Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology
Eric M. Darling
Assistant Professor of Medical Science
As a fledgling scientist in graduate school, Eric Darling was intrigued by the possibility of developing new prosthetics. But his adviser opened his mind to something else.
“He really drilled into my head that if you can have the body regenerate the tissue, it will be a much better solution than replacing it with something artificial,” Darling said. “The body is going to do a much better job.”
Darling, 31, begins his appointment this fall as assistant professor of molecular pharmacology, physiology and biotechnology. His long-term goal is to help improve tissue engineering and cell therapies by developing better base materials to regenerate tissue such as cartilage. The problems have a broad reach, and Darling is hoping science can come up with an equally broad solution.
“Everyone knows someone who has had some sort of joint replacement or joint pain,” he said. “It’s just such a prevalent problem in the United States and the world.”
He said he’s particularly excited about pursuing his research at Brown.
“During my first interview I was struck by the collegiality and friendliness of the people I met,” he said. “Everyone’s research was interesting and they were clearly excited about and enjoying what they were doing.”
Specifically, Darling will be studying human adult stem cells. Fat offers a main source of the material, he said, because “fat tissue is very abundant and easy to harvest.”
He expects his research to broaden, depending on the collaborations he forms at Brown and at nearby affiliated institutions like Rhode Island Hospital.
Darling brings with him a broad research education background. Most recently, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the orthopaedic research laboratories at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., where he focused on studying cell and tissue biomechanics. His Ph.D. in bioengineering comes from Rice University in Houston, and he earned his Bachelor of Science in engineering from Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif.
Darling grew up in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he enjoyed beautiful mountain views, but he is intrigued about what Providence and Brown have to offer.
“I am very excited to be here,” he said. “It is fun to be at a place with so much history.”