Dr. Nadia Lanman, research assistant professor of comparative pathobiology, uses her machine-learning expertise to study and analyze cancer research data. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)
The next generation of treatments for cancer may be found, not by scientists peering through microscopes, but by computer scientists crunching numbers. Thanks to unprecedented amounts of data, Purdue University researchers across multiple disciplines, including comparative pathobiology, are using innovative data science techniques to better understand the genetics and cellular biology of cancer cells and tumors allowing them to pioneer new diagnostic tools, generate novel therapeutic treatments, and significantly advance the fight against cancer. Some of these advances may even allow oncologists to harness a patient’s own immune system to fight off cancer.
Among the researchers involved in this work is Dr. Nadia Lanman, who holds an appointment as research assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology. She uses Purdue’s network of supercomputers to enable machine-learning projects that help sort and analyze data.
Previously, scientists had to rely on small sample sizes, case studies, and, in some lucky cases, genetic or DNA analyses of tumors. Now, they can draw from enormous publicly available databases that include an almost mind-numbing amount of data: information on people with different types of cancer across an enormous spectrum of continents, races, cultures, genders and age, as well as the genetics of hundreds of thousands of individual cells that make up tumors and other tissues. There is so much data, in fact, that traditional analytical tools fail.
That is where data science comes in.
Data science is a field of science that uses advanced computer modeling and mathematics to analyze complex sets of data: data sets that are enormous and even those that include different kinds of data. It allows scientists to better understand problems and to find paths through the chaos.
Finding the right treatment at the right time is at the heart of what Purdue’s Center for Cancer Research does. For the researchers, like Dr. Lanman, it is what drives them, what inspires the lab work, and what keeps scientists at their supercomputers and their lab benches, and what keeps them working together and learning from each other.
Dr. Lanman is helping scientists analyze data in new ways, giving them insights into the data and better pathways forward. “When someone comes in with cancer, we don’t know how they’re going to respond to different types of treatment, and we don’t know how sick they’re going to get from potential side effects,” Dr. Lanman said. “If we can tease these things out using machine learning and these massive data sets, we could imagine a world where, when a cancer patient comes in, we could collect data and use data science to help oncologists make recommendations.”
Dr. Lanman reiterated her mission and the mission of the cancer center: to make discoveries that will build the foundation for innovative cancer solutions. The cure for cancer is not in one field or the other; it is in experts from all fields working together using the most up-to-date data and analytical techniques.
“I love the work I do — that we do — at the cancer center,” Dr. Lanman said. “I love that we are really trying, every day, to make the world a better place for patients.”
Other scholars involved in this kind of research include Dr. Andrew Mesecar, Purdue’s Walther Professor in Cancer Structural Biology, who is deputy director of the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research (PCCR); Dr. Min Zhang, a statistics professor and associate director of data science at PCCR; and Dr. Majid Kazemian, an assistant professor of biochemistry and computer science. Click here to read a complete story that includes details about these researchers using data to combat cancer.
How the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Faculty and Staff Delivered Hands-on Education in the Face of a Pandemic to the Next Generation of Veterinarians and Veterinary Nurses
Let’s face it. Learning surgical skills is a hands-on experience. At the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, the curriculum for students destined to be future veterinarians and veterinary nurses all culminates in pivotal clinical education, when all the material learned from lectures, labs, and lessons coalesce into true know-how through the crucible of actually practicing medicine for real.
In that light, the biggest threat posed by the pandemic to the College of Veterinary Medicine was the risk of having to forego hands-on clinical instruction. For reasons well known now, the idea of safely carrying out face-to-face, hands-on teaching seemed almost impossible as the pandemic unfolded in 2020. But Boilermakers aren’t intimidated by big challenges. Boilermakers persistently pursue answers and solutions to make what seemed impossible possible.
So, as Purdue University crafted the Protect Purdue Pledge and planned for a responsible and safe return to in-person classes for the fall semester, the College of Veterinary Medicine’s faculty and staff applied the Protect Purdue requirements to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Nursing programs. That meant not only providing for in-person classroom lectures with appropriate social distancing, frequent screening, sanitizing, and mask wearing, but also preparing for in-person, hands-on clinical training.
Veterinary students (pictured left-right) Adrienne Glaser, Floyd Williams, and Clint Peacock participate in the student surgery course during the spring semester.
A vital part of the hands-on instruction for veterinary students involves learning basic surgical skills and how to perform simple surgical procedures. In the Small Animal Surgery Laboratory course during the third year of the four-year DVM curriculum, students actually are able to learn to perform surgeries to neuter cats and dogs that are getting ready for adoption at local animal shelters. In the spring, students do the work under the direct supervision of their instructors, who include Dr. Sarah Malek, assistant professor of small animal surgery; Dr. Tomo Inoue, anesthesiology lecturer; and three dedicated veterinary nurses – anesthesiology technologist Amy Huffman, small animal surgery technologist Cass Simmons, and teaching animal protocol technologist Sara Schroeder. The course also benefits from additional instructors across the Small Animal Hospital, including faculty, residents and interns, and veterinary nurses, who support the teaching needs of these laboratory sessions.
As Instructor of Record for the spring semester course, Dr. Malek knew from first-hand experience how these labs expand the students’ skill set and provide an important service to area animal shelters while also giving surgery residents and interns exposure to what’s involved in assuming a teaching role. “We’ve worked to enhance the quality of teaching and course material in these labs and to improve the efficiency of the labs to better balance the amount of time the students have to spend in the laboratory while also maximizing learning opportunities,” Dr. Malek said. She noted that the value of the course is widely recognized and it has benefitted from various donations made by individuals and companies, including gifts of needed equipment and supplies.
