British coronavirus vaccine developer Sarah Gilbert has many science accolades to her credit but now shares an honour with Beyonce, Marilyn Monroe and Eleanor Roosevelt: a Barbie doll in her likeness.

Gilbert, a 59-year-old professor at Oxford University and co-developer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, is one of six women in the Covid-19 fight who have new Barbies modelled after them.

Toymaker Mattel Inc is recognising them with a line of Barbie "role model" dolls. Gilbert's Barbie shares her long auburn hair and oversized black glasses, and she wears a sensible navy blue pantsuit and white blouse.

"It's a very strange concept having a Barbie doll created in my likeness," Gilbert said in an interview for Mattel.

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