American Association of Avian Pathologists – July 29-31, 2025

Event

The American Association of Avian Pathologists (AAAP) held its annual meeting from July 29-31 in Portland, Oregon.

Awards

Bruce W. Calnek Applied Poultry Research Achievement Award

Dr. Naola Ferguson-Noel

Dr. Naola Ferguson-Noel, Athens, Georgia, in recognition of a member of the AAAP who has made outstanding research contributions resulting directly or indirectly in a measurable, practical impact on the control of one or more important diseases of poultry. Dr. Ferguson-Noel received her veterinary degree in 1996 from the University of the West Indies and earned her doctorate in medical microbiology in 2003 from the University of Georgia. She is a professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, also providing clinical services at the veterinary college's Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center. Known for her expertise in avian mycoplasma, her database of avian mycoplasma sequences allow for epidemiological comparison of strains across time and geography.

Phibro Animal Health Excellence in Poultry Research

John Maurer, PhD

John Maurer, PhD, Blacksburg, Virginia, for sustained excellence in research in poultry disease and health for more than 20 years. Dr. Maurer earned his doctorate in microbiology in 1990 from the University of Texas Health Science Center. Known for his expertise in bacterial pathogenesis, he is a professor at Virginia Tech School of Animal Sciences. Maurer was the first to report the distribution of "curli" genes and the non-fimbrial adhesin Tsh in clinical isolates for the avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) and the emergence of fluroquinolone-resistant APEC. His other contributions to avian bacteriology include the identification of the emergent S. enterica Pullorum strain responsible for the failure of the Pullorum test in the 1990s and discovering genetic elements in poultry litter to create a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance in the absence of antibiotic use.

Bayer-Snoeyenbos New Investigator Award

Dr. Sunil Mor

Dr. Sunil Mor, Brookings, South Dakota, for research contributions to the field of avian medicine. Dr. Mor received his veterinary degree in 2006 from Haryana Agriculture University in India and his doctorate in veterinary virology in 2014 from the University of Minnesota. He is an assistant professor at South Dakota State University. Dr. Mor's research focuses on using advanced molecular diagnostic tools for early detection and genomic characterization of zoonotic, emerging, and endemic viruses.

Outstanding Field Case and/or Diagnostic Report Award

Dr. Megan Lighty

Dr. Megan Lighty (Virginia-Maryland '13), State College, Pennsylvania. A diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians (ACPV), Dr. Lighty is an associate clinical professor at Pennsylvania State University. She was recognized for her presentation "Production Loss and Mortality in a Layer Flock Revealed Underlying Food Safety Concern."

Outstanding Animal Welfare Presentation Award

Dr. Mike Petrik

Dr. Mike Petrik (Guelph '98), Guelph, Ontario. Dr. Petrik serves as director of technical services at McKinley Hatchery in St. Marys, Ontario. He was recognized for his presentation "Animal Welfare Considerations for In Ovo Sexing."

P.P. Levine Award

Rodrigo Gallardo, PhD

Rodrigo Gallardo, PhD, Davis, California, won this award, presented to the senior author of the best paper published in the journal, Avian Diseases. Dr. Gallardo earned his doctorate in avian molecular virology in 2011 from Auburn University. A diplomate of the ACPV, he is a professor at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Gallardo was recognized for his paper "Mitigation of false layer syndrome through maternal antibodies against infectious bronchitis virus."

Y.M. Saif Outstanding Case Report in Avian Diseases, Volume 68

Dr. Simone Stoute

Dr. Simone Stoute, Turlock, California, won this award, presented to the senior author of the best case report published in the journal, Avian Diseases. Dr. Stoute received her veterinary degree from the University of the West Indies in 2004 and earned her doctorate in molecular virology in 2012 from The Ohio State University. A diplomate of the ACPV, she is a professor in the Department of Population Health and Reproduction at the University of California-Davis. Dr. Stoute was recognized for her paper "Natural infection with H5N1 highly pathogenic influenza (HPAI) virus in 5-and 10-day-old commercial Pekin ducklings (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus)."

AAAP Special Service Award

Doug Waltman, PhD

Doug Waltman, PhD, Gainesville, Georgia for outstanding contributions to avian medicine. Waltman earned his doctorate in microbiology in 1985 from the University of Georgia. He has worked at the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network for more than three decades and was the first to justify the use of delayed secondary enrichment for the recovery of Salmonella from specimens. Dr. Waltman has also been integral to the success of the National Poultry Improvement Plan's Salmonella identification and isolation workshops.

