Darrin Pochan

Darrin Pochan is a Distinguished Professor of Materials Science at the University of Delaware, affiliated with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering within the College of Engineering. His research focuses on self-assembly phenomena in polymers, biopolymers, and hybrid materials, with applications in nanotechnology, biomaterials, and drug delivery. He has pioneered studies on peptide-based hydrogels, nanocomposites, and supramolecular assemblies.

Key research areas include biopolymer nanocomposites, hydrogel formation via block copolypeptide self-assembly, and magnetic nanoparticle templating. His experimental techniques encompass X-ray scattering, electron microscopy, and rheology. Pochan leads a group exploring responsive materials that adapt to environmental cues like pH and temperature.

Notable awards include Fellowships from the American Chemical Society (2013), American Physical Society (2011), and Royal Society of Chemistry (2005), along with the John H. Dillon Medal (2007). He served as Chair of the Macromolecular Materials Gordon Research Conference (2009) and Editor of Soft Matter.

• Education: Doctorate and postdoctoral training in materials science (details not explicitly provided).
• Grants: NSF Career Award (2004–2009), DuPont Young Professor Grant (2002–2005).
• Labs/Teams: Active in polymer nanocomposite synthesis, peptide hydrogel design, and biomimetic materials.

Recent work emphasizes programmable nanomaterials using peptide bundlemers and computational design, advancing applications in drug delivery and regenerative medicine.