After twenty years (1976-1995) of the Stuart Mudd Lecture Series it was decided, at a Branch Executive Committee meeting, that it was time for a change. There was a strong desire to maintain the general format that worked so well for the Stuart Mudd Lectures. This involved finding a well recognized speaker to give a lecture, followed by a dinner at a nearby restaurant for more informal discussions. It was decided that this new lecture series should be used to recognize Branch members who made special contributions to the success of the Branch over several years. The first Distinguished Branch Member Lecture was held on 22 April, 1996 at Thomas Jefferson University, with Dr. Harry E. Morton chosen as the first Honoree. Like Dr. Morton, each Honoree who followed were chosen for their various contributions to the Branch, and the lecturers associated with these events were chosen to reflect some aspect of the work or interests of the Honorees. Like the Stuart Mudd Lecture Series, the Distinguished Branch Lectures became one of the social, as well as a scientific, highlight of the Branch academic year. It gave an opportunity for newer members to not only celebrate the contributions of the more senior members; it gave all members an opportunity to get to know the Honoree better. This was accomplished by providing a biographical sketch of the Honoree, as well as providing a time for more informal remarks on the Honoree at the dinner that followed. The following is a list of the Honorees, starting in 1996 and continuing to 2006. As can be seen in the list below, a review of the lecturers and their subject matter not only reflects contemporary developments in microbiology, but reflects the broad range of interests of our Branch Honorees.

Branch Honorees

• 1996 Harry E. Morton, Sc. D.
• 1997 Earl H. Spaulding, Ph.D.
• 1998 Amedeo Bondi, Ph.D.
• 1999 Kenneth R. Cundy, Ph.D.
• 2000 Bruce Kleger, Dr. P.H.
• 2001 Henry R. Beilstein, Ph.D.
• 2002 Norman P.Willett, Ph.D.
• 2003 Carl Abramson, Ph.D.
• 2004 James E. Prier, Ph.D.
• 2005 Josephine Bartola, J.D.
• 2006 Richard L. Crowell, Ph.D.

Lecturers and Lecture Titles 1996 through 2006

In Honor of Harry E. Morton, Sc.D.
April 22, 1996 Raymond A. Zilinskas, Ph.D.
In Pursuit of Sadam Hussein’s Biological Arsenal: The Personal Account of a Biological Warfare Inspector in Iraq.

In Honor of Earl H. Spaulding, Ph.D.
April 28, 1997 Marie B. Coyle, Ph.D.
Old Technologies Detect New Species in a Routine Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.

In Honor of Amedeo Bondi, Ph.D.
April 27, 1998 Clyde Thornsberry, Ph.D.
Changing Antimicrobial Resistance in the 90’s: The Hot Spots.

In Honor of Kenneth R. Cundy, Ph.D.
April 27, 1999 Burton W. Wilcke, Jr., Ph.D.
Microbiology and Its Continuing Impact on Public Health.

In Honor of Bruce Kleger, Dr.P.H.
April 17, 2000 Andre Weltman, M.D.
Introduction to Bioterrorism.

In Honor of Henry R. Beilstein, Ph.D.
March 26, 2001 Stuart B. Levy, M.D.
Antibiotic Resistance: Microbes on the Defense.

In Honor of Norman Willett, Ph.D.
April 22, 2002 Caroline Genco, Ph.D.
Bugs, Gums and Heart Disease: Pathogenic Strategies of the Periodontal Pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis in Endothelial Cell Inflammation.

In Honor of Carl Abramson, Ph.D.
April 28, 2003 Bennett Lorber, M.D.
Snakes, Sex, Sushi and Saunas.

In Honor of James E. Prier, Ph.D.
April 26, 2004 Mark S. Birenbaum, Ph.D.
Are the Feds Waiving Goodbye to the CLIA Regulations of Clinical Laboratory Testing?

In Honor of Josephine Bartola, J.D.
April 25, 2005 Caroline C. Johnson, M.D.
A Perspective on Disease Control in Philadelphia.

In Honor of Richard L. Crowell, Ph.D.
May 8, 2006 Emilio A. Emini, Ph.D.
The Importance and Challenge of Vaccine Development.