The five-year agreement will support collaborative research in medical device manufacturing and image-guided procedures while strengthening the biomedical workforce pipeline.
Purdue University and medical device manufacturer Cook Medical have announced a five-year master sponsored research and collaboration agreement to advance medical technologies and expand the university’s research capabilities. The agreement builds upon a 50-year partnership between the two organizations.
The framework establishes a structure for multiple collaborative projects. These efforts will target image-guided procedures and advanced medical device manufacturing while strengthening the biomedical engineering workforce pipeline.
“For half a century, Purdue’s relationship with Cook has advanced biomedicine and life sciences from labs to lives,” says Mung Chiang, Purdue president, in a release. “This agreement will allow us to significantly accelerate and amplify our collaboration further, creating jobs, talent and life-saving medical innovations right here with another milestone of industry-university partnership.”
The agreement creates a standardized outline for research, testing, and activities intended to bridge the gap between laboratory discovery and patient care. This cooperation aims to streamline project delivery to make research more efficient for the missions of both institutions.
“Indiana’s life sciences leadership is no accident; it’s the result of intentional choices by visionary people and institutions. Cook is proud to be part of that story,” says Pete Yonkman, president of Cook Group and Cook Medical, in a release.
The partnership will involve researchers across various colleges and institutes at Purdue University, connecting academic research to real-world biomedical demands. The agreement also aligns with university priorities regarding artificial intelligence, holistic health research, and expanded opportunities across West Lafayette and Indianapolis.
“By accelerating the power of transformative computational technologies, the recently forged agreement gives Cook and Purdue the ability to model, simulate, and solve biomedical challenges at scales that were previously out of reach,” says Jennifer Kerr, president of Cook Research Inc, in a release.
The relationship between the university and the manufacturer began in the 1970s through collaborations between researcher Leslie Geddes and Cook Group founder Bill Cook. Their early work focused on minimally invasive procedures.
“The roots of this collaboration run deep, grounded in the visionary work of Leslie Geddes and Bill Cook,” says Arvind Raman, dean of the college of engineering, in a release. “Together, they built a legacy that transcends generations—one that continues to define the enduring partnership between Purdue University and Cook Medical and its impact on biomedical innovation.”
Photo caption: Purdue president Mung Chiang (center, left) and Pete Yonkman, president of Cook Group and Cook Medical, sign a new agreement to advance innovative medical research and technologies that builds upon a 50-year alliance.
Photo credit: Purdue University/John Underwood
