The Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement honors scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the understanding of infectious diseases and public health.
Shabir A. Madhi, MMed, PhD, of University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, will receive the 2026 NFID Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement, recognizing his lasting contributions and influential career in vaccine research and global disease prevention. Professor Madhi’s work has generated definitive evidence for vaccines in high-burden African settings, reshaping both scientific understanding and global health policy. He was clinical lead on a landmark study of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in nearly 40,000 children in South Africa, which helped support approval of improved vaccines and showed how pneumococcal and respiratory viral interactions contribute to pneumonia. Today, pneumococcal vaccines are estimated to have prevented hundreds of thousands of child deaths globally. He continues to lead efforts to improve vaccine affordability and access.
Professor Madhi has also led important research on rotavirus vaccines, helping inform global recommendations for their use in low- and middle-income countries. These vaccines have played a key role in reducing deaths from severe diarrhea in young children. A pioneer in maternal immunization, he led the first global randomized controlled trial of influenza vaccination in pregnant women, showing protection for both mothers and infants. He has also led groundbreaking trials of maternal vaccination to help protect infants against severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease and Group B Streptococcus. His research has contributed to improved prevention strategies for HIV and tuberculosis in children.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Madhi led Africa’s first vaccine trials for SARS-CoV-2, providing early insights that helped guide public health decisions. In 2024 he was awarded the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal for exemplary contributions in the field of vaccinology and prevention. In addition to his research, he leads major training programs in vaccinology and has mentored scientists across Africa. His work continues to shape vaccine policy and save lives worldwide.
“Professor Madhi’s work has directly shaped global immunization policy and the research agenda,” said Orin S. Levine, PhD, president and CEO of the Washington Research Foundation. “His career reflects the highest ideals of the Maxwell Finland Award: rigorous science, visionary leadership, and lasting global impact on infectious disease prevention.”