Bert has been responsible for medicinal chemistry since joining the Company in September 2001 and recently added the process research function to his span of control. As Vice President Chemistry, he has been responsible for directing the discovery of biologically active chemical compounds to become drug candidates ready for clinical development. During process research, Neurogen chemists seek to simplify complex chemical processes to allow for the efficient synthesis and scale-up of drug material for use in the development process. Before joining Neurogen, Bert was employed at Pfizer Inc for 15 years, where as a research advisor and project coordinator, he was recognized as a leading authority in the area of central nervous system compounds, specifically those modulating excitatory amino acid receptors as potential treatments for pain and traumatic brain injury. He began his career in DuPont�s Central Research Department as a research scientist in exploratory organic chemistry. At DuPont, he discovered several specialized reagents (materials used to transform one chemical substance into another), including TMSOK, a popular reagent used to prepare organic acid salts.
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