Researchers in various studies looking for participants

Here is a list of research studies that currently are looking for participants.

Study investigating DASH diet for blood pressure control

Wayne Campbell, professor in the Department of Nutrition Science, and his research team are recruiting overweight men and women ages 40 to 75 with diagnosed hypertension (high blood pressure) to participate in a research study.

Making healthy food choices, such as those in the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, has been shown to improve blood pressure control in people with high blood pressure. The purpose of this study is to determine if the source of dietary protein (pork or chicken/fish) as part of the DASH diet affects blood pressure control in adults with high blood pressure.

Participants will be counseled to eat a DASH diet with pork as the major protein source for six weeks and then to eat a DASH diet with chicken and fish as the major protein sources for an additional six weeks. The study involves 12 visits to the Purdue Clinical Research Laboratory spread over an 18-week period.

Participants will be given a $400 stipend at the completion of the study.

Overweight men and women ages 40 to 75 with high blood pressure who are interested in participating in this study are encouraged to contact Drew Sayer at sayer@purdue.edu or 49-48313 for additional information.

Study on diagnosis, classification, and long-term stability of eating disorders 

Participants are being sought for a study focused on improving the diagnosis, classification, and long-term stability of eating disorders.

Participants must be age 14 or older, speak fluent English, have a diagnosis of a clinically significant eating disorder, and be medically stable. They must not have diagnoses of mental retardation or a neurological disorder.

Participation will involve completing questionnaires and interviews. Compensation will be provided.

The principal investigator is Kelsie Forbush, assistant professor of psychological sciences.

To participate or for more information, contact Jourdan Ringenberg, lab coordinator, at eatstudy@purdue.edu or 49-40336.

Study on financial behavior

Men and women over the age of 18 are being sought to participate in research on financial behaviors.

Participants will fill out questionnaires, which takes approximately 60 minutes. Compensation will be $10 and a chocolate bar.

Participation is completely voluntary, and all the records will be kept privately. No personally identifying information will be connected to responses. Throughout the study, information will be identified by a numerical code and will be stored in a locked file cabinet and/or a secure computer in the principal investigator's laboratory.

The principal investigator is Meghan Norris, assistant professor in the Department of Consumer Sciences and Retailing.

For more information, contact Norris at meghan@purdue.edu. To participate, contact chung30@purdue.edu.

Study on bariatric gastric bypass surgery and blood copper levels

Nana Gletsu-Miller, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition Science, and her research team are recruiting men and women who have had bariatric gastric bypass surgery in order to determine the risk of having low blood copper levels.

Participants will have a study visit at the Purdue Clinical Research Laboratories, where a blood draw will be taken for measurement of copper and other nutrients.

Men or women ages 18 to 65 who have had gastric bypass surgery are eligible. Compensation is $30.

To participate, contact Nana Gletsu-Miller at ngletsum@purdue.edu or 49-69462.

Study on how brain combines sight and sound

Children ages 7-11 are needed for a study on how the brain combines sight and sound.

Natalya Kaganovich, assistant professor of speech, language, and hearing sciences and psychological sciences, is studying how the brain's ability to combine auditory and visual information develops in childhood and how it may be impaired in speech/language disorders.

Children will participate in two to three two-hour research sessions. Participants first will take a series of standardized tests that will evaluate working memory, attention, nonverbal intelligence and language skills.

They then will participate in a brain wave recording during which their brain activity in response to both speech and nonspeech audiovisual information will be collected. Brain wave recording sessions are structured as games. Brain waves will be collected with the help of a special cap with built-in electrodes (similar to EEG recordings). There is no discomfort involved, and the method has been used safely with infants, children and adults.

To participate, children must be 7-11 years old; typically developing; right-handed native speakers of American English; free of speech, language, hearing/vision or neurological disorders and conditions such as autism/Asperger's, head injuries, seizures, brain tumors, cerebral palsy, ADHD, stuttering and depression; and should not be currently on medications that may affect brain activity (e.g., medications to control ADHD, seizures or depression).

Children will be compensated $10 per hour and will receive a small toy (worth approximately $5) at the end of each session. Parents also will be paid $10 per session.

To participate, contact Jennifer Schumaker at jschumak@purdue.edu, or call 49-44445 and leave your contact information.

Study on the effect of dietary protein intake and weight loss on skeletal muscle

Wayne Campbell, professor in the Department of Nutrition Science, is conducting a research study to assess the effect of dietary protein intake and weight loss on skeletal muscle in men and women ages 35 to 65. 

The study includes 12 days of testing spread over 20 weeks of time.

Men and women ages 35 to 65, in general good health, slightly overweight, nonsmoking, nondiabetic and interested in participating in this study should contact Jan Green at jkgreen@purdue.edu or 49-47660 for more information. Please refer to the study as S-28 when responding.

Compensation of $400 will be given following the completion of the study.

Study on how pitch is processed in the auditory system

Native speakers of Mandarin from mainland China with normal hearing are needed for an experimental study to evaluate how sounds are processed in the human brain.

Subjects will participate in two 2.5-hour research sessions. The experimental procedure consists of recording electrical activity from the brain (using EEG-type electrodes attached to the head) in response to various sounds presented through headphones at comfortable listening levels. Brain waves will be collected with the help of a special cap with built-in electrodes (similar to EEG recordings). There is no discomfort involved, and the method has been used safely with infants, children and adults.

The subject's task is to lie back and relax on a recliner situated in a sound-treated booth and watch a muted video. There will be about 40 subjects in the study. Participants will receive a free hearing test.

Participants must:

* Be 20-35 years old.

* Be right-handed.

* Have no previous history of brain injury or psychiatric problems.

* Have normal hearing sensitivity by self-report.

* Be a native speaker of Mandarin from mainland China.

* Have received formal instruction in English no earlier than the age of 11.

* Have no more than three years of music training on any combination of instruments.

Subjects will be compensated $20 per two-hour session. All research will be performed in the Auditory Electrophysiology Laboratory, Heavilon Hall, Room B15. Payment will be made in the form of a check from Purdue University. Participation in the study is voluntary. Participants who withdraw from the study prior to completion will receive partial payment as judged to be fair compensation by the principal investigator, Ravi Krishnan, professor of audiology speech.

To participate, contact Saradha Ananthakrishnan at sanantha@purdue.edu.

Study about children's eating behaviors

Sibylle Kranz, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition Science, is conducting a study about children's eating behaviors. The study will evaluate how visual cues will affect how much food young children will consume. 

Children ages 2-5 will be asked to come to Purdue on six different days. The children will be asked to stay from 9:30 a.m. until noon, and parents may stay or drop off their children if they wish. Children will have time for free play and organized activities similar to those at local day care centers. Researchers will serve a snack to the children at 10 a.m. and then serve lunch at 11:30 a.m. 

Parents will be given $18 at the end of the study, and children will be given a small toy at the end of each visit.  Those interested in having their child participate should contact Mary Brauchla at 49-42461 or mbrauchl@purdue.edu.    

Study about food preferences in preschool-age children 

Sibylle Kranz, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition Science, is recruiting for a research study about food appearance and taste in young children. 

Children ages 2-5 are eligible to participate and will be asked to taste and rank different foods using the "smiley face game." Children will come to Purdue up to six times over the course of a year to taste different foods and rank how appealing the foods are with different presentations. Each visit will last approximately 30-60 minutes, and children will be given a small toy in appreciation of their participation at the end of each visit. Parents will be reimbursed for mileage to and from Purdue. 

This research will give new insight into taste and presentation preferences in young children. 

Those interested in participating should contact Mary Brauchla at mbrauchl@purdue.edu or 49-42461.

Study investigating balance control in newly standing infants

Newly standing infants (11 month to 13 months of age) are needed for a study investigating the mechanisms influencing balance control in infants. Researchers are interested in the different factors that contribute to infants being able to control their balance and stand upright. Infants will be standing on a platform that measures their body sway when they stand on their own, when they hold a toy, and when they look at a video of a toy.

The project consists of one 30-minute session at the Life-Span Motor Development Lab in Lambert Fieldhouse. Infants must be capable of standing independently (without any support) for a brief period of time. Researchers are looking for infants who are using furniture and other objects to walk around in their environment, but are not yet able to walk more than a few steps on their own. Participants will receive an infant-sized T-shirt.

