The Alexander Fleming Award for lifetime achievement recognizes an IDSA member or fellow for a career that reflects major contributions to the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge about infectious diseases.
2024 Winner: David N. Gilbert, MD, FIDSA
David N. Gilbert, MD, FIDSA, has left a tremendous mark on research, education and clinical practice in infectious diseases. Considered the “father of infectious diseases” in Oregon, Dr. Gilbert’s career has spanned more than 55 years. He was one of the first infectious diseases specialists to
emphasize the danger of antibiotic resistance, and his work has improved safety in the use of drugs such as aminoglycosides and improved accuracy in diagnosing and treating respiratory infections.
Dr. Gilbert was the chief of infectious diseases at Providence Portland Medical Center and a professor of medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University. As chief of infectious diseases, he oversaw clinical consultation, diagnostics, the antimicrobial drug formulary and medical student/medical resident infectious diseases training. Dr. Gilbert chaired the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Providence Portland Medical Center for 55 years.
Hundreds of residents, fellows and researchers over several generations were inspired by Dr. Gilbert’s energy, expertise and compassion. He connected with trainees easily and always had time for their questions.
Many improvements to infectious diseases practice and standards were the result of Dr. Gilbert’s leadership. Along with raising awareness of antibiotic resistance, he developed some of the first antimicrobial stewardship programs and, through IDSA, contracted with the Food and Drug Administration to develop the first guideline on the design of clinical trials of new antibiotics. Dr. Gilbert served as a spokesperson about the proper use and accelerated development of antimicrobial agents to professional audiences and FDA, and on Capitol Hill. He served as vice chair of IDSA’s Antimicrobial Agents Committee.
Dr. Gilbert played a leading role in the development and dissemination of the Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy, one of the most widely used resources for accurate, evidence-based information on managing infectious diseases. He started working with Dr. Jay P. Sanford on the guide in 1969. It now has a worldwide audience and nine editors.
An active participant in IDSA, Dr. Gilbert served in many roles, including president and founder of the Emerging Infections Network. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Emerging Infections Network assists CDC and other public health authorities with surveillance for emerging infectious diseases. In Oregon, Dr. Gilbert created a state branch of IDSA, serving as president and officer multiple times.
Dr. Gilbert has published more than 170 articles and was the first or last author on more than 120 of these. Highlights of his research include clarifying the role of the complement cascade in the pathogenesis of septic shock; demonstrating the increased efficacy and decreased toxicity of once-daily aminoglycosides; and identifying the role of multiplex PCR panels and procalcitonin levels in the care of patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia.
The Society is proud to honor Dr. Gilbert with the 2024 Alexander Fleming Award for Lifetime Achievement for his work over more than five decades to advance knowledge in infectious diseases.
Past Alexander Fleming Award Winners
| 2023 | Susan Swindells, MBBS |
| 2022 | Lawrence Corey, MD, FIDSA |
| 2021 | David Relman, MD, FIDSA |
| 2020 | James D. Cherry, MD, MSc, FIDSA |
| 2019 | Michael Scheld, MD, FIDSA |
| 2018 | Richard J. Whitley, MD, FIDSA |
| 2017 | Barbara E. Murray, MD, FIDSA |
| 2016 | Carol J. Baker, MD, FIDSA, FSHEA, FPIDS P. Frederick Sparling, MD, FIDSA |
| 2015 | Anne Gershon, MD, FPIDS, FIDSA |
| 2014 | Martin J. Blaser, MD, FIDSA |
| 2013 | King K. Holmes, MD, FIDSA |
| 2012 | Martin S. Hirsch, MD, FIDSA |
| 2011 | Barton F. Haynes, MD, FIDSA |
| 2010 | Herbert L. DuPont, MD, FIDSA |
| 2009 | Arnold S. Monto, MD, FIDSA |
| 2008 | Robert C. Moellering, Jr., MD, FIDSA |
| 2007 | Sherwood L. Gorbach, MD, FIDSA |
| 2006 | Merle A. Sande, MD, FIDSA |
| 2005 | John G. Bartlett, MD |
| 2004 | Stanley A. Plotkin, MD |
| 2003 | Bennett Lorber, MD |
| 2002 | Gerald T. Keusch, MD |
| 2001 | William A. Craig, MD |
| 2000 | Gerald L. Mandell, MD |
| 1999 | Anthony S. Fauci, MD |
| 1998 | Vincent Andriole, MD |
| 1997 | Andre J. Nahmias, MD |
| 1996 | Jack S. Remington, MD |
| 1995 | Jerome Klein, MD |
| 1994 | Paul Quie, MD |
| 1993 | Seymour Klebanoff, MD |
| 1992 | Sheldon Wolff, MD |
| 1991 | Theodore Woodward, MD, MACP |
| 1990 | George McCracken, Jr., MD |
| 1989 | Willy Burgdorfer, PhD, MD |
| 1988 | Samuel Katz, MD |
| 1987 | Sydney Finegold, MD |
| 1986 | Robert Austrian, MD |
| 1985 | Elisha Atkins, MD |
| 1984 | Morton Swartz, MD |
| 1983 | Wesley Spink, MD |
| 1982 | Edward Kass, MD, PhD, MS |
| 1981 | Jay Sanford, MD |
| 1980 | Thomas Weller, MD, MS |
| 1979 | Gordon Meikeljohn, MS |
| 1978 | Louis Weinstein, MD, PhD |
| 1977 | William Kirby, MD |
| 1976 | Saul Krugman, MD |
| 1975 | Harry Dowling, MD |
| 1974 | Lawrence Sherwood, MD |
| 1973 | Charles Rammelkamp, MD |
| 1972 | Paul Beeson, MD |
| 1971 | Colin MacLeod, MD |
| 1970 | K. F. Meyer, PhD, DVM |
| 1969 | Thomas Francis, MD |
| 1968 | John Dingle, MD |
| 1967 | Chester Keefer, MD |
| 1966 | Maxwell Finland, MD |
| 1965 | W. Barry Wood, MD |
| 1964 | Ellard Yow, MD |