Emory Integrated Core Facilities celebrate Core Day
On November 21, 2024, members of Georgia’s scientific community gathered in Emory University’s Convocation Hall for Emory Core Day. Hosted by the Emory Integrated Core Facilities (EICF), this biannual gathering allows Emory researchers and institutional partners to explore EICF’s resources, technologies, and expertise.
Emory Core Day featured 17 speakers and 43 posters. Attendees engaged with vendors, enjoyed hands-on equipment demonstrations, and discussed research. Ten sponsors powered the event. Participants included EICF Core directors and the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) leadership.
The GRA boosts the impact of research and entrepreneurship in Georgia by uniting research universities, business leaders and state government. The strategic partnership includes innovation centers such as Augusta University, Clark Atlanta University, Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Mercer University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and the University of Georgia. In 2018, the GRA created the Georgia Core Facilities Partnership, which provides subsidized access to nearly 100 statewide core facilities.
Cassandra Quave supports research and discovery as assistant dean of research cores. Additionally, Quave serves as the Thomas J. Lawley, MD Professor of Dermatology and curator of Emory’s Herbarium.
Reflecting on Emory Core Day, Cassandra Quave (dermatology) states, “Enthusiasm this year was incredible.” As the assistant dean of research cores at Emory University, Quave has firsthand knowledge of how the EICF fuels innovation and collaboration.
2024 Core Day
Core Day concluded with an award ceremony that recognized EICF members for their exceptional service and outstanding performance. This year's recipients include:
EICF Scientific Director of the Year – Tamara Caspary
EICF Core or Technical Director of the Year – Laura Ann Fox-Goharioon
EICF Staff Member of the Year – Mac Wenbo Mao
EICF Core Citation Awards:
- McKinzie Garrison – Emory Integrated Computational Core
- Anna Grace Griggs – Emory Stem Cell and Organoids Core
- Alaa Ahmed – Emory Integrated Genomics Core
- Sommer Durham – Emory Flow Cytometry Core
- April Reedy – Integrated Cellular Imaging Core
- Ted Whitworth – Integrated Electron Microscopy Core
- Chih-Yu Chen – Emory Integrated Metabolomics and Lipidomics Core
- Steven Roache – Mouse Transgenic and Gene Targeting Core
- Rong Fu – HPLC Bioanalytical Core
- Duc Duong – Emory Integrated Proteomics Core
- Amanda Metzger – Emory Gnotobiotic Animal Core
Winship Shared Resource (SR) Scientific Director of the Year – Jeffrey Switchenko – Biostatistics Shared Resource
Winship SR Technical Director of the Year – Aaron Rae – Pediatrics/Winship Flow Cytometry
Winship SR Staff Member of the Year:
- Daria Zugic – Emory Integrated Genomics Core
- Vaunita Parihar – Cancer Tissue and Pathology Shared Resource
Winship SR Staff Recognition of the Year:
- Daria Zugic – Emory Integrated Genomics Core
- Burcu Ergonul – Cancer Tissue and Pathology
- Chunzi Huang – Cancer Animal Models Shared Resource
- Igor Albizua -Pediatrics/Winship Flow Cytometry
- Shaheen Rana – Intervention Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Shared Resource
- Hai Vo -Integrated Cellular Imaging Core
- Vaunita Parihar - Cancer Tissue and Pathology Shared Resource
Integrated Cell Imaging Core (ICI) Image Competition:
- Gracie Quirk
- Karthik Krishnamurthy
- Jovan Brockett
- Petra Gregorova
Check out the Core Day 2024 program to learn more about the event—including background on the Cores and abstracts for posters and talks.
“Thank you to everyone who has contributed to a remarkable 2024 for EICF,” says Quave. “The more research we can support, the more we can do to advance knowledge and explore opportunities that transform our world.”