Science Lead for Analytical Chemistry
Merck Research Laboratories

Christopher J. Welch is Science Lead for Analytical Chemistry within the Process and Analytical Chemistry area at Merck Research Laboratories in Rahway, NJ.  Chris leads the New Technologies Review and Licensing Committee (NT-RLC), the organization that oversees identification, acquisition and evaluation of new technologies of potential value to Merck Research Laboratories.  Chris also leads the MRL Postdoctoral Research Fellows Program.  He received his BS degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1982 and a Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry (also U of I) in 1992. Dr. Welch has worked in a variety of fields within the chemical industry, including discovery synthesis of agrochemicals (Velsicol-Sandoz), development of reagents for improved immunodiagnostic assays (Abbott Laboratories), and development and commercialization of chromatographic stationary phases, reagents and enantioselective catalysts within a small chemical business environment (Regis Technologies).  Since joining Merck in 1999, he has focused on developing and applying improved methods and equipment for purification, synthesis and analysis of pharmaceuticals and intermediates.  Dr. Welch has authored more than 230 scientific publications and patents.  He is co-founder of the journal, Enantiomer, a current or past member of the editorial advisory boards for the journals, Chirality, Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, Journal of the Korean Chemical Society, Chemistry World, Chemical & Engineering News and ACS Central Science.  Chris is past chair of the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry (ORGN), a member of the Executive Committee for the International Symposia on Chirality, a member of the ACS steering committee for Pacifichem and a member of the PittCon Program Resource Team.  Honors and awards include the NJCG Award for Excellence in Chromatography (2004), the PACS Activated Carbon Hall of Fame award (2007), MRL Presidents Award for Environmental Achievement (2009), Microsoft Life Science Innovation Award (2010), Fellow of the American Chemical Society (2010), Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS (2013), the Chirality Medal (2015) and the University of Nebraska Industrial Advisory Board Award (2016).