Gavin Wright, Professor of Microbial Biochemistry at the University of York, is a distinguished biochemist known for his pioneering work in identifying a receptor displayed on mammalian eggs that is essential for sperm binding.
His work is centred on the discovery of extracellular protein interactions, and he has made critical contributions to the development of diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines for neglected tropical parasitic diseases including malaria, leishmaniasis, and trypanosomiasis.
His research on malaria/host protein interactions has provided critical insights, which have contributed to the development of human malaria vaccine. He has also led research that identified a vaccine target for Trypanosomes, a parasite for which vaccination was widely regarded as being impossible.