Katherine R. Spindler, PhD awarded the Wolfgang and Patricia Joklik Distinguished Service Award from ASV

The American Society for Virology (ASV) is pleased to award this year’s Wolfgang and Patricia Joklik Distinguished Service Award, recognizing service to the field of virology, to Katherine R. Spindler, PhD.

Dr. Spindler is a University of Michigan Professor known for her excellent research, accessible science communication efforts, and years of dedicated service to the American Society for Virology organization. Dr. Spindler was honored with the presentation of a medal at the beginning of the 42^nd American Society for Virology Annual Meeting in Athens, Georgia, by ASV President Colin Parrish on June 24, 2023.

Dr. Spindler, who has been Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Michigan Medical School since 2001, is a leading researcher on adenoviruses, a group of viruses that cause a wide range of symptoms including cold-like symptoms, acute gastroenteritis, pneumonia, and conjunctivitis. She began her faculty career in 1985 at the University of Georgia, where her research team developed a system to study adenoviruses in a mouse model, to better understand how viral and host genetic factors impact disease. Dr. Spindler’s work has identified specific genes involved in susceptibility to mouse adenovirus, as well as characterized host immune pathways involved in the response against the virus.

Dr. Spindler complements her research with extensive public communication and outreach efforts. Since 2012, Dr. Spindler has been a co-host of This Week in Virology (TWiV), a podcast that aims to educate both non-scientists and scientists about virology and virology-related topics of public interest. Notably, she was the first female co-host, providing representation for women in science as a voice at the table. During the coronavirus pandemic, she has served as a trusted source for scientifically supported information, participating in several efforts to reach the public including TWiV and ASV’s “Vaccine Town Halls” and “Chat with a Virologist” initiatives.

Dr. Spindler has provided extensive service to the virology community over several decades through review, editorial, and leadership positions. She has been involved in the ASV Program Committee in various roles since 2010, including two years as ASV Program Chair. Since 2017 she has been the ASV Secretary-Treasurer. Notably, she has been involved in efforts to increase opportunities for scientists from marginalized backgrounds to excel in science. In 1993 she founded the SUNFIG program at the University of Georgia, which provides summer undergraduate research opportunities for students underrepresented in the sciences. Dr. Spindler is also active in the University of Michigan’s ADVANCE and STRIDE programs and oversaw the establishment of anti-discrimination policies and the formation of the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee within the ASV organization.  

For these extraordinary accomplishments in research, scientific communication, and service in virology, Dr. Spindler was honored by ASV as the third recipient of the Wolfgang and Patricia Joklik Distinguished Service Award. This award was established by ASV in 2021 with a generous donation from Patricia Joklik in recognition of her late husband, Wolfgang “Bill” Joklik, a founder and the first president of ASV. ASV is a professional organization with more than 2700 members in 55 countries, founded in 1981. ASV’s mission is to support all virologists, to promote research on viruses, and to promote engagement and open communication of discoveries through its annual meeting and other activities.