KizzyPhD Profile picture
Virologist. Vaccinologist. Science Communicator. — My tweets are my own. My science is the world’s. — @KizzyPhD_Lab @HarvardChanSPH @HHMINEWS @hwaspeakers
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Jan 2 5 tweets 1 min read
Sometimes, I start my lab meetings with a world view of “things”. It helps to provide a place where it’s clear science is second to sanity, inclusion, respect, etc.

I don’t even have to words to begin lab meeting next Monday,

My lab is at Harvard. Btw. When there is war. I speak about loving everyone and peace, etc… and I remind people if they feel unsafe, tell me so I can provide a safe place.
Nov 8, 2023 9 tweets 2 min read
I’m up. Ever since my sister’s accident, I haven’t slept a bit. Soooo here is a thread on how a clinical trial drug likely saved her life, and moreover how Black respresentation amongst @DukeHospital’s surgery trial coordinators saved her life. Sunday, my baby sister was in an accident. She had critical trauma and when she got to the ER was still alert and aware. With her level of trauma about 30% of people lose so much blood they don’t make it.
Jul 20, 2021 6 tweets 2 min read
1/n: I’m in Louisiana for a non-COVID family emergency.

Said emergency makes me visit the ICU every day, three times a day. Been here since Saturday, and in the process I’ve seen

A
LOT. Image 2/n: Today, I sat beside a woman in the icu as she wept. I rode an elevator with a grieving wife. There are sirens. My family’s ICU unit is getting back crowded…
Jun 11, 2021 8 tweets 3 min read
I just called into a meeting that EYE curated back in 2018 after interest in Coronaviruses got low. People were leaving our meetings so I rebranded it as the “emerging infectious diseases” meeting. When the pandemic started interest went up and it became a center-wide meeting. The meeting today ended with “okay which principal investigator will take over”. It’s extremely hard to leave your baby behind… but… you know…
May 19, 2021 8 tweets 3 min read
Today, my dad and my PhD dad get to witness me getting an honorary degree from UNC. I didn’t “walk” after defending my dissertation. So today... I walk.

So many full circle moments this year.

Honored. 1/n: I hope that no one to which I owe manuscript edits is reading this, but I felt a thread on my spirit as I listened to my UNC commencement address entitled "Home". instagram.com/tv/CPEMTyPHthd…
Mar 4, 2021 5 tweets 2 min read
Congrats to the 2021 @unc graduates!!! ... It’s an honor to be your commencement speaker alongside Dr. Fauci! 💙

TARRRRRRRRR!!! “She was also involved in several extracurricular activities, including serving as a representative on Student Congress, a delegate to the Association of Student Governments, a staff member in the Attorney General’s office and as a member of the science policy advisory group.”
Feb 20, 2021 6 tweets 2 min read
1/n: I had to forego the only midday nap I’ve had in over a yr yesterday to address my @instagram DMs b/c so many are hurriedly writing about vaccine dosing, w/o remembering the current dosing is great, safe, effective AND (surprise) public trust matters.
instagram.com/stories/kizzyp… 2/n: We understand things can change for science-driven efficiency. Would delaying a second dose be “ok”, probs; but ppl know about efficacy data from the current schedule. I'm often scrambling to find solid data to match X scientist's op ed so of course lay ppl are confused af.
Feb 18, 2021 7 tweets 3 min read
1/n: Good morning esp. to our animal techs, who bled ~200 mice last yr on this day. It was the 2-wk post-prime timepoint, & we just had to peek at the antibody responses.

Do you think they knew those mice had gotten the vaccine they would themselves get only a year later? 💉 ❤️ 2/n: We’d immunized 3 mouse strains, w/ multiple doses of mRNA-1273 to not just be prepared to show protection (ala @Baric_Lab @SarahRLeist), but also to be prepared to show that sub-protection was not a cause for vaccine-induced enhancement.
Feb 5, 2021 8 tweets 3 min read
1/n: I’m about to use this morning’s “woke up in a panic ‘cause my ‘to do’ list is longer than my day” rant to address this consistent and *flawed* argument

... “wHy ThEy cAn’T fInD a VaCcInE fOr X vIrUs?” 2/n: Because I work at the center that the Clinton Administration erected in with the purpose of developing a HIV vaccine, I’m privileged to have watched HIV vaccine development from “point A” to ummmm let’s say ‘bout “point M” over the years.
Jan 29, 2021 5 tweets 2 min read
1/n: People are asking me for comments, and I'll tell you how my ex project manager used to tell me re: me overachieving & striving for "perfection" in some things...

