[cid:image001.jpg@01D83D05.1B5425E0] BME MONDAY ROUNDTABLE March 21, 2022 PROTECT PURDUE * Masks protocols changed as of March 14! Check for updates https://protect.purdue.edu/required-covid-19-protocols/ * Vaccines are strongly encouraged (though not required) https://protect.purdue.edu/vaccine-information/ * Updated guidance for research SOPs, etc. and Protect Purdue are coming quickly. Please make sure you are staying current with Purdue guidelines. UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES Week of March 21 Mon., March 21 - Deadline for proposals to Women's Global Health Institute & the Catherine Peachey Fund. Request for proposals on Breast Cancer Research. Funds Available: $15,000. Tues., March 22 - Faculty candidate seminar - Basic Medical Sciences, 11:00 a.m., via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99246931719 Research Chalk Talk: 12:00 p.m. Alexander Birbrair, Ph.D., "Peripheral Nervous System in the War Against Cancer." Dr. Burbraur is currently with the Department of Pathology at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Wed., March 23 - Distinguished Seminar Series, 9:30 a.m., MJIS 1001 or via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/95150439811?pwd=a3hOK0o0bmpkS3poTVBCbVhDNU9FZz0... Claudia Fischbach Teschi, Stanley Bryer 1946 Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, "Engineering approaches to analyze tumor associated ECM dynamics." This seminar will be presented virtually. Students registered for the class are still expected to attend in person in MJIS 1001. Wed., March 23 - BME Bytes Seminar, 1:30 pm, Location MJIS 1083. Presenter: Luke Brennan, "Healthcare Provider Engagement for Engineering Project in Healthcare Delivery." Open to all undergraduate and graduate researchers. Lunch will be provided. Thurs., March 24 - BME PhD Preliminary Exam for Tyler Diorio (V. Rayz, advisor), 9:00-11:00 a.m., MJIS 2001. Title: Assessing Patient-specific Cardiac-Drive Brain Motion: Biomarkers of White Matter Lesion Formation. Thurs., March 24 - Prospective Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) Faculty Candidate Seminar: Dr. Vineet "Vinny" Augustine, Scripps Fellow, Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, Seminar: "Peering Inside: Cardiac Interoceptive Neural Networks Governing Physiology and Behavior in Health and Disease," 1:00 pm, Chalk Talk at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/97923033817 Fri., March 25 - Applications due for 2022 Graduate School Mentoring Award for Graduate Students. See below for details. Fri., March 25 - Calling all astronauts and control center personnel: Prepare for liftoff!! Liftoff of the 2022 Hitchhiker's Guide to the Biomolecular Galaxy symposium! Please fill out this quick, pre-symposium survey<https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abdJ18wWroeNiIe> and let us know if you plan on attending the symposium, what interests you, and ideas you may have for the committee to discuss. https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abdJ18wWroeNiIe Note: This is not registration. This survey is used to gauge interest and seek information about how to improve the symposium this year. The seventh annual Hitchhiker's Guide to the Biomolecular Galaxy (HG2BG) symposium will be held on Wednesday-Thursday, May 11<outlook-data-detector://1> & 12, 2022 and we hope to see you there. HG2BG brings graduate and undergraduate students, post-doctoral researchers, research scientists, and faculty together from across the Midwest who have a passion for biophysical research. Upcoming important deadlines and info. Mon., March 28 - BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Andrew Sivaprakasam (M. Heinz and H. Bharadwaj, co-advisors), 10:00 a.m., LOCATION: LYLE 1028 and also on Zoom via https://iu.zoom.us/j/6883109756 TITLE: Place and Time Processing of Pitch in the Context of Cochlear Dysfunction. Mon., March 28 - BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Nathaniel Smith (G. Hutchins and C. Goergen, co-advisors), 3:00 p.m., LOCATION: R2, E101, Indianapolis, (950 W. Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202) also on Zoom via https://iu.zoom.us/j/83918937272 TITLE: Quantitative [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET Data Analysis Methods for the Detection of Extraprostatic Cancer Extension and Surgical Planning. Everyone is invited to attend the public presentation beginning at 3:00pm. Wed., March 30 - BME Bytes Seminar, 1:30 pm, Location TBD. Presenter: Mazin Hakim. Open to all undergraduate and graduate researchers. Lunch will be provided. Thurs., March 31 - Deadline for applications for Purdue's College of Engineering (COE) Student Entrepreneur Incubator Program. (Program runs from May 16 - August 5). Details below and at https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eEtZdQ7E4Jsvao6 Fri., Apr. 1 - BRAG Session, 12:30 p.m., MJIS 2001. Dr. Loran Solorio, Product Research Engineering Manager at Cook Biotech in West Lafayette will host a Q&A entitled "Breaking into Industry R&D: Tips from a Former Postdoc." Mon., April 4 - Friday, April 8 - Grad Student Appreciation Week. Wed., April 6 - BME Bytes Seminar, 1:30 