Drs. Bentley and Cohen operate to remove a deadly glioma from Clyde, a dog with brain cancer. Preserving biopsies of the cancer is integral to further diagnosis and research on these tumors, where it is used to refine chemotherapy, radiation, and other cancer treatments. (IU Health photo/Christopher Bergin)
From a small farm near Liverpool, England, to a renowned researcher, Dr. Timothy Bentley thrives on better understanding the canine brain. And, as the Director of the Canine Brain Tumor Research Program at Purdue University in Indiana and one of Veterinarianedu.org’s “15 Most Influential Veterinarians,” he’s definitely one to know.
It’s hard to walk the hallways of Lynn Hall and not sense in some way the influence of Professor David Williams, who found the perfect blend of his passions for art, history, and veterinary medicine in his Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine career that spanned nearly five decades. Professor Williams retired in the summer of 2021, concluding 48 years as a Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty member and talented medical illustrator.
It was in 1973 when Professor Williams came to Purdue after earning his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Instructional Development and Technology from Michigan State University and receiving his training in Medical Illustration at the University of Cincinnati’s School of Medical Illustration. His initial appointment at Purdue was as an assistant professor and associate director of Medical Illustration and Communications in the College of Veterinary Medicine. In 1978, he was promoted to associate professor.
Professor Williams’ work in the College of Veterinary Medicine involved creating very detailed and precise medical illustrations for many PVM faculty throughout his career, including illustrations for Dr. Charles Knecht’s textbook Fundamental Techniques in Veterinary Surgery. His major accomplishment was co-authoring with Robert Dunlop the extensively researched and illustrated book Veterinary Medicine: An Illustrated History, published by Mosby in 1996. That same year he was promoted to professor.
In 1999, Professor Williams presented “The History of Werner Spalteholz’s Handatlas der Anatomie des Menschen” at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the Medical Artists’ Association of Great Britain at Exeter College, Oxford University. Ten years later, he took a sabbatical leave to England as a visiting scholar in the Department of History and Philosophy of Sciences and Medicine and a visiting fellow at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge. In 2010, he was elected by the Governing Board of Clare Hall as a life member.
The above illustration showing the Baylisascaris life cycle was created by Professor David Williams for now Professor Emeritus Kevin Kazacos, in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology.
A dedicated scholar, Professor Williams served twice as the president of the American Veterinary Medical History Society (AVMHS) as well as managing editor of Veterinary Heritage, the bulletin of the AVMHS. This group sponsors the J. Fred Smithcors Student Veterinary History Essay Contest, for which he has mentored many PVM veterinary students who have won awards for their essays.
Professor Williams also has held a variety of leadership roles on Purdue’s campus including advisor to Iron Key (Purdue’s Honorary Society) and chair of Purdue’s Student Affairs Committee and Faculty Affairs Committee for five years. From 2012-2015, he served as vice-chair, chair, and immediate past chair of the University Senate.
In 2013, he launched a series of five elective courses on veterinary history for Purdue DVM students, including Early Origins of Veterinary Medicine; The History of Marshalls, Horse Doctors, Cow Leeches, and the First Schools of Veterinary Medicine; and Veterinary Medicine Comes of Age. Through these history courses, veterinary students enjoyed unique opportunities to satisfy their interest in humanities in a veterinary medical context. Students have praised Professor Williams for stretching their thinking and have remarked how refreshing it was to take these courses during the rigorous DVM program. He has taught similar courses to students in the University’s Honors College.
Professor Williams leaves a lasting legacy at PVM through his original artwork and artwork that he has fostered by other members of the PVM family. For a number of years, Professor Williams has created original portraits in honor of faculty who receive promotions, endeavoring to capture each faculty member’s unique characteristics and interests in their individual portrait. He also has led the Art in Lynn Hall program launched under the leadership of Dean Willie Reed. The program began in the spring of 2010 with an initial call for members of the Purdue Veterinary Medicine family to submit proposals. The first set of three pieces was dedicated the following year.
David Williams (left, center) is pictured with student artist Katie Sands, of the DVM Class of 2018, along with Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Kathy Salisbury and Dean Willie Reed. Dr. Sands created Rue, a string art dog portrait, as part of the Art in Lynn Hall program, which is on display in the silent study room in the Veterinary Medicine Library in Lynn Hall. Professor Williams spearheaded the art program that has grown to include over 30 works of art exhibited throughout Lynn Hall.
Recalling the early days of the program, Dean Willie Reed described the unpretentious beginning by explaining, “We started this with the idea of, ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful to have members of the PVM family contribute original art that we could display in our college?…’ And so, with the help of Professor Williams, who has really led this project from the beginning, it became a reality.” The Art in Lynn Hall program provides the PVM faculty, staff, and student artists who submit winning proposals with funds to cover the cost of needed supplies. After the completed artwork is framed and hung for display, an annual dedication ceremony is held for PVM faculty, staff, students and guests, often including the artists’ family members.
“Lynn Hall is rapidly becoming a beautiful exhibit of the talents of our PVM family, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Professor Williams and his love for helping and mentoring anyone with a shared interest in art, history, and veterinary medicine,” said Dr. Kathy Salisbury, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of small animal surgery. “We are most grateful that he agreed to continue to lead the PVM art competition after his retirement.”
Professor Williams’ numerous original medical illustrations, photographs, slides, and other drawings created from 1970 through the 1990s have been deposited in the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections as the “David J. Williams Collection of Medical Artwork.”