Yet all of the benefits of these labs were at risk of being lost as the college grappled with the impact of the pandemic. Only so much could be done virtually to try to replicate the experiential learning the students gain from the hands-on surgical instruction. Perseverance by the educational team, however, won out in the end, ensuring that students could continue to learn regardless of the circumstances. “With the challenges of the pandemic during the past year, when we had to shut down the in-person student surgery labs during the spring of 2020, we still were able to conduct portions of the labs virtually,” Dr. Malek recalls. “We created quizzes and assignments, including some that were video-based that enabled our students to practice their knowledge of surgical skills in a virtual environment.”
Then this year, with Protect Purdue protocols in place, Dr. Malek said, “We were able to conduct all the labs on schedule with appropriate protective measures that included wearing both masks and face shields to ensure the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty.” As a result, all of the third-year students received the benefits of performing hands-on surgeries, and no one contracted COVID-19 through their participation in these surgery lab sessions.
The animals benefitted, too, as needed surgeries to neuter them were performed for more than 150 shelter dogs and cats awaiting adoption in the spring alone. “Everyone rallied to make it work,” Dr. Malek said. “Even with the challenges created by the pandemic, we made our best effort to conduct this course with the vision of creating practice-ready veterinarians with basic surgical skills, while providing a needed service for partnering animal shelters.”
Dr. Kathy Salisbury, associate dean for academic affairs, said student surgery is a microcosm of what happened across the college and throughout the curriculum. “Staff and faculty really pulled out all the stops to provide for the best possible hands-on learning opportunities for our students in both the DVM and Veterinary Nursing programs, while ensuring the health and safety of everyone by carefully following Protect Purdue protocols,” Dr. Salisbury said.
With a total of nearly 340 veterinary students and about 100 veterinary nursing students enrolled on the West Lafayette campus, the goal of ensuring that everyone could safely participate in the in-person classes, labs, and clinics involved formidable challenges. But, Dr. Salisbury said faculty and staff worked diligently to make that happen. “Our students, faculty, and staff showed a remarkable commitment to following the necessary safety protocols from frequent hand-washing to wearing masks and face shields. As a result the students received the hands-on learning, whether in labs or clinics, that is so necessary to mastering the skills needed in private practice, and at the same time, we avoided any COVID-19 transmission within the college.”
Dr. Salisbury said extra safety precautions, like wearing both masks and face shields, were required in multiple courses that involved in-person laboratory instruction, such as the veterinary skills and competencies courses, large animal surgery laboratories, theriogenology laboratories, and nearly 20 other pre-clinical courses, in addition to the numerous hospital clinical rotations for fourth-year students.
The Veterinary Nursing program faced challenges just as daunting as those in the DVM program, as the instructional staff ensured that the students could gain valuable hands-on experience in a way that protected their health and safety. “We had 16 courses and labs that necessitated special precautions to ensure that faculty, staff, and students were suitably protected from the COVID-19 virus,” said Dr. Chad Brown, program director. “It took real teamwork, and in that sense the pandemic actually provided an opportunity to model the way in which our veterinary nursing students will need to work well as members of veterinary medical teams when they graduate and enter private practice.”
Similar challenges were faced in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital where the DVM and Veterinary Nursing students participated in clinical rotations to complete their education. “We are so proud of how the clinicians and staff shouldered the heavy load of providing the clinical experience and instruction that our students need to be practice-ready veterinarians and veterinary nurses when they graduate,” Dr. Salisbury said. “Not only did they have to carefully follow the Protect Purdue protocols, they did so even as the hospital saw a dramatic increase in caseload during the year – an increase in excess of 20% compared to the preceding year. It has been a remarkable year that really revealed just how remarkable our faculty and staff members are.”
Persistently pursuing the next giant leap – it’s what the Purdue Boilermaker family does, whether in the midst of normal times or during a pandemic. This fiscal year, donors to the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine stepped forward in unprecedented ways to support the college’s mission of learning, discovery, and engagement. The result was a record year for giving to the college, with more than $24 million raised! That amount represents an increase of 167% over the previous year’s total of $9 million.
College of Veterinary Medicine Chief Development Officer Tanya Finkbiner said the fundraising record is overwhelming, and a wonderful encouragement to everyone at the college. “It’s just incredible,” Tanya exclaimed. “People who give, at whatever amount is right for them, really do inspire others to join in the fun and rewarding experience of supporting worthy causes,” she said. “From our alumni donors who in many cases also inspire their clients to support the college, to animal owners who hear about the impact being made by our faculty, staff, and students, our donors come from all walks of life and find expression for the purposes they are passionate about by giving to Purdue Veterinary Medicine. It’s just wonderful to see how it all comes together for the betterment of animal and human health and well-being.”
Writer(s):
Jonathan Martz, PVM Communications Intern, and Kevin Doerr
| pvmnews@purdue.edu
Even though in-person continuing education conferences and symposia went by the wayside during the past year due to the pandemic, Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Office of Lifelong Learning found itself plenty busy serving sizeable virtual crowds. Combining technology and creativity, PVM faculty and staff worked with Lifelong Learning Director Ben Shepard to host several virtual programs that proved popular with registrants who seized the opportunity to gain knowledge, insight, and continuing education (CE) credits without having to leave home or office.
“We found that the inability to host in-person programs did not prevent us from engaging with veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and animal owners who wanted to continue learning despite the lack of traditional continuing education conferences,” Shepard said. “The availability of good virtual platforms like Zoom enabled us to connect our content experts with veterinary professionals, clients, and scholars still looking for educational opportunities.”
As a result, the college hosted three successful continuing education programs during the spring semester, utilizing the Zoom platform.