pm, Location TBD. Presenter: Tommy Jenkins. Open to all undergraduate and graduate researchers. Lunch will be provided. Fri., Apr. 8: Coffee Chat with Faculty: 11:00 am -12:00 pm, Location LYLE (Room TBM). Faculty hosts: Mike Heinz and Hari Bharadwaj. Potential discussion topics: writing grants (fellowships), talking to a lay audience, open science, academic job interviews/negotiating Fri., Apr. 8 - Applications due for 2022 Graduate School Mentoring Award for Postdoctoral Scholars. See below for details. Fri., Apr. 8 - Grant requests due: NIH Grant Supplements to Recognize Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Mentorship<https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-22-057.html> are available for up to $250,000 Wed., April 20 - BME Bytes Seminar, 1:30 pm, Location TBD. Presenter: Apekshya Chhetri. Open to all undergraduate and graduate researchers. Lunch will be provided. Thurs., April 28-Fri., Apr. 29: Vanderbilt University will be hosting the annual Vanderbilt Integrative Training Alliance (VITA) Symposium, a conference focused on biomedical sciences graduate students. Attendees have a unique opportunity to connect with the Vanderbilt community, obtain a long-term mentoring relationship with a Vanderbilt faculty member, and gain training in scientific communication. The event will also feature a keynote address from Vanderbilt postdoc alumna, Dr. Shaneda Anderson<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https*3A*2F*2Fwww.linkedin.com*2Fin*2Fshaneda-warren-andersen-aa325a9*2F&data=04*7C01*7Cantentor.o.hinton.jr*40Vanderbilt.Edu*7Cd8254bcaa3be433e69f208d9ecd30986*7Cba5a7f39e3be4ab3b45067fa80faecad*7C0*7C0*7C637801213412161461*7CUnknown*7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0*3D*7C3000&sdata=HV5DYcZZMmzzDIM1TlxNzlxpHzXKHPtWCFYszb1okuU*3D&reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJQ!!DZ3fjg!rG8QpuaxM8E6N902gtFSqdyIMeS_hydEGE2bNu8rFsXus048ORLn1s6XT-FEU8PG5WU$>. This year the conference will be virtual. Details below. Thurs., May 5: Coffee Chat with Faculty: 11:00 am -12:00 pm, Location LYLE (Room TBM). Faculty host: Alexandria Volkening. Potential discussion topics: website development, public science and outreach, social media, academic job materials (with an interdisciplinary perspective) SPRING 2022 BME Faculty Meetings All faculty meetings will begin at 11:30 a.m. in MJIS 2001 Fri., March 25 Fri., April 22 SPRING 2022 BME Primary Committee Meetings Fri., April 15, 10:00-5:00, MJIS 2001 (LONG meeting!) Committee Updates Academic Programs Update Graduate Programs Update DEI Committee Update March is Staff Appreciation Month: Show your appreciation for our amazing staff members by leaving them a note on the poster outside the computer lab on the first floor of MJIS. Faculty and staff are invited to participate in a virtual workshop "Speaking Up: How Bystanders Can Change the Conversation about Social Bias," sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. March 29 (Tu) 9 a.m.-noon ET, March 29 (Tu) 2-5 p.m. ET, April 1 (F) 9 a.m.-noon ET, April 1 (F) 2-5 p.m. ET Register here to attend a session.<https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_envUgAXILN6C3SS> Faculty, staff and students are invited to a Support Circle session hosted by the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence noon-1:30 p.m. March 25 in Dauch Alumni Center. The session will focus on "Handling Privilege in Academic Space: Being Cognizant of Culture/Racial/Class/Gender/Ableist/ Heteronormative/Ageist Privilege." Register here<https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8jmi2XRCZlf1WzY>. Remaining Graduate Peer Mentoring meeting days are: 11-1pm on April 8th, May 13th Resources, attachments, further information Calling all astronauts and control center personnel, Prepare for liftoff!! Liftoff of the 2022 Hitchhiker's Guide to the Biomolecular Galaxy symposium! Please fill out this quick, pre-symposium survey<https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abdJ18wWroeNiIe> and let us know if you plan on attending the symposium, what interests you, and ideas you may have for the committee to discuss. https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abdJ18wWroeNiIe Note: This is not registration. This survey is used to gauge interest and seek information about how to improve the symposium this year. The seventh annual Hitchhiker's Guide to the Biomolecular Galaxy (HG2BG) symposium will be held on Wednesday-Thursday, May 11<outlook-data-detector://1> & 12, 2022 and we hope to see you there. HG2BG brings graduate and undergraduate students, post-doctoral researchers, research scientists, and faculty together from across the Midwest who have a passion for biophysical research. We are excited to announce this year that along with our research talks, we are hosting a two-hour workshop session at the symposium where one can choose a workshop and get practical, technical experience with a biophysical technique that will assist in advancing their careers. Also, on the second day of the symposium, we will have our annual poster-session. We are excited to announce our keynote speaker for this year's symposium is Dr. Janet Smith from