LEGISLATIVE UPDATE A Briefing for Faculty & Staff of the University System of Georgia No. 7, February 19, 2007 "Creating a More Educated Georgia" Legislative Presentation on University-Led Research in Georgia is a First The presidents of the University System of University of Georgia, Dr. Wayne Clough of Georgia Tech, Dr. Georgia's four research Carl Patton of Geor- universities and the gia State University, president and chief Dr. Daniel Rahn of executive officer of the the Medical College Georgia Research of Georgia and Dr. Alliance united on Feb. Michael Cassidy of the 12 to inform a group Georgia Research of state legislators Alliance. how the cutting-edge research being done within the USG is improving lives and fueling growth in Georgia. Invited to address In addition to the Higher Education Ap- Rep. Bill Hembree, who presided over the hearing, is flanked propriations Subcom- here by Georgia Tech President Wayne Clough (left) and Rep. mittee, members of the Bob Smith (right), who conceived the event. House Higher Education Committee and groundbreaking work Photo courtesy of Georgia State University the Higher Education the chairs of several on emerging infectious recruiting world- Subcommittee of the important House and diseases like bird flu class scientists who House Appropriations Senate committees at- and West Nile virus generate hundreds of Committee in what tended the 75-minute being done at UGA, millions of dollars in the subcommitte's hearing presided over cancer and diabetes at outside investment; chair, Rep. Bob Smith, hopes to make an annual event were Dr. Michael Adams of the by Rep. Bill Hembree. The legislators learned about the Regents Welcomed Under Gold Dome Members of the Board of Regents were recognized on the floor of both the Senate and the House of Representatives during time spent at the state Capitol on Feb. 14 for visits and meetings with elected officials. Coming Up The General Assembly will meet three days this week Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Next Tuesday, Feb. 27, will be the 25th legislative day of the 40-day session. MCG, nanotechnology and nano-medicine at Georgia Tech and biotechnology and public health at Georgia State. Georgia Research Alliance "This is where it's all happening," said Cassidy, who described the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) as a public/private partnership that assists Georgia's universities in: brokering partnerships with industry to improve competitiveness and grow jobs in Georgia; and launching companies that create jobs and bring products to market. "These four research institutions are tops in many different fields of research, and this work is having a tremendous impact on Georgia's economy," Cassidy said See "Research," Page 2 ... LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- February 19, 2007, Issue No. 6 Research Continued from Page 1... As an example, he cited GRA Eminent Scholar Dr. Jin-Xiong She, who is leading the world's largest, most comprehensive study of childhood diabetes as director of MCG's Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine. She brought 20 scientists and more than $10 million in federal funds with him to Georgia and continues to generate $4-8 million per year in grants. His studies include worldwide screening programs to find the combination of genetics and environmental triggers that result in type 1 diabetes. Cassidy also pointed out that Dr. Cliff Baile has been instrumen- tal in launching seven technology-based companies to date since the internationally known scientist was recruited as UGA's GRA Eminent Scholar in Agricultural Biotechnology in 1995 and Dr. John Copeland at Georgia Tech, GRA's first eminent scholar, has invented a software product, StealthWatch, that is a market leader in detecting a new form of cyber-crime and led to the launch of Lancope, a Georgia company that employs more than 60 people. "Today, the overwhelming majority of companies in the business incubators at Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, Georgia State and the Medical College of Georgia are directly related to research break- throughs in those universi- ties' labo- ratories," Cassidy told law- makers. He noted that Geor- gia now ranks 7th in the na- tion in the number of biotech companies and this ranking, along with the state's heavy Dr. Michael Cassidy delivers his presentation on the Georgia Research Alliance. involve- ment in cutting-edge Dr. Julia Hilliard, the broadband telecom- world's foremost ex- munications, is due to pert on Herpes B. The research programs at BSL-4 lab a facility Georgia universities. equipped with glove "Scientific revolutions are occurring on the campuses and in the laboratories of Georgia's research universities every day," boxes for bio-containment of deadly viruses such as HIV and West Nile is one of only two in the country located at a university. Cassidy said. Georgia State's BSL- USG Presidents (left to right) Carl Patton, Michael Adams and Wayne Clough chat with Rep. DuBose Porter (right) and other legislators following the hearing. Georgia State University Patton told lawmakers that Georgia State has researchers fighting germ warfare in some of the most hightech, high-security labs in the country, including a Level 4 BioSafety lab headed by GRA Eminent Scholar 4 Lab now acts as a National Institutes of Health National Resource Center and is considered one of the world's front-line diagnostic labs. Patton noted that the rise in terrorism and the potential for biological attack has height- See "Research," Page 3 ... -- 2 -- LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- February 19, 2007, Issue No. 6 Research which is housed at Continued from Page 2... Georgia State. University of Georgia Adams' presentation More than 100 re- highlighted UGA's re- ened the U.S. military's searchers from eight search in three areas: desire to be prepared Atlanta institutions cancer, infectious dis- for such an attack. now work to conduct eases, and bio-energy In response, the Viral Immunology Center