Owen Webb, a cell therapy recipient. See his story here. Photo by Rob Felt.
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES PRODUCE THERAPEUTIC CELLS, 3-D HEART VALVES
Georgia Tech is giving new meaning to the term “advanced manufacturing.” As you’ll see in this issue of Research Horizons, we’re extending manufacturing beyond traditional factory-based processes to develop technologies for producing large volumes of therapeutic cells that will be used in next-generation medicine. We’re using 3-D printing technology to help surgeons plan heart valve replacement operations, and we’re also working with Delta Air Lines and others to develop new techniques for repairing composite parts.
Also in this issue, you’ll read about how a broad-based group of researchers is applying health informatics technology to help clinicians provide better patient care. They’re doing this by analyzing huge data sets: records from millions of patients that can provide information never available before to support treatment decisions. And this work is not just theoretical. Georgia Tech is working with collaborators — including Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — to move this technology into the real world.
In research that promises to both improve robotics and help us understand evolution, we developed a robot that simulates an odd walking fish known as the mudskipper. Working with two other universities, we studied the robot and the fish together to obtain new insights into how the first land animals moved about on granular surfaces — information that could help designers of robotic systems address the challenges posed by such terrain. Finally, this issue also describes Georgia Tech’s role in the Juno space mission, which is exploring the mysteries of the planet Jupiter.
Georgia Tech powers an impressive innovation ecosystem that facilitates transformative opportunities, strengthens collaborative partnerships, and maximizes the economic and societal impact of the Institute’s research. Our goal is to conduct leading-edge research and then transition the results of that research into use.
As you read this issue of Research Horizons, you’ll see how we’re leveraging these collaborative partnerships to create game-changing solutions to society’s most challenging problems. We truly are creating the next generation of data science, materials design, technology education, and environmental study.
As always, I welcome your feedback. Enjoy the issue!
Steve Cross
Executive Vice President for Research
December 2016
