Launched in September 2023, the seven-year £12 million EPSRC- funded Manufacturing Research Hub for a Sustainable Future (VaxHub Sustainable) aims to establish the UK as the global centre for integrated discovery through to bioprocess manufacture of next generation vaccines in preparation for the next pandemic.

The Hub is a collaboration between UCL and the University of Oxford led by Professor Martina Micheletti, UCL Professor of Bioprocess Fluid Dynamics and Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert DBE FRS, Professor of Vaccinology at the University of Oxford. The University of Leeds, the University of Manchester and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are also partners in the Hub.

The team’s work focuses on the development of improved vaccine platforms that can be flexible enough to be used for multiple product manufacture. There are two Grand Challenges, each with its own aims and integrated and interconnected work packages.

Grand Challenge 1: to develop new tools and technologies to accelerate manufacture and enable distribution, storage and administration.

• WP1.1 Creation of improved platforms. This work package will focus on cell engineering tools and improving immunogenicity by optimising production and purification methods and by using novel encapsulation approaches. For virus-like particle vaccines we will use a modular platform to ensure compatibility and flexibility.
• WP1.2 Rapid and responsive development and manufacture. The potential for the technologies researched in WP1.1 to be exploited as platform technologies will be explored and their adaptability to new antigen targets studied.
• WP1.3 Needle-free and thermostable formulation. Injectable vaccines do not generate sufficient immune responses at the portals of pathogen entry and alternative routes of administration will be investigated that could provide faster administration with less carbon footprint impact than plastic disposables.

Grand Challenge 2: to focus on tools that better support the understanding of the impact on the environment and facilitate waste re-use and facility design for (re)manufacture.

• WP2.1 Understanding bioprocess sustainability impact.
  This work package focuses on applying life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies to identify environmental hotspots in vaccine manufacturing and support decision-making through tool development and stakeholder engagement.
• WP2.2 Exploring industrial symbiosis and circular economy of resources. This work package investigates how waste streams can be repurposed through bio-integrated design approaches and supports the development of circular economy strategies for sustainable (re) manufacturing.

Over the last year, we have successfully recruited to our postdoctoral and research assistant vacancies and are delighted to have an impressive team of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) working to realise our ambitious vision. You can read more about the progress towards our research aims later in this report. We have also highlighted where our research aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals¹, launched in 2015 with the aim of addressing global challenges and creating a better, more sustainable future by 2030. For example, in support of these goals, the work of VaxHub Grand Challenge 1 aims to combat viral, bacterial and parasitic pathogens, addressing gaps in current vaccine availability. This is crucial for tackling global health threats, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria, directly supporting SDG3 Good Health and Well-Being.

Additionally, a focus on environmental sustainability in Grand Challenge 2 is key to advancing SDG12 Responsible Consumption and Production and SDG13 Climate Action. By prioritising sustainability in facility design using bio-based and recycled materials, along with waste management, this initiative aims to contribute to a reduction in environmental footprint and the promotion of more sustainable industrial practices.

Over the past 12 months, we have begun to formally build our network of partners from academia, industry, not-for-profit organisations and policy makers. One highlight of 2024 included the first joint hubs symposium in Oxford, a two-day event that brought together prospective partners. We were also delighted to launch the new VaxHub Sustainable website, which we hope will act as an engaging and useful resource for our community.
This year, we have continued to implement our outreach and public engagement strategy and have introduced a pilot project that will offer work experience placements to T-Level students from North Hertfordshire College. Our policy engagement activities were further developed and included a Futures Forum event on pandemic preparedness, which brought together more than 50 participants to explore possible scenarios and priority areas for action. In early 2025, we launched the first of our platform funding calls and look forward to the realisation of these collaborative projects. We hope that you will enjoy reading more about our progress to date in the remainder of this report.

¹ THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development

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View the 17 goals.