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2011 Annual Report of the Georgia Research Alliance Not Every Day Brings a Major Win, but in 2011, Many Did

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2011 Annual Report of the Georgia Research Alliance Not Every Day Brings a Major Win, but in 2011, Many Did 2011 AnnuAl report of the GeorGiA reseArch AlliAnce not every day brings a major win, but in 2011, many did. An advance in science, a venture investment, the growth of a company – these kinds of developments, all connected in some way to the catalytic efforts of the Georgia research Alliance, signaled that Georgia’s technology-rich economy is alive and growing. And that’s good news. In GRA, Georgia has a game Beginning in July, GRA partnered These and other 2011 events Competition among states for plan for building the science- with the Georgia Department and activities represent a economic development and job and technology-driven of Economic Development to foundation for future creation is as intense as ever. economy of tomorrow. And determine how the state’s seven advances, investments and Every advantage matters. GRA in 2011, that game plan was Centers of Innovation, which economic growth. As such, bolsters Georgia’s competitive strengthened when newly help grow strategic industries, they are a reminder that it advantage by expanding elected Governor Nathan Deal can maximize their potential. pays to make every day count. university R&D capacity and moved to align more closely And the Georgia Cancer adding the fuel needed to several of Georgia’s greatest Coalition, the state’s signature launch new enterprises. assets for creating, expanding initiative for cancer research and attracting companies and care, was moved under the that foster high-wage jobs. GRA umbrella. the events of 2011 | JAnuArY – feBruArY Jan 1 Expert in autism named GRA Eminent Scholar Jan 11 Collaboration aims to develop new treatment for ovarian cancer Georgia Tech researchers have Meg Buscema proposed a filtration system that could potentially remove Billy Howard Jan 4 free-floating cancer cells that cause secondary tumors. They Ami Klin, a psychologist renowned for his research GSU lands top researcher in are collaborating with GRA on autism, came to Georgia as a GRA Eminent inflammation and immunity VentureLab company Sub-Micro Scholar and top official at the Marcus Autism Center. to advance the technology Formerly director of Yale University’s autism toward commercialization. GRA partnered with Georgia State University in recruiting program, Klin was named the first chief of autism John McDonald and Ken a scientist whose work has shed new light on chronic and related disorders at the Marcus Autism Center Scarberry developed the idea for inflammation, the driver of asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and director of Emory University’s Division of the filtration system, which would and a host of other diseases. Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities. reside outside the body and use Jian-Dong Li joined Georgia State University as a GRA One out of every 98 children in Georgia has an magnetic nanoparticles to help Eminent Scholar to launch the Center for Inflammation, autism-type developmental disability, and autism attract ovarian cancer cells as they Immunity and Infection. He brought with him a start-up spectrum disorders (ASDs) are the fastest-growing metastasize. The scientists and company, ROCK Pharmaceuticals, LLC, which develops developmental disability in the United States. their colleagues at Sub-Micro plan anti-inflammatory therapies. Klin’s research – much of which involves to have a prototype system ready Drugs that are used to fight inflammation typically sophisticated eye-tracking technology – helps for testing within three years. bring serious side effects. Dr. Li discovered that a identify autism as early in life as six months, so medication called Vinpocetine, which is prescribed for that the course and development of the disorder memory impairment, also reduces inflammation, with can be altered. He aims to validate a number fewer side effects. of individual markers of autism, which together provide a risk profile for the condition. Klin’s appointment coincided with the 20th anniversary of founder Bernie Marcus’ commitment to improving the lives of children with autism and related disorders. The Marcus Autism Center is a wholly owned subsidiary of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. 2 GeorGia research alliance 2011 annual report Phil Jones Jan 21 UGA scientist studying parasitic diseases is named GRA Distinguished Investigator Boris Striepen, a University of Jan 13 Georgia researcher working to Three GRA Eminent find new ways to treat diseases Jan 23 Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver (left) and GHSU President Ricardo Azziz sign a banner to commemorate the date of the Scholars receive top caused by parasites, became a Researchers explore how university’s name change. national honors GRA Distinguished Investigator. interaction of cocaine, His appointment is part of a GRA HIV/AIDS drugs damage Feb 1 initiative to recruit, retain and the heart MCG repositions – and renames support scientists who are “rising The American Association stars” in their fields of research. GRA Eminent Scholar To