MATTHEWS, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CEM Corporation, sponsor of the 6th International Microwaves in Chemistry Conference, is pleased to announce that Leonard G. Contillo, Jr., a Principal Scientist with Pfizer Global Research & Development renowned for his innovative work in peptide chemistry, will be the Keynote Speaker for the 2008 conference. Contillo has been a pioneer and advocate of new technologies at Pfizer since the early 1970s. He set up the first DNA and peptide synthesis laboratories at Pfizer and has been a leader in defining protocols for small molecule antibody production. His research has covered a variety of topics including the discoveries of unique reagents to facilitate drug screening and novel reagents to probe early drug safety. Contillo will be speaking about the trend toward peptide-based therapeutics in his presentation entitled, “The Changing Role of the Peptide Chemist in the Pharmaceutical Industry Today.”