What does it take to turn a promising medical breakthrough into a treatment that can change someone's life?

In this episode of Holy Shift! Biomedical Breakthroughs Shaping Tomorrow, host Angela Gill Nelms talks with Dr. Johnna Temenoff, professor of biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory, about reprogramming a patient’s own immune cells to attack cancer. You'll hear why producing enough immune cells is a crucial part of making these treatments accessible, and how experts in from fields ranging from insurance billing to supply chains are helping solve problems scientists can't tackle alone.

You'll also hear the story of a participant in an early cancer cell therapy trial who is still alive more than a decade later, living well and watching their grandchildren grow up. It's a powerful reminder of what's possible when bold ideas receive the time and investment they need.

Dr. Temenoff reflects on the experiences that inspired her career and why solving healthcare's biggest challenges requires collaboration far beyond the laboratory.

Learn More About Johnna Temenoff

• Johnna Temenoff's Website
• Johnna Temenoff's Linkedin

Mentioned in this Episode

• Marcus Center of Excellence for Cell Biomanufacturing
• Quebec ice hotel

Support Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs – Donate Today:

If you want to support the research you heard about on today’s episode, consider a donation to the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. Every contribution—big or small— supports ongoing work and fuels future innovations.

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/46972/donations/new

• Select "Designation"
• Choose "Make a Special Gift to Georgia Tech (write in your preference)"
• In the open field, write: "BME Fund for Excellence (555788)

Connect!

• Learn More: https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BMEGeorgiaTechEmory/podcasts
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-wallace-h-coulter-department-of-biomedical-engineering-at-georgia-tech-and-emory-university
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoulterBME
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/CoulterBME
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/holyshiftresearch.bsky.social

About The Host: Angela Gill Nelms is a trailblazer in transforming bold ideas into impactful healthcare solutions. She serves as the Director of Biolocity, accelerating the commercialization of early-stage medical technologies developed at Emory University and Georgia Tech. She is also the Founder and CEO of The AGN Group, and the host of the Badass Leaders Podcast, where she champions courageous, compassionate leadership. Learn more at www.AngelaGillNelms.com.

Meet The HolyShift! Team:

• Produced by: Erin Buckley and Zachary Danziger
• Filming & Editing: Vani Sridar, Katie Hart
• Logistics & Marketing Support: Rajashree Ramamoorthy

How do you fix the most complex machine in the known universe?

Before scientists can treat the brain, they first have to understand how it works. In this episode of Holy Shift! Biomedical Breakthroughs Shaping Tomorrow, host Angela Gill Nelms talks with Dr. Garrett Stanley, a professor of biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University, about the search to decode the electrical signals that drive movement, memory, perception, and decision-making, and how that knowledge could transform the future of medicine.

One of the most striking ideas is that future treatments for neurological disorders may combine medicine, brain implants, and intelligent software that can adapt as a person's brain changes over time. Garrett Stanley explains how technologies like deep brain stimulation are already changing lives and why understanding the brain's signals is the key to making these treatments even more effective.

You'll also hear why many of science's biggest breakthroughs begin with unexpected results, and how recognizing the significance of a surprising finding can change the course of research.

Although Garrett Stanley fainted the first time seeing a real human brain, the experience left him fascinated by the complexity of the organ that stores our memories, dreams, and sense of self, inspiring a career devoted to understanding how it works.

Learn More About Garrett Stanley:

• Garrett Stanley's Website
• Garrett Stanley's Linkedin

Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

• https://parkinsons.gatech.edu/

Support Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs – Donate Today:

If you want to support the research you heard about on today’s episode, consider a donation to the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. Every contribution—big or small— supports ongoing work and fuels future innovations.

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/46972/donations/new

• Select "Designation"
• Choose "Make a Special Gift to Georgia Tech (write in your preference)"
• In the open field, write: "BME Fund for Excellence (555788)

Connect!

• Learn More: https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BMEGeorgiaTechEmory/podcasts
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-wallace-h-coulter-department-of-biomedical-engineering-at-georgia-tech-and-emory-university
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoulterBME
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/CoulterBME
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/holyshiftresearch.bsky.social

About The Host: Angela Gill Nelms is a trailblazer in transforming bold ideas into impactful healthcare solutions. She serves as the Director of Biolocity, accelerating the commercialization of early-stage medical technologies developed at Emory University and Georgia Tech. She is also the Founder and CEO of The AGN Group, and the host of the Badass Leaders Podcast, where she champions courageous, compassionate leadership. Learn more at www.AngelaGillNelms.com.

