Dr. Hughes completed his undergraduate studies at the University of New Brunswick in 1994 and then completed a PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Toronto. In 2002, he started working at Merck Frosst by joining a newly formed satellite Process Chemistry group. In 2013, Dr. Hughes assumed a position as VP of Business Development and Alliance Management at Codexis. In 2016, Dr. Hughes returned to R&D at Merck, assuming his current position as a Principal Scientist in the Process Chemistry organization.