University of Michigan. Dr. Smith has improved the field of structural biology by developing new methods like multiwavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) for rapid structure determination and use many other biophysical approaches in her study of glutamine amidotransferases (GATs). As a former boilermaker, we are honored to have Dr. Janet Smith back at Purdue University as she was influential in establishing the structural biology program here. Lastly, our pre-symposium events will be held on Tuesday, May 10, 2022<outlook-data-detector://2>. Our pre-symposium events are focused on advancing careers with professional development as well as advancing our minds with diversity and inclusion discussions. This year, we will have a career session focused on using translational research to bridge the gap of academia and industry with representatives from industry, academia, and an assistant director of business development at the Purdue Foundry. Our other pre-symposium event will focus on Mental Health discussions with representatives from CAPS, Mental Health America, Modern Mental Health, and Purdue faculty. HG2BG is one small step for man (you), and one giant leap for mankind (sharing biophysical research)!!!! Hope to see you all there! 2022 HG2BG Planning Committee Mackenzie Chapman, Biological Sciences, Chair Gabriel Bury, Physics Emily David, Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology Clinton Gabel, Biological Sciences Ryan Imhoff, Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology Vinay Menon, Chemistry Kevin Scrudders, Chemistry Igi Vilza, Chemistry Dr. Leifu Chang, Biological Sciences, Faculty Mentor Janet Smith lab: https://www.lsi.umich.edu/science/our-labs/janet-smith-lab Pre-Symposium Link: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abdJ18wWroeNiIe WOMEN'S GLOBAL HEALTH INSTITUTE & THE CATHERINE PEACHEY FUND Request for Proposals on Breast Cancer Research Proposal Deadline: March 21, 2022 Funds Available: $15,000 The Purdue Women's Global Health Institute (WGHI) together with the Catherine Peachey Fund are pleased to announce a request for proposals of outstanding scientific merit for research focused on breast cancer. Proposals from a variety of disciplines, proposals addressing prevention and early detection, or proposals having potential collaborations with clinicians or other collaborations outside Purdue are welcome. The funded project is expected to gather preliminary data to submit competitive applications to external funding agencies, or to seek support from an outside organization (e.g. companies, foundations, etc.) for continuation of the research. Funding: The research team may request up to $15,000. Eligibility: The PIs must be tenured/tenure-track, research, or clinical faculty at or above the assistant professor rank on the West Lafayette campus of Purdue University. Faculty Candidate Seminar - Basic Medical Sciences, Tues., March 22, 11:00 a.m., via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/99246931719 Research Chalk Talk: 12:00 p.m. Alexander Birbrair, Ph.D., "Peripheral Nervous System in the War Against Cancer." Abstract: The tumor mass is composed, in addition to neoplastic cells, by a variety of other components that may affect cancer cells' behavior. In this talk, I will discuss the role of the peripheral nervous system components, in special sensory neurons and glial cells, in cancer progression. Our findings indicate that specific manipulations of the peripheral nervous system may provide a valuable tool to improve cancer outcomes. For information on this search, please contact the Search Chair: Dr. Susan Mendrysa, mendrysa@purdue.edu BME Distinguished Seminar - Wednesday, March 23, 9:30-10:20am, MJIS 1001 or Via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/95150439811?pwd=a3hOK0o0bmpkS3poTVBCbVhDNU9FZz0... "Engineering approaches to analyze tumor-associated ECM dynamics," Claudia Fischbach-Teschl, Ph.D., Stanley Bryer 1946 Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University Abstract: Microenvironmental conditions contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer and include altered cellular composition, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and mechanical cues. However, our understanding of the specific mechanisms by which these microenvironmental perturbations impact the development, progression, and therapy response of cancer is relatively limited. More intricate models are needed to better understand the complex biochemical and biophysical interactions that drive tumor initiation, growth, metastasis, metabolic adaptation, and immune evasion. The fields of biomaterials and tissue engineering provide increasingly sophisticated tools and strategies to recapitulate and monitor relevant properties of tumor-microenvironment interactions. These approaches not only bear tremendous potential to advance our current understanding of cancer, but are also increasingly explored for more clinically relevant drug testing. Indeed, combining patient-specific cells with engineered culture systems promises to enhance the predictive power of precision medicine pipelines. This talk will highlight specific examples