Meet The HolyShift! Team:

• Produced by: Erin Buckley and Zachary Danziger
• Filming & Editing: Vani Sridar, Katie Hart
• Logistics & Marketing Support: Rajashree Ramamoorthy

Can we train the immune system to fight cancer and stay stronger as we age?

In this episode of Holy Shift! Biomedical Breakthroughs Shaping Tomorrow, Angela Gill Nelms talks with Dr. Ankur Singh about cancer, immunotherapy, healthy aging, and the future of personalized medicine. Learn how scientists are building miniature human immune systems in the lab to better understand disease, predict treatment responses, and accelerate the development of new therapies.

Dr. Singh also shares two remarkable breakthroughs from his lab, including a new way to predict how cancer survivors may respond to future infections and a discovery that could help restore youthful function to aging immune cells.

Along the way, you'll hear how an aspiring liquor baron became a biomedical engineer, why he runs five miles in every new city he visits, and how science may help us live longer, healthier lives.

Topics: Cancer • Immunotherapy • Immune System • Healthy Aging • Longevity • Personalized Medicine • Biotechnology • Biomedical Engineering • Healthcare Innovation

Learn More About Ankur Singh:

• Ankur Singh's Linkedin
• Ankur Singh’s Lab website
• Ankur Singh’s Instagram

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Dr. Jean Koff, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University
• Ankur Singh talks about President Biden’s cancer diagnosis
• Georgia Tech Paradigm Shifters featuring Ankur Singh

Support Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs – Donate Today:

If you want to support the research you heard about on today’s episode, consider a donation to the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. Every contribution—big or small— supports ongoing work and fuels future innovations.

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/46972/donations/new

• Select "Designation"
• Choose "Make a Special Gift to Georgia Tech (write in your preference)"
• In the open field, write: "BME Fund for Excellence (555788)

Connect!

• Learn More: https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BMEGeorgiaTechEmory/podcasts
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-wallace-h-coulter-department-of-biomedical-engineering-at-georgia-tech-and-emory-university
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoulterBME
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/CoulterBME

About The Host: Angela Gill Nelms is a trailblazer in transforming bold ideas into impactful healthcare solutions. She serves as the Director of Biolocity, accelerating the commercialization of early-stage medical technologies developed at Emory University and Georgia Tech. She is also the Founder and CEO of The AGN Group, and the host of the Badass Leaders Podcast, where she champions courageous, compassionate leadership. Learn more at www.AngelaGillNelms.com.

Meet The HolyShift! Team:

• Produced by: Erin Buckley and Zachary Danziger
• Filming & Editing: Vani Sridar, Katie Hart
• Logistics & Marketing Support: Rajashree Ramamoorthy

What if the next breakthrough medicine wasn't made in a factory, but inside your own body?

In the Season 2 premiere of Holy Shift! Biomedical Breakthroughs Shaping Tomorrow, host Angela Gill Nelms sits down with Dr. Tara Deans, a leading stem cell engineer who is reprogramming the body's own cells to fight disease. From cancer and immune disorders to future cell-based therapies, Dr. Deans explains how scientists are turning living cells into powerful new medicines.

You'll discover how platelets can help cancer hide in plain sight, why stem cells may transform the future of healthcare, and the surprising moment that sparked an entirely new direction in Dr. Deans' research. Along the way, she shares the role of curiosity, collaboration, and hope in tackling some of medicine's toughest challenges.

You'll also get a glimpse of the person behind the science, from childhood dreams of becoming a veterinarian to a love of wildlife photography and rescuing orphaned possums. As a happy postscript to our conversation, the young possums Dr. Deans helped care for have now been successfully released back into the wild.

If you're fascinated by cancer research, stem cells, biotechnology, personalized medicine, biomedical engineering, and the future of healthcare, this episode is for you.

In this special Season 1 roundup of Holy Shift!, host Angela Gill Nelms revisits standout moments from this season's conversations with researchers at Georgia Tech and Emory University. Guests share their engineering solutions, the personal stories and unexpected paths that brought them to the lab, and why public funding for basic science and biomedical innovation is more critical than ever. This episode features clips from conversations with Melissa Kemp, Lena Ting, David Myers, Mike Davis, Scott Hollister, Zachary Danziger, Annabelle Singer, Shella Keilholz, Machelle Pardue, Anant Madhabushi, Chethan Pandarinath, Felipe Quiroz, and Ming Fong.

As we look ahead to Season 2, we want to hear from you! Take a few minutes to fill out our listener survey and let us know what you loved, what you want more of, and what we can do better. One lucky respondent will receive a Holy Shift! listener swag package.

Survey Link: https://form.asana.com/?k=l3jHstQYV7xoQNuKvGNSEA&d=952454681443992

Support Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs – Donate Today:

If you want to support the research you heard about on today’s episode, consider a donation to the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. Every contribution—big or small— supports ongoing work and fuels future innovations.

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/46972/donations/new

• Select "Designation"
• Choose "Make a Special Gift to Georgia Tech (write in your preference)"
• In the open field, write: "BME Fund for Excellence (555788)

Connect!

• Learn More: https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BMEGeorgiaTechEmory/podcasts
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-wallace-h-coulter-department-of-biomedical-engineering-at-georgia-tech-and-emory-university
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoulterBME
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/CoulterBME
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/holyshiftresearch.bsky.social

About The Host: Angela Gill Nelms is a trailblazer in transforming bold ideas into impactful healthcare solutions. She serves as the Director of Biolocity, accelerating the commercialization of early-stage medical technologies developed at Emory University and Georgia Tech. She is also the Founder and CEO of The AGN Group, and the host of the Badass Leaders Podcast, where she champions courageous, compassionate leadership. Learn more at www.AngelaGillNelms.com.

Meet The HolyShift! Team:

• Produced by: Erin Buckley and Zachary Danziger
• Filming & Editing: Jackie Hampton & Zachary Winiecki
• Logistics & Marketing Support: Rajashree Ramamoorthy, Katie Hart, The AGN Group

What if we could simulate your cancer on a computer and predict which treatment will work before you ever receive it?

In this episode of Holy Shift!, host Angela Gill Nelms speaks with Dr. Melissa Kemp, a biomedical engineer and systems biologist using computational modeling to understand how cells behave and how diseases develop. By combining biology, engineering, and computer science, Dr. Kemp builds simulations that help researchers predict how cells respond to drugs, radiation, and other therapies. Dr. Kemp explains how computer models can reveal patterns that are nearly impossible to see in traditional experiments. Her work is helping move medicine toward a future where treatments can be tailored to each individual patient.

Dr. Kemp also shares how unexpected research challenges led to new scientific insights, why intellectual curiosity is essential in science, and how interdisciplinary collaboration is shaping the next generation of biomedical breakthroughs. If you have ever wondered how computers can help scientists understand disease or how personalized medicine may change the way we treat patients, this episode offers an accessible look at how computational biology is helping push healthcare beyond one size fits all.

Learn More About Dr. Melissa Kemp:

• Redox Systems Biology Lab: https://kemp.gatech.edu/pi-bio/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-kemp-8156774/

Support Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs – Donate Today:

If you want to support the research you heard about on today’s episode, consider a donation to the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. Every contribution—big or small— supports ongoing work and fuels future innovations.

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/46972/donations/new

• Select "Designation"
• Choose "Make a Special Gift to Georgia Tech (write in your preference)"
• In the open field, write: "BME Fund for Excellence (555788)

Connect!

• Learn More: https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BMEGeorgiaTechEmory/podcasts
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-wallace-h-coulter-department-of-biomedical-engineering-at-georgia-tech-and-emory-university
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoulterBME
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/CoulterBME
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/holyshiftresearch.bsky.social

About The Host: Angela Gill Nelms is a trailblazer in transforming bold ideas into impactful healthcare solutions. She serves as the Director of Biolocity, accelerating the commercialization of early-stage medical technologies developed at Emory University and Georgia Tech. She is also the Founder and CEO of The AGN Group, and the host of the Badass Leaders Podcast, where she champions courageous, compassionate leadership. Learn more at www.AngelaGillNelms.com.

Meet the HolyShift! Team:

• Produced by: Erin Buckley and Zachary Danziger
• Filming & Editing: Jackie Hampton & Zachary Winiecki
• Logistics & Marketing Support: Rajashree Ramamoorthy, Katie Hart, The AGN Group

What if we could stop vision loss before it starts?

In this episode of Holy Shift!, host Angela Gill Nelms speaks with Dr. Machelle Pardue, a vision scientist working to protect one of our most precious senses. Dr. Pardue studies how diseases like diabetic retinopathy damage the eye and explores new ways to preserve sight for millions of people at risk.

