Current Winners
Congratulations to our latest winners for each award!
2026 Award Winners
The Canadian Society of Microbiologists is pleased to announce the award recipients for this year. Congratulations everyone on your hard work and contributions to Microbiology across Canada!
CSM Murray Award for Career Achievement:
Dr. Lyle Whyte, McGill University, Montreal, QC
This award is made possible by the financial support of Canadian Science Publishing (publisher of the NRC Research Press journals). Their commitment and service to microbiological research and teaching in Canada is greatly appreciated.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Lyle Whyte completed his PhD at the University of Waterloo in 1992, following undergraduate studies at the University of Regina. From 1993 to 2002, he served as a Research Officer at the Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council of Canada in Montreal. In 2003, Prof. Whyte joined McGill University. In 2004, he was awarded the Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM) Fisher Award (Outstanding Contribution to Research by a New Researcher). He is a former Canada Research Chair Tier 2 (2003-2014) and Tier 1 (2018-2025) and led the NSERC CREATE Canadian Astrobiology Training Program (2009-2015). He was a member of the European Space Agency ExoMars 2028 Landing Site Selection Working Group and currently a member of the ExoMars Rover Science Operations Working Group as well as the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection. He was an Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Microbiology, a Review Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology and an Editorial Board Member for the International J. Astrobiology. His research program examines microbial biodiversity, activity, and ecology in polar ecosystems, especially permafrost and unique cold saline springs, in the emerging field of cryomicrobiology, the exploration of the low-temperature limits of microbial life.
AWARD LECTURE DETAILS
Date & Time: Friday, June 19th, 2026, 15:00 – 16:00 MDT
Title:
Cryomicrobiology: microbial life in the extreme cold on Earth and possibly beyond.
Abstract:
This presentation will describe highlights of our research examining microbial biodiversity / activity / ecology in unique polar cryoenvironments which inform on the cold temperature limits of microbial life on Earth, climate change impacts, and guide the search for life on other cold planetary bodies like Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. Permafrost represents an extreme cryoenvironment yet harbours microbes with some the coldest growth temperatures yet discovered, including Planococcus halocryophilus. The most rapid warming on Earth is occurring in the Arctic and there is a fear that GHG emissions from melting permafrost soils will create a positive feedback loop of further GHG emissions. Results from our research have detected active microbial ecosystems present in high arctic permafrost environment and GHG fluxes originating from permafrost mineral cryosols. Results from our recent research have detected active microbial ecosystems present in surface ice from the Devon Ice Cap, and trace gas (H2, CO, CH4) metabolisms in permafrost and deglaciated soils on Axel Heiberg Island. The Canadian High Arctic features several anoxic, hypersaline cold springs including Lost Hammer Spring, which perennially discharges anoxic, subzero brines (−5°C; 24% salinity) through ~600 m of permafrost. A combination of metagenome assembled genome (MAGs), single-amplified genome (SAG) analyses in parallel with metatranscriptome analysis identified the dominant taxonomic and metabolic diversity in the hypersaline (~25% salinity), subzero (-5ºC), anaerobic Lost Hammer spring system and revealed a a rare surface terrestrial habitat supporting a predominantly lithoautotrophic active microbial community. We interpreted the identified active microbial ecosystem members and metabolisms – sulfide oxidation, sulfate reduction, anaerobic oxidation of methane, and oxidation of trace gases (H2, CO2) – as potential life forms that could exist in very cold and saline environments on Mars and the icy moons.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Award:
Dr. Edel Pérez-López, Université Laval, Quebec, QC
This lecture is made possible with the financial support of Thermo Fisher Scientific. Their commitment and service to microbiological research and teaching in Canada is greatly appreciated.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Edel Pérez-López is an Associate Professor at Université Laval and holds a Canada Research Chair in Insect Vector Invasions and Emergent Plant Diseases within the Department of Plant Sciences. His research sits at the interface of microbiology, plant pathology, and entomology, with a strong focus on understanding how microbial pathogens and insect-associated microbiomes shape plant health in agricultural systems. Dr. Pérez-López’s training includes molecular microbiology, plant–microbe interactions, and pathogen genomics. He completed his PhD in Ecology and Biotechnology at Universidad Veracruzana (Mexico), followed by postdoctoral training at Auburn University (USA) and the University of Saskatchewan. Since establishing his research program at Université Laval in 2020, he has developed an internationally recognized program focused on the molecular biology and evolution of plant-associated microbes, particularly the obligate biotrophic pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae and insect-transmitted phytoplasmas. His work integrates microbiology with ecological and computational approaches to develop sustainable strategies that reduce pesticide use and improve crop resilience. His contributions have been recognized through several national and international awards, including the Hubert-Reeves Prize (Prix du Québec), the Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the Canadian Phytopathological Society, the William Boright Hewitt Award from the American Phytopathological Society, and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Prize from the Microbiology Society. He is also a strong advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in science, actively contributing to initiatives that promote a more inclusive and supportive microbiology community like Pride in Microbiology Network.
