IDCRC Newsletter: May 2026

IDCRC gathers to celebrate accomplishments
at 2026 Annual Meeting

From May 13 to May 14, the IDCRC held its Annual Meeting on the NIAID Campus at Fisher Lane in Maryland. The atmosphere on the campus was filled with energy and optimism, reflecting the strong spirit of the network’s science, clinical research, innovation, and collaboration. Approximately 200 attendees from the IDCRC, Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs), and NIAID’s Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) gathered both in person and virtually to celebrate significant accomplishments and hear advances in infectious diseases research. The event offered exciting networking opportunities for all attendees, especially young investigators, making it a successful and memorable experience.

"The 2026 annual meeting of the IDCRC was 'the best ever.’ The network's many accomplishments and scientific achievements were on display, as was the impressive success of the 49 mentees in the mentored career development program," shares David Stephens, MD, Leadership Group (LG) chair.

"Thanks to everyone who contributed to planning and attending our 2026 IDCRC Meeting in Rockville. If we measure by engagement, productive research collaborations, and commitment to science, it was a great success!" —Jodie Dionne, MD, MSPH, Leadership Operations Center (LOC) director.

Click below for a full overview of the meeting, VTEU highlights, presentation recaps, and much more!

Congratulations to the 2026 IDCRC Award Winners

Each year, the IDCRC presents annual awards to acknowledge the work of VTEU members who have made exceptional contributions to the IDCRC and VTEU missions. Nominated by fellow VTEU/IDCRC members, this year's winners received their awards at the IDCRC reception, held during the 2026 Annual Meeting.

Please join us in congratulating the following 2026 IDCRC award winners.

BEST SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR
Wilbur Chen, MD, MS, and the NmCV-5 EPI Study Group​, University of Maryland, “Safety and immunogenicity of a pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine targeting serogroups A, C, W, Y, and X when co-administered with routine childhood vaccines at ages 9 months and 15 months in Mali: a single-centre, double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 3, non-inferiority trial​. The Lancet 405: 1027-1118” 
This award recognizes an IDCRC-cited publication in the last year that is considered to have had a high impact on the scientific community and/or has led to policy change.

INVESTIGATOR OF THE YEAR
Hana El Sahly​, MD, Baylor College of Medicine 
This award recognizes a well-established VTEU investigator who has made exceptional contributions to research as it relates to the VTEU and IDCRC missions.

EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATOR
Elizabeth A.D. Hammershaimb​, MD, MS, University of Maryland 
This award recognizes a recent graduate or current participant of the IDCRC Mentoring Program who has made exceptional contributions to research as it relates to the VTEU and IDCRC missions.

LEADERSHIP GROUP AWARD
Jodie Dionne​, MD, MSPH, University​ of Alabama, Birmingham 
This award honors an IDCRC member who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in their commitment to the IDCRC LG aims.

STAFF STAR (STELLAR TEAM MEMBER ACHIEVING RESULTS) AWARD
Marie Samanovic-Golden​, PhD, New York University 
This award goes to a VTEU coordinator or administrator whose exceptional contribution has advanced and supported the quality of IDCRC-supported research.​​​​​​

OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS
Robert Atmar​, MD (Baylor College); Elizabeth Brown​, ScD (Fred Hutchinson/University of Washington); Chris Posavad​, PhD (Fred Hutchinson/University of Washington); Paul Spearman, MD (Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center)​; and David Stephens​, MD (Emory University)
This award honors IDCRC leaders for outstanding service and contributions to the network.

IDCRC PROMISE Study Investigator Spotlight: 
Satoshi Kamidani, MD, PhD

Dr. Kamidani serves as an ECC-VRC sub-investigator for the IDCRC PROMISE study, "The Immunology and Safety of Maternal RSV Vaccination (ABRYSVO), Infant Nirsevimab (BEYFORTUS) Immunization, or Both Products." The PROMISE study is evaluating the effects of maternal vaccination and infant monoclonal antibody administration on RSV antibody levels in mothers and infants, providing essential insights into how these interventions function independently and in combination.

"One of the key strengths of the IDCRC is its strong culture of mentoring and networking. I was a member of the second IDCRC mentorship cohort, through which I gained a deeper understanding of the structure of the VTEU/IDCRC network and clinical trial conduct. I also benefited from engaging with peers in the cohort at similar stages in their careers through exchanging ideas and sharing experiences."

