BME MONDAY ROUNDTABLE

AUGUST 8, 2022

HEADS NOTE

                Prologue to Fall Semester 2022.  Hello Weldon BME Community!  This our preseason opener BME Roundtable for Fall Semester. We’ve adopted a new format for our roundtables to provide easier access to info for browsing and finding needed updates.  This week I want to send a message welcoming back our faculty from summer projects, experiences, sabbaticals, and other activities.  Many of our students have been here over the summer for undergraduate research, graduate research, and other programmatic activities and many more will be returning from internships, co-ops, and summer abroad experiences.  We also have new faculty starting and arriving- Including our newest Assistant Professor who arrived to MJIS this morning- Dr. Taimoor Qazi. Make sure you say hello!  I’ll send an “official” starting of the semester email in the next roundtable and I look forward to sharing exciting new developments and opportunities for our school soon- stay tuned!

 

QUICK LINKS

UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES

 

Week of August 8

 

Tues., August 9:  ALL summer grades (classes and all research students) are due before 5pm.

Wed., August 10:  BME Summer Seminar Series (via Zoom), 9:30 a.m.. Speakers: Lucy Tecle and Luke Brennan.

 

Upcoming important deadlines and info.

 

Thurs., August 18:  For those of you in need of a professional photo or in need of an updated photo, we will have a professional photographer here during orientation next week. Please feel free to stop by and get your photo. Time: 9-10 am, Location: MJIS 1083

Fri., August 26: Welcome Back Ice Cream Social, 1:00-2:00 p.m., MJIS South Lawn (rain location: MJIS 2001)

Wed., August 31: Deadline for submissions to BME’s Art in Research Exhibition. See below for details. Entries limited to current graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Thurs., Sept. 1 – Fri., Sept. 2: Nanomedicine Drug Delivery Symposium (nanoDDS) hybrid meeting , at Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill, NC. Join scientists from academia and industry for lectures from distinguished speakers focused on drug delivery

Wed., Nov. 9 – Sat., Nov. 12: The is a go-to conference for underrepresented groups in STEM fields. Scientific or professional development session submissions due July 29.

 

PROTECT PURDUE

https://protect.purdue.edu/updates/video-update-protect-purdue-fall-expectations/

Committee Updates

 

Academic Programs Update

 

Grades: All summer grades (classes & all research students) are due before 5pm on Tuesday, August 9th

Grade entry for any summer class and all research students (graduates and undergraduates) is already open and ends promptly at 5 p.m. Tuesday, August 9.  Additional grade instructions are attached and below.

 

Reminder to faculty: ensure you are up to date on the required certifications that will affect your ability to submit grades.

Final Grade submission windows for Summer 2022.

Important information regarding the use of Incompletes.

 

Academic Integrity: Presentations for faculty and staff to cover academic integrity, Wed., August 10th.

The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities is hosting “Academic Integrity: Faculty & Staff” presentations before the start of the fall semester.

The presentations will review:

·            The academic dishonesty policy and its common violations.

·            Instructor rights and roles in responding to issues of academic dishonesty and how to develop course policies related to academic dishonesty.

·            The student conduct process when responding to issues of academic dishonesty and nonacademic violations of University policy that may occur in a classroom setting.

·            How to report and respond to issues of academic integrity for both faculty and staff roles.   

Faculty or staff serving in instructor roles are welcome to attend. An in-person session will be held at 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 10) in Lawson Computer Science Building, Room 1142, and a virtual session will be held through Zoom at 2-3:30 p.m. Aug. 16. Both sessions will cover the same information, and registration is available online.

For more information, contact osrr@purdue.edu.

 

Syllabus: We are still in need of at least half of the final syllabi to go along with our fall courses.  The basic requirements for a syllabus, as mandated by the provost, can be found here: https://www.purdue.edu/innovativelearning/developing-courses/syllabus-template/  Cindy will upload all syllabi received into the Registrar’s Course Insights website on your behalf. 

 

Spring 2023 Class Scheduling is currently underway and deadlines arrive the first week of class this fall.  If you have a proposed course that you have not cleared through your area committee and Tamara Kinzer-Ursem, please do so as quickly as possible.

 

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Update

 

We plan on starting bi-weekly UCC meetings on Thursdays, beginning August 25th, from 2:30-3:30PM. 

 

PQP Committee Update

 

The PQP Committee received 26 QLA submissions on 6/1/22. Each QLA that passed the initial screen for conformance to QLA guidelines is being reviewed by five reviewers.  Please be aware of the following deadlines and meeting times:

 

Fri., 8/19/22, 5 PM ET: All QLA reviews are due from assigned reviewers.  No exceptions!

