Oxford’s Global Collaboration for Vaccine Development

The University of Oxford has launched a new global collaboration with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding of £8 million. The research will provide critical new knowledge for future pandemic preparedness by better understanding how vaccination, training, and the preservation of protective immune responses can keep us safe from disease. The consortium, which includes top academic and corporate partners, will aim to create improved vaccine development that will provide protection against several strains of COVID-19. The study aims to improve resistance to a variety of respiratory infections, including influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). In addition, the work will develop global networks of trained professionals equipped with scientific tools to better prepare the globe for the next pandemic.

The ambitious research project, titled IMMPROVE: Immune Memory and Mechanisms of Vaccine Protection, is led by Professor Teresa Lambe OBE and Professor Paul Klenerman, both of whom are Principal Investigators in the University of Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute. It is one of three projects announced today by UKRI under its Tackling Infections strategic theme, which is looking into future infectious disease threats.

Professor Teresa Lambe, Calleva Head of Vaccine Immunology said: “I’m excited to work with this world-leading team of scientists on this important programme of work. This research will help us better understand the processes by which vaccines lead to immune protection and how best to stimulate these, helping us prepare for the next pandemic.”

Paul Klenerman, Sidney Truelove Professor, said: “The UK scientific community rose to the challenge of the pandemic and in doing so it brought many different groups together to collaborate in new networks. This consortium continues the spirit of that collaboration to address some of the key remaining challenges, not just for COVID-19, but for vaccines in general. I’m delighted to be involved and looking forward to working with such a great team of people.”

Along with the University of Oxford, academic research partners include the Babraham Institute, the University of Cambridge, the University of Birmingham, Imperial College London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the University College London, the University of Southampton, the PITCH consortium (which includes researchers from the Universities of Oxford, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Sheffield), the Sanger Institute, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and the Royal Veterinary College.

AstraZeneca, Sanofi Pasteur, Moderna, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals are among the other industrial and non-profit partners.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of vaccine platforms were rapidly developed and deployed. While these vaccine platforms are critical for protecting against severe disease, they require additional optimization to provide long-term and local protection against infection, especially from future variations. Building on previous knowledge gained during the COVID-19 pandemic, this collaboration will gain a better understanding of how a protective immune response is created, maintained, and the role of immunity in the nose and lungs.

Long-term, the partnership will increase the capacity of the UK and worldwide vaccine development programs by bolstering research activities with real-world impact, providing Early Career Researchers with access to cutting-edge resources, knowledge, and career development, and increasing vaccine uptake.

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