BME
WEEKLY ROUNDTABLE
WEEK
OF October 23, 2023
INTERIM
HEAD’S NOTE
In
recent days and weeks, what is happening in our small town (https://www.jconline.com/story/news/local/purdue/2023/10/13/twin-sisters-deaths-ruled-as-suicides/71171882007/) and around the world, may have deeply affected our lives. While there remains a lot
of uncertainty, we want to make sure you know that we BME as a whole are here to support each other in whatever way possible. Even in our normal day-to-day lives, this time of the year is hard to go by, at least that is the case to me. When getting up in the
morning, seeing a gloomy day (before we switch back the clock), does affect our feelings. Luckily, there are professional resources on campus that the university can offer.
If
you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of mental health support, services are available. For help, such individuals should contact
Counseling
and Psychological Services (CAPS)
at 765-494-6995 during and after hours, on weekends and holidays, or by going to the CAPS office on the second floor of the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) during business hours.
Here
are a few updates:
- Fiona
Kolbinger will be on campus these days to start her position on our faculty officially. If you get a chance, stop by her office on the third floor to welcome her.
- I
heard from various sources that at least a few of us got involved in one or several of the 6 finalist project teams in last week’s Purdue Life and Health Sciences Faculty Summit. They are (not all inclusive) Fang Huang, Eugenio Culurciello, Ed Bartlett, and
Mike Heinz. Perhaps you can check out their work.
- At
the college level, discussions on ARPA-H have emerged. As I wrote in several previous notes, BME should lead the way in such proposal preparation activities on campus. Just yesterday, Wayne Chen, Associate Dean for Research at the College sent an email to
the heads of BME, ABE, ChE, and ECE, and passed along the following information.
https://arpa-h.gov/news/apecx/
https://arpa-h.gov/news/react/
The
goal of the APECx program is to transform vaccine discovery. The target is a computational toolkit that helps design vaccines that target many viruses at once. APECx will solicit proposals focused on three technical areas: high-throughput biochemical analysis
and protein engineering, protein modeling toolkit development for antigen design, and translational candidate development and clinical evaluation. Engineers can play active roles in at least two out of the three areas.
The
REACT program is for real-time drug delivery and disease tracking to improve patient self-care through developing two platforms: A “Living Pharmacy” to automatically deliver prescribed treatments, and a “Living Sentinel” that allows the individual or their
care team to detect key biomarkers of disease.
- Ascension
Visitation is around the corner, 10/31 (Tuesday). There will be a breakout group discussion in the afternoon. All BME faculty are welcome. More information will be out in the next day or two.
UPCOMING
IMPORTANT DATES
Week
of October 23
Wed.,
Oct. 25: BME
Research Seminar:
9:30
a.m., MJIS 1001 and via Zoom. Kennedy O. Okeyo, PhD, TIS/Project Manager, Jackson Laboratory Japan will present “Microengineering Approaches for Biofunction Design in the Era of Personalized Medicine.”
Wed.,
Oct. 25: Seminar
for Neurotrauma and Diseases,
4:00
p.m., DLR 131. Wenjing Sun, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University will present “Unraveling the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Controlling Activity-dependent Myelin Formation and Restoration in the Central Nervous System.” This seminar
series is organized by the Center for Paralysis Research and supported by Plexon, the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, and Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery. The Zoom link is:
https://bit.ly/441Dllq.
For additional information, see https://vet.purdue.edu/cpr/
Wed.,
Oct. 25: Advancing
Discovery in Antimicrobial Resistance Seminar, 12:00
p.m., Purdue DRUG, Lobby Conference Room. Dr. Daniel P. Flaherty, Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and PI4D-PIIN-PICR-PIDD at Purdue will present “Evaluation of bacterial carbonic anhydrases as antibiotic therapeutic targets.”
These seminars are supported by Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences and Institute for Drug Discovery.
Thurs.,
Oct. 26: Seminars
in Hearing Research,
12:00
p.m., Nelson Hall – Room 1215. Meredith Christine Ziliak, PhD Candidate, SLHS will present “The Effects of Small Arms Fire Like Noise on Hearing Loss and Thalamocortical Processing.”
