About MTS

Mourne Training Services Ltd (MTS) is an independent consultancy specialising in topics relating to analytical laboratories that perform chemical testing of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals.

Oona McPolin

The consultancy was set up in 2007 by Oona McPolin BSc, MSc, CSci, CChem, FRSC, an analytical chemist with over 25 years of experience and a fully qualified trainer.

Photograph of the MTS consultant, Oona McPolin
Oona McPolin

Key Skills

  • Consultant specialising in analytical chemistry relating to pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals.
  • An analytical chemist with over 25 years of experience in the field of pharmaceutical analysis; developing, validating and implementing analytical methods to support the drug development process in projects such as process and formulation support, stability studies, forced degradation studies, and regulatory submissions.
  • Fully qualified award winning trainer with extensive experience in design and delivery of effective training for technical subjects such as: analytical method validation, verification and transfer; minimising error in the analytical laboratory; and all aspects of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
  • Experienced auditor of analytical laboratories to cGMP standards. Certified IRCA (The International Register of Certificated Auditors) lead auditor.
  • Expertise in a wide range of analytical techniques.
  • Oona is the author of two books, ‘An Introduction to HPLC for Pharmaceutical Analysis’ and ‘Validation of Analytical Methods for Pharmaceutical Analysis’. Both books are published by Mourne Training Services Ltd, they may be purchased on this website.

Other Activities

Oona has worked as an ad-hoc specialist at European Directorate for the
Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM), working on recent chapters in the European Pharmacopoeia relating to methods validation via the MG working party. Namely, Implementation of pharmacopoeial procedures (5.26), and Comparability of alternative analytical procedures (5.27).

She is also an associate of NSF Health Sciences Pharma Biotech, a provider of in-house and external training, and also pharmaceutical related auditing and consulting services. She contributes training and auditing expertise in the area of analytical chemistry, and in particular the Analysis and Testing section of Qualified Person (QP) training.

Oona also provides independent open enrolment training courses on the topic of HPLC for the chromatography consumables supplier, Phenomenex.

Qualifications

  • 1993   BSc Hons Chemistry, Queen’s University of Belfast
  • 1994   MSc Applied Environmental Sciences, Queen’s University of Belfast
  • 2008   Certificate in Training Practice, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development  (CIPD).  Received a 2008 High Achiever’s Award from the CIPD NI branch.

Professional Affiliations

  • Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
  • Chartered Chemist  (CChem )
  • Chartered Scientist (CSci)

Core Values

At Mourne Training Services our aims are twofold:

  1. Develop the best possible training, auditing and consultancy solutions which match the requirements of our customers.
  2. Design and deliver training which provides the best possible training experience for the individual learner.

To enable these aims we are customer focussed and in all interactions embrace the core values of integrity and respect. We also strive for excellence in the development and delivery of high quality training solutions.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Mourne Training Services is committed to sustainable living, which may be defined as “Development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. In everyday terms this translates into a consideration of all business activities in terms of the social impact, the use of natural resources and the effect on the environment.

At Mourne Training Services we assess the impact of all our activities and adopt an approach which is in harmony with sustainability principles. This includes: reducing travel wherever possible by use of remote solutions such as delivering ‘virtual’ online training courses and remote consultancy solutions; purchasing fair-trade products; purchasing products which contain recycled materials; re-using and reducing waste as much as possible; and if travel is necessary, travelling by public transport whenever possible.

Location

The Mourne Training Services offices are located in Co. Down in Northern Ireland, near the mountains of Mourne, which is the inspiration for the company name.