Kishana Taylor

Kishana Yvonne Taylor is an American virologist, academic, and co-founder of the Black Microbiologists Association.

Early life and education Kishana Taylor's interest in science began in childhood. Films such as "Flipper" and "Free Willy" fostered an early fascination with dolphins and other cetaceans. Her early interest in dolphins initially led her to want to become a veterinarian; however, exposure to various scientific fields ultimately led her to pursue microbiology instead.

Career Following the completion of her Ph.D. at the University of Georgia in 2018, Taylor pursued a series of postdoctoral positions. She began her postdoctoral career at the University of California, Davis, working in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics until August 2020. She then held a postdoctoral researcher role in Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University from August 2020 to May 2021, focusing on viral evolution and the role of monocytes in severe COVID-19.

In 2020, Taylor and Ariangela Kozik founded the Black Microbiologists Association (also known as Black in Microbiology) to address the underrepresentation of Black scientists in microbiology and to support their professional development. The Black Microbiologists Association works to nationally and internationally connect Black microbiologists to research symposiums, educational course opportunities and other career development opportunities with the hopes of providing academic scholarships for Black students looking to pursue microbiology.