EQUINE WELLNESS FORUM SERVES NEEDS OF EQUINE ENTHUSIASTS
The college annually has hosted an in-person Equine Wellness Forum in February to inform horse owners and equine industry professionals about horse health issues. This year, the program galloped into new territory by going virtual, replacing the traditional one-day, in-person approach with a schedule that spanned several days and featured presentations given over the Zoom platform on topics ranging from basic preventative healthcare to the latest medical advancements.
The first session was held on February 6 and began with a virtual walkthrough of the new Purdue University Veterinary Hospital facilities now under construction. Participants were able to watch drone footage of the construction site as Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed provided narration. The rest of the program that day featured four speakers beginning with a faculty member who has achieved legendary status as a long-time clinician in the Large Animal Hospital, Professor of Large Animal Surgery Stephen Adams.
Dr. Adams’ lecture, entitled “40 years of Equine Surgery,” was extra special because he will be retiring this summer after a long history of helping clients with their horses at Purdue, providing life-saving treatments to patients, and improving the overall well-being of both horses and riders. In his talk, Dr. Adams spoke about how horses are living much longer today, many even living more than 35 years. Their increased life-span is due to a myriad of factors, including geriatric diets and better nutrition as well as improved surgical therapies. Additionally, newer technologies have made it possible for horses to remain standing while undergoing diagnostic procedures such as ultrasonography and endoscopy.
Another lecture featured Dr. Erin Wilson of Nutrena, who spoke about her findings related to customizing horse diets and shared information about healthy types of grains and grass to feed horses, and the proper mixture for each. Forum attendees also were treated to presentations by Dr. Amanda Farr, clinical assistant professor, and Dr. Sarah Waxman, visiting assistant professor, both with the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital Equine Field Service, who spoke on the topics of “Horse-proofing the Barn” and “Neck and Back Pain in the Horse,” respectively.
Because the program was conducted virtually, additional lectures were presented during subsequent weeks, including talks on “Laminitis: What’s New?” by Dr. Tim Lescun, associate professor of large animal surgery; “Sinus and Guttural Pouch Disease,” by Dr. Jan Hawkins, professor/section head of large animal surgery; “Muscle Disease,” by Dr. Stacy Tinkler, clinical associate professor of large animal internal medicine; and “When the Filters Fail: Kidney and Liver Disease,” by Dr. Sandra Taylor, associate professor of large animal internal medicine.
Veterinary medical professionals were able to earn continuing education credits for their participation, but most of the attendees were horse owners looking to expand their knowledge. A total of about 120 people registered to participate in the virtual Equine Wellness Forum. “Given that it was not possible to safely hold the event in person this year, we were excited to have the opportunity to still provide this valuable information and education for the equine industry virtually,” Shepard explained. “The presenters did a fantastic job and the sessions went off without a hitch. We are thankful for everyone who registered to participate, thereby making this first virtual Equine Wellness Forum a success.”
The College of Veterinary Medicine attracted strong attendance for its first virtual Veterinary Nursing Symposium the weekend of March 20-21. A total of 206 people registered for the program, a number that was on par with the best attendance figures from previous years when the event was held in-person.
Veterinary Nursing Symposium speaker Brittany Laflen discusses intervertebral disc disease during her presentation entitled, “These Boots are Made for Walking: Spinal Injury and
Mobility.”
Each attendee received a unique sign-in for each session they attended to enable tracking of their attendance. And in another first, the symposium was Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) approved this year, which assured the attendees that the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) recognized the symposium as meeting appropriate standards of quality for jurisdictions that accept RACE credits for their continuing education requirements. Sixty one jurisdictions and provinces accept RACE credits. The AAVSB approved 11 hours of continuing education credits through the symposium for all RACE jurisdictions and provinces.
The 2021 Veterinary Nursing Symposium was sponsored by Hills, Vetamac, and Noah’s Animal Hospital, which each received recognition in the form of promotional videos that could be viewed by guests during both days of the virtual event.
The Saturday sessions on March 20 featured lectures on large animal care provided by four speakers:
Dr. Teresa Buchheit (PU DVM 2005), continuing lecturer in the Purdue Veterinary Medicine Administration Department who is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine with special areas of interest that include neonatology, neurology, and endocrine diseases of horses;
Kyle Clever, RVT, who has served as a veterinary nurse in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital Equine Field Service since 1995;
Molly Cripe Birt, RVT, VTS-EVN (PU BS-VT 2007), large animal surgery veterinary nurse in the Veterinary Hospital and certified Veterinary Technician Specialist (Equine) by the Academy of Equine Veterinary Nursing Technicians; and,
Kara Burns, MS, Med, LVT, VTS (Nutrition), founder and past president of the Academy of Veterinary Nutrition Technicians.
Liane Shaw, RVT gave a Veterinary Nursing Symposium lecture on the topic, “Fact or Fiction: Hands Free Small Animal Radiography.”
On Sunday, March 21, the focus shifted to small animal care, with seven lectures given by:
Heidi Lescun, BS, RVT, senior service technician/sales associate of Vetamac serving Northwest and Central Indiana;
Brittany Laflen, RVT, VTS (Neurology) (PU AS-VT 2010), small animal surgery/neurology veterinary nurse and instructor of neurology and neurologic diseases for Purdue Veterinary Nursing students;
Saralyn Sharp, BS, RVT, VTS (CP-SA, Canine/Feline), small animal primary care veterinary nurse who has been with the Veterinary Hospital’s Small Animal Primary Care Service for 19 years;
Liane Shaw, RVT (PU BS-VT 2003), diagnostic imaging instructional veterinary nurse in the hospital; and,
Courtney Waxman, MS, CVT, RVT, VTS (ECC), distance learning instructional technologist in the Purdue Veterinary Nursing Programand the hospital’s ICU.
