It is with regret that we announce that Daniel Song, Class of 2008,
lost his life in a vehicle accident Saturday night while returning to
campus to participate in graduation ceremonies Sunday morning.  As
many of you know, Daniel was a very likeable student; full of
ambition, talent and with a goodly dose of humor. He will always have
a special place in the memories of the Weldon School family.

If you have a favorite memory of Daniel that you would like to share
with others who knew him, especially with his family, please e-mail
it to his Academic Advisor, Truda Strange. These will be compiled
into a remembrance.

I came across this intriguing post and it got me to thinking.  If you could regenerate three parts of your body, what would you regenerate?  There are some rules, so go read them. 

The use of systems as an apparent cheat to the rules is interesting.  Since the vascular system can’t really be separated from the heart (there are veins and arteries within the heart), I have to admit that I would regenerate my entire cardiovascular system.  The immune system is not a system in the same way as the vascular system, consisting of everything from bone marrow to major organs.  If you include the endocrine system (and a good argument can be made for so doing), then I say yes for that being the second thing I would have done.  While a good case can be made for the digestive system, I would take the cheat one level further and say the sensory system.  Imagine having your hearing, sight, taste, and smell back as sharp as it was when you were young…

Okay, so what would you get done?

Leaders of Indiana and Purdue universities Thursday announced the creation of the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI), a medical research initiative supported by a $25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that will combine the strengths of the universities, business and government to swiftly transform discoveries into better patient care and business opportunities.

“The Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering is a key, unique component of the Institute,” notes Dr. George Wodicka, head of the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue.  “Our expertise in medical device design, prototyping, and development, including bionanotechnology approaches, combined with our proven track record in bringing effective products to market will be invaluable to the Institute.”

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a five-year Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) of $25 million to the IU School of Medicine, which will fund CTSI activities at IU and Purdue. A total of $56 million will be invested in the Indiana CTSI by IU and Purdue, the state of Indiana and Eli Lilly and Co., which is underwriting the cost of a senior faculty position for three years.

The CTSI will implement the NIH initiative in Indiana with new programs to accelerate translational research, train new translational researchers, interact with community health-care professionals and the public, build research resources and technologies, and leverage Hoosier resources with health care, business, government and foundation partnerships.

The Indiana CTSI’s statewide collaboration involves university scientists in Indianapolis, Lafayette and Bloomington. However, the initiative also includes community partners such as Clarian Health, Eli Lilly and Co., BioCrossroads, Cook Group, Roche, WellPoint, the Indiana Economic Development Corp., the Indiana Department of Health and the Marion County Health Department.

Anantha Shekhar, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at IU School of Medicine and IU assistant vice president for life sciences, has been named director of the Indiana CTSI. Connie Weaver, Ph.D., head of the Department of Foods and Nutrition at Purdue, has been named deputy director of the CTSI at Purdue. Bennett Bertenthal, Ph.D., dean of the IU College of Arts and Sciences, has been named deputy director for the IU Bloomington campus.

The Brain/Computer Interface Lab (BCI Lab) at the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering has started a research blog on its site.  Drop by and check it out. 

A long and productive history of research between Purdue’s Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and GE Healthcare will serve as a framework for future innovation in a new medical imaging facility dedicated today at the Purdue Research Park.  The Weldon homepage has the full story. 

A new method of CPR that can increase blood flow by 25 percent and eliminate the need for rescue breathing has developed by Dr. Leslie A. Geddes and his team.  The new method, which operates by compressing the abdomen rather than the chest, offers significant improvements over current techniques.  The findings are being published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine this month, and UNS has the full story. 

Researchers from the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, the Purdue Cancer Center, and the Department of Chemistry have worked with the Mayo Clinic to develop an innovative method that can detect tumor-forming cells in blood, without the need to draw blood from the patient.  Using advanced laser imaging techniques, the process scans blood in the wrist or cheek to reveal and count circulating tumor cells, allowing a larger sample to be scanned.  Purdue UNS has the full story.

