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Barbie debuts doll in likeness of British COVID-19 vaccine developer

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Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="An undated handout image of a Barbie doll made in the likeness of Sarah Gilbert (3d R), the Oxford University professor who co-designed the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, among a global lineup of women in the health care sector honoured with a one-of-a-kind doll. " src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/08/06/health-coronavirus-mattel-barbie.jpg"/><figcaption>An undated handout image of a Barbie doll made in the likeness of Sarah Gilbert (3d R), the Oxford University professor who co-designed the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, among a global lineup of women in the health care sector honoured with a one-of-a-kind doll. <em>University of Oxford/via Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>LONDON— British coronavirus vaccine developer Sarah Gilbert has many science accolades to her credit but now shares an honor with Beyonce, Marilyn Monroe and Eleanor Roosevelt: a Barbie doll in her likeness.</p><p>Gilbert, a 59-year-old professor at Oxford University and co-developer of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, is one of six women in the COVID-19 fight who have new Barbies modeled after them.</p><p>Toy maker Mattel Inc is recognizing them with a line of Barbie &quot;role model&quot; dolls.</p><p>Gilbert&#x27;s Barbie shares her long auburn hair and oversized black glasses, and she wears a sensible navy blue pantsuit and white blouse.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a very strange concept having a Barbie doll created in my likeness,&quot; Gilbert said in an interview for Mattel.</p><p>&quot;I hope it will be part of making it more normal for girls to think about careers in science.&quot;</p><p>Among the honorees are emergency room nurse Amy O&#x27;Sullivan who treated the first COVID-19 patient at the Wycoff Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, and Audrey Cruz, frontline doctor in Las Vegas who fought discrimination, according to Mattel.</p><p>Other dolls include Chika Stacy Oriuwa, a Canadian psychiatry resident at the University of Toronto who battled systemic racism in health care, and Brazilian biomedical researcher Jaqueline Goes de Jesus, who led sequencing of the genome of a COVID-19 variant in Brazil, the company said.</p><p>Lastly a doll honors Kirby White, an Australian doctor who pioneered a surgical gown that can be washed and reused by frontline workers during the pandemic.</p><p>Gilbert chose nonprofit organization WISE (Women in Science &amp; Engineering), dedicated to inspiring girls to consider a career in STEM, to receive a financial donation from the toymaker.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/08/29/14/barbie-takes-ice-bucket-challenge-nominates-fans?.tsrc=globe">Barbie takes ice bucket challenge, nominates fans</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/30/19/barbie-to-the-rescue-strong-doll-sales-boost-mattel-earnings">Barbie to the rescue! Strong doll sales boost Mattel earnings</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/09/26/19/barbie-toymaker-mattel-creates-gender-neutral-dolls">Barbie toymaker Mattel creates gender-neutral dolls</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CoAtwNTyMfU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Toymaker Mattel Inc is recognizing them with a line of Barbie 'role model' dolls.