Fri., 8/26/22, 10:30 AM ET (MJIS 2001): QLA review and revision meeting for graduate students who submitted a QLA in June 2022

Mon., 8/29/22, 9:30 AM ET (MJIS 2001): PQP Committee meeting to debate and finalize QLA review outcomes

Fri., 9/2/22: QLA review results sent to students

 

Graduate Admissions Update

 

1.                   Participated in NIH Graduate School Fair on July 20th.  Attendees had great questions and were very engaged. 

2.                   Purdue Engineering Virtual Graduate Showcase - September 25 - 26, 2022.

Looking for faculty participation:

·         Poster Reviewers –August 15th (my guess is this time will be extended)

·         Faculty Videos—August 24th (my guess is that will be extended too but no promises) Encourage faculty to submit their research profile videos. An email was sent to those who submitted videos last year asking if they wish to re-use or update. Another email is planned to go out next week to all faculty. We will also send a copy to you so you are aware of the details. Same as last year, these 3 minute videos will appear in a gallery on the Socio platform.

3.                   Big Ten+ Grad Expo October 2-3, 2022

·         Looking for volunteers to join students for lunch from 12-1:30 on Monday, October 3rd

4.                   Graduate Diversity Visitation Program (GDVP)—October 23rd-26th

·         Will typically host students on Monday, October 24th from 1-2 pm and will need grad students and faculty to meet with them.

5.                   New Application Deadline Reminder: December 1st

 

Resources, attachments, further information

 

BME Summer Seminar Series, Wed., August 10, 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. Join Zoom Meeting:

https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/92168739019?pwd=cnBOaFBxN3FWVVVTWC8wWWhaekdIdz09

(Meeting ID: 921 6873 9019, Passcode: biomedical)

 

Title: The Design of Paper-based Lateral Flow Immunoassays for Early Cervical Cancer Screening

Lucy Tecle (J. Linnes, advisor)

Abstract: In 2018, cervical cancer was the fourth most common cancer globally with an estimated 311,000 deaths reported. Approximately 85% of these deaths occurred in low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC) with limited access to medical resources. The two main preventive intervention approaches are human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs and early screening initiatives. Since vaccines are not readily available in some LMIC, screen-and-treat strategies serve as a practical solution through point-of-care (POC) diagnostics such as lateral flow immunoassays (LFIA). As a frequent precursor to cervical cancer, HPV protein detection makes room for a highly sensitive and specific LFIA. These affordable paper-based devices provide rapid and reliable detection at the site of care. Hence, we have engineered in-house prototypes for LFIA development and optimization. The fabrication process and test performance were studied for accurate HPV protein detection using gold nanoparticles and antibodies. The binding kinetics of these biomolecules were validated using a dot blot assay. A highly sensitive LFIA requires a low limit of detection for the target protein concentration. In this case, the HPV16 L1 capsid protein was introduced as an early indicator of cervical cancer progression/severity. LFIA troubleshooting was essential to optimize the flow properties, blocking treatment of each paper component, and protein signal detection. Automated striping and assembly have begun for rapid scale-up production and batch-testing using a dispensing platform, LFIA test strip cutter, and lamination system. Future work is focused on signal amplification to improve readout sensitivity and multiplexed protein detection upon a single LFIA test. Ultimately, these prototypes will undergo device performance evaluations and usability studies with collaborators in Zambia to implement user-centered design feedback.

Evaluation link: Lucy Tecle: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_000LgRap5QHHENg

 

Title: User-Informed Development of a Rapid Screening Test for Cervical Cancer

Luke Brennan (J. Linnes/N. Rodriguez, advisor)

Abstract: Almost every case of cervical cancer in the United States is medically preventable with proper screening, yet many Americans are insufficiently screened. In fact, over a third of cervical cancers are from women who have never been screened at all. My project aims to create a technology that facilitates accessible and acceptable screening and follow-up care by testing for human papillomavirus (HPV), the causative agent of cervical cancer.

Our first step was to learn what healthcare providers need in a cervical cancer screening test for it to be adoptable and beneficial to patients. This was assessed through a survey and interviews with Indiana providers, 82% of whom were willing to adopt point-of-care HPV testing versus 48% willing to adopt at-home HPV self-testing. They also expected high accuracy and low cost to patients.

