Pfizer Medicinal Chemistry Seminar

As part of the the Spring 2022 Organic Seminar series, on January 27^th from 11:10 am we will host a virtual seminar by three representatives from Pfizer’s medicinal chemistry team:

Medicinal Chemistry at Pfizer – Dr. Sheneika Jackson

Sheneika Jackson completed her Ph.D. at the University of Georgia in May 2021. Under the guidance of Dr. Eric Ferreira, she worked on the development of molecular scaffolds for C-H functionalization. She joined Pfizer in June 2021 at the Groton, CT site where she works as a medicinal chemist in the Center for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI).

Synthetic challenges of chiral heterocyclic b-aminoamides – Dr. David Blakemore

David Blakemore completed his Ph.D. at the University of Reading with Professor Andrew Gilbert.  He then undertook 2 years of postdoctoral research with Professor Ian Fleming at the University of Cambridge followed by 1 year of postdoctoral research with Professor Pierre Potier at Gif-sur-Yvette, Paris.  He joined Pfizer in the UK as a medicinal chemist in 1998 and in 2016, he moved to Pfizer’s Groton site where he is currently a Research Fellow in the Immunology and Inflammation medicinal chemistry group.

A new, efficient approach to 1,2-diketones – Dr. Anne-Marie Dechert Schmitt

Anne-Marie Schmitt, a native of Georgia, completed her Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina studying natural product synthesis under the direction of Professor Michael T. Crimmins, and conducted postdoctoral research under the direction of Professor Michael Krische studying TM catalyzed allylation reactions.  Anne-Marie started at Pfizer in Groton, CT in 2012, and has worked in all of the companies’ small molecule therapeutic areas. She is currently a Senior Principal Scientist at Pfizer in the Internal Medicine medicinal chemistry group.

In addition to the talk, the team offer virtual one-on-one sessions, either before or after the presentation. These sessions will be 15 minutes followed by a five-minute break. In these sessions, they will be available to answer questions regarding careers at Pfizer and the chemistry they do. They are also interested in discussing resumes/CVs with students. Overall, the goal of these sessions is to provide a personal approach for students to learn more about different opportunities at Pfizer as well as provide information about a career in industry.