of how the microenvironment regulates the highly dynamic nature of cancer and will outline opportunities and challenges of the field of tumor engineering. Bio: Claudia Fischbach-Teschl is the Stanley Bryer 1946 Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University, Director of Cornell's Physical Sciences Oncology Center (PSOC) on the Physics of Cancer Metabolism, and Associate Director of Cornell Nanoscale Science and Engineering Facility (CNF). She received her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Technology from the University of Regensburg, Germany and conducted her postdoctoral work at Harvard University in the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She became a faculty member at Cornell in 2007 where she utilizes engineering tools and strategies to gain a better understanding of how tumor-microenvironment interactions regulate cancer development, progression, and therapy resistance with a focus on cell-ECM interactions. She is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), the Biomedical Engineering Society, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany. She served on the Tumor Microenvironment study section, is a Senior Editor of Cancer Research and serves on the Editorial Board of the ACS journal Biomaterials Science and Engineering and Tissue Engineering. She is an advocate for interdisciplinary cancer research (e.g. as Chair of the 2019 Gordon Conference on the 'Physical Science of Cancer') and has written Op-Ed articles on this topic including in Scientific American. ~BME Faculty Host: Dr. Luis Solorio ~ BME Bytes, Wednesday, March 23, 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., MJIS 1083. Luke Brennan (advised by Dr. Jacqueline Linnes (BME) and Dr. Natalia Rodriguez (Public Health) will present "Healthcare Provider Engagement for Engineering Project in Healthcare Delivery." 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 cancers are from women who have never been screened at all. Of the women who screen positive, many receive inadequate follow-up care. My project aims to create a technology that facilitates screening and follow-up care for cervical cancer. Just as we explore the engineering considerations required to make our screening technology, the Techquity lab under Natalia Rodriguez explores the considerations to make the technology adoptable and useful in real healthcare settings. I will discuss our approach to finding the criteria for a successful screening technology from Indiana healthcare providers. I will also present perspectives from Indiana healthcare providers about current screening methods, criteria for a more accessible test, and new methods such as DNA-only testing, patient self-sampling, in-clinic rapid testing, and at-home rapid testing. About BME Bytes: BME Bytes is designed to help introduce undergraduate Purdue students to the breakthrough research happening at the Weldon School as well as help graduate students develop their professional portfolio by giving invited talks . Seminar for Neurotrauma and Diseases Join the Center for Paralysis Research as we host the Spring 2022 installment of the Seminar for Neurotrauma and Diseases, sponsored by Plexon Neurotechnology Systems! Remaining seminars this semester are on March 23, April 6, and April 20, all from 4:00 PM-5:00 PM EST on Zoom. This neurotrauma-focused seminar will host speakers from Purdue, Harvard, and Carnegie Mellon universities. Distinguished experts in their respective fields will present on a variety of neurobiology- and SCI/TBI-related topics, sharing their unique focuses and cutting-edge research. Individual announcements, including abstracts and other presentation information, will be coming shortly, so keep an eye out for those! View the seminar live at https://bit.ly/3tDZOfm. Some seminars will be recorded, so if you can't make the live event, make sure to check out our website<https://vet.purdue.edu/cpr/Seminar%20for%20Neurotrauma.php> for the latest updates. Contact us with any questions at cpr@purdue.edu<mailto:cpr@purdue.edu>! BME PhD Preliminary Exam for Tyler Diorio (V. Rayz, advisor), Thurs., March 24 - 9:00-11:00 a.m., MJIS 2001. Title: Assessing Patient-specific Cardiac-Drive Brain Motion: Biomarkers of White Matter Lesion Formation. Format: In-person presentation with Zoom Link available* Committee Members: Vitaliy Rayz, Yunjie Tong, Eric Nauman, Deva Chan Abstract: In recent years, identifying risks factors associated with cognitive decline (occurring at 46-60 years) and defining mechanisms behind clinically visible damage to the brain (occurring at 60-90 years) has garnered attention from researchers and physicians. Due to the inability of clinical treatment to reverse the deleterious effects of damage to the brain, specifically in the form of white matter lesions, emphasis is heavily placed on disease prevention. As the cerebral white matter is particularly sensitive to abnormal vascular pulsatility-a result of multifaceted neurovascular coupling and pressure-sensitive arterioles- this work aims to evaluate mechanisms by which hypertension and aging induce excessive pulsatility and quantify stress distributions which may correlate