FEMS-Lwoff Award for Achievements in Microbiology

Launched in 2000, the FEMS-Lwoff Award for Achievements in Microbiology rewards those that create high quality knowledge that helps to solve today’s societal problems around microbiology. It was named in honour of the 1st FEMS President (1974-1976), Professor André M. Lwoff.

Winners receive:

• a prize-lecture at the opening ceremony of the FEMS Congress – with up to five free registrations to the FEMS Congress
• the opportunity to present research to the wider microbiology community via the FEMS Journals and FEMS communication channels
• a commemorative silver medal
• a working replica of an Antonie van Leeuwenhoek microscope
• an honorarium of €1000

Making a nomination

Everyone in the field of microbiology (societies, groups, or individuals) may nominate a Lwoff Award candidate to be presented at the FEMS Congress.

Do you know anyone – either an individual or a group – that has provided outstanding service to microbiology in Europe? Have they done something that deserves recognition? Then why not nominate them for the FEMS-Lwoff Award?

Additional information about the selection procedure can be found in the FEMS-Lwoff Award regulations.

Nominations are currently closed; nominations for the 2023 FEMS-Lwoff award will open in 2022.

We foster an atmosphere of inclusion and equal opportunities and place a high value on ensuring we reflect the diversity of the microbiological community throughout our organization and in what we do. We warmly welcome nominations that will recognize scientists from underrepresented groups.

FEMS-Lwoff awardees
2023 Awardee	2021 Awardee
The 2023 Awardee will be announced in the leadup to the 10th FEMS Congress, taking place in Hamburg, Germany.	Prof. E. Charpentier, France Prize Lecture: tbc Venue: World Microbe Forum, Online, 9th FEMS Congress – Read our Spotlight with Emmanuelle Charpentier
2019 Awardee	2017 Awardee
Prof. P. Cossart, France Prize Lecture: The model organism Listeria monocytogenes: towards the complete understanding of it physiology and its virulence Venue: Glasgow, Scotland, 8th FEMS Congress – Watch our interview with Pascale Cossart	Prof. J. Errington, United Kingdom Prize Lecture: Cell wall deficient (L-form) bacteria: from chronic infections to the origins of life Venue: Valencia, Spain, 7th FEMS Congress
2015 Awardees
Prof. F. Baquero, Spain Prize Lecture: Transmission: a basic process in Microbiology Venue: Maastricht, The Netherlands, 6th FEMS Congress Date: 11 June 2015	Prof R.K. Thauer, Germany Prize Lecture: The microbial methane cycle Venue: Maastricht, The Netherlands, 6th FEMS Congress Date: 11 June 2015
2013 Awardee	2011 Awardee
Prof. Juan Luis Ramos, Granada Prize Lecture: Mechanism of Solvent Tolerance in Gram Negative Bacteria Venue: Leipzig, Germany, 5th FEMS Congress Date: 25 July 2013	Miroslav Radman, Croatia Venue: Geneva, Switzerland, 4th FEMS Congress Date: 30 June 2011
2009 Awardee	2006 Awardee
Karl-Heinz Schleifer, Germany Prize Lecture:  Classification of Bacteria: From Unicellular Plants to the Age of Genomics Venue: Gothenburg, Sweden, at the occasion of the 3rd FEMS Congress Date: 1 July 2009	Jorg Hacker, Germany Prize Lecture:  Evolution in Microbial Pathogens Venue: Madrid, Spain, at the occasion of the 2nd FEMS Congress Date: 6 July 2006
2003 Awardee	2000 Awardee
Prof. Sir David A. Hopwood, United Kingdom Prize Lecture:  Streptomyces Genes in Nature and Medicine Venue: Ljubljana, Slovenia, at the occasion of the 1st FEMS Congress Date: 2 July 2003	Prof. Philippe J. Sansonetti, France Prize Lecture:  Rupture, invasion and inflammatory destruction of the intestinal barrier by Shigella, making sense of prokaryote-eukaryote cross-talks. Venue: Sevilla, Spain, at the occasion of the FEMS Jubilee Date: 15 September 2000