Vaccine Programme

Future-proofed, sustainable vaccine cold-chain

The vaccines research programme aims to develop the ‘next-generation’ of vaccine cold-chain (VCC) systems that will be needed for future, secure, sustainable and agile access to vaccines in LMICs.

Critically this needs to be able to adopt new vaccines into the routine immunisation schedules for infants and children, be able to respond to outbreaks of vaccine preventable disease through supplementary immunisation activity (SIA), and confer the ability to deploy new genetic vaccine technologies such as viral-vectored and mRNA platforms that require ultra-cold long-term storage and ultra-rapid deployment when needed for public protection. We use real-world data models for VCC optimisation and readiness and have other biomedical projects developing novel immune-diagnostics for the assessment of vaccine policy impact and efficient vaccine and VCC utilisation for the control of immunity gaps in the population.

 

Two Key Themes

  1.  Mitigating Need
    Mitigate need for cold-chain by integrating new technologies from biomedical science for improved needs forecasting, digital tracking and accountability for vaccine waste reduction and cold-chain efficiency analyses, concomitant vaccination scheduling for more efficient vaccination policy, and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s or drones) for improved vaccine security and equitable access to new mRNA technologies.
     
  2. Whole-System Network
    Develop vaccine cold chain ‘whole-system’ network analyses and the use of digital twins for virtual stress testing preparedness for future threats and solutions, especially for new mRNA vaccine and climate change

Where are we now?

Rwanda Vaccine Cold Chain (VCC) modelling project

Analysis of electronic healthcare records in train

VaccMap

Study Closed

The primary aim is to assess and evaluate the deployability and utility of digital-tracking and accountability software, as developed by project partners Circulor, to accurately track the end-to-end journey throughout the supply chain to the level of a fraction of vial (or dose) when administered to patients.

These data will have direct relevance for Rwanda and other African countries and fits into a wider programme of joint research activity between ACES and RBC that looks to develop the ‘next-generation’ vaccine cold-chain systems that afford long-term reliability, sustainability and social/economic value for the future.

VaccAir

RNEC approved: 58/2024 – Opened November 2024

This project aims to understand the role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) in the supply of vaccines to rural communities in Africa, and whether this approach can support improved vaccine security and access to new mRNA vaccine products.

This is a prospective, multi-centre, case-use study of a ‘just-in-time’ model of vaccine supply by UAV and whether this approach can overcome key strategic limitations associated with reliance on grid electricity and static cold-chain equipment.

This data will have direct relevance for Rwanda and other African countries, and fits into a wider programme of joint research activity between ACES and RBC that looks to develop the ‘next-generation’ vaccine cold-chain systems that afford long-term reliability, sustainability and social/economic value for the future.

Delivering vaccines by drone in Rwanda - News 

A drone delivers vaccines to a remote location
A drone delivers vaccines to a remote location

EbolaCov

RNEC approved: 442/2024 – Study in set-up

This is a single-centre, randomized, single-blinded, vaccine safety and immunogenicity study in healthy adults living in Rwanda. The EbolaCov trial aims to inform whether the Ebola vaccine rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP can be administered concurrent to a BioNTech – Pfizer COVID-19 booster dose without an unacceptable increase in reactogenicity and/or loss of humoral immunogenicity to Ebola vaccine antigen.

Point of care lateral flow test

Development for real-time identification of measles vaccine and hepatitis B vaccine need – measles project with MHRA stage and aim to working prototypes by this summer.

Immune diagnostics clinical evaluation platform study

Set-up and delivered a new study on the cooling needs that underpin security for national diagnostic and pathogen surveillance capacity.

Contact the Vaccine Programme team

To get in touch with the Clean Cooling vaccines and health team directly, please email [email protected].

Job Opportunities
Programme Manager 
Research Delivery

The programme now has more than 65 researchers, experts, trainers, technicians and advisors. We need someone to work and help manage the large-scale ACES project at the University of Birmingham, collaborating with global partners across academia, government, NGOs, and industry to deliver project goals and impact.

  • Full-time, initially 12 month contract
  • Can work in Birmingham, Rwanda or remotely
  • English essential, French preferable other languages are useful

Final applications by 29th May 2025 17.00 GMT.

Network News

The latest from the global Clean Cooling community

The ACES team visit the Ntarama Genocide Memorial

On April 9th, 2025, the team from the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) visited the Ntarama Genocide Memorial to honour the memory of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. In this place of remembra

CCN and ACES announce the Festival of Cooling for September 2025

The Clean Cooling Network and the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) are hosting a week-long, public engagement “Festival of Cooling” (Sept 22nd – 26th) at the ACES Campus in Kigali, Rwanda, and via an outreach programme.

View All News

Events & Webinars

Exclusive lectures and workshops from the Clean Cooling team and partners.

Festival of Cooling

The Clean Cooling Network and ACES are hosting a week-long, public engagement “Festival of Cooling” at the ACES Campus in Kigali, Rwanda, and via an outreach programme.

View All Events