to common zones of white matter lesion formation. Specifically, it is hypothesized that changes in the arterial pressure waveform result in abnormal loading on the brain tissue each cardiac cycle with localization near the cerebral ventricular system, where lesions are commonly found. To analyze this, we are developing patient-specific brain models informed by time-resolved MRI to compare mechanical stress/strain profiles in an elderly cohort across various degrees of white matter damage, cognitive state, and cardiovascular health. This model may provide insights into the spatiotemporal patterns of stress/strain that are indicative of progression to white matter damage on a patient-specific basis. Identification of biomarkers of neurodegeneration observable in mid-life (i.e., 46-60 years) will provide researchers with a larger window of opportunity to develop treatments and inform clinical management of risk factors before the damage manifests in irreversible cognitive deficit. *Zoom Link: Topic: Tyler Diorio - Preliminary Exam Time: Mar 24, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/95360634547 Meeting ID: 953 6063 4547 One tap mobile +16465588656,,95360634547# US (New York) +13017158592,,95360634547# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 953 6063 4547 Find your local number: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/u/abiD4jdi9K Prospective BMS Faculty Candidate Seminar: Dr. Vineet "Vinny" Augustine, Scripps Fellow, Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, Thurs., March 24 Seminar: "Peering Inside: Cardiac Interoceptive Neural Networks Governing Physiology and Behavior in Health and Disease," - 1:00 pm, Chalk Talk at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/97923033817 Abstract: Cardiac processes and their neurological substrates are critical for homeostatic management of internal body condition as well as psychological and behavioral expression. Unfortunately, how communication between the heart and brain is maintained at beat-to-beat continuity is understudied. Numerous key hurdles, most notably the anatomical complexity of body-brain circuits and a dearth of specific tools targeting the peripheral nervous system, have hampered the ability to conduct methodical interoception research in model organisms. The mission of my lab is to leverage the cardiovascular system to understand the role of the body-brain interface in maintaining physiological homeostasis and regulating behavior in health and disease. In this talk, I will highlight a vagal sensory neuronal population that innerves the cardiac ventricles and its involvement in cardiac physiology and behavior. Furthermore, I will share another line of research in my lab wherein we are looking at cardiovascular conditions like myocardial infarction (MI - heart attack) from a neuroimmune perspective. We have data showing that specific ablation of cardiac ventricular nociceptors reduces inflammation and reverses MI phenotypes to almost control levels. Elucidating the neurobiology of the heart is not only a crucial basic scientific endeavor, but it also offers significant translational promise for cardiovascular disorders that remain the largest killer globally. For information on this search, please contact the Search Chair: Dr. Susan Mendrysa, mendrysa@purdue.edu<mailto:mendrysa@purdue.edu> 2022 Graduate School Mentoring Award for Graduate Students (applications due Friday, March 25) The Council of Graduate Schools defines mentoring as: "... a more senior individual who provides career and psychosocial support to a junior member of a given organization. Recently, mentors have been found to exist laterally, virtually, among peers, and with individuals outside of the professional context. Mentorships center on an emotional commitment, which focuses on the protégé's personal and professional growth. " The Graduate School wants to acknowledge the essential role graduate students play in our research, teaching, and engagement missions at Purdue University. If you work with a graduate student that has made a difference in your academic career and models the attributes of what we think great mentors should be, please consider encouraging them to apply for this award. Graduate students dedicate a great deal of time and energy in mentoring other colleagues, and undergraduates whether in the lab, field, or classroom. If you feel you have contributed to excellence in mentoring consider applying for this award. Applicants should assemble the following in one PDF document in the following order: 1. A curriculum vita. 2. A mentoring statement including your mentoring philosophy, commitment to mentoring and accomplishments in the area of mentoring (maximum of 500 words). 