Brendan Borrell is an American non-fiction writer known for his work in science and investigative journalism. He is best known for The First Shots (2021), a detailed account of the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. The book was published by Mariner and praised by People magazine as “a stunning look at politics, greed, ego — and scientific brilliance.” It is currently in development as an HBO limited series with director and producer Adam McKay.
Brendan Borrell grew up in Texas. He studied at a college in California before earning a Ph.D. in biology. During his doctoral work, he spent six years in Central America researching frogs, snakes, and bees. Reflecting on this period, he once said, “I often write about people and their sometimes strange and often surprising relationships with nature.”
After completing his studies, Borrell pursued a career in journalism. He worked as a correspondent for Outside magazine and has written for The New York Times, National Geographic, The Atlantic, and Bloomberg Businessweek. His reporting has covered a wide range of subjects, from Canadian maple syrup thieves to British mole catchers and French explorers who disappeared in Alaska.
He received an Alicia Patterson Foundation Fellowship to investigate herbal medicine in the modern world. He has also worked as a science consultant on the television production Will Smith: The Jump and co-authored a college textbook.
In The First Shots, Borrell documents the scientific and political drama that unfolded between early 2020 and mid-2021. He follows key figures, including infectious disease expert Michael Callahan, Operation Warp Speed architect Robert Kadlec, and Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel. The book highlights the tensions among scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and government officials as they raced to stop the pandemic.
Brendan Borrell lives in Los Angeles.
Photo credit: www.brendanborrell.com