Accomplished Basic Medical Sciences Scholar Named as Associate Dean for Research

Dr. Susan Mendrysa, professor and interim head of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, was selected as the college’s new associate dean for research and graduate programs, effective March 1. “Dr. Mendrysa will work closely with me to further our college’s research mission and vision,” PVM Dean Bret Marsh said. “She is excited to assume this important leadership opportunity, and I look forward to working with her in this new capacity.”

Dr. Sanjeev Narayanan, professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology and head of the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, had served in the role as interim associate dean for research after Dr. Harm HogenEsch stepped down in August to return to the Comparative Pathobiology Department faculty. Dr. Mendrysa has served as interim head of the Basic Medical Sciences Department since July, when she assumed that role after the former head, Dr. Laurie Jaeger, stepped down in advance of her retirement in December.

Dr. Mendrysa has served as a member of the Basic Medical Sciences Department (BMS) faculty since 2005, when she was appointed as an assistant professor. Rising through the academic ranks, she became a full professor in 2023. During that time, Dr. Mendrysa developed a significant research program with multi-million-dollar funding from external sources, while also launching entrepreneurial initiatives designed to help build a robust biomedical workforce complete with talented people who have different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, which is a hallmark of highly innovative teams.

“Inspire, innovate and impact” are words Dr. Mendrysa uses to characterize her vision as she steps into her new role as associate dean for research and graduate programs. “My goal is to support faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and students by fostering an environment of collaboration, innovation, and excellence,” Dr. Mendrysa said. “By enhancing research opportunities and building strong academic programs, we can drive impactful discoveries and nurture the next generation of scientific leaders. I am particularly excited about the new opportunities for One Health discoveries at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus and in partnership with Elanco in the One Health District in Indianapolis. By integrating research across human, animal, and environmental health, we can uncover innovative solutions to complex health challenges.”

Dr. Mendrysa completed undergraduate study at Cornell University and earned her PhD in cancer biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining the Purdue faculty, she served as a post-doctoral associate at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She also previously worked as an associate research specialist in the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to embarking on her career in science, Dr. Mendrysa served two years as a volunteer and one year as a regional project coordinator for the US Peace Corps Lesotho/USAID in Southern Africa.

Dr. Mendrysa’s cancer biology research focused on the role of the MDM2 protein in development and disease, with a particular emphasis on pediatric tumors of the cerebellum. Her research program was supported by more than $1.6 million dollars that she obtained as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-investigator from federal and internal Purdue sources as well as foundations, including the American Cancer Society. She also has trained undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, graduate, and veterinary students, as the major professor or as an advisory committee member at Purdue, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

In recent years, Dr. Mendrysa led the effort to establish the Purdue University Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (Purdue PREP) for Translational Biomedical Sciences and has served as the program director since 2020. The program provides a year-long in-depth research experience that includes graduate coursework, professional development, and career planning for post-baccalaureate students from backgrounds underrepresented in the biomedical sciences. The goal is to support participants on their paths for admission to a PhD, DVM-PhD, or MD-PhD program and then a successful career in biomedical research.