The UK Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Lucy Chappell, were welcomed to Liverpool by LSTM Director, Professor David Lalloo.
They were in the city to learn more about LSTM’s Accelerator Research Clinic - where research into vaccines for pneumococcal disease takes place - and to discuss plans for a Human Challenge Facility (HCF), which will create the largest academic, in-patient human challenge facility of its kind in the UK. The HCF will expand the region’s infectious disease research capabilities, by facilitating the use of human volunteers to test vaccine and drug safety and efficacy.
The visitors were hosted by LSTM’s partners, The Pandemic Institute, and the visit also included a tour of the University of Liverpool’s Ronald Ross laboratories, and the NIHR Clinical Research Facility, led by the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Researchers from these institutions shared their latest outputs and future plans including details of how they are using the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic to address infectious disease challenges more widely.
Key city figures including Mayor Joanne Anderson, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and University of Liverpool Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Jones joined the discussions.
Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said: “It was great to visit The Pandemic Institute in Liverpool and see first-hand the work that is being done by a collection of leading organisations in preparing for future pandemics and tackling infectious diseases.”
DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Lucy Chappell, said: “It was inspiring to visit Liverpool and hear from experts in a range of disciplines who are undertaking translational research to address infectious diseases and respond to emerging infections. This work is making an impact at a local, national, and global level.”