{"id":74573,"date":"2025-11-24T09:00:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T14:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/?p=74573"},"modified":"2025-11-24T08:53:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T13:53:43","slug":"clean-old-fashioned-collaboration-engineering-the-future-of-health-care-at-uga-georgia-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/clean-old-fashioned-collaboration-engineering-the-future-of-health-care-at-uga-georgia-tech\/","title":{"rendered":"Clean, old-fashioned collaboration: Engineering the future of health care at UGA, Georgia Tech"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”text-container first-paragraph”]<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve lived in Georgia long enough, you\u2019ve almost certainly heard the friendly jabs tossed across divided Thanksgiving tables. On one side, a smirk and a mention of the \u201cNorth Avenue Trade School.\u201d On the other, a pointed retort: \u201cTo hell with Georgia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Few rivalries run deeper than the one known as \u201cClean, Old-Fashioned Hate,\u201d the annual showdown between the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. On Friday afternoon, the two will face off in one of the most anticipated matchups in years. These teams don\u2019t like each other, and for a few hours every year, neither do friends, families, and even significant others.<\/p>\n

Off the field, however, the schools are proving that collaboration, not competition, is the schools\u2019 true strength.<\/p>\n

For more than a century, Georgia\u2019s flagship universities have united around complementary strengths, tackling the state\u2019s biggest challenges together. That starts with making Georgians healthier.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Georgia Tech and UGA combine their strengths, together we create solutions that neither institution could achieve alone,\u201d said Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for research at Georgia Tech. \u201cThese collaborations accelerate innovation in health care, improve lives across our state, and demonstrate that partnership\u2014not rivalry\u2014is Georgia\u2019s most powerful tradition.”<\/p>\n

\u201cThe common denominator between these two great institutions is the populations they serve,\u201d said Chris King, interim vice president for research at UGA. \u201cWe have a duty to find solutions that help improve the quality of life for all Georgians, and that\u2019s what these partnerships are all about.\u201d<\/p>\n

From programs like the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance<\/a> (Georgia CTSA) to the National Science Foundation\u2019s Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies<\/a> (CMaT), researchers at UGA and Georgia Tech are setting rivalries aside to build lasting partnerships that fuel innovation and expand the workforce to meet the state\u2019s needs.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”text-container”]<\/p>\n

Pushing cell therapy across the goal line<\/strong><\/h2>\n

CMaT is an NSF-funded consortium of more than seven universities and 40 member companies. At Georgia Tech and UGA, teams are conducting many early-stage translational projects to improve manufacturing of cell-based therapeutics.<\/p>\n

\"Georgia
Georgia Tech Regents\u2019 Professor Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda (Photo courtesy of Georgia Tech)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One joint project between Andr\u00e9s Garc\u00eda, executive director of Georgia Tech\u2019s Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience<\/a>, and John Peroni, the Dr. Steeve Giguere Memorial Professor in Large Animal Medicine in UGA\u2019s College of Veterinary Medicine<\/a>, addresses treatment of bacterial infections that can follow bone repair surgeries.<\/p>\n

Bone fractures and non-union defects often require surgical implants, but 1-5% are compromised by bacterial infection, costing hospitals more than $1.9 billion annually.<\/p>\n

Current treatments are limited to sustained, high doses of antibiotics, which are less effective and can generate antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Garc\u00eda and Peroni are engineering synthetic biomaterials that locally deliver antimicrobial agents to eliminate infections and promote bone repair.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”74576″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” css=”” el_class=”text-container”][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”text-container”]<\/p>\n

Steven Stice, D.W. Brooks Distinguished Professor and Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar at UGA\u2019s Regenerative Bioscience Center<\/a>, is also working with Georgia Tech\u2019s Andrei Fedorov, professor and Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering<\/a>, to improve the speed and efficiency of producing natural, cell-derived healing materials for regenerative medicine.<\/p>\n

