Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett has been widely celebrated for her role in the fight to secure a cure for the coronavirus.
The Black American virologist is one of the experts leading the effort to create a vaccine that would combat the disease.
Serving as a viral immunologist Corbett has joined forces with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to develop a medical solution to the pandemic.
Corbett in January this year joined a group of researchers that set out to find a cure for the infectious disease after learning much about it.
The first human trial for the vaccine the team is working on is already taking place in Seattle and can take over a year to realize expected results, leading to an effective vaccine.
Our (co-inventors @McLellan_Lab) COVID-19 vaccine (spike delivered by @moderna_tx‘s mRNA) was just injected into the 1st human in phase 1 trial, only 66 days after viral sequence release… a testament to rapid vaccine development for emerging diseases??https://t.co/2DLZsdirAD
— KizzyPhD (@KizzyPhD) March 16, 2020
Learning about the virus
Dr. Corbett said in a COVID-19 explainer video from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases that “What we know is that this virus is in the same family of viruses like SARS.”
She adds that “It is akin and about 80 percent genetically similar to the SARS virus. Every day we’re learning more. Obviously, because this is a novel virus and even though we’ve been to this rodeo before with MERS and SARS, there are still so many unknowns.”
Dr. Corbett has nearly 10 years of research experience resolving around elucidating mechanisms of viral pathogenesis and host immunity as they pertain to vaccine development.
She received a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, with a secondary major in Sociology in 2008.
Corbett enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she obtained her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology in 2014.
Celebrated by many
Many on social media have been celebrating Corbett for her efforts and the pursuit to find a cure for the deadly virus.
It is uttety refreshing that the highly gifted (black female) scientist @KizzyPhD is leading the way in the fight to find a vaccine for #COVID19. The fact of her religious belief is a bonus of sorts to her unimpeachable scientific quest to move beyond political myths to facts!?? pic.twitter.com/0CeOnXAL3X
— Michael Eric Dyson (@MichaelEDyson) March 28, 2020
Eye on the Prize! Blessed to be a blessing.
Thank you Dr. Kizzy. Praying for your safety, wisdom, peace, strength.— Min. David W. Sigee (@MinisterDSigee) March 29, 2020
Yes. Work it FEMALES!!!! Thank you for caring to save lives.
— Rainetta Dotson (@DotsonRainetta) March 29, 2020
This is amazing. And @KizzyPhD thank you to our ancestors that we both get those seeds. Grateful that my daughter gets to see you! #COVID19 https://t.co/lfDVOlAv76
— Tika Sumpter (@iamtikasumpter) March 29, 2020
Coronavirus has infected over 100,000 people in the United States of America and over 600,000 globally with deaths hitting over 20,000 as at March 29, 2020.
Source: Africafeeds.com
