2016 Researcher Appreciation Day

Dr. Adams' translational research involves xenotransplantation which will allow us to explore cross species transplantation.

Dr. Boulis leads a laboratory committed to developing clinical therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and chronic pain. He is using gene therapy and stem cells to support motor neurons and suppress pain.

Dr. Chen is defining genetic alterations that lead to cancer cell energetic reprogramming. His work suggest that specific diets might be developed to slow down the growth of specific cancers.

Dr. Dunham studies novel mechanisms of protein synthesis regulation and antibiotic tolerance using biochemical and structural biology approaches. She is one of few researchers in the world who can study the structure of the ribosome at a resolution of a few angstroms.

Dr. Frew is a national leader on methods for trial recruitment from diverse communities. She is performing cutting-edge research on vaccine refusal.

Dr. Gross leads the Translational Neuroengineering Research Lab, which focuses on developing novel approaches to functional disorders (such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and neurodegeneration) using biomedical, electrical, and computer engineering approaches. Dr. Gross’ lab leverages the remarkable strengths of Emory and Georgia Tech with a goal of bringing patient therapies to the commercial market. The areas of research are neural regeneration gene therapy, neuromodulation treatment for medically intractable epilepsy in animals, and human neuromodulation for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Dr. Jovanovic is advancing the field of brain imaging in children with trauma exposure to better understand critical periods of development and when early interventions are going to be most effective. She and her colleagues are using innovative functional MRI techniques longitudinally with children at high risk for trauma exposure.

Dr. Kempker has developed national collaborations and is using big data sets to study disparities in critical care and sepsis.

Dr. Leshnower studies diseases of the aorta, and is using animal models to improve our understanding the pathophysiology of aortic dissection.

Dr. Mao develops and studies ultrasmall MRI contrast agents that have advanced imaging techniques for cancers.

Dr. McElroy's research focuses on the interactions that occur between the host immune system and emerging viral pathogens using animal model systems, clinical specimens from cases of human disease and in vitro models. She was an instrumental member of the Emory Ebola Virus Treatment Team in 2014-15, helping the clinical team understand the immune function of the Emory Ebola survivors in real time.

Dr. Moberg uses drosphila to study cancer and the role of RNA binding proteins in intellectual disability. He harnesses the power of very precise cell growth control and patterning in the fly eye to define the signaling pathways that control cell growth. He is a creative researcher and an outstanding mentor.

Dr. Nemati is using innovative big data approaches to identify new clinical indicators for depression and sepsis.

Dr. Nie preforms groundbreaking research in developing multi-functional smart nanoparticles for integrated biomedical imaging and therapy. He is one of the most highly cited scholars in the world.

Dr. O'Donnell is an academic hospitalist who is developing a much needed improvement in hospital discharge processes. This work will have a tremendous impact on healthcare delivery.

Dr. Owonikoko studies lung cancer and other cancers of the aerodigestive tract; he is particularly focused on biomarker development and early phase clinical trials of new therapies for small cell lung cancer and thyroid cancer. He has been PI on over 15 early drug development trials including serving as the study chair for two national studies sponsored by the National Cancer Institute.

Dr. Ratcliff is studying innovative treatments for stroke. He leads clinical trials for stroke and epilepsy, is an award winning teacher, and compassionate clinician.

Dr. Sanchez is a leader in the fields of stress neurobiology and developmental psychobiology. She uses non-human primates to understand the neurobiological mechanism by which early life stress can lead to psychopathology. Her work is at the forefront of translational studies that bridge basic science to the development of new therapies of human developmental psychopathology.

Dr. Shaffer is a health services researcher whose research has led to decreases in readmissions for colorectal surgery.

Dr. Traynelis' research is focused on how the structure of glutamate receptors determines their function in neurotransmission. He also studies rare genetic variants of ion channels that cause epilepsy. He is editor of one of the premiere pharmacology journals and a member of the Emory 1% and Millipub club.

Dr. Vaughan’s research is accelerating the implementation of tools to support appropriate prescribing practices for older adults who are seen in the Emergency Department. Her work is being disseminated across the Emory health system including the VA and Grady and now nationally. Her leadership in the Department of Medicine Research Community has improved the collaborations across the Department.

Dr. Weber has devoted his career to developing treatments for Type 1 diabetes. He has explored the use of protective encapsulated islets as a viable cure for patients with Type 1 diabetes.

Dr. Weitzmann's research is focused on the impact of immune dysfunction and immunosuppressive agents on skeletal remodeling. His work will make a real difference for HIV patients.

Dr. Wolf uses sensory feedback or mixed reality to enhance control of aberrant movement in neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders. His work has high impact on rehabilitation after stroke.

Dr. Yang conducts translational research using cutting-edge cancer nanotechnology and molecular imaging approaches to develop protocols for effective treatment of cancer patients with drug resistant pancreatic, breast and ovarian cancers. She is one of the leading researchers in targeted and image-guided cancer therapy using multifunctional nanoparticles.