Career Odysseys panel - Chrencik

TL;DR

A scientist at Merck discusses her career in structural chemistry and efforts to promote diversity in science.

Contribution

Shares personal career journey and initiatives to support underrepresented groups in scientific fields.

Findings

The scientist has led structural biology teams using advanced techniques like X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM.

She has contributed to research on GPCRs and kinases during her time at Merck and Pfizer.

She actively promotes inclusivity through programs like #IamRemarkable.

Abstract

I am currently serving as a Senior Principal Scientist in the Discovery Chemistry organization at Merck, specifically with a role in the Protein and Structural Chemistry department. In my role, I focus on advancing medicinal chemistry design strategies through structure-based drug design. Our team utilizes a variety of structural techniques, including X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX), bio-nuclear magnetic resonance (bio-NMR), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) that enable us to uncover intricate structural details of essential protein therapeutic targets.

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Syracuse University and completed my Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Following this, I pursued a postdoctoral fellowship at The Scripps Research Institute. Over the past seven years at Merck, I have had the privilege of leading a small structural biology team at our research site in South San Francisco. Prior to my tenure at Merck, I gained valuable experience at Pfizer, where I worked extensively on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and kinases. Additionally, I contributed to a startup company called Receptos, which specialized in GPCR research.

Beyond my scientific endeavors, I am actively involved in the South San Francisco Women’s Network and co-lead an internal initiative called #IamRemarkable (from Rmrkblty). This program is designed to support and empower women and individuals from underrepresented groups to advocate for themselves. I am deeply passionate about fostering increased representation and equity for women in science, and I strive to uplift my colleagues at Merck to create a more inclusive community.