3. One letter of support from mentees, advisor, or another staff member who has first-hand knowledge of your excellence in mentoring. Letter can be signed by multiple individuals. There can only be one letter of support. Please visit the following link to submit your application: Submit Application Here<https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_egsn4p9ONErFXDw> Applications will be reviewed by a panel of faculty, staff & students. Applications are due by March 25, 2022, at 5:00 pm EST. Late submissions will not be accepted. The winner will be announced on April 15th. The winner will receive an award of $1,500 and a plaque. Winners will be notified by email and posted to the Graduate School Website and invited to the awards celebration on May, 11th, 2020. Contact Associate Dean, Melanie Morgan, (morgan3@purdue.edu<mailto:morgan3@purdue.edu>) at the Graduate School for more information. Raising A Resilient Scientist Workshop Series (Message from Sharon Milgram, Director, NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education): Over the last year I have interacted with many trainees across the U.S. as part of the NIH Becoming a Resilient Scientist series<https://www.training.nih.gov/nih_becoming_a_resilient_scientist_series>. After carefully considering input from students, postdocs, faculty and program administrators who participated in the program, I have decided to offer a series, RAISING A RESILIENT SCIENTIST<https://www.training.nih.gov/workshops_and_trainings_for_extramural_principal_investigators>, for faculty and administrators who mentor students and postdoctoral fellows in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences. The goal of the Raising a Resilient Scientist series is to promote the mental health and well-being of the academic research community by supporting faculty and administrators to develop self-management, relationship-management, and mentoring skills. A variety of topics will be covered with a specific focus on communication and shared problem-solving to help trainees deal with the inevitable setbacks experienced in high knowledge environments. There will be five units in the series; each unit will consist of a 75-minute lecture, which can be watched in real-time or asynchronously, followed by a 1-hour facilitated discussion with peers. There will be two opportunities for participation in the small groups following each webinar. There is no charge for participation, but advanced registration is required. For more information, and to register, please visit our webpage<https://www.training.nih.gov/workshops_and_trainings_for_extramural_principal_investigators>. I do not anticipate offering this series again in the future; participation in the entire series is recommended but is not required. Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any questions. Current scheduled workshop dates are March 29, April 26 and May 24. BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Andrew Sivaprakasam (M. Heinz and H. Bharadwaj, co-advisors), Mon., March 28, 10:00 a.m., LOCATION: LYLE 1028 and also on Zoom via https://iu.zoom.us/j/6883109756 TITLE: Place and Time Processing of Pitch in the Context of Cochlear Dysfunction. Advisory Committee: Michael G. Heinz, Co-Chair; Hari M. Bharadwaj, Co-Chair; Edward L. Bartlett; Andrew J. Oxenham; Rick F. Nelson Abstract: Sensorineural hearing loss occurs in 15% of American adults and current treatment protocols are often guided by limited and archaic diagnostics. Not all types of sensorineural hearing loss are identical in physiology and a major priority of current auditory research is to innovate in the space of precision auditory diagnostics and treatments. Understanding how specific patterns of damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve variably impair the perception of different sound features is critical to improve treatments for hearing-impaired individuals. While the history of auditory research has led to considerable insight as to how anatomic components of the auditory periphery, namely inner hair cells (IHCs), outer hair cells (OHCs), and the cochlear synapse function together to transduce, amplify, and code simple sounds, there exists considerable knowledge to be gained in how these peripheral components are responsible for maintaining the fidelity of more complex auditory phenomena and perception. Pitch, the perceived "highness" or "lowness" of a given sound, is an example of a complex psychoacoustic phenomenon. Pitch cues are used to listen to and compose music and to process vowels, identify talkers, and convey emotion. Without intact pitch perception, conversation becomes emotionless, a symphony becomes a cacophony. While pitch has been extensively studied perceptually, our knowledge of the underlying neurophysiology of pitch remains mostly hypothetical. Three categories of pitch theories attempted to explain pitch coding in terms of the tonotopic organization of our auditory system (place), the temporal information present in neural firing (time), or a combination of these (place-time). We plan to assess these theories in the context of hearing loss pathologies that are expected to differentially alter place and timing cues, hence developing a more comprehensive understanding of pitch. Based on the literature, our central hypothesis is that deficits in time and place coding both affect the neural coding and perception of pitch, but with distorted place coding playing a stronger role. We will test this by using animal models of OHC, IHC, and cochlear synapse damage and Distorted Tonotopy to investigate pitch-related electrophysiology (Aim 1). OHC damage