Sterling Snapshot | Ali Alwy, Senior Process Expert

Ali Alwy joined Sterling’s Cork site in June 2014. In his role as Senior Process Expert, Ali is responsible for providing front-line technical and scientific process support to the production plant.

Can you tell me about your background?

I have a BSc in Chemistry with Nanotechnology from the Technological University Dublin. I then went on to study an MSc in Analytical Chemistry at Dublin City University.

After completing my Masters in 2013, I joined Novartis (now Sterling’s Cork site), in 2014 as a Technical Operations (TechOps) Graduate Program. I was part of this program for two years where I spent my time training as a Process Manager (Process Expert) at the site, until I graduated from the programme in 2016.

In 2024, I became a Senior Process Expert, which is the role I am in today. My position involves working on a variety of products from small to large molecules across the site.

Can you tell us what your role as Senior Process Expert involves?

My role involves providing front-line technical and scientific process support to the production plant. This includes ensuring a safe, economically friendly and timely production in the required quantity and quality in compliance with customer requirements. I have also been involved in mentoring and supporting the new Process Experts within manufacturing.

The majority of my time is spent working on peptides, specifically peptide synthesis and HPLC peptide purification. I also work with lyophilisation, which is another one of our key capabilities at our Cork site. I enjoy finding ways to continuously improve processes with an aim to further support our customers’ projects.

How does your role support our customers?

It is my responsibility to make sure our customers have confidence and trust in our ability to develop and manufacture a quality product, on time, with the correct safety procedures. We have skilled workers with decades of experience, as well as the equipment needed to meet our customers’ needs, and it is my role to demonstrate this to our customers by way of an efficient process.

What do you think sets our Cork site apart?

The experience and capabilities we have with peptides. They have been manufactured on site since 1996, which has resulted in a vast amount of knowledge and skill in complex peptide synthesis using solid phase support.

As a site, we have been manufacturing this complex process for nearly three decades, so our customers have trust in us to make their product at the correct quality, with the correct requirements, at the right cost, as well as creating the product in a safe manner.

Another aspect of peptides we work on is industrial scale HPLC peptide purification. We have several HPLC columns which range in size from 45cm to 1.6m diameter.

Here at the Cork site, we have the capability to make several short-chain peptides and build them up into one large peptide (up to 40 amino acids). The people who work at the site are also one of our biggest capabilities, due to their expertise, knowledge and experience. We also have the technical know-how from our front-line experts which is key for a successful process.

 Do you work with any other departments/facilities in your role?

I am involved in all stages of the process, so I work with many different departments on site. I partake in daily collaboration with different teams to get a campaign up and running. Specifically, I work closely with the shift team leaders and floor operators; my role involves constant communication with these teams to ensure a smooth-running and effective process.

I also work with teams from our other sites across the world, varying from technical teams to business development teams. Through these interactions, I have seen firsthand the core values and culture within the Sterling network which are key for our organisation’s success.

What is your favourite thing about working at our Cork site?

The people who work here are very supportive of each other. The openness and transparency of my colleagues here at the Cork site truly portrays how each worker has taken on the core values of Sterling.