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Nicole Dubilier receives 2025 ASM D.C. White Award for Interdisciplinary Research

Sep 9, 2025

We congratulate our Director Prof. Dr. Nicole Dubilier, who has been awarded the prestigious Award for Interdisciplinary Research from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).

The ASM D.C. White Award for Interdisciplinary Research recognizes distinguished accomplishments in interdisciplinary research and mentoring in microbiology. This award honors David C. White, who was known for his interdisciplinary scientific approach and for being a dedicated and inspiring mentor. Each year, the prize is awarded to a researcher with a distinguished record of accomplishments in interdisciplinary microbiological research and mentoring of young scientific talent. This year, the awardee is Nicole Dubilier, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, and Head of the institute's Department of Symbiosis.

"It is a true honor to receive this prize because it is one of the few to recognize two contributions to research. The first is for scientific achievements, specifically interdisciplinary research, and I am grateful to the many past and current members of my lab for their invaluable dedication and hard work. The second is for mentoring, a part of being a scientist that I have found deeply rewarding, so I feel particularly honored to have my efforts recognized by this prize.”, says Dubilier.

Nicole Dubilier
Nicole Dubilier, awardee of the 2024 ASM Award for Environmental Research. (© Jan Vetter/Wissenschaftsreihe beim Göttinger Literaturherbst)

Nicole Dubilier’s “accomplishments in microbiology are most deserving of this recognition!”, states Gladys Alexandre, Chair of the Chair ASM Subcommittee on Awards, in her letter to Dubilier. “Congratulations on receiving this singular honor! It is a direct indication of the regard in which your microbiology colleagues hold you.”, Alexandre continues. Nicole Dubilier will be presented the award at the ASM Microbe 2025 meeting in Los Angeles, USA, in June 2025.

Dubilier's lab studies symbioses between bacteria and marine invertebrates from chemosynthetic environments such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps, as well as shallow-water coral reefs and seagrass meadows. Her group uses a wide array of methods that range from deep-sea in situ tools to molecular, 'omic' and imaging analyses to understand the diversity, ecology and evolution of chemosynthetic symbioses.

Dubilier moved from the USA to Germany as a teenager and gained her PhD in Marine Zoology at the University of Hamburg, Germany. After a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, she joined the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in 1997. Dubilier's research and teaching has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, and she is an Elected Fellow of several prestigious scientific academies. She serves on many national and international advisory boards, scientific councils and other commissions of trust, and is engaged in advancing gender equity in science.

The American Societa for Microbiology (ASM)

"Established in 1899, ASM is the home for microbial scientists from around the globe to connect, learn, discover and prepare for the future.

ASM and its 30,000 members partner with global organizations to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. We connect with millions of experts and harness their science to serve humanity. From climate change, antimicrobial resistance, industrial, basic and applied microbiology, ASM is a leader in scientific publishing, stands for open science and advocates for evidence-based public policies."

(Text from the ASM Website)

https://asm.org/Academy/Academy-awards-prize-program

Contact

Director

Department of Symbiosis

Prof. Dr. Nicole Dubilier

MPI for Marine Microbiology
Celsiusstr. 1
D-28359 Bremen
Germany

Room: 

3241

Phone: 

+49 421 2028-9320

Prof. Dr. Nicole Dubilier

Head of Press & Communications

Dr. Fanni Aspetsberger

MPI for Marine Microbiology
Celsiusstr. 1
D-28359 Bremen
Germany

Room: 

1345

Phone: 

+49 421 2028-9470

Dr. Fanni Aspetsberger
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