Black History Month: Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett

By: Jennifer Jones

Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, was born in Hurdle Hills, NC and received her elementary and secondary education in the schools of Roxboro and Hillsborough, NC.  For higher education, she received her BS in Biological Sciences in 2008 with a secondary major in Sociology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.  She received her Ph.D. of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of NC, Chapel Hill in 2014.

A viral immunologist by training, she was a research fellow and the scientific lead for the Coronavirus Vaccines & Immunopathogenesis Team at National Institutes of Health (NIH).  Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, currently assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, was named one of the 2021 Bostonians of the Year by the Boston Globe for her pioneering research aimed at developing a COVID-19 vaccine and for creating an open dialogue about vaccines with a sometimes-distrustful public.

Dr. Corbett boasts a patent portfolio which also includes universal coronavirus and influenza vaccine concepts and novel therapeutic antibodies.  In all, she has over 15-years of experience studying dengue virus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, and coronaviruses, garnering several prestigious awards, such as the Benjamin Franklin Next Gen Award and the Salzman Memorial Award in Virology.  Combining her research goals with her knack for mentorship, Dr. Corbett invests much of her time in underserved communities as an advocator of STEM education and vaccine awareness.

She has received many honors and awards including the Town of Chapel Hill Proclamation: “Dr. Kizzmekia ‘Kizzy’ Day” – January 28, 2021, Federal Employee of the Year for 2021 and one of Time Magazine’s four heroes of the year.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Best piece of advice from her mother: “To pray for whatever I’m worried about.”
  • Career advice from her father: “Go where you are loved”
  • Her top three favorite musical artists currently in rotation: Beyoncé, Jeezy, J. Cole.
  • UNC or Duke basketball? Are you serious? UNC.
  • For more information on Dr. Corbett please click here and here.

Please return next week, as we continue to celebrate Black History Month with an article on Dr. Patricia Era Bath.  Please let us know how you enjoy this article by sending your comments to [email protected].