberhard Voit, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), Class of 2012. He was chosen for the honor: \u0022For outstanding contributions to the development of computational systems biology and the use of model-based problem-solving in biomedical engineering.\u0022 \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EVoit holds the David D. Flanagan Chair in Biological Systems in The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. He is a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and Associate Director of the Integrative BioSystems Institute. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere were 107 individuals elected to the College, who will be inducted at a ceremony at AIMBE\u2019s Annual Event on February 20 in Washington, D.C.  The inductees, who were nominated by their peers, were screened by committees of Fellows within their specialty and were finally elected by the full College as the official College of Fellows Class of 2012. The College of Fellows is comprised of the top two percent of medical and biological engineers in the country.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Voit to be inducted at annual ceremony in Washington DC in February 2012"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEberhard Voit Elected of AIMBE College of Fellows\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"For outstanding contributions to the development of computational systems biology and the use of model-based problem-solving in biomedical engineering"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2012-01-04 11:27:21","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:53","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-01-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"75851":{"id":"75851","type":"image","title":"Eberhard Voit - David D. Flanagan Chair in Biological Systems in The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech \u0026 Emory University, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, Assoc. Director, Integrative BioSystems Institute","body":null,"created":"1449178055","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:35","changed":"1475894688","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:48","alt":"Eberhard Voit - David D. Flanagan Chair in Biological Systems in The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech \u0026 Emory University, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, Assoc. Director, Integrative BioSystems Institute","file":{"fid":"193819","name":"voit.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/voit.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/voit.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8661,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/voit.jpg?itok=YPQ953Xi"}}},"media_ids":["75851"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.aaas.org\/","title":"American Association for the Advancement of Science"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"}],"keywords":[{"id":"16371","name":"AIMBE Fellow"},{"id":"251","name":"Eberhard Voit"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"858","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:adrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAdrianne Proeller\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPR Strategist\/Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003EWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical\u003Cbr \/\u003E Engineering at Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:adrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["adrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"75491":{"#nid":"75491","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Four Georgia Tech Faculty Named AAAS Fellows","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has named four Georgia Tech professors as 2011 Fellows.\u0026nbsp;AAAS is the world\u2019s largest general scientific society, and the election as a Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThree of the new AAAS Fellows at Georgia Tech hail from the College of Engineering and one is on the faculty in the College of Computing. The Fellows were announced today in the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E and will be honored at the Fellows Forum, held Feb. 18 at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new AAAS Fellows at Georgia Tech are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAli Adibi,\u003C\/strong\u003E professor of electrical and computer engineering, who was honored for his \u201cdistinguished contributions to the fields of integrated nanophotonics, photonic crystals, and volume holography.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDavid Bader\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor of computational science and engineering in the College of Computing, who earned the distinction for \u201cdistinguished contributions to the field of computational science and engineering.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERobert Butera\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor of electrical and computer engineering who also holds a joint appointment in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, was named Fellow \u201cfor advances in computational neuroscience and neurotechnology, promoting engineering through society, editorial, and university leadership, and contributing to STEM policy and educational initiatives.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPaul Steffes\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor of electrical and computer engineering, who earned the distinction for \u201ccontributions to the understanding of planetary atmospheres through innovative microwave measurements.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAAAS is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world by serving as an educator, leader, spokesperson and professional association. AAAS publishes the journal \u003Cem\u003EScience\u003C\/em\u003E as well as many scientific newsletters, books and reports, and spearheads programs that raise the bar of understanding for science worldwide. The four Georgia Tech faculty members were among 539 Fellows elected by the AAAS Council in November.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has named four Georgia Tech professors as 2011 Fellows.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The American Association for the Advancement of Science has named four Georgia Tech professors as 2011 Fellows."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-12-23 10:05:41","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:53","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"73936":{"id":"73936","type":"image","title":"Ali Adibi","body":null,"created":"1449178028","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:08","changed":"1475894683","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:43"},"50723":{"id":"50723","type":"image","title":"David Bader","body":null,"created":"1449175437","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:43:57","changed":"1475894471","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:41:11","alt":"David Bader","file":{"fid":"128822","name":"david-bader.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/david-bader_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/david-bader_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":11717,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/david-bader_1.jpg?itok=ZuDeM7p6"}},"70369":{"id":"70369","type":"image","title":"Robert Butera","body":null,"created":"1449177304","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:04","changed":"1475894618","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:38"},"69139":{"id":"69139","type":"image","title":"Paul Steffes","body":null,"created":"1449177239","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:59","changed":"1475894604","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:24"}},"media_ids":["73936","50723","70369","69139"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.aaas.org\/","title":"American Association for the Advancement of Science"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"16181","name":"AAAS Fellows; Ali Adibi; David Bader; Robert Butera; Paul Steffes; College of Engineering; School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; College of Computing;"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"74931":{"#nid":"74931","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Petit Institute \u0022Above and Beyond\u0022 Awardees Announced","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience announces its annual \u201cAbove and Beyond\u201d awardees. Loren Williams, Ph.D. and Todd Sulchek, Ph.D are the recipients of the faculty awards and Colly Mitchell has been named the staff recipient.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Petit Institute Above and Beyond Awards are selected by the Faculty Steering Committee and given to team-based individuals who demonstrate exemplary service to the institute and contribute to its collegial, collaborative environment. \u0026nbsp;Three awards are given each year to a senior faculty member, a pre-tenure faculty member and a staff member.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELoren Williams, professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry, has contributed to the Petit Institute significantly this year. Williams is the director of one of the Petit Institute interdisciplinary research centers, RiboEvo.\u0026nbsp; RiboEvo is a NASA-funded center which is focused on integrated interdisciplinary research and education in astrobiology. As part of the center\u2019s activities, Williams voluntarily participated in the Buzz on Biotechnology high school open house where his center hosted two booths, one with a 3-D visualization of DNA, RNA using PyMol and another demonstration showcasing the use of liquid nitrogen in cryogenics and molecular biology. In addition, Williams organized the 2011 Suddath Symposium and participated in several Petit Institute activities including the Industry Partners Symposium dinner and the Bio-Center Poster Session. Williams also sits on the core facilities steering committee. Williams will have an equally busy 2012 as he is chair of the Astrobiology Science Conference which will attract over 700 scientists to Atlanta and Georgia Tech next year.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETodd Sulchek, assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering, was nominated for his participation and support of the Petit Scholars program over the last several years and for consistently being an active community citizen. Sulchek has participated in many Petit Institute-related events, seminars and community-wide poster sessions.\u0026nbsp; In addition, Sulchek received a NSF CAREER Award for his proposal titled: \u0022Understanding Multivalent Biological Bonds for Biosensing Applications.\u0022\u0026nbsp; Sulchek will continue to support Petit Institute activities in 2012 as he is scheduled to give a seminar for the Petit Institute\u2019s IBB Breakfast Club seminar series in February.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColly Mitchell, special program coordinator for marketing and communications,\nhas been working for the Petit Institute since 2007. In 2008, she began to\nmanage the Petit Scholars program. \u0026nbsp;At the time Mitchell took over, the program was\ndeclining.\u0026nbsp; Over the course of the\nlast 3 years, she has played a key role in improving the number and quality of\nthe applications and in 2011 the program is thriving.\u0026nbsp; During her tenure at the Petit Institute, Mitchell has made a\ncomplex job look easy by supporting a variety of Petit Institute events for\ngroups ranging from students to high-profile donors and administrators. In\naddition, she is responsible for various communication activities, including\ndisplay of news and events on the atrium\u2019s flat screen TV and the institute\u2019s\nwebsite. Perhaps even more impressively, she manages all of this on a part-time\nbasis and does so with a calm demeanor, a constant smile and an easy\nprofessionalism that earns her the respect and admiration of her colleagues. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience announces its annual \u201cAbove and Beyond\u201d awardees"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience announces its annual \u201cAbove and Beyond\u201d awardees. Loren Williams, Ph.D. and Todd Sulchek, Ph.D are the recipients of the faculty awards and Colly Mitchell has been named the staff recipient.\u0026nbsp;","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience announces its annual \u201cAbove and Beyond\u201d awardees"}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-12-19 16:05:35","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:53","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69773":{"id":"69773","type":"image","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience","body":null,"created":"1449177264","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:24","changed":"1475894611","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:31","alt":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience","file":{"fid":"192836","name":"10c3041-p1-266.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2271177,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg?itok=aplnv5pz"}}},"media_ids":["69773"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"15831","name":"IBB News"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022 mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMegan Graziano McDevitt\u003C\/a\u003E, CMP\u003Cbr \/\u003EMarketing Communications Director\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"74181":{"#nid":"74181","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Brain Cancer Study Uses Imaging to Gauge Response to Experimental Drug","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWinship Cancer Institute researchers are testing an experimental therapy for glioblastoma, the most common and most aggressive form of primary brain cancer. The study uses brain imaging in an effort to detect whether the therapy is having an effect after one week.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe therapy combines vorinostat, an experimental drug, with temozolomide, which is standard treatment for glioblastoma.\n\n\u201cVorinostat is a different type of cancer drug,\u201d says Hyunsuk Shim, PhD, associate professor of radiology at Emory University School of Medicine. \u201cIt\u2019s an epigenetic therapy, and the desired effect is to turn genes that could suppress tumor growth back on. One of the desired effects is to restore normal metabolic behavior to the cancer cells, halting tumor growth.\u201d\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEpigenetics refers to the study of how genes are packaged or modified, carrying additional information beyond the DNA sequence itself. In many tumor cells, genes that prevent runaway growth in normal cells (tumor suppressor genes) are silenced by epigenetic modification. Inhibiting enzymes called histone deacetylases may reverse this silencing, with possible benefits in treating glioblastoma.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EVorinostat may also help temozolomide, which damages tumor DNA, work better by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drug. Vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, is approved by the FDA for CTCL (cutaneous T cell lymphoma) but not brain cancer.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn this National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored clinical trial, the researchers are using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to detect changes in brain metabolism brought on by vorinostat. MRS, a form of imaging similar to MRI, allows doctors to monitor the levels of several brain chemicals. The researchers will gauge the levels of inositol and N-acetylaspartate, which are both indicators of healthy brain metabolism.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cThis form of therapy may not be effective for all patients, but it is better to figure out as early as possible which patients the drug is working for,\u201d Shim says.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearchers want to develop new imaging tools to monitor how vorinostat is affecting the tumor. The study is designed to gather information that will allow doctors to make a quick decision on whether vorinostat is effective for a given patient without injecting contrast material.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EShim is collaborating with Jeffrey Olson, MD, professor of neurosurgery, hematology and medical oncology and the co-director of Winship\u2019s brain tumor program, and Xiaoping Hu, PhD, director of Emory\u2019s Biomedical Imaging Technology Center and professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. Hu is a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar.\n\nFor more information about the clinical trial, which currently is enrolling patients, contact 404-778-1900.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe study is being supported by the National Cancer Institute.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EWriter: Quinn Eastman\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University is an academic health science and service center focused on missions of teaching, research, health care and public service.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Winship Cancer Institute researchers are testing an experimental therapy for glioblastoma"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrain Cancer Study Uses Imaging to Gauge Response to Experimental Drug\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Winship Cancer Institute researchers are testing an experimental therapy for glioblastoma"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-12-15 12:32:08","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:50","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"74191":{"id":"74191","type":"image","title":"Tumor cells often produce an excess of lactic acid. MRS brain scans show that lactic acid levels are decreasing as treatment proceeds. This patient is an example of a \u0022good responder.\u0022","body":null,"created":"1449178046","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:26","changed":"1475894686","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:46","alt":"Tumor cells often produce an excess of lactic acid. MRS brain scans show that lactic acid levels are decreasing as treatment proceeds. This patient is an example of a \u0022good responder.\u0022","file":{"fid":"193777","name":"huxiaoping_12.11.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/huxiaoping_12.11_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/huxiaoping_12.11_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":61317,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/huxiaoping_12.11_0.jpg?itok=Ub_pWsk9"}}},"media_ids":["74191"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/shared.web.emory.edu\/whsc\/news\/releases\/2011\/12\/brain-cancer-study-uses-imaging-to-gauge-response-to-experimental-drug.html","title":"Woodruff Health Sciences article"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"15451","name":"Brain Cancer Study Uses Imaging to Gauge Response to Experimental Drug"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"15461","name":"Xiaoping Hu"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:virginia.l.anderson@emory.edu\u0022\u003ELynne Anderson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["virginia.l.anderson@emory.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"74065":{"#nid":"74065","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Endowment Supports New Chair in Biomedical Engineering","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ERavi Bellamkonda\u0026nbsp;has been named the first Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Chair in Biomedical Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. The award, made possible by a generous $1.5 million gift from the Flanagans, was recently approved by the Georgia Board of Regents. The award recognizes Bellamkonda\u2019s scholarship and thought leadership in regenerative medicine, nanotechnology and cancer research, and will support his active research program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBellamkonda directs the Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, a part of the Laboratory for Neuroengineering in the joint Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. He also serves as associate vice president within the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research (EVPR), directs a T32 training grant called Rational Design of Biomaterials, directs a Graduate Leadership Program for BioE\/BME graduate students and is a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent research projects in the Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory include: developing scaffolds for peripheral nerve regeneration and interfacing; developing vehicles for contrast agents and receptor-targeted nano-scale drug delivery for the treatment of malignant tumors; and engineering a system for tumor exvasion. He is also leading a research team exploring interfacing technologies that will better integrate external electronics to the nervous system. In addition to the Flanagan endowment, Bellamkonda\u2019s research is funded by grants from NIH, NSF, the Coulter Foundation, the Georgia Cancer Coalition, and Ian\u0027s Friend\u0027s Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003ERavi Bellamkonda\u0026nbsp;has been named the first Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Chair in Biomedical Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Professor Ravi Bellamkonda has been named the first Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Chair in Biomedical Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-12-13 09:55:55","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:50","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-13T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-13T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.neuro.gatech.edu\/groups\/bellamkonda\/people\/ravi.html","title":"Ravi Bellamkonda"}],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"15337","name":"Ravi Bellamkonda; Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan; Chair in Biomedical Engineering; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAdrianne Proeller, Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech and Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-894-2357\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["adrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"73878":{"#nid":"73878","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Survey Reveals Scientists Have Trouble Accessing Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe promise of stem cell research for drug discovery and cell-based therapies depends on the ability of scientists to acquire stem cell lines for their research.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA survey of more than 200 human embryonic stem cell researchers in the United States found that nearly four in ten researchers have faced excessive delay in acquiring a human embryonic stem cell line and that more than one-quarter were unable to acquire a line they wanted to study.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The survey results provide empirical data to support previously anecdotal concerns that delays in acquiring or an inability to acquire certain human embryonic stem cell lines may be hindering stem cell science in the United States,\u0022 said Aaron Levine, an assistant professor in the School of Public Policy in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResults of the survey were published in the December issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Biotechnology\u003C\/em\u003E. Funding for the study was provided by the Kauffman Foundation\u0027s Roadmap for an Entrepreneurial Economy Program.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELevine administered the web-based survey in November 2010 to more than 1,400 stem cell scientists working at U.S. academic and non-profit medical research institutions. Almost 400 respondents from 32 states completed the survey. Of those, 205 respondents reported using human embryonic stem cells in their research, and their responses were used in this study.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe surveyed scientists cited four main reasons for their problems accessing human embryonic stem cell lines: difficulty obtaining material transfer agreements, failure to acquire research approval from internal institutional oversight committees, cell line owners that were unwilling to share and federal policy considerations.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Bureaucratic challenges may be inevitable in this ethically contentious and politically sensitive field, but policymakers should attempt to mitigate these issues by doing things like encouraging institutions to accept third-party ownership verification and providing clearer guidance on human embryonic stem cell research not eligible for federal funding,\u0022 said Levine, who is also a member of the Georgia Tech Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe broad patents assigned to the initial inventors of the method used to isolate embryonic stem cells and numerous narrower patents claiming specific human embryonic stem cell-related techniques are also factors complicating access to human embryonic stem cell lines, according to Levine. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen survey respondents were asked how many of the more than 1,000 existing human embryonic stem cell lines they used, 76 percent reported using three or fewer lines and 54 percent reported using two or fewer lines in their research. More than half of the 130 respondents cited access issues as a major reason they chose to use specific cell lines in their research.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These results illustrate that many human embryonic stem cell scientists in the United States are not conducting comparative studies with a diverse set of human embryonic stem cell lines, which raises concern that at least some results are cell-line specific rather than broadly applicable,\u0022 said Levine. \u0022Federal and state funding agencies may want to consider encouraging research using multiple diverse human embryonic stem cell lines to improve the reliability of research results.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEmbryonic stem cell lines are being used to develop new cellular therapies for various diseases, to screen for new drugs and to better understand inherited diseases. It\u0027s crucial that diverse lines are available for this research to ensure that all individuals benefit from the results.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile availability was cited as the most common factor affecting scientists\u0027 choices regarding which cell lines to use, other considerations included suitability for a specific project, familiarity with specific lines, a desire to reduce complications in the laboratory, cost, the extent of relevant literature and the preferences of scientists\u0027 colleagues.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThree of the initial human embryonic stem cell lines derived at the University of Wisconsin in the late 1990s were the lines most commonly used by respondents. Cell lines H1, H9 and H7 were used by 79, 68 and 26 percent of respondents, respectively. Scientists also reported using more than 100 other lines, but each of these was used by fewer than 12 percent of respondents.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Other research communities in the life sciences have experienced material access problems and they addressed them, in part, by creating centralized information and data sharing hubs, including public DNA sequence databases, tissue banks and mouse repositories. The stem cell research community has taken promising steps in this direction, but this analysis should encourage the community to continue and, if possible, accelerate these efforts,\u0022 added Levine.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: Abby Robinson\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA survey of U.S. stem cell researchers found that nearly four in ten researchers have faced excessive delay in acquiring a human embryonic stem cell line and that more than one-quarter were unable to acquire a line they wanted to study.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Study shows scientists have difficulty accessing stem cell lines"}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2011-12-12 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:50","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"73879":{"id":"73879","type":"image","title":"Aaron Levine","body":null,"created":"1449178028","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:08","changed":"1475894681","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:41"},"73880":{"id":"73880","type":"image","title":"Chart on difficulty","body":null,"created":"1449178028","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:08","changed":"1475894681","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:41"},"73881":{"id":"73881","type":"image","title":"Chart on choosing stem cells","body":null,"created":"1449178028","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:08","changed":"1475894681","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:41"}},"media_ids":["73879","73880","73881"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Public Policy"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.spp.gatech.edu\/aboutus\/faculty\/AaronLevine","title":"Levine\u0027s Bio"},{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nbt.2029","title":"Nature Biotechnology paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"9555","name":"aaron levine"},{"id":"2276","name":"embryonic stem cells"},{"id":"1616","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"626","name":"public policy"},{"id":"167078","name":"School of Public Policy"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"73630":{"#nid":"73630","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Representatives Participate in STEM Roundtable at the White House","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\nTech student Vivian Stepp and faculty member Julie Champion will spend Friday,\nDecember 9, at the White House as part of the Obama Administration\u2019s \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/champions\u0022\u003EChampions of Change\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d roundtable event.\u0026nbsp; Stepp and Champion were invited to join\nstudents and faculty from around the nation to discuss ways of changing the stereotypes\nof girls in science and technology. They will also brainstorm how to support\nand retain women in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EStepp,\na Computer Science major in the College of Computing, is a former national and\nregional winner of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ncwit.org\/award\/award.winners.bios.php#v\u0022\u003EAspirations in Computing\nAward\u003C\/a\u003E. \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/champion.php\u0022\u003EChampion\u003C\/a\u003E is an assistant\nprofessor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe\nOffice of Public Engagement is hosting the event, and White House Policy\nOffices will use the discussions to create best practices for future education initiatives.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\nTech student Vivian Stepp and faculty member Julie Champion will spend Friday,\nDecember 9, at the White House as part of the Obama Administration\u2019s \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/champions\u0022\u003EChampions of Change\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d roundtable event. \u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Student and Faculty Member Invited to White House."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2011-12-08 15:56:43","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:02:51","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-08T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-08T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"73913":{"id":"73913","type":"image","title":"Champions of Change award winners","body":null,"created":"1449178028","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:27:08","changed":"1475894681","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:41","alt":"Champions of Change award winners","file":{"fid":"193754","name":"0000053212-img_4044.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/0000053212-img_4044_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/0000053212-img_4044_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":880073,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/0000053212-img_4044_0.jpg?itok=zD9MWumK"}},"68622":{"id":"68622","type":"image","title":"Julie Champion, PhD - Assistant Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894594","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:14","alt":"Julie Champion, PhD - Assistant Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering","file":{"fid":"192618","name":"champion_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":49950,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/champion_0_0.jpg?itok=ERwvKKpX"}}},"media_ids":["73913","68622"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Chemical \u0026 Biomolecular Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/","title":"College of Computing"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/champions","title":"Champions of Change"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ncwit.org\/award\/award.index.php","title":"Aspirations in Computing Award"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/champion.php","title":"Julie Champion"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"155","name":"Congressional Testimony"}],"keywords":[{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"10961","name":"julie champion"},{"id":"167445","name":"School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-2966\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maderer@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"73311":{"#nid":"73311","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Identifies Mechanisms Cells Use to Remove Bits of RNA from DNA Strands","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen RNA component units called ribonucleotides become embedded in genomic DNA, which contains the complete genetic data for an organism, they can cause problems for cells. It is known that ribonucleotides in DNA can potentially distort the DNA double helix, resulting in genomic instability and altered DNA metabolism, but not much is known about the fate of these ribonucleotides.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA new study provides a mechanistic explanation of how ribonucleotides embedded in genomic DNA are recognized and removed from cells. Two mechanisms, enzymes called ribonucleases (RNases) H and the DNA mismatch repair system, appear to interplay to root out the RNA components.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We believe this is the first study to show that cells utilize independent repair pathways to remove mispaired ribonucleotides embedded in chromosomal DNA, which can be sources of genetic modification if not removed,\u0022 said Francesca Storici, an assistant professor in the School of Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u0022The results also highlight a novel case of genetic redundancy, where the mismatch repair system and RNase H mechanisms compete with each other to remove misincorporated ribonucleotides and restore DNA integrity.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe findings were reported Dec. 4, 2011 in the advance online publication of the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Structural \u0026amp; Molecular Biology\u003C\/em\u003E. The research was supported by the Georgia Cancer Coalition, National Science Foundation and Georgia Tech Integrative BioSystems Institute.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EStorici and Georgia Tech biology graduate students Ying Shen and Kyung Duk Koh conducted the study in collaboration with Bernard Weiss, a professor emeritus in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We wanted to understand how cells of the bacterium \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E and the yeast \u003Cem\u003ESaccharomyces cerevisiae\u003C\/em\u003E tolerate the presence of different ribonucleotides embedded in their genomic DNA. We found that the structure of a ribonucleotide tract embedded in DNA influenced its ability to cause genetic mutations more than the tract\u0027s length,\u0022 said Storici.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith double-stranded DNA, when wrong bases are paired or one or few nucleotides are in excess or missing on one of the strands, a mismatch is generated. If mismatches are not corrected, they can lead to mutations.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that single mismatched ribonucleotides in chromosomal DNA were removed by either the mismatch repair system or RNase H type 2. Mismatched ribonucleotides in the middle of at least four other ribonucleotides required RNase H type 1 for removal.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We were excited to find that a DNA repair mechanism like mismatch repair was activated by RNA\/DNA mismatches and could remove ribonucleotides embedded in chromosomal DNA,\u0022 explained Storici. \u0022In future studies, we plan to test whether other DNA repair mechanisms, such as nucleotide-excision repair and base-excision repair, can also locate and remove ribonucleotides in DNA.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing gene correction assays driven by short nucleic acid polymers called oligonucleotides, the researchers showed that when ribonucleotides embedded in DNA were not removed, they served as templates for DNA synthesis and produced a mutation in the DNA. If both the mismatch repair system and RNase H repair mechanisms are disabled, ribonucleotide-driven gene modification increased by a factor of 47 in the yeast and 77,000 in the bacterium. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDefects in the mismatch repair system are known to predispose a person to certain types of cancer. Because the mismatch repair system is conserved from unicellular to multicellular organisms, such as humans, this study\u0027s findings open up the possibility that defects in the mismatch repair system could have consequences more critical than previously thought given the newly identified function of mismatch repair to target RNA\/DNA mispairs. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results also provide new information on the capacity of RNA to play an active role in DNA editing and remodeling, which could be the basis of an unexplored process of RNA-driven DNA evolution. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Award No. MCB-1021763). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigators and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen RNA ribonucleotides become embedded in genomic DNA, they can cause problems for cells, but not much is known about the fate of these ribonucleotides. A new study identifies two mechanisms cells use to recognize and remove ribonucleotides from DNA.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Study identifies two mechanisms cells use to remove RNA from DNA."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-12-04 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:42","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"73312":{"id":"73312","type":"image","title":"Ying Shen, Francesca Storici \u0026 Kyung Duk Koh","body":null,"created":"1449178002","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:26:42","changed":"1475894676","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:36"},"73313":{"id":"73313","type":"image","title":"Ying Shen \u0026 Francesca Storici","body":null,"created":"1449178002","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:26:42","changed":"1475894676","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:36"},"73314":{"id":"73314","type":"image","title":"Ying Shen, Francesca Storici \u0026 Kyung Duk Koh","body":null,"created":"1449178002","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:26:42","changed":"1475894676","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:36"}},"media_ids":["73312","73313","73314"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/index.php?id=francesca-storici","title":"Francesca Storici"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1041","name":"dna"},{"id":"13560","name":"Francesca Storici"},{"id":"15258","name":"oligonucleotides"},{"id":"15259","name":"ribonucleotides"},{"id":"984","name":"RNA"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"73275":{"#nid":"73275","#data":{"type":"news","title":"\u0022Breakthrough\u0022 Grant Awarded for Promising Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Kenneth Rainin Foundation announced the establishment of its Breakthrough Awards Program, which is designed to enable investigators to further their Inflammatory bowel disease research and increase the likelihood of a breakthrough discovery.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u2028\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EA research proposal by Julie A. Champion, Ph.D, an assistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Andrew S. Neish, M.D., professor in anatomic pathology at Emory University School of Medicine, will receive $100,000 to continue the promising research that resulted from the foundation through its Innovator Award program last year. The \u201cBreakthrough Awards\u201d are given to existing Kenneth Rainin Foundation funded Innovator Award recipients that have demonstrated significant research progress during their initial year\u0027s work.\u2028\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EOver the course of the next year, the team\u2019s research aims to develop effective therapeutics that harness the immunomodulatory properties of bacterial molecules for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The hope is that by exploiting the inherent ability of intestinal pathogens to control inflammatory signaling pathways in a person\u2019s own body, that they can adapt bacterial effector or regulatory molecules and use them as an immunotherapy.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cA major challenge in realizing the therapeutic potential of these molecules is the ability to engineer a delivery system capable of delivering protein inside intestinal epithelial cells,\u201d Champion said.\u2028\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EInflammatory bowel disease is a chronic disorder in which the intestines become inflamed. The cause of inflammatory bowel disease is not known, although researchers believe that the most likely cause is an immune reaction the body\u0026nbsp;has against its own tissues in the intestine. The disease is thought to affect over 1 million Americans.\u0026nbsp;\u2028\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Kenneth Rainin Foundation is a private family foundation that funds inspiring and world-changing work. The Foundation\u2019s mission is to eliminate any suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.\u0026nbsp;\n\nBreakthrough Awards are determined at an annual meeting of Innovator Awardees with the foundation\u2019s scientific advisory board and other board members. The Innovator Awards Program is open to tenure track professors at all levels from any scientific discipline and from any non-profit research institutions worldwide. Interdisciplinary collaborations, like this proposal by Georgia Tech and Emory, are important to the Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The program is designed to enable investigators to further their inflammatory bowel disease research and increase the likelihood of a breakthrough discovery."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Breakthrough\u0022 Grant Awarded for Promising Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research - the program is designed to enable investigators to further their inflammatory bowel disease research and increase the likelihood of a breakthrough discovery.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Program is designed to enable investigators to further their inflammatory bowel disease research and increase the likelihood of a breakthrough discovery."}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-12-01 15:34:59","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:42","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-12-01T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-12-01T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"73276":{"id":"73276","type":"image","title":"Protein nanoparticles are used to deliver bacterial proteins for IBD therapy.","body":null,"created":"1449177990","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:26:30","changed":"1475894673","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:33","alt":"Protein nanoparticles are used to deliver bacterial proteins for IBD therapy.","file":{"fid":"193737","name":"champion_article.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion_article_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion_article_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":448316,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/champion_article_0.jpg?itok=Ye-0HH6M"}},"68622":{"id":"68622","type":"image","title":"Julie Champion, PhD - Assistant Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894594","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:14","alt":"Julie Champion, PhD - Assistant Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering","file":{"fid":"192618","name":"champion_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/champion_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":49950,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/champion_0_0.jpg?itok=ERwvKKpX"}}},"media_ids":["73276","68622"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/champion.chbe.gatech.edu\/","title":"Julie Champion research group"},{"url":"http:\/\/krfoundation.org\/","title":"Kenneth Rainin Foundation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"15228","name":"Breakthrough"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EMegan McDevitt\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EMarketing Communications Director\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering \u0026amp; Bioscience\u003Cbr \/\u003E(404) 385-7001\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["megan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"72646":{"#nid":"72646","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Systems Engineering Helps Improve Flow of Visitors in Georgia Aquarium\u2019s New Dolphin Exhibit","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMore than 1,800 visitors can move smoothly through the Georgia Aquarium\u0027s new AT\u0026amp;T Dolphin Tales exhibit, entering and leaving through the same set of doors. Their experience is not by accident though -- before the exhibit opened, logistics experts at the Georgia Institute of Technology carefully studied how guests would move and recommended ways to improve their experiences while minimizing congestion.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We offered Georgia Aquarium leaders accurate predictions on how the new AT\u0026amp;T Dolphin Tales exhibit would impact guest flow within the aquarium and how to optimize the operations logistics, efficiency and show schedules for the new exhibit,\u0022 said Eva K. Lee, a professor in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new 84,000-square-foot AT\u0026amp;T Dolphin Tales attraction, which opened in April 2011, includes a theater with performances of Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins in a Broadway-style production with live actors and trainers, all set to an orchestral soundtrack. The exhibit also features a lobby area where visitors can be face-to-face with the dolphins through a 25-foot viewing window.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We knew that managing the flow of guests through the new AT\u0026amp;T Dolphin Tales exhibit was going to be more difficult than the other aquarium galleries because guests would be entering and exiting the exhibit through the same space,\u0022 said Brian Davis, director of education and guest programs at the Georgia Aquarium. \u0022The logistical predictions and recommendations Georgia Tech provided us were extremely accurate and enabled us to ensure an amazing guest experience while remaining fiscally responsible.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo provide recommendations to the Georgia Aquarium on how to optimize visitor flow through the new exhibit, Lee and Georgia Tech graduate student Chien-Hung Chen created RealOpt-ABM, a large-scale modeling and decision support software suite that could model guest movement through the entire aquarium. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith this software, the researchers predicted guest flow through the new exhibit and the impact of the new exhibit to surrounding areas and overall visitor flow. They were also able to determine the best strategies for show scheduling, resource allocation, space usage, and theater loading and unloading. RealOpt-ABM produced recommendations that were implemented for operations design of the new exhibit, according to Joe Handy, vice president of guest experience at the Georgia Aquarium.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Lee, the software\u0027s success lies in its integrated simulation and optimization approach and its inclusion of human cognitive and behavioral elements. The software\u0027s computational speed also allowed for rapid solution strategies and on-the-fly reconfigurations. Facility layout, physical design and activities at specific points of interest were captured in sub-models, which were aggregated and coupled to form the overall model. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022RealOpt-ABM incorporated advances in agent-based simulation that capture the stochastic nature of the events within the aquarium, optimization of resource allocation and show schedules, and modeling of human cognitive decisions that affect show preference and guest behavior,\u0022 explained Lee.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo validate the model, Lee, research engineer Niquelle Brown and 10 Georgia Tech students analyzed guest flow and behavior patterns in the entire aquarium before the new exhibit opened. Through time-motion studies in 2010, they collected guest flow data and captured the decisions guests made, such as turning left or right when they arrived at an intersection and how long guests spent in each exhibit area. The data showed that guest movement changed based on the time of day and what time guests arrived at the museum.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing RealOpt-ABM, the researchers accurately predicted the amount of time required to load and unload the AT\u0026amp;T Dolphin Tales theater, depending on the number of guests, which led to a recommendation that performances be separated by at least 90 minutes to minimize congestion. The researchers also recommended that on days with fewer than 6,000 aquarium attendees, only two shows should be offered. This recommendation was based on the need to maintain the comfort and health of the dolphins while minimizing unnecessary operations costs. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERealOpt-ABM also detailed the optimal number and location of ticket scanners and traffic controllers and the best time to open the theatre doors so that the waiting time and queue length were acceptable. The study also predicted that unless other provisions were made, a large percentage of the new exhibit\u0027s lobby area would be occupied by baby strollers that were not allowed in the theater. Lee\u0027s team recommended the creation of valet stroller parking in the main lobby of the aquarium to avoid logistics bottlenecks and congestion in the exhibit lobby area.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis logistics research project is one of six finalists for the 2011 Daniel H. Wagner Prize for Excellence in Operations Research Practice, which is given by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). The winner will be selected on Nov. 14 at the INFORMS Annual Meeting, following presentations by the finalists.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Effective strategies for managing guest flow are imperative for the successful operation of the aquarium and we trust Georgia Tech\u0027s logistics advice 100 percent,\u0022 said Davis. \u0022As the Georgia Aquarium continues to grow and expand, we will always look to Georgia Tech\u0027s expertise to maximize the experience for our guests.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESystems engineers at Georgia Tech offered the Georgia Aquarium accurate predictions on how its new AT\u0026amp;T Dolphin Tales exhibit would impact aquarium guest flow and how to optimize the operations logistics, efficiency and show schedules for the exhibit.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Guests can flow smoothly through new AT\u0026T Dolphin Tales exhibit."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-11-14 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:38","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-11-14T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-11-14T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"72647":{"id":"72647","type":"image","title":"Georgia Aquarium dolphin show","body":null,"created":"1449177942","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:25:42","changed":"1475894661","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:21"},"72648":{"id":"72648","type":"image","title":"Eva Lee","body":null,"created":"1449177942","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:25:42","changed":"1475894661","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:21"},"72649":{"id":"72649","type":"image","title":"AT\u0026T Dolphin Tales theater","body":null,"created":"1449177942","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:25:42","changed":"1475894661","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:21"}},"media_ids":["72647","72648","72649"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.informs.org\/Recognize-Excellence\/Community-Prizes-and-Awards\/CPMS\/The-Daniel-H.-Wagner-Prize-for-Excellence-in-Operations-Research-Practice","title":"2011 Daniel H. Wagner Prize for Excellence in Operations Research Practice"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/faculty-staff\/profile.php?entry=el44","title":"Eva Lee"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.isye.gatech.edu\/","title":"Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.georgiaaquarium.org\/","title":"Georgia Aquarium"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"72457":{"#nid":"72457","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study to Explore Microneedle Patches for Polio Vaccination","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology will receive funding through Grand Challenges Explorations, an initiative created by the Bill \u0026amp; Melinda Gates Foundation that enables researchers worldwide to test unorthodox ideas that address persistent health and development challenges.  Mark Prausnitz, Regents\u0027 professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, will pursue an innovative global health research project focused on using microneedle patches for the low-cost administration of polio vaccine through the skin in collaboration with researchers Steve Oberste and Mark Pallansch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGrand Challenges Explorations funds scientists and researchers worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how we solve persistent global health and development challenges.  The Georgia Tech\/CDC project is one of 110 Grand Challenges Explorations grants announced November 7th.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We believe in the power of innovation -- that a single bold idea can pioneer solutions to our greatest health and development challenges,\u0022 said Chris Wilson, director of global health discovery for the Bill \u0026amp; Melinda Gates Foundation. \u0022Grand Challenges Explorations seeks to identify and fund these new ideas wherever they come from, allowing scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs to pursue the kinds of creative ideas and novel approaches that could help to accelerate the end of polio, cure HIV infection or improve sanitation.\u0022 \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EProjects that are receiving funding show promise in tackling priority global health issues where solutions do not yet exist.  This includes finding effective methods to eliminate or control infectious diseases such as polio and HIV as well as discovering new sanitation technologies.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe goal of the Georgia Tech\/CDC project is to demonstrate the scientific and economic feasibility for using microneedle patches in vaccination programs aimed at eradicating the polio virus. Current vaccination programs use an oral polio vaccine that contains a modified live virus.  This vaccine is inexpensive and can be administered in door-to-door immunization campaigns, but in rare cases the vaccine can cause polio. There is an alternative injected vaccine that uses killed virus, which carries no risk of polio transmission, but is considerably more expensive than the oral vaccine, requires refrigeration for storage and must be administered by trained personnel. To eradicate polio from the world, health officials will have to discontinue use of the oral vaccine with its live virus, replacing it with the more expensive and logistically-complicated injected vaccine.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPrausnitz and his CDC collaborators believe the use of microneedle patches could reduce the cost and simplify administration of the injected vaccine. Use of the patches, which carry vaccine into the body by dissolving into the skin, could eliminate the need for administration by highly-trained personnel and the \u0022sharps\u0022 disposal problems of traditional hypodermic needles.  Because skin administration produces an immune response with smaller doses of vaccine than traditional deep intramuscular injection, the researchers expect to reduce the per-person cost of vaccine. And by incorporating dried vaccine into the microneedles, they hope to eliminate the need for vaccine refrigeration -- a challenge in remote areas of the world. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We envision vaccination campaigns in which minimally-trained personnel go door-to-door administering microneedle patches rather than oral polio vaccine,\u0022 Prausnitz explained.  \u0022Our goal for this study will be to provide the data to scientifically justify moving the microneedle patch for polio vaccination into a human trial.\u0022    \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn research that will complement the Grand Challenges Exploration grant, Prausnitz and his team have also received funding from the World Health Organization (WHO) to support development of the polio vaccine application for microneedle patches.  And in a project sponsored by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Prausnitz and other Georgia Tech researchers are collaborating with Emory University scientists on development of a microneedle patch for administering flu vaccine.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout Grand Challenges Explorations\u003C\/strong\u003E: Grand Challenges Explorations is a US $100 million initiative funded by the Bill \u0026amp; Melinda Gates Foundation.  Launched in 2008, Grand Challenge Explorations grants have already been awarded to nearly 500 researchers from over 40 countries.  The grant program is open to anyone from any discipline and from any organization.  The initiative uses an agile, accelerated grant-making process with short, two-page online applications and no preliminary data required.  Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded two times a year. Successful projects have an opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to US $1 million. To learn more about Grand Challenges Explorations, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.grandchallenges.org\u0022 title=\u0022www.grandchallenges.org\u0022\u003Ewww.grandchallenges.org\u003C\/a\u003E. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout The Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E: The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the world\u0027s premier research universities, ranked second among all U.S. colleges and universities in the amount of engineering research conducted. Ranked seventh among U.S. News \u0026amp; World Report\u0027s top public universities, Georgia Tech\u0027s more than 20,000 students are enrolled in its Colleges of Architecture, Computing, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Management and Sciences. Georgia Tech is among the nation\u0027s top producers of women and minority engineers. The Institute offers research opportunities to both undergraduate and graduate students and is home to more than 100 interdisciplinary units plus the Georgia Tech Research Institute.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Abby Robinson (404-385-3364)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have received a grant to study the use of microneedle patches for the low-cost administration of polio vaccine.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Georgia Tech innovation may help eradicate polio."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2011-11-07 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:38","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-11-07T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-11-07T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"72458":{"id":"72458","type":"image","title":"Microneedle patch","body":null,"created":"1449177930","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:25:30","changed":"1475894658","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:18"},"72459":{"id":"72459","type":"image","title":"Mark Prausnitz and microneedle patch","body":null,"created":"1449177930","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:25:30","changed":"1475894658","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:18"},"72460":{"id":"72460","type":"image","title":"Microneedle patch","body":null,"created":"1449177930","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:25:30","changed":"1475894658","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:18"}},"media_ids":["72458","72459","72460"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Chemical \u0026 Biomolecular Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/prausnitz.php","title":"Mark Prausnitz"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"495","name":"Mark Prausnitz"},{"id":"494","name":"Microneedle"},{"id":"13653","name":"microneedle patch"},{"id":"15001","name":"polio"},{"id":"7360","name":"vaccination"},{"id":"763","name":"vaccine"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=jt7\u0022\u003EContact John Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71798":{"#nid":"71798","#data":{"type":"news","title":"\u0022Junk DNA\u0022 Defines Differences Between Humans and Chimps","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor years, scientists believed the vast phenotypic\ndifferences between humans and chimpanzees would be easily explained \u2013 the two\nspecies must have significantly different genetic makeups. However, when their\ngenomes were later sequenced, researchers were surprised to learn that the DNA\nsequences of human and chimpanzee genes are nearly identical. What then is\nresponsible for the many morphological and behavioral differences between the\ntwo species? Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have now\ndetermined that the insertion and deletion of large pieces of DNA near genes\nare highly variable between humans and chimpanzees and may account for major\ndifferences between the two species. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team lead by Georgia Tech Professor of Biology\nJohn McDonald has verified that while the DNA sequence of genes between humans\nand chimpanzees is nearly identical, there are large genomic \u201cgaps\u201d in areas adjacent\nto genes that can affect the extent to which genes are \u201cturned on\u201d and \u201cturned\noff.\u201d The research shows that these genomic \u201cgaps\u201d between the two species are predominantly\ndue to the insertion or deletion (INDEL) of viral-like sequences called\nretrotransposons that are known to comprise about half of the genomes of both\nspecies. The findings are \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.mobilednajournal.com\/content\/2\/1\/13\/abstract\u0022\u003Ereported\u003C\/a\u003E in the most recent issue of the online,\nopen-access journal \u003Cem\u003EMobile DNA.