Among this year’s awardees are three faculty members from the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, whose projects explore liver disease, cardiovascular health, and menopause-related neurological symptoms. Their work demonstrates the school’s continued leadership in research that supports sex- and age-specific healthcare solutions.

Estelle (Sunghee) Park, PhD Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Project: Engineering liver organoid models to identify age-related mechanisms of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in women

Dr. Park’s project aims to engineer liver organoid models to investigate the age-related mechanisms underlying metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), particularly in postmenopausal women. While estrogen is thought to protect premenopausal women against liver disease, its decline after menopause is linked to increased hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis.

By using hepatocyte progenitor cells derived from pre- and postmenopausal patients, Dr. Park’s team will study sex-specific disease pathways and identify potential molecular targets for treatment. This research not only informs age- and sex-specific interventions for MAFLD but also contributes to regenerative medicine strategies that may mitigate age-related liver dysfunction.

This project is supported in partnership with the Purdue Engineering Initiative in Engineering Medicine.

Craig Goergen, PhD Professor of Biomedical Engineering Director of Clinical Programs Adjunct Professor of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine Project: Effects of Pregnancy and Aging on Maternal Cardiovascular Health

The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. remains alarmingly high, with cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of maternal deaths. As the average age of first-time mothers rises, age-related vascular changes such as arterial stiffening become an increasing concern.

Dr. Goergen’s project explores how aging and pregnancy affect arterial remodeling using a comprehensive murine model. Through ultrasound imaging and histological analysis, his team will examine arterial biomechanics across pregnancy and postpartum stages to better understand long-term cardiovascular risks. These findings will help inform more accurate risk assessments and management strategies for maternal heart health.

This project is supported in partnership with the Purdue Engineering Initiative in Engineering Medicine.

Ulrike Dydak, PhD
Professor of Health Sciences
Director of Purdue Life Science MRI Facility
Associate Director, Women’s Global Health Institute
Purdue Faculty Scholar
Co-PI: Laura E. Murray-Kolb, PhD
Professor & Head of Nutrition Science
Project: Investigating the Role of the GABAergic System in Menopause Symptoms

The transition into menopause, known as perimenopause, often brings symptoms such as mood disturbances, cognitive difficulties, and vasomotor changes. Yet, the biological reasons why symptoms differ between women remain poorly understood.

Dr. Dydak’s project will investigate how hormonal fluctuations and iron deficiency during perimenopause affect the brain’s GABAergic system—an inhibitory neurotransmitter network linked to mood and cognition. Using advanced magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), the team will assess GABA levels in targeted brain regions and correlate these with cognitive performance, depression symptoms, and quality of life measures.

This project is supported in partnership with the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience and the College of Health and Human Sciences.

We look forward to the impact these outstanding research projects will have on advancing women’s health.

This year’s WGHI awards are supported through a collaborative effort with the Purdue Engineering Initiative in Engineering Medicine, the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, the College of Health and Human Sciences, the Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Department of Comparative Pathobiology.

👉 To learn more about all six pilot grant recipients, visit:
https://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/WGHI/research/pilot-grant.php