Purdue University’s fourth Antimicrobial Resistance Conference concluded February 26 with remarks from Purdue Vice President for Health Affairs and Jeannie and Jim Chaney Dean of Pharmacy Eric Barker, PhD, who also announced the winners of the conference’s research poster session. The poster contest, which attracted more than 20 entries, was divided into categories for undergraduate and graduate students.
Before awarding prizes for the first- and second-place winners in each category, Dr. Barker shared thoughts about the importance of the conference, which he described as being characterized by thoughtful conversations, collaboration and cutting-edge science. “What an energizing couple of days,” Dr. Barker said. “Antimicrobial resistance is one of those challenges that refuses to sit neatly in a single lane. It touches human health, animal health, food systems, and our environment. And these are all things that you’ve talked about. And that’s why it actually fits very naturally into Purdue’s One Health initiative where we’re connecting human, animal, plant and environmental health.”
Dr. Barker continued, “Purdue is a place where we think about big challenges, but we know that those big challenges require interdisciplinary science.” He emphasized that the conference reflected that mindset. “We’ve had basic scientists sitting next to clinicians, veterinarians sitting next to engineers, and data scientists engaging with microbiologists.”
Dr. Barker went on to explain that, for him, AMR probably is one of the clearest examples of the interconnectedness between the health of people, animals, plants and the environment. “Resistant organisms do not respect boundaries – not between species, not between sectors and not between countries. The work you’ve presented here, whether its advancing detection technologies, improving stewardship strategies, modeling resistance dynamics, and developing new therapeutics, embodies the Purdue One Health approach. It’s collaborative, its translational and its aimed at impact.”
Dr. Barker then expressed appreciation for the vision and leadership of the members of the conference steering committee, and the planning committee’s efforts to attend to all the details. “And to our speakers, our poster presenters, our sponsors and all of you who traveled here to be part of the conversation, thank you – it is your engagement that makes this most meaningful.”
Then Dr. Barker announced the winners of the Research Poster Session cash prizes of $300 for first-place and $150 for second place.
Undergraduate Student Category:
- First place: Daniel Cline, a sophomore studying biological engineering, for his entry, “In Vitro Activity of Repurposed Drugs Against Different Acanthamoeba Strains.” Principal Investigator: Dr. Christopher Rice, Department of Comparative Pathobiology.
- Second place: Karthik Varigonda, a Purdue student majoring in cellular, molecular and developmental biology, and applied physics, for his entry, “Targeting BamA in A. baumannii Using an Antimicrobial Stapled Peptide.” Principal Investigator: Dr. Nicholas Noinaj, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science.
Graduate Student Category:
- First Place: Lijia Zhang, a PhD student in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, for his entry, “Development of a Novel Gut-Localized Metronidazole-Derived Antibiotic Series for Targeted Therapy of Clostridioides difficile Infection.” Principal Investigator: Dr. Ahmed AbdelKhalek Hassan, Department of Comparative Pathobiology.
- Second place: Marion Bramblett, a PHD student in the Indiana University School of Public Health, for her entry, “Persistence of ESBL Genes in Enterobacteriaceae after Wastewater Treatment in Indiana, USA: A Longitudinal Study.” Principal Investigator: Dr. Ayeni Funmilola, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Indiana University School of Public Health – Bloomington.
Congratulations to the AMR Conference Poster Session prize winners!
