UofG wins prestigious Prix Galien Award
Published: 23 June 2026
University of Glasgow researchers have been awarded a prestigious Prix Galien UK Award for their work on rabies prevention by the Galien Foundation, the premier global institution dedicated to honouring innovators in life sciences
University of Glasgow researchers have been awarded a prestigious Prix Galien UK Award for their work on rabies prevention by the Galien Foundation, the premier global institution dedicated to honouring innovators in life sciences.
The Best Health Equity Initiative Award was given to Professor Katie Hampson and her team for their decade-long dedication to global health equity, focused on how to transform rabies prevention into an accessible, life-saving reality for the world's most vulnerable communities through the use of a highly effective, one-week vaccine course.
The prestigious award, given to Professor Hampson and her team at a ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London on June 11, celebrates initiatives that address critical healthcare disparities and improve access to essential care for underserved populations.
The Prix Galien Foundation said Prof Hampson’s work exemplified the profound impact that research, collaboration, and dedication can have in advancing health equity and saving lives on a global scale.
Rabies is one of the clearest examples of a preventable disease sustained by health inequity, as death can be prevented through the timely delivery of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Despite this, around 59,000 people die from dog-mediated rabies each year, with 95% of deaths occurring in Africa and Asia, where the disease persists in domestic dog populations. The burden falls disproportionately on poor and marginalised communities, especially children.
Through the work of Professor Hampson and her team, the cost of both emergency rabies prevention and clinic visits is now reduced; and the team’s efforts led Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to commit funding to rabies prevention in up to 67 low-income nations, including Tanzania, Madagascar and Côte d'Ivoire which have submitted early applications to Gavi.
Professor Hampson’s work in developing a framework to assess the cost-effectiveness of rabies PEP regimens in low-income settings – which showed that PEP was highly cost-effective – also led directly to evidence which showed that a one-week, two injection course was the most cost-effective approach, reducing vaccine use and clinic visits while maintaining safety and efficacy. This evidence, and subsequent modelling research, played a crucial role in shaping international policy and creating a practical health equity solution.
Prof Hampson’s initiative was chosen by the Prix Galien Foundation as a powerful example of how scientific leadership and public health commitment can overcome barriers to create meaningful change for vulnerable communities. The award committee added that the significance of expanding access to lifesaving rabies post-exposure prophylaxis couldn’t be overstated, and that Professor Hampson’s contribution had set a benchmark for impact-driven healthcare innovation.
Professor Hampson said: “Receiving the Prix Galien UK Award is a real honour. I feel so fortunate to work with such fantastic colleagues from rabies-affected countries who work tirelessly to prevent rabies deaths. With promised investments, we are hopeful that the many tragic personal stories that we have been witness to won’t have to occur in future.”
According to the Prix Galien Foundation, the 2026 UK Forum and Awards Ceremony showcased the strength, creativity, and global impact of the UK life sciences sector and reflected some of the most daunting challenges facing the life science research and development industry in the UK.
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, David Weatherall Chair of Medicine at the University of Liverpool and the NHS Chair of Pharmacogenetics, Chair of the Prix Galien UK Committee, said: “Recognising and celebrating these groundbreaking solutions to global health challenges, and the teams working diligently behind them, is a testament to the future of patient care worldwide. We congratulate this year's esteemed nominees and winners and look forward to following their continued success."
Enquiries: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk
First published: 23 June 2026