Patricia Champion, Notre Dame Collegiate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame, has been elected as one of 63 Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology for 2026.
Fellows of the Academy, the honorific leadership group and scientific think tank within the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology.
“ASM, and the vibrant community it includes, has played a formative role for me as I continue to grow as a scientist and as an educator,” Champion said. “I am thrilled and honored to be recognized as a Fellow, and look forward to continuing to contribute to ASM and the microbiology community in this new capacity.”
Champion’s research focuses on mycobacterial pathogens, bacteria that cause disease in humans and in animals. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the best known because it causes tuberculosis (TB). One of the world’s leading causes of death from a single pathogen, TB primarily attacks the lungs and spreads through microscopic droplets in the air.
"Patty's research has helped drive a fundamental understanding of how pathogens, specifically mycobacteria, interact with their hosts and cause tuberculosis," said Steve Corcelli, interim William K. Warren Foundation Dean of the College of Science. "Her research provides a basic understanding of how mycobacteria cause disease, which may lead to new vaccines and therapeutics against TB, and this honor recognizes the caliber of her research program.”
Champion’s lab uses an interdisciplinary approach to study both M. tuberculosis and Mycobacterium marinum, an animal pathogen that occasionally causes human disease. M. marinum is an established model for studying M. tuberculosis. She aims to identify the molecular mechanisms by which mycobacteria cause disease by studying regulation, protein transport and modification, and how the bacteria sense and respond to their environments.
Over the last 50 years, more than 2,700 distinguished scientists elected to the ASM have been elected to the Academy, representing all subspecialties of the microbial sciences. This year, the Academy received 145 nominations for fellowships from across the globe. The 63 newly elected fellows hail from 14 countries.
Champion earned her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Carnegie Mellon University and her doctoral degree in molecular biology from Princeton University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, before joining Notre Dame’s faculty in 2009. In addition to her research, Champion is also associate dean for research, graduate, and postdoctoral studies for the College of Science.
"We're incredibly fortunate to have her leading the way in both research discovery and in mentorship of the next generation of scientific leaders," Corcelli said.
Originally published by at science.nd.edu on February 16, 2026.