Silas Leavesley has had his dissertation recognized by the College of Engineering as an “outstanding idssertation.” His dissertation had been nominated for the Dimitris N. Chorafas Foundation doctoral dissertation award, and while it was not selected for that honor, it was one of nine dissertations recognized by the College with a cash prize and certificate.  University News Service has the full story. 

Researchers at the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering have developed new miniature devices that can be implanted in the brain to predict and prevent epileptic seizures and a nanotech sensor to go in the eye to treat glaucoma.  Inside Indiana Business has more. 

If you don’t want to sit through the entire presentation ceremony, check out the video now up at the Purdue Engineering YouTube site. 

The Lafayette Journal & Courier has a very nice editorial tribute to Dr. Geddes. 

The IndyStar has the story on claims of unfair business practices. 

In case you missed last Friday’s webcast or satellite download, the White House has video and audio available on their site. 

The ceremony for the awarding of the National Medal of Technology to Les Geddes and other Laureates will be webcast through the White House Web Site.  The ceremonies, which will include the 2005 and 2006 Laureates for the National Medal of Technology and the National Medal of Science, is scheduled to begin at 1:50 p.m. Eastern—which means you might want to log in a little early just to be safe. 

In the wake of yesterday’s announcement, comments and congratulations have been coming in.  Here are a few samples, and check back for new additions.

Willis A. Tacker, Jr., Ph.D., M.D., a Purdue professor in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences and part of the team brought from Baylor by Geddes to start biomedical engineering research at Purdue and who has been a colleague of Dr. Geddes for 43 years:

“Dr Geddes is a national treasure.  The impact of his life on other people – many of whom don’t even know his name - has been enormous.  His scientific contributions span decades. His work has prolonged the lives and improved the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people.  His development of devices, materials and procedures has created products, companies and jobs for thousands of people.  Even forty-five years ago his medical monitoring devices helped to put the first Americans in space.  His teaching has inspired thousands of students, and those students will no doubt inspire others.  Probably his most lasting greatness resides in the ongoing, dynamic lives of his students and subsequently in their students.  His contributions will accelerate and enlarge themselves long after individuals forget that Les Geddes was the source of the inspiration, the contribution and the benefit, and that of course, is every teacher’s dream.”

Kinam Park, Ph.D, Showalter Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Pharmaceutics:

“The National Medal of Technology Award is an ultimate honor for all scientists, and it is only natural that Dr. Geddes receives this award.  Dr. Geddes is not only a great scientist but also, more importantly, a great person. He deserves another award, the National Medal of Inspiration Award for his life-long efforts of motivating others, particularly young scientists.  He has been a role model for numerous scientists, including me.  I am so honored to follow his footsteps as the current Showalter Distinguished Professor, and he has set the bar so high that it is rather questionable whether anyone can reach that level, but it is always comforting to know that Dr. Geddes is in the same campus and ready to give us advice at moment’s notice.  We the Boilermakers could not be happier and more proud with such a timely recognition of Dr. Geddes, a hard Boilermaker!”

Sherry L. Voytik-Harbin, Purdue Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Associate Professor of Basic Medical Sciences:

Les Geddes is an innovator, idea generator, educator, mentor, and friend like no other.  He is truly an inspiration to me and many other individuals
whose lives he’s touched.  His selfless and tireless efforts to develop and grow biomedical engineering and a spirit of entrepreneurship will leave an everlasting mark at Purdue, within the State of Indiana, and internationally.  The recent announcement that he is to receive the National Medal of
Technology Award later this month is so fitting as he has made countless scientific contributions and has had such positive impact on medicine and
society.  I look forward every day to his guiding words of wisdom which are typically delivered to me before the sun is up.  As a graduate student and now as a faculty member, one of my goals continues to be to beat him to work in the morning.