January 18, 2023
Surgery, especially surgery to remove cancerous tumours, relies on a range of tools and techniques as well as on the skill of the surgeon. Now, new imaging agent Cytalux will make surgery to remove lung cancer tumours a little more exact. The inside of the human body famously looks nothing like an anatomy textbook, lacking the bright colour coding to differentiate between tissues and organs. Based on foundational intellectual property developed at Purdue University and released by On Target Laboratories, Cytalux helps make tumours more easily and immediately identifiable by illuminating them and making them glow against healthy, noncancerous tissue like beacons against a night sky. Philip Low (rhymes with “now”), Purdue’s Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry in the College of Science, is an inventor of the drug.
January 17, 2023
Purdue doctoral alumna, three researchers are co-founders of high-tech pathogen detection startup. OmniVis, a Purdue University-affiliated biotechnology company focused on the speed, accuracy and economics of pathogen detection, has been named to the fifth annual Most Fundable Companies list from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School. OmniVis makes iSpyDx hand-held devices that rapidly detect pathogens in food, water and plant samples. The devices perform to laboratory method standards but do not require special equipment or training. CEO Katherine Clayton, who earned her PhD in mechanical engineering from Purdue, leads the company.
OmniVis recognized with prestigious Most Fundable Companies designation
January 13, 2023
The new year is traditionally a time when many people feel a renewed commitment to create healthy habits, such as exercising regularly, drinking more water or eating more healthfully. It turns out that when it comes to health, married people have an edge, especially married men. But surely the act of walking down the aisle is not what provides this health advantage. So what exactly is at play? As a team, we study how relationships affect health. One of us is a nursing professor who studies how social support influences health behaviors. One is a social health psychologist who explores how stress affects couples’ relationships and health, and one is a social psychologist who researches how relationships influence health behavior changes. Together, we examine how partners influence each other’s health, taking gender into account in this equation.
January 13, 2023
Several Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine faculty and staff members were recognized at the Staff Service Recognition Ceremony in December for recently completing the Certificate for Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine program. To earn the certificate, the honorees had to put in a lot of hard work to complete the learning modules, activity assignments, volunteer community service assignment, and capstone paper.
Faculty and Staff Recognized for Completing Diversity Certificate Program
January 13, 2023
A member of Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Basic Medical Sciences faculty, Dr. Paul Robinson, is the newest Honorary Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS). The recognition is the society’s most prestigious accolade for contributions to cytometry. Dr. Robinson is the Purdue Distinguished Professor of Cytometry and holds a joint appointment as professor in Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. He also is director of the Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories, housed in Lynn Hall. Dr. Robinson was recognized by the RMS for making a huge contribution to the field of Cytometry worldwide. Those contributions include his list-serv, “Purdue Cytometry List,” which is utilized by more than 4,500 cytometrists, his work to teach cytometry in Africa through his Cytometry for Life organization, and his patented cytometry technologies.
Distinguished Professor of Cytometry Paul Robinson Named as RMS Honorary Fellow
January 13, 2023
Mohit Verma’s research team at Purdue University has developed innovative paper-based, rapid-result tests for bovine respiratory disease and COVID-19. Now the researchers are adapting their technology for produce safety risk assessment. “We’ve already done some preliminary tests out in the field, which will be published in the next few months,” said Verma, assistant professor in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. We’ll be refining our technology a bit more so that it’s easier to use.” The technology uses biosensor technology to detect DNA from Bacteroidales, a fecal microorganism found in swine, poultry and cattle, as a marker for the contamination of fresh produce. Most foodborne pathogens linked to fresh produce, including E. coli and Salmonella enterica, originate in the intestines. That means measuring fecal contamination can suggest the risk of produce contamination.
Innovative risk-assessment tool for produce industry continues advancing
January 13, 2023
Faculty and staff are invited to participate in a Steps to Leaps summit, set for 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 22 at Beck Agricultural Center. The event will include guest speakers and an awards presentation from noon to 1 p.m. The featured guest speakers are Beth McCuskey, vice provost for student life, and Jenna Rickus, associate vice provost for teaching and learning. The summit will also include a student panel discussion from 2:15-2:45 p.m. and feature presentations at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Presentations will share resources and research related to the Steps to Leaps pillars. A full schedule of events will be posted on the Steps to Leaps website as presentations are finalized.
January 12, 2023
Mohit Verma’s research team at Purdue University has developed innovative paper-based, rapid-result tests for bovine respiratory disease and COVID-19.
January 11, 2023
Mohit Verma’s research team at Purdue University has developed innovative paper-based, rapid-result tests for bovine respiratory disease and COVID-19. Now the researchers are adapting their technology for produce safety risk assessment. “We’ve already done some preliminary tests out in the field, which will be published in the next few months,” said Verma, assistant professor in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. We’ll be refining our technology a bit more so that it’s easier to use.”
Purdue University’s Research Team Advances Innovative Risk-Assessment Tool
January 11, 2023
Two ongoing studies funded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) are looking to improve detection and control methods for Cyclospora cayetanensis. A complex protozoan parasite, C. cayetanensis is extremely challenging to culture in a laboratory setting, and requires complicated microscopy for detection in samples. Paper-Based Rapid Test for Detecting C. cayetanensis In-Field The first project, led by Purdue University’s Lia Stanciu, Ph.D., seeks to use “aptamers”—or short strands of synthesized DNA—to bind to C. cayetanensis. The aptamers would then be used to create a paper-based, low-cost, and easy-to-use water test for the parasite, similar to rapid COVID-19 or pregnancy tests.
Studies Aim to Improve Detection, Control Methods for Cyclospora
