A new testing lab at Guy’s Hospital has been named after the woman who first discovered coronavirus.
June Almeida made the discovery of coronavirus in 1964, working as a virologist in St Thomas’.
Covid-19 is a new coronavirus in the same family first discovered by June, who helped pioneer virus imaging.
The lab has been set up to help increase testing for patients, staff, and the general population.
Scientists in the lab will research developing technologies to beat coronavirus, and antibody responses to the condition.
It currently has a capacity of 400 tests a day, but hospital bosses say they hope to increase that number even higher.
The hospital’s Professor Jonathan Edgeworth said: “June Almeida was a pioneering scientist whose work has greatly increased our understanding of the virus so it is very fitting that our new facility is named in her honour.
“The lab has increased our capacity to process COVID-19 tests and supports the national drive to track and prevent the spread of the virus.”
Despite leaving school with very little formal education, June Almeida developed new microscopy techniques, which experts say were revolutionary for the field of virology.
She died in 2007 at the age of 77.