Year: 2021

Who: Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett

Where: Hurdle Mills, North Carolina

In 2021, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, a viral immunologist, joined Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health as an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases. She also serves as the Shutzer Assistant Professor at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute.

Born on January 26, 1986, in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, Dr. Corbett demonstrated an early aptitude for science. She graduated from Orange High School in Hillsborough, North Carolina, in 2004. She earned a B.S. in biological sciences and sociology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, in 2008. She completed her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014.

At the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Dr. Corbett led the development of Moderna's mRNA-1273 vaccine against COVID-19. Her team's rapid design and collaboration with Moderna facilitated Phase 1 clinical trials just 66 days after the viral sequence release.

In February 2021, Time magazine recognized Dr. Corbett in its "Time100 Next" list of innovators, with a profile written by Dr. Anthony Fauci. Beyond her research, she actively addresses racial health disparities and promotes vaccine confidence, particularly within communities of color. Dr. Corbett's contributions exemplify the impact of African American scientists in advancing public health and combating global health crises.

Sources:

Websites:

• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Kizzmekia S. Corbett-Helaire. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. https://hsph.harvard.edu/profile/kizzmekia-s-corbett-helaire/

• Zimmer, C. (2023, February 9). Kizzmekia Corbett: The Scientist Who Helped Develop the COVID-19 Vaccine. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/09/science/covid-vaccine-kizzmekia-corbett.html