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"We owe them a lot":
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlights the work of the three scientists
Sarah Gilbert, Özlem Türeci
and
Kizzmekia Corbett
(from left)
in the fight against the
Corona pandemic emerges.
Photo:
John Cairns / Univ.
Of Oxford / DPA, Biontech, Bloomberg / Getty Images
Her name should be familiar in scientific circles, but not yet to a larger public - but now
Sarah Gilbert
(58) is receiving the highest honor.
The lead developer of the Astrazeneca vaccine against the coronavirus is awarded the Albert Medal of the Royal Society of Arts for her contribution to the common good.
Previously, the award was given to historical greats such as Stephen Hawking, Marie Curie and Winston Churchill.
"The Albert Medal celebrates the most innovative, and the Oxford vaccine is a great triumph for British creativity, research and development," said the head of the Royal Society of Arts,
Matthew Taylor,
60, according to a statement on Friday.
Oxford University and Astrazeneca had developed the vaccine together.
Gilbert, who has been doing research at Oxford University since 1994 and headed the development team behind the Oxford / Astrazeneca vaccine, described the medal as a "great honor".
From the beginning, it was her goal to develop a "vaccine for the world" - that is, one that can be used inexpensively and robustly in poorer countries as well.
Unlike the vaccine from Biontech and Pfizer, for example, the Astrazeneca agent only needs to be stored at refrigerator temperatures.
Özlem Türeci - medical mastermind at Biontech
The Biontech founders will also be honored for their research: Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will present the couple
Özlem Türeci
(53) and
Uğur Şahin
(55) with the Great Cross of Merit with Star of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
For manager magazin, an independent jury of innovation experts appointed the two researchers to the Hall of Fame for German research.
Türeci is considered the medical mastermind behind the Biontech vaccine.
The development of the serum would not have been possible without the work of the scientist, who dedicates all of her research to antibody therapies.
Kizzmekia Corbett - preacher of the Moderna vaccine
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Elbow
check
with the President
: Researcher
Kizzmekia Corbett
and US President
Joe Biden
greet each other in the Vaccine Research Center (PRC) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during a tour with Institute Director
Anthony Fauci
(center)
Photo: Bloomberg / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Last but not least:
Kizzmekia "Kizzy" Shanta Corbett
(35).
The immunologist was instrumental in the development of Moderna's US vaccine.
In 2014 she was appointed to the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the state chief immunologist
Anthony Fauci
(80).
In the PRC, the young African American heads the coronavirus team, whose work is aimed at promoting novel coronavirus vaccines.
The collaboration between Moderna and the affiliated National Institute of Health began in January 2020.
Since the Moderna vaccine was approved by the US FDA last December, Corbett has been promoting it intensely in public - especially in communities with a high proportion of people of African American origin.
In the United States, the pandemic hit these populations particularly hard.
"Kizzy is at the forefront of vaccine development"
US top immunologist
Anthony Fauci
Fauci said of the colleague in December 2020: "Kizzy is a scientist who is at the forefront of developing the vaccine."
Your work will "have a significant impact on ending the worst respiratory disease pandemic in more than 100 years."
Von der Leyen: "We owe them a lot"
EU Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen
(62) praised the researchers Türeci, Gilbert and Corbett in one go: "Doctor Özlem Türeci, Professor Sarah Gilbert, Doctor Kizzmekia Corbett - some of you may never have heard their names, but we owe them a lot, "said von der Leyen on Thursday, calling on companies in Europe to promote more women to top positions.
European Commission data showed that less than 7 percent of CEOs of top companies are women.
At the same time, recent reports indicated that the Covid 19 pandemic could undo the first gender equality gains in the workplace.
"I will not stop pushing for gender quotas on boards until we have a fair system for all European countries" "
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
"I will not stop pushing for gender quotas on boards until we have a fair system for all European countries," said von der Leyen before the European Parliament's Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality.
"Women should always be able to reach for the tip, even in private businesses," she said.
Von der Leyen is the first woman to head the EU Commission.
The highest political body in the EU launched a bill on Thursday for more wage transparency in order to reduce the persistent gender pay gap - just in time for International Women's Day on March 8th.
rei / dpa-afx, Reuters