{"587387":{"#nid":"587387","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Research Scientist and Jazz Aficionado M.G. Finn Awarded with Endowed Chair","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe office of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/finn\/m.g.\u0022\u003EM.G. Finn\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/coweb.cc.gatech.edu\/ice-gt\/1839\u0022\u003EMolecular Science and Engineering Building\u003C\/a\u003E blends chemistry and jazz. Amid an extensive library of science literature and textbooks is a large photograph of jazz musicians posing in 1950s Harlem. The black-and-white photo evokes creativity, innovation, and inspiration; it hangs directly across Finn\u0026rsquo;s desk and occupies a prominent space in his field of vision. The juxtaposition of keen intellectual pursuits against avid enthusiasm for improvisation reflects Finn\u0026rsquo;s approach to scientific leadership.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFinn\u0026rsquo;s resume is as impressive as it is long. His \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/groups\/finn\/index.html\u0022\u003Eresearch\u003C\/a\u003E spans far and wide within the fields of chemistry, biology, and materials science. A lifelong passion for science has blazed his trail to the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pedsresearch.org\/research\/centers\/pediatric-technology-center\/overview\/\u0022\u003EPediatric Technology Center\u003C\/a\u003E (PTC) at Georgia Tech, where he recently became the first professor to hold the James A. Carlos Family Chair for Pediatric Technology. The newly endowed chair was made possible in part by the generosity of Georgia Tech alumnus \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/relationshipscience.com\/james-a-carlos-p125929028\u0022\u003EJames A. Carlos\u003C\/a\u003E, the vice chairman of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.choa.org\/donors-and-volunteers\/about-the-foundation\u0022\u003EChildren\u0026rsquo;s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation\u003C\/a\u003E and one of many corporate and community leaders in Atlanta who are dedicated to improving pediatric medicine.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I am truly honored. The chair comes with significant resources that aren\u0026rsquo;t tied to any particular project, allowing us to initiate and continue important research in pediatric medicine,\u0026rdquo; Finn says. \u0026ldquo;The chair also brings high-profile recognition to the work being done thanks to PTC,\u0026rdquo; adds Finn, who also chairs the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELOFTY INTENTIONS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPTC is a research center established through a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.pedsresearch.org\/\u0022\u003Epediatric research alliance\u003C\/a\u003E between Georgia Tech, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.choa.org\/\u0022\u003EChildren\u0026rsquo;s Healthcare of Atlanta\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(CHOA),\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.emoryhealthcare.org\/\u0022\u003EEmory Healthcare\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.msm.edu\/\u0022\u003EMorehouse School of Medicine\u003C\/a\u003E. As PTC\u0026rsquo;s chief scientific officer, Finn orchestrates a vast pool of talent. Like the quintessential jazzman, Finn and his team bring together artists who, in ensemble, create innovative music that challenges the limits of conventional thinking. However, his \u0026ldquo;artists\u0026rdquo; are professionals in the healthcare and STEM fields, members of the Georgia Tech-CHOA-Emory community, and their \u0026ldquo;music\u0026rdquo; saves lives right here in Atlanta.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Getting the right people in the same room is the hard part,\u0026rdquo; Finn says. \u0026ldquo;When you\u0026rsquo;ve gotten that far, that\u0026rsquo;s when the excitement really takes off.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHow exactly does PTC save lives? It starts with lofty intentions, such as the PTC\u0026rsquo;s goal to end child deaths in Georgia due to sickle cell anemia by 2025. Sickle cell anemia is only one of many diseases that originate from the mutation of a single gene. \u0026ldquo;Roughly 6,000 single-gene related diseases have been identified so far,\u0026rdquo; says Finn, \u0026ldquo;and these diseases can, in principle, be cured by a process called single-gene editing, whereby the offending gene is restored to its natural function.