Impactful Applications In Flow Chemistry And Radical Chemistry

Miles Blackburn is Associate Director of Chemistry at Snapdragon Chemistry in Waltham, MA, where he has worked since 2020. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Duke University and is the author of nine publications, with research experience in organic synthetic method development — including novel approaches to selective cross-coupling and single-electron C–H functionalization.

In his current role, he leads process development projects from proof-of-concept studies and optimization through to early-stage clinical deliveries and process characterization. His approach centers on enabling technologies — flow chemistry, photochemistry, and automation — paired with process analytical techniques to build robust processes quickly and understand them thoroughly.

Asked about the most impactful applications he has seen of flow and radical chemistry, Blackburn highlights the speed at which these processes can be scaled. That rapid scalability, he notes, translates directly into faster delivery of pharmaceutical intermediates and APIs.