Black History Month: Kizzmekia Corbett and the Covid-19 Vaccine

As many of you already know, February is Black History Month—a time for not only remembering and honoring important events, activists, and achievements, but also for recognizing and uplifting present-day examples of black excellence. One such example that is especially in today’s world is Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett’s contribution to the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.

Dr. Corbett is a senior research fellow at NIAID’s (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease) Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory. She has been studying coronavirus biology for the past six years, lending her knowledge and experience that helped her team develop the first spike protein that became a crucial precursor for vaccines and diagnostic tests. To clarify, spike proteins are the barbed structures found on the surface of the virus, giving it the characteristic crown shape. These proteins are what allow the virus to attack and bind to host cells, which is why Corbett and her colleagues identified the spike proteins as the target for the Moderna vaccine.
The Moderna vaccine is an mRNA vaccine, a relatively new technology that has largely been explored and developed during the race for the vaccine. The vaccine is reported to show 94.1% efficacy, a promising number.

Corbett and her team ultimately aim to develop a vaccine that prevents multiple coronaviruses, an ideal solution to the recent spread of various Covid-19 variants. In the meantime, she urges the American public to receive the vaccine, even if they have contracted Covid-19 previously. It’s also crucial that we continue wearing masks even after getting vaccinated (until we reach herd immunity), because even those vaccinated may function as asymptomatic carriers. As the vaccine rollout continues, it is important to keep this information in mind and to continue taking precautions.