45th Anniversary Annual Conference · Brochure
2026 East-CACS Annual Conference
Innovating Chemistry Together — 45 Years of Excellence — Celebrating 45 years of CACS and the 150th anniversary of the American Chemical Society.
Date
Saturday, June 6, 2026
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Venue
Lecture Hall 131, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University
160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854
Co-sponsor
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University
Contact
Conference online registration is free through 5/29; onsite registration $50. Dinner reception $50/person — online registration only, deadline 5/29.
Greeting from the President
Mingwen (Kevin) Wang, Ph.D.
President, E-CACS
Founder & CEO, ACS Scientific Inc.
Dear E-CACS Members and Friends,
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 East Chapter of the Chinese American Chemical Society (E-CACS) Annual Conference. On behalf of E-CACS, I extend my warmest greetings and sincere appreciation to all distinguished speakers, sponsors, partners, and attendees joining us for this special occasion.
This year, we are especially proud to celebrate two remarkable milestones: the 45th Anniversary of the Chinese American Chemical Society (CACS) and the 150th Anniversary of the American Chemical Society (ACS). These historic achievements reflect decades of dedication, innovation, and impact across the chemistry community. In recognition of this momentous occasion, our conference theme, “Innovating Chemistry Together, 45 Years of Excellence,” honors our rich legacy while reaffirming our shared commitment to advancing the future of chemical sciences.
Over the past 45 years, E-CACS has grown into a leading professional platform for scientific exchange, collaboration, and innovation in the chemical sciences. As we continue to expand our reach through pharmaceuticals, materials science, healthcare, consumer products, and beyond, we remain steadfast in our mission to foster innovation, strengthen professional connections, and support the success of our members.
Our 2026 Annual Conference at Rutgers University reflects this vision. The program features distinguished keynote speakers, engaging parallel sessions spanning diverse industry sectors, and a poster session highlighting emerging scientific talent. In addition, the conference offers valuable networking and career development opportunities to support continued professional growth. Vendor exhibitions from our sponsors further showcase innovation and excellence while contributing to the mission and sustainability of E-CACS. We hope this event not only provides meaningful insights but also inspires new ideas and lasting collaborations.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the organizing committee, Executive Committee, session chairs, volunteers, and sponsors for their dedication and unwavering support. Their collective efforts are essential to the continued growth and success of E-CACS.
Together, let us celebrate our achievements, spark innovation, and help shape the future of chemistry. Thank you for being part of the E-CACS community.
With warm regards,
Mingwen (Kevin) Wang, Ph.D.
President, E-CACS
Founder & CEO, ACS Scientific Inc.
Conference program at a glance
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8:00 – 8:45 AM
Breakfast / Networking / Registration
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8:45 – 9:15 AM
Opening Remarks by President Dr. Mingwen (Kevin) Wang, Prof. Longqin Hu, Rutgers University and Prof. Rigoberto Hernandez, President of ACS
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9:15 – 9:55 AM
Keynote Speaker — Chao-Jun Li, PhD, Professor, McGill University
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9:55 – 10:35 AM
Keynote Speaker — Elena Polansky, MS, Founder & Managing Partner, Somerset Solutions Advisory Partners
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10:35 – 10:40 AM
Award Ceremony — Industry Excellence Award and Academy Excellence Award
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10:40 – 10:50 AM
Coffee Break / Poster Session / Vendor Show
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10:50 – 11:30 AM
Keynote Speaker — Adam Janczuk, PhD, SVP, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
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11:30 AM – 12:10 PM
Keynote Speaker — Sharon Feng, PhD, VP, ChemQuest
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12:10 – 12:40 PM
Lunch Break
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12:40 – 1:25 PM
Lunch Break (Continued) / Poster Session / Sponsor Presentation / Lottery
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1:25 – 2:40 PM
Parallel Session 1A: Consumer Health and Personal Care Innovation
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1:25 – 2:40 PM
Parallel Session 1B: Medical Devices
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2:40 – 2:55 PM
Coffee Break / Poster Session / Vendor Show
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2:55 – 4:25 PM
Parallel Session 2A: AI in Pharmaceuticals
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2:55 – 4:25 PM
Parallel Session 2B: Career Development Workshop
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4:25 – 4:45 PM
Poster Award & Closing Remarks
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6:00 – 9:00 PM
VIP Dinner
About East-CACS
Founded in 1981, CACS is a nonprofit professional organization with chapters across North America. The East Chapter (E-CACS) serves the region with the largest population of Chinese American chemists, biochemists, and chemical engineers — a hub for pharmaceutical and chemical research.
CACS is the only Chinese professional organization officially recognized by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), and conducts activities in conjunction with the ACS and AIChE annual meetings.
