Purdue One Health and Well-Being Research Event unites campus for interdisciplinary, health-focused collaboration

Written By: Rebecca Hoffa, rhoffa@purdue.edu

Colleges across Purdue University are coming together to take their next giant leaps to accelerate and elevate life and health sciences research through the One Health and Well-Being Research Event: A Celebration of Interdisciplinary Health Research.

The event, which will take place 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 10 in the Purdue Memorial Union Ballrooms, will bring together faculty, staff and students across the university as well as industry partners to celebrate research on the health and well-being of animals, plants, humans, and the environment, whether it be basic, applied or related-technology research.

“I’ve been really impressed by the cooperation across the colleges, with solidarity and support across the associate deans for research across campus,” said Cammie McBride, distinguished professor of human development and family science and College of Health and Human Sciences associate dean for research. “We have collaborated together with the Health of the Forces initiative for a couple of years now, and I think that collaboration and trust kind of also brought about a better ability for all of us to work together on this. There was a lot of buy-in. We have 10 different colleges sponsoring this event, and we’re really happy to be working together on this important event.”

The event will be divided into three sessions:

• The “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease: A One Health Perspective” mini-symposium will feature three Purdue faculty members with expertise in epigenetics research. Moderated by Aaron Bowman, College of Health and Human Sciences dean, the presentations will take human development and family science, sociology and chemical engineering perspectives to explore how prenatal exposures, early life adversity, genetic factors and environmental chemicals shape children’s behavioral, mental and neurological development. Talks include:
  • Valerie Knopik, Ben and Maxine Miller Professor of Human Development and Family Science: “Disentangling Prenatal Exposures and Genetic Influences on Child Externalizing Behaviors (and Associated Neurocognitive Outcomes)”
  • Erin Dunn, professor of sociology: “The Role of Early Life Adversity on Children’s Mental Health: Effects of Early Life Adversity and Genomic Footprints of Altered Risk for Depression”
  • Chongli Yuan, professor of chemical engineering: “Contribution of Developmental Exposure to Environmental Chemicals to Neurological Disease Risk Later in Life Using Human Stem Cell Models”
• The research poster competition will feature health-related research from graduate students and postdoctoral scholars throughout campus. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who are interested in presenting their work must register their poster by Feb. 27.
• The “One Health from the Perspective of Industry” panel, moderated by Eric Barker, vice president for health affairs and Jeannie and Jim Chaney Dean of Pharmacy
  Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, will bring together industry executives from Elanco Animal Health, Corteva Agriscience, and Eli Lilly and Company to reflect on One Health in their respective industries. Panelists include:
  • Dan Golden, vice president and global head of research, discovery and breakthrough innovation, Elanco Animal Health
  • Wendy Srnic, vice president, Biotechnology, Corteva Agriscience
  • Matt von Zirkelbach, vice president and site head of Lilly Medicine Foundry, Eli Lilly and Company

As part of the university’s One Health initiative, the event aims to bring the campus together so attendees can walk away with excitement about the health-related work Boilermakers are leading, both on campus and beyond.  

The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required. Find more information about the event on the Purdue University event calendar.

Questions about the Purdue One Health and Well-Being Research Event may be sent toAmanda Warmbold at awarmbol@purdue.edu.