Derek Boughner
Derek Boughner, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Postgraduate Training:
Medicine (MD), University of Western Ontario, London, ON (1965)
Biophysics (Ph.D.), University of Western Ontario, London, ON (1970)
Specialty: Internal Medicine (FRCP) Subspecialty: Cardiology
Current Positions:
Professor Emeritus, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Western University, Division of Cardiology, London, ON
Professor Emeritus, Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Western University, London, ON
Scientist, Robarts Research Institute, London, ON
Research:
Dr. Boughner is a clinician scientist based at the London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital, whose research has been focused on echocardiography and on valvular heart disesae. His work on echocardiography has involved the initial descriptions of its clinical applications in cardiology and the early development of cardiac Doppler ultrasound. Subsequently, he was involved in the development of the techniques and applicability of three-dimensional echocardiography. With regard to valvular heart disease, he has examined the complex structure and mechanical behavior of the aortic valve and its normal state and defined the physical mechanisms that lead to the failure of bioprosthetic valve replacement devices. He has studied the normal cellular content of valves and the presence and extent of blood supply to this tissue. Normal porcine and human aortic valve fibroblasts are being grown and their behavior is being examined. He believes that a more durable valve replacement design is essential for the management of patients in whom their native valves have failed. His recent activities involved the design of new valve replacement materials using tissue engineering. The concept of growing valve tissue using the recipients own vascular cells is being examined using nanotechnology techniques.