As a fitting capstone to his career, Professor Williams was honored by the Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) upon his retirement as the recipient of the organization’s 2021 Literary Award for excellence in journalism, which was presented in a virtual ceremony by Gary Schnitz, one of the editors of the Journal of Biocommunication (JBC) and chair of the Journal Management Board. The award recognized a paper that had become a milestone in Professor Williams’ life work.
Professor David Williams with materials from his archive on Pernkopf that he gifted to the Josephinum, where the original paintings now are housed.
In 1979, Professor Williams took a sabbatical leave from the College of Veterinary Medicine as a guest associate professor with Urban and Schwarzenberg Medical Publisher in Munich, West Germany, where he studied the original paintings for the artwork in Eduard Pernkopf’s Topographical Anatomy of Man, a two-volume human anatomical atlas. He also studied with Franz Batke who was the last living artist who had created some of those paintings. Professor Williams continued to study the work of Pernkopf throughout his career.
In presenting the AMI’s Literary Award, Schnitz explained, “David’s original paper about the Pernkopf Atlas of Anatomy first appeared in the JBC back in 1988…David’s article provided a detailed discussion about the Atlas, as well as the Pernkopf artist.” Mr. Schnitz then announced that the August 2021 issue of the JBC is called a special issue and is devoted entirely to the discussion of the Pernkopf Atlas and its dark history. The issue includes Professor Williams’ 1988 article, which he gave JBC permission to republish in its entirety for the special issue.
In accepting the award, Professor Williams thanked the JBC board as well as AMI for presenting him with the 2021 Literary Award for his paper on Edward Pernkopf, the Pernkopf painters, and the beautiful Atlas that they created. “I want you all to know one thing… and that is that my interest in the Pernkopf Atlas was a pure interest right from the very beginning,” Professor Williams said. “I had no vested interest in the Atlas. It was a pure academic scholarly interest. Thank you again and this was a wonderful way to end my 48-plus year career at Purdue University.”
The original Pernkopf paintings ended up at the Josephinum, the 650-year-old medical museum at the University of Vienna. Professor Williams has chosen to gift his entire archive on Pernkopf to the Josephinum to accompany the original paintings.
Role models can help children see themselves in a future career, and a growing program at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine is helping develop veterinary medical role models every child can relate to. The college launched a new organization in 2020 called the League of VetaHumanz as an alliance of veterinary superheroes in academia, practice, research, government, and industry who are committed to engaging with under-resourced communities across the globe to provide access and support for children who aspire to careers in the veterinary profession. The visionary approach took off as fast as a caped superhero, and now includes national and international participation even as additional plans unfold to expand the program’s reach even further.
USE YOUR POWERS FOR GOOD!
Do you have what it takes to be a superhero? Committed to excellence through diversity, equity, and inclusion, volunteer members of the League of VetaHumanz wield their “superpowers” to support each other, and future VetaHumanz, in protecting animal and public health across the globe. The League is the culmination of over a decade of Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s programming for under-resourced K-4 children supported by the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) program of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health to diversify the veterinary profession.
“We have an amazing team of superheroes, including teachers, community leaders, artists, graphic designers, communications experts, evaluators, students, veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and experts in diversity, equity, and inclusion who are all thrilled to take our role modeling programs to the next level and inspire future veterinary professionals,” said Dr. Sandra San Miguel, founder of the League of VetaHumanz and associate dean for engagement in the College of Veterinary Medicine, who is also known by her superhero identity, “Pink Phoenix.”
The League of VetaHumanz is premised on social cognitive career theory and the “Batman Effect.” Children participate in role model-led or self-guided educational experiences in which they complete veterinary-focused activities to develop a sense of belonging to the profession; engage with relatable veterinary role models to develop self-efficacy ― I CAN be a veterinary professional; and seed career expectations ― I WILL be a veterinary professional.
“Crimson Pharaoh” aka Dr. Asia Fernandes (PU DVM 2021)
During self-guided experiences, children take on the persona of a veterinary superhero. A longstanding partnership with Purdue’s Evaluation and Learning Research Center enables evaluation of the impact of the program on veterinary professionals in practice, professional skill development in veterinary student role models, and the career aspirations and veterinary knowledge of participating children. In 2021, the League received an Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The League’s 340 active veterinary role models make up 30 (and counting!) role model teams. Each team partners with community centers and schools supporting under-resourced children to deliver Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s This Is How We “Role” lessons on veterinary careers and animal health during in-school, afterschool, and summer camp programs. Locally, PVM’s team partners with the Hanna Community Center in Lafayette, Ind. In order to facilitate scaling, PVM provides 56 veterinary lessons and free online certification for veterinary role models to ensure age-appropriate and culturally responsive delivery.
Current veterinary medical students may participate as VetaHumanz-in-training. After graduation, they can receive their capes and the curriculum to continue to impact their communities as they embark on their careers as veterinary medical professionals. The League will even help them launch and lead a team at their workplace.
SUPERPOWER PACKS!
The “Stat!” SuperPower Pack highlights a Purdue emergency and critical care veterinarian, “Dreamcatcher” (aka Dr. Paula Johnson), and includes a top secret message for superheroes’ eyes only, a collectible card, stickers, a superhero cape, and “Stat!” ― a fun game for kids to learn about tools used by veterinarians.
