Nucleus RadioPharma

Lauren Derose

Manufacturing Quality Steward

Integrating Quality into Every Stage of Manufacturing

Quality leadership begins with building strong partnerships across an organization to create and sustain a culture of quality. Quality cannot operate successfully in isolation. It requires shared ownership and collaboration among Quality, Manufacturing, Quality Control, Engineering, Validation, Development, Supply Chain, and leadership.

This is especially important in radiopharmaceutical manufacturing because of the combination of sterile processing, radioactive materials, short product half-lives, compressed manufacturing timelines, and patient safety considerations. Quality must be integrated into operations from the beginning rather than viewed as a final checkpoint.

A strong Quality organization provides independent oversight while partnering with teams to ensure processes are scientifically sound, risk-based, compliant, and practical. Quality leaders must also be willing to identify and escalate risk when necessary. The strongest quality cultures are those where everyone understands that quality and patient safety are shared responsibilities.

Integrating Quality into Every Stage of Manufacturing

I do not view Quality and Operations as opposing functions. The best Quality systems enable manufacturing while maintaining appropriate controls and protecting the patient. The key is to understand the intent behind regulatory requirements and apply them based on product, process, and patient risk.

Quality should be involved early in manufacturing readiness, equipment qualification, validation, technology transfer, and process development. When Quality is involved from the beginning, compliance can be built into the process rather than added afterward. I also believe Quality should strive to bring possible solutions, not simply identify problems.

There are times when Quality must say something cannot move forward, but that conversation should explain the concern, identify the risk, and, whenever possible, provide a compliant path forward.

Scaling Quality Systems alongside Growing Operations

One of the greatest challenges is ensuring that the Quality Management System grows at the same pace as the operation. This can be particularly challenging in radiopharmaceutical startups, where facilities, equipment, processes, products, and teams may all be developing simultaneously. Compared with more traditional pharmaceutical environments, the experiences and lessons learned can come very quickly.

Quality leaders must be able to take those lessons, evaluate the risk, and translate them into stronger procedures, controls, training, and future ways of working. This creates an accelerated learning environment.

You may be qualifying equipment, preparing a facility, introducing a new product, developing procedures, training employees, and addressing unexpected technical challenges at the same time. The challenge is not simply moving faster— it is learning faster without compromising quality. A strong quality organization captures those lessons and uses them to improve the next process, project, or program continuously.

Evolving Quality Management through Risk-Based Thinking

A mature Quality Management System cannot be static. Regulations, guidance, industry standards, technology, and scientific understanding continue to evolve, and Quality organizations must evolve with them. Quality leaders should continuously evaluate whether their systems remain appropriate for the products and operations they support.

This includes monitoring regulatory developments, reviewing trends from deviations and investigations, assessing audit findings, evaluating performance metrics, and identifying recurring risks before they become larger issues. I strongly believe in risk-based quality management. The objective should not simply be to create more procedures or documentation. It should be to understand where meaningful risks exist and establish effective controls while continuously improving the operation.

Building Trust through Hands-On Quality Leadership

Learn more than Quality, stay adaptable, and be willing to jump in and help. The strongest Quality leaders understand how Manufacturing, QC, Engineering, Validation, Development, and Supply Chain actually operate. Spend time with the people doing the work, ask questions, and understand the science and processes behind the decisions you are making.

Do not let your title make you feel that a task is beneath you or that you cannot step in to help. Leadership is not just about directing others. Sometimes it means getting into the details, helping a team work through an issue, or stepping in wherever your experience can add value. Radiopharmaceutical and startup environments can provide tremendous opportunities to learn because challenges and responsibilities often come quickly.

Stay curious, adaptable, and humble. Maintain your professional judgment and integrity, but remember that Quality leadership is ultimately about partnership. Successful Quality leaders are not defined by their titles. They are defined by their ability to adapt, solve problems, support their teams, build trust, and create a culture where everyone takes ownership of quality and patient safety.