How a handful of scientists developed Oxford vaccine at breakneck speed

Team's coronavirus work built on decades of research pioneered by Sarah Gilbert and Adrian Hill

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At the heart of Oxford's effort to produce a Covid vaccine are half a dozen scientists who between them brought decades of experience to the challenge of designing, developing, manufacturing and trialling a safe vaccine at breakneck speed.

Prof Sarah Gilbert, the Kettering-born project leader, arrived at Oxford in 1994 to work with Prof Adrian Hill, a senior member of the team, on the malaria parasite, plasmodium. She soon fell into work on experimental vaccines, starting with one that roused white blood cells to fight malaria, followed by a universal" flu vaccine.