Named to honor the late IDSA Past President Walter E. Stamm, MD, FIDSA, this award recognizes individuals who have served as exemplary mentors. It is presented to an IDSA member or fellow who has been exceptional in guiding the professional growth of infectious diseases professionals.
2022 Winner: Liise-anne Pirofski, MD, FIDSA
Liise-anne Pirofski, MD, FIDSA, is a physician-scientist who has helped shape the careers of trainees and faculty members in infectious diseases, especially women and minorities. As a mentor, Dr. Pirofski’s respect for each mentee’s individuality instills confidence and empowers them to pursue their career goals, while her knowledge and creativity enable her to provide practical guidance and support. She is known for her exceptional ability to listen to and empathize with her mentees.
Dr. Pirofski is chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center. She is also the Jacques and Selma Mitrani Professor of Biomedical Research and a professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
As chief of a large and diverse division with more than 30 faculty members, Dr. Pirofski has created an environment of inclusion where everyone can thrive. She dedicates much of her time and efforts to helping junior faculty achieve their career goals.
Over 32 years, Dr. Pirofski has had a profoundly positive impact on the lives and careers of nearly 50 doctoral trainees, postgraduate research trainees and faculty members. She has created many opportunities for her mentees to lead clinical trials, author papers and develop clinical programs.
Dr. Pirofski has had nearly three decades of NIH funding for her research programs, which focus on immunity to encapsulated pathogens, antibody-mediated immunity to infectious diseases and vaccine development. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Dr. Pirofski served as an investigator on several convalescent plasma clinical trials and helped develop Montefiore Medical Center's monoclonal antibody program, she still found time to mentor trainees and faculty members. Dr. Pirofski supported her mentees as they led the monoclonal antibody program and other COVID-19 initiatives.
Dr. Pirofski is a fellow of IDSA. the American Society of Microbiology's American Academy of Microbiology and the American College of Physicians and a member of the Association of American Physicians. She has received many awards, including the Faculty Mentoring Award, Infectious Diseases Teaching Award and Harry Eagle Award for Outstanding Basic Science Teaching from Albert Einstein College of Medicine; the AMA Women Physicians Section Inspiration Award; the American Society for Microbiology William A. Hinton Award; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Alumni Association.
IDSA is proud to recognize Dr. Pirofski with the 2022 Walter E. Stamm Mentor Award for serving as a role model to physician-scientists and helping infectious diseases trainees and faculty shape their careers.
Past Walter E. Stamm Mentor Award Winners
| 2021 |
Michael Wessels, MD, FIDSA |
| 2020 | George W. Counts, MD, FIDSA |
| 2019 | David L. Thomas, MD, MPH, FIDSA |
| 2018 | Carol A. Kauffman, MD, FIDSA, FSHEA |
| 2017 | Stephen B. Calderwood, MD, FIDSA |
| 2016 | Steve M. Holland, MD |
| 2015 | David R. Snydman, MD, FIDSA |
| 2014 | G. Ralph Corey, MD, FIDSA |
| 2013 | Lucy Tompkins, MD, PhD |
| 2012 | Robert A. Weinstein, MD, FIDSA |
| 2011 | Jane E. Koehler, MA, MD and William Schaffner, MD, FIDSA |
| 2010 | Jack S. Remington, MD, FACP, FRCP, FIDSA |
| 2009 | Richard L. Guerrant, MD, FIDSA |
| 2008 | Gerald Medoff, MD, FIDSA |
| 2007 | Stanley Falkow, PhD, FIDSA and Neal H. Steigbigel, MD, FIDSA |
| 2006 | Kathryn Edwards, MD, FIDSA |
| 2005 | Donald Kaye, MD |
| 2004 | Gene H. Stollerman, MD |
| 2003 | George H. McCracken, Jr., MD |
| 2002 | Leon G. Smith, MD |
| 2001 | Martin S. Hirsch, MD |