Elisabetta Bianchi has served as Director Peptide Chemistry at IRBM S.p.A. (Pomezia, Italy) since 2010, overseeing efforts in the development of peptide therapeutics. Elisabetta started her career in the pharmaceutical industry in the Peptide Chemistry Group at Eniricerche followed by positions in Sclavo and Menarini Ricerche before joining IRBM in 1991. After full IRBM acquisition by Merck Research Laboratories in 2000, she was appointed Senior Investigator in the Peptide Center of Excellence at Merck. As project leader and member of Merck Early Development Teams, she contributed to the preclinical and clinical development of peptide therapeutics and vaccines. She earned her M. Sc. in Chemistry from Università La Sapienza in Rome and 2nd level Master degree in Preclinical and Clinical Development of Drugs from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome. In 2014 she obtained the Italian National Academic Qualifications as associate professor in Organic Chemistry and Molecular Biology. She is the author of 70 scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals and inventor in about 30 patent/patent applications.