A royal year

A royal year for St George’s

25^th September 2008                     

Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, paid two special visits to St George’s this year to officially open Horton Halls and to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of the Vaccine Institute.

St George’s was visited twice by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal in 2008 in her role as Chancellor of the University of London.

On 23 January 2008, The Princess Royal visited St George’s to officially open the new £15.5 million halls of residence, Horton Halls.

She unveiled an official plaque in the main reception area, was shown around a room by first year medic Amy Waters and met other Horton Halls students in their kitchen, before visiting a common room to be introduced to the halls’ architects, builders and cleaning staff.

Princess Anne returned to St George’s on 25^th September this year to unveil a sundial plaque, celebrating 10 years of research at the Vaccine Institute.

The Princess Royal toured the Institute, where she met children who had taken part in trials for meningitis vaccines, and their parents. Although several effective vaccines for meningitis are currently available, new and improved vaccines are still needed.

Georgina Blizzard’s one-year-old daughter Olivia had been involved in a trial against pneumococcus, one of the bugs that causes meningitis and has led to an estimated million deaths worldwide in children under five years old.

Georgina said: “The Princess was very engaged and interested. She had an in-depth knowledge and was keen to understand more about this vaccine. She was an impressive lady.”

The Princess Royal also met students who had been involved in TB and HIV vaccine trials and witnessed reconstructions of a number of clinical procedures, such as nasal secretion sampling.

The Vaccine Institute opened in 1996, with the final official opening in 1998 by The Princess Royal. Over the past 10 years, the Institute has pioneered a number of new developments, such as the nasal delivery of vaccines against diseases ranging from meningitis to HIV and TB. It has also launched a drinkable vaccine to protect against typhoid infection, now in commercial development. The Vaccine Institute in currently working to develop new vaccines against HIV, TB and other diseases, particularly those associated with poverty and deprivation.

Principal Professor Peter Kopelman said: “St George’s is honoured that the Princess Royal took time out of her busy schedule to visit us. We are delighted that she has taken a keen interest in the vital work of the St George’s Vaccine Institute and hope to welcome her here again in the future.”

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