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University of Delaware biomedical engineer helps develop first immune-capable cervix-on-a-chip
A major breakthrough in biomedical engineering is changing how scientists study sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – and a researcher from the University of Delaware is at the forefront. Published in Science Advances, the study introduces the first immune-capable “cervix-on-a-chip,” a cutting-edge microphysiological system that replicates the human cervical environment. The platform allows researchers to observe how infections, the immune system and the vaginal microbiome interact in real time – something not previously possible with traditional lab models. Co-lead author Jason Gleghorn, associate professor in the College of Engineering, led the development of the model. His work highlights how engineering-driven approaches are advancing critical research in women’s health. By integrating engineering with biology, we can now simulate complex human systems more accurately and make these tools accessible to a wider range of researchers, Gleghorn said. The model recreates key features of the cervix using human cells, immune components and naturally occurring microbiomes within a dynamic system that mimics physiological conditions. When tested with infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, the platform revealed how protective bacteria can reduce infection risk – while imbalanced microbiomes can worsen outcomes. These findings could help accelerate the development of new therapies, including probiotics and other preventative strategies aimed at strengthening the body’s natural defenses. The research underscores the growing impact of the College of Engineering, where interdisciplinary collaboration is driving innovation across biomedical engineering and beyond. By combining expertise in engineering, microbiology and immunology, the team has created a powerful new tool that could reshape how STIs – and other complex diseases – are studied. To speak with Gleghorn further about this advancement, email mediarelations@udel.edu.
Ninety-three percent of patients with a new cancer diagnosis were exposed to at least one type of misinformation about cancer treatments, a UF Health Cancer Center study has found. Most patients encountered the misinformation — defined as unproven or disproven cancer treatments and myths or misconceptions — even when they weren’t looking for it. The findings have major implications for cancer treatment decision-making. Specifically, doctors should assume the patient has seen or heard misinformation. “Clinicians should assume when their patients are coming to them for a treatment discussion that they have been exposed to different types of information about cancer treatment, whether or not they went online and looked it up themselves,” said senior author Carma Bylund, Ph.D., a professor and associate chair of education in the UF Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics. “One way or another, people are being exposed to a lot of misinformation.” Working with oncologists, Bylund and study first author Naomi Parker, Ph.D., an assistant scientist in the UF Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, are piloting an “information prescription” to steer patients to sources of evidence-based information like the American Cancer Society. The study paves the way for other similar strategies. Most notably, the study found the most common way patients were exposed to misinformation was second hand. “Your algorithms pick up on your diagnosis, your friends and family pick up on it, and then you’re on Facebook and you become exposed to this media,” Parker said. “You’re not necessarily seeking out if vitamin C may be a cure for cancer, but you start being fed that content.” And no, vitamin C does not cure cancer. Health misinformation can prevent people from getting treatment that has evidence behind it, negatively affect relationships between patients and physicians, and increase the risk of death, research has shown. People with cancer are particularly vulnerable to misinformation because of the anxiety and fear that comes with a serious diagnosis, not to mention the overwhelming amount of new information they have to suddenly absorb. While past research has studied misinformation by going directly to the source — for instance, studying what percentage of content on a platform like TikTok is nonsense — little research has looked at its prevalence or how it affects people. The team first developed a way to identify the percentage of cancer patients exposed to misinformation. UF researchers collaborated with Skyler Johnson, M.D., at Huntsman Cancer Institute, an internationally known researcher in the field. The survey questions were based on five categories of unproven or disproven cancer treatments — vitamins and minerals, herbs and supplements, special diets, mind-body interventions and miscellaneous treatments — and treatment misconceptions. The myths and misconceptions were adapted from National Cancer Institute materials and included statements like “Will eating sugar make my cancer worse?” The team surveyed 110 UF Health patients diagnosed with prostate, breast, colorectal or lung cancer within the past six months, a time when patients typically make initial treatment decisions. Most had heard of a potential cancer treatment beyond the standard of care, and most reported they had heard of at least one myth or misconception. The most common sources were close friends or family and websites, distant friends/associates or relatives, social media and news media. The findings mark a shift in misinformation research, with major implications for the doctor-patient relationship, said Bylund, a member of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences research program at the UF Health Cancer Center. “I still think media and the internet are the source and why misinformation can spread so rapidly, but it might come to a cancer patient interpersonally, from family or friends,” she said. Most patients rarely discussed the potential cancer treatments they had heard about with an oncologist, the study also found. Next, the researchers plan to survey a wider pool of patients, then study the outcomes of interventions designed to decrease misinformation exposure, like the information prescription.
