Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett is an American viral immunologist and one of the most influential figures in modern vaccine science. Her work in viral pathogenesis and vaccine development positioned her at the forefront of the global scientific response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She utilized platform technology and years of foundational research to deliver a swift and effective solution during a worldwide health crisis, allowing for the unprecedented speed of vaccine creation.
Academic Background and Early Research Focus
Corbett’s educational journey began at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences in 2008, while also pursuing a secondary major in Sociology. As a Meyerhoff Scholar and a National Institutes of Health (NIH) undergraduate scholar, her early experiences involved research on host responses to the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This work established her foundation in viral immunology and the complex interactions between a virus and the human body’s defenses.
She obtained her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. Her dissertation focused on understanding human antibody responses to the dengue virus, including fieldwork in Sri Lanka. This doctoral research provided her with deep expertise in viral structure, antibody generation, and the mechanisms of infectious disease, which proved invaluable in her later work at the NIH.
The Breakthrough: Developing the mRNA Vaccine Platform
Following her doctoral studies, Dr. Corbett became a research fellow at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center (VRC), where she led the Coronavirus Team. Her prior work focused on coronaviruses like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, preparing her team for the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. This long-standing effort centered on developing a “prototype pathogen preparedness” strategy—a fast, reliable, and universally applicable approach to vaccine development.
The core of her breakthrough involved stabilizing the coronavirus spike protein in its pre-fusion conformation. Coronaviruses use the spike protein to attach to and infect host cells, but it changes shape after fusion, making it a poor target for the immune system in its post-fusion state. By engineering the protein to remain locked in the pre-fusion shape, her team created an antigen that elicited a robust and highly protective neutralizing antibody response. This precise engineering was accomplished by introducing specific amino acid substitutions into the protein sequence.
This stabilized spike protein design, known as the S-2P protein, was integrated into the messenger RNA (mRNA) platform. The mRNA technology provides the body’s cells with genetic instructions to temporarily manufacture the stabilized spike protein themselves. This approach differs significantly from traditional vaccine methods, which often involve growing large quantities of the virus or its protein components in a lab. The platform allowed for an unprecedented speed of development.
When Chinese scientists released the genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 in January 2020, Dr. Corbett’s team immediately applied their established framework. Within two days of receiving the sequence, they designed the molecular prototype for the vaccine candidate, known as mRNA-1273. This rapid application of the pre-fusion spike protein stabilization technology allowed the NIH and their industry partner, Moderna, to initiate Phase 1 clinical trials just 66 days after the genetic sequence was made public. The ability to move from sequence to vaccine design in days was the direct result of the foundational work Dr. Corbett and her colleagues had performed.
Transition to Leadership and Current Research Initiatives
Dr. Corbett’s contributions to the COVID-19 vaccine earned her widespread recognition, including being named to the Time’s “Time100 Next” list in 2021. Her success at the NIAID led to a major career transition when she accepted a position as an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in June 2021. She also holds appointments at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute and the Ragon Institute.
In her current role, she heads the Coronaviruses & Other Relevant Emerging Infectious Diseases (CoreID) Lab, focusing on broader applications of her platform technology and enhancing pandemic preparedness. A primary goal of her ongoing research is the development of “universal” vaccines that could offer protection against entire families of viruses, such as all coronaviruses or all influenza strains. This work involves dissecting the antigenic landscape of endemic coronaviruses to understand which parts of the virus are most effective at stimulating a broad and long-lasting immune response.
Her research utilizes rationally designed antigens and nanoparticles to optimize immune engagement, aiming to predict and prepare for the next emerging pathogen. Dr. Corbett is also a vocal advocate for science communication and addressing health disparities, emphasizing that vaccines are a tool for achieving health equity.