Kimberly McCoy

Biochemistry

My love for the invisible led me to study the nanoscale world where I turned viruses into nanomaterials. When it comes to design, biology is a master, so why not use what it has already built? Viruses are symmetric nano-sized cages that assembly on their own and protect what's inside them. I built these nano-cages derived from viruses around enzymes (nature's catalysts) to create nano-reactors. The enzymes made a biofuel that maybe someday could be efficient enough to decrease fossil fuel use.

A small brown mouse held in the palm of a hand.

 Rama on Wikimedia Commons

The medical jump from mice to humans just got easier

Machine learning technology could help researchers determine what mouse data are useful when designing human clinical trials

Kimberly McCoy
Eliza Izaurralde

 Matteo Farinella 

Meet Elisa Izaurralde, who decrypted the mystery of messenger RNA

She made big contributions to our understanding of tiny cellular machinery

Kimberly McCoy

Photo by oldskool photography

Need to check your blood sugar? Just scan your contact lens.

Smart contact lenses could soon be monitoring health problems, not just correcting eyesight

Kimberly McCoy