Kizzmekia S Corbett-Helaire

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Biography

Dr. Corbett uses her viral immunology expertise to propel novel vaccine development for pandemic preparedness, including mRNA-1273, a leading vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine concept incorporated in mRNA-1273 was designed by Dr. Corbett's NIH team from viral sequence and rapidly deployed to industry partner, Moderna, Inc., for Phase 1 clinical trial, which unprecedently began only 66 days from viral sequence release. mRNA-1273 was shown to be 94.1% effective in Phase 3 trial and is authorized for use in multiple countries. Alongside mRNA-1273, 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.

Education and Training

• BSc, Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences | Secondary Major in Sociology
  University of Maryland
• PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology
  University of North Carolina

Awards and Honors

• The Golden Goose Award, 12 - 2020
  American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• NIAID Merit Award, 11 - 2020
  NHP COVID Vaccine Core
• Theodore Roosevelt Government Leadership Award, 10 - 2020
  Government Executive Media Group
• Distinguished 400 Award, 09 - 2020
  400 Years of African American History Commission
• Early Career Applied and Biotechnological Research Award, 08 - 2020
  American Society for Microbiology
• Mrs. Rosa Parks Hidden Figure Award, 06 - 2021
  Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute and the O Museum
• Dean’s Medal, 05 - 2021
  Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Clinton Global Citizen Award, 05 - 2021
  Clinton Foundation
• Benjamin Franklin NextGen Award, 04 - 2021
  The Franklin Institute
• Scroll of Merit Award, 04 - 2021
  National Medical Association
• Hall of FAME Honoree, 02 - 2021
  City of Los Angeles
• Key of Life Award, 02 - 2021
  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
• Proclamation: “Dr. Kizzmekia ‘Kizzy’ Day” – January 28, 01 - 2021
  Town of Chapel Hill

Publications

• Five Lessons of Resilience in Science.

  Corbett-Helaire KS. J Infect Dis 2024 May 15

• Adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 spike protein vaccination elicits long-lived plasma cells in nonhuman primates.

  Prabhakaran M, Matassoli F, Leggat D, Hoover A, Srikanth A, Wu W, Henry AR, Wang J, Lin BC, Teng IT, Schramm CA, Castro M, Serebryannyy L, Jean-Baptiste N, Moore C, Gajjala S, Todd JM, McCarthy E, Narpala S, Francica J, Program VP, Corbett-Helaire KS, Douek DC, Kwong PD, Seder RA, Andrews SF, McDermott AB. Sci Transl Med 2024 01 03

• Nanoparticle display of prefusion coronavirus spike elicits S1-focused cross-reactive antibody response against diverse coronavirus subgenera.

  Hutchinson GB, Abiona OM, Ziwawo CT, Werner AP, Ellis D, Tsybovsky Y, Leist SR, Palandjian C, West A, Fritch EJ, Wang N, Wrapp D, Boyoglu-Barnum S, Ueda G, Baker D, Kanekiyo M, McLellan JS, Baric RS, King NP, Graham BS, Corbett-Helaire KS. Nat Commun 2023 10 04

• Infant rhesus macaques immunized against SARS-CoV-2 are protected against heterologous virus challenge 1 year later.

  Milligan EC, Olstad K, Williams CA, Mallory M, Cano P, Cross KA, Munt JE, Garrido C, Lindesmith L, Watanabe J, Usachenko JL, Hopkins L, Immareddy R, Shaan Lakshmanappa Y, Elizaldi SR, Roh JW, Sammak RL, Pollard RE, Yee JL, Herbek S, Scobey T, Miehlke D, Fouda G, Ferrari G, Gao H, Shen X, Kozlowski PA, Montefiori D, Hudgens MG, Edwards DK, Carfi A, Corbett KS, Graham BS, Fox CB, Tomai M, Iyer SS, Baric R, Reader R, Dittmer DP, Van Rompay KKA, Permar SR, De Paris K. Sci Transl Med 2023 03

• Co-immunization with hemagglutinin stem immunogens elicits cross-group neutralizing antibodies and broad protection against influenza A viruses.

  Moin SM, Boyington JC, Boyoglu-Barnum S, Gillespie RA, Cerutti G, Cheung CS, Cagigi A, Gallagher JR, Brand J, Prabhakaran M, Tsybovsky Y, Stephens T, Fisher BE, Creanga A, Ataca S, Rawi R, Corbett KS, Crank MC, Karlsson Hedestam GB, Gorman J, McDermott AB, Harris AK, Zhou T, Kwong PD, Shapiro L, Mascola JR, Graham BS, Kanekiyo M. Immunity 2022 12 13