The Black Microbiologists Association has been awarded an Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Prize at the 2025 Microbiology Society Conference with a University of Liverpool Postdoctoral Researcher a board member of the winning association.
I’ah Donovan-Banfield (pictured top-left), a postdoctoral research assistant in the Emmott Lab (ISMIB), is the Director of Communications of the non-profit organisation Black Microbiologists Association (BMA).
At its 2025 annual conference, the Microbiology Society awards the inaugural Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Prize. The EDI Prize was created to highlight “individuals or teams who have made an outstanding contribution to initiatives that promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the microbiological community, or widen participation by those from historically marginalised communities by raising awareness of microbiology and inspiring the next generation of microbiologists to pursue microbiology careers”. The inaugural EDI Prize was awarded to two groups: the Black Microbiologists Association and the University of Glasgow Life Sciences “Decolonising the Curriculum” team.
The BMA Board of Directors has been awarded the EDI Prize for its work on the virtual conference series “Black In Microbiology Week. ” This week-long celebration is designed to showcase and connect Black microbiologists worldwide while also providing a forum to discuss racism in microbiology-related fields and health disparities in microbe-related diseases.
Upon receiving the award I’ah said: “Winning the inaugural Microbiology Society EDI Prize is a tremendous honour. The Board of Directors of the Black Microbiologists Association has dedicated an incredible amount of effort to developing Black in Micro Week into a sustainable project over the past four and a half years. If you are a Black microbiologist, mentor Black students who want to pursue a career in microbiology or would like to contribute to our mission as an ally, please visit the BMA website, for more information on how to get involved!”
I’ah’s PhD research in the Hiscox Lab (IVES) explored the impact of mutagenic antiviral drugs on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, producing three critical publications on the effects of molnupiravir. She is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Liverpool, using proteomics and virus-host interaction validation to investigate coronavirus replication and pathogenesis. Her research interests include virus evolution, zoonosis, and multi-omics method development. In 2020, I’ah joined Monash University to develop novel sequencing methods to support Wolbachia-based mosquito control for reducing the arboviral disease burden. She joined the inaugural organising team of Black in Microbiology Week the same year, becoming a Public Relations committee member. In 2022, she was appointed Director of Public Relations for BMA. Now, as Director of Communications, she manages BMA’s internal and external communications strategy. I’ah also volunteers with other initiatives, such as the Microbiology Society’s Members Panel and the Queer in Micro working group, to increase representation and resources for historically marginalised microbiologists.