We Can Thank This Researcher with Type 1 Diabetes for the COVID-19 Vaccines

Dr. Drew Weissman at the University of Pennsylvania isn’t one to seek the spotlight. But as one of the two key researchers behind the science used to develop the first COVID-19 vaccines, his name has leapt into public view as of late 2020. Self-described as “just a basic scientist‚” Weissman is a modest man who has spent his lifetime devoted to research. He also happens to be living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for more than 50 years, spanning the 2 decades that he and his colleagues have spent digging into the vaccine-related research that’s become so critical to public health at the moment.