Picture this: the same injection in the arm or the belly ends up behaving in completely different ways. For patients that can be frustrating. For engineers in the Weldon School it became a puzzle to solve.

Purdue University and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have deepened their long-standing research partnership with a new initiative focused on brain health and addiction. Supported by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, the project has been awarded approximately $2.7 million in funding through the BrainLink program — a prestigious platform designed to accelerate international collaboration in AI and advanced bioengineering.

When Assistant Professor Sunghee (Estelle) Park joined the Weldon School, she brought with her a bold vision. One that connects two parts of the body that are not often linked in biomedical research, the gut and the eye.

Purdue's Sleep and Developmental Studies Lab, led by A.J. Schwichtenberg, has uncovered a potentially pivotal connection between N2 deep sleep and the brain's ability to clear metabolic waste - a process that may be key in preventing Alzheimer's disease. Using MRI and 36-channel EEG data from adults aged 30-55, the team found that cerebrospinal fluid "sloshing" during N2 sleep begins clearing debris earlier in the night than previously believed. The interdisciplinary study includes Yungie Tong from Purdue's Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, highlighting the role of BME in advancing sleep and brain health research.

Purdue researchers are using AI to detect rare crop diseases in real time by combining machine learning models with drone and edge device technology. This approach helps farmers catch outbreaks early, reduce chemical use, and boost yields. While led by AgTech experts, the work reflects Purdue's wider commitment to interdisciplinary innovation-an ethos shared by the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

Imagine being able to check your hemoglobin levels with just a smartphone photo. Or detect early signs of skin disease without ever stepping into a clinic. That future may be closer than we think, thanks to the work of Sang Mok Park, Postdoctoral Research Associate and Young L. Kim, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Weldon School.

For BME student Peyton Day, studying abroad wasn’t just about coursework in a new country. It was about discovering how far curiosity could take him.

A team of Purdue researchers has developed a new deep learning model that could significantly improve how we study fluid movement in the brain. Offering a sharper view into the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

For Neil Dalvi, a biomedical engineering student at the Weldon School, the classroom was just the beginning. Through Purdue’s Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program Dalvi joined the BME FROC Team to help tackle a global health challenge. Limited access to medical-grade oxygen in low-resource settings.

Purdue researchers have created a low-cost, paper-based test for rapid detection of highly pathogenic avian flu, using simple swabs for on-site screening in animals and humans. The portable assay enables faster responses to outbreaks in the field. Though led by Ag and Biological Engineering, the work reflects Purdue's broader push for interdisciplinary solutions - an approach shared by the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.