National Academy of Inventors welcomes five VCU College of Engineering researchers
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) recently inducted five Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering researchers as senior members. Chosen for their innovative engineering contributions, the honorees are recognized as visionary inventors whose groundbreaking research and patented technologies are driving meaningful societal and economic advancements across the national innovation landscape. “Invention represents the practical application of knowledge and stands as one of the many ways engineers can make a positive impact on their communities and the world,” said Azim Eskandarian, D.Sc, the Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean of the VCU College of Engineering. “This year’s honorees exemplify the interdisciplinary nature of our field, leveraging advanced concepts from mechanical, biomedical, chemical and pharmaceutical engineering to address today’s most pressing challenges. We are immensely proud that our dedicated researchers have earned recognition as members of the esteemed National Academy of Inventors.” The VCU College of Engineering NAI inductees are: Jayasimha Atulasimha, Ph.D. Engineering Foundation Professor Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering An internationally recognized pioneer of straintronics, an approach to electrically control magnetism for ultra-low-energy computing, Atulasimha has made significant research contributions to next-generation memory, neuromorphic hardware and emerging quantum computing technologies. He holds four U.S. patents spanning energy-efficient magnetic memory, nanoscale computing architectures and medical tools. Atulasimha’s commercially viable inventions are funded by organizations like the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation and he leads multi-institutional collaborations that drive innovation in computing hardware, AI and quantum technologies with more than $10 million in funded research. Casey Grey, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Research Associate Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering Bridging engineering and medicine, Grey’s work spans life‑saving stroke technologies, breakthrough respiratory and neurological care, and sustainable packaging. As a lead R&D scientist at WestRock, he helped create and commercialize the CanCollar® portfolio, a recyclable paperboard replacement for plastic beverage rings now used on five continents, eliminating thousands of tons of single‑use plastic annually. In medical device innovation, Grey’s patent and development work on a novel cyclic aspiration thrombectomy platform, currently in clinical trials, is advancing stroke treatment by enhancing clot removal efficiency and reducing long‑term disability. At the VCU College of engineering, Grey built a research and commercialization pipeline around neurological and respiratory technologies, securing eight provisional patents and leading multidisciplinary teams in neurology, neurosurgery, surgery, pharmacology and toxicology, internal medicine, and respiratory medicine. His work includes developing dry powder inhaler strategies for delivering life‑saving drugs to patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a pediatric bubble CPAP system designed to protect brain development in premature infants, and non‑invasive, non‑pharmacological 40 Hz neuromodulation therapies to treat neurodegeneration and conditions with significant central nervous system complications, like sickle cell disease. In collaborations with the VCU Children’s Hospital and VCU Critical Care Hospital, Grey is leading two clinical studies that are translating these innovations to improve patient care. Ravi Hadimani, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Director of Biomagnetics Laboratory Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering Hadimani founded RAM Phantoms LLC, a VCU startup company, commercializing anatomically accurate, MRI-derived brain phantoms for neuromodulation and neuroimaging applications. These brain phantoms help test and tune transcranial magnetic and deep brain stimulation technologies, improving clinical safety and enabling personalized therapy for patients. RAM Phantoms is also developing a highly-skilled workforce for employment in Virginia’s growing biomedical device industry. Beyond commercialization, Hadimani maintains a productive research program with more than $4.5 million in funding resulting in 125 original peer-reviewed publications, 17 current and pending patents, a book, and several book chapters. His biomagnetics lab serves as a training ground for undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. students to hone their skills in innovation management, intellectual property strategy and startup development. Several students from Hadimani’s lab have engaged in translational research, patent co-authorship and start-up formation, cultivating a new generation of engineer-entrepreneurs equipped to drive future technological advances. Before joining VCU, Hadimani led the development of hybrid piezoelectric–photovoltaic materials that established FiberLec Inc., which commercialized multifunctional energy-harvesting fibers capable of converting solar, wind and vibrational energy into usable electricity. Worth Longest, Ph.D. Alice T. and William H. Goodwin, Jr. Distinguished