Kizzmekia Corbett-HelaireView profile
Assistant Professor
Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire is an Assistant Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health , where she leads an interdisciplinary lab of eleven researchers. Her work bridges molecular virology , viral immunology , and artificial intelligence to advance vaccine technologies for pandemic preparedness and address global health inequities. Her research focuses on: Developing mRNA vaccines and nanoparticle-based platforms for broad protection against respiratory viruses (SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV) Understanding viral pathogenesis and immune correlates of protection through nonhuman primate models Promoting health equity by improving vaccine accessibility for marginalized communities Her 2024 Hans Sigrist Prize recognizes her groundbreaking work on the Moderna mRNA vaccine and ongoing innovations in nanoparticle vaccine delivery systems. Recent publications highlight her team's contributions to: Elucidating structural biology of viral spike proteins Optimizing cross-group influenza immunity Characterizing long-term vaccine durability in primate models Engineering universal coronavirus antibodies Advancing variant-specific vaccine strategies Developing high-throughput serological assays Scientific awards include: Hans Sigrist Prize 2024 (University of Bern)







