Recipients of the award are prominent researchers and scholars whose work has resulted in a body of work that contributes to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.’s (APIC’s) mission to create a safer world through prevention of infection. The recipient of the award is asked to present a lecture at the APIC Annual Conference.
Safdar is a professor in the Division of Infectious Disease within the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and holds affiliate appointments in the Department of Population Health and the Division of Geriatrics, as well as the division of Industrial and Systems Engineering. She is also vice chair for Research in the Department of Medicine and the Medical Director of Infection Control at UW Hospital and Clinics.
Safdar’s research focuses on identifying, testing and implementing novel interventions to reduce and prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), such as the use of probiotics for reducing colonization by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile. She leads the fecal bacteriotherapy program at UW Hospital and is the principal investigator for a number of ongoing trials assessing fecal microbiota transplantation as an intervention to reduce HAIs.
Safdar has also authored more than 200 medical journal articles and is a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Among the awards she has received in recognition of her professional accomplishments are the John Q. Sherman Award for Excellence in Patient Engagement (2014) and the President’s Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2017).
In considering nominations for the APIC Distinguished Scientist Award, the Research Committee assesses the degree to which an individual’s contribution to infection prevention and control has resulted in new scientific discoveries and practical advances, provided seminal support for advancing infection prevention research, or developed novel methods of dissemination and implementation.
Individual APIC members or APIC Chapters are encouraged to submit names of potential nominees to the Research Committee. The APIC Distinguished Scientist is selected by members of the Research Committee of APIC from among the list of nominees. Members of the committee may add names to the list of nominees or solicit nominations. Nominations may be carried forward for three years at which time they can be re-nominated. The Research Committee seeks unanimity in its selection. When this is impossible, the candidate is selected by a two-thirds majority vote.