The League of VetaHumanz also features SuperPower Packs that were developed and evaluated through the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. The SuperPower Packs are inspiring, STEM educational experiences that can be used independently by children who lack direct access to veterinary role models. The “Stat!” SuperPower Pack highlights an emergency veterinarian superhero. While playing with the kit, children learn to identify tools and instruments that veterinarians use. The “Do You Have Diarrhea?” SuperPower Pack helps children learn about causes of diarrhea in people and their animals and how to stay healthy. The “Vaccines” SuperPower Pack features a book called, “VetaHumanz Need Vaccines, Too!” about vaccines and the veterinarian’s role in vaccine development and delivery. Thanks to program sponsors, the League of VetaHumanz will give away nearly 8,000 SuperPower Packs to participating children in 2021.
Aspiring veterinarians can also visit www.VetaHumanz.org, to: learn more about the program; read about the journeys of the League’s veterinary superheroes; listen to the VetaHumanz Live! podcast hosted by “A New Dawn,” aka Dr. Tiffany Lyle, PVM assistant professor of veterinary anatomic pathology; find educational opportunities; read books; and play an online game. The site is a resource where every child can find and relate to a veterinary role model.
Take a look at the word “distinguished” in a lexicon like the Merriam Webster Dictionary and you will see that the term carries the sense of being marked by eminence, distinction, or excellence. Those also are qualities that an academic institution desires to see in its faculty. One measure of an institution’s success in that regard is the number of faculty officially designated as “Distinguished Professors,” and in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, the roll of professors with that distinction is growing.
In just the last two years the Purdue University Board of Trustees has ratified the appointments of four newly named Distinguished Professors in the college, including the first two women faculty to receive that designation in the college’s history. Dr. Ourania Andrisani was named a Distinguished Professor of Basic Medical Sciences and Dr. Deborah Knapp was named a Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology, both in 2020. Then on October 1, 2021, the trustees ratified the appointment of Dr. Harm HogenEsch, the college’s associate dean for research, as Distinguished Professor of Immunopathology. Two months later, at the trustees meeting December 3, the appointment of yet another Distinguished Professor in the college was ratified as Dr. J. Paul Robinson, a faculty member in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences and director of the Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories, was named Distinguished Professor of Cytometry.
As part of its commitment to excellence in discovery, learning, and engagement, the University awards distinguished and named professorships to outstandingly original, creative, and productive faculty whose achievements in discovery and learning have been internationally recognized or who have made a unique contribution to the University through discovery, learning, and/or engagement. “This recognition is most fitting for these phenomenal faculty members who are so talented and accomplished as scholars in their fields,” said Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed.
Dr. Ourania Andrisani joined the College of Veterinary Medicine faculty in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences in 2001, after initially coming to Purdue in 1982 as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biological Sciences, and then working as a research associate at the Walther Cancer Institute in the Department of Biochemistry. Dr. Andrisani is an international expert on the molecular biology of the hepatitis B virus, a leading cause of liver disease, including cirrhosis and highly malignant liver cancer. Her research has identified aspects of the mechanisms by which proteins expressed by the hepatitis B virus contribute to cell transformation and development of the hepatocellular carcinoma, or cancer that starts in the liver.
Dr. Andrisani is highly respected by her peers in the scientific community, as evidenced by her leadership role in the International HBV Meeting on the Molecular Biology of Hepatitis B Viruses. She also has served on National Institutes of Health study sections for nearly 20 years and has obtained major federal funding in support of her research, which has consistently been published in high-impact journals. Additionally, Dr. Andrisani has been generous with her time in mentoring postdoctoral fellows and graduate students and has participated in the campus scientific community with particularly long-standing service and contributions to the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research.
Dr. Deborah Knapp earned her DVM degree at Auburn University before coming to Purdue University in 1985. She completed her residency and earned her master’s degree at Purdue in 1988. Two years later she became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology). In 2006, she was named the Dolores L. McCall Professor of Comparative Oncology.
Dr. Knapp is regarded as the leading expert in the field of naturally occurring bladder cancer in dogs, and her research has established bladder cancer in dogs as the most relevant animal model for invasive bladder cancer in humans. Dr. Knapp is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles related to the subject.
At Purdue, Dr. Knapp has led comparative cancer research for over 20 years. Her research has focused on invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. In 2014, she received the AVMF/American Kennel Club Achievement Award in Canine Research at the Merial NIH Scholars Symposium. Additionally, Dr. Knapp has received numerous other awards for teaching and research, and in 2017 was inducted into the Purdue Research Foundation Innovator Hall of Fame. Dr. Knapp is director of the Purdue Comparative Oncology Program and a major contributor to the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research.
Dr. Harm HogenEsch is a veterinary immunologist and pathologist who came to Purdue in 1993. A world- renowned expert in vaccinology and allergic skin disease, Dr. HogenEsch is highly recognized for his research on the development of vaccines, with special expertise in the use of adjuvants to enhance the immune response. His contributions to science have benefited both human and animal health.
Dr. HogenEsch grew up in the Netherlands and earned his DVM degree from the University of Utrecht in 1984. He did his graduate training in immunology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received his PhD in 1989. He is board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. He was promoted to professor at Purdue in 2001.
Dr. HogenEsch has published 148 research articles and 20 book chapters, and has served as advisor for 11 graduate students and 11 postdoctoral fellows. He also has contributed to the training of more than 70 graduate students as a member of graduate advisory committees in departments across campus. In addition, Dr. HogenEsch has been an active member in national veterinary organizations, serving on editorial boards of immunology and pathology journals, and as a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and other granting agencies. During his tenure in the College of Veterinary Medicine, he served eight years as head of the Department of Comparative Pathobiology and now is in his 13th year as associate dean for research and graduate programs.
