¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ

¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Announces Honorees for 2026 Awards and Prize Program

September 5, 2025

Washington, D.C.—The ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ (¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ) announced the recipients of its 2026 Awards and Prize Program. The awards recognize leading scientists and researchers in the field for their professional accomplishments and contributions to research, education and leadership.

The American Academy of Microbiology, the honorific leadership group and scientific think tank within ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ, manages a program of awards and a prize that highlights outstanding science at every career level and subdiscipline of the microbial sciences. Recipients are chosen by a selection committee from a competitive, peer-nominated list of candidates.

“The ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Awards and Prize Program celebrates the groundbreaking research and dedication that drive microbiology forward,” said ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ CEO Stefano Bertuzzi. “Receiving one of these awards is a meaningful recognition of a scientist’s impact and serves as an inspiration for future leaders in our field.”

The 2026 recipients:

• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Lifetime Achievement Award: Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D., UC Berkeley.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Alice C. Evans Award for Advancement of Women: Mary Anne Amalaradjou, Ph.D., University of Connecticut.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Applied and Biotechnological Research: Moon Nahm, M.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Basic Research: Kim Orth, Ph.D., UT Southwestern.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Early Career Applied and Biotechnological Research: Jordan Bisanz, Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Early Career Basic Research: Mariana Byndloss, DVM, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Early Career Clinical Microbiology Research: Kyle Rodino, Ph.D., D(ABMM), The University of Pennsylvania.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Early Career Environmental Research: Erica Majumder, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Environmental Research: Matthew Sullivan, Ph.D., The Ohio State University.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Graduate Education: Michael Ibba, Ph.D., Chapman University.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Research or Leadership in Clinical Microbiology: Amy Mathers, M.D., D(ABMM), University of Virginia.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Award for Service: Michael Loeffelholz, Ph.D., D(ABMM), Cepheid.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Carski Award for Undergraduate Education: Ann Stevens, Ph.D., Virginia Tech.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ D.C. White Award for Interdisciplinary Research: Marvin Whiteley, Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Elizabeth O. King Lecturer Award: Carey-Ann Burnham, Ph.D., D(ABMM), Pattern Bioscience.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Honorary Diversity Lecturer Award: Michael D. L. Johnson, Ph.D., The University of Arizona.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Microbiome Data Prize: Joao Xavier, Ph.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Moselio Schaechter Award in Recognition of a Developing–Country Microbiologist: Jayanthi Shastri, M.D., Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, India.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Scherago-Rubin Award for Clinical Microbiology: Idzi Potters, B.S., Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium.
• ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ William A. Hinton Award for Advancement of a Diverse Community of Microbiologists: Shazia Hakim, Ph.D., Diné College.

Learn more about ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ awards and view past recipients on the Awards and Prize Program page. The 2026 ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Awards and Prize Program is sponsored by the ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ Corporate Council. The 2026 Microbiome Data Prize is partially supported by the . The Elizabeth O. King Lecturer Award is supported by the New York Community Trust-Audrey Rheinstrom and Anne Blevins Fund.

### 

The ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ is one of the largest professional societies dedicated to the life sciences and is composed of over 37,000 scientists and health practitioners. ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ's mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences.

¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications, educational opportunities and advocacy efforts. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ¶¶ÒõÈÈÃÅ promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to all audiences.