First of all, let’s understand the background…
There are many Corona virus vaccines presently being created by many companies around the world- China, Germany, America and the UK- but America is making the most progress with a vaccine presently undergoing Clinical trials with no negative feedback (so far)
Two organisations are collaborating to create this Vaccine : NIAH (America National institute of Allergy and infectious diseases) and another company called MORDENA .
The Vaccine trial has been ongoing since March 16th, the trials involve 45 healthy adult volunteers between the ages of 18 to 55 years over a period of 6 weeks.
The lead scientist at the NIAH who actually created the sequence used for the Vaccine is 34 year old African American Kizzmekia Corbett
On March 3, she explained her team’s process to Trump & DR Fauci
Corbett and members of her team had identified a particular “spike protein” in coronaviruses like COVID-19 that sticks out from the virus’ surface. The claw-like shape permeates healthy human cells, infecting them.
Building on decades of research by many scientists, she led her team to create a vaccine which uses a genetic code sequence known as messenger RNA, or mRNA, to prompt the body’s immune system to react when the spike protein is detected, blocking the infection process.
If Corbett’s team science is successful with human trials- Large scale production could commence in 18 months
The past few weeks leading up to the trials were hectic, but that does not men she got the respect she deserved
According to her she worked 7 days weekly while getting three to four hours of sleep each night.
Information is constantly arriving at all hours. Decisions need to be made. There are so many calls, emails and requests for data, for samples, for tests that measure how well the virus has been blocked.
Dr Corbett
Corbett said, some scientists around the world double-check her work or ideas with her director (a white male) or direct questions to him — even though he has consistently made it clear that Corbett is the scientific lead and the ultimate expert.
she occasionally feels dismissed, but at some point, you just have to say, ‘I don’t care what they think’, and just show up and let your work speak for you.”
Growing up, Kizzmekia Corbett has always been Book-smart
She was so good that when it was time for college, she had many scholarship offers. She got a full scholarship to study in Biology and sociology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, dividing her time between lab and field work .
Corbett furthered her studies and earned a doctorate from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2014.
she joined the National Institute of Health ‘s Vaccine Research Center as a postdoctoral fellow in 2014 and narrowed her focus to the study of deadly pathogens with potential to create pandemics
She has extensively studied SARS and MERS, two Corona-viruses that had already caused massive outbreaks in 2002- 2003, so when Covid19 came along, it was plug & play- she understood what needed to be done
she is not always a glass wearing geek or a dork- she is actually “cool”
In the days before strict social distancing measures took hold, Corbett told her Twitter followers that she got an “emergency weave” and had her eyebrows sculpted. She even joked on her twitter page that if she wins a noble prize one day , Young Jezzy would turn up to rap
A look through her social feed reveals she is into the black culture
Lets appreciate this picture on last time, the world’s most powerful man, and prominent white haired disease experts paid a visit to her cubicle.
“It does not matter what you do for a living, How can you be a problem solver- speak this moment into your life- it carry anointing Biko”
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