Derek Foster

Biography

Dr. Derek Foster is an Assistant Professor of Ruminant Health and Production in the Department of Population Health and Pathobiology at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. His research is focused on the transport mechanisms of large molecules including antimicrobials across the intestinal barrier. A better understanding of these mechanisms of drug movement into the gastrointestinal tract has the potential to allow veterinarians to mitigate negative impacts of systemically administered antimicrobials including antibiotic-associated diarrhea and selection of antimicrobial resistant fecal organisms. Further, increased knowledge of these mechanisms may allow for development of future drugs that specifically target a limited region of the intestine or do not penetrate the GI tract at all. Derek has developed both an in vivo model in cattle and an ex vivo model to assess this movement of antimicrobials into the intestine that can be translated to other large animal species. He also investigated methods of measuring active antibiotic concentrations at the site of infection including the airway and interstitial fluid to predict antibiotic efficacy. Additional interests include colostrum management and infectious diarrhea in calves. Derek received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004, and was an intern in Food Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Then, he returned to NC State for a residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine and a PhD in Gastrointestinal Physiology. He became boarded in Large Animal Internal Medicine in 2007 and completed his PhD in 2012. Dr. Foster was named the American Veterinary Medical Association Young Investigator of the year in 2011, and received the Pfizer Distinguished Veterinary Teaching Award in 2012.

Research Interest

BIOLOGICAL BARRIERS, GASTROENTEROLOGY, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, PHARMACOLOGY: Antimicrobial resistance, food animal pharmacology, gastrointestinal physiology.