Haiying Grunenwald

Haiying Grunenwald serves as Head of Biology Research & Development for the Discovery Solutions Business Unit within the Life Science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. In this role, she defines and executes the technology roadmap and R&D strategy across a broad biology portfolio in biomedical research and drug discovery. Her work is centered on transforming biology from exploratory science into decision-ready systems, where integrated platforms across organoids, microphysiological systems (organs-on-chip), and multiomics enable faster, more predictive insights. She leads a diverse portfolio of innovation programs, ensuring alignment between long-term technology investments and near-term commercial priorities through disciplined portfolio management and cross-functional execution. In addition, she plays a key role in building and advancing strategic collaborations with academic institutions, biotechnology companies, and industry partners, extending technical capabilities and accelerating the translation of emerging technologies into scalable, high-impact applications. She is an active contributor to the broader scientific community, engaging with external partners to advance the adoption of next-generation, human-relevant biological systems. Prior to joining Merck KGaA, Haiying served as Senior Director of R&D at Illumina, where she led the development and advancement of next generation sequencing workflows, contributing to the expansion and commercialization of genomic technologies across research and clinical applications. Haiying holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Genetics and a B.S. in Biochemistry. She is recognized for her ability to translate complex scientific innovation into scalable, commercially viable solutions and for driving execution across global, cross-functional organizations.