Adult cells secrete tiny, bubble-like vesicles that help other cells heal and regenerate tissue. Stice developed methods to boost vesicle production, while Fedorov created a probe that accelerates the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cCells simply don\u2019t secrete these healing vesicles in the quantities needed for scalable, clinical-grade treatments,\u201d Stice said. \u201cOur collaborative work changes that, accelerating production in a way that finally makes large-scale regenerative therapies feasible.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”74603″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” css=”” el_class=”text-container”][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”text-container”]<\/p>\n

\u201cGeorgia Tech and UGA’s collective commitment to advancing science and technology exceeds the intensity of our athletic rivalry,\u201d Fedorov said. \u201cTogether, we\u2019re advancing cell and therapy biomanufacturing to develop lifesaving treatments for the most devastating diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"UGA
UGA Professor Lohitash Karumbaiah<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Georgia Tech\u2019s Francisco Robles and UGA\u2019s Lohitash Karumbaiah are using manufactured T-cells to target cancer. Robles, who leads the Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy Lab in Georgia Tech\u2019s Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering<\/a>, developed quantitative Oblique Back-illumination Microscopy (qOBM) to monitor tumor growth in real time. The method allows scientists to visualize patient-derived glioblastoma cell clusters generated in the Karumbaiah Lab, tracking tumor structure and behavior at various stages.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”text-container”]<\/p>\n

\u201cAssessing therapeutic potency is often complex, costly, and ineffective for solid tumors,\u201d Karumbaiah said. \u201cqOBM simplifies the process by providing real-time, label-free monitoring of therapeutic efficacy against 3D solid tumors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The work could help doctors personalize cancer treatments by providing early, detailed signs of whether a therapy is working.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis technique is more compact and affordable and lets us watch T-cells attack cell cultures in real time,\u201d Robles said. \u201cThis breakthrough could transform how we study disease and screen new treatments.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”74590″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” css=”” el_class=”text-container”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”text-container”]<\/p>\n

A playbook for local health care<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Created in 2007 by the National Institutes of Health, Georgia CTSA is one of several NIH-funded national partnerships advancing new health therapeutics and practices. Since 2017, it has been made up of UGA, Georgia Tech, Emory, and the Morehouse School of Medicine.<\/p>\n

The alliance\u2019s reach extends far beyond campus borders, bringing together researchers, clinicians, professional societies, and community and industry partners to identify local health challenges and translate research into practical solutions.<\/p>\n

Out of this alliance have come many collaborative studies among CTSA\u2019s members.<\/p>\n

One, the Georgia Health Landscape Dashboard, is a tool to identify local health gaps and connect regional health professionals or policymakers with the researchers who can best address their community\u2019s challenges. UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences<\/a> Associate Professors Alison Berg and Dee Warmath, along with community health engagement coordinator Courtney Still Brown, are working with Georgia Tech\u2019s Jon Duke, director of the Center for Health Analytics and Informatics<\/a> at the Georgia Tech Research Institute and a principal research scientist in the School of Interactive Computing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Georgia Health Landscape Dashboard, seen here in one example image, provides insights on local health gaps and connects regional health professionals or policymakers with researchers who can best address them.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The dashboard has already helped match researchers with communities by combining epidemiological data with \u201ccommunity voice\u201d insights through surveys of residents and local leaders<\/p>\n

For example, when examining diabetes data, the dashboard indicates that Randolph County has the state\u2019s highest prevalence, despite declining by about 8% between 2021-24. Meanwhile, Treutlen County\u2019s rate increased 29.2% during the same period. Perhaps Treutlen\u2019s need for diabetic care is a growing concern, while Randolph\u2019s is being addressed. And perhaps Hancock County, which ranks diabetes its top priority in the community voice category, is in search of immediate solutions.<\/p>\n

