Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

These ‘Exploding’ Capsules Could Deliver Insulin Without a Needle

admin — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 13:22:30 +0000

These ‘Exploding’ Capsules Could Deliver Insulin Without a Needle admin Tue, 07/08/2025 - 09:22

Georgia Tech engineers have created a pill that could effectively deliver insulin and other injectable drugs, making medicines for chronic illnesses easier for patients to take, less invasive, and potentially less expensive.

Along with insulin, it also could be used for semaglutide — the popular GLP-1 medication sold as Ozempic and Wegovy — and a host of other top-selling protein-based medications like antibodies and growth hormone that are part of a $400 billion market.

These drugs usually have to be injected because they can’t overcome the protective barriers of the gastrointestinal tract. Georgia Tech’s new capsule uses a small pressurized “explosion” to shoot medicine past those barriers in the small intestine and into the bloodstream. Unlike other designs, it has no complicated moving parts and requires no battery or stored energy.

“This study introduces a new way of drug delivery that is as easy as swallowing a pill and replaces the need for painful injections,” said Mark Prausnitz, who created the pill in his lab with former Ph.D. student Joshua Palacios and other student researchers.

In animal lab tests, they showed their capsule lowered blood sugar levels just like traditional insulin injections. The researchers reported their pill design and study results DATE in the Journal of Controlled Release.

Read about the technology on the College of Engineering website.

Summary sentence

Engineers use sodium bicarb to “self-pressurize” a pill able to deliver drugs that usually require injection directly to the small intestine.

Summary

Engineers use sodium bicarb to “self-pressurize” a pill able to deliver drugs that usually require injection directly to the small intestine.

Dateline

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 12:00

jstewart@gatech.edu

Contact

Joshua Stewart
College of Engineering

Associated importer

Keywords

Mark Prausnitz

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go-bio

News room topics

Health and Medicine

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Research

Mercury ID

682959

Source updated

Tue, 07/08/2025 - 09:21

Georgia Tech, Emory Expand Research at Science Square

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:55:40 +0000

Georgia Tech, Emory Expand Research at Science Square admin Wed, 06/18/2025 - 13:55

ATLANTA, GA – June 2025 – Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University are taking medical and biomedical research to the next level by moving seven cutting-edge labs into Science Square, the Southeast’s premier life sciences district. This expansion is more than just growth in square footage; it marks a major push to establish Atlanta as a Top 5 technology hub in the U.S.

“Science Square Labs marks a pivotal step forward for Georgia Tech and for Atlanta’s growing life sciences ecosystem. We’re not only accelerating our research and innovation — we’re building powerful momentum across the region,” said Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. “Our labs moving to this space will attract top talent and drive medical innovation. The move sets the stage for transformative discoveries, and we hope others will join us to continue Atlanta’s evolution into a global hub for medical breakthroughs.”

This move comes as Georgia Tech saw a 46% increase in research awards from 2018 to 2024, evidence of the Institute’s fast-growing impact. By adding these labs, Atlanta strengthens its position on the national stage for advanced tech and life sciences innovation.

“Every new lab, every partnership, brings Atlanta one step closer to being one of the nation’s top tech hubs,” said Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “This investment signals to the world that Georgia is serious about innovation. Strong research attracts talent and companies — and delivers breakthroughs that improve lives right here in our backyard.”

Why It Matters

Saving lives: From early cancer detection and more innovative immune therapies to healing damaged tissues and managing chronic diseases, the research that will be conducted at Science Square tackles health issues millions face.

Fueling a tech hub: By combining research powerhouses like Georgia Tech and Emory with next-gen laboratory facilities, Atlanta is building the brainpower and resources to compete with national tech centers.

Economic growth: Science Square is helping attract top researchers, startups, and funding — bringing jobs, investment, and opportunities to Georgia. Most recently, Duracell announced they are moving their research and development headquarters to Science Square.

Research for Real Life

The new labs at Science Square will support teams tackling life-changing challenges:

Gabe Kwong, Robert A. Milton Chair, College of Engineering, is developing a two-step cancer defense: tagging tumor cells with a synthetic “flag,” then supercharging T cells (the body’s infection-fighting white blood cells) to track down and destroy them. Early lab tests show the technique works against breast, brain, and colon cancers — and prevents regrowth.

Tara Deans and her team are teaching cells new jobs — when to grow, which type of cell to become, or how to release medicine. Their goal is to design smart cells that can sense what’s happening in the body and act as “living therapies,” delivering treatment exactly where, when, and at the level needed.

Alex Vlahos is developing ways to reprogram cells to understand and treat diseases. His team makes new protein tools that help cells sense their environment, communicate with each other, and respond to problems — repairing tissues, fighting cancer, or calming an overactive immune system.

Ed Botchwey co-directs the Regenerative Engineering and Medicine Center, a collaboration between Georgia Tech, Emory University, and the University of Georgia. His team develops advanced biomaterials that work with the body’s immune system, combined with specialized methods, to produce therapeutic cells and their beneficial byproducts. They focus on innovative regenerative treatments for conditions like sickle-cell disease complications, severe muscle injuries, and injuries affecting the mouth, face, and skull.

