Eli Lilly and Company announced that John C. Lechleiter, chairman, president and chief executive officer, will retire as president and CEO and from the company effective December 31, 2016. Lilly's board of directors unanimously elected Dave Ricks, currently senior vice president and president, Lilly Bio-Medicines, to assume the role of president and chief executive officer. Ricks is a Purdue alumnus and a member of the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering advisory board.

Alumnus Dave Ricks has received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. The award is a national recognition of an Eagle Scout who received the Eagle Scout rank 25 or more years ago, has gained status of eminence in his life’s work, and has shared his talents with the community on a voluntary basis.

Sarah Calve and Craig Goergen, both assistant professors of biomedical engineering, have been selected to receive research funding from the Ralph W. and Grace M. Showalter Trust Fund.

A group of Purdue students, including Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering sophomore Paige Rudin, is working on a research project that could help stop the spread of toxic algae.

Three Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering students have been awarded Joe Bourland Travel Grants: TJ Puls, Julia Fraseur; and Shruthi Suresh. Dr. Joe Bourland established this competitive award to graduate students in need of funds to support their travel to a conference as part of their graduate studies.

Representatives from the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the College of Veterinary Medicine will be at the West Lafayette Farmer's Market in Cumberland Park throughout the summer to showcase how basic science and engineering concepts are used to address problems in human and animal health.

Purdue University is a Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Jackie Linnes, an assistant professor in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, will pursue an innovative global health research project aimed at developing a low-cost technology similar to a pregnancy test for detecting HIV infection.

Senior Victoria Messerschmidt gains an invaluable research experience examining how to reduce the dangers of kidney dialysis.