Thurs.,
Oct. 26: BMS 692/CPB 697 Graduate Seminar, 12:30
p.m., LYNN 1136. Three graduate students will present their current research: Yueyi Chen – Graduate RA, BMS – will present “Modulation of vIPAG GABAergic Neurons in Fentanyl Withdrawal Induced Hyperplasia and Excessive Intake.” Alec Daniels – Resident, CPB/ADDL
– will present “Necropsy Case: Spooky the Cat.” Madeline Coffey – Graduate Student – will present “Identification of a Locus Associated with Angular Limb Deformity in Standard Poodles.” The seminar series is sponsored by the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Thurs.,
Oct. 26: School
of Industrial Engineering Fall 2023 Seminar Series,
1:30
p.m., Krannert G016. Dr. Paul Wach, Research Assistant Faculty, Intelligent Systems Division of Virginia Tech National Security Institute will present “The Discipline of Systems Engineering.”
MJIS
ALERT
The
MJIS passenger elevator will be DOWN on Wednesday, November 1st from 7:00 am – 11:00 am for preventative maintenance/part replacement. The analog stairways will still be functioning normally.
Graduate
Programs Update
Are
you interested in establishing and implementing your own approaches to teaching undergraduates? Are you looking for a meaningful teaching experience to put on your resume/CV? If so, please consider applying for the College of Engineering Dean's Teaching Fellowship!
What:
Be the Instructor for a Course in your School
When:
Two Semesters | Spring/Summer 2024 apprenticeship followed by Summer/Fall 2024 Instructorship
Deadline:
Applications are due by Wednesday, November 1st, 2023. Applicants must include an endorsement form from their School/Division (details in attached .pdf) and should allow time to secure this before the deadline!
Apply
here: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cCuy9sXBciXIiuW
Details:
-
Scholarship
of $5,000 split across two semesters (Spring, Summer, and/or Fall 2024)
-
Half-time
TA for one semester (typically Fall 2024)
-
$750
for personal purchase of technology/equipment for the classroom, and more!
Who:
Eligibility is listed in the attached document. Must be a College of Engineering PhD student from a participating school (see attached). Must be perceived by the student’s advisory committee chair as having high potential to be successful in academia.
Please
note: Your School may have its own specific Teaching Fellowship with a similar deadline, and the College Dean’s Teaching Fellowship cannot be awarded in the same year to a graduate student who has received a Teaching Fellowship through their own School.
Please
see the attached announcement for additional details. The goal of this College of Engineering Dean’s Teaching Fellowship is to provide additional opportunities for you to teach during your senior graduate school years, which can also be excellent training
for graduate students planning to pursue faculty careers.
The
2024 Dean’s Teaching Fellows will be selected by the College of Engineering's review committee, and applicants will be notified by December 15, 2023. We highly encourage students from all backgrounds to apply for this opportunity.
Please
let me know what questions you have!
Stephen
M. McBride, Ph.D.
Assistant
Director, Graduate Student Success
College
of Engineering - Graduate Education
Purdue
University
Neil
Armstrong Hall of Engineering
ARMS
1233
701 West Stadium Avenue
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Upcoming
important deadlines and information
Thurs.,
Nov. 2: Institute
for Cancer Research Seminar, 11:30
a.m., Drug Discovery (DD) Conference Room. Juhun Lee, Associate Professor of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, will present “Advancing Breast Cancer Detection with AI: Leveraging Bilateral Asymmetry, Simulated Mammograms Using GANs, and Cautionary Considerations.”
Wed.,
Nov. 29: Seminar
for Neurotrauma and Diseases, 4:00
p.m., DLR 131. Koji Uchida, Professor of Food Chemistry, University of Tokyo will present “Conversion of Proteins into DNA Mimetics by Reactive Aldehydes.” This seminar series is organized by the Center for Paralysis Research and supported by Plexon, the Purdue
Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, and Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery. The Zoom link is:
https://bit.ly/441Dllq.
For additional information, see https://vet.purdue.edu/cpr/
Fri.,
Dec. 1: Indiana
Human-Centered Design for Health Seminar Series, 12:00
p.m. via Zoom. Lean about research and best practices in HCD and health, promote the diverse HCD expertise in Indiana, and build a community of HCD researchers and practitioners focused on health, in Indiana and beyond. The speaker will be Jackie Linnes, Associate
Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue. Register and learn about upcoming seminars at healthtechquitylab.org/hcd-seminar
Fri.,
Dec. 1: Indiana
Life Sciences Conference – “Closing the Gap[ of Health Inequalities,” 8:00
a.m. – 3:15 p.m., Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis. See below for details.
