The story of vaccines - Jenner to the mRNA Covid vaccines
Dr Ian Goodall SpeakerNet Sponsor
- Regions:
- Surrey, West Sussex, Berkshire, Hampshire, London
- Notice Period:
- Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
- Type:
- U3A/Rotary/charity/Probus/WI
- Fee:
- Expensed
- Category:
- Science
- Updated:
- 31st March 2026
- Tagged:
- Vaccines
This highly illustrated talk tells the story of the development of vaccines. I start by explaining what life was like before the advent of vaccines. I describe the remarkable work of Lady Montague Wortley, who introduced innoculation into England, having found it being practiced in Turkey. Edward Jenner made the first vaccine against smallpox, carrying out an outrageous experiment on his gardener’s son! Louis Pasteur’s proved that germs, not bad air, cause disease and developed vaccines against anthrax and rabies. I finish by explaining how the most modern mRNA vaccines work, and how they have been used against Covid 19.
Views: 1385 | Enquiries: 6About Dr Ian Goodall
Ian has given over 120 talks. They have been described as ‘highly engaging and informative’ ‘One of the best speakers we’ve ever had’. He has been invited back on many occasions. Ian is the retired Headmaster of a large secondary school and now gives highly illustrated talks which have been extremely well received . He has degrees from several universities and has developed a number of talks with a biological/medical theme. Talks include, THE MAN WHO CAUGHT A MILLION CRIMINALS - ALEC JEFFERYS AND THE INVENTION OF DNA FINGERPRINTING. GREAT WOMEN SCIENTISTS. THE STORY OF VACCINES - EDWARD JENNER TO THE COVID 19 VACCINES. THE RISE OF THE SUPERBUGS - ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE AND THE FUTURE OF MANKIND. THE STORY OF GENETICS - THE RACE TO THE DOUBLE HELIX. I have given these talks to Rotary Clubs, Probus Clubs, U3A and WI groups and other societies - with uniformly excellent feedback. I have been included on the Speaker list of West Sussex, and Hampshire Women’s Institutes, following auditions. Talks can be anything between 30 and 60 minutes, according to your preference.
Other Talks on SpeakerNet by Dr Ian Goodall
- The man who caught a million criminals, The invention of DNA fingerprinting.
- The amazing world of the electron microscope - how cells work
- The rise of the superbugs - antibiotic resistance, the end of mankind?
- Great women scientists
- The real CSI - how DNA fingerprinting works
- Do tapeworms make you thin? The amazing lives of parasites
- The story of Genetics- The Race to the Double Helix
- The craziest biochemist - Karey Mullis and the invention of PCR
- Oppenheimer - genius father of the atomic bomb
- Vaccines and the conquest of infectious disease
- Amazing Breakthroughs in Medicine
- Can viruses save mankind?
Send a message to the speaker
If you are interested in this talk and wish to contact the speaker, please complete the following form: