Georgina Ferry interviews Catherine Green OBE, Head of the Clinical BioManufacturing Facility and Associate Professor in Chromosome Dynamics, 1 December 2021.
Topics discussed include (00:00:34) CG's early interest in science and studies in Cambridge, London and Paris and work in cancer research; (00:02:08) Clinical BioManufacturing Facility [CBF]; (00:04:45) CG's first memory of the emergence of COVID-19 in January 2020 and meeting with Professor Sarah Gilbert in late January relating to production of a vaccine; (00:06:06) manufacture of medicines and past work in manufacturing vaccines for Professor Gilbert, particularly the MERS vaccine; (00:07:37) CG's first response to the possible coronavirus vaccine project; (00:09:01) the process to begin the design and manufacture of the adenovirus vector vaccine beginning with a piece of the virus DNA code provided by Professors Gilbert and [Teresa] Lambe; (00:15:07) amplification of the cell culture for the vaccine starting material; (00:18:10) manufacture and clinical trial capacity at the CBF, work with Professor Andy Pollard in up-scaling trials, collaboration with Italian-based manufacturing site Advent and the chartering of a private jet to transport batches of trial vaccine doses to the U.K.; (00:23:32) work on other vaccine projects, including Nipah virus; (00:24:16) CG's personal response to and experience of COVID-19, including sending her daughter to key workers' school; (00:27:20) well-being of colleagues and balancing the needs of team members; (00:29:51) CG's concern over family members catching the virus; (00:31:16) CG's personal self-care and details of remote well-being activities; (00:33:33) involvement with national bodies including JCVI and MRHA; (00:34:12) emerging variants and vaccine alteration and involvement with AstraZeneca; (00:36:16) experience of press interviews with national newspapers and public speaking; (00:39:20) efficacy outcome for the first clinical trial data; (00:43:26) writing, publication and reception of 'Vaxxers' book with Professor Gilbert; (00:47:44) recognition and honours, including the Queen's Birthday Honours 2021 list; (00:50:30) women in science and the proportion of women working on the vaccine at Oxford; (00:52:30) questions Green is interested in exploring in the future, including regulatory background and manufacturing process, expansion of CBF and the general advancement of biological medicine manufacturing in the U.K.; (00:56:22) impact of the pandemic on the team, including changes to working on-site and remotely; (00:58:20) intensive working and returning to normal hours; (00:59:21) CG's reaction to her personal contribution to the development of a global vaccine; (01:00:27) continued supply of the vaccine to developing countries.