John Blazeck designs new ways to help the immune system fight disease. His team engineers cells and proteins to better target cancer, improve immune therapies, and develop next-generation treatments.

Corey Wilson, Love Family Professorship, College of Engineering, is building custom-made biological systems from scratch. By mixing protein engineering with genetic tinkering, his team is creating powerful new tools for science and medicine that help us understand how proteins and genes work.

Alyssa Panitch, Wallace H. Coulter Department Chair, College of Engineering, designs innovative materials that help tissues heal better and scar less — whether skin, blood vessels, or even joints. Her team’s biomaterials promote healing on both the inside and outside of cells, guiding the body’s natural repair process.

More About Science Square Labs

Science Square Labs, which opened in 2024, offers more than 368,000 square feet of premium lab and innovation space across 13 floors. Strategically located across from Georgia Tech’s North Avenue Research Area, the building is designed to bring together academic institutions, startups, and industry leaders.

As part of the continued expansion, Georgia Tech announces a major new lease at Science Square. Jon Mayeske of Cushman and Wakefield represented Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures, an affiliate organization of Georgia Tech, which signed a 10-year lease beginning February 15, 2026, for a 36,364 square-foot space on the sixth floor of Science Square Labs. This cutting-edge life sciences facility includes modern lab spaces, offices, and amenity areas designed to foster collaboration among researchers.

Trammell Crow is the master developer of the Science Square District, programmed for over 2.1 million square feet of labs, offices, and residential and retail spaces in multiple phases.

Summary sentence

Georgia Tech and Emory University are advancing Atlanta’s position as a top U.S. tech hub by relocating seven pioneering biomedical research labs to Science Square, a premier life sciences district driving innovation, talent, and economic growth.

Summary

Georgia Tech and Emory University are accelerating Atlanta’s emergence as a national leader in life sciences and technology by relocating seven advanced biomedical research labs to Science Square, a state-of-the-art innovation district.

Dateline

Wed, 06/18/2025 - 12:00

media@gatech.edu

Contact

Siobhan Rodriguez
Senior Media Relations Representative
Institute Communications

Keywords

Georgia Institute of Technology

Science Square Labs

Atlanta tech hub

Life sciences innovation

biomedical research

Medical breakthroughs

research and development

Advanced laboratory facilities

Georgia Tech Research

Top 5 technology hub

Southeast life sciences district

Research awards growth

Immune therapies

Cancer detection research

Regenerative Medicine

Synthetic Biology

Smart cells

Protein engineering

Chronic disease management

research commercialization

Lab space expansion

News room topics

Business and Economic Development

Campus and Community

Health and Medicine

Science and Technology

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

City Planning, Transportation, and Urban Growth

Institute and Campus

Life Sciences and Biology

Mercury ID

682818

Source updated

Wed, 06/18/2025 - 13:54

Acclimation and Hydration Are Keys to Beating Summer Heat

admin — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 17:05:41 +0000

Acclimation and Hydration Are Keys to Beating Summer Heat admin Wed, 06/11/2025 - 13:05

As temperatures and humidity levels rise in the summer months, hydration and heat acclimatization become increasingly vital in maintaining physical and mental health and maximizing performance.

Research from the Exercise Physiology Laboratory, led by Professor Mindy Millard-Stafford, director, and Adjunct Professor Mike Sawka in the School of Biological Sciences, aims to help athletes and occupational workers better understand and prevent sweat loss and dehydration through the development of predictive tools.

Heat Acclimation Takes Time

According to Millard-Stafford, it can take between five and seven days of active exposure in hot conditions to properly acclimate the body to extreme temperatures. During this period, taking frequent breaks, along with proper hydration, is necessary while the body attempts to thermoregulate through the evaporation of perspiration. She also advises easing into a full workload or exercise routine, if possible, and seeking shade with intermittent breaks when working outdoors for long periods.

Sawka, retired senior scientist for environmental medicine, stressed that even those familiar with summer conditions can be susceptible to the symptoms of overheating following months of cooler temperatures or indoor activity. A predictive tool developed by collaborating with the University of Canberra, Australia, and recently published in the Journal of Comprehensive Physiology illustrates the benefits of heat acclimation based on environmental factors like temperature, humidity, duration of exposure, and other factors to inform their training and recovery plans.

"Just like you train for your activity, whether it's running or tennis or basketball, it's the same with adapting to environmental extremes. It's specific, and the tool allows you to input the unique conditions you will attempt to acclimate to," he said.

Staggering start times can also effectively mitigate injury and heat-related incidents until an individual is properly acclimated to the climate.

Staying Sharp

Studies from the Exercise Physiology Laboratory have revealed a drop in performance and cognitive function when subjects lose 2% of their body mass during exposure to heat. Without proper planning and fluid replacement, thermoregulation can be hindered, cardiovascular strain increases, and an individual's energy levels and performance can diminish. As more body water is lost, more significant symptoms can occur.

The amount of sweat lost during heat exposure is another key indicator of how much fluid an individual needs to avoid these symptoms. A sweat loss prediction calculator, recently published in the Journal of Applied Physiology and funded by Coca-Cola in collaboration with the University of Sydney and Canberra University, uses predicted output and other factors to help individuals plan hydration management strategies for exercise in hot conditions. Relying solely on thirst as a guide frequently leads to underhydration by nearly 50%; therefore, fluids should be consumed before, during, and after exposure to heat.

