Summer Break Signals Start of Summer Research for Purdue Veterinary Scholars

Purdue veterinary summer research scholars and their faculty mentors, along with a couple of canine companions, gathered for a group photo at the site of their welcome picnic in West Lafayette’s Happy Hollow Park May 29.
Purdue veterinary summer research scholars and their faculty mentors, along with a couple of canine companions, gathered for a group photo at the site of their welcome picnic in West Lafayette’s Happy Hollow Park May 29.
June 6, 2025

A feast of classic Indiana picnic food marked the traditional kick-off for the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program. The annual program provides an opportunity for Purdue veterinary students as well as undergraduate students from Purdue and other universities to experience what it is like to conduct clinical and basic science research as they work with a faculty mentor to carry out a summer research project.

A welcome picnic for the program participants was held May 29 at Happy Hollow Park in West Lafayette. The students and faculty mentors enjoyed the opportunity to relax, visit and savor traditional Indiana picnic fare including pork barbecue, chicken and macaroni and cheese.

This year a total of ten Purdue veterinary students are participating in the program along with one international veterinary student from France and eight undergraduate students, five of whom are Purdue students. The other three undergraduate students are from Wabash College, Fort Valley State University and Liberty University. The veterinary and undergraduate students are being mentored by 19 faculty members from the Departments of Basic Medical Sciences (BMS), Comparative Pathobiology (CPB), and Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS).

The 11-week Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program, which began May 27 and runs through August 5, includes weekly seminars on a variety of topics and extracurricular activities, such as a visit to a local pharmaceutical company and a meeting with University of Illinois veterinary scholars. For the DVM students, the program will conclude with a trip to the Boehringer Ingelheim National Veterinary Scholars Symposium, which will be held August 7-9 in Spokane, Washington.

The 2025 Purdue Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program is co-directed by Dr. Eli Asem, Professor of Physiology in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, and Dr. Susan Mendrysa, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs and Interim Head of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences. This year’s program participants are:

DVM Students

  • Levi Barnes, Class of 2028
  • Grace Bronnenberg, Class of 2028
  • Jaeguk (Jay) Byun, Class of 2027
  • Fionna Freeman, Class of 2028
  • Emily Godollei-Jacob, Class of 2028
  • Will Kendall, Class of 2028
  • Grace Palmer, Class of 2028
  • Nasir Roberts, Class of 2028
  • Caitlin Wager, Class of 2027
  • Elisabeth Wolf, Class of 2028

International Veterinary Student

  • Lucie Ganachaud, VetAgro, Sup, France

Undergraduate Students

  • Haley Harmeson, Purdue University
  • Lucas Hendershot, Purdue University
  • Oliver Johnson, Purdue University
  • NaLaya Lee, Fort Valley State University
  • Sarah Nelson, Liberty University
  • Emily Rastovski, Purdue University
  • Brayden Spurlock, Wabash College
  • McKinley Underhill, Purdue University

Mentors

  • François-René Bertin, Associate Professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine, VCS
  • Wendy Beauvais, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, CPB
  • Meaghan Broman, Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Pathology, CPB
  • Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Parasitology, CPB; Parasitology Section Head, ADDL
  • Amanda Darbyshire, Assistant Director of Clinical Medicine, Office of the Executive Vice President for Research; Clinical Assistant Professor, CPB
  • Kari Ekenstedt, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Genetics, BMS
  • Marxa Figueiredo, Associate Professor of Basic Medical Sciences (BMS)
  • Christopher Fulkerson, Clinical Associate Professor of Veterinary Medical Oncology, VCS; Section Head, Medical Oncology
  • Sun Young Kim, Associate Professor of Small Animal Surgery, VCS
  • Leanne Nieforth, Assistant Professor, Human-Animal Bond, CPB
  • Shinae Park, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, VCS
  • Christopher Rice, Assistant Professor of Parasitology, CPB; Section Head, Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
  • Andrea Pires dos Santos, Associate Professor of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, CPB; Director, Cytology Resource Center; Section Head, Clinical Pathology
  • Rachel Soltys, Clinical Assistant Professor, CPB; Bacteriology Section Head, ADDL
  • Sandra Taylor, Professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine, VCS; Chief of Staff, Equine and Farm Animal Hospitals
  • Michelle Tucker, Assistant Professor of Large Animal Surgery, VCS
  • William Whitehouse, Assistant Professor of Small Animal Internal Medicine, VCS
  • Ranjie Xu, Assistant Professor of Basic Medical Sciences, BMS

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

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