Chris grew up in Maine and earned a BS in Chemistry from Boston University in 2000. He began his career at Merck Research Laboratories as an associate scientist in Medicinal Chemistry, where he contributed to lead optimization efforts for CNS-directed small molecules. Awarded an MRL Doctoral Study Fellowship, Chris returned to graduate school at Columbia University and completed a PhD in James Leighton’s laboratory, undertaking the total synthesis of cyclocitrinol natural products.

After rejoining Merck in 2011, Chris drove small-molecule drug discovery across oncology and cardiometabolic programs, taking on progressively senior roles and helping to advance multiple candidates toward development. In 2019 he pivoted to cyclic peptides as the company’s modality portfolio broadened. Since then, he has led discovery programs spanning hit identification through candidate selection and supported early development teams focused on orally bioavailable cyclic peptide therapeutics.

Chris’s work bridges rigorous synthetic chemistry and translational drug discovery, with a track record of moving novel modalities from concept to clinic-ready candidates.