In a  first-of-its-kind national-level, multi-centre study on long-term protection and immunogenicity of vaccines, in combination with an understanding of nutritional and “skin immunity” status in the Indian population, HUL (Hindustan Unilever Ltd.) and UIPL (Unilever Industries Private Limited) R&D will provide CSR funding for a research project towards building a holistic multi-dimensional understanding of immune responses in SARS-CoV-2 in vaccinated people. 

 This research is being enabled by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India’s programme to stimulate collaborations between industry and academia. It is being carried out by the platform VISION (Vaccine Immunology Studies – Indian Outbreak-response Network) which includes top public and private research institutes. HUL will also provide additional analytical and data analyses through its R&D scientists to the consortium partners, as needed. 

Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Limited said, “Vaccine efficacy is one of the questions foremost on people’s minds today. Partnering with the best scientific minds of the country, and backed by world-class research, this study aims to understand not just vaccine immunogenicity but also to obtain deeper insights on whether factors like nutritional deficiencies or the skin’s natural immunity, has a role to play in the immune response. We are confident that the findings will significantly aid public health policy decisions in India and help save lives.”

 Dr K. Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India, added, “Scientists across India are studying the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its variants, and vaccines to combat it continuously. Given India’s diverse and large population, collaborative research on the immune response to vaccination and its correlation to genetics and nutrition can help our approach to public healthcare responses and shaping policies. I look forward to a beneficial outcome from this and similar efforts. This is exemplary of genuine partnerships between Industry and Academia to address a pressing problem by deploying the latest science and technology towards an immediate societal need.”