Alexander Sampson
Meet Alexander Sampson, a DPhil student in Teresa Lambe's group (Oxford Vaccine Group) based in the IDRM. Alexander practiced as a vet before beginning his PhD and his interest in vaccines began while working on an Ebola vaccine at veterinary school. His current research focuses on combining platforms to develop new vaccines for emerging pathogens.
Tell us a little about your current research
I'm working on developing new vaccine technologies for emerging pathogens based on the adenoviral vector platform used in the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The focus of my PhD has been adapting the adenoviral vector to also work like the R21 malaria vaccine developed at the Jenner Institute. These two types of vaccine are best at activating different bits of the immune system, so combining them into one platform is really useful! My aim is to use the improved platform to develop broader vaccines against coronaviruses similar to SARS-CoV-2, including those in animal reservoirs (mainly bats!) that haven't spilled over into humans yet.
What inspired you to pursue this field of research?
I originally worked as a vet, so I've been interested in zoonotic pathogens that spread from animals to humans for a while! I worked on an Ebola vaccine while at vet school, then when the COVID-19 pandemic happened I was able to help out on a coronavirus vaccine at the same lab. The pandemic made it clear how important it is to have good vaccine platforms that can be re-purposed quickly, and also was a reminder how many animal pathogens are currently circulating in wildlife that could cause pandemics in future. It's been a real privilege to be able to work on vaccine platform development against these diseases in Oxford during my PhD.
What is one of the key moments or discoveries during your research career that made you stop and think ‘this is why I do what I do’?
I think the most exciting moment in the DPhil was seeing the initial results from the first vaccine I'd designed. In previous projects I'd been involved in later stages of development and testing, but this was the first time I'd made the vaccines myself in the lab, and I was really nervous to see the results! It was an amazing feeling and a huge relief to see that they'd worked as well as I'd hoped, and really exciting to think of all the ways they could be used going forward.
What has been the most significant challenge you've faced? How did you overcome it and what valuable lessons did you take away from that experience, both personally and professionally?
There’s definitely been moments in the PhD when experiments I’ve put a lot of time into don’t work out, and that can be very disappointing – it took about two years and lots of re-designs before the first vaccine constructs were ready, when I’d imagined it’d be done in about three months! I think it’s been re-assuring to learn that most of the time when things go wrong, there is a solution, even if it isn’t obvious immediately!
How has being a part of the IDRM community helped shape your research and/or career development?
The IDRM has been a really fun place to work!! It's been a really great community and very supportive, it's great to be able to meet people outside of our group or field every day
How do you like to relax and recharge outside of the lab?
I've got a great group of friends in Oxford so enjoy spending time with them! I like running and going to the cinema. I also look forward to going back to Scotland a couple of times a year to work as a vet, especially in the lambing season!
What would be the theme song to your life right now?
I've had the entire Wicked soundtrack stuck in my head since seeing the film last week.