American Committee of Medical Entomology (ACME)

ACME Objectives

The American Committee of Medical Entomology (ACME), is organized under the auspices of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) and exists to work toward the following objectives:

1. To promote medical entomology in the ASTMH and other organizations whose scope of activities includes the area of arthropods that directly or indirectly cause diseases or conditions.
2. To organize symposia or workshops that emphasize, but are not limited to, the contributions of medical entomology to tropical medicine.
3. To recognize outstanding contributions by medical entomologists.
4. To recruit young professionals and train the next generation of medical entomologists.
5. To build an inclusive, open-minded, and environmentally friendly community of medical entomologists that reflects the diverse backgrounds of ASTMH membership.
 

Charter and Strategic Plan

ACME Charter
ACME Strategic Plan

Awards and Funding Opportunities

Please note: To share equally among everyone in our tropmed community, only one ASTMH (including the Subgroups) award, travel award, fellowships and/or medal will be awarded to a single recipient in a given year.

Those who receive a Subgroup research/travel award are not eligible to receive an ASTMH-sponsored fellowship or ASTMH Travel Award.

Those who receive an ASTMH Travel Award are not eligible to receive any Subgroup research/travel awards or ASTMH-sponsored fellowships.

Medal recipients are limited to one medal per year.

Hoogstraal Award
The Harry Hoogstraal Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Medical Entomology was established in 1987 to recognize the most influential medical entomologists for their contributions to their field. This award is named in honor of Dr. Harry Hoogstraal whose contributions to systematics of medically important arthropods and the diseases they carry are vast. He was described as "the greatest authority on ticks and tickborne diseases who ever lived," and his scientific curiosity and passion for increasing the description of arthropods from remote areas (Philippines, Dutch New Guinea, Mexico, Madagascar, Egypt) led him to describe a mind-blowing number of novel mosquito and tick species. During his lifetime he authored or co-authored more than 500 publications and directed the translation of over 1,800 scientific papers and books (German, Japanese, Chinese, Russian). More than 200 species of organisms have been named in honor of Harry Hoogstraal.

Award Recipients

2025
Laura Harrington
Cornell University

2024
Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena
Johns Hopkins University

2023
Jose Ribiero
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseaes

2022
Ed Cupp
Auburn University

2021
Bruce Christensen
University of Wisconsin-Madison

2020
Stephen Higgs
Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University

2019
Frank Collins
University of Notre Dame

2018
Thomas Scott
University of California Davis

2017
Willem Takken
Wageningen University

2016
Patricia Nuttall
University of Oxford, United Kingdom

2015
Durland Fish
Yale School of Public Health

2014
Robert Lane
University of California, Berkeley

2013
Barry Beaty
Colorado State University

2012
William Reisen
Center for Vectorborne Diseases

2011
Abdu Azad
University of Maryland School of Medicine

2010
Willy Burgdorfer
Rocky Mountain Lab

2009
William E. Collins
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2008
Daniel Sonenshine
Old Dominion University

2007
Bruce Eldridge
University of California, Davis

2006
Mario Coluzzi
Instituto Di Parasitologia, Universita Degli Studi Di Roma

2005
Robert Washino
University of California, Davis

2004
John D. Edman
University of California, Davis

2003
Andrew Spielman
Harvard School of Public Health

2002
Michael Service
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

No award 2001

2000
Chris Curtis
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

No award 1999

1998
Gene DeFoliart
University of Wisconsin, Madison

No award 1997

1996
George B. Craig, Jr.
University of Notre Dame

1995
A. Ralph Barr

No award 1994

1993
Thomas H. G. Aitken

1992
James H. Oliver
Georgia Southern University

1991
William L. Jellison

1990
William R. Horsfall

1989
Robert Traub

1988
Lloyd E. Rozeboom
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

1987
William C. Reeves
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
 

ACME Award of Distinction
The ACME Award of Distinction was established in 2022 to help recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of medical entomology.

