Prof R Geoff Richards

Honorary Professor, Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science, Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK

Professor, Cardiff University Wales, United Kingdom

Professor, Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany

Dr Honoris Causa, Technical University of Varna, Bulgaria 

Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales (FLSW) (Elected 2020)

International Fellow of Tissue Engineering And Regenerative Medicine (FTERM) (Elected 2021)

Fellow of the Orthopaedic Research Society (Class of 2021) (FORS)

Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering (FBSE) (Elected 2012)

Fellow of International Orthopaedic Research (FIOR) (Elected 2016)

Honorary Fellow Aberystwyth University (Cymrawd er Anrhydedd Prifysgol Aberystwyth)

Past-Chair of the International College of Fellows for Orthopaedic Research Global (world) 

Chair of FTERM College of Fellows 

Chair of TERMIS Nomination Committee 

Past President Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS), member of TERMIS Global Governing Board and member of Executive Committee

President Science City Davos

Editor-In-Chief eCM Not-for-profit Open Access Journal

Editor-In-Chief eCM Periodical

Professor Richards has worked at the AO Research Institute in Davos, Switzerland since 1991. Since 2009 he has been the director with currently 145 multidisciplinary scientists who undertake cutting-edge research in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, biomaterials and implant science. The research contributes to the AO Foundation’s educational courses dedicated to promoting excellence in patient care in musculoskeletal disorders and trauma where over 58,000 surgeons attend 830 such educational events globally each year.

In his time as director he has brought the institute up to international standards ISO 9001: 2015 and certified the institute as a medical device manufacturer EN ISO 13485: 2016 to allow clinical evaluation of the institute's innovations. He brought the Preclinical Facility to AAALAC  accreditation (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International) in early 2013 and achieved Good Laboratory Practice level in 2016 (GLP compliant test facility for biocompability and efficacy with medical devices and pharmaceuticals).

He is author on over 270 peer reviewed research articles and numerous reviews and book chapters. Stanford University produce a ranking of the world's top 2% of scientists with all disciplines combined (latest release September 2022) where Professor Richards remains within the World's Top 2% of Scientists (collecting citations since 1996).  His research work on titanium implant interfaces in trauma has translated to major improvements in the design and manufacture of fracture fixation devices.

In 1999 he co-founded eCM journal, arguably the first online only, open access journal in the world, a pioneer in open access publishing. This concept disrupted the publishing field in science, which is now standard practice. The journal is a leader in the orthopaedic research field. He is a member of the International Combined Orthopaedic Research Societies (ICORS) Steering Committee  and in 2016 he founded the International College of Fellows for ICORS. ICORS is an alliance of national societies from around the world which aims to promote basic, translational, and musculoskeletal research worldwide.

In September, 2022 (at ICORS 2022, Edinburgh, Scotland) Professor Richards was awarded the prestiguous Transformative Contribution Award from the International Combined Orthopaedic Research Societies (ICORS). The ICORS Transformative Contribution Award recognizes and acknowledges individuals who have had a major impact on the global orthopaedic community via sustained strategic and visionary activities.Specifically: For the outstanding contribution to the establishment and governance of the International College of Fellows for Orthopaedic Research, and governance in ICORS collaboratively leading to a substantial ICORS transformation evident by ICORS globalization, progressive development and expanded networking.

During his 3 year term as Global president of TERMIS, he has developed and implemented the following steps for best practice in governance with help from the governing board: 

• Revamped and simplified the TERMIS Mission with guide on how the society moves to achieve this
• Updated the Core Values for TERMIS
• Created & Implemented a Code of Ethics for TERMIS
• Created a TERMIS Diversity Statement
• Updated detailed TERMIS Officer Roles & Responsibilities for all Governing Board Members
• Updated significantly the TERMIS By-Laws to state of the art and best practice 
• Brought in new officers for Treasurer, Secretary and the new single role as Legal Counsel (no longer combined with Secretary) 
• Initiated New transparent finance processes from budgeting, to actuals to tax submissions.
• Instigated a new Membership model and platform for society sustainability (with reduced registration fee to attend TERMIS conferences)
• Developed a new updated Emerging Country group (with a reduced membership fee for poorer countries)
• Affiliated TERMIS Global to related societies (ISBF (International Society for Biofabrication) and AST (American Society for Transplantation) both with a dedicated webinar series')
• Developed positions for the younger society members, “Student and Young Investigator Sections” (SYIS) were brought into the Governing Board
• Signed a new win-win contract with Mary Anne Liebert, Inc. publishers of the TERMIS official journals of Tissue Engineering Parts A, B and C