PVM Faculty Honored for Research Success with Purdue Seed for Success Acorn Awards

Purdue Veterinary Medicine researchers who were present at the Seed for Success Acorn Awards ceremony (left-right): ADDL Director Kenitra Hendrix, ADDL Assistant Director Craig Bowen, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Marsha Baker, Assistant Professor of Microbiology Shankar Thangamani, and Associate Professor of Veterinary Clinical Pathology Andrea Pires dos Santos.

When Purdue University’s Office of Research honored the accomplishments and innovative ideas of a host of researchers this week, several Purdue Veterinary Medicine scholars were among those recognized. At a ceremony Wednesday, November 14, in the Purdue Memorial Union North and South Ballrooms, the annual Seed for Success Acorn Awards were presented to Purdue Principal Investigators (PIs) and co-PIs who secured research awards of $1 million or more for a single proposal in fiscal year 2024.

University leaders conferred the prestigious awards on a total of 275 Purdue researchers at the ceremony, which was followed by a reception, where guests were able to meet and visit with the award recipients. Congratulations to the Purdue Veterinary Medicine honorees, who are listed below in bold font with their qualifying grant and co-investigators (the names of Principal Investigators are underlined, and an asterisk indicates a first-time Acorn Award recipient):

Marsha Baker*, Willie Reed. Vet Up! The National HCOP Academy for Veterinary Medicine. Health Resources and Services Administration. $3,225,879.00.

G. Kenitra Hendrix*, Craig Bowen*. National Animal Health Laboratory Network Support Funding. Animal Plant Health Inspection Service. $1,000,000.00.

Timothy Ratliff, Philip Low, Jiang Yang. Therapeutic Targeting of Bone Hydroxyapatite in Multiple Myeloma. Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation. $2,112,173.00.

Shankar Thangamani*. Mechanisms of Candida auris Colonization in the Skin. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. $2,390,065.00.

Jason Cannon, Uma Aryal, Jean-Christophe Rochet. Mechanisms of PhIP-Induced Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. $1,563,395.00.

Chi Hwan Lee, Bryan Boudouris, Pete Kollbaum, Shin Ae Park*. Smart Soft Contact Lenses for Continuous 24-Hour Monitoring of Intraocular Pressure in Glaucoma Care. The National Eye Institute. $2,177,089.00.

Andrea Kasinski, Nadia Lanman, Philip Low, Andrea Pires dos Santos. Ligand-Mediated, Vehicle-Free Delivery of Small RNAs. National Cancer Institute.$1,930,108.00.

Last year, Purdue received more than $647 million in research funding, a 6% increase over fiscal year 2023 and a 102% increase from fiscal year 2013. The university has an overall sponsored program portfolio of $3.1 billion and manages thousands of research projects annually focused on creating innovative solutions that help to provide a safe and secure nation and livelihood for all. Click here to view the full list of 2024 Seed for Success Acorn Award recipients.

Recent Stories

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Today we’re extending a huge Paws Up to Dr. Ana Aghili, clinical assistant professor of small animal emergency and critical care.

Two Purdue Veterinary Medicine Graduates Honored at WVC Annual Conference for Commitment to Food Animal Practice

At this year’s WVC Annual Conference in Las Vegas, two Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumni who graduated within the last five years received national recognition as recipients of the Dr. W. Bruce Wren Food Animal Incentive Awards (FAIA). Dr. Kayla Baird and Dr. Kallie Knott, of the Purdue DVM Classes of 2021 and 2025, respectively, were among just five total FAIA award recipients honored during the annual veterinary conference hosted by Viticus Group (formerly WVC). The event is considered one of the largest and longest-running veterinary education conferences in the U.S.

Equine Wellness Once Again Proves Popular as Topic of Annual Forum for Horse Enthusiasts

More than 150 people turned out in person and virtually for the perennially popular Equine Wellness Forum hosted by the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine recently at Lynn Hall, as the latter days of winter started to give way to thoughts of spring rides on horseback. The all-day continuing education program for horse owners and equine industry professionals on Saturday, February 7, featured insightful presentations as well as engaging demonstrations.

New Intern Joins PVM Communications Team

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine communications team is pleased to welcome a new intern, Caroline Keim, who started February 14. Caroline is a senior studying media and mass communications, as well as professional writing, through the Brian Lamb School of Communications in the College of Liberal Arts.

In Memory – Dr. Carole Ann Bolin (PU DVM ’82)

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community is saddened to learn that a dedicated alumna, Dr. Carole Bolin, passed away Wednesday, February 12, in Lansing, Michigan, after a long and courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was 67.

PVM Alumnus Kyle Shipman Named as New State Veterinarian

It’s official – Dr. Kyle Shipman (PU DVM 2015) is the new Indiana State Veterinarian. The decision to select Dr. Shipman to fill the vacancy was made by the 11 members of the Indiana State Board of Animal Health during their regular January meeting, which was followed by formal approval from the governor.

New Faculty Member Joins Comparative Pathobiology Department and Reed ADDL

The College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology recently welcomed Dr. Rachel Soltys as clinical assistant professor of diagnostic microbiology. Dr. Soltys, who started January 20, also serves as section head of Bacteriology in the Willie M. Reed Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL).

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Today we are happy to highlight Brittany Laflen, RVT, VTS (Neurology), who is a veterinary technician in Neurology / Small Animal Surgery.

College Appoints Experienced Agricultural Leader to Strengthen Constituent Relationships

Julia Wickard, a longtime agricultural leader in Indiana, was appointed as the college’s new constituent liaison and executive director of the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association, effective Feb. 24. Wickard, of Greenfield, Indiana, previously served as the state executive director of the USDA Farm Service Agency . Her new position represents a homecoming for the Purdue alumna, who earned her BA degree in agricultural communications and political science.