Dale N. Gerding, MD, a world-renowned researcher of C. difficile and other infectious diseases, has received the Veterans Health Administrations highest research honor, the 2013 William S. Middleton Award.
Gerding is a research physician at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and a professor in the Department of Medicine of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
The William S. Middleton Award for outstanding achievement in biomedical or behavioral research is the highest honor for scientific achievement awarded by the VAs Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development Service.
The award recognizes Gerdings exemplary record of involvement in, and service to, the VA and the biomedical profession. It also recognizes Gerdings seminal contributions to the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of hospital infections, with a primary focus on C. difficile. His work has had a broad impact on the clinical care of veterans and of the general population. Gerding will receive $50,000 per year for three years in research support.
Gerdings research interests include the epidemiology and prevention of C. difficile, antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial distribution. He is the author of more than 350 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and reviews. He holds patents for the use of non-toxigenic C. difficile for the prevention and treatment of this disease. This was shown in 2013 to significantly reduce relapse of C. difficile infection in a phase II patient clinical trial.
Source: Loyola University Medical Center
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.