Understanding sweat loss can also help individuals avoid the dangers of overhydration. "This is not a 'more-is-always-better' kind of approach. You can run into problems by drinking too much over extended periods while exercising," Millard-Stafford said. "Hyponatremia, or water intoxication, can be lethal. You want to follow the Goldilocks theory of ‘not too much and not too little’ to maintain fluid balance with the sweat loss calculator.”

Elderly adults are at an increased risk of heat-related incidents, even if they aren't outside as much, due to differences in their body's ability to regulate temperature and potential adverse effects of medication such as diuretics. Older adults also have a diminished thirst sensation when dehydrated, so they tend to underdrink.

More Than One Way to Hydrate

Eighty percent of human hydration comes from consuming liquids, while the remaining 20% comes from food. Millard-Stafford recommends adding more fresh fruits and vegetables as a part of your diet over the summer.

Drinking fluids remains the primary combatant against dehydration, but she and Sawka also recommend pre-planning meals that include sodium to better retain fluids and nutrients. Humans generally rehydrate at mealtime, with food stimulating thirst and fluid consumption, helping cells maintain balance. Electrolytes in sports drinks can also help hydrate during and after sustained heat exposure.

For many, simply choosing not to go outdoors in the heat is not an option. So, Millard-Stafford and Sawka continue to share best practices and strategies to avoid heat-related illness and dehydration while optimizing performance.

Subtitle

As temperatures rise, proper hydration and heat acclimatization can help maintain physical and mental health.

Summary sentence

As temperatures rise, proper hydration and heat acclimatization can help maintain physical and mental health.

Summary

As temperatures rise, proper hydration and heat acclimatization can help maintain physical and mental health.

Dateline

Wed, 06/11/2025 - 12:00

steven.gagliano@gatech.edu

Contact

Steven Gagliano – Institute Communications

Associated importer

Keywords

summer heat

hydration

Exercise Physiology Lab

Atlanta climate

News room topics

Health and Medicine

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Mercury ID

682767

Source updated

Wed, 06/11/2025 - 13:05

New Wearable Device Monitors Skin Health in Real Time

admin — Wed, 14 May 2025 13:40:41 +0000

New Wearable Device Monitors Skin Health in Real Time admin Wed, 05/14/2025 - 09:40

From sun damage and pollution to cuts and infections, our skin protects us from a lot. But it isn’t impenetrable.

“We tend to think of our skin as being this impermeable barrier that’s just enclosing our body,” said Matthew Flavin, assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “Our skin is constantly in flux with the gases that are in our environment and our atmosphere.”

Led by the Georgia Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), researchers have developed a novel wearable device that can monitor the flux of vapors through the skin, offering new insights into skin health and wound healing. This technology, detailed in a recent Nature publication, represents a significant advancement in the field of wearable bioelectronics.

“You could think of this being used where a Band-Aid is being used,” said Flavin, one of the lead authors of the study. The compact, wireless device is the first wearable technology able to continuously and precisely measure water vapor, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide fluxes in the skin in real time. Because increases in these factors are associated with infection and delayed healing, Flavin notes that this kind of wireless monitoring “could give clinicians a new tool to understand the properties of the skin.”

The Measurement Barrier

Our skin is our first line of defense against environmental hazards. Measuring how effectively it protects us from harmful pollutants or infections has been a significant challenge, especially over extended periods.

“The vapors coming from your skin are in very, very low concentration,” explained Flavin. “If we just put a sensor next to your skin, it would be almost impossible to control that measurement.”

The new device features a small chamber that condenses and measures vapors from the skin using specialized sensors hovering above the skin. A low-energy, bi-stable mechanism periodically refreshes the air in the chamber, allowing for continuous measurements communicated to a smartphone or tablet through Bluetooth.

“There are other devices that can measure certain parts of what we're talking about here,” said Flavin, “but they are not feasible for a wearable device, can't do this continuously, and are not able to get all the information that our device can get.”

Scratching the Surface

By tracking the skin's water vapor flux, also known as transepidermal water loss, the device can assess skin barrier function and wound healing. This capability is particularly valuable for tracking the healing process in diabetic patients, who often have sensory issues that complicate wound monitoring. “What you see in diabetes is that even after the wound looks like it's healed, there's still a persistent impairment of that barrier,” said Flavin. This new non-invasive device tracks those properties.

“There are many areas where people don't have great access to healthcare, and there aren’t doctors monitoring wound healing processes,” Flavin added. “Something that can be used to monitor that remotely could make care more accessible to people with these conditions.”

The device’s wearable nature also makes it ideal for studying the long-term effects of exposure to environmental hazards like wildfires or chemical fumes on skin function and overall health.

Though the applications in health are numerous, the research team is continuing to explore different ways to use the device. “This measurement modality is very new and we're still learning what we can do with it,” saidJaeho Shin, a senior researcher at KIST and a co-leader of the study. “It's a new way of measuring what's inside the body.”