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThese genetic gaps have primarily been caused by the\nactivity of retroviral-like transposable element sequences,\u201d said McDonald. \u201cTransposable\nelements were once considered \u2018junk DNA\u2019 with little or no function. Now it\nappears that they may be one of the major reasons why we are so different from\nchimpanzees.\u201d\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMcDonald\u2019s research team, comprised of graduate students Nalini\nPolavarapu, Gaurav Arora and Vinay Mittal, examined the genomic gaps in both\nspecies and determined that they are significantly correlated with differences\nin gene expression reported previously by researchers at the Max Plank\nInstitute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur findings are generally consistent with the notion that the\nmorphological and behavioral differences between humans and chimpanzees are\npredominately due to differences in the regulation of genes rather than to\ndifferences in the sequence of the genes themselves,\u201d said McDonald. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe current analysis of the genetic differences between\nhumans and chimpanzees was motivated by the group\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/newsroom\/release.html?nid=41245\u0022\u003Epreviously published\nfindings\u003C\/a\u003E (2009) that the higher propensity for cancer in humans vs. chimpanzees\nmay have been a by-product of selection for increased brain size in humans. \n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Research Characterizes Important Genetic Variation Between the Species"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDNA sequences for human and chimpanzees are nearly indentical, despite vast phenotypical differences between the two species. Georgia Tech researchers have determined that the insertion and deletion of large pieces of DNA near genes\nare highly variable between humans and chimpanzees and may account for these major\ndifferences. \u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The insertion and deletion of large pieces of DNA near genes are highly variable between humans and chimps and may account for major variables between species."}],"uid":"27560","created_gmt":"2011-10-25 11:00:45","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:34","author":"Jason Maderer","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71799":{"id":"71799","type":"image","title":"Chimpanzee","body":null,"created":"1449177405","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:45","changed":"1475894644","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:04","alt":"Chimpanzee","file":{"fid":"193605","name":"chimp_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/chimp_1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/chimp_1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3920685,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/chimp_1_0.jpg?itok=Ayxt0Ajk"}},"71800":{"id":"71800","type":"image","title":"Chimpanzee 2","body":null,"created":"1449177405","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:45","changed":"1475894644","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:04","alt":"Chimpanzee 2","file":{"fid":"193606","name":"chimp_4.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/chimp_4_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/chimp_4_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":5225806,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/chimp_4_0.jpg?itok=Pi5xPEGr"}},"39697":{"id":"39697","type":"image","title":"John McDonald","body":null,"created":"1449174110","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:21:50","changed":"1475894258","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:37:38","alt":"John McDonald","file":{"fid":"189660","name":"tgy10882.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tgy10882.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tgy10882.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1559884,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tgy10882.jpg?itok=jF8r-EaL"}}},"media_ids":["71799","71800","39697"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.mobilednajournal.com\/content\/2\/1\/13\/abstract","title":"Full Research Article"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/","title":"College of Sciences"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"5718","name":"Genetics"},{"id":"2371","name":"John McDonald"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-385-2966\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jason.maderer@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71711":{"#nid":"71711","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Hold Your Forces: Mechanical Stress Can Help or Hinder Wound Healing Depending on Time of Application","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study demonstrates that mechanical forces affect the growth and remodeling of blood vessels during tissue regeneration and wound healing. The forces diminish or enhance the vascularization process and tissue regeneration depending on when they are applied during the healing process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study found that applying mechanical forces to an injury site immediately after healing began disrupted vascular growth into the site and prevented bone healing. However, applying mechanical forces later in the healing process enhanced functional bone regeneration. The study\u2019s findings could influence treatment of tissue injuries and recommendations for rehabilitation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur finding that mechanical stresses caused by movement can disrupt the initial formation and growth of new blood vessels supports the advice doctors have been giving their patients for years to limit activity early in the healing process,\u201d said Robert Guldberg, a professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. \u201cHowever, our findings also suggest applying mechanical stresses to the wound later on can significantly improve healing through a process called adaptive remodeling.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study was published last month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine and the U.S. Department of Defense.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause blood vessel growth is required for the regeneration of many different tissues, including bone, Guldberg and former Georgia Tech graduate student Joel Boerckel used healing of a bone defect in rats for their study. Following removal of eight millimeters of femur bone, they treated the gap with a polymer scaffold seeded with a growth factor called recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2), a potent inducer of bone regeneration. The scaffold was designed in collaboration with Nathaniel Huebsch and David Mooney from Harvard University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn one group of animals, plates screwed onto the bones to maintain limb stability prevented mechanical forces from being applied to the affected bone. In another group, plates allowed compressive loads along the bone axis to be transferred, but prevented twisting and bending of the limbs. The researchers used contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography imaging and histology to quantify new bone and blood vessel formation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe experiments showed that exerting mechanical forces on the injury site immediately after healing began significantly inhibited vascular growth into the bone defect region. The volume of blood vessels and their connectivity were reduced by 66 and 91 percent, respectively, compared to the group for which no force was applied. The lack of vascular growth into the defect produced a 75 percent reduction in bone formation and failure to heal the defect.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut the study found that the same mechanical force that hindered repair early in the healing process became helpful later on.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen the injury site experienced no mechanical force until four weeks after the injury, blood vessels grew into the defect and vascular remodeling began. With delayed loading, the researchers observed a reduction in quantity and connectivity of blood vessels, but the average vessel thickness increased. In addition, bone formation improved by 20 percent compared to when no force was applied, and strong tissue biomaterial integration was evident.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe found that having a very stable environment initially is very important because mechanical stresses applied early on disrupted very small vessels that were forming,\u201d said Guldberg, who is also the director of the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech. \u201cIf you wait until those vessels have grown in and they\u2019re a little more mature, applying a mechanical stimulus then induces remodeling so that you end up with a more robust vascular network.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study\u2019s results may help researchers optimize the mechanical properties of tissue regeneration scaffolds in the future.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur study shows that one might want to implant a material that is stiff at the very beginning to stabilize the injury site but becomes more compliant with time, to improve vascularization and tissue regeneration,\u201d added Guldberg.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech mechanical engineering graduate student Brent Uhrig and postdoctoral fellow Nick Willett also contributed to this research.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A new study demonstrates that mechanical forces affect the growth and remodeling of blood vessels during tissue regeneration and wound healing."}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study demonstrates that mechanical forces affect the growth and remodeling of blood vessels during tissue regeneration and wound healing."}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-10-24 10:03:56","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:34","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71712":{"id":"71712","type":"image","title":"Guldberg Research Image","body":null,"created":"1449177396","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:36","changed":"1475894642","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:02","alt":"Guldberg Research Image","file":{"fid":"193556","name":"guldberg_vessels_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/guldberg_vessels_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/guldberg_vessels_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":151340,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/guldberg_vessels_hires_0.jpg?itok=qcSq_8wy"}}},"media_ids":["71712"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"9567","name":"Bob Guldberg"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"541","name":"Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"13428","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience; Pete Petit; Robert Guldberg"},{"id":"11629","name":"Robert Guldberg"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-3364\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EJohn Toon\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6986\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71675":{"#nid":"71675","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Stem Cell Biomanufacturing NSF IGERT Announces 2nd Class of Trainees","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech\u2019s Stem Cell Biomanufacturing Integrated Graduate Education Research Training (IGERT) program, recently identified by Nature magazine as one of the \u201cout of the box\u201d manufacturing educational programs in the country, announced its second class of graduate students today.  The seven new trainees come from a wide variety of disciplines including the school of chemical and biomolecular engineering, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering and material science and engineering.\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe $3 million NSF-funded IGERT was awarded to Georgia Tech in 2010 to educate and train the first generation of PhD students in the translation and commercialization of stem cell technologies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The current state of the field of stem cell research offers a unique opportunity for engineers to contribute significantly to the generation of robust, reproducible and scalable methods for phenotypic characterization, propagation, differentiation and bioprocessing of stem cells.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDirected by Co-Principal investigators, Todd C. McDevitt, PhD, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Robert M. Nerem, PhD, professor emeritus in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, this grant provides a unique training opportunity to top engineering graduate students looking to understand how to scale and control stem cells into clinically relevant numbers. The goal, to train the next generation of experts in this new field of stem cell biomanufacturing for the development of stem cell technologies, diagnostics, and therapies. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECatalyzed by a surge of activity in the late 1990s, advances in stem cell biology over the past decade have continued to accelerate at a rapid pace.  The manufacturing industry is expanding with commercial development of stem cell products projected to be $10 billion within the next 6-8 years.  Moreover, the transformation from discoveries in stem cell biology to viable cellular technologies has enormous promise to revolutionize a range of applications for many aspects of society. As a result, stem cell biomanufacturing is on the verge of broadly impacting regenerative medicine, drug discovery and development, cell-based diagnostics and cancer.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEarlier this year, United States President Barack Obama asked Georgia Tech\u2019s President G.P. \u201cBud\u201d Peterson to join the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership steering committee to revolutionize manufacturing in the United States.  Along with other industry and university representatives, the purpose of this committee is to identify and invest in the key emerging technologies, such as information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology to help U.S. manufacturers improve cost, quality and speed of production in order to remain globally competitive.  The stem cell biomanufacturing industry need look no further than President Peterson\u2019s backyard for future experts in stem cell biomanufacturing.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI have received dozens of calls and emails from industry looking for graduates of this program because of the uniqueness of the training and the need for manufacturing expertise,\u201d stated McDevitt. \u201cGeorgia Tech has a real opportunity to become a leader in this emerging field and begin to answer questions about down-stream processes so that when the first clinical therapies are discovered, scientists are prepared to be able to respond with cells in the quantity and quality that will be needed for treatment.\u201d\n\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT is further catalyzed by the Stem Cell Engineering Center, which was also established in 2010 and brings together research laboratories from all over the state of Georgia to discuss and develop collaborative opportunities for research labs engineering novel stem cell based technologies, therapies, and diagnostics.   \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT award will train over 30 graduate students in the first 5 years of the program. The IGERT offers a core curriculum in stem cell engineering and analytical design processes coupled with elective tracks in advanced technologies, public policy, ethics or entrepreneurship. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003E2011 Trainees\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETom Bongiorno \u2013 George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Todd Sulchek\n\u003Cbr \/\u003ERob Dromms \u2013 School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Mark Styczynski\u003Cbr \/\u003EDevon Headen \u2013 Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Andres Garcia\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EGreg Holst \u2013 George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Craig Forest\n\u003Cbr \/\u003ETorri Rinker \u2013 Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Johnna Temenoff\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EShalini Saxena \u2013 School of Material Science \u0026amp; Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Andrew Lyon\u003Cbr \/\u003EJosh Zimmerman \u2013 Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Todd McDevitt\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2010 Trainees \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAmy Cheng \u2013 George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda\u003Cbr \/\u003EAlison Douglas \u2013 Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Thomas Barker \u003Cbr \/\u003EJennifer Lei \u2013 George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Johnna Temenoff \u003Cbr \/\u003EDouglas White \u2013 Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Advisors \u2013 Melissa Kemp \u0026amp; Todd McDevitt \u003Cbr \/\u003EJenna Wilson \u2013 Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Advisor \u2013 Todd McDevitt\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Seven new graduate students to begin training in manufacturing stem cells"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStem Cell Biomanufacturing NSF IGERT Announces 2nd Class. \u0026nbsp;Seven new graduate students to begin training in manufacturing stem cells.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Seven new graduate students to begin training in manufacturing stem cells"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-10-21 13:35:34","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:34","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71716":{"id":"71716","type":"image","title":"Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT 2011 Trainee Class","body":null,"created":"1449177396","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:36","changed":"1475894642","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:02","alt":"Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT 2011 Trainee Class","file":{"fid":"193558","name":"igert_group_photo_fall_2011.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/igert_group_photo_fall_2011_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/igert_group_photo_fall_2011_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":116688,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/igert_group_photo_fall_2011_0.jpg?itok=7213Zx-M"}},"71676":{"id":"71676","type":"image","title":"IGERT Trainees with NSF Director, Subra Suresh, PhD","body":null,"created":"1449177396","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:36","changed":"1475894642","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:02","alt":"IGERT Trainees with NSF Director, Subra Suresh, PhD","file":{"fid":"193554","name":"nsf_pres_igert_trainees_0.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nsf_pres_igert_trainees_0_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nsf_pres_igert_trainees_0_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7206,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nsf_pres_igert_trainees_0_0.jpg?itok=QXNbopyx"}},"71761":{"id":"71761","type":"image","title":"QR code stem cell IGERT","body":null,"created":"1449177405","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:45","changed":"1475894642","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:02","alt":"QR code stem cell IGERT","file":{"fid":"193596","name":"stemcelligert.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stemcelligert_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stemcelligert_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":330,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/stemcelligert_0.png?itok=hOYnMKH2"}}},"media_ids":["71716","71676","71761"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/stemcelligert.gatech.edu\/","title":"Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT"},{"url":"http:\/\/scec.gatech.edu\/","title":"Stem Cell Engineering Center"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/stem-cell-biomanufacturing\/","title":"Scaling Up: NSF Awards Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14854","name":"biomanufacturing"},{"id":"10506","name":"IGERT"},{"id":"215","name":"manufacturing"},{"id":"3414","name":"Robert Nerem"},{"id":"167603","name":"Stem Cell Engineering"},{"id":"167130","name":"Stem Cells"},{"id":"760","name":"Todd McDevitt"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.richards@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMegan Richards\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EProgram Coordinator\u003Cbr \/\u003EStem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-0783\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["megan.richards@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71616":{"#nid":"71616","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Studying Bacteria Communication for Future Nanoscale Networks","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThink the future of communication is 4G? Think again.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are working on communication solutions for networks so futuristic they don\u2019t even exist yet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team is investigating how to get devices a million times smaller than the length of an ant to communicate with one another to form nanonetworks. And they are using a different take on \u201ccellular\u201d communication\u2014namely how bacteria communicate with one another\u2014to find a solution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Ian Akyildiz and his research team\u2014Faramarz Fekri, professor of electrical and computer engineering; Craig Forest, assistant professor of mechanical engineering; Brian Hammer, assistant professor of biology; and Raghupathy Sivakumar, professor of electrical and computer engineering\u2014were recently awarded a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation for the project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver the next four years, the team will study how bacteria communicate with each other on a molecular level to see if the same principles can be applied to how nanodevices will one day communicate to form nanoscale networks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIf the team is successful, the applications for intelligent, communicative nanonetworks could be wide ranging and potentially life changing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe nanoscale machines could potentially be injected into the blood, circulating in the body to detect viruses, bacteria and tumors,\u201d said Akyildiz, principal investigator of the study. \u201cAll these illnesses\u2014cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer\u2019s, asthma, whatever you can think of\u2014they will be history over the years. And that\u2019s just one application.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale, where unique phenomena enable novel applications not feasible when working with bulk materials or even single atoms or molecules. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices or structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost of the nanoscale devices that currently exist are primitive, Akyildiz said, but with communication the devices could collaborate and have a collective intelligence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat\u2019s the question researchers are tackling\u2014how would such nanonetworks communicate? Because of their size, classical communication solutions will not work. The team is turning its attention to nature for inspiration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe realized that nature already has all these nanomachines. Human cells are perfect examples of nanomachines and the same is true of bacteria,\u201d Akyildiz said. \u201cAnd so, the best bet for us is to look at bacteria behavior and learn how bacteria are communicating and use those natural solutions to develop solutions for future communication problems.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBacteria use chemical signals to communicate with one another through a process called quorum sensing, which allows a population of single-celled microbes to work like a multicellular organism. Originally discovered several decades ago in unusual bioluminescent marine bacteria, it is now believed that all bacteria \u201ctalk\u201d to one another with chemical signals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMicrobiologists are beginning to learn the \u201clanguages\u201d bacteria speak and what activities are controlled by this cellular communication. Many disease-causing pathogenic bacteria use quorum sensing to turn on their toxins and other factors to use against a host. Potential therapeutics are currently being developed by some researchers that are designed to disrupt quorum sensing by infectious bacteria.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA single pathogenic bacterium in your body is unlikely to kill you,\u201d said Hammer, a microbial geneticist. \u201cBut since they communicate, the entire group orchestrates this coordinated behavior using chemical communication and the end result is that they work as a group to kill their host. So can we use that same information in a positive way by harnessing and understanding the limits of the communication?\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech researchers Hammer and Forest will focus on experimentation to better understand the elements of bacterial communication, and then work with the electrical and computer engineering experts on the team to translate their findings into a possible communication model for nanonetworks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat can bacteria say and hear, and how do they communicate to one another? Information theory research will examine these issues to pave the way for this new networking paradigm,\u0022 said\u0026nbsp;Fekri, professor of electrical and computer engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u201cThis is really revolutionary research. No one has looked at these issues before. We are dealing with the big challenges. It\u2019s going to require a lot of talent and hard work to address them.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe project is expected to pave the way for research in nanoscale communication. The range of applications of nanonetworks is incredibly wide, from intra-body networks for health monitoring, cancer detection or drug delivery to chemical and biological attack prevention systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of four years, the team hopes to demonstrate the basic and fundamental underlying theories for communication of nanodevices. They also hope to develop a simulation tool for the public to use to see how machines can mimic bacteria communication, which will hopefully attract other researchers to get involved in investigating this area further.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cExisting paradigms for network protocols and algorithms do not apply anymore. This is beyond the frontiers of networking research,\u201d said Sivakumar. \u0026nbsp;\u201cIt\u2019s really something that could change things and no one has done this before.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA great strength of the Georgia Tech research team is its interdisciplinary nature.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\u2019re excited to combine science and engineering as well as our respective tool sets, whether genetic engineering, genetic sensing or network communications theory to tackle this system-level problem\u2014this grand challenge in nanotechnology,\u201d said Forest, an expert in biomedical engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"New Approach May Offer Disease Detection Capabilities"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are working on communication solutions for networks so futuristic they don\u2019t even exist yet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team is investigating how to get devices a million times smaller than the length of an ant to communicate with one another to form nanonetworks. And they are using a different take on \u201ccellular\u201d communication\u2014namely how bacteria communicate with one another\u2014to find a solution.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Identifying communication solutions for networks so futuristic they don\u2019t even exist yet."}],"uid":"27281","created_gmt":"2011-10-19 16:27:37","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:30","author":"Lisa Grovenstein","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71623":{"id":"71623","type":"image","title":"Nanotechnology Research","body":null,"created":"1449177396","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:36","changed":"1475894639","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:59","alt":"Nanotechnology Research","file":{"fid":"193545","name":"nano_lab.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nano_lab.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/nano_lab.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2663873,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/nano_lab.jpg?itok=FRDyv71o"}},"72080":{"id":"72080","type":"image","title":"Nanonetworks communication research team","body":null,"created":"1449177434","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:17:14","changed":"1475894649","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:09","alt":"Nanonetworks communication research team","file":{"fid":"193636","name":"dscn0152.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dscn0152_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dscn0152_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2585832,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dscn0152_0.jpg?itok=T3bxFkOU"}}},"media_ids":["71623","72080"],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14820","name":"Akyildiz"},{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"12952","name":"Brian Hammer"},{"id":"14824","name":"cellular communication"},{"id":"12333","name":"Craig Forest"},{"id":"14821","name":"Fekri"},{"id":"14819","name":"nanocommunication"},{"id":"14823","name":"nanonetworks"},{"id":"431","name":"nanoscale"},{"id":"14818","name":"nanotechnogy"},{"id":"107","name":"Nanotechnology"},{"id":"171129","name":"Sivakumar"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71143":{"#nid":"71143","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Petit Institute Seeking Mentors for Incoming Class of 2012 Petit Scholars","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience is accepting project submissions from graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are interested in mentoring a member of the incoming class of 2012 Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Petit Scholars program is a competitive scholarship program that offers highly innovative research opportunities to top undergraduate students for a full year. \u0026nbsp;The Petit Scholars mentoring program offers the mentor a unique, full-year mentoring and project management experience while simultaneously furthering their own research interests. \u0026nbsp;Mentors also receive travel funds and funds for materials and supplies.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInterested candidates must be currently conducting their own research in an IBB laboratory and must be available from January through December of 2012. \u0026nbsp;Faculty approval will be required.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOnline project submissions will be accepted through \u003Cstrong\u003EMonday, October 31, 2011\u003C\/strong\u003E and should outline an independent research project for a potential undergraduate scholar. \u0026nbsp; For full details about the Petit Mentor program, visit the website below.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Accepting online project submissions through October 31, 2011"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPetit Institute seeking graduate students and postdocs to mentor incoming class of 2012 Petit Scholars. \u0026nbsp;Accepting online project submissions through October 31, 2011.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Accepting online project submissions through October 31, 2011"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-10-12 09:45:36","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:26","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71145":{"id":"71145","type":"image","title":"Become a Petit Mentor","body":null,"created":"1449177348","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:48","changed":"1475894630","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:50","alt":"Become a Petit Mentor","file":{"fid":"193496","name":"12c3030-p1-124.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/12c3030-p1-124_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/12c3030-p1-124_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2385857,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/12c3030-p1-124_0.jpg?itok=cUxeRV3v"}}},"media_ids":["71145"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/become-a-petit-scholar-mentor","title":"IBB Petit Mentor website"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14676","name":"deadline October 31"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"14675","name":"Petit Mentor"},{"id":"857","name":"Petit Scholars"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EColly Mitchell\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;Petit Scholars Program Administrator\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003ETodd McDevitt,\u0026nbsp;Faculty Advisor\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"71150":{"#nid":"71150","#data":{"type":"news","title":"FDA Grant Launches Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded the Georgia Institute of Technology, Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University and Saint Joseph\u0027s Translational Research Institute (SJTRI) a two-year, $1.8 million grant to foster the development of medical devices focused on the special needs of children. The award will launch the new Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium, which will provide assistance with engineering design, prototype development, pre-clinical and clinical studies and commercialization for novel pediatric medical devices.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022By developing, testing and refining medical devices specifically for children, we hope to produce safer, more effective devices that will improve their lives,\u0022 said Barbara Boyan, the Price Gilbert, Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe consortium will be led by Boyan, along with consortium co-directors Kevin Maher, a cardiologist and researcher specializing in pediatrics with appointments at the Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta Sibley Heart Center and Emory University, and Wilbur Lam, a pediatric hematologist\/oncologist and bioengineer with appointments at Emory, the Aflac Cancer Center of Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta and Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHistorically, devices designed for adults have been used in children. However, differences in body size and immune system responses between adults and children, and the lack of appropriate models to assess how a device might function in a growing child, can result in poor device performance and responses that are less than optimal.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022There is little information as to what devices are working well for children and what complications occur,\u0022 explained Boyan, who is also a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar. \u0022In addition, the high cost of clinical trials for a small market like pediatrics has made conducting pediatric trials cost-prohibitive for many manufacturers.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe consortium will try to reduce these barriers by creating a product development pathway that will provide support for commercialization of devices for pediatric health care from initial concept to the completed product.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo do this, the consortium will build on partnerships the institutions have with the Georgia Tech Translational Research Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Science (TRIBES), which focuses on the need for engineering systems that result in commercial products; the Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI), which includes a prototyping design and development facility; and the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech, a startup accelerator that helps Georgia technology entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies. Consortium institutions will also partner with SJTRI and the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Atlanta Clinical \u0026amp; Translational Science Institute (ACTSI) for pre-clinical, first-in-child testing and clinical assessments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditional consortium leadership will be provided by Franklin Bost, professor and director of design instruction in the Coulter Department; David Ku, a Regents professor with appointments in the Georgia Tech School of Mechanical Engineering and College of Management, and Emory\u0027s Department of Surgery; and Nicholas Chronos, president of SJTRI.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe consortium will provide assistance for pediatric medical devices from academic institutions and small businesses. The three technologies that will be investigated initially are:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA smartphone attachment designed for at-home ear examinations;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA renal dialysis device; and\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EA gel designed to delay the re-fusion of a child\u00e2\u0080\u0099s skull bones after surgery for craniosynostosis.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe first innovation is the RemOtoscope -- a smartphone attachment designed by Lam for at-home ear examinations. Ear infections result in more than 15 million doctor office visits each year in the United States because diagnosing them requires direct observation of the child\u0027s eardrum and ear canal with a device called an otoscope. Lam envisions a physician remotely guiding placement of the device and diagnosing the condition via real-time video consultation with parents at home. The smartphone capabilities will also enable the transmission of other relevant clinical information to guide the physician in making the correct diagnosis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe second device the consortium will bring into the pipeline is a renal dialysis device designed especially for children with kidney failure. There is currently no FDA-approved continuous bedside dialysis device for children. When critically ill children need kidney dialysis, doctors are forced to adapt adult-size dialysis equipment. These adapted adult devices can withdraw too much fluid from a pediatric patient, leading to dehydration, shock and loss of blood pressure. Matthew Paden, a pediatric critical care physician at Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory realized this problem and has collaborated with Ajit Yoganathan, a Georgia Tech Regents professor and the Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering, to develop the device.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe consortium will also investigate the development of a gel designed to delay the re-fusion of a child\u0027s skull bones after surgery for craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis affects approximately one in every 2,500 babies in the United States and is caused by the premature closure of gaps between skull bones. The gel is being developed by Boyan; Joseph Williams, clinical director of craniofacial plastic surgery at Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Emory University; and Coulter Department M.D.\/Ph.D. student Chris Hermann, senior scientist Rene Olivares-Navarrete, visiting professor Zvi Schwartz and associate professor Niren Murthy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFuture projects will be selected through the consortium\u0027s seed grant competition, which will provide awards between $25,000 and $50,000 to inventors in the partnering institutions and the business community to develop a pediatric medical device through the consortium. Entries are due Nov. 1, 2011.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdditional devices will also be identified through technology development and commercialization programs, including the Coulter Department capstone design class, the TI:GER (Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results) program in the Georgia Tech College of Management, Georgia Tech\u0027s comprehensive center for technology commercialization called VentureLab and the Goizeuta Business School at Emory.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA two-year, $1.8 million grant from the Food and Drug Administration will launch the new Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium and foster the development of medical devices for children.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Consortium will foster the development of medical devices for children."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-10-12 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:26","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71151":{"id":"71151","type":"image","title":"RemOtoscope","body":null,"created":"1449177348","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:48","changed":"1475894630","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:50"},"71152":{"id":"71152","type":"image","title":"Renal dialysis device","body":null,"created":"1449177348","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:48","changed":"1475894630","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:50"},"71153":{"id":"71153","type":"image","title":"Barbara Boyan Joseph Williams","body":null,"created":"1449177348","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:48","changed":"1475894630","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:50"}},"media_ids":["71151","71152","71153"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/tribes.gatech.edu\/content\/competition-guidelines","title":"Seed Grand Competition"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.tribes.gatech.edu\/content\/atlanta-pediatric-device-consortium","title":"Atlanta Pediatric Device Consortium"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=48","title":"Barbara Boyan"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=152","title":"Wilbur Lam"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/ku.shtml","title":"David Ku"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=107","title":"Franklin Bost"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"5649","name":"ACTSI"},{"id":"2582","name":"Ajit Yoganathan"},{"id":"4238","name":"atdc"},{"id":"14684","name":"atlanta pediatric device consortium"},{"id":"9548","name":"Barbara Boyan"},{"id":"9721","name":"Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"2008","name":"College of Management"},{"id":"14220","name":"craniosynostosis"},{"id":"11881","name":"David Ku"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"70916":{"#nid":"70916","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Cell Therapy for Diabetes Neurovascular Complications:  NIH $6.1M Grant Funds New Studies","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EATLANTA\u2014Two of the most common and debilitating complications of diabetes are the subject of new NIH-funded studies at Emory University School of Medicine.  Researchers are working to re-program cells taken from the bone marrow or peripheral blood of patients with diabetes to treat neurovascular complications such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and diabetic neuropathy (DN). \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded the research team, consisting of investigators at Emory, Georgia Tech, University of Alabama and University of California at San Diego, a $6.1 million grant.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPrincipal investigators of the study, called \u201cCell therapy for diabetic peripheral neurovascular complications,\u201d are Young-Sup Yoon, MD, PhD, director of stem cell biology and associate professor of medicine (cardiology) in Emory School of Medicine, and Xiaodong Cheng, PhD, professor of biochemistry in Emory School of Medicine and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar. \u0026nbsp;Andres Garc\u00eda, professor in the\u0026nbsp;George W. Woodruff School of\u0026nbsp;Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, is the investigator for Georgia Tech.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPatients with diabetes are frequently affected by PAD and DN, but despite the increase in incidence of diabetes, no current treatments effectively treat these conditions, notes Yoon. \u201cEven after patients achieve glucose control, diabetes can lead to long-term complications,\u201d he says.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EPatients with PAD experience blocked arteries in the legs and feet, which can lead to leg amputation in advanced cases. Because advanced PAD in diabetes frequently affects small vessels, conventional intervention and surgical treatment are ineffective in many cases. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EDN, which damages the neural vasculature and neuronal cells, is the most common complication of diabetes, affecting 60 percent of patients. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EGrowing evidence has shown that cells taken from a patient\u2019s own bone marrow, called bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), can be effective in treating various cardiovascular diseases and diabetic neuropathy by repairing blood vessels. Thus far, however, EPCs derived from diabetic patients have been only modestly effective for these autologous (self-directed) therapies. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe Emory research team, based on earlier findings, believes epigenetic changes in the EPCs of diabetic patients may be at fault. Epigenetic factors direct genes to be either expressed or silenced, but they don\u2019t affect the underlying DNA sequence of an organism. Epigenetic alterations in the chromatin of the EPCs of diabetic patients seem to be the culprit. Chromatin is the packaging mechanism for DNA in the nucleus of cells.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cWe plan to investigate epigenetic chromatin changes in diabetic EPCs, and to reprogram or re-engineer these EPCs with small molecular epigenetic regulators and biomaterial to enhance or restore their function,\u201d Yoon explains. \u201cOther research has shown the ability of small molecules to induce chromatin remodeling of affected genes and alter gene expression, and we believe this is a promising approach.\u201d \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe research team will use animal models to test the therapeutic effects of the reprogrammed cells for PAD and DN. The next step will be a pilot clinical trial in human patients with complications of diabetes.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/emoryhealthnews.com\u0022\u003EEMORY Health Sciences News\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.stemyoon.org\/zbxe\/\u0022\u003EYoon lab\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/garcialab.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGarcia lab\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Researchers re-programming cells to treat neurovascular complications"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECell Therapy for Diabetes Neurovascular Complications: \u0026nbsp;NIH $6.1M Grant Funds New Studies\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearchers re-programming cells to treat neurovascular complications\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers re-programming cells to treat neurovascular complications"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-10-05 12:07:11","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:26","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"70918":{"id":"70918","type":"image","title":"Young-sup Yoon, PhD","body":null,"created":"1449177328","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:28","changed":"1475894625","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:45","alt":"Young-sup Yoon, PhD","file":{"fid":"193472","name":"youngsupyoon-smaller.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/youngsupyoon-smaller_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/youngsupyoon-smaller_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":53644,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/youngsupyoon-smaller_0.jpg?itok=_letFhmv"}}},"media_ids":["70918"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/emoryhealthnews.com\/","title":"EMORY Health Sciences News"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.stemyoon.org\/zbxe\/","title":"Yoon lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/garcialab.gatech.edu\/","title":"Garcia lab"},{"url":"http:\/\/ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:hkorschun@emory.edu\u0022\u003EHolly Korschun\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-727-3990\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["hkorsch@emory.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"70408":{"#nid":"70408","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Receive Three NSF Emerging Frontiers Awards","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $6 million to fund \nthree projects involving researchers from the Georgia Institute of \nTechnology. Each four-year, $2 million grant was awarded through the \nNSF\u0027s Division of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI). \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The EFRI research teams will probe some profound aspects of the \ninterface of biology and engineering,\u0022 said Sohi Rastegar, director of \nEFRI. \u0022If they are successful, the principles and theories uncovered in \ntheir investigations could unlock many technological opportunities.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis year, 14 transformative, fundamental research projects were \nawarded EFRI grants in two emerging areas: technologies that build on \nunderstanding of biological signaling, and machines that can interact \nand cooperate with humans. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\nThe three Georgia Tech projects include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDeveloping a \u0022therapeutic robot\u0022 to help rehabilitate and improve motor skills in people with mobility problems;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECreating wearable sensors that allow blind people to \u0022see\u0022 with their hands, bodies or faces;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EGenerating\n and rigorously testing quantitative models that describe spatial and \ntemporal regulation of cell differentiation in tissues.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe therapeutic robot could enhance, assist and improve motor skills \nin humans with varying motor capabilities and deficits. The goal of the \nproject is to program a humanoid rehabilitation robot to perform a \n\u0022partnered box step,\u0022 which is a defined pattern of weight shifts and \ndirectional changes, solely based on interpreting movement cues from \nsubtle changes in forces between the hands and arms of the robot and the\n person. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo do this, researchers at Georgia Tech and Emory University will \nstudy how humans use their muscles to walk, balance and generate force \nsignals with the hands for guidance when moving in cooperation with \nanother person. They will also study \u0022rehabilitative partnered dance,\u0022 \nwhich has been specifically adapted to help improve gait and balance in \nindividuals with motor impairments. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our vision is to develop robots that will interact with humans as \nboth assistants and movement therapists,\u0022 explained principal \ninvestigator Lena Ting, an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter\n Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory \nUniversity. \u0022We expect our project to have a long-term impact on quality\n of life of individuals with movement difficulties, such as those caused\n by Parkinson\u0027s disease, stroke and injury by improving fitness, motor \nskills and social engagement.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWorking with Ting on the project are Emory University School of \nMedicine (geriatrics) assistant professor Madeleine Hackney, Coulter \nDepartment of Biomedical Engineering assistant professor Charlie Kemp \nand Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing assistant professor \nKaren Liu.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the second project, researchers at Georgia Tech and The City \nCollege of New York will investigate devices for \u0022alternative \nperception\u0022 and the principles underlying the human-machine interaction.\n Alternative perception combines electronics and the other senses to \nemulate vision. In addition to aiding the visually impaired, the \nfindings are expected to have other applications, such as the \ndevelopment of intelligent robots. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers plan to untangle how humans learn to coordinate input\n from their senses -- e.g. vision, touch -- with movements, like \nreaching for a glass or moving through a crowded room. They will then \nmap out how machines, such as robots and computers, learn similar tasks,\n to model devices that can assist humans. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team envisions a multifunctional array of sensors on the body and\n has already developed prototypes for some of the devices. The full \ncomplement of wearable sensors would help a sightless person navigate by\n conveying information about his or her surroundings. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers hope their findings on perception, and the prototypes\n they develop, will spawn a raft of wearable electronic devices to help \nblind people \u0022see\u0022 their environment at a distance through touch, \nhearing and other senses. The technology would also benefit sighted \nindividuals who must navigate in poor visibility, such as firefighters \nand pilots.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPrincipal investigator Zhigang Zhu, professor of computer science and\n computer engineering in City College\u0027s Grove School of Engineering, \nwill collaborate with City College professor of psychology and director \nof the Program in Cognitive Neuroscience Tony Ro, City College professor\n of electrical engineering Ying Li Tian, Georgia Tech Woodruff School of\n Mechanical Engineering professor Kok-Meng Lee, and Georgia Tech School \nof Applied Physiology associate professor Boris Prilutsky.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe third project will address a fundamental question of \ndevelopmental biology: what controls the spatial and temporal patterns \nof cell differentiation? Answering this question will lead to a better \nunderstanding of the basic principles of embryogenesis, explain origins \nof developmental disorders, and provide guidelines for tissue \nengineering and regenerative medicine. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research will be conducted by principal investigator and \nPrinceton University Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering \nassociate professor Stanislav Shvartsman, Georgia Tech School of \nChemical and Biomolecular Engineering associate professor Hang Lu, New \nYork University Department of Biology professor Christine Rushlow, and \nUniversity of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Department of Computer \nScience associate professor Saurabh Sinha.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists know that among an embryo\u0027s first major developments is \nthe establishment of its dorsoventral axis, which runs from its back to \nits belly. The researchers plan to study how this axis development \nunfolds -- specifically the presence and location of proteins during the\n process, which give rise to muscle, nerve and skin tissues. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETo enable large-scale quantitative analyses of protein positional \ninformation along the dorsoventral axis, Lu and Shvartsman will further \ndevelop a microfluidic device they previously designed to reliably and \nrobustly orient several hundred embryos in just a few minutes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022By understanding this system at a deeper, quantitative level, we \nwill elucidate general principles underlying the operation of genetic \nand multicellular networks that drive development,\u0022 said Lu.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation has awarded $6 million through its Division of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation to fund three projects involving researchers from Georgia Tech, including Karen Liu and Charlie Kemp (\u003Cem\u003EInteractive Computing\u003C\/em\u003E). \u003Cem\u003ESource: GT Research News\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27174","created_gmt":"2011-09-29 14:59:28","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:14","author":"Mike Terrazas","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"70367":{"id":"70367","type":"image","title":"(L-R) Lena Ting, Karen Liu, Charlie Kemp and Madeleine Hackney","body":null,"created":"1449177304","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:04","changed":"1475894618","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:38","alt":"(L-R) Lena Ting, Karen Liu, Charlie Kemp and Madeleine Hackney","file":{"fid":"192951","name":"tinggroup195.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tinggroup195_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tinggroup195_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54570,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tinggroup195_0.jpg?itok=RcFrK7M2"}}},"media_ids":["70367"],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"1102","name":"blind"},{"id":"14478","name":"Boris Prilutsky"},{"id":"14480","name":"cell differentiation"},{"id":"2157","name":"Charlie Kemp"},{"id":"654","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"11533","name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"898","name":"Hang Lu"},{"id":"2296","name":"Karen Liu"},{"id":"14477","name":"Kok-Meng Lee"},{"id":"2266","name":"Lena Ting"},{"id":"7341","name":"microfluidic"},{"id":"1482","name":"mobility"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"167863","name":"School of Applied Physiology"},{"id":"167445","name":"School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering"},{"id":"166848","name":"School of Interactive Computing"},{"id":"167377","name":"School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"167318","name":"sensor"},{"id":"14479","name":"therapeutic robot"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"70372":{"#nid":"70372","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NIH Awards Blueprint Training Grant in Computational Neuroscience","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFaculty at Emory and Georgia Tech are training young scientists in \nhow to use the tools of biomedical computation to solve challenging \nproblems of neuroscience.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA new five-year grant of $1.6 million from the National Institutes of\n Health will create a training center in computational neuroscience, one\n of only five national training centers supported by the NIH through its\n NIH Blueprint training grant program.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe grant is entitled \u201cFrom cells to systems and applications: \ncomputational neuroscience training at Emory and Georgia Tech.\u201d \nPrincipal investigators are Dieter Jaeger, PhD, professor of biology, \nEmory University and Garrett Stanley, PhD, associate professor in the \nWallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech \nand Emory University.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe NIH Blueprint training grants are particularly innovative in \nthat they combine undergraduate and graduate training programs and \nprovide trainee support at both levels,\u201d says Jaeger. \u201cThis is a mission\n that is highly synergistic with the training mission at Emory and \nGeorgia Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe NIH Blueprint is a framework to enhance cooperative activities \namong 16 NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices that support research on \nthe nervous system.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe core training group will initially consist of 16 faculty members \nfrom departments spanning Emory University School of Medicine \n(physiology, neurology, anesthesiology, biomedical engineering) and \nEmory College of Arts and Sciences (biology, psychology) as well as \nGeorgia Tech (biomedical engineering, electrical engineering)\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis impressive range of faculty and departments provides testimony \nto the highly collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of this field \nof study at Georgia Tech and Emory,\u201d notes Stanley.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe training grant funds students in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.emory.edu\/NEUROSCIENCE\u0022\u003EEmory Neuroscience Program\u003C\/a\u003E and the joint \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/acad.bme.gatech.edu\/graduate\/\u0022\u003EEmory\/Georgia Tech BME PhD program\u003C\/a\u003E, and undergraduates on both campuses.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Faculty at Emory and Georgia Tech are training young scientists in how to use the tools of biomedical computation to solve challenging problems of neuroscience."}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Faculty at Emory and Georgia Tech are training young scientists in how to use the tools of biomedical computation to solve challenging problems of neuroscience."}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-09-28 15:56:35","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:14","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"62916":{"id":"62916","type":"image","title":"Garrett Stanley","body":null,"created":"1449176409","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:00:09","changed":"1475894549","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:29","alt":"Garrett Stanley","file":{"fid":"191606","name":"tmk35536.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tmk35536_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tmk35536_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1358092,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tmk35536_0.jpg?itok=Dx7Kh7i6"}}},"media_ids":["62916"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"14462","name":"Garrett Stanley"},{"id":"14463","name":"Rob Butera"},{"id":"1924","name":"Robert Butera"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca title=\u0022Holly Korschun\u0022 href=\u0022mailto:hkorsch@emory.edu\u0022\u003EHolly Korschun\u003C\/a\u003E: 404-727-3990\u003Ca title=\u0022Beverly Clark\u0022 href=\u0022mailto:beverly.clark@emory.edu\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca title=\u0022Beverly Clark\u0022 href=\u0022mailto:beverly.clark@emory.edu\u0022\u003EBeverly Clark\u003C\/a\u003E: 404-712-8780\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"70366":{"#nid":"70366","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Robots as Rehab Assistants: NSF Emerging Frontiers Award Supports Development of Human-Machine Cooperation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists at Emory University and the Georgia Institute of \nTechnology will develop a \u201ctherapeutic robot\u201d to help rehabilitate and \nimprove motor skills in people with mobility problems.