Richard d’Arcy

Richard d’Arcy’s interest in biomaterials, drug delivery and gene therapies is driven by his lifelong passion to help others through medicine and medical devices.

He brings this passion and expertise in polymer science and sustainable materials to his new position as an assistant professor of chemical engineering in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University.

“My dedication to the biomaterials field is fueled by its interdisciplinary nature,” d’Arcy says. “Being at the intersection of materials science, chemistry and biology affords not only tremendous opportunities for innovation but also the potential to make meaningful contributions to health care.”

He obtained his doctoral degree in nanoscience and polymer chemistry at the University of Manchester, where he developed oxidation-responsive polymers for use as drug-delivery vehicles and anti-inflammatory therapies. His work there earned him an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Doctoral Prize Fellowship to kickstart his independent research career.

d’Arcy joins ASU from Vanderbilt University, where he served as a research assistant professor in the biomedical engineering department. During his time there, he received a Department of Defense Discovery Award and a National Institutes of Health Exploratory or Developmental Research Grant Award, both of which supported the development of gene therapies for osteoarthritis.

“I chose to join ASU for its strongly innovative culture, fantastic research infrastructure and world-renowned faculty members,” d’Arcy says. “I also fell in love with Arizona on my first-ever trip to the U.S. nearly 10 years ago!”

At ASU, d’Arcy’s lab will be dedicated to developing new biomaterials and drug delivery systems to improve the treatment of cancer, musculoskeletal disorders and genetic diseases.

“One project that I am particularly excited about is the design of materials to increase the effectiveness and safety profile of gene therapies, as this holds great promise of improving the translatability of these potentially curative treatments,” d’Arcy says.

Meet the newest faculty members of the Fulton Schools of Engineering here.

Written by Hayley Hilborn