Author: akatki

James Beasley, Terrell Distinguished Professor in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, has worked alongside colleagues Thomas Hinton (Fukushima University, Japan), Ole Christian Lind (Norwegian University of Life Sciences), and Kenji Nanba (Fukushima University, Japan) to develop GPS-dosimetry collars, a pioneering tool for tracking radiation exposure in free-ranging animals to improve wildlife health studies and risk assessments. Now deployed in Belarus, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and the United States, the team’s research has been recognized by the International Atomic Energy Agency and has influenced global radioecological studies, conservation strategies, and public discourse.

Ron Orlando, professor in the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center and the Franklin College departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Chemistry, has built a distinguished career translating glycobiology and proteomics research into commercial innovation. He has founded three companies—BioInquire, GlycoScientific, and PhotoChem/GenNext Technologies—all based on technologies developed at UGA, securing over $17 million in federal funding to support their growth. His company BioInquire developed ProteoIQ, a leading software tool for proteomics data analysis, which was later acquired by NuSep for $3.6 million, helping relocate the company’s North American headquarters to Athens. GlycoScientific, specializing in novel research reagents, has produced over 100 products, while PhotoChem/GenNext has launched two biopharmaceutical analytical devices. A Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, Orlando continues to bridge academic research and industry, developing technologies that advance applications of glycoscience and biopharmaceutical analytics.

Hitesh Handa, associate professor and Distinguished Faculty Fellow in the College of Engineering, is an innovator in biomedical device coatings, developing nitric oxide (NO)-based surfaces that prevent infection and thrombosis. His work has led to eight issued patents and 26 pending applications, with technologies exclusively licensed to Nytricx Inc., a company he co-founded. Nytricx is advancing NO-releasing medical devices, including vascular and urinary catheters and wound dressings. These innovations address hospital-acquired infections and implant failures, improving patient care and reducing healthcare costs. In the past two years, his ventures have secured more than $5 million in federal funding to accelerate commercialization. A Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, Handa is a key figure in Georgia’s growing biomedical sector, fostering industry partnerships, mentoring faculty entrepreneurs, and bridging academic research with clinical application.