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the scientists a \n$2M research grant over four years through its Division of Emerging \nFrontiers in Research and Innovation. The project is called \u201cPartnered \nRehabilitative Movement: Cooperative Human-robot Interactions for Motor \nAssistance, Learning, and Communication.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur vision is to develop robots that will interact with humans as \nboth assistants and movement therapists,\u201d explains principal \ninvestigator Lena Ting, PhD, associate professor in the Coulter \nDepartment of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory \nUniversity. \u201cWe expect our project to have a long-term impact on quality\n of life of individuals with movement difficulties, such as those caused\n by Parkinson\u2019s disease, stroke, and injury, by improving fitness, motor\n skills and social engagement.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe robot developed through the project could enhance, assist and \nimprove motor skills in humans with varying motor capabilities and \ndeficits. Other applications of the technologies and theories developed \ncould include the design of prosthetic devices or sports robots that \nentertain and improve fitness. The researchers also believe their work \nwill advance understanding of how the brain controls movement and other \nfunctions. Madeleine Hackney, PhD, assistant professor of medicine \n(geriatrics) in Emory University School of Medicine is co-principal \ninvestigator of the project. Co-PIs at Georgia Tech are biomedical \nengineering assistant professor Charlie Kemp, PhD, and assistant \nprofessor of interactive computing, Karen Liu, PhD.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe scientists will begin their work by studying how humans use their\n muscles to walk, balance and generate force signals with the hands for \nguidance when moving in cooperation with another person. They will study\n \u201crehabilitative partnered dance,\u201d which has been specifically adapted \nto help improve gait and balance in individuals with motor impairments. \nThe partnered dance is based on tactile and motor cooperation between \ntwo individuals. Prior work by Hackney showed that participation in \npartnered rehabilitative movement improved balance and walking skills in\n individuals with motor deficits due to Parkinson\u2019s disease.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe goal is to then program a humanoid rehabilitation robot to \nperform a \u201cpartnered box step,\u201d which is a defined pattern of weight \nshifts and directional changes, solely based on interpreting movement \ncues from subtle changes in forces between the hands and arms of the \nrobot and the person.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOver the course of the project, the team will test their models of \nhuman sensorimotor coordination, cooperation and communication by \ndemonstrating the robot\u2019s ability to participate in the box step as a \nleader or follower and adapt its movements to the motor skill level of a\n human partner.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Scientists will develop a \u201ctherapeutic robot\u201d to help rehabilitate and improve motor skills in people with mobility problems."}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Scientists will develop a \u201ctherapeutic robot\u201d to help rehabilitate and improve motor skills in people with mobility problems."}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-09-28 15:44:02","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:14","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"70367":{"id":"70367","type":"image","title":"(L-R) Lena Ting, Karen Liu, Charlie Kemp and Madeleine Hackney","body":null,"created":"1449177304","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:15:04","changed":"1475894618","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:38","alt":"(L-R) Lena Ting, Karen Liu, Charlie Kemp and Madeleine Hackney","file":{"fid":"192951","name":"tinggroup195.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tinggroup195_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tinggroup195_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":54570,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tinggroup195_0.jpg?itok=RcFrK7M2"}}},"media_ids":["70367"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2157","name":"Charlie Kemp"},{"id":"1129","name":"healthcare"},{"id":"2266","name":"Lena Ting"},{"id":"2352","name":"robots"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca title=\u0022Holly Korschun\u0022 href=\u0022mailto:hkorsch@emory.edu\u0022\u003EHolly Korschun\u003C\/a\u003E: 404-727-3990\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"70130":{"#nid":"70130","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Transformative NIH Grant Will Support Development of Tissue Regeneration Therapeutics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded nearly $2 million to researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University to develop a new class of therapeutics for treating traumatic injuries and degenerative diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe five-year project focuses on developing biomaterials capable of capturing certain molecules from embryonic stem cells and delivering them to wound sites to enhance tissue regeneration in adults. By applying these unique molecules, clinicians may be able to harness the regenerative power of stem cells while avoiding concerns of tumor formation and immune system compatibility associated with most stem cell transplantation approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Pre-clinical and clinical evidence strongly suggests that the biomolecules produced by stem cells significantly impact tissue regeneration independent of differentiation into functionally competent cells,\u0022 said Todd McDevitt, director of the Stem Cell Engineering Center at Georgia Tech and an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u0022We want to find out if the signaling molecules responsible for scarless wound healing and functional tissue restoration during early stages of embryological development can be used with adult wounds to produce successful tissue regeneration without scar formation.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to McDevitt, Coulter Department associate professor Johnna Temenoff and Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering professor Robert Guldberg are also investigators on the project.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERegenerative medicine seeks to restore normal structure and function to tissues compromised by degenerative diseases and traumatic injuries. The contrast between embryonic and adult wound healing suggests that molecules that facilitate tissue regeneration during embryonic development are distinctly different from those of adult tissues.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis grant includes plans for engineering biomaterials that can efficiently capture morphogens, which are molecules secreted by embryonic stem cells undergoing differentiation. The study will also evaluate the regenerative activity of molecule-filled biomaterials in animal models of dermal wound healing, hind limb ischemia and bone fractures. Examining the effects of the morphogens on a range of animal wound models will increase the likelihood of success and define any limitations of the technology, such as its use for specific tissues or injuries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Biomaterials have largely been used in an attempt to direct stem cell differentiation or serve as passive cell transplantation vehicles for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering purposes,\u0022 said McDevitt, who is also a Petit Faculty Fellow in the Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech. \u0022The idea of specifically engineering biomaterial properties to capture and deliver complex assemblies of stem cell-derived morphogens without transplanting the cells themselves represents a novel strategy to translate the potency of stem cells into a viable regenerative medicine therapy.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe award was one of 17 granted this year through the NIH Director\u0027s Transformative Research Projects Program (T-R01), which was created to challenge the status quo with innovative ideas that have the potential to advance fields and speed the translation of research into improved health for the American public.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother T-R01 grant was awarded to Coulter Department professor Shuming Nie, associate professor May Wang and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Thoracic Surgery Research Laboratory director Sunil Singhal. That $7 million, five-year grant will support continuing work by the Emory-Georgia Tech Nanotechnology Center for Personalized and Predictive Oncology team on developing fluorescent nanoparticle probes that hone in on cancer cells and on creating instruments that visualize them for cancer detection during surgery.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince its inception in 2009, the NIH Director\u0027s Award Program has funded a total of 406 high-risk research projects, including 79 T-R01 awards.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The NIH Director\u0027s Award programs reinvigorate the biomedical work force by providing unique opportunities to conduct research that is neither incremental nor conventional,\u0022 said James M. Anderson, director of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, who guides the NIH Common Fund\u0027s High-Risk Research program. \u0022The awards are intended to catalyze giant leaps forward for any area of biomedical research, allowing investigators to go in entirely new directions.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded nearly $2 million to researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University to develop a new class of therapeutics for treating traumatic injuries and degenerative diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Transformative NIH grant awarded to Georgia Tech and Emory researchers."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-09-20 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:09","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"70131":{"id":"70131","type":"image","title":"Todd McDevitt","body":null,"created":"1449177288","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:48","changed":"1475894616","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:36"},"70132":{"id":"70132","type":"image","title":"Todd McDevitt\/Marissa Cooke\/Alyssa Ngangan","body":null,"created":"1449177288","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:48","changed":"1475894616","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:36"},"70133":{"id":"70133","type":"image","title":"Todd McDevitt\/Marissa Cooke\/Alyssa Ngangan","body":null,"created":"1449177288","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:48","changed":"1475894616","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:36"}},"media_ids":["70131","70132","70133"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=78","title":"Todd McDevitt"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=84","title":"Johnna Temenoff"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/guldberg.shtml","title":"Robert Guldberg"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/","title":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"3024","name":"biomaterials"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"14376","name":"Degenerative Diseases"},{"id":"11533","name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"14370","name":"Johnna Temenoff"},{"id":"14371","name":"morphogen"},{"id":"2076","name":"NIH"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"70145":{"#nid":"70145","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Transformative NIH Grant to Support Imaging of Lung Cancer During Surgery","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIf a tumor is more visible and easier to distinguish from surrounding tissues, surgeons will be more likely to be able to remove it completely. That\u2019s the rationale behind a new $7 million, five-year \u201ctransformative\u201d grant from the National Institutes of Health to a team of researchers from Emory, Georgia Tech and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe grant is part of the NIH Director\u2019s Awards Program funded by the NIH Common Fund.\n\nShuming Nie, PhD, and his colleagues at the Emory-Georgia Tech Nanotechnology Center for Personalized and Predictive Oncology have been developing fluorescent nanoparticle probes that hone in on cancer cells. The grant will support the team\u2019s continuing work on the nanoparticles and instruments that visualize them for cancer detection during surgery.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe project team includes May Wang, PhD, director of biocomputing and bioinformatics at the Nanotechnology Center and Sunil Singhal, MD, director of the Thoracic Surgery Research Laboratory at the Perelman School of Medicine. Nie is a professor and Wang is associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cAt present, a significant group of patients who undergo surgery leave the operating room without a complete resection due to missed lesions,\u201d Nie says. \u201cOur main goals are to help surgeons distinguish tumor margins, identify diseased lymph nodes and micrometastases, and to determine if the tumor has been completely removed. Having these capabilities can be expected to make a major impact in reducing recurrence rates of lung cancer after surgery.\u201d\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe grant includes plans for tests of the nanoparticles and cancer detection instruments on dogs with naturally occurring lung tumors and a first-in-human clinical trial for patients with lung cancer at the University of Pennsylvania.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe proposed technologies could be broadly applicable to many types of solid tumors. The project includes two types of contrast agents for detecting cancer: a fluorescent dye (indocyanine green, approved for in vivo use by the FDA) conjugated to the protein albumin, and polymer-coated gold particles coupled to a reporter dye and an antibody that binds to tumor cells. The gold in the particles amplifies the signal from the dye through an effect called surface-enhanced Raman scattering.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENie and his colleagues have developed a hand-held device called a SpectroPen that can detect both fluorescence and Raman signals. The SpectroPen combines a near-infrared laser and a detector, and is connected by a fiber optic cable to a spectrometer, computer and video monitor.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPrevious research leading to the current grant was supported by a Grand Opportunities grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the NIH Director\u2019s Office, and by the NCI Centers of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence (CCNE) at Emory and Georgia Tech.\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe award was one of 17 granted this year through the NIH Director\u2019s Transformative Research Projects Program (T-R01), which was created to challenge the status quo with innovative ideas that have the potential to advance fields and speed the translation of research into improved health for the American public. The first group of Transformative R01 grants was funded in 2009.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnother T-RO1 grant, for $2 million over five years, was awarded to Todd McDevitt, PhD, director of the Stem Cell Engineering Center at Georgia Tech and an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, along with Coulter Department Associate Professor Johnna Temenoff, PhD, and Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering Professor Robert Guldberg, PhD. The grant will support the development of tissue regeneration therapeutics for traumatic injuries and degenerative diseases.\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cThe NIH Director\u2019s Award programs reinvigorate the biomedical work force by providing unique opportunities to conduct research that is neither incremental nor conventional,\u201d says James M. Anderson, MD, PhD, director of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, who guides the Common Fund\u2019s High-Risk Research program. \u201cThe awards are intended to catalyze giant leaps forward for any area of biomedical research, allowing investigators to go in entirely new directions.\u201d\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMore information on the Transformative Research Projects Award is at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/commonfund.nih.gov\/T-R01\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/commonfund.nih.gov\/T-R01\u003C\/a\u003E including information on this year\u0027s awardees\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWriter: Quinn Eastman\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.whsc.emory.edu\/home\/about\/\u0022\u003ERobert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center\u003C\/a\u003E of Emory University is an academic health science and service center focused on missions of teaching, research, health care and public service.\n\nLearn more about Emory\u2019s health sciences: Blog: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/emoryhealthblog.com \u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/emoryhealthblog.com\u003C\/a\u003E Twitter: @emoryhealthsci Web: \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/emoryhealthsciences.org\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/emoryhealthsciences.org\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Shuming Nie, PhD, and colleagues at the Emory-Georgia Tech Nanotechnology Center for Personalized and Predictive Oncology receive $7M, five-year award"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIf a tumor is more visible and easier to distinguish from surrounding tissues, surgeons will be more likely to be able to remove it completely. That\u2019s the rationale behind a new $7 million, five-year \u201ctransformative\u201d grant from the National Institutes of Health to a team of researchers from Emory, Georgia Tech and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Shuming Nie, PhD, and colleagues at the Emory-Georgia Tech Nanotechnology Center for Personalized and Predictive Oncology receive $7M, five-year award"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-09-21 11:38:35","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:09","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"70146":{"id":"70146","type":"image","title":"Shuming Nie, PhD","body":null,"created":"1449177288","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:48","changed":"1475894616","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:36","alt":"Shuming Nie, PhD","file":{"fid":"192916","name":"shuming_nie195.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/shuming_nie195_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/shuming_nie195_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":78274,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/shuming_nie195_0.jpg?itok=Y7-AKFau"}}},"media_ids":["70146"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"247","name":"Emory"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"168899","name":"Shuming Nie"},{"id":"14382","name":"Transformative NIH Grant to Support Imaging of Lung Cancer During Surgery"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:hkorsch@emory.edu\u0022\u003EHolly Korschun\u003C\/a\u003E - Media Contact\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["hkorsch@emory.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"70063":{"#nid":"70063","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Fast-Evolving Genes Control Developmental Differences in Social Insects","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGenes essential to producing the developmental differences displayed by social insects evolve more rapidly than genes governing other aspects of organismal function, a new study has found. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAll species of life are able to develop in different ways by varying the genes they express, ultimately becoming different shapes, sizes, colors and sexes. This plasticity permits organisms to operate successfully in their environments. A new study of the genomes of social insects provides insight into the evolution of the genes involved in this developmental plasticity.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, which was conducted by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, showed that genes involved in creating different sexes, life stages and castes of fire ants and honeybees evolved more rapidly than genes not involved in these developmental processes. The researchers also found that these fast-evolving genes exhibited elevated rates of evolution even before they were recruited to produce diverse forms of an organism.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This was a totally unexpected finding because most theory suggested that genes involved in producing diverse forms of an organism would evolve rapidly specifically because they generated developmental differences,\u0022 said Michael Goodisman, an associate professor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech. \u0022Instead, this study suggests that fast-evolving genes are actually predisposed to generating new developmental forms.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results of the study will be published in the Sept. 20, 2011 issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences\u003C\/em\u003E. This research was supported by the National Science Foundation.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project was an international collaboration between Goodisman, associate professor Soojin Yi and postdoctoral fellow Brendan Hunt from the Georgia Tech School of Biology, and professor Laurent Keller, research scientist DeWayne Shoemaker, and postdoctoral fellows Lino Ometto and Yannick Wurm from the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Lausanne.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESocial insects exhibit a sophisticated social structure in which queens reproduce and workers engage in tasks related to brood-rearing and colony defense. By investigating the evolution of genes associated with castes, sexes and developmental stages of the invasive fire ant \u003Cem\u003ESolenopsis invicta\u003C\/em\u003E, the researchers explored how social insects produce such a diversity of form and function from genetically similar individuals. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Social insects provided the perfect test subjects because they can develop into such dramatically different forms,\u0022 said Goodisman. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMicroarray analyses revealed that many fire ant genes were regulated differently depending on whether the fire ant was male or female, queen or worker, and pupal or adult. These differentially expressed genes exhibited elevated rates of evolution, as predicted. In addition, genes that were differentially expressed in multiple contexts -- castes, sexes or developmental stages -- tended to evolve more rapidly than genes that were differentially expressed in only a single context.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo examine when the genes with elevated rates of evolution began to evolve rapidly, the researchers compared the rate of evolution of genes associated with the production of castes in the fire ant with the same genes in a wasp that does not have a caste system. They found that the genes were rapidly evolving in the genomes of both species, even though only one produced a caste system. These results were also replicated for the honeybee \u003Cem\u003EApis mellifera\u003C\/em\u003E.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This is one the most comprehensive studies of the evolution of genes involved in producing developmental differences,\u0022 Goodisman noted.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis study helps explain the fundamental evolutionary processes that allow organisms to develop different adaptive forms. Future research will include determining what these fast-evolving genes do and how they\u0027re involved in the production of different sexes, life stages and castes, said Goodisman.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Award No. DEB-0640690). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigators and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study found that genes involved in creating different sexes, life stages and castes of fire ants and honeybees evolved more rapidly than genes not involved in these developmental processes.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Genes that contribute to development in social insects evolve rapidly."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-09-19 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:09","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"70064":{"id":"70064","type":"image","title":"queen and worker fire ants","body":null,"created":"1449177288","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:48","changed":"1475894614","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:34"},"70065":{"id":"70065","type":"image","title":"fire ant castes, sexes and life stages","body":null,"created":"1449177288","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:48","changed":"1475894614","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:34"},"70066":{"id":"70066","type":"image","title":"fire ant swarm","body":null,"created":"1449177288","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:48","changed":"1475894614","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:34"}},"media_ids":["70064","70065","70066"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.1104825108","title":"PNAS paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/michael-goodisman\/","title":"Michael Goodisman"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/soojin-yi","title":"Soojin Yi"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14337","name":"Apis mellifera"},{"id":"7473","name":"caste"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"351","name":"development"},{"id":"3028","name":"evolution"},{"id":"14339","name":"fast-evolving genes"},{"id":"14335","name":"Fire Ants"},{"id":"8906","name":"genes"},{"id":"5718","name":"Genetics"},{"id":"2228","name":"honeybees"},{"id":"11811","name":"Michael Goodisman"},{"id":"167630","name":"Social Insects"},{"id":"171120","name":"Solenopsis Invicta"},{"id":"168087","name":"Soojin Yi"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"70083":{"#nid":"70083","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Scientists Turn Back the Clock on Adult Stem Cells Aging","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have shown they can reverse the aging process for\nhuman adult stem cells, which are responsible for helping old or damaged\ntissues regenerate. The findings could lead to medical treatments that may\nrepair a host of ailments that occur because of tissue damage as people age. A\nresearch group led by the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the Georgia\nInstitute of Technology conducted the study in cell culture, which appears in\nthe September 1, 2011 edition of the journal Cell Cycle.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\nregenerative power of tissues and organs declines as we age. The modern day\nstem cell hypothesis of aging suggests that living organisms are as old as are its\ntissue specific or adult stem cells. Therefore, an understanding of the\nmolecules and processes that enable human adult stem cells to initiate\nself-renewal and to divide, proliferate and then differentiate in order to\nrejuvenate damaged tissue might be the key to regenerative medicine and an eventual\ncure for many age-related diseases. A research group\nled by the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, conducted the study that\npinpoints what is going wrong with the biological clock underlying the limited division of\nhuman adult stem cells as they age.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\ndemonstrated that we were able to reverse the process of aging for human adult\nstem cells by intervening with the activity of non-protein coding RNAs originated from\ngenomic regions once dismissed as non-functional\u0026nbsp; \u2018genomic junk\u2019,\u201d said Victoria Lunyak, associate professor at the Buck Institute\nfor Research on Aging.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAdult\nstem cells are important because they help keep human tissues healthy by\nreplacing cells that have gotten old or damaged. They\u2019re also multipotent,\nwhich means that an adult stem cell can grow and replace any number of body\ncells in the tissue or organ they belong to. However, just as the cells in\nthe liver, or any other\norgan, can get damaged over time, adult stem cells undergo age-related damage. And when this happens, the body\ncan\u2019t replace damaged tissue as well as it once could, leading to a host of diseases\nand conditions. But if scientists can find a way to keep these adult stem cells\nyoung, they could possibly use these cells to repair damaged heart tissue after\na heart attack; heal wounds; correct metabolic syndromes; produce insulin for\npatients with type 1 diabetes; cure arthritis and osteoporosis and regenerate\nbone.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\nteam began by hypothesizing that DNA damage in the genome of adult stem cells would\nlook very different from age-related damage occurring in regular body cells. They thought\nso because body cells are known to experience a shortening of the caps found at\nthe ends of chromosomes, known as telomeres. But adult stem cells are known to\nmaintain their telomeres. Much of the damage in aging is widely thought to be a\nresult of losing telomeres. So there must be different mechanisms\nat play that are\nkey to explaining how aging occurs in these adult stem cells, they thought.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers\nused adult stem cells from humans and combined experimental techniques with\ncomputational approaches to study the changes in the genome associated with\naging.\u0026nbsp; They compared freshly isolated human adult stem cells from young individuals, which can\nself-renew, to cells\nfrom the same individuals that were subjected to prolonged passaging in\nculture. This accelerated model of adult stem cell aging exhausts the regenerative\ncapacity of the adult stem cells. Researchers looked at the changes in genomic sites that accumulate\nDNA damage in both groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\nfound the majority of DNA damage and associated chromatin changes that occurred\nwith adult stem cell aging were due to parts of the genome known as retrotransposons,\u201d\nsaid King Jordan, associate professor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRetroransposons\nwere previously thought to be non-functional and were even labeled as \u2018junk DNA\u2019, but accumulating evidence\nindicates these elements play an important role in genome regulation,\u201d he\nadded.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile\nthe young adult stem cells were able to suppress transcriptional activity of\nthese genomic elements and deal with the damage to the DNA, older adult stem cells were\nnot able to scavenge this transcription. New discovery suggests that this event is deleterious\nfor the regenerative\nability of stem cells and triggers a process known as cellular senescence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBy\nsuppressing the accumulation of toxic transcripts from retrotransposons, we\nwere able to reverse the process of human adult stem cell aging in culture,\u201d\nsaid Lunyak.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cFurthermore,\nby rewinding the cellular clock in this way, we were not only able to\nrejuvenate \u2019aged\u2019 human stem cells, but to our surprise we were able to reset\nthem to an earlier developmental stage, by up-regulating the \u201cpluripotency factors\u201d \u2013 the proteins\nthat are critically involved in the self-renewal of undifferentiated embryonic\nstem cells.\u201d she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENext\nthe team plans to use further analysis to validate the extent to which the\nrejuvenated stem cells may be suitable for clinical tissue regenerative\napplications.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe\nstudy was conducted by a team with members from the Buck Institute for Research\non Aging, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of California,\nSan Diego, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer\nCenter, International Computer Science Institute, Applied Biosystems and\nTel-Aviv University.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECitation:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.landesbioscience.com\/journals\/cc\/article\/17543\/\u0022\u003EInhibition\nof activated pericentromeric SINE\/Alu repeat transcription in senescent human\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nadult stem cells reinstates self-renewal.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp; Cell Cycle, Volume 10, Issue 17, September 1, 2011\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWritten by\nDavid Terraso, Georgia Tech\/Kris Rebillot, Buck Institute\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have shown they can reverse the aging process for human\nadult stem cells, which are responsible for helping old or damaged tissues regenerate.\nThe findings could lead to medical treatments that may repair a host of\nailments that occur because of tissue damage as people age.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Reversing the aging process could lead to medical treatments  for many chronic conditions ."}],"uid":"27310","created_gmt":"2011-09-20 08:39:42","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:09","author":"David Terraso","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"176","name":"aging"},{"id":"14349","name":"Buck Institute for Research on Aging"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"5268","name":"King Jordan"},{"id":"167130","name":"Stem Cells"},{"id":"14350","name":"Victoria Lunyak"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJason Maderer, 404-385-2966\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jason.maderer@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"69853":{"#nid":"69853","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Petit Institute Seeking Top Undergraduate Research Scholars","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences is now accepting applications for the 2012 Class of Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars. The Petit Scholars program is a competitive scholarship program that serves to develop the next generation of leading bioengineering and bioscience researchers by providing a comprehensive and independent research experience. \u0026nbsp;In the full-year program, undergraduates conduct independent research in the Petit Institute\u0027s state-of-the-art laboratories in the areas of cancer biology, biomaterials, drug design, development and delivery, molecular evolution, molecular cellular and tissue biomechanics, regenerative medicine, stem cell engineering and systems biology. \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESince its beginning in 2000, the program has supported hundreds of top undergraduate researchers who have gone on to distinguished careers in research, medicine and industry.\u0026nbsp; As biotechnology research has grown significantly throughout the Georgia Tech campus, so has the number of Petit Scholars with the funding of 19 scholars in 2011.\u0026nbsp; To date, the program has funded students from Georgia Tech, Morehouse College, Georgia State University, Emory University, Agnes Scott College and Georgia Gwinnett College. \u0026nbsp;The Petit Scholars program is funded by Friends of the Petit Institute donors in addition to its endowment from Parker H. \u0022Pete\u0022 Petit. \u0026nbsp;To make a donation to this program, visit: \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ibb.gatech.edu\/giving-opportunities\u0022\u003EPetit Scholars Donations\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBeginning October 10, 2011, IBB will begin accepting research project submissions from graduate student and\/or postdocs to be considered to serve as mentors to the incoming class of Petit Scholars.\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe application submission deadline for the 2012 Petit Scholars is \u003Cstrong\u003EFriday, October 7, 2011 at 5:00pm\u003C\/strong\u003E. For complete program requirements and online application, visit: \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/petit-scholars\u0022\u003E2012 Petit Scholars\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Applications for 2012 Petit Scholars now being accepted.  Deadline October 7, 2011."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPetit Institute Seeking Top Undergraduate Research Scholars - Applications for 2012 Petit Scholars now being accepted. \u0026nbsp;Deadline Friday, October 7, 2011\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Applications for 2012 Petit Scholars now being accepted"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-09-07 10:21:09","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:05","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-07T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-07T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69856":{"id":"69856","type":"image","title":"Katy Hammersmith, Petit Scholar, conducts research with mentor, Andres Bratt-Leal, in the Todd McDevitt laboratory","body":null,"created":"1449177275","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:35","changed":"1475894611","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:31","alt":"Katy Hammersmith, Petit Scholar, conducts research with mentor, Andres Bratt-Leal, in the Todd McDevitt laboratory","file":{"fid":"192848","name":"hammersmith_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hammersmith_1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/hammersmith_1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3067029,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/hammersmith_1_0.jpg?itok=E4aZkrny"}}},"media_ids":["69856"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/petit-scholars","title":"Petit Scholars info and application"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"857","name":"Petit Scholars"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EColly Mitchell\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPetit Scholars Program Administrator\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"69841":{"#nid":"69841","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers are Developing Technologies to Improve the Treatment for Premature Fusion of Skull Bones in Children","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEngineers and surgeons are working together to improve the treatment of babies born with craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the bone plates in the skull to fuse too soon. Treating this condition typically requires surgery after birth to remove portions of the fused skull bones, and in some cases the bones grow together again too quickly -- requiring additional surgeries.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers in the Atlanta-based Center for Pediatric Healthcare Technology Innovation are developing imaging techniques designed to predict whether a child\u0027s skull bones are likely to grow back together too quickly after surgery. They are also developing technologies that may delay a repeat of the premature fusion process. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Babies are usually only a few months old during the first operation, which lasts more than three hours and requires a unit of blood and a stay in the intensive care unit, so our goal is to develop technologies that will simplify the initial surgery and limit affected babies to this one operation,\u0022 said center co-director Joseph Williams, clinical director of craniofacial plastic surgery at Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Emory University.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECraniosynostosis affects approximately one in every 2,500 babies in the United States. The condition is caused by the premature closure of sutures with bone. Sutures, which are made of tissue that is more flexible than bone, play an important role in brain growth by providing a method for the skull to increase in size. If the sutures close too soon and get replaced with bony tissue, the skull may limit the normal expansion of the brain.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf untreated, craniosynostosis can cause a range of developmental problems. If treated using the standard treatment course, surgeons remove the fused skull bones, break them up, reposition them, and hold them in place with plates and screws. This usually slows bone growth between the bone pieces, allowing room for expansion of the brain. However, studies show that more than six percent of babies need a second operation to separate the bones again and 25 percent of those require a third operation.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Following the first surgery, there\u0027s a clinical need to be able to screen children on a regular basis to predict when their skull bones are going to fuse together again so that the surgeons can determine if additional intervention will be required,\u0022 said center director Barbara Boyan, the Price Gilbert, Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University and associate dean for research and innovation in the Georgia Tech College of Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo address this need, the researchers have developed a non-invasive technique to monitor bone growth with computed tomography images. They created software that identifies bone in the images, quantifies the distance between the bones, the mass of bone in the gap, and the area and volume of the gap. The research team has demonstrated the utility of this \u0022snake\u0022 algorithm using a mouse model of cranial development and recently presented their findings at the 2011 Plastic Surgery Education Foundation conference.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Using our snake algorithm to analyze computed tomography images of developing skulls in mice, we were able to monitor different types and speeds of bone growth on a daily basis for many weeks,\u0022 said Chris Hermann, an M.D.\/Ph.D. student in the Coulter Department. \u0022While one suture fused between 12 and 20 days and then significantly increased in mass for the next 20 days, another came closer together and increased in mass but remained largely open.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team recently adapted the technology for use in children and began a clinical study to determine the effectiveness of the algorithm to diagnose cases of craniosynostosis. The researchers hope this technology will improve the ability of physicians to diagnose and determine the severity of craniosynostosis.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the researchers are studying the biological basis of the condition and developing technologies they hope will delay bone growth and eliminate the need for additional operations. In one project, Coulter Department research scientist Rene Olivares-Navarrete and Williams are examining individuals with craniosynostosis to identify genes that influence suture fusion. Determining the genes that control suture closure may help the researchers identify potential therapeutic targets to prevent premature suture fusion.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team has also designed a gel to be injected into the gap created between skull bones during the first surgery. The material -- called a hydrogel because it contains a significant amount of water -- would deliver specific proteins to the area to delay, but not prevent, bone growth. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The hydrogel cross-links spontaneously because of a reaction between a polyethylene-glycol monomer and a cross-linking molecule, allowing for polymerization without the use of chemical initiators or the production of free radicals,\u0022 explained Hermann.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPreliminary results in a mouse model of cranial development indicate that the gel, developed in collaboration with Coulter Department associate professor Niren Murthy, can be injected into a gap between skull bones, firm up rapidly and not injure underlying soft tissues or impair bone healing. These pre-clinical results were presented at the Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting in April 2011. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth Boyan and Williams see promise in using these technologies to improve the treatment of children with craniosynostosis and eliminate additional operations sometimes needed to treat the condition. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022During the initial surgery, injecting the gel may reduce the operation\u0027s severity if it eliminates the need for plates and screws to hold the skull bones in place afterward,\u0022 explained Boyan, who is also a Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) Eminent Scholar. \u0022After the surgery, if the computed tomography images tell us that the skull is closing too quickly, we may be able to inject the gel through the skin overlying the skull without surgery to further delay the bones from fusing.\u0022 \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are currently improving the protein release kinetics of the hydrogel and conducting pre-clinical experiments to determine which proteins successfully delay bone growth when included in the gel. Approval from the Food and Drug Administration will be required before this system and hydrogel can be used as a treatment for craniosynostosis.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Center for Pediatric Healthcare Technology Innovation is supported by Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta, in collaboration with Georgia Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers in the Atlanta-based Center for Pediatric Healthcare Technology Innovation are developing technologies to better diagnose and treat children with craniosynostosis.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers work to improve treatment of those with craniosynostosis."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-09-06 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:05","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69842":{"id":"69842","type":"image","title":"Barbara Boyan\/Joseph Williams","body":null,"created":"1449177275","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:35","changed":"1475894611","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:31"},"69843":{"id":"69843","type":"image","title":"Chris Hermann","body":null,"created":"1449177275","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:35","changed":"1475894611","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:31"},"69844":{"id":"69844","type":"image","title":"Barbara Boyan\/Joseph Williams","body":null,"created":"1449177275","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:35","changed":"1475894611","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:31"}},"media_ids":["69842","69843","69844"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=48","title":"Barbara Boyan"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cphti.gatech.edu\/","title":"Center for Pediatric Healthcare Technology Innovation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"9548","name":"Barbara Boyan"},{"id":"530","name":"bone"},{"id":"397","name":"children"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"14223","name":"computed tomography"},{"id":"14219","name":"Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"14220","name":"craniosynostosis"},{"id":"2585","name":"pediatric"},{"id":"171116","name":"skull"},{"id":"169511","name":"surgery"},{"id":"171117","name":"suture"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"69772":{"#nid":"69772","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Collaborative Initiative Funds Interdisciplinary Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\nParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience awarded $100,000 to\ntwo interdisciplinary teams under a new initiative, the Petit\nBioengineering and Bioscience Collaborative Grant program, which was created to support\nearly-stage innovative biotechnology research.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe seed grant recipients address a wide range of\ntopics including profiling\u0026nbsp; single\ncells to understand the heterogeneity\u003Cem\u003E \u003C\/em\u003Eof different cell types and new\napproaches to traumatic brain injury. \u0026nbsp;The\ncall for proposals was welcomed by teams of Petit Institute faculty with one\nfaculty member from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Science and one from the College\nof Engineering.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis new program aims to promote the collaboration\nof new teams of researchers and help them establish preliminary results to\napply for large external grant proposals,\u201d said Robert Guldberg, PhD, director\nof the Petit Institute.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThis initiative\nis directly in-line with the Petit Institute\u2019s mission, funding cutting-edge\nresearch at the interface of bioengineering and the biosciences.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMelissa\nKemp, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department for Biomedical\nEngineering and Greg Gibson, professor in the School of Biology, proposed a\nproject which aims to develop the measurement tools for relating variability in both genomic\nand protein information at the single cell level. The ability to conduct this type of\nprofiling in single cells represents a remarkable technological advance in the\nlast two years.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStudies of\ngenomic data often fail to bridge the observed variation in DNA sequences to\ncellular function, in part due to the variation that is present by both types\nof measurement,\u201d Kemp said, \u201cwith the technologies this project is developing,\nwe will be able to compare population-averaged data to single cell measurements\nin order to gain new insight in relating genes to phenotype.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMichelle\nLaPlaca, associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical\nEngineering and Al Merrill, professor in the School of Biology, are partnering\nto merge traumatic brain injury with lipid biology in the hopes of evaluating, for the\nfirst time, plasma membrane breakdown mechanisms and lipid signaling following\ntraumatic brain injury.\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u201cTraumatic brain injury remains a major clinical problem with few effective\ntreatments and the devastating sequelae following this type of injury leads to\nchronic neural deficits,\u201d LaPlaca stated. \u201cWe are optimistic that these funds\nwill propel this important research forward.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFunding\nfor the new seed grants comes chiefly from Petit Institute\u0027s endowment as well as contributions\nfrom the College of Science and College of Engineering. \u0026nbsp;Each team will receive $50,000 a year for two\nyears, however, the second year of funding will be contingent on submission of\nan external collaborative grant proposal by July 2012.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Petit bioengineering and bioscience collaborative grant program"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience awarded $100,000 to two interdisciplinary teams under a new initiative, the Petit Bioengineering and Bioscience Collaborative Grant program, which was created to support early-stage innovative biotechnology research.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Petit bioengineering and bioscience collaborative grant program"}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-09-01 15:50:40","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:05","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69773":{"id":"69773","type":"image","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience","body":null,"created":"1449177264","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:24","changed":"1475894611","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:31","alt":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience","file":{"fid":"192836","name":"10c3041-p1-266.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2271177,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/10c3041-p1-266_0.jpg?itok=aplnv5pz"}}},"media_ids":["69773"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"899","name":"Al Merrill"},{"id":"10645","name":"Greg Gibson"},{"id":"5084","name":"Melissa Kemp"},{"id":"8664","name":"Michelle LaPlaca"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMegan McDevitt\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing Communications Director\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-385-7001\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"69471":{"#nid":"69471","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Georgia Tech\/Emory shuttle schedule announced","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn response to feedback received in a recent survey regarding the Georgia Tech-Emory Intercampus Shuttle, a new shuttle schedule for the 2011-2012 academic year has been created with increased departure frequency. \u0026nbsp;The shuttle will now run a full loop \u003Cstrong\u003Eevery hour\u003C\/strong\u003E and will continue service to the Biotech Quad at GT. It is important to note that the shuttle will no longer drop off at the Georgia Tech CRC, as that route is already served by the Tech Trolley and Red Route buses.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe new schedule is set to begin service August 22, 2011 on weekdays during the fall and spring semesters. The Emory Hospital-Midtown shuttle currently provides service several blocks away from GT campus and also stops at Civic Center Marta Station, for those at Emory needing access to GT or Marta trains in the summer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe slight offset in the schedule from 9:15am-9:45am and again at 11:15am-11:45am. This allows the shuttle to serve students attending the IBS555\/556 classes at Emory as well as those at Emory desiring to attend IBB seminars at GT, which are typically from 11am-12pm. Additionally, these offsets allow some buffer for the shuttle to stay on schedule after morning rush hour so that morning delays don\u0027t make the shuttle late for the rest of the day.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo view new schedule, visit: \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/pts.gatech.edu\/ride\/Pages\/EmoryShuttle.aspx\u0022\u003EGT\/Emory Schedule\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo check the status of the shuttle arrivals in REAL TIME, visit: \u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nextbus.com\/predictor\/stopSelector.jsp?a=georgia-tech\u0022\u003EGT\/Emory NextBus\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Now increased departure frequency with hourly loops"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew Georgia Tech\/Emory shuttle schedule announced\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Now increased departure frequency with hourly loops"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-08-22 08:18:39","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:59","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-08-22T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-08-22T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69527":{"id":"69527","type":"image","title":"GT Shuttle","body":null,"created":"1449177264","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:24","changed":"1475894609","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:29","alt":"GT Shuttle","file":{"fid":"192774","name":"gt_trolley.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gt_trolley_0.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/gt_trolley_0.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9058,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/gt_trolley_0.jpeg?itok=jBeuAMrn"}}},"media_ids":["69527"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"14053","name":"New Georgia Tech Emory Shuttle schedule announced"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIan Campbell\u003Cbr \/\u003EBME Graduate Student Advisory Board\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["iancampbell@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"69250":{"#nid":"69250","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Five Georgia Tech Faculty Appointed Regents\u2019 Professors, Researchers","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe University System of Georgia Board of Regents today appointed three Georgia Tech faculty members as Regents\u2019 Professors and two as Regents\u2019 Researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe three new Regents\u2019 Professors at Georgia Tech are Mark Prausnitz, professor and director of the Center for Drug Design, Development and Delivery in the School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering; Seth Marder,\u0026nbsp;professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and founding director of the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics in the colleges of Engineering and Sciences; and Gary Schuster, Vasser Woolley Professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETwo Regents\u2019 Researchers appointed include Gisele Bennett, professor and director of the Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory in the Georgia Tech Research Institute; and Suzanne Eskin, principal research scientist in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are immensely proud of our new Georgia Tech Regents\u2019 Professors and Researchers,\u201d said G. P. \u201cBud\u201d Peterson, Georgia Tech\u2019s president.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThey are conducting breakthrough research that is gaining national attention.\u0026nbsp; The fact that we have five Georgia Tech faculty members receiving this honor from the Board of Regents in one year is a reflection of the caliber of scholars we have at Tech.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA Regents\u0027 Professorship and Regents\u2019 Researcher title represents the highest academic status bestowed by the University System of Georgia. It is meant to recognize a substantial, significant and ongoing record\u0026nbsp;of scholarly achievement that has earned high national esteem over a sustained period.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPrausnitz has received international acclaim for his research on biophysical methods of drug delivery, which employ microneedles, ultrasound, lasers, electric fields, heat, convective forces and other physical means to control the transport of drugs, proteins, genes and vaccines into and within the body.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarder is working on bringing nanotechnology out of the lab and into the marketplace. Using a process known as two-photon absorption, the research groups of Marder and colleague Joseph Perry are developing a broad set of materials for 3D micro- and nanolithography.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESchuster is a nationally known scholar and researcher with an extensive list of published articles on topics ranging from biochemistry through physical chemistry, as well as a number of scientific discoveries with commercial applications. He also held top leadership roles at Georgia Tech such as interim president, provost and dean of the College of Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBennett has been praised for the programs she has built around automatic identification technologies using radio frequency identification and container security. Her research activities include the study of optical coherence imaging systems.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEskin has contributed to research on vascular biology, cardiovascular tissue engineering and gene expression of vascular cells. She studies the comparative effects of mechanical forces accompanying blood flow and pressure on the blood vessel wall.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe titles are awarded by the Board of Regents, which governs the University System of Georgia, upon the unanimous recommendation of the president, the chief academic officer, the appropriate academic dean and three other faculty members named by the president, and upon the approval of the chancellor and the committee on academic affairs.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Regents\u0027 Professorship and Regents\u2019 Researcher title represents the highest academic status bestowed by the University System of Georgia. It is meant to recognize a substantial, significant and ongoing record\u0026nbsp;of scholarly achievement that has earned high national esteem over a sustained period.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The University System of Georgia Board of Regents today appointed three Georgia Tech faculty members as Regents\u2019 Professors and two as Regents\u2019 Researchers."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-08-09 14:23:05","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:55","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-08-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-08-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69253":{"id":"69253","type":"image","title":"Professor Mark Prausnitz","body":null,"created":"1449177239","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:59","changed":"1475894606","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:26","alt":"Professor Mark Prausnitz","file":{"fid":"192743","name":"prausnitz2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/prausnitz2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/prausnitz2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1286929,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/prausnitz2_0.jpg?itok=LXbL96Cu"}},"53840":{"id":"53840","type":"image","title":"Professor Seth Marder","body":null,"created":"1449175342","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:42:22","changed":"1475894406","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:40:06","alt":"Professor Seth Marder","file":{"fid":"170991","name":"tiz58650.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tiz58650_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tiz58650_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1150222,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tiz58650_0.jpg?itok=eaL-O43G"}},"40382":{"id":"40382","type":"image","title":"Professor Gary Schuster","body":null,"created":"1449174185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:23:05","changed":"1475894334","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:38:54"},"69256":{"id":"69256","type":"image","title":"Professor Gisele Bennett","body":null,"created":"1449177252","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:14:12","changed":"1475894606","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:26","alt":"Professor Gisele Bennett","file":{"fid":"193400","name":"bennett_09.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bennett_09_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/bennett_09_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":112293,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/bennett_09_0.jpg?itok=7eU4n_yL"}},"69251":{"id":"69251","type":"image","title":"Principal Research Scientist Suzanne Eskin","body":null,"created":"1449177239","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:59","changed":"1475894606","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:26","alt":"Principal Research Scientist Suzanne Eskin","file":{"fid":"193399","name":"eskin.