1^st Biennial Welch Crystallization Center Symposium

Organizers

Jeff Rimer, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston
jrimer@uh.edu

Peter Vekilov, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston
pvekilov@uh.edu

Gul Zerze, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston
gzerze@uh.edu

Abstract

The Welch Center for Advanced Bioactive Materials Crystallization aims to transform our understanding of crystallization processes through an integrated approach addressing the limitations of classical nucleation theories. This initiative focuses on elucidating nonclassical pathways and their role in controlling crystal nucleation, structure selection, and polymorphic transformations. By combining advanced experimental techniques, theoretical models, and computater simulations, the Center will tackle these challenges. The goal of the Welch Crystallization Center Meeting is to encourage collaboration among researchers from industry and academia working with pharmaceuticals.

Registration

Registration is free of charge and open for everyone but it is required. Please register here before August 31st, 2025.

Location & Parking

The meeting will be held at the UH Main Campus Durga D. and Sushila Agrawal Engineering Research Building (map) (AERB, Room 100).

There will be parking on site at the Welcome Center Garage (4434 University Dr, Houston, TX, 77204) for visitors. Please see the walk way from Welcome Center Garage to Agrawal Engineering Research Building below.

Symposium Program

Please check the link for the detailed program.

Symposium Schedule

September 5, 2025

Time	Event
8:00 - 8:40 AM	Registration and Breakfast
8:40 - 9:00 AM	Opening Remarks: Jeff Rimer (UH) and Adam Kuspa (Welch Foundation)
9:00 - 9:30 AM	Keynote Talk 1: Chris Marton (Bristol Myers Squibb)
9:30 - 10:00 AM	Keynote Talk 2: Manish Kelkar (AbbVie)
10:00 - 10:30 AM	Keynote Talk 3: Megan Ketchum (GlaxoSmithKline)
10:30 - 10:50 AM	Coffee Break
10:50 - 11:20 AM	Invited Talk 1: Peter Vekilov (UH, Welch Center PI)
11:20 - 11:25 AM	Plenary Speaker Introduction
11:25 - 12:15 PM	Plenary Talk 1: Chris Burcham (Eli Lilly)
12:15 - 1:00 PM	Lunch (Engineering Building 1, 1st floor)
1:00 - 2:30 PM	Poster Session (Engineering Building 1, 1st floor)
2:30 - 2:35 PM	Plenary Speaker Introduction
2:35 - 3:25 PM	Plenary Talk 2: Kevin Girard (Pfizer)
3:25 - 3:55 PM	Keynote Talk 4: Xiaolong Zhu (Merck)
3:55 - 4:25 PM	Invited Talk 2: Gul Zerze (UH, Welch Center PI)
4:25 - 4:40 PM	Closing Remarks and Poster Awards (Jeff Rimer)
5:00 - 7:00 PM	Happy hour / dinner with out-of-town guests

Funding and Sponsorship

Our center is funded by Welch Foundation.



We are seeking industrial collaborations. If you are interested in supporting our effort, please contact the organizers at jrimer@uh.edu.

University of Houston

The University of Houston (UH), a public research university in Texas, was founded as Houston Junior College in 1927 and became a four-year institution in 1934. It's the third-largest university in Texas, awarding about 11,000 degrees annually to a worldwide alumni base of 300,000. With fifteen colleges, including nine professional schools, UH offers around 310 degree programs to about 47,000 students. Its main campus in southeast Houston spans 894 acres and includes additional sites in Sugar Land and Katy. Known for its green spaces, sculptures, and notable architectural structures, UH is a flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Nearly 88% of its students are from Texas, with 9% being international students.

Houston, the Space City

Houston, the fourth-largest city in the US with 2.3 million residents, is located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Established in 1836 and named after former General Sam Houston, it grew into a major trading center and diversified its economy in the 20th century, with significant contributions from the port, rail, oil, healthcare, and space industries. Nicknamed the "Bayou City" or "Space City", Houston has become a global city, with strengths in culture, medicine, and research. The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community. Houston has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major city in the U.S. It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits, which attract more than seven million visitors a year to the Museum District. The Museum District is home to nineteen museums, galleries, and community spaces. Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District, and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts.

© 2025 Gul Zerze | Image Credit: Gul Zerze