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The 2023 FEMS-Lwoff Award for Achievements in Microbiology has been awarded to Professor Kenneth Timmis of the Technical University of Braunschweig in Germany. Kenneth Timmis was selected for the award for his contributions to the field of environmental microbiology and advocacy of microbiology literacy. He is the lead author of the paper ‘The urgent need for microbiology literacy in society’ and created and leads the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative, coining the phrase ‘Microbiology literacy needs to become part of the world citizen job description’. 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. The jury praised Timmis, not only as an absolutely excellent scientist, but also as a pioneer in the field of plasmids, environmental microbiology and microbial biotechnology. They also recognized Timmis' efforts in advocating for microbiology literacy. For example, his education initiative 'The Urgent need for Microbiology Literacy in Society' brought microbiology closer to society and has a wide impact. Other important initiatives around this topic are his article in Environmental Microbiology: 'Microbiology education and human stewardship of Planet Earth: the generational contract' and the initiative he supports and co-authored ‘Scientists Warning to Humanity: Microorganisms and Climate Change’ which also have a global impact. Timmis is a Fellow of the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM), the American Academy of Microbiology, the Royal Society, and Laureate of the Erwin Schrödinger Prize. He was Founding Editor of the very successful journal, Environmental Microbiology (Wiley) where he served as Editor-in-Chief for 25 years. About Prof Timmis Kenneth Timmis’ research focus has been environmental microbiology, microbial pathogenesis and vaccine development, and microbial biotechnology, mostly involving genetic approaches. He has designed and engineered bacterial metabolic strategies to remove environmental pollutants from contaminated soil and water. His early studies of microbial molecular genetics clarified how bacteria control reproduction of their genetic material in the form of plasmids. He went on to demonstrate the ‘minimal replicon’, the minimum set of genes needed for a plasmid to reproduce, a discovery central to the development of vectors for gene cloning and the creation of genetically altered bacteria for biotechnology. He pioneered the cloning of entire metabolic pathways and the design of novel biochemical pathways and microbes for bioremediation. Furthermore, he has made significant contributions to microbial ecology, especially in relation to soils and waters polluted with hydrocarbons and xenobiotics. Timmis studied microbiology at Bristol University, undertook postdoctoral research training at the Ruhr University, Yale and Stanford, and headed research groups at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, the University of Geneva Medical Centre, the German National Research Centre for Biotechnology (later, the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research) and the Technische Universität Braunschweig. Timmis is the Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief of three primary research journals, namely Environmental Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology Reports and Microbial Biotechnology. He is currently Emeritus Professor at the Technical University of Braunschweig in Germany. He also actively engages in commercial and societal debates and will thus provide a link to key scientific, commercial, social and policy maker stakeholders.
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About The International Microbiology Literacy Initiative (IMiLI)
Microbes and their activities have pervasive, remarkably profound and generally positive effects on the functioning, and thus health and well-being, of human beings, the whole of the biological world, and indeed the entire surface of the planet and its atmosphere. This necessitates their due consideration in decisions that are taken by individuals and families in everyday life, as well as by individuals and responsible bodies at all levels and stages of community, national and international planetary health assessment, planning, and the formulation of pertinent policies.
However, knowledge of societally-relevant microbial activities, how they impact our lives, and how they may be harnessed for the benefit of humankind – microbiology literacy – is lacking in the general population, and in the subsets thereof that constitute the decision makers. The IMiLI contends that microbiology literacy in society is indispensable for informed personal decisions, policy development in government and business, and for knowledgeable input of societal stakeholders in such policymaking. An understanding of key microbial activities is as essential for transitioning from childhood to adulthood as some subjects currently taught at school, and must therefore be acquired during general education. The IMiLI is creating resources for a school curriculum of societally-relevant microbiology and calls upon microbiologists, microbiological learned societies and microbiology‐literate professionals to help develop child‐friendly, appealing teaching tools and materials, and convince educators, policy makers, business leaders and governmental and non‐governmental agencies to support and promote adoption of the curriculum by education authorities worldwide.
About FEMS
The Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) is a not-for-profit organization, established in 1974 to advance microbiology for the benefit of society in the areas of health, energy, food, materials, and the environment. We are committed to supporting microbiologists do their work; promoting the best in microbiology research and knowledge to the world and, bringing microbiologists together to share that knowledge. We reinvest our revenues into supporting microbiologists throughout their career, publishing and promoting scientific research in our journals and organizing events to bring scientists together.
About 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. Previous winners include Prof Miroslav Radman and Prof Emmanuelle Charpentier.
