GT Scholar helps develop process to reduce natural resources needed in fuel production

Turning crude oil into fuel and other products requires a distillation process that uses enormous amounts of energy and water. But a Georgia Tech research team that includes GRA Eminent Scholar Rampi Ramprasad may well revolutionize that process: They’ve formulated a new kind of polymer membrane to separate desirable compounds from undesirable ones at the molecular level. The filtration could replace the boiling and cooling process that’s now part of distillation — an approach that accounts for 1% of all of the energy used in the world. With Ramprasad’s expertise and guidance, the team has also created artificial intelligence tools to predict how well different versions of the newly engineered membranes will work, thus speeding development of new membranes for other purposes. Their findings were published in the Oct. 16 edition of  Nature Materials. Above: Ramprasad (left) with Georgia Tech research team members Ryan Lively and M.G. Finn. (Photo by Candler Hobbs.)  • A good story on a big invention > • See the journal article in Nature Materials >

GLS Advocacy Success: HB 139 Tabled Ahead of Crossover

March 6, 2026
Message from CEO

Senate Passes Ernst Updates to Put Small Businesses First in America’s Innovation Program

March 4, 2026
SBIR-STTR programs will now prioritize truly small businesses over mills and deter foreign influence.

Georgia Life Sciences designates City of Brookhaven as newest BioReady® Gold Community

February 20, 2026
Recognition highlights Brookhaven’s commitment to life sciences growth and biomanufacturing readiness Brookhaven, GA, Feb. 18, 2026 – The City of Brookhaven has been designated a BioReady Gold Community by Georgia Life Sciences, the state’s leading life sciences membership organization. The BioReady Community program evaluates a community’s preparedness to support life sciences development across key areas, including zoning and permitting, utilities and infrastructure, workforce readiness, and coordination among local government and economic development partners. The Gold distinction represents a high level of readiness and alignment with industry needs. “Achieving Gold BioReady status underscores Brookhaven’s commitment to being a competitive destination for life sciences innovation and manufacturing,” said Aaron Szarowicz, City of Brookhaven Economic Development Director. “This designation reflects the intentional investments and partnerships we’ve built to support companies as they scale and create high-quality jobs in our community.” Brookhaven’s BioReady assessment highlighted the City’s modern infrastructure, strategic location within metro Atlanta, access to a skilled workforce, and collaborative approach between City leadership, regional partners, and the business community. Together, these assets position Brookhaven to support companies across the life sciences value chain—from research and development to scale-up and manufacturing. The BioReady rating system evaluates communities across three tiers—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—based on their readiness to attract and support life sciences facilities. Through these ratings, Georgia Life Sciences helps municipalities better showcase biotech-zoned sites, strengthen infrastructure planning, and clearly identify life sciences-friendly locations. This approach enables communities like Brookhaven to compete more effectively for private investment and job creation. Georgia Life Sciences works to advance innovation, strengthen the workforce pipeline, and grow Georgia’s life sciences economy through the BioReady Community program, modeled after MassBio’s nationally recognized rating system which assesses a community’s readiness to host life sciences facilities based on zoning practices and infrastructure capacity. For more information on the non-profit, membership-based organization, visit www.galifesciences.org . For more information about Brookhaven’s economic development initiatives, visit www.BrookhavenGA.gov/EconDev . ### Media Contact: Ann Marie Quill, Assistant Communications Director 404-205-3832 AnnMarie.Quill@BrookhavenGA.gov
MORE POSTS