Professor Raechelle D’Sa is a Professor of Antimicrobial Biomaterials at the University of Liverpool. She obtained her BSc (Hons) in Chemistry and Biology at the University of Toronto, Canada. She moved to Johns Hopkins University, USA where she received her MA in Chemistry. She took a break from academia to work in industry in the US as a polymer research chemist. She moved over to the UK and gained her PhD at the University of Ulster. She started her academic career at the University of Liverpool.
Prof. D’Sa’s research aims to develop antimicrobial platforms for treatment of biomedical infections and preventing biofouling in water systems. Her work focuses on bioinspired antimicrobials (nitric oxide, antimicrobial peptides, phytochemicals and nanomaterials) that harness nature’s strategies to combat infections, mimicking natural antibacterial compounds or surfaces as alternatives to antibiotics. One of the main areas of research in her group is to develop nitric oxide antimicrobial drug delivery vehicles to be used for skin, ocular, bone and respiratory infections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she pivoted her expertise to the development of antiviral materials. She is passionate about supporting equity in science and training next generation of scientists. She engages widely with clinicians, health professionals, patients, charities and has a significant interest in scientific communication through artistic media. She is the Chair for the EPSRC Physical Sciences and Advanced Materials Strategic Advisory Team and on the council for RSC Biomaterials Chemistry special interest group.
