This Caribbean Immigrant Is Among Those Working Towards A COVID-19 Vaccine

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. May 25, 2020: This Memorial Day has taken on a broader meaning this year as we join in saluting the many health care workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 fight, including a  Caribbean immigrant, who is among the top research scientists globally working towards a vaccine for the virus.

Guyanese Vidia Surendra Roopchand is the principal research scientist at pharma giant Pfizer, and is on the team supporting the efforts to develop a much needed COVID-19 vaccine, according to Newsroom.gy.

Asked about the chances of success of a COVID-19 vaccine he is both optimistic and prudent and says that the clinical data will tell.

According to Pfizer, the company and BioNTech are focusing on a technology called mRNA – or messenger RNA. It is a molecule, composed of nucleotides linked in a unique order to convey genetic information for the cells to produce the proteins or antigens encoded by the mRNA. Once mRNA in a vaccine is inside of the body’s cells, the cells use their genetic machinery to translate the genetic information and produce the antigens encoded by the mRNA vaccine. The program includes four experimental vaccines in different mRNA formats.

Read More About Roopchand’s childhood and rise to the top here.

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