{"id":13580,"date":"2024-12-13T05:55:45","date_gmt":"2024-12-13T12:55:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/?p=13580"},"modified":"2024-12-13T05:55:47","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T12:55:47","slug":"dr-robert-burrell-founder-of-nanotechnology-in-burn-and-wound-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-dr-robert-burrell-founder-of-nanotechnology-in-burn-and-wound-treatment","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Robert Burrell \u2013 Founder of Nanotechnology in Burn and Wound Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Robert Burrell is renowned not only in Edmonton and Alberta but globally for his groundbreaking contributions to medicine. Often labeled as a nanotechnologist, Burrell views himself differently, focusing on solving human problems rather than emphasizing the technology itself. To him, nanotechnology is a tool, used only when necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a pioneering biomedical engineer, Dr. Burrell revolutionized the treatment of burns and wounds with his development of Acticoat dressings\u2014the first-ever therapeutic application of nanotechnology. His innovation launched a new industry of antimicrobial coatings for medical devices, saving millions of lives worldwide by combating life-threatening infections. More on <a href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/\">iedmonton.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3332f67cd51\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3332f67cd51\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-dr-robert-burrell-founder-of-nanotechnology-in-burn-and-wound-treatment\/#Early_Life\" >Early Life<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-dr-robert-burrell-founder-of-nanotechnology-in-burn-and-wound-treatment\/#Career_Beginnings_and_Development\" >Career Beginnings and Development<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-dr-robert-burrell-founder-of-nanotechnology-in-burn-and-wound-treatment\/#Revolutionary_Impact\" >Revolutionary Impact<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-dr-robert-burrell-founder-of-nanotechnology-in-burn-and-wound-treatment\/#Recognitions_and_Achievements\" >Recognitions and Achievements<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_Life\"><\/span>Early Life<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092530\/1-30.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13581\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092530\/1-30.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092530\/1-30-300x250.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Born in Oakville in 1952, Robert faced health challenges from birth. He spent much of his childhood with his maternal grandparents, often accompanying his grandfather in his workshop. Robert\u2019s paternal grandfather was an inventor, having patented a carburetor, while his father, a carpenter, was also a creative innovator. Together, they inspired Robert\u2019s inventive spirit, instilling a strong foundation for his future career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Robert pursued his studies with determination, earning degrees in zoology and microbiology from the University of Guelph, followed by a PhD in biology from the University of Waterloo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Career_Beginnings_and_Development\"><\/span>Career Beginnings and Development<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Cork, one of Robert\u2019s early mentors, played a significant role in shaping his career, encouraging him to embrace innovation. Later, Dr. Morris recruited him as a medical engineer at Alcan International. In 1992, when Morris relocated to the West, he invited Robert to join the newly formed Westaim Corporation\u2014a collaborative initiative to advance material development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Westaim became the perfect platform for Robert to apply his expertise to medicine. His groundbreaking invention, Acticoat dressings, emerged from his discovery of the potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of silver, especially in its nanocrystalline form. He incorporated nanocrystals of silver into the Acticoat dressings, which proved to significantly accelerate healing in patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Revolutionary_Impact\"><\/span>Revolutionary Impact<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Acticoat dressings demonstrated their importance during mass casualty incidents, effectively aiding recovery for burn victims. The dressings played a pivotal role in saving lives after the 2003 terrorist attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Burrell has continued his innovative work, holding key positions as Chair of Biomedical Engineering and Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. Previously, he served as Chair of Nanostructured Biomaterials Research at the same university.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His pioneering technology has spurred a global revolution in antimicrobial coatings for medical devices, extending applications to implants and stents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recognitions_and_Achievements\"><\/span>Recognitions and Achievements<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Burrell\u2019s contributions have earned him international recognition across both engineering and medical fields. Highlights of his accolades include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The 2009 Manning Innovation Award<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lifetime Achievement Awards for significant contributions to science and medicine in Canada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Induction into the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences in 2013<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A Governor General&#8217;s Innovation Award in 2016, one of only six Canadians to receive the inaugural honor<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Alberta Centennial Medal<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With over 300 patents pending worldwide, Dr. Burrell remains a driving force in the development of life-saving diagnostic and treatment technologies for infectious diseases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr. Robert Burrell is renowned not only in Edmonton and Alberta but globally for his groundbreaking contributions to medicine. Often labeled as a nanotechnologist, Burrell views himself differently, focusing on solving human problems rather than emphasizing the technology itself. To him, nanotechnology is a tool, used only when necessary. As a pioneering biomedical engineer, Dr. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":521,"featured_media":13584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4819],"tags":[6213,6216,6204,6206,6214,6215,6217,6209,6212,6207,6210,6203,6208,6205,6211],"moimportance":[32,35],"motype":[4825],"moformat":[88],"class_list":["post-13580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-innovator","tag-acticoat-dressings","tag-alberta-centennial-medal","tag-antimicrobial-coatings","tag-biomedical-engineering","tag-burn-treatment-innovation","tag-canadian-scientist","tag-health-sciences-advancements","tag-infection-treatment","tag-life-saving-technology","tag-manning-innovation-award","tag-medical-device-innovation","tag-nanotechnology-in-medicine","tag-robert-burrell","tag-silver-nanocrystals","tag-university-of-alberta","moimportance-golovna-novyna","moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","motype-eternal","moformat-copywriting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/521"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13580"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13587,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13580\/revisions\/13587"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13580"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=13580"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=13580"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=13580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}