Summer Picnic Helps Kick-off Summer of Research for Veterinary Student Scholars

June 7, 2024

Participants in the 2024 Veterinary Research Scholars Summer Program gathered for a group photo at the kick-off cookout May 30 at historic Fort Ouiatenon on the banks of the Wabash River.

Beautiful summer weather provided a perfect setting at the Fort Ouiatenon historical park in Tippecanoe County for the annual cookout hosted by the Purdue Veterinary Medicine Office of Research in honor of this year’s summer research scholars. The Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program provides opportunities for current Purdue DVM students and undergrads from Purdue and other universities to explore careers in clinical, diagnostic, and basic biomedical research. The students work with faculty mentors to design and conduct summer research projects, while also participating in weekly seminars as well as other learning activities. The summer picnic Thursday, May 30, brought together student participants and faculty mentors for food, games and fellowship.

Gabrielle Bressler of the Purdue DVM Class of 2026 and Associate Dean for Research Harm HogenEsch demonstrate exemplary concentration as they teamed-up for a game of cornhole.

The participants in this year’s Veterinary Scholars Summer Research Program include ten Purdue DVM students – seven from the Class of 2027 and three from the Class of 2026. Additionally, there are six undergraduate students, including three from Purdue and one each from Prairie View A&M University in Texas, Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, and Franklin College in Indiana. The participants are being mentored by 16 faculty, representing the Departments of Basic Medical Sciences, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Comparative Pathobiology, and the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Dr. Harm HogenEsch, Purdue Veterinary Medicine associate dean for research and Distinguished Professor of Immunopathology, and Dr. Eli Asem, professor of physiology in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, organize the program by matching students and faculty. PVM Office of Research staff member Erin Lane provides administrative and logistical assistance.

This year’s program began with an introduction and orientation session May 29. Seminars involving informal presentations and discussions with scientists on different topics related to biomedical research are held each Wednesday. On Wednesday, June 26, the students will attend an all-day seminar jointly conducted by Purdue and the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at the Illinois campus in Urbana-Champaign. The Purdue Summer Research Program will conclude with a Research Poster Session scheduled for 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 6 in Lynn G119/155. Then, the veterinary student participants will attend the Boehringer Ingelheim – National Veterinary Scholars Symposium, which will be held in St. Paul, Minnesota August 8-10. A special thank you to Boehringer Ingelheim for serving as the college’s funding partner for the program, and to the PVM faculty members serving as mentors. In addition, one student received stipend support from the Morris Animal Foundation and one student received support from the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.

Dr. Michelle Tucker (left), who serves as a Summer Research Program faculty mentor, visits with veterinary students Shion Otsuka, Audrey Wood and Madelynn Luebcke, all of the Class of 2026.

Dr. Eli Asem with undergraduate students Ally Schimpf (Purdue), Ruby Linton (Prairie View A&M), and Maddie Claybrooke (Franklin College).

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

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