To express interest in participating or to receive more information, contact Laura Claxton, assistant professor of health and kinesiology, at 49-62293 or ljclaxton@purdue.edu.

Study investigating balance control in newly sitting infants

Newly sitting infants (4 months to 10 months of age) are needed for a study investigating the mechanisms influencing balance control in infants. Previous research in the Life-Span Motor Development Lab in the Department of Health and Kinesiology has found that newly standing infants are capable of surprisingly stable balance when they are engaged in an attention-demanding task. Researchers want to see if this same phenomenon is also occurring in newly sitting infants.

Infants will be sitting on a platform that measures their body sway when they sit on their own, when they hold a toy, and when they look at pictures of a toy.

The project consists of one 30-minute session at the Life-Span Motor Development Lab in Lambert Fieldhouse. Infants must be capable of sitting independently (without any support) for a brief period of time. Participants will receive an infant-sized T-shirt.

To express interest in participating or to receive more information, contact Laura Claxton, assistant professor of health and kinesiology, at 49-62293 or ljclaxton@purdue.edu.

Russian and Russian-American participants needed for research on advice

Russian and Russian-American participants are needed for a research study on advice interactions in everyday life. The study involves a series of brief questionnaires completed over a three-week period for a total time commitment of three hours. Compensation is $40. To participate, contact Erina MacGeorge at emacgeorge@purdue.edu or 49-43329.

Interactions between friends

Participants are needed for a research study on interactions between friends.

Friends must be of the same gender and culture, and not romantically involved.

The study involves completing questionnaires and being videotaped while talking with a friend. The study takes 90 minutes, and each participant is compensated $10. Due to study requirements, researchers are not currently able to accept European-Americans ("Caucasians"), Asian-Americans, or Asians who are full-time students (either undergraduate or graduate).

To participate, contact Erina MacGeorge at emacgeorge@purdue.edu or 49-43329.

Studies on learning in children

The Cognition and Learning Laboratory at Purdue is looking for children in grades 4 and 5 to participate in a study on learning. The overall purpose of the research is to examine the effectiveness of different study strategies.

The study will involve two brief sessions lasting about 30 to 60 minutes. In an initial session, children will use different learning strategies while they read brief passages about science topics. In a second session one week later, the children will answer questions about ideas and concepts from the passages. The purpose of the research is to identify the strategies that produce the best long-term learning. The total duration of participation may vary from one to two hours.

The parent/adult and child will be paid $5 for every half-hour of participation. The minimum amount of compensation is $10 and the maximum amount is $20. To participate or for more information, visit http://learninglab.psych.purdue.edu/parents/ or email learninglab@purdue.edu.

Study on family interactions and physiology

Researchers in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies are recruiting married or co-habiting couples with infants approximately 6 months of age for a study on how family interactions are related to physiology.

Participation in the study involves a two-hour laboratory visit to Purdue where participants will engage in family interactions, fill out questionnaires, engage in a short narrative task, and provide several saliva samples to assess physiological processes.

Participating families will receive $75 at the end of the lab visit in appreciation for their time. For more information, email familyphysiology@gmail.com or contact the Family Physiology Lab at 49-61554.

Study on mother-child conversations

Researchers in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies are recruiting families with children ages 4-6 for a study on mother-child conversations about past experiences and children's behaviors at school. The primary investigator is German Posada, associate professor of human development and family studies.

Participation in the study includes one visit to the Department of Child Development and Family Studies. Child-mother dyads will play with the toys and have conversations about the child's past experiences. Also, teachers and mothers will answer questionnaires about child behavior in the preschool setting.

Participating families will receive $20 as a token of appreciation for their time.

For more information, contact Ting Lu, doctoral student researcher, at jtinglu@purdue.edu or 765-337-2573, or Posada at gposada@purdue.edu or 49-41029.

Study on how sounds are processed in the brain

Adults with mild to moderate permanent hearing loss are needed for an experimental study evaluating how sounds are processed in the human brain.

Ananthanarayan Krishnan, professor of audiology in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and principal investigator, is studying how pitch is processed in the brainstem.