“This is a great example of the kind of technology that can emerge from research at the interface between engineering science and medical practice,” said John Rogers, a materials science professor at Northwestern and another co-leader of the study. “The capabilities provided by this device will not only improve patient care, but they will also lead to improved understanding of the skin, the skin microbiome, the processes of wound healing, and many others.”

As a new faculty member and a member of Georgia Tech’s Neuro Next Initiative, a burgeoning interdisciplinary research hub for neuroscience, neurotechnology, and society, Flavin attributes the success of this research to its interdisciplinary nature.

“A broad challenge we have in these fields of research is that they integrate a lot of different areas. One of the reasons I came to Georgia Tech is because it's a place where you have access to all those different areas of expertise.”

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08825-2

Funding: Querrey-Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics and the Center for Advanced Regenerative Engineering (CARE), Northwestern University; National Research Foundation of Korea; National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.

Summary sentence

The device is the first of its kind to continuously monitor how the skin exchanges gases with the environment, helping to monitor skin health and wound healing.

Summary

The device is the first of its kind to continuously monitor how the skin exchanges gases with the environment, helping to monitor skin health and wound healing.

Dateline

Mon, 04/14/2025 - 12:00

audra.davidson@research.gatech.edu

Contact

Writer: Audra Davidson
Research Communications Program Manager
Neuro Next Initiative

Media contact: Angela Barajas Prendiville
Director
Institute Media Relations

Keywords

go-neuro

go-ipat

go-ibb

go-researchnews

News room topics

Health and Medicine

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Engineering

Life Sciences and Biology

Mercury ID

681759

Source updated

Wed, 05/14/2025 - 09:39

Computing Framework Could Reveal Signs of Neuro Disorders Hidden within Brain Data

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 13:58:41 +0000

Computing Framework Could Reveal Signs of Neuro Disorders Hidden within Brain Data admin Mon, 05/05/2025 - 09:58

A Georgia Tech doctoral student’s dissertation could help physicians diagnose neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease. The new approach leverages data science and algorithms instead of relying on traditional methods like cognitive tests and image scans.

Ph.D. candidate Md Abdur Rahaman’s dissertation studies brain data to understand how changes in brain activity shape behavior.

Computational tools Rahaman developed for his dissertation look for informative patterns between the brain and behavior. Successful tests of his algorithms show promise to help doctors diagnose mental health disorders and design individualized treatment plans for patients.

“I've always been fascinated by the human brain and how it defines who we are,” Rahaman said.

“The fact that so many people silently suffer from neuropsychiatric disorders, while our understanding of the brain remains limited, inspired me to develop tools that bring greater clarity to this complexity and offer hope through more compassionate, data-driven care.”

Rahaman’s dissertation introduces a framework focusing on granular factoring. This computing technique stratifies brain data into smaller, localized subgroups, making it easier for computers and researchers to study data and find meaningful patterns.

Granular factoring overcomes the challenges of size and heterogeneity in neurological data science. Brain data is obtained from neuroimaging, genomics, behavioral datasets, and other sources. The large size of each source makes it a challenge to study them individually, let alone analyze them simultaneously, to find hidden inferences.

Rahaman’s research allows researchers and physicians to move past one-size-fits-all approaches. Instead of manually reviewing tests and scans, algorithms look for patterns and biomarkers in the subgroups that otherwise go undetected, especially ones that indicate neuropsychiatric disorders.

“My dissertation advances the frontiers of computational neuroscience by introducing scalable and interpretable models that navigate brain heterogeneity to reveal how neural dynamics shape behavior,” Rahaman said.

“By uncovering subgroup-specific patterns, this work opens new directions for understanding brain function and enables more precise, personalized approaches to mental health care.”

Rahaman defended his dissertation on April 14, the final step in completing his Ph.D. in computational science and engineering. He will graduate on May 1 at Georgia Tech’s Ph.D. Commencement.

After walking across the stage at McCamish Pavilion, Rahaman’s next step in his career is to go to Amazon, where he will work in the generative artificial intelligence (AI) field.

Graduating from Georgia Tech is the summit of an educational trek spanning over a decade. Rahaman hails from Bangladesh where he graduated from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology in 2013. He attained his master’s from the University of New Mexico in 2019 before starting at Georgia Tech.

“Munna is an amazingly creative researcher,” said Vince Calhoun, Rahman’s advisor. Calhoun is the founding director of the Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science Center (TReNDS).

TReNDS is a tri-institutional center spanning Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, and Emory University that develops analytic approaches and neuroinformatic tools. The center aims to translate the approaches into biomarkers that address areas of brain health and disease.

“His work is moving the needle in our ability to leverage multiple sources of complex biological data to improve understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders that have a huge impact on an individual’s livelihood,” said Calhoun.

Summary sentence

A Georgia Tech doctoral student’s dissertation could help physicians diagnose neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Summary

Ph.D. candidate Md Abdur Rahaman’s dissertation studies brain data to understand how changes in brain activity shape behavior.

