The threat of influenza – and the inventive work of Georgia scientists to stop it – is the focus of a pilot episode of a new TV series the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) is developing in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB).

Titled "The Future Files," the series premieres Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. on all GPB stations across the state. It showcases how top researchers at Georgia universities, including Emory, are addressing some of the most challenging problems facing humankind.

"The work taking place in Georgia's university laboratories is exceptional and often fascinating," says C. Michael Cassidy, president of the Georgia Research Alliance. "We have some of the brightest minds in the world here, but not everyone is aware of that. What these scientists are doing to discover and invent new answers to human needs is a story that needs to be told."

The pilot episode of "The Future Files" traces the insidiousness of the flu virus – how it mutates and kills – then spotlights the progress Georgia scientists have made in battling the disease. Series host Faith Salie, a correspondent on “CBS Sunday Morning,” explores efforts to develop a single vaccine to fight multiple forms of flu; new instruments to detect the presence of flu in mere seconds; and a novel way to administer vaccines painlessly.

The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation and The Coca-Cola Foundation are providing financial support for the project. Other episodes planned for the series focus on autism, cancer, new energy and regenerative medicine.