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John Cairns
The visit showcased Oxford’s global leadership in medical science and innovation, particularly in the areas of vaccine development and manufacture, and disease prevention. His Royal Highness was welcomed by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Mrs Marjorie Glasgow, and received by Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.
At the Clinical BioManufacturing Facility, His Royal Highness was introduced to Professor Catherine Green, Head of the Facility, Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert who initiated and led the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (Vaxzevria) in 2020, and Professor Tim Elliott, Kidani Professor of Immuno-oncology and co-Director of Oxford Cancer – a city-wide network designed to ensure rapid translation from scientific discovery to treatments for patients. His Royal Highness was given a demonstration of sterile vial filling by Apprentice Technician Scientist Emilia Reyes Pabon, who joined the CBF in 2018 after completing her A Levels at City of Oxford College.
Emilia said: “It was great to be able to show His Royal Highness the unique capabilities of the CBF, which were so important in making vaccines during the COVID pandemic.”
The CBF is a unique university-hosted facility in the UK that can produce small batches of clinical-grade medicinal products and vaccines for use in early clinical trials. It has manufactured some notable vaccines in recent years, including:
- The University’s R21 malaria vaccine, a highly-effective vaccine against malaria which is now being rolled out across Africa on a scale of hundreds of millions of doses each year.
- The Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which saved an estimated six million lives in its first year of rollout alone.
- The first batches of LungVax, a preventative vaccine for those at high-risk of developing lung cancer. Supported by Cancer Research UK, the first clinical trials are expected to begin before the end of the year.
- Vaccines for multiple diseases with pandemic potential including Ebola virus, Junin virus and Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever.
Later, The Duke visited the OVG and PSI laboratories at the Institute of Developmental & Regenerative Medicine, where he was received by Professor Teresa Lambe, Calleva Head of Vaccine Immunology and Principal Investigator at PSI, and Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group. His Royal Highness toured the laboratories, met students and researchers, and was shown current projects being undertaken by Professor Lambe’s group, which focuses on the development of vaccines for pathogens that cause disease outbreaks, many of which led to devastating suffering and deaths each year in the Global South. Her group is currently developing methodologies for innovative vaccine delivery whilst also testing vaccines against multiple outbreak pathogens including Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, Ebola virus, Marburg virus disease and Coronaviruses.
A number of these vaccines have progressed to clinical trial assessment, including:
- A vaccine against Ebola virus diseases (ChAdOx1 biEBOV). In late 2022, this vaccine was one of three chosen by the WHO to be included in a ring vaccination protocol against the Sudan ebolavirus outbreak in Uganda.
- In 2023, the team's candidate vaccine against Marburg virus disease was selected by WHO for inclusion in trials to combat Marburg virus disease.
- In 2020, the team were co-developers of the Oxford/Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Irene Tracey said: “We were honoured to welcome His Royal Highness to Oxford today. His visit shines a light on the extraordinary work taking place across our laboratories and celebrates the people behind these efforts, including the young scientists shaping the future of medicine.”
This visit highlights the University of Oxford’s continued leadership in biomedical research and innovation, and its commitment to training the next generation of scientists in fields that shape the future of global health.