Dateline

Thu, 04/24/2025 - 12:00

Contact

Bryant Wine, Communications Officer
bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu

Keywords

College of Computing

School of Computational Science and Engineering

Research Horizons

go-researchnews

artificial intelligence (AI)

go-ai

Daily Digest

Georgia Tech News Center

News room topics

Health and Medicine

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Computer Science/Information Technology and Security

Life Sciences and Biology

Research

Student Research

Mercury ID

682026

Source updated

Mon, 05/05/2025 - 09:58

Faculty Earn Fellowships for Heart Modeling and Data Optimization Research

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:42:41 +0000

Faculty Earn Fellowships for Heart Modeling and Data Optimization Research admin Fri, 04/25/2025 - 10:42

Two faculty members represented Georgia Tech as new fellows to the world’s leading organization dedicated to applied mathematics, computational science, and data science.

The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) selected Elizabeth Cherry and Katya Scheinberg as Class of 2025 fellows. The two Georgia Tech faculty join an illustrious class of 23 other researchers from around the globe in this year’s class.

SIAM selected Cherry to recognize her contributions to mathematical and computational modeling and extensive service to the SIAM community. She studies the electrical behavior of cardiac cells and tissue.

Cherry’s computer models and simulations improve understanding of cardiac dynamics in normal and diseased states. Using these tools, she designs advanced strategies for preventing and treating arrhythmias.

“SIAM has played a huge role in my professional development—the first conference I attended as a graduate student was a SIAM conference, and I’ve attended at least one SIAM conference almost every year since then,” Cherry said.

“Given this long history, it means a lot to me for SIAM to acknowledge my contributions in this way.”

Scheinberg, from Georgia Tech’s College of Engineering, was selected for her foundational contributions to derivative-free optimization and optimization applications in data science and her dedicated service to the optimization community.

Cherry is the fifth faculty member from the School of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) to be selected as a SIAM Fellow.

Cherry’s announcement as a SIAM Fellow comes weeks after serving in a leadership role at a SIAM conference. She co-chaired the organizing committee of the SIAM Conference on Computational Science and Engineering (CSE25).

In 2023, SIAM members reelected Cherry to a second term as a council member-at-large. She began her three-year term in January 2024.

"SIAM Fellows are selected for deep mathematical contributions. Receiving Fellow status is a high honor for any applied mathematician," said Regents’ Professor Srinivas Aluru, senior associate dean of the College of Computing and Class of 2020 SIAM Fellow.

"Not only are Elizabeth's contributions technically outstanding, but her work also provides deep insights into the functioning of the heart and its abnormalities."

Cherry’s leadership and service extends outside of SIAM, influencing students and faculty across Georgia Tech.

In December, the College of Computing appointed Cherry as associate dean for graduate education. Before this appointment, she served as associate chair for academic affairs of the School of CSE.

With her new role as associate dean, Cherry continues serving as director of CSE programs at Georgia Tech.

In March 2024, Cherry was among five Georgia Tech faculty members selected for the ACC Academic Leaders Network (ACC ALN) Fellows program. The ALN program fosters cross-institutional networking and collaboration between ACC schools, increasing each institution’s academic leadership capacity.

Cherry was part of a team of Georgia Tech and Emory University researchers who won a Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance award in 2023. The group earned the Team Science Award of Distinction for Early Stage Research Teams award for work that captures high-resolution visualizations of spiral waves that create heart arrhythmias.

SIAM will recognize Cherry, Scheinberg, and Class of 2025 fellows during a reception at the SIAM/CAIMS Annual Meetings this July in Montréal.

“It is such an honor to be recognized as a SIAM Fellow,” Cherry said. “I’m thrilled to join my CSE colleagues who have also received this recognition.”

Subtitle

Summary sentence

The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) selected Elizabeth Cherry and Katya Scheinberg as Class of 2025 fellows.

Summary

Two faculty members represented Georgia Tech as new fellows to the world’s leading organization dedicated to applied mathematics, computational science, and data science.

Dateline

Fri, 04/11/2025 - 12:00

Contact

Bryant Wine, Communications Officer
bryant.wine@cc.gatech.edu

Associated importer

Keywords

College of Computing

School of Computational Science and Engineering

go-researchnews

Research Horizons

Daily Digest

Georgia Tech News Center

SIAM

News room topics

Science and Technology

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Computer Science/Information Technology and Security

Life Sciences and Biology

Student and Faculty

Mercury ID

681734

Source updated

Fri, 04/25/2025 - 10:41

Faculty, Students Pilot AI Crisis Simulation

admin — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 18:04:50 +0000

Faculty, Students Pilot AI Crisis Simulation admin Thu, 04/17/2025 - 14:04

Researchers from Georgia Tech and the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) recently piloted an in-depth crisis simulation exploring the national security implications of advanced artificial intelligence. Designed by the AI Safety Initiative in collaboration with Model UN at Georgia Tech, the immersive half-day workshop challenged faculty to respond to a series of escalating threats — including a potential biological attack, cyberattacks, and rising global tensions.

Participants represented major governments, corporations, and organizations — including OpenAI and Google DeepMind — and were inundated with simulated press releases and intelligence reports describing the rapid evolution of AI technologies. Their task: to debate and coordinate policy responses in real time.

