IDSA Foundation Honors Dr. Stanley Falkow and Dr. Lucy Tompkins
The IDSA Foundation honored the accomplishments of Stanley Falkow, PhD, FIDSA, and his spouse Lucy Tompkins, MD, PhD, FIDSA.
“We are excited to dedicate the Stanley Falkow, PhD, FIDSA and Lucy Tompkins, MD, PhD, FIDSA Executive Conference Room. This space honors Dr. Falkow, a giant in the field of microbiology known as the father bacterial pathogenesis, and Dr. Tompkins who is a hospital epidemiologist at Stanford Health Care and microbiologist who pioneered the field of molecular epidemiology,” said Paul Auwaerter, MD, MBA, FIDSA, professor of medicine at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine and president of the IDSA Foundation. “This space is a recognition of Stan and Lucy’s incredible contributions to the field of infectious diseases and a reflection of their tremendous legacy.”
Dr. Falkow first made his mark in science by identifying the existence of extrachromosomal circles of DNA in bacteria, known as plasmids. He subsequently identified the mechanisms by which antibiotic resistance spreads and played a key role in the development of DNA cloning. Dr. Falkow was the recipient of many awards and honors, including the Lasker Award, election to the Royal Society, and membership in the National Academy of Science. In May 2016, Falkow was awarded the National Medal of Science by former President Barack Obama for his monumental contributions toward understanding how microbes cause disease and resist the effects of antibiotics, and for his inspiring mentorship that created the field of molecular microbial pathogenesis.
Dr. Tompkins, a renowned physician, scientist and and Dr. Falkow’s partner over 35 years of marriage, attended the dedication ceremony. Dr. Falkow died in 2018.
Tompkins remarked that “mentoring hundreds of students and postdoctoral scholars was the highlight of our careers,”. “Those students have gone on to improve medicine, advance science and vastly expand on what we couldn’t have possibly done ourselves.”
Dr. Tompkins is the Lucy Becker Professor of Medicine for infectious diseases at Stanford University and a professor of microbiology and immunology. Since 1989, she has been the epidemiologist and medical director of the Infection Control and Epidemiology Department for Stanford Hospital.
Laila Woc-Colburn, MD, FIDSA, Paul Auwaerter, MD, MBA, FIDSA, Lucy Tompkins, MD, PhD, FIDSA, and George Counts, MD, FIDSA
About the IDSA Foundation
Founded in 2001, the IDSA Foundation is the charitable arm of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. The Foundation is committed to providing career development opportunities, supporting education and funding groundbreaking research in the field of infectious diseases. Through its work, the Foundation invests in the next generation of diverse ID leaders and promotes advancements in patient care. For more information, visit www.idsafoundation.org