Alma Dal Co Award 2026

The International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME) congratulates Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe as the winner of the Alma Dal Co Award, recognizing her as an exceptional early-career scholar who has made important contributions to microbial ecology.

Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe’s research is extremely exciting and original, ranging from studies demonstrating the ecological drivers of tree-microbe interactions in the phyllosphere in the temperate forest and urban environments, to the first study to demonstrate the positive impact of multitrophic diversity on plant community productivity, and on the potential roles of phyllosphere microbial communities for host plant adaptation in the Anthropocene. Moreover, Isabelle’s research bridges the plant and animal worlds. Indeed, her advanced expertise in data analysis and proficiency in handling big data have given her the possibility to address the microbiota across all habitats and make connections beyond the usual habitat-specific approaches, which is a very original and promising.

ISME will officially present the ISME Alma Dal Co Award to Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe at the 20th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology, where she will also present her most recent work during a plenary session. ISME20 will be held in Auckland from 16-21 August 2026.

Read the full notice here: https://isme-microbes.org/winner-of-the-alma-dal-co-award-2026/

Thermo Fisher Award 2024

The Canadian Society of Microbiology (CSM) congratulates Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe as the winner of the Thermo Fisher Award. This award is given to stimulate and recognize new researchers in the microbiological sciences.

The committee wants to highlight the excellence and the high impact of the research done in her laboratory and with her collaborators, her strong involvement in the community, including the CSM and outreach to francophone, and numerous invited presentations in highly regarded international forums. Her laboratory is funded by multiple grants including a Canada Chair, and her trainees show remarkable accomplishments, demonstrating that Pr Laforest-Lapointe possesses all the qualities of an exceptional researcher.

See more information about the award here: https://csm-scm.org/awards/thermofisher-award/

CSEE Early Career Award 2021

The International Society of Microbial Ecology (ISME) congratulates Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe as the winner of the Alma Dal Co Award, recognizing her as an exceptional early-career scholar who has made important contributions to microbial ecology.

Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe’s research is extremely exciting and original, ranging from studies demonstrating the ecological drivers of tree-microbe interactions in the phyllosphere in the temperate forest and urban environments, to the first study to demonstrate the positive impact of multitrophic diversity on plant community productivity, and on the potential roles of phyllosphere microbial communities for host plant adaptation in the Anthropocene. Moreover, Isabelle’s research bridges the plant and animal worlds. Indeed, her advanced expertise in data analysis and proficiency in handling big data have given her the possibility to address the microbiota across all habitats and make connections beyond the usual habitat-specific approaches, which is a very original and promising.

ISME will officially present the ISME Alma Dal Co Award to Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe at the 20th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology, where she will also present her most recent work during a plenary session. ISME20 will be held in Auckland from 16-21 August 2026.

Read the full notice here: https://isme-microbes.org/winner-of-the-alma-dal-co-award-2026/