Scientist Kizzmekia Corbett has received several accolades this year thanks to her part in COVID-19 vaccine research. On Monday, she earned yet another: one from TIME magazine.

Corbett, who is a Hurdle Mills native, is one of four researchers TIME named its 2021 Heroes of The Year based on their accomplishments to advance vaccine development.

Corbett’s work is recognized for the development of an mRNA that teaches cells how to make spike proteins and lead immune responses to COVID-19 in the body. She helped lead the coronavirus team at the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s Vaccine Research Center during the initial response to COVID-19, with the center’s deputy director Barney Graham also honored by TIME.

Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman of the University of Pennsylvania are also recognized for their advancement of mRNA research in 2005 that laid groundwork for the creation of these highly effective COVID-19 vaccines.

Toward the start of 2021, Corbett was featured by TIME in the magazine’s TIME100 Next, an annual compilation of emerging world leaders. Additionally, she was given North Carolina’s highest civilian honor in November for her research efforts. Locally, Corbett also was a recorded speaker at UNC’s spring commencement ceremony and was honored by Orange County’s local governments with resolutions and even a Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett Day.

 

Corbett graduated from Orange High School in 2004 before receiving her Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from UNC. Since May, she teaches and completes researches at Harvard University.

 

Photo via Evan Vucci/AP Photo.

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