• Member Profile: Bob Chapin

    Bob Chapin is a Senior Research Follow at Pfizer Drug Safety R&D in Groton, CT.

    Q&A with Bob Chapin

    Where does your passion for science come from?
    I am fascinated and humbled by nature. Looking down the lens of a microscope and seeing proteins in water that are organized and doing jobs that constitute life literally gives me goose bumps.

    Why did you join Pfizer?
    I spent 18 years at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) studying how environmental compounds impact reproduction. We had little impact on EPA guidelines and we were always working to accommodate the agendas of other government agencies. At Pfizer, everyone in the room is focused on one goal. We work towards the positive — getting a drug to market or documenting that it is safe — instead of researching the negative.

    What do you do at Pfizer?
    I work in Pfizer’s Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology Center of Emphasis to identify or develop assays that will help predict whether a compound will be a developmental toxicant, meaning it will cause problems for the fetus. I also consult with teams who are having reproductive issues and help discovery teams pick targets before molecules are developed against them.

    What would you like people to understand about science?
    Science is data driven. It’s not about what we’d like to think is happening but about what is actually happening. And the only way to find that out is to ask questions of nature, and by that I mean do experiments.

    What would you like Pfizer to be known for?
    I would like us to be known for having meds that are both safe and effective, which are both astonishingly difficult to achieve.

    What has been a career highlight for you?
    I received the 2010 Pfizer Achievement Award, essentially for doing my job well and talking to those outside our walls about what it is we do. It’s a nice break from the lab and, in addition to my participation in Think Science Now (TSN), is a way for me to share my passion for the work we do.

    What do you like most about being a Think Science Now Member?
    TSN gives our scientists a clear voice — and me a place to share my musings and amazement at biology. I give Pfizer big kudos for taking a risk on me and letting me speak on behalf of the company in a very public way.

    Is there anything colleagues would be surprised to know about you?
    I am a lifelong sailor and enjoy being out on the water to get in touch with the larger forces and make full body contact with nature.

    Who inspires you?
    I am inspired by Einstein who, despite his early success, actually spent most of his career being wrong. He tried tirelessly to find a unifying theory of gravity and light and never really got his head around quantum mechanics. Einstein’s plight serves as a constant reminder to be flexible, to listen to the data and to not get caught up in what you want it to say.

    To read Bob’s blog posts click here.

    Click here to learn more about Bob.

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  1. Joe Comiskey said:

    Well said. Thanks, Bob, for your comments and inspiration.

    on May 24, 2011 at 11:44 am