The Oxford Vaccine Group has this week launched a brand-new podcast with Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, renowned scientist and expert in infectious diseases and vaccines, The Oxford Colloquy.
The podcast is launching during World Immunization Week 2023 (24-30 April), which aims to highlight the collective action needed to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Oxford Colloquy promises to explore the stories, people, and facts behind the world of science, offering a unique behind-the-scenes conversation with the people who shape our understanding of the world around us.
The first season of the podcast, The Pandemic People, will kick off with two episodes featuring candid conversations with Dame Kate Bingham, a British venture capitalist and leader of the UK's Vaccine Task Force and Professor Neil Ferguson, an expert in mathematical modelling of infectious diseases from Imperial College London.
In these episodes, Professor Pollard will delve deep into the COVID-19 pandemic and the roles his guests played.
Listeners will get a first-hand account of Dame Kate Bingham's leadership of the Vaccine Task Force and the importance of diplomacy in the global fight against COVID-19. Professor Neil Ferguson will provide a different perspective, offering insights into the use of mathematical models to understand the spread of infectious diseases, how they impact people and the healthcare system. Listeners will also gain insight into the role that mathematical models played in the decision-making process within the government during the pandemic.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard said: “Hearing directly from those who shaped our response to the pandemic provides a unique insight into the science and the people who brought us through the most profound health crisis of our generation.”
Through engaging interviews with renowned experts, "The Oxford Colloquy" promises to uncover the stories and insights that shape our understanding of vaccines, science, and pandemics. Listeners can expect intriguing discussions on the challenges, breakthroughs and controversies that have shaped the global response to the pandemic.
The Oxford Colloquy is available on Apple’s podcast platform and The Oxford University website, with new episodes released monthly.
Professor Sir Andrew Pollard is the Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group in the Department of Paediatrics who is best known for his contributions to the development of vaccines, including the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Pollard's research has led to the development of several important vaccines, including those against meningitis, pneumococcal disease, typhoid and now, COVID-19.
In addition to his research, Pollard is also heavily involved in policy and advocacy work related to vaccines. He has served on numerous national and international advisory committees and is a vocal advocate for the importance of vaccination in improving global health