University of Southampton: Professor receives OBE in Queen’s Jubilee Honours for COVID-19 vaccine research
Professor Saul Faust has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours.
The Professor of Paediatric Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Southampton and Consultant Paediatrician at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) played a leading role in the national COVID-19 vaccination programme.
During the pandemic, Southampton researchers and medics led and supported multiple studies that helped to determine the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for use in adults and children across the world.
Professor Faust said: “I am deeply humbled and grateful to be recognised in the Queen’s Jubilee Honours. Although this award is to me, I couldn’t have done any of my work during the pandemic without the amazing research teams across Southampton, Dorset, Hampshire, South Wiltshire and the Isle of Wight. And of course, nothing would have been possible without the public coming forward to take part in the vaccine trials that are still continuing today.”
One of the biggest studies, COV-BOOST, looked at the safety, immune responses and side-effects of seven vaccines when used as a third booster jab. The trials were led by Professor Faust and UHS. Findings not only played a major role in shaping the UK COVID booster programme, they were also recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, Professor Mark E. Smith commented: “I am delighted that Saul Faust has been recognised with an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. This is a fitting tribute to the tremendous work that Saul and his colleagues did in responding to COVID-19. Universities played an absolutely pivotal role in the UK’s response to the pandemic and Southampton was a major contributor. It is through high quality research with real impact that part of our strategy will play out. I offer my warmest congratulations to Saul.”
Professor Faust is Director of the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, an extensive, dedicated space for early-stage clinical research at University Hospitals Southampton. He is Clinical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) Wessex and a co-lead for Microbiology, Immunology and Infection in the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre.