In 2018, Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) launched a unique partnership—the Emory + Children’s Pediatric Institute, an affiliation focused on leveraging the capabilities of both of our top-tier organizations. Through the Pediatric Institute, Emory and CHOA are facilitating leading-edge pediatric research and training pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists, both of which are in short supply in the United States.

I recently had the honor of visiting an exciting new resource in our shared mission of enhancing the health of children through innovative research efforts. CHOA’s new Arthur M. Blank Hospital is scheduled to open this fall with the generous support of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. This 19-story, two-million-square-foot facility, to quote CHOA, “is a giant leap forward in our ongoing effort to deliver cutting-edge care, improve outcomes, and innovate to meet the healthcare challenges of tomorrow.”

Still several months from completion, the hospital is already impressive, featuring 446 patient beds, three helipads, a wealth of amenities for patients and their families, 20+ acres of green space, and greatly expanded conference and simulation space which will be used to train fellows and keep clinicians current with with best practices.

My thanks to CHOA and Dr. Lucky Jain for the tour, which included a visit to the three helipads on the new CHOA rooftop (pictured above, with Jain in the middle and Chris Chelette, CHOA senior vice president facilities services on the right). Thanks as well to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for helping the Emory + Children’s Pediatric Institute advance its vision of enhancing our understanding and treatment of childhood diseases, preparing the best pediatric professionals to serve children around the world, and providing the most cutting-edge, compassionate care to the children and families who turn to us in their time of need. 

Kind regards,

Ravi

Ravi I. Thadhani, MD, MPH
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Emory University
Executive Director, Woodruff Health Sciences Center
Vice Chair, Emory Healthcare Board of Directors

Please direct questions and comments to evphafeedback@emory.edu.

Whether dealing with a singular traumatic event or ongoing trauma that endures over time, impacts can range from subtle to devastating, and they are different for everyone. Co-directed by Emory researchers Drs. Abigail Lott, Vasiliki Michopoulos, and Jennifer Stevens, the Grady Trauma Project focuses on the biological, psychological, and social effects of trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The project is the largest civilian trauma study in the United States, continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2005 and with more than 350 publications.

“The Grady Trauma Project studies how trauma gets under the skin to impact body, brain, and behavior across one's lifespan and across generations. We then translate findings into treatments to address health inequities for women and minoritized communities," says Lott.

She continues, “I am very lucky to work in such a rich research environment with a team of incredible women scientists. The most rewarding part of working in the Grady Trauma Project is being able to bring innovative interventions to Grady and the broader Atlanta community and to increase access and success with culturally responsive and trauma-informed behavioral health interventions.”

Since joining Emory as a postdoctoral resident in 2013 and a faculty member in 2016, Lott has seen firsthand what sets Emory apart from other research institutions.

“The collaborative culture helps to foster research collaborations across schools within the university and externally and enhances capability for cutting-edge research and its translation into clinical care,” she says.

When discussing the success of the project, she is quick to credit the full team. “The Grady Trauma Project exemplifies a team science model, and my research is only possible because of the amazing students, staff, and faculty that I work closely with on each research project,” she says. “At the Grady Trauma Project, we are lucky to have such passionate and hard-working students and staff who create positive experiences for participants in addition to collecting data and disseminating what we find.”

Thank you, Grady Trauma Project team, for helping us improve lives and provide hope!

Pictured above are Grady Trauma Project team members Allie Guelfo and Dr. Negar Fani.

To nominate a colleague to be featured in an upcoming segment of Our People, please email me at evphafeedback@emory.edu and let me know what makes them special.

Reshma Jagsi, Winship radiation oncologist, received the 2023 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Award from the American Association for Women in Radiology. Read more.  

Mary S. Newell, Winship radiologist, has been named to the board of directors of the American Board of Medical Specialties. 

Ashish Patel, Winship radiation oncologist, has received a Leadership Pathway Program Award from the American Society for Radiation Oncology. 

Cheng-Kui Qu, co-leader of Winship’s Cell and Molecular Biology Research Program, has been named to the editorial board of Blood Advances, the open-access journal of the American Society of Hematology.

Jessica Wells, associate professor of nursing, was voted president-elect of the board of the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health.

Jindan Yu, Winship researchers, was elected a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation for 2024.