Each of the lectures concluded with time for attendees’ questions. Symposium participants, who came from 11 different states, each received continuing education certificates recognizing their virtual attendance.
CAWS SYMPOSIUM EXAMINES PANDEMIC’S INFLUENCE ON THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND
The keynote speaker on the first day of the virtual CAWS Symposium, Jennifer Applebaum, shared findings from her research study, “How Pets Factor into Healthcare Decisions for COVID-19: A One Health Perspective”.
The 2021 Center for Animal Welfare Science (CAWS) Symposium captured a virtual crowd with its two-day online program focused on understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced perceptions about the human-animal bond. Held May 19-20 on the Zoom platform, the symposium proved to be a hit, with 153 registrants participating from 30 states and nine countries.
In describing the importance of the symposium, Dr. Candace Croney, the director of the Center for Animal Welfare Science, explained, “The issue of how to address the welfare of animals while also taking care of the diverse range of people and environmental impacts that interact with and are dependent on them is significant and requires collaborative, multi-disciplinary problem-solving.” She added that CAWS was excited to host students and others new to animal welfare science and welcome back those well established in the discipline to connect with the topics and speakers.
Dr. Heather Fowler, the keynote speaker on the symposium’s second day, provided an overview of the One Health approach.
Throughout the symposium, participants were able to engage with nine highly respected speakers from a variety of disciplines. Time was provided at the end of each lecture to ask questions and dig deeper into the issues presented. Lecture topics evoked new ways of looking at how human health and animal health are intertwined and how they impact each other. Dr. Croney ended each day with closing remarks during which she highlighted key takeaways from each of the sessions. CAWS extends special thanks to Cargill for sponsoring the symposium and to the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture for their support, as well as to all of the symposium speakers, some of whom kindly donated their honoraria back to the program to help advance the center’s goal of greater inclusion and access to animal welfare science.
It was a daunting problem – unprecedented in modern times – that Purdue University and the College of Veterinary Medicine faced just over a year ago. The scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic that spread around the globe had become entrenched, shutting down all but essential services and closing campuses nationwide. Purdue students had been sent home in the middle of the spring semester of 2020, as faculty and staff put forth a herculean effort to convert instruction to distance learning formats. As spring turned into summer, Purdue and College of Veterinary Medicine leaders looking ahead to the 2020-2021 academic year sought to address the unparalleled challenge of determining how to return to in-person instruction for the fall semester while protecting the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff.
Laboratory Technician Erin Christian processes COVID-19 samples in the ADDL’s Molecular Laboratory as Dr. Rebecca Wilkes, section head for the Molecular and Virology sections, looks on.
A huge part of the answer to that dilemma involved COVID-19 testing – in massive amounts. The testing had to be fast and accurate, and available to anyone on campus experiencing symptoms, as well as people selected randomly for surveillance testing. Across Indiana, testing demand already had put a strain on the system that was in place for evaluating human COVID-19 samples. Once in-person classes started again (pre-testing was required of all students before the school year began), where could the University turn to find a resource capable of high throughput testing that would be accurate and reliable to protect the campus population?
The answer was right on campus. It just was camouflaged by the word “animal” in the name. The rest of the name, though, revealed the nature of this resource and its capability to meet the challenge. The Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL), a service of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, had the right equipment as well as highly trained staff with the expertise and experience needed to process tens of thousands of human COVID-19 samples using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, considered the gold standard for diagnosing the illness. The only catch was that the laboratory needed to obtain special certification to do the same test on human samples that it routinely did on thousands of animal diagnostic samples.
The certification, known as Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certification, is required for laboratories performing diagnostic testing of human samples. Dr. Kenitra Hendrix, ADDL director and clinical associate professor of veterinary diagnostic microbiology, said the process of obtaining the certification was readily accomplished largely due to the ADDL’s established quality control system. At that point, the stage was set for the ADDL to answer the call for high volume, rapid, and reliable COVID-19 testing to help ensure the safety and health of the campus population when in-person classes resumed last August.
Hindsight, more than a year later, reveals the wisdom of that plan. Dr. Hendrix said as of May of this year, the lab had completed 198,475 COVID-19 tests, all with a typical turnaround time of one day or less. “We performed 32,833 tests in March of this year alone,” Dr. Hendrix recalled. “Our team worked seven days per week since last fall. Our laboratory technicians have been amazing. They pushed through all during the year, to meet the University’s need to receive continuous test results, including on Saturdays and Sundays.”
Dr. Rebecca Wilkes, associate professor of molecular diagnostics and head of the ADDL’s Molecular and Virology sections, oversaw the day-to-day testing work. “I am so impressed with our technicians,” Dr. Wilkes said. “They have gone above and beyond, and worked really hard to provide the University with the needed results, most of the time on the same day as the samples were received.”
Molecular Laboratory team members (pictured left-right): Becca Witman, Gabriela Gambirazio, Angie Chan, Farren Osborn, Erin Christian, Eric Pouliot, Dr. Rebecca Wilkes, and Scott Gentry, along with Coral Kent-Dennis (not pictured), conducted testing on human COVID-19 samples seven days a week as part of the Protect Purdue effort to ensure safe in-person instruction on campus. Additionally, staff members Tracey Clark, Ali Clauser, and Jake Linder from other ADDL sections cross-trained and worked a rotational shift in the Molecular Laboratory to support the COVID-19 PCR testing effort.
Even Purdue’s success athletically depended on the ADDL’s work. Dr. Hendrix noted that the lab arranged for extra shifts to provide Purdue Athletics with athletes’ test results before game times in accordance with Big10 regulations.
Recognizing the importance of performing PCR tests in protecting the broader community, the ADDL also provided testing services to outside entities including a local hospital and a small college, as capacity allowed.