position itself better as a leading academic health for the Advancement of Striepen’s research focuses Michael Kuhar is center and top-50 research university, the 183-year- Science elected GRA on parasites that cause severe contributing to a new old Medical College of Georgia was officially Eminent Scholars Don disease in infants, small children Emory University study renamed Georgia Health Sciences University. Giddens (of Georgia Tech) and individuals with weakened on how the combination “The benefits of the name change will be obvious and Cliff Baile and Roberto immune systems, such as of cocaine and anti-retro- as we recruit the best minds from across the country Docampo (of the University those suffering from AIDS. His viral medications used to and the world,” said President Ricardo Azziz. A of Georgia) as 2010 laboratory uses modern genetic treat HIV/AIDS could national survey of faculty and administrators at Fellows. The international approaches to investigate the damage the heart. health sciences institutions showed that roughly half organization noted that the parasites’ unique biology, so that Funded by a $5.7 million had never heard of MCG, and most believed it was a Fellows are selected for new drugs can be developed to grant from the National stand-alone medical school. their “contributions to fight them. Institutes of Health, the GHSU enrolls 2,400 students in five colleges and science and technology.” study examines which is one of Georgia’s top 20 employers. The three join 13 other biochemical mechanisms GRA Eminent Scholars behind cocaine and who were elected AAAS anti-retroviral therapies fellows in earlier years. lead to cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Rick O’Quinn GeorGia research alliance 2011 annual report 3 the events of 2011 | feBruArY – April Feb 22 Powerful new microscopes unveiled at Emory Feb 11 Investors fuel new growth for Damballa Network security firm Damballa Inc., the second GRA VentureLab company to receive an investment from GRA Venture Fund, LLC, Mar 9 continued its rapid growth through a $12 million GRA VentureLab company round of investment. makes WSJ “Top 50” Damballa’s technology, born in the labs of Georgia Tech, combats command-and-control For the second consecutive year, attacks on computers from armies of “bots,” The Wall Street Journal’s list or remote computers. The company, which of the Top 50 Venture-Backed now employs more than 70 people, has raised Companies included Suniva, nearly $30 million in the past five years. a solar power technology With the February funding announcement, company that received GRA Val Rahmani, CEO, told a news reporter that VentureLab investment. Damballa’s pipeline was “16 times what it was Suniva, which evolved from a year ago.” the research of Georgia Tech professor Ajeet Rohatgi, is the Jack Kearse only U.S. manufacturer of high- efficiency, low-cost silicon solar An Emory University technology core facility directed by GRA cells. More than 80 percent of its Distinguished Investigator Elizabeth Wright (above) added product is exported to Europe two ultra-high resolution microscopes, providing researchers and Asia. with extraordinary new ability to visualize cells and viruses. To be eligible for the WSJ The advanced cryo-electron microscopes offer layer-by- ranking, companies must have layer views of a frozen specimen. One of the microscopes, received an equity round of Damballa equipped with phase plate technology, is one of only two financing in the past three such instruments in the United States. years and be valued at less GRA invests in cutting-edge research tools at its partner than $1 billion. universities to advance frontier research and development. 4 GeorGia research alliance 2011 annual report Mar 17 Georgia Tech’s Brédas is named one of the decade’s top scientists Mar 18 GRA Eminent Scholar’s work opens door to simple screenings for cancer PATH A new computational tool designed by a University of Georgia researcher Billy Howard may hold the key to creating simple Apr 12 urine tests to screen for cancer. Georgia Tech researchers Business intelligence powerhouse Dr. Ying Xu, GRA Eminent Scholar demonstrate the future Thomson Reuters named GRA in bioinformatics and computational of TV at national event Eminent Scholar Jean-Luc Brédas biology, studied 1,500 proteins that one of the top 100 materials are excreted in urine. By analyzing Researchers at Georgia Tech’s apr 25 scientists of the 2000-2010 decade. their characteristics, Xu has provided Broadband Institute, led by GRA Record registration reached for Brédas, a Regents’ Professor of a starting point to identify proteins Eminent Scholar Nikil Jayant, GRA/CDC/CDC Foundation Research Chemistry and Biochemistry at whose presence – or absence – in a got some valuable feedback Collaboration Symposium Georgia Tech, was included because patient’s urine could signal cancer. on their exploration of “future of his “impact score,” a calculated Xu’s research was funded by the television” at the National More than 300 scientists registered measure of his influence on the field. National Institutes of Health, the Association of Broadcasters for the GRA/CDC/CDC Foundation His 50 papers published in materials National Science Foundation and (NAB) convention in Las Vegas.
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