Dr. Whitesides is a world leader in surface chemistry and drug design. He has received more than 25 professional recognitions and awards, including the 1998 National Medal of Science and the 2003 Kyoto Prize for Advanced Technology. Dr. Whitesides was a founder of several successful companies including GelTex Pharmaceuticals, Theravance, and Genzyme. Dr. Whitesides is also a member of several advisory panels including the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, NASA, and the National Research Council. Dr. Whitesides is the author or co-author of more than 900 scientific publications. He received his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology in 1964 and was a faculty member at MIT from 1963 to 1982. He joined the Department of Chemistry of Harvard University in 1982 and was Chairman of the Department from 1986 to 1989 and Mallinckrodt Professor of Chemistry from 1982 to 2004.

Dr. Welch, inventor of the highly regarded antidepressant Zoloft®, has over 30 years of experience working in the Pharmaceutical Industry at Pfizer's Central Research facility in Groton, CT. While at Pfizer, Dr. Welch's research efforts primarily focused on the discovery of novel human therapeutic agents for diseases of the central nervous system. Dr. Welch is the author or co-author of some 65 publications and 35 U.S. patents. Dr. Welch earned his Bachelors Degree in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Rice University.