Keeping Worcester Healthy Through the Pandemic: Cassandra Andersen '02
As Chief of Community Health, Public Health Division, Cassandra Andersen ‘02 works to enhance Worcester’s health policy, program and infrastructure; she does this in partnership with Worcester organizations which include: clinics, hospitals, schools, universities, police, coalitions, neighborhood groups, and community based organizations.
WPI Alumni at Pfizer Making a Difference
Pfizer is making four promises that will help scientists more rapidly bring forward therapies and vaccines to protect humankind from this escalating pandemic, and prepare the industry to better respond to future global health crises. WPI alumni/Pfizer scientists are contributing to these efforts. Thank you to Lynne Handanyan ’86, Vice President, Chemical R&D at Pfizer, for sharing this story with us.
An Interview with Dmitry Korkin: How Data can Solve the World’s Biggest Health Challenges
When WPI faculty member, Dmitry Korkin, first unveiled his team’s 3D roadmap of the novel coronavirus, the Computer Science professor and Bioinformatics expert did everything he could to share the research worldwide, knowing it would “add significant value to the research community in the joint effort to fight the disease.” Now, his work has been published everywhere from bioRxiv, to Viruses, to the Wall Street Journal.
In this new interview, Korkin discusses the path to his discoveries, the conclusions of his research, and why he believes data-driven approaches will become the new standard for solving some of the world’s biggest health challenges.
Keith Berard ’00: Making a Difference by Going For It
Berard loves a challenge, and if it involves making something with his 3D printer—all the better. So, when a friend on the Middleborough, Mass., Fire Department contacted Berard in mid-March 2020 for help making a connector for the department’s masks and filters, he jumped at the chance to figure it out and find a solution.
Lauren Baker ’82, ’85 MS, ’88 PhD: Moving the Needle on COVID-19
Baker and her team at Avania have been helping companies with products in a variety of areas including virus and antibody test kits, PPE, novel approaches to the shortage of ventilators, blood filters for a process of blood purification that is being utilized to remove the toxins from the blood from patients with COVID19, and blood products, which could become more critically important as blood stores become limited due to COVID19.
Wesley Wheeler ’78: Healthcare Logistics During COVID-19
Wheeler is president of UPS Healthcare—a newly formed healthcare division of UPS. His division runs 128 healthcare facilities in 32 countries with a global team of 5,500.
Matthew Dunster ’16: One Week, 20,000 Face Shields
In life with the COVID-19 pandemic, Dunster has completely shifted the company’s focus to help address a critical need in the medical community: personal protective equipment.
Neil McDonough, WPI Trustee and chairman of FLEXcon: Making a PPE Solution
When FLEXcon received the call about addressing PPE needs, the company’s most innovative, out-of-the-box business unit took the lead.
Steve Rusckowski ’79
Rusckowski, who serves on the WPI Board of Trustees, is chairman, president, and CEO of Quest Diagnostics, the world’s largest provider of diagnostic information services.
Why “Soap is Magic” in the Fight Against the Coronavirus
Health officials say to make sure you're washing your hands long enough to sing the Happy Birthday song twice. WPI's Sue Roberts '92 has her own plan -- sing the WPI Fight Song.
WPI Researcher’s Paper on COVID-19 Published in Viruses Journal
Professor Dmitry Korkin’s peer-reviewed paper draws parallels to SARS virus; Says 3D roadmap of novel coronavirus can be used “to streamline the search for new antivirals and vaccines”
Helping the Community: WPI Donates Medical Supplies, Sews Face Masks
Anyone familiar with the WPI community knows the generous spirit of the people who work and learn on the Hill, and it is no more evident than now as people here and across the globe battle the coronavirus. From lending out sewing machines to searching their lab and office inventories for extra medical supplies to donate, WPI is rallying to help keep Worcester’s residents and medical community safe.
WPI Researchers Developing Open-Source Designs to Speed Creation of Low-Cost Ventilators
Professors and students team up to develop multiple designs so companies or individuals with 3D printers could manufacture much-needed medical equipment