Award Recipients

2025
Alvaro Molina-Cruz
National Institutes of Health

2024
Dawn Wesson
Tulane University

2023
Ellen Dotson
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2022
Michael Turell
 

ACME Breakthrough in Medical Entomology Award
ACME seeks to award funding of $1,000 to outstanding recent contributions (within the past 5 years) to the study and/or practice of Medical Entomology that ultimately will contribute to reducing the burden of human diseases transmitted by arthropods. This award is designed to encourage and acknowledge significant advances in the field by investigators at any career stage. Examples of such advances include breakthrough research findings in vector biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, genomics, ecology, evolution or significant advances in technologies for vector surveillance or control.
Nominees/applicants must be a member of ASTMH and ACME.  Women are particularly encouraged to apply.

Award Recipients

2024
Ryan Smith
Iowa State University 

2022
Maria Luisa Simoes
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Johns Hopkins University

2019
Stephanie James
Foundation for the National Institutes of Health

2018
Alvaro Molina-Cruz
National Institutes of Health

2017
Zhijian Tu
Virginia Tech

2016
Serap Aksoy
Yale University School of Medicine

ACME Future Leaders in International Medical Entomology
The Future Leaders in International Medical Entomology award is a competitive award that will be offered to an outstanding junior medical entomology researcher (must be at the undergraduate to post-doctoral level) to showcase individuals that have matched interests to ACME's objectives of promoting medical entomology and reducing the burden of human diseases transmitted by arthropods globally. Applicants must be a non-US citizen from an LMIC.
 
One recipient will receive $2,000 to be used towards attending the ASTMH Annual Meeting and/or research supplies. The awardee must present their research at ASTMH and acknowledge the award in their presentation and when publishing research supported by the fellowship. Women are encouraged to apply.

Award Recipients

2024
Roland Bamou
National Institutes of Health

2023
Majidah Hamid-Adiamoh
University of Indiana and Eck Institute School of Public Health

2022
Henry Mawejje
Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration

2020
Cusi Ferradas
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

2019
Adélaïde Miarinjara
National Institutes of Health

2018
Mabel Taracena
Universidad del Valle de Guatemala

Puja Tiwary
Banaras Hindu University

2017
Nsa Dada
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Eric Ochomo
Kenya Medical Research Institute

ACME Travel Awards for Young Investigators
ACME now offers three Young Investigator Travel Awards: Masters, Doctoral and Post-doctoral and International. All research must involve arthropods of medical importance. Recipients will receive a complimentary registration to the Annual Meeting and up to $900 to support travel and accomodation costs. 

Award Recipients

2025
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Muhammed Camara
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Brian Polo
Kenya Medical Research Institute

Young Investigator Award - International
Jacqueline Mgaya
Ifakara Research Institute

Simmoy Noble
The University of the West Indies

2024
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Juliana Hoyos
University of Georgia

Stephen Opoku Afriyie
Texas Tech University

Young Investigator Award - International
Millicent Opoku
LaTrobe University

Mercy Tuwei
KEMRI-Wellcomes Trust Research Programme

Young Investigator Award - Postdoc
Rose-Margarita Gelvez Ramirez
Centro de Atenció

2023
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Bianca Morejon Viteri
Kansas State University

Stephen Okeyo
Kenya Medical Research Institute

Young Investigator Award - International
Cynthia Odhiambo
Kenya Medical Research Institute

Young Investigator Award - Postdoc
Thomas Vial
Institut Pasteur

2022
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Ndey Bassin Jobe
Arizona State University

Natalie Wickenkamp
Colorado State University

Young Investigator Award - International
Juan Lol
Universidad del Valle de Guatemala

Sachini Nimalrathna
University of Sri Jayewardenepura

2021
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Kyndall Dye-Braumuller
University of South Carolina

Thomas Syme
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Young Investigator Award - Post Doc
Sara Buezo Montero
Sapienza University of Rome

Lucia Paulina Maldonado-Ruiz
Kansas State University

2020
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Mary Gebhardt
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Adeline Williams
Colorado State University

Young Investigator Award  - International
Maria Carrasquilla
Universidad de los Andes

Astri Nur Faizah
University of Tokyo

Young Investigator Award - Post Doc
Gabriela Garcia
FIOCRUZ Brazil

Thiago Soares de Souza Vieira
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

2019
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Diana Nyanting'a
Kenya Medical Research Institute

Kristine Werling
Harvard School of Public Health

Young Investigator Award - International
Renee Ali
University of West Indies

Marilyn Murindahabi
University of Rwanda

Young Investigator Award - Post Doc
Deepani Fernando
University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Emily Gallichotte
Colorado State University