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/eskin_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/eskin_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":21704,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/eskin_0.jpg?itok=OIOJlGpK"}}},"media_ids":["69253","53840","40382","69256","69251"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/prausnitz.php","title":"Mark Prausnitz"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.op.gatech.edu\/faculty-staff\/profile-marder.php","title":"Professor Seth Marder"},{"url":"http:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Schuster\/","title":"Professor Gary Schuster"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/faculty-staff\/fac_profiles\/bio.php?id=130","title":"Professor Gisele Bennett"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=77","title":"Principal Scientist Suzanne Eskin"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13959","name":"University System of Georgia; Board of Regents; Regents\u0027 Professors; Regents\u0027 Researchers; Mark Prausnitz; Seth Marder; Gary Schuster; Gisele Bennett; Suzanne Eskin"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"69241":{"#nid":"69241","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study of Tricuspid Valve Mechanics Uncovers Causes for Leakage","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study into the causes of leakage in one of the heart\u0027s most complex valve structures could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of the condition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn estimated 1.6 million Americans suffer moderate to severe leakage through their tricuspid valve, a complex structure that closes off the heart\u0027s right ventricle from the right atrium. Most people have at least some leakage in the valve, but what causes the problem is not well understood.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA new study, published online in the journal \u003Cem\u003ECirculation\u003C\/em\u003E on August 1, 2011, found that either dilating the tricuspid valve opening or displacing the papillary muscles that control its operation can cause the valve to leak. A combination of the two actions can increase the severity of the leakage, which is called tricuspid regurgitation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We think this is the first in vitro investigation into the mechanics of the tricuspid valve, and that our findings into the mechanisms that cause tricuspid regurgitation could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment,\u0022 said Ajit Yoganathan, Regents professor and Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe tricuspid valve consists of three flaps that open to allow blood to flow from the heart\u0027s upper right chamber to the ventricle. To close the valve, the flaps re-cover the opening, keeping blood from flowing back into the chamber it just left. When the valve is leaky or doesn\u0027t close tightly enough, blood flows backward into the chamber just after the heart contracts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETricuspid regurgitation has been increasingly recognized as a source of disease in patients with chronic mitral valve regurgitation, but surgical repair of the tricuspid valve alone is recommended only in rare cases. If an individual suffers from severe tricuspid regurgitation, surgeons will sometimes repair the tricuspid valve during a surgery to repair other leaky heart valves.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Standard clinical procedures that detail when and how tricuspid valve repairs should be performed need to be developed and this study suggests several items that should be considered,\u0022 said one of the study\u2019s co-authors David H. Adams, chair of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. \u0022Current repairs for tricuspid regurgitation focus mainly on remodeling the valve\u0027s opening to correct enlargement, but this study shows that it may also be important to restore the position of the papillary muscles, providing as much overlap as possible, in order to conduct effective and durable tricuspid valve repairs.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith funding from the American Heart Association, Yoganathan and Coulter Department graduate student Erin Spinner conducted experiments with porcine tricuspid valves to determine possible causes of tricuspid regurgitation. The valves were attached to a plate designed to create physiological dilation and then placed inside a right heart simulator.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers first investigated the effect of dilating the opening of the tricuspid valves. When the openings stretched to an area 40 percent larger than their normal size, a hole appeared in the central region of the valve. The hole caused leakage, and increased in size with further dilatation. This finding surprised the researchers because similar studies using the same method had shown that the heart\u0027s mitral valve could withstand dilation of 75 percent before leaking.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These results tell us that the tricuspid valve is a much more complex valve than the mitral valve, which only has two flaps,\u0022 explained Spinner. \u0022Forming a proper seal over the valve opening might be more difficult with three flaps, which could be why such a large percentage of the population experiences some level of tricuspid regurgitation and why some individuals with annular dilation have tricuspid regurgitation and others do not.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe research team also investigated the effect of displacing the valve\u0027s three papillary muscles, which attach to the valve via threads. Contraction of the papillary muscles opens the valve and relaxation of the muscles closes the valve. The study showed that papillary displacement alone resulted in significant tricuspid leakage.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022While isolated displacement of the papillary muscles is rare, these results are relevant toward understanding what may happen if the size of the valve opening is repaired, but the papillary muscles are left displaced,\u0022 noted Yoganathan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe study also showed that higher levels of tricuspid leakage resulted when the researchers combined the conditions -- dilation of 40 percent or greater and displacement of all papillary muscles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn their future work, the Coulter Department researchers plan to look at the effect of pulmonary hypertension on the tricuspid valve, because tricuspid regurgitation usually develops in association with pulmonary hypertension -- which is abnormally high blood pressure in the lungs. They also plan to work with their clinical collaborators to extend their findings to humans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022In our in vitro study we were able to select specific porcine valves, but with human subjects there will be more anatomical variety. For example, two people may have valves of the same diameter, but one person may have longer flaps that are able to compensate for dilation whereas the other might not,\u0022 noted Yoganathan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, Pedro del Nido, a professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Children\u0027s Hospital Boston; Emir Veledar, an assistant professor with a joint appointment in the Division of Cardiology and Division of Epidemiology at Emory University; and Coulter Department research engineer Jorge Jimenez and undergraduate students Patrick Shannon and Dana Buice also contributed to this work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMillions experience leakage from their heart\u0027s tricuspid valve, but what causes it is not well understood. A new study found that either dilating the valve opening or displacing the papillary muscles that control its operation can cause the valve to leak.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Study reports on causes of tricuspid valve leakage."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-08-09 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:55","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-08-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-08-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69242":{"id":"69242","type":"image","title":"Tricuspid valve","body":null,"created":"1449177239","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:59","changed":"1475894606","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:26"},"69243":{"id":"69243","type":"image","title":"Right heart simulator","body":null,"created":"1449177239","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:59","changed":"1475894606","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:26"},"69244":{"id":"69244","type":"image","title":"Tricuspid regurgitation","body":null,"created":"1449177239","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:59","changed":"1475894606","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:26"}},"media_ids":["69242","69243","69244"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1161\/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.003897","title":"Circulation paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=5","title":"Ajit Yoganathan"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2582","name":"Ajit Yoganathan"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"11533","name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"13953","name":"Diagnosing"},{"id":"2583","name":"heart"},{"id":"6119","name":"heart valve"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"69073":{"#nid":"69073","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unstable Protein Can Mediate Effects of Cellular Stress on Prions","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s a\nchicken and egg question. Where do the infectious protein particles called\nprions come from? Essentially clumps of misfolded proteins, prions cause\nneurodegenerative disorders, such as mad cow\/Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, in\nhumans and animals. Research in fungi has suggested that sometimes prions can also\nhelp cells adapt to different conditions. Prions trigger the misfolding and\naggregation of their properly folded protein counterparts, but they usually\nneed some kind of \u201cseed\u201d to get started.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists\nhave studied a yeast protein called Lsb2 that can promote spontaneous prion\nformation. This unstable, short-lived protein is strongly induced by cellular\nstresses such as heat. Lsb2\u2019s properties also illustrate how cells have\ndeveloped ways to control and regulate prion formation. The results are\npublished in the July 22 issue of the journal\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EMolecular Cell\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\nstudy was conducted by members of the Center for Nanobiology of the Macromolecular\nAssembly Disorders (NanoMAD) which is made up of scientists from the Georgia\nInstitute of Technology and Emory University. Scientists from the National\nInstitues of Health and the University of Illinois at Chicago also contributed\nto the study. The first author is senior associate Tatiana Chernova, PhD at\nEmory.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\naggregated, or amyloid, forms of proteins connected with several other\nneurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer\u2019s, Parkinson\u2019s and Huntington\u2019s\ncan, in some circumstances, act like prions. So the findings provide insight\ninto how the ways that cells deal with stress might lead to poisonous protein\naggregation in human diseases.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA\ndirect human homolog of Lsb2 doesn\u2019t exist, but there may be a protein that\nperforms the same function,\u201d said Keith Wilkinson, professor of biochemistry at\nEmory University School of Medicine. \u201cThe mechanism may say more about other\ntypes of protein aggregates than about classical prions in humans. This\nmechanism of seeding and growth may be more important for aggregate formation\nin diseases such as Huntington\u2019s.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ELsb2\ndoes not appear to form stable prions by itself. Rather, it seems to bind to\nand encourage the aggregation of another protein, Sup35, which does form\nprions.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur\nmodel is that stress induces high levels of Lsb2, which allows the accumulation\nof misfolded prion proteins,\u201d Wilkinson said. \u201cLsb2 protects enough of these\nnewborn prion particles from the quality control machinery for a few of them to\nget out.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn\ncontinuation of previous research by Yury Chernoff, director of NanoMAD and\nprofessor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech, the new data also show that\nin addition to promoting new prions, Lsb2 strengthens existing prions during\nstress.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Little\nis known about physiological and environmental conditions influencing amyloid\ndiseases in humans,\u0022 said Chernoff. \u0022Therefore, prophylactic\nmeasures, which could end up being more effective than therapies, are\nessentially non-existant. We hope that yeast model will help to fill this\ngap.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\nresearch was supported by the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWritten\nby: Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists discover how an unstable protein, known as Lsb2 can control and regulate the formation of infectious protein particles called prions.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Scientists at Georgia Tech and Emory find protein can add strength to prions."}],"uid":"27310","created_gmt":"2011-07-29 10:13:39","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:52","author":"David Terraso","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-07-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-07-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"69075":{"id":"69075","type":"image","title":"Professor Yury Chernoff","body":null,"created":"1449177228","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:48","changed":"1475894604","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:24","alt":"Professor Yury Chernoff","file":{"fid":"193375","name":"0625150-p13-9.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/0625150-p13-9_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/0625150-p13-9_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2285975,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/0625150-p13-9_0.jpg?itok=GqlB6NzX"}},"69070":{"id":"69070","type":"image","title":"Lsb2 Expression in Yeast Cells","body":null,"created":"1449177228","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:48","changed":"1475894604","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:24","alt":"Lsb2 Expression in Yeast Cells","file":{"fid":"193374","name":"lsb2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lsb2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/lsb2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":34413,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/lsb2_0.jpg?itok=iIn_v90X"}}},"media_ids":["69075","69070"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.nanomad.gatech.edu\/","title":"Center for Nanobiology of the Macromolecular Assembly Disorders"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/yury-chernoff\/?id=yury-chernoff","title":"Yury Chernoff"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4833","name":"chicago"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"247","name":"Emory"},{"id":"2286","name":"nano"},{"id":"13830","name":"NanoMaD"},{"id":"2076","name":"NIH"},{"id":"13831","name":"prion"},{"id":"13827","name":"Yury Chernoff"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDavid Terraso\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech College of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-385-1393\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["david.terraso@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68848":{"#nid":"68848","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Heated AFM Tip Draws Ferroelectric Nanostructures Directly on Plastic","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EUsing a technique known as thermochemical nanolithography (TCNL), researchers have developed a new way to fabricate nanometer-scale ferroelectric structures directly on flexible plastic substrates that would be unable to withstand the processing temperatures normally required to create such nanostructures.  \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe technique, which uses a heated atomic force microscope (AFM) tip to produce patterns, could facilitate high-density, low-cost production of complex ferroelectric structures for energy harvesting arrays, sensors and actuators in nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS).   The research was reported July 15 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EAdvanced Materials\u003C\/em\u003E.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We can directly create piezoelectric materials of the shape we want, where we want them, on flexible substrates for use in energy harvesting and other applications,\u0022 said Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb, co-author of the paper and an assistant professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  \u0022This is the first time that structures like these have been directly grown with a CMOS-compatible process at such a small resolution.  Not only have we been able to grow these ferroelectric structures at low substrate temperatures, but we have also been able to pattern them at very small scales.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy.  In addition to the Georgia Tech researchers, the work also involved scientists from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Nebraska Lincoln.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers have produced wires approximately 30 nanometers wide and spheres with diameters of approximately 10 nanometers using the patterning technique.  Spheres with potential application as ferroelectric memory were fabricated at densities exceeding 200 gigabytes per square inch -- currently the record for this perovskite-type ferroelectric material, said Suenne Kim, the paper\u0027s first author and a postdoctoral fellow in laboratory of Professor Elisa Riedo in Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Physics.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFerroelectric materials are attractive because they exhibit charge-generating piezoelectric responses an order of magnitude larger than those of materials such as aluminum nitride or zinc oxide.  The polarization of the materials can be easily and rapidly changed, giving them potential application as random access memory elements.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut the materials can be difficult to fabricate, requiring temperatures greater than 600 degrees Celsius for crystallization.  Chemical etching techniques produce grain sizes as large as the nanoscale features researchers would like to produce, while physical etching processes damage the structures and reduce their attractive properties.  Until now, these challenges required that ferroelectric structures be grown on a single-crystal substrate compatible with high temperatures, then transferred to a flexible substrate for use in energy-harvesting.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe thermochemical nanolithography process, which was developed at Georgia Tech in 2007, addresses those challenges by using extremely localized heating to form structures only where the resistively-heated AFM tip contacts a precursor material.  A computer controls the AFM writing, allowing the researchers to create patterns of crystallized material where desired.  To create energy-harvesting structures, for example, lines corresponding to ferroelectric nanowires can be drawn along the direction in which strain would be applied.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The heat from the AFM tip crystallizes the amorphous precursor to make the structure,\u0022 Bassiri-Gharb explained.  \u0022The patterns are formed only where the crystallization occurs.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo begin the fabrication, the sol-gel precursor material is first applied to a substrate with a standard spin-coating method, then briefly heated to approximately 250 degrees Celsius to drive off the organic solvents.  The researchers have used polyimide, glass and silicon substrates, but in principle, any material able to withstand the 250-degree heating step could be used.  Structures have been made from Pb(ZrTi)O3 -- known as PZT, and PbTiO3 -- known as PTO.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We still heat the precursor at the temperatures required to crystallize the structure, but the heating is so localized that it does not affect the substrate,\u0022 explained Riedo, a co-author of the paper and an associate professor in the Georgia Tech School of Physics.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe heated AFM tips were provided by William King, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a next step, the researchers plan to use arrays of AFM tips to produce larger patterned areas, and improve the heated AFM tips to operate for longer periods of time.  The researchers also hope to understand the basic science behind ferroelectric materials, including properties at the nanoscale.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We need to look at the growth thermodynamics of these ferroelectric materials,\u0022 said Bassiri-Gharb.  \u0022We also need to see how the properties change when you move from the bulk to the micron scale and then to the nanometer scale.  We need to understand what really happens to the extrinsic and intrinsic responses of the materials at these small scales.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUltimately, arrays of AFM tips under computer control could produce complete devices, providing an alternative to current fabrication techniques.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Thermochemical nanolithography is a very powerful nanofabrication technique that, through heating, is like a nanoscale pen that can create nanostructures useful in a variety of applications, including protein arrays, DNA arrays, and graphene-like nanowires,\u0022 Riedo explained.  \u0022We are really addressing the problem caused by the existing limitations of photolithography at these size scales. We can envision creating a full device based on the same fabrication technique without the requirements of costly clean rooms and vacuum-based equipment. We are moving toward a process in which multiple steps are done using the same tool to pattern at the small scale.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to those already mentioned, the research team included Yaser Bastani from the G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, Seth Marder and Kenneth Sandhage, both from Georgia Tech\u0027s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and School of Materials Science and Engineering, and Alexei Gruverman and Haidong Lu from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon (404-894-6986)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Abby Robinson (404-385-3364)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: John Toon\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EUsing a technique known as thermochemical nanolithography (TCNL), researchers are fabricating nanometer-scale ferroelectric structures directly on flexible plastic substrates that would be unable to withstand the processing temperatures normally required to create such structures.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new technique produces ferroelectric nanostructures on plastic."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2011-07-18 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:44","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-07-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-07-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68850":{"id":"68850","type":"image","title":"Ferroelectric nanostructures","body":null,"created":"1449177214","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:34","changed":"1475894599","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:19"},"68849":{"id":"68849","type":"image","title":"Studying ferroelectric nanostructures","body":null,"created":"1449177214","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:34","changed":"1475894599","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:19"},"68851":{"id":"68851","type":"image","title":"SEM of ferroelectric nanostructures","body":null,"created":"1449177214","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:34","changed":"1475894599","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:19"}},"media_ids":["68850","68849","68851"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/bassiri_gharb.shtml","title":"Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/elisa-riedo","title":"Elisa Riedo"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/","title":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech School of Physics"},{"url":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/adma.201101991\/abstract;jsessionid=B754ACAEB7280F72A2B5E20079DF2385.d01t01","title":"Advanced Materials paper"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"144","name":"Energy"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13687","name":"Elisa Riedo"},{"id":"13689","name":"energy harvesting"},{"id":"13685","name":"ferroelectric"},{"id":"1786","name":"nanostructures"},{"id":"13686","name":"Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb"},{"id":"13688","name":"thermochemical nanolithography"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=jt7\u0022\u003EContact John Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68859":{"#nid":"68859","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Contrast Agents Detect Bacterial Infections with High Sensitivity and Specificity","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new family of contrast agents that sneak into bacteria disguised as glucose food can detect bacterial infections in animals with high sensitivity and specificity. These agents -- called maltodextrin-based imaging probes -- can also distinguish a bacterial infection from other inflammatory conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These contrast agents fill the need for probes that can accurately image small numbers of bacteria in vivo and distinguish infections from other pathologies like cancer,\u0022 said Niren Murthy, an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u0022These probes could ultimately improve the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections, which remains a major challenge in medicine.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe imaging probes were described in the July 17, 2011 advance online edition of the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Materials\u003C\/em\u003E. The research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECoulter Department postdoctoral fellows Xinghai Ning and Seungjun Lee led the project. University of Georgia Complex Carbohydrate Research Center postdoctoral associate Zhirui Wang; and Georgia State University Department of Biology associate professor Eric Gilbert and student Bryan Subblefield also contributed to the work.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the United States in 2010, bacterial infections caused 40,000 deaths from sepsis and were the leading cause of limb amputations. A major limitation preventing the effective treatment of bacterial infections is an inability to detect them inside the body with accuracy and sensitivity. To image bacterial infections, probes must first deliver a large quantity of the contrast agent into bacteria. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Most existing imaging probes target the bacterial cell wall and cannot access the inside of the bacteria, but maltodextrin-based imaging probes target a bacterial ingestion pathway, which allows the contrast agent to reach a high concentration within bacteria,\u0022 said Murthy.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMaltodextrin-based imaging probes consist of a fluorescent dye linked to maltohexaose, which is a major source of glucose for bacteria. The probes deliver the contrast agent into bacteria through the organism\u0027s maltodextrin transporter, which only exists in bacterial cells and not mammalian cells. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022To our knowledge, this represents the first demonstration of a targeting strategy that can deliver millimolar concentrations of an imaging probe within bacteria,\u0022 noted Murthy.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn experiments using a rat model, the researchers found that the contrast agent accumulated in bacteria-infected tissues, but was efficiently cleared from uninfected tissues. They saw a 42-fold increase in fluorescence intensity between bacterial infected and uninfected tissues. However, the contrast agent did not accumulate in the healthy bacterial microflora located in the intestines.  Because systemically administered glucose molecules cannot access the interior of the intestines, the bacteria located there never came into contact with the probe.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey also found that the probes could detect as few as one million viable bacteria cells. Current contrast agents for imaging bacteria require at least 100 million bacteria, according to the researchers.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn another experiment, the researchers found that the maltodextrin-based probes could distinguish between bacterial infections and inflammation with high specificity. Tissues infected with E. coli bacteria exhibited a 17-fold increase in fluorescence intensity when compared with inflamed tissues that were not infected. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAdditional laboratory experiments showed that the probes could deliver large quantities of imaging probes to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria for internalization. Both types of bacteria internalized the maltodextrin-based probes at a rate three orders of magnitude faster than mammalian cells.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Maltodextrin-based probes show promise for imaging infections in a wide range of tissues, with an ability to detect bacteria in vivo with a sensitivity two orders of magnitude higher than previously reported,\u0022 said Murthy.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (NSF Career Award No. BES-0546962) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Award Nos. RO1 HL096796-01 and HHSN268201000043C). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF or NIH.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Vogel Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENovel contrast agents that sneak into bacteria disguised as glucose food can detect bacterial infections in animals with high sensitivity and specificity. These agents can also distinguish a bacterial infection from other inflammatory conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The imaging probes sneak into bacteria disguised as food."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-07-18 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:44","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-07-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-07-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68860":{"id":"68860","type":"image","title":"Maltodextrin-based imaging probes","body":null,"created":"1449177214","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:34","changed":"1475894599","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:19"}},"media_ids":["68860"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nmat3074","title":"Nature Materials paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=58","title":"Niren Murthy"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"7077","name":"bacteria"},{"id":"13694","name":"Bacteria Detection"},{"id":"13693","name":"Bacterial Infection"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"13696","name":"Contrast Agent"},{"id":"11533","name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"10301","name":"Fluorescent Dyes"},{"id":"13695","name":"imaging probe"},{"id":"10660","name":"infection"},{"id":"13691","name":"maltodextrin"},{"id":"13690","name":"maltodextrin-based imaging probe"},{"id":"13692","name":"maltohexaose"},{"id":"245","name":"Niren Murthy"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68790":{"#nid":"68790","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Study Shows H1N1 Microneedle Vaccine Protects Better Than Injection","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA vaccine delivered to the skin using a microneedle patch gives better protection against the H1N1 influenza virus than a vaccine delivered through subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, researchers from Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have found. Their research is published online in the \u003Cem\u003EJournal of Infectious Diseases\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMice given a single H1N1 vaccine through the skin using a coated metal microneedle patch as well as mice vaccinated through subcutaneous injection were 100 percent protected against a lethal flu virus challenge six weeks after vaccination. However, when challenged with the H1N1 virus six months later, the injected mice had a 60 percent decrease in antibody production against the virus and extensive lung inflammation. Mice that were vaccinated with microneedles, on the other hand, maintained high levels of protection and antibody production after six months, with no signs of lung inflammation.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022A major goal of influenza vaccine development has been to confer strong immune responses, including immunological memory and cellular immune responses for long-term protection, and to limit virus spread after infection,\u0022 said first author Dimitrios Koutsonanos, MD, post-doctoral fellow of microbiology and immunology at Emory University School of Medicine. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team also included Ioanna Skountzou, MD, PhD, Richard Compans, PhD, Maria del Pilar Martin, PhD, and Joshy Jacob, PhD, from Emory, and Georgia Tech bioengineers Mark Prausnitz, PhD, and Vladimir Zarnitsyn, PhD.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers already have found that intramuscular injection is not the most efficient way to deliver vaccines. The muscles have a low concentration of cells needed to relay immune signals and activate a T-cell response, including dendritic cells, macrophages, and MHC class II-expressing cells. The skin, however, contains a rich network of antigen-presenting cells, including macrophages, Langerhans cells and dermal dendritic cells that activate cytokines and chemokines \u2013 immune signaling cells responsible for initiating an immune response. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Emory\/Georgia Tech research team previously reported that delivery of seasonal influenza vaccine through the skin using antigen-coated metal microneedle patches or dissolving microneedles elicited strong immune responses that can confer protection at least equal to conventional intramuscular injections. The team has developed dissolving microneedle technology that could be used in easy-to-administer, painless patches. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The pandemic H1N1 A\/California\/04\/09 influenza virus continues to be the predominant strain,\u0022 said lead researcher Ioanna Skountzou, MD, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at Emory University School of Medicine. \u0022Our research shows that skin-based vaccination, made possible through microneedle technology, may now be a viable and more effective alternative to intramuscular injection for H1N1 flu and other strains as well.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Microneedle delivery also offers other logistical advantages that make this method attractive for influenza vaccination, such as inexpensive manufacturing, small size for easy storage and distribution, and simple administration that might enable self-vaccination to increase patient coverage,\u0022 said Prausnitz. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis news release was written by Emory University\u003C\/em\u003E.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Holly Korschun, Emory University (404-727-3990)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:hkorsch@emory.edu\u0022\u003Ehkorsch@emory.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986)(\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E). \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EVaccine delivered to the skin using a microneedle patch gives better protection against the H1N1 influenza virus than a vaccine delivered through subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, researchers have found.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Vaccination with microneedles gives better H1N1 influenza protection."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2011-07-11 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:44","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-07-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68791":{"id":"68791","type":"image","title":"Steel microneedle array","body":null,"created":"1449177201","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:21","changed":"1475894599","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:19"}},"media_ids":["68791"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Chemical \u0026 Biomolecular Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/prausnitz.php","title":"Mark Prausnitz"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"764","name":"immunization"},{"id":"765","name":"influenza"},{"id":"495","name":"Mark Prausnitz"},{"id":"494","name":"Microneedle"},{"id":"13653","name":"microneedle patch"},{"id":"7360","name":"vaccination"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=jt7\u0022\u003EContact John Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68719":{"#nid":"68719","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Unique Gel Capsule Structure Enables Multiple Drug Delivery","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have designed a multiple-compartment gel capsule that could be used to simultaneously deliver drugs of different types. The researchers used a simple \u0022one-pot\u0022 method to prepare the hydrogel capsules, which measure less than one micron.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe capsule\u0027s structure -- hollow except for polymer chains tethered to the interior of the shell -- provides spatially-segregated compartments that make it a good candidate for multi-drug encapsulation and release strategies. The microcapsule could be used to simultaneously deliver distinct drugs by filling the core of the capsule with hydrophilic drugs and trapping hydrophobic drugs within nanoparticles assembled from the polymer chains. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We have demonstrated that we can make a fairly complex multi-component delivery vehicle using a relatively straightforward and scalable synthesis,\u0022 said L. Andrew Lyon, a professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech. \u0022Additional research will need to be conducted to determine how they would best be loaded, delivered and triggered to release the drugs.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDetails of the microcapsule synthesis procedure were published online on July 5, 2011 in the journal \u003Cem\u003EMacromolecular Rapid Communications\u003C\/em\u003E. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELyon and Xiaobo Hu, a former visiting scholar at Georgia Tech, created the microcapsules. As a graduate student at the Research Institute of Materials Science at the South China University of Technology, Hu is co-advised by Lyon and Zhen Tong of the South China University of Technology. Funding for this research was provided to Hu by the China Scholarship Council.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers began the two-step, one-pot synthesis procedure by forming core particles from a temperature-sensitive polymer called poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). To create a dissolvable core, they formed polymer chains from the particles without a cross-linking agent. This resulted in an aggregated collection of polymer chains with temperature-dependent stability.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The polymer comprising the core particles is known for undergoing chain transfer reactions that add cross-linking points without the presence of a cross-linking agent, so we initiated the polymerization using a redox method with ammonium persulfate and N,N,N\u2019,N\u2019-tetramethylethylenediamine. This ensured those side chain transfer reactions did not occur, which allowed us to create a truly dissolvable core,\u0022 explained Lyon.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the second step in the procedure, Lyon and Hu added a cross-linking agent to a polymer called poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) to create a shell around the aggregated polymer chains. The researchers conducted this step under conditions that would allow any core-associated polymer chains that interacted with the shell during synthesis to undergo chain transfer and become grafted to the interior of the shell. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECooling the microcapsule exploited the temperature sensitivities of the polymers. The shell swelled with water and expanded to its stable size, while the free-floating polymer chains in the center of the capsule diffused out of the core, leaving behind an empty space. Any chains that stuck to the shell during its synthesis remained. Because the chains control the interaction between the particles they store and their surroundings, the tethered chains can act as hydrophobic drug carriers.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECompared to delivering a single drug, co-delivery of multiple drugs has several potential advantages, including synergistic effects, suppressed drug resistance and the ability to tune the relative dosage of various drugs. The future optimization of these microcapsules may allow simultaneous delivery of distinct classes of drugs for the treatment of diseases like cancer, which is often treated using combination chemotherapy.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EChemists have designed a multiple-compartment gel capsule that can simultaneously deliver hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. The microcapsules could be used for the treatment of diseases like cancer, which is often treated using combination chemotherapy.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Microcapsule can deliver hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs together."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-07-06 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:44","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-07-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68720":{"id":"68720","type":"image","title":"Microcapsule synthesis schematic","body":null,"created":"1449177201","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:21","changed":"1475894597","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:17"},"68721":{"id":"68721","type":"image","title":"3D AFM images of microcapsules","body":null,"created":"1449177201","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:21","changed":"1475894597","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:17"},"68722":{"id":"68722","type":"image","title":"AFM images of microcapsules","body":null,"created":"1449177201","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:21","changed":"1475894597","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:17"}},"media_ids":["68720","68721","68722"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1002\/marc.201100338","title":"Macromolecular Rapid Communications paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/faculty\/Lyon\/","title":"Andrew Lyon"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4912","name":"Andrew Lyon"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"3346","name":"drug delivery"},{"id":"13603","name":"Drug Delivery Systems"},{"id":"13604","name":"drug delivery vehicle"},{"id":"7306","name":"hydrophilic"},{"id":"13608","name":"hydrophilic drug"},{"id":"7305","name":"hydrophobic"},{"id":"13607","name":"hydrophobic drug"},{"id":"13605","name":"microcapsule"},{"id":"13606","name":"Multi Drug"},{"id":"7031","name":"pharmaceutical"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68681":{"#nid":"68681","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Vasculata 2011 to be held at Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWith the Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) serving as the lead host\ninstitution in conjunction with Emory University School of Medicine and the\nGeorgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), the 2011 annual workshop will\ntake place on the Georgia Tech campus. This meeting aims to inspire young\ninvestigators from a variety of disciplines to enter the field of vascular\nbiology by providing trainees with a robust introductory learning experience,\nfacilitate the rapid integration of new research trainees into vascular biology\nresearch programs by enhancing their exposure and understanding of the latest\nexperimental approaches employed in the field and finally to orient new\ninvestigators to the breadth and depth of the frontiers of knowledge of\nvascular biology through state-of-the-art presentations and scientific\ninterchange with leading investigators.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EVasculata\u003Csup\u003E\u00ae\u003C\/sup\u003E is a summer course\/workshop that promotes\nthe study of vascular biology.\u0026nbsp; It is designed to present an overview of\nthe field and future areas of active research.\u0026nbsp; Individuals with little or\nno background in vascular biology are encouraged to attend, and current trainees\nin the field and all interested individuals are invited to participate.\u0026nbsp;\nThis includes students (undergraduates, graduate students, medical students),\ntrainees (postdocs, research fellows, residents) and others (junior and senior\nfaculty).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis meeting builds upon the legacy of research training provided by\nprevious Vasculata conferences by leveraging the superb critical mass of\nvascular biology investigators at the three partner institutions in Atlanta.\nThe Vasculata 2011 conference will be a distinctive addition that will\nincorporate several new programmatic elements to enrich the training experience\nand develop a special thematic emphasis on preparing a new generation of\nvascular biologists to extend the frontiers of discovery science as well as engage\nin translational science that bridges from \u2018bench-to-bedside.\u201d The proposed\nmeeting builds upon the complementary strengths of the tri-institutional\npartnership such that the program reflects the inter-disciplinary nature of\nvascular biology. The conference will capture the breadth of the field in its\ninclusion of investigators from a wide variety of disciplines such as:\nbioengineering, systems biology, developmental biology, clinical science,\nregenerative medicine and genetic epidemiology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMoreover, Vasculata 2011 will be a novel addition to the series by\nincorporating new programmatic elements that emphasize the mentorship of\ntrainees as well as major initiatives to expand the gender and racial\/ethnic\ndiversity of biomedical scientists in the field. Overall, the Vasculata 2011\nconference promises to be an exciting and uniquely rich research training\nexperience.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOrganizing Committee:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EGary\nGibbons, MD, Morehouse School of Medicine\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKathy\nGriendling, PhD, Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHanjoong\nJo PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EArshed\nQuyyumi MD, Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EVasculata 2011, with the Morehouse School of Medicine, Emory University and Georgia Tech, to be held on Georgia Tech\u0027s campus\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Annual summer course\/workshop in Vascular Biology"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-07-05 13:35:30","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:40","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-07-05T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-07-05T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68683":{"id":"68683","type":"image","title":"NAVBO","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894597","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:17","alt":"NAVBO","file":{"fid":"192636","name":"navbo.gif","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/navbo_0.gif","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/navbo_0.gif","mime":"image\/gif","size":2117,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/navbo_0.gif?itok=L6TuU2V5"}}},"media_ids":["68683"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.navbo.org\/event\/vasculata","title":"Vasculata website"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2305","name":"Emory University"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"13585","name":"Morehouse School of Medicine"},{"id":"12955","name":"Vasculata"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBernadette Englert\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["bernadette@navbo.org"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68658":{"#nid":"68658","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Sulchek Receives 2011 CAREER Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical  Engineering is pleased to announce that \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/sulchek.shtml\u0022\u003EDr. Todd Sulchek\u003C\/a\u003E, Assistant Professor, has  won a prestigious 2011 Faculty Early Career Award from the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/funding\/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503214\u0022\u003ENational Science Foundation\u0027s\u003C\/a\u003E Biosensing  Program for his proposal titled: \u0022Understanding Multivalent Biological Bonds  for Biosensing Applications.\u0022 \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E  For this project, Dr. Sulchek will be  studying multivalent protein\n adhesion in order to improve how well biosensors  can bind target \nmolecules. He hopes to create methods to watch the binding and  \nunbinding of multiple protein bonds in quick succession and close \nproximity.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E  As part of the CAREER Award outreach component, Dr.  Sulchek will \nwork with local high schools to match biology students with physical  \nscience students into teams, in  order to emphasize the overlapping \nnature of the scientific and engineering  disciplines. The goal is to \nportray  science and engineering in a more exciting and interesting \nlight. Currently, there are two high school students  working in Dr. \nSulchek\u0027s lab this summer, testing out a concept to rapidly  measure \nprotein adhesion. After  knowledge is gained from this trial run \nworking with students, Dr. Sulchek will  organize 10-20 teams in the \nnext year to compete in a  cross-disciplinary science fair. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E  Upon learning about this award, Woodruff  School Chair Dr. Bill \nWepfer said, \u0022Congratulations! Along with your recent NIH R21 award, \nthis is  a tremendous affirmation of your research program.\u0022 Dean of \nEngineering, Dr. Don Giddens said,  \u0022Great news, Todd, and a hearty \ncongratulations!!\u0022 Further hats off came from Georgia Tech\u0027s  \nPresident, Dr. G.P. \u0022Bud\u0022 Peterson, \u0022Congratulations! Off to a great \nstart!\u0022\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n  Dr, Sulchek received both his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees  (Applied \nPhysics) from Stanford University in 2000 and 2006, respectively. He \nearned his B.A. (Physics and Mathematics)  at Johns Hopkins University \nin 1996. Dr.  Sulchek started at Georgia Tech in June 2008 as an \nAssistant Professor. Prior  to his current appointment, he was a staff \nscientist at Lawrence Livermore  National Lab.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E  Currently, there are twenty-seven Woodruff  School faculty members who have at one time held a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/news\/pubs_broch_careerawards.shtml\u0022\u003ECAREER Award\u003C\/a\u003E.\n In  addition, the Woodruff School has fifteen Ph.D. graduates who have \nwon these awards  and are on the faculty of universities other than \nGeorgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Early Career Awarded to Sulchek from the National Science Foundation\u0027s Biosensing Program"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Early Career Awarded to Sulchek from the National Science Foundation\u0027s Biosensing Program"}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-06-30 20:22:41","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:40","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68659":{"id":"68659","type":"image","title":"Todd Sulchek","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894597","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:17","alt":"Todd Sulchek","file":{"fid":"192627","name":"sulchek_todd.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sulchek_todd_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sulchek_todd_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2937,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sulchek_todd_1.jpg?itok=XQuULuHs"}}},"media_ids":["68659"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/sulchekBBL","title":"Sulchek Lab Website"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/","title":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"13574","name":"Todd Sulchek"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMelissa D Zbeeb\u003Cbr \/\u003EDirector of Communications\n\u003Cbr \/\u003EWoodruff School of Mechanical Engineering\n\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["melissa.zbeeb@me.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68574":{"#nid":"68574","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Assistant Professor Styczynski Receives DARPA Young Faculty Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMark Styczynski, an\nassistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at\nGeorgia Tech, has received a 2011 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency\nYoung Faculty Award for his research on metabolites, the small molecule\nbuilding blocks necessary for all cellular functions.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDARPA presents the Young\nFaculty Award to outstanding junior faculty whose research will enable\nrevolutionary advances in the areas of the physical sciences, engineering, and\nmathematics. The Young Faculty Award program will fund Styczynski\u2019s research\nthrough 2013.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EStyczynski\u2019s work involves\nidentifying millions of allosteric metabolite and protein interactions both\nefficiently and accurately.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMetabolites are one of the\nmost direct, real-time readouts of cellular state that researchers can assay,\u201d Styczynski\nsaid. \u201cBut they also play a significant regulatory role, which is only beginning to be understood on a large scale.\u201d\u2028\u2028\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EPotential applications of Styczynski\u2019s\nresearch fall into the division of DARPA known as the Defense Sciences Office, which\nfocuses on developing technologies that will radically transform battlefield\nmedical care. By cataloging the infinite number of metabolite-protein\ninteractions, his research may lead to the development of a self-regulating\ndrug for soldiers in the field that shuts itself down when no longer needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EStyczynski received his\nPh.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2007. He joined the faculty\nat Georgia Tech in 2009 after a postdoctoral appointment at the\u0026nbsp;Broad\nInstitute, a world-renowned genomic medicine research center located in\nCambridge, Mass.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMark Styczynski, an\nassistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at\nGeorgia Tech, has received a 2011 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency\nYoung Faculty Award for his research on metabolites, the small molecule\nbuilding blocks necessary for all cellular functions.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-06-27 15:45:51","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:40","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-27T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68544":{"id":"68544","type":"image","title":"Dr. Mark Styczynski","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894594","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:14","alt":"Dr. Mark Styczynski","file":{"fid":"192600","name":"styczynski.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/styczynski_2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/styczynski_2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1311463,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/styczynski_2.jpg?itok=SHUxP8YY"}}},"media_ids":["68544"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/styczynski.php","title":"Dr. Mark Styczynski"}],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"13531","name":"College of Engineering; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Mark Stycnski; DARPA Young Faculty Award"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68644":{"#nid":"68644","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Regenerative Medicine Seed Grant Announcement","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech\/Emory initiative in Regenerative Medicine, in partnership with the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI), is pleased to invite seed grant proposals in Regenerative Medicine. The research seed grant program will fund both multi-investigator teams and single investigators. The review committee will strive to make awards that reflect a balance between multi and single investigators and between basic science and translational research, with the latter including large animal studies and initial clinical studies. The desired portfolio should include a balance of Emory and Georgia Tech faculty. The award program also is available to be used to fund junior investigators in team or individual grants and can be used for the recruitment of outstanding young investigators.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EStrategic Priority Team Grants\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u25cf Applications should have a clinical target.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u25cf A team must have a minimum of two investigators and may include both basic scientists and clinicians. Collaborations among Emory and Georgia Tech and other ACTSI partner faculty will be encouraged.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u25cf Awards in general may be for up to $100,000 per year for no more than three years; however, where a larger budget is required, e.g. for large animal studies or a clinical study, an additional supplement may be possible.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInnovative Research Grants\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u25cf These grants will be funded at up to $50,000 per year, and based on satisfactory progress can be for up to three years.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u25cf Awards can be made to investigators who are addressing new questions or\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003Etaking new approaches.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u25cf Awards can be made to investigators not previously engaged in regenerative medicine research.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe success of the research grant program will be measured by the number of publications and follow-on extramural funding that is achieved from the seed grants and\/or the initiation of clinical studies. Any publications arising from a grant funded by this program is required to acknowledge this program and the ACTSI as the source of funds.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPurpose of the funds\u003C\/strong\u003E: Seed grant funds are intended to enable PI\u2019s to generate preliminary data that facilitates the submission of proposals for subsequent external funding or to provide the initial studies leading to a clinical trial.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWho may apply\u003C\/strong\u003E: Proposals may originate from a single PI or may be a collaboration between investigators. All tenured faculty, tenure-track faculty and clinical faculty whose appointments reside at Emory and Georgia Tech are eligible to apply.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBudget Information\u003C\/strong\u003E: Funds may be used for Ph.D. student\/postdoc support, animal studies, supplies, and limited travel as related to the conduct of the research. Faculty salary support is not appropriate. For Georgia Tech students supported on these funds, their tuition will be waived. Note that these are not intended to be multi-year grants, but rather to facilitate the generation of critical preliminary data or demonstrate feasibility of concepts that will lead\u0026nbsp;to external support through other federal or state agencies and\/or to clinical studies. At the time of this announcement the amount of funds available for this seed grant program has not been determined. Thus, the review committee reserves the right to make adjustments to the budgets of funded projects based on the total funds available. Furthermore, funds provided from ACTSI must be spent by May 31, 2012 and those provided by Georgia Tech by June 30, 2012.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDeadline\u003C\/strong\u003E: The deadline for submission of proposals is August 5th; however, a letter of intent with the title of the project, the names of investigators, and the proposed total budget must be submitted by e-mail no later than July 15th to Robert Nerem (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:robert.nerem@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Erobert.nerem@ibb.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E). Funding period will start no later than September 2011. IACUC\/IRB approvals (when appropriate) are necessary before funding can commence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProposal Format\u003C\/strong\u003E: The technical aspect of the proposal cannot exceed five pages and should include the following sections: a) brief introduction outlining the general problem and the specific aspect tackled by the proposed research; b.) specific aims; c.) a brief description of experiments proposed; and d.) outcomes anticipated. Budget request and a brief budget justification may be submitted using an additional page.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESubmission Instructions and Questions\u003C\/strong\u003E: Technical questions regarding the program may be addressed to Robert Nerem (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:robert.nerem@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Erobert.nerem@ibb.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u0026nbsp; Proposal should be submitted via email by 5 pm on August 5th to Megan McDevitt (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:megan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emegan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A Call for Investigator - Initiated Seed Grants in Regenerative Medicine, Deadline:  August 5, 2011"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERegenerative Medicine Seed Grant Announcement\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELetter of Intent due July 15, 2011\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProposal Deadline: \u0026nbsp;August 5, 2011\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A Call for Investigator - Initiated Seed Grants in Regenerative Medicine, Deadline:  August 5, 2011"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-06-29 13:30:41","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:40","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68646":{"id":"68646","type":"image","title":"Regenerative Medicine","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894597","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:17","alt":"Regenerative Medicine","file":{"fid":"192623","name":"regmed.