William Boulanger, Ph.D.
CEO and Executive Chemist
Dr. Boulanger founded Obiter Research in 2001 and has been leading the company ever since. He specializes in process chemistry and chemical engineering. He received his doctoral degree in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to founding Obiter, Dr. Bolulanger was a senior research chemist at AMRI, MediChem research, and FMC cooperation. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor in chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Vasu Dhananjayan, Ph.D.
Research Chemistry Manager
Dr. Vasu is a highly accomplished Organic Chemist with more than 13 years of experience in small molecule synthesis and methodology development. He earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. Dr. Vasu has received prestigious fellowships such as Marie Skłodowska-Curie (University of Oxford, UK) and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS, Kyoto University, Japan). Dr. Vasu has an impressive track record, having authored 21 scientific publications and holding 2 patents. He has handled multiple research projects, including total synthesis, multi-step organic synthesis, transition metal catalysis, organometallic chemistry, organocatalysis, and medicinal chemistry. His research work has been recognized and honored with the front cover of two journals, highlighted in Synfacts, and was one of the most accessed articles in Angewandte Chemie (May 2015). Before joining Obiter as a Research Chemistry Manager, Dr. Vasu worked as a Research Scientist at FibroGen and as a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University with Professor Dr. Richard B. Silverman. In his current role at Obiter Research, Dr. Vasu administers and manages the overall chemistry operations, ensuring a smooth and effective workflow. He was also recognized as an outstanding reviewer from Chemical Communications (2020-2021).
Milan Rambukwella, Ph.D.
Quality Assurance Manager
Meet Dr. Milan, an accomplished Quality Assurance (QA) Manager whose passion for precision in chemical research and manufacturing has shaped a distinguished career. Driven by an unwavering commitment to excellence, he places quality at the forefront of our endeavors, operating with integrity and transparency to uphold the highest standards. Holder of a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Mississippi, Dr. Milan boasts over a decade of specialized expertise in material synthesis, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and various analytical techniques. His academic achievements include the Olemiss research scholarship and the esteemed President's Awards (Sri Lanka) for Scientific Research in 2019 and 2020. Dr. Milan's role as an Associate Professor underscores his wealth of knowledge and is a testament to his dedication to advancing the field. Dr. Milan's strategic mindset extends beyond mere efficiency; it ensures that QA processes and manufacturing initiatives at Obiter Research are thoughtfully aligned with the discerning needs of our customers.
Huafang Fan, Ph.D.
Senior Research Chemist
Dr. Fan holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and Technology, both earned from Hunan University. He has 32 publications and over 20 years of experience in organic synthesis. Before becoming an integral part of the Obiter team in December 2023, Dr. Fan served as an associate professor at Northwest A&F University. Dr. Fan possesses extensive expertise in natural product chemistry, synthetic chemistry and process Chemistry. His proficiency extends to a wide array of organic reactions and mechanisms, making him adept at addressing various challenges in organic synthesis production.
Pinghua Ge, Ph.D.
Quality Control/Analytical Chemist
Dr. Pinghua is a highly accomplished chemist with over 30 year experience in multidisciplinary academic and industrious research and development. He earned his Ph.D in Inorganic & Organometallic chemistry from University of Delaware. He has co-authored more than 50 research papers in prestigious scientific journals including: Nature, JACS, Angewandte Chemie, International Edition, PNAS, etc. In addition, he holds two patents. Dr. Pinghua has the hands-on experience on projects in organic and material synthesis, inorganic and bioinorganic research, chemistry and biophysics interdisciplinary research, and clinical chemistry lab screening and analysis. He possesses specialized expertise in chemical analysis and purification techniques including chromatography, mass spectroscopy, IR, NMR, cyclic voltammetry, fluorimeter, gel electrophoresis, DSC, ultra-centrifugation. With his knowledge and experience, Dr. Pinghua’s role as QC in Obiter Research, LLC. ensures the discerning needs of high quality for both our customers and our own Obiter Research.
Anh Le
Hazardous Waste Coordinator | Research Chemist
Anh received his Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2021. He has three publications and over 5 years of experience in organic synthesis. He joined Obiter in June 2021 and has been actively contributing as a chemist toward the success of the company. Besides chemistry, he loves cooking, reading a history book, and playing Call of Duty.
Nathan Torres
Facilities Manager
Nathan has been learning various inventory systems and hands-on logistics since 2010. He graduated with an Associate Degree in Science from Illinois Valley Community College in 2012. He has been forklift certified since 2016 and has worked with hazardous materials since 2018. He joined Obiter in June of 2021 and is part of the Safety Committee alongside his duties in logistics and facility management.