{"id":28209,"date":"2021-05-21T15:53:29","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T19:53:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=28209"},"modified":"2021-12-09T12:21:55","modified_gmt":"2021-12-09T17:21:55","slug":"chemistry-professor-breaks-down-vaccine-mystery-with-ingredient-explanation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/chemistry-professor-breaks-down-vaccine-mystery-with-ingredient-explanation\/","title":{"rendered":"Chemistry Professor Breaks Down Vaccine Mystery With Ingredient Explanation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A screenshot from a lesson prepared by Professor Stephen Kuebler on the basic ingredients of the Pfizer COVID vaccine.<\/p><\/div>\n

Mistrust of the COVID-19 vaccine is rooted partly in its rapid introduction, the seemingly new technologies involved and the long list of ingredients with mysterious names like \u201cN<\/em>-ditetradecylacetamide.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the purpose behind \u201cmonobasic potassium phosphate\u201d in the vaccine can be understood with chemistry principles UCF students learn all the time, according to Professor of Chemistry and Optics and Photonics Stephen Kuebler, Ph.D.<\/a> The opportunity to share those chemistry principles is why Kuebler chose an academic career.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnowledge has value on its own, but it\u2019s most valuable when shared and used for good,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Kuebler updated his teaching materials for Spring 2021 to help students understand how the chemistry they learn explains the structure of the COVID virus, how the Pfizer vaccine works and the role of its ingredients.\u00a0 He explains:<\/p>\n