And all of the COVID-19 testing came on top of the ADDL’s already significant workflow, which involves testing several hundred animal samples per week for diseases ranging from avian flu to foot and mouth disease (FMD).
“Our capabilities not only involve having the necessary equipment, but also vast expertise,” explained Dr. Hendrix. “Dr. Wilkes understands the ins and outs of PCR tests to the point that she could troubleshoot issues with the data generated from the software that’s required for human COVID-19 PCR test interpretation. She recognized when circumstances required a more detailed review of results, to ensure that they were accurate – and that positives were indeed positive. She manually reviewed all results to be certain the automated readings were right, and made corrections as necessary to protect the integrity of the results.”
The testing saga took another turn when 2020 gave way to the new year and variants of concern emerged, including the B117 variant, initially called the UK variant. “That particular variant had a characteristic that we could detect with our PCR test,” Dr. Wilkes said. “So we were able to see when that variant surfaced in people on campus.” As word spread about additional variants of concern that could not be detected as part of the PCR test, the ADDL partnered with another lab on campus, the Carpi Lab, which had the ability to do the sequencing needed to identify those variants. Directed by Dr. Giovanna Carpi, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and a member of Purdue’s Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, the Carpi Lab already had been sequencing malaria samples and quickly pivoted to sequence COVID-19 samples.
“When we found samples that were positive for COVID-19, we would send them to the Carpi Lab so they could be subjected to the sequencing that would reveal if they contained one of the variants of concern,” Dr. Wilkes explained. “Working together, we found several of the variants of concern, including the ones popularly referred to by the regions where they were identified, and since renamed by the World Health Organization as the Beta, Gamma and Delta variants, along with B117, now called the Alpha variant.” In so doing, the labs, along with the Protect Purdue Health Center, have been able to track the novel coronavirus in the Purdue community and throughout the state of Indiana, providing information that helps ensure that city, state, and university leaders have the best and most accurate, up-to-date information possible.
Dr. Rebecca Wilkes reviews data from PCR tests of human COVID-19 samples.
“When challenges like this arise, Purdue steps in,” said Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed, who co-chaired the Safe Campus Task Force and serves as head of the university’s Vaccine Allocation Task Force. “The combination of scientific and engineering excellence makes us stand out from the crowd. We have STEM expertise, including a world-class veterinary medical school, biomedical researchers, and more. People from all areas of the University have stepped up as we knew they would, using their expertise and willingness to immediately apply their knowledge to this worldwide challenge.”
Dr. Hendrix said Dr. Wilkes’ expertise and experience has played a huge role in the University’s successful testing program. “PCR testing is complex and there’s no substitute for having someone with Dr. Wilkes’ extraordinary level of know-how overseeing the PCR testing of COVID-19 samples to ensure that the findings are accurate, dependable, and timely. I can’t say enough about the phenomenal work Dr. Wilkes and her team accomplished to help ensure that the University had the data it needed to protect Purdue.”
Dr. Hendrix also lauds the work done by Dr. Carpi and her lab. “While we have sequencing capability at the ADDL, our workload had reached a point where we knew it was best not to do sequencing on positive COVID-19 samples ourselves,” Dr. Hendrix said. “Dr. Carpi’s team had the sequencing protocol in place and the pipeline to analyze the vast amount of data produced by the sequencing.” Dr. Carpi explained that in addition to her work for Purdue, the Indiana State Department of Health even sent samples directly to her for genome sequencing instead of to the CDC, since her lab could turn results around faster.
It all added up to a winning strategy. A Protect Purdue Summary Report published by the University found that, by taking a data- and insight-driven approach to testing, the University was able to be more efficient, effective, and responsive in helping ensure the safety of its students, faculty, staff, and most vulnerable members of the University community. “The result was an uninterrupted level of learning, research, and student-faculty engagement during this challenging year, where not a single case of COVID-19 was traced to a Purdue classroom and only one case tied to a research laboratory,” the report said.
Looking ahead, Dr. Hendrix said the ADDL is working toward being able to also conduct sequencing of positive COVID-19 samples to identify variants of concern. “Because the ADDL is CLIA certified, sequencing data generated in our laboratory may be used by medical professionals for making medical decisions,” Dr. Hendrix said.
As a footnote, the ADDL was in good company nationally as it pivoted to test COVID-19 samples. Of 37 laboratories that are members of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), a total of 25, including Purdue’s, performed testing of human COVID-19 samples. The role played by these laboratories in the national effort to combat the pandemic reflects the importance of the concept of One Health – the collaborative and transdisciplinary approach to achieving optimal health outcomes, recognizing the interconnectedness of people, animals, and their shared environment.
Writer(s):
Kevin Doerr
Source: Dr. Kenitra Hendrix, Dr. Rebecca Wilkes, and Purdue Marketing and Communications
The David and Bonnie Brunner Small Animal Hospital represents an expansion of the existing facilities housing the Purdue University Small Animal Hospital, and will include new space for such services as Emergency and Critical Care, Surgery, Internal Medicine, and Physical Therapy.
“What’s in a name?’ So asks the famous line from Shakespeare. For the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, the answer is a very generous gift that led to naming the new Purdue University Veterinary Hospital facilities the David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex. Construction of the complex continues with the goal of completing the facilities by the end of this year.
The Purdue University Board of Trustees approved the new name in recognition of a $10 million leadership commitment from Dr. David Brunner, a 1979 DVM graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine, and his wife, Bonnie. The board took the action at its meeting in February, honoring the Brunners for their gift that will be meaningful to students, staff, faculty, clients, and alumni alike for years ahead.
Construction progresses on the newly named David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex. This view shows the David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital in the foreground.
