The Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has unveiled the distinguished recipients of the Horizon Awards 2025, a prestigious recognition that honors pioneering achievements within the realm of applied microbiology. These awards spotlight the forefront of scientific innovation and underscore the critical role that applied microbiologists play in addressing pressing global challenges through transformative research and dedicated leadership.
Among the awardees, Dr. Manu De Rycker from the University of Dundee has garnered the WH Pierce Global Impact in Microbiology Prize. Dr. De Rycker’s groundbreaking work in drug discovery focuses on kinetoplastid parasites, including those responsible for African sleeping sickness, visceral leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease. By developing sophisticated cell-based assays and screening cascades, his lab has enabled high-throughput screening methods with enhanced physiological relevance. This innovative approach has accelerated the identification and development of clinical candidates, most notably two for visceral leishmaniasis, and several advanced compounds targeting Chagas disease, in collaboration with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.
Professor Joana Falcao Salles of the University of Groningen was honored with the Basil Jarvis Food Security and Innovation Award for her seminal contributions to microbial community ecology, particularly in soil and host-associated microbiomes. Her integrative research merges ecological theory with computational and experimental methodologies to understand how microbial diversity underpins ecosystem resilience and suppresses disease, thereby advancing sustainable agricultural systems. A key highlight of her work rests on elucidating microbial invasions and plant genotype-driven enhancement of beneficial microbiome interactions, which collectively reduce reliance on chemical inputs, thus fostering environmentally responsible agriculture.
The John Snow Public Health Innovation Prize was awarded to Dr. José Luis Balcazar from the Catalan Institute for Water Research. Dr. Balcazar’s research is instrumental in unraveling the mechanisms by which antimicrobial resistance genes disseminate across environmental and clinical settings. His studies have illuminated the pivotal role of bacteriophages in horizontal gene transfer and resistance propagation. Moreover, his discovery of auxiliary metabolic genes within phages inhabiting polluted habitats opens promising avenues for bioremediation strategies, while simultaneously contributing critical insights to public health surveillance and water safety enhancement.
Professor Elaine Cloutman-Green, a Consultant Clinical Scientist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, received the Christiana Figueres Policy to Practice Award. Recognized for her decisive role in translating microbiological research into actionable healthcare policies, Professor Cloutman-Green’s career encapsulates innovation in infection prevention and control. Her pioneering PhD work dissected the environmental factors in healthcare-associated infections, culminating in rapid diagnostic tools and infection control methodologies that are currently implemented in hospitals worldwide to mitigate pathogen transmission and improve patient safety.
Advancing environmental conservation, Professor Thomas Crowther was distinguished with the Rachel Carson Environmental Conservation Excellence Award. A global biodiversity ecologist, Crowther’s research network, the Crowther Lab, investigates biodiversity’s influence on climate regulation and human wellbeing. Through innovative platforms like Restor.eco, founded in 2020, he facilitates widespread community-driven restoration efforts globally, aiming to rehabilitate soils and vegetation across millions of hectares. Crowther’s leadership extends to pivotal roles such as co-chairing the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’s Advisory Board and being recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader for his biodiversity conservation efforts.
The Dorothy Jones Diversity & Inclusion Achievement Award acknowledged individuals and teams advancing equity within STEM fields. Max Fisher, recognized as the UK’s most influential disabled scientist for 2024, has been a tireless advocate of intersectionality and representation for disability and LGBTQIA+ communities within science. Their advocacy integrates lived experience with professional expertise in nanomedicine, leveraging roles such as a Senior Research Associate at ViaNautis Bio and affiliations with societies like The Science Council and the Royal Society of Biology. Fisher emphasizes the importance of role models for marginalized groups striving to navigate scientific careers.
Complementing this, the team award under the same category was conferred to the Microbes and Social Equity (MSE) Working Group. Dr. Sue Ishaq, representing the group, articulated the mission to interconnect microbiology with social equity disciplines, fostering an interdisciplinary approach that addresses inequities impacting microbial exposures and consequent health outcomes. MSE’s work bridges scientific research with policy and education, aiming to mitigate disparities linked to environmental and social determinants through evidence-based advocacy and practice, thereby promoting sustainability and equitable public health.
These awards by AMI not only celebrate individual and collective scientific excellence but also highlight the interdisciplinary and global nature of applied microbiology’s impact on health, agriculture, environment, and social justice. The honorees exemplify how cutting-edge research, collaborative innovation, and policy engagement converge to foster sustainable futures and responsive solutions to critical challenges faced worldwide.
The 2025 Horizon Awards demonstrate the breadth of applied microbiology in addressing complex issues such as neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem restoration, and inclusion within scientific communities. The intersection of molecular innovation, ecological understanding, environmental science, and social equity underscores a robust, multifaceted approach to modern microbiological challenges.
By embracing a holistic vision of microbiology’s role in society, these awards reinforce the importance of fostering diverse voices and interdisciplinary collaboration. Applied Microbiology International, through these recognitions, continues to champion the advancement of science aimed at improving global health, food security, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion.
Scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, and advocates featured in the Horizon Awards serve not only as innovators but as visionaries propelling microbiology toward tangible, world-changing outcomes. Their cumulative work inspires ongoing commitment to research excellence, practical implementations, and advocacy that will shape the trajectory of microbiology and its contributions to humanity in the years to come.
With these announcements, AMI encourages the global microbiological community to continue pursuing transformative research and inclusive practices, emphasizing that the future of applied microbiology lies in its capacity to address urgent global imperatives through scientific rigor, collaboration, and equity.
Subject of Research: Applied microbiology with focus areas including drug discovery for parasitic diseases, microbial ecology in sustainable agriculture, antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, clinical infection control, biodiversity conservation, and diversity and inclusion in STEM.
Article Title: Applied Microbiology International Announces Horizon Awards 2025 Honoring Pioneers Transforming Global Challenges through Microbiology
News Publication Date: 2024
Web References:
– Applied Microbiology International: https://appliedmicrobiology.org/
– University of Dundee Drug Discovery Unit: https://drugdiscovery.dundee.ac.uk/
– Crowther Lab: https://crowtherlab.com/
– Restor.eco: https://restor.eco/
Keywords: Applied microbiology, drug discovery, kinetoplastid parasites, African sleeping sickness, visceral leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, microbial community ecology, soil microbiomes, antimicrobial resistance, bacteriophages, bioremediation, infection prevention, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, social equity, diversity and inclusion in STEM, microbial surveillance, sustainable agriculture, public health policy.
