NSF awards GA $60M for artificial intelligence research institutes

The State of Georgia will be home to three new research institutes in artificial intelligence – backed by approximately $60 million in grants – the National Science Foundation announced July 29. The institutes are part of a nationwide rollout of 11 new research enterprises, each seeking to use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve an aspect of life. GRA will organize one of the institutes, which unites experts from Georgia Tech, Georgia State and four other universities to use AI to transform online adult learning. Called ALOE – for NSF AI Institute for Adult Learning and Online Education – the GRA-led effort will develop new AI theories, techniques and models of lifelong learning to prepare more adults for STEM occupations. The Technical College System of Georgia will serve as a test bed for the new approaches developed. Two other new NSF AI institutes will be based at Georgia Tech: AI-CARING, which will use artificial intelligence to improve collaboration and communication in caregiving; and the AI Institute for Advances in Optimization, which aims to “revolutionize decision-making on a large scale” by fusing AI and mathematical optimization into intelligent systems. • Read the NSF announcement > • Full release on the GRA-led ALOE institute >

Ga. Tech, GRA recruit Eminent Scholar in AI

A pioneer in using artificial intelligence to develop virtual assistants like Alexa and Bixby is coming to Georgia Tech in August as the state’s newest GRA Eminent Scholar. Larry Heck, who most recently served as senior VP of Samsung Electronics and president and CEO of Viv Labs, returns to his alma mater to advance exploration of AI and collaborate with researchers across several disciplines. Throughout his 30-year career in industry, Heck has been highly influential in shaping speech and language processing technologies to improve the interactions between humans and devices. In addition to Samsung, he has played leadership roles at Microsoft, Google, Yahoo! and other companies and currently chairs the board of advisors for Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. • Learn more about Larry Heck >

Equity fund acquires majority stake in Axion

Axion Biosystems is poised to grow in Georgia with news in July that Summa Equity Fund II acquired a majority stake in the company. Launched out of Georgia Tech 13 years ago, Axion develops advanced technology to monitor activity inside human cells — an essential step in developing new cell and gene therapies and understanding drug safety. “Axion BioSystems impressed us with its market-leading, highly competitive and scalable technology…enabling faster, more accurate and more cost-efficient drug discovery, development and quality control,” says Summa Equity partner Tommi Unkuri. With the acquisition, Axion will scale capacity, expand its market reach and add to its 60-employee team in Georgia. GRA and GRA Venture Fund have invested in Axion over the years. • Read about the acquisition > • Check out a short feature on Axion >

GSU Scholar advances novel kidney treatment

A team led by GRA Eminent Scholar Binghe Wang has developed a somewhat startling potential treatment for kidney injuries: Using artificial sweeteners to transport carbon monoxide (CO) to the damaged kidney. While CO is toxic in high doses, small amounts can reduce inflammation and protect cells in some human organs. Wang’s team used active ingredients in Sweet’N Low and Splenda as carrier molecules to safely deliver and release CO in mice. The molecule carrying saccharine, an ingredient found in Sweet’N Low, reduced biomarkers associated with injured kidneys. Wang conducts research at Georgia State; partnering on the study were scientists from Vanderbilt, Harvard and the University of Mississippi. • More on how they did it >

Micron Biomedical to test painless shots in kids

For the first time, infants and children will be part of a clinical study for vaccines delivered by painless microneedle technology. Phase 1/2 clinical trials are underway to gauge the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of microneedles developed by GRA-backed Micron Biomedical. The trials will evaluate Micron’s microneedles — which dissolve after administering vaccines and therapeutics — in infants, toddlers and adults receiving the measles-rubella vaccine. “This clinical trial is a testament to the advanced development status of Micron’s technology,” says Devin McAllister, the company’s VP of research and development. • Learn more about the trials >

Cambium’s treatment for dry eye to be tested

Eye drops based on donated human platelets may be the next best hope for people with chronic dry eye. Cambium Medical Technologies is developing such a treatment, and in July, the FDA approved Cambium’s application to advance its therapeutic in Phase III clinical trials. Called Elate Ocular®, the treatment will be evaluated in two studies — one for moderate to severe dry eye, the other for ocular graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Trials completed earlier this year showed Elate Ocular to be safe, well-tolerated and effective at treating symptoms of dry eye, which affects approximately 30 million Americans. Cambium was launched out of Emory in 2012 and has received early-stage investment from GRA. • Read the release >

NSF taps Margulies for high-profile position

We’ve posted a tribute of sorts to our website in honor of GRA Eminent Scholar Susan Margulies, who was selected this month by the National Science Foundation to help shape America’s innovation agenda in engineering. The chair of the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Emory and Georgia Tech, Margulies will become the new head of NSF’s Directorate of Engineering in August. One of seven of its kind at NSF, the directorate is responsible for setting the agency’s engineering research priorities and shaping the preparation of the engineering workforce. Margulies also currently serves as the Eminent Scholar representative on GRA’s Board of Trustees. Way to go, Susan! • Read GRA’s perspective on Margulies’ appointment >

UGA startup Candidus honored for innovation

Congratulations to Candidus, a GRA-backed startup out of UGA that improves high-efficiency lighting for indoor farmers. At its annual Medal of Excellence event (held in July), the magazine Greenhouse Grower named Candidus’s offering “Technology of the Year” for “providing consistent lighting conditions and predictable crop production.” Candidus is one of the companies spotlighted a few years back in GRA’s online article “UGA’s Entrepreneurial Spring.” Above: Candidus co-founders Erico Mattos (left) and Marc van Iersel. • Read the article >