Dr. J. Paul Robinson holds a joint appointment as the SVM Professor of Cytomics in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences and professor of biomedical engineering in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to cytometry, including the latest spectral technology. Dr. Robinson’s work has led to 18 patents in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. In 2019, Dr. Robinson received the Distinguished Service Award from the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. He also is a past president of the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry and currently serves as editor-in-chief of “Current Protocols in Cytometry.”
Dr. Robinson earned his PhD in immunopathology from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan. In 2020, he was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which is the world’s largest general scientific society. Dr. Robinson has had a long-term interest in the evaluation of phenotypic analysis of blood cells. He and his team have developed several cell analysis technologies for functional analysis of white blood cells using flow cytometry and various imaging modalities.
Dr. Robinson has taught advanced courses in over a dozen countries, given over 160 invited international lectures, and made over 400 conference presentations. He also was an early adopter of web-based educational materials by producing one of the first-known published CD-ROMs in 1996. He has since published 15 CD-ROMS or DVDs with a total distribution of around 100,000 copies – all free-of-charge.
The appointments of Drs. Andrisani, Knapp, HogenEsch, and Robinson as Distinguished Professors brings the total number of Distinguished Professors in the College of Veterinary Medicine to six. The other two are Dr. Suresh Mittal, Distinguished Professor of Virology, and Dr. Timothy Ratliff, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Pathobiology, both in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology.
Megan Hines, an equine diagnostics and surgery technologist, holds a patient steady during a CT scan.
The Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital, a satellite facility of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, is among the first veterinary hospitals in the nation to install a specialized large gantry helical CT scanning machine. The device, manufactured by Qalibra, is adapted to the anatomy and behavior of equine patients and provides more advanced diagnostic capabilities for medical staff treating equine athletes by covering more anatomy with greater accuracy.
“The installation of the Qalibra CT puts Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital at the very forefront of a select group of practitioners globally who will be rewriting certain chapters of what we think we know,” said Dr. Timm Gudehus, the hospital’s senior equine surgeon. “That goes for the entire community of equine veterinarians. Anatomy that previously was only glimpsed by an ultrasound or X-ray can now be scanned and visualized in 3D. This is the future.”
Computerized tomography (CT) combines data from several X-rays to produce a detailed image of structures inside the body. Previously, veterinarians working with large-scale mammals relied on CTs designed for humans and were limited by the size of the gantry, which is the ring or cylinder into which the patient is placed. Typical CT machines have an opening of around 70 to 75 centimeters. With a gantry opening of 90 centimeters, the Qalibra CT has the world’s largest field-of-view, up to 85 centimeters.
“The Qalibra CT is a revolutionary tool that supports our commitment to providing the highest level of orthopedics, specialized imaging, and general and orthopedic surgery to equine athletes throughout Indiana and neighboring states.”
Designed to accommodate equine patients, the Qalibra CT offers more versatility as well as increased safety for the patient and the personnel compared to traditional machines. One of the biggest advantages of the new technology is the ability to scan regions of the body without using anesthesia. A physician treating a human patient can instruct the patient to align their body with the machine. When treating an animal, it’s the machine that must react to the patient. The Qalibra CT can be adjusted vertically and horizontally so it can be adapted to the size of the horse or the examination region.
Luis Mendoza Garcia, DVM, PhD, equine specialty intern, preps the CT
program for the incoming CT scan.
“There are still limitations depending on the size and proportions of the patient, but with this new CT, we can perform scans on the head and neck of a standing horse as well as its limbs above the carpus and tarsus,” Gudehus said. “The positioning is similar to what a horse experiences at the farrier, so it’s a very comfortable and accommodating stance that can be achieved without placing the horse in any constraints.”
Many equine athlete patients suffer from orthopedic problems. With the use of anesthesia, the Qalibra CT allows radiologists to obtain high resolution images of regions of the body such as the chest, knees and hips that aid in diagnosis and treatment.
“Once you administer general anesthesia, anything that fits through the gantry can be scanned,” Gudehus said. “We have scanned thoracic spines on adult horses, pelvises, sacroiliac joints, hip joints, the entire femur, all with and without contrast. We can conduct contrast myelograms on cervical spines, which is a huge diagnostic advantage in any case with questionable origins of neurologic symptoms.”
Developed in Germany by equine specialists in conjunction with Canon Medical, the Qalibra CT system also will be installed in the new David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital under construction on Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus with an anticipated opening in spring 2022. At that time, the College of Veterinary Medicine will have two of the three known Qalibra CT installations in the United States.
“Acquisition of these machines demonstrates the College of Veterinary Medicine’s commitment to state-of-the-art technology so that we can deliver the best possible diagnostics and care to our patients and service to our clients,” said Dr. Ellen Lowery, director of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. “The mission of the college is to advance global animal health and overall well-being through excellence in learning, discovery and engagement. Specifically in the hospital, our mission is to provide excellent, compassionate care to all the animals entrusted to our service. With the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital’s strategic location in the heart of Indiana’s horseracing and equine athlete community, it expands our capacity to deliver on our mission.”
The successful scan of the fetlock region revealed a subchondral
bone cystic lesion on the lateral condyle of the third metacarpal bone, as well
as marked sclerosis of both proximal sesamoid bones. Treatment included an intra-articular injection of platelet rich plasma.
