Immunisation is the single most powerful and cost-effective medical tool for improving health. The introduction of WHO’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation in 1974 has already prevented an estimated 154 million deaths globally.
The life-saving potential of vaccines has never been greater. The COVID-19 pandemic saw the most rapid and extensive roll-out of vaccines in history, catalysing innovations in design, manufacture, testing, and delivery. New vaccines targeting malaria and RSV are being introduced across the globe and, animal vaccines are increasing farming efficiency, improving food security, and protecting companion animals.
The pandemic shone a light on the challenges facing vaccination, from vast inequities in access to the increased politicisation of vaccines. Routine immunisation programmes have experienced drops in coverage across the globe, and we are now seeing the resurgence of preventable diseases such as measles and diphtheria.
At the Vaccine Centre, our three themes of ‘innovation’, ‘implementation’, and ‘equity’ capture key centres of gravity for vaccine research across LSHTM. However, we embrace the porous and interconnected nature of these themes.
Our vision is a world in which all major vaccine-preventable infectious diseases and their sequelae have effective immunisation programmes that are accessible, trusted, and equitable.
Our goals
- Forge scientific collaborations between scientists and health professionals in complementary areas of discovery
- Encourage synergistic thinking across the pathway of vaccine development and deployment, leading to better strategic planning for vaccine research
- Support capacity building including teaching the principles of vaccine discovery, clinical and epidemiological assessment, and programme evaluation
- Provide a hub to foster tresearch networks, international partnerships, education, and meetings to tackle important challenges in vaccine science and policy.
Who is involved
The Vaccine Centre is a collaborative partnership of over 100 scientists located throughout the world that is hosted by LSHTM and its MRC units in The Gambia and Uganda. Internal members include staff and students of LSHTM. Members come from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and work on vaccines at national, regional, and global levels.
External members are academics and members of the community who are interested in LSHTM's work on vaccines and in joining our events.
Staff and students at LSHTM can subscribe to our internal mailing list.
For anyone external to LSHTM please subscribe to our external mailing list.
Leadership
The VaC is led by a management committee representing the 3 faculties of the School (Public Health and Policy, Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Epidemiology and Population Health) and the two African MRC units (Uganda and the Gambia). This means the VaC is connected to a broad range of vaccine research topics and methodologies, as well as other LSHTM Centres.
Centre Co-Directors
- Edward Parker, Assistant Professor in Vaccine Epidemiology
- Julius Hafalla, Associate Professor
- Muhammed Afolabi, Clinical Associate Professor
Management Committee
- Kaja Abbas, Associate Professor
- Rebecca Clark, Research Fellow
- Nicholas Davies, Associate Professor Modelling
- Rachel Eagan, Research Assistant
- Moses Egesa, Research Fellow
- Luisa Enria, Associate Professor, Faculty of Public Health and Policy
- Catherine Hall, Research Fellow
- Emilie Karafillakis, Research Fellow
- Freddie Mukasa Kibengo, Project Lead
- Professor Grant Mackenzie, Professor
- Professor Punam Mangtani, Professor in Epidemiology
- Jacent Nassuuna, Senior Lab Technologist
- Danya Arif Siddiqi, Honorary Assistant Professor
- Kathy Thomas, Research Assistant
Oghenebrume Wariri, Clinical Research Fellow
Student Centre Ambassadors
Student Centre Ambassadors are recruited in October each year. If you are enrolled in an intensive study or distance learning course and interested in learning more, please contact [email protected]
2025/26 Student Centre Ambassadors
- Alina Wilson, MSc student, Control of Infectious Diseases
- Maria-Paula Cojocaru, MSc student, Medical Parasitology and Entomology
World Immunisation Week
World Immunisation Week, celebrated each year from 24 - 30 April is an opportunity to highlight the critical role vaccines play in protecting our health. Every year the Vaccine Centre works with colleagues across LSHTM and partner institutions to highlight the life-saving work being undertaken to study, develop and disseminate vaccines around the world - spanning all three core themes from innovation to implementation and equity.