Fri.,
March 1: Indiana
Human-Centered Design for Health Seminar Series, 12:00
p.m. via Zoom. Lean about research and best practices in HCD and health, promote the diverse HCD expertise in Indiana, and build a community of HCD researchers and practitioners focused on health, in Indiana and beyond. The speaker will be Andrew Miller, Associate
Professor and Chair, Department of Hunan-Centered Computing, IUPUI. Register and learn about upcoming seminars at healthtechquitylab.org/hcd-seminar
Fri.,
June 7: Indiana
Human-Centered Design for Health Seminar Series, 12:00
p.m. via Zoom. Lean about research and best practices in HCD and health, promote the diverse HCD expertise in Indiana, and build a community of HCD researchers and practitioners focused on health, in Indiana and beyond. The speaker will be Youngbok Hon, Professor,
Herron School of Art and Design, IUPUI. Register and learn about upcoming seminars at healthtechquitylab.org/hcd-seminar
Resources
and further information
Wed.,
Oct. 25: BME
Research Seminar:
9:30
a.m., MJIS 1001 and via Zoom. Kennedy O. Okeyo, PhD, TIS/Project Manager, Jackson Laboratory Japan will present “Microengineering Approaches for Biofunction Design in the Era of Personalized Medicine.”
Abstract:
We are witnessing the dawn of an era of personalized medicine, driven by technological advances in cell therapy, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine. In this era, bioengineering capabilities that enable precise control and biofunction design, both at
the cellular and tissue levels are increasingly becoming important, especially with regards to supporting patient-specific therapeutics and drug development. This talk will highlight our past and ongoing research efforts to develop enabling microengineering
technologies for biofunction design at the cellular and tissue levels, and will showcase potential biomedical applications in cancer immunotherapy, regenerative medicine, and drug development.
Biography:
Dr.
Okeyo is currently a technical information scientist (TIS) and a project manager at
Jackson Laboratory Japan.
He obtained his PhD degrees in mechanical engineering from Kyoto University, Japan, in 2010 and thereafter worked for two years as a researcher at the Central Research Laboratory of Hitachi Ltd, Japan. He then became an assistant professor at the Department
of Mechanical Engineering of the university of Tokyo in Japan before moving to Kyoto University as a senior lecturer in charge of teaching and research supervision. Most recently he was a visiting scholar at Prof. Paul Robinson’s lab affiliated with the Weldon
School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University.
~
BME Host:
Young Kim ~
NOTE: Students registered for the
seminar are expected to attend in-person.
Zoom link:
https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/97556297644?pwd=SEJQOWMySnkzQWhGRlF4SW1XYjViZz09
Wed.,
Oct. 25: Seminar
for Neurotrauma and Diseases,
4:00 p.m.,
DLR 131. Wenjing Sun, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University will present “Unraveling the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Controlling Activity-dependent Myelin Formation and Restoration in the Central Nervous System.” This seminar
series is organized by the Center for Paralysis Research and supported by Plexon, the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, and Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery. The Zoom link is:
https://bit.ly/441Dllq.
For additional information, see https://vet.purdue.edu/cpr/
Abstract:
Most axons in
the central nervous system (CNS) are wrapped with compact layers of myelin sheaths to ensure the rapid transmission of neuronal signals over long distances. As myelin thickness and sheath length profoundly affect conduction velocity, myelination is also crucial
to precisely controlling spatiotemporal activity patterns in the CNS. Neuronal activity is known to positively regulate myelin development and induce adaptive myelin plasticity in adulthood, although the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the
CNS, myelin sheaths are exclusively formed by oligodendrocytes, which are differentiated from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Neurons make bona fide synaptic contacts with OPCs in both grey and white matter, and OPCs lose those synaptic contacts once
they differentiate into oligodendrocytes. These point-to-point synaptic contacts enable neuron-OPC communication with temporal and spatial precision, and genetically deleting or manipulating OPC-expressed neurotransmitter receptors negatively impacted the
OPC proliferation, differentiation, and subsequent myelination. Therefore, it is believed that neuron-OPC synaptic transmission provides instructive cues for oligodendrocyte lineage cells, and is an important regulator for activity-dependent myelination. In
this talk, I will discuss how OPCs integrate neuronal synaptic inputs. I will also discuss our unpublished data on identifying novel molecular mediators that promote myelin. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying activity-dependent
myelination and shed light on myelin repair after CNS trauma and diseases.