Situated near Indiana Grand Racing and Casino in Shelbyville, Indiana, the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital opened in 2017 as a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine focused on providing advanced veterinary medical support for Indiana’s growing equine industry. In addition to racehorses, the hospital treats other types of equine athletes including Western performance horses, such as the American Quarter Horse, the most popular breed in the United States often used for barrel racing, team roping, cattle work and Western pleasure horsemanship, as well as warmbloods that compete in dressage or show jumping.
“We treat a lot of sports medicine-related cases, such as lameness or orthopedic issues,” Gudehus said. “These are conditions that usually contribute to an equine athlete’s failure to perform as expected whether it’s speed index or overall performance level. Another common ailment is upper airway obstructions, which are fairly common in young racehorses. Because of the hospital’s reputation in the performance horse industry, we’re pulling cases from as far away as North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Pennsylvania.”
Gudehus, who specializes in equine surgery as well as elective orthopedics and fracture repair, upper airway and laparoscopy, was tapped to head the Specialty Hospital after serving as the lead surgeon at one of the largest and fastest-growing animal hospitals in Europe where he worked on Olympic-level warmblood horses. The Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital provides an expert level of medical services to performance horses throughout the region. The staff of 20 includes two equine surgeons.
“It’s not always easy to make the trek to West Lafayette, especially with an injured large animal,” Lowery said. “The Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital is advantageously located right in the heart of Indiana’s horse racing industry and its performance horse industry as well. The quality of the facility coupled with the expertise of Dr. Gudehus enables us to bring advanced medical and surgical services directly to the region where those horses and their owners are located.”
Just like human athletes, there are a variety of different injuries that can occur with equine athletes that are unique to elite performers. Depending on the severity of the injury, swift diagnosis can be critical in determining a treatment protocol. The Qalibra CT enables the medical staff to obtain more thorough and accurate assessments of a patient’s injury in less time than traditional methods.
“Thus far, we’re averaging about five cases a week, but as owners and trainers learn about these advanced diagnostic capabilities, I expect we’ll see that number grow drastically,” Gudehus said. “The Qalibra CT is a revolutionary tool that supports our commitment to providing the highest level of orthopedics, specialized imaging, and general and orthopedic surgery to equine athletes throughout Indiana and neighboring states.”
EQUINE SURGEON JOINS SPECIALTY HOSPITAL
Dr. Javier Martinez joined the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital as an equine surgeon in 2021. Martinez earned his MVZ (DVM equivalent) in 2013 from the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico. He worked as an associate veterinarian at an equine hospital in Mexico before completing an internship at Chino Valley Equine Hospital in Chino Hills, Calif. Martinez then completed an equine surgery internship at Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital followed by a large animal surgery residency program in 2021 at Virginia Tech Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center before returning to the Specialty Hospital to serve on staff. Martinez’ areas of interest include equine abdominal emergency surgery, minimally invasive surgical endoscopic techniques, and sports medicine-related surgical procedures.
This is a Purdue Veterinary Medicine story that begins nowhere near Purdue’s campus in West Lafayette, Ind. It starts at separate homes ― one on a family farm in Ohio, and the other at the residence of a family involved in medicine in New Jersey. The common thread involves love and the human-animal bond.
To begin, meet Janice, a first-generation college student who found her way from the family farm in Ohio to Purdue University, where she graduated at the top of her class in nutrition research and dietetics. As she looks back on that experience, one thing that stands out in her mind is the impact of scholarships. “Without scholarships, I would not have made it through my education, which provided me a solid foundation for a successful career,” said Janice.
After working as a food scientist for General Foods in New York for two-and-a-half years, Janice shifted from the laboratory to marketing research and finally into a marketing role in product management. She worked 11 years in the food industry before moving to product development for Oil of Olay at Richardson-Vicks. Two years later she followed her ambition to start her own marketing and marketing research consulting practice.
“We carry a fundamental belief that there is no better use of money than to provide the opportunity for education to someone who would otherwise not be able to afford it.”
― Janice and Ted Strauss
Then there’s Ted, the boy who grew up in New Jersey and went to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where he graduated in 1965 with a degree in mathematics and without any educational debt due to support that his parents were able to provide (since 2008, Bowdoin has been one of 19 undergraduate colleges and universities in the United States where all students graduate debt-free). Ted then continued his education at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany, earning his master’s degree in mathematics before volunteering to enter the U.S. Public Health Service as a commissioned officer in Information Technology. Three years later, he took a position with IBM, and remained with the company for a total of 31 years. Throughout his career, he worked as a programmer, instructor, systems engineer, and finished his time in several middle management positions.
Janice Strauss and her beloved companion, Linus.
Following his retirement from IBM in 1999, he founded Ted Strauss Websites, LLC, designing and maintaining websites for small businesses ― a love that remains with him today, even after helping more than 450 small businesses!
Today, these two individuals are known by their life together as Janice and Ted Strauss. Their shared interests include period American antiques, which sprung from buying and restoring their 1734 saltbox home in 1977. After uncovering a previously unrealized passion for researching antique furnishings, Janice made her last career change, becoming a self-taught dealer of American antique furniture. “It may seem strange, but dealing in American antique furniture requires highly technical skills combined with a strong aesthetic sense,” Janice said.
