Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

NDM's Professor Sarah Gilbert has been awarded the Royal Society for Arts’ (RSA) Albert Medal for her work on the Oxford vaccine. Professor Gilbert is Professor of Vaccinology and the Oxford Project Leader for ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, a vaccine against the novel coronavirus, SARSCoV-2, with approval for use in many countries around the world.

Sarah Gilbert

The RSA Albert Medal is awarded annually to recognise the creativity and innovation of individuals and organisations working to resolve the challenges of our time. Professor Gilbert receives the 2021 honour for her services to collaborative innovation for the global common good. She is the 156th recipient of the medal, which was instituted in 1864 as a memorial to Prince Albert, former President of the Society.

Previous recipients range from scientists to artists to social campaigners: they include Alexander Graham Bell in 1902 for the invention of the telephone; Marie Curie in 1910 for the discovery of radium; Stephen Hawking in 1999 for improving public awareness of physics; and Tim Berners-Lee in 2002 for the creation of the World Wide Web.

Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford, said: ‘It is a great honour to receive this award. The creation and the development of the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine came after I had worked in this field for many years, learning how to move quickly from a concept to a licensed vaccine, which involves many steps along the way. With a great team at Oxford we developed a ‘vaccine for the world’ which is now being used to save lives in many countries, which was our goal from the very beginning.’

The Medal will be awarded in a pre-recorded ceremony, which will be broadcast on Wednesday 14 April 2021 at 18.00 BST as part of the RSA’s Living Change campaign.

Matthew Taylor, RSA chief executive, said: ‘The RSA’s Albert Medal celebrates the best in innovation, and the Oxford vaccine is a huge triumph for British creativity, research and development. The path set by Professor Gilbert and her team shows how public, private and philanthropic sectors can collaborate in the public interest.

‘Changemakers in every field, seeking new, more effective approaches to complex global challenges, will draw valuable lessons from the Oxford project.

‘I am delighted Professor Gilbert has accepted this award, joining the ranks of distinguished innovators the RSA has honoured over the past 150 years, from Marie Curie to Stephen Hawking.’

Similar stories

Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla representatives visit Jenner Institute

Academic representatives from Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), one of the leading universities in Mexico, paid a visit to NDM’s Jenner Institute.

RECOVERY trial team wins the MRC Impact Prize

The Medical Research Council Prize Committee has awarded the RECOVERY trial team the MRC Impact Prize 2022 for Outstanding Team Impact.

Continued support to CPM helps it explore personalised medicine

The Dr Stanley Ho Medical Development Foundation will continue its funding support for The Centre for Personalised Medicine (CPM) for further seven years.

Shifting the needle: finding solutions for rare diseases

Rare diseases are a global health challenge. To address this, organisations around the world, including the Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM), are working together to find solutions for patients.

Coronavirus Vaccines Research and Development Roadmap launched

The Coronavirus Vaccines Research and Development Roadmap is a comprehensive plan to galvanize a global effort to protect the world from this large and dangerous family of viruses.

Lithuanian Ambassador visits the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

The Lithuanian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Mr Eitvydas Bajarūnas, paid a visit to Professor Skirmantas Kriaučionis of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the Nuffield Department of Medicine.