Know us better
Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board
Co-Founder and Founding Donor
Co-Founder and Managing Director
CO-founder and Executive Director
Makaela Bennett is an Animal Technician at the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT) with a degree in Animal Science from Purdue University. She has extensive experience in animal care, research methods, and data analysis across various species. Skilled in surgical assistance, medication administration, welfare assessment, and post-operative care, she upholds rigorous research standards and ethical animal handling with precision and reliability.
Jennifer Robin Clark is a Research Associate at the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT) with over 20 years of experience in molecular biology, preclinical research, and lab management. She specializes in transgenic animal models, PCR and ELISA assays, and has led NIH-funded projects in regulatory compliance and protocol optimization. Her contributions have advanced allergy, asthma, and vaccine research, resulting in multiple peer-reviewed publications.
Reuben Dass is a Scientist at the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT), specializing in the chemical synthesis of new therapeutics. He earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Brigham Young University and later conducted postdoctoral research at Purdue University, developing compounds for cancer and immune diseases. Experienced in molecular modeling, synthesis, and formulation, Dr. Dass is dedicated to creating safe, effective therapies while enjoying family time and outdoor activities.
Losha Dasol Jung is a Scientist at the LIFT, leading preclinical evaluation of novel therapeutics. She earned her Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology from Purdue University, where she developed a bone-targeted radioligand therapy for bone cancers. Skilled in in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies, Dr. Jung is dedicated to advancing precision oncology through therapies that target cancer cells specifically while reducing side effects and improving patient quality of life.
Rebecca Lank is the Office Manager at the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT). Rebecca joined LIFT with over twenty-five years of experience working as an office administrator at Purdue University. Rebecca bleeds black and gold having two degrees from Purdue and both of her children attend Purdue. With her time off Rebecca enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband, their two children, and dogs. Rebecca also enjoys gardening in the summer and baking all year.
Stewart is the Executive Director at the LIFT, bringing extensive experience in translating academic research into clinical development. Formerly COO at Eradivir Inc., he led an antiviral program into Phase II trials, and as co-founder and CSO of Novosteo Inc., advanced bone repair therapies later acquired by Quince Therapeutics, where he also headed Discovery. Dr. Low holds a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Utah and enjoys climbing, backpacking, and fly fishing with his children.
Benjamin Lundgren is Managing Director at the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT) with 20 years of experience in bringing pharmaceuticals and medical devices to market. Formerly CEO of On Target Laboratories, he guided CYTALUX through FDA approval and launch, and previously held executive roles at Johnson & Johnson after starting his career at Bain & Company. A Texas native, he holds an MBA from Wharton and a BS from Brigham Young University, and enjoys running and cycling.
Mary Niedrauer is Senior Director of Nonclinical and CMC at the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT), with over a decade of experience advancing therapies from discovery through Phase II. Previously Director of Drug Development at Eradivir and Senior Scientist at Novosteo, she led CMC and manufacturing for biologic drugs. Holding a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and an MBA from Purdue, she is also a decorated U.S. Army veteran and accomplished world-level athlete.
Evan Shadoff is a Research Associate at the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT), conducting in vitro testing for novel therapeutics. He holds a BS in Biological Engineering from the University of Georgia and an MSE in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where he focused on Translational Cell and Tissue Engineering. His research spans disease modeling, biochemical synthesis, and medical device development.
Dr. Philip Low is the Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and the RC Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Purdue University, leading a research team of over 80 scientists. For more than 45 years, he has developed innovative imaging and therapeutic agents for diagnosing and treating human diseases.
He has published over 550 scientific papers (H-index > 125) and holds more than 700 patents or pending applications. Fifteen drugs from his lab have entered clinical trials, including three FDA-approved therapies: CYTALUX (2021), PLUVICTO [¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617] (2022), and LOCAMETZ (2022).
Dr. Low has co-founded seven biotech companies—Endocyte, On Target Laboratories, Umoja Biopharma, Morphimmune, Novosteo, Eradivir, and ErythroCure—and recently established the Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT) to accelerate the translation of Purdue discoveries into clinical practice.
His pioneering work has earned numerous national and international honors, including the AACR Award for Chemistry in Cancer Research, ACS Sosnovsky Award, ACS Esselen Award, American Lung Association Legacy Award, and an NIH MERIT Award. Dr. Low holds a B.S. in Chemistry from BYU and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UCSD.
Brooke Beier is the Senior Vice President of Purdue Innovates, leading the university’s commercialization and startup ecosystem since its launch in 2023. She oversees the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) and the Purdue Incubator, integrating licensing, startup acceleration, and investment support into a unified system that advances innovations from lab to market.
Under her leadership, Purdue has ranked among the top four U.S. universities for patents for four consecutive years and was recently recognized as #7 globally for U.S. patents issued. Beier has played a pivotal role in commercializing Purdue technologies, especially through her decade-long collaboration with Dr. Philip Low, managing the licensing of his intellectual property portfolio. Her efforts have contributed to successful outcomes with companies such as Endocyte/Novartis, On Target Laboratories, Eradivir, Novosteo, Morphimmune, and Umoja Biopharma, leading to three FDA-approved drugs: PLUVICTO, LOCAMETZ, and CYTALUX.
Beier holds B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Purdue University, where her research focused on wireless, implantable medical devices. Recognized on Purdue Engineering’s 38x38 list (2025) for innovation and leadership, she is also a former All-Big Ten tennis player and assistant coach.
Karson Putt is the Managing Director of the Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery (PIDD) and CEO of the Purdue startup company Erythrocure. Prior to joining Purdue University, Dr. Putt worked for Johnson & Johnson where he managed the High-Throughput Screening and Combinatorial Chemistry lab.
Before joining J&J, he created and was the director of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s High-Throughput Screening Facility where he earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry. His research focused on studying the cell death pathways encompassing apoptosis and necrosis through identifying small molecule modulators of known and novel cellular targets via high-throughput screening. He has published over 40 scientific articles and several dozen US patents/patents pending. Prior to graduate school, Dr. Putt was a Purdue graduate where he received degrees in biology and chemistry.
Ron Ellis is the founder of Endocyte, Inc. and served as CEO from 1996 to 2016. Endocyte developed targeted therapies and companion diagnostics for oncology and inflammatory diseases. While CEO, he raised $560 million in capital. Endocyte went public in 2011 and reached $1 billion in valuation in 2014 after receiving recommendation for approval by CHMP for Vintafolide and Etarfolatide for treatment of women with platinum resistant ovarian cancer. He negotiated over $180 million in licensing partnerships and multiple university licenses. During his tenure at Endocyte, 10 INDs were filed. He has extensive regulatory experience with the FDA and EMA and has a certificate in regulatory affairs from Purdue University. Mr. Ellis has significant experience in all phases of drug development from GMP manufacturing, pharmacology/toxicology, and clinical development. Prior to founding Endocyte, Mr. Ellis was VP of Strategic Planning and Corporate Development at Hill-Rom. At Hill-Rom he managed the strategic planning process, led the merger with SSI, and served as the leader of the Hill-Rom Med/Surg business unit. He currently serves on the boards of Indiana University Arnett Health Care Group and Clawson Family and is a past chairman of the Purdue Life Science Council. Mr. Ellis is a recipient of Purdue’s Krannert Entrepreneur of the Year Award and a guest lecturer on entrepreneurship. He earned his undergraduate degree in computer science and Master of Business Administration from Brigham Young University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He is married with three children.
Low Institute For Therapeutics
3000 Kent Ave, Suite 1956
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Low Institute For Therapeutics
3000 Kent Ave, Suite 1956
West Lafayette, IN 47906