Information and Public Engagement Resources
Vaccine Knowledge Project
The Vaccine Knowledge Project aims to be a source of independent information about vaccines and infectious diseases. We provide clear information on complex topics and back it up with references to high-quality, reliable research. All our content is aimed at the general public and designed to help people make informed decisions about vaccine issues. The content is also suitable for healthcare professionals such as health visitors, school nurses, GPs and paediatricians.
One Hundred Years of BCG: The World’s Most Widely Used Vaccine
2021 is the 100-year anniversary of the BCG vaccine, and there is a lot to celebrate! This vaccine has without doubt saved the lives of millions of people, by protecting them from the bacterial lung disease tuberculosis (TB) and possibly other illnesses too. However, there are some drawbacks to BCG—in particular, it does not work very well in some countries that have high rates of TB, so a new and improved vaccine is desperately needed. Scientists around the world are working hard to develop a new TB vaccine, but there are challenges. If we can better understand how BCG works and why it works in some populations and not others, it might help us to design a better vaccine to protect people against tuberculosis and to possibly one day eradicate this disease.
By Dr Rachel Tanner and Prof Helen McShane
A Scientists Guide to Medical Sciences Public Engagement
A honest guide to public engagement for scientists. What is public engagement, how do I go about getting involved and how can I make public engagement materials? Written by Dr Sean Elias and guests as part of the University of Oxford's Public Engagement with Research Leadership Scheme.
This guide is set up as a Canvas Training course so please log in to continue.
Viruses and Vaccines: Art Science Resources - The Royal College of Pathologists
he Viruses and Vaccines resources cover the following topics:
- The structure of viruses and how this enables them to transmit and replicate between and in human hosts
- Transmission of viruses/ how epidemics start; behaviours that increase/ decrease transmission
- How scientists study viruses and use this understanding to develop vaccines
- Why vaccines are important and how they work.
Many of the resources can be used in supporting delivery of biology concepts and themes found in school curricula.
#ExploreVaccines
A series of free to use public engagement materials developed by the British Society of Immunology.
The Battle in our Bodies: Coronavirus, Immunity and the Role of Vaccines.
A pop art scrolling comic on Coronavirus vaccines. Written by Dr Sean Elias and produced by DiscoverELearning.
The 3Rs: What are Medical Scientists Doing about Animal Testing?
The similarities between certain animals and humans mean that animal research can be very useful in understanding how the human body works and in developing and testing new medicines. Many major medical breakthroughs have been made with the help of animal experiments, including the invention of antibiotics, vaccines, and cancer treatments. However, some research can result in pain and suffering for the animals, and although there are laws in place now to protect animals, it would be better if we had alternative ways to move medical science forward. Scientists are working on new approaches that replace, reduce, and refine (improve) animal experiments. This is known as the 3Rs of scientific research. Some of this work focuses on improving the housing for the animals, while other work involves using cells in a test tube or computer models as animal substitutes. The three Rs are a step in the right direction for medical science.
By Dr Rachel Tanner
In pictures: A day in the life of a vaccine researcher
From the British Society of Immunology. On Monday 27 April during World Immunisation Week 2020, we took to Instagram for a virtual public engagement event to showcase a day in the life of a vaccine researcher in pictures.
Featuring Dr Rachel Tanner