primarily disrupts place cues, while IHC and cochlear synapse damage alter timing cues (with IHC causing more severe reductions in nerve firing). We will then compare this electrophysiology to identical measures in humans with normal and impaired hearing, evaluating the implications on behavioral pitch discrimination (Aim 2). Finally, we will develop a model to identify how variations in pitch discrimination are predicted by non-invasive assays of hearing loss and our electrophysiological measures (Aim 3). This cross-species approach moves the field forward by testing well-established theoretical knowledge and by opening doors to better identifying the functional consequences of individual variations in hearing ability. BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Nathaniel Smith (G. Hutchins and C. Goergen, co-advisors), March 28, 3:00 p.m., LOCATION: R2, E101, Indianapolis, (950 W. Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202) also on Zoom via https://iu.zoom.us/j/83918937272 TITLE: Quantitative [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET Data Analysis Methods for the Detection of Extraprostatic Cancer Extension and Surgical Planning. Everyone is invited to attend the public presentation beginning at 3:00pm. COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Gary Hutchins, PhD (major professor), Craig Goergen, PhD, Sherry Harbin, PhD, Lauren Christopher, PhD, Jason Parker, PhD, DABR ABSTRACT: Globally, prostate cancer will be diagnosed in one out of every ten men. Most commonly, the disease course is indolent and does not significantly impact a patient's quality-of-life or lifespan. However, metastatic prostate cancer poses a much greater risk, as 5-year survival rates are approximately 30%. High-risk prostate cancers are therefore treated aggressively with prostatectomy and radiation therapy to prevent cancer from extending outside the prostatic capsule. These aggressive treatment plans have led to declining rates of metastatic prostate cancer over the last 30 years, but have also increased the rate of treatment-related side effects, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Thus, there is a critical need to balance cancer mitigation with preservation of patient quality-of-life. Clinically significant or high-grade prostate cancers are challenging because they are difficult to fully characterize on conventional imaging modalities like multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI), and microscopic extension outside the prostate is invisible to the surgeon. However, there is increasing evidence that molecular imaging strategies such as [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET will distinguish high-grade prostate cancer from normal tissue with high sensitivity and specificity. Regional kinetic modeling of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET images, coupled with deep learning analysis, may improve the detection and diagnostic localization of high-grade prostate cancer. This hypothesis will be examined by creating multi-parametric [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT imaging tools and establishing standards for estimating the probability of intra- versus extra-prostatic cancer distribution. The tools will be validated through retrospective analysis of a pre-surgical PSMA-11 PET/CT image dataset and whole-mount pathology. Purdue's College of Engineering (COE) Student Entrepreneur Incubator Program is an award to guide an Engineering student (undergraduate or graduate) to move the student's startups to market. The primary purpose of this program is to build a minimum viable product (MVP) for demonstration after the completion of this program and become ready to raise seed funds. Applications for 2022 Spring semester are accepted from now until the program is full or March 31, 2022. The program begins May 16 and ends on August 5. The winners will receive $5,000 award from COE for the full participation of the program. More information: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eEtZdQ7E4Jsvao6 2022 Graduate School Mentoring Award for Postdoctoral Scholars (applications due Friday, April 8) The Graduate School wants to acknowledge the essential role postdoctoral trainees play in our research, teaching, and engagement missions here at Purdue University. If you work with a postdoc that has made a difference in your academic career and models the attributes of what we think great mentors should be, please consider nominating them for this inaugural award. Postdocs dedicate a great deal of time and energy in mentoring other postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates whether this is in the lab, field, or classroom. Anyone can nominate a postdoc for this award (i.e., graduate students, undergraduates, staff, faculty, or other postdocs). Please notice that the process for the postdoc award is different from the graduate student award. Please follow all directions given below. If you would like to nominate someone, write a nomination letter that gives an example (or many) of how this postdoc has impacted you or others as a mentor. Mentoring can be related to research design and analysis, career