Huvepharma Excellence in Mentorship Award

Dr. Isabel Gimeno

Dr. Isabel Gimeno, Raleigh, North Carolina, for outstanding accomplishments in poultry medicine and mentorship of students and poultry professionals. Dr. Gimeno received her veterinary degree in 1995 and her doctorate in veterinary pathology in 1999 from the Complutense University of Madrid in Spain. A diplomate of the ACPV, she is an associate professor in the Department of Population Health and Pathobiology at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Reed Rumsey Student Award

Dr. Matthew Browning Dr. Maria Chaves

Dr. Matthew Browning (North Carolina State '24), Raleigh, North Carolina, won in the category of basic research in avian medicine. Dr. Browning was recognized for his presentation "Characterization of mucosal immune responses during necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens and identifying immune genes associated with disease susceptibility." Dr. Maria Chaves, Ames, Iowa, won in the category of applied research in avian medicine. Dr. Chaves received her veterinary degree in 2022 from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil. She was recognized for her presentation "Optimizing nanopore sequencing as a frontline diagnostic tool for poultry foreign animal diseases."

Richard B. Rimler Memorial Paper Award

Carissa Gaghan

Carissa Gaghan, Raleigh, North Carolina, for excellence in poultry disease research. A graduate research assistant at North Carolina State University, Gaghan was recognized for her presentation "Broiler chicken immunization with recombinant non-toxic alpha toxin domain-2 of clostridium septicum can be protective against clostridial dermatitis."

A.S. Rosenwald Student Poster Award

Dr. Ana Claudia Zamora Dr. Valeria Alcayaga

Dr. Ana Claudia Zamora, Athens, Georgia, won in the category of applied research. Dr. Zamora received her veterinary degree in 2020 from Antenor Orrego Private University in Peru. She is a graduate research assistant at the University of Georgia. Dr. Zamora was recognized for her poster "Infection rate and disease from infectious laryngotracheitis virus chicken embryo origin vaccine: Gel drop in hatchery vs drinking water." Dr. Valeria Alcayaga, Wooster, Ohio, won in the category of basic research. Dr. Alcayaga received her veterinary degree in 2015 from the University of Chile. She is a graduate research assistant at The Ohio State University. Dr. Alcayaga was recognized for her poster "The effect of TLR3 and MDA5 gene knockout on infectious bronchitis virus replication in DF-1 cells."

L. Dwight Schwartz Travel Scholarship

Finnerel Schaeffer

Finnerel Schaeffer, St. Paul, Minnesota. Schaeffer is a third-year veterinary student at the University of Minnesota.

AviServe Avian Biosciences Travel Scholarship

Carissa Gaghan, Raleigh, North Carolina

Hall of Honor Inductees

Dr. A. Gregorio Rosales

Dr. A. Gregorio Rosales, Athens, Alabama. Dr. Rosales received his veterinary degree in 1979 from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and earned his doctorate in medical microbiology in 1988 from the University of Georgia. He worked at what is now known as Aviagen until retirement in 2015. Also posthumously inducted were Drs. Raymond Bankowski, Henry Adler, and L. Dwight Schwartz.

AAAP Life Member Award

Dr. Nathaniel Tablante

Dr. Nathaniel Tablante, Elkridge, Maryland, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the AAAP and the field of poultry health. Dr. Tablante received his veterinary degree in 1976 from the University of the Philippines. He recently retired as a professor and extension specialist in poultry health from the University of Maryland in College Park. His research focused on avian influenza, biosecurity, and infectious laryngotracheitis. A diplomate of the ACPV and a past president of the AAAP, he has twice chaired the AAAP Epidemiology Committee.

Officials

Dr. Claudia Osorio, Salisbury, Maryland, president; Dr. Jose Linares, Apex, North Carolina, president-elect; Dr. Deirdre Johnson, Hebron, Maryland, immediate past president; Dr. Suzanne McComb, Athens, Alabama, executive vice president; Wayne Collins, Ellicott City, Maryland, associate director; Nikolas Faust, Bryan, Texas, student director; and directors-Drs. Thomas Gaydos, Dallas; Ivan Alvarado, Watkinsville, Georgia; Richard Phillips, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany; Kabel Robbins, Ozark, Arkansas; Simone Stoute, Turlock, California; and Naola Ferguson-Noel, Athens, Georgia