BME News

Pedro Irazoqui had just enjoyed a huge lobster dinner. Then he woke up that night finding he couldn't breathe. Terrified, Irazoqui sat up and tried to relax. Air suddenly returned to his lungs like nothing had happened. After grabbing his phone and Googling like crazy, Irazoqui, a professor at Purdue University, discovered that what he had experienced was acid reaching his larynx, causing it to contract and cut off air flow.

Four senior design teams were recognized for outstanding achievement at the annual Purdue University Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering Senior Design Projects Presentations and Demonstrations. On Dec. 13, 18 teams presented innovative engineering solutions to address various real patient, clinical, and healthcare needs to an audience that included the teams’ industry and clinical partners, the Purdue community, and the public.

A biomarker for multiple sclerosis that could be an early warning for the disease has shown promise in both human and animal testing.

Norvin Bruns and Corey Linkel, two staff members at the Purdue University Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, received 2018 College of Engineering Staff Awards of Excellence at the annual staff awards banquet held at the Shively Club on December 7. Bruns was the recipient of the New Employee Award; Linkel was the recipient of Leah H. Jamieson Leadership Award.

Purdue University research shows the antidote can effectively remove acrolein, a neurotoxin produced in the body that is directly correlated with Parkinson's disease.

Matthew Pharris, a PhD candidate in the Purdue University Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, is the recipient of the 2018 Geddes-Laufman-Greatbatch Award. The annual award is presented to the outstanding student or postdoctoral fellow in the Weldon School. Pharris received the award at the annual Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Association Fall Potluck and Speaker Exchange on Nov. 27.

Eric Nauman, a professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, will be inducted into Purdue's Book of Great Teachers, which honors outstanding teaching faculty who have demonstrated sustained excellence in the classroom. A total of 45 Purdue professors will receive the honor on Dec. 11. Nauman is also director of the College of Engineering Honors Program and a professor of mechanical engineering and basic medical sciences.

Purdue student startup Predictive Wear LLC earned $4,000 for capturing first place in the Southwest Indiana Pitch Competition held in Jasper, Indiana. The new company is developing wearable technology that alerts patients and their doctors about possible medical complications.

Graduate students seeking a career in the healthcare industry, biomedical device development, entrepreneurship, and regulatory affairs, now have more options to fast track their career through four new graduate programs offered at the Purdue University Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. A three-semester professional master’s degree, two dual degrees—MSBME/MBA or MSBME/MD, and a Regulatory Certificate Program for Medical Devices offer advanced training in high-demand fields.

In 2018, the NIH funded or renewed funding for three programs that provide specialized training for graduate students in biomedical engineering. Two of these training programs are offered jointly through Purdue University and the Indiana University School of Medicine.