The complex will consist of three components located just east of the existing Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine:
The David and Bonnie Brunner Small Animal Hospital, which will add 65,000 square feet to the existing Small Animal Hospital facilities in Lynn Hall that amount to about 40,000 square feet;
The David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital providing 73,000 square feet of new space, which replaces facilities located in the existing Large Animal Hospital.
The David and Bonnie Brunner Farm Animal Hospital amounting to 24,000 square feet and replaces facilities in the existing Large Animal Hospital.
Work on all three facilities is proceeding on schedule. Already, the exteriors of all three hospital components are substantially complete, with the remaining outside work consisting primarily of brick laying and installation of roofing tiles. Inside, the various sections of each of the hospitals are taking shape. The new facilities feature the latest designs for providing advanced care and treatment of patients, both large and small.
This facility will be named the David and Bonnie Brunner Farm Animal Hospital.
For example, the Farm Animal Hospital will have separate sections for cattle, goats, and swine as well as an isolation area with separate stalls for animals requiring isolation from other animals. In the drive-up unloading and loading area, textured concrete has been provided to prevent mishaps due to the potential buildup of water and ice.
The Equine Hospital will utilize telemetry monitoring capabilities, which will enable staff and clinicians to monitor patients before and after surgery to ensure that they are recovering well. A separate section for diagnostic imaging will house the latest imaging equipment.
The new Small Animal Hospital facility will include designated spaces for a variety of services including emergency and critical care, internal medicine, neurology, and physical therapy.
Additionally, each hospital will include rounds rooms and the Small Animal Hospital will contain a multi-purpose room that will be utilized by the college for various events.
After construction is completed, the move-in will begin with the hope of holding a grand opening as early as April.
Work progresses on the canine pool that will be part of the Physical Therapy suite in the new Small Animal Hospital facility.
This space will become an advanced small animal surgery suite complete with surgical lights and piping which will carry oxygen and other gases used in treatment.
The new Small Animal Hospital facility will include a number of examination rooms located directly adjacent to the reception counter.
This space will become one of the state-of-the-art surgery rooms in the new Equine Hospital.
Interior walls begin to take shape in the Farm Animal Hospital.
Writer(s):
Jonathan Martz, PVM Communications Intern, and Kevin Doerr
| pvmnews@purdue.edu
The most rewarding part of Joker’s treatment for Dr. Chris Fulkerson, clinical assistant professor of veterinary medical oncology, has been seeing his tumors responding and watching him live his life as normal. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)
The Purdue University Veterinary Hospitalworks with many patients across species. None are more unusual perhaps than Joker, a nine-year-old silver-phased red fox undergoing treatment for lymphoma. Joker resides at Wolf Park, a nonprofit conservation facility located in nearby Battle Ground, Ind.
During a routine medical check in November, his handler, Kimber Hendrix, noticed small tumors on his tongue. Wolf Park’s veterinarian, Dr. Julia Becker (PU DVM ’99), sent a biopsy to the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratoryat the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, where Joker was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma by Dr. Mario Sola (PU DVM 2014, MS 2018), assistant professor of diagnostic pathology. Dr. Becker then referred Joker’s case to Dr. Christopher Fulkerson (PU DVM 2010, MS 2014) clinical assistant professor of veterinary medical oncology in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Fulkerson hadn’t previously worked with a fox patient. He and his team couldn’t find any literature about this type of lymphoma in foxes, so they are treating Joker based on a protocol often used for dogs with lymphoma. This chemotherapy protocol mainly uses chemotherapy pills, which the team thought was most likely to be well-tolerated and successful.
According to Dr. Fulkerson, Joker’s behavior is similar to that of a dog. He is as wild as possible at Wolf Park, but is social and trained for medical procedures. “He’s a really laid-back fox,” Hendrix said. “He’s a sweet guy to work with. He’s a great animal ambassador.”
Dr. Chris Fulkerson treats Joker, a silver-phased red fox, at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)
Joker has been at Wolf Park since 2015, when he was rescued after being found under a porch. His laid back personality – accompanied with a knack of playing practical jokes on his den mate Scarlette – make him a favorite among visitors.
To minimize his stress and anxiety, as many procedures as possible are conducted at Wolf Park. Since January, Dr. Fulkerson has been going to Wolf Park almost weekly to administer Joker’s treatment and check his laboratory reports. On these days, Joker is rewarded with a special treat: an egg.
Joker responded well to chemotherapy. After a few weeks of treatment, his lymphoma was in partial remission, meaning most of the lesions had gone away or were substantially decreased in size. He continued to undergo chemotherapy treatments until mid-April. The hope is that over time, complete remission is achieved with the disappearance of all lesions.
“We follow his lab work really closely to make sure that the chemotherapy drugs aren’t having any adverse effects on his white blood cell count. This drug can also cause liver injury, so we monitor his liver function and liver values. That all has been good throughout all the treatment, with no signs of obvious chemotherapy side effects,” Dr. Fulkerson said.
In captivity, red foxes can live 12-14 years. Each day, Joker engages in training and enrichment with staff and volunteers, and he has plenty of energy to play with his enrichment objects. Hendrix said that even during treatment, he hasn’t had any bad days. He just recently celebrated his ninth birthday.
Dr. Fulkerson said that the most gratifying and exciting part of Joker’s treatment has been seeing his tumors responding and seeing him living his life as normal.
“I was wearing my mask because of COVID-19,” he said of a recent visit, “But I told his handlers if they could have seen my face under it, I probably had one of the biggest smiles I’d had in the last year just from seeing him frolicking around and being excited and happy.”
