This award was established in 2023 to honor Dr. Gregor Reid, a founding board member of ISAPP, former President of ISAPP, and founder of the ISAPP Students and Fellows Association (SFA). Beyond his academic legacy and advancement of probiotic research, Dr. Reid’s transformative work in low and middle income countries (LMICs) – particularly his involvement with Fiti yogurt social enterprises across areas of Sub-Saharan Africa to address HIV/AIDS, general health, women’s empowerment, and sustainable economic development – has left an indelible mark on the field. The aim of this award is to recognize and support early career researchers (students and fellows) within LMICs, echoing Dr. Reid’s commitment to scientific excellence, innovation, and community development.
Each year, the winner receives a plaque, speaking slot at the annual ISAPP meeting, travel award to the ISAPP meeting, and an unrestricted cash award ($1500 USD).
2026 applications now open!
Winner 2025
Ms. Kenfack is a PhD student passionate about scientific research aimed at improving women’s health. In her research, she investigates beneficial lactobacilli that could serve as probiotics to address conditions such as bacterial vaginosis, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections, which are prevalent in Africa. She is co-coordinator of a citizen science project called the LEKE project, as well as the IMVAHA project, which aims to determine the impact of different menstrual products on the vaginal microbiome.
Past Winner 2024
Dr. Rounak Chourasia PhD, National Agri-food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, Punjab, India
Dr. Chourasia’s work focuses on discovering microorganisms with specific properties that contribute to the enhanced health benefits of a traditional cheese called chhurpi from Sikkim Himalaya (a state in Northeast India). Furthermore, he has applied selected microbial strains to develop bioactive peptide-enriched novel soybean cheese suitable for those with lactose intolerance.