Based on these criteria and standards of the diagnostics field, we are adapting a previously developed HPV DNA amplification assay for use on a rapid test platform. The assay adapted clinically-used primer pairs for use in an isothermal DNA amplification reaction and targets 13 of 14 cancer-causing strains of HPV. Our work has optimized the assay’s temperature, primer concentration, catalyst concentration, and agitation method to identify HPV type 16, the most dangerous HPV strain. We have achieved a tentative limit of detection of 10 HPV DNA copies on plasmids in a 50 mL, 20 minute reaction. Future work includes testing the reaction in vaginal fluid media, testing probes for strain identification, and implementing the reaction on a paper-based microfluidic platform.

Evaluation link: Luke Brennan: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cZveuI1Ccjyz9CC

 

Welcome Back Ice Cream Social, Fri., August 26, 1:00-2:00 p.m., MJIS South Lawn (rain location: MJIS 2001). We are once again going to host a Welcome Back (for some of you welcome to the Fall semester) Ice Cream Social on the first Friday of classes.  Join us for some great conversation and yummy treats as we get the fall semester started. We hope you’ll consider joining us!

 

Deadline for submissions to BME’s Art in Research Exhibition, Wed., August 31:  Share you research with the Purdue and BME Community! The goal of the Art in Research exhibition is to creatively highlight the research of BME graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in a visually intriguing way. This will also be a great opportunity to communicate your research to other students, faculty, staff, visiting alumni and members of the Weldon School Advisory Board. The image may be a photograph, illustration, micrograph, visualization, rendering, drawing, or any other static visual medium that represents an important aspect of your research. Entries must be submitted by Wednesday, August 31 at 11:59 p.m. All BME students are invited to attend the Art Expo and reception on Friday, September 9, beginning at 3:00 p.m. in the MJIS Atrium. Scan now to submit your entry or visit PURDUE.LINK/22-ART-IN-RESEARCH

 

 

 

ABRCMS

Share Your Expertise!

The is a go-to conference for underrepresented groups in STEM fields. Last year, ABRCMS, held virtually, brought together more than 4,000 of the best and brightest scientists for four days of innovative scientific content, informative professional development sessions, and meaningful networking opportunities.

 

Now, here's your chance to contribute to ABRCMS 2022 – the first in-person conference since 2019! Choose to submit a scientific or professional development session proposal that will engage, educate and empower the ABRCMS community:

Don't miss your opportunity to join us November 9-12 in Anaheim, Calif., and add your name to the list of established scientists who have shared their work at ABRCMS.

 

Questions? Contact

Don't Forget! ! Spread the word and let your students know about this opportunity to present their science to a national audience. The deadline for abstract submissions is September 9

 

The Nanomedicine Drug Delivery Symposium (nanoDDS) organizing committee (Co-Chairs: Drs. Kristy Ainslie, Juliane Nguyen, Yevgeny Brudno and Owen Fenton) invites you to attend a hybrid meeting September 1-2, 2022, at Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill, NC. Join scientists from academia and industry for lectures from distinguished speakers focused on drug delivery. Register today at this link. If you would like to submit an abstract, please submit it at this link. There will be a poster session in which late breaking talks will be selected for podium presentations. Additionally, fellowships are available for underrepresented individuals.

 

Attendees can look forward to discussions on the following topics:

 

 

Who should attend? Pharmaceutical industry scientists, graduate students, and scientists in academia who are interested in learning about the potential solutions nanotechnology and drug delivery can offer and other exciting topics. The NanoDDS series was founded in 2003 by Dr. Alexander Kabanov and Dr. Kazunori Kataoka. Since then, NanoDDS has been held annually in different locations in North America, providing students, postdocs, and faculty exposure to the most recent developments and advancements in drug delivery.

 

Visit our website for more information about this symposium and past symposiums. Please feel free to share the attached flyer.

 

For students, postdocs, and faculty who cannot attend in person, we have an option to attend the entire conference live, remotely via Zoom for $95 (https://apps2.research.unc.edu/events/index.cfm?event=events.go&key=B1B9).

 

Sincerely,

Kristy M. Ainslie, PhD (she/hers)

Fred Eshelman Distinguished Professor and Chair

Division Pharmacoengineering & Molecular Pharmaceutics

UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy

4012 Marsico Hall - 125 Mason Farm Rd - Chapel Hill, NC 27599

Ph: 919-962-4556

http://ainslielab.web.unc.edu

Tweet: @AinslieLab

Insta: @Ainslie_Lab

 

 

Attachments

Guidance on Final Grade Submission summer 2022.docx