Kizzmekia Corbett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kizzmekia Corbett
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Kizzmekia Shanta Corbett
January 26, 1986 |
| Alma mater | University of Maryland, Baltimore County (BS) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (MS, PhD) |
| Known for | COVID-19 vaccine |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Immunology Microbiology |
| Institutions | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard Radcliffe Institute National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases |
| Thesis | "Characterization of Human Antibody Responses to Dengue Virus Infections in a Sri Lankan Pediatric Cohort" (2014) |
Kizzmekia "Kizzy" Shanta Corbett (born January 26, 1986) is an American scientist who studies the immune system and viruses. She is known for her important work on the COVID-19 vaccine.
Since June 2021, she has been a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Before that, she worked for six years at the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) in Maryland. This center is part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
In 2014, she earned her PhD in microbiology and immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In February 2021, Time magazine named her one of the "Time100 Next" innovators. Anthony Fauci, a famous doctor, wrote her profile for the magazine.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Kizzmekia Corbett was born in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, on January 26, 1986. She grew up in Hillsborough, North Carolina, with many step-siblings and foster siblings.
Even when she was young, her teachers noticed her talent. Her fourth-grade teacher, Myrtis Bradsher, encouraged her mother to put her in advanced classes. Bradsher said Kizzmekia was "the best in my 30 years of teaching."
In 2004, Kizzmekia graduated from Orange High School. She then went to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). In 2008, she earned a bachelor's degree in biological sciences and sociology.
In 2014, she received her PhD in microbiology and immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For her PhD, she studied how human bodies fight the dengue virus in children in Sri Lanka.
Her Journey in Science
When Kizzmekia was in high school, she knew she wanted to be a scientist. She spent her summer holidays working in research labs. One of these labs was at UNC's Kenan Labs.
Later, she interned at Stony Brook University. She also worked as a lab technician at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.
After college, from 2006 to 2009, Kizzmekia worked at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). There, she studied how viruses like respiratory syncytial virus cause illness. She also worked on new ways to make vaccines.
From 2009 to 2014, she continued her research on the dengue virus in Sri Lanka. She learned how people create antibodies to fight dengue. She also studied how the virus's genetics affect how sick people get.
In 2014, Kizzmekia became a research fellow at the NIH. Her goal was to understand how viruses make people sick and how the body's immune system fights them. She focused on creating new vaccines for coronaviridae, a family of viruses.
Her early work helped develop vaccines for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). She found a simple way to make parts of the coronavirus, called "spike proteins," more stable. This made them better for vaccines.
In December 2021, the mayor of Boston asked Kizzmekia to join the city's COVID-19 advisory committee.
Developing the COVID-19 Vaccine
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Kizzmekia and her team quickly began working on a vaccine. They knew that the new virus was similar to SARS. So, they used what they had learned from earlier coronavirus research.
Viruses like coronavirus have "spike proteins" on their surface, which look like a crown. These spikes help the virus enter human cells. This makes them a perfect target for vaccines. Kizzmekia's team used their past research to make the COVID-19 spike protein stable.
They also helped figure out the exact shape of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using a special microscope. Their research suggested that using messenger RNA (mRNA) could teach the immune system to make protective antibodies against COVID-19.
To make and test the vaccine, Kizzmekia's team worked with Moderna, a biotechnology company. The vaccine quickly moved into animal studies. Then, it entered human trials just 66 days after the virus's genetic code was shared.
In December 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci said, "Kizzy is an African American scientist who is right at the forefront of the development of the vaccine." He also wrote that her work would "have a substantial impact on ending the worst respiratory-disease pandemic in more than 100 years."
Kizzmekia said she cried when the Moderna vaccine was shown to be effective. She felt it was "a surreal moment" to work on something so important for the world.
Connecting with Communities
Kizzmekia Corbett has often shared information on social media to help people understand science. She also takes part in programs to inspire young people.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she urged people to be careful and respectful. She explained that washing hands and sneezing into your elbow helps stop the virus from spreading. She also said it's important not to blame people from areas where the virus started.
Kizzmekia has worked hard to build trust with groups who were unsure about getting the vaccine. This includes the Black community. For example, she gave talks about vaccine development to groups like Black Health Matters.
Dr. Fauci noted that Kizzmekia's background was important for building trust. He said, "the vaccine that you're going to be taking was developed by an African American woman."
Like many public figures, Kizzmekia has faced challenges when speaking out. She has sometimes been criticized for her comments on social media. However, many people, including other scientists and doctors, have supported her. They recognize her important role in public health.
Honors and Awards
Kizzmekia Corbett has received many honors for her work:
- UNC Frank Porter Graham Honor Society
- 2002–2004: American Chemical Society, Project SEED at UNC‐Chapel Hill
- 2006: National Institute of Health, NIH Undergraduate Scholarship
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Meyerhoff Scholar
- 2013: Third Pan American Dengue Research Network Meeting Travel Award
- 2020: Co-recipient of the Golden Goose Award for excellent federally funded research
- 2021: Highlighted by Time magazine in the "Time100 Next" list as an Innovator
- In recognition of her vaccine work, Orange County, North Carolina, named January 12, 2021, "Dr. Kizzy Corbett Day."
- 2022: National Honoree, USA TODAY's Women of the Year
Selected Works and Publications
Wikidata () Wikidata () Wikidata () Wikidata () Wikidata () Wikidata () Wikidata () Wikidata ()
See also
In Spanish: Kizzmekia Corbett para niños