They also found enjoyment in escaping from life on the land by setting sail on the waters of New England in their classic Sabre 34 sloop, “Eagle’s Wing”. For over 50 years during the warm months, they have enjoyed sailing with a variety of cats, including one special companion ― their first mate of choice in 2009, a cat named Linus. No coaxing was needed to get their beloved feline companion to join them. Linus adored the open sea and spent a large portion of his life sailing with the Strauss family.
Life, however, can be a mix of joy and sadness. For Janice and Ted, profound sadness came in the form of a diagnosis of terminal cancer for Linus at age 10. As they worked through the intense grief that followed the passing of their dearest friend and companion, they connected with Purdue Veterinary Medicine Associate Professor of Comparative Oncology Michael Childress. A board certified specialist in oncology and head of the Oncology Section in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Childress helped Janice and Ted learn about the cancer that took the life of their beloved Linus. Through this tragedy, they formed a bond with the college and began to learn more about what is involved in getting a veterinary medical education. Their research brought them full circle back to an issue Janice had faced personally herself. They were astounded to realize the level of indebtedness that many veterinary students must incur to pursue their passion of helping animals by becoming Doctors of Veterinary Medicine.
“This is so astounding, it is hard to put into words how much this means to our college and how much of a difference this will make in the lives of students and the animals they will treat and care for in the future.”
― Dean Willie Reed
As Janice and Ted thought about their desire to promote the health of animals and support the education of those who provide the veterinary care and treatment animals need, they decided to take significant action. Remembering the example of Bowdoin College where graduates earn their degrees debt-free, Janice and Ted wanted to give back at that kind of level and enable veterinary students to also graduate with no debt.
So they went to work and through their estate plans, created the Janice Filipowicz Strauss and William Theodore Strauss III Memorial Scholarship Endowment that will one day fund several full-ride veterinary scholarships covering all expenses for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. In so doing, they will create something very unique in the veterinary medical profession ― a comprehensive financial package to provide future veterinary graduates a financially free start on their careers dedicated to animal health and well-being.
Ted Strauss relaxes with fellow reading enthusiast and first mate, Mieze the kitten.
“This truly will be an incredible opportunity for the future of our college, empowering us to recruit the most excellent students,” said Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed. “Scholarships at this level also will impact the recruitment and retention of excellent faculty and staff. This is so astounding, it is hard to put into words how much this means to our college and how much of a difference this will make in the lives of students and the animals they will treat and care for in the future.”
As Janice and Ted attribute their own success in life to the generosity that others extended to them in their educations, they felt it was only appropriate to create the same life-changing opportunities for such a worthy cause as educating future veterinarians. “It is an honor to welcome Janice and Ted into our PVM family,” Dean Reed said. “We feel so fortunate because of all of the support they are providing through this significant contribution.”
Meanwhile, Janice and Ted continue to set sail regularly with their new first mate, a kitten named “Mieze” (which rhymes with “pizza” and is the German word for “pussycat”), knowing that their generosity will help many students in the future set sail on their own dreams of becoming veterinarians and helping countless other animals, perhaps even some other sailors’ first mates.
INSPIRING THE NEXT GIANT LEAP
At Purdue University, we believe in transformative education that’s accessible for all. With the generosity shown by the Strauss family, future Boilermakers will be granted the opportunity to leave their mark. In small steps and giant leaps, we can make an impact on student support, together.
An air of anticipation fills the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine as construction of a new veterinary hospital complex reaches substantial completion with the start of 2022. A dedication ceremony is scheduled for Friday, April 8, and tours will be provided to the public during the day on April 9, in conjunction with the college’s annual Open House.
The new facilities are located just east of Lynn Hall, which has served as the home of the college since the first class of veterinary students enrolled in 1959. Lynn Hall not only houses academic and office space, as well as laboratories for teaching and scientific discovery, it also contains the existing Small and Large Animal Hospitals. The new facilities will replace the Large Animal Hospital and provide for expansion of the Small Animal Hospital.
Named in recognition of a major gift by a PVM alumnus and his wife, the new David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex will encompass more than 160,000 square feet of new hospital space on 13 acres. “We are excited to see our new Purdue University Veterinary Hospital facilities nearing completion,” said Dr. Ellen Lowery, hospital director. “The new facilities will feature the latest designs and equipment, complementing the expertise of our faculty and staff to provide the most advanced level of care and treatment to our animal patients.”
Notable components of the new complex include a separate hospital for equine patients, a stand-alone facility for farm animals, and a new structure that will expand the Small Animal Hospital by adding 65,000 square feet to the existing 40,000 square foot facility in Lynn Hall. The new David and Bonnie Brunner Small Animal Hospital building will provide state-of-the-art space for the heavily utilized Emergency and Critical Care Service and Intensive Care Unit as well as Anesthesiology, Diagnostic Imaging, Internal Medicine, Orthopedic and Soft Tissue Surgery, and Neurology and Physical Therapy. Moreover, it will double the number of exam rooms to a total of 30 and add 11 new operating rooms.
David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital
The new David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital contains 73,000 square feet of space and will provide advanced capabilities to enhance diagnostics, surgical, and medical care. Additionally, the Equine Hospital will have its own Intensive Care Unit and dedicated space for Anesthesiology, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Outpatient Services, and a special Equine Theriogenology unit that will provide the latest in reproductive medicine and surgery.
The new hospital also will include a separate section for diagnostic imaging with the latest imaging equipment, including the advanced Qalibra Computed Tomography (CT) system that features the largest field-of-view for a CT machine, and an adjustable height to match the size of the patient, making it possible to scan equine patients while they are safely standing or under general anesthesia or light sedation.
“We are excited to be able to provide equine athletes and their owners access to the state-of-the-art Qalibra CT system both here in West Lafayette, as well as at our Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital in Shelbyville,” said Dr. Lowery. “This capability really moves us into the forefront of advanced equine diagnostics and treatment.”
The 24,000 square foot David and Bonnie Brunner Farm Animal Hospital will have separate sections for cattle, goats, and swine as well as an isolation area and dedicated space for Surgery Services. Together, the Equine Hospital and Farm Animal Hospitals will replace the outdated Large Animal Hospital facilities in Lynn Hall. Moreover, the new hospital complex will enable a 30% increase in hospital caseload, and accommodate a future 35% expansion in veterinary student enrollment.
David and Bonnie Brunner Farm Animal Hospital
“These new state-of-the art facilities will enhance our capability to provide top-quality, compassionate animal health care and provide a wonderful learning environment for our students as we educate the next generation of veterinarians and veterinary nurses,” said PVM Dean Willie Reed. “Additionally, the new facilities will enable our faculty to advance their clinical research programs that involve clinical trials.”
The $108 million veterinary hospital project is being funded with $73 million in support from the State of Indiana and $35 million from Purdue University and the College of Veterinary Medicine. “As these new hospital buildings near completion, you can really get a sense of the massive scope of this project,” Dr. Lowery said. “Every day brings us closer to even better patient care, client service, and student education. I am very grateful to our clients who have been understanding and appreciative, despite the challenges with parking, construction noise, and communication. With the talented, dedicated, and compassionate professionals who make up our Veterinary Hospital team, we are ready like never before to advance veterinary medicine and enhance both animal and human health and well-being across Indiana and beyond.”
The dedicated work of the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory team at Purdue University took on an added dimension of importance in 2020 as the facility performed the necessary validation work to start testing human samples for COVID-19 in support of the Protect Purdue initiative. The ADDL’s role grew even more significant this year as the University sought help identifying COVID-19 variants.
“Sequencing to detect variants was originally started at Purdue in the early spring of 2021,” explained Dr. Rebecca Wilkes, associate professor of molecular diagnostics in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology and head of the ADDL Molecular and Virology Sections. Dr. Wilkes said they started noticing telltale “S drop-outs” in their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on the COVID-19 samples and were aware that this could be associated with the Alpha variant. Since another Purdue faculty member’s lab across campus already was set-up to do the necessary sequencing and could get results quickly, the ADDL sent the samples there to determine the presence of the variant.
Dr. Wilkes explains that to date, all the sequencing has been performed for surveillance purposes to detect the presence of a variant, but not to manage patient care. Because of that, the sequencing does not have to be performed in a lab that has Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certification, something the other lab lacks. The ADDL, however, is CLIA certified, because it had to complete the arduous process of obtaining the certification before it could start conducting PCR tests on human COVID-19 samples in 2020.
There has been interest in having the ADDL perform the sequencing because of its CLIA certification, in case sequencing is ever needed for patient management. “Say, for example, if the virus changes to a point that it affects whether certain treatments would become ineffective, that would be important for medical professionals to know from a case-management standpoint,” explained Dr. Wilkes.
She also notes that the ADDL has a different sequencing instrument than the one used in the other Purdue lab, so the ADDL has to use a different protocol to conduct the sequencing. Coincidentally, the Purdue faculty member who ran the other lab left the University in the meantime. “We verified the protocol in our laboratory during the summer of 2021,” Dr. Wilkes said. “Our protocol and plan validation work was approved by our CLIA medical director on August 24 and we started sequencing samples immediately after that.”
The Protect Purdue Heath Center (PPHC) has been targeting positives for sequencing from individuals who have been fully vaccinated, but are showing clinical symptoms, Dr. Wilkes explains. “These have been the vast majority of our samples for sequencing. Additionally, PPHC is sending positives from individuals with a history of travel, despite vaccination status. So far, we have sequenced more than 500 samples, and we are sequencing more samples each week.”
Dr. Wilkes has a postdoctoral research associate, Dr. Jobin Kattoor, who is performing the bench work and then Dr. Wilkes does all the analysis. She says initially, nearly all the samples were the Delta variant (that includes B.1.617.2 and AY lineages), but the Omicron variant has rapidly taken over Delta as the main circulating variant. Omicron currently makes up approximately 95% of the sequenced variants in the US, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on January 1, 2022. “We already have sequenced over 100 omicron samples now to confirm this variant on campus,” Dr. Wilkes said. “Cases are rising on campus directly as a result of this variant.” According to a statement on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, “Current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant. However, breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are likely to occur.” Dr. Wilkes says many infections have been confirmed in vaccinated individuals, but the vast majority of the cases have been mild.
“All of this effort and the expertise required to carefully and accurately carry out this testing and sequencing highlights the value of the ADDL to Purdue University and the State of Indiana,” said ADDL Director Kenitra Hendrix. “While our primary mission and first priority remains diagnostic support of animal health and the safety of the food supply, we appreciate this unique opportunity to assist with COVID-19 testing, as well as sequencing to identify variants, given our special expertise and capabilities that we customarily use in infectious disease testing and immunity surveillance for animals across Indiana. It is rewarding to have been able to take on this role in support of Purdue University and our state.”
