Teaming for Interdisciplinary Research Pre-Seed Program

The challenge: rapid development and dissemination of diagnostic and therapeutic solutions to support human and animal health

Goal: formation of a core cross-disciplinary group to mobilize expertise and resources at UGA to study the intersection of glycomics, metabolomics, and genomics as they relate to animal and human health.

Human diseases mirror those occurring in companion animals, and the study of naturally occurring animal disease (versus experimentally induced illness) is a more relevant way to develop diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that can support human and animal health. UGA is ideally situated to take advantage of the resources of a top-ranked College of Veterinary Medicine and centers of excellence in the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center and Bioinformatics. Combined with expertise in the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UGA can become a leader in translational research, advancing human and animal healthcare. This collaboration brings together specialists in metabolomics, thrombosis, glycobiology, genomics, and analytical chemistry to jumpstart the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to benefit human and animal health.This grant will support small and large group meetings to identify current capabilities, characterize knowledge gaps, and plan innovative, interdisciplinary projects towards a center of excellence in translational glycomics and metabolomics.

Team Leader

Benjamin Brainard 
brainard@uga.edu 
College: Veterinary Medicine 
Department: Small Animal Medicine and Surgery 

Team Members

Ryan Weiss 
Ryan.Weiss@uga.edu
College: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Department: Complex Carbohydrate Research Center 

Shaying Zhao 
szhao@uga.edu
College: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Department: Institute of Bioinformatics 

Jonathan Amster 
jamster@uga.edu
College: Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Department: Chemistry 

Joeseph Bartges 
jbartges@uga.edu
College: Veterinary Medicine
Department: Small Animal Medicine and Surgery 

Jackie Parr 
Jackie.Parr@uga.edu
College: Veterinary Medicine
Department: Small Animal Medicine and Surgery