23rd Annual George Adrouny Lecture
Friday, April 11th, 2025
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biologypresented the 23rd Annual George Adrouny Memorial Lectureship on Friday, April 11th, 10:00 a.m. This year's lecture was in the Hutchinson Memorial Gallery and Auditorium, 1430 Tulane Avenue.
The 2025 featured speaker was Tony Hu, Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Biotechnology Innovation, in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Dr. Hu's research is focused on engineered multiomics, nanomedicine, mechanism-driven biomarker discovery, and assay development. His groundbreaking work employs the unique properties of nanomaterials to improve assay performance and reproducibility, thereby offering a novel approach to clinical microbiology and biomarker discovery. His goal is to develop a full spectrum of diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment evaluation assays, redefining diagnostic criteria for infectious and malignant diseases using molecular tests. Dr. Hu's contributions to the field are widely recognized, and he was elected as a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in March 2023. He has published over 150 high-impact papers and has filed two patent applications involving nanomedicine, 14 of which have been licensed by US-based or international companies. Dr. Hu's research is supported by leading organizations such as the DOD, NIH, Gates Foundation, and WHO, among others. He has mentored 78 fellows and students from 21 countries, many of whom have gone on to establish independent faculty positions. In addition, Dr. Hu is a co-founder of two biotech startup companies, Intelligenome Inc. in San Jose, CA, and NanoPin Technologies in New Orleans, LA. Dr. Hu's innovative and pioneering research has resulted in significant advancements in the field of biomarker discovery and nanomedicine. His contributions have not only advanced the scientific community's understanding of infectious and malignant diseases but have also led to the development of novel diagnostic tools and therapies that can benefit patients worldwide.
George A. Adrouny was born of Armenian parents in Turkey on April 2nd, 1912. He received his BA in chemistry in 1934, and a degree in pharmaceutical chemistry in 1940, both from the American University of Beirut. While working as a freelance pharmacist, he also taught chemistry and biology at Aleppo College in Aleppo, Syria. In 1951, a Smith-Mundt Fellowship permitted him to begin graduate studies at Emery University where he earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1954. After two years as a Research Associate in Biochemistry at Emory, he was recruited to the Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, where he ultimately rose to the rank of full professor. 