Paul DaSilva-Jardine
Vice President, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases

Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton, CT

As head of the Medicinal Chemistry for Pfizer's Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease area, Paul DaSilva-Jardine and his team are charged with making chemical molecules designed to affect a biological target - a perfect fit for someone who likes to "build things," chemically speaking.

It was in his high school chemistry class, taught by a British priest in Paul's homeland of Guyana, that he discovered this. It instilled in him his passion to "create something new. To produce new knowledge that has an impact."

Paul recalls his first science experiments in school, among them using a Van der Graaf machine to generate high voltages of ionized air to light a light bulb. Of course, making gunpowder was a favorite, too. He continued his education in chemistry, going on to receive an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and a PhD in chemistry from Harvard.

What has kept Paul motivated and engaged during his 20 years in research? The fact that drug discovery changes every three or four years and that rate of innovation is accelerating. As Paul puts it, "In the drug discovery business, we have the potential to positively affect the lives of millions of people. Few other professions offer that chance. If not us, who?"

With his passion for creating things in the lab, it's no surprise that outside of the lab, Paul has a passion for cooking, where he gets to "mix many things together."