Mission & objectives
- • Promote fellowship within the Chinese American scientific community
- • Enhance member communication, interactions, and shared research experience
- • Provide career development networking and guidance
- • Recognize achievement and excellence in chemistry-related fields
- • Build bridges with other scientific organizations
Executive Council (2026)
President Office
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President
- Mingwen (Kevin) Wang, PhD
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President-Elect
- Jumin Hao, PhD
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Immediate-Past President
- Dujuan Lu, PhD
Departments
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Secretary
- Zizhe (Gigi) Zhao, PhD *
- Jiatong Liu, PhD
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Budget & Finance
- Zhanqi (Jonathan) He, PhD *
- Guangru Mao, PhD
- Yuan Cheng, PhD
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Member Services
- Chongsong Xu, PhD *
- Yingchun Lu, PhD
- Lijuan Wang, PhD
- Li Xu, PhD
- Wei Cheng, PhD
- Shan Jiang, PhD
- Xiaozhou Feng, PhD
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Resource Development
- Jin Zhu, PhD JD *
- Yanbin Pan, PhD
- Yanpeng Hou, PhD
- Kejia Gu, PhD
- Melody Dai, PhD
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Communication
- Ran He, PhD JD *
- Mingxiao Li, PhD
- Xiaobo Zhu, PhD
- Bo Zhang, PhD
- Fan Li, PhD
* Department Directors
2026 Sponsors
Thank you to our generous sponsors for making the 2026 Annual Conference possible.
Diamond Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Silver & Bronze Sponsors
Morning Plenary Session
8:45 AM – 12:10 PM
Conference Chair: Mingwen (Kevin) Wang, PhD — President, East-CACS; CEO, ACS Scientific Inc.
Session Chair: Melody Dai, PhD — Biotech Executive | Regulatory & Product Development | Principal, GMS
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Chao-Jun Li, PhD
Professor
McGill University
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Elena Polansky, MS
Founder & Managing Partner
Somerset Solutions Advisory Partners
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Adam Janczuk, PhD
SVP
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
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Sharon Feng, PhD
VP
ChemQuest
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Mingwen (Kevin) Wang, PhD
President, East-CACS
CEO, ACS Scientific Inc.
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Longqin Hu, PhD
Professor and Chair, Medicinal Chemistry
Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University
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Rigoberto Hernandez, PhD
President, ACS
Professor, Johns Hopkins University
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Melody Dai, PhD
Biotech Executive | Regulatory & Product Development
Principal, GMS
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8:45 – 9:15 AM
Opening Remarks by President Dr. Mingwen (Kevin) Wang, Prof. Longqin Hu and Prof. Rigoberto Hernandez
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9:15 – 9:55 AM
Keynote Speech — Exploring New Reactivities Towards Sustainable Chemical Synthesis — Chao-Jun Li, PhD, Professor, McGill University
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9:55 – 10:35 AM
Keynote Speech — The Other Side of the Supply Chain: How Strategic Procurement Supports Drug Development, Deal Value, and Competitive Advantage — Elena Polansky, MS, Founder & Managing Partner, Somerset Solutions Advisory Partners
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10:35 – 10:50 AM
Award Ceremony / Coffee Break / Poster Session / Vendor Show
-
10:50 – 11:30 AM
Keynote Speech — From Molecules to Meaning: The Chemistry of Flavor in the Age of Biotechnology and AI — Adam Janczuk, PhD, SVP, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
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11:30 AM – 12:10 PM
Keynote Speech — Materials Innovation for a Sustainable Future: Market Drivers, Technology Frontiers, and Industry Response — Sharon Feng, PhD, VP, ChemQuest
Parallel Session 1A: Consumer Health and Personal Care Innovation
Co-hosted with CACPA
1:25 – 2:40 PM
- Session Chair: Guangru Mao, PhD — Executive Committee Member, East-CACS
- Session Chair: Qihong Zhang, PhD — President, CACPA
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Jianwen Mao, PhD
Member of the Board of Executive Directors
AHB
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Catherine Mack, PhD
Head of North America Medical and Scientific Affairs
Haleon
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Chunhua Li, PhD
Vice President
L’Oréal Research and Innovation
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Guangru Mao, PhD
Executive Committee Member
East-CACS
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Qihong Zhang, PhD
President
CACPA
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1:25 – 1:40 PM
Welcome & Introduction — Guangru Mao, PhD, Executive Committee Member, East-CACS; Qihong Zhang, PhD, President, CACPA
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1:40 – 2:00 PM
Observation and Reflection on the Current Dynamics of the Chemical Industry — Jianwen Mao, PhD, Member of the Board of Executive Directors, AHB
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2:00 – 2:20 PM
Evidence-to-Claim Translation for Consumer Healthcare: A Science-Forward Framework for Credible Consumer & Healthcare Professional Messaging — Catherine Mack, PhD, Head of North America Medical and Scientific Affairs, Haleon
