The College of Veterinary Medicine’s philanthropic family continues to provide expanded support for veterinary students, animal health care, and research initiatives. The 2021-22 fiscal year was the second year in a row in which the college exceeded a total of $20 million in philanthropic support. From alumni, to clients, to animal lovers and our own faculty, staff, and students, we are grateful for the investments that enhance Purdue Veterinary Medicine programs and meet vital needs. Some highlights from the most recent fiscal year include:
Several major gifts and hundreds of annual giving dollars came together to bring new and necessary equipment to the brand new David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex.
Dr. Donald McCrosky (PU DVM ’68) named the Donald J. McCrosky Equine Sports Medicine Center in support of equine research.
Mr. D. Mike Asem (PU Liberal Arts 2014) created a veterinary scholarship honoring his father, Dr. Elikplimi Asem, a long-time PVM professor of physiology, former associate dean for research, and former interim dean.
Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning student Karen “Coco” Schefmeyer and her husband, Don, established an endowment to perpetually support distance learning students. This new scholarship is helping to draw vital attention to the importance of veterinary nurses in the veterinary workforce.
Drusilla and Tom Sawyer, clients of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital, pledged significant perpetual funding for the hospital’s Cardiology Service to ensure its longevity and growth over time.
Numerous new annual donors joined existing loyal supporters in giving to our Priority 4 Paws Shelter Medicine Program, which supports pet adoptions by providing spay and neuter surgeries for shelter animals while simultaneously providing hands-on experience for DVM and veterinary nursing students.
We are deeply grateful for the ongoing loyal support of our donors. Thank you for entrusting us to bring good to the world through veterinary medicine.
Q/A with Donor Mike Asem
Dr. Elikplimi Asem
These comments in question-and-answer format reflect Mr. Mike Asem’s thoughts about giving to Purdue Veterinary Medicine in honor of his father, longtime professor of physiology, Dr. Elikplimi Asem.
Describe your affiliation and history with Purdue Veterinary Medicine?
It was my father’s work at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine that first introduced me to being a lifelong fan of the university. When I went to Purdue for my own college education I had many great opportunities, including my first experiences with startups, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Mike Asem stands beside the “Unfinished Block P” sculpture on the Purdue West Lafayette campus – a symbol of the importance of lifelong learning and self-improvement for all members of the Purdue family.
What influenced you to make a gift to support the college?
My father has contributed over 30 years of his life to the college, and I know that his time there has been one of the most rewarding experiences in his life.
What inspired you to honor your father through your gift?
Among my father’s many contributions and achievements, he was the first Black person to become full professor in the history of the College of Veterinary Medicine. He also was the first Black person to serve as associate dean for research and interim dean of the college.
How do you hope to encourage others through your philanthropy?
Without scholarships my father would not have been able to receive a university education, and therefore would not have been able to have the fulfilling career he has had. It is our hope that others can experience increased opportunities that lead to rewarding careers in the veterinary medical profession as well.
After a demonstration of the high-speed equine treadmill, Leila the horse joins (left-right) Lois McCrosky; Laura Murray, RVT, research technologist; Dr. Katie Ivester, equine research scientist; Dean Willie Reed; Dr. Donald McCrosky; and Dr. Laurent Couëtil, director of the newly named Donald J. McCrosky Equine Sports Medicine Center.
The significance and appropriateness of the moment was patently evident to Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed as he spoke to the people who gathered at Lynn Hall to honor alumnus and longtime equine veterinarian Don McCrosky and his wife, Lois, of Waterloo, Illinois, for their gift to support Equine Sports Medicine. “You know, Don, it is so fitting that you and Lois do this,” Dean Reed said. Turning to the others in the room, he continued, “I’ve learned a little about Don’s history… when he was five years old he learned how to manage his father’s team of horses. And then his grandfather gave him his first horse. So, he’s had a love affair with horses his whole life.”
That love affair now is reflected in the identity of the Donald J. McCrosky Equine Sports Medicine Center, named in recognition of a $3 million gift from the McCroskys. “And so, at five years old, I bet you couldn’t have envisioned today,” Dean Reed said to Dr. McCrosky at the ceremony September 23. “But look at how things have happened. What you’re now able to do for horses is just a wonderful and fitting thing.”
In expressing his appreciation for the McCroskys’ support, the Equine Sports Medicine Center director, Dr. Laurent Couëtil, professor of large animal internal medicine, said he looks forward to the multifaceted impact that the gift will have in the years to come. “When I came to Purdue 27 years ago it was to help launch the Equine Sports Medicine Center and pari-mutuel betting had just been approved in the state,” Dr. Couëtil explained. “The Indiana legislature had the foresight to set aside $150,000 per year from taxes on pari-mutuel revenues to benefit equine research. And that really was foundational for us to be able to accomplish what we are doing.” Dr. Couëtil went on to explain how that investment supported more than 70 research projects totalling almost $1 million over that 20 year period. “That has led to many discoveries that have benefitted horses across the globe, literally. And with your gift of $3 million we will be able to double our research effort going forward. And we will be able to train the next generation of equine researchers, which is obviously very exciting to me, because that will be our legacy later on — that is what we can pass on.”
Dr. Donald McCrosky and his wife, Lois, were presented with the Pinnacle Award by Purdue for Life Foundation CEO Matt Folk (left) and Dean Willie Reed.
The recognition ceremony followed a demonstration of the center’s high speed equine treadmill. The McCroskys had a front row view of a horse running in place at full gallop, below a sign that bears the new name of the Donald J. McCrosky Equine Sports Medicine Center. The McCroskys also met some of the staff and students who work and learn in the center. “We can’t thank you enough for this amazing gift,” Dr. Couëtil told the McCroskys. “It will lay a strong foundation for us to continue the sports medicine and the research that we do, and the excellent practice that we also do at Purdue. I think it is a wonderful opportunity for the college, for the faculty and for the students to make a long-lasting impact on our patients and horse owners in Indiana and beyond.”
