{"659798":{"#nid":"659798","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Joshua Weitz Named a Simons Investigator of Theoretical Physics in Life Sciences","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EViruses play an important role in shaping both environmental and human health.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/joshua-weitz\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EJoshua Weitz\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;has long used theory, computational modeling, and model-data integration to understand how viruses influence the dynamics of individual hosts, populations, and ecosystems.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz \u0026ndash; who has courtesy appointments in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ece.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESchool of Electrical and Computer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, serves as the founding director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/qbios.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EQuantitative Biosciences\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;graduate program, and holds the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joshua-weitz-named-blaise-pascal-international-chair-excellence\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EBlaise Pascal Chair\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at the Institut d\u0026rsquo;Biologie of the \u0026Eacute;cole Normale Sup\u0026eacute;rieure in Paris until 2023 \u0026ndash; will continue building on his research in quantitative viral dynamics via a\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.simonsfoundation.org\/grant\/simons-investigators\/?tab=rfa\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESimons Investigator\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;award in the area of theoretical physics in life sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Joshua Weitz has made tremendous public and scholarly contributions by applying principles of physics to biological problems,\u0026rdquo; shared\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/biosciences.gatech.edu\/people\/todd-streelman\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETodd Streelman\u003C\/a\u003E, professor and chair of the School of Biological Sciences, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/michael-schatz\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMichael Schatz\u003C\/a\u003E, interim chair and professor in the School of Physics, in their letter to nominate Weitz for the award. \u0026ldquo;The Simons Investigator award will provide resources to accelerate his trajectory and advance his research on virus dynamics.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAppointed by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.simonsfoundation.org\/about\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ESimons Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E, a private philanthropic foundation supporting \u0026ldquo;discovery-driven\u0026rdquo; research, Simons Investigators are \u0026ldquo;outstanding theoretical scientists\u0026rdquo; chosen from a list of nominees. With $100,000 per year of support for five years, the Foundation enables Simons Investigators to \u0026ldquo;undertake the long-term study of fundamental questions.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The nomination from the School of Physics and the School of Biological Sciences speaks to what\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/weitzgroup.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWeitz\u0026rsquo;s group\u003C\/a\u003E, and Georgia Tech in general, do well \u0026mdash; fundamental research at the boundaries,\u0026rdquo; said Streelman. \u0026ldquo;It is clear that human health depends strongly on environmental health. Joshua\u0026rsquo;s group does agenda-setting research in this sphere, and this award is apt recognition.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESmall and Mighty\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Viruses infect a diversity of hosts \u0026ndash; this diversity is both fascinating and daunting,\u0026rdquo; Weitz shared. \u0026ldquo;Our group uses a combination of theory, computational modeling, and model-data integration to understand virus impacts on microbes, populations, and ecosystem functioning. We strive to identify principles that transcend particular systems while also leveraging our findings to advance key areas where viruses of microbes could have a transformative effect on health, including phage therapy and marine ecosystem functioning.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding the dynamics of marine microbes and viruses is a central area of focus for Weitz\u0026rsquo;s group, which works collaboratively with a global network of microbiologists, virologists, and oceanographers to learn more about an often-hidden component of marine life.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Marine viruses are ubiquitous; precisely because they are so abundant and diverse it is essential to use theory and modeling as a means to link processes at vastly different\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003Escales \u0026ndash; to understand how viruses transform cellular life in the global oceans and understand how the cascading effects of viral infection might change in a changing climate,\u0026rdquo; Weitz explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlong with research on microbial and viral ecology, Weitz and his team have used their expertise to study the dynamics of infectious diseases, including Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWeitz\u0026rsquo;s work in infectious disease dynamics has emphasized the translation of epidemic principles to mitigate and control spread. Notably, in mid-2020, Weitz led an interdisciplinary collaboration to develop and release the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/covid19risk.biosci.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECovid-19 Event Risk Assessment Planning Tool\u003C\/a\u003E, allowing individuals to assess Covid-19 exposure risk in counties across the U.S. and around the world. Since its release, more than 16 million visitors have made upwards of 60 million risk predictions using the planning tool online \u0026ndash; helping individuals assess their risk in crowded indoor spaces and encouraging them to take preemptive steps to reduce their risk of exposure and infection. Weitz was also a co-lead of the scientific team that organized\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/surveillance-testing-shown-reduce-community-covid-19-spread\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s asymptomatic testing program\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;beginning in August 2020.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Joshua\u0026rsquo;s public service during the Covid pandemic has had tremendous impact locally, nationally, and globally,\u0026rdquo; said Schatz and Streelman.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The [Simons Investigator] research support is catalytic,\u0026rdquo; Weitz added, \u0026ldquo;enabling support of early career\u0026nbsp;training needs and collaborations in our interdisciplinary group while\u0026nbsp;reducing barriers to taking on fundamental challenges spanning both viral ecology\u0026nbsp;and epidemiology.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am excited about the additional freedom this\u0026nbsp;sustained support provides to work across disciplines,\u0026rdquo; Weitz said, \u0026ldquo;to understand the\u0026nbsp;emergence and consequences of diverse virus-host interactions for human\u0026nbsp;and environmental health.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EViruses play an important role in shaping human and environmental health. Joshua Weitz, School of Biological Sciences professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair, has been named a Simons Investigator for his theoretical work on microbial and viral ecology and infectious disease dynamics.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Joshua Weitz, School of Biological Sciences professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair, has been named a Simons Investigator for his theoretical work on microbial and viral ecology and infectious disease dynamics."}],"uid":"35575","created_gmt":"2022-08-01 14:51:55","changed_gmt":"2022-08-09 19:44:23","author":"adavidson38","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-08-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2022-08-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"659800":{"id":"659800","type":"image","title":"Joshua Weitz, Professor and Tom and Marie Patton Chair in the School of Biological Sciences","body":null,"created":"1659366164","gmt_created":"2022-08-01 15:02:44","changed":"1659366164","gmt_changed":"2022-08-01 15:02:44","alt":"","file":{"fid":"250074","name":"JoshuaWeitz-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/JoshuaWeitz-2_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/JoshuaWeitz-2_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":212789,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/JoshuaWeitz-2_0.jpg?itok=mDD_KudO"}}},"media_ids":["659800"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/timing-everything-researchers-shed-light-how-diverse-microbes-may-co-exist-despite-scarce","title":"Timing is Everything: Researchers Shed Light on How Diverse Microbes May Co-Exist Despite Scarce Resources"},{"url":"https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/surveillance-testing-shown-reduce-community-covid-19-spread","title":"Surveillance Testing Shown to Reduce Community Covid-19 Spread"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/joshua-weitz-named-blaise-pascal-international-chair-excellence","title":"Joshua Weitz Named Blaise Pascal International Chair of Excellence"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/georgia-tech-researchers-release-county-level-calculator-estimate-risk-covid-19-exposure-us","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Release County-Level Calculator to Estimate Risk of Covid-19 Exposure at U.S. Events"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11599","name":"Joshua Weitz"},{"id":"190990","name":"Simons Investigator"},{"id":"187423","name":"go-bio"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:davidson.audra@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAudra Davidson\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences at Georgia Tech\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["davidson.audra@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}