IDCRC Administration Team Transition

Jodi Salim, MPH, who previously served as the administrative director before becoming the administrator of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine in July 2025, will return to the IDCRC in a part-time capacity.

News

American Academy of Pediatrics | "Study: Maternal RSV vaccination combined with infant immunization is safe" with Christina A. Rostad, MD, FAAP

Maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination and infant immunization are safe and result in high levels of neutralizing antibodies whether they are given alone or in combination, a new clinical trial found.

To look at how the products perform when combined, researchers recruited 181 mother-infant pairs and randomized them into four groups: maternal vaccination, maternal vaccination and infant vaccination at birth, maternal vaccination and infant vaccination at 3 months or infant nirsevimab alone at birth. The team plans to follow the infants for a year, but reported interim data with up to four months of follow-up in its new study.

IDRC members among 166 newly elected IDSA fellows

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently named its 2026 class of Fellows of IDSA. This group includes distinguished clinicians and scientists across the globe whose contributions continue to move the field forward. Fellowship in IDSA (FIDSA) is one of the highest honors in infectious diseases. It recognizes individuals whose careers reflect deep curiosity, scientific excellence, and a commitment to compassionate care and health equity.

The Baltimore Banner | "What Marylanders need to know about hantavirus" with Kirsten Lyke, MD

What are symptoms, and how is an infection treated?
There’s no specific treatment or cure, said Dr. Kirsten Lyke, an infectious disease expert in the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. Early medical care for symptoms can improve chances of survival, she said. Providers will monitor for respiratory, cardiac and kidney complications once they know it’s hantavirus.

Former IDCRC leader, Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH, FIDSA, elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Marrazzo currently serves as the CEO for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. IDSA President Ronald G. Nahass, MD, MHCM, FIDSA, shares the following on her recent recognition. “This well-deserved honor reflects her extraordinary contributions to infectious diseases research, public health, and patient care, as well as her unwavering commitment to scientific integrity. Dr. Marrazzo’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment for our field, and this recognition underscores the impact she continues to have in advancing science and improving health worldwide.” Read the IDSA's full press release below.

Job Postings

Newly Posted! Infectious Diseases Research Job Openings

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Epidemiologist 

• Emory School of Medicine - Research Specialist- School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Hope Clinic

• Gladstone Infectious Disease Institute/UCSF Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutics Sciences - Faculty Position

• University of Alabama at Birmingham - Researcher Specialist, Pediatrics/Infectious Disease  

• University of Cincinnati - Research Associate, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases

Visit the IDSA Career Center to browse other ID job postings.

Events

Upcoming NIAID Workshop: Mycoplasma Genitaliumas

This workshop aims to highlight the urgency and impact of Mycoplasma genitaliumas as an emerging antimicrobial resistance threat with significant consequences for women’s reproductive health. It will identify key scientific and clinical gaps that limit effective diagnosis and treatment and outline a coordinated path forward for developing improved therapeutic options—drawing on lessons learned from other antimicrobial resistance efforts.

Infectious Disease Board Review Course

This course is designed to help physicians prepare for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Infectious Disease certification and recertification exams. This comprehensive program includes web access to the entire archived course plus primers and study guides, online-only lectures, photo-based questions, and over 500 ABIM-style questions.

Funding Opportunities

IDCRC Studies

Fully Enrolled Studies in Follow-up

• A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 1 Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Immunogenicity, and Efficacy of Sanaria(R) PfSPZ-LARC2 Vaccine, a Late-Arresting, Replication-Competent, Genetically Attenuated Plasmodium Falciparum Vaccine by Controlled Human Malaria Infection in Malaria-Naïve Healthy Adults Conditions (DMID 23-0010)
• Efficacy Study of IM Administered CssBA+dmLT Against Moderate-severe Diarrhea in Human Infection Model With ETEC Strain B7A in Healthy Adults (DMID 23-0006)

• A Phase 1 Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of an Inactivated West Nile Virus Vaccine, HydroVax-001B WNV in Healthy Adults (DMID 24-0008)

• A Prospective, Randomized, Open-label Phase 4 Study of the Immunology and Safety of Maternal RSV Vaccination (ABRYSVOTM), Infant Nirsevimab (BEYFORTUSTM) Immunization, or Both Products During the First Year of Life (PROMISE) (DMID 24-0003)

Communication Resources

Please submit IDCRC news to idcrc@emory.edu for inclusion in the monthly newsletter and IDCRC.org.