Chair Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering Uniting aerosol science, biomedical engineering and computational modeling, Longest is revolutionizing inhaled drug delivery. Working with collaborators, his lab has developed novel devices, formulations and delivery platforms that precisely target medications to the lungs, addressing conditions like cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. These innovations have resulted in multiple patents. Some of them have been licensed through commercial partnerships like Quench Medical, an organization advancing inhaled therapies for applications like lung cancer. Collaborating with the Gates Foundation and the lab of Michael Hindle, Ph.D., from the VCU Department of Pharmaceutics, Longest’s team developed a low-cost, high-efficacy aerosol surfactant therapy for pre-term infants based entirely on technology developed at VCU. The invention eliminates intubation, reduces dosage by a factor of 10, and cuts treatment costs. Over 9 million infant lives are projected to be saved by this technology between 2030 and 2050. Through a long-term collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Longest’s in vitro and computational methods provide federal regulatory guidance for generic inhaled medications. The VCU mouth-throat airway models developed under his leadership are used globally across the pharmaceutical industry and in government laboratories. Hong Zhao, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering Zhao holds 40 patents with innovations spanning additive manufacturing, stretchable electronics, inkjet printing technologies and superoleophobic materials that repel oils, greases, and low-surface-tension liquids. Her research has applications across health care, sustainable energy and advanced manufacturing. Prior to joining the College of Engineering, Zhao served as a senior research scientist and project leader at the Xerox Research Center, where she developed high-performance materials and printing technologies for commercial deployment. Her industry experience makes Zhao’s lab a hub for innovation and mentorship, with students engaging in innovative research and co-authoring publications. Zhao is an invited reviewer for more than 50 premier journals and grant agencies. “Working with distinguished researchers and innovators like those inducted into the National Academy of Inventors is a great honor for me,” said Arvind Agarwal, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering and NAI fellow. “They are an inspiration and showcase the kind of impact engineers can make. Having all five of these innovators as part of our department amplifies the scientific richness of our college and its societal impact. They advance the college’s mission of Engineering for Humanity, with research that brings a positive change to our world.” The 2026 NAI class of senior members, composed of 231 emerging inventors from NAI’s member institutions, is the largest to date. Hailing from 82 NAI member institutions across the globe, they hold over 2,000 U.S. patents.
Surprising finding could pave way for universal cancer vaccine
An experimental mRNA vaccine boosted the tumor-fighting effects of immunotherapy in a mouse-model study, bringing researchers one step closer to their goal of developing a universal vaccine to “wake up” the immune system against cancer. Published today in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the University of Florida study showed that like a one-two punch, pairing the test vaccine with common anticancer drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors triggered a strong antitumor response in laboratory mice. A surprising element, researchers said, was that they achieved the promising results not by attacking a specific target protein expressed in the tumor, but by simply revving up the immune system — spurring it to respond as if fighting a virus. They did this by stimulating the expression of a protein called PD-L1 inside of tumors, making them more receptive to treatment. The research was supported by multiple federal agencies and foundations, including the National Institutes of Health. Senior author Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D., a UF Health pediatric oncologist and the Stop Children's Cancer/Bonnie R. Freeman Professor for Pediatric Oncology Research, said the results reveal a potential future treatment path — an alternative to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy — with broad implications for battling many types of treatment-resistant tumors. “This paper describes a very unexpected and exciting observation: that even a vaccine not specific to any particular tumor or virus — so long as it is an mRNA vaccine — could lead to tumor-specific effects,” said Sayour, principal investigator at the RNA Engineering Laboratory within UF’s Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy. “This finding is a proof of concept that these vaccines potentially could be commercialized as universal cancer vaccines to sensitize the immune system against a patient’s individual tumor,” said Sayour, a McKnight Brain Institute investigator and co-leader of a program in immuno-oncology and microbiome research. Until now, there have been two main ideas in cancer-vaccine development: To find a specific target expressed in many people with cancer, or to tailor a vaccine that is specific to targets expressed within a patient's own cancer. “This study suggests a third emerging paradigm,” said Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., a co-author of the paper. “What we found is by using a vaccine designed not to target cancer specifically but rather to stimulate a strong immunologic response, we could elicit a very strong anticancer reaction. And so this has significant potential to be broadly used across cancer patients — even possibly leading us to an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine.” For more than eight years, Sayour has pioneered high-tech anticancer vaccines by combining lipid nanoparticles and mRNA. Short for messenger RNA, mRNA is found inside every cell — including tumor cells — and serves as a blueprint for protein production. This new study builds upon a breakthrough last year by Sayour’s lab: In a first-ever human clinical trial, an mRNA vaccine quickly reprogrammed the immune system to attack glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor with a dismal prognosis. Among the most impressive findings in the four-patient trial was how quickly the new method — which used a “specific” or personalized vaccine made using a patient’s own tumor cells — spurred a vigorous immune-system response to reject the tumor. In the latest study, Sayour’s research team adapted their technology to test a “generalized” mRNA vaccine — meaning it was not aimed at a specific virus or mutated cells of cancer but engineered simply to prompt a strong immune system response. The mRNA formulation was made similarly to the COVID-19 vaccines, rooted in similar technology, but wasn’t aimed directly at the well-known spike protein of COVID. In mouse models of melanoma, the team saw promising results in normally treatment-resistant tumors when combining the mRNA formulation with a common immunotherapy drug called a PD-1 inhibitor, a type of monoclonal antibody that attempts to “educate” the immune system that a tumor is foreign, said Sayour, a professor in UF’s Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery and the Department of Pediatrics in the UF College of Medicine. Taking the research a step further, in mouse models of skin, bone and brain cancers, the investigators found beneficial effects when testing a different mRNA formulation as a solo treatment. In some models, the tumors were eliminated entirely. Sayour and colleagues observed that using an mRNA vaccine to activate immune responses seemingly unrelated to cancer could prompt T cells that weren’t working before to actually multiply and kill the cancer if the response spurred by the vaccine is strong enough. Taken together, the study’s implications are striking, said Mitchell, who directs the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute and co-directs UF’s Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy. “It could potentially be a universal way of waking up a patient’s own immune response to cancer,” Mitchell said. “And that would be profound if generalizable to human studies.” The results, he said, show potential for a universal cancer vaccine that could activate the immune system and prime it to work in tandem with checkpoint inhibitor drugs to seize upon cancer — or in some cases, even work on its own to kill cancer. Now, the research team is working to improve current formulations and move to human clinical trials as rapidly as possible. While the experimental mRNA vaccine at this point is in early preclinical testing — in mice not humans — information about available nonrelated human clinical trials at UF Health can be viewed here.
A future in pharmacy, made possible by support and mentorship
A freshman chemistry major from Hinesville, Georgia, Geovanii Pacheco already has his sights set on a career in pharmacy. His ambition is rooted not just in a love for science, but in personal experience. Growing up, his family spent countless hours navigating prescriptions and insurance coverage for his older brother, Devin, who has autism. During those moments, one pharmacist consistently stood out. This was someone who advocated for his family, helped them through paperwork and made sure Devin got the medication he needed. “It really resonated with me,” Pacheco said. “As a pharmacist, I’d like to embody what she did for us, for others as well.” That goal brought Pacheco to Georgia Southern University where he is now supported by the National Science Foundation’s S-STEM Scholarship Program Award. This is a nearly $2 million grant designed to support Pell-eligible students pursuing degrees in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, geosciences, mathematics, physics or sustainability science. For Pacheco, the program has been nothing short of life-changing. “I can say that I’m not going to college with any financial stress,” he said. “I have no money coming out-of-pocket.” Administered through Georgia Southern’s College of Science and Mathematics, the federally funded program provides last-dollar scholarships that cover remaining costs after Pell Grants and other aid are applied. In addition to financial support, the program pairs students with dedicated faculty mentors and offers structured programming aimed at retention, professional development and long-term success. Sara Gremillion, Ph.D., professor of biology and principal investigator on the grant, said the goal is to ensure that students don’t just enroll in college, but that they also thrive once they arrive. “They may not have a strong expectation about what to expect in college,” said Gremillion. “This program not only removes financial barriers, but it also surrounds students with the support they need to navigate college and plan for their future.” Pacheco has felt that impact from day one. Thanks to the program, he moved into his residence hall a week early to attend a one-week Basebamp program to jump start his college experience. There, he met fellow scholarship recipients and connected with his faculty mentor before classes even began. His mentor, Shainaz Landge, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, has helped connect Pacheco with opportunities from joining the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society to learning about upcoming pre-pharmacy organizations and undergraduate research. “Students such as Geovanii serve as prime examples of the fulfillment derived from mentorship and teaching,” said Landge. “Their growth and engagement highlight the critical role that effective mentorship plays in fostering both academic development.” That blend of mentorship and financial support is exactly what the grant was designed to provide. Over five years, the program will serve dozens of students in eligible majors such as chemistry, biology, biomedical science, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, sustainability science and geoscience. Each student receives individualized scholarship support, up to $15,000 per year, based on need, along with a faculty mentor who stays with them throughout their undergraduate journey. For Pacheco and his family, the scholarship brought immediate relief. He vividly remembers opening the acceptance email with his mother and scrolling down to see the financial aid details. “She was tickled, let me tell you,” he said. “It lifted so much stress off her shoulders. It was life-changing.” Applications to be part of the next cohort of COSM S-STEM Scholars are open until Feb. 1, 2026. Eligibility requirements, necessary documentation and other information can be found at this webpage. Looking to know more about Georgia Southern University or the National Science Foundation’s S-STEM Scholarship Program Award? Simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Anuradha Godavarty, Ph.D., has joined the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering, bringing more than two decades of research leadership in optical imaging, medical device innovation and interdisciplinary training to the Department of Biomedical Engineering. “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Godavarty to our department,” said Rebecca Heise, Ph.D., Inez Caudill, Jr. Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. “She is an outstanding scholar and teacher who will expand our collaborations with VCU Health in many applications of optical imaging. Our students and faculty alike will benefit from her experience and mentorship.” Godavarty comes to VCU from Florida International University (FIU), where she served as director of the Optical Imaging Laboratory at FIU. Her work centered on designing and translating near‑infrared optical imaging technologies for clinical use, with applications ranging from breast cancer detection to functional brain mapping to wound assessment. Godavarty has a national reputation for developing portable, low‑cost imaging systems that improve access to care, including hand-held and smartphone-based near‑infrared imaging devices. Her research portfolio includes funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation, Florida Department of Health and American Cancer Society, among others. Godavarty is also a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, a senior member of the International Society of Optics and Photonics and the National Academy of Inventors At VCU, Godavarty will expand her research program in optical imaging technologies while collaborating with clinicians, engineers and industry partners across the university and region. Her long‑term goals include advancing bedside imaging tools for wound care, cardiovascular applications and plastic surgery; strengthening global research partnerships; and training the next generation of optical imaging experts. “Virginia Commonwealth University’s engineering and health sciences ecosystem is an ideal place to grow translational research,” Godavarty said. “I look forward to building new collaborations, developing technologies that can make a meaningful difference in patient care and translating these innovations for real-world use by medical professionals.” Godavarty has played a major role in undergraduate education, serving as the undergraduate program director for biomedical engineering at FIU from 2016 to 2022 and leading the department through a successful Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) cycle. She organized FIU’s Annual Diabetes Awareness Day for four consecutive years and regularly engaged K‑12 students through hands-on demonstrations. Throughout her career, Godavarty has been deeply committed to mentoring. In addition to supervising doctoral, master’s and undergraduate students at FIU, she also advised high school students through outreach initiatives and supported several postdoctoral researchers. Her students have earned multiple awards, including NIH and Department of Defense fellowships, national postdoctoral awards and multiple university‑level honors.
The year was 2003, and John Speich, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering, felt like he had a clear sense of the direction his burgeoning career was heading in. Speich had recently completed his doctorate in mechanical engineering from Vanderbilt University, where he concentrated on robotics. Following Vanderbilt, Speich went on to become an associate professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering, working with students in the Department of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering. Leveraging his robotics expertise, Speich planned to continue his work developing robotics for medical surgery and rehabilitation. Then Speich got a call from Paul Ratz, Ph.D., a professor at the VCU School of Medicine, asking for assistance that would change the entire focus of Speich’s career. Ratz used a small robotic lever that moved up and down just a few millimeters to stretch tiny strips of bladder muscle and rings of artery, trying to determine how different chemical compounds changed the mechanical properties of the muscle. Speich was intrigued—this was a form of mechanical engineering. “In mechanical engineering, we pull on things to determine the mechanical properties,” says Speich. “Here, Dr. Ratz was pulling on pieces of bladder instead of the typical substances mechanical engineers are known to work with, like steel, aluminum or plastic.” Speich and Ratz began working together in 2003, and now, because of that unique partnership, nearly all of the research Speich does is about the bladder. “Before I started working with Dr. Ratz, I had never even heard the words neurourology or urodynamics,” says Speich. “Now, Neurourology and Urodynamics is the name of the journal I publish in the most.” Today, Speich collaborates on bladder biomechanics with two doctors at VCU Health. Adam Klausner, MD is a urologist and the interim chair of the new Department of Urology at VCU. Linda Burkett, MD is a urogynecologist from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; prior to medical school, Burkett completed her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the VCU College of Engineering. Together, Speich, Klausner and Burkett aim to find non-invasive methods to characterize and diagnose overactive bladder, with the goal of allowing doctors to precisely match patients with the most effective treatments. A number of students across the VCU College of Engineering and VCU School of Medicine have aided in their research, including recent Biomedical Engineering graduate Mariam William. Speich’s primary methods of research involve Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS)—a non-invasive technology that uses light to measure tissue oxygenation and brain activity—and ultrasound imaging. By using NIRS to study the brain activity associated with the sudden urge to urinate, Speich and his team are working to pinpoint the brain’s role and determine whether it or the bladder is the primary cause of an individual’s condition. “There are a lot of potential causes of overactive bladder,” says Speich. “Some people may have more than one cause. Individual responses to these treatments vary; what works well for one patient may not work at all for the next. We want to give doctors better tools for quantifying information about their patients so they can make better decisions and more optimized treatments.” Thanks to research grants, including a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant from 2015-2025, Speich has been able to make a number of important findings in his bladder research. His team has closely examined the bladder’s dynamic elasticity, investigating the biomechanical mechanisms that allow the bladder muscle to fill and expand. Another recent focus asks, “Bladder or Brain. Which is it?” Speich and his team developed a tool called a sensation meter that they use to help determine what an individual is feeling as their bladder is filling over time. All this groundbreaking research and medical school collaboration, and to think—Speich nearly missed the opportunity to enter this field entirely. “When I tell students about how I came to be involved in bladder biomechanics, I tell them, you will always keep learning throughout your entire career,” says Speich. “You never know where you’re going to end up. If you’re an engineer, you’re a problem solver, and there are all kinds of problems in areas like business and medicine—beyond the traditional areas people think of when they think of mechanical engineering.”
Pioneering systems to aid the visually impaired, Dianne Pawluk, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, recently received two grants totaling $4.5 million in support of her research. Real-time Conversion and Display of Visual Diagrams in Accessible Forms for Blind-Visually Impaired (BVI) is a five-year project to develop real-time assistive technology for BVI individuals. It received a $3.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Eye Institute to fund a low-cost system that will automatically convert and render visual diagrams in effective accessible formats on a multimodal display, including a refreshable tactile display and an enhanced, visual magnification program. Diagram exploration support will be provided by an automated haptic assistant. Pawluk is collaborating with Tomasz Arodz, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Computer Science, on the project. Including Blind and Visually Impaired Students in Computer Programming Education Through a Tangible Interface for Scratch is a four-year project to develop a nonvisual interface for the Scratch programming platform. Receiving a $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the project aims to make computer science education more accessible to BVI students. The interface will allow these students to learn programming alongside their sighted peers in classrooms, camps and clubs, supporting both BVI and other kinesthetic learners with a haptic-based tangible interface. High contrast visual information will also be provided for those with low vision and collaboration with sighted peers. This project is a collaboration with the Science Museum of Virginia, Arizona Science Center and Liberty Science Center. “Equal access to information is important for individuals who are blind or visually impaired to have autonomy and control over their decision-making processes and other tasks, which will allow them to live productive and fulfilling lives,” Pawluk said. “These projects go beyond creating an equivalent experience. They enable full collaboration between visually impaired and sighted people, ensuring equal opportunity.”
Proteins, often called the building blocks of life, play a central role in drug development. When scientists develop new treatments, they must understand how drugs interact with proteins involved in disease mechanisms and with proteins in the human body that influence drug response. Scientists commonly use cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) 3D imaging data to study proteins. While recent advances have enabled higher-resolution images that are easier to analyze, medium-resolution images—which are more difficult to interpret—are still the most common for larger protein complexes. Salim Sazzed, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the computer science department of Georgia Southern University’s Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing, has been awarded a two-year National Science Foundation grant of about $175,000 to lead a groundbreaking project to develop novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques for determining protein secondary structures from medium-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) images. Improved modeling from medium-resolution images will help researchers study more proteins efficiently, giving new insights into diseases and potentially guiding the development of new treatments and future drugs. At its core, this research will combine biology and machine learning to study protein structures. The multidisciplinary approach and potential impacts on public health are what most excite Sazzed. “The impetus behind this research is the positive impact on public health and possibly contributing to the biomedical workforce,” he said. “Seeing biology and computer science combine for that kind of impact is incredibly moving.” As the Principal Investigator (PI) for the project, Sazzed will use his expertise in deep learning computer models to focus on a major challenge in structural biology: identifying the two main secondary structures of proteins—the alpha helix and the beta sheet. These structures are critical for a protein’s overall shape and function, but in medium-resolution cryo-EM images they often appear indistinct or lack clear detail, making them particularly difficult to analyze. Sazzed’s research will focus on two main goals. First, he will quantify the variability of alpha helices and beta sheets in medium-resolution images, comparing them to idealized structures. Second, by integrating this structural variability with the image data in a deep learning model, he will aim to generate more precise and accurate representations of protein secondary structures. “When we feed this information into a deep learning model along with the image data, the model should be able to determine protein secondary structures more precisely,” Sazzed elaborated. Sazzed believes students will greatly benefit from this multi-disciplinary approach. In addition to a Ph.D. student, several undergraduate students will be directly engaged in the research. A full-day workshop will also be organized, allowing Georgia Southern students from diverse disciplines to participate. This initiative will build on Georgia Southern’s strong tradition of involving undergraduates in research and will support the University’s recent focus on biomedical and health sciences. “There are many different knowledge areas coming together in this work,” Sazzed said. “It involves computer science, biology, chemistry, and even public health. I look forward to students following the research and exploring these different fields themselves.” Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing Interim Associate Dean of Research, Masoud Davari, Ph.D., echoes this sentiment and emphasizes its importance to the University’s research profile. “Sazzed’s interdisciplinary research, which bridges the gap between biology and computer science, will foster multidisciplinary research in our college—as it is cutting-edge and potentially groundbreaking in drug development to impact people’s lives nationally and globally,” Davari said. “It’s also well aligned with the college’s strategic research plan—as we make the move to R1 status to be aligned with ‘Soaring to R1,’ which is among the transformational initiatives for the University.” Looking to know more about Georgia Southern University or connect with Salim Sazzed — simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Aston University’s approach to a global challenge Across industries, companies face mounting pressure to cut carbon, improve resource efficiency, and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet many firms still struggle to move from vision statements to measurable action. At Aston Business School, Dr Breno Nunes, reader in sustainable operations management, is developing practical frameworks that help organisations embed sustainability at their core. His concept of 'sustainability fitness' captures how firms can build the capabilities they need to adapt, compete, and thrive in the transition to a net zero economy. “Many organisations want to be sustainable but struggle to operationalise what that means. My work is about bridging that gap — helping businesses translate strategies into practice.” — Dr Breno Nunes The sustainability fitness concept involves both meeting human needs and respecting environmental limits. While it can also be applied at the societal and individual level, Dr Nunes focuses on organisations, where capability building delivers the fastest, measurable change. Corporate sustainability fitness examines how a firm is able to survive and meet its own needs, while aligning itself to wider essential needs of society and operating within limits imposed by its surrounding natural environment. From research to real-world