We Are Cortex | Nicole Dotson

Perfection is a pretty high standard. But in her role with Alcami Corporation, Nicole Dotson doesn’t shy away from it.

As senior materials management coordinator for the Cortex-based company, Dotson’s job involves back-stopping their clients’ science, making sure the medicines or supplements they’ve created are exactly what they say they are.

“We've had clients send us a sample of something as small as an ingredient in your vitamins, but as huge as a cancer drug that really does save someone's life,” Dotson said. In her lab, those samples are tested to ensure they have the right chemical makeup.

“We want to make sure that everything — I hate to say perfect — but essentially, it needs to be perfect,” she said. “That way there are no mistakes … because this has to go into the hands of a patient once it's completed.”

The 45-year-old company employs 1,000 across six campuses nationwide — including Cortex — serving pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Its services include analytical development, manufacturing, packaging, pharmaceutical storage and other support services.

Dotson didn’t take a direct path to her role in the pharmaceutical industry. She first spent 10 years working in senior living before making the change. “It feels really good actually to know we're starting from this small sample, all the way through to the lab and the end user is the patient,” she said. “It's nice to know you could possibly be saving someone's life.”

Working within the Cortex Innovation District is icing on the cake for Dotson. She loves the convenience of stepping out of her building, walking through the district and grabbing coffee or lunch to shake off the cobwebs. 

“It is a very diverse area,” she said. “We’re in the center of all this biotechnology. This is such a great area and we have major medical schools near here too, which is really great.”

We Are Cortex celebrates the individuals who power our vibrant district. Join us on Tuesday, October 28, for #WeAreCortex – an inspiring and interactive event highlighting the thinkers, builders, creators, and doers who are shaping the future of St. Louis and beyond. Click here to learn more and RSVP!