In one scenario, a preliminary World Health Organization report revealed AI-enabled pathogens spreading across Central Asia. The player representing China quickly moved to close borders and reimpose pandemic-era lockdowns, a move that caused global confusion and economic instability.

“There’s just no way I could have predicted that response,” said Parv Mahajan, the director of the simulation. “But that kind of extreme response tells us so much about how unprepared countries might react.”

Divjot Kaur, who constructed the simulated documents participants received throughout the workshop, agreed. “This valuable information can shed light on the research and work we must put in,” she said.

Some players took advantage of the chaos. The simulation concluded with a discussion about how profit motives might distort information access and accelerate a potential AI arms race.

What stood out most to participants was the range of ideas that emerged during the crisis. “It was great to see the perspectives of diverse disciplines on the future of AI,” said Amaar Alidina, an undergraduate researcher. “Debate provided meaningful insight on topics we wouldn't even have thought of,” Kaur said.

Looking ahead, the AI Safety Initiative hopes to expand the simulation through collaborations with labs and departments across campus.

“The future of our work will depend, in some way or another, on AI," said Mahajan. "And the best way to understand the future is to try and experience it.”

Summary sentence

Researchers explore national security risks posed by advanced AI through a high-stakes strategic exercise.

Summary

In a simulation from Georgia Tech and GTRI, participants navigated escalating global crises — including AI-enabled biothreats and cyberattacks — to assess how different actors might respond to emerging AI risks.

Dateline

Mon, 04/07/2025 - 12:00

Contact

AI Safety Initiative
board@aisi.dev

Georgia Tech Model UN
gatechmun@gmail.com

Associated importer

Keywords

AI Safety

artificial intelligence (AI)

Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts; school of public policy

News room topics

Campus and Community

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Computer Science/Information Technology and Security

Economic Development and Policy

Military Technology

Policy, Social Sciences, and Liberal Arts

Research

Student and Faculty

Mercury ID

681671

Source updated

Thu, 04/17/2025 - 14:04

PatchPals Pitches Wound Care Evolution at ACC InVenture Prize

admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:32:41 +0000

PatchPals Pitches Wound Care Evolution at ACC InVenture Prize admin Tue, 04/01/2025 - 12:32

A team of biomedical engineering students represented Georgia Tech at the ACC InVenture Prize Competition in South Bend, Indiana, pitching an invention that could improve wound care for chronic patients and efficiency in healthcare systems.

Vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy is commonly used to treat the 6.5 million people affected by chronic wounds annually, but dressing changes can be frequent and time-consuming. PatchPals aims to cut the time it takes to treat each patient by up to 30% by automating a critical step of the process using artificial intelligence.

Initially developed by Aya Samadi and Deniz Onalir, BME 2024, for the pair's capstone design project in Spring 2024, PatchPals would allow nurses and technicians to take a photo of a wound, outline it, and upload it to the device, which begins cutting a precise piece of foam in 15 seconds. Typically, nurses must manually cut foam to fit each wound, which can be inexact.

The project began with the goal of creating a better bandage for everyday cuts and scrapes, but conversations with medical professionals led them to think more broadly.

"Each time we share our device with professionals in the field, they all have the same reaction, saying, 'Finally.' It's validating and rewarding to know that we were able to identify a real problem in healthcare and provide a potential solution," said Samadi, now a biomedical engineering graduate student. "By eliminating the biggest bottleneck in the wound care process, we're not just saving nurses time, we're ensuring patients get the treatment they need, without the wait."

Through demos at the Emory Wound & Hyperbaric Center and other medical facilities, the team has been able to refine its product and understand its potential place in the wound care market.

"If the foam doesn't fit the wound perfectly, it can damage the margins or lead to infections. As a nurse, I'd love to use this device in a clinical setting,” said Meg Winata, a medical student at Emory University. “Automating that process eliminates a lot of the human error of wound VAC dressing changes, so this could be a game-changer."

Following Onalir's graduation, Samadi recruited two new team members, Valeria Perez and Hayden Johnson, both master's students in biomedical engineering, to help develop the product. PatchPals is the subject of a clinical study at the Emory Wound & Hyperbaric Center, and the team intends to gather patient data by the semester's end.

As the device evolves, the team credits the Institute's resources for the ability to reach this milestone.

“Georgia Tech has an amazing atmosphere around research and development and entrepreneurship. Without the AI makerspace or the BME design shop, we wouldn't be able to do any of the exploratory research into wound segmentation, automated cuttings, or create our prototypes," Johnson said.

Perez added that the innovation begins in the classroom. "The BME curriculum is one where there are so many different project-based courses built into it, so it has given us a foundation to work on this device."

PatchPals was selected by the judges during the on-campus portion of the competition to represent the Institute at the ACC final, where the team received the People's Choice Award — a $5,000 prize to continue the development of their invention — following an online and text vote concluding during Wednesday’s televised final.

Subtitle

The device, created by Georgia Tech students, uses AI to make chronic wound dressings 30% more efficient, which could save time and money.

Summary sentence

The device, created by Georgia Tech students, uses AI to make chronic wound dressings 30% more efficient, which could save time and money.

Summary

The device, created by Georgia Tech students, uses AI to make chronic wound dressings 30% more efficient, which could save time and money.

