KEY POINTS

  • Heather Masson-Forsythe is a PhD candidate whose information-packed dance video went viral in more ways than one
  • Other scientists-turned-influencers remixed the lyrics entirely to talk about antibodies and vaccines
  • Pfizer's vaccine is expected to receive FDA approval

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and for one biochemist, that means dancing to Megan Thee Stallion’s “Body” with COVID-19 vaccination facts overlaid. The viral video had accumulated nearly 360,000 views on TikTok within a day.

When “Body” started trending on TikTok, Heather Masson-Forsythe knew she had an opportunity to do some good. She took a break from lab work and put on her dancing sneakers to spread some education about why the COVID-19 vaccine is safe.

Masson-Forsythe’s Twitter account states that she’s a PhD candidate in biochemistry and biophysics with Oregon State University’s Barbar Lab.

This isn’t the first time she’s taken to TikTok in a lab coat, mask and sneakers. Lab work has some downtime, and Masson-Forsythe uses her's to post dance videos that are part ironic humor, part living example that hip-hop and science aren’t mutually exclusive.

She also doesn’t shy away from criticizing people for not following COVID-19 guidelines.

Nor is she alone in her efforts. Raven Baxter is an award-winning scientist and influencer who goes by Raven the Maven, and she posted her own remix of “Body” informing people about COVID-19 vaccines.

Two COVID-19 vaccines are well on their way to FDA approval. Pfizer’s is set to be approved Dec. 11, with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows telling FDA commissioner to “get the damn vaccines out NOW” or resign.

The vote by independent experts convened by the US Food and Drug Administration to recommend granting emergency approval for Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine came as the country logged more than 3,000 virus deaths in one day
The vote by independent experts convened by the US Food and Drug Administration to recommend granting emergency approval for Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine came as the country logged more than 3,000 virus deaths in one day AFP / Angela Weiss
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