Northside and ARCS Foundation Atlanta: 10 years together

Northside Hospital proudly celebrates ten years of partnership with ARCS Foundation Atlanta. 

Since 2016, Northside has been a steadfast supporter of ARCS, providing critical funding for doctoral students conducting research in fields aligned with Northside’s mission.

Northside’s contributions have provided 22 ARCS Scholar Awards for 10 outstanding PhD students at Emory University, the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech. Their work addresses Northside’s community health priorities, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, maternal and infant health, mental health and addiction and more.

The collaboration between Northside and ARCS Foundation Atlanta empowers the next generation of STEM leaders to innovate at the frontiers of medical science. Together, we are advancing breakthrough research that leads to new technologies, treatments and healthier communities.

A prime example is Dr. Anna Morris, Northside’s first ARCS Scholar, now an assistant professor at Emory’s School of Medicine and co-director of its Histocompatibility Laboratory. Her research in transplant immunology is shaping laboratory tools to improve donor-recipient compatibility — a critical factor in successful organ transplants.

“The ARCS award gave me confidence as a scientist and lengthened my capabilities as a graduate student,” Morris said. “The monetary freedom to buy better technology and programs, as well as fully explore career options through attendance at national conferences, was critical in speeding up my PhD and helping identify my future career. I am so grateful for this!”

As we look ahead, Northside and ARCS Atlanta remain united in our shared mission: to improve community health through scientific excellence and strategic investment in future innovators.

Northside/ARCS scholars and their contributions

• Anna Morris, PhD (Emory) – Advancing transplant compatibility and immunology
• Christian Andersen, PhD (UGA) – Leading drug development as a toxicologist
• Judith Reyes Ballista, PhD (UGA) – Innovating viral vector vaccines at Merck
• Jessica Hoffman, PhD (Emory) – Developing therapeutics for untreatable diseases
• Katie Young, PhD (Georgia Tech) – Studying cancer mechanobiology and metastasis
• Sarah Strassler Sulley, PhD (Emory) – Accelerating drug discovery with cryo-EM
• Sarina Abrishamcar (Emory) – Linking prenatal exposures to neurodevelopment
• Anjana Dissanayaka (Georgia Tech) – Creating point-of-care diagnostic technology
• Neil Patel (UGA) – Investigating melanoma progression through glycobiology
• Incoming Scholar (Georgia Tech) – Will focus on Northside’s community health priorities (Fall 2025)

Learn more about ARCS Foundation Atlanta.

Learn more about community partnerships at Northside.