Georgia State University (GSU)’s global reach was on display this summer when Professor Maged Henary, Department of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences, traveled to Egypt to share his expertise in biomedical chemistry.
In July 2025, Dr. Henary was invited to deliver a distinguished lecture at the College of Pharmacy at Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) in New Alamein City.
His talk, “Near-Infrared Modified Cyanine Dyes: Synthesis, Optical Properties, and Biomedical Applications,” highlighted cutting-edge research with broad implications for drug discovery, diagnostics and medical imaging technologies.
Dr. Henary is at the forefront of translational cancer research. He is the chemist behind MHI-148, a fluorescent dye-drug conjugate that both illuminates tumors and delivers targeted chemotherapy, reducing side effects while improving treatment accuracy.
This innovation has led to DZ-002, a promising cancer therapy developed in collaboration with GSU, Emory University and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, which is now entering Phase 2 clinical trials for pancreatic tumors. With its ability to selectively target cancer cells and spare healthy tissue, Dr. Henary’s work represents a potential turning point in cancer treatment.
In his lecture at AASTMT, Dr. Henary discussed the synthesis and optical characterization of modified near-infrared and their potential applications in medicine.
The talk came during a period of heightened international collaboration in Egypt’s scientific community surrounding the International Conference on the Role of Organic Chemistry for Drug Discovery and Medicine.
The growing global series was first held at Ain Shams University’s Faculty of Pharmacy in Cairo in 2024, continued at Alexandria University’s Faculty of Science in 2025 and is tentatively scheduled to take place at AASTMT’s Alamein campus in 2026.
While separate from this conference series, Dr. Henary’s invited lecture at AASTMT underscores his recognition as a sought-after voice in the field.
Over the past several years, he has been an invited professor and lecturer in partnerships with universities in Poland and China. He plans to return to China in December to teach chemistry courses at Southwest Jiaotong University, and he will lecture again at Mazovian University in Poland in May 2026.
Georgia State’s Office of International Initiatives (OII) plays a key role in enabling faculty like Dr. Henary to engage internationally, forging partnerships that connect academic research to industry innovation.
These collaborations not only strengthen Georgia State’s reputation as a global research hub but also create opportunities for Atlanta’s business community – especially in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and healthcare – to benefit from advances in biomedical science.
“International collaboration is crucial for advancing medical research and addressing global health challenges. By working together, researchers can share knowledge, resources and expertise, leading to more effective solutions. Additionally, it can help to recruit outstanding graduate students to join the graduate programs at GSU,” Dr. Henary says.
“I’m grateful for the support of Georgia State University in pursuing globally relevant work.”
Learn more about GSU’s international reach and activities at international.gsu.edu. To explore partnership opportunities with GSU or connect with Dr. Henary, contact OII at oii@gsu.edu or (404) 413-2529. Contact Dr. Henary directly at mhenary1@gsu.edu.
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