Rachel Tanner

Rachel Tanner is an Associate Professor at the University of Oxford, holding dual appointments as a Research Fellow at Wolfson College and a Lecturer in Human Sciences at Wadham College. She also serves as the Access and Outreach Officer for the Institute of Human Sciences, driving initiatives to broaden participation in higher education.

Her academic foundation includes an MA in Biological Sciences and DPhil in Clinical Medicine, both earned at the University of Oxford. These qualifications underpin her expertise in clinical immunology and vaccine research.

Dr. Tanner's research program centers on tuberculosis vaccine development, with a dual focus on identifying immune correlates of protection and characterizing humoral responses to BCG vaccination. She pioneers in vitro functional assays like the mycobacterial growth inhibition assay (MGIA) to evaluate vaccine efficacy while rigorously applying 3Rs principles (replacement, reduction, refinement) to minimize animal use. Her work extends to controlled human infection models for TB, investigations into non-specific effects of BCG vaccination, and bovine TB vaccine development, addressing critical gaps in global tuberculosis control strategies.

Her scientific leadership is recognized through prestigious awards including the TB Vaccine Initiative (TBVI) Young Scientist Award (2017), Collaboration for TB Vaccine Discovery (CTVD) Early Career Scientist Award (2018), and Women of the Future Award for Science (2019).

Dr. Tanner secures competitive funding from UKRI-GCRF network VALIDATE, NC3Rs, UFAW, and RSTMH. She leads high-impact projects including the non-human primate MGIA initiative and assay harmonization efforts within the European Research Infrastructures for Poverty Related Diseases (EURIPRED). Her mentorship extends to training researchers in advanced immunological techniques and ethical research practices.

She actively shapes her field through service on the Scientific Reports Editorial Board, the British Society for Immunology Vaccine Affinity Group, the Acid Fast Club, and Oxford University's Animal Care and Ethical Review 3Rs subcommittee. Her collaborative networks span international consortia focused on poverty-related diseases and tuberculosis elimination.