Sir Keir Starmer MP and Annaliese Dodds MP visit Oxford coronavirus vaccine teams
The two Labour MPs visited the centre where the Oxford vaccine is being developed
On Monday, Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer MP, and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and MP for Oxford East, Anneliese Dodds MP visited the University of Oxford to meet with senior leadership from the University and Medical Sciences Division, and to hear about the work the University is undertaking around the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
They met with the Professor Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Professor Gavin Screaton, Head of Medical Sciences Division and senior researchers from the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 coronavirus vaccine team at the Jenner Institute, before taking a tour of the manufacturing and clinical facilities at the Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine (CCVTM).
Sir Keir Starmer MP said: ‘It was a privilege to meet the Oxford teams who are leading the fight against Covid-19 and giving our entire country hope. Through their dedication and hard work, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel.’
I’m sure I speak for everyone in the UK when I say we are enormously proud of the leading role Oxford has played in developing a vaccine. This was a humbling experience, and an opportunity to say thank you.
Meeting the senior researchers leading the trial, Professors Adrian Hill (Director, Jenner Institute & Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine), Sarah Gilbert (Professor of Vaccinology, Jenner Institute), and Andrew Pollard (Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity, Oxford Vaccine Group), Sir Keir Starmer MP and Anneliese Dodds MP were informed about the latest developments in the trial, and reflected on the incredible hard work of the teams in running the trial in a shorter timeline than standard whilst maintaining safety for all involved.
Professor Louise Richardson Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford said:
‘It was a pleasure to welcome Sir Keir Starmer MP and Anneliese Dodds MP, both of whom were educated at Oxford, to visit our labs and speak to the teams working on our coronavirus vaccine research. They both took a keen interest in the work of our scientists and expressed admiration and appreciation for their work.’
Following the meeting, the Sir Keir Starmer MP and Anneliese Dodds MP were led on a tour of the facilities at CCVTM, by Professor Pollard, where they were able to meet some of the team who have been working around the clock on the ChAdOx1 nCov-2019 trial.
Anneliese Dodds MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor and MP for Oxford East said: ‘I am so proud of the work that is being carried out at Oxford University to develop a Covid vaccine and it was wonderful to have a chance today to thank everyone involved personally.’
‘This ground-breaking project demonstrates again that this city hosts some of the best and brightest researchers in the world. They do our city and our country proud.’