2018
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Leticia Smith
Cornell University

Olivia Winokur
University of California Davis

Young Investigator Award - International
Fabien Aubry
Institut Pasteur

Young Investigator Award - Post Doc
Sarah Merkling
Institut Pasteur

2017
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Carolyn Hodo
Texas A&M University

Young Investigator Award - International
Om Prakash Singh
Banaras Hindu University

Young Investigator Award - Post Doc
Hannah Romo
Colorado State University

2016
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Rebecca Love
University of Notre Dame

Young Investigator Award - International
Allan Muhwezi
Makerere University

Young Investigator Award - Post Doc
Laura Dickson

2015
Young Investigator Award - Graduate
Marissa Grossman
Emory University

Bahjat Marayati
University of North Carolina

Young Investigator Award - International
Marlon Saavedra Romero
Asociacion Benefica Prisma, Peru

Young Investigator Award - Post Doc
Claudia Rueckert
Colorado State University

2014
Marta Moreno Leirana
University of California, San Diego

Christina Newman
University of Wisconsin

Margaret Paternina Gomez
University de Sucre

2013
Robert McCann
Michigan State University

2012
Anthony Clemons
University of Notre Dame

2011
Julia Brown
Yale University

2010
Cara Halldin
Case Western Reserve University, Center for Global Health & Disesase

2009
Lauren Cator
Cornell University
Win Surachetpong
University of California, Davis

2008
Nicole Gottdenker
University of Georgia
Meera Venkatesen
Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network

2007
Maria Julia Dantur
INSUE School of Natural Sciences and Miguel Lillo Institute UNT
Lisa Purcell
McGill University

2006
Luca Facchinelli
University of California, Davis
Sonja Kos

2005
Rebekah Kent
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Sharon Minnick
University of California, Davis

Executive Council History

Past Executive Council History

ACME Executive Council

(date indicates Council term limit)

Arthropod Containment Guidelines (ACG)

The Arthropod Containment Guidelines are an important product of the work ACME does to support and advocate for vector biology research nationally and globally. The guidelines provide a reference for research laboratories to assess risk and establish protocols for the safe handling of arthropod vectors of human and animal disease agents. The guidelines were originally published in 2004 in Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, and have been updated and published in 2019 to reflect the spectrum of vector taxa under investigation, and the demands of working with vector arthropods in the context of the Select Agent Rule.  ACME produced the updated guidelines and supported Open Access in Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, February 2019, Vol 19, No. 3 . 

Addendum on Gene Drive

Perspectives

Perspectives - The idea has been accepted that ACME should take a more active role toward activities that promote the safe and effective conduct of activities in vector biology and disease transmission research. The following resources are intended to provide the ACME membership access to resources related to such efforts.

Considerations for Human Blood-Feeding and Arthropod Exposure in Vector Biology Research: An Essential Tool for Investigations and Disease Control
Harrington LC, Foy BD, Bangs MJ. . Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2020 Sep 9. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2620. 

Guidance for Evaluating the Safety of Experimental Releases of Mosquitoes, Emphasizing Mark-Release-Recapture Techniques
Benedict MQ, Charlwood JD, Harrington LC, Lounibos LP, Reisen WK, Tabachnick WJ. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2018 Jan;18(1):39-48. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2017.2152.

Considerations for the Use of Human Participants in Vector Biology Research: A Tool for Investigators and Regulators 
Achee Nicole L., Youngblood Laura, Bangs Michael J., Lavery James V., and James Stephanie. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. February 2015, 15(2): 89-102. doi:10.1089/vbz.2014.1628.

The Science of Science Communication

Advocacy

Advocacy - The ACME is committed to advocating the role of medical entomology in public health, both domestic and abroad. This includes raising awareness of research issues with policy makers, highlighting the importance of research and making specific funding requests for areas of concern or minimal focus. The following resources are intended to provide the ACME membership access to resources related to such efforts.

Top Ten Rules for Working with Congress 

ACME Members Visit the Hill 

Know of an important issue that you would like ACME to consider as part of its advocacy efforts? Please contact Maria Luisa Simões, ACME Chair.

For more information on ACME, contact Buffy Finn, Membership, Subgroups and Courses Manager