Kizzmekia S. Corbett-Helaire, PhD, was a research fellow and scientific lead at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Vaccine Research Center when she co-designed a leading COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273. Working from the viral sequence to a rapidly deployed vaccine in collaboration with industry partner Moderna, Inc., she helped launch the Phase 1 clinical trial in an unprecedented 66 days from the viral sequence’s release. The vaccine is now used around the world to prevent COVID-19.

Corbett-Helaire is currently an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Shutzer Assistant Professor at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and an associate member of the Phillip T. and Susan M. Ragon Institute. Her laboratory studies host immune responses to coronaviruses and other emerging and re-emerging viruses to propel the development of novel vaccines and antibody therapies.

Corbett-Helaire holds a patent portfolio that includes universal coronavirus and influenza vaccine concepts as well as novel therapeutic antibodies. With more than 15 years of experience studying dengue virus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, and coronaviruses, she has garnered several prestigious awards and recognitions, including being named a TIME Hero of the Year in 2021. Combining her research goals with her passion for mentorship, Corbett-Helaire dedicates much of her time to underserved communities as an advocate for STEM education and vaccine awareness.

Corbett-Helaire earned a BS in biological sciences, with a secondary major in sociology, from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she was a Meyerhoff Scholar and NIH Undergraduate Scholar. She received her PhD in microbiology and immunology in 2014 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with multiple honors, including a Director’s Scholarship.