Bio:
Dr. Wenjing Sun
is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at The Ohio State University. Her research interests focus on deciphering mechanisms controlling myelin formation and repair in the central nervous system. Dr. Sun’s fascination with myelin biology
was ignited during her graduate study at Purdue University, where she studied the strategies to restore axonal conduction along demyelinated axons after CNS trauma. During her postdoctoral training at the University of Bonn in Germany, Dr. Sun’s research horizon
was expanded to investigating the interaction between neurons and oligodendrocyte lineage cells, and she made important contributions to our understanding of how oligodendrocyte precursor cells integrate synaptic inputs from neurons. Throughout her academic
journey, Dr. Sun’s dedication to this captivating field has taken her across borders. She has cultivated a multi-disciplinary research expertise where she combines a number of cutting-edge techniques. In her laboratory at OSU, her team utilizes in vivo gene
delivery, opto- and chemogenetic techniques, together with multi-modal electrophysiology recording and advanced imaging approaches to investigate how neuronal activity regulate myelin development and adaptation during adulthood.
Thurs.,
Oct. 26: Seminars
in Hearing Research,
12:00 p.m., Nelson
Hall – Room 1215. Meredith Christine Ziliak, PhD Candidate, SLHS will present “The Effects of Small Arms Fire Like Noise on Hearing Loss and Thalamocortical Processing.”
Abstract:
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a prevalent issue among military personnel, primarily attributed to environmental auditory stressors in their environment, notably firearm noise, which consists of repeated, high-intensity bursts of sound. While previous
research has investigated the impact of firearm noise on the peripheral auditory system, its influence on the central auditory system (CAS) is still unknown. Therefore, our study aims to identify how firearm-like sounds affects cochlear and CAS structures
and processes, specifically within the thalamocortical region. Our hypothesis posits that firearm induced NIHL will elevate auditory thresholds and lead to an overall reduction in middle latency response (MLR) component amplitudes, indicated compromised functionality
within the inferior colliculus and medial geniculate body. We exposed subjects to a simulated small arms fire (SAF) noise, and subsequently employed a modified click train to assess the effects of noise exposure on thalamocortical processing over a 56-day
period. Our preliminary findings reveal a reduction in all MLR component amplitudes and a loss of peak distinctiveness. Intriguingly, we observed a non-monotonic progression of thalamocortical dysfunction, characterized by phases of initial damage, temporary
recovery, and chronic degradation. Future analyses will enable us to compare the progression of thalamocortical processing in response to both NIHL and metabolic-induced hearing loss as we examine the effects of SAF exposure relative to D-galactose exposure.
This
year’s SHRP schedule is available here: https://purdue.edu/TPAN/hearing/shrp_schedule
Titles
and abstracts of all SHRP talks are here: https://purdue.edu/TPAN/hearing/shrp_abstracts
Thurs.,
Oct. 26: School
of Industrial Engineering Fall 2023 Seminar Series,
1:30 p.m.,
Krannert G016. Dr. Paul Wach, Research Assistant Faculty, Intelligent Systems Division of Virginia Tech National Security Institute will present “The Discipline of Systems Engineering.”
Abstract:
The discipline
of systems engineering is simultaneously seeing a transformation of practice and reinvigorated calls for theoretical foundations, which bolsters the need for constructing a bridge between theory and practice. Despite rich theoretical history, the discipline
of systems engineering has relatively low maturity compared to other engineering disciplines. For example, finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics are used for the more mature mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering disciplines. This
seminar discusses some of the theoretical needs for systems engineering and the conduct of research toward unveiling practical implications. Specifically, this seminar focuses on the conditions for defining verification models, which exposes current heuristic
assumptions through science-based approach that is grounded in the systems theoretic lineage of A. Wayne Wymore. The implications of this research strengthen the maturity of the discipline of systems engineering and go beyond verification to areas such as
validation, cognition, and artificial intelligence as well as underpinning the digital transformation with rich theoretical foundations.
Bio:
Dr. Paul Wach
is a Research Assistant Faculty with the Intelligent Systems Division of the Virginia Tech National Security Institute. His research interests include the intersection of theoretical foundations of systems engineering, digital transformation, and artificial
intelligence. Dr. Wach was the President and Founder of the Virginia Tech student division of INCOSE. He is also associated with The Aerospace Corporation, serving as a subject matter expert on digital transformation. Dr. Wach has prior work experience is
with the Department of Energy in lead engineering and management roles ranging in magnitude from $1-12B as well as work experience with two National Laboratories and the medical industry. He received a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Georgia Tech, M.S.
in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina, and Ph.D. in Industrial & Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech.
