Plant-Powered Vaccines

Plant-based vaccine production transforms living plants into miniature bioreactors, allowing scientists to extract vital ingredients by harvesting leaves nurtured within a controlled environment and pressing them.

Once scaled up using large bioreactors, this emerging approach could form part of a green medical revolution that could save lives across Africa, offering a faster, more flexible and more affordable route to producing vaccines close to where they’re needed most.

In this discussion, Imperial College London's Professor Faith Osier is joined online by University of Cape Town's Sandwisa James to explore how plant-powered vaccine manufacturing sits alongside other adaptable technologies, which use cells to express vaccine antigens. These include mRNA and egg-based systems , that together could help fuel a more resilient, equitable and self-sufficient future for African and global health.

This event is part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival on 6-7 June 2026.

Please arrive at the venue 10 minutes before the start time. Your ticket gives you priority access, however, as this is a free event we overbook to help ensure a full event and your space may be reallocated. Early arrival reduces this risk.

Great Exhibition Road Festival

6-7 June 2026

South Kensington’s annual celebration of science and the arts returns this summer with a weekend of free events for all ages.

Enjoy hands-on workshops, fascinating talks, performances and installations from iconic museums, research and culture organisations in South Kensington, including Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A, the Royal Parks, the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and many more!

Find out more about the Festival and see the full programme on the Festival website at www.greatexhibitionroadfestival.co.uk.