大象传媒

Professor Robin Shattock is at the forefront of vaccine research and development in this country 鈥� in fact, in the world. For 30 years now he鈥檚 been researching how to develop a vaccine against HIV, and with his team at Imperial College London he鈥檚 been developing new vaccines against Ebola, Chlamydia, Rabies, Lassa Fever, to name just a few. They are working on a new improved vaccine for Covid that aims to be cheaper to mass-produce in the developing world. And the technology they鈥檝e developed will, they hope, lead to vaccines against heart disease and cancer within our lifetime.

Robin Shattock didn鈥檛 come to scientific research via a conventional route. He spent his twenties trying to make his living as a rock musician and then as an actor, and only became interested in science when he got a job in a medical lab to pay the mortgage. After that he worked for an undergraduate degree, and then a PhD, part-time, on day-release; as he tells Michael Berkeley, it鈥檚 really the practical application of science that motivates him.

Music choices include Handel, Puccini, Beethoven and the Soweto Gospel Choir.

Produced by Elizabeth Burke
A Loftus Media production for 大象传媒 Radio 3