at Georgia State University is designing a detection field device to capture chemical or biological agents to be screened for deadly pathogens like Ebola and anthrax. It also will analyze the collected materials and transmit the data to a lab for real-time analysis, Patton said. Collaboration with researchers at other institutions is an important part of the System's overall research efforts. One example is the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience groundbreaking research unlocking and decoding medical, chemical and behavioral secrets of the human brain. The center is supported by researchers and laboratories from area universities, including Georgia Tech, as well as dozens of faculty from Georgia State. Patton also thanked the legislators for funding the new Science Teaching Laboratory Building. "This new facility will enable us to undertake even more research that will improve the lives of Georgians," Patton said. and alternative fuels. He termed the Com- plex Carbohydrate Re- search Center (CCRC) "one of our greatest research successes, noting that UGA lured the CCRC and its team of 18 scientists from the University of Colorado in 1985 and grew it into a 140,000 Dr. Carl Patton describes Georgia square-foot facility State''s Viral Immunology Center. that attracts approximately $10 million Photo courtesy of Georgia State University in external research case of bird flu in the funding annually. Southeast is sent to Seventeen research us for diagnosis and groups and dozens of study, and when fully graduate and under- operational in the very graduate students at near future, the Ani- the center engage in mal Health Research cutting-edge research Center will be one of into the physiology and the largest non-federal developmental/molecu- bio-containment build- lar biology of complex ings for animal disease carbohydrates. research in the world. The UGA Cancer Center is also located in this facility because of the important role carbohydrates play It will enable us to respond to animal-borne diseases in hosts from chickens through cattle with the potential to infect humans." in cancer, Adams UGA is also a leader said, urging contin- in the field of alterna- ued support from tive fuels and bio-ener- lawmakers for the gy, partnering with the center's work. Department of Energy Dr. Michael Adams tells legislators about the University of Georgia's cutting-edge research on infectious diseases such as bird flu, work that is helping to protect Georgia's poultry industry. Turning to research on infectious diseases, Adams told the legislators that "Virtually every to establish one of two national Bio-Energy Science Centers. The center will be located See "Research," Page 4 ... -- 3 -- LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- February 19, 2007, Issue No. 6 Research Continued from Page 3... at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Adams said, but UGA will be a critical partner, receiving $20 million over five years. Success with this center will help ensure Georgia's leadership in creating sustainable alternative fuels that reduce America's dependence on petroleum-based products, he noted. Medical College of Georgia MCG focuses its research in five thematic areas that reflect the leading causes of premature mortality and disability in Georgia: neurological diseases, cancer, infection/inflammation, cardiovascular disease and obesity/diabetes, Dr. Wayne Clough talks about the Georgia Institute of Technology's 18 National Centers of Excellence. Rahn said. Thematic enabling MCG growth has helped fuel to provide tremendous increases around-the- in research funding clock assess- in the last five years, ment and treat- including a 220 per- ment of stroke cent growth in cancer patients in funding, a 226 percent many areas of growth in cardiovascu- rural Georgia. lar disease funding and Despite the fact a 986 percent increase that Georgia in diabetes funding. is in country's Clinical and transla- stroke belt, tional science, which most rural speeds the movement communities of scientific discover- don't have spe- ies to patients, have cialists to treat become overriding this potentially themes for all research activity. In March, MCG opened its $54 million Cancer Research, which is the hub for expanding works in cancer research and treatment as well as the education of future scientists and practitioners, Rahn said. Major areas of research debilitating Dr. Dan Rahn talks about biomedical disease. Stud- research at the Medical College of ies have shown Georgia. this technology, dubbed REACH, en- leader in biotechnology ables rural patients to transfer. In 2005, Tech get care that is as good was awarded 43 pat- as the care in larger ents, placing the uni- cities. MCG is explor- versity third in Georgia ing its use in treating behind only GE Energy other medical condi- and BellSouth. tions and other states are using it as well. Tech also ranks No. 2 in the nation in en- and treatment include molecular oncology, prevention and control, immunology/immunotherapy and developmental therapeutics. A clinical trials unit, enabling the study of new therapies as they first move from the lab to patients, is operational. In the area of neurological disease, a Web-based patient examination system developed by the Medical College of Georgia Neuroscience Center is Georgia Institute of Technology Clough told lawmakers of the praise that Georgia Tech, with its 18 National Centers of Excellence and three National Institutes of Health Centers of Excellence in nano-medicine, adds $4 billion annually to the state's economy. Tech spun off 47 start-up companies during the period 2000-2005, Clough said, and is a global gineering research and development and No. 3 in the nation in terms of having its nanotechnology experts cited in peer-reviewed publications, Clough said. Tech's annual research expenditures have doubled during the past decade, he noted. In 2006, the university received 2,317 awards totaling almost $450 million, up from 1,884 awards in 2001 totaling $300 million. -- 4 --