The afternoon’s program concluded with CEO of the Purdue for Life Foundation, Matt Folk, presenting the Purdue President’s Council Distinguished Pinnacle Award to Dr. McCrosky, a distinction reserved for those who have reached a pinnacle in giving with the university. Noting that Dr. McCrosky earned his Purdue DVM degree in 1968 before opening his own practice in southwestern Illinois, which included small and large animals, Folk explained how the small animal practice was sold in 2004 so Dr. McCrosky could focus solely on equine medicine, specializing in reproduction. Folk added that beyond the veterinary practice, the McCroskys own more than 50 race horses and brood mares and race their horses in the Chicago and St. Louis areas. In addition to naming the center, Dr. McCrosky also has supported both of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine Hospitals, including the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital in Shelbyville, Indiana, and the new David and Bonnie Brunner Equine Hospital on the Purdue campus.
“This is a joy to me,” Dr. McCrosky said as he accepted the award. “I’m very happy that I was able to do it. Purdue has meant a lot to me. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for Purdue.”
Click here to read the full announcement on the McCrosky’s gift following approval from the Purdue University Board of Trustees April 8.
Indiana is home to more than 800 dairy farms, generating an average of nearly $700 million in direct farm income annually, according to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. The average dairy cow produces around 2,320 gallons of milk per year, but metabolic disorders can affect that output as well as animal well-being.
Dr. Rafael Neves, Purdue Veterinary Medicine assistant professor of food animal production medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, studies the link between subclinical hypocalcemia and hyperketonemia with systemic inflammation in cows. As an epidemiologist, he performs population-based studies to better understand risk factors and mitigation strategies to decrease the impact of metabolic diseases on the health and performance of dairy cows.
“Parturition is an inflammatory process,” said Dr. Neves, who also serves as section head for the Purdue University Farm Animal Hospital’s Bovine Field Service. “There is a normal degree of systemic inflammation observed after a cow gives birth, but when there is excess inflammation or the inflammation does not resolve quickly enough, those cows are at a greater risk to suffer from diseases and production losses. Concomitantly, calcium and energy requirements increase to support colostrum and milk production, and cows that fail to quickly adapt to those changes are also in limbo.”
Treatment of subclinical metabolic disorders remains difficult because a blood test is the only way to confirm a cow is affected and it’s not known why some cows develop a condition while others do not. Subclinical hypocalcemia and hyperketonemia (subclinical ketosis) are two major metabolic disorders afflicting high-producing dairy cows. Commonly associated with disorders like metritis (the infection and inflammation of the uterus), displacement of the abomasum — one part of the cow’s stomach — and lower milk production, these metabolic diseases may affect up to 50 percent of cows, according to Dr. Neves.
“Lower performing cows will be culled from the herd,” Dr. Neves said. “It’s a big problem for the industry. My lab has characterized that a great proportion of cows suffering from metabolic disorders also suffer from systemic inflammation. We want to figure out how inflammation can predispose cows to metabolic disorders.”
To conduct his research, Dr. Neves works with specific populations in commercial dairy herds to conduct large observational studies. The collected data and blood samples are then analyzed in the lab where researchers attempt to understand how an animal responds to a specific stressor.
Prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders that occur during a cow’s transition period — approximately three weeks pre- until three weeks post-calving — are essential to maintaining the animal’s health and well-being. The average dairy cow is sold after three lactation cycles and typically needs to produce enough milk to cover the cost of its upkeep. Otherwise, it will be sold earlier.
“We strive to maintain animal health and welfare, but the dairy industry is tied to economics,” Dr. Neves said. “Understanding how to correctly identify, prevent and treat subclinical disorders earlier is necessary to maintain performance. Ultimately, we need to do a better job to increase cow longevity.”
Dr. Neves with a calf at the Purdue Animal Sciences Research and Education Center in West Lafayette, Indiana. To conduct his research, Dr. Neves works with specific populations in commercial dairy herds to conduct large observational studies.
Dairy cows must calve to produce milk which means they’re typically bred once a year to maintain a lactation cycle. If a cow gets sick after giving birth, it will take longer to conceive again, which will drag out the lactation cycle and affect milk production.
“Farmers need healthy cows,” Dr. Neves said. “There is a huge pressure in the industry to maintain a strong lactation curve and maximize profits.”
Dr. Neves, who first began working in production medicine during an externship at the University of Minnesota, maintains a holistic focus in his quest to determine how systemic inflammation affects mineral and energy metabolism in cows. Although metabolic disorders like subclinical hypocalcemia and hyperketonemia are associated with inflammation, the mechanisms that connect them are unknown. Dr. Neves and his team are testing theories to determine the correlation.
Humans have a lipokine produced by brown adipose tissue that signals muscle cells to increase fatty acid oxidation and provide energy when glucose is scarce. In conjunction with the Metabolite Profiling Facility at Purdue’s Bindley Bioscience Center, Dr. Neves and his team recently found that cows suffering from greater systemic inflammation in the postpartum had decreased plasma concentrations of this lipokine.
“We don’t know whether adult cows have brown adipose tissue and where those depots are located, but we do know that cows that are overly inflamed have significantly lower levels of this lipokine, which suggests they were perhaps not as fit to oxidize fatty acids in their muscles right after giving birth,” Dr. Neves said. “This may be a potential mechanism that can help explain why we see some cows with greater systemic inflammation and hyperketonemia, for instance.”
