APHL 2026: Laboratory Science and Public Health Meet in Charm City

Over 1,400 public health scientists and administrators attended APHL 2026 in Baltimore, MD. May 4–7. APHL welcomed over 200 fellows and interns from the Public Health Laboratory Fellowship and Internship Programs: an APHL-CDC Initiative. Joshua Sharfstein, MD, spoke to a standing-room-only audience about making sense of the myriad changes in public health at all levels and, more importantly, what has not changed during the Dr. Katherine Kelley Distinguished Lecture. The Henrietta Lacks family joined the conference for a poignant session on her involuntary contributions to society. And APHL presented its annual awards for outstanding achievements in laboratory science, creative approaches to solving today’s public health challenges and exemplary support of laboratories serving the public’s health. The following awards were presented:

Lifetime Achievement Award

Recognizes individuals who have established a history of distinguished service to APHL, made significant contributions to the advancement of public health laboratory science or practice, exhibited leadership in the field of public health and/or positively influenced public health policy on a national or global level. This is not a retirement award, but a true Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Peter Iwen, director, Nebraska Public Health Laboratory

Gold Standard Award

Given to an APHL member who makes or has made significant contributions to the technical advancement of public health laboratory science and/or practice.

• Philip Lee, lead biological defense coordinator, Florida Department of Health Bureau of Public Health Laboratories-Jacksonville
  
• Carol Glaser, public health medical officer, California Department of Health Center for Laboratory Sciences

Silver Award

Honors a laboratorian with 10 to 15 years of service in a Governmental public health laboratory (either Public Health or Environmental/Agricultural laboratory). The honoree will be recognized as a leader both within their home laboratory as well as external to their laboratory. 

• Eric Bind, manager, Biomonitoring and Exposure Program, New Jersey Department of Health Public Health and Environmental Laboratories

Champion of the Public Health Laboratory Award

Honors federal, state and local elected officials or executive branch employees who have recognized the importance of state and local governmental laboratories that perform test of public health significance either through support of legislation or federal agency decisions.

• The Honorable Tom Cole, Congressional representative, Oklahoma’s 4th district

Emerging Leader Award

Honors an individual whose leadership has been instrumental in one or more advances in laboratory science, practice, management, policy or education early in their career.

• Arnachalam Ramiah, director, Bioinformatics, Georgia Public Health Laboratory

Leadership in Biosafety and Biosecurity Award

Honors a laboratorian with over 10 years of related service in the field of biosafety and biosecurity in a state and/or local public health laboratory. The honoree will be recognized as a leader both within their home laboratory as well as external to their laboratory (for example, by serving in a leadership role in committees/task forces at the national level).

• Eric Lundquist, biosafety coordinator, Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory
  
• Crystal Fortune, biosafety officer, Montana State Public Health Laboratory

LEAD Award

Recognizes the legacy of Eva J. Perlman, APHL’s first chief learning officer, who over three decades helped shape the public health laboratory workforce and represented the attributes of “serving those who have served.” This award honors an individual who exhibits the attributes of a leader, encourager, advocate and developer, and who has 10 or more years of service in a state, local or territorial public health laboratory, or other public health laboratory partner. This year there are two LEAD award winners.

• Jeremy Corrigan, director, County of San Diego Public Health Laboratory

Presidential Award

The APHL Presidential Award was selected by Dr. Scott Shone during his Presidential year (2025–2026) for the significant contributions that were made to the association’s work to promote policies that strengthen public health laboratories. Dr. Shone chose two outstanding individuals for this year’s Presidential Award.

• Daniel Jernigan, former director, Influenza Center and former director, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, CDC
  
• Denise Toney, director, Virginia Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services

Healthiest Laboratory Award

Given to an APHL member laboratory that is committed to safety, environmental process, environmental policy and employee health and wellness.

• State jurisdictional award winner: State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa
  
• Local jurisdictional award winner: Napa-Solano-Yolo-Marin County Public Health Laboratory

Award for Outstanding Contribution to Workforce, Training and Continuing Education

Honors an individual who has made significant contributions to the advancement of workforce development and training in public health laboratory science and practice; worked to provide continuing education opportunities, programs, policies or practices internally and/or through outreach to public health partners; or demonstrated a history of service with APHL committees, taskforces or workgroups focused on workforce development, continuing education or training.

• Sinisa Urban, division chief, Environmental Sciences, Maryland Department of Health Laboratories Administration