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2:20 – 2:40 PM
New Scientific Frontiers in Cosmetics Innovation — Chunhua Li, PhD, Vice President, L’Oréal Research and Innovation
Parallel Session 1B: Medical Devices
Co-hosted with Johnson & Johnson
1:25 – 2:40 PM
- Session Chair: Yijun Lu, PhD — Director of R&D, Johnson & Johnson Medtech
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Qiuwei Feng, PhD RAC
VP Regulatory Affairs
iRhythm Technologies
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Benjamin McGovern, MBA
Manager
Price Waterhouse Coopers
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Zachary Koulermos, BS
Senior Director Advanced Hemostats, Global Marketing
Johnson & Johnson Medtech
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Yijun Lu, PhD
Director of R&D
Johnson & Johnson Medtech
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1:20 – 1:40 PM
Regulatory Affairs in Medical Device Industry: Shaping Innovation at the Intersection of Science, Policy, and Patients — Qiuwei Feng, PhD RAC, VP Regulatory Affairs, iRhythm Technologies
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1:40 – 2:00 PM
Turning Innovation into Impact: A Global MedTech Marketing Perspective — Zachary Koulermos, Senior Director Advanced Hemostats, Global Marketing, Johnson & Johnson MedTech
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2:00 – 2:20 PM
Speaker — Benjamin McGovern, MBA, Manager, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC)
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2:20 – 2:35 PM
Panel Discussion — Qiuwei Feng, PhD RAC, VP Regulatory Affairs, iRhythm Technologies; Zachary Koulermos, Senior Director Advanced Hemostats, Global Marketing, Johnson & Johnson MedTech; Benjamin McGovern, MBA, Manager, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC); Yijun Lu, PhD, Director of R&D, Johnson & Johnson Medtech
Parallel Session 2A: AI in Pharmaceuticals
2:55 – 4:25 PM
- Session Chair: Ran He, PhD JD — Founding Partner, THC Lawyers
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Ming Tang, PhD
Director of Bioinformatics
Astrazeneca
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Will Ma, PhD
Founder and CEO
Hope AI
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Vincent Wang, PhD
Head of Innovation
Hill Research
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Yanfei Gao, MS
CEO and founder
Sky pharmaceutical Development
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Ran He, PhD JD
Founding Partner
THC Lawyers
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2:55 – 3:20 PM
Has AI changed the Course of Drug Development? — Ming Tang, PhD, Director of Bioinformatics, Astrazeneca
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3:20 – 3:45 PM
AI-powered adaptive clinical trial design — Will Ma, PhD, Founder and CEO, Hope AI
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3:45 – 4:25 PM
Panel Discussion — The future of pharmaceutical in the AI era — Ming Tang, PhD, Director of Bioinformatics, Astrazeneca; Will Ma, PhD, Founder and CEO, Hope AI; Vincent Wang, PhD, Head of Innovation, Hill Research; Yanfei Gao, MS, CEO and founder of Sky pharmaceutical Development; Ran He, PhD JD, Founding Partner, THC Lawyers
Parallel Session 2B: Career Development Workshop
2:55 – 4:25 PM
- Session Chair: Jiatong Liu, PhD — Consultant, THC Lawyers
- Session Chair: Lijuan Wang, PhD — Head of Small Molecule DMPK, Alexion (AstraZeneca Rare Disease)
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Amy Spinney, MBA
Global Director of Product Management
Fresenius Medical Care
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Junchi Lu, PhD
Associate Director
Bristol Myers Squibb
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Vivian Li, PhD
Investor
K2VC
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Sherry Song, PhD
Principal Scientist
Merck
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Jiatong Liu, PhD
Consultant
THC Lawyers
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Lijuan Wang, PhD
Head of Small Molecule DMPK
Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease
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Jaclyn Lee, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, MS
Future of Work Practitioner | Career Development Strategist | AI & Talent Ecosystem Builder | Founder | Speaker
Founder, D-I-C-E Consulting, iHub
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2:55 – 3:15 PM
Be Intentional: Make Your Value Seen — Amy Spinney, MBA, Global Director of Product Management, Fresenius Medical Care
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3:15 – 3:35 PM
Beyond the Black Box: How to Build AI That Scientists, Executives, and Regulators Can Actually Trust — Junchi Lu, PhD, Associate Director, Bristol Myers Squibb
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3:35 – 4:25 PM
Mini Talk and Panel Discussion — Amy Spinney, MBA, Global Director of Product Management, Fresenius Medical Care; Junchi Lu, PhD, Associate Director, Bristol Myers Squibb; Vivian Li, PhD, Investor K2VC; Sherry Song, PhD, Principal Scientist Merck; Jaclyn Lee, GPHR, SHRM-SCP, MS, Founder, D-I-C-E Consulting, iHub; Jiatong Liu, PhD, Consultant, THC Lawyers
Join us on June 6
Conference online registration is free through 5/29; onsite registration $50. Dinner reception $50/person — online registration only, deadline 5/29.