Message from the Director

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

  First, let me welcome you to the Emory-Georgia Tech Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence (CCNE) website. This website has been created to provide you with information about one of the most celebrated collaborations in the Winship Cancer Institute (WCI) and in the joint Georgia Tech/Emory Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME). This center was established in October 2005 through a large-scale grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Its overarching scientific focus is to accelerate the development of bioconjugated nanoparticles and biomarkers for cancer molecular imaging, molecular profiling, and personalized therapy. Our overall mission is to harness the power of nanotechnology to reduce the burden of cancer on our patients and families. Current translational research focuses on human prostate and breast cancers and their clinically aggressive phenotypes such as bone metastasis, but the cutting-edge technologies to be developed in the center are also applicable to many other types of malignant tumors such as lung cancer, colorectal carcinoma, ovarian cancer, brain tumors, and leukemia.

Our center is organized into 6 "synergistic projects" with cross-disciplinary teams for each project composed of basic nanotechnology research and development bioengineers from Georgia Tech, and physician-scientists oncologists and PhD basic scientists from seven medical school departments (pathology, radiology, urology, pharmacology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and medical and surgical oncology). These 6 synergistic projects are supported by 5 cores drawn from the engineering faculty of Georgia Tech in 4 departments (biomedical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, materials science and engineering, chemistry and biochemistry) and the shared core facilities of the WCI. The center is strengthened by collaborations with three NCI Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCCs), significant investments from the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), the Georgia Cancer Coalition (GCC), Emory University, and Georgia Tech. In addition, our CCNE is embedded in the Winship Cancer Institute, a new integrated 280K sq ft cancer research and care building, and has a special constellation of US partners such as the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

I welcome you to explore our website to learn more about the fascinating work that is taking place and Emory and Georgia Tech. Please check the website often as new information and materials will be made available as our center continues to grow and new discoveries are made.

Sincerely,

Shuming Nie, PhD
Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Chair Professor in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Associate Director for Nanotechnology for Bioengineering in the Winship Cancer Institute