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe molecular machinery that edits specific genes has already been developed; the current challenge lies in actually delivering it. Overcoming this challenge through research and testing is just one role PTC and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/groups\/finn\/index.html\u0022\u003EFinn\u0026rsquo;s lab\u003C\/a\u003E have assumed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EREVOLUTIONIZING PEDIATRIC MEDICINE\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUnder the leadership of a council comprising representatives of the partner organizations, PTC is developing technologies in the fields of smartphone \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ipat.gatech.edu\/ieat-app-extends-feeding-therapy-children\u0022\u003Emedical apps\u003C\/a\u003E, 3D printing, regenerative medicine, and pediatric medical devices, among others. Finn heads this council and draws from his experience as a research scientist to recommend the allocation of resources.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPTC initiatives that promise to revolutionize pediatric medical science excite \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/ipat.gatech.edu\/people\/sherry-n-farrugia\u0022\u003ESherry N. Farrugia\u003C\/a\u003E, PTC\u0026rsquo;s director of operations and one of Finn\u0026rsquo;s colleagues on the council. \u0026ldquo;Using stem cells to repair lethal arrhythmias in infant hearts, developing implants that will grow \u003Cem\u003Ewith\u003C\/em\u003E a child, creating interactive 3D images of a patient\u0026rsquo;s heart to help surgeons determine the effects of a procedure before they ever step into the operating room\u0026mdash;these are just a few of the projects happening through the PTC,\u0026rdquo; Farrugia says.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the five years since the PTC\u0026rsquo;s inception, this intersection of medicine, science, and engineering has led to great strides in pediatric medicine. For this reason, Finn believes that PTC should aim to establish Atlanta as \u003Cem\u003Ethe \u003C\/em\u003Einternational hub for groundbreaking pediatric medical technology innovations.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The people and facilities in Atlanta make working with pharmaceutical companies a natural fit,\u0026rdquo; Finn says. \u0026ldquo;We are also uniquely suited to work with individuals and smaller organizations to bring their discoveries to market. The partnerships could be mutually beneficial; the strengths of one could bolster the weaknesses of the other.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo researchers joining his lab, Finn likes to say, \u0026ldquo;Be fearless, and take risks that might seem a little crazy.\u0026rdquo; These are words a jazz instrumentalist might say to inspire fellow musicians to reach new levels of improvisation. The same words have guided Finn himself and keep him pushing the boundaries of his science.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EMatt Barr\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nScience Communications Intern\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The James A. Carlos Family Chair for Pediatric Technology opens new doors to lifesaving research in pediatric medicine"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe office of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/finn\/m.g.\u0022\u003EM.G. Finn\u003C\/a\u003E in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/coweb.cc.gatech.edu\/ice-gt\/1839\u0022\u003EMolecular Science and Engineering Building\u003C\/a\u003E blends chemistry and jazz. Amid an extensive library of science literature and textbooks is a large photograph of jazz musicians posing in 1950s Harlem. The black-and-white photo evokes creativity, innovation, and inspiration; it hangs directly across Finn\u0026rsquo;s desk and occupies a prominent space in his field of vision. The juxtaposition of keen intellectual pursuits against avid enthusiasm for improvisation reflects Finn\u0026rsquo;s approach to scientific leadership.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The James A. Carlos Family Chair for Pediatric Technology opens new doors to lifesaving research in pediatric medicine."}],"uid":"32896","created_gmt":"2017-02-14 01:32:16","changed_gmt":"2017-02-15 17:06:32","author":"Matt Barr","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-02-15T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2017-02-15T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"587386":{"id":"587386","type":"image","title":"M.G. Finn","body":null,"created":"1487035721","gmt_created":"2017-02-14 01:28:41","changed":"1504884321","gmt_changed":"2017-09-08 15:25:21","alt":"","file":{"fid":"223861","name":"MG Finn.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/MG%20Finn.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/MG%20Finn.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":106553,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/MG%20Finn.jpg?itok=01x2sRGT"}}},"media_ids":["587386"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"}],"keywords":[{"id":"96831","name":"M.G. Finn"},{"id":"172346","name":"Pediatric Technology Center"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"79521","name":"Endowed Chairs"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}