After a treatment at Wolf Park, Dr. Chris Fulkerson rewards Joker with his favorite treat: an egg. (Purdue University photo/John Underwood)
Purdue has offset the cost of some of Joker’s procedures with teaching funds. Joker’s lymphoma already has been a good learning case for diagnostic imaging, oncology, and pathology. Following Joker’s progress may help with treatment of similar cases in the future.
The remaining costs, as of now, have been fully funded through donations to Wolf Park, although more need may arise in the future if further treatment is necessary.
Hendrix said she’s thankful that Wolf Park has been able to partner with Purdue on Joker’s treatment.
“I just really have loved the partnership that has blossomed between Wolf Park and Purdue throughout this,” she said. “I’d love for there to be something that comes out of this to help other exotics so that people learn more about the progression of the disease, can help other animals under human care, and can do more for them. Anything that can be learned from his case would be wonderful.”
Dr. Fulkerson agrees. He and his team plan to compile a case report on Joker so that this treatment option is documented to help other foxes diagnosed with lymphoma in the future.
“One of the great things about being at Purdue and being an academic veterinarian is that we can see some of these unusual things, we have some resources we can bring to help us learn about them, and then we can share that information with other veterinarians to help other patients in the future,” he said.
Writer(s):
Kelsey Lefever, Purdue Marketing and Communications
| pvmnews@purdue.edu
After a Pandemic-induced Hiatus, Annual PVM Research Day Once Again Showcases Faculty and Student Scholarship
A longstanding tradition that annually highlights research by graduate students, interns, residents, veterinary students, and faculty returned to the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in April, albeit in a virtual format, after a one year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally held as an in-person program, the PVM Research Day features a day-long focus on basic science and clinical/applied research in veterinary and comparative medicine.
Typically scheduled in April, the Research Day had to be cancelled last year when the pandemic shuttered college campuses and students were sent home as classes were transitioned to virtual settings. A year later, the stage was set for the College of Veterinary Medicine to offer the PVM Research Day on April 13 as a combination of live virtual presentations on the Zoom platform and pre-recorded lectures and research posters accessible via a website. It also was convenient that the day coincided with one of three “reading days” scheduled by the University as part of a modified academic calendar to help offset the loss of spring break, which was cancelled to avoid mass travel to and from campus in the middle of the semester.
Dr. Paul Plummer presented the keynote lecture at the PVM Research Day on April 13.
Affiliated with the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Omicron Chapter of the Society of Phi Zeta, which is the honor society of veterinary medicine in the U.S., the research day is designed to spotlight scientific discovery in the college that enhances the well-being of animals and people. After a welcome by Dean Willie Reed, the program began with a virtual keynote presentation featuring Dr. Paul Plummer, professor and Anderson Endowed Chair of Veterinary Sciences at Iowa State University, and the executive director of the National Institute of Microbial Resistance Research and Education. Dr. Plummer also is a member of the Presidential Advisory Council for Combating Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria, which is responsible for providing advice, information, and recommendations to the federal government regarding programs and policies intended to support and evaluate the implementation of U.S. government activities related to combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Dr. Plummer’s talk entitled “Lessons from the One HealthInterface” was viewed by more than 70 virtual attendees.
Other elements of the event included virtual poster presentations that covered three dozen different research projects in three categories: Basic Science Research, Clinical and Applied Research, and Research by DVM Students who participated in scholarship with faculty mentors through the Veterinary Research Scholars Summer Program. Additionally, lecture presentations were given by a number of graduate students, residents, and faculty, including Associate Professor of Basic Medical Sciences Marxa Figueiredo who gave a talk as the recipient of the 2020 Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence. She spoke on the topic, “Osteo-Immune Therapeutics for Metastatic Prostate Tumors and Bone.”
The day concluded with the announcement of a number of awards for meritorious research accomplishments, including the best poster presentations and scholarly lectures. A new award honoring faculty mentors also was announced. The Boehringer Ingelheim Summer Research Mentorship Award was established to recognize a faculty mentor who has demonstrated a special effort in support of the college’s Veterinary Research Scholars Summer Program. The program provides an opportunity for DVM students and pre-vet undergraduate students to gain research experience under the guidance of a faculty mentor, and the program’s success depends greatly on the involvement and effort of the mentors. The inaugural recipient is Dr. Deepti Pillai, clinical assistant professor of diagnostic microbiology in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology. A number of veterinary students, residents, and faculty members also were initiated as new members of the Omicron Chapter of Phi Zeta as part of the PVM Research Day.
“This was a wonderful day,” said Dr. Harm HogenEsch, PVM associate dean for research, who thanked the Phi Zeta officers for their work organizing and helping with the event, as well as several staff members, including Susan Xioufaridou, director of alumni relations and special events, for moderating the sessions; Wright Frazier, director of web communications, for putting everything on the website for the event; and Erin Lane, administrative assistant for the PVM Office of Research, for all of her efforts helping to coordinate the day.
The Omicron Chapter President, Dr. Janice Kritchevsky, professor of large animal internal medicine, concluded the day by explaining how the PVM Research Day was a reflection of where we are with COVID-19. Recalling how the event had to be cancelled last year, Dr. Kritchevsky said, “… here, 12 months later, we have adapted and could do it all online. I think it came together really well. Next year, hopefully, we will be able to meet in-person again.”
One of the cornerstones of the Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning Programin the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine is flexibility that keeps the door open to a veterinary nursing career for non-traditional students. Perhaps no one can testify to that better than Karen “Coco” Schefmeyer. When the 63-year-old enrolled in the distance learning program, she brought a wealth of real world experience to the virtual classroom, and she doesn’t miss a beat as she works toward earning her associate’s degree in veterinary nursing.