This
seminar series is sponsored by Purdue’s School of Industrial Engineering.
Thurs.,
Nov. 2: Institute
for Cancer Research Seminar, 11:30
a.m., Drug Discovery (DD) Conference Room. Juhun Lee, PhD, Associate Professor of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, will present “Advancing Breast Cancer Detection with AI: Leveraging Bilateral Asymmetry, Simulated Mammograms Using GANs, and Cautionary
Considerations.”
Abstract:
Machine
learning and artificial intelligence are driving forces in medical research, including radiology. These technologies heavily rely on data, often millions of meticulously curated medical images, for deep neural network development and optimization. Our lab
focuses on innovative ways to maximize existing data for deep algorithm performance. In this seminar, we'll discuss recent studies from our lab. The first part explores using breast laterality features to improve breast cancer detection in mammograms through
the Radon Cumulative Distribution Transform (RCDT), which can highlight subtle bilateral tissue differences in breast mammograms. We will then discuss how simulated mammograms via Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) could improve the performance of cancer
detection algorithms. I will conclude the seminar with cautions on when to use GANs for simulating mammograms, as this can significantly affect the performance of the detection algorithm.
This
seminar is hosted by Purdue’s Institute for Cancer Research and the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.
Fri.,
Dec. 1: Indiana
Life Sciences Conference – “Closing the Gap[ of Health Inequalities,” 8:00
a.m. – 3:15 p.m., Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis.
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BME
Weekly Research Seminars
|
Week
# |
Date |
Speaker |
Title |
Host |
Website |
|
10 |
10/25/2023 |
Kennedy
Ikeyo |
TIS/Project
Manager, Jackson Laboratory Japan |
Young
Kim |
|
|
11 |
11/1/2023 |
Ben
Gaston |
Billie
Lou Wood Professor of Pediatrics Indiana University School of Medicine |
George
Wodicka |
|
|
12 |
11/8/2023 |
Jean-Pierre
Mobasser |
Affiliate
Clinical Faculty |
Young
Kim |
https://www.goodmancampbell.com/our-team/team-member/jean-pierre-mobasser-md |
|
13 |
11/15/2023 |
Jane
Grande- Allen |
Isabel
C. Cameron Professor of Bioengineering, Rice University |
Deva
Chan |
|
|
14 |
11/29/2023 |
Sarah
Wiehe |
Jean
and Jerry Bepko Professor of Pediatrics Indiana University School of Medicine |
George
Wodicka |
|
|
15 |
12/6/2023 |
Robbee
Wedow |
Assistant
Professor of Sociology and Data Science, |
David
Umulis |
https://www.robbeewedow.com/?_ga=2.88497945.389094989.1679581193-1816225309.1603576015 |
Postdoctoral
Fellow Opportunity – IUSM Emergency Medicine
The
laboratory of Dr. Nathan J. Alves, PhD, within the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), is seeking a highly motivated and independent post-doctoral research fellow. Dr. Alves is a Chemical
and Biomolecular Engineer, Associate Professor and the Director of Translational Research for the Department of Emergency Medicine in addition to having an affiliate faculty appointment at Purdue University in Biomedical Engineering. The Alves Lab explores
highly interdisciplinary research interests applying engineering and biophysical principles and designs to create translational technologies and treatments in the area of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis. The primary focus of research in the laboratory is
to develop targeted clot digesting therapeutic agents to more safely digest clinically relevant blood clots to treat pulmonary embolism (PE, blood clots in the lungs), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and ischemic stroke. This interdisciplinary
research utilizes diverse enzyme assays, chemical synthesis, blood clot formation and digestion assays under shear, and other novel testing/delivery platforms that include multivalent branched molecules and nanoparticle drug delivery systems. Projects Include:
(1) Leveraging multivalency to modulate enzyme activity and improve inhibitor selectivity (nanoparticle drug delivery and targeting). (2) Ex-vivo flowing models of clot digestion under shear using in-vivo like
fluorescently labeled blood clots from human whole blood. (3) Development of novel fibrinolytic diagnostics tools to assess coagulation state. (4) Mouse models of clot formation/targeting/digestion utilizing intravital microscopy. (5) Study the effects of
environmental microplastic exposure on coagulation/fibrinolysis. Projects are funded both externally and internally.
For
additional information and to apply, go to: https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/19651
Attachments
2024 College of Engineering Dean's Teaching Fellowship