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/regmed_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/regmed_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":15917,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/regmed_0.jpg?itok=voyQ2amb"}}},"media_ids":["68646"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.actsi.org\/","title":"ACTSI website"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"}],"keywords":[{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"13569","name":"Regenerative Medicine Seed Grant"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMegan McDevitt\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["megan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68645":{"#nid":"68645","#data":{"type":"news","title":"AAAS Profiles Gilda Barabino","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAuthor: Freelance Writer Jenisha Watts\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGilda Barabino teaches chemical engineering at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. She decided to study chemistry in college after her high school teacher told her class \u0022chemistry was not for girls.\u0022 Walk into Dr. Gilda Barabino\u2019s office at Georgia\u0027s Institute of Technology in Atlanta and scan the room. Each wall is lined with shelves, filled with thick science journals, hardback copies of Langston Hughes poems, and soft vintage novels by James Baldwin. Tucked between the shelves, a poster with a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the bold words, \u201cThe Right to be Free.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is a commemorative of Brown vs. the Board of Education, the landmark 1954 case where the Supreme Court ruled that state laws establishing \u0022separate but equal\u0022 public schools for white and black students was unconstitutional.The ruling paved the way for integration and the civil rights movement. For Barabino, an African American woman, the words on the wall are more than an inspirational slogan. They serve as a \u201cdaily reminder\u201d on how far black people have advanced in America. Gazing up at the poster, Barabino, says, \u0022The best science is conducted when we have the most inclusive group of people involved. You can\u2019t possibly have the best minds at the table if you exclude certain groups.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBarabino is Professor and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies at Georgia Tech and Emory University. She has degrees from Xavier University, B.S., and Rice University, Ph.D. In 1994, she received the Outstanding Engineering Faculty Award and in 2007, she was a fellow at the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. She\u2019s penned articles for numerous publications sharing her research on adhesion mechanisms in sickle cell disease, cellular, and tissue engineering. Chemistry helps explain the substances we ingest through the air we breathe and food we eat, she said. As a chemical engineer, Barabino applies her knowledge to help solve problems in medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile testing different experiments for her sickle cell research, she has learned, with medicine, \u201cmany times it is not the substance itself that is bad, but how it is being used,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have an agent that will prevent your cells from sickling, but will cause other problems because it is toxic,\u201d Barabino said. \u201cIf we use hydroxyurea, the body can tolerate that form, and we have an alternative antisickling agent.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EShe credits her high school only educated parents for her ambitious track record. \u201cThey instilled in me every day that education is important.\u201d A soft-spoken Barabino is quick to add, \u201cIn our family, it was just understood that you were going to college to obtain the highest degree.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA naturally curious girl, she had multiple interests in school subjects.\u0022I loved everything,\u0022 she says. It was her high school teacher who unknowingly set her down on a career path in science. \u201cShe told the class that chemistry was not for girls,\u201d Barabino recalls. \u201cI thought how dare you pick a group and say a particular subject is not acceptable for them!\u201d The pupil with the wide attentiveness roped in her focus. \u201cAnd that\u2019s really how I got started in chemistry,\u201d a proud Barabino said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThese days, she splits her time directing a laboratory and teaching chemical engineering courses and polymer science. She enjoys the research atmosphere, with lab benches as resting chairs, and bright colored molecules hanging up like wallpaper, just as much as she relishes sharpening future scholars minds in science.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI am so passionate about broadening the community of science. I don\u2019t want us to lose talent,\u201d Barabino said. \u201cI think it is important to give back because everyone does not have that same inner drive, some people need a little more nudging and support. I think it is even more important for people of color to give back. That\u2019s part of my mission.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The American Association for the Advancement of Science recently profiled BME\u0027s Gilda Barabino as part of their Member Spotlight"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe\u0026nbsp;American Association for the Advancement of Science\u0026nbsp;recently profiled BME\u0027s Gilda Barabino as part of their Member Spotlight.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-06-29 14:15:51","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:40","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"39912":{"id":"39912","type":"image","title":"BME Professor Gilda Barabino","body":null,"created":"1449174136","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:22:16","changed":"1475894244","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:37:24"}},"media_ids":["39912"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/groups.bme.gatech.edu\/groups\/barabino\/","title":"Barabino lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1629","name":"AAAS"},{"id":"2046","name":"gilda barabino"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJenisha Watts, AAAS\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68536":{"#nid":"68536","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Obama Taps Georgia Tech President for National Manufacturing Steering Committee","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPresident Barack Obama today named Georgia Tech President G. P. \u201cBud\u201d Peterson to the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership steering committee. The partnership will bring together industry, universities and the federal government to identify and invest in the key emerging technologies, such as information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology. The national initiative is designed to help U.S. manufacturers improve cost, quality and speed of production in order to remain globally competitive.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe applaud this initiative, and Georgia Tech is honored to collaborate to identify ways to strengthen the manufacturing sector to help create jobs in Georgia and across the United States,\u201d said Peterson, who also serves as a member of the Secretary of Commerce\u0027s National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe steering committee will guide the efforts of industry leaders, federal agency heads and university presidents, and will partner universities with industry and government agencies to develop new research and education agendas related to advanced manufacturing. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe president also announced a new National Robotics Initiative as part of the advanced manufacturing and technology focus. Henrik Christensen, KUKA Chair of Robotics for Georgia Tech, serves as an academic and research leader on the National Robotics Initiative.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Christensen, this is a critical time for the U.S. While the last 25 years saw tremendous progress due to the Internet, the next game-changing revolution will be robotics.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRobotics technology addresses a number of our nation\u2019s most critical needs, including reinvigorating the U.S. manufacturing base, protecting our citizens and soldiers, caring for our aging population, preserving our environment, and reducing our dependence on foreign oil,\u201d Christensen said. \u201cThrough the National Robotics Initiative, the United States can regain our leadership position from Europe, Japan and South Korea, both in terms of basic research and in terms of the application of the technology to secure future growth. As home to one of the nation\u2019s top robotics programs, Georgia Tech is an enthusiastic member of this strategic effort.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Advanced Manufacturing Partnership will commit to form a multiuniversity, collaborative framework for the sharing of educational materials and best practices relating to advanced manufacturing and its linkage to the innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESusan Hockfield, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Andrew Liveries of Dow Chemical are chairing the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership steering committee.\u0026nbsp; In addition to Peterson, other committee members include University of California at Berkley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman, Stanford President John Hennessy and Carnegie Mellon President Jared Cohon.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMany of our challenges can be solved through innovation and fostering an entrepreneurial environment, as well as collaboration between industry, education and government to create a healthy economic environment and an educated workforce,\u201d Peterson said. \u201cThis collaborative effort will facilitate job creation and global competitiveness and is a component of Georgia Tech\u2019s strategic plan.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"College of Computing Professor Leads National Robotics Roadmap"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHenrik Christensen (\u003Cem\u003EInteractive Computing\u003C\/em\u003E), \nKUKA Chair of Robotics for Georgia Tech, to serve as an academic and \nresearch leader on a new National Robotics Initiative announced by President Obama today. \u003Cem\u003ESource: GT Communications \u0026amp; Marketing\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27154","created_gmt":"2011-06-24 15:34:09","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:37","author":"Louise Russo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"13503","name":"Advanced Manufactuing"},{"id":"13504","name":"Advanced Manufacturing Partnership steering committee"},{"id":"2675","name":"economic"},{"id":"11890","name":"henrik christensen"},{"id":"215","name":"manufacturing"},{"id":"13502","name":"President G.P."},{"id":"769","name":"President Obama"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66538":{"#nid":"66538","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Alumnus Endows First Director\u0027s Chair for Research Institute at Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAlumnus\nParker H. \u201cPete\u201d Petit (ME 1962, MS EM 1964) recently made a commitment to\nestablish the first endowed director\u2019s chair for a research institute at\nGeorgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\nParker H. Petit Director\u2019s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience will be within\nthe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB), an\ninterdisciplinary research facility that Petit helped create with an endowment 15\nyears ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe\nnew endowed director\u2019s chair position is designed to significantly enhance\nIBB\u2019s ability to attract and retain an eminent researcher-scholar to this\nposition of academic leadership without regard to the academic discipline of\n\u2028the incumbent.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ERobert\nE. Guldberg, director of IBB, will be the first to hold the endowed position. A\nprofessor of mechanical engineering, Guldberg was named IBB director in 2009\nafter serving as associate director since 2004. Guldberg is widely recognized\nfor his research in biomechanics, biomaterials and tissue engineering with an\nemphasis on orthopedic applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPete\u2019s\npast generosity and good will toward Georgia Tech and IBB catalyzed the\nformation and growth of a unique and thriving bio-community,\u201d Guldberg said.\n\u201cNow, he is once again paving the way in support of innovation and\ninterdisciplinary research by providing this unique endowment\u2014the first of its\nkind on the Georgia Tech campus.\u201d\u2028\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EPetit\nis chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based MiMedx Group, an integrated\ndeveloper, manufacturer and marketer of patent-protected biomaterial-based\nproducts focused on augmenting the repair of traumatized tissues and\nstructures. An exceedingly active alumnus for nearly five decades, Petit serves\non the IBB Advisory Board, the Campaign Georgia Tech Steering Committee and the\nAlexander-Tharpe Fund Board of Trustees.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EPetit\nis also among a handful of Georgia Tech pioneers who recognized very early the\nvast potential of bioengineering and bioscience, and provided the significant\nsupport required for that potential to be realized.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETwenty-five\nyears ago, Petit established the Parker H. Petit Distinguished Chair for\nEngineering in Medicine in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical\nEngineering. In 1995, Petit committed an additional $5 million to establish an\nendowment for IBB. Petit is once again leading the way in providing vital\nsupport for the life sciences at his alma mater.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhat started in the mid 1980s as an initial\ninvestment on my part has resulted in this amazing program at Georgia Tech,\u201d\nPetit said. \u201cTo see this facility, and the students and faculty and the\ngroundbreaking interdisciplinary research they\u2019re doing in the facility\u2014there\u2019s\nno other word for it\u2014it\u2019s overwhelming.\u201d\u2028 \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe\nParker H. Petit Director\u2019s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience will be within\nthe Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB), an\ninterdisciplinary research facility that Petit helped create with an endowment 15\nyears ago.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The Parker H. Petit Director\u2019s Chair in Bioengineering and Bioscience is established at Georgia Tech."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-06-16 10:57:27","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:53","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"65673":{"id":"65673","type":"image","title":"Parker H. Pete Petit - Chairman \u0026 CEO MiMedx Group","body":null,"created":"1449176863","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:07:43","changed":"1475894582","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:02","alt":"Parker H. Pete Petit - Chairman \u0026 CEO MiMedx Group","file":{"fid":"192298","name":"Petit_Petit2.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Petit_Petit2_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Petit_Petit2_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":153441,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Petit_Petit2_0.png?itok=267B7pf9"}},"65935":{"id":"65935","type":"image","title":"Robert E. Guldberg, Director, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering \u0026 Bioscience","body":null,"created":"1449176884","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:08:04","changed":"1475894585","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:05","alt":"Robert E. Guldberg, Director, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering \u0026 Bioscience","file":{"fid":"192433","name":"Guldberg_Bob.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Guldberg_Bob_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Guldberg_Bob_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1526746,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Guldberg_Bob_0.jpg?itok=DBzh-Gld"}}},"media_ids":["65673","65935"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/director\/robert-e-guldberg","title":"Robert E. Guldberg, director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13428","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience; Pete Petit; Robert Guldberg"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66544":{"#nid":"66544","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Engineers Control the Environment to Direct Stem Cell Differentiation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EStem cell technologies have been proposed for cell-based diagnostics and regenerative medicine therapies. However, being able to make stem cells efficiently develop into a desired cell type -- such as muscle, skin, blood vessels, bone or neurons -- limits the clinical potential of these technologies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENew research presented on June 16, 2011 at the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) shows that systematically controlling the local and global environments during stem cell development helps to effectively direct the process of differentiation. In the future, these findings could be used to develop manufacturing procedures for producing large quantities of stem cells for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Stem cells don\u0027t make any decisions in isolation; their decisions are spatially and temporally directed by biochemical and mechanical cues in their environment,\u0022 said Todd McDevitt, director of the Stem Cell Engineering Center at Georgia Tech and an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u0022We have designed systems that allow us to tightly control these properties during stem cell differentiation, but also give us the flexibility to introduce a new growth factor or shake the cells a little faster to see how changes like these affect the outcome.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThese systems can also be used to compare the suitability of specific stem cell types for a particular use.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We have developed several platforms that will allow us to conduct head-to-head studies with different kinds of stem cells to determine if one type of stem cell outperforms another type for a certain application,\u0022 said McDevitt, who is also a Petit Faculty Fellow in the Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany laboratory growth methods allow stem cells to aggregate in three-dimensional clumps called \u0022embryoid bodies\u0022 during differentiation. McDevitt and biomedical engineering graduate student Andres Bratt-Leal incorporated biomaterial particles directly within these aggregates during their formation. They introduced microparticles made of gelatin, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) or agarose and tested their impact on the assembly, intercellular communication and morphogenesis of the stem cell aggregates under different conditions by varying the microsphere-to-cell ratio and the size of the microspheres.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that the presence of the biomaterials alone modulated embryoid body differentiation, but did not adversely affect cell viability. Compared to typical delivery methods, providing differentiation factors -- retinoic acid, bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) -- via microparticles induced changes in the gene and protein expression patterns of the aggregates.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy including tiny magnetic particles into the embryoid bodies during formation, the researchers also found they could use a magnet to spatially control the location of an aggregate and its assembly with other aggregates. The magnetic particles remained entrapped within the aggregates for the duration of the experiments but did not adversely affect cell viability or differentiation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022With biomaterial and magnetic microparticles, we are beginning to be able to recreate the types of complex geometric patterns seen during early development, which require multiple cues at the same time and the ability to spatially and temporally control their local presentation,\u0022 noted McDevitt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhile microparticles can be used to control differentiation by regulating the local environment, other methods exist to control differentiation through the global environment. Experiments by McDevitt and biomedical engineering graduate student Melissa Kinney have demonstrated that modulating hydrodynamic conditions can dictate the morphology of cell aggregate formation and control the expression of differentiated phenotypic cell markers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Because bioreactors typically impose hydrodynamic forces on cells to cultivate large volumes of cells at high density, our use of hydrodynamics to control cell fate decisions represents a novel, yet simple, principle that could be used in the future for the scalable efficient production of stem cells,\u0022 added McDevitt.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETechnologies capable of being directly integrated into bioprocessing systems will be the best choice for manufacturing large batches of stem cells, he noted. In the future, the development of multi-scale techniques that combine different levels of control -- both local and global -- to regulate stem cell differentiation may help the translation of stem cells into viable clinical therapies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Award No. CBET 0651739) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R01GM088291). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF or NIH.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E Georgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E 75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter: \u003C\/strong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ENew research shows that systematically controlling the local and global environments during stem cell development helps to effectively direct their differentiation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Controlling the environment during stem cell development matters."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-06-16 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:53","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"66545":{"id":"66545","type":"image","title":"Todd McDevitt","body":null,"created":"1449177176","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:12:56","changed":"1475894592","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:12"},"66546":{"id":"66546","type":"image","title":"Magnetic embryoid bodies","body":null,"created":"1449177176","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:12:56","changed":"1475894592","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:12"},"66547":{"id":"66547","type":"image","title":"Shaking stem cells","body":null,"created":"1449177176","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:12:56","changed":"1475894592","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:12"}},"media_ids":["66545","66546","66547"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=78","title":"Todd McDevitt"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/scec.gatech.edu\/","title":"Stem Cell Engineering Center"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"11533","name":"Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"13436","name":"embryoid bodies"},{"id":"7663","name":"magnetic particles"},{"id":"167413","name":"Stem Cell"},{"id":"171090","name":"Stem Cell Biology"},{"id":"171010","name":"Stem Cell Development"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66531":{"#nid":"66531","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Nature Magazine features GT\u0027s \u0022Out-of-the-box\u0022 Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT program at the Georgia Institute of Technology was mentioned in Nature Magazine on June 9\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E in \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/naturejobs\/science\/articles\/10.1038\/nj7350-241a\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGrowing with the flow\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E by Meredith Wadman as one of the few programs providing young researchers with \u201coutside-the-box opportunities\u201d for stem cell research amidst the funding feud.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELast year, the appeal to repeal the injunction blocking the NIH from funding research using embryonic stem cells was passed. A second victory for scientists recently occurred when courts ruled that \u201cthe Department of Health and Human Services would not prevent future presidents or Congresses from acting anew to limit government funding for research.\u201d However, there is still some public opposition to using human embryos for research. The NIH will fund $125 million to stem cell research this year alone, but scientists are wary knowing this funding comes without long-term security.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe article details programs available to young scientist considering careers in stem-cell research in the US and around the world. Ms. Wadman recommended stem cell PhD programs at Stanford, the Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at New York University School of Medicine, the University of Minnesota, and the Hanover Biomedical Research School in Germany.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe also commented on \u201cthe emerging need for biomanufacturures with stem-cell experitise, as exemplified by a new PhD prgoramme in stem-cell biomanufacturing at the Georgia Institute of Technology, funded by the US National Science Foundation. The programme opened its doors last year and is admitting six students per year. \u201cIf stem cells are going to move out of the lab, there will be lots of need for engineers to produce a large number of identical cells,\u201d says Aaron Levine, assistant professor of public policy at Georgia Tech and researcher involved in the IGERT.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT program is headed by co-directors, Todd McDevitt, PhD and Bob Nerem, PhD, and offers enormous promise for researchers to become experts in stem cell biomanufacturing for the development of cell-based therapies, including regenerative medicine, drug discovery and development, cell-based diagnostics, and cancer. With funding for the next 4 years, this IGERT program is transforming the potential of stem cells for PhD scientists and engineers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nature.com\/naturejobs\/science\/articles\/10.1038\/nj7350-241a\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EView Article Here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT featured in Nature Magazine"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Stem Cell Biomanufacturing IGERT program at the Georgia Institute of Technology was mentioned in Nature Magazine on June 9\u003Csup\u003Eth\u003C\/sup\u003E \u0026nbsp;in \u003Cem\u003EGrowing with the flow\u003C\/em\u003E by Meredith Wadman as one of the few programs providing young researchers with \u201coutside-the-box opportunities\u201d for stem cell research amidst the funding feud.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The IGERT program is providing young researchers with \u201coutside-the-box opportunities\u201d for stem cell research amidst the funding feud"}],"uid":"27487","created_gmt":"2011-06-15 11:20:41","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:53","author":"Megan Richards","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-15T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-15T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"66532":{"id":"66532","type":"image","title":"Stem Cells","body":null,"created":"1449177176","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:12:56","changed":"1475894592","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:12","alt":"Stem Cells","file":{"fid":"193318","name":"e3500x.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/e3500x_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/e3500x_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":289298,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/e3500x_0.jpg?itok=V2RyB95-"}}},"media_ids":["66532"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.nature.com\/naturejobs\/2011\/110609\/full\/nj7350-241a.html","title":"Biomedical Research: Growing with the flow"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.stemcelligert.gatech.edu\/about","title":"Stem Cell IGERT website"},{"url":"http:\/\/ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/center.ibb.gatech.edu\/scec\/hg_news\/66531","title":"SCEC"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"9555","name":"aaron levine"},{"id":"10506","name":"IGERT"},{"id":"3803","name":"nature"},{"id":"167499","name":"Stem Cell Biomanufacturing"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMegan Richards\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["megan.richards@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"68603":{"#nid":"68603","#data":{"type":"news","title":"RNA-driven genetic changes in bacteria and in human cells","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study demonstrates RNA-driven genetic changes in bacteria and in human \ncells. \u003Cbr \/\u003ENot long ago, it was considered that the major role played by RNA was \nto carry genetic information for protein synthesis. Although an astonishing \nvariety of RNA functions have been found in the last few decades, it has always \nbeen very difficult to determine if any RNA has the capacity to genetically \nmodify the DNA of cells.\u003C\/p\u003EA double-strand break in the DNA genome of human embryonic \nkidney cells was repaired by RNA-containing molecules, which restored the \nfunction of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene, making the human cells \nfluoresce green.\n\u003Cp\u003EBy using RNA-containing oligos, the Storici\u2019s team (Assistant Professor, \nSchool of Biology) has found that RNA can function as a template for DNA \nsynthesis without being reverse transcribed into cDNA, not only in yeast but \nalso in \u003Cem\u003EEscherichia coli\u003C\/em\u003E and in the human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) \ncells. These findings establish that a direct flow of genetic information from \nRNA to DNA can occur in organisms as diverse as bacteria and humans, and thus, \nit can be a significant source of genetic variation. The goal of future research \nis to understand the mechanisms by which RNA can directly transfer information \nto the DNA of cells and to reveal the circumstances in which RNA information can \nflow to DNA. \u003Cbr \/\u003EThe study, which was published April\u0026nbsp;14 in the advance online \nedition of the journal \u003Cem\u003EMutation Research\u003C\/em\u003E, was conducted by a group of \ngraduate and undergraduate students in the Storici\u2019s lab in the School of \nBiology at Georgia Tech in collaboration with Bernard Weiss from Emory \nUniversity School of Medicine. \u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"A new study demonstrates RNA-driven genetic changes in bacteria and in human cells."}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new study demonstrates RNA-driven genetic changes in bacteria and in human cells."}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2011-06-28 12:32:41","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:09:40","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"68624":{"id":"68624","type":"image","title":"RNA Strand","body":null,"created":"1449177185","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:13:05","changed":"1475894597","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:17","alt":"RNA Strand","file":{"fid":"192619","name":"rna_strand.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/rna_strand_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/rna_strand_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":43332,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/rna_strand_0.jpg?itok=fZn_Z57v"}}},"media_ids":["68624"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13560","name":"Francesca Storici"},{"id":"984","name":"RNA"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:admin@biology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eadmin@biology.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["admin@biology.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66421":{"#nid":"66421","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Professor Lu Receives Prize in Systems Biology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s\nSchool of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been selected to receive\nthe\u0026nbsp;CSB2 Prize in Systems Biology, which is sponsored by Merrimack\nPharmaceuticals and by the Council for Systems Biology in Boston.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe CSB2 Prize in Systems Biology is awarded\nannually to a young scientist for exceptional contributions to the development\nand implementation of new methods in biomedical research. Lu was selected for\ndevelopment of microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip instruments for manipulating and\nstudying living embryos and nematodes.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ELu, who is part of Georgia Tech\u2019s Parker H. Petit\nInstitute of Bioengineering and Bioscience, received her Ph.D. from the\nMassachusetts Institute of Technology in 2003 and served as a postdoc at\nthe\u0026nbsp;Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of California and\nthe Rockefeller University before coming to Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe has received other awards including the\u0026nbsp;DARPA Young Faculty Award,\nthe\u0026nbsp;DuPont Young Professor Award and the\u0026nbsp;National Institutes of\nHealth Mentored Quantitative Research CAREER Development Award. Her research\nlies at the interface of engineering and biology. Lu\u0027s lab engineers\nmicrofluidic devices and BioMEMS (Bio Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) to\nstudy neuroscience, genetics, cancer biology, systems biology, and\nbiotechnology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Council for Systems Biology in Boston\nbuilds local, regional, and national links between academic and industrial\nlaboratories active in the areas of systems and computational biology. CSB2 is\ndedicated to promoting quantitative, systems and synthetic biology in the\nBoston area and beyond by promoting interactions among academic and\npharmaceutical laboratories, organizing international symposia and recognizing\nthe achievements of promising young scientists and engineers.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EHang Lu, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been selected to receive the\u0026nbsp;CSB2 Prize in Systems Biology, which is sponsored by Merrimack Pharmaceuticals and by the Council for Systems Biology in Boston\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Hang Lu, associate professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been selected to receive the CSB2 Prize in Systems Biology."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-06-08 10:56:33","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:49","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-06-08T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-06-08T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"56261":{"id":"56261","type":"image","title":"Dr. Hang Lu","body":null,"created":"1449175629","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:47:09","changed":"1475894499","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:41:39","alt":"Dr. Hang Lu","file":{"fid":"190426","name":"tsb11903.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tsb11903_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tsb11903_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1388514,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tsb11903_0.jpg?itok=18sWpMAf"}}},"media_ids":["56261"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/lu.php","title":"Hang Lu"}],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"13349","name":"College of Engineering; School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; IBB; Hang Lu"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66218":{"#nid":"66218","#data":{"type":"news","title":"COE Associate Dean Named ITI Fellow","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBarbara Boyan, Ph.D., professor\u0026nbsp; and Price Gilbert Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering, has recently been named a Fellow of the International Team for Implantology (ITI). ITI is a unique network that unites professionals around the world from every field of implant dentistry and related tissue regeneration. As an independent academic association, it actively promotes networking and exchange among its membership.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EITI Fellows are recognized for their leadership in international, national or regional activities; record of publication and research in the area of implant dentistry; engagement in dental implant education; and demonstration of innovation and further development in the clinical implant dentistry field. Fellowship is conferred for a period of four years and is reviewed at the end of this period. It is only possible to become an ITI Fellow by nomination.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBoyan, a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, has research interests in bone and cartilage cell biology in the fields of orthopaedics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and oral health, with specific emphasis on the role of sex in determining how cells respond to steroid hormones and to biomaterials used in medical devices. She is past president, American Association for Dental Research; past secretary\/treasurer, Orthopaedic Research Society; member, Board of Directors: ArthroCare, Inc., IsoTis, Inc., and Carticept Medical, Inc.; and founder, OsteoBiologics, Inc.; Orthonics, Inc.; Biomedical Development Corporation; and Spherigenics, Inc.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBarbara Boyan, Ph.D., professor\u0026nbsp; and Price Gilbert Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Barbara Boyan, Ph.D., professor\u00a0 and Price Gilbert Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-05-18 10:07:52","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:45","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-05-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"66219":{"id":"66219","type":"image","title":"Barbara Boyan, PhD, Professor and Price Gilbert Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering","body":null,"created":"1449176931","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:08:51","changed":"1475894589","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:09","alt":"Barbara Boyan, PhD, Professor and Price Gilbert Jr. Chair in Tissue Engineering","file":{"fid":"192499","name":"barbaraboyan.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/barbaraboyan_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/barbaraboyan_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":42556,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/barbaraboyan_0.jpg?itok=zTRqNhJ5"}}},"media_ids":["66219"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/coe.gatech.edu\/content\/coe-associate-dean-named-iti-fellow","title":"COE article"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"9548","name":"Barbara Boyan"},{"id":"13174","name":"COE Associate Dean Named ITI Fellow"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66189":{"#nid":"66189","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars Annual Fundraising Dinner at Georgia Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EOn Saturday, May 21, 2011, the Parker H. Petit\nInstitute for Bioengineering \u0026amp; Bioscience (IBB) will host its\nthird\u0026nbsp;annual Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars fundraising dinner on\nthe campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology.\u0026nbsp;This event welcomes members\nof Atlanta\u2019s business community, university leaders and government officials to\ncome and support the innovative undergraduate research at IBB.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis year\u2019s dinner will feature guest speaker\nMitchell H. Gold, MD, who currently serves as president and chief executive\nofficer for Dendreon Corporation.\u0026nbsp;Gold will be describing an innovative\nnew cancer therapy in his presentation entitled, \u201cWinning the War.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDendreon, a Seattle-based company, recently\ncompleted a $70 million Immunotherapy Manufacturing Facility in Union City\nwhich brought over 450 jobs to Georgia. Dendreon\u2019s product, Provenge, is the\nfirst ever FDA-approved immunotherapy for prostate cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\nThe Petit Scholars program began in 2000 as part of a ten-year National\nSciences Foundation grant and has been continued and expanded with the help of\nprivate donations.\u0026nbsp; With this year\u2019s fundraising goal of $100,000,\nsponsorship opportunities are available at platinum, gold, silver and bronze\nlevels as well as individual dinner ticket purchases.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETo date, the Petit Scholars program has provided funding and programs\nfor 166 students from Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University,\nGeorgia State University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Agnes Scott\nCollege, Gwinnett Technical College and the University of Georgia over the past\n12 years.\u0026nbsp;IBB Undergraduate Research Scholars program is a competitive\nscholarship program that allows undergraduates to develop independent research\nprojects in Petit Institute laboratories under the director mentorship of a\ngraduate student and faculty member.\u0026nbsp; The programs\u2019 alumni go on to use\ntheir valuable research experiences in careers as research scientists,\nacademics and physicians.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Petit Undergraduate Research Scholars Annual Fundraising Dinner"}],"field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Delicious food, great music and all for a good cause!"}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-05-13 15:21:30","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:45","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-05-13T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-05-13T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"66209":{"id":"66209","type":"image","title":"Petit Scholars 2011-12","body":null,"created":"1449176931","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:08:51","changed":"1475894587","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:07","alt":"Petit Scholars 2011-12","file":{"fid":"192498","name":"scholars2011.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/scholars2011_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/scholars2011_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1318724,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/scholars2011_0.png?itok=XfOyha-H"}}},"media_ids":["66209"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/petit-scholars-dinner","title":"Dinner info and registration"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13159","name":"Dendreon"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"13160","name":"Mitchell Gold"},{"id":"901","name":"Parker H. Petit"},{"id":"857","name":"Petit Scholars"},{"id":"453","name":"undergraduate research"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMegan Graziano McDevitt\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMarketing and Event Manager\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66052":{"#nid":"66052","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Announces New Programs to Foster Entrepreneurship and Innovation","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs part of an ongoing effort to foster innovation and entrepreneurship within its campus community, the Georgia Institute of Technology has announced the creation of three new programs that will complement several well-established initiatives.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new programs stem from the findings of an innovation task force, co-chaired by Associate Vice President for Research Ravi Bellamkonda and College of Computing Professor Merrick Furst, that was created to support the strategic plan. The task force recommended a number of transformational changes in the Institute\u2019s approach to innovation, including new or expanded programs designed to provide both education and resources to campus innovators.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cInnovation is one of the Institute\u2019s primary strategic goals, so it\u2019s essential that we provide the Tech community with the support they need to develop and ultimately commercialize their research and ideas,\u201d said Stephen E. Cross, executive vice president for research.\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new initiatives include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Integrated Program for Startups, GT:IPS:\u003C\/strong\u003E GT:IPS combines a streamlined licensing program with organized support for faculty and student inventor-entrepreneurs. The program consists of two components: GT:IPS Facilitation and the GT:IPS License. GT:IPS Facilitation is a graduated program of support, information and education for new company founders, while the GT:IPS License offers the same terms to all Georgia Tech startups in the same field and provides the startup with transparency into the Georgia Tech Research Corporation\u2019s (GTRC) licensing processes. This program will accelerate the formation of robust Georgia Tech spin out companies and broader participation in entrepreneurship among faculty and students.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA new program designed for early stage for-profit, not-for-profit and policy startups\u003C\/strong\u003E that are both internal and external to Georgia Tech will be officially announced soon. Through a competitive application process, the program will offer 12 to 20 startups the opportunity to tap into Georgia Tech\u2019s entrepreneurial expertise and funding support provided through Georgia Tech\u2019s Edison fund and an investment fund managed through Imlay Investments. The pilot program will be co-directed by Merrick Furst and Nina Sawczuk, general manager of the Advanced Technology Development Center. Information on the application process and opportunities to contribute to the investment funds will be available within the next few weeks.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBio-impact Commercialization Team (BCT):\u003C\/strong\u003E The BCT is a focused, institutional commitment to translational research in biomedicine. A team with expertise in the bio-medical device space will work closely with faculty members and the venture capital community to facilitate translational research and commercialization. The BCT will focus specifically on translational research and development projects funded by the Wallace Coulter Foundation. This team is part of a larger effort to unify work at Tech and various health care strategic partners.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe new programs will complement the following existing initiatives at Tech:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInVenture Prize:\u003C\/strong\u003E The InVenture Prize is an innovation competition where Georgia Tech undergraduate teams create inventions that are judged by a panel of experts. The competition was broadcast live in March 2011 with seven finalist teams competing for more than $30,000 in cash prizes, patent filings funded by GTRC and a \u201cPeople\u2019s Choice\u201d award, sponsored by NCR Corporation.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETI:GER:\u003C\/strong\u003E The award-winning TI:GER Program is a partnership between Georgia Tech and Emory University School of Law that brings together PhD, MBA and law students to learn about the challenges of commercializing innovative technologies. As it approaches its 10th anniversary in 2012, TI:GER is now expanding to global entrepreneurship and has become an established part of the entrepreneurial education of graduate students on both campuses.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUniversity-Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP):\u003C\/strong\u003E The UIDP is an activity of the National Academies that works to demonstrate innovative approaches to research engagement and to improve relationships with private industry for research and commercialization of inventions. Associate Vice President for Research Jilda Garton serves as the president of the UIDP.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Fund for Innovation in Research and Education (GT FIRE):\u003C\/strong\u003E GT FIRE aims to facilitate planning for large extramural proposals \u2014 those that are of strategic value to the Institute and have more than $500,000 in direct costs per year \u2014 and to provide support for feasibility studies of transformative ideas in research and\/or education. Faculty submitted 42 transformative proposals this spring, of which three research-related ideas and four education-related ideas were selected for funding.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETechnology and Law:\u003C\/strong\u003E Georgia Tech is engaged with the Georgia State University College of Law\u2019s Center for Law, Health and Society and its Intellectual Property Advisory Board in the analysis of policy at the intersection of law and technology, particularly in emerging healthcare digital technologies. Ivan Allen College Associate Professor Roberta M. Berry leads the collaboration for Georgia Tech.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia VentureLab:\u003C\/strong\u003E This program provides comprehensive assistance to faculty members, research staff members and graduate students who want to form startup companies to commercialize the technology innovations they have developed. As a one-stop center for technology commercialization, VentureLab provides a clear pathway from laboratory innovation to the commercial market. VentureLab specialists help transform innovations into early-stage companies by assisting in business plan development, connecting the innovators with experienced entrepreneurs, locating sources of early-stage financing and preparing the new companies for the business world. The program has fostered, on average, one new spin out each month over the last three years.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs part of an ongoing effort to foster innovation and entrepreneurship within its campus community, the Georgia Institute of Technology has announced the creation of three new programs that will complement several well-established initiatives. Merrick Furst (\u003Cem\u003EComputer Science\u003C\/em\u003E) to co-direct program for early-stage startups. \u003Cem\u003ESource: GT Communications \u0026amp; Marketing\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27154","created_gmt":"2011-05-09 16:25:38","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:41","author":"Louise Russo","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66035":{"#nid":"66035","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Hosts Workshop on Stem Cell Engineering","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Stem Cell Engineering Center is hosting a half-day workshop on May 9, 2011 at the Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. \u0026nbsp;Seventy-five scientists and trainees from seven different departments at Georgia Tech, Emory University, Morehouse School of Medicine and the University of Georgia are convening to discuss research from various fields relating to stem cell engineering. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAligned with the mission of the Stem Cell Engineering Center, the purpose of this workshop is to cultivate teams of researchers from the basic sciences to address key hurdles and technological challenges currently impeding the development of stem cell therapeutics and diagnostics. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStem cells, or unspecialized cells, hold tremendous promise as a biological resource for regenerative medicine therapies, pharmaceutical discovery and development, and cell-based diagnostic assays. Transforming the potential of stem cells into viable biomedical technologies and commercial applications is dependent on developing efficient, robust, non-destructive and scalable strategies to control, assay and manufacture stem cells and stem cell-derived products. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany of the unique challenges posed by stem cell research could be addressed by applying innovative technological advances occurring in adjacent disciplines for similar purposes, but different applications. Presentations during the workshop will include talks on differentiation technologies, bioanalytical techniques, multi-scale phenotypic analysis and stem cell biomanufacturing. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech hosts half-day workshop on stem cell engineering\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The goal of workshop is to build inter-institutional partnerships and collaborations"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-05-09 13:13:30","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:41","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"66036":{"id":"66036","type":"image","title":"Stem cell bioprocessing","body":null,"created":"1449176916","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:08:36","changed":"1475894585","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:05","alt":"Stem cell bioprocessing","file":{"fid":"192455","name":"stem_cell_image.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stem_cell_image_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/stem_cell_image_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":9078,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/stem_cell_image_0.jpg?itok=qac1y6g7"}}},"media_ids":["66036"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/scec.gatech.edu\/","title":"Stem Cell Engineering Center"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13085","name":"Georgia Tech hosting workshop on stem cell engineering"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"760","name":"Todd McDevitt"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EColly Mitchell\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66044":{"#nid":"66044","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Tiltable Head Could Improve Robot Navigation of Disaster Debris","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESearch and rescue missions have followed each of the devastating earthquakes that hit Haiti, New Zealand and Japan during the past 18 months. Machines able to navigate through complex dirt and rubble environments could have helped rescuers after these natural disasters, but building such machines is challenging.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology recently built a robot that can penetrate and \u0022swim\u0022 through granular material. In a new study, they show that varying the shape or adjusting the inclination of the robot\u0027s head affects the robot\u0027s movement in complex environments.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We discovered that by changing the shape of the sand-swimming robot\u0027s head or by tilting its head up and down slightly, we could control the robot\u0027s vertical motion as it swam forward within a granular medium,\u201d said Daniel Goldman, an assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of Physics.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResults of the study will be presented on May 10 at the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Shanghai. Funding for this research was provided by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, National Science Foundation and Army Research Laboratory.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study was conducted by Goldman, bioengineering doctoral graduate Ryan Maladen, physics graduate student Yang Ding and physics undergraduate student Andrew Masse, all from Georgia Tech, and Northwestern University mechanical engineering adjunct professor Paul Umbanhowar.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The biological inspiration for our sand-swimming robot is the sandfish lizard, which inhabits the Sahara desert in Africa and rapidly buries into and swims within sand,\u0022 explained Goldman. \u0022We were intrigued by the sandfish lizard\u0027s wedge-shaped head that forms an angle of 140 degrees with the horizontal plane, and we thought its head might be responsible for or be contributing to the animal\u0027s ability to maneuver in complex environments.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor their experiments, the researchers attached a wedge-shaped block of wood to the head of their robot, which was built with seven connected segments, powered by servo motors, packed in a latex sock and wrapped in a spandex swimsuit. The doorstop-shaped head -- which resembled the sandfish\u0027s head -- had a fixed lower length of approximately 4 inches, height of 2 inches and a tapered snout. The researchers examined whether the robot\u0027s vertical motion could be controlled simply by varying the inclination of the robot\u0027s head.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBefore each experimental run in a test chamber filled with quarter-inch-diameter plastic spheres, the researchers submerged the robot a couple inches into the granular medium and leveled the surface. Then they tracked the robot\u0027s position until it reached the end of the container or swam to the surface. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers investigated the vertical movement of the robot when its head was placed at five different degrees of inclination. They found that when the sandfish-inspired head with a leading edge that formed an angle of 155 degrees with the horizontal plane was set flat, negative lift force was generated and the robot moved downward into the media. As the tip of the head was raised from zero to 7 degrees relative to the horizontal, the lift force increased until it became zero. At inclines above 7 degrees, the robot rose out of the medium.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The ability to control the vertical position of the robot by modulating its head inclination opens up avenues for further research into developing robots more capable of maneuvering in complex environments, like debris-filled areas produced by an earthquake or landslide,\u0022 noted Goldman. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe robotics results matched the research team\u0027s findings from physics experiments and computational models designed to explore how head shape affects lift in granular media. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022While the lift forces of objects in air, such as airplanes, are well understood, our investigations into the lift forces of objects in granular media are some of the first ever,\u0022 added Goldman.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor the physics experiments, the researchers dragged wedge-shaped blocks through a granular medium. Blocks with leading edges that formed angles with the horizontal plane of less than 90 degrees resembled upside-down doorstops, the block with a leading edge equal to 90 degrees was a square, and blocks with leading edges greater than 90 degrees resembled regular doorstops.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey found that blocks with leading edges that formed angles with the horizontal plane less than 80 degrees generated positive lift forces and wedges with leading edges greater than 120 degrees created negative lift. With leading edges between 80 and 120 degrees, the wedges did not generate vertical forces in the positive or negative direction.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing a numerical simulation of object drag and building on the group\u2019s previous studies of lift and drag on flat plates in granular media, the researchers were able to describe the mechanism of force generation in detail. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022When the leading edge of the robot head was less than 90 degrees, the robot\u0027s head experienced a lift force as it moved forward, which resulted in a torque imbalance that caused the robot to pitch and rise to the surface,\u0022 explained Goldman. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESince this study, the researchers have attached a wedge-shaped head on the robot that can be dynamically modulated to specific angles. With this improvement, the researchers found that the direction of movement of the robot is sensitive to slight changes in orientation of the head, further validating the results from their physics experiments and computational models.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBeing able to precisely control the tilt of the head will allow the researchers to implement different strategies of head movement during burial and determine the best way to wiggle deep into sand. The researchers also plan to test the robot\u0027s ability to maneuver through material similar to the debris found after natural disasters and plan to examine whether the sandfish lizard adjusts its head inclination to ensure a straight motion as it dives into the sand.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis material is based on research sponsored by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Award Number PHY-0749991, and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) under Cooperative Agreement Number W911NF-08-2-0004. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of NSF, ARL or the U.S. government.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers built a robot that can penetrate and \u0022swim\u0022 through granular material. In this study, they show that by varying the shape of the robot\u0027s head or by tilting it up or down, they can control the robot\u0027s vertical movement in complex environments.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Undulating robot provides insight into navigating disaster debris"}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-05-09 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:41","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-05-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"66066":{"id":"66066","type":"image","title":"Sandfish lizard","body":null,"created":"1449176916","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:08:36","changed":"1475894587","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:07","alt":"Sandfish lizard","file":{"fid":"192464","name":"sandfish_r077_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sandfish_r077_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/sandfish_r077_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":570410,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/sandfish_r077_hires_0.jpg?itok=rsuwvTSL"}},"66046":{"id":"66046","type":"image","title":"Sandfish robot","body":null,"created":"1449176916","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:08:36","changed":"1475894585","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:05"},"66047":{"id":"66047","type":"image","title":"wood blocks","body":null,"created":"1449176916","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:08:36","changed":"1475894585","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:05"}},"media_ids":["66066","66046","66047"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/user\/daniel-goldman","title":"Daniel Goldman"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.physics.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Physics"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12040","name":"Daniel Goldman"},{"id":"13093","name":"natural disaster"},{"id":"1356","name":"robot"},{"id":"667","name":"robotics"},{"id":"169581","name":"sandfish"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"168894","name":"search and rescue"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65972":{"#nid":"65972","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Gary May Named Dean of the College of Engineering","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a national search,\nGary S. May, alumnus, professor and current chair of Electrical and Computer\nEngineering, has been appointed as the next dean of Georgia Tech\u2019s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ECollege of\nEngineering\u003C\/a\u003E, effective July 1. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGary exemplifies the type of\nleadership qualities we hope to instill in each of our students,\u201d Provost\nRafael L. Bras said. \u201cAs a faculty member, administrator and representative of\nGeorgia Tech, his impact on his profession and on this institution has been\nprofound.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMay will succeed Don Giddens, who will be stepping down as dean of the College of Engineering, a post he has held since 2002, and retiring from the Institute at the end of June.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs\ndean, May will assume responsibility for directing the nation\u2019s largest\nengineering program, one that enrolls nearly 60 percent of Georgia Tech\u2019s student\nbody and is home to about half of its tenured and tenure-track faculty.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\nam grateful for the opportunity to lead a premier institution like the College\nof Engineering,\u201d said May. \u201cIt is truly an honor and a privilege to be\nentrusted with one of the world\u2019s most respected brands, and I am looking\nforward to working with faculty across the college to advance the quality of our\neducation and research programs.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA native of St. Louis,\nMissouri, May earned his bachelor\u2019s in electrical engineering at Georgia Tech as a student in Georgia Tech\u0027s Cooperative Education Program, a five-year accredited, academic program in which students alternate semesters of full-time study with semesters of full-time, paid employment directly related to their major. Current College of Engineering Dean Giddens was also a co-op student at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor his graduate studies, May\u0026nbsp;pursued\u0026nbsp;both his master\u2019s and doctoral degrees from the University of\nCalifornia, Berkeley. He returned to Tech as an assistant professor in 1991,\nachieving full professor status in 2000. Two years later he was tapped by\nthen-President Wayne Clough to serve as his faculty executive assistant, a role\nthat introduced him to administrative responsibilities at an institutional\nlevel.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMay,\nwho has chaired the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E since 2005, shared\nhis aspirations for the future of the college during a public presentation last\nmonth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMy vision is to create an\nenvironment where anyone with the aptitude and inclination to study engineering\nwill want to come to Georgia Tech,\u201d he said. In partnership with colleagues in\nthe other colleges, he added, \u201cwe will build a community of scholars to address\nthe issues and challenges of the world through technology.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGary\u2019s\nrecord of scholarship, his collaborative nature and his tireless mentorship to\nstudents are admirable,\u201d President Bud Peterson said. \u201cWe are very excited about the future of engineering\neducation and research at Georgia Tech under Gary\u2019s leadership.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBras thanked the members of\nthe search committee for their service, as well as the members of the larger\ncampus community who participated in the evaluation process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe\nconducted an international search to identify the best possible candidates to\nlead our largest academic unit,\u201d Bras said. \u201cThat the final choice for this\nmost important and desirable position is one of our own , as a graduate,\nprofessor and academic leader, speaks to the excellence of Georgia Tech.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a national search, Gary S. May, alumnus, professor and current chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been appointed as the next dean of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\u0022\u003ECollege of Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, effective July 1.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Alumnus to lead Georgia Tech\u0027s largest academic unit."}],"uid":"27299","created_gmt":"2011-05-06 08:59:24","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:41","author":"Michael Hagearty","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-05-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-05-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\/","title":"College of Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"}],"keywords":[{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"2078","name":"dean"},{"id":"2484","name":"Gary May"},{"id":"288","name":"Leadership"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65953":{"#nid":"65953","#data":{"type":"news","title":"CoE Dean Don Giddens Wins GT Ambassadors Award","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECoE Dean Don Giddens was recently awarded the GT Ambassadors Award for The Most Georgia Tech Spirit. The award is one of five awards given annually at the Up With the White and Gold Awards Ceremony to outstanding faculty and staff nominees by the GT Ambassadors as part of an effort to recognize those who work hard to positively affect the quality of education, research, and student life at Tech.\u0026nbsp; As with all of the GT Ambassadors\u0027 awards, a number of nominations are submitted anonymously by the entire organization, and then the top honorees (receiving the most nominations) are placed on a ballot for the organization to select a winner.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis particular award recognizes those professional members of the Tech community whose commitment extends beyond their realm of expertise to the a genuine love of and spirit for the Institute. Dean Giddens was naturally one of the top candidates for the Most Georgia Tech Spirit Award, as his commitment has spanned over 50 years from his time as a student here for all of his degrees, up until his impending retirement.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis year, the award was presented at the Up With the White and Gold ceremony on April 28th, in the Student Center Ballroom.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"CoE Dean Don Giddens was recently awarded the GT Ambassadors Award for The Most Georgia Tech Spirit."}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-05-04 13:34:03","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:41","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-05-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-05-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"63744":{"id":"63744","type":"image","title":"Don P. Giddens","body":null,"created":"1449176708","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:08","changed":"1475894559","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:39","alt":"Don P. Giddens","file":{"fid":"191865","name":"Giddens.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Giddens_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Giddens_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1037696,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Giddens_0.jpg?itok=pfze_qiD"}}},"media_ids":["63744"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.coe.gatech.edu\/","title":"College of Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13048","name":"CoE Dean Don Giddens Wins GT Ambassadors Award"},{"id":"2549","name":"Don Giddens"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65920":{"#nid":"65920","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NIH Awards $5 Million for Development of Hemorrhagic Fever Vaccines","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded nearly $5.4 million to a collaborative team of scientists at Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Texas Biomedical Research Institute to develop vaccines for prevention of deadly hemorrhagic fevers.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project focuses on the development of an effective vaccine for Ebola and Marburg virus infections, two members of a family named \u0022filoviruses\u0022 because they produce long filamentous particles.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe lead investigators include Richard Compans and Chinglai Yang at Emory University, Mark Prausnitz at Georgia Tech, and Jean Patterson and Ricardo Carrion at Texas Biomedical Research Institute.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Compans, \u0022These viruses cause severe hemorrhagic fevers with up to 90 percent mortality, and can be passed via person-to-person contact, thus posing a high risk in case of an epidemic outbreak as well as a possible bioterrorism threat.\u201d\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn ongoing research, the Emory group has developed virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines to prevent virus infection, and has shown that the Ebola VLPs stimulate immune cell activity and induce strong antibody responses, indicating that such VLPs could be effective vaccines to induce protective immunity against infection. They also have found that immunization with a mixture of DNA and VLP vaccines (DNA\/VLP) induced higher levels of protective immune responses in comparison to immunization with either vaccine alone.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We consider this to be one of the most promising and safest approaches to protecting against hemorrhagic fever viruses,\u0022 said Patterson, chair of the Department of Virology and Immunology at Texas Biomedical Research Institute.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, the researchers are testing these vaccines with a new skin delivery technology developed at Georgia Tech that could further increase such responses, with the aim of having a vaccine that can confer rapid and long-lasting protection against Ebola and Marburg virus infection. The results will identify the most effective candidate vaccine for human trials. The successful development of this vaccine strategy may also lead to vaccines against other viral hemorrhagic fevers, which still lack effective vaccines.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Administering these vaccines with a microneedle skin patch may increase the effectiveness of the vaccine, as well as potentially make vaccination simple and painless,\u0022 said Prausnitz, professor of chemical and biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University produced this news release.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Holly Korschun, Emory University (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:hkorsch@emory.edu\u0022\u003Ehkorsch@emory.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)(404-727-3990) or John Toon, Georgia Tech (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)(404-894-6986).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded nearly $5.4 million to a collaborative team of scientists at Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Texas Biomedical Research Institute to develop vaccines for prevention of deadly hemorrhagic fevers.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new grant advances the fight against hemorrhagic fever infections."}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2011-05-02 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:38","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-05-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"65921":{"id":"65921","type":"image","title":"Marburg virus virion","body":null,"created":"1449176884","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:08:04","changed":"1475894585","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:05","alt":"Marburg virus virion","file":{"fid":"192429","name":"ttj75176.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ttj75176_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ttj75176_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":81147,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ttj75176_0.jpg?itok=kQiF9g4e"}}},"media_ids":["65921"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/prausnitz.php","title":"Mark Prausnitz"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Chemical \u0026 Biomolecular Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"13022","name":"Ebola"},{"id":"13020","name":"hemorrhagic fever"},{"id":"13021","name":"Marburg"},{"id":"495","name":"Mark Prausnitz"},{"id":"7496","name":"microneedles"},{"id":"2076","name":"NIH"},{"id":"763","name":"vaccine"},{"id":"13023","name":"virus-like particle"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=jt7\u0022\u003EContact John Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"66340":{"#nid":"66340","#data":{"type":"news","title":"One Helluva Engineer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a presentation to an alumni group in Chattanooga, Tenn., in March, Georgia Tech\u2019s dean of engineering Don Giddens was posed a question: How will a University of Georgia engineering degree compare to one from Georgia Tech?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPerhaps it was a rhetorical question, but after some of the snickers in the crowd subsided, Giddens replied, \u201cFirst of all, one of the arguments that the University of Georgia used was that \u2026 they really needed to offer engineering and medicine both in order to be a first-tier university. So our kind of tongue-in-cheek comeback to that was, \u2018Are you going to add a third-rate engineering program and become a first-rate university?\u2019\u201d\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gtalumnimag.com\/?p=6176\u0022\u003E Read Full Article\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFollowing a presentation to an alumni group in Chattanooga, Tenn., in March, Georgia Tech\u2019s dean of engineering Don Giddens was posed a question: How will a University of Georgia engineering degree compare to one from Georgia Tech?\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2011-06-01 08:28:15","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:49","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-04-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"40276":{"id":"40276","type":"image","title":"Don Giddens","body":null,"created":"1449174171","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:22:51","changed":"1475894298","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:38:18"}},"media_ids":["40276"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2551","name":"College of  Engineering"},{"id":"2549","name":"Don Giddens"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65684":{"#nid":"65684","#data":{"type":"news","title":"An Update on Budgets and Tuition","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETo the campus community of Georgia Tech:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWith the conclusion of the state legislative session and the monthly Board of Regents meeting occurring within the same week, I wanted to take the opportunity to provide an update on our current financial situation, as well as how some of the actions to date will impact the members of our community.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EPrior to its adjournment last week, the Georgia General Assembly passed its proposed Fiscal Year 2012 budget and sent it to the governor for his review and signature. At this point, the expectation is that Georgia Tech will receive another significant reduction in its state appropriation. In addition, the state formula funding \u2014 money allocated by the legislature to support growth of an institution\u2019s enrollment \u2014 has been frozen for the first time. \u0026nbsp;All told, this represents an additional reduction in the funds available to the Institute of between $16 to $18 million.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETo offer some perspective: over the past four years, Georgia Tech\u2019s state allocation has been reduced by almost $90 million, or approximately 31 percent, and the state contribution now accounts for less than 17 percent of our overall budget. While we have taken steps to mitigate the effect of these reductions, we are not able to absorb these cuts and still preserve the quality of our academic programs, and provide the educational experience consistent with other top-tier public research universities. \u0026nbsp;With pay freezes already in place for three years, cuts to our state appropriation and increased efficiencies already implemented, it is necessary to seek other alternatives, including additional tuition and fees, to offset these reductions in state support for higher education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ETuition and fees are directly responsible for the quality of the student education and experience. These include instructional and student-related activities; critical academic issues such as the student-faculty ratio, which has increased from 21 to 1 four years ago to 23 to 1 today; the availability of course sections for our undergraduates; and the operation of world-class academic and research facilities.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs some of you know, the HOPE Scholarship was the subject of intense debate during the recent legislative session. \u0026nbsp;Due to rising student enrollment and tuition costs, Governor Nathan Deal and the General Assembly leaders recalibrated the merit-based program in order to preserve its financial health for future generations of Georgians. All of us applaud those efforts by the governor and the legislature. In another year of tough choices, preserving as much of the HOPE Scholarship program as possible was the right thing to do.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis week, the University System of Georgia\u0027s Board of Regents \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/news\/release\/regents_approve_three_percent_tuition_increase_for_fall_2011\/\u0022\u003Emet to set tuition and fees for its member institutions, taking in to consideration the needs of our institutions\u003C\/a\u003E, the declining direct state budget support and the overall economic condition of Georgia and the nation. In so doing, the Regents voted to approve a 3 percent tuition increase for resident students as well as an additional mandatory $350 special institutional fee per semester for Georgia Tech. With these funds we plan to hire additional faculty to accommodate our enrollment growth, continue financial aid relief for our neediest students and support our important academic initiatives, including funds to operate the new Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech, like families throughout the state and nation, continues to face challenging economic times. Our first priority is to preserve the value of the degrees that we award to our students to ensure that we prepare them for an increasingly competitive and global job market. These increases represent an investment in the future of our institution, and I want to express my deepest appreciation to our faculty, staff, students and alumni as we work to ensure the quality of our educational and research programs and maintain our status as Georgia\u2019s premier public university.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003EG. P. \u201cBud\u201d Peterson\u2028\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPresident, Georgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"President Peterson letter to the GT community"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-04-20 14:26:55","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:34","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-04-19T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"46093":{"id":"46093","type":"image","title":"G.P. \u0022Bud\u0022 Peterson","body":null,"created":"1449174347","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:25:47","changed":"1484079169","gmt_changed":"2017-01-10 20:12:49","alt":"","file":{"fid":"100978","name":"tab25309.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tab25309_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tab25309_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":49274,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tab25309_0.jpg?itok=gM1PWEHz"}}},"media_ids":["46093"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"}],"keywords":[{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65568":{"#nid":"65568","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Get Ready to Flash Your Intelligence","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EDon\u2019t miss out on a chance to participate in a unique event that\nbrings together public art and science in an innovative way.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGroup Intelligence,\u201d a flash-mob inspired MP3 experience is\ncoming to Atlanta this month, sponsored by the Out of Hand Theater and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/centerforchemicalevolution.com\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Chemical Evolution\u003C\/a\u003E.\nThe center is a collaboration of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory\nUniversity, funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe first \u201cGroup Intelligence\u201d flash mob will be held at the Emory\nquad at 7 p.m. April 14-16.\u0026nbsp; Group\nIntelligence will spread to downtown Atlanta\u2019s Woodruff Park at 7 p.m. April 21-23. From\nthere, the mob will go international to the Oreol Festival in the Netherlands\nthis June.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThis experiment in the convergence of science and art will help\nparticipants understand the behavior of molecules.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce participants have registered for one of six\nperformances, they receive an MP3 track to download, or they sign up to borrow\nan MP3 player at the event. Following cues on the MP3 track, participants\ntransform into performers and a spontaneous spectacle unfolds for onlookers.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring the experience, participants travel together, solve\nproblems, do a little work, have a lot of fun, build something extraordinary\ntogether and ultimately, achieve \u0022Group Intelligence.\u0022 How hard they work is up\nto each individual, but the diversity of the group is key.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe behavior of a group of molecules can be much more\ncomplex than the individual molecules alone, much more than the sum of its\nparts,\u201d said Martha Grover, Georgia Tech associate professor of chemical and biomolecular\nengineering and member of the Center for Chemical Evolution.\u0026nbsp; \u201cThis is\nespecially true when the group contains a diverse set of molecules.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA similar emergence of complexity occurs in groups of\npeople.\u0026nbsp; In \u2018Group Intelligence\u2019, the participants will actively\nexperience this important scientific concept.\u0026nbsp; We think this will be more\neffective than simply lecturing about it.\u0026nbsp; We also think it will be more\nfun,\u201d Grover added.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u201cGroup Intelligence\u201d performances are free and open to\nthe public, including children ages 12 and older. Visit the Out of Hand Theater\nwebsite to register. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Center for Chemical Evolution strives to educate the\npublic on current scientific theories pertaining to the chemical origins of\nlife and early evolution.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBy participating in \u201cGroup Intelligence,\u201d two things will be\nclear:\u0026nbsp; Order comes out of disorder and chemistry\nis much more fascinating than we ever imagined.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAll too often, science is seen as dull and irrelevant to\nour daily lives,\u201d said Meisa Salaita, coordinator for education, outreach and\ndiversity at the Center for Chemical Evolution. \u0026nbsp;\u201cBy working with a group\nlike Out of Hand Theater, we are able to work on reversing this bad reputation,\nbringing our science out to the public in a way that is fun and non-threatening\n\u2013 teaching them about the scientific advances we are making thanks to their tax\ndollars. \u201c\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGroup Intelligence,\u201d a flash-mob inspired MP3 experience is\ncoming to Atlanta this month, sponsored by the Out of Hand Theater and the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/centerforchemicalevolution.com\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Chemical Evolution\u003C\/a\u003E.\nThe center is a collaboration of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory\nUniversity, funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Don\u2019t miss out on a chance to participate in a unique event that brings together public art and science."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-04-14 13:02:55","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:34","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-04-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-04-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"65567":{"id":"65567","type":"image","title":"Group Intelligence, a mass MP3 experience","body":null,"created":"1449176863","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:07:43","changed":"1475894579","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:59","alt":"Group Intelligence, a mass MP3 experience","file":{"fid":"193241","name":"GIflyerweb-crop.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/GIflyerweb-crop.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/GIflyerweb-crop.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":25691,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/GIflyerweb-crop.jpg?itok=3S1JzyVw"}}},"media_ids":["65567"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.outofhandtheater.com\/","title":"Out of Hand Theater - \u0022Group Intelligence\u0022 information"},{"url":"http:\/\/centerforchemicalevolution.com\/learn","title":"Center for Chemical Evolution"},{"url":"http:\/\/esciencecommons.blogspot.com\/2011\/04\/flash-your-intelligence.html","title":"Emory University"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65396":{"#nid":"65396","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Two Georgia Tech Students Win Goldwater Scholarships","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETwo undergraduates from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Engineering have been named 2011 Goldwater Scholars.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAllison Del Giorno, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering and minoring in biomedical engineering, and Chun Yong, a junior biomedical engineering student, were awarded Goldwater Scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic year. Del Giorno will also receive the scholarship for her senior year. \u0026nbsp;Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for undergraduate tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,500 annually.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation awarded a total of 275 scholarships to undergraduate sophomores and juniors from the United States. The purpose of the foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s clear why Georgia Tech\u2019s Del Giorno and Yong were recommended for and honored with the Goldwater Scholarship.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDel Giorno, a Georgia Tech President\u2019s Scholar, has held a National Institutes of Health Intramural Research Training Award at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and another at the National Institute of Bioengineering and Biomedical Imaging. \u0026nbsp;She received a Northrop Grumman Engineering Scholarship upon entering Georgia Tech. \u0026nbsp;Del Giorno is studying electrical engineering approaches to the nervous system, specifically investigating the spatiotemporal electrical properties of neurons that control respiration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOnce finished with her undergraduate studies, Del Giorno plans to pursue a doctorate in computational neuroscience to conduct neuroscience research focused on fundamental discoveries for clinical applications. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022I feel so blessed that I was chosen for the Goldwater Scholarship,\u201d said Del Giorno, a native of Eldersburg, Md. \u201cI have amazing family, friends and professors who continue to encourage and guide me as I pursue a career in the neuroscience field.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother Goldwater Scholar, Yong has received many accolades during his time at Georgia Tech. He was honored as a 2010 Petit Research Scholar and also won several President\u2019s Undergraduate Research Awards. Yong participated in the National Science Foundation\u2019s Research Experiences for Undergraduates and held a Russ Bell Undergraduate Research Scholarship. This summer, he will be attending the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EYong is co-founder of a new Biomedical Research and Opportunities Society, executive vice president of the American Medical Student Association and a member of the Biomedical Engineering Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2003, Yong and his family moved to Suwanee, Ga., after living in Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. He is providing for his family as well as doing research, which focuses on insulin-dependent diabetes. He has worked with Professor Athanassios Sambanis\u2019 Lab in the Institute of Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech to develop cell-delivering microcapsules for the treatment of diabetes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to Del Giorno and Yong, Georgia Tech\u2019s Katy Hammersmith, a biomedical engineering sophomore, and Jason Frieman, an aerospace engineering junior, received Honorable Mention from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech can nominate only four students for the Goldwater Scholarship, and it is unusual for all to receive recognition as they did this year, said Karen Adams, interim director of the Fellowship Office at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, who served his country for 56\u0026nbsp;years as a soldier and statesman, including 30\u0026nbsp;years of service in the U.S.\u0026nbsp;Senate.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAllison Del Giorno, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering and minoring in biomedical engineering, and Chun Yong, a junior biomedical engineering student, were awarded Goldwater Scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic year.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Two undergraduates from Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Engineering have been named 2011 Goldwater Scholars."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-04-06 11:09:58","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:30","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-04-06T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-04-06T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"65411":{"id":"65411","type":"image","title":"Allison Del Giorno","body":null,"created":"1449176831","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:07:11","changed":"1475894579","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:59","alt":"Allison Del Giorno","file":{"fid":"193217","name":"Allison_Del_Giorno_-_Goldwater.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Allison_Del_Giorno_-_Goldwater.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Allison_Del_Giorno_-_Goldwater.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1305038,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Allison_Del_Giorno_-_Goldwater.jpg?itok=1aS96oOC"}}},"media_ids":["65411"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.act.org\/goldwater\/","title":"Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"12684","name":"Goldwater Scholarships"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65366":{"#nid":"65366","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Adaptation in Proteins Provides Evidence that Organisms on Early Earth Lived in a Hot, Acidic Environment","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study reveals that a group of ancient enzymes adapted to substantial changes in ocean temperature and acidity during the last four billion years, providing evidence that life on Early Earth evolved from a much hotter, more acidic environment to the cooler, less acidic global environment that exists today.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study found that a group of ancient enzymes known as thioredoxin were chemically stable at temperatures up to 32 degrees Celsius (58 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than their modern counterparts. The enzymes, which were several billion years old, also showed increased activity at lower pH levels -- which correspond to greater acidity.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This study shows that a group of ubiquitous proteins operated in a hot, acidic environment during early life, which supports the view that the environment progressively cooled and became more alkaline between four billion and 500 million years ago,\u0022 said Eric Gaucher, an associate professor in the School of Biology at the Georgia Institute of Technology.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, which was published April 3 in the advance online edition of the journal \u003Cem\u003ENature Structural \u0026amp; Molecular Biology\u003C\/em\u003E, was conducted by an international team of researchers from Georgia Tech, Columbia University and the Universidad de Granada in Spain.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMajor funding for this study was provided by two grants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to Georgia Tech, a grant from the National Institutes of Health to Columbia University, and a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation to the Universidad de Granada.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUsing a technique called ancestral sequence reconstruction, Gaucher and Georgia Tech biology graduate student Zi-Ming Zhao reconstructed seven ancient thioredoxin enzymes from the three domains of life -- archaea, bacteria and eukaryote -- that date back between one and four billion years. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo resurrect these enzymes, which are found in nearly all known modern organisms and are essential for life in mammals, the researchers first constructed a family tree of the more than 200 thioredoxin sequences available from the three domains of life. Then they reconstructed the sequences of the ancestral thioredoxin enzymes using statistical methods based on maximum likelihood. Finally, they synthesized the genes that encoded these sequences, expressed the ancient proteins in the cells of modern Escherichia coli bacteria and then purified the proteins.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022By resurrecting proteins, we are able to gather valuable information about the adaptation of extinct forms of life to climatic, ecological and physiological alterations that cannot be uncovered through fossil record examinations,\u0022 said Gaucher.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe reconstructed enzymes from the Precambrian period -- which ended about 542 million years ago -- were used to examine how environmental conditions, including pH and temperature, affected the evolution of the enzymes and their chemical mechanisms.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Given the ancient origin of the reconstructed thioredoxin enzymes, with some of them predating the buildup of atmospheric oxygen, we thought their catalytic chemistry would be simple, but we found that thioredoxin enzymes use a complex mixture of chemical mechanisms that increases their efficiency over the simpler compounds that were available in early geochemistry,\u0022 said Julio Fern\u00e1ndez, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences professor at Columbia University.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFern\u00e1ndez led a team that included Columbia University postdoctoral researchers Raul Perez-Jimenez, Jorge Alegre-Cebollada and Sergi Garcia-Manyes, and graduate student Pallav Kosuri in using an assay based on single molecule force spectroscopy to measure the activity level of the thioredoxin enzymes under different pH levels. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor their experiments, the researchers used an atomic force microscope to pick up and stretch an engineered protein in a solution containing thioredoxin. They first applied a constant force to the protein, causing it to rapidly unfold and expose its disulfide bonds to the thioredoxin enzymes. The rate at which a thioredoxin enzyme snipped the disulfide bonds determined the enzyme\u0027s level of efficiency. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study results showed that the three oldest thioredoxin enzymes -- those thought to have inhabited Earth 4.2 to 3.5 billion years ago -- were able to operate in lower pH environments than the modern thioredoxin enzymes.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our analysis indicates that ancient thioredoxin enzymes were well adapted to function under acidic conditions and that they maintained their high level of activity as they evolved in more alkaline environments,\u0022 said Fern\u00e1ndez.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo measure the temperature range in which the enzymes operated, professor Jose Sanchez-Ruiz and graduate student Alvaro Ingl\u00e9s-Prieto from the Departamento de Qu\u00edmica-F\u00edsica at the Universidad de Granada in Spain used a technique called differential scanning calorimetry. This method measures the stability of enzymes by heating the enzymes at a constant rate and measuring the heat change associated with their unfolding.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers found that the ancient proteins were stable at temperatures up to 32 degrees Celsius higher than the modern thioredoxins. The experiments showed that the enzymes exhibited higher temperature stability the older they were. The results provide evidence that ancestral thioredoxins adapted to the cooling trend of ancient oceans, as inferred from geological records.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our results confirm that life has the remarkable ability to adapt to a wide range of historical environmental conditions; and by extension, life will undoubtedly adapt to future environmental changes, albeit at some cost to many species,\u0022 said Gaucher.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis study also showed that the experimental resurrection of ancient proteins together with the sensitivity of single-molecule techniques can be a powerful tool for understanding the origin and evolution of life on Earth. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are currently using this strategy to assess other enzymes to get a clearer picture of what life was like on Early Earth. They are also applying these tools to the field of biotechnology, where enzymes play important roles in many industrial processes. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The functions and characteristics we observed in the ancestral enzymes show that our techniques can be implemented to generate improved enzymes for a wide range of applications,\u0022 added Perez-Jimenez.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (Award Nos. NNX08AO12G and NNA09DA78A). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not necessarily represent the official view of NASA.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new study reveals that a group of ancient enzymes adapted to substantial changes in ocean temperature and acidity during the last four billion years, providing evidence that life on Early Earth evolved from a much hotter, more acidic environment.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Protein adaptation provides evidence for hot, acidic Early Earth."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-04-04 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:18","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"65367":{"id":"65367","type":"image","title":"Eric Gaucher and Zi-Ming Zhao","body":null,"created":"1449176831","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:07:11","changed":"1475894577","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:57","alt":"Eric Gaucher and Zi-Ming Zhao","file":{"fid":"192226","name":"twj48150.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/twj48150_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/twj48150_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1357353,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/twj48150_0.jpg?itok=suDUtRKg"}},"65368":{"id":"65368","type":"image","title":"Eric Gaucher","body":null,"created":"1449176831","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:07:11","changed":"1475894577","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:57","alt":"Eric Gaucher","file":{"fid":"192227","name":"tdy48150.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tdy48150_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tdy48150_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1043179,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tdy48150_0.jpg?itok=tu2CE2mu"}}},"media_ids":["65367","65368"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1038\/nsmb.2020","title":"Nature Structural \u0026 Molecular Biology paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/eric-gaucher","title":"Eric Gaucher"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Biology"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12665","name":"Acidity"},{"id":"12662","name":"Ancestral"},{"id":"12663","name":"ancestral proteins"},{"id":"12657","name":"ancient protein"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"12661","name":"Early Earth"},{"id":"807","name":"environment"},{"id":"7735","name":"enzyme"},{"id":"5079","name":"Eric Gaucher"},{"id":"9854","name":"Origin Of Life"},{"id":"12660","name":"Origin Of Species"},{"id":"12664","name":"PH"},{"id":"12659","name":"Precambrian"},{"id":"12666","name":"Protein Stability"},{"id":"12667","name":"resurrected protein"},{"id":"7510","name":"temperature"},{"id":"12658","name":"thioredoxin"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65420":{"#nid":"65420","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Prof\u2019s Teaching Reaches Students Beyond Tech","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThanks to videoconferencing equipment and a few large-screen televisions, Jennifer Curtis is reaching out to students beyond Tech\u2019s Midtown campus. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurtis, an assistant professor in the School of Physics, participates in the Direct to Discovery program, a Georgia Tech Research Institute program that brings research labs into K-12 classrooms with a little help from technology.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe program\u2019s goal is to help students better understand various areas of science and mathematics in a way that fosters ongoing interest in these areas. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSince my lab is so interdisciplinary, we can tie into the curriculum of a physics, chemistry or biology class,\u201d she said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Kimm Bankston, the Winder-Barrow high school teacher Curtis has worked with, the demos have been quite successful and have stimulated student discussions about science that extend beyond the classroom.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI think the program is an excellent way to inspire the next generation of engineers and scientists,\u201d Curtis added.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecently, The Whistle had an opportunity to learn more about Curtis and her approach to teaching. Here\u2019s what we learned:\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did you get to Georgia Tech?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2006, both my husband and I were seeking tenure-track academic positions. In the end, it was clear that Tech was the best fit for our combined interests both professionally and personally.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did you become interested in your area of teaching and research? \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen I started out as an undergraduate at Columbia University, I wanted to pursue photography and writing. But I experienced a major creative block, which led me back to my first love, science and mathematics. The next semester, I started taking physics classes and the rest is history. As for becoming a biophysicist, I always loved biology and after observing that some of the most interesting work done by physicists was in the area of biophysics, I knew where I needed to be. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIn a few sentences, tell us a little bit about your research focus.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003EMy research group studies the mechanics of cells and biomaterials. Also, we invent or develop unique tools to help answer questions about, for example, the coating of a \u0026nbsp;cell. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat is your greatest challenge as an instructor, and how have you dealt with it?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHelping students figure out how to learn and study effectively is always a challenge. For example, there is always a large group of students who work very hard and spend vast amounts of time studying for my introductory physics course. Yet, their performance on tests does not reflect their efforts. I am experimenting with how to instruct students to get to the point where they can internalize and comprehend the difference between deeply understanding how and why they solve problems a certain way versus superficially memorizing or accepting a concept or problem-solving strategy in physics.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat piece of technology could you not live without as an instructor?\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EI think a tablet PC works wonders for large classroom lecture halls. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhere is the best place to grab lunch and what do you order?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMy favorite place used to be Bobby and June\u2019s, but it recently closed. I\u2019d order the Salisbury steak with a side or two of vegetables.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETell me something unusual about yourself.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen I was younger, I was a competitive \u00e9p\u00e9e fencer and trained several hours a day while I was in high school and for part of my time in college.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThanks to videoconferencing equipment and a few large-screen televisions, Jennifer Curtis is reaching out to students beyond Tech\u2019s Midtown campus.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Thanks to videoconferencing equipment and a few large-screen televisions, Jennifer Curtis is reaching out to students beyond Tech\u2019s Midtown campus."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2011-04-07 09:45:13","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:30","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-04-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"65421":{"id":"65421","type":"image","title":"Jennifer Curtis","body":null,"created":"1449176831","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:07:11","changed":"1475894579","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:59","alt":"Jennifer Curtis","file":{"fid":"193218","name":"Curits_Photo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Curits_Photo.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Curits_Photo.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4074113,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Curits_Photo.jpg?itok=qwtlNjB6"}}},"media_ids":["65421"],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"5081","name":"Jennifer Curtis"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.pavlik@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Pavlik\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications \u0026amp; Marketing\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-4142\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65178":{"#nid":"65178","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Pediatric Nanomedicine Center Links Health Care and Engineering","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPhysicians and engineers\nwithin a new center devoted to pediatric nanomedicine will develop targeted,\nmolecular-sized nanoparticles as part of a unique approach to treating\npediatric diseases. Specific focus areas will include pediatric heart disease\nand thrombosis, infectious diseases, cancer, sickle cell disease and cystic\nfibrosis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Center for Pediatric\nNanomedicine (CPN) is the first of its kind in the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EDirected by Gang Bao, the\ncenter will involve researchers from Emory University, the Georgia Institute of\nTechnology and Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBecause nano-scale\nstructures are compatible in size to biomolecules, nanomedicine provides\nunprecedented opportunities for achieving better control of biological\nprocesses and drastic improvements in disease detection, therapy and\nprevention,\u201d says Bao, the Robert A. Milton Professor of Biomedical Engineering\nin the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech\nand Emory University.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ENanomedicine involves the\ndevelopment of engineered nanoscale structures and devices for better\ndiagnostics and highly specific medical interventions to treat diseases and\nrepair damaged tissues. One nanometer is one-billionth of a meter.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe CPN is part of the\nEmory-Children\u2019s Pediatric Research Center led by the two institutions,\nincluding partnerships with Georgia Institute of Technology and Morehouse School\nof Medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the leadership of Dr. Paul\nSpearman, Children\u2019s chief research officer and vice chair for research in the\nEmory University Department of Pediatrics, 14 key priority centers have been\nidentified. These are hematology and oncology; immunology and vaccines;\ntransplant immunology and immune therapeutics; pediatric healthcare technology\ninnovation; cystic fibrosis; developmental lung biology; endothelial biology;\ncardiovascular biology; drug discovery; autism; neurosciences; nanomedicine; outcomes\nresearch and public health; and clinical and translational research.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EEmory and Georgia Tech\nalready have had significant and successful research partnerships in\nnanomedicine funded by the National Institutes of Health. These have included\nnanotechnology center of excellence for the detection and treatment of\ncardiovascular disease, the development of personalized and predictive\noncology, and the development of engineered protein machines for treating\nsingle-gene disorders.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNanotechnology can be\napplied to many diseases, and the application of nanotechnology could have a\nprofound impact on improving children\u2019s health,\u201d says Bao.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrent centers located in\nthe joint Georgia Tech-Emory biomedical engineering department include the\nCenter for Translational Cardiovascular Nanomedicine (funded by a $14.6\nmillion, five-year grant from NHLBI\/NIH) and the Nanomedicine Center for\nNucleoprotein Machines (funded by a $16.1 million, five-year grant from NIH).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe discoveries made in\nthese centers also will be applied to research in pediatric diseases. For\nexample, scientists in the center for nucleoprotein machines are focused on\ndeveloping a technology to correct single-gene defects that lead to human\ndisease. They hope to use this approach to treat and eventually cure sickle\ncell disease, first focusing on curing a mouse model of sickle cell. The new\ntechnology would then be applied to human sickle cell patients.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNanomedicine is expected to\ndramatically exceed what has occurred in the field thus far, and our belief is\nthat it will revolutionize medicine,\u201d says Bao. \u201cWe plan to make this new\npediatric nanomedicine center a leader in applying these unique discoveries to\ntreating and curing children\u2019s diseases.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe biomedical engineering\nfaculty members who are involved in the CPN activities include:\u0026nbsp;Dr. Wilbur\nLam, biomedical engineer; Barbara Boyan, professor and Price Gilbert Jr. Chair\nin Tissue Engineering and associate dean for research; Niren Murthy, associate\nprofessor of biomedical engineering; Michael Davis, assistant professor of\nbiomedical engineering; Phil Santangelo, assistant professor of biomedical\nengineering; Shuming Nie, professor and the Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished\nFaculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering; Thomas Barker, assistant professor of\nbiomedical engineering; and Ravi\u0026nbsp;Bellamkonda, professor and associate vice\npresident for research.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPhysicians and engineers\nwithin a new center devoted to pediatric nanomedicine will develop targeted,\nmolecular-sized nanoparticles as part of a unique approach to treating\npediatric diseases.\u0026nbsp;The Center for Pediatric\nNanomedicine (CPN) is the first of its kind in the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"First-of-its kind research center includes physicians and scientists from Emory, Georgia Tech, Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-03-28 11:04:14","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:26","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"46888":{"id":"46888","type":"image","title":"Researcher Gang Bao","body":null,"created":"1449174507","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:28:27","changed":"1475894435","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:40:35","alt":"Researcher Gang Bao","file":{"fid":"101176","name":"tpv76061.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tpv76061_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tpv76061_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1485421,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tpv76061_0.jpg?itok=UEr6Sk2R"}}},"media_ids":["46888"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/shared.web.emory.edu\/whsc\/news\/releases\/2011\/03\/pediatric-nanomedicine-center-links-health-care-and-engineering.html","title":"Emory news release"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.choa.org\/About-Childrens\/Newsroom\/News-and-Announcements\/Nanomedicine-Center-Engineering","title":"Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta - news release"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12515","name":"College of Engineering; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering; Emory; Children\u0027s Healthcare of Atlanta; pediatric nanomedicine;  Gang Bao"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65184":{"#nid":"65184","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Hosts Symposium on the Ribosome","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor the 19th year, Georgia Tech is hosting the Suddath Symposium in honor of Leroy \u0022Bud\u0022 Suddath, a late professor of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u0026nbsp; This year\u0027s meeting focuses on the ribosome and its structure, function and evolution, exploring scientific implications ranging from understanding the origin and early evolution of life to the development of novel pharmaceuticals.\u0026nbsp; The symposium is organized by the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB), the Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution, and NASA on April 1-2. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cWe are excited that this year\u0027s symposium will feature foremost experts on the ribosome, including the 2009 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry \u2013 Professor Ada Yonath (Weizmann Institute),\u0022 said Adegboyega Oyelere, assistant professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the symposium chair. \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis annual symposium celebrates the life and contributions of Suddath by discussing the latest developments in the fields of bioengineering and bioscience. The speakers include leading researchers from across the globe. Due to the high quality of the speakers, the 2011 meeting sold out weeks ago.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cIf you can not register for the in-person meeting, which is now at capacity, you still have an opportunity to attend virtually. We are using social networking tools for world-wide participation in the meeting,\u201c said co-organizer, Loren Williams, professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and director of the Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech has partnered with NASA to showcase the symposium, in its entirety, over the internet. Virtual participants will view the presentations in real-time and can chat with the other cyber-attendees using Facebook on the home page of the symposium\u0027s website. Over 200 attendees, more than twice the number that will attend in person, from around the globe have registered to participate virtually. Countries represented include Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, India, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Portugal and Venezuela.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cIBB will be showcased around the world as people beam into the seminar room to see our local symposium worldwide,\u201d Williams said.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe ribosome is a molecular machine that is responsible for protein synthesis in all living cells. This indispensable component of life, which contains both RNA and proteins, can be viewed as a molecular fossil. That is, the comparison of ribosomal RNA and proteins from distantly related organisms suggests that the origins and evolution of protein synthesis remain imprinted in present day ribosomes, providing a \u201crewindable\u201d molecular recording of early evolution that appears to go all the way back to the origin of life. Because the ribosome is central to the biochemistry of all life, it is a major target for drug development.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EEach year, the Suddath Symposium theme changes, although the scientific committee selects an interdisciplinary topic that they feel Suddath would have been excited about. \u0022A symposium focusing on the ribosome is particularly fitting, as Bud (Suddath) contributed to solving the structure of tRNA, a key substrate which is used by the ribosome to make proteins,\u201d Oyelere explained.\u0026nbsp; Suddath\u2019s research efforts ultimately led to a set of protein growth experiments aboard the Space Shuttle in 1988. \u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Virtual symposium on the ribosome featuring world-renowned speakers"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFor the 19th year, Georgia Tech is hosting the Suddath Symposium in honor of Leroy \u0022Bud\u0022 Suddath, a late professor of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.\u0026nbsp; This year\u0027s meeting focuses on the ribosome and its structure, function and evolution, exploring scientific implications ranging from understanding the origin and early evolution of life to the development of novel pharmaceuticals.\u0026nbsp; The symposium is organized by the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB), the Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution and NASA on April 1-2.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Virtual symposium on the ribosome featuring world-renowned speakers."}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-03-28 13:35:50","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:26","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-03-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"65185":{"id":"65185","type":"image","title":"Thermus thermophilus - large submit ribosomal RNA","body":null,"created":"1449176801","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:06:41","changed":"1475894577","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:57","alt":"Thermus thermophilus - large submit ribosomal RNA","file":{"fid":"192187","name":"ribosome.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ribosome_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1438367,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ribosome_0.png?itok=lLUGW9Q2"}}},"media_ids":["65185"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/suddath.gatech.edu\/","title":"2011 Suddath Symposium site"},{"url":"http:\/\/astrobiology.gatech.edu\/","title":"Center for Ribosomal Origins and Evolution"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12522","name":"Adegboyega Oyelere"},{"id":"5910","name":"Drug Discovery"},{"id":"10720","name":"Loren Williams"},{"id":"6730","name":"ribosome"},{"id":"169343","name":"suddath"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMegan Graziano McDevitt\u003Cbr \/\u003EMarketing and Event Manager\u003Cbr \/\u003EParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)\u003Cbr \/\u003E(404) 385-7001\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["megan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"65119":{"#nid":"65119","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Bird Embryo Provides Unique Insights into Developmental Phenomena","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAvian embryos could join the list of model organisms used to study a specific type of cell migration called epiboly, thanks to the results of a study published this month in the journal \u003Cem\u003EDevelopmental Dynamics\u003C\/em\u003E. The new study provides insights into the mechanisms of epiboly, a developmental process involving mass movement of cells as a sheet, which is linked with medical conditions that include wound healing and cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe study, published online on March 15, explains how epithelial cells expand as a sheet and migrate to engulf the entire avian egg yolk as it grows. It also reveals the presence of certain molecules during this process that have not been previously reported in other major developmental models, including Xenopus frogs and zebrafish.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These molecules and mechanisms of early development in the avian embryo may demonstrate evolutionary differences across species in the collective movement of epithelial cells and motivate additional studies of avian embryo development,\u0022 said Evan Zamir, an assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMatt Futterman, who worked on the project as a graduate student at Georgia Tech, and mechanical engineering professor Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda also contributed to this study. The research was funded by Zamir\u0027s new faculty support from Georgia Tech and by a grant to Garc\u00eda from the National Institutes of Health.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the study, the researchers conducted immunofluorescence and high-resolution confocal microscopy experiments to examine the spatial distribution and expression of five proteins -- vimentin, cytokeratin, \u03b2-catenin, E-cadherin and laminin -- as cells moved to wrap the yolk sac of quail embryos during development.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results showed that during this process, four of the proteins -- vimentin, cytokeratin, \u03b2-catenin and E-cadherin -- appeared in the cells located at the free edge of the migrating cell sheet. Finding dense interconnected networks of both vimentin and cytokeratin in the edge cells surprised the researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Since cytokeratin is generally associated with the epithelial phenotype and vimentin is generally associated with the mesenchymal phenotype, it\u0027s rare to see them expressed in the same cells, but this does occur in metastasizing tumor cells,\u0022 said Zamir.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECells expressing the mesenchymal phenotype are typically found in connective tissues -- such as bone, cartilage, and the lymphatic and circulatory systems -- whereas cells of the epithelial phenotype are found in cavities and glands and on surfaces throughout the body.