Coco resides in the South Bend area of northern Indiana and describes herself as a proud country resident who lives eight miles from the nearest grocery store. The story of her attraction to veterinary medicine has a familiar ring to it because she said she always had an interest in animals. Throughout her life she also has been surrounded by veterinarians who have inspired her in many ways.
Growing up on a farm, Coco saw many veterinarians who visited to treat the livestock. In most cases, these practitioners gave Coco first-hand exposure to veterinary medicine. She specifically recalls how one of them – a Purdue graduate – had her help hold the animals while he administered vaccines. These interactions fostered her interest in studying veterinary medicine.
When asked what inspired her to go back to school, albeit virtually, while in her early 60s, Coco said, “I’m looking at my bucket list and it’s about the quality of my remaining time. I have some things I want to do and I’m going to do them.”
Coco’s interest in veterinary medicine was heightened when she volunteered at a spay and neuter clinic called Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League in Palm Beach, Fla. She enjoyed her time there, which encouraged her to pursue any educational opportunities she could find.
At age 59, Coco earned a Certificate in Veterinary Assistance at Palm Beach State College in Florida. Then she opted to enroll in the Purdue Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning Program to earn the degree she did not have the opportunity to pursue when she initially began her college career years earlier. “It’s like I’m finally getting to live my dreams from my younger years,” Coco said.
Coco had originally intended to attend Purdue University, but she said she could not get into the University’s programs because her high school had not offered chemistry. So instead, she followed her interest in writing and studied journalism at Indiana State University. Her education included internships with the Indianapolis Star and the South Bend Tribune. After graduating, she worked for the Associated Press. She described the work as an excellent opportunity, but said it did not fulfill all of her career wishes.
After moving to Los Angeles, Calif., Coco earned a master’s in professional writing from The University of Southern California. Through the graduate degree program she learned about a much broader array of writing – everything from writing menus to manuals. She then accepted secretarial positions at Columbia Pictures and Warner Brothers Studios and at one point even worked as a secretary for comedian Richard Pryor.
“Throughout our lives we reinvent ourselves,” Coco explained. For her, journalism is in the rear-view mirror and she is now onto another chapter, which is to become a veterinary nurse.
Coco describes her Purdue distance learning experience as fantastic. “I chose Purdue for the excellent instruction, but stayed for the incredible people. I have a wonderful academic advisor and professors who have helped me every step of the way.” Coco said her favorite course is pharmacology because it involves all of the aspects of physiology and then throws chemicals, formulas, and molecules into the mix.
Coco already is finding her veterinary studies helpful in taking care of her animals, which include several cats, only two of which reside in her house. She is part of a program called Trap Neuter Return, or TNR for short. Typically, barn and street cats are not spayed or neutered and Coco sets traps for them so she can take them to be neutered and microchipped. Afterward, if they cannot be adopted, she returns them to the field.
In her free time, Coco enjoys sewing and gardening. She also has made several scrub caps for her friends in the medical field. As if that’s not enough, she even helps her husband with his commercial real estate business, assisting with the problem solving aspect of the business by helping him find roofing and plumbing issues in the properties he leases.
After spending a few minutes visiting with Coco, you realize it’s no wonder she boldly forged ahead to begin a new career in her sixties. And you have no doubt she will succeed as someone who embodies the true Boilermaker spirit of persistently pursuing the next giant leap.
Writer(s):
Jonathan Martz, PVM Communications Intern
| pvmnews@purdue.edu
Ever since she was a little girl, Joy Matson wanted to be a veterinarian and have a horse of her own. She started working as early as 2nd grade to save money for college and a horse, delivering newspapers as a child and then working at a department store during the evenings when she was in high school.
No stranger to hard work, after high school Joy enrolled in the pre-vet, pre-med, and pre-dental programs at the University of Illinois. Her parents did not have excess money, so she worked for an animal science professor during the school year and stayed at school in the summer to continue to work and take classes.
“Though some of the work was not my favorite, such as cleaning the manure in the chicken and rooster cages, I did make the work fun,” Joy shared. “I named some of my favorite animals because they responded to me talking to them. The professor and his PhD candidates did not believe I could tell the White Leghorn chickens apart because there were several and they all looked alike. One day when I was cleaning, the chickens were in different cages and I asked what was going on. Apparently, they moved the chickens around to see if I really could tell who was who.”
As Joy approached graduation, the animal science professor she worked for, who had become like a father to her, encouraged her to stay and get her PhD. “When the time came to graduate, I was tired of being poor. I decided to go to work before applying to veterinary school,” Joy said. She took a position with a pharmaceutical company in Chicago.
“Life happened and I never applied to vet school, but the Good Lord has greatly blessed me with everything I could ever want, allowing me to get my first horse at age 32, and I have been adopting and rescuing animals ever since,” Joy explained. “I have a 30-ish-year-old pony that I rescued five years ago, and I frequently hug her neck, thanking God for His timing on entrusting me with her care.”
Joy’s career success has given her the ability to help not only animals, but also many others in need. Over the years, she has generously supported Purdue University through her time and talents, giving to the College of Veterinary Medicine and many other areas on Purdue’s campus, participating in the President’s Council, and serving on several advisory boards.
Joy recently made a significant gift during the Purdue Day of Giving to support the David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex and equipment fund. When asked what inspired her to give to this project, she answered, “The Lord has allowed an abundance of income to flow through me, and He always shows me where His money is most needed.”
When asked about Joy, Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed recalled, “Joy was extremely helpful in my transition to Purdue and has been a great friend over the years. She has been a great supporter of PVM and one of our loudest cheerleaders.” He added, “Her love for animals and the people who care for them is unmatched. The College of Veterinary Medicine is grateful to Joy for inspiring others with her passion for animals, and for enhancing the lives of animals and humans through her support for our college. Thank you, Joy!”