“Postpartum cows must rely on free fatty acids and ketones as an energy source in peripheral tissues as the mammary gland requires large amounts of glucose for milk production,” Dr. Neves explained. “My lab is now performing more mechanistic studies to understand how skeletal muscle function may help the postpartum cow to counterbalance the excess free fatty acids in circulation and, potentially, systemic inflammation. We also are characterizing the effects of the lipokine found to be relevant in observational studies using isolated bovine muscle cells in vitro.”
In his studies, Dr. Neves has found that some farms suffer more from metabolic disorders than others, which is a common trend for many diseases among cattle, but most farms are encountering subclinical disorders to some extent. Improving the quality of life for dairy cows and helping farmers make their operations more profitable drives Dr. Neves’ research. Genetics plays a role in disease susceptibility, but proper management is just as important to maintaining optimum animal health.
“As an industry, we have pushed these cows genetically to their greatest ability,” Dr. Neves said. “It’s amazing the level of production we can attain in some of these cows. The industry has evolved in its practices to be more attuned to animal welfare. I want to provide solutions that help maintain healthy, productive cows.”
The industrialization of dairy cattle in the 1950s led to huge changes in the industry, including advancements in science, implementation of technological tools and demands from the consumer market. Despite all the progress, there are still more opportunities to implement new methodologies to improve the lives and health of dairy cows.
“With every new finding we uncover so many other questions we can try to answer,” Dr. Neves said. “We have so much to learn about how one organ communicates with another or how different systems affect each other. As scientists, we tend to get very focused on one thing. We must also remember that everything is interconnected, and once we learn how to connect those dots, it leads to great discoveries.”
Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories Aim to Develop Portable Toxin and Pathogen Detection Device
Dr. Paul Robinson with the $1 million cell sorter named Bigfoot in the Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories in Lynn Hall. (Photo by David Mason)
An estimated 48 million people in the United States experience foodborne illness each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, 128,000 cases require hospitalization and 3,000 result in death. A 2010 report published by the Produce Safety Project estimated that foodborne illnesses cost $152 billion in medical expenses, lost productivity and business, lawsuits and compromised branding.
A research team at the Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories, headed by Dr. J. Paul Robinson, Distinguished Professor of Cytometry in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Basic Medical Sciences, and professor of biomedical engineering in Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, is working on a number of separate but inter-related projects funded by grants from the USDA to develop rapid diagnostics for pathogen detection, food safety and organism identification.
Detection of these pathogens is fundamental to identifying and minimizing foodborne disease outbreaks. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, a laser-based technique used to detect and analyze the chemical and physical characteristics of cells, can measure toxins and pathogens in food that cause food-related illnesses such as botulism, Salmonella sp., or E. coli. One of the lab’s primary goals is to develop technologies that reduce the time and expense involved in detecting pathogens and toxins in food. For example, portable detection systems would enable farmers to identify and treat toxins in grain before it gets mixed with other grains in a silo, contaminating the entire harvest and potentially entering the food system.
“The current standard of laboratory detection technologies requires complex and expensive equipment,” said Dr. Robinson. “The food distribution network is vast. Food goes through manufacturing, to the store, to a restaurant or home. The USDA is very keen on developing low-cost rapid detection technologies that are easy to use.”
The tests being developed in the Cytometry Laboratories are similar to the COVID-19 rapid tests that users conduct at home. The research team has developed chemistries that test a single sample for multiple antigens or reagents concurrently. These multiplex assays typically require a few days in the lab to produce results. The goal is to develop portable tests that could deliver results in minutes.
One such project, funded by the Indiana Corn Growers Association, is geared toward identifying fungi in corn and wheat. For that project, Dr. Robinson is collaborating with Dr. Euiwon Bae, senior research scientist in the College of Mechanical Engineering and Dr. Bartek Rajwa, associate research professor in the Bindley Bioscience Center.
“Dr. Bae brings the ability to build mechanical devices and Dr. Rajwa brings the informatics and statistical analysis expertise necessary to implement complex classification algorithms,” Dr. Robinson said. “This work requires an interdisciplinary approach.”
Dr. Bae is leading an effort to develop cell phone-based devices for detection that would report results and tag them with a GPS coordinate to identify the location of the collected sample. Portable diagnostic testing would save the food industry millions in wasted product while also preventing foodborne illnesses, particularly for regions of the world such as Africa where the toxins often go undetected and food is harvested and produced, resulting in widespread illness.
“When we have portability, we have the power of instant knowledge and instant access,” Dr. Robinson said. “It could be a produce store in Indiana, a cheese farm in Switzerland or a grain distribution site in Kenya. Rapid detection of toxins or pathogens in food will reduce foodborne diseases. Whether the contamination is intentional or unintentional, we need to be able to quickly identify it, often on-site. It’s just not always practical to take samples, send them to a central lab and wait to receive the results in a few days.”
The Importance of Authentication
Another aspect of Dr. Robinson’s center is work driven by Dr. Bartek Rajwa and is focused on food authentication. When a bottle claims it is 100% extra virgin olive oil, meaning it’s unadulterated oil from olives using no chemicals, can consumers trust the label is accurate?
“Food can be contaminated by many things, not only toxins,” Dr. Rajwa said. “Sometimes people intentionally contaminate food to change its properties. We are developing a technology to determine whether a product is pure or not. Does it come from the particular region it claims? Has it been contaminated? Has it been mixed with something else?”
