Alex Spencer

Alex Spencer Alex Spencer, an Old Girl from the Class of 1996, is a Senior Immunologist at the University of Oxford. Alex recently chatted with Director of Alumni and Community Relations, Mandy Barker CollegeLoomes about her career as a Scientist and her work through the COVID pandemic. Alex Spencer, an Old Girl from the Class Alex Spencer Class of 1996 of 1996, is a Senior Immunologist at the University of Oxford. Alex recently chatted with Director of Alumni and Barker College Community Relations, Mandy Loomes about her career as a Scientist and her work through the COVID pandemic. Class of 1996

Learn collaboratively. Think independently.

Barker College is an Anglican day and boarding school located on Sydney’s North Shore.

What was the highlight from your time at Barker?

Having been involved in so many things at Barker (Cadets, Hockey, Musicals) it’s hard to pick one thing, I am most grateful for the roundness of the education experience I had at Barker and the life-long friends I made.

What studies have you undertaken after School?

I wanted to study science with a human focus and therefore undertook a Bachelor of Medical Science with an additional one year honours research project at the University of Sydney. This was followed directly by a PhD in experimental medicine (Immunology) at the Centenary Institute, in the same lab where I had undertaken my research project.

How did your career journey result in you working at the Jenner Institute at Oxford?

I have always been interested in vaccine development as it has the power to transform and save hundreds of lives. Following a PhD in a very basic area of immunology (T cells), I wanted to focus more on the translational projects, so I joined the Jenner Institute who were focused on developing vaccines to induce T cells and had just started working with one particular vaccine platform. Fourteen years later, it is one of four leading vaccine platforms being tested in humans as a potential COVID vaccine.

What was it that attracted you to pursuing a field in Science?

I have always been interested in understanding how things work. In Year 11/12 the Careers Advisor at Barker arranged a visit to Children’s Medical Research Institute, a scientist isolated DNA in front of our eyes and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I never had any grand plans to undertake a PhD or stay in academia, I was just curious and kept following the questions, I still do.

What has been your primary area of research?

Normally I work on developing a vaccine against malaria, but since April I have been working as part of the enormous team developing the COVID vaccine here at Oxford.

As a Scientist how have you found the current COVID-19 situation?

Terrifying, exciting and exhausting all at the same time. Working in infectious diseases and vaccine development, we always knew an outbreak of an unknown disease could occur but hoped the day would never come. It’s terrifying to see how quickly SARS-CoV2 spread across the world, exciting to see all the new data and information coming out every day, exhausting trying to keep on top of all the information whilst also working long hours to develop the vaccine.

The world is a different place now but how have you been able to use your research skills with relation to COVID-19?

At the start, I read as much as I could to make sure the information and advice I gave to friends and family was based on evidence. At work, my previous experience with the Oxford vaccine platform enabled me to jump across and work on the COVID vaccine, ensuring the vaccine was safe and gave the type of immune response we anticipated.

How do you balance your work-life commitments?

My husband, another Aussie, has his own business, a wine shop, so it’s always been a big juggling act in our family trying to balance work-life commitments. Lockdown has seen all extracurricular activities put on hold, meaning when we do get time together we can focus on doing the things we enjoy the most.

Do you get much spare time? How do you relax?

Not at the moment, but under normal circumstances I try not to work weekends unless it’s essential. We live in a little village outside Oxford, so enjoy walking our dog along the river Thames, going camping and I have become a very keen gardener over the last few years.

What are 3 words you would use to describe yourself?

Curious, hard-working, determined.