THE SAMUEL RUDIN DISTINGUISHED VISITING SCHOLAR LECTURE

Presenting:

"Coronavirus Vaccine Development: Where Do We Go From Here?"

by

Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett,

Assistant Professor, Immunology & Infectious Disease, Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Shutzer Assistant Professor, Harvard's Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study and Associate Member of the Phillip T. and Susan M. Ragon Institute

Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett is 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 of Advanced Study, and Associate Member of the Phillip T. and Susan M. Ragon Institute.

Dr. Corbett’s laboratory studies host immune responses to coronaviruses and other emerging and re-emerging viruses to propel novel vaccine and antibody therapy development. In 2008, she received 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 then obtained her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology in 2014 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill holding multiple honors, including a director’s scholarship.

Prior to Harvard, she was a research fellow and scientific lead at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center. A leading COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273, was co-designed by Dr. Corbett’s NIH team from viral sequence and rapidly deployed to industry partner, Moderna, Inc., for Phase 1 clinical trial, which unprecedentedly began only 66 days from viral sequence release. mRNA-1273 is a now used around the world to prevent COVID-19 disease. Alongside mRNA-1273, Dr. Corbett boasts a patent portfolio which also includes universal coronavirus and influenza vaccine concepts and novel therapeutic antibodies.

Dr. Corbett has over 15 years of experience studying dengue virus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, and coronaviruses, garnering several prestigious awards and recognitions, such as being named a Time Magazine “Hero of the Year” in 2021. 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.

ABOUT THE DISTINGUISHED VISITING SCHOLAR LECTURE

Mr. Jack Rudin was a titan of this city. He dedicated his entire career to making New York City a more beautiful and welcoming city for its residents and for the millions who visit each year. He was also a fiercely loyal son of and a dedicated contributor to City College. He served as a member of the board on the 21st Century Foundation and the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership.

One of Mr. Rudin’s enduring legacies at City College is the establishment of The Samuel Rudin Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program in 1996. The Samuel Rudin Visiting Scholars Lecture, a component of this program, provides an opportunity for members of the college community to interact with outstanding scholars, business leaders, and government officials, enriching the education experience on campus. The Program is also intended to foster communication within the academic community of New York City. Samuel Rudin, a civic and philanthropic leader in New York City, was a member of the Class of 1918 at City College and went on to a prominent real estate career. The Samuel Rudin Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program is supported by a grant from the May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Inc.

Previous Rudin Scholars include Walter Cronkite, Tom Brokaw, Walter E. Mosley, Susan Lacy, Ric Burns, Frank McCourt, the Honorable Mario Cuomo, Nobel Laureate Dr. Harold E. Varmus, Distinguished Physicist Michio Kaku, Tony Award-Winning Producer Vivek Tiwary, Nicholas Kristof and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

For more information or event-specific questions, please write to us at events@ccny.cuny.edu .