and professional advice, or personal guidance. Please include the department(s) along with the program, lab group, or center in which they work. Submissions should be in a letter of 250-500 words and can be submitted by students, postdocs, faculty or staff. Collaboration on letters is welcome. The nominated postdoc will be required to submit a mentorship statement that that describes their roles and commitment to serving as a mentor in 500 words or less, which can be sent to Lisa at lnielse@purdue or submitted along with the nomination letter before the nomination deadline. Nominations are not complete without the mentorship statement from the nominee. Please visit the following link to submit the nomination letter and mentorship statement: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_emoVzNlZyXM7Qou. The Council of Graduate Schools defines mentoring as: "... a more senior individual who provides career and psychosocial support to a junior member of a given organization. Recently, mentors have been found to exist laterally, virtually, among peers, and with individuals outside of the professional context. Mentorships center on an emotional commitment, which focuses on the protégé's personal and professional growth. " Nominations are due by 5 pm on Friday, April 8, 2022. The winner will be announced on April 15 and they will be recognized at the Graduate School Awards Banquet on May 11th. The winner will receive an award of $1,500. Winners will be notified by email and posted to the Graduate School Website. Questions? Ask the Postdoc Office Director, Dr. Lisa Nielsen (lnielse@purdue.edu). Vanderbilt Integrative Training Alliance (VITA) Symposium, April 28-29: On April 28-29th, Vanderbilt University will be hosting the annual Vanderbilt Integrative Training Alliance (VITA) Symposium, a conference focused on biomedical sciences graduate students. Attendees have a unique opportunity to connect with the Vanderbilt community, obtain a long-term mentoring relationship with a Vanderbilt faculty member, and gain training in scientific communication. The event will also feature a keynote address from Vanderbilt postdoc alumna, Dr. Shaneda Anderson<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https*3A*2F*2Fwww.linkedin.com*2Fin*2Fshaneda-warren-andersen-aa325a9*2F&data=04*7C01*7Cantentor.o.hinton.jr*40Vanderbilt.Edu*7Cd8254bcaa3be433e69f208d9ecd30986*7Cba5a7f39e3be4ab3b45067fa80faecad*7C0*7C0*7C637801213412161461*7CUnknown*7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0*3D*7C3000&sdata=HV5DYcZZMmzzDIM1TlxNzlxpHzXKHPtWCFYszb1okuU*3D&reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJQ!!DZ3fjg!rG8QpuaxM8E6N902gtFSqdyIMeS_hydEGE2bNu8rFsXus048ORLn1s6XT-FEU8PG5WU$>. This year the conference will be virtual. The complete two day schedule can be found here<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https*3A*2F*2Fmedschool.vanderbilt.edu*2Fbret*2Fvanderbilt-integrated-training-alliance*2F2022-vita-scholar-symposium*2F&data=04*7C01*7Cantentor.o.hinton.jr*40Vanderbilt.Edu*7Cd8254bcaa3be433e69f208d9ecd30986*7Cba5a7f39e3be4ab3b45067fa80faecad*7C0*7C0*7C637801213412161461*7CUnknown*7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0*3D*7C3000&sdata=Wf4dD7q2M*2F3S8A4PI5FJsGYVr8oupzGzEpjm9kyD2rY*3D&reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!DZ3fjg!rG8QpuaxM8E6N902gtFSqdyIMeS_hydEGE2bNu8rFsXus048ORLn1s6XT-FEqAZEzAg$>. While the symposium is open to all, we particularly encourage individuals from backgrounds underrepresented in academia to apply, including but not limited to those who identify as Black, African-American, Latino, Hispanic, Native American, or Pacific Islander, those who have a disability, first generation college-goers, those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, and those underrepresented on the basis of gender identity or expression or sexual orientation. I am hoping that we will have representation from every Big 10 school (University of Illinois, Indiana University, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison). Do you know of any students who would be interested in applying? If so, please respond to antentor.o.hinton.jr@Vanderbilt.Edu<mailto:antentor.o.hinton.jr@Vanderbilt.Edu> with their name and email and a member of our team will reach out. Thank you for your consideration, Antentor Othrell Hinton, Jr., Ph.D. Pronouns: He/Him/His Twitter: @phdgprotein86 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biogeek26/<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.linkedin.com/in/biogeek26/__;!!DZ3fjg!rG8QpuaxM8E6N902gtFSqdyIMeS_hydEGE2bNu8rFsXus048ORLn1s6XT-FEZ9_oZQE$> Lab Twitter: @AtHinton EE Just Faculty Scholar (UNCF award) Assistant Professor Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences The Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Center Poster Submission Application and Details<https://www.purdue.edu/gradschool/oigp/events/spring-reception/submission.html> Award Application and Details<https://www.purdue.edu/gradschool/oigp/events/spring-reception/award-application.html> -- Bmeroundtable-list mailing list Bmeroundtable-list@ecn.purdue.edu https://engineering.purdue.edu/ECN/mailman/listinfo/bmeroundtable-list