Biosensors and nanotechnology in modern veterinary and human medicine: research challenges

Jeff C.H. Ko, DVM, MS, DACVAA

Professor, Anesthesiology

Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine 

Introduction on College of Veterinary Medicine research facility

Gert J. Breur, DVM, MS, PhD

Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine 

In this presentation, the challenges of using biosensors and nanotechnology in veterinary and human medicine will be discussed.  Recent technologic advances such as measuring brain oxygenation, levels of consciousness, vital organ perfusion, and biomarkers in the body fluids will be covered. In addition, current technology utilizing nanoparticle detection of cancers, narcotics and bomb materials vs the olfactory system of the dogs trained to detect these materials will be examined.   The challenges of using sustained and controlled release of anesthetics, analgesic agents and other medications will also be presented. 

Dr. Jeff Ko has been a Professor of Anesthesiology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, since January 2006.  From 1992-2005, he held professorships in anesthesiology at Virginia Tech, University of Florida, and Oklahoma State University.  He was promoted to Full Professor at Oklahoma State University in 2005.  Dr. Ko is a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (DACVAA) and an anesthesiologist in the Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital.  Dr. Ko also has strong interests in injectable/inhalant anesthesia and pain management research in several different areas, including hemodynamic of anesthetic drugs, anesthetic monitoring technology, new approach to pain management.   He has authored or co-authored over 100 refereed articles in the veterinary literature. Dr. Ko has recently published a book, titled “Small Animal Anesthesia and Pain Management: A Color Handbook”.  The hard-covered book has a total of 288 pages with 299 illustrations (CRC Press/Thieme publisher).

Dr. Gert J. Breur is a professor of Small Animal Surgery in Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Director of Medical Discovery Resource Unit and Director of Center for Comparative Clinical and Translational Research. He received his DVM from State University of Utrecht in Netherlands in 1980 and PhD from Univ. of Wisconsin in 1990. His areas of interest include: biocompatibility of orthopedic devices, arthritis, gait analysis and skeletal development and pediatric orthopedics. He received Raymond E. Plue Outstanding Teaching Award from Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine in 2006 and the Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence in 2009.

Hosts: Hugh Lee and Ali Shakouri