Darius Chapman
Research Fellow in Cardiology
College of Medicine and Public Health
I am a biomedical engineer and translational medical device researcher in the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University. My work focuses on turning clinically important engineering problems into practical, evidence-based technologies, particularly in cardiac electrophysiology, conduction system pacing, atrial fibrillation, respiratory protection and infection prevention.
My cardiovascular research develops and evaluates devices and analytic tools for electrophysiology procedures, including left bundle branch area pacing and physiological pacing. My respiratory protection research has developed objective and point-of-care methods for improving N95/P2 respirator fit for healthcare workers, including personalised 3D-printed and soft compliant mask-frame technologies, imaging-based leak detection methods, and a point-of-use fit-testing kiosk.
My career spans university research, clinical electrophysiology support, medical device development, regulatory affairs, industry translation and start-up leadership. I have contributed to clinical and pre-clinical studies, peer-reviewed publications, patents and commercialised medical technologies. I am particularly interested in collaborative projects that combine engineering, clinical insight and implementation science to improve patient and healthcare worker outcomes.
PhD, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University. My doctoral research focused on improving healthcare worker respiratory protection using objective point-of-use assessment and biomedical engineering technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Flinders University, 2005.
Certified Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist, Allied Professional, International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners (IBHRE), 2008.
Additional professional and technical training includes electrophysiology laboratory systems, cardiac mapping and ablation technologies, clinical research support, medical device development, quality systems and regulatory documentation.
Selected honours and awards include: Best Scientific Paper Award, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, Michigan Industrial Hygiene Association, 2023;
First Place, Pitch Perfect Commercialisation Presentation, SAHMRI Annual Scientific Conference, 2019;
Accelerating Commercialisation Grant, Australian Government Department of Industry, 2019; Business Growth Grant, Entrepreneurs’ Programme, Australian Department of Industry, 2019;
Prize Winner, Chaired Poster Award – Basic & Translational Science, 6th Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society & CardioRhythm meeting, 2013;
Adelaide Research and Innovation Prize, University of Adelaide Faculty of Health Science Postgraduate Research Conference, 2013;
National Clinical Excellence Award, St Jude Medical Australia, 2008 and 2009;
National Territory Manager of the Year, St Jude Medical Australia Atrial Fibrillation Division, 2007;
Flinders University Engineering Excellence Award for highest level of academic achievement in Engineering Honours Research, 2005;
Keith Dodridge Prize for Best Scientific Paper, South Australian Hand Surgery Society, 2005
Winner, Engineers Australia / Society of Medical and Biomedical Engineering Student Papers Presentation Competition, 2005.
Within the College of Medicine and Public Health, my key responsibilities include leading and contributing to translational research in cardiac electrophysiology, conduction system pacing, atrial fibrillation, respiratory protection and medical device innovation. I develop, evaluate and translate engineering-led solutions for unmet clinical problems, including cardiovascular procedural technologies and objective respiratory-protection assessment tools.
My role includes clinical and pre-clinical study design, protocol development, ethics and governance submissions, recruitment and data collection, quantitative analysis, manuscript preparation and dissemination. I work with clinicians, engineers, industry partners and research collaborators across Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre, the Royal Adelaide Hospital and external institutions.
I also contribute to research translation, medical device prototyping, quality and regulatory documentation, intellectual property development, grant applications, student mentoring and practical training for clinical and engineering collaborators.
My professional interests centre on the practical translation of biomedical engineering into technologies that can be used safely and effectively in real clinical environments. I am particularly interested in medical device development, cardiac electrophysiology, physiological pacing, respiratory protection, infection prevention, clinical implementation, and the pathway from unmet clinical need to prototype, evidence, regulation and adoption.
I enjoy working at the interface between clinicians, engineers, researchers, industry partners and health services. Much of my work involves building collaborative teams around practical problems, including new technologies for electrophysiology procedures and objective point-of-care approaches to improving N95/P2 respirator fit for healthcare workers.
I also have a strong interest in mentoring, training and research translation. I support students and early-career collaborators in medical device development, clinical research methods and electrophysiology technology, and I value hands-on education with clinical teams adopting new procedural tools.
My community interests include engineering for social impact and equitable access to health technologies.
- Medical devices.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
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