When products are manufactured in bulk, they can be tested in bulk before they are distributed. If the product is found to be contaminated before it enters the food stream, it can be dealt with at the factory. Dr. Robinson points out the 2008 milk scandal in China where a company producing infant formula adulterated its product with the chemical melamine to boost the nitrogen content of the diluted milk in order to pass quality control testing. The contaminated formula resulted in widespread kidney damage among infants. Pets also are at risk from potential food contamination. Research documented cases in 2004 and 2007 of melamine and cyanuric acid contamination of pet food that resulted in fatal outbreaks of pet food-associated renal failure in several cats and dogs. Similar international contamination of food is also possible as an act of biological warfare, something the lab’s rapid tests could be used to detect as well. These circumstances point to the One Health implications of Dr. Robinson’s work as a means of providing for the safety of both people and animals.
Safety of troops is another concern. “When you have troops stationed in other countries, you don’t necessarily ship all the food to them, you source food locally,” Dr. Robinson said. “When you local source, you want to be able to test that the food given to the troops is safe.”
Broader Applications
Although the lab is currently focused on detection of foodborne illnesses and toxins, the portable test technology has multiple potential applications, particularly for the medical field.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, some ICU patients requiring ventilators were exhibiting aggressive immune system responses known as cytokine storms. Cytokines are small molecules made mostly by white blood cells that balance responses of the immune system to bacteria and viruses. When the immune system overreacts, cytokines can be overproduced.
“It was documented in the published literature that people dying from COVID-19 were having these huge inflammatory responses,” Dr. Robinson said. “Overproduction of cytokines can damage primary organs. I suggested we use the rapid test we were developing for the USDA and see if it could measure the cytokine IL-6.”
While medications exist to treat a cytokine storm, the condition must first be diagnosed, a process that typically takes a day and a half in a traditional laboratory setting. That’s where rapid portable tests that can be completed within minutes become critical to patient care.
“Our portable test could measure IL-6 in about 15 to 20 minutes,” Dr. Robinson said. “Once the physician knows the patient has a high cytokine response, they know what to treat. It takes out the guesswork.”
Just as the portability of cellular phones have transformed the way people live and work, Dr. Robinson envisions the development of portable diagnostic tests having a similar impact. Low-cost point-of-care medical diagnostic technologies have tremendous potential to revolutionize access to health care in resource-limited countries or remote areas with minimal health care infrastructure.
Dr. Robinson, a pioneer in the field of cytometry, established the nonprofit Cytometry for Life (cytometryforlife.org) program in 2006 to provide affordable battery-operated portable testing devices for AIDS patients in Africa and now focuses on training and education for young scientists. The lab’s current focus on detection of food toxins and pathogens is just the latest in his decades-long career using cytometry to develop diagnostics.
“The work never stops,” Dr. Robinson said. “Every solution you create provides the opportunity to solve another problem.”
Dr. Nickie BairdDr. Regina KreisleDr. Peg MillerDr. José Ramos-Vara
The College of Veterinary Medicine bid a fond farewell to the following faculty members as they embarked on their next adventure — retirement.
Dr. Nickie Baird, professor of large animal surgery in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, retired after 20 years at Purdue effective in January 2022. Promoted to full professor in 2017, Dr. Baird served in many administrative capacities, including as chief of staff of the Large Animal Hospital since 2012 and as a member of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital’s management team that provided leadership in lieu of a director from 2019-2020. He continues his career with a new appointment at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Regina Kreisle, professor in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology and former associate dean and director of the Indiana University School of Medicine–West Lafayette, retired from Purdue at the end of June following a faculty tenure that spanned 33 years. She was promoted to full professor in 2004, and in 2014, accepted an appointment as interim director of the IU School of Medicine–West Lafayette. She was named director in 2016 and remained in that position until 2021.
Dr. Margaret “Peg” Miller, professor of veterinary pathology in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology and anatomic pathology training coordinator in the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, retired May 6 after 19 years on Purdue’s faculty and over 40 years of service in higher education. In addition to her service in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Miller served as a faculty researcher in the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research.
Dr. José Ramos-Vara, professor of veterinary pathology in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology and section head of the Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratories in the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, retired effective May 6 after 19 years of service to the university. Additionally, Dr. Ramos-Vara was a diagnostic pathologist specializing in surgical pathology and necropsy, serving as section head of pathology in the ADDL since 2019.
The College of Veterinary Medicine is pleased to introduce these eight academic and research faculty members who have joined our academic departments this past year.
Dr. Michelle TuckerDr. Ray Munguia-VazquezDr. Justin HaynaDr. C. Ryan Hill
Michelle Tucker
Michelle Tucker, DVM, PhD joined the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences as assistant professor of large animal surgery on October 25, 2021. Dr. Tucker earned a DVM degree from Texas A&M University in 2014 and then completed a residency and PhD degree at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Tucker’s research interests include musculoskeletal biomechanics, equine respiratory surgery, and computational modeling. Dr. Tucker is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (large animal).
Ray Munguia-Vazquez
Ray Munguia-Vazquez, MD, PhD joined the Department of Medical Education as clinical assistant professor of otolaryngology – head and neck surgery effective January 2022. Dr. Munguia comes to PVM from the Purdue Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Additionally, he serves as an adjunct professor with the Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Munguia earned his MD at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México in 2001. He went on to earn a PhD in 2010 from McGill University in Canada followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in auditory neurosciences at the University of Calgary, Canada.
Justin Hayna
Justin Hayna, DVM joined the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences as clinical assistant professor of equine theriogenology effective January 3, 2022. Dr. Hayna earned a DVM from the University of Illinois in 1998 and went on to complete a residency at the University of Minnesota. A diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists, Dr. Hayna most recently served as the owner of Mobile Advance Reproductive Equine Services, LLC and state veterinarian for the Illinois Racing Board.
