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Alastair Breen

@alastairbreen

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PMQ-qualified pharmaceutical project manager experienced in drug discovery and development.

United Kingdom

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What I'm looking for

I seek a project management role in pharmaceutical development where I can lead cross-functional teams, deliver complex multi-site projects on-time/in-full, and contribute scientific and commercial value in a collaborative, patient-focused environment.

I am a PMQ-qualified project manager with a strong pharmaceutical science background, combining experience as a development chemist, PDRA in medicinal chemistry, and commercial project manager. I deliver cross-functional programs spanning API, drug product and packaging for commercial manufacture.

My career includes leading projects at Piramal Pharma Solutions and Quotient Sciences, managing scope, resources, timelines and escalations while acting as the client-facing lead. I have practical hands-on laboratory experience in process development, formulation, drug delivery and cell biology from roles in industry and academia.

During my PhD and postdoctoral roles I designed and optimised synthetic routes, oversaw visiting students, and contributed to antiviral screening during the COVID-19 response. I have a proven track record of initiating process improvements, coordinating multi-site projects and driving projects to on-time, in-full delivery.

I am a composed, dependable and ambitious professional who communicates clearly with clients and stakeholders, mentors colleagues, and champions tools and practices (EPM super-user) that improve project delivery and team performance.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Senior Commercial Project Manager

Current

Piramal Pharma Solutions

Jan 2025 - Present (1 year 1 month)

Accountable for delivery of a portfolio of commercial manufacture programs (API, Drug Product, Packaging), managing cross-functional teams, client-facing communication and scope/change control to ensure on-time, in-full supply.

Project Management Stakeholder Management Supply Chain Coordination Change Control Risk Management Portfolio Management

Project Manager

Quotient Sciences

Aug 2022 - Dec 2024 (2 years 4 months)

Managed multiple GMP and non-GMP pharmaceutical projects including drug substance and product manufacture, formulation development and regulatory support, tracking time, cost and quality while managing client and operational expectations.

Project Management Non GMP Regulatory Client Management Resource Planning

Development Chemist

Recipharm

Mar 2021 - Jul 2022 (1 year 4 months)

Worked on API process development to enable successful commercial manufacture, initiating and coordinating process improvement projects across multiple departments to improve yield and scalability.

Process Development Process Improvement

Post-Doctoral Research Associate

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Apr 2019 - Feb 2021 (1 year 10 months)

Led medicinal chemistry projects to design and optimise synthetic routes for novel anti-tuberculosis compounds and supported high-throughput antiviral screening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Medicinal Chemistry Synthetic Route Design High Throughput Screening Cell Biology Drug Discovery Analytical Techniques

Research Assistant

University of Nottingham

Oct 2018 - Dec 2018 (2 months)

Contributed to interdisciplinary synthesis and purification of peptide-based MMP biosensors as part of a collaboration across chemistry, pharmacy and medicine.

Peptides Purification Analytical Chemistry Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturing Scientist

Erigal Ltd

Apr 2014 - Sep 2014 (5 months)

Produced fluorine-18 labelled radiopharmaceuticals under GMP, managed shift-based production and coordinated order collation and transport to injection sites.

Radiopharmaceuticals F 18 Labelling Production Scheduling Quality Control Logistics

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Nottingham

Doctor of Philosophy, Pharmacy / Pharmaceutical Sciences

2014 - 2018

Activities and societies: Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Therapeutics and Nanomedicine; supervised visiting international students.

PhD research on encapsulation of antitumor benzothiazoles within apoferritin protein cages, gaining multidisciplinary experience in synthetic chemistry, cell culture, pharmacology, formulation and drug delivery.

University of York

Master of Chemistry (MChem), Chemistry

2007 - 2011

Grade: 2:1

Activities and societies: Extended research project in synthetic organic chemistry.

MChem degree with a nine-month research project in synthetic organic chemistry using radical additions to electron-poor alkenes; graduated with a 2:1.