Prof. Glenda Elisabeth Gray

CEO and President of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)

Topic: Fast tracking pandemic vaccines: Lessons learnt from COVID-19 to HIV vaccine development.

An NRF A1 rated scientist, CEO and President of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Professor Glenda Gray is a qualified pediatrician and co-founder of the internationally recognised Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Soweto, South Africa. Prior to her appointment at the SAMRC, she was the Executive Director of the Perinatal HIV Research Unit, an affiliate of Wits University. Glenda’s global profile includes a role as Co-PI of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), an international collaboration for the development of HIV/AIDS prevention vaccines.

She has served as a Protocol Co-Chair of the multi-country Ensemble Study investigating the single-dose Ad26.COV2.S vaccine as an emergency response intervention. She received South Africa’s highest honour – the Order of Mapungubwe - for her pioneering research in PMTCT. She is a member of the board of GARDP, AAHI and a member of the WHO TB-STAG.

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