C. Ryan Hill
C. Ryan Hill, DVM, MPH joined the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences as clinical assistant professor of shelter medicine and mobile surgery effective June 6. Dr. Hill earned a DVM from Oregon State University in 2013 followed by a Master of Public Health from the University of Florida in 2017. Dr. Hill joined PVM from Salt Lake County Animal Services in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he served as shelter veterinarian.
Dr. Andrea RincónDr. Christopher RiceDr. Ranjie XuDr. Rainer Fischer
Andrea Rincón
Andrea Rincón, MV joined the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences as clinical assistant professor of emergency and critical care on July 25. Dr. Rincón earned a veterinary medicine degree from the National University of Columbia in 2016 before completing a small animal emergency and internal medicine internship. Dr. Rincón then continued on to Washington State University, completing a small animal emergency and critical care specialty internship in 2019 followed by a small animal emergency and critical care residency at Louisiana State University in 2022.
Christopher Rice
Christopher Rice, PhD joined the Department of Comparative Pathobiology as assistant professor of parasitology and section head of the Bacteriology, Mycology and Parasitology Laboratories effective August 15. Dr. Rice also is a member of the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease with research focused on drug discovery and development for orphan and neglected diseases specializing in pathogenic free-living amoebae; Naegleria fowleri “the brain eating amoeba”; Acanthamoeba species; and Balamuthia mandrillaris. Dr. Rice earned a PhD from the University of Scotland in 2014.
Ranjie Xu
Ranjie Xu, PhD joined the Department of Basic Medical Sciences as assistant professor specializing in neuroscience effective August 15. Dr. Xu is also a member of the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience with research focused on developing human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models to understand human neuro-immune interactions in neurological disorders. Dr. Xu earned a PhD in 2015 from the University of Science and Technology of China followed by post-doctoral studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Rutgers University.
Rainer Fischer
Rainer Fischer, PhD joined the Department of Comparative Pathobiology as research professor specializing in immunology and infectious disease on October 1. Dr. Fischer also is a member of the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease and serves as a President’s Fellow in the Life Sciences in the Purdue Office of the Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships. Dr. Fischer earned a PhD at the University of Tübingen in Germany and was previously Distinguished Professor for Molecular Biotechnology at RWTH Aachen University in Germany.
2022 PVM Faculty Awards recipients (left–right): Drs. Harm HogenEsch, Paula Johnson, GuangJun Zhang, Dianne Little, and Kenitra Hendrix. Not pictured: Drs. Marxa Figueiredo, Kellie McGrady, and Stephanie Thomovsky
Several PVM faculty members were recognized with awards this fall for teaching, research, service, and excellence in diversity and inclusion. Additionally, the 2022 Distinguished Alumnus Award and the college’s most prestigious teaching award were presented during the annual Purdue Veterinary Conference.
Dr. Marxa Figueiredo, associate professor of basic medical sciences, received the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award, given annually to an outstanding teacher at each veterinary school in North America. The award recipient also is eligible to compete for the National Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award. Dr. Figueiredo teaches Veterinary Cell and Tissue Design to first-year DVM students. Selected for the award by veterinary students, Dr. Figueiredo is known for her kind and caring approach that conveys to the students how she truly cares about their learning and about each of them as individuals. She is praised for always being willing to take the time to explain concepts and answer students’ questions.
Dr. Kenitra Hendrix, director of the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and clinical associate professor of comparative pathobiology, was honored with the PVM Excellence in Service Award for demonstrating consistent and sustained delivery of services. Dr. Hendrix joined the faculty in 2013 as section head of the ADDL’s Bacteriology Laboratory. She is commended for her commitment to serving ADDL clients and the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. Since assuming the role of director in 2019, she has worked diligently to improve efficiency and client communications, which are key in serving the State of Indiana.
Dr. Harm HogenEsch, associate dean for research and Distinguished Professor of Immunopathology, received the Alumni Faculty Award for Excellence. Nominated by fellow faculty and selected by a committee of faculty and alumni, the award recognizes performance and contributions in research, instruction, and public relations and professional services. Dr. HogenEsch joined the PVM faculty in 1994 and rose through the academic ranks until he was promoted to full professor in 2001. He was appointed as associate dean for research and graduate programs in 2008. The award recognizes Dr. HogenEsch for his transformative and collaborative research efforts and noteworthy accomplishments, including his well-known research on vaccine development and vaccine adjuvants.
Dr. Paula Johnson, clinical associate professor of small animal emergency and critical care in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, was presented with the PVM Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award, honoring faculty who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion through active recruitment and retention efforts, teaching, research, multicultural programming, community outreach activities, or other initiatives. Dr. Johnson joined PVM in 2004 in a part-time capacity to help with the expansion of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital’s Emergency Services by providing a 24-hour service for the local community. In 2007, she accepted a full-time position and helped foster an amazing increase in the hospital’s caseload. Additionally, Dr. Johnson has actively engaged in initiatives to help diversify the veterinary medical profession, including work with Veterinarians as One Inclusive Community for Empowerment (VOICE) and the Vet Up! program.
Dr. Dianne Little, associate professor of basic medical sciences who also holds a courtesy appointment in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, received the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence for her role in generating new knowledge through basic and clinical research. Since joining PVM in 2016, she has maintained an extensive research portfolio with a focus on orthopedic diseases and regenerative engineering that has been continuously funded for eleven years by the NIH. In conjunction with her research, Dr. Little has built an extensive network of collaborators, involving scientists at universities, research institutes, and private companies. She also is a dedicated mentor, serving as committee chair for 11 graduate students.