Adults with mild to moderate permanent hearing loss will participate in a two-hour research session, during which their brain activity will be recorded in response to different sound stimuli. The experimental procedure consists of recording electrical activity from the brain (using EEG-type electrodes attached to the head) in response to various sounds presented through headphones at comfortable listening levels. The participants need to lie back and relax (fall asleep preferably) on a recliner situated in a sound-treated booth. There is no discomfort involved, and the method has been used safely with infants, children and adults.

All research will be performed in the Auditory Electrophysiology Laboratory, Heavilon Hall, Room B15. Payment will be given to participants in the form of a check from Purdue University. Participation in this study is completely voluntary. Participants who withdraw from the study prior to completion will receive partial payment as judged to be fair compensation by the principal investigator. Participants will be compensated $10 per hour ($20 for the two-hour session).

To participate, subjects must be 20-45 years old with normal hearing; right-handed; and free of speech, language, hearing/vision or neurological disorders and conditions such as autism/Asperger's, head injuries, seizures, brain tumors, cerebral palsy, ADHD, stuttering and depression; also they should not be currently on medications that may affect brain activity (e.g., medications to control ADHD, seizures or depression).

To participate, contact Saradha Ananthakrishnan at sanantha@purdue.edu.

Study on mothers and infants

Researchers in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies are recruiting mothers with an infant age 11 to 14 months. The purpose of the study is to observe mothers and infants at home doing regular activities, such as playing and feeding, and balancing caregiving with other tasks around the home.

Mothers age 18 and older are welcome to participate. Participants will receive $20 in appreciation for their time and a free copy of an assessment about infant social and emotional development.

The primary investigator is German Posada, associate professor of human development and family studies.

For more information, contact Nancy Longoria, research assistant, at nlongori@purdue.edu or 49-63470, or Posada at gposada@purdue.edu or 49-41029.

Study on bean processing and bean enzyme availability on appetite and metabolism

Men and women ages 18-55 and who are generally healthy and either not overweight or are overweight (by approximately 10-75 pounds) are needed by the Department of Nutrition Science. Researchers are studying if the processing of beans (blended or whole forms) or taking the Beano dietary supplement will affect how the body processes beans.

The principal investigator on the study is Megan McCrory, assistant professor of foods and nutrition.

Participants must be in general good health, be nonsmokers, have few dietary restrictions, and be willing to eat bean foods provided during the study. Participants will be paid $240 upon completion of the study. The study involves eight visits to Purdue with a time commitment of about 30 hours.

For more information, contact McCrory laboratory at mccrorylabstudies@gmail.com or 49-40130 and refer to the "bean form study."

Food form study

Participants are needed by the Department of Nutrition Science to study the effects of food form on metabolism.

Participants must be ages 18-50, be in general good health and enjoy foods containing chocolate. Participants may earn up to $200 in 14 weeks.

The principal investigator for the study is Richard Mattes, professor of foods and nutrition.

For more information, contact Josh at foodform@purdue.edu.

Gesture recognition for quadriplegics

The School of Industrial Engineering is looking for men and women 18-65 with any level of upper-extremity impairments to participate in a research study to develop a gesture recognition system for people with quadriplegia. This gesture recognition system may allow quadriplegics to control wheelchairs and other technologies by using only arm movements.

The primary investigators are Juan Wachs and Brad Duerstock. Participants are required to watch and carry out a set of defined gestures, then rank the ease of performing each gesture. The interview will last about 45-60 minutes. To participate, please contact Hairong Jiang at jiang115@purdue.edu or call 765-586-9038.

Dairy foods study

A Purdue researcher is looking for people who avoid milk as part of their diet to participate in a dairy foods study in the Department of Nutrition Science.

Participants will undergo hydrogen breath testing, fill out questionnaires asking about dairy foods, and drink milk with meals two times a day. People interested in participating must be ages 18-55, not allergic to milk, willing to add milk to their diet, and be able to read and respond in American English. Participants will receive $100.

Dennis Savaiano, professor of foods and nutrition, is leading the study. To participate or for more information, contact Tracy Eaton at 49-46083 or tkeaton@purdue.edu.