\"Georgia
Georgia Tech Principal Research Scientist Jon Duke<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Landscape Dashboard is a fantastic example of how the unique expertise found at UGA and Georgia Tech can be brought together to create something truly valuable for all Georgia,\u201d Duke said. \u201cBy bringing together a range of data sources and health analytics approaches, this collaboration has created a tool that delivers novel insights into health, community, and policy across the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Supported by UGA Cooperative Extension<\/a> and the Biomedical and Translational Sciences Institute<\/a>, the project leverages a network of agents in every county across the state. Warmath said the project\u2019s strength lies in its ability to connect research with real-world needs.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo build a community-responsive ecosystem for biomedical research, scientists must recognize local needs, share progress with communities to foster trust and acceptance, recruit clinicians and industry partners, and strengthen the relationships between patient and caregiver,\u201d Warmath said.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”text-container”]<\/p>\n

Teaming up for maternal health<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Warmath and a team of researchers at UGA, Georgia Tech, and Emory are also collaborating on an NIH-funded project that unites experts in maternal health, biostatistics, and consumer science to explore how wearable technologies could improve delivery-room care.<\/p>\n

During childbirth, clinicians monitor countless maternal and fetal vitals\u2014contractions, heart rates, oxygen levels, kidney function, and more. What new insights, the researchers asked, could advanced wearable technologies offer in the delivery room, and what barriers might prevent their use?<\/p>\n

\"Georgia
Georgia Tech Research Scientist Sarah Farmer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Using nationwide surveys and focus groups, the team gathered information from a representative sample of pregnant, postpartum, and reproductive-age women, as well as health care professionals, to examine acceptance of wearable health technologies during labor and delivery. In their analysis of this rich data source, the team is identifying key variables that reveal gaps in technology acceptance and the unique needs of diverse maternal populations.<\/p>\n

Each partner institution brings unique expertise. At Emory, principal investigator Suchitra Chandrasekaran contributes clinical insights from direct patient care. At UGA, Warmath applies her knowledge in consumer science to analyze end-user motivation, attitudes, and behaviors. At Georgia Tech, experts like Sarah Farmer in the Center for Advanced Communications Policy\u2019s Home Lab<\/a> facilitate large-scale data collection.<\/p>\n

\"UGA
UGA Associate Professor Dee Warmath<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With data collection now complete, the team is analyzing results to inform future design and deployment of wearable technologies.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach school has a different perspective,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not as simple as one school does this but doesn\u2019t do that. Each has their expertise, but they offer different perspectives and different resources that, when pooled, can make our research that much more effective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether advancing maternal health, mapping Georgia\u2019s health needs, or engineering next-generation therapies, UGA and Georgia Tech continue to prove that collaboration is Georgia\u2019s strongest tradition. Further, the undergraduate and graduate students who work in these labs and others represent the state\u2019s highly skilled workforce of tomorrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen [our institutions] work together, Georgia wins,\u201d Warmath said.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”text-container first-paragraph”] If you\u2019ve lived in Georgia long enough, you\u2019ve almost certainly heard the friendly jabs tossed across divided Thanksgiving tables. On one side, a smirk and a mention of the \u201cNorth Avenue Trade School.\u201d On the other, a pointed retort: \u201cTo hell with Georgia.\u201d Few rivalries run deeper than the one known … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Clean, old-fashioned collaboration: Engineering the future of health care at UGA, Georgia Tech”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":74572,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"feature-single.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[220],"tags":[],"post_medium":[691,314],"publications":[],"authors":[814],"photographers":[],"video_credit":[],"takeaways":[],"class_list":["post-74573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-medicine","post_medium-feature","post_medium-read","authors-david-mitchell","entry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/121"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74573\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74573"},{"taxonomy":"post_medium","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_medium?post=74573"},{"taxonomy":"publications","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publications?post=74573"},{"taxonomy":"authors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/authors?post=74573"},{"taxonomy":"photographers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/photographers?post=74573"},{"taxonomy":"video_credit","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/video_credit?post=74573"},{"taxonomy":"takeaways","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.uga.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/takeaways?post=74573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}