Industry Insights on Research and Innovation Seminars

In this monthly Industry Insights on Research and Innovation Seminar (IIRIS) series, presented by Technology Opportunities & Ventures (TOV), experts from innovative startups will join us to discuss how their companies are using cutting-edge science to develop the next generation of therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and more. They will also share insights into industry trends and career opportunities, and answer questions from attendees. The events are free and open to the NYU community, and a boxed lunch is provided.

November's speaker is Dr. Gerhard Müller, CSO at SpiroChem. SpiroChem is a leading research partner offering innovative solutions across the drug discovery and process R&D value chain. Its expert team combines deep scientific knowledge with advanced technology platforms to accelerate research and streamline progress toward regulatory milestones. Through a trusted partner network, SpiroChem provides fully integrated discovery services, from medicinal chemistry to biology, supporting projects from hit validation through lead optimization to early process R&D.

Full speaker bio:

Dr. Gerhard Müller earned his PhD in Organic Chemistry with Prof. Horst Kessler at the Technical University of Munich, focusing on cyclic RGD peptides. He began his career with pharma roles at Glaxo (Verona), Bayer AG (Leverkusen), and Organon (Netherlands), and later served as CSO at Axxima Pharmaceuticals, Proteros (Munich), and Mercachem (Nijmegen).

He co-founded Gotham Therapeutics (New York, $55M raised) and Anavo Therapeutics (Heidelberg, $35M raised), and currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer at SpiroChem, leading its transformation from a chemistry service provider into an integrated drug discovery organization.

With over 30 years of experience in small-molecule drug discovery, Dr. Müller has advanced seven candidates to IND-enabling studies and is passionate about novel modalities such as macrocycles and proximity-inducing compounds. He also organizes the Swiss School on Medicinal Chemistry (Leysin, CH) and advises numerous biotech companies and research institutes.