Vaccines have been instrumental in improving life expectancy throughout the world. Vaccination program being ranked second to access to sanitation and clean water by the WHO in improving global living standards.

 

The Future Vaccine Manufacturing Research Hubs (VaxHub) are an academic collaboration led by UCL Biochemical Engineering and the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford.

 

Work undertaken in the first VaxHub (2018-2023) has enabled the rapid development and manufacture of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. This work is continuing under two recently launched hubs:

 VaxHub Sustainable, to accelerate production processes and improve the storage and distribution efficiency of vaccines, all while emphasising sustainable practices to ensure long-term environmental stewardship in vaccine development.

 VaxHub Global, to deliver flexible, easily transferable multi-product platforms and simplified engineering solutions that enable the development of low cost, effective and globally deployable vaccines to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

 

VaxHub Outreach is a programme designed to actively engage with the wider community to increase awareness of vaccines and the role of engineering in vaccine manufacture.

 

At the 2024 Festival of The Girl, we will be bringing a range of fun activities designed to raise awareness and curiosity in vaccines and the ways they are made. Highlighting the many roles involved in making vaccines, especially that of engineers. Designed to increase awareness of the interrelatedness of science and engineering and inspiring confidence in young girls that they can have an important role STEM while having fun at the same time.