UG Alumnus Vidia Roopchand, Principal Research Scientist at Pfizer Who Worked on Development of First COVID-19 Vaccine, to speak at UG event on Aug 27^th

Vidia Surendra Roopchand

Principal Research Scientist, Pfizer

Guyana-born scientist and University of Guyana alumni, Vidia Surendra Roopchand, who is a Principal Research Scientist at Pfizer will return to speak virtually to his alma mater, the University of Guyana, where he got his foundational degree in Chemistry in 1990. The son of Region 3 (Essequibo Islands West Demerara) was integrally involved in the development of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (BNT162b2) to help fight the Coronavirus pandemic which will soon be rolled out in Guyana. Mr. Roopchand’s talk is entitled “SARS COV-2 (COVID-19) Viral Physiology and Vaccine Development"

The talk will be open to the public online on August 27th from 5pm to 8pm. Please click on the following link to join:  Webinar Registration - Zoom

Mr Roopchand is a Principal Scientist for Vaccine Research and Development at top American firm; Pfizer. He has been with the company for 28 years and spent his career supporting the efforts of the research and development team to develop innovative vaccines that prevent diseases and to help treat people globally – including the research to develop the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mr Roopchand has been contributing to vaccine development for the last 28 years at Pfizer. He was part of the “Kick Polio out of Africa” movement initiated by the late great South African president, Mr Nelson Mandela. His efforts have contributed to the reduction of polio and pneumococcal disease around the world. He was also on the Pfizer team which made the COVID-19 vaccine.

Originally from the island of Wakenaam, Mr Roopchand, says that what drives and fuels him is the commitment and impact Pfizer has made to developing countries around the world, especially where children would otherwise not have access to vaccines.

The internationally-respected scientist successfully completed a Degree in Chemistry at the University of Guyana in 1990. He then moved to New York, USA where did a master’s degree in Immunology at the New York Medical College and another master’s in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University. 

He then joined the team at Pfizer and in 2020 was part of the team that made history in the midst of a global pandemic. “I also feel honored and fortunate that I was able to contribute to the team effort that delivered the first COVID-19 vaccine to the world,” the 53-year-old scientist was quoted by newsamericas as saying during an interview last December.

He highlighted that the team that worked on the project “knew that the world was depending on us to deliver this vaccine and this motivated and inspired us to do our very best.”

UG in brief

The University of Guyana is the 58th-year state University. It offers 141 programmes in over 60 disciplines online and face-to-face in eight campuses across Guyana. With a student population of now 10,000, UG has provided education, learning, and research for over 50,000 alumni. The mission of the University is to discover, generate, disseminate and apply knowledge of the highest standard for the service of the community, the nation, and of all mankind within an atmosphere of academic freedom that allows for free and critical inquiry. UG’s forward-thinking Blueprint 2040 is currently setting the course for the University’s future design and cutting-edge institutional response to the changing needs of Guyana.

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Ms. Krest Cummings

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Department of Events Conferences and Communications (DECC)

592-623-5104

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About UG Alumni Association:

The UG Alumni Association Supports: a) the developmental efforts of The University of Guyana b)Serve as supporters to fund raising, talent acquisition, research as well as recruitment of staff and faculty; c)Promote the University of Guyana as an intellectual and cultural center for excellence locally regionally and internationally; d)Engender the and propagate the values of The University and Guyana in the wider Guyanese society, regionally and internationally; e)Provide opportunities for continued intellectual engagement, educational, training and recreational opportunities; f) Provide mechanisms and opportunities for connecting, fellowship and sharing, networking, and professional growth; g)To stimulate and encourage philanthropy and investment in UG, its faculty and students amongst alumni, students as prospective alumni, businesses and organizations benefitting from UG’s human resource as well as all others; h)Lend guidance on matters pertaining to the general the welfare of the University or which may be of interest to the Administration, Academic Board and Council.

UG Alumni Association Website:  https://ugalumnipride.com/