discovery
Emerging Drug-Resistant Fungal Pathogen Research Targets Urgent Health Threat
Friday, December 15th, 2023 - A new $2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will fund research led by a faculty member in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology aimed at shedding light on a significant new health threat that involves an emerging multi-drug-resistant fungal pathogen. Dr. Shankar Thangamani, assistant professor of microbiology, is studying Candida auris, which he says predominately causes skin infections and has been classified as an urgent threat by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Antibiotic Threats Report (2019).
Discovery Points to New Approach to Treating Liver Cancer
Friday, December 15th, 2023 - A breakthrough in the understanding of the relationship between a naturally occurring enzyme and the liver cancer drug sorafenib could improve the effectiveness of the drug, which currently prolongs the life of liver cancer patients for only two to three months. A study of the relationship between the enzyme DDX5, liver cancer and sorafenib, published in the Nature journal Cell Death & Disease, points to the potential for a more effective therapy that combines existing anti-cancer drugs with treatments that spur production of this enzyme.
Combination of Aging and Obesity May Prime Stem Cells in Fatty Tissue for Disease
Wednesday, June 21st, 2023 - Aging and obesity may cause stem cells in the body to change in ways that are linked with diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer, according to a study co-authored by scholars at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and Washington University at St. Louis. The research looked at epigenetic changes — which impact how the body uses its DNA code — in stem cells derived from fat tissue. Results from the study reinforce concerns about the dangers of obesity and raise a warning flag on the therapeutic use of stem cells taken from the fat of people who are obese.
New Grant Funds Purdue Study that Uses Brain Imaging to Measure Human-Dog Interaction
Monday, June 19th, 2023 - The Human-Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and Pet Partners have partnered together for a grant to fund a Purdue University research project that will investigate the impact interacting with a dog has on human brain activity. Researchers, led by Dr. Niwako Ogata, associate professor of animal behavior at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, will use Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure the neural responses correlating with human-dog interaction, and potential factors that influence these responses.
Inaugural Purdue Antimicrobial Resistance Conference Draws International Attention to Serious Public Health Threat
Monday, June 19th, 2023 - In the face of a foreboding forecast of worsening multi-drug resistant infections (United Nations Foundation, 2021), the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine led a multi-disciplinary, campus-wide effort to address the vital topic of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) through a free conference held this spring. The inaugural event April 6-7 at the Stewart Center involved multiple Purdue colleges and attracted more than 100 attendees representing eleven states and seven countries.
Spotlight Shines on Purdue Veterinary Medicine Research During Two-Days of Special Presentations
Monday, June 19th, 2023 - Every April, the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine sets aside a special day for celebrating research accomplishments in the college. This year’s celebration involved a companion event focused on industry partners that have an interest in the college’s research initiatives.
A Holistic Approach: Enhancing Well-being and Boosting Productivity in Dairy Cows
Monday, December 12th, 2022 - Indiana is home to more than 800 dairy farms, generating an average of nearly $700 million in direct farm income annually, according to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. The average dairy cow produces around 2,320 gallons of milk per year, but metabolic disorders can affect that output as well as animal well-being. Dr. Rafael Neves, assistant professor of food animal production medicine in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, studies the link between subclinical hypocalcemia and hyperketonemia with systemic inflammation in cows.
Improving Food Safety
Monday, December 12th, 2022 - A research team at the Purdue University Cytometry Laboratories, headed by Dr. J. Paul Robinson, Distinguished Professor of Cytometry in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Basic Medical Sciences, and professor of biomedical engineering in Purdue's Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, is working on a number of separate but inter-related projects funded by grants from the USDA to develop rapid diagnostics for pathogen detection, food safety and organism identification.
Forum and Mini Symposium Anchor Canine Welfare Discussions in Science
Monday, December 12th, 2022 - A two-day Purdue University program on Canine Welfare Science attracted nearly 225 registered participants from across the country.
Purdue Veterinary Medicine Contributes to Purdue’s Top Ranking Among Big Ten, R1 Institutional Peers in Awarding STEM-based Graduate Degrees to Black Students
Friday, June 24th, 2022 - The U.S. News & World Report’s latest rankings for the nation’s top graduate programs point to Purdue University’s strengths in equipping the next generation of leaders in the STEM fields, including the field of veterinary medicine. Further, they show Purdue’s underlying progress to diversify the racial makeup of its graduate student population, enriching the university’s research and learning enterprise and enhancing the powerful link between diversity, excellence and academic opportunity, Purdue officials say.
