For decades, the University of Georgia (UGA) and Georgia Institute of Technology have been known for their intense rivalry, particularly in athletics. However, recent initiatives show that the two institutions are working together to address significant healthcare challenges in the state.
Tim Lieuwen, executive vice president for Research at Georgia Tech, emphasized the benefits of this partnership: “When Georgia Tech and UGA combine their strengths, together we create solutions that neither institution could achieve alone. These collaborations accelerate innovation in healthcare, improve lives across our state, and demonstrate that partnership — not rivalry — is Georgia’s most powerful tradition.”
Chris King, interim vice president for Research at UGA, added: “The common denominator between these two great institutions is the populations they serve. We have a duty to find solutions that help improve the quality of life for all Georgians, and that’s what these partnerships are all about.”
Joint research projects include work through the National Science Foundation’s Engineering Research Center for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), which brings together more than seven universities and 40 companies. At both UGA and Georgia Tech, researchers are focusing on improving manufacturing processes for cell-based therapeutics.
One project led by Andrés García from Georgia Tech and John Peroni from UGA aims to address bacterial infections following bone repair surgeries by engineering synthetic biomaterials that deliver antimicrobial agents directly to affected areas.
Another collaboration involves Steven Stice from UGA and Andrei Fedorov from Georgia Tech. They are developing methods to increase production of vesicles—tiny particles secreted by cells—that aid tissue regeneration. Stice explained: “Cells simply don’t secrete these healing vesicles in the quantities needed for scalable, clinical-grade treatments. Our collaborative work changes that, accelerating production in a way that finally makes large-scale regenerative therapies feasible.”
Fedorov highlighted the broader impact: “Georgia Tech and UGA’s collective commitment to advancing science and technology exceeds the intensity of our athletic rivalry. Together, we’re advancing cell and therapy biomanufacturing to develop lifesaving treatments for the most devastating diseases.”
In cancer research, Francisco Robles from Georgia Tech developed an imaging technique called quantitative Oblique Back-illumination Microscopy (qOBM) with Lohitash Karumbaiah from UGA. This method allows real-time monitoring of tumor growth using patient-derived glioblastoma cell clusters.
Karumbaiah said: “Assessing therapeutic potency is often complex, costly, and ineffective for solid tumors. qOBM simplifies the process by providing real-time, label-free monitoring of therapeutic efficacy against 3D solid tumors.” Robles added: “This technique is more compact and affordable and lets us watch T cells attack cell cultures in real time. This breakthrough could transform how we study disease and screen new treatments.”
The two universities also participate in statewide health initiatives such as the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (Georgia CTSA), created by the National Institutes of Health in 2007. The alliance includes Emory University and Morehouse School of Medicine alongside UGA and Georgia Tech.
Among its projects is the Georgia Health Landscape Dashboard—a tool designed to identify local health gaps across counties by combining epidemiological data with community feedback gathered through surveys conducted among residents and local leaders.
Jon Duke from Georgia Tech described its value: “The Landscape Dashboard is a fantastic example of how the unique expertise found at Georgia Tech and UGA can be brought together to create something truly valuable for all Georgia. By bringing together a range of data sources and health analytics approaches, this collaboration has created a tool that delivers novel insights into health, community, and policy across the state.”
Dee Warmath from UGA noted: “To build a community-responsive ecosystem for biomedical research, scientists must recognize local needs, share progress with communities to foster trust and acceptance, recruit clinicians and industry partners, and strengthen relationships between patient and caregiver.”
Warmath also leads another NIH-funded project involving experts at Emory University as well as her own team at UGA with Sarah Farmer at Georgia Tech’s Center for Advanced Communications Policy’s Home Lab. The project studies how wearable technologies might improve maternal care during childbirth based on input collected nationwide from women receiving care as well as healthcare professionals.
Sarah Farmer explained: “Each school has a different perspective… Each has their expertise but they offer different perspectives and different resources that when pooled can make our research much more effective.”
Warmath concluded: “When our institutions work together, Georgia wins.”
