Peter D Akpunonu

Peter D Akpunonu is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Kentucky's College of Medicine. He holds multiple leadership roles including Director of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, Director of Medical Toxicology, and Medical Director of the Kentucky Poison Control Center. His expertise spans medical toxicology, emergency medicine, and snakebite envenomation treatment.

Dr. Akpunonu completed his medical degree at the University of Toledo College of Medicine, followed by residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Kansas Hospital. He further specialized through a Medical Toxicology fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University. He maintains certifications in Emergency Medicine and Medical Toxicology from the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

His research focuses on drug overdose prediction using AI, snakebite therapy innovations (e.g., varespladib clinical trials), pediatric opioid intoxication, and NLP applications in healthcare. Notable work includes the BRAVO trial for snakebite treatment and studies on Δ8-THC safety.

Dr. Akpunonu leads multidisciplinary teams in hyperbaric medicine and poison control, emphasizing translational research and public health interventions. His work bridges clinical practice with advanced technologies to address critical toxicology challenges.