AWARD LECTURE DETAILS
Date & Time: Wednesday, June 17th, 2026, 17:00 – 18:00 MDT
Title:
From Roots to Wings: Understanding Microbial Evolution for Sustainable Plant Protection
Abstract:
My research program explores how microbial evolution shapes plant disease and crop resilience, with the long-term goal of developing more sustainable approaches to plant protection. Over the past several years, we have developed two distinct, but conceptually connected lines of research focused on microbial systems that operate at very different biological and ecological scales. The first focuses on Plasmodiophora brassicae, an obligate biotrophic protist and the causal agent of clubroot disease. Because this pathogen cannot be cultured in vitro, its biology has remained poorly understood. To overcome this, we generated the first global population genomics framework for P. brassicae, sequencing 150 isolates from 24 countries across five continents. These analyses revealed clear population structure and showed that genetic differentiation is closely associated with effector diversity. Building on this, we generated more than 50 long-read genome assemblies to construct the first global pangenome of this pathogen, uncovering substantial accessory genomic variation and identifying polymorphic effectors likely involved in virulence and host adaptation. Functional characterization of these effectors is beginning to reveal previously unrecognized mechanisms by which the pathogen manipulates host physiology. In parallel, we investigate the microbiomes of leafhopper insect vectors, which play a central role in the transmission of plant pathogens. Using genome-resolved metagenomics, we developed the Global Leafhopper Microbiome Catalog (GLMC), comprising 337 high-quality microbial genomes across 171 species from multiple continents. This work expands known microbial diversity and reveals a structured microbiome organization, including a conserved core of obligate symbionts, a flexible layer of secondary symbionts, and a dynamic pool of environmentally acquired taxa. These microbial communities encode diverse functions linked to host nutrition, stress tolerance, detoxification, and potentially vector competence, suggesting that microbiomes play a key role in shaping insect ecology and disease transmission. Although these systems differ fundamentally, one a soil-borne protist pathogen, the other insect-associated microbial communities, they converge on a shared objective: understanding how microbial diversity and evolution influence plant health and a more sustainable agriculture.
Armand-Frappier Outstanding Student Award:
Camille Bédard, Université Laval, Quebec, QC
This lecture is made possible with the financial support of Canadian Society of Microbiologists
BIOGRAPHY
Camille Bédard is a PhD candidate in Biochemistry at Université Laval. She joined Dr. Christian Landry’s lab in 2020 as an undergraduate student and continued into graduate studies. Her research combines high-throughput experimental and computational approaches to better understand how antimicrobial resistance (AMR) evolves in fungal pathogens. As part of her PhD, she led the development of FungAMR, a manually curated database of resistance-associated mutations compiled from the scientific literature. Through her research, she has identified broad patterns of cross-resistance and highlighted key similarities and differences between fungal species. Her work establishes a comprehensive framework to advance fungal AMR research and inform the development of antifungals and strategies to overcome resistance.
AWARD LECTURE DETAILS
Date & Time: Thursday, June 18th, 2026, 17:00 – 18:00 MDT
Title:
Comparative Mapping of Antifungal Resistance Mutations in the Main Antimicrobial Target of Fungal Pathogens
Abstract:
Fungal pathogens pose a growing threat to human health, agriculture, and natural ecosystems. Because a small number of antifungal classes are available, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) evolution threatens treatment efficiency and disease control. To address this challenge, a thorough understanding of resistance mutations across fungal species and antifungals is critical.
First, we assembled the FungAMR database, which contains 35,792 manually curated entries across 208 drugs and 95 fungal species. The analysis of this resource revealed mutations that confer resistance across dozens of species that diverged over hundreds of millions of years, suggesting that resistance mutations may be conserved across species. In addition, widespread cross-resistance was observed between antifungal compounds used in clinical and agricultural settings.
To experimentally test and quantify these observations on a large scale, we focused on azoles, the most widely used class of antifungals in both clinics and agriculture. Since amino acid substitutions in the essential and highly conserved azole target enzyme Erg11 are the most common resistance mechanism, we comprehensively characterized resistance-conferring variants in Candida albicans and the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae using systematic mutagenesis.
In C. albicans, an average of 1,000 resistance-conferring variants per azole were identified. Nearly 90% of these variants conferred resistance to multiple azoles, indicating extensive cross-resistance. As expected, cross-resistance is higher within clinical or agricultural azoles, but 40% of variants resistant to agricultural azoles also conferred resistance to a clinical azole.
Then, the comparative analysis of the mutational effects between species revealed both conserved and species-specific resistance patterns, indicating only partial conservation of resistance mutations. Notably, S. cerevisiae has access to 50% fewer resistance mutations than C. albicans. However, ~80% of the smaller set of resistance-conferring mutations in S. cerevisiae are transferable to C. albicans. One hypothesis is that the lower intrinsic susceptibility of S. cerevisiae Erg11 constrains the evolution of acquired resistance.
To test this hypothesis, intrinsic Erg11 susceptibility was evaluated across 12 additional fungal species. Despite strong sequence conservation, substantial interspecific differences with a strong phylogenetic signal were observed. Ongoing work includes the characterization of Erg11 from 16 additional species, the reconstruction of eight ancestral sequences to identify residues associated with reduced susceptibility and experimental validations.
Together, these results provide a framework to improve resistance prediction in fungal pathogens and guide the development of antifungal drugs overcoming both acquired and intrinsic resistance.
The Burrows Award for Womxn in Microbiology:
Carla Maduta, University of Western Ontario, London, ON
This award is possible because of support from Dr. Burrows, the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University and the Canadian Society of Microbiologists.
BIOGRAPHY
Carla Maduta is a CIHR Canada Graduate Research Scholar and an MD/PhD Candidate in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Western Ontario, under the supervision of Dr. John McCormick. She completed her BMSc Honours thesis, as well as her MSc in the McCormick laboratory, where she studied Staphylococcus aureus and its interactions with members of the vaginal microbiota. Her PhD research investigates how immune cells respond to the staphylococcal superantigen that causes menstrual toxic shock syndrome. Carla is a 2025-2026 GROWW cohort program, a CIHR funded health research training platform which supports Canadian trainees engaged in women’s health research. Outside of the laboratory, Carla is a regular volunteer with Anova, a women’s shelter in London that supports women and children who have experienced gender-based violence. She was awarded a Volunteer Service Award from the Province of Ontario in 2025 for her 3+ years of work with Anova.
CSM Ambassador Award:
Not Given
This award is made possible with the financial support of Canadian Society of Microbiologists