NFID Announces Recipients of Prestigious 2015 Awards
Bethesda, Maryland (PRWEB) August 07, 2014 -- The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) has selected F. Marc LaForce, MD as recipient of the 2015 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award, Samuel Katz, MD as recipient of the 2015 Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement, and Richard J. Duma, MD, PhD as recipient of the 2015 John P. Utz Leadership Award.
In recognition of his vision, tenacity, clinical and scientific expertise, and diplomacy in the development and implementation of the group A meningococcal vaccine in Africa, NFID has selected F. Marc LaForce, MD, Director, Technical Services for the Serum Institute of India, Ltd., to receive the 2015 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award. Over a remarkable career, Dr. LaForce has been an outstanding leader in national and global infectious diseases.
“This is a monumental and momentous achievement—one that will continue to benefit humanity in Africa for years going forward: preventing deaths, disease, family anguish, and saving the costs of care,” said William Schaffner, MD, Professor of Preventive Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and NFID past-president.
Samuel Katz, MD is an innovative physician-scientist whose pioneering work on the development and promotion of the Edmonston measles virus vaccine revolutionized children’s health and reduced childhood mortality worldwide. Dr. Katz successfully introduced measles vaccine to a small village in Nigeria where people were used to their children dying from measles. He has achieved what most investigators dream of: translation of his research into a global resource that has improved public health and the lives of many. In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Katz has been selected to receive the 2015 Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement.
“Dr. Katz has had a remarkable impact in vaccine research and development and in efforts that have saved lives, decreased human suffering, and reduced healthcare costs in the US and around the world,” said Nancy C. Andrews, MD, PhD, Dean, Duke University School of Medicine. “Dr. Katz is a revolutionary scientist, a respected teacher, a valued colleague, and a tremendous citizen of his profession and the world.”
In recognition of his leadership in the fight against infectious diseases, Richard J. Duma, MD, PhD, has been selected to receive the 2015 John P. Utz Leadership Award. As the founding president of NFID in 1973, Dr. Duma has remained involved and continues to contribute to the mission of NFID through his leadership. The award was established in honor of the late John P. Utz, MD, who was one of NFID’s original founders.
The awards will all be presented at the 2015 NFID Annual Awards Dinner in the spring of 2015 in the Washington, DC area.
About the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1973 and dedicated to educating the public and healthcare professionals about the causes, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases across the lifespan. Visit http://www.nfid.org for more information.
Ellyn Terry, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, http://www.nfid.org, +1 (301) 656-0003 Ext: 13, [email protected]
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