Dr Rory MacDonald is a chartered chemical engineer with over a decade of experience spanning small- and large-molecule drug substance and various formulations in process development, process and equipment validation, project management, sustainability, and digitalisation. As a senior chemical engineer at Quotient Sciences, Rory is currently working on the validation of end-to-end RNA vaccine production and formulation using novel flow equipment and processes. He is also leading a grant-funded research project aimed at reducing the environmental impact of small-molecule synthesis through weighted optimisation with chemical kinetic models, enabling rapid progression to kilo-scale continuous processes.

His career includes roles at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and academic research at Newcastle University, where he earned his EngD in Chemical Engineering for his work on modelling and optimisation of the spiral jet mill. While at GSK’s site in Ware (Hertfordshire), Rory designed, developed, and optimised micronisation equipment and processes for inhaled and solid dose products, later progressing to technical lead for blending, tablet compression, and capsule filling. At the Arcinova / Quotient Sciences site in Alnwick (Northumberland), he led the design and development of a multi-step, kilo-scale continuous API synthesis and work-up, as well as the design, project management, and validation for a multi-million-pound CDM construction project to create a kilo-lab.

He is particularly passionate about the cutting-edge application of artificial intelligence (AI) in pharmaceutical engineering and is exploring how AI can transform process design, control, and innovation.

Beyond his professional work, Rory is an advocate for science communication and cultural preservation. In his spare time, he is developing AI tools and a training database for translating into Scots, and regularly shares science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) news stories in the Scots language to broaden access and engagement with both the Scots language and STEM.

As a committee member of the IChemE Pharma SIG, Rory is dedicated to fostering collaboration, innovation, and sustainability across the pharmaceutical sector.