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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Please plan on attending a special Micro-Physiological Systems Seminar co-hosted by the Nakatani Foundation. The seminar will take place on September 21 at 12:30 pm ET via Bluejeans (https://bluejeans.com/672681362/6695).
Matthew Cribb (Advisor: Brandon Dixon)
Title: Investigation of Functional Lymphatic Changes and the Immune Response during Lymphedema Development
Abstract: Lymphedema is a debilitating disease which occurs due to lymphatic failure and is characterized by extensive swelling of the affected limb. The mechanisms of lymphedema development are not well understood, but emerging evidence highlights the crucial role the immune system plays in driving its progression. The connection between loss of lymphatic function and immune-driven changes that characterize lymphedema has not been well established. In my work, I combine in vivo imaging techniques to quantify lymphatic function with flow cytometric assessment of leukocyte populations in lymph nodes draining the tissue injury site (dLNs) using a lymphedema model in mice. Additionally, I probe the role of leukotriene B4, a metabolite of arachidonic acid which has been shown to be upregulated in lymphedema, in driving both changes in lymphatic function and the immune response. A better understanding of the mechanisms of lymphedema development will enable the development of efficacious therapies to reduce the burden of this disease.
Shuichi Takayama and Nicole Mayer
Title: Nakatani RIES Program for Postdoc, Grad, & Undergrad Student. Example in Cancer Microphysiological Systems.
Abstract: This presentation will provide an overview (From Ms. Nicole Mayer) of the Nakatani International Experience and Research (RIES) Program. The presentation will describe how Graduate Students and Postdocs from any Department can participate (application call Feb/Mar 2022; successful applicant labs will receive $3000 discretionary funds) as mentors to host undergraduate researchers from Japan for 5-8 weeks (typically Aug/Sept). We will also describe how undergraduate students from the Biomedical Engineering Department can apply (application call late Nov/early Dec 2021) to perform research in Japan (all expenses supported by Nakatani Foundation) for 10 weeks (typically May-July).
Prof Shuichi Takayama will also describe an example hosting project in cancer microphysiological systems where a graduate student and research scientist mentor in his lab hosted a Japanese Nakatani RIES undergraduate student. The project focused on developing geometrically-inverted stably basal-in mammary epithelial organoids. The presentation will give background of the relevant organoid manufacture as well as applications to study of breast cancer invasion.
This seminar will be held on BlueJeans at https://bluejeans.com/672681362/6695.
