University of Liverpool’s Dr. Marie Yang O’Brien Awarded UKRI Future Leader Fellowship for Pioneering Vaccine Research

University of Liverpool’s Dr. Marie Yang O’Brien Awarded UKRI Future Leader Fellowship for Pioneering Vaccine Research

(IN BRIEF) Dr. Marie Yang O’Brien, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ReNewVax Ltd., a University of Liverpool spin-out, has been awarded a UKRI Future Leader Fellowship (FLF). Her fellowship focuses on developing a vaccine for Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B strep or GBS), a major global pathogen. ReNewVax aims to combat bacterial infections with novel vaccines. Dr. O’Brien’s application was supported by the University of Liverpool’s Enterprise Team. This recognition highlights her significant contributions to vaccine development and the University’s commitment to fostering innovation.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 2-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Dr. Marie Yang O’Brien, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at ReNewVax Ltd., a University of Liverpool spin-out company, has received the UKRI Future Leader Fellowship (FLF). Dr. O’Brien is among 68 recipients in the eighth round of this prestigious award, and one of the few from a non-academic setting (business stream).

Dr. O’Brien’s fellowship focuses on Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B strep or GBS), a high-priority pathogen according to the World Health Organization, responsible for 319,000 new-born cases and 90,000 deaths globally each year. Her project aims to develop a highly sensitive human cell-based model and address regulatory hurdles for a GBS maternal vaccine.

Expressing her commitment, Dr. O’Brien stated, “With the support of the FLF, I am committed to overcoming the longstanding challenges that have impeded the development of a Group B streptococcus vaccine. My project was meticulously designed to encompass both scientific advancement and societal impact, and I cannot wait to embark on this journey.”

ReNewVax, co-founded by Dr. O’Brien and Prof. Aras Kadioglu, aims to combat bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance with novel vaccines. The company was established with seed funds from Innovate ICURe and the University of Liverpool’s Enterprise Investment Fund.

Dr. O’Brien’s FLF application was supported by Dr. Carolyn Horrocks, Head of Enterprise (Health), and Donna Bradshaw, Entrepreneur Coach in Residence at the University’s Enterprise Team. Dr. Horrocks remarked on the significant impact Dr. O’Brien is set to have on vaccine development, while Bradshaw highlighted Dr. O’Brien’s emphasis on success through people and culture.

In addition to Dr. O’Brien, two University of Liverpool researchers, Dr. Juri Smirnov and Dr. Jamie Wilson, were awarded FLFs in the ‘university stream.’

The University of Liverpool Enterprise Team supports academic founders and acts as the first investor to create spin-outs and license cutting-edge technologies, fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Liverpool City Region.

For more details on the UKRI FLF scheme and the University of Liverpool’s entrepreneurial initiatives, visit here.

Media Contacts:

Joanne Carr
Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs
T: +44 (0)7825 434900
E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

Catrin Owen
Media Relations Manager – Humanities and Social Sciences
T: +44 (0)7721 834238
E: catrin.owen@liverpool.ac.uk

Sarah Stamper
Media Relations Manager – Science and Engineering
T: +44 (0)7970 247396
E: sarah.stamper@liverpool.ac.uk

Jennifer Morgan
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0)7775 547589
E: J.L.Morgan@liverpool.ac.uk

Alison Cornmell
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0) 7771 700680
E: Alison.Cornmell@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool