Foster the future of immunology innovation in Georgia
The Immunology Center of Georgia, under the leadership of Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholars Catherine "Lynn" Hedrick, PhD, and Klaus Ley, MD, is excited to launch Ignite, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at propelling early career researchers into the
forefront of immunological innovation.
Venture into the future
Ignite is not just a grant application program; it's a venture goal. Working with the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), we are laying the foundation for seed grants to fuel the imaginative minds of post-doctoral researchers in the field of immunology. We envision these grants not only as catalysts for groundbreaking research, but also as sparks that ignite entrepreneurial opportunities leading to the development of new vaccines and treatments based in immunology.
Meet the recipients of IMMCG's first Ignite grant, Gang Zhou, PhD, (pictured, left) and Ogacheko Okoko, PhD (right).
Zhou is head of the Georgia Cancer Center Cancer Immunology, Inflammation, & Tolerance Program and will lead the project alongside Huidong Shi, PhD, an affiliated faculty member with IMMCG, and Okoko, a spring 2025 graduate of AU’s Molecular Oncology & Immunology graduate program.
The inaugural award supports a project aimed at strengthening chimeric antigen receptor T cell, or CAR-T therapy, an immunotherapy that genetically engineers patients’ own T lymphocytes to recognize and eliminate cancer cells. While CAR-T has shown remarkable success against certain types of blood cancer, it has proven less effective for solid tumors. Zhou and his team are addressing this challenge by testing a modified form of STAT5, a transcription factor that plays a key role in T cell survival, metabolism and function, with the goal of creating more durable and potent CAR-T treatments.
Read the full story on Jagwire.
“In the near term, this work could improve outcomes for patients with B-cell lymphoma receiving CD19-targeted CAR-T therapies, where relapse remains a major challenge. In the longer term, it could provide new tools to expand CAR-T therapy’s reach into solid tumors, where success has so far been much more limited.” — Gang Zhou, PhD
Nurture pioneering ideas
This new initiative aims to empower researchers to explore uncharted territories, pushing the boundaries of immunological knowledge. This program is designed to act as a launching pad, allowing early career scientists to delve into novel concepts and use their initial findings as a steppingstone to secure more substantial funding in the future. By fostering a venture mindset, Ignite's goal is to ensure these translational research projects contribute to scientific knowledge while harboring the potential for commercial application and broad public health impact.
Foster leadership in Georgia
By supporting Ignite, you will help make this a flagship program in Georgia, fostering the next generation of leaders in immunology. This initiative nurtures individual researchers and also contributes to the overall advancement of immunological sciences, positioning the state at the forefront of innovation in the field. This program aims to make Augusta University a hub of immunological entrepreneurship, where groundbreaking research leads to tangible health solutions and economic growth.
How to participate
Ignite is open to all postdoctoral fellows and graduate students working with IMMCG faculty or the center's affiliated faculty. The next Ignite program cycle will open in Spring 2025. A panel of IMMCG scientists will review and select abstracts to be developed into full proposals. The number of abstracts selected may vary based on quantity and quality of submissions.
The ultimate goal is to be awarded a venture-focused grant (up to $50,000) from GRA's Innovation & Entrepreneurship program. IMMCG scientists, along with Augusta University's I&E program representative, Michael Moore, PhD, will provide mentorship and support as finalists submit pre-proposal applications to GRA, followed by full Phase 1 applications.
While selection for a GRA I&E grant cannot be guaranteed, participants in the Ignite program will have the opportunity to work closely with experienced scientists and submit fully vetted proposals with the highest potential for being awarded. If the proposal is funded in Phase 1, recipients will have the opportunity to apply for further grants through the I&E program, along with continued mentorship from IMMCG and GRA.
Applicants should consider the following for a successful proposal:
- Feasibility: Is this project feasible with the time and funds available?
- Venture potential: Is this project suitable for venture funding and does it have commercial application potential?
- Clarity: Would a non-scientific audience understand and support this project?
- Innovation: Does the project revolve around a novel and translational idea?
- Originality: Does the project overlap with your current lab work? (Proposals should be novel.)
Helpful links:
Download the GRA I&E program pre-application and learn about proposal guidelines and eligible uses of GRA funds.
Collaborate & IGNITE
IMMCG invites potential donors and collaborators to join us in this new initiative to further research at IMMCG. Together, we can propel Ignite to new heights, support groundbreaking research, and foster a statewide culture of innovation. Together, we can ignite the future of immunological advancements!
Gift Funds: Fund # 8131, Fund # 8167, Fund # 8405, Fund # 8465