Dr. Kellie McGrady, lecturer in the Department of Veterinary Administration, was presented with the PVM Alumni Outstanding Teaching Award. Dr. McGrady is the instructor-of-record for the first-year Veterinary Skills and Competencies (VSAC) courses and also teaches the Applications and Integrations courses, and occasionally in some Veterinary Nursing courses. Dr. McGrady is recognized as a dedicated teacher who works to apply sound pedagogical principles to optimize student learning, is patient and understanding, and welcomes student feedback.
Dr. Stephanie Thomovsky, clinical associate professor of veterinary neurology and rehabilitation medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, received the college’s Excellence in Teaching Award, as nominated by her peers. Dr. Thomovsky joined PVM in 2014 and has taught neurology, neurosciences, and rehabilitation medicine in multiple courses. Additionally, she has played an integral role in the training of five neurology and neurosurgery residents. Students praised Dr. Thomovsky for her energy, enthusiasm, and engaging presentation style.
Dr. GuangJun Zhang, the John T. and Winifred M. Hayward Associate Professor of Genetic Research, Genetic Epidemiology, and Comparative Medicine in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, was honored with the Excellence in Research Award for his role in generating new knowledge through basic and clinical research. Since joining the faculty in 2012, Dr. Zhang has become recognized for his expertise in genetics and the zebrafish model of human and animal diseases, including cancers. This specialization has led to his lab supporting many researchers at Purdue with collaborations across campus and over $18 million in outside funding including support from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation.
Dr. Fred Metzger (PU DVM ’86) received the Distinguished Alumnus Award, an honor bestowed upon only 68 of the college’s more than 3,500 DVM and 1,200 veterinary nursing graduates. After earning his DVM degree in 1986, Dr. Metzger returned to his hometown of State College, Pennsylvania, where he established a veterinary practice in 1992. The practice has since grown to more than 90 team members including 13 doctors and 17 certified veterinary technicians who see more than 30,000 patients annually. An adjunct professor at Penn State and consultant for IDEXX Laboratories and Antech Diagnostics, Dr. Metzger is a popular presenter at many conferences, frequently lecturing alongside his friend and mentor, Dr. Dennis DeNicola (PU DVM ’78, PhD ’81). He also is known for works he co-authored with another mentor, former PVM Dean Alan Rebar (PU DVM ’73, PhD ’75), entitled, Clinical Pathology Interpretation in Geriatric Veterinary Patients, and A Guide to Hematology in Dogs and Cats.
Dr. Larry Adams, professor of small animal internal medicine and Small Animal Internal Medicine section head for the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital, was recognized with the Raymond E. Plue Outstanding Teacher Award. Established by Dr. Plue (PU DVM ’68) through a generous endowment, the award recognizes outstanding teachers who make an extra effort to influence and inspire students, in the same way that the late Dr. Billy Hooper inspired Dr. Plue when he was a student and Dr. Hooper was on the faculty. Nominations are made by alumni in the five most recently graduated classes, and submitted to the college’s Alumni Liaison Committee, which recommends a recipient to the dean.
Pictured together at the Purdue Veterinary Conference (left-right): Dr. Dennis DeNicola (PU DVM ’78) with new Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Fred Metzger (PU DVM ’86), and the 2022 Raymond E. Plue Outstanding Teacher, Dr. Larry Adams and his wife, Dr. Laurie Adams.
The 2022 Purdue Veterinary Conference brought back in-person continuing education on location at the Purdue University main campus in West Lafayette, Indiana. The traditional conference format provided a welcome opportunity for veterinary college classmates, colleagues and faculty, staff and students to enjoy a return to face-to-face interactions. For the prior two years, the program was conducted virtually due to the pandemic.
The conference, which featured a full slate of more than 100 courses offering continuing education credits, was held at the Purdue Memorial Union and Lynn Hall September 20-24. Conference-goers also had many opportunities to visit the Exhibit Hall that featured more than 25 exhibitors, and join in special events including the Alumni and Friends Celebration September 22 when alumni classes celebrating milestone reunions were recognized.
The Diversity Keynote presentation featured Dr. Lisa Greenhill, chief diversity officer for the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.Dean Willie Reed honored members of the 50th Reunion Class by giving them a commemorative medallion, a gift from the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association.
The nearly 750 conference attendees included more than 170 veterinarians and 110 veterinary nurses as well as College of Veterinary Medicine faculty, staff, and students. The annual Elanco Human Animal-Bond Lecture kicked-off the week with a talk entitled, “The Other End of the Leash: Why Animals Are Important for Human Development,” featuring Dr. Gail Melson, professor emerita with the Purdue University Department of Human Development and Family Studies, who has played a long-standing role in research related to the human-animal bond.
Other conference features included two keynote sessions. Makenzie Peterson, DSW, MSc, director for wellbeing with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), gave the Wellness Keynote Wednesday, September 21 in the Purdue Memorial Union North Ballroom. Her talk was entitled, “Culture Change and Wellbeing in Veterinary Medicine.” Dr. Lisa M. Greenhill, MPA, EdD, AAVMC chief diversity officer, delivered the Diversity Keynote on Thursday, September 22 when she spoke on the topic, “Developing your Sense of Agency to Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace.”
Conference sessions were organized in tracks including Veterinary Nursing, Small Animal, Ruminant, Swine, Equine, and Practice Management and Communication, as well as industry presentations, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) modules, and a Diagnostic Medicine track that included sessions led by Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory section heads and Dr. Kenitra Hendrix, ADDL director; Dr. Craig Bowen, ADDL assistant director; and Dr. Grant Burcham, veterinary diagnostician with the Southern Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.
Conference-goers renew friendships and acquaintances in the Exhibit Hall that was held in the Purdue Memorial Union South Ballroom.Runners and their canine companions participate in the 2022 Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog.
The Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog 5k fun run, a longstanding and beloved conference tradition, which started and ended in front of Lynn Hall, concluded the conference week. The 2022 edition of the annual event was extra meaningful because it occurred just days after the passing of its namesake, Dr. Horace “Skip” Jackson, professor emeritus of biochemistry and veterinary physiology. As a tribute to Dr. Jackson, a moment of silence was held at the beginning of the race, before the participants, including dozens of canine companions, ran or walked the course that wound past picturesque areas of the southern portion of the Purdue campus.
Mark your calendar for the next Purdue Veterinary Conference to be held September 19-23, 2023.
In a session called “ABCs of the OR,” campers learned the importance of proper sterility for surgery by gowning up and wearing surgical gloves.
Purdue Veterinary Medicine summer programs designed to broaden the pool of applicants seeking admission to veterinary school found no shortage of enthusiastic participants as they were conducted in-person for the first time since the pandemic. The ever-popular Boiler Vet Camps for students in the 8th through 12th grades returned in June as in-residence programs on the Purdue campus, hosting 100 campers. Meanwhile, educationally and economically under-resourced college undergraduates got help in their quest to become veterinary professionals through the Vet Up! College residential summer program.
BOILER VET CAMP
Junior Boiler Vet Campers learn about veterinary medicine by working with animal models in the Clinical Skills Laboratory.
The week-long Junior and Senior Boiler Vet Camps each hosted 50 campers. The Junior Camp was held June 12-18 for rising 8th and 9th graders. Nearly 30 of the campers were from Indiana with others traveling from Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, the Virgin Islands, and Wisconsin. The Junior Camp involved learning about a variety of veterinary-related topics through sessions such as “Cud It Out,” “Fish Need Doctors, Too,” “Equine Treadmill,” and “A Look Inside the Horse (with Endoscopy),” as well as opportunities to interact with animals. The camp itinerary also included visits to the Indianapolis Zoo and Fair Oaks Farms.
The following week, the Senior Camp for rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders attracted participants from Indiana as well as Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, the Virgin Islands, Washington State, and Wisconsin. The campers focused on subjects like surgery and anesthesia, as well as on learning what goes into a strong veterinary school application. A big part of the Senior Boiler Vet Camp experience came on day one, when the campers got into groups, and each group received a camp dog to care for throughout the week. The campers also had the opportunity to observe and identify blood cells, learn to administer a canine physical exam, and much more.
By fueling the campers’ interests and getting them thinking about potential future careers in veterinary medicine, the Boiler Vet Camps help expand the pipeline of potential future applicants for veterinary college admission. The success of the camps reflected the support and contributions of a team of faculty and staff with diverse representation, as well as dedicated DVM student camp counselors. A total of 20 veterinary students in the DVM Classes of 2024 and 2025 served in that role. Boiler Vet Camp is a highly selective program, only accepting about 20% of applicants each year.
VET UP! COLLEGE
Geared toward rising college juniors and seniors, Vet Up! College is a six-week learning experience designed to help prepare participants to be competitive in applying to veterinary school. The 2022 Vet Up! College program began May 23 in Lynn Hall with a variety of educational and informational sessions and hands-on labs.
Vet Up! College participants get hands-on experience in a parasitology lab led by Dr. Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam, assistant professor of veterinary parasitology in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology.
A total of 23 students from more than 20 universities participated. With an average GPA of 3.67, the students came from across the country to engage in a variety of learning experiences and activities, including sessions on anatomy, physiology, animal behavior, parasitology, clinical skills, large animal skills, emergency and critical care, neurology, pathology, and foreign animal disease case studies. Additionally, the students participated in group projects and visited several farms and the Indianapolis Zoo. They also volunteered at a local animal shelter, engaged in career development, interacted with Purdue veterinary students, and completed the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate program.
One of the participants, Logan DeSchepper, spoke on behalf of his fellow participants at the farewell ceremony. “I believe that programs such as Vet Up! are essential to rearing the next generation of veterinarians,” Logan said. “Having the opportunity to interact with those from so many cultures and diverse backgrounds this past month has truly been an honor.”
Several of the participants received special awards, including the Model Pre-vet Student Award, Most Dedicated Award, Most Engaged Award, Most Collaborative Award, and the Academic Excellence Award. Contributing to the success of the program were several members of the DVM Class of 2024, who served as TAs, living in the dorms during the program and helping to answer questions, provide encouragement, and assist participants in developing study strategies.
Associate Professor of Food Animal Production Medicine Dr. Darryl Ragland teaches Vet Up! College program participants about swine production medicine at the Purdue Swine Farm.
Another component of the program involved completing a capstone project. Participants were organized into seven groups and each group researched a particular topic before making its presentation on the last day of the program. The 10-minute presentations were evaluated on a variety of factors, including the quality of the visual presentation, references, literature review, and the team’s poise in addressing questions.
The farewell ceremony and reception Friday, June 17 marked the close of the students’ time on campus, and the start of their clinical experiences, which they went on to complete during the final two weeks of the program at locations in their home communities. The ceremony included individual recognition of the program participants. As their names were called, the participants each received a white coat and stethoscope as well as a certificate for completing the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate program. To learn more about the program, visit vet.purdue.edu/diversity.
When Purdue University needed a guest speaker for the Graduate School Commencement Ceremony to address master’s and Doctor of Philosophy degree recipients in May, the obvious question became, who better than Dr. Deborah Knapp, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology in the College of Veterinary Medicine? As explained in her introduction in the Purdue 2022 Commencement Program, “Dr. Knapp is nationally and internationally recognized for her work in bladder cancer and comparative oncology.” Her personal story of growing into the role of a premier cancer researcher, and the insights she’s gleaned along the way, provided just the right inspiration for Purdue students earning their graduate degrees.
