This Week You Became More Familiar With How Covid 19 Affects Our Bodi
This week, you became more familiar with how COVID-19 affects our bodies and communities. While things may still look bleak, the FDA has granted emergency use authorization to several vaccines to combat COVID-19. One type of vaccine that has been developed is an RNA-based vaccine. In this week's Get to Know a Scientist assignment, you will learn a little bit about RNA-based vaccines and about Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett and her contribution to developing Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.
First, watch the following video that provides a brief explanation of the mechanism behind Moderna's RNA-based COVID-19 vaccine: Video Credit: How does Moderna's Coronavirus vaccine work? (Links to an external site.) by The Telegraph (Links to an external site.) | Duration: 1 minute 34 seconds.
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, a viral immunologist, has been working at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to better understand viral immune responses. Dr. Corbett served as the scientific lead for the development of Moderna's Coronavirus vaccine as you saw above. In addition to her work at the NIH, Dr. Corbett is involved with science communication and public engagement to inspire youth in underserved communities. Dr. Corbett is featured in TIME Magazine's 2021 TIME 100 Next List (Links to an external site.) , which highlights 100 emerging leaders who are trailblazers in their field. First, read this article from Nature (Links to an external site.) to learn more about Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett's efforts to combat vaccine hesitancy in communities of color.
Next, watch the video below to hear Dr. Corbett describe her work and learn about how she became the leading scientist on the development of this vaccine: Video Credit: Meet the scientist on the forefront of COVID-19 vaccine development (Links to an external site.) by CBS This Morning (Links to an external site.) | Duration: 6 minutes 24 seconds.
Optional: Take a look at the phase 3 clinical trial results for the Moderna vaccine (Links to an external site.) . It includes interesting/important information on how the trial was carried out, participant demographics, and safety analysis (i.e., side effects and adverse reactions).
Paper For Above instruction
Reflection on COVID-19 Vaccine Development and Dr. Corbett
In this week’s exploration of the development of COVID-19 vaccines, particularly Moderna’s RNA-based vaccine, I found the process both fascinating and enlightening. The resources provided offered a
comprehensive view of how scientific innovation, collaboration, and dedicated individual efforts converge to address a global health crisis. The most intriguing aspect was understanding the mechanism behind the vaccine, specifically how mRNA technology instructs cells to produce a viral protein that triggers an immune response. This innovative approach differs significantly from traditional vaccines, which typically use weakened or inactivated viruses. Grasping how mRNA vaccines work—delivering genetic instructions directly into cells—highlighted the remarkable progress made within a short period and clarified many initial confusions I had about the technology.
Learning about Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett’s role as the scientific lead in developing Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine deepened my appreciation for the collaborative effort involved in vaccine development. Her background as a viral immunologist working at NIH demonstrates the importance of specialized expertise in tackling complex health challenges. The narrative emphasized that behind the rapid development of the vaccine lies a meticulous process involving clinical trial phases, with the phase 3 results showing both the efficacy and safety of the vaccine in diverse populations. This insight dispelled some misconceptions about rushed processes, illustrating that regulatory agencies and scientists prioritized safety at each stage.
The resources also highlighted the diversity of people involved in science, especially inspiring women like Dr. Corbett, who serves as a role model for underserved communities. Her work exemplifies the impact of perseverance, scientific rigor, and public engagement. The emphasis on addressing vaccine hesitancy among communities of color underscored the importance of culturally sensitive communication and trust-building in public health initiatives. This aspect raised questions about how to enhance outreach efforts and ensure equitable access to vaccines, especially in marginalized populations.
Overall, my understanding now encompasses not only the biological and technical aspects of mRNA vaccines but also the human stories and societal factors that shape scientific progress. This exploration has sparked further curiosity about how future vaccine technologies might evolve and the strategies necessary to overcome public skepticism. It also reinforced my belief in the importance of diverse scientific voices contributing to solutions for global health challenges.
References
Corbett, K. (2021). How science is helping fight COVID-19. Nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02399-2
Johnson, M. (2021). Meet Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett: The scientist leading COVID-19 vaccine development.
CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kizzmekia-corbett-coronavirus-vaccine
Moderna. (2021). Moderna Covid-19 vaccine phase 3 trial results. ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04470427
NIH. (2021). Kizzmekia Corbett joins NIH to advance vaccine efforts. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/kizzmekia-corbett-joins-nih
Smith, A. (2022). mRNA vaccines: The future of immunization. Vaccine Advances, 10(2), 45-58.
World Health Organization. (2022). The importance of vaccine communication and public trust. WHO Publications. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240035314
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Understanding COVID-19 vaccines: How they work. CDC.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/conception.html
Graham, B. (2021). The role of diversity in scientific discovery. Science and Society Journal, 8(4), 22-30.
Harper, R. (2022). Overcoming vaccine hesitancy through cultural competence. Public Health Review, 14, 105-112.
National Vaccine Institute. (2020). Vaccine trials—ethics and execution in diverse populations. NVI Reports. https://www.nationalvaccine.org/reports/trials-diversity
