The American Academy of Microbiology (the Academy) has elected Dr Kelly Brayton, department chair of the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology at Washington State University in Pullman and extraordinary professor in the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases (DVTD), Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, along with 64 peers to the Class of 2025.

Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology, an honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process, based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology. The Academy received 146 nominations this year, electing 65 into the 2025 Fellowship Class.

“Fellows are pioneers in their field, driving discovery and innovation that push the boundaries of science and benefit society at large,” said Vanessa Sperandio, PhD, Chair of the Academy Governors. “Being named an Academy Fellow is a prestigious honor, and I am thrilled to extend my congratulations and warm welcome to Dr Kelly Brayton as a member of the 2025 Cohort.”

Dr Brayton is internationally recognized for her research on tick-borne pathogens. Her research on haemoparasitic diseases focuses on transmission biology, pathogen persistence and vaccine discovery and employs comparative and functional genomics, transcriptomics and molecular methods. Dr Brayton led the research team that completed the first genome sequence of Anaplasma marginale, a tick-borne pathogen which causes bovine anaplasmosis, a disease responsible for billions of dollars of losses globally for the cattle industry. Her work focuses on the vector pathogen interface where she has used transcriptomics, comparative genomics and functional genomics to shed light on infection processes.

Her work, along with others in the field, identified several promising vaccine candidates for A. marginale. She was recently awarded a US$800,000 grant to develop a safer and more effective vaccine for A. marginale, which will be tested in South Africa along with collaborators at DVTD. We are extremely proud to have Dr Brayton associated with the Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases (DVTD).

The 2025 Fellowship Class brings a wealth of knowledge of the microbial sciences with representation across the globe. The 65 fellows hail from 9 countries, including Australia, Denmark, Mexico, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Learn about the 2025 Fellowship Class.

The ASM

The American Society for Microbiology is one of the largest professional societies dedicated to the life sciences and is composed of over 37,000 scientists and health practitioners. ASM's mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences. 

ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications, educational opportunities and advocacy efforts. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to all audiences. 

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