The National Research Foundation (NRF) congratulates Board Member Professor Glenda Gray, who this week travelled to London to be formally admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Society, the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. Prof Gray was elected to the Fellowship in May 2026, and was inducted at the Society's Admissions Day ceremony, where new Fellows sign the Charter Book.

Prof Gray is among more than 90 outstanding researchers from around the world elected to one of the world's most prestigious scientific institutions. According to the Royal Society, this year's cohort comprises pioneers and leaders across a wide range of scientific disciplines, including astronomy, cancer research, mathematics and biotechnology.

Announcing the new Fellows, the Royal Society said their contributions reflect the highest standards of scientific endeavour. "Whether advancing our understanding of vaccines or exploring the transformative potential of mathematics and computation, their work exemplifies the enduring value of curiosity, creativity and rigorous inquiry."

Prof Gray, an NRF A-rated scientist, is a globally distinguished researcher whose pioneering work has made a significant impact on vaccine research and development. A medical doctor and paediatrician, she is internationally recognised as a clinician-scientist whose groundbreaking research advanced the prevention of HIV-1 transmission from mothers to infants, the development of HIV prevention interventions for women through vaccinology and antiretroviral prophylaxis, and COVID-19 vaccine research, helping to establish the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa. 

Professor Gray has received highest honours, including the Order of Mapungubwe and the Nelson Mandela Health and Human Rights Award, in recognition of her pioneering research on the prevention of paediatric HIV. She has been named as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and Forbes top 50 Women in Africa in recognition of her research in HIV. She received DSc (honoris causa, Simon Fraser University), DSc (honoris causa, Stellenbosch University), and LLD (honoris causa, Rhodes University). 

Her excellence in vaccine research earned her several prestigious appointments. These include Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand; Professor in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in the United States; Co-Principal Investigator of the international National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded HIV Vaccine Trials Network; Lead of the BRILLIANT Consortium, which focuses on HIV vaccine discovery and development in Africa; and member of the Academy of Science of South Africa, the African Academy of Sciences, the World Academy of Sciences, and the US National Academy of Medicine. 

In addition to serving as a Board member of the NRF, Prof Gray is a member of the UCT Council and Distinguished Professor and Director of the University of the Witwatersrand’s Infectious Disease and Oncology Research Institute (IDORI). She is a former President and CEO of the SAMRC.