Dr. John Murkin

Biography

Dr. John Murkin is a full Senate Professor in Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at Western University. His research focuses on the role of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in assessing cerebral oxygenation and its implications for early sepsis detection and microcirculation monitoring during cardiac surgery. With over three decades of experience, Dr. Murkin has extensively studied cognitive and neurological outcomes associated with cardiac surgery, particularly in examining cerebral blood flow and metabolism during cardiopulmonary bypass. His pivotal studies established key management strategies and highlighted the relationship between cerebral emboli and postoperative neurological impairment. Dr. Murkin has authored more than 125 peer-reviewed articles and has contributed significantly to the field, including serving as a principal author for two consensus statements on cognitive testing in cardiac surgery. He has been an invited discussant at NIH symposiums and served on the Protocol Review Committee for the National Heart Lung Blood Institute. In recognition of his contributions, he received the 2018 Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society Critical Care Medicine Award. His ongoing research continues to explore non-invasive monitoring technologies and their applications in neurovascular health during surgical interventions.

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