David Cunningham

David Cunningham is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Physics at Southeast Missouri State University. He transitioned to academia after a 20-year industry career at Abbott Laboratories, where he developed groundbreaking medical devices including the Sof-Tact™ blood glucose meter and led production of $1 billion in immunoassay reagents. His expertise spans analytical chemistry, clinical diagnostics, and forensic science.

• Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry
• Former corporate research fellow at Abbott Laboratories
• Co-developer of Sevoflurane anesthesia gas system
• Developer of vacuum-enhanced blood sampling technology

His research focuses on sensor development and clinical chemical analysis, with notable work in mass spectrometry, microfluidics, and metacognitive teaching strategies. Publications highlight innovations in drug detection, anesthesia gas chemistry, and blood sampling technologies.

Recent publications demonstrate interdisciplinary work bridging analytical chemistry with forensic science and medical device engineering. Key themes include rapid detection methods, clinical diagnostics, and educational pedagogy in STEM fields.