action Dr Nunes’ research examines how organisations design, implement, and monitor sustainability strategies across operations, supply chains, facilities, and product development. He is the main author of the book Sustainable Operations Management: Key practices and cases, which applies the issues of sustainability to all strategic decisions of operations. His work is already making a tangible difference, including international partnerships in Brazil, Canada, and the US, bringing cross-cultural insights into organisational transformation, as well as for various companies and organisations. In an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with automotive supplier Metal Assemblies, Dr Nunes and Professor Alexeis Garcia Perez, professor of digital business and society at Aston University, are working to calculate and report the carbon cost of metal components used in car production, tackling one of the industry’s biggest sustainability challenges. The digitalisation of processes will allow Metal Assemblies to meet customers' requirements and position itself as a trusted and transparent supplier of low-carbon components. In another KTP with Brockhouse Group, a forging manufacturer in the West Midlands, Dr Nunes worked with Aston colleague Dr Muhammad Imran, reader in mechanical, biomedical and design engineering. Together they developed a sustainable manufacturing strategy centred on carbon reduction and process improvement. The work involved the development of an energy dashboard, allowing analysis of data on gas and electricity consumption. The project also included analysis of alternatives for energy recovery systems, and development of routines and procedures to improve the manufacturing process. As a result, Brockhouse group is more competitive to supply in non-captive markets. Dr Nunes has also been involved with a collaboration with Birmingham Botanical Gardens to integrate sustainability into policy and practice, expanding the use of business sustainability theories to nonprofit sectors. Sustainability can be embedded across different areas of organisations while seeking financial stability. As an environmental education charity, it is important to for Birmingham Botanical Gardens to 'practise what it preaches'. It was recently awarded almost £20m from various grants (including Heritage Lottery) in a capital project, thanks to having sustainability at the core of renovation plans. These projects highlight Aston University’s role in bridging academia, industry, and policy — ensuring research findings reach the boardroom as well as the factory floor. Key insights from the research Dr Nunes’ studies highlight several critical factors for turning sustainability from intention into measurable results: • Organisational capabilities are central to embedding sustainability. These include empowering sustainability “champions” (institutional entrepreneurs), supportive structures, superior technologies, and the ability to learn and balance economic, environmental, and social performance. • The tensions in implementing sustainability vary not just by function (supply chains, governance, innovation) but also by an organisation’s maturity level. • Start with the low-hanging fruit: tools like self-assessments, capability diagnostics, and learning games allow firms to act at lower cost before committing to full environmental impact assessments or formal reporting. • Collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers accelerates real-world impact. Why this matters The stakes are high. Businesses worldwide are expected to reduce carbon emissions, demonstrate social responsibility, and remain competitive in a rapidly changing global economy. Aston University’s research shows that strengthening sustainability capabilities not only improves environmental outcomes but also boosts resilience and cost savings. In pilot projects, teams working with Dr Nunes have achieved up to 30% reductions in both cost and carbon emissions — proof that sustainability can drive operational performance as well as compliance. Looking ahead: expanding the Sustainable Growth Hub The next phase of Dr Nunes’ work centres on Aston’s Sustainable Growth Hub, which is being developed as a reference point for SMEs seeking sustainability solutions. In 2025, the Hub will: • Launch its first industry club cohort and expand its team. • Roll out new self-assessment tools to size sustainability needs and decarbonisation goals. • Introduce new learning formats and follow-up courses to Aston’s Green Advantage programme, alongside sessions to play a new corporate sustainability game. • Host events to bring together businesses, policymakers, and the wider sustainability management community. • Attract new research grants and publish results to share knowledge across both academic and practitioner circles. These initiatives aim to equip organisations not only to meet today’s challenges, but to anticipate tomorrow’s. Get involved Follow Dr Nunes via his profile below, and soon through the Sustainability Fitness website. Businesses can also attend Aston Business School events to explore workshops, tools, and courses first-hand. About Dr Breno Nunes Dr Breno Nunes is reader in sustainable operations management at Aston Business School and president of the International Association for Management of Technology (IAMOT). He serves as associate editor of the IEEE Engineering Management Review and has published widely on sustainability strategy execution and innovation. Aston University’s work in sustainable operations — shaped by researchers like Dr Nunes — is helping organisations worldwide move from ambition to action, building the 'sustainability fitness' needed for a net zero future.
