News

The importance of vaccine research at the Dunn School was highlighted when Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, Founder and Chairman of the Serum Institute of India, visited the department on 27 June.
The Serum Institute, the world’s largest manufacturer of life-saving vaccines, is helping support Professor Christoph Tang’s research to develop a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine. The collaboration exploits the use of chimeric protein antigens developed in Chris’ lab and the visit was a chance for Chris to update Dr Poonawalla and colleagues.
The visit took place the day after Oxford’s 2019 Encaenia ceremony at which Dr Poonawalla received an honorary Doctor of Science degree for his work in the field of life-saving vaccines and his philanthropy. At the ceremony the University Public Orator described (in Latin) Dr Poonawalla as ”an entrepreneur and creator of medical enterprise of world importance”.
Head of the Dunn School, Matthew Freeman, said: “It was a pleasure and honour to welcome Dr Poonawalla to the Dunn School. I am delighted that the University has chosen to recognise his outstanding contribution in the vaccine field. The Serum Institute has been responsible for the delivery of life-saving vaccines to two-thirds of the infant population across the world, saving the lives of over 30 million mostly under-privileged children, so it’s hard to imagine another person who has had more direct impact on global health.

“His visit to the Dunn School builds on a flourishing relationship between the Serum Institute and our scientists, and I much look forward to accepting his invitation for a return visit to their headquarters in Pune.”
Accompanying Dr Poonawalla were Serum Institute Colleagues: Dr Suresh Jadhav, Executive Director, Dr Umesh Shaligram, Director of Research & Development and Dr Sambhaji Pisal, Director of Research & Development. They were also joined by Dr Marc LaForce, Director of Technical Services, who is well known at the Dunn School as a former a Guy Newton Sabbatical Fellow in 2018.