From the surprising ways diabetes affects vision to the cutting edge tools researchers use to study the retina, this conversation offers a fascinating look at how engineering and medicine come together to tackle blindness. Dr. Pardue also shares what motivates her work, how research moves from the lab toward real treatments, and why protecting vision is such an urgent challenge.

If you have ever wondered how scientists study the eye or how future therapies could prevent blindness, this episode offers an accessible look at how biomedical engineering and neuroscience are working together to move vision science beyond 20/20.

Learn More About Dr. Machelle Pardue:

• Pardue Lab: https://med.emory.edu/departments/ophthalmology/ophthalmic-research/research-groups/machelle-pardue.html
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/machelle-pardue-26aa4958/

Support Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs – Donate Today:

If you want to support the research you heard about on today’s episode, consider a donation to the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. Every contribution—big or small— supports ongoing work and fuels future innovations.

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/46972/donations/new

• Select "Designation"
• Choose "Make a Special Gift to Georgia Tech (write in your preference)"
• In the open field, write: "BME Fund for Excellence (555788)

Connect!

• Learn More: https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BMEGeorgiaTechEmory/podcasts
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-wallace-h-coulter-department-of-biomedical-engineering-at-georgia-tech-and-emory-university
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoulterBME
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/CoulterBME
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/holyshiftresearch.bsky.social

About The Host: Angela Gill Nelms is a trailblazer in transforming bold ideas into impactful healthcare solutions. She serves as the Director of Biolocity, accelerating the commercialization of early-stage medical technologies developed at Emory University and Georgia Tech. She is also the Founder and CEO of The AGN Group, and the host of the Badass Leaders Podcast, where she champions courageous, compassionate leadership. Learn more at www.AngelaGillNelms.com.

Meet The HolyShift! Team:

• Produced by: Erin Buckley and Zachary Danziger
• Filming & Editing: Jackie Hampton and Zachary Winiecki
• Logistics & Marketing Support: Rajashree Ramamoorthy, Katie Hart, The AGN Group

Keywords for platforms that allow tags:

Beyond 20/20 Vision, vision science podcast, retina research, retinal degeneration, vision loss, blindness research, visual neuroscience, vision restoration, eye disease research, ophthalmology research, vision research innovation, eye health science, biomedical engineering, neuroengineering, retina disease, Emory University, Georgia Tech, Machelle Pardue, Angela Gill Nelms, Holy Shift Research

What actually controls when you pee — and what happens when that system breaks down?

In this episode of Holy Shift!, host Angela Gill Nelms speaks with Dr. Zachary Danziger, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Medicine at Georgia Tech and Emory University, about how the nervous system coordinates the bladder and urethra — and why disruptions in those signals can lead to conditions like underactive bladder, which affects millions of older adults. Dr. Danziger shares how his lab uses electrical nerve stimulation and AI-driven mathematical models to better understand bladder dysfunction and develop more precise, predictive treatments.

The conversation highlights the role of system neuroscience, interdisciplinary collaboration, and sustained public research funding in solving common but often overlooked health challenges. From theoretical models to real-world clinical impact, this episode explores how engineering and neuroscience are coming together to reshape the future of bladder health.

Learn More About Dr. Zach Danziger:

Danziger Lab: https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/danziger/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-danziger-35b7581a/

Support Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs – Donate Today:

If you want to support the research you heard about on today’s episode, consider a donation to the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. Every contribution—big or small— supports ongoing work and fuels future innovations.

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/46972/donations/new

• Select "Designation"
• Choose "Make a Special Gift to Georgia Tech (write in your preference)"
• In the open field, write: "BME Fund for Excellence (555788)

Connect!

• Learn More: https://bme.gatech.edu/bme/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BMEGeorgiaTechEmory/podcasts
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-wallace-h-coulter-department-of-biomedical-engineering-at-georgia-tech-and-emory-university
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoulterBME
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/CoulterBME
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/holyshiftresearch.bsky.social

About The Host: Angela Gill Nelms is a trailblazer in transforming bold ideas into impactful healthcare solutions. She serves as the Director of Biolocity, accelerating the commercialization of early-stage medical technologies developed at Emory University and Georgia Tech. She is also the Founder and CEO of The AGN Group, and the host of the Badass Leaders Podcast, where she champions courageous, compassionate leadership. Learn more at www.AngelaGillNelms.com.

Meet The HolyShift! Team:

• Produced by: Erin Buckley and Zachary Danziger
• Filming & Editing: Jackie Hampton
• Logistics & Marketing Support: Rajashree Ramamoorthy, Katie Hart, The AGN Group