American College of Embryology recognizes excellence in the practice of Embryology of the following practitioner
Richard R. Chacon, BSc, ELD (ABB)
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Richard R. Chacon
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Richard served as Embryology Lab Director at Sher’s Pacific Fertility Center in Los Angeles until June 2015. The College congratulates him on completition of 30 great and successful years in the profession. He is board certified by the American Association of Bioanalysis (ABB) as an Embryology Laboratory Director and as Technical Supervisor in both Andrology and Embryology. He is also certified by the American College of Embryology. During his tenure over the past 30 years he has contributed to several peer-reviewed papers and assisted in the development of several successful laboratories within California.
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He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of California – Riverside. He has an extensive background in Andrology, Embryology and Reproductive Biology with over 30 years of experience in Clinical Embryology. He was a Staff Research Associate at UC Riverside working with Prudence Talbot, PhD. His research was using electron microscopy for smooth muscle contractions in both the human and hamster ovary. He conducted extensive research on capacitation and acrosome reaction studies in human, guinea pig, mouse and lobster sperm. During this time, he developed the “triple stain” technique for acrosome detection in human sperm. He is well known for his work on human sperm.
Leaving the auspices of UC Riverside because of “soft” or grant money, he moved on to the “real world”, applying his reproductive biology skills to the relatively new field of in vitro fertilization (IVF). In May 1983, he set up the second IVF laboratory in Southern California at Century City Hospital, shortly after Richard Marrs at USC/Good Samaritan Hospital. In 1986, he moved to and became the Laboratory Director at UC Irvine/Long Beach Memorial Medical Center (LBMMC) under Bill Yee, MD. While at LBMMC, he along with Bill Yee, became pioneers in the efforts to try and increase the genetic diversity of the western lowland gorilla by utilizing IVF procedures and the relatively new ultrasound retrieval aspirations pioneered by Susan Lenz. After 10 years at LBMMC, he moved on to Irvine Scientific as a Senior Research Scientist working on and developing what would become Isolate Sperm Separation medium to replace what was then currently in use (Percoll).
In 1997, he left Irvine Scientific and joined Sher’s Pacific Fertility Center in Los Angeles. He is an active member of several professional societies including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), American Board of Bioanalysis (ABB), ESHRE, Society of Reproductive Biologists & Technologists (SRBT), Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), American College of Embryology (EMBCOL), Pacific Coast Reproductive Society (PCRS) and College of Reproductive Biology (CRB). He also serves as an inspector for the College of American Pathologists (CAP) for the Reproductive Laboratory Accreditation Program.