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis finding provides evidence that epithelial cells normally attached to a membrane surface underwent biochemical changes that enabled them to assume a mesenchymal cell phenotype, which enhanced their migratory capacity. This process, called partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, has many similarities to the initiation of tumor cell metastasis and wound healing.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESince this epithelial and mesenchymal expression pattern in the edge cells has not previously been reported in Xenopus or zebrafish, it may be unique to the avian embryo. This discovery would make the avian embryo a valuable model for studying tumor cell migration and wound healing.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to detailing protein expression in the quail embryo during development, the researchers also determined the origin of the new cells required at the migrating edge to cover the growing yolk. During development, the radius of the quail yolk doubles every day for the first few days, representing a hundreds-fold increase in the egg yolk surface area. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022For each individual cell that has to cover the egg yolk as it grows, the migration around the yolk is extraordinary, because it\u0027s such a large territory -- it would be like an ant walking across the earth,\u0022 explained Zamir.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELooking more closely at the edge cells, the researchers found strong evidence that expansion of the edge cell population was due exclusively to cells relocating from an interior region to the edge as the embryo expanded. The cells located at the free edge generated the bulk of the traction force necessary for expansion and towed the cells within the interior of the epithelium.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These experiments confirm that edge cell proliferation is not the primary mechanism for expansion of the edge cell population,\u0022 noted Zamir. \u0022And our observation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in the edge cells explains how these epithelial cells might be changing phenotype to become migratory in this rapidly expanding sheet.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo determine if this study\u0027s findings are indeed unique to the avian embryo, Zamir plans to conduct further studies to characterize protein expression and cell migration in Xenopus and zebrafish.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Study Investigates Process Involved in Cancer and Wound Healing"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAvian embryos could become model organisms used to study a specific type of cell migration called epiboly, a developmental process involving mass movement of cells as a sheet that is linked with medical conditions that include wound healing and cancer.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Bird embryos provide insights into cancer and wound healing."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-03-23 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:26","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-03-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-03-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"65120":{"id":"65120","type":"image","title":"Quail eggs","body":null,"created":"1449176801","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:06:41","changed":"1475894574","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:54","alt":"Quail eggs","file":{"fid":"192170","name":"trq14296.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/trq14296_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/trq14296_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":36918,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/trq14296_0.jpg?itok=5yg6dnbv"}},"65121":{"id":"65121","type":"image","title":"vimentin expression","body":null,"created":"1449176801","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:06:41","changed":"1475894574","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:54","alt":"vimentin expression","file":{"fid":"192171","name":"ttm10064.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ttm10064_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/ttm10064_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":412574,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/ttm10064_0.jpg?itok=wGHoaqqb"}},"65122":{"id":"65122","type":"image","title":"BrDU cell proliferation","body":null,"created":"1449176801","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:06:41","changed":"1475894574","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:54","alt":"BrDU cell proliferation","file":{"fid":"192172","name":"tqj10240.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tqj10240_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tqj10240_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":811391,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tqj10240_0.jpg?itok=V0B1dG8e"}}},"media_ids":["65120","65121","65122"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1002\/dvdy.22607","title":"Developmental Dynamics paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/zamir.shtml","title":"Evan Zamir"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/faculty\/garcia.shtml","title":"Andres Garcia"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.me.gatech.edu\/","title":"George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"539","name":"Andres Garcia"},{"id":"4619","name":"avian"},{"id":"12460","name":"avian embryo"},{"id":"12467","name":"b-catenin"},{"id":"385","name":"cancer"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"12466","name":"cytokeratin"},{"id":"351","name":"development"},{"id":"12471","name":"Developmental Biology"},{"id":"12468","name":"e-cadherin"},{"id":"9228","name":"embryo"},{"id":"12472","name":"Embryo Development"},{"id":"12464","name":"epiboly"},{"id":"12459","name":"Evan Zamir"},{"id":"12469","name":"Laminin"},{"id":"10364","name":"Metastasis"},{"id":"12461","name":"Quail"},{"id":"12462","name":"quail embryo"},{"id":"167377","name":"School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"12470","name":"tumor cell migration"},{"id":"12465","name":"vimentin"},{"id":"12463","name":"Wound Healing"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"64874":{"#nid":"64874","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Program Celebrates Diversity of Engineering Students, Faculty","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs Georgia Tech celebrates the 50th\u0026nbsp;anniversary of\nthe matriculation of African-American students, the Institute is proud of the\nachievements of the FACES program in bringing diversity to science and\nengineering education.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ESince 1998, more than 300 minority students earned their\ndoctorate in science, technology, engineering and math, thanks in part to the\nFACES program.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech ranked no. 1 in the U.S. last year for awarding\nthe most engineering doctoral degrees to African-American students and all\nminority students, according to \u003Cem\u003EDiverse\nIssues in Higher Education\u003C\/em\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech oversees the FACES program, which stands for\nFacilitating Academic Careers in Engineering and Science, in partnership with\nEmory University, Morehouse College and Spelman College. The National Science\nFoundation funds the program.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOver the last decade, the FACES program has contributed\nsignificantly to the formation of an environment at Georgia Tech in which the\ncompletion of a STEM doctorate and consideration of an academic career are\nvalued by talented minority students and supported by the campus,\u0022 said\nGary May, Georgia Tech\u2019s Steve W. Chaddick School Chair of the School of\nElectrical and Computer Engineering. \u0022We are very proud of what has been\ncreated here and look forward to the contributions of our students as they\npursue their careers.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EA shining example of the FACES program\u2019s success is Manu\nPlatt, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter\nDepartment of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EPlatt not only received a FACES grant that allowed him to\npursue professional development while a postdoctoral fellow at M.I.T., but also\nreceived the FACES Career Initiation Grant when he joined the Georgia Tech\nfaculty in 2009 to kick-start his research.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EPlatt, who this fall received a $1.5 million NIH Director\u0027s\nNew Innovator Award to support his research on reducing stroke in children with\nsickle cell disease, said the prestige of being a FACES recipient has enriched his\ncareer.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia Tech is a special place to be such a top-quality\nengineering school and to have a diverse faculty,\u201d Platt said. \u003Cstrong\u003E\u201c\u003C\/strong\u003EI probably wouldn\u2019t be as happy as a\nprofessor as I am today without the FACES program. Truly, I wouldn\u2019t have the\nopportunity to be mentored by the African-American professors who helped me\nbuild a community and have showed me how to avoid the brick walls that you\ninevitably run into.\u0022\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EToday, Platt sits on the FACES steering committee that\noversees the program and helps mentor African-American undergraduate and\ngraduate students from Georgia Tech, Emory, Morehouse and Spelman, who will\nbecome the next generation of STEM professors.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI enjoy just talking to them and selling them on why being\na professor is so great,\u201d Platt said. \u201cYou get to see students develop, learn\nand grow, and eventually move forward with their career.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe FACES program includes three components:\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe Summer Undergraduate Research\nEngineering\/Science (SURE) program seeks to motivate African-Americans to enter\ngraduate school. Students of at least junior level are recruited on a\nnationwide basis and paired with both a faculty and a graduate mentor to\nundertake research projects. SURE students are housed on campus and are\nprovided with a $5,000 stipend, $600 travel allowance and a meal plan.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFor graduate students who are committed to\npursuing doctorates, the FACES Fellowship provides an add-on stipend of either\n$3,000 or $5,000 per year, depending on the status of the student\u0027s Ph.D.\ncandidacy. \u0026nbsp;In addition to receiving\nmonetary support, the FACES Fellows participate in workshops designed to help\nthem excel in graduate school and prepare them for careers in research and\nacademia.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThe FACES program also supports future faculty\ndevelopment.\u0026nbsp; Each year, one promising\nscientist who accepts a postdoctoral position in engineering or science at any\nU.S. college or university is awarded a $35,000 grant, money that he or she can\ntake with them, as Platt did. FACES also awards two $30,000 Career Initiation\nGrants to doctoral students who accept a tenure track faculty position in an\nengineering or science-related field at a U.S. college or university.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAll of the pieces of FACES contribute to the program\u2019s\nsuccess, May said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAt Georgia Tech, we\u2019ve seen that a key factor for motivating\nstudents to pursue advanced degrees and research careers in science and\nengineering is fruitful research experiences,\u201d he said. \u201cQuality interactions\nwith engineering faculty can have a significant impact on a student\u2019s decision\nto pursue graduate education.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAs Georgia Tech celebrates the 50th\u0026nbsp;anniversary of\nthe matriculation of African-American students, the Institute is proud of the\nachievements of the FACES program in bringing diversity to science and\nengineering education.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Program helps 300 minority students earn science and engineering doctorates."}],"uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-03-10 12:41:36","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:22","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-03-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-03-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"41345":{"id":"41345","type":"image","title":"Gary May","body":null,"created":"1449174301","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:25:01","changed":"1475894368","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:28"},"61386":{"id":"61386","type":"image","title":"Manu Platt biomedical engineer","body":null,"created":"1449176322","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:58:42","changed":"1475894536","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:16","alt":"Manu Platt biomedical engineer","file":{"fid":"191346","name":"tse51434.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tse51434_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tse51434_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1277779,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tse51434_0.jpg?itok=iqIZGBUS"}}},"media_ids":["41345","61386"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.faces.gatech.edu\/2007\/","title":"FACES program at Georgia Tech"}],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12098","name":"Facilitating Academic Careers in Engineering and Science"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"64870":{"#nid":"64870","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Institute Director at Georgia Tech Named Chairperson of NIH Study Section","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERobert E. Guldberg, director of Georgia Tech\u2019s\nParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB), has been\nappointed chairperson of the Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Study Section\nin the Center for Scientific Review \u2013 part of the National Institutes of\nHealth.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGuldberg will serve as chairperson of the study section from\nJuly 1, 2011, to June 30, 2013. The study section will contribute to the\nnational biomedical research effort and assure the quality of the NIH peer\nreview process.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGuldberg\u0027s research interests focus on musculoskeletal\ngrowth and development, functional regeneration following traumatic injury and\ndegenerative diseases, including skeletal fragility and arthritis\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAccording to Dr. Toni Scarpa, director of the Center for\nScientific Review in NIH\u2019s Department of Health and Human Services, Guldberg\nwas selected for the chair position because of his demonstrated achievement in\nhis scientific discipline, quality of research accomplishments, publications in\nscientific journals and overall judgment and objectivity.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, Guldberg studies cell-based therapies, bone\nbiomechanics, musculoskeletal injury, joint degeneration, biomaterials and\ndelivery, and micro-CT imaging. His laboratory creates strategies and enables technologies\nfor the functional restoration of damaged or degenerated musculoskeletal\ntissues, with a focus on bone and cartilage.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn 1996, Guldberg joined Georgia Tech, serving both in IBB\nand the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. He was appointed\ndirector of IBB in November 2009.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EGuldberg holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical\nengineering, a master\u2019s degree in bioengineering and mechanical engineering,\nand a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERobert E. Guldberg, director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, has been appointed chairperson of the Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Study Section in the Center for Scientific Review \u2013 part of the National Institutes of Health.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27462","created_gmt":"2011-03-09 17:22:40","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:22","author":"Liz Klipp","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-03-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-03-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"45991":{"id":"45991","type":"image","title":"Professor and IBB Director Robert Guldberg","body":null,"created":"1449174347","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:25:47","changed":"1475894406","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:40:06","alt":"Professor and IBB Director Robert Guldberg","file":{"fid":"190085","name":"tjt29428.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tjt29428_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tjt29428_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":133108,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tjt29428_0.jpg?itok=UhvVNCo3"}}},"media_ids":["45991"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/director\/robert-e-guldberg","title":"Robert E. Guldberg, director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/guldberglab.gatech.edu\/","title":"Guldberg Musculoskeletal Research Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"11392","name":"Georgia W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering"},{"id":"12349","name":"NIH Study Section"},{"id":"497","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"12348","name":"Robert E. Guldberg"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["klipp@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"64716":{"#nid":"64716","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Researchers Predict Age of T Cells to Improve Cancer Treatment","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EManipulation of cells by a new microfluidic device may help clinicians improve a promising cancer therapy that harnesses the body\u0027s own immune cells to fight such diseases as metastatic melanoma, non-Hodgkin\u0027s lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and neuroblastoma.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe therapy, known as adoptive T cell transfer, has shown encouraging results in clinical trials. This treatment involves removing disease-fighting immune cells called T cells from a cancer patient, multiplying them in the laboratory and then infusing them back into the patient\u0027s body to attack the cancer. The effectiveness of this therapy, however, is limited by the finite lifespan of T cells -- after many divisions, these cells become unresponsive and inactive.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech and Emory University have addressed this limitation by developing a microfluidic device for sample handling that allows a statistical model to be generated to evaluate cell responsiveness and accurately predict cell \u0022age\u0022 and quality. Being able to assess the age and responsiveness of T cells -- and therefore transfer only young functional cells back into a cancer patient\u0027s body -- offers the potential to improve the therapeutic outcome of several cancers.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The statistical model, enabled by the data generated with the microfluidic device, revealed an optimal combination of extracellular and intracellular proteins that accurately predict T cell age,\u0022 said Melissa Kemp, an assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. \u0022Knowing this information will help facilitate the clinical development of appropriate T cell expansion and selection protocols.\u0022 \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDetails on the microfluidic device and statistical model were published in the March issue of the journal \u003Cem\u003EMolecular \u0026amp; Cellular Proteomics\u003C\/em\u003E. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Georgia Cancer Coalition, and Georgia Tech Integrative Biosystems Institute.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrently, clinicians measure T cell age by using multiple assays that rely on measurements from large cell populations. The measurements determine if cells are exhibiting functions known to appear at different stages in the life cycle of a T cell.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Since no one measurement is a perfect predictor, it is advantageous to concurrently sample multiple proteins at different time points, which we can do with our microfluidic device,\u0022 explained Kemp, who is also a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Professor. \u0022The wealth of information we get from our device for a small number of cells far exceeds a single measurement from a population the same size by another assay type.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor their study, Kemp, electrical engineering graduate student Catherine Rivet and biomedical engineering undergraduate student Abby Hill analyzed CD8+ T cells from healthy blood donors. They acquired information from 25 static biomarkers and 48 dynamic signaling measurements and found a combination of phenotypic markers and protein signaling dynamics -- including Lck, ERK, CD28 and CD27 -- to be the most useful in predicting cellular age.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo obtain biomarker and dynamic signaling event measurements, the researchers ran the donor T cells through a microfluidic device designed in collaboration with Hang Lu, an associate professor in the Georgia Tech School of Chemical \u0026amp; Biomolecular Engineering. After stimulating the cells, the device divided them into different channels corresponding to eight different time points, ranging from 30 seconds to seven minutes. Then they were divided again into populations that were chemically treated to halt the biochemical reactions at snapshots in time to build up a picture of the signaling events that occurred as the T cells responded to antigen.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022While donor-to-donor variability is a confounding factor in these types of experiments, the technological platform minimized the experimental data variance and allowed stimulation time to be precisely controlled,\u0022 said Lu.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the donor T cell data, the researchers developed a model to assess which biomarkers or dynamical signaling events best predicted the quality of T cell function. The model found the most informative data in predicting cellular age to be the initial changes in signaling dynamics.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Although a combination of biomarker and dynamic signaling data provided the optimal model, our results suggest that signaling information alone can predict cellular age almost as well as the entire dataset,\u0022 noted Kemp. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the future, Kemp plans to use this approach of combining multiple cell-based experiments on a microfluidic chip to integrate single-cell information with population-averaged techniques, such as multiplexed immunoassays or mass spectrometry.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis project is supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)(Grant No. R21CA134299). The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.\u003C\/em\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers are accurately predicting T cell age and quality in order to improve the effectiveness of the cancer therapy known as adoptive T cell transfer, which is currently limited by the cells\u0027 finite lifespan.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Predicting age of T cells could improve cancer therapy"}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-03-02 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:18","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-03-02T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-03-02T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"64717":{"id":"64717","type":"image","title":"Catherine Rivet, Abby Hill and Melissa Kemp","body":null,"created":"1449176765","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:06:05","changed":"1475894569","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:49","alt":"Catherine Rivet, Abby Hill and Melissa Kemp","file":{"fid":"192077","name":"tti74257.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tti74257_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tti74257_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1333865,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tti74257_0.jpg?itok=nSPAxpo2"}},"64718":{"id":"64718","type":"image","title":"Melissa Kemp","body":null,"created":"1449176765","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:06:05","changed":"1475894569","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:49","alt":"Melissa Kemp","file":{"fid":"192078","name":"tbp74257.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tbp74257_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tbp74257_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1153544,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tbp74257_0.jpg?itok=BuQsupTC"}},"64719":{"id":"64719","type":"image","title":"Microfluidic device","body":null,"created":"1449176765","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:06:05","changed":"1475894569","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:49","alt":"Microfluidic device","file":{"fid":"192079","name":"tfd74257.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tfd74257_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tfd74257_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1055020,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tfd74257_0.jpg?itok=-JlNwrZ7"}}},"media_ids":["64717","64718","64719"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=97","title":"Melissa Kemp"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/faculty\/lu.php","title":"Hang Lu"},{"url":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1074\/mcp.M110.003921","title":"Molecular \u0026 Cellular Proteomics paper"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Chemical \u0026 Biomolecular Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"12210","name":"Adoptive Immunotherapy"},{"id":"12211","name":"adoptive t cell transfer"},{"id":"7214","name":"biomarker"},{"id":"249","name":"Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"1704","name":"chemical \u0026 biomolecular engineering"},{"id":"12214","name":"Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"898","name":"Hang Lu"},{"id":"4514","name":"immunotherapy"},{"id":"5084","name":"Melissa Kemp"},{"id":"12212","name":"Metastatic Melanoma"},{"id":"12216","name":"Microfluidic Device"},{"id":"12215","name":"Neuroblastoma"},{"id":"12213","name":"non-Hodgkin\u2019s lymphoma"},{"id":"9047","name":"T cell"},{"id":"12217","name":"t cell age"},{"id":"12218","name":"T cell Assays"},{"id":"12209","name":"t cell therapy"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"64518":{"#nid":"64518","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Vaccine Development: Virus-Mimicking Nanoparticles Can Stimulate Long Lasting Immunity","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EVaccine scientists say their \u0022Holy Grail\u0022 is to stimulate immunity that lasts for a lifetime. Live viral vaccines such as the smallpox or yellow fever vaccines provide immune protection that lasts several decades, but despite their success, scientists have remained in the dark as to how they induce such long lasting immunity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearchers at Emory University and Georgia Tech have designed tiny nanoparticles that resemble viruses in size and immunological composition and induce lifelong immunity in mice. They designed the particles to mimic the immune-stimulating effects of one of the most successful vaccines ever developed \u2014 the yellow fever vaccine. The particles, made of biodegradable polymers, have components that activate two different parts of the innate immune system and can be used interchangeably with material from many different bacteria or viruses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe results are described in this week\u0027s issue of Nature. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.\u003Cbr \/\u003E These results address a long-standing puzzle in vaccinology: how do successful vaccines induce long lasting immunity?  said senior author Bali Pulendran, Charles Howard Candler professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and a researcher at Yerkes National Primate Research Center.\u0026nbsp; These particles could provide an instant way to stretch scarce supplies when access to viral material is limited, such as pandemic flu or during an emerging infection. In addition, there are many diseases, such as HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and dengue, that still lack effective vaccines, where we anticipate that this type of immunity enhancer could play a role.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne injection of the live viral yellow fever vaccine, developed in the 1930s by Nobel Prize winner Max Theiler, can protect against disease-causing forms of the virus for decades. Pulendran and his colleagues in the Emory Vaccine Center have been investigating how humans respond to the yellow fever vaccine, in the hopes of imitating it.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESeveral years ago, they established that the yellow fever vaccine stimulated multiple Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the innate immune system. TLRs are present in insects as well as mammals, birds and fish. They are molecules expressed by cells that can sense bits of viruses, bacteria and parasites and can activate the immune system. Pulendran\u0027s group demonstrated that the immune system sensed the yellow fever vaccine via multiple TLRs, and that this was required for the immunity induced by the vaccine.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E TLRs are like the sixth sense in our bodies, because they have an exquisite capacity to sense viruses and bacteria, and convey this information to stimulate the immune response, explained Pulendran. We found that to get the best immune response, you need to hit more than one kind of Toll-like receptor. Our aim was to create a synthetic particle that accomplishes this task.\u003Cbr \/\u003EEmory postdoctoral fellow Sudhir Pai Kasturi worked with Niren Murthy, an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, to create tiny particles studded with molecules that turn on Toll-like receptors.\u003Cbr \/\u003E Given the ability of these nanoparticles to tune T and B cell responses, I anticipate they will be the focus of numerous vaccine developments in the future, said Murthy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOne of the particles components is MPL (monophosphoryl lipid A), a component of bacterial cell walls, and the other is imiquimod, a chemical that mimics the effects of viral RNA. The particles are made of PLGA \u2014 poly(lactic acid)-co-(glycolic acid) \u2014 a synthetic polymer used for biodegradable grafts and sutures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAll three components are FDA-approved for human use individually. For several decades, the only FDA-approved vaccine additive was alum, until a cervical cancer vaccine containing MPL was approved in 2009. Because of immune system differences between mice and monkeys, the scientists replaced imiquimod with the related chemical resiquimod for monkey experiments.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIn mice, the particles can stimulate production of antibodies to proteins from flu virus or anthrax bacteria several orders of magnitude more effectively than alum, the authors found. In addition, the immune cells persist in lymph nodes for at least 18 months, almost the lifetime of a mouse. In experiments with monkeys, nanoparticles with viral protein could induce robust responses greater than five times the response induced by a dose of the same viral protein given by itself, without the nanoparticles.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAtlanta, Georgia\u0026nbsp; 30308\u0026nbsp; USA\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMedia Relations Contacts: Emory University \u2014 Holly Korschun (hkorsch@emory.edu; 404-727-3990);\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech \u2014 Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364)\u003Cbr \/\u003EWriter: Quinn Eastman\/Emory University\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Emory University and Georgia Tech have designed tiny \nnanoparticles that resemble viruses in size and immunological \ncomposition and induce lifelong immunity in mice.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-02-24 11:27:17","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:15","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"64519":{"id":"64519","type":"image","title":"Blue shows resting B cells. Red shows activated B cells that are being \u0022trained\u0022 to produce high-quality antibodies. Green shows specialized antibody-producing cells.","body":null,"created":"1449176735","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:35","changed":"1475894523","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:03","alt":"Blue shows resting B cells. Red shows activated B cells that are being \u0022trained\u0022 to produce high-quality antibodies. Green shows specialized antibody-producing cells.","file":{"fid":"192007","name":"NaturePaperImage_hires.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/NaturePaperImage_hires_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/NaturePaperImage_hires_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1830736,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/NaturePaperImage_hires_0.jpg?itok=qap86XtF"}}},"media_ids":["64519"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/microneedles-flu-vaccine\/","title":"Microneedles: Flu Vaccine in Painless Skin Patches under Development at Emory and Georgia Tech with $11.5 Million in NIH Grants"},{"url":"http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/molecular-imaging-yields-information-on-childhood-respiratory-virus-may-lead-to-earlier-diagnosis\/","title":"Molecular imaging yields information on childhood respiratory virus, may lead to earlier diagnosis"},{"url":"http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/flu-immunization-vaccine\/","title":"Flu Immunization: Vaccine Given with Microneedle Patches Proves Effective"},{"url":"http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/gold-nanoparticles\/","title":"Power of Gold: Nanoparticles May Enhance Circulating Tumor Cell Detection"},{"url":"http:\/\/gtresearchnews.gatech.edu\/nih-microneedle-flu-immunization\/","title":"Microneedle Flu Immunization: NIH Awards $10 Million to Advance Technology for Painless, Self-Administration of Vaccine"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/groups\/murthylab\/murthylab\/HOME.html","title":"Murthy Lab"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"3803","name":"nature"},{"id":"245","name":"Niren Murthy"},{"id":"12055","name":"Vaccine Development: Virus-Mimicking Nanoparticles Can Stimulate Long Lasting Immunity"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"64186":{"#nid":"64186","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Apica Cardiovascular Receives $5M Investment for Heart Surgery System","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Tech and Emory University medical device startup that has developed a system to simplify and standardize the technique for opening and closing the beating heart during cardiac surgery has received a $5.1 million investment.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EApica Cardiovascular has licensed the Georgia Tech\/Emory technology and will further develop the system, which will make the transapical access and closure procedure required for delivering therapeutic devices to the heart more routine for all surgeons. The goal is to expand the use of surgery techniques that are less invasive and do not require stopping the heart.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our company has leveraged the expertise in cardiovascular technology at Georgia Tech and the clinical experience of surgeons at Emory University to develop a technology that has the potential to revolutionize the delivery of different types of medical devices to the heart, including aortic and mitral valves,\u0022 said the company\u0027s CEO James Greene.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith research and development support from the Coulter Foundation Translational Research Program and the Georgia Research Alliance VentureLab program, the company has already completed a series of pre-clinical studies to test the functionality of the device and its biocompatibility.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe improved heart surgery system consists of a conduit with proprietary technology inside that allows the conduit to be securely attached to the beating heart. Surgeons can then deliver therapeutic devices, such as heart valves or left ventricular assist devices, into the beating heart without loss of blood or exposure to air. Once a therapeutic device has been delivered and surgery is complete, the company\u0027s system closes and seals the access site with a biocompatible implant. The closure site can be reopened if necessary.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022By minimizing the incision size to gain access to the beating heart and eliminating the need for conventional sutures, our system improves safety, decreases procedure time and reduces the technical challenges associated with these new minimally invasive procedures,\u0022 explained Vinod Thourani, an associate professor of surgery and associate director of the Structural Heart Center in Emory University\u0027s Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the new investment from Ireland-based Seroba Kernel Life Sciences and Israel-based TriVentures, the company will continue to conduct research and pre-clinical trials in Atlanta, ultimately leading up to regulatory approval. These efforts will be led by Jorge H. Jimenez, the chief technology officer of the company, which is in the VentureLab process at ATDC, Georgia Tech\u2019s startup company accelerator.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our goal is to accelerate and expand the adoption of less-invasive therapeutic procedures to a greater number of surgeons and as a result, many underserved patients will receive needed treatment for valve disease and end-stage heart failure,\u0022 said Ajit Yoganathan, Regents professor and Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Chair in Biomedical Engineering in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe startup will also have an office in Ireland, which will benefit from the strong research collaborations between Georgia Tech, Georgia Tech Ireland and the National University of Ireland, Galway.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We seek to contribute to and benefit from a global innovation ecosystem in ways that accelerate research results to the market while enhancing economic development opportunities here in Georgia,\u0022 said Stephen E. Cross, Georgia Tech\u0027s executive vice president for research. \u0022Apica Cardiovascular is a perfect example of the synergy between our leading edge work in Atlanta, our Irish translational unit GT Ireland, and our partnership with the National University of Ireland, Galway.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EApica Cardiovascular was founded in 2009 based on technology invented by Jimenez, Thourani, Yoganathan and Thomas Vassiliades, who was an associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Emory University at the time. The company was named Emory University\u0027s Startup Company of 2010.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbout ATDC:\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nThe Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is a startup accelerator that helps technology entrepreneurs in Georgia launch and build successful companies. Founded in 1980, ATDC has graduated more than 120 companies, which together have raised more than a billion dollars in outside financing. In 2010, ATDC was named to Forbes Magazine\u2019s list of the \u201c10 technology incubators that are changing the world.\u201d\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson (abby@innovate.gatech.edu; 404-385-3364) or John Toon (jtoon@gatech.edu; 404-894-6986)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Apica Cardiovascular, a Georgia Tech and Emory University medical device startup, has received a $5.1 million investment. The company\u0027s product simplifies and standardizes the technique for opening and closing the beating heart during cardiac surgery.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech and Emory University medical device startup receives $5M."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2011-02-10 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:10","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-02-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"64187":{"id":"64187","type":"image","title":"Apica Cardiovascular co-founders","body":null,"created":"1449176735","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:35","changed":"1475894564","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:44","alt":"Apica Cardiovascular co-founders","file":{"fid":"191965","name":"tzf68716.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tzf68716_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tzf68716_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1161006,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tzf68716_0.jpg?itok=JAF5uj-l"}},"64188":{"id":"64188","type":"image","title":"Apica Cardiovascular co-founders","body":null,"created":"1449176735","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:35","changed":"1475894564","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:44","alt":"Apica Cardiovascular co-founders","file":{"fid":"191966","name":"tel68716.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tel68716_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tel68716_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1168401,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tel68716_0.jpg?itok=cCIcEvg0"}}},"media_ids":["64187","64188"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"},{"url":"http:\/\/atdc.org\/","title":"Advanced Technology Development Center"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=5","title":"Ajit Yoganathan"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.evpr.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Executive Vice President for Research"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"2582","name":"Ajit Yoganathan"},{"id":"11873","name":"Aortic Valve Replacement"},{"id":"249","name":"Biomedical Engineering"},{"id":"2580","name":"cardiac surgery"},{"id":"2581","name":"cardiology"},{"id":"11876","name":"Cardiothoracic Surgery"},{"id":"594","name":"college of engineering"},{"id":"6119","name":"heart valve"},{"id":"11872","name":"Left Ventricular Assist Device"},{"id":"11874","name":"mitral valve replacement"},{"id":"171060","name":"Sutures"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"64644":{"#nid":"64644","#data":{"type":"news","title":"BME Students Present CardioScout Project at State Capital","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech BME students presented their \u0022CardioScout\u0022 project done at \nSJTRI to the Science and Technology Committee at the Georgia State \nCapital. They were introduced by Georgia Tech President Bud Peterson and\n SJTRI Chairman Mr. Bruce Simmons.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech BME students presented their CardioScout project done at \nSJTRI to the Science and Technology Committee at the Georgia State \nCapital.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2011-02-25 14:34:02","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:18","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-02-09T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-02-09T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"64643":{"id":"64643","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech BME students presented their CardioScout project done at SJTRI to the Science and Technology Committee at the Georgia State Capital. They were introduced by Georgia Tech President Bud Peterson and SJTRI Chairman Mr. Bruce Simmons.","body":null,"created":"1449176765","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:06:05","changed":"1475894569","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:49","alt":"Georgia Tech BME students presented their CardioScout project done at SJTRI to the Science and Technology Committee at the Georgia State Capital. They were introduced by Georgia Tech President Bud Peterson and SJTRI Chairman Mr. Bruce Simmons.","file":{"fid":"192061","name":"BME_State_Capital.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BME_State_Capital_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/BME_State_Capital_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":376200,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/BME_State_Capital_0.png?itok=m7vLEf9K"}}},"media_ids":["64643"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.vimeo.com\/20183289","title":"BME Students Present CardioScout Project at State Capital"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.vimeo.com\/20228414","title":"Pictures of BME Students at State Capital 2.9.11"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"12154","name":"Franklin Bost"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"12153","name":"Georgia Tech BME students presented their CardioScout project done at SJTRI to the Science and Technology Committee at the Georgia State Capital. They were introduced by Georgia Tech President Bud Peterson and SJTRI Chairman Mr. Bruce Simmons"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJames Fonger, MD\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jfonger@sjha.org"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"64038":{"#nid":"64038","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Discovery May Lead to Turning Back the Clock on Ovarian Cancer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECancer\nresearchers have discovered that a type of regulatory RNA may be effective in\nfighting ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer isn\u0027t typically discovered until it\u2019s\nin the advanced stages, where it is already spreading to other organs and is\nvery difficult to fight with chemotherapy. This new discovery may allow\nphysicians to turn back the clock of the tumor\u0027s life cycle to a phase where\ntraditional chemotherapy can better do its job.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists at the\nOvarian Cancer Institute Laboratory at the Georgia Institute of Technology have\nfound in initial tests that a regulatory RNA called miR-429 may be successful\nin inducing metastatic or spreading cancer cells to convert back to a less\nmetastatic, non-invasive form. The research appears online in the\njournal Gynecologic Oncology.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPrimary tumors\nare rarely fatal,\u201d said John F. McDonald, director of the Integrated Cancer\nResearch Center in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Biology and chief research\nscientist at the Ovarian Cancer Institute. \u201cMost cancer patients succumb\nbecause the cancer metastasizes, and current chemotherapies are not designed to\nkill metastasizing cancer cells.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;Cancer\ncells exist in two forms: epithelial cancer cells and mesenchymal cancer\ncells.\u0026nbsp; The primary tumor is mostly comprised\nof rapidly dividing epithelial cancer cells that are \u201csticky\u201d so they stay\ntogether, they\u2019re not mobile and generally not invasive. Cells at the edge of\ntumors often change into mesenchymal cancer cells; they lose their adhesiveness\nand become highly mobile and invasive, allowing the cancer to spread, or\nmetastasize, to other areas of the body.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;In the new\ntrial, McDonald\u2019s lab used two ovarian cancer cell lines, one with epithelial\ncharacteristics, like primary tumor cells, and the other with mesenchymal\ntraits, like metastasizing cancer cells. They used miR-429, one of a family of\nmicroRNAs previously implicated in epithelial to mesencymal changes in other\ncancers, to see if it could turn the mesenchymal cancer cells back into\nepithelial cancer cells. They found that miR-429 was highly successful in\nhelping cells turn back the clock.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe found that\nwhen we introduced miR-429 into the highly metastatic ovarian cancer cells,\nthey became less invasive, less migratory and more like the cancer cells\nassociated with primary tumors,\u201d said McDonald.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECurrently the\nMcDonald lab is testing to see if cells that have been treated with miR-429 to\nchange from mesenchymal to epithelial cancer cells are more susceptible to\nchemotherapy than metastasizing cells that haven\u2019t undergone this change.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are hopeful\nthat we have found an effective way to drive metastasizing ovarian cancer cells\nback to their primary cancer stage where they can be more effectively treated\nwith existing chemotherapies.\u201d added McDonald.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECancer\nresearchers have discovered that a type of regulatory RNA may be effective in\nfighting ovarian cancer. This new discovery may allow\nphysicians to turn back the clock of the tumor\u0027s life cycle to a phase where\ntraditional chemotherapy can better do its job.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Researchers find a way to turn invasive cancer cells into cells more susceptible to chemotherapy."}],"uid":"27310","created_gmt":"2011-02-03 10:33:10","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:06","author":"David Terraso","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-02-03T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"64037":{"id":"64037","type":"image","title":"Turning Back the Clock on Ovarian Cancer","body":null,"created":"1449176720","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:20","changed":"1475894561","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:41","alt":"Turning Back the Clock on Ovarian Cancer","file":{"fid":"191918","name":"turn.back_.clock_.ovarian.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/turn.back_.clock_.ovarian_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/turn.back_.clock_.ovarian_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":186244,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/turn.back_.clock_.ovarian_0.jpg?itok=9bGEQHQ0"}},"64040":{"id":"64040","type":"image","title":"Starting Mesenchymal Cells","body":null,"created":"1449176720","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:20","changed":"1475894561","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:41","alt":"Starting Mesenchymal Cells","file":{"fid":"191919","name":"starting.mesenchymal.mir320-transfection.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/starting.mesenchymal.mir320-transfection_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/starting.mesenchymal.mir320-transfection_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":568394,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/starting.mesenchymal.mir320-transfection_0.jpg?itok=Ou0__FLi"}},"64041":{"id":"64041","type":"image","title":"Cells Treated with miR-429","body":null,"created":"1449176720","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:20","changed":"1475894561","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:41","alt":"Cells Treated with miR-429","file":{"fid":"191920","name":"mir429-transfection.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mir429-transfection_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/mir429-transfection_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":570487,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/mir429-transfection_0.jpg?itok=6NrO4JKw"}},"64042":{"id":"64042","type":"image","title":"Control Cells","body":null,"created":"1449176720","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:20","changed":"1475894561","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:41","alt":"Control Cells","file":{"fid":"191921","name":"Negative-transfection.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Negative-transfection_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Negative-transfection_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":584596,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Negative-transfection_0.jpg?itok=kXxefTEx"}}},"media_ids":["64037","64040","64041","64042"],"groups":[{"id":"1183","name":"Home"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"5634","name":"Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"11814","name":"John McDonad"},{"id":"2373","name":"Ovarian Cancer Institute"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["david.terraso@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"63942":{"#nid":"63942","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech and TERMIS Partner for 2013 Annual Meeting","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) will partner with the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech in 2013 by hosting its annual North American Conference in Atlanta. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003ETwo members of the Petit Institute\u2019s faculty have been designated to head the 2013 TERMIS conference. The conference chair will be Robert E. Guldberg, Ph.D., the director of the Petit Institute and professor in mechanical engineering and the program chair will be Todd McDevitt, PhD, associate professor in biomedical engineering and the director of the Stem Cell Engineering Center at Georgia Tech. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cWe are honored to be selected and look forward to putting on a great meeting,\u201d Guldberg said. TERMIS brings together an international community to promote discussion of the scientific challenges and therapeutic benefits for the development and application of the tissue engineering and regenerative medicine fields. TERMIS\u2019 mission is to promote worldwide science and technology advancement and education in these fields. It does so through regular worldwide conferences, publishing the Tissue Engineering journal that it endorses and providing quarterly newsletters and other communications for its members. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cBob and I are dedicated to creating a dynamic program that will honor the meetings of the past as well as introduce some new elements,\u201d McDevitt remarked. TERMIS has been evolving over the last decade. Its roots began in 2001 as an annual workshop called \u201cTissue Growth Engineering\u201d that was organized by the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative. In 2004, this small workshop evolved into the larger, national meeting called Regenerate. In 2006, the Regenerate World Congress was held in Pittsburgh where the meeting had grown significantly and had a large international following. By the following year, the society was rebranded into TERMIS to encompass its international presence. The society has continued to grow and now has chapters in Europe and Asia. TERMIS is open to anyone engaged in research in the tissue engineering or regenerative medicine arenas. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003EThe 2011 TERMIS North American conference was held in Houston, Texas and in 2012 the entire society will come together for the TERMIS World Congress in Vienna, Austria.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) will partner with the Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) at Georgia Tech in 2013 by hosting its annual North American Conference in Atlanta.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech and TERMIS Partner for 2013 Annual Meeting"}],"uid":"27224","created_gmt":"2011-01-14 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:08:06","author":"Megan McDevitt","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-01-18T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2011-01-18T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"64111":{"id":"64111","type":"image","title":"TERMIS","body":null,"created":"1449176720","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:05:20","changed":"1475894559","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:39","alt":"TERMIS","file":{"fid":"191940","name":"termis_logo_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/termis_logo_1_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/termis_logo_1_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":127070,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/termis_logo_1_0.jpg?itok=ha69ZdMV"}}},"media_ids":["64111"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/ibb.gatech.edu\/","title":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.termis.org\/","title":"TERMIS"},{"url":"http:\/\/scec.gatech.edu\/","title":"Stem Cell Engineering Center"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1489","name":"Regenerative Medicine"},{"id":"11629","name":"Robert Guldberg"},{"id":"4891","name":"Tissue Engineering"},{"id":"760","name":"Todd McDevitt"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMegan McDevitt\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIBB\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=mm504\u0022\u003EContact Megan McDevitt\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-7001\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["megan.mcdevitt@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"62748":{"#nid":"62748","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Storici awarded NSF grant for studying RNA-driven DNA modifications","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAtlanta (September 24, 2010) \u2014 Assistant Professor Francesca Storici (Biology) has been awarded a research grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a 3 year project focusing on \u201cMechanisms of RNA\/DNA hybrid stability and of information flow from RNA to DNA in yeast cells\u0022. The goal of this research is to understand the mechanisms by which RNA can directly transfer information to the DNA of cells. The main objectives are: 1) to identify the main protein factors cleaving the RNA tract in an RNA\/DNA hybrid during RNA-driven DNA repair and DNA modification and to characterize their in vivo functions, and 2) to reveal the role of DNA repair mechanisms in the removal of RNA embedded into DNA. This project addresses challenging questions in molecular biology: How likely is information flow from RNA to DNA in cells? How well is RNA tolerated in DNA? What are the consequences of RNA-driven modifications in cells? The study will be done using newly developed systems in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which will be exploited to perform molecular and cellular biology experiments to identify and characterize the molecular mechanisms of RNA-driven DNA repair and editing.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERelated Links\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0027http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/\u0027\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0027http:\/\/www.biology.gatech.edu\/people\/francesca-storici\u0027\u003EFrancesca Storici\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Assistant Professor Francesca Storici (Biology) has been awarded a research grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a 3 year project focusing on \u201cMechanisms of RNA\/DNA hybrid stability and of information flow from RNA to DNA in yeast cells\u0022.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Storici awarded NSF grant for studying RNA-driven DNA modificati"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-09-30 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:46","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"62749":{"id":"62749","type":"image","title":"Prof. Storici","body":null,"created":"1449176394","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:59:54","changed":"1475894547","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:27","alt":"Prof. Storici","file":{"fid":"191557","name":"twn50717.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/twn50717_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/twn50717_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":34511,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/twn50717_0.jpg?itok=zLCKt1o7"}}},"media_ids":["62749"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"277","name":"Biology"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"363","name":"NSF"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Biology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBiology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:admin@biology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EContact School of Biology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-3700\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["admin@biology.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"62746":{"#nid":"62746","#data":{"type":"news","title":"$1.48 M Awarded for Single Molecule Probes","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPhillip Santangelo, assistant professor in the Coulter Department, has received an R01 NIH\/National Institute for General Medicine Sciences award to develop single molecule sensitive probes for the study of virus replication, assembly and budding. The $1.48 million project will focus on the human respiratory syncytial (hRSV) virus. hRSV is recognized as the most important viral agent of serious pediatric respiratory tract disease. Worldwide, acute respiratory tract disease is the leading cause of mortality due to infectious disease, and hRSV remains one of the pathogens deemed most important for vaccine and antiviral development. He will collaborate with James E. Crowe, Jr., MD, The Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Pediatrics and The Vanderbilt Vaccine Center; Vanderbilt University Medical Center for the 5-year study.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Phillip Santangelo, assistant professor in the Coulter Department, has received an R01 NIH\/National Institute for General Medicine Sciences award to develop single molecule sensitive probes for the study of virus replication, assembly and budding.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"$1.48 M Awarded for Single Molecule Probes"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-09-30 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:46","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-09-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-09-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"62747":{"id":"62747","type":"image","title":"Prof. Santangelo","body":null,"created":"1449176394","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:59:54","changed":"1475894547","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:27","alt":"Prof. Santangelo","file":{"fid":"191556","name":"thk51351.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thk51351_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thk51351_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7081,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/thk51351_0.jpg?itok=2jgZLmKz"}}},"media_ids":["62747"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"2076","name":"NIH"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAdrianne Proeller\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWallace H. Coulter Dept. of Biomedical Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=aproeller3\u0022\u003EContact Adrianne Proeller\u003C\/a\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["adrianne.proeller@bme.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"62750":{"#nid":"62750","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Nanoelectronics Technology Could Replace Conventional Microplate","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEssentially arrays of tiny test tubes, microplates have been used for decades to simultaneously test multiple samples for their responses to chemicals, living organisms or antibodies. Fluorescence or color changes in labels associated with compounds on the plates can signal the presence of particular proteins or gene sequences.