Sensing is how an organism reacts and interacts with the outside world for activities such as location of food or mate, or identifying danger. Accordingly, a biosensor is an analytical device that exploits this natural capability by incorporating a biologically-derived method for chemical sensing by converting biological signals into measurable responses. Electronic noses or other mechanisms of artificial olfaction are often attractive as they are smaller, more affordable, easier to use, have a longer duty cycle, and have lesser consumable and power requirements than laboratory instrumentation. The olfactory systems, a chemical sensor in itself, of many animals, to include canines, is frequently considered unmatched by machine. This, with canine trainability and mobility, has led to the use as the canine as a “whole-animal” biosensor. The mammalian olfactory system is, in essence, composed of comparable component parts and functions similarly to chemical sensors or vapor detection instrumentation. This research will discuss the chemistry of odor detection as a part of interdisciplinary research crucial to understanding canine olfaction and detection and enhancing this powerful and complex detector.

Lauryn E. DeGreeff earned her PhD in forensic chemistry from Florida International University in Miami, FL, where she is presently an associate professor in the Chemistry Department and the International Forensic Science Research Institute and where she carries out research in the area of volatiles analysis as it relates to vapor detection by canine and instruments. Prior to returning to FIU, Dr. DeGreeff conducted her research as part of the Chemistry Division at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC. She takes a chemistry-based approach to studying olfaction for the purpose of informing field vapor sampling practices. Her research focuses on trace vapor sampling, characterization, and generation in support of canine and other field detection approaches. Dr. DeGreeff regularly lectures on the dynamics of odor for the operational community and at national and international scientific conferences. She has also authored a many peer-reviewed manuscripts, holds four pending and completed patents, and is the editor of the book entitled Canines: The Original Biosensor, to be released in early 2022.