Chris Spilling, Ph.D.
Interim Chancellor, University of Missouri–St. Louis
Christopher D. Spilling is the interim chancellor of the University of Missouri–St. Louis, overseeing the region’s leading public research university. UMSL serves nearly 16,000 students, has more than 2,300 employees, and contributes over $488 million in annual economic impact. As a major anchor institution and driver of workforce development, UMSL also has the largest alumni base in the metro area, with alumni producing a $14.3 billion annual economic impact for Missouri.
Spilling also serves as vice chancellor for research and economic and community development and professor of chemistry. Under his tenure as vice chancellor, research awards rose to a record $88 million with $85 million in expenditures in the last fiscal year. Spilling was instrumental in establishing UMSL as a founding partner for the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center St. Louis (AMICSTL), a regional effort to anchor St. Louis at the center of advanced manufacturing and biotech. He also oversaw the launch of the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Innovation Center’s research and development labs in UMSL’s Science Complex. The labs are part of an effort to create an Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Hub to strengthen domestic production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished drug products.
Spilling earned his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from Loughborough University in England and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University. He joined UMSL’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry as a member of the faculty in 1989 and was promoted to associate professor in 1995 and professor in 2001. Spilling served as chair of the department from 2004-2015.
An internationally recognized chemist, Spilling has published more than 90 peer-reviewed papers and is a named inventor on 10 issued and pending patents. His research focuses on catalyst design, phosphonate chemistry and biologically active compounds with applications in the treatment of infectious diseases including tuberculosis, sepsis and malaria.
Spilling is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of the American Chemical Society and the National Academy of Inventors. His honors include the St. Louis Award for Chemistry from the American Chemical Society, the University of Missouri President’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Service. He also serves on the boards of the Center of Research, Technology and Entrepreneurial Expertise (Cortex), the API Innovation Center, and North County Inc.
As interim chancellor, Spilling is focused on supporting students, faculty and staff and sustaining UMSL’s momentum during this transition.
"My priority during this transition is to ensure continuity, support our students, faculty and staff, and maintain momentum on the university’s strategic priorities while the search for our next chancellor moves forward.”
- Dr. Spilling in UMSL Daily
