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Les McQuire
Chemist, Volunteer, Organizer, Councilor and Leader
Chemist, Volunteer, Organizer, Councilor and Leader
| Les McQuire is a successful leader, project manager, drug discoverer and facilitator. He is an effective leader of multiple large interdisciplinary teams throughout the Drug Discovery/Development process. Les has envisioned, organized and led some of the most successful large technical meetings and groups in the US demonstrating skills in organization, motivation and communication. |
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Les was born in Scotland and did both his undergraduate BSc (Hons.)
and PhD there. Les's interest in participating and "giving back" to the
scientific community was evident even then as what has developed in to a
lifetime hobby began in University. Les held several elected positions
within the Student Chemistry Society and University Government during
this period and joined the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in the late
‘80s.
He received a Fulbright Scholarship and moved to the University of Texas
at Austin to do Post-doc research with Phil Magnus FRS on the total
synthesis of Strychnine.
Les then joined Ciba, now Novartis, in New Jersey working on treatments
for inflammation, pain and arthritis. In addition to working on and leading
several successful projects Les became active in the American Chemical
Society’s North Jersey Section and chaired the Section in 2000. Les
began to play a National role within ACS as a Councilor, member of
various Divisions and the Local Section Activities Committee.
When Novartis moved its US research to Cambridge, MA Les moved as
well joining the group working on cardiovascular disease. While
remaining a member of the North Jersey Section (and Les & Wendy still
spend half their weekends at their home in New Jersey) Les helped found
the “Advances in Chemical Sciences Symposium” in Cambridge.
In 2005 Les was elected to the Chair succession at the Gordon Research
Conference on Medicinal Chemistry and served as Program Co-Chair for
MARM.
In 2006 Les was elected to the ACS Committee on Committees and in
2008 the Committee elected him as their chair.
and PhD there. Les's interest in participating and "giving back" to the
scientific community was evident even then as what has developed in to a
lifetime hobby began in University. Les held several elected positions
within the Student Chemistry Society and University Government during
this period and joined the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in the late
‘80s.
He received a Fulbright Scholarship and moved to the University of Texas
at Austin to do Post-doc research with Phil Magnus FRS on the total
synthesis of Strychnine.
Les then joined Ciba, now Novartis, in New Jersey working on treatments
for inflammation, pain and arthritis. In addition to working on and leading
several successful projects Les became active in the American Chemical
Society’s North Jersey Section and chaired the Section in 2000. Les
began to play a National role within ACS as a Councilor, member of
various Divisions and the Local Section Activities Committee.
When Novartis moved its US research to Cambridge, MA Les moved as
well joining the group working on cardiovascular disease. While
remaining a member of the North Jersey Section (and Les & Wendy still
spend half their weekends at their home in New Jersey) Les helped found
the “Advances in Chemical Sciences Symposium” in Cambridge.
In 2005 Les was elected to the Chair succession at the Gordon Research
Conference on Medicinal Chemistry and served as Program Co-Chair for
MARM.
In 2006 Les was elected to the ACS Committee on Committees and in
2008 the Committee elected him as their chair.
| With the Executive Committee of the RSC US Section. Les was elected as Hons. Secretary of the Section in 2008. |
| Les was co-chair of the first ACS/RSC/IUPAC Symposium which took place in Cambridge, MA in 2007. The meeting was a huge success as can be seen from the audience at the 2008 meeting, above. The meeting concludes with a vendor exhibition and reception, below. |
| Introducing a speaker at The Chemistry as a Life Science Symposium |
| Dr. Robert Peoples (center, ACS GCI), Kishore Bagga (L, Member-at-Large RSC US) and Les McQuire (R, Secretary RSC US) |
| Les with other former Phil Magnus Post-docs, Fez Ujjainwalla, Iyassu Sebhat, Frank Bennett |
| Les and Wendy in Arizona between Christmas 2008 and New Year |
| Les busy as chair of the 2008 Medicinal Chemistry Gordon Research Conference |
| With Val Kuck, Anne Kelly and Susan Fahrenholtz at the Liberty Science Center during National Chemistry Week |
| Learn more about Les's activities: |
| Giving a toast at their 2009 Burns Night Party |
| At the Baekeland Award Symposium honoring Chad Mirkin |
| The scene at the Liberty Science Center during National Chemistry Week |