"Don't let the perfect get in the way of the good enough."

This is darn good for 1-dose ... "in a pandemic". 2/n: I feared that actually... that ppl would be spoiled by mRNA and any vaccine to come after would be looked at as "lesser than". Vaccines are being transformed in front of all of our eyes, but science is going to science...
Jan 25, 2021 7 tweets 4 min read
*feels the spirit*

Here’s a thread on how working in a lab that allowed me to come as my whole self, inclusive of my acrylic nails also lended to my happiness. Diversity is one thing. Inclusion another. BELONGING a third. @BarneyGrahamMD does all three to perfection. 1/n - With my @KFellowship, it was time to travel to Colorado to present to the scientific board. The board is inclusive of THE experts in any field. I, a 32 year old woman, was to come back to host a boho-themed bridal shower so I needed boho braids.
Jan 17, 2021 8 tweets 2 min read
Live view of already stressed out students who are navigating a pandemic in the onset of their already confusing adulthood reading y’all’s tweets discussing how their time is not worth $15/hr... Live view of me bout to give mine “gifts” (read: bonuses) out of my pocket. Sure, my name is all over the manuscripts/news, but I have 2 post-undergrad students who are the hands behind the operation.

They deserve.
Jan 15, 2021 17 tweets 6 min read
3rd dose time!!!! nytimes.com/live/2021/01/1…

Preparedness is utilizing phase 1 clinical trials to answer critical questions like "What would a third shot do?" or "Would it boost antibodies more?" etc. These data are going to be so freaking cool!!! Remember that prototype pathogen preparedness calls for development of countermeasures through phase 1 clinical trials so that you are ready! While we (regrettably) didn't do that for MERS mRNA, our current phase 1s will inform for years to come. 👩‍🔬💛💉❤️🦠💚 Image
Jan 12, 2021 6 tweets 2 min read
Yes, we will! But, we really all have to do it together!!!

Masking.
Staying still.
Social responsibility.

... vaccination. And, I put vaccination there because a lot of ppl use the “I’ll just wait for herd immunity argument” to justify their right/choice to not get vaccinated. Here is a thread of why that is a flawed argument.
Dec 21, 2020 15 tweets 5 min read
Live view of our neutralization assay team scrambling to make yet another virus variant every time the media publishes about a new single amino acid change without context. 😒 Here is the context: you are going to read and hear about a million and one variant viruses, because viruses mutate by nature. It’s scary, I know. But, a couple of amino acids is not the same a whole whole new virus strain in the way that we’ve been taught to think about flu.
Dec 16, 2020 5 tweets 2 min read
Live view of me watching tv specials about the vaccine, and thinking it’s great there are infographics, but then seeing that the mRNA-expressed spike proteins aren’t transmembrane-anchored. Ok, my lay followers are gathering me up in the comments like “huh?” I was purposely making a corny science joke, but folks are here to learn. So...
Nov 18, 2020 75 tweets 40 min read
I'm RT'ing this to start a thread of my personal appearances and community outreach.

*so bookmark the thread if interested* Stop # 1: Tonight, @blackdoctor (blackdoctor.org) is hosting me, @JamesEKHildreth, and several other experts on a panel to help ease uncertainty around recent trial results and tell you exactly what they mean.

Aug 26, 2020 19 tweets 9 min read
Wanna see some new data?

RIGHT NOW: Moderna is presenting our newest data from Phase 1. Tune in 💚🙃🦠 ustream.tv/channel/VWBXKB… Image Safety and Immunogenicity of mRNA-1273 in Older Adults. The paper is out!!!
nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
Apr 14, 2020 17 tweets 8 min read
Look👀More phase 1 trial news:
"Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine trial starts enrolling high-dose arm"

Pretty smooth how we announce the high-dose arm of the phase 1 is enrolling & Moderna sprinkles a data teaser...

fiercebiotech.com/biotech/modern…

...from their Zika vaccine candidate. Bags 💰Secured >>> Moderna Announces Award from U.S. Government Agency BARDA for up to $483 Million to Accelerate Development of mRNA Vaccine (mRNA-1273) Against Novel Coronavirus
businesswire.com/news/home/2020…