Emory launches new program to improve health equity by accelerating disease diagnostic research

December 18, 2023 | Saporta Report

Striving to ensure advanced medical technologies are reaching the populations who need them most,  Emory’s Center for the Advancement of Diagnostics for a Just Society  (ADJUST) is launching this year as part of NIH’s RADx program.

The last several years have demonstrated that new technologies are steadily allowing for the diffusion of disease diagnosis and monitoring out of clinical environments and into communities, businesses, schools, and homes. These types of point-of-care technologies offer numerous benefits, but they also introduce a whole new set of issues – not only technological and clinical, but also logistical, regulatory, commercial, social, and ethical. Often times, the patients who need these new technologies the most have the least access.

Emory’s new center is the first-of-its-kind designed to address these issues. Utilizing a two-pronged approach to accelerate diagnostic development while ensuring health equity and justice, the ADJUST Center will serve as both a thinktank focusing on the advancement of future disease diagnosis through research and advocacy, as well as a technology foundry to accelerate diagnostic development.

“Given our vast experience, expertise, and ecosystem in diagnostics, we are well poised to be the only center in the nation dedicated to advancing the entire field of diagnostics forward in this modern era of medicine,” says Wilbur Lam, MD, PhD, pediatric hematologist and oncologist at  Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta,   and professor of pediatrics and biomedical engineering at Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology. “As we help develop and translate new diagnostic technologies, our Center will also concurrently address the issues of accessibility, usability, and affordability to ensure these state-of-art tests will serve the populations who need them the most.”

The ADJUST Center is borne out of the NIH-funded point-of-care technologies center, the  ACME POCT , which is one of six sites in the U.S. selected by NIH as part of the NIH Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network. ACME POCT played a pivotal role during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as the national test verification center to rapidly evaluate COVID-19 tests and help make them widely available.

The ADJUST Center will seek to build off the expertise compiled during the COVID-19 pandemic and apply the lessons learned and proven tactics to ensure equitable access to advanced technology for everyone. Projects already underway include assessing the potential adverse outcomes of consumer health wearable technologies and examining the availability of point-of-care HPV diagnostics.   

Emory’s Senior Vice President for Research Deborah Bruner, PhD, says, “The ADJUST Center is an important new initiative that builds upon Emory’s strengths and impacts so many of our institutional goals. It is highly innovative, it is entrepreneurial, it is collaborative, and it is focused on health equity – it encompasses a wide variety of things that make us Emory.  I’m extremely excited to see what the center can achieve for our community and the world.”

Source: https://saportareport.com/emory-launches-new-program-to-improve-health-equity-by-accelerating-disease-diagnostic-research/thought-leadership/higher-education/emory-university/

GLS 2025 Year in Review

December 22, 2025
Dear Georgia Life Sciences Community, As we reflect on the past year, I want to extend my sincere thanks to our Georgia Life Sciences members for making it such an impactful one. Your engagement and leadership continue to move our industry forward and advance our shared strategic priorities— driving strong policy, expanding the talent pipeline, and creating intentional spaces for collaboration across Georgia’s life sciences ecosystem. Our Year in Review captures the progress we’ve made together across these priorities and highlights the collective impact our members are having statewide—from strengthening the workforce and supporting manufacturing growth to elevating Georgia’s position as a national life sciences leader. This progress is only possible because of the collaboration, commitment, and insight of our member community. 

Investing in America’s Biopharmaceutical Infrastructure Strengthens the Economy and Supports Union Workers

By Maria Thacker Goethe • December 20, 2025
The biopharmaceutical industry is growing America’s manufacturing and R&D capabilities to develop the next generation of treatments. A recent study from PILMA quantified the impact of the industry’s investment in American infrastructure on the economy and union workforce across 18 states from 2019-2024. The study found that across the 18 states included, the biopharmaceutical industry: Supported the American economy by investing $86.5B in R&D and manufacturing infrastructure and developing 1000+ construction projects at over 700 distinct facilities. Strengthened the American workforce by generating $2.6B in skilled union wages and providing $19M in support for union apprenticeships. The impact of the biopharmaceutical industry’s investment in American manufacturing and union jobs extends beyond direct benefits, spurring additional economic activity in the communities where workers live. This is known as the multiplier effect . On average, every $1 of new investment in a U.S. biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities generates an additional $1.59 in further economic activity (2.59x times the initial investment value). The industry’s $86.5B investment in R&D and manufacturing infrastructure has a total economic impact of $224B. Check out this resource to learn more about how biopharmaceutical investment in American infrastructure supports America’s workers and communities. For more on how biopharmaceutical companies are investing in America’s future, visit innovation.org/america-investment .

Georgia Life Sciences Joins National Coalition Urging Congressional Action on Key Innovation Policies

December 10, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences has joined 43 state and regional life sciences organizations in signing a national Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA) letter calling on Congress to take immediate action on three bipartisan policy priorities that are essential to sustaining U.S. leadership in biomedical innovation and supporting patients nationwide. With Congress back in session and several critical programs at risk of expiring, the letter urges congressional leaders to advance the following provisions without delay: 1. Reauthorize the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher (PPRV) Program The PPRV program has been instrumental in incentivizing the development of therapies for children with rare and life-threatening conditions. Its lapse threatens to slow or halt research that families across the country are counting on. 2. Extend the SBIR/STTR Programs The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs provide crucial early-stage capital for emerging biotech and medtech companies—many of them in Georgia. Without reauthorization, hundreds of innovative small businesses face uncertainty, jeopardizing new therapies, diagnostics, and technologies in the pipeline, 3. Advance PBM Transparency Reforms Greater transparency and accountability within pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices are needed to ensure that savings reach patients and employers. Reforming PBM operations is essential to strengthening access and affordability across the healthcare system. A Unified Message from the Life Sciences Community The sign-on letter reflects broad, bipartisan alignment across the national life sciences ecosystem: researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, patient advocates, and state associations all share a common message— these programs underpin America’s global competitiveness and are vital to patients who rely on continued scientific progress. Georgia Life Sciences has shared the letter with members of Georgia’s congressional delegation and will continue engaging with policymakers to emphasize the importance of swift action.
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