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Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub (Vax-Hub) Receives £12 Million Funding

11 May 2023

The Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub (Vax-Hub), led by Professor Martina Micheletti (UCL Biochemical Engineering) and Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert (University of Oxford, Pandemic Sciences Institute), has been awarded £ 12 million over 7 years.

Vax Hub team photo at UCL

Formed in April 2018, the Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hub (Vax-Hub) is an academic collaboration led by UCL Biochemical Engineering and the University of Oxford. Co-directed by Professor Martina Micheletti (UCL) and Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert (Oxford), Vax-Hub comprises world-leading experts in vaccinology, synthetic biology, biochemical, materials, and system engineering.

This funding will enable the rapid rollout of highly effective new vaccines for frontline use. The hub, a follow-on from Vax-Hub1, aims to have a significant impact on global health security through the research and development of sustainable vaccine manufacturing technologies. 

Find out more about Vax Hub here

Professor Martina Micheletti, UCL Biochemical Engineering: 

“This funding will allow us to streamline our manufacturing process of next generation vaccines by using new and innovative responsive technologies and digitalisation tools, such as robotics and automation, that allow us to run faster lower volume studies and deliver quicker results.
This will enable us to minimise environmental impact by saving material and sharing resources.
The Hub builds on a long-term collaboration between UCL and the University of Oxford, supported by excellent complementary expertise from academic partners and from some existing and new industrial collaborators” 

Professor Gary Lye, Head of Department, UCL Biochemical Engineering:

“This new award is testament to the high quality research undertaken in VaxHub1 and the impact the Hub had in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic; specifically the development and global deployment of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The new funding will help ensure the UK’s preparedness for future pandemics via adoption of the latest digital bioprocess technologies.

The focus on sustainable vaccines manufacture brings new challenges but is essential if we are to deliver cost-effective vaccines that are available to all who need them with minimal impact on the environment.

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