So on May 16, Dr. Knapp stepped to the podium in the Elliott Hall of Music after being introduced by Provost Jay Akridge as the guest speaker for the Seventh Division Commencement Ceremony. It was a well-earned moment in the spotlight for Dr. Knapp that also reflected well on the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Knapp has served on the college’s faculty since 1990 and holds a named professorship as the Dolores L. McCall Professor of Comparative Oncology. She also is the director of the Purdue Comparative Oncology Program and is a co-program leader in the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research. After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina State University, Dr. Knapp earned her DVM degree at Auburn University and then came to Purdue to complete a Veterinary Medical Oncology Residency, as well as post-doctoral research in cancer pharmacology and tumor immunology, before joining the college’s faculty.
Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology Deborah Knapp delivers the commencement speech to master’s and Doctor of Philosophy degree recipients on May 16.
“Congratulations to all of you who are earning graduate degrees today,” Dr. Knapp said as she began her remarks to the new graduates at the commencement ceremony. “You have worked hard, persevered, and excelled, and your achievements are exemplary. You have joined the fewer than 13 percent of people in the U.S. who have earned master’s degrees, or the less than two percent who hold doctoral degrees.” She also reminded them, these are not just any graduate degrees, they are degrees from Purdue University, “… one of the finest institutions of higher education in the world.”
But Dr. Knapp wasn’t there to just give the new grads a pat on the back. In her characteristically gentle and unassuming way, she next offered a bold challenge. “Celebrate your graduation today, and then tomorrow, let’s get to work.” From Dr. Knapp’s vantage point the need is that great – there’s no time to waste. “There has never been a time in history when there have been as many deep and complex challenges as those we are facing in the world today, some that threaten our very existence,” Dr. Knapp said. “Whether that be conflicts and war on multiple continents, disease, hunger, climate change, societal problems, or rampant misinformation… The world is not in the place we want and need for it to be.”
Despite that stark assessment, Dr. Knapp went on to offer two reasons why she is not overly discouraged. “First, all around me I see people from all walks of life stepping up to make a positive change, whether that be many people doing small acts, or occasionally a few doing larger acts,” Dr. Knapp said. “Second, I am standing here looking out at your graduating class knowing that you hold many of the keys for a better future! Your class surpasses any before you in the knowledge and technologies available to you. This, combined with your individual abilities, talents, and commitment, will empower you to improve the world!”
Dr. Knapp then offered food for thought centered around four key points. First, she encouraged the new graduates to look for opportunities and create opportunities to do what matters the most, to tackle the most serious and pressing problems in the world. “Try to remember that life is not about what you get, life is about what you give. Try to carve out time every day to do what matters the most, and this applies to your career and your personal life.”
Secondly, she encouraged the graduates to go beyond their training and their discipline. “Do not be held back by what you did not learn in school,” Dr. Knapp advised. “The degree you have earned has given you a foundation of knowledge and the skills to acquire more knowledge, and it has made you a critical thinker, and perhaps most importantly, a problem solver. You can apply these skills to solve many different challenges.”
Dr. Knapp then recalled her own experience as a faculty member in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “My highest degree, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, prepared me to be a primary care veterinarian. But, it did not stop me from creating a new path. It gave me the foundation to act on a very unexpected, but critically important observation in the clinics,” Dr. Knapp explained. “Briefly, we noted dramatic cancer regression in dogs when the only drug they were receiving was an arthritis drug for pain relief. Two of those dogs were my pet dogs. That observation and the follow-up research has led to one of the most widely used cancer treatments in pet dogs worldwide.” Dr. Knapp further explained, “Along the way, I was given the opportunity to learn about drug chemistry, clinical trial design, and mechanisms of action of the drug including some very intriguing immunological effects. It went beyond dogs into planning and securing funding for a human clinical trial, and the parallel mechanistic work in our lab.” Dr. Knapp added, “This was possible because I had the chance to go beyond my formal education, and to be part of a highly effective team of people with complementary expertise.”
Dr. Knapp’s third point involved admonishing the graduates to be willing to change their careers if the indication arises, even though it may be frightening to do so. “Maybe there is a more pressing problem that you can contribute to solving. Or maybe, like me, in time you may discover that you worked very hard over a number of years with a specific career in mind, only to decide you want something different.” Noting that throughout history, some of the most important advances have come from people willing to change their careers, Dr. Knapp cited several examples including Bertha von Suttner, from Austria, who became the first woman to win the Nobel peace prize after she moved on from being a secretary, housekeeper, tutor, and failed opera singer. Another example she shared was that of Karl Starzl, who grew up in Iowa planning to become a priest, but, when his mother developed breast cancer, changed his mind and went to medical school and earned a PhD in neurophysiology. Dr. Knapp described how, with his keen interest in liver physiology and his surgical skills, he became an early pioneer in liver transplantation and went on to be the “father of modern organ transplantation.”
Dr. Knapp concluded with her fourth point, challenging the graduates to seek out, and follow science and truth. “The amount of misinformation and the acceptance of erroneous information as truth is incredibly disturbing and, in many instances, it is outright dangerous,” Dr. Knapp said. “From my angle in medicine, I see people acting on erroneous information every day, not just in themselves, but related to the health of their pets. And, misinformation goes far beyond medicine. So, every chance you have, seek out the facts to understand the situation and how to respond.” And she added, “when you do respond, please do so with respect, professionalism, and integrity, and of course in a non-violent manner.”
Dr. Knapp closed by advising the new graduates to “… take the opportunity to be a leader for positive change.” Then, she reiterated the charge she began with. “Do celebrate today – you deserve it! And then, please, all of you, let’s get to work. Step up and take your place in changing the world for good.”
