Biological tissues are constantly changing, but most imaging methods capture only a single moment frozen in time. A new research effort led by associate professor Ahmet F. Coskun hopes to turn those snapshots into a movie, giving researchers a dynamic, real-time view of tissue health.
Coskun and his team are building a platform called SMASH (Spatial Mechanomics with Active Surface Harvesting), which is designed to map the life of tissues across space and time. The team recently received a $500,000 award from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) to support the development of the SMASH platform over the next two years.
Spatial omics is a way to study genes, proteins, and other biological molecules while keeping track of where they are in tissue. Traditionally, spatial omics requires destroying samples for a one-time look at where molecules are in the tissue. The SMASH platform will allow researchers to see not only the “where,” but also the “when” and “how” of molecules without destroying the tissue, creating a “movie” from these snapshots.
Researchers can monitor the where, when and how of these biological systems in real time by using DNA “barcodes” to create a dynamic dataset. These datasets are used to train artificial intelligence (AI) to predict how tissues might respond to a drug or mechanical force.
“Receiving this award affirms our approach to studying biology as it unfolds. By shifting from static snapshots to real-time, non-destructive measurements, we hope to better understand how health and disease develop over time,” Coskun said. “I’m proud that CZI recognizes our leadership in the next generation of biological imaging and spatial omics.”
The SMASH team builds on the expertise of three research groups at Georgia Tech and Emory University.
Coskun and his lab will provide the AI-enabled data analytics and spatial omics expertise to ensure the data generated by the SMASH platform are translated into a usable map. Andrei Fedorov, professor and Rae S. and Frank H. Neely Chair in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, will direct the dynamic sampling platform and instrumentation. Khalid Salaita, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Chemistry at Emory University, and his team will provide the sensors for the platform and develop the cell tagging process.