As a Gold Level sponsor, the College of Veterinary Medicine hosted a display at the annual event that drew a crowd of people and dogs September 11 in the museum parking lot.
The PVM booth, staffed by Marketing and Communications Manager Kelly Dold, featured art activities, including opportunities to decorate PVM dog bandanas.
Come. Sit. Stay. That was the fun motto for a festive outdoor event called “Art, Bark, ‘n Brew” held during a beautiful weekend in September, at the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, with the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine as a Gold Level sponsor. Both people and dogs were invited to the annual event, which featured live music, pup-friendly activities at booths set-up by several organizations including the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the EMT Food Truck and Thieme & Wagner Brewery, which provided food and brew. Natalie’s Second Chance Dog Shelter also was on-hand with adoptable dogs.
Located in downtown Lafayette on the museum’s grounds, the popular event was well-attended by children and adults along with plenty of well- behaved pooches. As a sponsor, the College of Veterinary Medicine received prominent mention in event promotional materials as well as prime booth space. Kelly Dold, marketing and communications manager for the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital and Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, organized and staffed the booth, which featured a table with information and promotional items, as well as dog bowls and scarves that children could decorate with markers. The college’s display was a hit with both young artists and pups!
In addition to the college, other event sponsors included Pets and Vets as Partners; Pooch Palace Resort; Stepping Stone Animal Training; Pawsitive Pets, LLC; VCA Paw Prints Animal Hospital/VCA Lafayette Animal Hospital; and Pooch at Play Doggie Daycare.
The College of Veterinary Medicine’s participation as lead sponsor for the Art, Bark, ’n Brew event reflects its long collaboration with the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette. In 2020, the college was recognized with the museum’s Presidential Award ― the highest honor bestowed by the museum on a business or organization. The award honored the college’s long-standing commitment to the arts through it’s partnership with the museum.
Additionally, PVM Dean Willie Reed is beginning a new role to further help the museum. He was elected this fall to a three-year term on the board of the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette Foundation, Inc.
A longstanding Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine tradition of recognizing outstanding faculty during the annual Purdue Veterinary Conference continued in a virtual format in 2021. The annual Awards Celebration September 10 included the presentation of the prestigious Raymond E. Plue Outstanding Teacher Award along with several other awards for faculty service, research, and teaching.
The Raymond E. Plue Outstanding Teacher Award is funded by an endowment established by Dr. Plue, a member of the DVM Class of 1968, to recognize faculty members for their teaching ability, as well as their role in fostering interest in research. To be considered for this honor, a faculty member must be nominated by veterinary alumni in the five most recent graduating classes. The 2021 recipient is Dr. Darryl Ragland, associate professor of food animal production medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and head of the Production Medicine Section in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.
Dr. Ragland earned his DVM degree at Tuskegee University before coming to Purdue for a residency in food animal medicine and surgery and continuing on to earn his PhD. He then joined the Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty in 1999 as an assistant professor.
Dr. Ragland splits his time between clinical practice, teaching, and research. Much of his research focuses on swine nutrition, though recently he also published a study entitled, “Assessment of Biosecurity Policies and Practices for Controlling African Swine Fever Virus on Ukrainian Pig Farms.” To date, Dr. Ragland’s research has been published in 52 peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Ragland also fulfills multiple teaching responsibilities in the college including teaching swine production medicine and nutrition to DVM students. In addition, Dr. Ragland recently became very involved in creating a new food animal medicine course for which he is now instructor-of-record. He also played a major role in the college’s animal husbandry courses, working with Emeritus Professor Michael Hill. Moreover, Dr. Ragland has served as the faculty advisor for 38 DVM students and has participated on graduate committees for more than 30 graduate students.
In addition to the Plue Award, eight other faculty awards were presented during the virtual awards program. The honors recognized the following individuals for outstanding teaching, research, and engagement:
Alumni Faculty Award for Excellence
Ann Weil, MS, DVM, DACVA
Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences Anesthesiology Section Head,Purdue University Veterinary Hospital
Associate Professor of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Department of Comparative Pathobiology Section Head, Clinical Pathology Laboratory
Excellence in Teaching Award
Andrew Woolcock, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)
Associate Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence
Maggie O’Haire, PhD
Associate Professor of Human-Animal Interaction, Department of Comparative Pathobiology
Excellence in Research Award
Marxa Figueiredo, PhD
Associate Professor of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Basic Medical Sciences
Excellence in Service Award
Rebecca Wilkes, DVM, PhD
Associate Professor of Molecular Diagnostics, Department of Comparative Pathobiology Molecular and Virology Section Head,Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award
Susan Mendrysa, PhD
Associate Professor of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Basic Medical Sciences
The awards ceremony was just one of many highlights of the virtual 2021 Purdue Veterinary Conference September 7-10. The conference attracted 645 registered participants including veterinarians, veterinary nurses, and Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty, staff, and students, who were able to attend without leaving home or office.
The conference line-up featured 67 sessions presented by 40 speakers. General education sessions were conducted in a live, synchronous format, hosted through the conference app, Whova. In the virtual Exhibit Hall, a total of 17 exhibitors provided videos, chat opportunities, and prizes for attendees who were able to peruse the virtual exhibits with a simple click or two.
Plan now to participate in the 2022 Purdue Veterinary Conference set for September 20-24 on the Purdue University West Lafayette campus.
Recognize Alumni for Excellence in the Veterinary Profession
