Bryan Grenfell wins Kyoto Prize

By Liz Fuller-Wright

Bryan Grenfell
Bryan Grenfell, the Kathryn Briger and Sarah Fenton Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Public Affairs. PHOTO BY SAMEER A. KHAN/FOTOBUDDY

Bryan Grenfell, the Kathryn Briger and Sarah Fenton Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Public Affairs, is one of three recipients of the Kyoto Prize in 2022. Grenfell won the basic science category, for “development of an innovative methodology for integrative analysis of pathogen evolution and epidemics.”

The Kyoto Prize, a major international distinction, is presented by the Inamori Foundation of Japan to honor the lifetime achievements of those who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural and spiritual betterment of humankind.

“It has been a privilege and pleasure to spend my career exploring the spatiotemporal dynamics and evolution of infectious disease epidemics, and the impact of control measures,” said Grenfell, who is also associated faculty in the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) and a leader in HMEI’s Climate Change and Infectious Disease Initiative, which has published numerous studies on the dynamics of COVID-19.