Dateline

Tue, 04/01/2025 - 12:00

Contact

Steven Gagliano

Institute Communications

Keywords

BME

ACC InVenture Prize

Biomedical Engieering

News room topics

Health and Medicine

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Student Competition WInners (academic, innovation, and research)

Mercury ID

681493

Source updated

Tue, 04/01/2025 - 12:31

Curing the Incurable: Georgia Tech’s $40M Medical Mission

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:03:41 +0000

Curing the Incurable: Georgia Tech’s $40M Medical Mission admin Wed, 03/26/2025 - 09:03

Georgia Tech stands on the brink of a medical revolution, fueled by a monumental award from the Marcus Foundation. This transformative $40 million endeavor, with a principal investment of $20 million from the Marcus Foundation, promises to make high-quality, life-saving cell therapies more affordable, reliable, and accessible than ever before.

This was among the final initiatives personally directed by Bernie Marcus, the philanthropist, entrepreneur, and The Home Depot co-founder, before his passing in November 2024. Marcus invited Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera to his home in Boca Raton, Florida, to discuss Georgia Tech’s capability to usher in a new era of regenerative medicine.

“I’ll never forget my conversation with Bernie,” Cabrera said. “His challenge to Georgia Tech was clear: Use our engineering expertise to make cell therapies more accessible and cost-effective and develop cures for incurable diseases.

“This generous award is a testament to our shared belief in the power of innovation and technology to improve lives, and it’s an honor for Georgia Tech to fulfill Bernie’s vision for the future of healthcare,” he added.

The funding will ignite innovation at Georgia Tech’s Marcus Center of Excellence for Cell Biomanufacturing, formerly named the Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing, which has been bioengineering potential cellular cures for more than seven years.  It will enable Georgia Tech engineers to advance work at the center and within the National Science Foundation-funded Engineering Research Center in Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), to develop automated bioreactor systems that eliminate the need for costly cleanrooms.

Marcus/CMaT Director Johnna Temenoff compared the current state of cell therapies to the early days of the automobile industry. She explained this new injection of funds will allow her team to shift from handcrafted production to an assembly-line approach.

“I firmly believe that for us to make good on the promises of these biotechnologies to improve healthcare worldwide, we must be able to manufacture them in a more reproducible and cost-effective manner. Georgia Tech’s distinctive strength lies in our engineering expertise, allowing us to tackle difficult biological problems,” Temenoff said.

The impact of this award extends beyond the laboratory. It has the potential to significantly boost Georgia's bioeconomy, making the state a hub for advanced therapy development and biomanufacturing. It will attract jobs and top-tier talent to the region.

Dr. Jonathan Simons, chief science officer and medical director of the Marcus Foundation, said Bernie Marcus liked to think of cells as “living drugs.”

Simons explained, “This is life-extending, lifesaving, and life-changing material. It's not like making a drug like penicillin or Tylenol. This is not like a little blister pack of pills. This is a whole new frontier for pharmacology and the pharmaceutical industry.”

Simons emphasized this is the latest chapter of both the Marcus Foundation’s investment in biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and Bernie Marcus’s enduring biomedical research philanthropy.

“I think Bernie would say, ‘I’m not interested in my legacy. I’m interested in how many patients in five years will benefit from this $40 million effort. It’s all about lives changed, lives saved, and diseases ended,’” he said.

To learn more about Georgia Tech’s research in cell and gene therapy biomanufacturing, visit cellmanufacturing.gatech.edu.

Summary sentence

A significant grant from the Marcus Foundation will support the Institute's research into making cell therapies more affordable.

Summary

A significant grant from the Marcus Foundation will support the Institute's research into making cell therapies more affordable.

Dateline

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 12:00

swundersmith3@gatech.edu

Contact

Shelley Wunder-Smith
Director of Research Communications

Associated importer

Keywords

go-researchnews

go-bio

News room topics

Health and Medicine

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Research

Mercury ID

681369

Source updated

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 09:03

Bringing Miniaturization Science to the Classroom

admin — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 19:31:35 +0000

Bringing Miniaturization Science to the Classroom admin Tue, 03/18/2025 - 15:31

In the movies, Ant-Man can shrink down to the size of an insect to carry out his superhero missions. It makes for fun cinema, but of course, it is impossible. For starters, biological systems can’t scale up or down and stay proportional. The hero would die before throwing his first teeny, tiny punch.

That’s miniaturization science for you. It’s the study of how materials and systems behave at microscopic scales, and it’s transforming biomedical engineering. And though it has led to breakthroughs in diagnostics and treatments, “teaching students about the subject is really challenging,” said David Myers, assistant professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory.

“It’s because the behavior of fluids and materials at such small scales defies intuition, and you can’t really observe what’s going on,” added Myers, who understands the instructional challenge well — he teaches a graduate level course focused on translational microsystems, which is heavily integrated with his lab’s research.

Recognizing the limitations of traditional coursework, Myers and his collaborators have developed a different approach. In Myers’ class, students build and test and observe the workings of microfluidic devices, a hallmark of miniaturization science — microfluidics is the manipulation of tiny volumes of fluids in miniaturized devices.