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers hope to replace these microplates with modern microelectronics technology, including disposable arrays containing thousands of electronic sensors connected to powerful signal processing circuitry. If they\u0027re successful, this new electronic biosensing platform could help realize the dream of personalized medicine by making possible real-time disease diagnosis - potentially in a physician\u0027s office - and by helping select individualized therapeutic approaches.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0027http:\/\/www.azonano.com\/news.asp?newsID=19599\u0027\u003ERead Full Article\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"The multi-welled microplate, long a standard tool in biomedical research and diagnostic laboratories, could become a thing of the past thanks to new electronic biosensing technology developed by a team of microelectronics engineers and biomedical scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"New Nanoelectronics Technology Could Replace Conventional Microp"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-09-22 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:46","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-09-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-09-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"62751":{"id":"62751","type":"image","title":"Prof. John McDonald","body":null,"created":"1449176394","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:59:54","changed":"1475894547","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:27","alt":"Prof. John McDonald","file":{"fid":"191558","name":"tbt59104.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tbt59104_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tbt59104_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":25168,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tbt59104_0.jpg?itok=uL8L-q_k"}}},"media_ids":["62751"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"277","name":"Biology"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"2371","name":"John McDonald"},{"id":"2373","name":"Ovarian Cancer Institute"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EFloyd Wood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIBB\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=fwood3\u0022\u003EContact Floyd Wood\u003C\/a\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["floyd.wood@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"61169":{"#nid":"61169","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Record Attendance at Buzz on Biotechnology High School Open House","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026#39;s largest graduate student organization, Bioengineering and Bioscience Unified Graduate Students \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.bbugs.tech.edu\u0022\u003E(BBUGS)\u003C\/a\u003E, with the support of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EIBB\u003C\/a\u003E), hosted its annual Buzz on Biotechnology High School Open House.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOpen to all Atlanta area high school students, parents and teachers, this year\u0026#39;s event drew a record 400+ attendees from 56 different schools. Visitors came to engage in a wide variety of hands-on, innovative science and engineering demonstrations such as \u0026quot;Edible Cells,\u0026quot; \u0026quot;Virtual Stomach Surgery,\u0026quot; \u0026quot;Acids and Bases,\u0026quot; \u0026quot;Electromyography Recordings of Muscles,\u0026quot; \u0026quot;Protein Folding.\u0026quot; They were able to tour the state-of-the-art laboratories of IBB such as neuroengineering, robotics, atomic force microscopy and biomedical engineering labs. Many guests also attended bioengineering and stem cell seminars and even had the opportunity to take Georgia Tech campus tours and talk with an admissions representative.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe day wrapped up with the always-popular \u0026quot;Egg Drop\u0026quot; contest to find the safest, and lightest, \u0026quot;egg helmet\u0026quot; by dropping all those constructed throughout the day from the atrium\u0026#39;s third floor.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe open house event was created in 2003 by BBUGS to reach out to area high school students to indulge their curiosity by introducing them to the world of science and engineering in a fun and accessible way.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERecord Attendance at Buzz on Biotechnology High School Open House Event held at IBB\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Record Attendance at Buzz on Biotechnology High School Open Hous"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2010-09-23 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-11-22 18:54:12","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-09-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"61170":{"id":"61170","type":"image","title":"Prosthetic Pete demonstration teaches students abo","body":null,"created":"1449176308","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:58:28","changed":"1475894533","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:13","alt":"Prosthetic Pete demonstration teaches students abo","file":{"fid":"191283","name":"tqq57070.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tqq57070_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tqq57070_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":65066,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tqq57070_0.jpg?itok=uZWe4USr"}}},"media_ids":["61170"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"},{"id":"152","name":"Robotics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4943","name":"BBUGS"},{"id":"10724","name":"Buzz on Biotechnology Open House"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EColly Mitchell\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nParker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=cmitchell6\u0022\u003EContact Colly Mitchell\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-5982\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"61101":{"#nid":"61101","#data":{"type":"news","title":"DARPA Young Faculty Awards Received by Soper and Kelly","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessors Wendy Kelly and Jake Soper both received Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Awards. This program selects rising research stars from around the country and exposes them to the needs of the Department of Defense. DARPA\u2019s goal is to fund researchers who will focus a significant portion of their careers on Department of Defense and National Security issues. Only 33 awards were made nationally in 2009, with two awarded to faculty in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. DARPA is funding Dr. Kelly\u2019s research on \u201cBiosynthetic engineering of thiopeptide antibiotics\u201d and Dr. Soper\u2019s research on \u201cRedox-Active Ligand-Mediated Radical Coupling at Terminal Metal Oxo Ligands: Reactions Relevant to Water Oxidation for Artificial Photosynthesis\u201d. \u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Professors Wendy Kelly and Jake Soper both received Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Awards.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"DARPA Young Faculty Awards Received by Soper and Kelly"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-09-13 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:27","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"690","name":"darpa"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"10685","name":"Wendy Kelly"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EShirley Tomes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EChemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=st81\u0022\u003EContact Shirley Tomes\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-0591\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["shirley.tomes@chemistry.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"61103":{"#nid":"61103","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Paving A New Way With Pigs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EReproduction can be pressing business, fraught with challenges. But two University of Georgia scientists made a breakthrough discovery in reproduction and regeneration that has thrown open the doors to wide-ranging possibilities, including new therapies for devastating human diseases and the preservation of endangered animal species. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESteve Stice and Franklin West won what amounted to a hotly contested race to become the first scientists to produce induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from adult livestock\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0027http:\/\/www.georgiatrend.com\/features-business-industry\/09_10_stemcell.shtml\u0027\u003EScientists Make Breakthrough\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Two UGA scientists make a remarkable breakthrough","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Two UGA scientists make a remarkable breakthrough"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-09-10 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:27","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-09-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"167599","name":"Steve Stice"},{"id":"1823","name":"UGA"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EFloyd Wood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIBB\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=fwood3\u0022\u003EContact Floyd Wood\u003C\/a\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["floyd.wood@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"61102":{"#nid":"61102","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Gibson receives grant for study of childhood cancer","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProfessor Greg Gibson (Biology) has received a 1 year pilot grant from the AFLAC Cancer Center for \u201cGenomic profiling of late outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer\u0022. The study involves a collaboration with Drs. Ann Mertens and Karen Wasilewski in the Department of Hematology\/Oncology at Emory University, and Dr. Ken Brigham, Director of the Center for Health Discovery and Well Being (CHDWB) at Emory. The objective of the project is to use a systems biology approach to try to understand why so many survivors of early childhood cancers begin to have a range of serious health problems as they reach adulthood, and to see if the CHDWB health care model might be an effective intervention. More information about the Emory childhood cancer survivor program can be found at \u003Ca href=\u0027http:\/\/www.choa.org\/default.aspx?id=399\u0027\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.choa.org\/default.aspx?id=399\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Professor Greg Gibson (Biology) has received a 1 year pilot grant from the AFLAC Cancer Center for \u201cGenomic profiling of late outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer\u0022.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Gibson receives grant for study of childhood cancer"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-09-13 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:27","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-08-31T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-08-31T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10686","name":"AFLAC"},{"id":"277","name":"Biology"},{"id":"385","name":"cancer"},{"id":"10645","name":"Greg Gibson"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool Biology\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESchool of Biology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:biology@biology.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EContact School Biology\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-3700\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["biology@biology.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60671":{"#nid":"60671","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Eva Lee JoinsTeam at Emory\u0027s New Ctr for Systems Vaccinology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEva Lee Joins Interdisciplinary Team at Emory\u0027s New Center for Systems Vaccinology\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEva K. Lee, professor in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech and director of the Center for Operations Research in Medicine and HealthCare, joins a highly integrated and interdisciplinary team conducting research in the newly established Center for Systems Vaccinology at Emory University. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health awarded a five-year, $15.5 million grant to the Emory Vaccine Center at Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta. Scientists in the new Center will employ the modern analytic tools of systems biology to understand the immune responses vaccines stimulate in humans and will use this knowledge to guide design of vaccines against HIV, malaria and other global pandemics\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBali Pulendran, the Charles Howard Candler professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Emory University, the Emory Vaccine Center, and Yerkes Research Center, is principal investigator of the center. Rafi Ahmed, director of the Emory Vaccine Center and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar, will serve as co-principal investigator.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELee and other researchers at the center will address a major challenge thus far in the development of vaccines - that the effectiveness of vaccination can only be ascertained after vaccinated individuals have been exposed to infection. To study vaccine-induced immunity in humans, they will use a multidisciplinary approach Pulendran developed, which involves immunology, genomics and bioinformatics to predict the immunity of a vaccine without exposing individuals to infection. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers working in the new Center for Systems Vaccinology will determine whether Pulendran\u0027s approach can be used to predict the effectiveness of other vaccines, including common vaccines against influenza, pneumococcal disease and shingles. The ability to successfully predict the immunity and efficacy of vaccines would facilitate the rapid evaluation of new and emerging vaccines and the identification of individuals who are unlikely to be protected by a vaccine.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe team\u0027s initial work will focus on two major projects on innate immunity and adaptive immunity that ultimately will facilitate vaccine development in several ways: (1) by enabling a strategy to prospectively predict the immunogenicity of vaccines; (2) by offering new and fundamental insights into the genes, cells and networks that orchestrate vaccine-induced immunity in the young and elderly; and (3) by facilitating the generation of an open access database of vaccine-induced molecular signatures.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Center\u0027s interdisciplinary team comprises researchers and clinicians in areas as diverse as immunology, vaccinology, clinical medicine, computational modeling, and mathematics. In addition to Lee, the team includes Nick Haining (Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston), Shankar Subramaniam (University of California, San Diego), Alex Sette (La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla), Mark Mulligan (Hope Clinic, Emory Vaccine Center,; and Myron Levine and Adriana Weinberg (University of Colorado, Denver).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELee, along with Haining and Subramaniam, co-direct the \u0022Genomics and Computational Biology\u0022 core of the initiative. The Core will provide expertise, analysis, and experimental platforms to systematically interrogate the immune response to the inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine, the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, and the live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine. Two major goals in this Core involve development of gene expression-based predictors of vaccine response in humans and use of genomic techniques as discovery tools to better understand the innate and adaptive immune response to vaccines.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESupport for the first year of the Center initiative will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Eva K. Lee, professor in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech and director of the Center for Operations Research in Medicine and HealthCare, joins a highly integrated and interdisciplinary team conducting research in the newly established Center for Systems Vaccinology at Emory University.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Eva Lee JoinsTeam at Emory\u0027s New Ctr for Systems Vaccinology"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-08-25 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:19","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-08-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"60672":{"id":"60672","type":"image","title":"Eva Lee","body":null,"created":"1449176281","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:58:01","changed":"1475894528","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:08","alt":"Eva Lee","file":{"fid":"191186","name":"thc69054.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thc69054_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/thc69054_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":17319,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/thc69054_0.jpg?itok=VArMS3o6"}}},"media_ids":["60672"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1043","name":"eva lee"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"1202","name":"H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EBarbara Christopher\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIndustrial and Systems Engineering\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=bt3\u0022\u003EContact Barbara Christopher\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404.385.3102\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["bchristopher@isye.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60673":{"#nid":"60673","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Garcia Lab Research ft. in Science Translational Medicine Journal","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers have developed an improved coating technique that could strengthen the connection between titanium joint-replacement implants and a patient\u0027s own bone. The stronger connection - created by manipulating signals the body\u0027s own cells use to encourage growth - could allow the implants to last longer.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EImplants coated with \u0022flower bouquet\u0022 clusters of an engineered protein that mimics the body\u0027s own cell-adhesion material fibronectin made 50 percent more contact with the surrounding bone than implants coated with protein pairs or individual strands. The cluster-coated implants were fixed in place more than twice as securely as plugs made from bare titanium - which is how joints are currently attached.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers believe the biologically-inspired material improves bone growth around the implant and strengthens the attachment and integration of the implant to the bone. This work also shows for the first time that biomaterials presenting biological sequences clustered together at the nanoscale enhance cell adhesion signals. These enhanced signals result in higher levels of bone cell differentiation in human stem cells and promote better integration of biomaterial implants into bone.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022By clustering the engineered fibronectin pieces together, we were able to create an amplified signal for attracting integrins, receptors that attached to the fibronectin and directed and enhanced bone formation around the implant,\u0022 said Andres Garcia, professor in Georgia Tech\u0027s Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDetails of the new coating were reported in the August 18 issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Arthritis Foundation, and the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute through the Georgia Tech\/Emory Center for the Engineering of Living Tissues.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETotal knee and hip replacements typically last about 15 years until the components wear down or loosen. For many younger patients, this means a second surgery to replace the first artificial joint. With approximately 40 percent of the 712,000 total hip and knee replacements in the United States in 2004 performed on younger patients 45-64 years old, improving the lifetime of the titanium joints and creating a better connection with the bone becomes extremely important.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn this study, Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry professor David Collard and his students coated clinical-grade titanium with a high density of polymer strands - akin to the bristles on a toothbrush. Then, Garcia and Tim Petrie - formerly a graduate student at Georgia Tech and currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington - modified the polymer to create three or five self-assembled tethered clusters of the engineered fibronectin, which contained the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)sequence to which integrins binds.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo evaluate the in vivo performance of the coated titanium in bone healing, the researchers drilled two-millimeter circular holes into a rat\u0027s tibia bone and pressed tiny clinical-grade titanium cylinders into the holes. The research team tested coatings that included individual strands, pairs, three-strand clusters and five-strand clusters of the engineered fibronectin protein.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022To investigate the function of these surfaces in promoting bone growth, we quantified osseointegration, or the growth of bone around the implant and strength of the attachment of the implant to the bone,\u0022 explained Garcia, who is also a Woodruff Faculty Fellow at Georgia Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnalysis of the bone-implant interface four weeks later revealed a 50 percent enhancement in the amount of contact between the bone and implants coated with three- or five-strand tethered clusters compared to implants coated with single strands. The experiments also revealed a 75 percent increase in the contact of the three- and five-strand clusters compared to the current clinical standard for replacement-joint implants, which is uncoated titanium.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers also tested the fixation of the implants by measuring the amount of force required to pull the implants out of the bone. Implants coated with three- and five-strand tethered clusters of the engineered fibronectin fragment displayed 250 percent higher mechanical fixation over the individual strand and pairs coatings and a 400 percent improvement compared to the unmodified polymer coating. The three- and five-cluster coatings also exhibited a twofold enhancement in pullout strength compared to uncoated titanium.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech bioengineering graduate students Ted Lee and David Dumbauld, chemistry graduate students Subodh Jagtap and Jenny Raynor, and research technician Kellie Templeman also contributed to this study.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis work was partly funded by Grant No. R01 EB004496-01 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and PHS Grant UL1 RR025008 from the Clinical and Translational Science Award program, NIH, National Center for Research Resources. The content is solely the responsibility of the principal investigator and does not necessarily represent the official view of the NIH.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Better Joint Replacements: Titanium Coating with Protein \u0022Flower Bouquet\u0022 Nanoclusters Strengthens Implant Attachment","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Garcia Lab Research ft. in Science Translational Medicine Journa"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-08-18 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:19","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-08-18T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-08-18T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"60674":{"id":"60674","type":"image","title":"Garcia","body":null,"created":"1449176281","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:58:01","changed":"1475894528","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:08","alt":"Garcia","file":{"fid":"191187","name":"twm64473.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/twm64473_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/twm64473_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":35513,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/twm64473_0.jpg?itok=w7oePOpw"}}},"media_ids":["60674"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"539","name":"Andres Garcia"},{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"10504","name":"Nanoclusters"},{"id":"169331","name":"Science Translational Medicine"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60677":{"#nid":"60677","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Initial Trials on New Ovarian Cancer Tests Exhibit Ext. High Accuracy","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have attained very promising results on their initial investigations of a new test for ovarian cancer. Using a new technique involving mass spectrometry of a single drop of blood serum, the test correctly identified women with ovarian cancer in 100 percent of the patients tested. The results can be found online in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, \u0026amp; Prevention Research.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Because ovarian cancer is a disease of relatively low prevalence, it\u0027s essential that tests for it be extremely accurate. We believe we may have developed such a test,\u0022 said John McDonald, chief research scientist at the Ovarian Cancer Institute (Atlanta) and professor of biology at Georgia Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe measurement step in the test, developed by the research group of Facundo Fernandez, associate professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Tech, uses a single drop of blood serum, which is vaporized by hot helium plasma. As the molecules from the serum become electrically charged, a mass spectrometer is used to measure their relative abundance. The test looks at the small molecules involved in metabolism that are in the serum, known as metabolites. Machine learning techniques developed by Alex Gray, assistant professor in the College of Computing and the Center for the Study of Systems Biology, were then used to sort the sets of metabolites that were found in cancerous plasma from the ones found in healthy samples. Then, McDonald\u0027s lab mapped the results between the metabolites found in both sets of tissue to discover the biological meaning of these metabolic changes.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe assay did extremely well in initial tests involving 94 subjects. In addition to being able to generate results using only a drop of blood serum, the test proved to be 100 percent accurate in distinguishing sera from women with ovarian cancer from normal controls. In addition it registered neither a single false positive nor a false negative\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe group is currently in the midst of conducting the next set of assays, this time with 500 patients.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The caveat is we don\u0027t currently have 500 patients with the same type of ovarian cancer, so we\u0027re going to look at other types of ovarian cancer,\u0022 said Fernandez. \u0022It\u0027s possible that there are also signatures for other cancers, not just ovarian, so we\u0027re also going to be using the same approach to look at other types of cancers. We\u0027ll be working with collaborators in Atlanta and elsewhere.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to having a relatively low prevalence ovarian cancer is also asymptomatic in the early stages. Therefore, if further testing confirms the ability to accurately detect ovarian cancer by analyzing metabolites in the serum of women, doctors will be able detect the disease early and save many lives.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Initial Trials on New Ovarian Cancer Tests Exhibit Extremely High Accuracy","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Initial Trials on New Ovarian Cancer Tests Extremely High Accura"}],"uid":"27195","created_gmt":"2010-08-11 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:19","author":"Colly Mitchell","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-08-11T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-08-11T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10507","name":"Initial Trials on New Ovarian Cancer Tests Exhibit Extremely High Accuracy"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["david.terraso@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60385":{"#nid":"60385","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NIH EUREKA Award Will Enable Design of New Brain Tumor Treatment","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology has received a EUREKA grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to design a new way to treat invasive brain tumors by capturing the migrating cells that spread the disease. The EUREKA -- Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration -- program helps scientists test new, unconventional ideas or tackle major methodological or technical challenges. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research team plans to develop a system that will excavate brain tumor cells by directing them away from their location in the interior of the brain to a more external location where they can be removed or killed. Nanofiber-based polymer thin films coated with biochemical cues will be aligned in the brain to provide a corridor for tumor cells to follow to a gel-based \u2018sink\u2019 where they will be captured and safely removed or encouraged to die through chemical signaling. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe believe this is the first attempt to exploit the invasive, migrating properties of brain tumors by engineering a path for the tumors to move away from the primary site to a location where treatment can occur,\u201d said lead investigator Ravi Bellamkonda, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECollaborating with Bellamkonda on this project are Tobey MacDonald, director of the pediatric neuro-oncology program at the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta and an associate professor of pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine; and Barun Brahma, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Children\u2019s Healthcare of Atlanta. The initial partnership between the researchers began with seed funding from the Georgia Cancer Coalition and Ian\u2019s Friends Foundation. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe National Cancer Institute is providing more than $1 million for the EUREKA grant. For the project, Bellamkonda, MacDonald and Brahma are focusing on treating medulloblastomas -- highly malignant brain tumors that account for more than 20 percent of pediatric brain tumors. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMedulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor we see in children, but unfortunately the five-year survival rates for children with this cancer only range from 50 to 70 percent and the majority of survivors have a significantly reduced quality of life as a result of treatment-related toxicities,\u201d said MacDonald, who is also a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar. \u201cAn increasing number of survivors are also at risk for developing secondary malignancies as a result of the treatment we now administer. Clearly we have to do a much better job at treating these tumors; however, improving survival while reducing the toxic effects of treatment will require a highly innovative approach.\u201d\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMedulloblastoma treatment currently involves surgery followed by radiation therapy to the entire brain and spine and up to one year of intensive intravenous chemotherapy. However, radiation is often delayed or omitted altogether in young children due to its debilitating long-term side effects on the developing central nervous system. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThese changes to the timing of radiation administration can adversely impact survival. And while surgery is a mainstay of treatment, it too can cause a significant loss of cognitive and neurological function due to the critical areas of the brain that may be involved by the tumor\u2019s spread but require an extensive surgical area to remove as much of the tumor as possible.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis EUREKA grant aims to address the urgent need to develop therapies to safely treat invasive medulloblastomas in children.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur plan is to deliver the tumor to the drug -- by directing tumor cells to a specially engineered gel that can be removed or designed to kill the cells -- rather than the current strategy of delivering the drug to the tumor, which is problematic due to the irregular vasculature and poor diffusivity of the tumor tissue,\u201d explained Bellamkonda, who is also a Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar.  \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers plan to design a polymer thin film system that will include topographical and biochemical cues similar to those that guide the initial brain tumor invasion. The thin films will be rolled up and deployed with minimally invasive catheters. Because neural tissue will not be suctioned and the films are very thin, there should be minimal tissue and tumor disruption.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe films will also be non-toxic to the patient because they will be engineered with biocompatible, stable polymers. In previous studies, the polymers have been implanted in the nervous systems of small animals for more than 16 weeks with no adverse tissue reactions. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThis research represents a radical approach to treating invasive tumors that is based on the universal properties and mechanics of cell motility and the migration characteristic of metastasis, regardless of the molecular and genetic origins of the tumor,\u201d added Bellamkonda. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf successful, this approach would identify a new and innovative way to treat pediatric medulloblastomas and has the potential to open a new avenue for the treatment of other invasive solid tumors, such as brain stem tumors. These cancers are incurable because they are located in an inoperable region and\/or they are resistant or inaccessible to the delivery of chemotherapy agents.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 314\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\n\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Vogel Robinson (404-385-3364; \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:abby@innovate.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eabby@innovate.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986; \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E)\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter:\u003C\/strong\u003E Abby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"$1M grant awarded to Coulter Department professor Ravi Bellamkonda"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Institute of Technology has received a EUREKA grant from the National Cancer Institute to design a new way to treat invasive brain tumors by capturing the migrating cells that spread the disease.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"NIH grant awarded to Coulter Department professor Ravi Bellamkonda."}],"uid":"27206","created_gmt":"2010-08-10 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:15","author":"Abby Vogel Robinson","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-08-10T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-08-10T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"60386":{"id":"60386","type":"image","title":"Ravi Bellamkonda","body":null,"created":"1449176267","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:57:47","changed":"1475894523","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:03","alt":"Ravi Bellamkonda","file":{"fid":"191114","name":"tej47110.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tej47110_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tej47110_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":969293,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tej47110_0.jpg?itok=wkBZMW9d"}},"60387":{"id":"60387","type":"image","title":"Ravi Bellamkonda","body":null,"created":"1449176267","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:57:47","changed":"1475894523","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:03","alt":"Ravi Bellamkonda","file":{"fid":"191115","name":"tft47110.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tft47110_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tft47110_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":939228,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tft47110_0.jpg?itok=kMYzO3Gv"}},"60388":{"id":"60388","type":"image","title":"Ravi Bellamkonda","body":null,"created":"1449176267","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:57:47","changed":"1475894523","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:03","alt":"Ravi Bellamkonda","file":{"fid":"191116","name":"tbc47110.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tbc47110_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tbc47110_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1538338,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tbc47110_0.jpg?itok=_tFY6oi7"}}},"media_ids":["60386","60387","60388"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/facultystaff\/faculty_record.php?id=59","title":"Ravi Bellamkonda"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.bme.gatech.edu\/","title":"Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10365","name":"Brain Tumor"},{"id":"385","name":"cancer"},{"id":"8084","name":"Cancer treatment"},{"id":"10366","name":"Medulloblastoma"},{"id":"10364","name":"Metastasis"},{"id":"10367","name":"Pediatric Brain Tumor"},{"id":"10368","name":"polymer films"},{"id":"1442","name":"tumor"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60675":{"#nid":"60675","#data":{"type":"news","title":"NSF Awards Stem Cell Bio-Manufacturing Research and Edu. Program to GT","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $3 million to the Georgia Institute of Technology to fund a unique research program on stem cell bio-manufacturing. The program is specifically focused on developing engineering methods for stem cell production, in order to meet the anticipated demand for stem cells. The award comes through the NSF\u0027s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program, which supports innovation in graduate education in fields that cross academic disciplines and have broad societal impact.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile stem cell research is on the verge of broadly impacting many elements of the medical field - regenerative medicine, drug discovery and development, cell-based diagnostics and cancer - the bio-process engineering that will be required to manufacture sufficient quantities of functional stem cells for these diagnostic and therapeutic purposes has not been rigorously explored.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Successfully integrating knowledge of stem cell biology with bioprocess engineering and process development into single individuals is the challenging goal of this program,\u0022 said Todd McDevitt, an associate professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University and a Petit Faculty Fellow in the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences at Georgia Tech.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMcDevitt is leading the IGERT with Robert M. Nerem, professor emeritus of the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. Nerem is also director of the Georgia Tech\/Emory Center (GTEC) for Regenerative Medicine, which will administer this award.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPh.D. students funded by Georgia Tech\u0027s stem cell bio-manufacturing IGERT will receive interdisciplinary educational training in the biology, engineering, enabling technologies, commercialization and public policy related to stem cells. Their research efforts will focus on developing innovative engineering approaches to bridge the gap between basic discoveries made in stem cell biology and therapeutic stem cell-based technologies.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This program provides a unique opportunity for engineers to generate standardized and quantitative methods for stem cell isolation, characterization, propagation and differentiation,\u0022 said Nerem. \u0022These techniques must be developed in a scalable manner to efficiently produce sufficient numbers of stem cells and derivatives in accessible formats in order to yield a spectrum of novel therapeutic and diagnostic applications of stem cells.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Tech program is centered around three main research thrusts, which focus on several critical technologies that must be developed to enable the application and use of stem cell-based products:\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E* Creating reproducible, controlled and scalable methods to expand and differentiate stem cells with defined phenotypes and epigenetic states.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Developing reliable, rapid and quantifiable methods to characterize the composition and function of stem cells to be generated.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n* Designing low-cost systems capable of producing large populations of defined stem cells and derivatives.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EStudents in the program will be able to take advantage of the core facilities provided by the new Stem Cell Engineering Center at Georgia Tech, which is directed by McDevitt. Technologies developed by the students supported through this IGERT will be rapidly integrated into academic and industrial stem cell practices and cell-based products.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe award will support 30 new Ph.D. students over the next five years and brings together more than two dozen faculty members from Georgia Tech, Emory University, the University of Georgia and the Morehouse School of Medicine. In addition, plans are being made for students to participate in international research collaborations with the National University of Ireland at Galway, Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge and the University of Toronto.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We anticipate this program will produce the future leaders and innovators in the field of stem cell bio-manufacturing who will contribute significantly at the interface of stem cell engineering, biology and therapy,\u0022 added McDevitt.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Biomedical engineering associate professor Todd McDevitt is co-leading Georgia Tech\u0027s new research program on stem cell bio-manufacturing, which is specifically focused on developing engineering methods for stem cell production in order to meet the anticipated demand for stem cells.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"NSF Awards Stem Cell Bio-Manufacturing Research and Edu. Program"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-08-16 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:19","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-08-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-08-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"60676":{"id":"60676","type":"image","title":"Todd McDevitt","body":null,"created":"1449176281","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:58:01","changed":"1475894528","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:08","alt":"Todd McDevitt","file":{"fid":"191188","name":"tjb64868.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tjb64868_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/tjb64868_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":36421,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/tjb64868_0.jpg?itok=aJ1zxIjr"}}},"media_ids":["60676"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"10506","name":"IGERT"},{"id":"6217","name":"McDevitt"},{"id":"363","name":"NSF"},{"id":"171009","name":"stem cell bio-manufacturing"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EAbby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News and Publications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=avogel6\u0022\u003EContact Abby Vogel Robinson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3364\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["abby@innovate.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60411":{"#nid":"60411","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Scientists Cut Ribbon on the Center for Chemical Evolution","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EResearchers engaged in studying the origins of life celebrated a new $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration yesterday at a gala presided over by Provost Gary Schuster. Researchers will focus their efforts on exploring chemical processes that enable the spontaneous formation of functional polymers -- such as proteins and DNA -- from much smaller and simpler starting materials.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our research team seeks to understand how certain molecules in a complex mixture can work together to form highly ordered assemblies that exhibit chemical properties similar to those associated with biological molecules,\u0022 said Nicholas V. Hud, a professor in the Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry. \u0022Such a process was likely an essential and early stage of life, so we are also working to understand what chemicals were present on the prebiotic Earth and what processes helped these chemicals form the complex substances ultimately needed for life.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHud will direct the effort, which is known as the Center for Chemical Evolution. The five-year grant will support research in more than 15 laboratories at institutions including Georgia Tech, Emory University, the Scripps Research Institute, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Jackson State University, Spelman College, Furman University and the SETI Institute.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAll of the researchers will work together to accomplish the Center for Chemical Evolution\u0027s three main research goals:\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo identify potential biological building blocks among the products of model prebiotic reactions,to investigate the chemical components and conditions that promote the spontaneous assembly of increasingly complex multi-component structures, and to prepare and characterize highly-ordered chemical assemblies, and to study their potential to function like biological substances.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nRepresentatives from some of the partner institutions and the National Science Foundation (NSF) were on hand to mark the occasion with remarks and a ribbon cutting.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The Georgia Research Alliance is proud to have at least two of our universities, Georgia Tech and Emory, collaborating with others on this project,\u0022 said Susan Shows, senior vice president of the Georgia Research Alliance. \u0022There are many groundbreaking programs under way on our campuses - more than my company can support in many cases.  So when federal agencies put competitive funding into a program, it makes it easy for the GRA to know where to invest its strategic dollars.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOther speakers included: Charles Liotta, interim chair of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Georgia Tech;  Pat Marsteller, director of the Emory College Center for Science Education at Emory University; Loren Williams, director of Tech\u0027s NASA Ribosome Center; Katherine Covert, NSF program director for Integrative Chemistry Activities; and Matthew Platz, incoming director of the NSF Division of Chemistry.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Researchers engaged in studying the origins of life celebrated a new $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration yesterday at a gala presided over by Provost Gary Schuster.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Scientists Cut Ribbon on the Center for Chemical Evolution"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-08-04 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:15","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-08-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-08-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"60412":{"id":"60412","type":"image","title":"Nick Hud","body":null,"created":"1449176267","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:57:47","changed":"1475894523","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:03"}},"media_ids":["60412"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10380","name":"CCE"},{"id":"10339","name":"center for chemical evolution"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"5959","name":"Nick Hud"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Media Relations\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ELaura Diamond\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:laura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Elaura.diamond@comm.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-6016\u003Cbr \/\u003EJason Maderer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:maderer@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Emaderer@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-660-2926\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["david.terraso@comm.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60222":{"#nid":"60222","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Ravi Bellamkonda Named Associate Vice President for Research","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERavi Bellamkonda, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been named an associate vice president within the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research (EVPR). The three-year appointment, which begins on August 1, enables Bellamkonda to divide his time evenly between his own research and the administrative responsibilities of this new position.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn announcing the appointment, Executive Vice President for Research Steve Cross said, \u0022I worked closely with Ravi during the strategic planning process of the past year and was pleased to learn of his continued interest in supporting Georgia Tech research on an institutional level. Ravi is a first-rate scientist with excellent intellectual curiosity and temperament, and I am excited about his joining our leadership team.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Scholar, Bellamkonda directs the Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory and a National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 training program in the Rational Design of Biomaterials. He also served as deputy director for research at the Georgia Tech \u0026amp; Emory Center for Regenerative Medicine (GTEC).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EVisit URL below to view full article:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/hg_news\/60222\u0022\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.ibb.gatech.edu\/hg_news\/60222\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERavi Bellamkonda, a professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been named an associate vice president within the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research (EVPR). The three-year appointment, which begins on August 1, enables Bellamkonda to divide his time evenly between his own research and the administrative responsibilities of this new position.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Prof. Bellamkonda: Georgia Techs new Associate Vice Pres. for Re"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-07-27 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:15","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-07-26T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-07-26T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"60223":{"id":"60223","type":"image","title":"Ravi Bellamkonda","body":null,"created":"1449176253","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:57:33","changed":"1475894523","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:42:03"}},"media_ids":["60223"],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"140","name":"Cancer Research"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"149","name":"Nanotechnology and Nanoscience"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"150","name":"Physics and Physical Sciences"}],"keywords":[{"id":"10325","name":"Associate Vice President for Research"},{"id":"9492","name":"bellamkonda"},{"id":"1612","name":"BME"},{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFloyd Wood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIBB\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=fwood3\u0022\u003EContact Floyd Wood\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["floyd.wood@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60100":{"#nid":"60100","#data":{"type":"news","title":"IBB Industrial Partners Video Now on YouTube","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIBB Industrial Partners Program has created a new YouTube video detailing its mission and importance in the biotechnology community.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis video is complete with interviews of industry partners, faculty, students and staff, explaining the history of the program and their roles as it relates to the necessity of these collaborations.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0027http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=huL4z1z42DA\u0027\u003EView Industrial Partners YouTube Video\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"IBB Industrial Partners Program now has a video on YouTube detailing its mission and collaborations.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"IBB Industrial Partners Video Now on YouTube"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-06-25 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:11","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-06-25T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-06-25T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=huL4z1z42DA","title":"View Industrial Partners Video on YouTube"}],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"132","name":"Institute Leadership"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"10285","name":"Industrial Partners Program"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EFloyd Wood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIBB\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=fwood3\u0022\u003EContact Floyd Wood\u003C\/a\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["floyd.wood@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"60101":{"#nid":"60101","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Research Could Lead to New Diagnostics, Treatments for Atherosclerosis","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new animal model of atherosclerosis has allowed researchers to identify a host of genes turned on or off during the initial stages of the process, before a plaque appears in the affected blood vessel.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe model is the first to definitively show that disturbances in the patterns of blood flow in an artery determine where atherosclerosis will later appear, says senior author Hanjoong Jo, PhD, Ada Lee and Pete Correll professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe first author of the paper is Chih-Wen Ni, a graduate student in biomedical engineering.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAtherosclerosis describes a process where the arterial walls thicken and harden, because of a gradual build-up of white blood cells, lipids and cholesterol. This process can lead to plaque formation, and eventually to heart attacks and strokes.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJo says his team\u0027s results could provide insight into how aerobic exercise, known to provide protection against atherosclerosis, improves the patterns of blood flow and encourages protective genes to turn on in blood vessels.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists have previously observed that atherosclerosis occurs preferentially in branched or curved regions of arteries, because of the \u0022disturbed flow\u0022 branches and curves create. Constant, regular flow of blood appears to promote healthy blood vessels, while low or erratic flow can lead to disease.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe standard laboratory model of atherosclerosis has scientists feeding a high-fat diet to mice with mutations in a gene (ApoE) involved in removing fat and cholesterol from the blood. Even then, atherosclerosis usually takes a few months to develop. In these models, clogs in a mouse\u0027s arteries tend to appear in certain places, such as the aortic arch, but flow patterns are set up at birth and thus are poor gauges of cause and effect, Jo says.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022We have developed a model where we disturb blood flow in the carotid artery by partial ligation, and atherosclerosis appears within two weeks,\u0022 he says. \u0022This rapid progression allows us to demonstrate cause and effect, and to examine the landmark events at the beginning of the process.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJo says that endothelial cells, which form the inner lining of blood vessels, are equipped with sensors that detect changes in fluid flow.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Disturbed flow is what causes the endothelial cells to become inflamed,\u0022 he says.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe inflammation resulting from \u0022bad flow\u0022 conditions in a stretch of artery causes white blood cells to accumulate there, followed by buildup of cholesterol and lipids and plaque formation.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJust 48 hours after blood flow in the carotid arteries was disturbed, Ni and colleagues dissected the carotid arteries from the mice and used genome-wide microarray technology to identify hundreds of genes that were turned on or off in the endothelial cells.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn past experiments, scientists grew endothelial cells in dishes to probe how different patterns of fluid flow affected their patterns of genes. However, growing cells in dishes alters them enough that many of the genes Jo\u0027s team found have not been identified before in this context.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, the team showed that the gene LMO4 - not previously known to be involved in atherosclerosis - is turned on in their mouse model and also in human coronary arteries. Scientists studying breast cancer think LMO4 is involved in tumor migration and invasion, making an interesting parallel between atherosclerosis and cancer, Jo says.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHe says his laboratory is now probing which of the newly identified genes are most important in atherosclerosis and searching for ways to manipulate them with drugs or genetic techniques, with an eye towards possible diagnostic and pharmaceutical applications.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe research was supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the Ada Lee and Pete Correll Professorship at Emory and Georgia Tech, and the World Class University project at Ewha Womans University in South Korea.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe results were published June 15 in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"A new animal model of atherosclerosis has allowed researchers to identify a host of genes turned on or off during the initial stages of the process, before a plaque appears in the affected blood vessel.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Research Could Lead to New Diagnostics, Treatments for Atheroscl"}],"uid":"27349","created_gmt":"2010-06-28 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:07:11","author":"Floyd Wood","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1292","name":"Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB)"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"},{"id":"145","name":"Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"109","name":"Georgia Tech"},{"id":"10287","name":"Hanjoong Jo"},{"id":"248","name":"IBB"},{"id":"10286","name":"Wallce H Coulter Department of Bimedical Engineering"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EFloyd Wood\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIBB\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=fwood3\u0022\u003EContact Floyd Wood\u003C\/a\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["floyd.wood@ibb.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}},"672382":{"#nid":"672382","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Robot Musician","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe robot medus\u003Cem\u003Eai\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;knows where you are. It must\u2014because it plays music with you.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMade from beautifully fabricated steel and eight mobile arms, medus\u003Cem\u003Eai\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;can play percussion and strings with human musicians, dance with human dancers, and move in time to multiple human observers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIt uses AI-driven computer vision to know what human observers are doing and responds accordingly through snake gestures, music, and light.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/music.gatech.edu\/gil-weinberg\u0022\u003EGil Weinberg\u003C\/a\u003E, the director of Georgia Tech\u2019s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cmt.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Music Technology\u003C\/a\u003E, knows it\u2019s unsettling. Wienberg is also a faculty member of the Institute for People and Technology.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERead the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gtcmt.gatech.edu\/feature\/medusai\u0022\u003Efull story at Georgia Tech\u0027s Center for Music Technology.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMade from beautifully fabricated steel and eight mobile arms, medus\u003Cem\u003Eai\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;can play percussion and strings with human musicians.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The robot medusai knows where you are. It must\u2014because it plays music with you."}],"uid":"27513","created_gmt":"2024-01-23 14:52:13","changed_gmt":"2024-01-23 15:09:21","author":"Walter Rich","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-01-22T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2024-01-22T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"672840":{"id":"672840","type":"image","title":"Robot Musician-3","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMade from beautifully fabricated steel and eight mobile arms, medus\u003Cem\u003Eai\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;can play percussion and strings with human musicians.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1706022501","gmt_created":"2024-01-23 15:08:21","changed":"1706022534","gmt_changed":"2024-01-23 15:08:54","alt":"Robot Musician-3","file":{"fid":"256161","name":"Robot-Musician3.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/23\/Robot-Musician3.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/01\/23\/Robot-Musician3.png","mime":"image\/png","size":2373518,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/01\/23\/Robot-Musician3.png?itok=_OyZXE5P"}}},"media_ids":["672840"],"groups":[{"id":"69599","name":"IPaT"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"188084","name":"go-ipat"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}