Inside the Life of a COVID Vaccine Developer
In 2020, scientists embarked on a chaotic journey to develop safe and effective vaccines in record-breaking time. Now, about 3.2 million people have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. But as the United States falls behind in the vaccine rollout process, the jobs of healthcare workers become more difficult every day.
Dr. Kate Broderick, the Senior Vice President of Research and Development at INOVIO Pharmaceuticals, researches DNA-based medications to prevent a wide range of diseases. She currently leads a team that’s developing a DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19. Additionally, she balances raising her two children, who are five and eight.
Dr. Broderick told People Magazine that as soon as she heard about the first cases of the virus in China, she “knew with every fiber of [her] being that [she] had to focus on getting a vaccine out there.” But this task became even more urgent when cases began to appear internationally. She explained that her team began to feel pressure to slow the spread of the virus, even though vaccines typically arrive long after the first wave of transmission for new viruses.. “We operated with little to no sleep for months,” she said. “You couldn’t help but look at the news and see all these people sick or dying and want to work harder to help.”
Dr. Broderick wakes up around 4 a.m. to do yoga, make breakfast, and get her kids ready for school. She explains that setting aside just 20 minutes for herself each morning calms her down and helps her prepare for the day. Then, she heads to the office. She tries to get to work early so she can finish her most pressing tasks and return home at lunch to see her kids. Then, she spends the second half of her day working from home. Despite the immense challenge posed by raising children while pursuing life-saving research,, Dr. Broderick expresses gratitude for the support that her young children have shown her during this time. “They understand that Mommy is a scientist,” she states. However, she has felt the strain of overseeing her children’s academic demands as they attend school remotely.. “This past year was definitely the most I've ever worked in my whole career,” she said, “and to try and do that on top of making sure that my two kids went to their online classes and did the homework, it has been crazy.”
In Dr. Broderick’s opinion, “getting vaccinated is the best way that you can be a good citizen.” She believes that everyone should do their part in getting vaccinated to protect themselves, their loved ones, and members of their communities.. “It is the best defense we have against this awful pandemic,” she says. In these trying times, Americans must put their trust in science and the scientists who have spent the past year working tirelessly to create a vaccine to end this virus. Otherwise, the sacrifices made my Dr. Broderick and countless other scientists will be in vain.
By Sophia Sanders