Their new approach has made all the difference, even earning Myers a CIOS Award for teaching excellence. But Myers is quick to emphasize that this was a team effort. He and his lab developed a hands-on activity to help students learn device construction (and the underlying technical concepts).

Then he reached out to Todd Fernandez, senior lecturer and Coulter BME’s director of learning innovation. Together they optimized the activity to maximize students’ learning. That has evolved into an ongoing partnership between technical and educational research faculty in the department, resulting in an article in the journal Lab on a Chip.

"In other microfluidics courses, you walk through the step-by-step process of fabrication, but actually seeing the device come together in front of you provides such valuable insight into the underlying concepts and manufacturing techniques,” explained Priscilla Delgado, a fifth-year graduate student in Myers’ lab and lead author of the published study. “That hands-on experience is crucial for truly understanding this technology."

Bridging Critical Gaps

Myers’ course bridges several critical gaps, including the high cost of advanced learning activities. It also addresses student misconceptions.

“The primary objective isn’t just the successful construction of devices, but a deeper conceptual understanding of miniaturization science and design principles,” said Myers, whose approach emphasizes conceptual change.

Students often come into the course with misunderstandings about microscale phenomena, “assuming that fluid flow at this scale behaves the same way as in larger systems,” Myers said.

Delgado added, “but it’s wild how fluid behavior changes at the microscale. If you mix two colored liquids in a regular cup, you get a third color. But in microfluidics, the laminar flow and reliance on diffusion can keep those streams separate — it really challenges your intuition about mixing.”

The class allows students to build and test microfluidic kits — mixers, valves, and bubble generators, using inexpensive, widely available materials. This activity is structured to help students encounter misunderstandings and work through them. Rather than simply presenting correct information, instructors guide students through a learning cycle in which they identify errors, reflect on their mistakes, and refine their understanding.

“You can see their brains just sizzle,” said Myers. “Then you kind of add a little bit of structure. You ask, ‘Are you sure you have all the layers there that you’re thinking about?’ And then they’ll go back, count, and realize—oh, there’s this missing middle layer.”

The layer-by-layer assembly technique uses laser-cut adhesive films to construct microfluidic devices. Because the devices are assembled from transparent layers, students can see how their designs function and they can troubleshoot any errors.

“One of the best things about these sticker-based microfluidic devices is how easy they are to prototype,” said Delgado. “I can literally have a new design laser-cut and assembled within an hour, rather than waiting months using traditional methods. The accessibility and speed of iteration is a game-changer."

Expanding the Possibilities

Beyond its accessibility, the sticker-based microfluidic approach also expands the possibilities for innovation.

“The really cool thing is, this is a sticker,” Myers said. “You can place it on your skin. You can place it on the table. You can place it on the wall, if you really felt like it. And when you integrate it with high-end instrumentation like advanced sensors, suddenly you have a resource that traditional microfluidics can’t easily replicate.”

This kind of flexibility enables students to explore microfluidics in new ways. The study involved 57 students, some of whom took their designs beyond the classroom.

“I cannot say enough how much I love how accessible it is and the portability of it,” Delgado said. “You can do this anywhere. You could do this at home. We’ve done it at science fairs for high school students to really challenge the way they think about mixing.”

The impact of the work has also influenced the direction Delgado wants to take in her career. She’s found herself drawn deeper into the field, inspired by microfluidic design.

“The first time I laid eyes on that microfluidic device I had just built, I was captivated,” she said. “I remember thinking, ‘This is so cool; I have to dive deeper into this field.’ That’s when I knew a PhD was in my future, even though I had initially planned otherwise.”

This approach to teaching miniaturization science not only enhances learning but also democratizes access to innovation, according to Myers.

“The really cool thing that I love about this activity is that you’re sharing knowledge and power with the people using the technology,” he said. “Instead of them receiving technology from some high-resource institution, they’re able to look at the problems and start addressing them themselves.”

Miniaturization science plays a crucial role in developing point-of-care medical devices and other low-cost diagnostic tools, particularly in resource-limited settings. Equipping students around the world with the ability to create microfluidic systems could help empower future researchers and engineers.

Fernandez believes this hands-on approach represents a shift in how miniaturization science will be taught.

“By focusing on student-driven exploration and conceptual understanding rather than rote device assembly, educators can better prepare the next generation of engineers and scientists to navigate and contribute to the ever-expanding world of microsystems,” he said. “ And what’s really cool is, you let them play, and they learn more. They discover things that we didn’t even have time to teach them.”

Summary sentence

David Myers' hands-on microfluidics course lets students build sticker-based devices, enhancing understanding of miniaturization science through active learning.

Summary

David Myers' hands-on microfluidics course lets students build sticker-based devices, enhancing understanding of miniaturization science through active learning.

Dateline

Tue, 03/18/2025 - 12:00

jerry.grillo@bme.gatech.edu

Contact

Jerry Grillo

Associated importer

Keywords

microfludics

go-researchnews

go-bio

News room topics

Health and Medicine

Science and Technology

Categories

Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics

Education

Mercury ID

681215

Source updated

Tue, 03/18/2025 - 15:30

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Curing the Incurable: Georgia Tech’s $40M Medical Mission

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